Events

A sign-in will be held for the 4th of July Holiday.  Members attending will have a make-up!

Today's meeting consisted of a social networking opportunity.  The regular agenda was followed.

Rossy Chase is a Commercial Relationship Manager and Vice President at PNC Bank, where she has served since August 2007.  With over 20 years of experience in the banking industry, Rossy is highly regarded for her expertise in banking, lending, and management, consistently delivering high-achieving results.

Rossy specializes in commercial real estate lending, equipment finance, SBA lending, and treasury management sales. Her skill set includes cash flow management, financial statement reviews, portfolio credit risk reviews, and relationship management. She is also deeply invested in staff development and fostering community relations.

A strong advocate for women in business, Rossy holds certifications such as Women Business Advocate and is the Champion of the Women Business Development Program for the Texas Border Region. She has also completed the Women Leadership Program at PNC.

Rossy is a dedicated community leader, having been actively involved with the Laredo Chamber of Commerce since 2009, where she has held numerous leadership roles. She currently serves as the 6^th Chairwoman of the Board in 111 years of the Chamber’s History.  Other roles include Treasurer (2023-2024) and Chairwomen-Elect (2024-2025).  She has also received the Committee Chair Award (2013-2014).  Board of Director Award (2015-2016) Volunteer of the Year Award (2019). Rossy is recent graduate of the Business Development Certificate Program (2024). Additionally, she is engaged with small business workshops and serves on advisory committees for women entrepreneurs, such as the Women Entrepreneurs Series (2023).

In 2011, Rossy earned her Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus on International Business from Texas A&M International University.

In additional to her professional commitments, Rossy is a devoted mother of two boys, Braxton and Elijah, who keep her busy with their active involvement in sports. 

"Karen Alvarez is the Founder and President of Together Laredo Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for teens and young adults with disabilities as they transition into adulthood. Inspired by her experience as a parent advocate, Karen recognized that many families face a significant gap in services, social opportunities, and community connections once students leave the school system.

Through Together Laredo, she works to promote inclusion, independence, friendship, and meaningful participation in community life. Karen is passionate about raising awareness that disabilities are diverse and that not every individual will have access to—or thrive in—the same programs, employment settings, or day habilitation services. Her work focuses on creating flexible opportunities that help individuals discover their strengths, build relationships, develop life skills, and remain connected to their communities."

Albert S. Carmona is the Business Development Manager for South Texas Blood & Tissue. His diverse background in event planning, fundraising, and business development spans over 10 years through several nonprofit and cultural organizations which include the Archdiocese of San Antonio, the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the San Antonio River Foundation.

A San Antonio native. Albert earned his Bachelor’s in Sports Entertainment & Event Management from Johnson & Wales University's Denver campus in 2013 and completed his Master of Business Administration at Baylor University in 2022.

Outside of his professional work, Albert enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Revae, and their son, Gael.

Mario A. Peña is a co-founding partner and Chief Managing Officer of Able City, a multidisciplinary firm practicing architecture, planning, economic development, and community engagement. A registered architect and certified planner with more than 24 years of experience, Mario helps guide the firm’s management and project integration systems, connecting its diverse disciplines into cohesive and practical project delivery methods.

His work centers on creating places that reflect traditional neighborhood patterns—walkable, connected, and rooted in local character. As an accredited member of the Congress for the New Urbanism, he focuses on how planning and design can help cities support these enduring patterns through their policies and built environments.

Together with his partners, Mario helped lead Able City’s expansion into San Antonio and other regions. The firm now works throughout Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Florida, and the Northeast, with offices in San Antonio, Miami, McAllen, El Paso, and its founding city of Laredo.

His projects include civic architecture, campus planning, and adaptive reuse, including the restoration of St. Augustine Cathedral and the Laredo College Science Complex, both recognized with design awards. In 2023, Mario received the AIA San Antonio Trailblazer Award, and Able City was named AIA LRGV Firm of the Year.

Mario continues to advance the firm’s integrated approach—linking planning, architecture, economic development, and community engagement—to help cities and organizations align physical design with long-term community goals.

Jerry Garza has spent much of his life at the intersection of community, communication, business, and public service, but if there is one thread that runs through his career, it is a belief in people and a commitment to making a difference in the community he calls home.

A lifelong Laredoan, Jerry began his career in public service at a young age, eventually becoming the youngest elected Webb County Commissioner at the age of 29. Along the way, he also had the privilege of spending time in the classroom, teaching government and speech at Laredo Community College. It was an experience that gave him a lasting appreciation for the important and often underappreciated work educators do not simply teaching a subject, but helping young people see possibilities for themselves and their futures.

He later spent nearly two decades in television journalism across different television markets in South Texas, including as a news anchor and News Director, where he had a front-row seat to the people, challenges, and stories that have shaped South Texas.

Today, Jerry is a financial advisor and real estate broker, working with individuals, families and businesses on some of the decisions that matter most to their futures. His work ranges from retirement and investment planning to residential, commercial and investment real estate, as well as helping businesses identify sites and opportunities for growth and expansion. For Jerry, it’s not simply about managing money or closing a transaction; it’s about helping people build something, protect what they’ve worked for, and plan confidently for what comes next.

Throughout those different chapters, Jerry has remained deeply involved in civic and community life.  His service has taken many forms, from serving as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner and as an elected member of the Webb County Appraisal District Board of Directors, to serving as President of the South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association. His involvement has also extended beyond the region through service on the board of NASCO, where he has had the opportunity to engage in broader conversations about trade, transportation, infrastructure and the important role South Texas plays in North American commerce.

Service organizations have also played an important role in that journey, and Rotary in particular has long been close to Jerry’s heart. He was the charter president of the Next Generation Rotary Club and has been deeply involved in Rotary over the years.  Faith also plays an important part in Jerry’s life; he is an active parishioner at St. Patrick Church, where he serves as a lector and member of the church council.

Most recently, his commitment brought him back to public service. In May, Jerry was elected Webb County Judge, beginning the next chapter of a journey that, in many ways, has brought him full circle.

But beyond the titles and professional accomplishments, Jerry is most proud of the life he has built with his wife, Maritza, and their four children. He is a husband, father, businessman, communicator, and public servant who believes that relationships matter, that there is always something new to learn, and that some of the best ideas begin with a good conversation.

A sign-in will be held for the Labor Day holiday weekend.  Those members attending will have a make-up.

As a stroke survivor who has seen every obstacle imaginable, giving up would have been easy, but "where there's a Bill, there's a way." Along with the support of his family, stroke buddies, countless friends, faith, hope & perseverance, he has beaten all odds.

Born and raised in South Texas, an athlete his entire life, with a root in faith and family, Bill was well on his way to writing a book about coaching and basketball when a severe stroke stopped him in his tracks. For over a decade, he dedicated his time to rehabilitation and researching stroke recovery methods to not only help himself but also help other stroke survivors.

Hrncir and his wife, Deedee, founded the Stroke Support Group after he had a stroke in 2006. The organization was established in 2012 and has provided a space where stroke survivors can find therapy, take part in group activities, and above all else have support.

Their belief is that all survivors should have a supportive environment and accessibility to essential therapy services regardless of their recovery or economic situation. Through a community of support, they have redefined stroke recovery and developed an enriching program for those in need.

Judge Victor Villarreal was appointed by the Webb County Commissioners Court to serve as Judge of Webb County Court-at-Law II in April, 2017. On March 6, 2018, the people of Webb County elected Judge Villarreal to a four-year term, and he ran unopposed in 2022 for a 4-year term, which began in 2023.

Doing more with less, he has reformed the court, eliminated a backlog of cases, streamlined activities, and reduced the budget and staff. He accomplished his goal to transform Webb County Court-at-Law II from the worst audited court in the state to the only court in the state that has been audited at 100% compliance for guardianship cases. On November 15, 2019, the Texas Judicial Council designated Webb County Court-at-Law II a Judicial Center of Excellence–the first county court in Texas to attain the designation. During the pandemic, he planned, announced, and held the first-ever virtual hearings and webinars in Webb County.

From humble beginnings, Judge Villarreal was born in Laredo and was brought up by his mother, a public school teacher, after his father died when he was only 12. One of his grandfathers was the gardener at the courthouse, and his other grandfather shined shoes and sold magazines in downtown Laredo. His uncle made and sold candy apples at the courthouse. They taught him the value of hard work and education.

He is a graduate of Texas A&M International University and was named a Distinguished Alumni in 2010. Before becoming a lawyer, he completed an internship at the National Science Foundation, where he learned that attorneys have unique opportunities to positively impact people's lives and a social responsibility to do so. After internships at the United States Department of State and the Texas House of Representatives, he enrolled at the University of Texas School of Law. At UT Law, he was president of the Chicano/Hispanic Law Students’ Association, the largest of its kind in the United States, and he created the Susana I. Aleman Scholarship at UT Law. As a lawyer, he served as president of the Laredo-Webb County Bar Association and created the Barbra Kazen Endowed Scholarship at Texas A&M International.