MCALLEN, Texas – South Texas College Board of Trustee Paul Rodriguez was recently named 108th President of the Texas Land Title Association (TLTA), the first Rio Grande Valley native to hold this state title.
The TLTA is a statewide association representing the Texas title insurance industry that serves more than 15,000 professionals by providing a program of regulatory and legislative advocacy on a state and federal level.
Rodriguez, president, and chief executive officer of Valley Land Title Co., a real estate title insurance agency with four offices in Hidalgo County, has served on the TLTA board for six years, serving as treasurer and president-elect, but has been a member of the association for more than a decade.
He said this role was never one he imagined, retiring after 30 years in commercial banking and entering the title insurance business in 2006.
“This has been a second career for me,” Rodriguez said. “My goal has always been to steer the ship in the right direction and lead our teams to success, so it’s humbling that people believe in me to serve in this capacity.”
Rodriguez is the 108th TLTA president.
“This is a validation of the value that people from the RGV bring to the table,” he said. “The Valley has people who are competent, knowledgeable, and skilled leaders. We are now beginning to get seats at the table, the way it should be.”
Rodriguez said he brings to the TLTA as president, a unique outlook on the issues and needs of the region, and he’s ready to leverage this advantage to help the citizens of his community.
Through his roles at Valley Land Title Co. and TLTA, he has always made it his priority to upskill his staff and those in similar positions across the country.
“Through TLTA, we offer continuing education through professional development, similar to how we reskill and upskill at STC,” said Rodriguez. “My goal is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn something new, improve on their skills and continue to grow.”
His vision is to combine both his worlds and bring continuing education and certifications from TLTA to STC, for those interested in or completing STC’s Real Estate continuing education program.
“This is something that is on the table and we’re strategizing to see if it’s possible,” he said. “Nothing has been decided, but I would love to see if there is a way to support this, or even if there’s a demand. This is something that can make a person more marketable and competitive in the industry.”
During his one-year term as TLTA president, Rodriguez said he is committed and dedicated to the advocacy of the association and the needs of its members to ensure that the organization continues moving forward.
Founded in 1993, South Texas College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and offers more than 127 degree & certificate options, including associate degrees in a variety of liberal art, social science, business, math, science, technology, advanced manufacturing and allied health fields of study. Additionally, South Texas College is the only community college in the state of Texas to offer five baccalaureate degrees. South Texas College has a faculty and staff of more than 2,700 to serve 28,000 students, on the college’s six campuses, two higher education centers, and one virtual campus.
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