As an IBC senior vice president Eddie Aldrete monitors local and federal policies that directly impact the financial market and international trade. His expertise in political and governmental issues helps International Bank of Commerce (IBC Bank) and its parent International Bancshares Corporation (IBC) maintain its ongoing commitment to social responsibility and better serve the needs of its customers and communities. Aldrete has more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, media relations and political, governmental and public affairs, and while he is based in San Antonio, he leads advocacy efforts corporate-wide.

Aldrete also works as a proponent for economic growth and infrastructure development in the communities that IBC serves. He monitors efforts and legislation affecting bank regulatory issues and the growth and perpetuation of international trade, particularly in relation to NAFTA and CAFTA. Additionally, Aldrete is heavily involved in communications related to US-VISIT implementation, immigration reform and IBC’s concerns about these programs’ possible negative effects on border commerce. He also works with advocacy groups that share similar beliefs, including the Alliance for Security and Trade (AST), the Texas Border Coalition (TBC) and Texas Employers for Immigration Reform (TEIR).

Prior to joining IBC, Aldrete served as a managing director with Public Strategies, a strategic communications firm, and he also spent nearly a decade heading up his own firms, Aldrete Communications and Aldrete & Terrell. Throughout his career, Aldrete has spearheaded several successful communications and issue campaigns and has also served as an advisor to a variety of corporations, including communications firms, hospital management organizations and financial investment firms.

Actively involved in the San Antonio community, Aldrete serves as a chair advisor to the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and sits on the board of the Free Trade Alliance.  He was appointed to the board of directors for the prestigious Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute by Congressman Henry Cuellar; and was recently asked to serve on the advisory board of the College Ready Agenda in Texas of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  He has formerly served on the boards of the San Antonio Symphony, Accion and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Aldrete graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and was named Outstanding Alumnus by the university’s College of Mass Communications in 2003.