06/19/2026
This weekend on Hill Country Institute Live, our featured guest is Judd Messer, Vice President of the Advanced Power Alliance. The trade association advocates for wind and solar energy and battery energy storage systems, or BESS. We discuss Judd’s faith journey, his work with legendary UT baseball coach Augie Garrido, the winningest baseball coach in NCAA history, and the vital role that wind and solar energy, and BESS, play in the growth, reliability, and affordability of the Texas electricity grid. The combination of wind, solar, and BESS has saved Texas consumers billions of dollars and helped prevent blackouts like the ones we experienced during Winter Storm Uri in 2021.
Our conversation will be on The Bridge 1120 AM Radio at 1 PM and 7 PM on Saturday, June 20, in central Texas (Hillsboro to New Braunfels, College Station to Fredericksburg). Live streaming is available at the same time at https://thebridgeaustin.com/. The program will be available on your podcast app at Hill Country Institute Live and on our website, www.hillcountryinstitute.org, next week. Our other programs on faith and culture are also available there.
Judd grew up in Belton, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas. He managed the UT baseball team and later served as a special assistant to Coach Augie Garrido. After following his uncle’s advice to spend a session working and observing the Texas Legislature, Judd began a career in public policy. He went on to serve as legislative director and chief of staff for Texas lawmakers. Judd lives in Austin with his wife, daughter, and their black Lab, Mickey. They are members of Austin Ridge Church.
