” He also feels there’s no room for ego. You have to listen, seek answers and be coachable. “I’m a person who has failed his way to success. I wasn’t always the most talented, but I had the tenacity and grit to study and learn my way to success,” he says. He strives to be an all-star leader, inspiring those who work with him to be great, both at work and in life.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in music education from Texas A&M-Kingsville, Albert began his career as a high school band director. He loved music and working with kids, but he wasn’t fond of formal test taking. In fact, Albert flunked his teaching exam the first four times he took it. This situation nearly derailed his career, and forced him to take a one-year hiatus from teaching, during which he worked in the oil fields. In his words, “That was the year I learned accountability and I grew up.” He got serious, passed the exam and returned to his dream of being a teacher.

However, it wasn’t long before Albert realized he had another dream: He wanted to earn more money. So, he began moonlighting in retirement planning. Insurance seemed to be a natural fit. “I was still doing what I loved — teaching and helping others. The only difference is that I was working with adults,” he explains.

Just as a waterfall begins with a single drop, Albert built his Harlingen, Texas-based agency one agent at a time. It wasn’t long until he had 100 agents. Today, Albert’s company, PTT Financial specializes in two lines of business: Medicare and retirement planning. He’s an expert in Medicare Advantage products, and he helps agents get licenses and teaches them how to run their business. He’s also developing a presence in indexed financial products and life insurance.

When he’s not at work, Albert enjoys fishing, studying Tae Kwon Do, reading and traveling. Above all, he values his time with his son Elijah.