Texas Workforce Commissioner gives his backing to the Pharr Global Business Hub

PHARR, Texas – Texas Workforce Commissioner Alberto Treviño, III, says the Pharr Global Business Hub will benefit not only the Rio Grande Valley but the whole of Texas.

Labor’s representative on the Texas Workforce Commission attended the official opening of the hub on Aug. 15. In an interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, Treviño said the new facility is designed to help bring in international businesses as well as strengthen current businesses in the Valley.

“This is going to be great for the Rio Grande Valley and the state of Texas,” Treviño said.

Asked to elaborate, Treviño said:

“I think this is a great opportunity. And again, it shows the collaboration between educational institutions, UTRGV, the community leaders, Pharr Economic Development Corporation, coming together and getting something accomplished that’s going to help the whole area with workforce, innovation, business entrepreneurship on an international level as well. So, it’s great for the state and for the area.”

The Pharr Global Business Hub has been designed by Pharr EDC and UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Office of Workforce and Economic Development. Treviño said it made sense to locate the facility in Pharr because it is in an international hub. However, he said it will soon become apparent that UTRGV and Pharr EDC have developed a regional asset.

“This is not just for Pharr. As I have seen on my visits, everybody’s working together the Rio Grande Valley. So, it is going to benefit not just this area but the whole Valley. So, it’s just a great, great opportunity and a great vision that Victor Perez and UTRGV saw and put together.”

Treviño concluded the interview by remarking on the atmosphere inside the new building. “You can feel the excitement and the energy. It’s the potential and the hope for the future that’s going to bring big innovation here to the Rio Grande Valley,” he said.

The Pharr Global Business Hub, located at 301 S. Cage Boulevard in downtown Pharr, opposite Pharr City Hall.

Dr. Magdalena Hinojosa, UTRGV senior vice president for Strategic Enrollment and Student Affairs, spoke at the official opening.

“This facility allows us to expand the resources and economic workforce development support services, and it will advance our region’s economic development and community engagement,” Hinojosa said. “The project is going to help recruit new businesses and job opportunities to the city.”

Ron Garza, UTRGV associate vice president for Workforce and Economic Development, said the Pharr Global Business Hub will provide a range of resources in the following areas: Apex Acceleration, Data and Information Systems, Entrepreneurship, Professional Education and Workforce Development Center, Small Business Development and Veterans Business Outreach.

He said the first initiative to launch at the Pharr Global Business Hub will be the signature Kauffman FastTrac program, which provides a face-to-face collaborative environment in which to engage directly with expert facilitators and fellow entrepreneurs.

“It really didn’t make much sense to be in our own offices on campus, where people had to come to us,” Garza said, from the podium. “We want to be accessible. We want to be as inclusive as possible. And we want to create awareness that these programs exist.”

Pharr EDC President Victor Perez told the Guardian that he and UTRGV have been working on the project for about four or five years. He explained how the project came about.

“I had several entrepreneurs, a lot of businesspeople from Mexico, coming in and visiting with us at our office. And they were telling me that they didn’t have a place to go. Then I had another group of Mexican investors come in, and I heard the same thing. So, I said, I have to do something here. We have a lot of investors who wanted to come in, but they didn’t know who to talk to, or where to go to,” Perez said.

“But we knew we could not do this by ourselves. We needed partners. And who better than UTRGV with all of their resources and programs. I am thrilled with this new partnership.”

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