016-017.qxd:Layout 1 1/21/08 6:30 PM Page 16
PEOPLE OF INTEREST
BY SUE-ELLEN SANDERS
PHOTO BY ROBERT P. DUDLEY
It’s hard to imagine Rene Arteaga without a smile or a
16
friendly word for someone—whether it’s a bank customer,
another manager or a chamber of commerce
executive. But, be forewarned, if you are playing with
him on a golf course, he is sizing you up.
“I can measure people by how they play golf,” says
Arteaga, who plays a lot of the game while networking in
the banking industry. “When you’re out on the course with
someone for four hours, there are a lot of ways to tell what
type of person they are. Are you diligent and thoughtful?
Do you have high ethical standards? Do you take on challenges
and not lose control? How you deal with the game
reflects on how you deal with people in general.’’
There are challenges in golf — the ground you play, the
club you use, the lay of the ball — just as there is change in
business, especially the banking industry, says Arteaga,
whose term as president of the St. Lucie County Chamber
of Commerce ended in November 2007. Although Arteaga
describes himself as methodical and a man who gets down
to business, on the golf course or in the office, it is his skill
at social interaction that ensured his success as chamber
president.
“I love being around people and enjoy the public eye.
Being president of this strong, unified chamber, with a
board and members, helping to put the pieces together for
a common goal, has been so rewarding to me. I set a mark
for myself: to feel good, do the right things, and maintain
a healthy lifestyle.
“You also learn to be prepared for the unexpected,
because you never know when the unexpected will arrive,”
says the banking veteran of 32 years. “I’ve seen a tremendous
amount of changes in banking, I’ve tried to adapt to
it. But, I gain strength from others around me — from my
friends, my amazing wife, and my sons, who have devoted
their lives to public service.”
Sports have always been a constant in Rene Arteaga’s life,
from the hours spent networking on the golf course to his
early years coaching Little League football, with now-
Senator Ken Pruitt. “It’s important to teach others to do the
right thing, too, especially kids and young people just starting
out in the business world.”
“Life, like golf, throws a lot of curves at you,” Arteaga
says. “How you deal with them is what defines you as a
man or woman.”
The
Banker