Events

The Thanksgiving Holiday sign-in will serve as a make-up for those members that attend.

Gigi Garza is the Founder/CEO of Volunteers Serving the Need (VSTN.) The mission of VSTN, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, is to serve Webb County Military Veterans and surviving spouses. The primary service VSTN provides to eligible families bags of groceries, frozen meats/vegetables/fruits, and personal hygiene products at no cost to the participants. Mrs. Garza was born in Rio Grande City, Texas into a military/law enforcement family. Gigi’s grandfather served in the Army Fort Ringgold 12th Cavlery Unit E, her father with the Army Navy, and her mother with the Marines. Gigi was raised in Seal Beach, California, the eldest of six sisters, three of whom enlisted (with one of the three serving) Mrs. Garza had been married to a Military man for twenty-four years. He was one of seven brothers, all of whom voluntarily served in the Armed Forces. Gigi has two daughters, the oldest has her Master of Business from TAMIU and the youngest is a registered nurse (having graduated from LCC.) Learning volunteerism through her Dad and Mom, Gigi began volunteering in Laredo’s local churches shortly after moving here in the ninety’s. Gigi has served the following organizations: Templo Cristano Piedra Angular (Manos De Ayuda), First United Methodist Church (Angel Food Ministry), Laredo Stepping Stone, Christ Church Episcopal (New Leven), Joseph Warehouse for the Nation, Habitat for Humanity, Daybreak Rotary, Newcomers & Friends of Laredo and Grace Bible Church. Ms. Garza received the 2009 Jefferson Award for Public Service for Webb County and was 1 of 3 honorees in the 2017 Unsung Heroes Award by the Laredo Next Generation for her extraordinary service to our community. In 2024 Ms. Garza was honored to serve as Grand Marshal for the George Washington Birthday Celebration Parade. The veterans had their own float, all but one endured the cold. But they had a Wonderful Time with a Great boost to their Military Spirit!

Mr. Schwebel is widely regarded as one of America’s leading experts on North American trade and finance. His knowledge and unique experiences have resulted in his being called upon on numerous occasions to testify before Congress on issues of the U.S.-Mexico trade, including the North America Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the U.S. Mexico Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA); U.S.-Mexico Transportation and Logistics issues; issues related to international finance and immigration. Schwebel was directly involved in the negotiations of the new USMCA as a representative of the private sector team and continues to be engaged in the promotion of the tri-national trade agreement.

As Corporate Head of the International Division of IBC Bank since 1996, Schwebel serves in the senior executive management team of the bank. His position has also allowed him to become engaged in key leadership roles in numerous local, state, national, and international organizations including as  Former Chair of the Border Trade Alliance (BTA) in 1993 (the year NAFTA was adopted); Former Chair of the North America Strategy for Competitiveness (NASCO) in 2013; Bi-national Director of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce; Member of the Transportation, Logistics and Infrastructure Committee and International Affairs Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Member of the C26+ Committee of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation; Member of the Texas Border Trade Advisory Committee (BTAC); Member of the Texas Freight Mobility Committee (TFAC); Appointed Member of the Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s Transportation and Ports Advisory Committee as well as Vice Chair of the I-69 Alliance of Texas and Member of I-27 Advisory Committee of Texas.  In addition, Mr. Schwebel was invited to serve as a member of the prestigious Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) Advisory Council at Texas A&M University. In the Institute’s 70-year history, they address and work on complex transportation challenges and opportunities with innovation, objectivity, and unmatched technical expertise. In addition, Mr. Schwebel serves as an Advisory Board Member of Mexico’s National Council INDEX which represents the productive interests of the Maquiladora and Export Manufacturing Industry of Mexico

Most recently, Mr. Schwebel has been involved with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as a member of the U.S.-Mexico Economic Council (USMXECO). This council serves as a platform for both the U.S. and Mexico private sectors to work together in creating innovative solutions to shared policy challenges, all in the name of boosting growth and making goods and services jobs in the United States and across North America. It stems from the existing U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue, which was established in 2013 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Consejo Coordinador Empresarial (CCE) (Mexican Business Council) as a bilateral private sector forum fostering conversation on key economic and trade issues that impact the relationship between the two countries.

Mr. Schwebel is a graduate of Texas A&I University at Laredo (now Texas A&M International University) and has done graduate work at Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware, Texas A&M University at College Station, Texas A&M International University at Laredo and the University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Schwebel is also a former Army Field Artillery Officer having served in the Republic of Korea and Germany. 

The Laredo Daybreak Rotary Club raffle hosts this event for all club members, family, and friends.  Attending this event will count as a makeup.

Judge Oscar Jesús Hale, Jr. was sworn in as District Judge of the 406th District Court on January 1, 2005. Thereafter, he was re-elected to the Bench on four consecutive terms with no opposition.

Immediately upon taking office, Judge Hale was credited for being the first Judge in Webb County to openly allow cameras in the courtroom, granting the media more access to the courts, and making court proceedings more transparent.

To maintain the sanctity of adoptions and avoid the stress inflicted by other types of civil cases on the children, Judge Hale set aside a monthly special day to celebrate all adoption proceedings, where dozens of children have been adopted since Judge Hale took the bench in 2005.

Still in his first term, Judge Hale implemented the Drug Court Program (DCP), a judicially supervised treatment program for adults who are charged with certain drug-related crimes and who are in desperate need of treatment for chemical dependency. The program aims to help participants reach a recovering addict state and reduce the recidivism rate in our community. Since the implementation of this program, Webb County has been awarded over $4 million in grant funding and continues to operate under County Leadership.

Envisioning the idea of transforming an auditorium or a gymnasium at each of our secondary school facilities into a courtroom – complete with judge, lawyers, court reporter, bailiff, and defendants – to provide a real-world lesson to students, Judge Hale implemented the “Courts in School” program. With the support of our State Representative, Richard Raymond, and his filing of HB 1113 effective September 1, 2011, it became new law that court sessions may be held at secondary schools across the State of Texas. This program may resume next school year by conducting remote proceedings.

In collaboration with the Webb County Sheriff and Casa Misericordia, Judge Hale applied for and received, the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women FY2018 Justice for Families Grant, an initiative to deter domestic violence to assist families by staffing a “Safe Haven” center with key personnel trained to conduct supervised parent-child visits and to safeguard visitation exchanges between parents.

Currently, Judge Hale is collaborating with the Office of the Texas Governor and Texas A&M International University on a Trafficking Emergency Network initiative. He has also initiated a partnership with LISD and UISD on a project called M.A.Y.D.A.Y. (Men Against Year Long Domestic Abuse of Our Youth) to promote student awareness about the dangers and consequences associated with domestic and dating violence. He currently serves as a member of the Webb County Juvenile Board and as Chairman of the Pretrial Services Oversight Committee.

We have a sign-in for the Christmas Holiday.  All members attending will have a make-up.

We have a Sign-in for the New Year's Day Holiday.  All members attending will have a make-up.

Raul Reyes, Club President will provide an update thus far during his term and review pending issues remaining for his term.

Richard Edward Raymond is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 42, which encompasses western Webb County and includes the city of Laredo. He is Chairman of the Defense & Veterans Affairs Committee and is a member of the State Affairs Committee.

Mr. Alaniz is the elected District Attorney for the 49^th Judicial District of Texas. The district encompasses Webb and Zapata Counties and the office is in Laredo, Texas. The jurisdiction population is close to 300,000. Currently entering his 17^th year as District Attorney, Mr. Alaniz has been re-elected for his 5^th term.

A licensed attorney for 29 years, Mr. Alaniz earned his stripes as an Assistant DA in the 90s, an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Texas, and a solo practitioner for 9 years. A trial lawyer by heart, and State Board-certified criminal law specialist since 2001, Mr. Alaniz is a hands-on DA who leads in the courtroom by example. With an office of more than 27 Assistant District Attorneys and an overall staff of 86, Mr. Alaniz has been lead counsel on many complex and significant cases.

Recently in late 2022 and 2023 his trial experience culminated in two of the biggest cases in county, state, and national history. He was lead counsel in the trial of the Border Patrol serial killer case—the State of Texas vs. Juan David Ortiz.

Six months later in June of 2023, Mr. Alaniz led the prosecution team in the case of the second Border Patrol Agent accused of Capital Murder—the State of Texas vs. Ronald Anthony Burgos-Aviles. The trial which lasted about 4 weeks, received national and international coverage on Court TV and Law and Crime.

Today, Laredo is one of the safest cities in the United States. A key factor in having a safe community is law enforcement collaboration, communication, and cooperation.   Under DA Alaniz, the office has strong ties with Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies by embedding DA Task Force Investigators with Federal Agencies and through the partnership with the State of Texas Border Prosecution Unit.   These alliances allow law enforcement to deter and prevent transnational organized crime, drug, smuggling, and violent crimes. 

Mr. Alaniz has served his fellow prosecutors on the state level as a Regional Board of Director from 2019-2021 and State-wide Director at Large from 2021- 2023 with the Texas District and County Attorneys Association “TDCAA”. In 2024, he was appointed to the Criminal Justice section of the State Bar of Texas for a term of 3 years.

Victor Vasquez III serves as the Director of Webb County DWI & Juvenile Drug Courts, presided over by Webb County Court-at-Law II Judge Victor Villarreal. These specialized courts focus on supporting individuals affected by substance abuse, providing rehabilitation through the criminal justice system with a collaborative network of agencies and services.

Victor also serves as Chair of the City Parks & Recreation Board, a position he has held for the past three years. Additionally, he is an active member of the boards for the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC), the TXDOT Laredo District Traffic Safety Coalition, and the Webb County Community Coalition. Over the years, he has contributed to numerous special city and county committees.

This Friday's meeting will consist of a Social Interactive/Networking Time.

Dr. Mario Cesar Flores is a board-certified Family Medicine physician.

He received his medical education at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and then completed his residency at the Laredo Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program, Class of 2024. He is a proud St. Augustine High School and Texas A&M International University graduate where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

Dr. Flores is accepting new patients at Primary Care Associates of Laredo, 8607 McPherson Road, Suite 102.

David Eaton Business Development Country Director – Mexico

In his role, David Eaton supports CPKC’s critical mission to promote advanced manufacturing and community development in North America. With nearly 25 years at the railroad, Eaton has held multiple leadership roles in Mexico including Vice-President Corporate Affairs, Real Estate, Business Development, Customer Service, and Operations. Eaton is currently responsible for business development in Mexico for CPKC. Also, he currently serves as North American Chairman of NASCO https://www.nasconetwork.com/ and VP of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Northeast Division. David is a dedicated Rotarian with 28 years of community service at the Monterrey Metropolitan Rotary Club. Eaton has been elected governor of Rotary District 4130 for 2026/2027, responsible for 72 clubs throughout Northeast Mexico. From 2020 to 2022, David was president of the prestigious National Freight Transportation Association (NFTA). David and his wife Veronica live in Monterrey, Mexico with their 3 children. He holds a law degree from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Commercial Law from the Technological Institute of Monterrey (ITESM)

The following representatives will be attending our club to discuss the Twin-Club Partnership with our Club:

• Sergio Ojeda – President
• Alfonso Salas – Incoming President
• Luis Zamudio – Past-President
• Mario Salinas – VPH Vaccine Program Director
• Jorge Viñals – Past-President and Club Administration Director

4-WAY TEST STUDENT SPEECH CONTEST 
The purpose of the speech is to apply the principles of Rotary International’s 4 Way Test to a current ethical issue. Students are challenged to identify a topic they feel passionate about and to adopt a point of view from which they will seek to persuade others. It should be something from the speaker’s personal experience or general knowledge. There are no restrictions regarding the choice of topic as long as it is not blatantly offensive.  Each part of the Four-Way Test should be addressed during the speech. They should be specifically stated, as the intent of the speech is to use the 4-Way Test to resolve an issue. Each part could be used to prove either a positive or negative point.

This week's program will consist of a social interaction session.

Dr. Compean earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the American University School of Medicine in Coral Gables, Florida where his journey through medical education and training has been nothing short of impressive. He completed his Psychiatry Residency at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, NJ, and graduated this year where he made an impact as the Chief Resident of the Outpatient Clinic. 

Adrian's professional journey is marked by significant achievements,  from selling over $2.5 million worth of Cutco Cutlery products to leading key Partnership and Workforce Development initiatives at BBVA in San Antonio, where he also managed the bank's NBA partnership with the San Antonio Spurs. Notably, Adrian has played a pivotal role in the development of PAD Specialists-Laredo, the city’s only clinic specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of Peripheral Arterial Disease. Adrian also holds a Texas Life & Health insurance license, and his company, “A to Z Management & Insurance”, brokers multiple major health insurance companies. 

Deeply committed to community development, Adrian serves on several boards and committees, including as Chairman for the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, an Advisory Board Member for the Rio Grande International Study Center, and he also finds time to serve as a committee member for the United States Tennis Association - Texas chapter. A true advocate for South Texas, he champions education, volunteerism, tennis, boxing, kayaking, and business development.

Monthly Board meeting - all club members welcome to attend - will count as a make-up.

Congressman Henry Cuellar was born as one of eight children to migrant farm workers in Laredo, Texas, Congressman Cuellar was raised with strong family values and an unwavering work ethic to attain an advanced education. As the most degreed member of Congress, he points to education as the platform for his two decades of public service in Texas. During his 14 years as Laredo’s State Representative, Congressman Cuellar served in influential leadership positions in the preeminent House Appropriations, Higher Education, and Calendar Committees.  While in the Texas State Legislature, he coauthored the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which ensured health care for thousands of previously uninsured children, and he co-sponsored the largest tax cut in Texas history, which included a three-day tax holiday for consumers and small businesses. In 2005, Congressman Cuellar became the first Laredoan in over 20 years elected to represent the 28th District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives. Since coming to Congress, Congressman Cuellar has been a national advocate for equal opportunity for men and women of all backgrounds, and he believes education, family values, and a strong work ethic can increase opportunities for his constituents in the 28th District of Texas. He continues to improve education, national security, access to affordable health care, and veterans assistance programs as a member of the 112th Congress. Congressman Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, reside in Laredo, Texas, with their two daughters, Christy and Catie.

Local Rotary Clubs will celebrate Earth Day.  All club members welcome to attend and will count as a make-up.

This week's sign-in will be for the Good Friday/Easter Holiday.  Anyone attending will receive a make-up.