BBVA Compass Partners With NBA Cares to Revitalize Houston's Jesse Jones High School

HOUSTON, Jan. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier today, BBVA Compass teamed up with NBA Cares on a 'TEAM. WORKS. IN SCHOOLS.' initiative to refurbish Jesse Jones High School in Houston. BBVA COO Angel Cano and BBVA U.S. Country Manager and BBVA Compass President and CEO Manolo Sanchez joined more than 120 BBVA Compass employees; students; Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola; NBA Legends Bob Lanier, Robert Horry, Felipe Lopez; WNBA Legend Sheryl Swoopes; and volunteers from the Houston chapter of AmeriCorps Alums, to participate in a day of service that tipped off in the school's gymnasium. Also in attendance was Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, whose district includes Jesse Jones High School.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110113/DA29531)

"Teamwork is a vital component of any successful team, be it on the court, in the classroom, or in business," said BBVA U.S. Country Manager and President and CEO of BBVA Compass Manolo Sanchez. "Our team of world-class bankers is proud to partner with NBA Cares to help revitalize schools in the communities we serve. As the 'Official Bank of the NBA,' BBVA, through its U.S. subsidiary, BBVA Compass, is able to work with NBA Cares to ensure that the children attending these schools have the resources and environment necessary to help achieve a successful future and, in turn, a thriving community."

As part of the revitalization, the school received new paint, landscaping, and a complete renovation of the library and technology center, including new computers, printers, books, and other educational resources. Cano and Sanchez provided the first brushstroke of new paint outside of the counselor's wing. In addition to today's projects, the school will receive new scoreboards and backboards in the gymnasium, and a new sound system for the cafeteria. The total investment of the revitalization of Jesse Jones High School by BBVA Compass will exceed $200,000. This was the first of six such projects between BBVA Compass and partner NBA Cares. TEAM. WORKS. IN SCHOOLS. revitalization projects planned for later this year include schools in Birmingham, Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix, and San Antonio.

"Having community partners like BBVA Compass and NBA Cares provide our school with much-needed equipment is a welcome gift that will enhance our teachers' ability to better educate these young men and women," said Principal of Jesse Jones High School, Tracey Lewis. "The NBA and WNBA representatives made the event very memorable for our school and we greatly appreciate all of the BBVA Compass employees who joined in the refurbishment effort."

"The NBA and BBVA share a commitment to positively impacting communities on a global basis, which is a core part of our partnership," said Executive Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships Mark Tatum. "Teamwork is an important part of any winning team, and this project in Houston is the first of many that will illustrate how BBVA Compass and the NBA family are working together to make a long-lasting impact in communities of need."

During Spring 2011, BBVA Compass and the NBA will team up for the BBVA Compass - NBA Mobile Tour. The mobile tour will feature a 67-foot, 18-wheel truck that transforms into 6,000 square feet of basketball activities. These activities include two basketball areas, a technology area where fans can play the latest NBA video games, and a video wall with NBA game footage and BBVA Compass product and service information. The tour is scheduled to be held in 10 communities within the BBVA Compass Sunbelt footprint and will allow fans to experience an authentic NBA environment. The communities scheduled at this time include: Albuquerque, Birmingham, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Jacksonville, Phoenix, the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, and a yet-to-be-determined California city.

About BBVA Group

BBVA is a financial services group with more than 557 billion euro in total assets, more than 47 million clients, 7,362 branches and 105,000 employees in more than 30 countries. BBVA provides its customers around the world with a full range of financial services. The BBVA Group maintains a leadership position in Spain, Mexico, Latin America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. BBVA is also developing strong operations in Asia, specifically in China, and has just entered the Turkish market with the acquisition of a 24.9% stake in the Turkiye Garanti Bankasi, the first bank of Turkey.

As of September 2010, BBVA has a market capitalization of 37 billion euro and it is listed in the main international stock exchanges, London NYSE and Madrid, among others. BBVA reported in 2009 recurrent attributable profit of 5.2 billion euro, excluding one-offs. BBVA is one of the top leading Euro zone banks in terms of ROE and efficiency. More information about the BBVA Group can be found at www.bbva.com.

About BBVA Compass

BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 715 branches including 380 in Texas, 92 in Alabama, 65 in California, 77 in Arizona, 45 in Florida, 36 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass is the 15th largest U.S. commercial bank based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Texas (4th), Alabama (3rd) and Arizona (5th). For the second consecutive year, BBVA Compass was named 'Lender of the Year' by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Additional information concerning BBVA Compass can be found on our website www.bbvacompass.com.

About NBA Cares

NBA Cares is the league's social responsibility initiative that builds on the NBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world. Through this umbrella program, the NBA, its teams and players have donated than $145 million to charity, completed more than 1.4 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 525 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play, in  22 countries on five continents. NBA Cares works with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: KaBOOM!, Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

Editor's Note:

BBVA Compass is a trade name of Compass Bank. Compass Bank, member FDIC.

SOURCE BBVA Group