Reyna: RioPlex marketing campaign will be housed within COSTEP

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – RioPlex, the new regional marketing campaign set up to promote the Rio Grande Valley and Northern Tamaulipas, is going to be housed within the Council for South Texas Economic Progress.

The announcement was made by Mario Reyna at a reception held by the American Chamber Mexico (AmCham) and held Wednesday evening at IBC Bank in Brownsville.

Reyna is a co-founder of the Hidalgo County Prosperity Task Force, which has since expanded to include the entire Valley. One of the 15 committees set up by the task force is the CEO Group. The CEO Group, which comprises over 40 business leaders from both sides of the border, is led by CIL President Joaquin Spamer. It was the CEO Group that proposed the RioPlex marketing campaign.

“Adam is not here, but Rick is here. So, RioPlex is going to be housed in COSTEP, and they’re going to have the brand within their organization,” Reyna said, in remarks made at the AmCham reception.

“We’re going to do all that we can to get the money that we need to promote RioPlex.”

The “Adam” Reyna referred to is Adam Gonzalez, CEO of COSTEP. The “Rick” Reyna referred to is Rick Carrera, economic development director of COSTEP.

Reyna said there are still a few of things that still need to be done before RioPlex is officially launched.

“We have a request for information right now. We’re looking for a marketing company that can give us a suggestion on how to promote RioPlex. Once we know that we’re going to obviously start doing everything else.”

Earlier in his speech, Reyna explained why the Prosperity Task Force was set up by Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez. Namely, to address the high level of poverty.

“The reason that we are doing this in Hidalgo County and now the RGV is that we need to do something about the situation that we live in. You know,

all of us here have a great life. But there is 27.2 percent of the people in Hidalgo County, perhaps all the RGV, that do not have the life that you and I have. So, we’re trying to change that equation,” Reyna said.

“There’s about 10,000 people in Hidalgo County that have a bachelor’s degree, and they live in poverty.”

Reyna continued: “So when I listen to all of you talk about NAFTA or USMCA… there is about a trillion dollars of trade between Mexico and the U.S. There’s about $800 million and most of it passes through here, and we still live in the situation that we’re in.

“So what Joaquin is bringing in, and all the CEO Group is bringing to the table is, we need to bring more industry. We need for people to know where we are, so they can set up, make an investment in the Rio Grande Valley. That is the whole purpose of everything that we’re doing. We need more investment so people can have jobs, better jobs. Everybody should have a better quality of life.”

Reyna also told the story of how the CEO Group was formed and how its leader – Spamer – had immediately identified a problem. It was formed, Reyna said, because there was a gaping hole within the Prosperity Task Force – there were no CEOs involved. Spamer said the problem he and other business leaders found, when they tried to promote the region overseas, was that potential investors did not know where the Valley was.

“So, the world is going to know where we are (thanks to RioPlex),” Reyna said. “Joaquin does not have to go and try to explain to people, you know, we are somewhere between San Antonio and Monterrey. So, people will know where RioPlex is.”

When RioPlex is officially unveiled there will be map clearly identifying the region RioPlex covers. Here it is:

The RioPlex region. (Photo credit: CEO Group)

“(With the map) it’s going to be a lot easier for us to sell the region,” Reyna said, in his closing remarks. “We need all your help. We need as much investment that we can get. So, I thank you for being here and learning more about RioPlex.”

Editor’s Note: Here is an audio recording of the remarks Mario Reyna gave at the American Chamber Mexico reception:

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