International Bancshares Corp., which has expanded to include 38 IBC Bank offices in the greater Houston area, has been named one of the top 10 Hispanic businesses in the United States.

Laredo-based IBC (NASDAQ: IBOC - News) is ranked No. 7 on Hispanic Business magazine's Hispanic Business 500 list with 2006 revenue of $786 million, down from No. 6 a year earlier.

"The last few years have marked substantial financial growth and expansion for IBC. The fact that we continue to rank in the Top 10 attests to our ongoing commitment to improved performance and strategic growth," said Dennis Nixon, IBC chairman and chief executive.

IBC opened more than 30 de novo branches and ATMs in 2006 and plans to open 40 more by the end of 2007. IBC is an $11.2 billion multibank financial holding company with 230 branches and 380 ATMs in Texas and Oklahoma and more than 3,000 employees.

Two Houston companies made the Top 50 on the Hispanic Business listing, including employment services firm G&A Partners at No. 33 (2006 revenue $213.6 million), up from No. 41 a year earlier; and Paramount Auto Group at No. 40 ($174.4 million), down from No. 37.

The highest-ranked Texas company is Fred Loya Insurance, based in El Paso, at No. 23 with revenue of $274 million.

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by the Houston Business Journal