Al's Life - Defined by His Values

Being Latino is not defined by your last name, having a Spanish accent, or what color your skin is. Al Loureiro, a Hispanic-American executive at TIAA, is a prime example of this. Born and raised New York, Al’s parents come from Galicia, Spain and Montevideo, Uruguay. He will not be defined by the characteristics mentioned above but by the ones he learned from his parents -- grounded in strong Latino and American values such as humility, perseverance, hard work, and service to others.

Al and I sat together, in person, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida to speak about his upbringing, the many challenges he faced growing up, the inspiration he received from his parents, and the legacy he aspires to leave his children.

Al, whose legal name is Juan Alfonso, was named after his paternal grandfather. From the day he was born, however, he has always been called Alfonso or Al, not Juan.?When he was in his 20s, he started using his first name, Juan, on his resume and noticed that he received fewer responses from corporations.?This experience shed light on the difficulties of finding a job with an ethnic-sounding name.

Al's strong values stem from his parents' fearless determination to start a successful business and work hard in a foreign country. His father's dedication to his machine shop, which supported their extended family in Uruguay and his mother's willingness to clean houses to provide for her family, taught him the importance of hard work and honesty.?“So many people in my family are better off because of their hard work, generosity and focus on family.” Al continues, “in the summers sometimes I would accompany my mother while she cleaned houses. Many were big mansions which, in contrast to the three-family home we lived in, was eye opening for me. On the way home once when I was 10 or 11, I remember asking her why things were not different, why couldn't our family have a house like that - instead of her cleaning it.?She said first, it did not matter what you did for a living, if you were an honest and hardworking person you could be happy. And second, and she said this often, los últimos serán los primeros, which translates roughly into the last of us shall be the first. To me it meant that while I may start without privilege or access, I could be anything I wanted to be if I applied myself.?I live to honor the vision my family had for me every day when I choose how to spend my time.”

These values have shaped Al’s character, making him humble yet intense, both at work and at home. ?Al's compassion, care, and collaboration drive positive outcomes in both his personal and professional life. He and his wife, Christine, are raising their four children with high expectations as contributing members of society. All four of his children are student-athletes, who inherited his relentless drive to pursue their dreams. These outcomes are built on his 20-year relationship with his wife, an attorney by trade, who Al says is both?“the love of my life and the most amazing mother to our children. Her love, patience, and unwavering dedication to our family inspire me every day.” Al continues to create memories by being with, and traveling with his family regularly because he knows what counts the most in life.

Professionally, he’s the Head of Retirement Sales and Product Coaching, where he oversees a team of sales professionals and product coaches who directly impact revenue growth and profitability. Leveraging his charismatic, servant leadership style, and business savviness – through a bicultural lens – he is well positioned to achieve sustainable success in life, both at home and at work.

While Al’s career continues to flourish, he never loses sight of his desire to give back to the community and elevate the next generation. For example, he’s on the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast, where he mentors everyone from grade schoolers to aspiring high school students who aspire to be their families’ first-generation college graduates.

As a Latino and as an American, Al is a role model to many of us. He works hard with impeccable ethics and moral standards and success will continue to accompany him. We celebrate him and encourage him to stay on that path.