Archive for the ‘Partner News’ Category

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Sun-News

By Brook Stockberger/Sun-News Business Editor

LAS CRUCES – Manufacturing is not dead. That was the message Davin Lopez, president and CEO of the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance, gave a breakfast audience at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces on Thursday. MVEDA’s annual breakfast allows the private/public entity to give report for the recently completely fiscal year.

“It’s a tough time to talk about the economy,” Lopez said. “(And) we’ve been feeling it for the last couple of years.”

Still, the economic development group reports that lead development remains strong and there has been a “significant” jump in terms of manufacturing.

“Almost 45-percent of our leads are in manufacturing and logistics,” Lopez said. “We are hearing that heavy manufacturing is coming back to America.”

He pointed to the addition of Alaska Structures at the West Mesa Industrial Complex. The Anchorage-based company which makes shelters for the military as well as commercial customers, moved into a 184,000-square foot building that used to house Rea Magnet Wire, and also uses about 100,000 square feet at the previously empty building at 8500 Mountain Vista Parkway where Parkview Metal Products used to reside.

“If you think back 12 to 18 months ago, think of all those facilities sitting vacant,” Lopez said.  In fact, he said the Las Cruces area could use more spec buildings. “The biggest challenge we have going forward is we need more buildings,” Lopez said.

In addition, capital investment has jumped considerably in Dona Ana County, spurred by the recently begun Union Pacific Railroad project in Santa Teresa, but also ahead of the pace of the past several years even without Union Pacific.

New officers

Gary Lenzo with Century Bank is MVEDA’s chairman of the board as the new fiscal year begins, stepping in for Citizen’s Bank’s George Ruth, who will now serve as past chairman of the board.  ”I have some big shoes to fill,” Lenzo said.

In addition to Lenzo and Ruth, other officers include: Vice Chair Kiel Hoffman, Pioneer Bank; Secretary Dolores Connor, City Councilor; Treasurer Jim McGonnell, Memorial Medical Center; Executive Committee Member at Large Jack Darnall, Verde Realty.

Bryn Davis, New Mexico operations manager for Sapphire Energy and former past chairman of the board, was presented with a special award for all the work he has performed for MVEDA through the years.  ”I know I’m on the phone with him a lot,” Lenzo said.

Brook Stockberger can be reached at (575) 541-5457.

Clay Doyle

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Sun-News

LAS CRUCES – El Paso Electric has appointed Robert Clay Doyle to serve as vice president of transmission and distribution. In that position, Doyle – who most recently has been vice president of New Mexico affairs – will oversee the transmission and distribution divisions, which include substations, transmission and distribution design, operations, construction and maintenance.

Doyle has been with El Paso Electric since 1992 and has served in various capacities including manager of the corporate projects office, project manager of corporate transition to competition, supervisor of distribution dispatch and distribution monitoring engineer. He earned a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from New Mexico State University and is a registered professional engineer in New Mexico and holds certification as a project management professional. Doyle has been a fund raising team leader for the local affiliates of Habitat for Humanity, the Kiwanis Clubs of Las Cruces and the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. He also is an active participant with the Boy Scouts of America and serves on the board of the Bridge of Southern New Mexico and the board of the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance.

Private sector funding from the businesses and organizations throughout the New Mexico Borderplex is a mainstay of MVEDA’s ability to continue in its mission of creating new employment opportunities for area residents. MVEDA is proud to announce a number of new partners for 2011.

Century Bank, MVEDA’s newest Gold Partner, held a grand opening for its new Las Cruces Branch located at 141 S. Roadrunner Parkway on December 7^th. Century Bank, originally founded in 1887 as Mutual Building and Loan Association, has branches in Santa Fe, Espanola and Albuquerque. MVEDA vice chair Gary Lenzo is the Las Cruces market president.

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is home to 250 attorneys and policy consultants and 252 support staff in 12 offices across the western U.S. and in Washington, DC. In New Mexico, their offices are located in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.  Shareholder David Buchholtz from the Albuquerque office works with a number of local firms in business and corporate advisory.

Carlisle Energy, based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, specializes in turnkey project development and design for large-scale commercial photovoltaic solar rooftops and solar landfill closure systems. Business development manager Doug Parsons is working with a number of local firms interested in rooftop solar photovoltaic systems.

IMA Realtors, located at 125 West Griggs, is owned and operated by Edgar Lopez, CCIM, CPM. Lopez started in the real estate business in 1973 and earned his CCIM designation in 1986.

Bank ‘34 recently opened its new location in Las Cruces at 220 N. Telshor. BANK’34 was originally organized as Alamogordo Federal Savings and Loan Association in 1934, hence its name.  Jill Gutierrez is the president of the Las Cruces Division.

Visvas II Partnership, doing business as the Hampton Inn & Suites, El Paso West, is managed by Frances Medrano.  The hotel is located at 6411 South Desert Boulevard in El Paso.

MVEDA’s Partners are linked from MVEDA’s website and are listed in the on-line Business Resource Guide.

The new MVEDA office in the First Community Bank Tower was packed Wednesday evening for an open house and ribbon cutting.  MVEDA moved from its previous location to the new offices on the third floor of the bank in September thanks to a generous in-kind contribution from MVEDA’s “Double Platinum Partner” First Community Bank.

Photo by Fred Shepherd

Prior to the ribbon cutting, Board Chairman George Ruth (right) presented First Community Bank Senior Vice President Karen Bailey (center) with a small token of MVEDA’s appreciation for the bank’s generous support. Members of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce’s Conquistores and the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces performed a ribbon cutting ceremony and presented proclamations as a remembrance of the event.

The guests were treated with a great selection of appetizers from MVEDA Partner La Posta de Mesilla and MVEDA Partner Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces donated a gift certificate for a two-night stay, which was won by Robert Paquette of The Market Store.

Photo by Fred Shepherd

Photo by Fred Shepherd

Private sector funding from the businesses and organizations throughout the New Mexico Borderplex is a mainstay of MVEDA’s ability to continue in its mission of creating new employment opportunities for area residents. MVEDA is proud to announce four new Partners for the second quarter:  Action Equipment Rental; Gerald A. Martin, LTD; Ibarbo Consulting Group, LLC; and Sunland Nursery Company.

Action Equipment Rental is the largest independently-owned New Mexico rental equipment supplier. Joseph Muench and his management team have over 100 combined years of equipment rental experience.  Action Equipment Rental has a huge selection of the finest brand name rental equipment in their heavy equipment, construction machinery, power tools, and party and event equipment inventory.

Gerald A. Martin, LTD provides Owner’s Representative Program Management, Project Management, and Construction Management Services for a wide range of clientele that includes public and private agencies and organizations. Under the leadership of company President Fred Gorenz, Gerald Martin Construction is managing the construction locally of Spaceport America and the new Las Cruces high school.

Ibarbo Consulting Group, LLC is a minority-owned Limited Liability Company focused on improving people’s quality of life through business development and job creation.  President Peter R. Ibarbo formed the group to provide specialized business support services and business outreach. Associate members of the group include Tara Lucero and Armando Martinez.

Sunland Nursery Company provides all types of plants acclimated for the arid southwest and inter-mountain regions.  Their trade area includes Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Utah. They are located 5.5 miles south of Las Cruces, NM off Highway 478 at 620 W. Richardson Road. Lance Harkey is the general manager.

MVEDA’s Partners are linked from MVEDA’s website and are listed in the on-line Business Resource Guide.