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The Rio Grande Region is positioned in southwestern Texas and southcentral New Mexico on the U.S.-Mexico border. The region is a blend of urban, suburban, rural, and undeveloped sectors, encompassing an estimated population of more than 2.6 million. The region’s proximity to Mexico has created a major cross-border manufacturing hub, the fourth largest in North America, and it is home to major military installations that include Fort Bliss, Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range.
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See the region’s natural beauty showcased in a photo tour
What’s Online
sessssssssss e
Grande Ambitions
New investment heats up business climate
Double DutyMilitary bases keep economy marching
Everything Under the Sun
Region stocks up on fresh-air fun
RIO GRANDE REGION
imagesriogrande.com
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BUSINESS®®
SPONSORED BY THE RIO GRANDE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS | 2010
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 1
WorkstyleDouble Duty 18Military installations keep the Rio Grande economy marching
New Meaning to Life Science 22Medical school’s debut provides booster shot to the region’s care, economy
Built for Success 26Cross-border advantages forge a strong manufacturing sector
Everything Under the Sun 28From rivers to mountains, slopes to greenways, outdoors beckons in the Rio Grande region
Table of Contents Continued
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®BUSINESS
ON THE COVER The Equestrian stands 36 feet high on an eight-foot base at El Paso International Aiport. PHOTO BY BRIAN McCORD
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 3
InsightOverview 11
Business Almanac 12
Business Climate: Grande Ambitions 14
Energy/Technology 32
Transportation 36
Economic Profi le 48
LivabilityWhere Business Meets Pleasure 44
Health 38
Education 40
12 14
32
44
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I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 5
CONNECTIONS
LifestyleFind out what it’s like to live here and what makes the community such a special place to be.
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ONLINERIO GRANDE REGION
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An online resource at IMAGESRIOGRANDE.COM
See the region’s natural beauty showcased in a photo tour
What’s Online
s sessss
Grande Ambitions
New investment heats up business climate
Double DutyMilitary bases keep economy marching
Everything Under the Sun
Region stocks up on fresh-air fun
RIO GRANDE REGION
imagesriogrande.comBUSINESS
SPONSORED BY THE RIO GRANDE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS | 2010
®
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 7
BUSINESS®
RIO GRANDE REGION2010 EDITION, VOLUME 1
MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS BILL McMEEKIN
COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS
ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES,
SUSAN CHAPPELL, JESSY YANCEY
STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAMELA COYLE,
MICHAELA JACKSON, AMY STUMPFL
DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW
INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER TRIP MILLER
SALES SUPPORT MANAGER CINDY HALL
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, BRIAN McCORD
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS TODD BENNETT,
ANTONY BOSHIER, J. KYLE KEENER
CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS
ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN
PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS
KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER,
KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS
LEAD DESIGNER CANDICE SWEET
GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, JESSICA MANNER,
JANINE MARYLAND, MARCUS SNYDER
WEB IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTOR ANDY HARTLEY
WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA
WEB CONTENT MANAGER JOHN HOOD
WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ
WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES
COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN ALISON HUNTER
AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY
CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN
SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER
SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN
SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER
V.P./SALES HERB HARPER
V.P./SALES TODD POTTER
V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER
V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS
V.P./CUSTOM PUBLISHING KIM NEWSOM
MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO
CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY
ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN,
MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS
RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY SIMPSON
DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE
IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE
SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY
SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN
OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM
RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP
C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A
Business Images Rio Grande Region is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Rio Grande Council of Governments. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at [email protected].
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Rio Grande Council of Governments
1100 North Stanton, Suite 610 • El Paso, TX 79902
Phone: (915) 533-0998 • Fax: (915) 532-9385www.riocog.org
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I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 11
Overview
Rio Grande Region: Where Business Is HeadedAN EIGHT-COUNTY, TWO-STATE, TWO COUNTRY REGION CREATES A DYNAMIC ECONOMY
Sunny skies and a production-driven environment are attracting big business to the region. Here are 10 things that could benefit your company:
1. Location: More than 70 Fortune 500 companies enjoy a distinct distribution and intermodal advantage because of the region’s position on the U.S.-Mexico border.
2. Major Manufacturing: Take a great business climate, add a robust supplier network and a skilled workforce of more than 200,000 production workers, and you get the fourth-largest manufacturing center on the continent.
3. Driving Supply: The region keeps production rolling for six of the world’s top 10 automotive supply companies.
4. Safety First: El Paso ranks as second-safest among U.S. cities with a population of more than 500,000. Think of it as a large city with a hometown feel. (Source: CQ Press, November 2009.)
5. Healthy Future: The newly established Paul L. Foster School of Medicine is the first medical school to open on the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border and only the second four-year, research-focused medical school in the United States to be accredited in the last 25 years.
6. Great Outdoors: Weekend warriors take advantage of the region’s near-limitless outdoor activities, such as hiking at Hueco Tanks State Park, a nearby rock-climbing and bouldering mecca that attracts climbers from Asia and Europe.
7. Golden Discovery: The National Science Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chose the University of Texas at El Paso as one of 11 universities worldwide to perform environmental research involving nanotechnology. The UTEP chemical-research group discovered gold nanoparticle formations in living plants.
8. Tomorrow’s Military: The region is proud to be home to Fort Bliss, Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range, at more than 4 million acres, the largest military complex in the United States.
Rio Grande
Rio Grande
PRESIDIO
BREWSTER
JEFF DAVIS
EL PASO
HUDSPETH CULBERSON
OTERO
DONA ANA
Castolon
BoquillasLajitas
Redford
Ochoa
Shafter
PerdizRuidosa
MarathonTinajaCandelaria
RyanTitley
Eagle Flat
Fort Hancock
Tornillo
Cornudas
Pine Springs
Presidio
Anthony
Clint
Valentine
Dell City
Socorro
Mescalero
Lanark
AftonDesertDona
OrograndeOrgan
ValmontWeed
Three Rivers
Sunland Park
TularosaCloudcroft
Vado
Hatch
Fort Davis
Sierra Blanca
AlpineMarfa
Van Horn
Alamogordo
Las Cruces
Juarez
El Paso
385
385
54
82
24
70
62
28
273
25
10
54
17
118
118
118
118
17
9067
67
10
16
4510
2
9. Millions in Research: The University of Texas at El Paso and New Mexico State University collectively conduct more than $200 million in annual research.
10. Enviable Forecasts: With more than 300 days of yearly sunshine, words like “blizzard” and “hurricane” just aren’t in the forecast. Imagine what that could mean for your business.
For more on the region’s business climate, contact:
El Paso Regional Economic Development Corp.201 E. Main St., Suite 1711El Paso, TX 79901(915) 534-0523www.elpasoredco.org
The Rio Grange Region
12 R I O G R A N D E R E G I O N
Almanac
GUIDING STARIt can be seen from 30 miles away on the ground and 100 miles from the air. The illuminated star on the south side of Franklin Mountains has been an El Paso fixture since 1940.
The star measures 459 feet in length and 278 feet in width and sits at an angle of 30 degrees, giving the appearance that it is at the focal point of major intersection Texas and Alameda avenues. The Star on the Mountain shines each night at dusk. To learn more about the origins of the star, go to www.elpaso.org/franklinMountainStar.html.
AN ELEPHANT-SIZED REPUTATIONAlamogordo in Otero County, N.M., boasts the oldest zoo in the Southwest and the smallest to be accredited by the Association of Zoo & Aquarium.
The Alameda Park Zoo features more than 250 exotic and indigenous animals on a 12-acre site. The zoo aims to provide an aesthetically pleasing naturalistic environment, which promotes education in the environmental fields of study, conservation of local and global environments, recreation and biological research. Its accreditation means that the zoo has met rigorous standards for animal care, education, wildlife conservation and science. Go to ci.alamogordo.nm.us/Visitors.htm for more.
A FEAT OF PEAKThe highest point in Texas is in Culbertson County.
Guadalupe Peak rises to 8,749 feet. Just 10 miles from the New Mexico border, Guadalupe Peak is located in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which offers 80 miles of trails that meander through woodland canyons and lush riparian springs, or zigzag up steep switchbacks directly into the park’s rugged wilderness. Many trails are available for horseback riding. For more, go to www.nps.gov/gumo/index.htm.
SKY WATCHERS WELCOMEMcDonald Observatory, a research unit of the University of Texas at Austin, is one of the world’s leading centers for astronomical research, teaching and public education.
Located nearly 6,800 feet above sea level atop Mount Locke and Mount Fowlke in the Davis Mountains in Jeff Davis County, the observatory includes a collection of telescopes that take advantage of elevation, geographic position, climate and dark skies to provide unparalleled views of stars, planets, distant galaxies and other celestial features.
Among the observatory’s collection is the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, with a 433-inch mirror, one of the world’s largest optical telescopes. The McDonald Lunar Laser Ranging Station on Mount Fowlke includes a 30-inch telescope used to fire a laser beam to retroreflectors left on the moon by the Apollo astronauts.
For more on the observatory, go to mcdonaldobservatory.org.
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 13
LOTS OF ELBOW ROOMWith residents numbering slightly more than 9,300 and a land area of 6,200 square miles, Brewster County is among the least densely populated of Texas’ 254 counties.
But Brewster County is the front door to Big Bend National Park, an 801,000-acre showcase of natural beauty and recreational opportunity. Rafting and canoeing the Rio Grande, hiking and biking the trails, camping and off-road vehicle tours are all part of the experience.
Big Bend is home to 424 bird species, more than any other national park, making it a draw for bird watchers. And unique shopping experiences can be found at Marathon, Study Butte, Terlingua and the Terilingua Ghosttown. Go to www.visitbigbend.com for more.
A SOLAR POWER SWEEPThe first Sun Bowl football game was played on Jan. 1, 1935, as a fund-raising event for the El Paso Kiwanis Club to help pay to upgrade El Paso High School’s football stadium. The annual game has grown into one of college football’s major bowls, pitting two Bowl Championship Series’ teams against each other. Famous alums include Merlin Olsen, Tony Dorsett and Barry Sanders, all later NFL standouts. Games are played in the 50,426-seat Sun Bowl. In the 2009 Brut Sun Bowl, Oklahoma defeated Stanford 31-27. A slew of events, including a parade, golf tournament and basketball tournament, coincide with game week and give the Sun Bowl a flavor unique among NCAA bowl games. For more on the event, go to www.sunbowl.org.
THE LIGHT FANTASTICIt’s been a topic of conversation for decades, but no one has yet been able to conclusively solve the mystery of the Marfa Lights in Presidio County, Texas.
Most often described as brightly glowing, basketball-sized spheres floating above the ground, the lights come in a variety of colors and last from a fraction of a second to several hours, always at night.
Visitors can watch for the mysterious phenomenon any time after sunset at the Marfa Lights Viewing Area, nine miles east of town on Highway 90. The town hosts the Marfa Lights Festival each Labor Day weekend. Activities include a day and night parades, evening concerts and street dances.
HOOF IT OVER TO LAS CRUCESThe New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum is a 47-acre interactive state museum in Las Cruces that explores the 3,000-year history of farming and ranching in New Mexico.
The 24,000-square-foot main hall is packed with exhibits, a mercantile, event and meeting space, and a theater. Fun and learning go hand in hand as visitors can watch a cow being milked, stroll along corrals filled with livestock, enjoy several gardens or watch a number of live demonstrations. For more on the museum, go towww.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org.
14 R I O G R A N D E R E G I O N
workforce
technology
low costs
Business Climate
Grande AmbitionsA two-state, two-nation region generates new investment, opportunitiesStory by Pamela Coyle • Photography by Brian McCord
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 15
Growth in military installations, science investment and bi-national manufacturing are making the Rio Grande Region a hub of economic activity and paving
the way for even more investment, expansion and jobs.The region is huge. The largest metropolitan area on the
U.S.-Mexico border, the area is home to more than 2.6 million people, includes parts of two countries and two U.S. states, Texas and New Mexico, plus the cities of El Paso, Las Cruces, N.M., and in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, Ciudad Juarez.
“We can show three different environments, and often companies will invest in two and sometimes three of them,” says Bob Cook, president of the El Paso Regional Economic Development Corp., known as REDCo.
Outside observers are taking note. In late 2009, CNN Money ranked the area among the nation’s 20 best mid-sized regions for starting a new business. Earlier in the year, the El Paso area landed in the top 20 for overall
economic strength in a Brookings Institution study that looked at employment, wages, output, home prices and foreclosure rates. A Milken Institute study in late 2009 ranked El Paso the 14th best performing city among the 200 largest cities in the United States.
Making its mark is unprecedented expansion of U.S. military installations at Fort Bliss in El Paso and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, which are adding a total of 24,000 new active-duty personnel between 2006 and 2012. Cook estimates the economic multiplier will be a bit below 1:1, though the quality will be high.
“We have more than 40 defense contractors, research and development companies, engineering and support firms now looking at our region,” Cook says. “It has created something dynamic in the business climate.”
Paul Foster, founder and CEO of El Paso-based Western Refining Inc., says the military presence and expansion have helped the region weather the recession well.
The Rio Grande Region is home to 2.6 million people and includes the largest metropolitan area on the U.S.-Mexico border.
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 17
“It has propped up our economy, where in all the construction trades everybody is busy and everybody is employed,” Foster says. “Unemployment is not much of an issue for us.”
Downtown El Paso is getting some attention of its own. In Mills Plaza, Foster and business partner Brent Harris are renovating downtown properties near the Plaza Theater and, with city input, turning the street into a pedestrian mall. The city has created a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone and will set aside tax money to pay for infrastructure to develop the mall and expand the adjacent park.
The idea for the Mills Plaza District is to bring business, retail, restaurants and possible residential together.
“We think it will be a centerpiece for downtown and a catalyst,” Foster says.
Medical device companies, new investment at the University of Texas at El Paso and the new Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center are also making waves in bioscience. (Foster contributed $50 million toward the medical school.)
“Even high-art research is an economic engine,” says Charles Miller, the school’s associate dean of research. “It creates clean jobs and laboratories. There are a tremendous number of transactions in research, and with lots of high-skilled workforce activity to do basic research, then there is the development of stuff you can move into commercialization environments.”
Miller likes to look to San Antonio and the development over the last decade around its medical center as a model.
“Ten years ago, it was a cow pasture, and now the medical center is growing faster than the university,” says Miller, who also is the chairman of the medical school’s department of biomedical sciences.
Quality of life in the Rio Grande Region, including a strong museum network and abundant recreational opportunities, is another draw.
“We promote our quality and affordable cost of living, which is about 85 to 90 percent of the national average,” Cook says. “Housing a significant driver in that, and we have more than 300 days of sunshine.”
A quality workforce and favorable cost structure have lured numerous companies, such as ADP, to the Rio Grande Region.
18 R I O G R A N D E R E G I O N
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 19
Double DutyMilitary installations keep Rio Grande economy marching
Story by Michaela JacksonPhotography by Brian McCord
Military installations in the Rio Grande Region are a major thread, both economically
and socially, in the fabric of the communities they call home.
Fort Bliss in El Paso and Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico play host to thousands of troops and their families and hundreds of civilian employees and contractors, who live, work and play throughout the area.
Fort Bliss is now home base for more than 20,000 military personnel. The base, which takes in 1.1 million acres in El Paso and southern New Mexico, is in the midst of a major expansion, transforming into a heavy-armor training post as one generation of several combat teams, the 1st
Armored Division Headquarters and numerous supporting units, are scheduled to be re-stationed there.
The military population is expected to grow to more than 33,000 with an additional 48,000 family members by the time the expansion is complete in 2012, triple the size of the base in 2005.
The Army is spending nearly $5 billion to construct new, top-of-the-line facilities for incoming personnel and their families, creating thousands of construction jobs. The Texas Comptroller’s Office reported in 2008 that the expansion could create 40,000 civilian jobs.
According to a study conducted by the University of Texas at El Paso as part of a growth management plan, Fort Bliss’ annual economic impact will reach $6.3 billion in 2012.
Robert Weatherly, a planner for the Base Transformation Office, says that growth will yield economic dividends not only in the form of increased local spending and tax base, but also, ultimately, in more permanent residents in El Paso as military personnel choose their retirement locations. Some 2,000 service personnel retire from area bases each year.
“We went from 9,000 soldiers to 33,000 soldiers in 2012, so now you’ve got more people seeing El Paso,” Weatherly says. “When I look at the other installations and compare their cities to El Paso, well, I retired here. El Paso won me over.”
The presence of major military installations has created opportunities for private-sector companies. Defense
A major expansion at Fort Bliss could lead to creation of 40,000 new civilian jobs.
20 R I O G R A N D E R E G I O N
Major Impact
$6.3 billionAnnual economic impact
projected from Fort Bliss by 2012 from an ongoing
expansion
$480 millionAnnual economic impact
from Holloman Air Force Base
7,100Square miles of military-
controlled air space around Fort Bliss, Holloman Air
Force Base and White Sands Missile Range
2,000Average annual number of retirees from bases
in the region
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 21
contractors such as Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed-Martin have operations in the region.
The leadership of Fort Bliss is very mindful of its civic obligations to the region, and actively reaches out, particularly to schools, through several programs.
Through the Partners in Education program, soldiers often bring military equipment to schools, mentor and tutor students, and promote staying in school at assemblies, among other forms of involvement.
Across the state line, Holloman Air Force Base and the White Sands Missile Range make the military a central economic pillar in the New Mexico portion of the Rio Grande Region.
White Sands Missile Range in Dona Ana County provides support to the Army, Navy, Air Force and other customers for experimentation, testing, research, assessment, development and training. White Sands’ capabilities and infrastructure are also used by NASA, universities, private industry and foreign military.
Holloman Air Force Base, which is home to the world’s longest (10 miles) and fastest (almost two miles per second) test track, sits just outside Alamogordo. The base supports nearly 10,000 military personnel and generates roughly $480 million each year in economic impact for Alamogordo, or $1.3 million a day.
The German Air Force has used Holloman as a training facility for air crews since 1992.
“As Holloman continues to thrive, we foresee a continued economic inf luence provided by the base to the local area,” says B. Arlan Ponder, the base’s media relations chief. “Members of Team Holloman appreciate the outstanding relationship we have with all the communities in the Tularosa Basin and the Sacramento Mountains.”
Fort Bliss is projected to have a $6.3 billion economic impact when an expansion is finished in 2012. The German Air Force conducts training at Holloman Air Force base in New Mexico.
22 R I O G R A N D E R E G I O N
New Meaning to Life ScienceNew medical school provides booster shot to region’s care, economy
Story by Pamela CoylePhotography by Brian McCord
T he first medical school on the U.S.-Mexico border is adding clinical and research heft to a burgeoning life sciences economy
already distinguished for producing FDA-registered medical devices and collaborating across disciplinary and geographic lines.
The Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at El Paso’s Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center accepted 40 first-year students in July 2009. The institution, one of two U.S. medical schools to receive accreditation in the last 25 years, could eventually have a $10 billion impact on the El Paso economy, according to University of Texas at El Paso researchers, from construction jobs to startup spin-offs and high-paying faculty and research posts.
Life sciences already have a good foothold in the Rio Grande Region. A 2009 study found companies in the region produced about 300 FDA-registered medical devices in 14 specialties. The presence of biotech firms, from small startups to Johnson & Johnson, one of New
Mexico’s largest private employers, helps stabilize the economy, says Shannon Sheehan, president of the New Mexico Biotechnology & Biomedical Association.
“It is steady here,” says Sheehan, an expert in enzymology, microbiology and technology transfer. “We don’t go boom, we don’t go bust.”
Rudy Pina has watched the industry evolve in the 20 years since he started Dynatec Labs, an El Paso-based company that tests medical devices prior to FDA approval and works with manufacturers to help them meet the agency’s labeling and other standards.
“It has become extremely more sophisticated,” Pina says. “The testing we saw initially was stainless steel stents, trocars and hemostats. Now, we see sophisticated plastics and nonwoven materials.”
Improving the lifespan of implants, such as knee replacements, is a big push, too, as is making any instrument or device as minimally invasive as possible, he says.
More InsightTEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER A flourishing health
sciences research and medical center with four
clinics located throughout the region, TTUHSC El Paso began formal operations in 1973 and now has close to
1,000 faculty and staff members. Accredited as
the first four-year medical school on the U.S.-Mexico
border, the El Paso campus is expected to create a $1.3
billion economic impact by 2013 and supply key
research on health issues affecting Hispanics. The
campus includes centers of excellence in infectious
disease, neurosciences, cancer, and diabetes and
obesity research.
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 23
City of Alpine 100 N. 13th Alpine, TX 79830(432) 837-3301 (432) 837-2044 fax
www.ci.alpine.tx.us
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 25
“The buzz in health care and entrepreneurial growth is talked about in all circles,” Pina says.
Fueling the buzz is the nation’s newest medical school. At least 10 years in the making and a dream for decades longer, the Foster School of Medicine is a cutting-edge institution out of the gate.
The academic program is arranged to promote learning and cooperation across disciplines; students start working with regional clinics in their first year, gaining immediate hands-on experience; and border demographics give clinicians and researchers access to population groups that are changing the face of U.S. medicine.
“We think the demographic of Hispanics will lead everybody to focus on issues we address,” says Dr. Jose Manuel de la Rosa, the school’s first dean. “Our timing was perfect.”
The El Paso campus is not new to medical education; Texas Tech has had a branch in the city since the 1970s. In El Paso, the first-year class will grow to 60 in 2010, with each class growing by 100 students per year until the school reaches a total enrollment of 400 by 2015.
For de la Rosa, the new medical school literally hits home. He grew up three blocks away, enrolled in 1990 at the Texas Tech medical school in
Lubbock, did his clinical work and residency in El Paso and stayed on as a young faculty member.
He’s never left, and he may soon have some company. The Foster School of Medicine received nearly 2,700 applications for the initial 40 first-year spots. Nine of the new students are Rio Grande Region natives; all of the new students have interests in border health.
“There is a tremendous shortage of physicians all along the border,” de la Rosa says. “We have 120 to 140 doctors per 100,000 residents, which is far below national and state numbers. We are last among the last. It is our mission to plug that hole.”
El Intercambio is a work by Larry Kirkland, a world-renowned artist who worked closely with the landscape architect to create the distinctive piece of public art for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso.
26 R I O G R A N D E R E G I O N
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 27
Built for SuccessCross-border advantages forge a strong manufacturing sector
Story by Kevin LitwinPhotography by Brian McCord
T he Rio Grande Region is a major North American manufacturing center that numbers more than 200,000 workers.
The region is a pioneer in production sharing, in which companies locate facilities in close proximity to each other on both sides of a border. The region’s expertise, labor supply and facilities have made it a major center of global manufacturing in industries such as automotive components, medical devices, consumer products, electric motors and electronic components.
The El Paso-Las Cruces-Juarez region is the fourth-largest manufacturing center in North America, its growth fueled in part by the availability of sophisticated production arrangements. Production sharing allows companies to take advantage of the benefits of producing a component, sub-assembly or finished product by locating production facilities in close proximity to one another, but be physically in both the United States and Mexico.
The area’s excellent transportation network, favorable cost structure, availability of customized training programs and deep pool of workers – a majority of them bilingual – are major advantages for manufacturing.
More than 100,000 workers are employed in the automotive sector. A cadre of Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers have picked the region, and six of the world’s top 10 suppliers have a major presence. Major companies including Bosch, Johnson Controls, Lear, Honeywell and Delphi maintain substantial operations. The presence of those companies and others has fashioned opportunity for a host of supplier-related businesses.
Las Cruces Machine Manufacturing & Engineering in Mesilla Park, N.M., was founded in 1975 and now operates three shifts, five days a week. The 65-employee company engineers and produces precision parts for the auto, petrochemical, refining, drilling and exploration industries.
Keats Southwest is a custom metal stamping company that was founded in Chicago in 1958 and added an El Paso location in the early 1990s to serve customers located across the border in Juarez, Mexico. The company is generating annual revenues of $7 million to $8 million.
“Today, our operation in El Paso is quite diversified in the manufacturing sector, producing parts for a variety of companies,” says Matt Keats, company president. “This region is a good place to do business.”
Most of the components made at the company’s El Paso facility are items that most people will never see. One of Keats Southwest’s biggest customers is garage door company Chamberlain, which operates out of Nogales, Ariz., just south of Tucson. Keats manufactures 20 different parts for Chamberlain, including battery contacts that go inside remote control garage door openers. The company produces more than 25 million urine catheter clamps each year. And it makes three parts that go into smoke detectors for First Alert and dryer timer parts for Emerson Electric.
“We also make the clip that goes on your car visor to hold those remote control openers,” Keats says. “We manufacture and ship 150,000 visor clips every week. Somebody needs to make these kinds of parts, and we are a company that does.”
Clockwise: Access to major transportation routes such as Interstate 10, is a key Rio Grande Region advantage. Keats Southwest, a custom metal stamping company, supplies precision metal parts for customers in a variety of industries.
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Everything Under the Sun
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ANYONE WHO ENJOYS the outdoors will fi nd plenty to love in the Rio Grande Region.
With more than 1 million acres of public land, the region includes Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park and a host of recreation options from horseback riding to golfi ng to hiking and biking through mountain trails to rafting through the magnifi cent canyons of the Rio Grande along 250 miles of protected river.
The region is a haven for nature enthusiasts bird watchers – some 425 bird species are found within the boundaries of Big Bend National Park alone. The park includes a protected section of the Chihuahuan Desert, an area that archeologists believe was inhabited by humans as far back as 9,000 years.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, another prime nature retreat, is West Texas’ only legally designated wilderness area.
In addition to its spectacular natural beauty, the region is
packed with history and culture. Terlingua Ghost Town, an abandoned mining town, has
been restored and is now populated with restaurants and shops. Famed adobe architecture is on display throughout the Texas Mountain Trail Region, one of 10 regions of the Texas Heritage Trails Program, and Fort Davis National Historic Site and the Chamizal National Monument are among the full range of museums and historic sites.
The region’s storied association with ranching is chronicled at Hallie’s Hall of Fame Museum on the 22,000-acre Stillwell Ranch north of Big Bend National Park. Would-be wranglers can unleash their inner cowboys at one of the region’s many working ranches that offer hands-on experience.
For more on the region and its many recreation and visitor options, go to www.visitbigbend.com and www.texasmountaintrail.com.
BIG BEND IS A BIG ATTRACTION FOR LOVERS OF THE OUTDOORS
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 29
Story by Michaela Jackson
If you find yourself in the Rio Grande Region with the urge to stretch your legs, you’ll have no shortage of
opportunities. The area serves up more than 300 days of sunshine on average each year and the landscape offers an array of natural playgrounds, from rugged mountains to winding rivers and urban trail systems.
Hikers and mountain bikers enjoy the challenging terrain of the region’s many peaks. Smack in the center of El Paso is Franklin Mountains State Park, a 26,000-acre spread that draws recreation connoisseurs from extreme
thrill seekers to casual strollers.“From the west to the northeast side
of El Paso, you go over this winding mountain road and it’s really quite spectacular,” says Nanette Smejkal, El Paso Parks & Recreation director. “People look at that and they think, ‘My gosh, there’s a mountain in the middle of the city.’ And they’re right. There’s this wonderful open space. So right away, you know the region has something to offer.”
In the New Mexico portion of the Rio Grande Region, the Robledo Mountains in Dona Ana County offer
More than 300 days of sunshine make golf a year-round activity. Left: Franklin Mountain State Park is a favorite destination for hikers.
From rivers to mountains, slopes to greenways, outdoors is the place to be in the Rio Grande Region
More InsightKEYSTONE HERITAGE PARK
keystoneheritagepark.org
The 52-acre Keystone Heritage Park in El Paso is
an archaeological site, archaic wetlands and botanical garden. The archaeological site is
believed to be an ancient village more than 4,000
years old. Keystone Wetlands is a prime bird-
watching spot, where 193 species have been spotted.
A $1.2 million botanical garden developed at
Keystone features a Xeric demonstration garden of
drought-resistant plants.
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not only hiking and mountain bike trails, but rock climbing and extreme all-terrain vehicle paths.
Dripping Springs, just east of Las Cruces, offers casual hikes and excellent wildlife viewing.
Exercise seekers needn’t head to the wilderness for a rejuvenating walk, though. The River Park Trail runs alongside sections of the Rio Grande in El Paso, creating a natural urban retreat. Desert Trails Community Park
offers 34 acres of paved and unpaved nature trails in Las Cruces.
“When we’ve done parks and recreation user surveys, the No. 1 activity is walking,” Smejkal says. “Whether they’re in an urban system, and they’re doing a little trail system or walkways throughout the park, or whether they’re going along the Rio Grande Park Trail getting a lot of distance, people love the idea of walking or bike riding or pushing the stroller.”
The recreational value of the Rio Grande Region is enhanced by its namesake, the great river itself. Aside from offering a plethora of recreation areas along its banks for picnicking and fishing, the river is an endless source of thrills for rafters and kayakers. Elephant Butte Reservoir near Truth or Consequences, N.M., is a 40-mile-long reservoir featuring more than 200 miles of shoreline.
For those who enjoy downhill fun,
Raise a GlassREGION IS FERTILE GROUND FOR WINEMAKING
The Rio Grande Region has a long history of winemaking.
New Mexico started producing wines in 1629, making the state’s wine industry the oldest in the country. The region is home to a number of vineyards and wineries, and each year Las Cruces hosts the Southern New Mexico Wine Festival and the New Mexico Wine Harvest.
The La Viña Winery in La Union, N.M., between Las Cruces and El Paso is among the oldest wineries in the state and produces nearly two dozen varieties of wine. A popular spot for weddings and special events, the winery includes a tasting room. La Viña hosts the annual Harvest Festival and Grape Stomp in October, a Blues & Jazz Festival in April and a country picnic and open house on July 4.
The family-owned Zin Valle Vineyards began operations in 2000 in Canutillo, Texas, about 15 miles north of El Paso. The vineyard’s nine varieties include a chardonnay, a white zinfandel and two pinot noirs.
Zin Valle’s tasting room and production facility were built in traditional Southwestern stucco to mesh with existing farm structures. A striking feature of the winery is its copper roof. The winery and its production and demonstration vineyards are open to the public, and an expansive porch at the winery lets visitors enjoy their wine with a picnic lunch.
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Ski Apache offers 55 trails, more than 180 inches of fresh powder each season and skiing and snowboarding from a 12,000-foot elevation.
The glistening White Sands National Monument in New Mexico is the world’s largest gypsum sand dune field, 275 miles of great wave-like dunes that attract more than a half-million visitors each year.
“There is something to do for everyone no matter what your choice,”
says Mark Johnston, Las Cruces parks and recreation administrator. “Fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, cycling, boating, ghost towns, historic sites: you name it, we have it.”
Snowboarders and skiers will find the powder plentiful on the slopes in the Rio Grande region.
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Energy/Technology
Innovation breeds breakthroughs in solar, water, biofuels
T he Rio Grande Region is green and getting greener all the time, thanks to innovative and aggressive initiatives to conserve energy, from powering cars
with cleaner fuels to keeping water consumption at an impressive low.
Carlos Guzman is the chairman of URGREEN, the Upper Rio Grande Renewable Energy and Efficiency Network, and the president and chief operating officer of Global Alternative Fuels in El Paso.
His company recycles used cooking oil from restaurants into biodiesel, which is then distributed across the Southwest. Global Alternative Fuels just expanded into a plant with a capacity of 20 million gallons per year, and Guzman says the company isn’t stopping there.
“We’re going to continue to expand all the way up to 100 million gallons per year, hopefully by 2015,” he says. “Every day, we see the demand grow for the product.”
A major focus of the clean-energy thrust in the region has been solar energy, no surprise in an area that receives an average of 300 days of sunshine each year.
In 2007, then-New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson signed
A Greener Desert
Story by Michaela Jackson
The region’s abundant sunshine makes it a solar-energy natural. Right: The TecH2O Water Resources Learning Center provides education on total water management. PHOTO BY BRIAN Mc C ORDJE
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The Smart Place to Stay in El Paso
The El Paso Holiday Inn Express Central is ready to serve your business and travel needs. A hotel convenient to all points of interest, free parking and newly decorated rooms with new pillowtop king and queen-sized mattresses. Easy central access to I-10 at exit 19.
Reservations call: (915) 544-3333
409 E. Missouri Ave. El Paso, Texas 79901
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 35
legislation setting a goal that one-fifth of the power delivered in New Mexico would be generated by renewable resources, including solar, by 2020.
New Jersey-based NRG Energy and California-based eSolar announced in June 2009 that they would build a 92-megawatt solar thermal power plant in New Mexico 10 miles east of El Paso. The facility is expected to come online in summer 2011.
The University of Texas at El Paso has also researched solar ponds, which take advantage of brackish, or salty, water to trap and store usable solar energy.
Water is a major resource management undertaking in the region. The El Paso Water Utilities Board has been working for decades to ensure that the region’s water supply is effectively managed with long-term needs in mind. And it’s working.
“We started in the 1990s with a very aggressive conservation program that we targeted for our customers, and the result has been that conservation has become a way of life,” says Christina Montoya, vice president of communications and marketing for the El Paso Water Utilities Board.
Since the program began, the gallons of
water per person used each day has fallen from more than 200 to just 133.
In addition to consumer conservation, the Water Utilities Board is taking a strategic approach to the water it draws. The board recently brought online the world’s largest inland desalination plant, an $87.5 million facility capable of producing 27.5 million gallons of potable water each day.
The plant, a joint undertaking of the El Paso Water Utilities and Fort Bliss, is named for U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who helped secure some of the funding to make the project possible. Using a previously unusable brackish groundwater supply, the plant not only produces potable water, but also employs the most comprehensive water treatment technology available, removing other potential pollutants from the water.
The facilities augment existing supplies to make sure El Paso and Fort Bliss have sufficient water for growth and development for 100 years and beyond, and serve as a model for other inland communities that have fresh water challenges.
“El Paso is in the desert. It’s no secret,” Montoya says. “We don’t know what’s going to happen for the future, and, being a desert city, we want to make sure that we have enough to sustain for the future.”
More InsightThe TecH2O Water Resources Learning Center Located next to the new Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant in El Paso, the 30,500-square-foot Tech H2O Center provides education and training programs with the goal of fostering understanding and appreciation of water management in the Chihuahuan Desert. The center serves El Paso Water Utilities customers, visitors and researchers through exhibits, educational events and a variety of other resources. The center includes a 250-seat auditorium, training center, interactive exhibits, and display and demonstration projects.
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El Paso International Airport has bulked up its freight-handling capabilities with addition of two 144,000-square-foot cargo buildings.
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 37
Sophisticated transportation system keeps Rio Grande Region on the move
T o be successful, a two-state, two-country region needs an integrated transportation infrastructure to move people, materials and goods. The Rio Grande Region
has strong links in every facet of the transit chain.Interstate 10, a major east-west highway stretches from
Florida to California, runs through the heart of the region and is a vital connector that crosses north-south route I-25 in Las Cruces, N.M. The daylight speed limit on I-10 is 80 mph from El Paso County to Kerr County in Texas, the highest posted speed limit in the nation. Major U.S. Highways 54, 62, 85 and 180 and State Highways 20 and 178 also serve the region.
The Rio Grande Region includes several entry points on the U.S.-Mexico border served by international Class I rail carriers Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific. BNSF and Union Pacific operate the two largest freight railway networks in North America, and each has served the region for more than 50 years.
The area is also home to a number of charter and general aviation airports. At Dona Ana County Airport in Santa Teresa, N.M., the master plan calls for the airport’s expansion to accommodate large passenger and cargo jets. Las Cruces International Airport, a general aviation facility eight miles from downtown Las Cruces, N.M., has three runways and plenty of room to grow. Dona Ana County Airport and Las Cruces
International are part of a designated Foreign Trade Zone. El Paso International Airport, which offers 128 commercial
passenger flights daily and nonstop service to 15 cities, is the region’s largest commercial air facility and plays a vital role in the regional transportation system. The airport handled more than 3.3 million passengers and 67.8 million tons of cargo in 2008.
“It is vital not only for aviation and airline passenger travel, but also for industrial, commercial and cargo activity,” says Monica Lombrana, director of aviation at El Paso International Airport
The airport is also home to Foreign Trade Zone 68, which spans more than 2,500 acres and features 17 different warehouse sites. It is the second-highest volume general purpose Foreign Trade Zone in the United States, Lombrana says.
She adds that the airport offers easy access to I-10 and U.S. Highway 54, and also features a science and technology park. El Paso International is also within close proximity to multiple maquiladora factories, which import materials for manufacturing into Mexico on a duty-free and tariff-free basis, and then re-export the assembled products back to the United States.
In the last three years, El Paso International has made $60 million in upgrades that include two 144,000-square-foot air cargo buildings, 34 acres of aircraft parking and a new passenger terminal.
It Helps to Have Connections
Story by Kevin LitwinPhotography by Brian McCord
Transportation
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Health
Strong provider network leaves the region’s care in good hands
W ith the presence of major health-care education and research assets including the
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, the Rio Grande Region has developed a core of top-f light medical facilities that have invested in the technologies, treatment and expertise to deliver the highest level of care. The Health Sciences Center, which has trained more than 10,000 health-care professionals in its 40 years of existence, has added a four-year medical school, only the second to be accredited in the last quarter century.
The 327-bed University Medical Center, the primary affiliate of the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at the Health Sciences Center in El Paso, is in the midst of a $300 million expansion that will include the region’s first separately licensed children’s hospital. El Paso Children’s will open in spring 2012.
“The physical transformation taking place on our campus is indicative of the growth and development taking place throughout West Texas and Southern New Mexico,” says James N. Valenti, University Medical president and CEO.
The four-hospital Sierra Providence Health Network totals more than 900
beds and more than 3,000 employees in El Paso. Its 351-bed Sierra Medical Center has received recognition from HealthGrades for having a general surgery program that rates in the top 5 percent nationally. Sierra Medical Center installed a Leskell Gamma Knife Perfexion system in summer 2009, the only El Paso hospital to offer the bladeless, minimally invasive neurosurgery procedure and only one of 22 in the nation with the system.
The two-hospital Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare in El Paso includes the 336-bed Del Sol Medical Center, which has a nationally accredited chest pain center in its emergency department. The emergency room customer service scores at Las Palmas Medical Center rank the hospital in the top 10 percent of all health-care facilities nationwide.
For two consecutive years, El Paso Specialty Hospital has been rated the best hospital in El Paso for total joint replacements and back surgery, and the 31-bed hospital was named by Becker’s Hospital review as one of 15 hospitals nationally with outstanding orthopedic and spine programs.
In Las Cruces, N.M., the 286-bed Memorial Medical Center, with a medical staff of 300 and a total staff of 1,200, offers a range of diagnostic,
therapeutic and rehabilitative services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. The hospital treated more than 11,500 in-hospital patients and 37,000 emergency room patients in 2008. The 168-bed Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces opened in 2002. With a staff of 625, the hospital includes a specialized heart center, Women’s Center and comprehensive intensive care services.
The Rio Grande Region is also home to William Beaumont Army Medical Center, a U.S. Department of Defense hospital in El Paso providing care to active-duty military, their family members and retirees. The medical center performs an average of 4,000 laboratory procedures and fills more than 3,000 pharmacy requests on a daily basis.
Other top care centers throughout the region range from the 40-bed Advanced Care Hospital of Southern New Mexico, to the 508-bed Providence Memorial Hospital.
“We say that the medical community in this region is pro-patient, pro-physician and proactive,” says Dr. Raj Marwah, a board-certified rheumatologist and public relations chairman with the El Paso Medical Society.
Connect the Docs
Story by Kevin LitwinPhotography by Brian McCord
Clockwise: The Rio Grande Region has a strong core of health-care providers, including University Medical Center of El Paso and Providence Memorial Hospital. University Medical Center is undergoing a major expansion and building a children’s hospital.
Well SchooledEducational attainment in
Rio Grande Region for population age 25 or older
70.4% High school
graduate or higher
18.5% Bachelor’s
degree or higher
12.5% Bachelor’s degree
6% Graduate or
professional degree
Source: Demographic Detail The University of Texas at El Paso has student enrollment of 21,000. PHOTO BY BRIAN Mc C ORD
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With its main campus in Alpine in Brewster County, the university offers a range of certifi cate programs, 36 undergraduate degree programs and 23 graduate degree programs. The university, with an enrollment of 2,038 students, meets the needs of the region’s employers through a range of academic programs and specialized services.
The Professional Studies division offers degree programs in fi elds such as business administration, nursing, industrial technology and education. The School of Arts and Sciences includes six departments and the School of Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences offers degree programs in animal science and natural resource management, with many of the programs utilizing the university’s 468-acre working ranch. The university is also home to the Big Bend Region Minority and
Small Business Development Center, which provides a number of services to entrepreneurs and small companies. The center has served more than 3,300 clients and secured more than 300 loans totaling more than $58.8 million.
The Center for Big Bend Studies, established in 1982, supports archaeological and historical activities in the Trans-Pecos and Big Bend regions. The Rio Grande Research Center was established at Sul Ross State in 2004 to foster biological, geological, agricultural and environmental research in the Rio Grande Basin. The Borderlands Research Institute provides land managers with current scientifi c information on natural resource management in the region. Rodeo also is a signifi cant part of the Sul Ross program, and the university is the birthplace of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.
MORE INSIGHT SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY/WWW.SULROSS.EDU
Education
UTEP, New Mexico State are key cogs in region’s development efforts
I n the Rio Grande Region, economic development has found a willing partner in higher education.
Officials at the University of Texas at El Paso and New Mexico State University in Las Cruces are keenly aware of the important role their institutions play in providing skilled and knowledgeable workers, attracting research dollars and being engines for economic development.
UTEP is a diverse campus of 21,000 students that offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in a broad range of disciplines. A $250 million campus transformation is under way, and the two largest projects, a new building for the health sciences and nursing programs and a new chemistry and computer sciences facility, are slated for completion in 2011.
“Those opportunities for educational advancement are critical to not only workforce preparation, but to the quality of life and retention of highly talented people in the region,” says Diana Natalicio, president of the university.
UTEP is consistently ranked in the top three nationally for quality programs in business and engineering for Hispanic students.
Programs such as the university’s Collaboration for Economic Excellence, which works with area high schools to prepare students for college and aid in the transition from secondary to higher education, have been markedly successful in achieving university demographics that mirror those of the surrounding region.
“I think everyone at UTEP is acutely aware of the importance of UTEP’s role in economic
Deep in Thought
Story by Michaela Jackson
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 41
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visit ouradvertisersCity of Alpine www.ci.alpine.tx.us
City of El Paso/Citizen Corps
City of Marfa www.marfacc.com
El Paso Community College www.epcc.edu
El Paso International Airport www.elpasointernationalairport.com
El Paso Regional Economic Development Corporation www.elpasoredco.org
El Paso Water Utilities www.epwu.org
Holiday Inn Express – El Paso-Central www.hiexpress.com/elpasocentral
Rio Grande Council of Governments www.riocog.org
Sierra Providence Health Network www.sphn.com
Town of Van Horn www.vanhorntexas.org
Village of Vinton www.vintontx.govoffice2.com
Western Refining www.wnr.com
Western Technical College www.westerntech.edu
Workforce Solutions www.urgjobs.com
Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo www.ysletadelsurpueblo.org
Bridging the Gap Between Business and Government
in Rio Grande
1100 N. Stanton Ste. 610
El Paso, TX 79902(915) 533-0998
www.riocog.org
Workforce HelpersCOMMUNITY COLLEGE NETWORK FILLS REGION’S TRAINING NEEDS
A strong network of two-year colleges enhances the Rio Grande Region’s workforce development efforts.
El Paso Community College in Texas and the branch campuses of New Mexico State University offer associate degrees and technical certificates in a broad range of disciplines, helping to maintain the region’s deep pool of skilled and highly trained workers.
“It is factual that nearly anywhere, two-year college programs have a lot to do with the preparation and re-engineering of the local workforce,” says Garrey Carruthers, dean of New Mexico State’s College of Business and vice president for economic development.
The five campuses of NMSU combine forces with El Paso Community College and Western Technical College to provide both continuing education and ongoing training for businesses and workers in the region.
El Paso Community College serves more than 20,000 credit students and 8,000 continuing education students each semester, and the five branch campuses of NMSU have awarded more than 6,100 associate degrees and certificates in the last five years.
Many companies throughout the region have specific training needs that must be fulfilled to meet their workforce objectives. That’s where the community colleges of the Rio Grande step in.
“Most of us need to be retrained eight to 16 times in our life, so people are always going back and taking a refresher course in something,” Carruthers says. “Two-year colleges play a very instrumental role in the local workforce.”
– Michaela Jackson
New Mexico State University serves more than 31,000 students at its five campuses.
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development in this region,” Natalicio says. “We know that we are a huge asset, and we take that role very seriously.”
Hispanic Business Magazine consistently ranks UTEP’s College of Engineering among the top five schools in the United States in awarding bachelor degrees to Hispanics and named UTEP’s MBA program second among the Top 10 business graduate programs for Hispanics.
The university is home to a number of research centers in fields as diverse as biomedicine, border security, advanced materials and Hispanic health disparities.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso includes the schools of Allied Health, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy, ensuring the region has a supply of high-quality health services and providers.
The center’s Paul L. Foster School of Medicine accepted 40 first-year students in July 2009 as part of an expansion to a four-year medical program that could have a $10 billion impact on the region’s economy.
New Mexico State University, which serves 31,000 students at its f lagship in Las Cruces and satellite campuses in Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Dona Ana and Grants, excels in the agricultural research, engineering, health sciences and energy fields.
“One of the reasons Las Cruces has been attractive to companies in the past is the existence of a major university with a great research capability, as well as the Dona Ana Community College for workforce development and training,” says Garrey Carruthers, dean of the university’s College of Business and vice president for economic development. “As a matter of fact, I’m not too sure how successful we’d be here at all if it weren’t for New Mexico State and Dona Ana Community College.”
The university has an estimated annual economic impact in New Mexico of $1 billion. NMSU supports $150 million in externally funded research programs each year, ranking 28th in the nation among institutions without medical schools in R&D funding by the National Science Foundation.
The 400-person Physical Sciences Laboratory at NMSU is a globally recognized research powerhouse in such areas as sub-orbital platforms, homeland security sensing and detection technologies, and advanced weapons development and testing.
“There’s a lot of things going on out here that a business, if they were looking at it, would say, ‘This university gets it. They get it really big in terms of what my needs are as a business,’” Carruthers says. “That is what our life here is, to train young people, in particular, for a myriad of jobs. That’s what we do for a living.”
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The Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Center in El Paso Left: San Jacinto Plaza is a popular downtown El Paso gathering spot.
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Livability
Superior quality of life is a draw for employers
T he Rio Grande Region is one of those rare places that successfully balances a progressive business outlook with a comfortable quality of life.
Situated at the crossroads of western Texas and south-central New Mexico along the U.S.-Mexico border, this vibrant region offers all the amenities and infrastructure of a major metropolitan area. But the people who live here insist that what sets the region apart is the community’s hometown ambiance, unique charm and hassle-free vibe.
As CEO of Secure Origins, El Paso native and high-tech entrepreneur Hector Holguin is well-versed in the area’s many advantages. An intelligent software company, Secure Origins provides real-world solutions to enhance border security and allow for real-time tracking for the logistics industry.
“This is the place to be in terms of our strategic location and the availability of a youthful, talented workforce,” he says. “We’re sitting on a wealth of resources, and the people here are loyal. In the last 25 years of working in high tech, I would say I’ve had no more than 1 percent attrition, which is pretty remarkable.”
Holguin credits the area’s outstanding quality of life, noting that the region’s diverse population is rooted in cultural tradition.
“My parents were born in Chihuahua, so I grew up in an environment that was both very Mexican and very American. There’s a large German contingent here as well, and you see these cultures all come together in a rich tapestry,” he says.
Where Business Meets Pleasure
Story by Amy StumpflPhotography by Brian McCord
HUECO TANKS STATE PARKwww.tpwd.state.tx.us
Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site is 32 miles northeast of El Paso. The 860-acre park is named for the large natural rock basins, or “huecos,” that supplied trapped rain water to dwellers and travelers for hundreds of years.
A feature of the park is a series of mythological designs and human and animal figures, some 5,000 of them, painted on the rocks that greets visitors at the tanks. The site’s notable pictographs, some of which are believed to be more than 13,000 years old, also include more than 200 face designs or “masks” left by the prehistoric Jornada Mogollon culture.
BIG BEND NATIONAL PARKwww.nationalparkreservations.com
At more than 801,000 acres, Big Bend National Park features stunning landscapes and unique geography that includes mountain peaks, 244 miles of the Rio Grande that are a water rafter’s delight and the entrance to the Chihuahuan Desert. The park includes 150 miles of hiking trails, 100 miles of paved road, 150 miles of primitive dirt road and countless trails for horseback riding and biking. The park boasts some 1,200 plant species and 450 bird species. Accommodations are available at numerous camp sites and a host of resorts and lodges in the area.
NEW MEXICO MUSEUM OF SPACE HISTORYwww.nmspacemuseum.org
The museum in Alamogordo is all about space and New Mexico’s contributions to space research. Exhibits range from Robert Goddard’s early rocket experiments near Roswell to a mock-up of the International Space Station. The International Space Hall of Fame commemorates achievements of men and women who furthered space exploration. The Clyde W. Tombaugh Space Theater includes a 40-foot wrap-around Omnomax screen. The complex also includes the John P. Stapp Air and Space Park with a collection of historic space items such as the Sonic Wind I rocket sled.
HISTORIC PRUDE GUEST RANCHwww.prude-ranch.com
Operating as guest ranch and working cattle ranch for more than 80 of its 100 years, Prude Ranch in Fort Davis offers opportunity for children and families to experience the flavor of the Old West. One of the ranch’s main features is an annual summer camp for kids, a fixture since 1951. The ranch includes a 150-seat dining room, a corral with 70 horses, and accommodations that include bunkhouses, family cabins, guest lodges and spaces for 30 RVs.
Getting to Know Rio Grande Region CultureRICH IN ARTS, EDUCATION, HISTORY
The Rio Grade Region features distinctive architecture.
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“It’s a very welcoming community, very family oriented.” The region’s favorable cost of living, abundant sunshine,
cultural and entertainment opportunities, year-round sports and outdoor recreation combine the best of the Southwest, the Old West and Old Mexico. The region’s cosmopolitan f lair – a majority of residents are bilingual in English and Spanish – draws people from all over the world to live, work, do business, get an education or retire.
The region is a vibrant hub for arts, culture and history. El Paso alone boasts a broad array of museums, galleries, performance groups and historic attractions – including the oldest continually running symphony orchestra in Texas – that would be the envy of much larger cities.
Las Cruces, N.M., is steeped in arts, culture and historic offerings, from its galleries and museums to the Zuhl Geological Collection at New Mexico State University to White Sands Missile Range Museum & Missile Park.
That quality of life was just one of the factors that attracted Automatic Data Processing Inc. to El Paso in 2006. The company – one of the world’s largest providers of payroll and business services – employs approximately 1,100 workers in two facilities locally.
And General Manager Terry McGreehan expects that figure to continue to climb, citing the availability of an educated workforce and the support of local officials as important benefits.
“We considered several communities across different time zones,” he says. “The fact is that technology allows us to locate just about anywhere in the country. We had the pick of where we wanted to be, and found El Paso to be a vibrant community with a lot of growth opportunity.
“In terms of quality of life, there are many positives,” says McGreehan, who relocated to El Paso from St. Louis as part of ADP’s expansion. “The mountains are incredible. We’re sitting at the gateway to the American Southwest, so my wife and I enjoy being able to travel and do day trips to various destinations. The weather has been a very positive change as well. I enjoy living in the land of year-round golf.”
I M A G E S R I O G R A N D E . C O M 47
BUSINESS SNAPSHOTThe Rio Grande Region is positioned in southwestern Texas and south-central New Mexico on the U.S.-Mexico border. The region is a blend of urban, suburban, rural, and undeveloped sectors, encompassing an estimated population of more than 2.6 million. The region’s proximity to Mexico has created a major cross-border manufacturing hub, the fourth-largest in North America, and it is home to major military installations that include Fort Bliss, Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range.
ECONOMIC PROFILE
What’s Online e For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on the Rio Grande Region, go to imagesriogrande.com and click on Economic Profi le.
POPULATION
El Paso County, TX, 751,513
Dona Ana County, NM, 208,124
Otero County, NM, 63,122
Brewster County, TX, 9,445
Culberson County, TX, 2,345
Jeff Davis County, TX, 2,278
Presidio County, TX, 7,585
Juarez, Mexico, 1.6 million
Region, 2.64 million
MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS
El Paso, 613,190
Las Cruces, N.M., 208,136
MAJOR EMPLOYERS
Fort Bliss, 20,000*
Holloman Air Force Base, 10,000*
New Mexico State University, 6,800
T&T Staff Management LP, 5,587
White Sands Missile Range, 4,300
Tenet Healthcare Ltd. 3,053
Las Cruces Public Schools, 3,000
Dish Network, 1,830
University Medical Center, 2,100
GC Services, 2,019
* includes military
MAJOR PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT SECTORS
El Paso MSA Dec. 2009
Trade Transportation & Utilities, 22%
Professional and Business Services, 11%
Education and Health, 12%
Leisure & Hospitality, 10%
Manufacturing, 6%
Construction, 5%
Financial Activities, 5%
Information, 2%
MAJOR EMPLOYMENT SECTORS
Las Cruces MSA Nov. 2009
Manufacturing, 4.1%
Trade Transportation & Utilities, 5%
Information, 1.2%
Financial Activities, 2.5%
Professional and Business Services, 5.1%
Education and Health, 32.7%
LABOR FORCE
El Paso MSA, 310,400
Las Cruces MSA, 91,547
INCOME DATA
El Paso MSA
Average Household Income, $50,353
Median Household Income, $39,962
Per Capita Income, $16,333
Las Cruces MSA
Median Household Income (2009), $38,116
Per Capita Personal Income (2006) $18,131
HOUSING MARKET
El Paso Average Home Sale Price (2009), $245,421
Las Cruces Average Home Sale Price (2009), $337,805
COST OF LIVING COMPARISON
Composite Index
El Paso, TX, 89.9
Las Cruces, 103.1
Houston, 91.0
Dallas, 94.8
Austin, 96.8
San Antonio, 95.3
Albuquerque, 94.4
Phoenix, 96.3
Chicago, 112.3
San Diego, 133.7
Los Angeles, 140.7
New York, 214.7 Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index 2009 Q3 (Composite U.S. Index=100)
RETAIL SALES:
El Paso (2008) $3.4 billionSources: www.elpasoredco.org, www.mveda.com, quickfacts.census.gov
Ad Index 24 CITY OF ALPINE
8 CITY OF EL PASO/ CITIZEN CORPS
16 CITY OF MARFA
# EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
34 EL PASO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
42 EL PASO REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
7 EL PASO WATER UTILITIES
34 HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS – EL PASO-CENTRAL
42 RIO GRANDE COUNCIL
OF GOVERNMENTS
C3 SIERRA PROVIDENCE
HEALTH NETWORK
2 TOWN OF VAN HORN
10 VILLAGE OF VINTON
5 WESTERN REFINING
4 WESTERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE
C4 WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS
6 YSLETA DEL SUR PUEBLO
