Local banking professional Lori Zamora is a leader and active member of community organizations including the Northside Rotary Club and Victoria Chamber of Commerce. This past spring, she added another entry to her long list of accomplishments: magna cum laude graduate of the University of Houston-Victoria.

Lori Zamora

Born and raised in Victoria, Zamora began her banking career in 1990. She has worked at several financial institutions over the years, in positions including customer service representative, lending assistant, personal banker, loan officer and senior vice president.

In February 2020, Zamora acquired the title of market president at the Victoria location of Investar Bank. She credits her UHV education as a key factor in securing this promotion.

“The required classes I took during my Bachelor of Business Administration have proven invaluable to my growth as a business professional,” she said. “I have always been able to apply the knowledge cultivated from my classes to provide my customers with an exceptional financing experience. Additionally, I strengthened important skills such as public speaking, critical thinking and collaboration.”

As a full-time employee and mother of two, Zamora’s journey to graduation was far from easy.

“The most challenging part was balancing my course load with a full-time job and familial obligations,” she said. “I was only able to take one or two classes each semester.”

She took a majority of her courses online, and for a number of years, her evenings and weekends were spent focused on her education — reading, studying, writing papers and testing.

Zamora has always been passionate about learning and higher education. She is excited about the doors that will open as a result of becoming a UHV alumnus and holder of a BBA.

“I love that UHV is a strong presence around Victoria and the surrounding communities,” she said. “I received a quality education without having to leave my hometown.”