Platinum Sponsor

The Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (MVEDA)  and El Paso Electric will host the annual MVEDA Regional Economic Development Forum on Friday, June 7, 2013, at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, 705 S. Telshor.  The event will bring together an impressive list of speakers who will address current trends and influential factors that impact ability to attract and support qualified employers to the Borderplex in an international economic market.

Issues critical to site selection decision making will be explored by leading national consultants ranging from incentives and financing to tax policy and workforce readiness.  Featured speakers and panelists include:

• Evan Rice, General Counsel for Hickey & Associates, who will discuss creative financing and the opportunities it presents in developing a stronger economy
• Richard Anklam, President of the New Mexico Tax Research Institute, will discuss state tax policies and their impact on job creation
• Branka Minic, Senior Consultant for the Future Work Consortium, will discuss the impact of a well trained workforce on a community’s ability to compete in a global economy.

Available on Amazon

The event’s keynote speaker is Dr. Ron Pollina, Geo-Economist and President of Pollina Corporate Real Estate. Dr. Pollina is the author of “Selling Out a Superpower; Where the US Economy Went Wrong and How we can Turn it Around Again”.  His firm publishes the annual “Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States” which provides a state by state competitiveness report card and is often cited in leading industry magazines and major publications. 

The Forum will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end no later than 2:00 p.m. Early bird registration (before May 29) is $35.00 per person and includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Registration fees may be paid by major credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Amex, and Discover) via the PayPal portal on the registration form or by check received in advance.  All attendees must be pre-registered and pre-paid. No tickets will be sold at the door and no registrations will be accepted after June 3.

Register Now!

For more information call the MVEDA office at (575) 525-2852.

The event took a unique, regional approach and viewpoint of economic conditions affecting different sectors of commercial real estate. And although two markets were represented, the growth in retail and medical sectors as well as challenges of downtown developments, were common denominators expressed by each presenter. Over eighty (80) MVEDA partners and stakeholders attended the event. For those who missed it, copies of the presentations are linked below.

The Business in the Borderplex Luncheon is a monthly event, held the first Tuesday of each month. Meeting notices are posted here on the MVEDA “News” page and sent via email to our subscribers. If you’re not on the subscriber list and want to be included, you may join using the “Join Our Mailing List” icon on the “Contact” page.

Steinborn Presentation

NAI Presentation

MIMCO Presentation

The development of the program stemmed from the State Small Business Credit Initiative. The program has deployed about $5M to date, leaving approximately $8.5M in financing available to New Mexico small businesses

The Collateral Support Loan Participation Program Allows the New Mexico Finance Authority to:     

•    Partner directly with banks to provide capital to creditworthy businesses
•    Create or retain jobs to efficiently lower the interest rate paid by the business
•    Mitigate the bank’s risk by purchasing a portion of the bank’s loan

The New Mexico Finance Authority administers these funds on behalf of the state and is able to partner directly with banks to provide capital to creditworthy businesses seeking to expand, create or retain jobs. The funding can be a quick process, needing only the banks application completed by the borrower.

How it works:   

•     The application for the Collateral Support Loan Participation Program is submitted by the bank on behalf of the businesses
•     No program fees to the borrower
•     Ability for subordinated collateral position
•     The loan can be used for start-up costs, working capital, business & commercial real estate acquisitions, franchise financing, equipment loans, inventory financing and construction
•     Collateral enhancement program for loans by lenders – no competition to statewide lenders or financial institutions

For more information about the Collateral Support Loan Participation Program please contact:

Antoinette Vigil, Finance Development Team Leader,
New Mexico Economic Development Department
Tel: 505.827.0264 or antoinette.vigil@state.nm.us

Juan Torres, Finance Development Specialist,
New Mexico Economic Development Department
Tel: 505.827.0238 or juan.torres@state.nm.us

John Brooks, Director of Commercial Lending,
New Mexico Finance Authority
Tel: 505.984.1454 or jbrooks@nmfa.net

“I am thrilled that SpaceX has chosen to make New Mexico its home, bringing their revolutionary “Grasshopper” rocket and new jobs with them,” Governor Martinez said today. “We’ve done a lot of work to level the playing field so we can compete in the space industry. This is just the first step in broadening the base out at the Spaceport and securing even more tenants. I’m proud to welcome SpaceX to New Mexico.”

SpaceX has completed its first series of successful, low-altitude tests of the “Grasshopper” vehicle in McGregor, Texas and is proceeding to the next phase of development that includes testing in New Mexico. With Grasshopper, SpaceX engineers are creating technology that will enable a rocket to return to the launch pad intact for a vertical landing, rather than burning up upon reentry in the Earth’s atmosphere.

SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said, “Spaceport America offers us the physical and regulatory landscape needed to complete the next phase of Grasshopper testing. We are pleased to expand our reusable rocket development infrastructure to New Mexico.”

The New Mexico Spaceport Authority has been readying the world’s first purpose-built, commercial spaceport specifically for leading-edge programs like Grasshopper.

Christine Anderson, the NMSA Executive Director, said, “We are excited that SpaceX is coming to Spaceport America, where our first-class service will empower them to focus their full attention on their mission.”

This month’s speaker will be Ms. Renee Palacios from Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies.  Renee will discuss a brief history of 3D Solid Printing, the top technologies in the market and the industries best served by this technology.  Renee will have some sample items, provide a live demonstration and will discuss various printer size capabilities and purchase and operational support costs.

HTC membership meetings are open to the public and free.  Anyone interested in growing high technology in southern New Mexico is encouraged to attend.  For more information call Terry Jack at 575-522-3868.

We awarded a contract to R-CON Construction Inc. of Las Cruces for the Spaceport Operations Center (SOC) fit-out.  The SOC is the facility that will house the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) staff as well as all of the support contractors.  Once completed, we can occupy the building. We have completed much of the Visitor Experience design work and provided the NMSA Board of Directors an overview at the last Board meeting which can be viewed on our website. The project is becoming more real and we think our visitors will really enjoy visiting the spaceport (even more) once it is completed in the summer of 2014. Read more…

The Albuquerque-based environmental science and planning firm, Marron and Associates, opened a satellite office in Las Cruces at Arrowhead’s technology incubator on the NMSU campus earlier this year. The office opened on Jan. 2, but an official ribbon cutting is scheduled for May 7 at 4 p.m. at the incubator.

“We had done enough market research on our end that we knew Las Cruces was a good fit and we knew we were going to start with just one person and add resource staff at such time as it made sense,” said Shelly Herbst, president and CEO of Marron and Associates.

Herbst already had hired her Las Cruces employee, NMSU alumna Hilary Brinegar, and the two set about looking for office space. “We did that for about six hours one day and the Arrowhead Center was actually our last stop of the day,” Herbst said. “It just seemed to be the best fit for us cost-wise and otherwise. When you look at all the economic factors, it was a pretty easy decision to make to be at the Arrowhead Center.”

Marron and Associates was founded by Herbst’s father in the late 1980s. Over the years, one of the company’s largest clients has become the New Mexico Department of Transportation. Increasingly, Marron and Associates began doing more work for the department in southern New Mexico, which opened up possibilities to market to other industries in the area.

“The Department of Transportation is a big client of ours and their District One office is in Deming and their South Regional Design Division is in Las Cruces,” Herbst said. “We’re currently working on two projects in Las Cruces and have a lot of work, not just in Doña Ana County, but also in the southeast part of the state. Having this satellite office will help facilitate all of our projects in the southern part of New Mexico.”

Some of the agencies Marron and Associates coordinates with include the New Mexico State Land Office, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.  By having an office in Las Cruces, Herbst said the company could better service the clients it has and market itself along the border, especially to organizations such as the International Boundary and Water Commission. That’s where Brinegar and her connections come into play. Brinegar worked for six years as a water and natural resource policy specialist for the New Mexico Department of Agriculture.

“The Paso del Norte border region has so much going on at any given time,” Brinegar said. “With the connections I have with different water and natural resource-based groups, I’m well-positioned to market Marron’s services to southern New Mexico and the border region.”

The Arrowhead Center also is an ideal place for Marron and Associates’ first office in southern New Mexico. It supplies affordable office space in a cost-effective and professional environment. It also provides the company with connections to NMSU activities and faculty.

Equally important to Herbst is that Arrowhead also provides her first Las Cruces employee with a strong support network. “The environment of the incubator is interesting for me,” Brinegar said. “I am surrounded by Arrowhead staff and other entrepreneurs, which creates a synergistic energy for me as a startup. As I work my way into the private sector, incubator staff has been very supportive.”

Fostering that kind of cooperation has been a valuable byproduct of the incubator, said Zetdi Runyan Sloan, program manager at the Arrowhead Technology Incubator. “That collaborative environment, combined with a supportive business community, makes the incubator a perfect place for both expanding companies and entrepreneurs,” Sloan said. “Having another company in the environmental industry at Arrowhead allows us to build an even broader network, and encourages cross-collaboration amongst incubator clients in this field.”

For Herbst, Marron and Associates’ Arrowhead office is just the first step in its quest to grow in southern New Mexico. “Our goal is to grow the Las Cruces office to include biological and cultural resource staff, at least to begin with. As we hopefully grow, we will add additional staff to meet our clients’ needs,” Herbst said. “Eventually, I would like to see at least five or six staff at the office, enabling us to provide all services from this office.”

For more information about the May 7 ribbon cutting, please contact Hilary Brinegar at hbrinegar@marroninc.com.

While applications are accepted on an ongoing basis, applications completed by May 21 will be considered first. Consideration for the program is based on resources available to provide assistance.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for businesses to receive help from the diverse and well-qualified team at Arrowhead Center,” said Jason Koenig, Launch director at Arrowhead Center. “Services are tailored to address the unique challenges businesses encounter.”

“Arrowhead Center utilizes highly engaged Graduate Student Innovation Teams and the Arrowhead Innovation Network, which links businesses to a network of researchers, government agencies, investors, entrepreneurs and economic development specialists,” Koenig said. “Student teams vet technologies, uncover areas of market potential and develop strong and viable research. This proactive collaboration expedites the movement of ideas to market and provides directed learning opportunities for students.”

Those interested can find the business assistance form at http://arrowheadcenter.nmsu.edu/. Forms should be submitted to Koenig at jkoenig@ad.nmsu.edu. For questions, call 575-646-5398.

The meeting will feature local commercial real estate brokers and developers addressing trends that are impacting economic development and growth in both Las Cruces and El Paso. Featured speakers include Kary Bulsterbaum, Steinborn/TCN Commercial Real Estate, Jake Redfearn, NAI 1^st Valley Commercial Real Estate and Robert Ayoub, MIMCO, Inc.

Kary Bulsterbaum is an Associate Broker at Steinborn/TCN Commercial Real Estate and is an active member of the Grady Oxford commercial team. He has over 12+ years of brokerage and industry related experience. In recent years Kary has completed multiple federal, state, and local transactions related to leasing, disposition, and acquisition. He has also been actively involved in numerous recent downtown sales & leases and hopes this will be a growing trend. 

Jake Redfearn specializes in retail and investment properties. He has worked with and represents national companies such as Church’s Chicken, US Bank, CVS and others. Jake handles leasing responsibility for three of the largest retail centers in Las Cruces, New Mexico and participated in $7M+ in real estate transactions in 2012.

Robert Ayoub is the President of MIMCO, Inc., a commercial real estate management and investment firm headquartered in El Paso. He has specialized in commercial development, leasing, and sales and has been actively involved in the commercial real estate market. MIMCO owns and manages a number of properties in Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico.

Luncheon cost is $20.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public. A large turnout is expected so reservations are required. Please confirm your attendance by Thursday, May 2^nd by clicking on the link below.

Santa Teresa Southern Railroad, which hosted the event, installed 2.5 miles of new track adjacent to the Union Pacific track and constructed a new terminal. Their service is much-needed to attract manufacturing and logistics companies and is an integral part of Santa Teresa’s future growth. Operated by Ironhorse, Governor Martinez welcomed the company and its 12 new jobs to Santa Teresa last September. Additionally, Governor Martinez announced that two existing Santa Teresa companies – Southwest Steel Coil and Mallory Metals, which are undergoing a 35,000 sq.ft. and 20,000 sq.ft facility expansion, respectively –  are each adding 20 jobs.

“Earlier this year, my administration and members of the legislature were not only able to improve the state’s tax competitiveness, but we also invested in critical infrastructure needs that will help Santa Teresa and New Mexico grow in a way that creates new jobs,” said Governor Martinez. “Today’s announcement is especially exciting because we are seeing economic expansion happening right now along our southern border, but we’re also making investments that will yield hundreds of new jobs in the future.”

The governor reported nearly $5 million will be allocated to upgrade the Santa Teresa water and wastewater system to accommodate new growth in the region. The governor appropriated $3.2 million, legislators $600,000, and the Economic Development Department contributed $955,762 in funding from its Local Economic Development Act program for the improvements. 

Another $350,000 in capital funding was appropriated for the construction of the Santa Teresa Port Access Road dedicated to routing northbound shipments from Mexico through New Mexico. This road will encourage international commerce and will help attract more logistics, manufacturing and warehousing operations. It will be the second-of-its-kind along the U.S.-Mexico Border that implements a unique Customs and Border Protection program to clear customs on the Mexican side of the border for northbound shipments.

“Our strategy for building up the Santa Teresa region means that New Mexico will benefit from growing trade and development on both sides of the border,” added Economic Development Department Secretary Jon Barela. “The jobs in these industries are well-paying and are good economic base jobs that have a positive impact on the state’s economy.” 

In addition to the new projects, a $5 million water plant in Santa Teresa was recently completed. It will provide 2 million gallons of water storage in addition to treating water for users in the industrial park.

Verde Realty was also on hand to discuss the recently-launched second phase of its $1.8 million dollar expansion to Verde Logistics Park. Construction includes street, drainage, and utility improvements.  This project will add 12 new industrial lots, totaling approximately 82 acres of land immediately adjacent to the existing rail-served industrial park. Construction is expected to be completed by October 2013.