Palm Awards

John R. Garza is a passionate advocate for education, performing arts, and creating opportunities that improve lives. He has worked tirelessly to help transform the theatre-scape in the Rio Grande Valley, expanding student/community engagement through vocational preparation and professional development in the field of performing arts. He currently serves as the President and Managing Director of the Palm Awards, a non-profit dedicated to the promotion of a love and appreciation for the arts and to recognize student accomplishment through scholarship opportunities.

Prior to leading the Palm Awards, he served as the Director of the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance within the DHR Health System for a decade. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. John’s unique background in the arts—as a patron, volunteer, and business administrator—has afforded him a multitude of successes in philanthropy, marketing, and nonprofit work. He is a lifelong resident of the Rio Grande Valley. He and his wife of over 24 years, Veronica, were high school sweethearts at PSJA High School in Pharr, TX, where they both graduated. They share two children, Emily (19) and Elijah (17), who were both active in the PSJA school district arts programs. Both continue to amaze John every day.