HOUSTON, Oct. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 150 high school juniors and seniors from six area high schools got a lesson in financial education and learned about careers in sports management during a Business of Sports event at BBVA Compass Stadium yesterday.

The Business of Sports program, sponsored by BBVA Compass, Junior Achievement, the Houston Dynamo and Dynamo Charities, educates students about workforce readiness and financial literacy. A team of bank and Dynamo executives, Dynamo goalkeeper and BBVA Compass brand ambassador Tally Hall and Dynamo midfielder Tony Cascio used their own experiences to demonstrate how students can pair a passion for sports with a career.

"We are excited to be here for the third-consecutive year to provide insight into sports management careers and the role banking plays in sports," said BBVA Compass Houston City President Mark Montgomery. "These students are bright and eager to learn, and it's really a privilege for us to be able to help them reach their goals through answering questions and talking about our experiences."

The program also requires each student to complete Junior Achievement's personal finance program at their school, taught by BBVA Compass employee volunteers. By participating in the program, students are eligible to apply for one of five $1,000 Junior Achievement scholarships, funded in part by proceeds from the annual BBVA Compass Dynamo Charities Cup.

"It has been an honor and a pleasure to participate in today's Business of Sports event alongside BBVA Compass," said Dynamo president Chris Canetti.  "I hope the students who participated were inspired by what they heard from the members of our panel and can benefit from our thoughts and experiences."

The Business of Sports program is part of the Building a Better Houston campaign launched by BBVA Compass, the Houston Dynamo and the Dynamo Charities before the May 2012 opening of BBVA Compass Stadium.

About BBVA Group

BBVA Compass is a subsidiary of BBVA Compass Bancshares Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) (MAD: BBVA). BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, is the largest financial institution in Mexico and has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt region of the United States. Its diversified business is geared toward high-growth markets and relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes. More information about the BBVA Group can be found at www.bbva.com.

About BBVA Compass

BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 673 branches, including 342 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 77 in Arizona, 62 in California, 45 in Florida, 38 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (5th). BBVA Compass has been recognized as one of the leading small business lenders by the Small Business Administration and recently earned the top ranking with customers in American Banker's 2014 annual reputation survey of the top 25 largest U.S. retail banks. Additional information about BBVA Compass can be found at www.bbvacompass.com, by following @BBVACompassNews on Twitter or visiting newsroom.bbvacompass.com. 

Editor's Note:
BBVA Compass is a trade name of Compass Bank. Member FDIC.

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SOURCE BBVA Compass