Leroy Alloway embodies the adage that you can鈥檛 keep a good man down. Born with 80 percent hearing loss in both ears, he was told he鈥檇 never be able to become a productive member of society. Undeterred, he set out to prove the naysayers wrong.
鈥淚t was a nice gauntlet for someone to have thrown down,鈥� he said, recalling a childhood speech therapist鈥檚 letter to his parents. 鈥淚 was stubborn enough to not let it define who I am, and I just had to prove [the therapist] wrong.鈥�
And he has. Alloway, 32, was recently recognized by the San Antonio Business Journal鈥檚 40 under 40 awards, which highlight people who are not only successful in their careers but who also contribute to the community. He serves as director of community development for the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, the agency charged with, among other things, improving traffic flow on U.S 281, Loop 1604 and other major area roadways. One recent project is the $130 million U.S. 281/Loop 1604 interchange project that is expected to shave 40 hours of motorists鈥� commuting time annually.
Alloway serves as Alamo RMA鈥檚 spokesman, helps oversee the ongoing environmental impact statements on U.S. 281 and Loop 1604 and spearheads community outreach.
Armed with a master鈥檚 degree in public administration from UTSA, Alloway joined Alamo RMA in 2006 and quickly became the agency鈥檚 public voice.
The son of a retired Air Force senior master sergeant now in the civil service at Randolph AFB, and a cosmetology instructor, the Seguin native began his public service work as aide to former San Antonio City Council members Bonnie Conner and Art Hall. It was Conner who first dispatched the then-22-year-old to monitor Metropolitan Planning Organization meetings. The die was cast: 鈥淚 realized this was a chance to make a lasting, positive impact on the community.鈥�
Alloway has his work cut out for him in a city that is lagging behind other major Texas cities鈥� infrastructure investment. In the past six years, San Antonio has invested roughly $300 million on infrastructure, compared to Austin鈥檚 $4 billion. In the next 25 years, San Antonio is projected to spend roughly $1 billion on improvements, in contrast to Dallas鈥� $20 billion.
As if limited resources aren鈥檛 challenging enough, Alloway must convincingly argue the benefits of toll roads in a city where some residents vehemently oppose them. A separate challenge is to assuage concerns about the environmental impact to the Edwards Aquifer.
But Alloway is up for the task, describing his job with enthusiasm. He derives particular gratification from hearing from happy motorists: 鈥淥ne gentleman wrote that for the first time he鈥檇 been able to get home after work before his wife and get dinner ready for her and his kids. Knowing you鈥檝e helped give a person that time back鈥� that鈥檚 where you get your reward.鈥�
鈥擳ony Cantú
