There’s never a time to be afraid

Bertha Garza had a root canal scheduled after the interview for this story, but even that wasn’t enough to dampen her trademark sunny enthusiasm.

The Brownsville native is first vice president for IBC in charge of marketing and international banking, secretary to the IBC board, and a force for positive change in the community she loves through initiatives such as financial literacy for children.

Bertha’s habitual optimism belies the life-altering hardships she’s overcome, an experience she said only served to solidify her faith and teach her what’s important.

The banking industry veteran landed her first job in 1970, part time in the print shop of First National Bank, now Wells Fargo, through Brownsville High School’s vocational education program. Her boss was T.J. Hunt, the bank’s purchasing agent and a coin collector, who taught Bertha the importance of diversifying one’s investments.

“At the young age of 17 what did I know about anything? But I learned that silver and gold were good investments, and they still are,” she said. “He was a grumpy old man but he was a wonderful human being.”