Josue Robles, Jr.*

Joe Robles, the eldest of nine children, was born in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, in 1946. His father was working as a waiter when he was approached by a group of men who were recruiting for steel mills on the U.S. mainland. "World War II had just ended, and the United States was trying to reindustrialize," says Robles. "They needed a labor force, and my father saw this as a great opportunity. He left our family and went to work for U.S. Steel in Lorain, Ohio." Eighteen months later, when Robles was three, his father had saved enough money to send for the family.

"I remember coming here as a big adventure, flying through the clouds as we were about to land in New York City. That's where my dad met my mom, my younger brother, and me and then drove us to Ohio," he recalls. "Our house was six blocks from the steel mill where my father worked for the next 35 years. There was always ash in the air. We lived in a very diverse neighborhood in what was probably a rather ugly house because it was covered in brown asbestos shingles. It got a little better-looking after my dad painted those shingles white, and I thought it was wonderful."

The boy's father, whom Robles describes as hardworking and disciplined, had been forced to quit school in the fourth grade to help support his family. "He was old school," says Robles. "He had a values system that encouraged working from morning to night. He was our family's authority figure, and I knew he cared about us." Besides his job at the steel mill, Robles's father also worked part time as a carpenter and plumber to supplement his income.

Robles's mother had a ninth-grade education. Although she never worked outside their home, he remembers her always taking care of others. "My parents taught me to be an honorable, upright person," he says. "They wanted me to get as much education as possible, because they felt there was no way to advance without it."

Robles enjoyed school from the beginning and was encouraged to excel. "Mrs. Wooster and Mrs. Thomas, my first- and second-grade teachers, taught me one of the most important lessons I ever learned, and that was to read everything I could get my hands on," he says. "I still do that today. It's the only way to keep up with this quickly changing world."

At 11, Robles began working as a stock boy in the local grocery store. Eventually, he became a cashier. As a teenager, he did yard work in the summers, and he helped his father with plumbing and construction jobs. He assumed that when he was an adult, he would work in the steel mill, but not as an unskilled laborer. He planned on working as a pipe fitter or an electrician.

"I knew I wanted enough education so that I could have choices," he says. "I worked in the mill one summer, and I learned very quickly what a hot, dirty, dangerous place it is. I wore an asbestos suit and shoveled slag. Hot doesn't describe that job. It made me want to go to school and get a good education so that I wouldn't have to work there. I have always admired my father for doing it for so many years."

While in high school, Robles won a scholarship sponsored by the local medical society, which agreed to pay for his education if he agreed to come back and practice medicine in his hometown. But first, he had to earn an undergraduate degree and be accepted to medical school on his own.

Robles graduated from high school in 1964, and he worked that summer painting a house. The job paid enough to cover his first year of tuition at Lorain County Community College. Robles married that year and found full-time employment at a NASA nuclear plant. His job was to make sure the reactor did not leak too much radiation into the atmosphere.

Within two years, his long hours forced him to drop a few classes and become a part-time student. "When you did that in 1966," he says, "Uncle Sam quickly came calling, and I was drafted into the Army." Robles never intended to make the Army his career. He still wanted to be a doctor and assumed that the benefits that came with being a veteran could make that dream a reality. But over time, he found that Army life fulfilled his desire to serve others and his country.

Robles completed his basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. While there, his high test scores earned him a recommendation for Officer Candidate School. In 1967, as a newly commissioned second lieutenant, Robles was sent to Korea and then Vietnam. During his Vietnam tour, he commanded two units and learned a great deal about leadership and the importance of teamwork.

When Robles returned to the United States, the Army sent him to Kent State University, where he earned his degree in accounting. "By then, I had changed my mind about becoming a doctor," he says. "In exchange for my education, I owed the military four more years of service. At that time, the military was looking for people with a business background to help run the Department of Defense. I hadn't set out to make the military my career, but I moved quickly through the system and was a brigadier general by the time I was 42. The Army treated me well."

In addition to an undergraduate degree, Robles earned his MBA from Indiana State University. His Army career placed him in many command and staff positions, including active duty posts in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Middle East. He became director of the Army budget and commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division, the legendary "Big Red One." Ultimately, Robles was promoted to major general.

Robles had to move his family many times during his Army career. He has an autistic son, and each move meant adjustments to new schools, teachers, and therapists. In 1994, Robles retired from the Army so that his family would have a more stable life. "My son has changed my life," he says. "He opened my eyes to people with special needs. He brings out the best in me and is the blessing of my life."

Robles joined USAA, a San Antonio, Texas-based financial services company that serves military personnel. He began his career there as special assistant to the chairman and was quickly named chief financial officer. He became president and CEO in 2007, holding that position until his retirement in 2015.

When Robles joined The United Services Automobile Association (USAA), it was an up-and-coming financial services firm for military officers. During his tenure, Robles led USAA to its best-ever performance and fostered a culture of innovation. In addition, he and the USAA board opened membership to anyone who has ever honorably served the U.S. military, as well as their family members. His leadership style, reflecting the values he learned in the military, kept USAA moving forward despite recent economic difficulties.

"Leading USAA has enabled me to continue my service to our nation and the U.S. military," he says. "We live in a country where people can speak out and worship freely. For that, we should thank our men and women in uniform."

During his military career, Robles was frequently recognized for service and honor. He received the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.

In 2009, the Christian Science Monitor named Robles the top veteran in business, and American Banker named him Innovator of the Year. Robles has served on the American Red Cross Board of Governors and on the boards of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas-San Antonio Branch, DTE Energy, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital Foundation, and P16Plus Council of Greater Bexar County Foundation. In 2010, Robles led San Antonio's most successful United Way campaign, helping to ensure that community services can continue to meet growing needs.

Robles and his wife, Patty, have long had a philosophy of giving back, especially to causes that benefit children and that ensure the best possible education for all, including those with physical and developmental disabilities, like their son Christopher.

Robles says he feels strongly about the ideals promoted by the Horatio Alger Association. Because of organizations like this, disadvantaged youth have more options available to seek higher education. "Whenever I address young people, I urge them to get as much education as possible," he says. "I also encourage our youth to give back to their country, either through military service or the nonprofit sector. The values and leadership of those who serve others keep America strong."

For Robles, success means making a difference. "I want to know that while I was on this earth, I made an effect on the things that really count, people and our country. It isn't about money or status. America has bestowed so much on me that I feel it is important to give back."

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