August 21, 2023
Joseph D. Garcia, Controller, Sr. Vice President of First Southwest Bank, has graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado’s state-of-the-art graduate school of banking program. Joseph D. Garcia was among 166 graduates of the class of 2023 honored during a ceremony on July 27, 2023, in Boulder, Colo.
Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) graduates receive their diploma in banking after successfully completing two weeks of classroom training for three consecutive years, classes of which focus on 1) Financial management and strategy, 2) Innovation and engagement, 3) Leadership and culture and 4) Lending.
The students also completed six intersession projects and ended their curriculum at GSBC with an extensive bank management simulation course, where students assume the roles of senior management of a commercial bank, involving themselves in the group dynamics and managerial skills of managing a bank in a competitive environment with changing economic conditions.
“The coursework and projects at GSBC strive to create technically sound and future-oriented community bank leaders,” said GSBC President, Michael Stevens. “The ultimate beneficiary will be the consumers and businesses in the communities where these financial professionals serve.”
GSBC held its 72nd Annual School Session July 16-28, 2023, on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, hosting 501 students from across the nation. GSBC's 73rd Annual School Session is scheduled for July 14-26, 2024. Pre-enrollment is open for 2024; visit www.GSBColorado.org for details.
Mr. Garcia has more than 28 years of banking experience. Throughout his career, he has worked as a teller, new account representative, bookkeeper supervisor, customer service manager, assistant controller, internal auditor, controller and senior vice president. He grew up in Center, Colorado and received a BA in Business Administration and a BS in Accounting from Adams State University. In his free time, he enjoys serving on the board of the ASU Grizzly Club, coaching Alamosa Youth Football, and coaching at the Center Middle School.
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The Graduate School of Banking at Colorado is America’s Premier Community Banking School, boasting more than 8,000 alumni since its inception in 1950, and educating approximately 600 bankers and regulatory professionals from around the nation annually. GSBC prides itself on its commitment to providing unmatched higher education to America’s community bankers. To learn more about GSBC’s lineup of comprehensive educational programs, visit www.GSBColorado.org.