Jose Angel Martinez Pulido took his mother’s advice to heart early on: “Work hard and dream big. It does not matter what age, skin color, or limitations you have. Life will pay you back.” Following that advice, Martinez sold guavas door-to-door, bagged groceries in Guadalajara, Mexico, at age 10, and working a variety of other jobs as a teen. But Martinez dreamed of having a career at a financial institution; at age 18, he became a bank teller to pay his way through college, and ultimately reached the position of district manager there.
He continued his education, returning to graduate school to obtain a master’s degree in human and organizational development to help provide more in-depth assistance to businesses. He also enrolled in a private school to improve his English, where he met an Owatonna native who would later become his wife.
The couple decided to move back to the U.S., where Martinez landed a job at U.S Bank in Northeast Minneapolis. He is now a customer service manager and acts as a liaison between the bank and its Latino customers. Martinez strives to both serve as their financial advisor and as a role model, teaching customers that they will succeed by being honest and ethical. His responsibilities at the bank also include identifying business opportunities in the Twin Cities’ Hispanic market.
Martinez enjoys teaching and sharing his Mexican culture with others, which he does at the Spanish Institute in Edina. He also spends his free time soaking up American culture, working on his English, bike riding, and training for marathons.
