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For Immediate Release
November 20, 2006

DALLAS, Texas – Elizabeth “Betty” Flores, former mayor of Laredo and currently a director of the Farm Credit Bank of Texas, was presented with the 2006 Cathy Bonner Leadership Award from the Leadership Texas Alumnae Association (LTAA) recently.

The “Cathy Award” is presented annually to a Leadership Texas alumna, whose indomitable spirit significantly improves the lives of others. It recognizes graduates of Leadership Texas for their professional activities, community service and life’s journeys.

Flores is a 1995 graduate of Leadership Texas, which is a year-long leadership program of the Foundation for Women’s Resources.

Flores was appointed in August to the board of the $12.8-billion Farm Credit Bank of Texas (FCBT), a wholesale rural lending institution headquartered in Austin.

Previously, she served as mayor of Laredo from 1998 to June 2006. Under her leadership, Laredo became one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas, and achieved the highest financial ratings in the city’s 227-year history and record-low unemployment. Flores worked in banking for 28 years prior to her election as mayor, rising from secretary to senior vice president — the first woman to hold that position at Laredo National Bank.

Throughout her banking and civic career, Flores has advocated for community reinvestment and affordable housing, including the improvement of impoverished colonias. She also devotes time to literacy projects, At-Risk Children, Youth 2000 and Special Olympics.

“Betty has brought tremendous energy, banking knowledge, vision and leadership to the Farm Credit Bank of Texas. We are proud to have her serve on our board, and we know that she is extremely deserving of the Cathy Bonner Leadership Award,” said Ralph W. Cortese, FCBT board chairman.

The award was presented Nov. 11 at the LTAA Athenaeum banquet in Dallas. The award is named for Cathy Bonner, a former executive director of the Texas Department of Commerce and advisor to the late Gov. Ann Richards. Bonner founded The Women’s Museum: An Institute for the Future, located in Dallas. It is the country’s first national women’s history museum.

Since its inception in 1983, more than 2,000 Texas women leaders have graduated from Leadership Texas. The program will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2007.

Photo available at http://www.farmcreditbank.com/mayor.jpg.