Albert & Bessie Mae Kronkosky Charitable Foundation

Albert & Bessie Mae Kronkosky Charitable Foundation

Albert Kronkosky Jr. and Bessie Mae Kronkosky established the foundation through their wills. Albert died in 1997 and Bessie Mae in 2010. The endowment originated from Albert Sr.'s early stake in Merck & Company plus ownership in Gebhardt Food Company and San Antonio Drug Company. The foundation makes grants in health, education and community services within four Texas counties. It holds a long-term position in Merck stock as its primary endowment asset. Additional holdings include the former family ranch transferred to the state and Kronkosky Place, a community center now operated by the Benedictine Sisters. No fund commitments or co-investments with external managers appear in records. Activity remains confined to direct grant-making inside the defined Texas footprint. The foundation lists no disclosed headcount or additional offices beyond its San Antonio headquarters. It maintains memberships in Philanthropy Southwest and the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Laura Vaccaro serves as CEO and J. Tullos Wells acts as Managing Director. Bank of America serves as trustee and custodian. Governance rests with a small board that includes the named principals. The structure channels all distributions through the foundation entity without separate family investment vehicles or succession to operating businesses.