MCALLEN, Texas - A banker, a regional chamber leader, a leading businessman and a college president have all pledged their support for RioPlex.
The big new marketing project will see North Tamaulipas and South Texas promoted as one region around the world. Agreement was reached to support the new brand name at a recent meeting of the CEO Group at McAllen Country Club.
The CEO Group is led by logistics titan Joaquin Spamer and is a subgroup of the Hidalgo County Prosperity Task Force. The task force was set up by Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez to tackle poverty.
The banker in support of the RioPlex project is Adrian Villarreal, president and CEO of IBC Bank in Hidalgo County. He was interviewed by Rio Grande Guardian reporter Patricia Martinez.
The regional chamber leader in support of the RioPlex project is Daniel Silva, president of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership. He, too, was interviewed by Martinez.
The leading businessman in support of the RioPlex project is Jim Collins, chairman of Rioco Partners. He was interviewed by Ron Whitlock of Ron Whitlock Reports.
And the college president in support of the RioPlex project is Ricardo of Solis, who runs South Texas College. He was interviewed by this reporter.
All four attended the meeting at the country club.
“I think here today, what we've learned is that we have this tremendous opportunity. We've got just tremendous resources. We've got a good story. The rate of progress that we've experienced decade after decade has been phenomenal. It is very favorable compared to a lot of the other areas,” Villarreal said.
“I think we're uniquely positioned because we've just got so many resources in the Valley, with our neighbors to the south, with the port that we have in Brownsville.”
Villarreal said there is growing interest in the South Texas/North Tamaulipas region. He said part of that is due to the nearshoring phenomenon currently underway in Mexico, plus interest from technology-based firms, and the energy sector.
“I think what we're trying to do here and what I've learned here today is that once we come together, fully together, and market ourselves correctly… so that we can tell people who we are and the strengths that we have, and the resources that we have… this area has got just a tremendous amount of potential and can truly add economic value to everybody.”
Asked about the importance of marketing North Tamaulipas with the Valley, Villarreal said:
“Our bank has around for about 58 years and in our model, we’ve always understood the value of our Mexican partnerships and customers in Tamaulipas. That is one of the largest strengths that we have. And even today with NAFTA, USMCA and nearshoring, and what’s happening geopolitically, that relationship is even more important,” Villarreal said.
“I've always said is if you're here in this region, you have to come and completely immerse yourself in what is happening in Mexico, because it is our future. Our future is our Mexican neighbors to the south along with us here and in this Rio Plex area (working) together, so that we can maximize our full potential.”
Asked what role IBC Bank can play in the RioPlex initiative, Villarreal said:
“I think we've always seen our role, especially at the banks, as being champions of this area. And I think here our role is to continue to elevate that, to be truly champions of this RioPlex area.
“We understand who we are, we understand our world. We're championing it. There is a lot of the negative news that comes out in this area. So, we need champions to tell our stories because there's so many good things that seem to get buried. And so all of us need to carry a lot a large microphone and continue to market the area and all the potential that we have.”
In his interview, RGVP’s Silva was asked what the CEO Group meeting was all about.
“This meeting was to talk about branding or giving a name or an identity to the region. So, the Prosperity Task force, through the Judge’s lead, has been focusing on trying to increase the prosperity of the region,” Silva said.
“A lot of times when we were out trying to… we were in D.C. last week through the Partnership and when we talked to people, sometimes they did not know who the Rio Grande Valley is.
“So, since this private group, led by Joaquin Spamer, is looking at trying to do more recruitment to the region, they want to identify what is the name and what do we want to get behind. So, today is going to be that and also an update. This is the CEO group. These are private business owners. They want to know, what is our economic viability? Where are we going? Where have we come from? Just kind of as a snapshot."
Asked what he thought of the name RioPlex, Siva said:
“I think RioPlex is influenced by Borderplex, by a metropolitan area. I think the Rio Grande Valley is something that we need to keep in the name. Rio being the river, Plex being metroplex, both on the north and on the south side of the river. It makes sense.
“But, you know, our identity is rooted in Valley. So, I think that having Rio or event Valley in there is somewhat important. But, at the end of the day, we need to get behind something.”
Asked how important it is to include North Tamaulipas in the marketing push, Silva said:
“It is extremely important. I mean, we rely on them to help our economy be what it is, to help us grow. Our cross-border trade is fantastic. It's phenomenal. Both of us rely on each other. It's a symbiotic relationship. We need to include them. We have people who live on this side and work over there and vice versa. I think we need to help drown out the stigma that we're in a dangerous area by showing that we're working across the border. It is very important.”
Asked what he thought of the meeting, Collins said:
“I thought today's main purpose was great. I wholeheartedly support a unified approach to business development and marketing. We already spend a lot of dollars doing it. And among all businesses, I think a regional approach where the chambers and the cities are all unified and trying to row in the same direction will help.”
Asked how important it is to include North Tamaulipas in the marketing effort, Collins said: “I think it's very important. Our families live on both sides. Business is done on both sides. We just need to bring the security level on the Mexico side closer our standard on the north side. To make sure companies who might relocate feel comfortable.”
Asked what he thought the late Glen Roney would think, Collins said: “He would be very supportive and helping lead the charge.”
Collins added that Judge Cortez is taking the right approach by taking small steps. “I think the judge explained his approach well, that we must do this in small steps versus one giant leap that loses its momentum. Anotherstep that will be crucial is bringing in leadership from northern Mexico,” Collins said.
Collins added: “I think having a unified approach in our region, whether it be on water, whether it be on business development, whether it be just as good neighbors make sense.”
In his interview, Solis said it is important the public sector helps the private sector in marketing the region. He said higher education institutions can play a key role also.
“I know (this regional unity effort) has been tried many times before. But this time it is coming from a different perspective. I think this approach is a lot more conducive to getting things done. The approach by the private developers, entrepreneurs, the businesspeople, that business sector, they are the other ones that should dictate policy,” Solis said.
“It is right to have the private sector now taking the lead, but we also need to combine our efforts, the private sector working with the public sector and the economic development organizations, and especially higher education. Those four combined will make it the most powerful force to do true economic development, recruitment and growth of companies.”
Asked why it is important to include North Tamaulipas, Solis said: “This new approach of bringing in Mexico, of bringing the whole Matamoros-Reynosa area into the entire equation, to make this a true and significant region, is important for us to be able sell the region globally. This approach has been long overdue.”
Solis added: “This is not a new concept. It has been brought up many times before in the past. But it was never thoroughly accepted or implemented. I believe now is the time and everybody has agreed that we need to unite forces, especially from the Port of Brownsville all the way to regional identity, not a particular city or town.”
