Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
Texas Border Business invited Adrian Villarreal to have a conversation about IBC Bank and what Father’s Day means to him.
Adrian Villarreal, the President and CEO of IBC’s 29 branches in Hidalgo County, shared how IBC is continuing to serve the community, and how this has impacted his life as a father.
Villarreal oversees multiple bank branches in Hidalgo County, which makes him a very busy individual. He described one of the ways he manages the twenty-nine branches, “I’m very fortunate to work for a bank that truly embodies what a community bank should be. Many of our employees have been with the bank for a long time; capitalizing on their experience is extremely valuable.”
According to an article published by Forbes Magazine last year, IBC Bank was ranked as the #1 bank in Texas based on overall customer satisfaction. According to Villarreal, this is a true reflection of our focus and dedication to making the IBC customer experience convenient, helpful, and pleasant. He said some of the IBC branches are conveniently located inside the Walmart stores. They are open late, and on Sunday. They are always accessible to their clients.”
“Additionally, the dedication of the bank’s employees to volunteer and give back to our many important community organizations has further deepened our commitment to the communities we serve. One prime example of this is our “Minitropolis” educational program.” It is important to highlight, that the program provides elementary students with an opportunity to learn how a successful community functions by developing a micro-society community within their school.
Villarreal says, “although IBC is one of the largest independent regional banks in the State, we consider ourselves a local bank by being focused on serving others.” He elaborated on how IBC remained focused on the community during the pandemic. For the health and safety of the community, IBC Bank was unable to host events during the pandemic. Despite this, IBC found ways to remain present for the community during a time they needed it most. Villarreal said, “So, even though we may not have been visible at events, I can assure you that behind the scenes, we were actively maneuvering through all the challenges that COVID-19 had for our customers and the community.”
“Our commitment will always be there.” Villarreal said, “Every time IBC is involved in a project, our employees go all in. An example of this is IBC’s current fundraiser to benefit the MD Anderson Cancer Center where the bank has committed to match dollar per dollar on all donations raised.”
He told Texas Border Business, “IBC is planning events dedicated to benefiting this first-class facility that has helped so many. The events include a fashion show, the marathon runs, and other types of sporting events to raise funds.” He added, “all funds raised will go directly to the MD Anderson Cancer Center; we are fundraising for them across all the IBC networks and markets.”
A Hands-On Local Board of Directors
Villarreal stated that one of IBC’s strengths is our local Board of Directors, who are all involved and engaged; he praised each one of them. “They know this community, their guidance, and commitment to our organization is invaluable.” According to Villarreal, “our success is due in large part to their experience and drive to help our bank and community prosper.
Growth From Within the Company
It is important to note that IBC is known for growing its employees from within the company. “Our philosophy is to provide our employees with opportunities to grow from within the bank. Many of our most tenured officers and managers started their employment with IBC when they worked part-time while attending school. Years later, they represent our leadership.” Villarreal said, “Being able to provide opportunities to people to develop their career is very rewarding.”
Best Part of Being a Father
Because we celebrate Father’s Day this month, we asked him about his family. Villarreal has five children and is married to Lupita Villarreal, his strongest supporter.
What do you enjoy the most about being a father?
“There are so many different things about being a father that I cherish; one of them is to see my children grow and develop. Each of my children is very different.” He added, “I try to support them in any way I can so they can be happy and successful in whatever they decide to do. I love watching them as they grow up and figure out what they enjoy most. Helping them navigate that, has been one of my greatest joys.”
What kind of activities do you share with your family?
“Anything that allows us to spend time with one another is something I look forward to. Quality time with my children is so important, especially with how quickly they have grown up.”
As a father and a banker, Villarreal enjoys the combination. He noted that the uniqueness of IBC is that as a company, they always strive to get better at taking care of their customers and employees. In many ways, his ability to serve with IBC aligns with his ability to serve as a father. Villarreal noted that although there is commonality, clearly the most important job he has is being a father to his children.
Adrian was born and raised in Harlingen, Texas. He attended Harlingen High School, then graduated from TheUniversity of Texas at Austin School of Business with a finance degree. He worked for a large national bank and went through their training program before coming to IBC.
What made you come back to the Valley?
“We are a very close-knit family. After being away for eight years because of school and work, I returned because of my parents. They have always played an important role in my life. I just wanted to be closer to them.”
What inspired you to get into banking?
“I vividly remember how the local community bankers were everywhere. They sponsored baseball teams, non-profit organizations, and many other programs. I was impressed with how involved they were.” He said, “as a young man, that caught my eye, so it stuck with me.” He attributes witnessing how banks were able to make a difference in the community and that inspired him to pursue a career in banking.
Do you think that banking is in a transition and people will eventually prefer to do banking using electronics?
“We have seen dramatic changes in banking from the COVID-19 pandemic. The data tells us that people expect more. What customers are predominantly telling us is – ‘make it convenient for me’.”
He noted that “at IBC, we are committed to continuing to be a “We Do More” company, Villarreal finalized.
