About bigcitysmalltown

San Antonio is a city on the rise—full of opportunity, challenges, and transformation. bigcitysmalltown is a podcast dedicated to telling the stories of the people shaping its future. Hosted by longtime journalist Bob Rivard, each episode features conversations with the leaders driving change in business, education, sustainability, development, and the arts.

This is a city where history and progress intersect, where culture and innovation collide. bigcitysmalltown explores what it means to build a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous San Antonio—one where young talent stays, communities thrive, and every voice matters.

With weekly episodes offering a focused look at the forces shaping one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities, bigcitysmalltown connects listeners to the real people behind the headlines.

📍 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

📺 Watch on YouTube

About the Hosts

Bob Rivard

Host

Robert “Bob” Rivard is a veteran American journalist whose 46-year career has taken him to dozens of countries around the world and to 48 states (still have not made it to Hawaii!).

Bob has worked for five different Texas newspapers, beginning his career on the border at the Brownsville Herald, then moving to the Corpus Christi Caller, the Dallas Times-Herald and then, after eight years with Newsweek magazine as a foreign correspondent and chief of correspondents managing its journalists around the world, back to Texas, first to the San Antonio Light and then the San Antonio Express-News.

His work as a journalist has been widely recognized with industry awards. In April 2000, he was chosen by Editor & Publisher magazine in New York as its first annual newspaper “Editor of the Year.” Two years later Rivard received journalism’s oldest award, the prestigious Maria Moor Cabot Award from Columbia University, for his years of work as a reporter and editor in Latin America and along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trail of Feathers: Searching for Philip True, Rivard’s nonfiction book chronicling the disappearance and murder of Philip True, the Express-News Mexico City bureau chief, in the Sierra Madre, was published by Public Affairs in New York in 2005. The books later appeared as trade paperback and e-book. The book was widely reviewed, briefly excerpted in Esquire magazine, and selected by People magazine as one of five recommended nonfiction works in 2005. Writing for The New York Times, William Grimes described Rivard’s search for True and his six-y… Read More

Alfredo De la Garza

Audio Engineer

Alfredo De la Garza is the owner and lead audio engineer at Sound Crane Audio, a full-service post-production studio specializing in dynamic sound design and original music composition for TV, radio, and podcasts. With a deep passion for crafting immersive soundscapes, Alfredo brings exceptional creativity and technical expertise to every project. His dedication to high-quality audio ensures that bigcitysmalltown delivers a rich, professional, and engaging listening experience.

Cory Ames

Producer

Cory Ames is a writer, podcaster, and media producer passionate about storytelling that highlights San Antonio’s people, history, and future. As the Founder of Ensemble Texas, he has built a platform dedicated to environmental, economic, and cultural resilience through video, podcasts, and long-form features. Cory has produced hundreds of interviews, including as host of The Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Podcast, and now brings his experience to bigcitysmalltown, crafting compelling narratives that celebrate the people who make San Antonio go and grow.