Regional Economic Development Plan Discussed During ‘South Texas Alliance of Cities’ Meeting at CEED Building
The mayors of 5 South Texas cities — including the City of San Antonio — and scores of state and city stakeholders assembled at the Mission EDC’s CEED Building to advance a burgeoning regional economic development plan that calls for more business attraction and workforce development.
The meeting is the third of its kind and follows the formation of a strategic partnership known as the South Texas Alliance of Cities.
City of Mission Mayor Norie Garza welcomed San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and three other Rio Grande Valley mayors — City Of Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr., City of Weslaco Mayor David Suarez and City Of Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda — to discuss everything from equity to cultural history to advanced manufacturing.
They were joined by more than 20 other distinguished guests who took turns offering best practices and ways to create an ecosystem to develop, attract and retain a talented and highly skilled workforce.
Much of the discussion centered on investing in the people of South Texas and building trust between communities in order to compete as a region.
“I credit all the Mayors for holding productive meetings where we can have honest, collaborative dialogue not only about the challenges we face as a region, but finding solutions to our problems. It’s very refreshing,” Mission EDC CEO Teclo Garcia said. “We’re honored to host and participate in these groundbreaking endeavors that will surely benefit not just South Texas, but the entire state.”
Other distinguished guests included Texas Transportation Commissioner Alex Meade, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Associate Vice President for Workforce & Economic Development Ron Garza, Rio Grande Valley Partnership President and CEO Daniel Silva and representatives from the greater:SATX, The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce, AT&T and Texas Regional Bank, among others.
