Business speaker series focuses on leadership
JR Amaya knows that management and leadership skills are essential for a strong career in banking, and he will be sharing stories and strategies during a presentation at Texas A&M University-Victoria next week.
Amaya, banking center president for Prosperity Bank in Victoria, will be the presenter for the spring College of Business Dean’s Distinguished Speaker Series event on Tuesday, March 3. The event will begin at 5 p.m. with a networking reception followed by the presentation at 5:30 p.m. inside the University Commons Multi-Purpose Room, 3006 N. Ben Wilson St.
“JR is an active community leader and Chamber of Commerce member,” said Xavier Garza-Gomes, interim dean of the business college. “He serves across multiple nonprofits, speaks to our first-year business students, and, as banking center president, drives new customer growth while staying deeply connected to the region’s business community – and we are delighted to welcome him for this event.”
During his presentation, Amaya plans to share a little of his career story and how he reached his current leadership position despite some detours early in his career. After graduating from high school in 2005 he attended Delmar Community College in Corpus Christi but took time off to focus on practicing real estate. However, after a year and a half he returned to college at Delmar then transferred to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and, in 2011, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance.
While in college, he worked for First National Bank of Edinburg as a teller. Once he graduated, he took a lead teller position with First Victoria, which was later acquired by Prosperity Bank. After 10 months, he was given the opportunity to take a promotion as a credit analyst, transferring him to Victoria. Soon after arriving, he met and eventually married his wife, and he continued to earn promotions until he reached the role of banking center president.
“My early career was a bit unorthodox, but once I knew I wanted to be in banking, it all started coming together,” Amaya said. “Now all those experiences are helping me lead others in a positive and encouraging way.”
The main message of his presentation will focus on strong leadership and management techniques, Amaya said. As his career has developed over the years, he has seen how employees face difficult circumstances and decisions.
“I was making difficult decisions early in my career, and I entrust my staff to do the same, all while protecting the bank,” he said.
Leadership also involves finding ways to serve customers who come to the bank with their problems, he said. He enjoys the challenge of working within those circumstances while providing his best customer service to find a solution for his customers.
“It can be easy to just say ‘no’ because our procedures don’t always allow us to grant a request,” he said. “But if we’re able to find an alternative solution and give the customer some options, they usually leave feeling happy about the service and knowing that we care about helping them. That creates customers for life.”
In addition to his leadership at Prosperity Bank, Amaya is on the Board of Directors for local nonprofit organizations, including Billy T. Cattan Recovery and Outreach, the YMCA of the Golden Crescent and the Nave Museum. He has also presented to students enrolled in A&M-Victoria business classes.
“I hope the leadership and management skills discussed will show students how applying textbook material in the real world pays off,” he said. “With the skills you learn in the classroom, you will be prepared to take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Be the first to raise your hand when an employer asks for a volunteer, you never know where the path may lead.”
Texas A&M University-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the colleges of Business, Education & Health Professions, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and Natural & Applied Science. A&M-Victoria provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as online classes that students can take from anywhere. The university supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.