Texas Border Business
The McAllen Chamber announced that t Paul Moxley and Janet Vackar have been selected as McAllen’s Man and Woman of the Year.
Since 1955, the Chamber has honored outstanding individuals for their contributions to the City of McAllen
“The selection committee received many strong nominations from throughout the community, and although it was quite difficult, the committee made a fantastic selection,” said Steve Ahlenius, President/CEO of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce.
“The City of McAllen is very fortunate to have such devoted people who care so much about their community that they volunteer their time and support to events, and go above and beyond what is required of them to help create the quality of life that makes McAllen a wonderful place to live,” he added.
McAllen’s Man of the Year, Paul Moxley, is president & CEO of Texas Regional Bank. He was born in Staten Island, N.Y., and his family moved to McAllen when he was six months old. He grew up in McAllen and has been a resident most of his life.
He has led a noteworthy career serving the residents of McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley. Paul holds a B.S. in Construction Engineering from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He played football in college and played one season with the San Antonio Toros after graduation.
He began a military career in the United States Army in 1968 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Corp of Engineers, and in 1969, served as a Military Assistance Command Advisor to the Vietnamese in South Vietnam. Upon returning to the States, he served fourteen years in the Army Reserve.
Paul began his banking career in 1970 with McAllen State Bank, then joined Valley Federal Savings in 1973 as President and Director. In 1983, Paul became President/CEO & Director of Security State Bank in Pharr. In 1986, Paul joined Texas State Bank and worked alongside Glen Roney. He served as President and Director of Texas State Bank and Executive Vice President of Texas Regional Bancshares, Inc.
In 2006, Texas State Bank sold to BBVA. Paul served as the South Texas Regional Manager where he was instrumental in overseeing the 2008 integration and conversion of Texas State Bank into BBVA Compass. He continued with BBVA Compass as South Texas Regional Manager in the commercial line of business until his retirement in August 2011.
Paul is the current CEO/ President of Texas Regional Bank in McAllen, TX since August 2012. He has a record of service to his community. He was the recipient of the Oscar Cardenas Humanitarian and Community Leadership award for Easter Seals and the 2003 Distinguished Citizen of the Year Rio Grande Council, Boy Scouts of America. He currently serves on three boards and is a past member of 16 other community based organizations.
Moxley currently serves on the McAllen Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, Vice President of McAllen Education Foundation and is the Director of Texas Regional Bank. He also served as President of the McAllen Health Facilities Development Corporation, Director and Chairman of the Texas Bankers Association, Director of McAllen Affordable Homes, Inc., Director of Leadership McAllen, Director and Chairman of Easter Seals Rio Grande Valley Chapter, Director of United Way of South Texas, Director of Boys and Girls Club of McAllen, Director of McAllen Traffic Commission, Chairman of the Board of McAllen Chamber of Commerce, McAllen Rotary Club Member, Member of the McAllen Chamber Greeters, Member of the McAllen Jaycees, State Bar of Texas – District 12-B Grievance Committee, and Past President of McAllen Country Club.
Moxley and his wife, Paula, have been married since 1987. They have three sons, two daughters, five grandchildren, and like to spend time traveling to see them, one who lives as far away as Alaska. Other than traveling with Paula, Paul likes to work, hunt, fish, and play golf.
Our Woman of the Year, Janet Ogden Vackar, grew up in the Rio Grande Valley where her parents began the Bert Ogden Auto Group with a Pontiac, Buick and GMC dealership in Edinburg, TX. It’s no secret that Janet has always enjoyed making people laugh and smile; seeing people happy brings her great joy.
She once told her father that he looked a little nervous on the dealership’s TV commercials and he asked her to be in them with him. They were the first father daughter duo in the ads before the untimely death of her parents Bert and Dorothy Ogden in 1992.
Janet is so grateful to have shared, and cherishes those special moments and memories with him. In 32 years of representing the Bert Ogden name on TV, Janet continues to use her father’s favorite trademark saying, “Dale Gas!” in honor of him; it’s her way of keeping him close.
Over the years, Janet has repeatedly expressed her appreciation and admiration for her husband Bob, who she refers to as “Her Rock,” as he stepped in to operate the family business. It was his support along with the blessings of the Rio Grande Valley that helped Janet get through the hardest time in her life.
It was through this difficult moment that Bob and Janet became the team they are today. As the dealership began growing, Janet became ever increasingly devoted to giving back to the community that so generously supported her family’s business.
Janet is forever grateful to the Rio Grande Valley, all of whom she calls her friends, and is wholeheartedly committed to giving back and finding ways to make this a better place for all who live here.
The Vackars are deeply invested in furthering higher education for valley students; both by helping to create scholarship opportunities, as well as helping to invest in improving the caliber of the educational programs offered here.
Through nearly 40 years of dedication to the Easter Seals Foundation, Janet’s leadership has earned the Vackars the Humanitarian of the Year award, the Business of the Year award and have even been honored as the Perfect Pair.
In 2012, Janet committed the Vackars to chairing the first ever Holiday Show benefitting the Renaissance Cancer Foundation, which became a huge fund-raising success. The community has named Janet “Miss RGV TV 2013” and Bert Ogden continues to be the “Reader’s Choice” for automotive dealerships.
Janet has been recognized by the Zonta Club as a Shining Star recipient and was awarded the Lizzie Award by the Junior League of McAllen’s 1st Annual Dios Festivos for most ticket sales.
In 2016, Janet was named Business Woman of the Year by the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber. Together, Bob and Janet were also honored in the most prestigious way as the first ever couple to be named The Border Texan of the year – 2016, joining the ranks of highly respected legislators, community leaders and even a past United States President.
Last year, Bob and Janet created an endowed scholarship at UTRGV and Janet was honored as a Woman of Influence by Social Life Magazine, amongst a group of other influential women in 2017. Janet is very proud to serve on the Board of the Vannie Cook Cancer Foundation and values other important long-term partnerships such as the Student of the Week Scholarship Program, various Boys & Girls clubs, Palmer Drug Abuse Program, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Palm Valley Animal Shelter, just to name a few.
When asked about her success and achievements, Janet gives all the credit to her family and the people of the Rio Grande Valley who inspire and motivate her. Janet and Bob motivate each other every day and live by the mantra “No matter how you feel… get up, dress up, show up, and never give up!”
Their personalities complement one another very well; he is the strong, quiet type and she is the energy behind it all. Goodness in others is a very powerful motivator for Janet; a happy smile as well as a grateful heart, go a long way for her. Janet and Bob believe that family is the most important driver in their lives and are excited to see their family grow.
The Vackar family includes their daughter Kristin and son-in-law Will and four beautiful grandchildren Walt, Sawyer, Emmylou, and Dorothy (named for Janet’s mother) who was born just this last week.
The Man & Woman of the Year will be honored at the Chamber’s 63rd Annual Banquet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, at the Valencia Event Center. This year, the theme is “Día De Los Muertos” and will feature a wine reception, dinner and live & silent auctions.
Tickets to attend the event are $100 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. If you would like to participate or need more information, contact Blanca Cardenas at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce at (956) 682-2871.
