Falcon International Bank names Ray A. Gonzales to board of directors

Falcon International Bank CEO and President Adolfo E. Gutierrez has announced the addition of Ray A. Gonzales to the board of directors of the bank. He joins Gutierrez, Hugo A. Gutierrez, Sr. (who serves as chairman of the board), Hugo A. Gutierrez, Jr., Gilbert Narvaez, Jr., John J. Hill, Hector H. García, Sr. and Hector H. García, Jr. on the board.

“Ray's leadership and longevity with Falcon Bank will only serve to strengthen our Board,” said CEO Adolfo E. Gutierrez. “Though the board has always valued Ray's input and counsel, it will now directly benefit from his experience, dedication, and above all, his grounded ability to temper professional success with faith and family.”

Gonzales currently serves the bank as executive vice-president and chief lending officer. He oversees all lending activity, including bank-wide production levels, portfolio growth trends, and credit quality of the loan portfolio. Additionally, Gonzales is responsible for maintaining manageable risk assessment levels, overall budgeting for strategic planning, reporting to the board of directors on a monthly basis, meeting with key lenders each week, and scheduling time for regulatory and/or internal/external loan reviews. He is approved by the U.S. Department of HUD as a Direct Endorsed underwriter for Falcon Bank, and regularly attends bank-related educational programs by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, VA, IBAT, and the Texas Bankers Association.

He previously served Falcon Bank when he was hired in 1988 as assistant vice-president in the loan department. His banking career also includes positions with other financial institutions in Laredo .

Gonzales has served on the Cola Blanca Big Buck Contest committee for the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, the “Welcome Hunters Party” (originally sponsored by Falcon Bank, it is now a Chamber event), Junior Achievement of Laredo, and the Laredo Builders Association. He also is a past board member for the Board of Adjustments for the City of Laredo , appointed by City Councilman John Galo. When not spending time with his family, he is active in many outdoor sports, including hunting, fishing, skeet shooting, golf, racquetball, and jogging.

A native Laredoan, Ray graduated from Nixon High School in 1977 and attended Laredo Community College for two years, concentrating on bank-related subjects.

“I would like to thank the board, especially Adolfo E. Gutierrez and his father, board chairman Hugo A. Gutierrez, Sr., for my appointment,” said Gonzales. “As pleased as I am of my professional achievements, I am the proudest of my wonderful family: my wife Lyssa of 24 years, and my two fantastic daughters Michelle and Melanie, who are both wonderful students at Texas A&M International University .”

Falcon International Bank is a $412 million institution with four locations in Laredo , a branch in San Antonio , and a representative office in Monterrey , Mexico . The bank will re-open the east branch on Bob Bullock Loop in July, and is also building a southside branch in San Antonio that will open this fall on Southwest Military Drive at Zarzamora.

Falcon Bank has served the Laredo market for 18 years and was named 172nd in the Hispanic Business 500 -- the annual directory in the June 2005 issue of Hispanic Business magazine of the top Hispanic-owned firms in the United States. That same magazine recently recognized the bank as 74th on its list of 100 fastest-growing Hispanic-owned businesses. The Laredo Chamber of Commerce honored the Gutierrez family with the 2004 Distinguished Business Persons of the Year Award. Falcon Bank earned its second consecutive High Performance Bank Award in 2003 by the National Bankers Association.