Bancshares : Governor Abbott Appoints IBC Bank-Eagle Pass CEO to Finance Commission of Texas

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Governor Abbott Appoints IBC Bank-Eagle Pass CEO to Finance Commission of Texas

Gov. Greg Abbott recently appointed IBC Bank-Eagle Pass President and CEO Hector Cerna to the Finance Commission of Texas. The commission ensures that the banks, savings institutions, consumer credit grantors and other regulated entities chartered or licensed under state law operate as sound and responsible institutions that enhance the financial well-being of the citizens of Texas. Cerna will serve through Feb. 1, 2020.

'I'm deeply honored by Gov. Abbott's appointment,' Cerna said. 'With this appointment comes great responsibility. I intend to treat it with the utmost respect and add value to the commission.'

The finance commission covers a large scope, overseeing and coordinating the activities of the Texas Department of Banking, the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending and the Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. The commission ensures Texas' financial service providers operate in a safe and sound manner, industries function as a coordinated system and consumers are protected from unfair or damaging practices.

'Investing in my state and my community has always been important to me,' Cerna said. 'The best way to make an impact is to get involved, and this appointment affords me the opportunity to make a difference.'

Cerna is heavily involved in community, state and international business organizations. Currently, Cerna serves as a board member of the Border Trade Alliance, vice president of the Maverick County Development Corporation board of directors, where he assists in attracting industry and commerce to Eagle Pass and the region, and a member of the Texas Bankers Association. In addition, he serves as chairman of the Finance Council for the Catholic Diocese of Laredo and he is a member of the OMNIA Casa del Niño, A.C. board of directors, which is a non-profit organization formed by the Piedras Negras (Mexico) Bishop. Cerna has previously served on the Eagle Pass Bridge Board, the Eagle Pass Hotel Room Tax Committee and the Our Lady of Refuge School Council. He is a Leadership Eagle Pass charter member, Eagle Pass Rotary Club past president and Paul Harris Fellow. He previously served on the State of Texas Comptroller's Border Advisory Council Committee and as a trustee of the Piedras Negras chapter of Adopte Una Obra de Arte. The Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce honored Cerna with the 2013 Citizen of the Year Award. Cerna has been involved in fundraising for the United Way, YMCA, Mission San Bernardo (Guerrero, Coahuila), Boys Scouts of America and other organizations.

'We sought out an engaged leader when we launched IBC in Eagle Pass, and we found more than we hoped for in Hector,' IBC Bank Chairman and CEO Dennis E. Nixon said. 'He brought local knowledge, expertise in finance, real estate development and business venture management to the table. His 25-plus-years of leadership in banking and lending make him a perfect fit for the state's finance commission.'

Through Cerna's leadership, IBC maintains close ties with various economic development organizations and business leaders in Mexico to better understand and identify international business opportunities. In recognition of its efforts to promote cross-border business and strengthen ties between the United States and Mexico, IBC Bank­Eagle Pass was named International Business of the Year in February 2012 at the 18th Annual Eagle Pass Business Journal Awards.

Cerna earned a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Aida, have one daughter, Jimena, and son-in-law, Antonio.

IBC Bank-Eagle Pass is a member of International Bancshares Corporation (NASDAQ: IBOC), a $12.1 billion multi-bank financial holding company headquartered in Laredo, Texas, with 208 facilities and more than 320 ATMs serving 88 communities in Texas and Oklahoma. IBC Bank-Eagle Pass has been serving the area since 2002 and has a retail branch network of 11 locations. In 2012, the bank was named International Business of the Year at the 18th Annual Eagle Pass Business Journal Awards in recognition of its involvement in organizations that focus on cross-border trade and community relations.

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