2012 Annual Report - Ixe

Notas a los Estados Financieros
Grupo
In memoriam
Financiero Banorte
of
Roberto González Barrera
Eight months after Roberto González
Barrera’s passing, Grupo Financiero Banorte
continues to follow the life example
he left us by working hard to contribute
his vision and commitment
for a stronger country.
Roberto González Barrera was born in 1930 in the municipality
of Cerralvo, Nuevo León, Mexico. His entire life, from early
childhood was devoted to business activities, as his formal
schooling ended after the third grade. His first business activity
consisted of renting shoe shine boxes to his cousins which
enabled him to generate some initial savings that would later
become the base for his burgeoning business career.
In 1949, guided by his enterprising spirit, Roberto González
founded Grupo Maseca (GRUMA) in partnership with his father
with an initial production of 15 tons a month. Today GRUMA
is a world leader in corn flour production with a presence in
113 countries.
Likewise, and to the surprise of many, Roberto González held
a very special position in the local world of finance, becoming
the most successful Mexican banker after the banks were reprivatized
in 1992. As majority shareholder of Mexico’s largest
Mexican-controlled bank, he spent more than two decades
growing and consolidating Grupo Financiero Banorte.
20 years after the acquisition of Mexico’s second smallest bank,
and as a result of his untiring efforts, he managed to position
Grupo Financiero Banorte as Mexico’s third largest bank. This
achievement was perhaps one of the biggest challenges
of his life, as he himself once said: “I knew nothing about
banking. The only thing I knew about banks when I was invited
to invest was that I owed them money”. Today he has left us
with an enormous challenge as a Group, being Mexico’s largest
Mexican-controlled, a challenge we will undoubtedly rise to
with pride as we follow his example of honesty, perseverance
and discipline.
Roberto González will always be an example and source of
inspiration for all of us who knew him. He was a great teacher. His
humility, cheer, respect and strength as well as his attachment
to his roots were his daily compass. He was a committed and
responsible man, a person who saw no limits, for whom family
was the pillar that sustained each of his achievements, the
inspiration that drove him to work hard to achieve his goals,
and he took great pride in being Mexican.
Today his many facets have become engraved memories: a
tireless businessman and visionary, a philanthropist who was
always concerned about the needs of others, but above all a
great human being who had a grateful attitude towards life
and was concerned about those around him, from his family
to each and every one of his employees.
His passing has left a huge gap in the lives of thousands of
people, but also a wonderful model for life, an inspiration and
call to continue to work for the benefit of Mexicans.
Roberto González Barrera, thank you for making us feel part
of your family, your great Mexican family.
Grupo Financiero Banorte
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