RioPlex to host foreign direct investment summit in Houston

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EDINBURG, Texas – RioPlex, the new private sector group formed to market the Rio Grande Valley and northern Tamaulipas, is to host its first ever conference later this week in Houston.

Titled, “Texas Port to the Stars FDI Summit,” the event takes place at the Westin Galleria, with a reception on Wednesday evening, April 9, and presentations and panel discussions from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday, April 10.

It is believed to be the first forum aimed at promoting the RGV and northern Tamaulipas to be held outside of the region. And why did RioPlex choose Houston? Partly because it is home to many foreign consulate’s offices. At least a dozen have confirmed their attendance at the summit, organizers have told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.

Among the confirmed speakers are Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez and Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño. Also speaking will be the mayors of four of the Valley’s largest cities – Brownsville, McAllen, Edinburg and Harlingen. Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business, will moderate a panel consisting of mayors John Cowen, Jr., Javier Villalobos, Ramiro Garza, and Norma Sepulveda.

Other VIPs slated to give remarks are Lorenzo Barrera, president, and Grace Lingow, general director, of the American Chamber of Commerce Mexico, Northeast Chapter; Valerie G. Segovia, vice president of investor relations for the Texas Economic Development Corporation; and Carlos Ealy, assistant secretary of state for Mexican and Border Affairs in the Office of the Texas Secretary of State.

The keynote speech will be given by Larry McManus, director of business and community development for Texas Economic Development & Tourism in the Office of the Governor.

Other speakers include Joaquin Spamer, president of CIL Group and a board member of RioPlex, Mario Reyna, executive director of RioPlex, Jesse Thompson, a senior business economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Houston Branch; Esteban Guerra, chairman of the board, and William Dietrich, president, of the Port of Brownsville; Marisela Cortez external affairs manager of SpaceX; and Blake Calvert, deputy executive director of the Texas Space Commission.

The Guardian exclusively interviewed Judge Cortez about RioPlex and its summit. He said:

“RioPlex, is a new name we want to brand. It not only includes the four counties of the Rio Grande Valley, but it includes northern Mexico. So, when you add the four counties of South Texas with the areas of North Mexico, we have a lot of things we can brag about. You know, we have 13 international bridges, we have seven airports, we have sea ports, we have a medical school. We have 18 different countries that are doing business (here) already. I mean, we have just a lot of assets, to promote and sell. And we’re over three million people.

“So, RioPlex is brand new and we need to really promote it. And the idea was to go to Houston, where a lot of the consulate offices are located, invite different countries to come and find out about RioPlex and so far I think we’ve had anywhere between 13 to 16 different consulate offices that are going to attend.”

Cortez said the companies that have learned about RioPlex are showing interest in the region.

“Already, just by people learning about the name RioPlex, we have received calls from companies. And it’s real exciting for them to say, ‘hey, I didn’t know you all existed. I didn’t know you were there. But what I’m hearing, I like. So can I learn more about it?’ So, we’re hoping this (summit) is going to be a catalyst for our future success.”

Cortez said the Valley and northern Tamaulipas are poised for great things.

“When you look at us geographically, we’re right smack in the middle of three large economies, United States, Texas and Mexico. And we have all these assets. We have connectivity through land, through sea, through air, through rail. So, I think that once people start to know about all these assets that we have, I believe we’re going to be successful.”

Here is the interview in full: