EDINBURG, Texas - Pharr businessman Robert Lozano, CEO of F&P Brands, and his wife Laurie are to donate $1 million from the Robert & Laurie Lozano Family “Life Currency” Endowment to benefit Driscoll Children’s Hospital in the Rio Grande Valley. Driscoll’s leadership says the funding will ensure children in the Valley will always have access to wor…

MCALLEN, Texas - A former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico says chambers of commerce and the business community in general can help turn down ugly political rhetoric. Antonio Garza was asked if political rhetoric hampers trade negotiations and good trade policies. He was asked this question by Cynthia Sakulenzki, president and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber …

AUSTIN, Texas - Viva Benefits, which was co-founded by former Rio Grande Valley teacher Michael Barnes, has announced a $2.2 million pre-seed fundraising round led by Chingona Ventures. Viva Benefits is a network of affordable housing partners that helps renters access essential benefits like health, education, and financial wellness. Chingona’s mo…

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Transportation Commission has appointed Teclo J. Garcia, CEO of the Mission Economic Development Corporation, to two advisory committees. They are the Border Trade Advisory Committee (BTAC) and the Freight Advisory Committee (FAC). Both make recommendations to the Texas Department of Transportation. TTC Commissioner Alejan…

PHARR, Texas - DHR Health has held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new public-private behavioral health facility it is building in north Pharr. The hospital campus will be located at 4800 North Jackson Road in Pharr and will include a new 161,000 square foot building. The City of Pharr is providing the land. Following an appropriation by the Texas …

MCALLEN, Texas - Dr. Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, Ph.D., still calls the Rio Grande Valley home, even though she is now a professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. The renowned scholar taught for many years at UT-Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville. She came back to the region recently for two speeches. One was ti…

HARLINGEN, Texas - Eugenio Marín, CEO of Fundación México-Estados Unidos para la Ciencia (FUMEC), gave an in-depth presentation on the semiconductor industry at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen on Nov. 5. The "Friends of COSTEP" event was titled “Navigating the Growing Semiconductor Industry.” It was co-hosted by the Council for South Tex…

MCALLEN, Texas - Former U.S. ambassador to Mexico Antonio Garza recently appeared on a webinar hosted by the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In his remarks, Garza gave his predictions about future US-Mexico relations and what the new presidency of Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico might mean. Garza also spoke about violence in Mexico and international …

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez has presented a $2 million-plus check to Brownsville Public Utilities Board to support the city’s Resaca Restoration Project. In his remarks at the check presentation, Gonzalez said he wished other cities in his district had the beautiful resacas that Brownsville had. “It’s always a pleasure to bring …

PHARR, Texas - An expert in manufacturing told students from Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD and IDEA Public Schools about the benefits of working in the industry. Mike Willis, executive director of the South Texas Manufacturers Association, managed a maquiladora plant in Reynosa for 26. He was one of the keynote speakers speakers at Pharr Economic Develo…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - To coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, DHR Health Brownsville has unveiled its newest mammogram unit. Aida Coronado-Garcia, DHR Health Brownsville executive vice president and chief operating officer, said the new unit - a Siemens Mammomat Revelation - represents the latest in breast imaging technology, allowing for en…

PHARR, TEXAS David Ortiz, director of UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, has encouraged high school students to consider manufacturing as a career. Ortiz spoke to students from Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD and IDEA Public Schools at Pharr Economic Development Corporation’s 4th Annual Manufacturing Day in Pharr. The event was …

MCALLEN, Texas - Texas Transportation Commissioner Alejandro “Alex” Meade says his efforts to bring more highway project funding to the Rio Grande Valley is being made easier thanks to nearshoring. Meade said that these days his fellow transportation commissioners are coming forward to ask what more they can do to help the region. And, he said, thi…

PHARR, Texas - Engineering consulting firm Raba Kistner was one of the sponsors of the recent IWS4 summit hosted by Pharr Economic Development Corporation. IWS stands of industrial warehouse summit. The fourth such event was held at the Pharr Development and Research Center. Katrin Leonard, vice president for Rio Grande Valley operations at Raba Ki…

MCALLEN, Texas - Luis Torres, a senior business economist in the San Antonio Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, spoke recently at UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Vistas from Texas event. Torres focused his presentation on maquiladoras, nearshoring, and the impact of China on the Mexico’s economy. Vistas from Texas: An Economic Outlook was co-spon…

PHARR, Texas - Business leader Brian Godinez is perhaps best known in the Rio Grande Valley as a marketing and communications specialist and CEO of ERO Architects. But recently he has been busy promoting a sister company to ERO - South Texas Facility Partnership. The Rio Grande Guardian caught up with Godinez at IWS4, the big industrial warehouse s…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr., has congratulated SpaceX on the successful fifth flight test of Starship. Scientists say SpaceX’s Starship, the largest rocket ever created, passed a crucial stage in its development journey on Sunday after engineers successfully caught its booster on the way down. “This achievement is another…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Eleazar Rodriguez, director of industrial park development and special projects for the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, has given an update on the North Brownsville Industrial Park. Rodriguez spoke about the project during a reception following a BTX Developers Tour. The tour was organized jointly by the Rio Grande …

PHARR, Texas - Rachel Connell is vice president of NASCO, which stands for North American Strategy for Competitiveness. NASCO is a tri-national coalition that connects businesses, governments, educational institutions and stakeholders across the US, Canada and Mexico. Connell recently spoke at a Trade Talks session hosted by the Pharr Bridge Board …

For Pharr, 2023 was the second best year ever. Pharr’s trade totaled $45.82 billion in 2023. That's a better-than 50% increase from just eight years ago - but 1.26 percent less than the 2022 record. When you're looking at Pharr’s trade over time, the norm is record-breaking trade. Sixteen times in the last 20 years, in fact. The fact remains, howev…

RIO GRANDE CITY, TEXAS - Between them, the counties of Starr and Zapata will receive close to half a billion dollars for transportation infrastructure projects over the next ten years, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar has announced. The federal funding will go towards the Texas Department of Transportation’s 2025 Unified Transportation Program, which is the…

MISSION, Texas - Mission Economic Development Corporation believes its Ruby Red Ventures Build Mission Fund helps attract small businesses to the city. Under the program, small businesses that have been going for two years, are in good standing, and based in Mission, can apply for up to $15,000 in grants. The grants can be used to help with operati…

MCALLEN, Texas South Texas College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Program recently celebrated National Manufacturing Day. The event, held at STC’s Technology Campus in south McAllen, showcased the opportunities available to students interested in making a career in the manufacturing industry. South Texas Manufacturing Association Executive Dir…

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Harlingen resident Federico “Fred” Garza delivered a handwritten note to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador when he met him in Matamoros last Monday. Asked what he wrote in his note, Garza said: “I basically just thanked him for having made all the effort to finally recognize Catarino Garza, my great-great-uncle. I g…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Students participating in the Frontera Leadership Institute at the eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization in downtown Brownsville have nothing but praise for the program. The 12-week program is run by LMNTS, a nonprofit based at eBridge whose aim is to empower diverse talent with the elemental skills needed to become t…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Ramiro Aleman, Cameron County’s economic development director, says there has not been a better time to invest in his county than now. Aleman participated in a recent panel discussion about economic development in the Lower Rio Grande Valley at the eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization. The event was co-hosted by Comc…

PHARR, TEXAS - Francisco Peña-Valdes, an attorney with Cacheaux Cavazos & Newton, helped facilitate a recent trade mission to the Rio Grande Valley involving 45 business owners and entrepreneurs from southern Mexico. The trip was organized by the McAllen chapter of the Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos and COMCE Sur. It included stops in McAllen,…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The Rio Grande Guardian was recently given a tour of Texas Southmost College’s ITEC Center. The Center houses the college’s workforce training and continuing education programs. During the tour, Ricardo Treviño, TSC’s director of industry relations and outreach, introduced us to one of TSC’s industry partners, DFG Solutions, LL…

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas - International trade between the United States and Mexico has increased to $1.4 million per minute, reports Congressman Henry Cuellar. Cuellar spoke about border commerce on the floor of the House of Representatives as he thanked his colleagues for passing legislation to help Starr Camargo Bridge. “Trade between the U.S. and…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - William Dietrich, port director and CEO of the Port of Brownsville, says the South Texas-Northern Tamaulipas region is something special and unique. Dietrich gave an exclusive interview to Ron Whitlock Reports at the conclusion of a tour of the port by 45-plus business owners from southern Mexico. The tour was arranged by the M…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - If elected president for a second time, former President Donald Trump says he will impose tariffs on automobiles manufactured in Mexico. Trump made the announcement in the presidential debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening. “They're building big auto plants in Mexico, in many cases owned by China. They're building these mas…

MCALLEN, Texas - Paul Rodriguez, a board trustee with South Texas College and CEO of Valley Land Title, Co., has praised the work of Futuro RGV. Rodriguez was presented with a Rio Grande Valley Leader award by Futuro recently. The event was held at the Radisson Airport Hotel in McAllen. After being presented with the award, Rodriguez gave remarks. …

MCALLEN, Texas - As the sun rose over McAllen on a milestone day, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. FIRST in Texas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering STEM education, marked its 10th anniversary in serving the Rio Grande Valley by revealing the latest season challenge for the FIRST® Tech Challenge program. In a region that has lon…

EDINBURG, Texas - Dr. Hiram Moya is associate professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering at UT-Rio Grande Valley. In a recent interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, Moya spoke about a new collaboration UTRGV is forging with the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Moya said UTRGV will …

MCALLEN, Texas - Elizabeth Suarez, president of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, spoke at a conference hosted by the McAllen chapter of Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos. AEM brought dozens of business owners from the south of Mexico to the Rio Grande Valley to learn about doing business in the United States. The business owners also visited Phar…

PHARR, Texas - Pharr International Bridge Director Luis Bazan is in Mexico City today for a meeting of the US-Mexico Binational Bridges and Border Crossings Group. At the meeting, Bazan will give an update on the second span project. Delegates from the United States and Mexican governments, the states of New Mexico and Texas, and the Mexican states…

MISSION, Texas - U.S. Sen. John Cornyn says the U.S. is “almost” coming close to a trade war with Mexico due that country’s failure to comply with an international water treaty. Speaking at a press conference held at the Mission Event Center, Cornyn said the Texas agricultural industry is facing an “existential crisis” because Mexico has not releas…

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Norman Roy Garza, Jr., executive director of the newly formed Texas Space Commission, is in great demand in South Texas. On Aug. 27, Garza was a panelist at a luncheon hosted by the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce. Held at the Brownsville Events Center, the event was titled “Bridging Borders & Beyond - The Impact of US-Mexico R…

EDINBURG, TEXAS - The College of Engineering & Computer Science is the fastest growing and most productive college at UT-Rio Grande Valley, says its dean. Dr. Ala Qubbaj gave an update on college activities at CECS’s 2024 Convocation. He said one in seven students at UTRGV are part of CECS and, pro rata, its faculty bring in the most grants and res…

EDINBURG, Texas - The chairman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board was awarded the Dean’s Medallion at the UT-Rio Grande Valley College of Engineering & Computer Science 2024 Convocation. Dr. Fred Farias, a Valley native, received the award Dr. Ala Qubbaj, dean of the college. Qubbaj noted that Farias has helped CECS secure accreditati…

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas - Congressman Henry Cuellar has announced $14.4 million in federal funding for Starr County school districts for free or reduced meals for students. The federal funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Cuellar said the funds can b…

MCALLEN, Texas - Ten new industrial parks are to be built in the City of Pharr or its ETJ, with almost 11 million square feet of warehouse space. This news was conveyed by Janie Cavazos, vice president of business recruitment, at a meeting of the South Texas Manufacturers Association. The meeting was held at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton in McAll…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Mexico can play an important role in helping the United States with its space exploration endeavors. This is the view of Judith Arrieta Munguía, Mexico’s consul in Brownsville. Arrieta was a panelist at a Brownsville Chamber of Commerce luncheon titled “Bridging Borders & Beyond - The Impact of US-Mexico Relations and Space Exp…

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas - The eagerly anticipated State Loop 195 project in Starr County is now a priority for the Texas Department of Transportation, Gov. Greg Abbott has announced. The 17.4 mile State Loop 195 project is located in Starr County and traverses the limits of Rio Grande City, the City of Escobares and the City of Roma. The project con…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - SpaceX is about to bring another 300 engineers and technicians to its Starbase facility at Boca Chica. This news was revealed by Kathryn Lueders, general manager of Starbase, at a luncheon event hosted by Brownsville Chamber of Commerce. Lueders was the keynote speaker for a program titled: “Bridging Borders & Beyond - The Impa…

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Activity at SpaceX was front and center during a panel discussion that took place at a luncheon event hosted by Brownsville Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 27. The event, held at the Brownsville Events Center, was titled: “Bridging Borders & Beyond - The Impact of US-Mexico Relations and Space Exploration in the Rio Grande Valley.”…

HARLINGEN, Texas - Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragán said she was recently with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris when they announced plans to save money on prescription drugs. Asked about the plan, U.S. Congressman Vicente Gonzalez said: “Those are basic needs that I think communities like those in Rio Grande …

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - The CIL Group has provided the Rio Grande Guardian with some exclusive photos from the two recent American Chamber Mexico (AmCham) events in Brownsville. The first event was a half day conference held at the Brownsville Events Center. It was titled: US-Mexico Leaders’ Summit: Binational High-Level Dialogue. Among those giving t…

EDINBURG, Texas - The median U.S. renter has $6,300 in net wealth. The median U.S. homeowner has $254,000 in net wealth. Edinburg-based Viva Home Team wants to reduce that gap by helping renters. "At Viva, we are a mission-driven team dedicated to closing the 40X renter wealth equity gap. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to build w…

SAN BENITO, Texas - Craig Harmon, general manager of Cameron County Irrigation District No. 2 and Cameron County Drainage District No. 3, recently had a private meeting with U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. Also at the meeting were officials with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. In his power point presentation, Harmon did not hold back. He said he wanted…