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New(ish) in the Neighborhood State Farm Agency Owner Takes Baton
Travis Slaydon is the new owner and seasoned State Farm ® agent in Stone Oak at the corner of Huebner Road and Stone Oak Parkway. Travis graduated from the University of Kentucky where he played football for the Wildcats. By Amy Morgan
A
s a Stone Oak resident, you frequently pass through the intersection of Stone Oak Parkway and Huebner Road. You may have noticed new signage or fresh paint at the State Farm insurance office on its southeast corner. Every car that crosses those busy streets needs insurance, so although longtime State Farm agency owner Betsy Dippo retired in July, new owner and seasoned agent Travis Slaydon stands ready to pick up right where she left off. Familiar team members, Arlene Turner, who’s managed the office for 23 years, Kristin Lewis and Melissa Abarca remain and ensure the agency’s continuity of customer service. A new face, but one familiar in Stone Oak, is former Reagan football quarterback Thomas Specia.
“Betsy did such a wonderful job of knowing her customers and building relationships,” Travis said. “It is extremely important to me to keep a sense of familiarity in the office. I’m working really hard to fill the big shoes Betsy left.” Travis’ extensive industry experience and breadth of knowledge will benefit clients existing and new as he
leads the Stone Oak team forward. Travis has spent 14 years with State Farm, starting the agency in Alamo Ranch from scratch in 2008. He ran that office for nine years before moving to Corpus Christi to manage a territory of 43 agents covering South Texas. Stone Oak’s State Farm agency has long partnered with its community, living up to its motto, “Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There.” In the past, the team was happy to support the Mays YMCA’s family nights, the Breast Cancer Awareness Pooch Parade, the Baptist Hospital Winter Celebration and charity events hosted at Aldaco’s. Travis plans to continue Betsy’s philanthropic legacy. He’s beginning a “Quotes for Good,” program that will donate $10 to charity just for seeking out an insurance estimate from the agency. Travis looks forward to a time after Covid when he can collaborate with Reagan and Johnson High School PTSA programs to support safe teen driving events. State Farm offers many ways to help teens improve driving safety and lower costly premiums.
“We take a holistic approach to protect our customers and offer solutions,” Travis said. “We’re here to help you determine blind spots and educate with an honest approach.”
(L-R) Team members Kristin Lewis, Thomas Specia and Melissa Abarca are available to help you with any of your insurance needs. The Steer Clear program offers discounts for avoiding at-fault accidents or tickets. Young drivers can do their part to reduce their rates by taking a driver’s education course and maintaining a 3.0 GPA, discounts that continue throughout college, allowing the savings to really add up. Drivers of all ages who download and utilize the Drive Safe and Save app receive a 10% discount simply for participating, Travis said. He forecasts even greater future use of the app, which tracks drives and documents trip data. Drivers can see where they had excellent points or where they were dinged for speeding or turning or breaking too abruptly, allowing the app to be a catalyst for learning. The discount for safe driving can be “quite significant,” he said. More than just car insurance, State Farm offers a host of policies to mitigate risk —homeowners, renters, business, life and long-term care. The office also partners with providers like US Bank, Jackson National Annuities and Rocket Mortgage to provide a full suite of financial products including brokered accounts and retirement planning services.
Travis grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, leaving to play center on the University of Kentucky football team. He followed the athletic example of his father, who was a defensive end at The University of Texas. When Travis first moved to San Antonio, he lived with his brother, who was attending nursing school at The University of Texas Health Science Center. His brother introduced him to a classmate, Monica, who became Travis’ bride. After spending the past four years in Corpus Christi, San Antonio native Monica wished to return closer to her family, especially now that their family has expanded to include four-yearold daughter, Harper. The Slaydons share their home with two fur babies as well.
Family is important to Travis. He is pictured here with his wife, Monica, and daughter, Harper. As one might expect considering his football background, Travis is a big sports fan. He supports the Spurs and plans to once again hold season tickets. He also enjoys saltwater fishing at the coast. He and Monica love trying out new restaurants, especially those with interesting wine cellars. They will find plentiful sites in Stone Oak where they can whet their appetites!
STATE FARM® INSURANCE AGENT
Travis Slaydon
19190 Stone Oak Parkway, Suite 112 San Antonio, TX 78258-3237 We are located on the corner of Huebner Road and Stone Oak Parkway. 210-496-3276 www.weinsurestoneoak.com
INSURANCE PRODUCTS Auto • Home • Property Business • Life • Health OTHER PRODUCTS Mutual Funds • Annuities
PET TIP
Social Skills
Why Your Furry Family Member Needs a BFFF Your pup will gain confidence as he leans to explore and adapt to new places, smells and sounds. He’ll benefit from his new sense of accomplishment and experience less stress. And once he learns leaving the house means fun, you won’t have to drag Fido from a hiding place to get him into the car. Your stress level will decrease, too, when you don’t have to worry that every interaction between your furry family member and another dog will be unpleasant.
By Tamara Wetegrove
N
o man is an island – we’ve realized during this time of distancing how much we miss social interaction – and that goes for our furry family members, too. Just like humans, pups’ physical and mental health is improved by interaction with peers. An added benefit for owners – a physically tired, mentally stimulated dog has less time to devote to destructive behavior. Dog-on-dog play offers a fantastic workout. Think about the large-scale game of tag, complete with rolls, leaps and jukes, common among pups at the dog park. You’ll agree that level of exercise just can’t be replicated by even a trot with their human family. And who knows, with plenty of playtime, your pup might just meet his BFFF (best furry friend forever). Time with canine companions will help Fido learn good “dog manners.” Your pup will pick up key dog social cues as he communicates with others. Just like a kid on a playground, he’ll figure out how to back off and appropriate ways to express excitement and affection, behavior that will serve him well when he encounters others elsewhere.
As spring begins to blossom in San Antonio, you might be ready to dip a toe in the water of outdoor group activity. If you (or Fido) are not ready for the dog park just yet, why not try a pack walk? Pack walks are designed to be a safe, structured, nonconfrontational way to socialize dogs. Owners and their pups walk together, with dogs held on a short leash. The goal is to teach the dogs “to coexist in peace and learn to manage anything that might trigger them,” according to maggielovesorbit.com. Pack walks are a good place to start if you suspect your pup may have trouble initially mixing with others. “Reactive dogs” are encouraged to wear a yellow bandana so others can be aware to give them more space. Pack walks might be just the ticket as we start to ease back into social settings – for humans and their canine companions. Find a pack on meetups, or schedule a supervised romp for your pup at Camp Bow Wow.
Watch Buddy’s adventure at Camp Bow Wow!
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SENIOR MOMENT
Biological Groundbreaker Senior Opened Doors for Women By Amy Morgan
T
he petite woman sporting a shiny silver bob haircut carries a precious notebook filled with yellowing scientific publications. At first glance you might not guess the spunky 80 year old blazed personal and professional trails for women, but the articles testify to her achievement. Violeta Cuenca’s decades researching infertility opened new pathways for parents. Her drive to continue this important work even while she was bearing and raising her own young children necessitated establishing workplace childcare, which also expanded opportunities for women. Violeta was born in 1941, one of 10 children. Her family lived on the Philippine island Leyte, known as the location General MacArthur landed when he returned to the Pacific theater in WWII. That association holds great significance for Violeta’s family, because her sea captain father helped U.S. forces navigate the islands. Captured by the Japanese, he suffered for his allegiance, returning to his family only after surviving the Bataan Death March. Violeta and her siblings grew up hearing tales of his heroism. Her family valued education and supported Violeta’s studying Biology at University in Manila. Degree in hand, Violeta left the Philippines for Canada, taking whatever job she could to support herself until landing a laboratory position. After proving herself to the Canadian government as worthy for citizenship, she and her new husband immigrated to New York, where she worked as a tech in a biology lab. She earned a master’s degree and eventually became director of the OB/GYN Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Lab at the State University of New York in Syracuse. Violeta remained at SUNY from 1970 until retirement in 2008. During that time, she authored or contributed to more than 75 peer-reviewed publications in OBGYN and infertility — some of which reside in her keepsake box. While infertility is as old as biblical Sarah, information about causes and treatments were scarce in the 70s and 80s. Violeta’s placental perfusion research laid the foundation for IVF treatments common today. Ironically, while working with infertile women, Violeta bore her two children, Peter and Rachel (both of whom today are practicing medical doctors.) She faced a crucial decision of how to care for her children while contributing professionally. Violeta convinced SUNY to offer childcare onsite, a revolutionary practice that paved the way for many women to continue careers during their childbearing years. Violeta enjoyed the companionship of a handful of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels as her children pursued medical careers through the U.S. Military. Her family history of patriotism and service weighed heavily in their decisions to choose a military path, Peter said. He convinced his mother to join his family in San Antonio in 2010, and when the Stone Oak traffic near her home in Rogers Ranch became difficult, Violeta moved to Independence Hill last fall. Now she lets the community van do her driving and enjoys rides to view neighborhood holiday decorations. Violeta also delights in having her meals delivered to her door upon request –her own personal Uber Eats! She selects shrimp, a favorite since childhood, every time it’s featured on the menu. For more information about the lifestyle offered at Independence Hill, call (210) 764-5260, or go to www.independencehill.com.
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Multi-talented Musician Chemistry Honors Student Leads Band, Plays Multiple Instruments
By Amy Morgan
Drum Major General Catherine Hanson R eagan accomplishes more in one day than most do
in a week. The indefatigable senior conducts, teaches choreography, runs speakers, organizes practices, handles administrative details and plays Alto Saxophone in Reagan’s award-winning band. She mastered another duty – coordinating communication between Band Director David Morrison and other student leaders — a task that became especially challenging when freshman recruitment and practice shifted online all summer. Catherine even used videography to demonstrate proper stance and instrument position to newcomers and initiated game nights and group chats to keep the band connected and encourage them to feel like part of something bigger She prefers playing classical music on Oboe with Reagan’s Conticeo woodwind quintet, which she than their family household, she said. With an abbreviated physical practice schedule before their first football game performance, the Reagan band cobbled together favorite numbers from previous years for 2020’s offering. Titled Iconic, the program showcases band advancements over the years. Catherine suggested fans might recognize snippets from The Codex and Bob Marley’s One Love.
As much as Catherine enjoys marching band —the national competitions, the parades (she counts herself lucky to have marched with Reagan in the Fiesta, Rose
Bowl and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades,) she considers alto sax her “side gig.”
has led since sophomore year. “I’m very passionate about small ensemble.” Catherine learned to play piano, her first instrument, at the age of six. In middle school she added Oboe, English Horn and Alto Sax, which Catherine learned so she could join her older sister in band. Catherine can even switch between instruments in the same performance. Some of Catherine’s fondest Reagan memories are when she and “her inspiration,” sister Caroline rode to school and played together. One might imagine that musical practice would be all consuming, but Catherine is active at Crossbridge Community Church and ranks in the top 4% of her class of more than 800 students. She will follow her oldest sister and parents to Texas A&M in the fall, as “maroon is already part of her wardrobe.” She plans to major in some type of chemistry, encouraged by Reagan teacher “Miss Y” (Mrs. Yzaguirre). Catherine hopes she’ll be able to perform at least one musical swan song before graduation this spring.
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