Cortez: Our workforce is ready to meet the demands of the 21st Century

Welcome to this Texas Port to the Stars Foreign Direct Investment Summit. We’re very pleased to host you here to learn about the opportunities that RioPlex has to offer.

It is truly an honor to have and to host this event for such a distinguished group of business leaders, council officials and many public servants. You are about to learn more of this dynamic region. It is strategically located to conduct business in this global environment that we’re faced with.

Today it is about introductions, building relationships, but more importantly, identifying opportunities for all of us. 

Let me start by introducing to you to RioPlex, a region that’s positioned as a global center for foreign and domestic direct investment, which is connected to economic corridors, close to markets. RioPlex is the right region to house today’s modern businesses. 

Through RioPlex we invite you to explore the Rio Grande Valley, which is located, for those of you who don’t know, on the southernmost part of the state of Texas, bordering Northern Mexico. A region which has deep roots, strategic geography and growing economic potential. 

But, historically, our region has partially been overlooked. And that’s why we’re here today.

RioPlex is centered around three large economies. You’re going to hear this over and over again. But, as you will know, any educator will tell you, repetition is the mother of all learning. So one more time, RioPlex is centered around three large economies, the US, Texas and Mexico. In fact, we are the gateway to those markets. We are America’s front door to Mexico, the United States’ largest trading partner. 

The region is anchored by many world class assets. We have 14 international bridge crossings between the US and Mexico, some of which are offering commercial carriers. We have multiple deep-water seaports, including the Port of Brownsville, a key global logistic hub, which you will learn more about today. We have an international railroad crossing enabling seamless freight movement. We have the Boca Chica Spaceport operating by SpaceX, which places us in the forefront of aerospace innovation. 

We have multiple industrial parks on both sides of the border. We also have over 20 foreign countries conducting business here already. We have companies such as Samsung, Johnson Controls, Toshiba, Tyson Foods and Texas Investments. All here already. 

But listen to this. Our cost of living is .83 percent. For you people in business, you know what that means. When you’re able to hire employees and offer them good salaries, their quality of life just gets better and better. And we have a population of over three million people. We even have a medical school.

But let me tell you what’s also important, with me speaking to many CEOs. Our local governments have stable governance and regulations, which is important for business in today’s volatile economies. 

We’re surrounded by colleges and universities. We even have college and professional sports. We also have performing arts centers. We have many shopping centers and malls. We even have an island, South Padre Island. We have large medical facilities and services, and we’re connected by land, sea, air and rail, and also by logistic experts. I’m not going to go any further here until I hear a big applause for RioPlex assets. 

(Applause)

Boy, you’re an easy crowd.

But more than roads, more than rail, more than runways, our greatest asset, really, is our people. We are a young, vibrant region. The median age in the Rio Grande Valley is just 29 years old. When you compare it to 35 in Texas and 38 nationwide, this demographic trend offers a long-term, sustainable workforce pipeline. 

Each year, over 18,000 high school students graduate across the Rio Grande Valley, fueling a bilingual, bicultural and highly adaptable talent pool. In addition, 18,000 degrees or certificates are being awarded annually by institutions such as UTRGV, Texas A&M, South Texas College, Texas State Technical College, Texas Southmost College and other proprietary schools. 

The region’s labor force exceeds 450,000 and continues to grow as our population expands. This is a workforce for the future, globally attuned, deeply connected and ready to meet the demands of the 21st century. 

We want to produce smart labor along with cheap labor when needed. But a recent published book, The Crossings, makes the case that the true settlement of the new world began not on the east coast, but right here in the region we call RioPlex. That insight frames the message that this is not a forgotten frontier, but the launching point for the next wave of North American growth. 

So, our message today is simple. RioPlex is open for business. We are ready for nearshoring, industrial expansion, manufacturing, logistics, energy investments, and, of course, digitalization. This is the region defined by connection, powered by youth and decision for international growth. 

So, we invite you to be part of something transformational. To invest, to innovate and to grow with us. So thank you, and welcome to RioPlex. 

Editor’s Note: The above commentary was provided by Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez at the start of the Texas Port to the Stars FDI Summit. It was hosted by RioPlex and held at the Westin Galleria in Houston on April 10, 2025.

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