UIW Receives Major Gift from Laredo Trust

Matias De Llano Charitable Trust has Now Donated More than $400,000 to Ensure Quality Healthcare in Laredo

The University of the Incarnate Word is proud to announce it has received an $85,000 donation for the Primary Care Residency Programs at the Laredo Medical Center. This latest gift from the Matias De Llano Charitable Trust brings the total donations from that trust to $415,000 since 2018. The International Bank of Commerce (IBC) in Laredo oversees the Matias De Llano Charitable Trust.

Matias De Llano, who established the trust, was born in Laredo in 1918. The trust was established in April 2003 under his last will and testament. Since that time, the trust has donated more than $8 million to organizations and schools in and around Laredo.

In 2018, Dennis Nixon, CEO of IBC in Laredo, learned of UIW partnering with Laredo Medical Center (LMC) to start the first ever Primary Care Residency Program in Laredo. The border city was selected because of its shortage of over 100 primary care physicians. Upon hearing this, and the news that UIW would be partnering with LMC to address these issues, Nixon hosted a donor luncheon to address the problem. That resulted in the initial contribution from the Matias De Llano Charitable Trust of $200,000.

“We knew of the need and believed UIW could fill that need so we jumped into action to support the project with our time and treasure,” says Nixon. “As trustee for the Matias De Llano Charitable Trust, we knew that Matias would want to support this effort to enrich the citizens of his beloved Laredo, so as Trustee, IBC supported this effort as well.”

Today, 48 residents are serving in Laredo and in June 2021, the program graduated its first class of physicians. Four remained in Laredo to continue practicing. Presently, there are six Laredoans training in the residency programs and several faculty members focusing their careers on educating resident physicians and medical students.

Also instrumental in the process has been Eliza Gonzalez, executive vice-president Corporate Divisions for IBC in Laredo. Gonzalez has nearly four decades in banking experience and started her career at IBC in 1980 as a secretary in the accounting department.

“When UIW brought the idea to IBC, IBC was one of the first to support the program in San Antonio and later with the residency program in Laredo,” says Gonzalez. “We understand the importance of medical care and having the residency program here in Laredo is a welcoming benefit. The Matias De Llano Charitable Trust has provided this support because we also understand the legacy Mr. De Llano left for the City of Laredo.”

This latest donation will support the expansion of the educational space at LMC and purchase computers and monitors for the growing residency programs.