McAllen Economic Development Corporation

In the Friday, July 30 edition of The Monitor, Business Reporter Ana Ley wrote an article about Rewards4Referrals, the newest program recently launched by the McAllen Economic Development Corporation.

Keith Patridge, President/CEO of the McAllen EDC said, “Years ago, there were four or five media sources where we could go advertise for companies who want to relocate here. Now, with the Internet, there are so many sources out there to choose from. Where do you put your money?”

To read the full story in The Monitor, click here

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To help promote healthy living and environmental protection, Farley’s & Sathers Candy Company (known as Dulces Famosos) in Reynosa sponsored a week-long health fair for all employees and their immediate families. In the parking lot outside the plant, which is located in Villa Florida Industrial Park, hospitals, health officials, schools and pharmacies set up tents providing free services and information. Dulces Famosos employs about 1,000 people and produces candy canes and other sweet candy for distribution in the United States.

“We’re very proud of our company and our employees,” said Randy Main, general managers of Dulces Famosos, to a group of employees and their children. “We have to do special things for our people and this fair is an example of this. Not only is it an example, but it’s a promise, an obligation and our social responsibility.”
Main said that employees would have time to receive private screenings and he was working with everyone’s schedule to ensure employees that had a pre-existing condition would have access to a specialist available at the plant. Keith Patridge, President/CEO of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation; Ralph Garcia, Vice President for Mexico Business Recruitment; and Victoria Hirschberg, Marketing Director for the McAllen Economic Development Corporation, participating in the inaugural activities at the Reynosa plant.

“The health fair exemplifies some of the great things that are still happening in Reynosa,” Patridge said. “Main, just like our other plant managers in McAllen and Reynosa, take care of their employees.”
“Number one (is that) we believe a healthy employee is a productive employee,” Main said. “And for that reason we are focusing this fair on health and number two, our employees have the right to leave each day in the same condition as when they arrived for their shift.”

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In an effort to discuss the Texas-Mexico trade corridor and its strategic benefits, the Supply Chain Systems Laboratory from Texas A&M University will be hosting the “Texas-Mexico Trade Competitiveness Conference” at the Embassy Suites in McAllen, TX. The conference will examine the trade corridor, regional global manufacturing and logistics. There will also be opportunities for networking.

Keith Patridge, President/CEO of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation will offer the welcoming address on Thursday, July 15.

The conference is free to the general public, but registration is required. Click here to see the full schedule and register.

Victoria MEDC Events Logistics, TAMU, Texas-Mexico Trade Corrdior

Recently, U.S. Business Development Specialist Megan Davila, Victoria Hirschberg and Mariana Mugica participated with numerous communities from Texas at the Society of Auto Engineers (SAE) conference and expo. We met with several companies and engineers who might have an interest in our community.

We also attended a seminar with ProMexico about how companies can invest in Mexico. Here we learned about how Mexico was increasing its hi-tech companies and how Detroit was in the process of diversifying its economy. In addition to our events, we had some time to visit the Henry Ford Museum, which was incredible. Then we headed to the Rogue Manufacturing Plant where they were manufacturing 2010 Ford F-150s.

More photos will be uploaded at photos.medc.org. Keep checking for more!

Victoria MEDC Events SAE, State of Texas

McAllen Economic Development Corporation is happy to be a sponsor of the Technology Entrepreneurship Workshop being hosted by UTPA on Friday, March 5th. The event is free of charge and will host Kimberly Watson Hemphill, author of Fast Innovation, as keynote speaker. Please see below and the attached agenda for additional details about the event.

WHAT: The University of Texas-Pan American is again offering opportunities to learn more about entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. The event is to foster and support regional technology based economic development. FibeRio Technology Corporation, Photon 8, and Scantech are the most recent demonstrations that the region has sustainable competitive advantages that enhance lucrative enterprises. The event includes a keynote presentation by Kimberly Watson Hemphill, author of Fast Innovation, with focuses on reducing time to market, increasing the new product success and speed balanced against the need for product differentiation. Other presentations focus on raising capital, lessons learned by a panel of technology entrepreneurs from Border startups, designing and manufacturing your technology as well as highlighting the benefits of the region for manufacturing and scaling up your production.

WHO: The March 5th event is open to interested entrepreneurs, students and the public and now free thanks to the generous support of our sponsors. Registration is available by calling 956-318-8947 or emailing beckam@utpa.edu .
WHEN: March 5th, 2010 Registration at 8AM The Bootcamp will start 8:30AM at the Engineering Auditorium on UTPA’s Campus , 1201 W. University Drive, Edinburg, TX. Parking information provided after registration. For more information, contact 956-318-8947.
SPONSORS: UTPA partners for the event include EDCO Ventures, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, MBA Alumni Association, Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center of South Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley Workforce Solutions, McAllen Economic Development Corporation, Rapid Response Manufacturing Center, South Texas Manufacturing Association, North American Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education Initiative, and the Small Business Development Center.
This is the second year UTPA has hosted technology entrepreneurship events according to UTPA Director of Innovation and Intellectual Property, Jackie Michel. Michel said “the event serves as an example of how the Rio South Texas region is collaborating to foster technology-based economic development, especially in the technology areas.” “The goal of the conference is to provide access to knowledge regarding entrepreneurship, technology commercialization and to provide networking with technology entrepreneurs at the different stages of their company development. We want those interested in technology entrepreneurship to have access to tools and resources and the networks the need to be successful,” Michel said.

Victoria Learn, MEDC Events, Uncategorized UTPA

In order to celebrate the uniqueness and cultural advantages of having locations in McAllen and in Reynosa, Motorola is hosting its first Binational Flag Retirement Ceremony at 5 p.m., Monday, Feb. 1, 2010. The event will take place outside its McAllen Distribution Center located at the corner of Shary Road and Military Highway. McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez and Mexican Consul Erasmo Martinez will be joined by Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts from McAllen and Reynosa to formally retire the worn out flags from the United States, Texas and Mexico.

“We wanted to do something that highlighted Motorola’s commitment to both communities,” said Alex Avila, Director of Operations for Motorola in McAllen. “This is also an opportunity to show our employees a unique patriotic ceremony as well as honor the veterans who work at Motorola.”

This event also coincides with the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Avila said McAllen Motorolans support many civic and community service organizations such as the Boy Scouts and thought this event would highlight the organization and its service to the binational area. The scouting program promotes values, character, citizenship, and personal fitness, Avila said.

Motorola is one of almost 300 companies located in the McAlleb/Reynosa binational metro area.

Please contact Victoria Hirschberg of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation at 956.682.2875 or victoria@medc.org if you have any questions.
The public is welcome to attend.
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Victoria MEDC Events, Work Motorola

High-level officials from Mexico and the United States gathered near the Anzalduas International Bridge on Jan. 11, 2010 to officially inaugurate the newest crossing between the two countries in 10 years. Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon, joined by the Mayor of Reynosa and Governor of Tamaulipas, discussed how this trade will help grow the economy in Mexico and allow free trade to flourish. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk came down for the ceremony.

With Rep. Kirk in the area, local officials from McAllen and the surrounding cities used the time to push for commercial traffic on Anzalduas. Currently, the presidential permit does not permit truck traffic until 2015 or traffic reaches 15,000 trucks per day on the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge. However, managers are local manufacturing plants in McAllen/Reynosa have indicated that commercial on Anzalduas International Bridge would greatly reduce costs, allow them to operate more efficiently. Kirk promised to take this message to President Barack Obama and see what is possible. Click here to read the story from The Monitor and in in the Rio Grande Guardian.

Here are some links to media coverage from Monday’s event about the Anzalduas International Bridge inauguration:
San Antonio Express News
The Monitor
Rio Grande Guardian
Associated Press
KRGV
ValleyCentral.com

Victoria Anzalduas Bridge, MEDC Events, Reynosa Anzalduas International Bridge, Felipe Calderon, Live, Ron Kirk

Employees from the McAllen Economic Development Corporation and McAllen Foreign Trade Zone had four teams of five compete in the 2009 Fiesta Marathon in McAllen on Dec. 13.

All teams finished in under six hours. Visit www.fiestamarathon.com for information on this event.
It was a great time in McAllen, Granjeno and Mission.

vitamo MEDC Events, Uncategorized Fiesta Marathon

From a news release:
AVANCE, Inc. in collaboration with South Texas College (STC) will be hosting a job fair on December 11 & 12 from 10am-3pm at the STC Technology Campus. AVANCE will deliver a Home-based Early Head Start Program to 320 at-risk families that reside in colonias in two of the most-in-need counties bordering with Mexico. Services will be provided to 220 families in Hidalgo County and to 100 families in Val Verde County. To run this program, AVANCE seeks to fill many positions which include cooks, custodians, bus drivers, teachers, social workers, nutrition staff, project directors, accounting staff, disabilities specialists, and more.

In addition, if you are an organization/non profit that offers services or has available jobs, you can exihibit at the job fair at no cost. Contact Celinda Palacios at STC @ cpalacios@southtexascollege.edu or by phone at 956 872 2566 for additional information.
See you there!

vitamo MEDC Events, Work AVANCE, job fair, STC

A special thanks to the more than 500 people who came to celebrate this holiday season with the team at the McAllen Economic Development Corporation. It was a great time and we hope everyone has as much fun as we did. While our office was crowded, it was great to see all of our friends, families, clients and community members in one space! Photos will be posted our McAllen Economic’s facebook page.

Please remember to help the MEDC provide for local families this holiday season, as well as Hidalgo County pets who are without homes. Go to MEDC’s community page at www.medc.org/giving.

MEDC staff wishes everyone a happy holiday!

vitamo MEDC Events