Bancshares : Mario Pena Chairman of Laredo Chamber of Commerce

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

IBC Bank-Laredo Vice President Mario Peña will be inducted as 2015-2016 chairman of the Laredo Chamber of Commerce tomorrow, September 30, 2015. The event, which includes the installation of officers and annual awards, takes place at the Laredo Country Club at 6:00 p.m.

At his induction, Peña will address his agenda as chairman, which includes eight projects of importance for the upcoming year.

'We are proud of Mario and his dedication to the betterment of the Laredo business community,' IBC Bank-Laredo Chairman and CEO Dennis E. Nixon said. 'His experience and leadership will further amplify the Chamber's standing within the city and region. I'm especially proud of the many IBC Executives who have served the Chamber over the years. Mario will clearly extend that leadership commitment.'

Born and raised in Laredo, Peña spent nearly 20 years with Hearst Corporation's newspaper and directory divisions and 10 years in the transportation industry. For the past seven years, Peña has led IBC Bank's financial services referral program, which consists of seven value added products, IBC Investment Services, IBC Insurance, cash management, IBC Mortgage, merchant services, small business loans and Elan Credit Cards.

Throughout his career, Peña has been involved with the Chamber and joined its board of directors in 2010, followed by executive board, treasurer and chairman-elect appointments. Peña has already made a significant impact on the Chamber by spearheading the newly created 'Breakfast with the Mayor' event and the development of the 2015 Centennial Speaker Series, with both programs planning to carry on beyond the Chamber's centennial year.

'Besides the honor of being named chairman, it's also an opportunity to work with friends, colleagues and business associates to improve the business climate in Laredo,' Peña said. 'It's a chance to give back to the city I call home, and I feel like I have a head start by bringing together city officials and Chamber members for an open discussion during the monthly 'Breakfast with the Mayor' event, and the annual 'State of the City' and 'State of the County' events.

In addition, Peña serves the community by sitting on the board of Communities in Schools, actively participating in the TAMIU Alumni Association and serving as the Eucharistic minister and lector at Divine Mercy Church.

Peña said, 'I could not have achieved anything without my 'support team,' starting with my beautiful wife of nearly 38 years, Bea Peña, our four children, Nelsa, Chale, Tony and Louie, my daughter-in-laws Jessica and Susie and our five grandchildren, Ashley, April, Nick, Nate and Luke.'

IBC Bank-Laredo is a member of International Bancshares Corporation (NASDAQ: IBOC), a $12.1 billion multi-bank financial holding company headquartered in Laredo, Texas, with 210 facilities and 320 ATMs serving 88 communities in Texas and Oklahoma. Founded in Laredo in 1966, the bank serves the community with a retail branch network of 16 locations. In April 2015, IBC Bank-Laredo was selected as 'Best Bank' in the Laredo Morning Times Readers' Choice Awards. Visit us on our YouTube channel, IBCBankWeDoMore. MEMBER FDIC / INTERNATIONAL BANCSHARES CORPORATION. More information is available at www.ibc.com.