Tag Archives: Brownsville

Forty community leaders and stakeholders from the Rio Grande Valley recently traveled to Washington, D.C. for the second annual RGV2DC fly-in. During their time in D.C., attendees met with members of Congress, including senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and Congressman Beto O’Rourke. Mayor of McAllen Mayor Jim Darling; elected officials from Mission, Pharr, and Brownsville; as well as senior leadership from the RGV Partnership, University of Texas at Rio Grande…

Brownsville Navigation District Elects Board

June 6, 2018

VBR

News Comments

John Reed has unanimously been elected to serve as chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District. Reed has served as chairman prior from 2010-2012. His new appointment is also for two years. He continues to serve alongside BND Vice Chairman Sergio Tito Lopez and Secretary Ralph Cowen. Both men were also unanimously elected to the serve as part of the executive board. Local businessman Esteban Guerra also was sworn in as…

Manufacturing services spur growth

June 1, 2018

Eileen Mattei

Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments

When Bob Katusak launched International Assembly Inc. in Brownsville 26 years ago, he couldn’t have imagined how the company would evolve. In those pre-NAFTA days, businesses like his were known as shelter operations. In short, he established a manufacturing facility in Matamoros for small American companies that wanted to lower labor costs and contracted with IAI to oversee production, quality, labor and import/export paperwork. At that time, when AIDS was…

Hatching Ideas for Business

June 1, 2018

VBR

News Comments

A Mexican entrepreneur who has achieved success with nopal-based powders, candies and breads is working to break into the U.S. market, with a little help from his friends at the Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center, a real-life entrepreneurship laboratory in Brownsville. Acting as a business incubator, the center is part of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development. “What we focus on is business…

BCIC Offers Economic Development Grants

May 10, 2018

VBR

e-Brief Features Government News Non-Profit Comments

Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation is seeking nonprofit and city partners to partner with to promote economic development. BCIC looks to promote the development through the BCIC Partnership Grants which focus on community development projects. Both nonprofit organizations and city departments are the focus of the grants. By design, the awards engage in the necessary community development needed to promote economic development opportunities. Through the grants, the BCIC will supplement up to $5,000…

Building ‘Soft Skills’ for Success

May 1, 2018

George Cox

Education Events News Technology Comments

Public-private collaborations to build a workforce for the future have picked up speed in recent years amidst growing concerns that some skills needed to prosper are lagging behind advancements in technology. Electric cars whizzing around at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour offer a recent example of how some young people in the Rio Grande Valley are looking forward. Thirty-one teams representing middle schools, high schools and colleges…

Venturing into Shared Workspace

May 1, 2018

George Cox

News Comments

One of the first customers of the recently opened Venture X shared workspace in Harlingen was a Dallas production company that needed a place to make an advertising pitch to South Texas H-E-B executives. The company had made arrangements for a space in the Los Fresnos area, but discovered internet connectivity problems in advance of the meeting. So they contacted Venture X and rented a 10-person meeting room equipped with…

DreamBuilder Give Tools for Business Start-Up

April 26, 2018

VBR

Business Advice e-Brief Features Events Featured News Comments

The Women’s Business Center of Cameron County and the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce are now accepting applications from those interested in starting a business for its DreamBuilder Academy. The 12-module course is designed specifically for women (although anyone can participate) and creates a step-by-step framework for starting a business. The DreamBuilder format helps participants realize if they should start a business, as well as understand a business plan. Costs with…

Deal Advances $1.6 Billion Port Steel Mill

April 26, 2018

VBR

e-Brief Features Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments

On Tuesday, the Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners signed an option agreement for Big River Steel LLC to build a $1.6 billion plant at the Port of Brownsville. The agreement covers up to 800 acres of property. This will enable the steel-maker to develop a LEED-certified steel manufacturing plant, as well as storage and a distribution facility. “This is good news for Brownsville and the result of hard work by many…

UTRGV Students Take Trading Competition

April 10, 2018

VBR

Education Featured Finance/Banking News Comments

A group of undergraduate business students from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley recently beat out more than 500 teams from 37 countries to capture their first ever championship win in the 15th annual CME Group Trading Challenge. Christopher Martinez of McAllen, Michael Villarreal of Rio Grande City and Jose Naveja of Progreso finished the competition with a total of $706,585. They beat out second-place competitor Kansas State University, who…