Category Archives: News

Federal Reserve Official Talks Economics During Valley Visit

Events News Comments
Economics professor Marie T. Mora moderates a discussion with Robert Kaplan, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. (VBR)

Higher education called upon to close skills gaps Somewhere between 50,000 and 75,000 Texas jobs were lost in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, but the state’s economy is already showing signs of recovery, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Robert Kaplan said during remarks at the seventh annual Border Economic Development and Entrepreneurship Symposium in McAllen on Dec. 1. “We are already seeing a rebound…

Read More

Winter Texans Boost RGV Economy

Featured News Comments

The annual migration is underway as Winter Texans make the trek south to escape cold northern winters. During the 2015-2016 season these visitors from the north contributed $760 million to the Rio Grande Valley economy, and this year could be even stronger. “We’re looking for a good season,” said Kristie Collier, president and CEO of Welcome Home Rio Grande Valley. “A lot of new people are coming to Texas this…

Read More

Hispanic Business Leader Touts Economic Growth

e-Brief Features Featured News Comments
Javier Palomarez greets Valley civic and business leaders. (UTRGV Photo by David Pike)

The Hispanic population in the United States continues to grow at a rapid pace, and that translates into big money when it comes to business in America. President and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Javier Palomarez told a group of Rio Grande Valley business leaders that Latino entrepreneurs contribute more than $668 billion to the U.S. economy each year. “The Hispanic community has become a defining feature…

Read More

A Custom-Made Livelihood

Featured News Comments
Primo de la Garza in his shop with a custom order in progress. (VBR)

Primo de la Garza’s high school woodshop teacher helped him get a job with a cabinet maker when he was a teenager, an opportunity that opened the door to his lifelong vocation. “I was 18 when I started,” he said. “The instructor got me a job with Gray’s Cabinet Shop here in Harlingen. I am 60 now so that was 42 years ago. I’ve been making my living doing this…

Read More

Building a Dream with Chocolate

Featured Food & Entertainment News Retail Comments
Veronica Barrera-Cuellar with gift baskets prepared by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for special occasions. (VBR)

After managing 16 school kitchens in North Texas as a nutritionist, Rio Grande Valley native Veronica Barrera-Cuellar returned home with a dream of attending pastry school. She ended up selling chocolate. “I love pastry and I wanted to go to pastry school, but life happens,” she said. Needing to find a livelihood, she teamed up with her sister Patricia and began looking into franchise opportunities to start their own business.…

Read More

Taxidermist Preserves Wildlife

Featured News Comments
Taxidermist Rene Escamilla with some of the trophies he has completed at his shop in Brownsville. (VBR)

Texas white-tailed deer, fish, birds, reptiles and even African animals often find their way to Rene Escamilla, who can preserve them for hunters and fishing enthusiasts who want to keep a trophy. Escamilla is an expert in taxidermy, or the practice of stuffing or mounting an animal’s body for display or even educational purposes. And the Brownsville taxidermist probably knows that line of business better than most of his colleagues…

Read More

Personal Touch Secures Customers

Featured News Professional Services Comments
Smith Security technician Alvin Lopez installs a security system control panel at a Weslaco business. (VBR)

  As technology races ahead by leaps and bounds, one thing never changes when operating a business. In the end it’s all about customer service. Across the Rio Grande Valley there are several locally owned companies offering residential and commercial security systems, and they all say their success is grounded in connecting with customers. Unlike some national security companies that contract with sales representatives and service technicians, these businesses take…

Read More

Promoting a Passion for Fitness

Featured News Retail Comments
Footworks owners Jun and Edith Ellorimo. (VBR)

It started as “a hobby business,” a vehicle for a husband-and-wife team of physical therapists to promote their passion for fitness. The vision that began in 2011 for Jun and Edith Ellorimo to get people “walking and running” is today a Footworks Start To Finish store with a wide community reach to go with a growing network of runners and cyclists. “It has gone beyond what we envisioned,” Jun said…

Read More