Banker Credits Camps, Mentors
Poverty, dysfunction, chaos, and in the middle of it all was Eugene Tremblay. Before he became a banker, he was an underprivileged kid in the 1980s, growing up in east Dallas surrounded by gang and drug activity.
As the oldest of four children and with his mother wheelchair-reliant from a violent crime, Tremblay had responsibilities as the ‘man of the house’ from a young age.
Amid his struggle, Tremblay met Crossfire Kids, a faith-based organization empowering at-risk youth through life-changing programs.
“The relationships that I was able to have with the other young men, the mentorship (and) guidance that I received, and the support from the community gave (me) a sense of wanting to make people proud,” Tremblay said. “These things influenced me early on to want to be successful in (my) education, starting a family, and raising my kids in a household where they would have a mom and a dad.”
Crossfire offers mentorship, summer camps, Bible studies, sporting activities, and a place of refuge off the streets. Crossfire founder and director Lanell Armstrong mentored Tremblay, instilling biblically based values and helping him escape generational poverty.
“She was a resource and a conduit, and that created trust,” Tremblay said. “With trust came being able to go to her with different challenges I had in my life. I remember needing to apply for my first job and going to her and receiving her guidance on how to organize my resume or answer the questions I was going to be asked.”
As an adult, Tremblay used leadership roles at Prosperity Bank, Legacy Texas Bank, and Wells Fargo Bank to aid small businesses in underserved areas.
Now, as president of Texas Regional Bank (TRB) Financial, a division dedicated to serving low-income and middle-class families, and as Park Cities market president for TRB, Tremblay gives back in a way that’s reminiscent of how Crossfire helped him.
“We are trying to give people support and educate them about money, entrepreneurship, responsible lending,” he said. “Then, that, in turn, creates a sense of agency and capacity for those communities, and they don’t need to lean on us.”
Tremblay credits Crossfire’s help, support, and unconditional love with helping him achieve the life he leads today and urges others growing up in challenging circumstances to strive for the future they deserve.
“Continue believing in yourself and, despite your circumstances, know that you have the power to change the trajectory of your life,” Tremblay said. “Your life is more in your hands than in anyone else’s.”
