Tag Archives: Raudel Garza

EDC Building Team To Match City’s Growth

Raudel Garza, left, is using his experience in economic development to build a team in Edinburg that can effectively promote the city. (Courtesy)

Raudel Garza’s first year as executive director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has been “100 mph from day one.” Garza is hardly complaining in making that assessment with Edinburg. The city is growing at such a rapid clip, he said, and bringing with it “lots of opportunities and challenges.” For an economic development specialist, it’s a fertile field to grow jobs and recruit new industries while nurturing small businesses…

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Garza Finds New Opportunity In Edinburg

Raudel Garza is leaving his leadership post in Harlingen to take on similar responsibilities in Edinburg as the executive director for the economic development corporation.

Raudel Garza’s career in economic development leadership has taken him to Mission, Pharr and Harlingen. He is now heading to a new challenge – and city. Beginning Nov. 7, Garza will be the new executive director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. His new job will come after a 10-year tenure as the chief executive officer of the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation. Edinburg is hoping Garza’s experience and stature in…

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UTRGV Kauffman FastTrac Coming to Harlingen

Kauffman FastTrac

The Harlingen EDC is once again sponsoring the seven-week business course, Kauffman FastTrac. The UTRGV Entrepreneurship & Commercialization Center-led course is open to up to 10 participants who are currently looking to open or grow their business in Harlingen. This in-person course will be held once a week every Tuesday from April 5 to May 17. Participants will meet from 6-9 p.m. at the Harlingen EDC office. This $700 course…

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Property Acquisition Sparks Hopes For Valle Vista

Dillard's space at Valle Vista Mall

Harlingen’s largely vacant Valle Vista Mall is getting an investment boost as a Los Angeles-based company announced it had acquired the retail space formerly occupied by Dillard’s. BH Properties said it is analyzing the best use for its new property, which since 1983 had been an anchor store at Valle Vista until its recent closure. The company said its Harlingen acquisition is a good fit in its strategies to re-imagine…

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Workforce Wednesday Kicks Off Aug. 4

The Harlingen Economic Development Corporation and Workforce Solutions Cameron begin hosting a series of mini-job fairs Aug. 4. The job fairs will take place every other month. The Workforce Wednesday series will help many regional companies fill available positions in various industries. The job fairs will host up to six employers and each fair will be industry-specific. “The Workforce Wednesday jobs fairs are the perfect opportunity to bring together our…

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Aviation Maintenance Program Looks To Fill Local Jobs

As aviation continues to grow in the Rio Grande Valley, so does the need for more mechanics and technicians. “We have had more students applying and expressing interest in the program than I have ever seen,” said Leo Guajardo, lead instructor in Texas State Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance program, which encompasses Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology. Guajardo said some credit for increasing program curiosity can be given to…

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TaskUs To Create Hundreds of Local Jobs

TaskUs

A leading tech-enabled business services company, TaskUs, will be opening a new location in 2021 in Harlingen, bringing with it hundreds of jobs. The San Antonio-based company delivers CX, AI operations and content security to companies. “We are very excited for TaskUs to finally land and join our business community in Harlingen,” said Mayor Chris Boswell. “TaskUs’s award-winning, people-first culture, and their great employee perks and benefits are groundbreaking. We…

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Harlingen HELP Still Available to Small Businesses

Carol and Charles Law of Chuck’s Icehouse Volleybar & Grill are recipients of HELP for Small Business. (courtesy

On July 28, the Harlingen Emergency Loan Program for Small Business committee gave approval to seven local businesses for business loans. The qualifying businesses’ approvals ranged from $7,000 to the maximum amount of $10,000. This is the fifth round of HELP for Small Business recipients. Raudel Garza, Harlingen EDC CEO, says the program will continue until the allotted $1 million funds are used, or the program is discontinued. The program began…

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Harlingen Loans Support Local Businesses

Small businesses in Harlingen can seek emergency loans through an EDC program to help during the COVID-19 crisis.

The rush to apply for and receive emergency federal funds during the COVID-19 crisis didn’t reach everyone. The result of the first come/first serve component of the Small Business Administration-affiliated loans is many American businesses left out of the funding loop. In Harlingen, city leaders and the economic development corporation are doing something about it. The EDC put aside $1 million in funding in establishing Harlingen’s Emergency Loan Program, HELP.…

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Containing COVID Is Key To Economic Recovery

Restaurants and retailing have been hurt badly by COVID-19 outbreak and business shutdowns. (VBR)

The Rio Grande Valley’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis will be prolonged. It could take 12-to-18 months, at the minimum, said leading bankers and economic development specialists. They say the recovery from the widespread business shutdowns this spring will stretch well into 2021. Recovery will also be dependent on one key factor. “It’s all going to depend on how we contain COVID,” said David Deanda, the president of Lone…

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