UHV welcomes alumnus to speak in dean’s series
When Bryan Porche graduated from the University of Houston-Victoria in 2005 with his accounting degree, he soon relocated to San Antonio due to a lack of long-term career opportunities for finance and accounting graduates in Victoria. Now he plans to share how that has changed for today’s students.
Now, as CEO of Palacios Marine and Industrial, he’s returning to UHV to share how the landscape has changed for today’s students as part of the UHV College of Business’s Fall 2024 Dean’s Distinguished Speaker Series. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 18 inside UHV University North with a reception, followed by his presentation at 6 p.m. inside Walker Auditorium. After the main event, Porche also will speak with a senior auditing class to offer insights into the field as well.
“We are immensely proud to welcome back our distinguished alumnus, Bryan Porche, whose remarkable journey and achievements can help inspire our current students,” said Xavier Garza-Gomez, interim dean of the business college. “His wealth of experience and profound knowledge will undoubtedly provide invaluable insights, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and aspirations. This event will strengthen the bond between our alumni and the next generations of UHV graduates.”
Upon graduation, Porche spent 10 years at USAA, a Fortune 100 financial services company, in a variety of corporate finance and risk management positions prior to returning to Victoria. He was the CFO for seven years at PMI before assuming the CEO position in 2023. His degree at UHV and the education he earned afterward helped him succeed in those roles, he said. As part of his presentation, he plans to speak with students about career opportunities in the Victoria area, especially in finance and accounting.
“A successful career requires the development of tools and a skillset and the ability to apply them in an environment that allows for continued learning and development with opportunities for upward advancement and access to company leadership,” Porche said. “I hope my story of how I was able to gain an education, manage my career path and bring job opportunities back to this area will be inspiring for current students.”
In recent years, Porche has hired graduates of UHV, and said he hopes to continue hiring locally. In 2024 PMI opened its first administrative office in Victoria to help staff the company’s growing needs. With the need for more finance-knowledgeable and other business professionals in mind, he spoke with Garza-Gomez about finding ways to build a better partnership with the UHV College of Business.
“The Victoria area and the UHV system have the potential to support the growing needs of local businesses. I’m looking to place young professionals in roles that can lead to leadership positions in the future,” Porche said. “I would love to be able to staff PMI’s needs with local talent rather than turning to larger markets for talent.”
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.