Carlos Alvarez, who introduced the U.S. to Modelo, Corona, and Shiner beers and spent his fortune supporting philanthropic causes in San Antonio, has died at 73.
His death was announced Tuesday by the Gambrinus Company, which Alvarez founded in 1986.
Upon hearing the news on Wednesday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg declared a moment of silence at the start of a City Council meeting.
“Carlos Alvarez was a generous philanthropist and supporter of higher education. He helped nourish the economic and cultural ties between our community and Mexico,” Nirenberg said in a social media post. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.”
Alvarez was born in Mexico City. His father owned a Corona distributor in Acapulco, where he learned the family business from the ground up.
After graduating from the Monterrey Institute of Technology with a degree in biochemical engineering, he went on to work in Mexican beer exports for Grupo Modelo.
In 1981, he began selling Corona in Austin with no marketing budget, landing its first distribution deal in local bars and restaurants. He proceeded to grow the Corona and Modelo portfolio of brands into the number one beer import in the U.S. over the next two decades.
In 1986, Alvarez moved his family to San Antonio and founded the Gambrinus Company.
Gambrinus later acquired the Spoetzl Brewery, the brewer of Shiner beer, in 1989. At the time, it was experiencing financial difficulties. Under Alvarez's leadership, it grew to be one of the most successful and beloved craft breweries in the country.
Alvarez was inducted to the Texas Business Hall of Fame in 2010. He also received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor awarded to immigrants who make an impact on their communities with philanthropic works.
Alvarez and his wife Malú supported numerous endeavors across the community, including Texas Public Radio's new headquarters along the San Pedro Creek.
"Our entire team at Texas Public Radio is heartbroken at the passing of Carlos Alvarez," said Rebecca Caven, interim president & CEO of TPR. "Carlos and his wife Malú were just with us all at Joyce Slocum's celebration of life consoling many of us and bringing comfort with his kind remembrances."
Alvarez's $2 million campaign gift is the largest single donation in TPR's history.
"When he announced the donation, Carlos said he wanted TPR to have a space to convene community conversations, and host educational, civic and cultural programming," Caven said. "Amazingly, Carlos also donated $2 million to support NPR and served on their board as well. He meant a great deal to a great many, and he will be missed. Our thoughts are with Malú, their family and our friends at Gambrinus Company."
The Alvarez's $20 million donation to the UTSA College of Business also led to the renaming of the school in their honor.
"His generosity is reflected in the many programs, endowments, fellowships and scholarships he and Malú established," said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy in a social media post. "We were honored to name the Carlos Alvarez College of Business in recognition of his impact. As an institution, we wouldn’t be where we are today without Carlos’ passion for helping our students invest in their dreams, just as he did for himself and his family."
At the time of the donation, Alvarez reflected on what it meant to him.
“We are very proud to support UTSA and its outstanding students, many of whom—like me—are first-generation Mexican Americans,” Alvarez said in 2021.
Alvarez and his family made a visit to the Alamo on Monday for the dedication of a new Alvarez Family Terrace above its collections building.
He told TPR he was proud to be able to make a contribution to the redevelopment effort for the historic site he first visited during Hemisfair 1968.
"It was a short visit. You could just go in and basically go out and now today you can see so much more," Alvarez said.
Phil Green, the CEO of Cullen/Frost Bankers Inc., said in a statement that "Carlos chose San Antonio as his home, and San Antonio is a better place because of it. This is where he became a citizen, this is where he built his business, and this is where he worked so hard to make people’s lives better."
Brian Kirkpatrick contributed to this report.
