The Port of Brownsville continues to gain strength in the steel industry as Forza Steel invests $60 million to build its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at the port. The Mexican company, which specializes in the manufacturing of carbon steel pipe, plans to install equipment in July to begin rolling mill operations. For over 20 years, Forza Steel has serviced the Mexican and U.S. steel markets from their manufacturing facility located in…
Anna Gomez and Deborah Rios were the best of friends before deciding to become business partners. Friendship and business don’t always mix but this is a partnership that works. Gomez is a banker by profession and manages a branch bank in north McAllen. Rios is a teacher in Edinburg who co-owns a business with her husband. They had previously bandied about the idea of someday going into business together. For…
Eduardo Campirano has been the chief executive officer at the Port of Brownsville for 16 years. For the majority of those years, one grand project has rattled around as a possibility during his administration. He recalled that 12 years ago, the earliest discussions began of a liquefied natural gas plant at the port. What began as both a distant dream and remote possibility has evolved over the years to one…
Brownsville’s band of brewery brothers is inching closer to opening the city’s first soup-to-nuts craft beer business. The Pluton Brewery Company is nearing completion of its 5,280-square-foot building on 805 E. Elizabeth in the city’s downtown. It’s a long time coming for Daniel Arizpe and Joey Martinez along with their partners and team of employees. They are taking their dream from making beer in the garage of a west Brownsville…
When Donna Jo Pena applied to Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement in late 2021, it wasn’t déjà vu that came over her. Rather, she experienced actual memories from 2004-2005 when VIDA played a significant role in helping her become a licensed vocational nurse. VIDA, a nonprofit organization serving the Rio Grande Valley for over 25 years, provides financial assistance and support services, removing the barriers that often prevent Valley…
Love’s Travel Stops is now serving customers in Harlingen with a new location that opened on April 20. The location along I-69E at exit 30 adds 50 jobs and 62 truck parking spaces to Cameron County. On the same day, the chain opened a location in Mansfield, La. “In adding a 19th location in Louisiana, and a 79th in Texas, Love’s is strengthening our commitment to bringing Highway Hospitality to…
The Texas Workforce Commission is rolling out a new initiative named Upskill Texas to help businesses with 100 employees or more train their workforce. TWC has approved $5 million in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds for the pilot program. It is inviting businesses to take advantage of the opportunity to provide technical training to their employees. “This opportunity invests in both the Texas workforce and businesses by guaranteeing that…
A TSA Precheck Pop-up Enrollment event will take place at McAllen Miller International Airport from May 8-12. The Transportation Security Administration program allows airline passengers a smoother screening process with no need to remove shoes, belts, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops or light jackets. The event’s daily hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. In order to participate in this local enrollment event, applicants must follow these steps to pre-enroll: Access…
Arturo Leon had never been to the Rio Grande Valley when he came here in 2014 to scout for a place to locate his specialized painting business. He had already been to southern California, where his father lived after relocating from Mexico. Warehouse space there was hard to find and what was available didn’t meet his needs. Visiting the Valley, Leon liked the cultural fit and immediate proximity to Mexico.…
South Padre Island is seeing rapid growth in its vacation rental industry and enjoys high average occupancy rates as compared to its Texas Gulf Coast competitors. It was a strength highlighted at a recent conference hosted by the Vacation Rental Managers Association of South Padre Island. There was also a list of challenges and areas of improvement cited at the mid-February meeting at the South Padre Island Convention Center. The…