Archive for the ‘MVEDA Events’ Category

The February meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Day’s Inn Columbus Conference Center, 901 Avenida de Mesilla.  The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet, followed by an update by MVEDA staff.

Christopher Madrid, Vice President of IMPACT-NM Business Growth Services will be the featured speaker for the luncheon.  IMPACT-NM Business Growth Services is a division of New Mexico Community Capital (NMCC). New Mexico Community Capital founded IMPACT-NM to ensure that New Mexico businesses have the skills they need to grow and use equity capital effectively, regardless of whether they become NMCC client companies. By giving them access to experienced professionals, they expand and improve by using new methods, resourceful financings, and creative growth and performance strategies.

IMPACT-NM works with promising companies throughout New Mexico to help them create the strategies, master the skills, and acquire the outside resources they need to prosper. They provide hands-on assistance, delivered by successful senior management-level business executives. An advisor becomes immersed in the client enterprise, shoulder to shoulder with the local team - a rewarding arrangement for both parties. By partnering with business owners and taking the time to understand their challenges, IMPACT-NM gives them the skills and knowledge to achieve accelerated growth and greater stability.

Luncheon cost is $15.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public and reservations are not required.

The January meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Day’s Inn Columbus Conference Center, 901 Avenida de Mesilla.  The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet, followed by an update by MVEDA staff.

Gary Gomes, President of the High Tech Consortium of Southern New Mexico (HTC), will be the featured speaker.  The High Tech Consortium of Southern New Mexico is a grass roots non-profit organization established in 2003 to create a strong high tech business climate in Southern New Mexico and further the quality of life of our community.

The High Tech Consortium’s vision is to make New Mexico a regional technology leader and a national center for technical excellence. The organization’s goals are to:

• Promote a business atmosphere conducive to growing the high-tech sector in Southern New Mexico.
• Be the regional voice representing and advocating the political and business related interests of the technology sector.
• Establish partnerships that promote high-tech industries in Southern New Mexico.
• Support the development and retention of a qualified high-tech workforce in the region.
• Actively foster an environment that produces excellence in education at all levels.
• Support endeavors that enrich the quality of life in the region.

HTC’s areas of focus are:

• Broadband
• Commercial Space
• Digital Media
• Homeland Security
• Renewable Energy

Luncheon cost is $15.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public and reservations are not required

Zoe Richmond, Union Pacific’s Director Public Affairs, Arizona & New Mexico Corporate Relations, sponsored a breakfast for MVEDA Partners and updated them on the status of the new terminal planned for Strauss (Santa Teresa), New Mexico. The $150M terminal expansion was announced by Union Pacific CEO Jim Young and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson in October, 2006.

Zoe Richmond

Richmond’s presentation noted that Union Pacific has invested more that $1 billion in projects along the Sunset Corridor which runs from Los Angeles through El Paso. She pointed out that Union Pacific now owns 2,219 acres of land surrounding the Strauss terminal location. The land was acquired by trading an $11 million ranch in central New Mexico to the State Land Office. The timeline for the start of construction has been delayed due to the economic downturn.

The December meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Day’s Inn Columbus Conference Center, 901 Avenida de Mesilla.  The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet, followed by an update by MVEDA staff.

Jeff Abrams, Project Manager for the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership (New Mexico MEP) will be the featured speaker.  The New Mexico MEP is part of a national network which provides technical and business resources to manufacturers who are prepared to expand their capabilities and increase profitability. New Mexico MEP is affiliated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

New Mexico MEP is uniquely positioned to provide a wide variety of services to manufacturers and small businesses throughout the State of New Mexico. Services offered include:

• Lean Systems
• Quality Systems
• Business Services
• Organizational Development
• Information Technology

Luncheon cost is $15.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public and reservations are not required.

Article Courtesy of New Mexico Partnership

As New Mexico rapidly becomes a global leader in pure energy innovation, we continue to draw international attention to the Land of Enchantment.  The New Mexico Partnership has taken actions and adopted substantive policy measures to stimulate development of solar power projects throughout the state. Those initiatives as well as an aggressive business recruiting strategy have effectively positioned the state as a focal point for this rapidly emerging industry.

One such strategy was attendance at the Solar Power International 2009 Conference in Anaheim, CA during the week of October 26-30. The NM Partnership staff along with representatives from the Otero County Development Council (OCEDC), Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (MVEDA), Albuquerque Economic Development (AED), Rio Rancho Economic Development (RREDC) and Eastern New Mexico Economic Development Alliance (ENMEDA) walked the show in order to develop new relationships and revisit previous relationships formed during PV America, Intercooler North America and last year’s Solar Power International conference.

On the evening of October 28th, the NM Partnership hosted “An Evening With New Mexico” at the House of Blues.  This solar executive outreach event was generously sponsored by OCEDC, MVEDA, AED, RREDC, ENMEDA, SCHOTT Solar, Emcore Corporation and Sky Fuel, Inc., Taos Ski Valley, the Taos Country Club and Verde Corporate Realty Services.  Governor Bill Richardson kicked off the event with a keynote address discussing New Mexico’s continued momentum in forming a renewable energy cluster in New Mexico.  Mark Finocchario, President & CEO of Schott Solar and Christopher Larocca, COO of Emcore Corporation spoke on their companies’ experiences and successes in doing business in New Mexico.

More than 200 industry executives and guests showed up to learn more about New Mexico and the event was touted the “Best Social Networking Event” of the conference.   Often times the return on investment for these events can be difficult to track.  However, the New Mexico Partnership has already had a site visit from a company who attended the event and has seen two projects come out of the trip.   We would like to thank everyone who helped make this event a huge success for New Mexico.