Jump To:
- Top National Rankings!
- Letter from the President
- Area Development Consultant Forum
- Board Members
- Nobel Peace Prize
- Featured Investor
- Marketing Activities
- Activity Report
Welcome to our Newsletter
Welcome to the El Paso REDCo newsletter page. We will be publishing a newsletter every other month and will include in each publication current events and recognitions, a letter from our President, a feature about one of our community supporters, and our current marketing activity. We hope you find this feature of our website interesting and informative.
El Paso Starts 2012 with Top National Rankings!
Safest Large City for Second Year Running & #2 Best Performing Economy in the US
El Paso, Texas recently ranked in the top spots for two national annual rankings: CQ Press’ Safest Large Cities list (El Paso ranked #1) and the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities Index (El Paso ranked #2). Both rankings are based on reports released in December 2011, which compare large metropolitan areas across the United States.
Each year, CQ Press releases its ranking of U.S. cities with the highest and lowest crime rates, and for the second year in a row, El Paso has been ranked the safest city in the U.S. with a population of more than 500,000. Since 1997, El Paso has consistently been ranked within the top three safest large cities.
The Milken Institute’s 2011 Best-Performing Cities Index ranks cities across the nation based on their ability to create/sustain jobs and overall economic performance. Nine factors are considered in compiling the index which include growth in jobs, wages, and technology-based performance over one- and five-year periods. El Paso was ranked #9 in 2010, moving up seven spots in the 2011 report. Leading cities in the 2011 index are metros that succeeded amidst one of the worst economic declines in history marked by weak housing markets and job losses in manufacturing and global trade.
President Bob Cook Recaps 2011
Three Initiatives Launched to Stimulate Development
.JPG)
REDCo staff and volunteers work continuously on projects that are intended to help improve long-term economic growth for the region. We launched three significant initiatives in 2011 that deserve particular attention:
Universal Freight Shuttle — REDCo joined with regional governmental partners last year to lay the necessary groundwork to establish a ten-mile monorail system to move cargo across the international border. This $150 million project will be completely funded by a private entity, and as currently designed, can double the daily cargo throughput at our existing ports of entry.
Clean Tech Initiative — REDCo, the City of El Paso and El Paso Electric Company collaborated to jointly fund the services of a renewable energy consultant to help develop a regional strategy for alternative and renewable energy. This phase of the initiative is expected to culminate in April 2012 with the announcement of elements of the regional strategy, which we expect will include a priority list of regional projects utilizing solar, wind, geothermal and/or biomass technologies.
Smart + Connected — We also engaged the services of Cisco Systems to help develop a strategy for leveraging the region’s vast IT infrastructure to better support the region’s economic development goals. Through Cisco’s Smart + Connected Communities program, we were able to engage technology experts from Cisco at a significantly reduced rate. Cisco convened several public and private sector entities in our region and will present a list of five to six recommendations to the REDCo board of directors in the first quarter of 2012.
REDCo Co-Sponsors Area Development Consultant Forum in Austin
In an effort to help keep our region top-of-mind with leading site consultants from across the nation, REDCo was a co-sponsor of the Area Development Magazine 12th Consultant’s Forum in Austin, December 4th-6th. The event is held semi-annually in various cities across the United States, and the Austin event marked the 2nd time in the past 3 years that REDCo has co-sponsored the event. The December forum featured eleven of the nation’s leading site consultants, who provided updates on several of REDCo’s target industries including Life Sciences, Automotive and Advanced Manufacturing. The majority of consultants talked about the current global/national economic picture and its influence on their clients who seek to establish new locations. Based on their comments, we should keep an eye on the following:
- Economic development organizations should see more deal flow in 2012 as compared to 2011, but we should expect the pace of investment decisions to continue to be slow. Most consultants, however, do not expect a significant increase in announcements of new jobs and investment until 2013.
- We should expect to see increased interest from global companies seeking to establish manufacturing presence in North America. As many as 4 automotive OEMs may be seriously contemplating new final assembly plants, with decisions coming as early as 2013. Global events such as resolution (or not) of the current European economic/financial situation and rapidly escalating costs in China (e.g.: 15-20% mandated annual wage escalations) will greatly influence where companies invest.
- Global competition for economic development projects is increasing. As many as 160 different nations now have formal economic development programs. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) peaked at just over $2 Trillion in 2007, and fell to $1.2 Trillion in 2009. Global FDI for 2011 is expected to come in at around $1.7 Trillion and is forecast to increase to $1.9 Trillion in 2012.
A Warm Welcome to 2012 Board Members & Officers
.JPG)
Dan Harris, Director of Operations for Western Refining, and Paco Jordan, Chairman of CF Jordan Construction, joined REDCo’s Board of Directors effective January 1, 2012. They replaced Suzanne Ramos, President of Wells Fargo Bank, and Cindy Bilbe, President of Stewart Title of El Paso, who both rotated off the board after providing many years of valuable service to the region and its economic development. Jacob Cintron, CEO of Del Sol Medical Center, and Alan Russell, CEO of TECMA Group, were also re-elected to the Board for another term.
Bob Cook, REDCo President and CEO said, “We are extremely fortunate to have had the talent, skills, and experience of Cindy and Suzanne directed to the economic development efforts for El Paso, Juarez, and Southern New Mexico. We sincerely appreciate the contributions these civic leaders have made.”
REDCo is also pleased to announce that Russ Vandenburg, President and CEO of TVO North America, has assumed the responsibilities of Chairman of the REDCo Board for 2012. Joining him on the Executive Committee are Terry McGreehan, General Manager of ADP in El Paso, Josh Hunt, Senior Vice President of the Hunt Companies, Krystal Parker, Vice President of Texas Gas Service and Secretary of the REDCo Board, Martin Yung, President & CEO of JDW Insurance and new REDCo Treasurer, John Harris, CEO of the Sierra Providence Health Network, and Jimmy Rogers, Jr. of Wells Fargo Insurance, who served as REDCo’s chairman in 2011. Mr. Vandenburg said, “I am honored and excited to be serving with such dedicated and creative volunteers to meet the challenges we face, and we are all looking forward to a productive 2012.”
REDCo Participates in Nobel Peace Prize Ceremonies
In mid-December, Bob Cook of REDCo and Ann Gates, AVP of Research & Sponsored Projects at UTEP were honored to serve as delegates among 170 invited guests from around the world at the Public Services Summit affiliated with the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.
I may not be able to adequately convey what occurred during those remarkable four days, but please allow me to share just a few thoughts and experiences:
-
I heard a dozen speakers from five continents and had opportunities to speak privately with several of them. The list included Ernesto Zedillo (former President of Mexico), Maros Sefcovic (Vice President of the European Commission), Jocelyne Bourgon (former Secretary to the Canadian Cabinet), Dr. Martin Chalfie (2008 Nobel Prize for Chemistry), Lindsay Tanner (former Minister of Finance for Australia) and others. The majority of the speakers, (including several of the aforementioned global leaders) discussed ongoing work within their respective government to introduce technological 
innovations that would create competitive advantage for their part of the world. Their presentations always seemed to come back around to the concept of using technology to achieve effective collaboration within their own institutions and with outside individuals and institutions. Jocelyne Bourgon specifically made a powerful case that governments in the 21st century must see their constituents (citizens and businesses) as “value creators”, and work to establish a framework of governance that has an appropriate focus on regulatory compliance, while encouraging and rewarding creativity and innovation. Such an approach, she argued, must have a supreme focus on societal results such as jobs and improved quality of life. - I now have a new network of friends and colleagues-- including a criminologist from Israel and three members of a current R&B group. I have many stories if you have the time to listen!
-
By all appearances, the Nobel Peace Prize committee did an outstanding job by awarding this year’s medals to three ladies from Africa. All three women have lived under a type of oppression that is impossible for me and most Americans to understand. All three have forever changed their countries through courageous acts of "servant leadership". There appears to be nothing remarkable about any of them, other than the fact that they are presumably driven by a clear sense of conviction and purpose.
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf-- President of Liberia. Africa's first democratically elected female President, who was recently re-elected to a second term of six years.
- Leymah Gbowee-- also from Liberia, who led thousands of women across the nation to bring an end to multiple civil wars that had plagued that nation over a period of 15 years.
- Tawakkul Karman- a young mother of three (in her 30's) and a journalist from Yemen who has proactively spoken out and organized protests against Ali Abdullah Saleh, who recently resigned as President of Yemen. Karman is referred to as the "Mother of the Yemeni Revolution".
Best Quote of the summit came from Sefkovic of the EU. "We politicians know the right thing to do, but we don’t know how to get re-elected when we do it.”
I want to offer special thanks to two organizations that made my participation possible--
- Cisco Systems, co-sponsor of the Public Services Summit and Global Sponsor for the Nobel Peace Prize Concert.
- Cindy Bilbe and the team at Stewart Title who paid all of my hotel and travel-related expenses.
I am grateful for your generosity, and I will diligently attempt to translate the knowledge gained and lessons learned into new opportunity for our region.
Featured Investor - Stewart Title
.JPG)
Stewart Title, with its roots in El Paso, has been a prominent member of the El Paso business community since 1910. Carrying the same name for over 100 years, Stewart is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol STC and provides real estate transaction services internationally. President, Cindy Bilbe, is proud to represent Stewart Title in the El Paso market place. “The title business, as well as economic development, is driven by personal relationships and a culture of integrity and service to our customers and community. REDCo’s work is strategically important to the economic welfare of our region and I encourage all stakeholders in our corner of the world to get involved through action and/or financial support. Bob Cook and Manuel Ochoa are the face of El Paso and Juarez in many U.S. and international markets, and they can do so much more with increased stakeholder support.” Cindy Bilbe is a founding member of REDCo and former chairman of its board. She continues to support the organization and its efforts for the community.
Marketing Activities
|
Month |
Day |
Activities |
|
Jan. |
10-12 |
Autonews World Congress in Detroit where over 900 automotive suppliers gather to see new product, network, and discuss exiting and future market conditions. Rose Romero from REDCo represented the region and prospected with both automotive suppliers and location advisors who are focused on the automotive industry. |
|
Feb. |
14-16 |
The MD & M (Medical Device & Manufacturing) national convention in Anaheim, CA hosts over 2,000 exhibitors and 48,000 visitors with an interest in medical device design, certification, manufacturing, and marketing. Manuel Ochoa will take the REDCo story about the growing manufacturing base for medical devices in the El Paso/Juarez area to this show, where he will prospect for new companies who should be looking at this region and to meet with location advisors in the Southern California area to give them updates on developments in our region. |
|
|
21-24 |
Association of the US Army (AUSA) Winter Symposium will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and hosts over 500 people who network to discuss current and anticipated future conditions for the Army and the communities in which the Army has a presence. Cary Westin will represent REDCo at this year’s symposium to network with Army executives and others who provide services and support to the Army from around the country. |
|
Mar. |
6-7 |
Embry Riddle University will be hosting an aerospace conference in Miami that provides Manuel Ochoa an opportunity to prospect with companies that are involved in aerospace advanced manufacturing from around the world. |
|
14-15 |
MD&M is hosting a regional medical device manufacturing convention in Ft. Worth, TX at which a delegation of companies from the El Paso/Juarez region will be exhibiting along with Rose Romero from REDCo to demonstrate the region’s capabilities in medical device design, certification, manufacturing, and distribution. |
|
|
Mar./Apr. |
t/b/d |
A trip is planned to Taiwan by a delegation from ElPaso/Juarez to promote the region’s research & development, manufacturing, and distribution advantages to Asian companies that are either already producing goods in this region or that should be considering establishing a presence in this region. We will tell you more about the details of this trip in future newsletters as those details are finalized by Manuel Ochoa. |
For 2012, all of REDCo’s marketing activities are being closely coordinated with the City of El Paso’s Economic Development team.
In addition to this travel schedule, the Regional Clean Energy Initiative is starting its 2012 calendar with a stakeholder meeting at the El Paso Chamber of Commerce on January 18 to establish the charter, review projects, and discuss the way forward for creating a regional clean energy strategy.
(Note: During 2011, REDCo staff made more than 60 office calls with site location consultants in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and New York—sharing the story of El Paso/Juarez.)
Activity Report for 2011
The following table shows a breakdown of the number of companies considering new jobs and investment:
|
Companies Interested In: |
1Q |
2Q |
3Q |
4Q |
Total 2011 |
|
El Paso |
16 |
9 |
9 |
5 |
39 |
|
Juarez |
0 |
8 |
1 |
3 |
12 |
|
El Paso and / or Juarez |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Total Visits |
18 |
18 |
10 |
8 |
54 |
.JPG)
As of January 23, 2012– REDCo was working with a total of 178 companies considering new jobs/investment in El Paso. Forty-seven (47) of these companies are at “project” status, signifying that El Paso is typically competing against no more than 2 to 3 other cities. These 27 companies represent a diverse range of industries, with the largest number (24%) coming from the defense sector.
.JPG)
As of January 23, 2012– REDCo was working with a total of 27 companies ,mostly manufacturing-related, were considering new jobs/investment in Cd. Juarez. Nine (9) of these companies are at “project” status, signifying that Juarez is typically competing against no more than 2 to 3 other cities. These 27 companies represent a diverse range of industries, with the largest number (22%) coming from the electrical/electronic products sector.
.JPG)
These charts provide an overview of the forty-seven (47) companies that are at “project” status for El Paso. These projects could conservatively create 8,289 jobs, and invest at least $1.86 B. The colors of the bars in the chart titled “# Companies by Industry Type” correspond with the pie charts at left. For example, twelve (12) of the short-list projects fall within the “General Manufacturing” category, and could create 44.4% of the potential 8,289 jobs and invest 2% of the potential $1.86 B.
Also in 2011 our PR firm in New York was able to place substantial editorial content with both print and broadcast media, with the following economic value of the results:
- Total impressions: 64,249,617 - total readership and / or viewership of a media outlet.
- Total advertising equivalency: $4,397,612 - the cost of an ad of the same size within the given publication or of the same length as a news segment within a TV or radio program
- Total editorial impact: $6,988,060 - a formula established through extensive research by David Ogilvy, founder of Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, stating that a favorable editorial placement has roughly five times the dollar value of an ad of the same size, due to greater readership and pass-along value, among other factors.
The media active outlets that have been in this process include CBS, CNN Money, Nikkei (Japan), L’Espresso (Italy) Area Development Magazine, CNN Español, the Wall Street Journal, and others.
Media Relations Campaign Achieves Stellar Results
Since 2007, REDCo has retained the services of Development Counsellors International (DCI), a New York-based marketing firm, which helps us secure stories about El Paso/Juarez in media outlets around the globe. Among the outlets that featured stories on our region last year are The New York Times, Associated Press, CNN en Espanol, Univision, Inbound Logistics, L’Espresso, NIKKEI, Notimex, and others. Last year’s campaign achieved more than 64 million impressions with an editorial impact of more than $6.9 million – leading to a return on investment (ROI) for REDCo of 12 to 1. As part of the campaign, REDCo hosted a three-day familiarization tour with four international journalists with outlets based in Italy, Austria, and Japan. During their visit, the reporters met with El Paso Mayor John Cook and key spokespeople at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Secure Origins, Helen of Troy, UTEP’s W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation, among others, leading to stories in L’Espresso and NIKKEI that are available upon request.
Should you have any questions or comments, please contact us at (915) 534-0523.
