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IBC BANK-McALLEN HOSTED MINITROPOLIS® ORIENTATION AND SHOWCASE

Monday, February 19, 2018

IBC BANK-McALLEN HOSTED MINITROPOLIS® ORIENTATION AND SHOWCASE AT SAM HOUSTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 
State leaders, teachers and bankers came together to learn about the 22-year-old program
 
(FEB. 19, 2018) McALLEN, TEXAS - IBC Bank-McAllen along with Sam Houston Elementary School (McAllen Independent School District) and Mims Elementary School (Mission Independent School District) hosted a Minitropolis® orientation and showcase event. The event highlighted the 22-year-old Minitropolis® program and demonstrated how it works and how students learn to participate in their own community.
 
During the showcase, state legislators, state banking association leaders, superintendents, teachers and bankers experienced the Houstonville Minitropolis® and Mustangville Minitropolis® directly from the students and the school administrators who run the program on a daily basis.
 
The Minitropolis® program was established in McAllen in 1996 and is now running in more than 30 communities in the IBC Bank footprint across Texas and Oklahoma. "IBC Bank-McAllen has taken the lead in establishing the Minitropolis® program in partnership with its financial literacy initiatives across more than 15 schools in Hidalgo County," said Dora Brown, IBC Bank-McAllen senior vice president of marketing. "We are proud to see the program succeed, not only around our community, but also across Texas."
 
The goal of the Minitropolis® program is to help school-aged students gain a better understanding of financial literacy concepts while learning the value of leadership and responsibility that will set them up for success as adults. The program functions as a mini city within a school, where students earn money they can save and spend at local businesses within their Minitropolis®. IBC Bank-McAllen manages 16 Minitropolis® programs including:
 
• Sam Houston Elementary - Houstonville
• Captain D. Salinas Elementary - Salinasville
• Mims Elementary - Mustangville
• Midkiff Elementary - Republic of Midkiff
• E.B. Reyna Elementary - Reynavilla
• Escandon Elementary - Talon Town
• Seguin Elementary - Seguin Valley
• Wilson Elementary - Wilsonville
• Victor Fields Elementary - Falconville
• Hendricks Elementary - Starville
• Garza Pena Elementary - Kodiakville
• IDEA McAllen - Tigerville
• IDEA Pharr - Lionville
• IDEA Edinburg
• IDEA Mission
• IDEA RGC
 
"The Minitropolis® program has been able to flourish because of the immense amount of work, thought and care our staff, teachers and students put into the program every day," said Adrian Villarreal, IBC Bank-McAllen president and CEO. "We are privileged to show everyone how this program works and why it's beneficial to every student."
 
In addition to the tour through Houstonville and Mustangville, attendees heard from a number of state and local leaders who support teaching financial literacy through the Minitropolis® program. Speakers included Dora Brown, IBC Bank-McAllen Senior Vice President of Marketing; Mark Magnon, IBC Bank-McAllen VP Commercial Lending; Jim Darling, Mayor of McAllen; Dr. Jose Gonzales, McAllen ISD Superintendent; Tony Forina, McAllen ISD Board Trustee President; and Debra Loya-Thomas, Principal Sam Houston Elementary School.
 
About IBC Bank IBC Bank-McAllen is a member of International Bancshares Corporation (NASDAQ: IBOC), a $12.2 billion multi-bank financial holding company headquartered in Laredo, Texas, with 193 facilities and more than 296 ATMs serving 88 communities in Texas and Oklahoma. IBC Bank's slogan "We Do More" reflects the bank's dedication to the growth and success of both the customers and the communities it serves. International Bancshares was ranked 19 on Forbes' prestigious list of 100 Best Banks in America in 2018. IBC Bank-McAllen has been serving the Hidalgo County community since 1990 and has a retail branch network of 29 locations throughout the area. IBC Bank-McAllen was named "The Best Bank in the Valley" in 2016 and 2015 by McAllen Monitor readers. MEMBER FDIC / INTERNATIONAL BANCSHARES CORPORATION. Visit us on our YouTube channel, IBCBankWeDoMore. More information is available at ibc.com.