Laredo, Texas — The Webb County Heritage Foundation (WCHF) has been recognized by the Texas Association of Museums (TAM) at its annual conference, receiving two honors in the prestigious Mitchell A. Wilder Publication Design Award Competition, which celebrates excellence in museum communications and design.
The Texas Association of Museums is a statewide organization dedicated to advancing the museum field in Texas through professional development, resources, and advocacy, while promoting the highest standards and best practices across cultural institutions.
WCHF received both a Gold Award and a Bronze Award, recognizing the organization’s commitment to producing thoughtful, high-quality materials that reflect its mission and connect with the community. The Gold Award was presented for the Junior Curator Journal brochure, an engaging educational resource designed to enhance the museum experience for younger audiences, while the Bronze Award was awarded for the 2025 newsletter, The Year We Shared, which highlights the events, programs, and accomplishments of the WCHF in 2025.
From left: Aleida Garcia, Director of Cultural Arts, City of San Benito; Edwardo Garcia, Museums Manager, Webb County Heritage Foundation; Andrea Ordoñez, Director of Operations, Webb County Heritage Foundation; Jeff Salmon, Executive Director, Frontier Texas; and Kendal Smith Lake, Director of Communications, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Named in honor of Mitchell A. Wilder, founding director of the Amon Carter Museum, the competition promotes the highest standards of graphic design and media production across museums of all sizes. From newsletters and brochures to digital and print materials, these awards recognize communications that reflect a museum’s identity and public presence.
“To be recognized at a statewide level, and to bring home two awards in a competition that includes some of the largest museums in Texas, means a lot to us. We’re a small team, but we’re really intentional about what we create. We care deeply about how we tell our stories, and this feels like a reminder that our work and our community belong in those spaces too,” said Andrea Ordoñez, Director of Operations of the Webb County Heritage Foundation.
Previous recipients of this award include the San Antonio Museum of Art, the Witte Museum, and the Dallas Museum of Art. This year, the Webb County Heritage Foundation and the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum join that list, marking a milestone moment for the organization and for Laredo’s presence on the statewide stage.
These recognitions highlight the quality of work being produced by WCHF and underscore the organization’s ongoing commitment to preserving, sharing, and celebrating the history and culture of Webb County through accessible and engaging programs and publications.
The Webb County Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, sharing, and celebrating the history, culture, and stories of Webb County. Through its two museums, the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum and the Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum, as well as educational programs, community events, and publications, WCHF works to make local history accessible, engaging, and meaningful for all.
