With 42 years of work within the Public Administration Union, María Isabel Berdote Pérez was the director of branch 6432 of the Popular Savings Bank (BPA in Spanish), where she worked since 1980 in what was the Banco Nacional de Cuba, which later became the Credit and Commerce Bank (BANDEC).

His beginnings at the BPA came shortly after its foundation, where he worked as a clerk, for years processing collections and payments.

"I come from a banking family, My mother also worked at the Banco Nacional de Cuba and was the founder of the BPA, and it was thanks to her that I came to work in these offices because it was a bank that was starting up and needed staff. Thanks to the discipline that characterized me, I was able to move on to other areas and hold different positions, until I became the branch manager for 26 years."

"I have been there all my life, I started when I was very young, and I have this place to thank because I was trained here, I acquired all the necessary experience, I educated myself, and in the same way I passed on my knowledge, my experiences to the staff that accompanied me, which allowed us to have very good results."

Working with the new generations is always a challenge, especially when their training is not the same as it was in those days; Maria Isabel educated all her people the old-fashioned way. "I did it with so much love, so faithfully, that it was very difficult for me to refuse to teach, I did it the same way I was educated; I was rigorous, but that helped them a lot and the gratitude and professionalism when I got there shows it."

María Isabel experienced several moments within the country's banking system, but she says that the most difficult one was when Resolution 80 was put into effect, which consisted of the collection of the CUC.

"That period impressed me a lot, we were working until nightfall, there was a lot of money on the streets, the queues were immense and we had to respond to the concerns of the people who approached us."

The work merits of this bank branch in the province speak for themselves at the national level, they obtained several recognitions in the territory that allowed them to be among the most outstanding in the emulations.

"We cannot ignore our shortcomings; it is true that many years ago illegalities were committed within our facilities, but with the constant control and perseverance of an entire work group, concrete objectives were achieved that made us stand out."

His retirement in April of this year was a highlight, and even though four months have passed, he tells you with great affection about his love for the institution.
"I have been with the Bank since I was born. I remember all the old workers of those years, the transformations, the processes the country went through; I have them in my mind because they were moments I was part of. Those excellent collectives and fellowship, in a way, motivated me to work in the bank."