Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
For some time, I wanted to dedicate space for a feature story about a professional mom. I had many choices; it was difficult because at every turn I made, I saw moms as remarkable human beings who make sacrifices, forgive, and hold everything together, but above all, they have the magic kiss to help us heal and thrive.
Jamie L. Brown-Rosas is one of those moms with tenderness and immense love for her children and family. Her parents are iconic figures in the region as she is the daughter of Joseph and Dora Brown. Both of her parents have had successful careers in the banking industry, made many friends along the way and though are now retired, still hold pivotal roles in the community.
When they were active professionals, they raised Jamie with true love, time, and passion. The result? You tell me when you read her story.
Six years ago, Jamie married Pablo Rosas and they are the happy parents of two children. As Jamie said, “everything moves around them. We have a daughter; she is three and her name is Nyla Isabel. Our son is Joseph Alejandro; he is a year and a half.”
If you know moms, they always show authenticity when talking about their children. Through their tender words, they create connectivity and trust. Jamie is one of those moms, authentic when she talks about Nyla or Joseph.
“I think every mother thinks that their child is very smart; Nyla really is!” She pointed out that Nyla constantly surprises them with how quickly she can retain new knowledge. “She stops us in our tracks daily. She loves to read, sing in English and Spanish, and dance.”
With contagious joy, Jamie describes Nyla. “She swims, plays soccer, and she’s also a comedian. She’s like, my husband, a comedian; he’s a joker and so is my dad.” She continues, “But I think the best part is when she’ll say, “I love you, mommy,” out of the blue. She is a sweet baby.”
What about Joseph, your youngest?
“We named him after my dad; he’s mostly a happy baby but will give us some intense looks, just like his Paw-Paw.” She continued, “The only time he gets furious is when he is hungry or tired or has to stop playing. You know, just like most adults.”
She said little Joseph loves to dance too, and his sister makes him laugh. “At his age, his big thing is cars. He likes little cars ‘carritos’; he’ll push them all over the house. If you’re carrying him, he’ll push them all over you. One of the best parts of my day is when I drop him off and pick him up from pre-school because for those few minutes, it’s just the two of us. Though he’s not old enough to hold a conversation, I talk with him like he can, and he responds as best as he can.”
Tell me about your parents. What did you learn from them?
“My parents are the one and only Joe and Dora Brown. What I learned from my parents is to be generous with others, both with your time and if possible, your money.” She added a piece of advice, her mother gave her at the start of her banking career. “Even if you’re tired, show up.”
Jamie told Texas Border Business that one of the reasons she and Pablo chose to move back to the Rio Grande Valley was that the community was smaller and a lot more connected than in Houston.
“I looked for the opportunity to work in a career where I could balance professional productivity with attending soccer games, recitals, and other programs. While Houston was good to us professionally, there were too many times where I’d make it home just in time for my daughter’s bedtime.”
Jamie’s academic background goes beyond the mark for what she is doing professionally. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and minored in Spanish at Texas State University. She said, “After graduation, I moved to Austin, and began working at The University of Texas at Austin. Five years into my career there, I got accepted into and then earned a graduate degree from the school’s Higher Education Leadership program.” Her graduate degree helped her grow into a communications role at UT Austin but added that ultimately, she decided to change it up. “After 12 years at the university, I received an opportunity to work in the private sector. It was an important stepping-stone toward who I am today, but it was the dedication to my education that taught me the skills that I can ultimately take anywhere.”
Her academic education puts her at a comfortable level of knowledge in the field. Still, her education at home as she was growing up is an incredible example of what Jamie is now doing.
What inspired you to follow this career?
“My inspiration was and continues to be my parents. Growing up, I witnessed my mom and my dad proudly promoting the Rio Grande Valley as a place where one could thrive, where business could and should be done to make advancements in our community. Watching them, I never realized I was training for the position I currently hold,” she said.
How do you balance the responsibilities at work and your personal life?
“When TBB asked me to be featured, I immediately thought of the many women in our community who do the same balancing act day in and day out. We’re out there, running around crazy in one moment and then collecting ourselves in the next. I don’t think one formula exists to balance it out, because so much of being a working mom is unpredictable. You never know what’s going to happen, especially when you’re dealing with little irrational humans.” She continued, “Before moving into my current role, I was in banking in Houston, and then before that, Austin. In between those positions, however, I blindly went into one of the most challenging jobs I’ve ever experienced; that was being a stay-at-home mom.”
Her statement corroborates what I believed; being a working mom is one of the most challenging positions any woman can have. The ‘second shift’ is when women finish their full-time paid workday and then work on family and home responsibilities, although Jamie said that this is actually the ‘first shift’.
Research published by the University of Pennsylvania found mothers take on a more significant share of tasks at home. And the McKinsey study shows that mothers are more than three times as likely to meet the majority of demands for housework and caregiving.
Jamie said, “I’m here to say that, even though some moms don’t work in a traditional office, staying home with your children is just as, if not more important. I consider it a blessing to have had the support of my husband and family to do it because it changed my outlook. It’s a challenge. Did I say that already?”
Jamie has worked for Texas Regional Bank (TRB) since November of 2021 as Assistant Vice President and Business Development Officer. Her primary responsibility is to connect with the local and state community to share the quality products and services that the bank offers.
“I’m extremely proud of our products and our team of experts working under the TRB name,” she said.
“My job is fulfilling, especially when I can connect a prospective client with any one of our products via our banking experts. When the unbanked or our youngest customers are ready to open an account, I can help. When that customer is ready to purchase a car or home, grow their small business, invest their money, or save for retirement, I have TRB Mortgage, Lending, Merchant Services, Trust & Wealth Management, and more on ‘speed dial’. We have the ability to help an individual at almost every chapter of their life.”
Texas Regional Bank has embarked on a program that provides financial literacy to students at South Texas College (STC). Jamie said this program is a series of three provided at STC campuses, targeting young audiences.
Jamie is excited about the current program because it allows her to go into the market and have the experience of talking directly to the audience they are attracting.
For the next five years, her goals are to grow into her position as a mother and a professional. “I think it is best to take it in stride. Things are going to happen no matter what you do, whether you are great at planning or aloof about the situation.”
Once again, here comes the mom talking about her children. She said, “My daughter, the other day, spilled her water and it fell all over the floor. Before anybody could say anything, she grabbed a towel and said, “This is fine. This is fine, everything’s fine.”
“My husband, parents and I started laughing because we know exactly where she got that from. I don’t know if it’s that I tell myself or that I’m telling everybody else, but when something like that happens, I keep saying, it’s all fine. It’s fine. It’s okay. We’ll take care of it.”
Does everything have a solution?
“I do a lot of praying at night before I go to bed. If you have a relationship with God and you’re honest with your current situation, you’ll feel better about what you’re trying to do. But definitely, take it in stride,” Jamie finalized.
