The City of McAllen has hired David R. Vasquez as its new director of finance. The Rio Grande Valley native has 13 years of experience in municipal work, serving most recently as the finance director for the City of Donna. Vasquez has a broad range of expertise in finance, including both serving as a senior finance analyst for Valley Baptist Health System and an accounting supervisor for Amigos del Valle…
In its 85th Annual Report of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board to Congress, published Aug. 28, the Port of Brownsville’s FTZ No. 62 ranked third in the nation marking a 12-year-consecutive streak the value of exports at $7 billion. For the first time, FTZ No. 62 broke through the Top 20 list for the value of imports, ranking 14th with $3.2 billion worth of commodities imported. “Our foreign trade zone is an…
Linking Economic and Academic Development (RGV LEAD) will host the State of Education and Industry on Sept. 24, providing a platform for collaboration, discussion of Valley-area current and future workforce needs, and a showcase of partnerships that have a direct impact on students’ upward mobility. For more than 30 years, RGV LEAD has connected industry and educational leaders to address the workforce demands of the Rio Grande Valley. Our mission…
Since the inception of the South Texas College Foundation last year, it has given back nearly $500,000 to students in scholarships and funds to help create a college-going culture, especially among first-generation students, thanks to community sponsors and donors. With its second annual Foundation Gala on Oct. 16, the nonprofit organization is on the hunt for sponsors and donors at all levels, to help make this year’s event a success.…
For the second consecutive year, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has been recognized as the No. 1 university in Texas, according to the latest Washington Monthly college guide and rankings. Recognized as a top-performing institution of higher education in the state among all institutions – private and public – UTRGV took the lead in the 2024 rankings. Texas A&M University came in second and Rice University, third. “We…
The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation is the recipient of five prestigious awards from the 2024 International Economic Development Council Excellence Awards. With these additional awards, BCIC is now the most awarded economic development organization in Rio Grande Valley history. BCIC will receive recognition at the IEDC 2024 Annual Conference in Denver, Colo. taking place Sept. 15-18. The Excellence in Economic Development Awards program covered 26 categories, scored by 163 judges.…
McAllen International Airport set an all-time total traveler record for July in 2024 with 114,694 total passengers, an 8.7 percent increase over the previous record set in June 2024. Overall traffic in 2024 has increased 23 percent year over year, with 70 percent more flights since same time in 2023. “McAllen International Airport has set records in four of the past five years, however this year we have taken it…
The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce has announced the departure of its Director of Membership Dulce Cortina and in turn, is now seeking candidates to fill two pivotal roles. “We are incredibly grateful for Dulce’s contributions to our organization,” said Ronnie Larralde, executive director of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. “Her dedication and hard work have been instrumental to our growth. While we will miss her greatly, we wish Dulce nothing…
Texas State Technical College will present its inaugural Distinguished Alumni Gala on Sept. 10, recognizing inspiring TSTC alumni who embody a legacy of success. Receiving the the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award is Joel Stone, an alumnus of the college’s Building Construction Technology program and now the chairman and CEO of construction company SpawGlass. Stone received his certificate of completion in 1984 when TSTC was Texas State Technical Institute. “TSTC has been a foundation in the…
The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting nominations for its highly celebrated National and District Small Business Week Awards, including Small Business Person of the Year. To help nominators prepare a successful package, the Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office will present two September webinars explaining the nomination guidelines. “The SBA’s Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office is ready to accept nominations,” Angela Burton, district director, said. “I encourage…