[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15433]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MG (RET) JOE ROBLES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOAQUIN CASTRO

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 2014

  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and thank an 
important leader in the San Antonio community, MG (Ret) Joe Robles. Joe 
will retire at the end of this year after an admirable career as a 
military officer, war hero, philanthropist, and the CEO and President 
of USAA. He will be profoundly missed by the employees at USAA, but his 
retirement will no doubt be felt by the greater San Antonio community 
and beyond.
  Joe was the eldest of nine children born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. 
His father, a waiter at the time, was recruited to work in a steel mill 
in Ohio--just as World War II ended and America was reindustrializing. 
When Joe was three years old, he came to the U.S. to reunite with his 
father who had saved enough money to bring his family to Ohio. For the 
next 35 years, his father worked at the steel mill and part time as a 
carpenter and plumber to make ends meet.
  Joe learned the value of hard work early in life. At age 11, he began 
working as a stock boy and cashier at the local grocery store. As a 
teenager, he did yard work in the summers and helped his father on 
plumbing and construction jobs. It was this hard work that motivated 
Joe to pursue higher education. While in high school, Joe was awarded a 
medical school scholarship sponsored by the local medical society. The 
scholarship would pay for his education under the condition of 
returning to his hometown to practice medicine. He had to first earn an 
undergraduate degree and be accepted to medical school on his own. Joe 
graduated from high school in 1964 and worked that summer painting a 
house. The job paid enough to cover his first year of tuition at Lorain 
County Community College. Soon thereafter, Joe got married and took a 
full time job at a NASA nuclear plant.
  In 1966, Joe was drafted into the United States Army. By any measure, 
Joe's military service was stellar. Joe served as the Chief of the 
Program and Budget office at the U.S. Army Headquarters, the Division 
Artillery commander of the 1st Infantry Division (Mech) at Fort Riley, 
Kansas; and the Army Planner and Director for Operations and Support at 
Department of the Army Headquarters.
  As assistant division commander of the 1st Cavalry Division in Fort 
Hood, Texas, he prepared and deployed the division for Operations 
Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He also served as the director of the Army 
budget and as commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division (Mech) at 
Fort Riley, Kansas--the legendary ``Big Red One.''
  Joe has earned the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, 
the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star with 
Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, 
the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
  Joe joined USAA in 1994 after retiring from the U.S. Army. He assumed 
the position of President and CEO in 2007 after serving as the CFO for 
several years. Under his leadership as CEO, USAA has thrived. Despite 
the economic slump Joe steered USAA to earn the highest possible 
ratings for financial strength from Moody's, A.M. Best, and Standard & 
Poor's.
  Committed to advocating for military families, Joe has guided USAA to 
a leadership role in hiring veterans and military spouses and offering 
them careers in the private sector. Joe was invited to the White House 
and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to be recognized for USAA's efforts in 
this area and demonstrating their commitment by ensuring that veterans 
and military spouses were 30 percent of USAA's new hires in 2013.
  All of these achievements are astounding by themselves, but Joe also 
became a dedicated and active member of his community. Joe is the 
Chairman of the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System and of the Pl6Plus 
Council of Greater Bexar County Foundation. He also serves on the 
American Red Cross Board of Governors and on the boards of directors of 
The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas--San Antonio Branch, DTE Energy, the 
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital Foundation, and San Antonio's 
Early Childhood Education Municipal Development Corporation, as well as 
the Advisory Board of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Latin America 
Law at the University of Texas.
  In 2009, The Christian Science Monitor named Joe the ``No. 1 Veteran 
in Business.'' That same year, American Banker named him ``Innovator of 
the Year.'' In 2012, Robles was honored as ``Executive of the Year'' by 
Arizona State University and, in 2013, Bank Innovation named him one of 
the ``10 Most Innovative CEOs in Banking in the U.S.''
  In 2010, Joe led the San Antonio and Bexar County United Way campaign 
to a record result, and in 2012, he was tapped by my brother, then-San 
Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, to co-chair the city's Brainpower 
Initiative, which led to the Pre-K 4 SA program to fund preschool 
education for thousands of San Antonio's children.
  Joe has left an indelible mark on the military, USAA, and the San 
Antonio community. He will be sorely missed for his leadership, sound 
judgment, and commitment to the community. But what those closest to 
him will miss most are his immense compassion and genuine care for all 
those around him. Joe's character is, indeed, his hallmark. 
Congratulations, Joe Robles, on your successful career, incredible 
accomplishments--but most of all--your lasting impact on all those you 
have led and worked with along the way! As a native of San Antonio--I 
hope and expect I will see much more of you in the years to come.

                          ____________________