Mayor Ivy Taylor poses for a photo during the 19th annual Walk & Roll Rally. Photo by Scott Ball.
Mayor Ivy Taylor poses for a photo during the 19th annual Walk & Roll Rally. Photo by Scott Ball.

San Antonio has been my home for more than 20 years. We are blessed with a wonderful city that has a growing economy, great weather and a diverse and lively community.

What we don’t have is a strong vision for the next 20 years. San Antonio lags behind other cities in transportation, higher education and a connected, vibrant urban core. To strengthen the economic base, we need to draw technology companies, attract and retain educated people and diversify our industry footprint. See Tech Bloc for more on that strategy.

I became interested in the mayoral race a few months ago when Uber announced they were leaving the city. I wanted our leaders to understand the importance of Uber, Lyft and other technology companies. Services like this are good for our city and enhance the livability of San Antonio. I was mad and so I got involved.

When I first met Mayor Ivy Taylor in March, several things surprised me. First of all, she is an excellent listener. She listens first and speaks later (a trait not often found in political leaders). She seeks to understand and asks great questions. The Mayor looks through a single lens in leading this city, “what is best for San Antonio.” She has no political ambition, no desire to please everyone and dislikes politics in general. She refused to take money from those with whom she is negotiating. I respect that she is neither intimidated nor influenced by special interest groups. I trust that Ivy Taylor puts San Antonio first in every decision she makes.

I wanted to be sure she understood my perspective so I shared my story. My co-founders and I launched a technology company in San Antonio in 2005. Click Forensics was founded here and built to help advertisers get what they pay for. We were solving a complex data problem and needed both funding and technology talent. Despite our best effort, these did not exist in San Antonio at that time. With an investment from a venture capital firm, we relocated to Austin. Over the next seven years, Click Forensics became Adometry and grew significantly. The company gained global recognition as the leader in advertising attribution technology. In 2014, Adometry was acquired by Google. All of this occurred in Austin, not San Antonio.

This experience has made me take a hard look at the city I love most of all. I don’t want other companies to have to leave San Antonio in order to grow. Many young people are moving out after graduation and I want our city to be one that can attract and retain talented and educated young people. We need to make changes that will position our city as a leader in the years to come. Ivy Taylor shares that vision.

Every month, I spend more than 100 hours with 40 CEO’s, business owners and senior leaders. I feel equipped to recognize the traits that make a leader great, and those that make poor leaders. I’ve met the candidates and have an open mind. Ivy Taylor is the perfect leader for San Antonio today and tomorrow. She has a willingness to listen, has a deep background and education as an urban planner and a sound process for decision making.

Dictionary.com defines a politician as:

  1. a person who is active in party politics
  2. a seeker or holder of public office, who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.

By definition, Ivy Taylor is an awful politician. After getting to know her, I’ve found that she is a wonderful leader. San Antonio needs someone to help us become all we can be. We don’t need a politician to lead this city. We need a visionary leader who will listen, lead and get things done. I look forward to supporting Mayor Taylor in the runoff election and working with her to make this city truly great.

Early voting begins June 1 and continues through June 9. Election Day is June 13. Click here for voting details.

*Featured/top image: Mayor Ivy Taylor attended the 19th annual Walk & Roll Rally. Photo by Scott Ball. 

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Eastside’s Leadership Endorses LVP for Mayor

Mike Beldon: Why I Now Support Ivy Taylor

Mike’s Voters Look for a Way Forward

Tom Cuthbert is founder and former CEO of Adometry. The company was founded in San Antonio and acquired by Google in 2014. Today, Mr. Cuthbert is Chairman for Vistage International and coaches 40 CEO’s,...

55 replies on “Tom Cuthbert: What Surprised Me About Ivy Taylor”

  2. Now that I’ve stopped rolling on the floor with laughter, I have something to add.

    I have dealt with Interim Mayor Taylor for years while she warmed the D2 city council seat and boy does she have your ass fooled.

    Talking to Taylor on policy issues is like addressing a wall. Partially because she usually already has her mind made up and also because for someone with so much education, she isn’t the brightest bulb. She and her staff pushed code changes that can best be described as foolish and ill considered. When called on their misdeeds by constituents and the media, she just dug in and to this day still blocks attempts to fix her mistakes.

    Because she is pandering to the rich Northside demographic right now, Taylor’s utility as mayor – if by some tragic circumstance she pulls out this election – will be limited. Running about courting the conservative power brokers and religious nut jobs of San Antonio has not endeared her to the true powers that be in this Blue town and most of the returning incumbents of city council lean left. The knives are being honed as we speak and it won’t take till the Ides of March. Calvert and Warrick are just the first wave.

    But yeah, nice try by her campaign strategists to line up a tech dude and get him to endorse Taylor in a last minute before early voting commences attempt to mitigate Uber/Lyft/Google/SAABN/B-cycle and all the other cool stuff Taylor has taken to the point of almost FUBAR.

    Sorry, but you aren’t fooling anyone.

    Taylor’s only hope is if voters to stay home playing MMPORGs while drinking craft beer.

    1. You took a good deal of time to write that so I thought I’d respond. I’m most certainly not some “tech dude” roped in at the last minute. I’ve lived here almost 25 years and am active in virtually all business segments in the city.

      “Uber/Lyft/Google/SAABN/B-cycle and all the other cool stuff”, as you put it, are necessary to aid our growth, attract talent and enhance the economic diversity. They will come.

      This city has cultural and economic diversity in a way most cities do not. This creates both a challenge and an opportunity. The bottom line is that a political approach won’t work. We need common goals and an acceptance that you can’t please everyone. A politician has back scratching as their lens and tactic. A leader sees what is best for the city in the long term and builds strategy and consensus to accomplish it. Ivy is a leader and she has the support of many who can help fulfill the vision for San Antonio.

      I’m glad you’re passionate about the city and hope you will remain so regardless of the election results. We need to work together to make San Antonio a better place.

      1. Oddly, your reply refutes nothing I wrote. You can live here 25 years and still be a tech dude.

        Taylor isn’t a leader. She’s a politician as explained below. Your failure to address my second comment is telling.

        Even worse, Taylor is a politician who can’t pull a single endorsement from her old council district. Sucking up to conservative republican $$$ & right wing religious nut jobs has ended her future in this blue town. The SAPD are about to connect the dots regarding her shady hubs. Even if she pulls out this election, resigning in disgrace is her future. Better to lose and slink off to obscurity than prison.

        Nice try, tech dude, but your attempt to provide Taylor cover isn’t working.

  4. Here is some truth Tom Cuthbert should absorb. It might shift his paradigm:

    ‘Ivy Taylor has, as one of her major talking points, that she “is not a professional politician.” I’ve been trying to figure out what this means — especially in the mayor’s race against LVP. Does it mean she will never run for another public office? (We’ve heard that before and it didn’t stick . . . ) Her story of entering politics & LVP’s are actually very similar — women with careers & kid(s) who entered politics after about 10 years in the workforce. Leticia has had more of a “career” in politics only because she is 20 years older than Ivy.

    If LVP were to leave politics, she would continue to be a pharmacist. If IT leaves politics, she will probably either get (another) government job; work for (another) housing non-profit that operates primarily on government grants or (continue to) teach public (government) administration. In a sense, she’s much more tied to government & politics than LVP. So what is the underlying meaning of “not a professional politician?” It’s Ivy, not Leticia, who has thrown all her eggs into the government basket.

    With a few exceptions — Phil Hardberger is one — most politicians only stop being politicians when they die, are defeated, or leverage their political experience into a high-paying government or lobbyist job. I’m missing the logic here . . . help me figure it out!’

    — Thank you facebook friend for bringing the above to my attention.

  8. She has no political ambition but she is running for Mayor after she said she would not? Isn’t that contradictory? In addition, to quote you, SA lags behind in transportation, higher ed and a connected, vibrant urban core. Ivy has lagged behind in all those areas and has chosen to take the Tea Party, obstruct everything route.

  11. She was not even proactive within her own district when she was a member of city council. She makes excuses why she cannot attend events then tells colleagues untruths to cover her lack of dedication. Leader….no. Politician…definitely

  13. How can you write an article about a person running for office and say that they have no political ambition?? And please give us some details about how she is working to open up San Antonio… Not that I don’t believe you but details and examples are more helpful than a general stamp of approval.

    1. No ambition beyond being drafted in to the mayor’s race. She didn’t plan to run but was invited to by many. She’s well equipped to serve this city.

      I’ve met with her discussed the TechBloc POV (found here:https://www.satechbloc.com/our-views/) She embraces these and seems aligned with them. My sense is she will work hard to get them done over time in a sensible way.

  15. Homophobia -NDO, Uber, LYFT, rejected by every East Side leader, not a progressive vision, Tea Party friends & supporters, Cornerstone religious homophobic bigots etc.

    Not a leader for San Antonio’s Future!

    1. Minus Cornerstone, all the reasons you listed make reasons WHY a sane person would vote for Taylor

    1. The Union’s do not fear her, they want to negotiate fairly and as long as Ivy is Mayor (who doesn’t have a backbone and hates police officers as stated in her classroom) nothing will get accomplished because she’s riding Sculley’s coat tails.

  19. LVP is a Politician and that is more concerning! Just look at Washington and the career politicians, side deals and legacy building. This is about LVP’s legacy. San Antonio doesn’t need that, San Antonio needs someone willing to put the city above self, get the stuff done that has always held San Antonio back 2 step forwards 3 steps back. Taylor made the right call on the Street Car it wasn’t well thought out so she killed it! She lost support AND friendships in her own neighborhood because she didn’t go with the flow on some issues. Pretty childish of her neighbors to disagree with her on an issue and unfriend her on Facebook. Everywhere in this city if one is employed you pay part of your salary towards your healthcare why should first responders be any different? PREMIUM FREE COVERAGE isn’t that socialism? Why is it the folks who have it don’t want to give it up yet don’t want to pay extra for the rest of us to have it too? Because it’s a great deal and they know it! Somewhere there must be an adult in the room? San Antonio needs a leader NOT a politician at this time as far as the East Side leaders not supporting her I say to them “sweep in front of our own door” and fix the East Side internally street by street before throwing her under the bus! Go Ivy!

  21. I spent my entire military career in CyberSecurity. After leaving the military I worked for Shell and Chevron (via Lockheed Martin), and I now work for a private CyberSecurity Consulting firm here in San Antonio. I also attend the SA Chamber Cyber committee meetings on behalf of my company.

    I often speak to my company’s founders about business in SA. When we chat, I ask them what do they want to see in SA regarding the Cyber business community, they always mention the ability to actually do business IN San Antonio. We have countless contracts, yet none of them are in SA.

    While the focus is typically on Uber and Google when it comes to Cyber, those companies won’t operate out of SA, they’ll be serving SA. THAT is the difference. Ivy understands how important that is because her background is focused on long-term sustainability and true growth of business, rather than pushing the trend of the moment all the while ignoring the base of our future economy.

    #IvyForMayor

    1. Thanks Brian. CyberSecurity is one area we can attract. While ride share has been a discussion in the tech community, it is not the issue. The issue is having a diverse economy and leverage assets to attract the companies you are working with. Ivy does understand this. It’s a long term play and one that needs input and leadership.

  25. She should have a proven record of moving this city forward. She had plenty of time and opportunity during her intermittent mayoral stint. But she did NOTHING but set us back. Do you really want this San Antonio? And the homophobic thing…no, just NO! Vote NO to Poison Ivy. Go Leticia go!!!

  26. I judge leaders on their ability to grow and improve communities. She Has Wasted Millions of Tax Dollars on failed projects for her district. The East Side is a Ghetto and people praise her as if she has made a difference. Her competitor is no better. They are both fat cat liberals who don’t have a clue. Boycott this election because you will be voting for ignorance, lies, scandal, and no growth.

    1. Yes, visionary. She is a trained city planner and has a vision for the city. I’ve have spoken to her about this and she convinced me.

  32. No uber, which is absolutely insane. It’s everything necessary given the fact there’s no overnight via buses/commuting option. My solution: running shuttle service from top universities to-and-from downtown until 3:00am and provide neighborhoods the voting options in their communities to decide for themselves if they want the service.

    Also progressive equality for gays in business development and marriage.

    GSG.

  33. Not a chance I would vote for Ivy. Puzzled by the writer’s belief that having her in the mayor’s seat would be good for innovation and allow San Antonio to attract and retain a talented workforce. Her stint as appointed mayor has shown how much momentum was lost. Beyond her stance against the NDO, she has shown an appalling lack of vision for San Antonio. Killing Streetcars, Uber leaving, and Google Fiber backing off are prime examples. Her “leadership” would be more at place in some suburban outpost whose vision of change is limited to getting a new Chilis in the strip mall. When it comes to Ivy, her campaign slogan ought to be “Keep San Antonio Lame.”

  34. Facebook is not the forum to have a serious, thought-provoking, fact-driven, political discussion. Everyone here complaining one way or another should instead volunteer for either campaign, vote, and motivate others to do so. Actions instead of words.

  35. Leticia has been a wonderful politician. Fighting for education and women’s rights and veterans’ rights, and equality and more. She has represented us very well in the senate.
    Ivy is only here because she has republican support. She is swayed by special interest: big business and the ever organized tea party. Ivy is willing to throw out local control, giving republicans the freedom to frack or cut down heritage trees and even bring back LGBT discrimination. She doesn’t think the aquifer is worth protecting, not if it doesn’t allow her big contributors to build over it. And Ivy certainly isn’t about fighting crime when her own husband won’t press charges after a shooting with witnesses.
    This article doesn’t really say anything. I’m not sure why it would even be printed.

  36. This may come off as shallow, but I saw ivy Taylor in an interview during the Battle of Flowers Parade. The interviewer asked to see Ivy’s shoes, which, embarrassed, showed her less than flashy sandals… A leader leads by example and should engages people in their festivities… Much like her time in office, Ivy was just “bleh”… This coming from someone who has been committed to the east side for the last 10 years…

  40. Wow! What a great read! Ivy Taylor has got my vote, and if Tom Cuthbert ever decides to run for Mayor, he’ll have my vote too!

  41. actually…instead of looking leaders to lead us..how about we lead ourselves…most of the issues we have in this town has never been the leaders its always been the residents….. I think instead of relying and pointing people out we should look at ourselves and see what did we step away from and not stand up for…just a thought… I have seen many ideas and projects being started and actually created only to be stopped..not by city leaders but by locals themselves…. so…personally… finding fault negative perspectives of leaders isn’t helping…. this town doesn’t actually need leaders to make things happen…. we can do it ourselves…its a big town, its not a city like Detroit, Chicago, NYC, shoot even San Francisco…. Castro didn’t even do that much for this town and he easily left….This town can actually run on its own… so start doing rather than acting like we can’t….All of those running don’t even have a background on anything I trust to run this town …

  45. I guess if you publish it, you’ll make it true… Lol! Ivy Taylor and “leader” don’t belong in the same sentence. She is the antithesis of progress. Selective private and personal gain, yes. Widespread progress and positive future, no.

  46. I can’t say that I agree with 100% Tom, but I really like that Rivard Report has provided a place for discourse on both candidates. I’ve seen Op-eds supporting both LVP and Ivy on Rivard. Rare for a media, but I applaud it.

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