Vicente Fox to speak in Brownsville as part of RGV Startup Week

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Vicente Fox Quesada, one of Mexico’s former presidents, is coming to Brownsville.

The 82-year-lld businessman and politician, who served as the 62^nd head of state from 2000 to 2006, ran as a candidate for the National Action Party, or PAN.

He was preceded as president by Ernesto Zedillo, of the Revolutionary Institutional Party, or PRI, and succeeded by Felipe Calderon, also from PAN.

Fox will be the keynote speaker of the second annual RGV StartUp Week 2025, it was announced during a press conference held Thursday, April 3, by Nathan Burkhart, vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation with the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC).

Burkhart said Fox agreed to be here at the start of the week-long program scheduled for this coming April 25 through May 2.

Fox will give a speech during a “Fireside Chat” at Texas Southmost College’s Performing Arts Center on April 28. The title of his speech will be: “How Border Entrepreneurs can Overcome the Current Political Climate.” Tickets for this event go on sale April 4.

Asked how they managed to bring Fox to Brownsville, Burkhart said they made a good deal with him.

Thursday’s announcement was well received by some of the people who attended the event, including Brownsville Mayor John Cowen Jr. and Orlando Campos, the chief executive officer of the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation.

“I think having Vicente Fox here will elevate the event to another level,” Cowen said. “He is a well-known personality.”

Campos said he was couldn’t wait to hear what he is going to say in light of what is going on today, adding he attended Fox presidential inauguration back in 2000 in Mexico City.

Fox’s visit was a part of Startup 2025 announcement that will be held in conjunction with a number of RGV cities including McAllen, Pharr, Harlingen, Alamo and Elsa.

Among the speakers at the press conference were Campos, Cori Pena of BCIC, Linda Ufland Romo and Ron Garza, of UT-Rio Grande Valley, and Victor Perez, of Pharr Economic Development Corporation.

Coca Cola Southwest Beverages is the title sponsor for this year.

Rodrigo Gomez, area director of operations for Coca Cola, said they are glad for being part of Startup Week.

He said the company employs more than 400 people in the Valley and some 7,000 statewide.

Startup Week will have a series of activities such as a boot camp set for April 25-27, a pitch competition slated for April 29 and a number of sessions and several speakers.

A program of the event will be released soon but anyone interested in attending the entrepreneurship extravaganza can register now.

The link is rgvw25.events.whova.com/registration.

The post Vicente Fox to speak in Brownsville as part of RGV Startup Week appeared first on Rio Grande Guardian.