Union Pacific, which recently began construction of an all-new rail facility outside Santa Teresa, announced a $100,000 donation to Doña Ana Community College as part of Las Cruces Day in Santa Fe during a press conference Monday, Jan. 30, at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe.

The donation, which Zoe Richmond, UP director of public affairs, said was given to DACC to use as the institution sees fit. However, the underlying message at the press conference was creating jobs to sustain UP’s new intermodal facility.

“Doña Ana Community College is excited to be the recipient of such generosity from Union Pacific,” said DACC President Margie Huerta. “We plan to use the funds for scholarships and workforce development to ensure our students have the knowledge needed to qualify for the jobs this new facility will bring to the region.”

There were several key players who helped make the donation a possibility, including Sens. Cynthia Nava and Mary Kay Papen, Rep. Mary Helen Garcia and New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Designate Jon Barela as well as Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance CEO Davin Lopez and Border Industrial Association Executive Director Jerry Pacheco and Juan Massey.

“Union Pacific and Doña Ana Community College is an example of a great private-public partnership,” Lopez said. “We are proud to be a part of this.”

“Right now, we are moving 4.1 million cubic yards of dirt,” Richmond said about developments in Santa Teresa. “We hope this donation strengthens our long-term commitment to southern New Mexico.”

As another part of Union Pacific’s commitment to grow New Mexico, Richmond said seven of the 10 subcontractors working on the project are from New Mexico, which translates to 66 percent of $40 million that has been spent in the Land of Enchantment. The intermodal facility is expected to be completed by 2015, bringing in 600 permanent high-paying jobs.

“The average employee will be making $100,000 in wages and benefits,” Richmond said. “We like to say where we have rails, we have ties.” Richmond said UP chose DACC as a recipient because “DACC is a neighbor” and she is looking forward to a good working relationship with the community college.

“Thank you for your generosity,” Huerta said during the press conference. “The Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce as well as many others have given their help and been so supportive – Davin Lopez, Jerry Pacheco, Juan Massey, (Rep.) Terry McMillan.

“Donations like this will have an immediate impact on southern New Mexico. Developing the workforce in southern New Mexico is critical, and this gift of $100,000 is a huge investment and will yield positive return. “In Doña Ana County, we work with a collaborative spirit to improve the community.”

Nava, former superintendent of Gadsden Independent School District, said the example set in southern New Mexico is remarkable. “The rest of the state should listen,” Nava said. “I fought to get Union Pacific here, and I will fight to hold them accountable to their promises. This check is a great start, and it is about jobs, economic development and the opportunity for students to succeed.”

To help bring UP to southern New Mexico, Gov. Susana Martinez signed into law in 2011 a bill granting Union Pacific a locomotive fuel tax deduction that allowed the company to move forward with an investment of $400 million in the construction of a 2,200-acre rail facility west of the Santa Teresa Airport, which will include fueling facilities, crew change buildings, locomotive inspection tracks, an intermodal ramp and a switching yard.

“This new facility will strengthen our long-term commitment to deliver premium service to our customers,” said Scott Moore, vice president of public affairs for Union Pacific. “Upon completion of this new infrastructure, New Mexico will take its place among the leaders in the goods movement industry.”

A key player in getting the locomotive fuel tax deduction bill passed was Barela. When the bill was passed, Barela called it “a cornerstone to creating jobs in southern New Mexico.”

“Doña Ana County has great potential and thank you to our great corporate neighbor – UP,” Barela said. “The facility is a solid anchor project on the entire Mexico border – all 2,000 miles of it.”

By Reyes Mata III

LAS CRUCES – Arrowhead Park Early College High School – an ambitious venture to slash dropout rates – heralded a major accomplishment during its ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday at its new campus.

“One hundred percent of the sophomore class progressed from ninth grade to 10th grade on time,” Principal Jennifer Amis told the crowd of about 450 people who gathered at the New Mexico State University-based high-school campus.

Some of the parents in the crowd who were cheering that announcement say they support the strong academic curriculum and zealous advancement of students that the new high school emphasizes.

Francisco Silva, a parent of a freshman, said the Arrowhead experience is keeping his son on track for a stable future. “He has all these options at Arrowhead High School that he would not have had somewhere else. The education is very intense.”  His wife, Rosa Maria Silva, said she was very pleased with her son’s experience so far, adding that “he will be ahead of the game if he stays here.”

Jose Garcia, secretary of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, took the podium and said the dismal dropout rate of the state’s children is unprecedented. “For the first time in New Mexico’s history, the older generation is better educated than the younger generation,” he said, citing census figures that show fewer New Mexicans are achieving degrees in higher education. “That’s not good and we need to do something about it.”

The state has traditionally “not done a good job of improving the dropout rates of high school and college,” he said, and added: “But this school has proven they can reduce dropout rates to zero.”

Using a public-private funding hybrid, Arrowhead Park Early College High School – which officials stated cost $82 million less than a comparable school construction project – is the future that some state officials want New Mexico schools to look like.

“Thank you for creating the picture of what this state needs,” said state Education Secretary Hanna Skandera. “We now have a perfect model, a literal model,” she said, adding that her advice to the state regarding reducing dropout rates would be: “Go down and take a look at Las Cruces – they delivered.”

Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Stan Rounds echoed the same sentiment: “This is a zero-dropout place,” he told the crowd. “More than 60 percent of these students are the first in their families to go to college. And, to date, not a single one has dropped out,” Rounds said in a statement prepared earlier.

A high-school degree at Arrowhead will also entail a college-level associate’s degree, clearing the way for a four-year degree from a university, said Barbara Couture, NMSU president. “That is progress, a seamless transition of a college education,” she said of the school.

The school – part of the LCPS system – opened in July 2010 at Dona Ana Community College. Last August it moved to NMSU’s eight-acre site. The school currently has 115 freshmen and 115 sophomores, administrators said. Next year, the school will accept an additional 125 students, then an extra 125 students will be accepted the following year to reach the 500-student capacity, said Gabriela Alaniz, dean of students, and Yolanda Juarez, office manager of the school.

Officials at the event credited the Bridge of Southern New Mexico with bringing the private and public sectors of the area together to create the innovative school.

Reyes Mata III can be reached at (575) 541-5405.

WRITER: Janet Perez, 575-646-4120, perezjm@nmsu.edu

CONTACT: Sara Sanders, 575-646-7036, npirayes@nmsu.edu

New name. New attitude.

That sums up the revamp of an annual small business and entrepreneur conference hosted by New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center.

Once called the Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Symposium, the name of the Nov. 4 half-day gathering has been changed to GROW: An Event for Entrepreneurs.

“We’re going to have different experts sit down with people one-on-one to talk about (a business’) specific problem,” said Sara Pirayesh Sanders, entrepreneurship director for the Arrowhead Center. “The intention is for it to be a working, very tangible event. People come in with a problem and they leave with resources. It’s targeted to those who want to start a business or who already may be in business.”

In past years, the setting was more formalized, with a panel onstage taking questions from the audience. This year, the audience will sit through a few presentations and then have the opportunity to stop at various stations and talk directly to the experts. For example, a small business owner who has designed her own brochure will be able to show her work to a marketing expert who will provide a constructive critique and advice.

Theresa Gonzales, vice president of RTD Hardware, was a panel participant last year and is enthusiastic about the GROW changes.

“Not many people asked questions last year, so there really wasn’t much interchange between the audience and us,” she said. “Less formal is always less intimidating for a lot of people. This will probably be a much easier way for people to ask questions. It would have made me more relaxed as well. I’m not really big on speaking in front of people. I prefer one-on-one.”

Despite running a business that has been operating in Las Cruces for 25 years, Gonzales said she is interested in attending GROW so she can learn more from the experts about social media and insurance issues.

“I can see myself sitting in front of an expert and asking questions for my business,” she said.

Among the speakers at the GROW event are Michael Rivera, state director of the New Mexico Small Business Development Center Network; Bill Allen, president and CEO of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce; and John Woosley, director of the New Mexico district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Chris Penner, director of the Arrowhead Technology Incubator, will give the luncheon keynote address. Penner will discuss his experiences as an entrepreneur. Garrey Carruthers, dean of the NMSU College of Business and vice president for economic development, will give the closing remarks.

For the one-on-one meetings, local experts will be on hand to help small business owners and budding entrepreneurs in a variety of fields such as Web design, marketing, commercial lending, taxes, insurance, information technology and international trade.

In addition to getting free advice from the experts, GROW attendees also will receive a jump drive that has templates, instructions, guidelines, checklists, information on how to open a Facebook account and more, Sanders said.

Along with the Arrowhead Center, GROW is sponsored by the Dona Aña Community College Small Business Development Center and the New Mexico Procurement and Technical Assistance Program.

Peter Ibarbo, president of the Ibarbo Consulting Group in Las Cruces, said small businesses in the area have many resources available to them, but the Arrowhead Center fills a special and needed niche.

“The Arrowhead Center provides a specific, technology-focused type of business incubation,” he said. “I think it is very critical to the economy to attract companies that require that connection with the university to provide them with research and with space.”

GROW: An Event for Entrepreneurs takes place from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Nov. 4, at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road. The cost is $49 to the public and $35.50 for students. For more information and to register, visit Grow2011.eventbrite.com.

Las Cruces Bulletin photo by Samantha Roberts

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Samantha Roberts

You have to see it to believe it. The research on algae biofuel at Sapphire Energy could change the world, literally. Research and development measures at the compound could lead to replacing millions of gallons of transportation fuel a year with pond scum.  Currently, New Mexico is a leader in the world in terms of algae-based production because of its environmental conditions.

“Algae like the hot weather and lots of sunshine,” said Tim Zenk, vice president of corporate affairs for Sapphire Energy. “It even likes the slightly cooler temperatures during a New Mexico winter.”

“Algae also like brackish water,” said Denise Gitsham, Sapphire’s director of corporate affairs and legislative council. “Southern New Mexico has an abundance of salty water perfect for algae growth. And we are only using land that can’t be used for other purposes. We are not competing for drinking water or agricultural land. “We are creating the first above-ground renewable oil field.”

These reasons have led Sapphire Energy to name Las Cruces as its research and development facility, a component that will remain when the Columbus, N.M., site, which is currently under construction, is completed. Sapphire Energy started in 2007. The company has 155 employees across three facilities and more than 50 employees in Las Cruces.

“Sapphire purchased 10 acres at market value and promised to invest $6 million and create 30 jobs in three years,” said Christine Logan, economic development administrator for the City of Las Cruces. “In exchange, the city made 90 acres available at no cost. Sapphire surpassed their (promise) short of a year and a half.”

Las Cruces serves as a testing and development center, operating plot farms. The area is small in comparison to commercialization of the algae product and what will be done in Columbus but large by world standards, Zenk said. “We understand the business principles to make commercialized algae biofuel successful,” Zenk said. “We know we have to be concerned about crop protection, (fuel) extraction and crop yield as well as the biology and engineering behind the process. “Historically, 99 percent of crude oil has come from diatoms and algae. If Mother Nature can do this naturally, then so can we in petri dishes. And then take that to small ponds, to large ponds and to commercialization.”

Currently, the Las Cruces facility is operating at four different levels – petri dishes, small ponds, runway ponds and large ponds. The Columbus facility will have more large ponds connected back to back. “Our (final) goal is to produce 5,000 gallons of oil per acre per year,” said Bryn Davis, New Mexico operations manager.

Once the biofuel is capable of being produced on a large scale, Zenk said Sapphire’s initial target client will be the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). “The DOD has led the way for every energy change,” Zenk said. “There is strategic planning going on right now for the next (energy) transition. There will be an opportunity to be at the forefront of this technology, and a big proposal will soon be released by the U.S. Navy asking for large scale efforts to supply biofuels.”

The Navy is going to look at communities with the technology and the community support. They don’t want to push a technology on a community that doesn’t want it. Therefore, it is very important for the Las Cruces community and southern New Mexico to rally around our efforts and see the benefits for all sectors.”

Zenk said the request for information was due at the end of September. “The (request for proposal) will be released around the beginning of next year,” he said.

The Columbus site is expected to open by the spring or summer of 2012 with 100 acres and will spread over 300 acres upon final completion in 2015. Columbus is expected to produce 100 million gallons of diesel fuel per year. At phase three, the Columbus site will be a demonstration facility that Sapphire hopes to use as an example, attracting investors.

“At that scale, the site will demonstrate operations for a larger facility,” Davis said. Davis said there is little time to talk about algae because developments are happening so quickly. “We are competing with other nations,” he said. “When we broke ground in Las Cruces, I was already shopping for the land in Columbus. We have to think about the next step because there is not a lot of time.”

“China’s No. 1 objective is to develop a new source of energy,” Zenk said. “It is us versus them. We can fight over energy or develop a new source. It is the only hope for our military.”

New Mexico State University also has a large role to play in Sapphire’s success.

“Our goal is to create a center of excellence with advanced biofuels,” said City Councilor Nathan Small.

Currently, more than $15 million has been invested into the Las Cruces community, and Sapphire Energy has hired more than 50 people – many NMSU and Doña Ana Community College graduates – for the Las Cruces facility. Spin-off business will also be created through growth of Sapphire and commercialization of the algae biofuel.

“We use a large amount of CO2,” Zenk said. “To produce one gallon of algae fuel, we use about 20 to 25 pounds of CO2. Finding a consistent source of carbon dioxide is crucial. The pipeline in Lea County is very valuable to us. I can also see a business in managing CO2.”

Gitsham said she expects to see more graduates of NMSU and DACC staying in southern New Mexico as a result of the work at Sapphire.

“We are still at the dawn of the algae business,” Zenk said. “The biology is only four years old, and there is still a lot more ahead of us. If someone told you they knew everything about algae biology, they are probably lying.”

SANTA FE—The New Mexico Film Office today announced a series of Town Hall meetings scheduled to take place across the state, beginning with Southern New Mexico in October.  Director Nick Maniatis will discuss the state of the New Mexico film industry – including an update about 2011 legislation, the outlook going forward, and opportunities and training available to New Mexicans.  The meetings are also intended to provide an open forum for the new Director to learn about educational programs, film related businesses, and issues of concern for each community.  The Town Halls are free and open to all, including students, local filmmakers, businesses and the general public.

The first three Town Hall meetings will take place October 17, 18 and 19 in Las Cruces, Ruidoso and Roswell, respectively.  The New Mexico Film Office will take questions from the audience and will collaborate with local chambers of commerce and schools in conducting these events.

“We are working to make sure that New Mexicans across the state have a chance to be a part of this exciting and growing industry,” said Nick Maniatis, Director of the New Mexico Film Office.  “Through these town halls, we are reaching out to residents around New Mexico to create a dialogue about how we can help each other in representing our communities.”

The first series of these meetings will take place as follows:

LAS CRUCES: Monday, October 17th – 6:30pm

Doña Ana Community College Auditorium

2800 N. Sonoma Ranch Blvd, Las Cruces, NM 880012

Contact: Matthew Byrnes at mbyrnes@nmsu.edu

RUIDOSO: Tuesday, October 18th – 6:30pm

Spencer Theatre

108 Spencer Rd., Alto, NM 88312

(575) 336-4800

Contact: Dirk Norris at dirk@dirknorris.com

ROSWELL: Wednesday, October 19th – 5:30pm

 Roswell Chamber of Commerce

131 West 2nd Street, Roswell, NM 88201-4703

Contact: Kathleen Curtis at kathleen@roswellnm.org | (575) 623-5695

“We have a strong and vibrant independent film industry throughout the state, with a top-notch digital media circuit in Southern New Mexico.  We look forward to learning more about their work and supporting their efforts in any way we can,” said Trish Lopez of the NM Film Office.

There is no RSVP necessary to attend any of the Town Hall meetings and the NM Film Office encourages the surrounding communities to come out and participate in the discussion.  The expected time frame for each is approximately two hours with Q&A.  Future Town Hall meetings will be scheduled in other cities in early 2012.  The New Mexico Film Office conducts regular visits to communities across New Mexico each year during conferences, seminars, and as part of its annual tour of winning films through its NM Filmmakers Showcases.

For more information on the 2011 Film Industry Town Hall meetings and other NM Film Office announcements, please visit www.nmfilm.com or call (505) 476-5611.

By Samantha Roberts

When typing “New Mexico green” into a search engine, the first things to come up are websites on green chile. However, the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce is looking to make another green just as popular – green building, green businesses and green living.

New Mexico has been rated second best of the 50 states for solar power potential; behind Arizona however, in regard to capitalizing on this usage, the state falls next to last. To address this dilemma, the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce is hosting a green conference, targeting businesses that are interested in sustainability practices and to help educate the public.

“Renewable energy and clean technology is a growing industry that will directly benefit southern New Mexico and more broadly,” said New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce CEO Allan Oliver in regard to having the chamber’s upcoming Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Conference in Downtown Las Cruces. “We are not talking about urban areas or just Albuquerque. This technology will change all of New Mexico. We want to help showcase the benefits that can be accrued and job creation across the state.”

The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main St.

“We are thrilled to hold the event in Las Cruces, especially in Downtown and at the Rio Grande Theatre,” said Elisa Cundiff, executive director of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce. “Some of the people coming don’t make it to southern New Mexico very often, so we are excited to show them what we have.”  Cundiff said she is especially excited about some of the companies making an appearance at the conference, such as Intel, EMCORE Corp., CFV Solar Test Laboratory Inc. and many more. “These are incredible companies,” she said. “CFV is the leading research testing lab in the world.”

Oliver said the New Mexico Green Chamber is also attracted to the southern part of the state because of the supportive companies in the area. “Southern New Mexico has a lot of land and some great solar distributors,” he said. “There is a strong, vibrant Las Cruces chapter that is well-connected into the community and we wanted to make this a community-based event. That is why we chose Downtown, it’s the heart of a community.”

Oliver said he would like to see 150 people at the conference, and it’s looking to strong leaders to draw people in to the green issues. “If you are looking for who is helping lead the state, the advances at Sapphire Energy cannot go unnoticed,” he said. “New Mexico State University is very strong and there are great solar installers, such as Sunspot Solar Energy and Positive Solar Energy. There was just a really good rationale for having this event in Las Cruces, and we hope people come out and take advantage of the opportunity.”

Cundiff said the conference will consist of two events – an outdoor green business expo and the indoor panel discussions. “There will be 20 ‘vendors’ outside,” Cundiff said. “For example, Doña Ana Community College will be there to talk about renewable energy education. We want the event to be very interactive and fun.”

Also making an appearance at the conference will be the New Mexico Workforce Development green jobs bus. Feature speakers from Intel, EMCORE and 20 more expert panelists from industry, government, and research centers will also be in attendance.

“We encourage anyone or any business interested in making a switch to greener solutions or wanting to know more to come,” Cundiff said. “There will be a panel of all local business owners who have made the switch to green and will talk about how they are making money in the niche market.”

“This is a great opportunity for networking with like-minded people,” Oliver said.

Cundiff said conferences, such as this one, will help make New Mexico a leader in green technology and research. “We have some of the greatest labs right here,” she said, “but as soon as the technology is developed, the programs are sold and developed in the Silicon Valley. I want to move them back to New Mexico.”

Cundiff said part of this problem is also in politics, and a panel, including state Sen. Steve Fischmann, will also be there Sept. 30 to discuss what needs to happen. “Public land is an on-going issue,” Cundiff said. “We want to make sure we address that, too.”

“I am especially excited about Allen Gilbert, the keynote speaker for the event,” Oliver said. Gilbert is the U.S. Department of Interior Senior Advisor for the Rocky Mountains and Southwest and will speak about the renewable energy on public land the potential impact on southern New Mexico.  “This is still a tough time for the economy, but southern New Mexico has seen rapid growth,” Oliver said. “(The conference) is a great opportunity to hear from some of the best minds in the state focused on the audience as well as business experts from academics and national labs. This is the opportunity to hear directly from them.”

Tickets for the conference are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, visit www.nmgreenchamber.com.

By Samantha Roberts

On Friday, Sept. 16, a common topic of discussion was addressed at the White House – jobs. But participants of the discussion were not as common; instead, they were “Champions of Change,” selected members of the southwest handpicked to talk about the status of jobs. Among those champions was Las Crucen John Muñoz, site director of Las Cruces Sitel and president of the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces. Muñoz was nominated by Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima to be selected as a Champion of Change.

“Being nominated by Mayor Miyagishima in a pool of many other talented business leaders here and across the southwest and then being recognized as a handful of Champion of Change and finding out that the interview I did in DC with Fox TV had over 130,000 audience views has my head spinning,” Muñoz said. “Friends and colleagues around the U.S. have called or written saying he saw an article or an interview. I am amazed at the support and well-wishes.”

Muñoz said a plethora of emotions were running through him. “I was scared and surprised, but mostly honored,” Muñoz said. “The real folks that deserve the recognition are the staff members at Sitel – my Sitel family – board members of the Hispano chamber and members of the community.”

At the White House, Muñoz and other champions from San Diego to Laredo, Texas, met with various members of the Obama administration to highlight some of the good things that were happening in the Southwest border region.

“A few initiatives in Las Cruces really caught interest in the White House,” Muñoz said. “Events such as the Reverse Trade Mission and the Small Business Lending Fair, they saw these as new and innovative initiatives that were pushing job creation and sustainability. “It was an incredible experience to share economic development best practices with administration officials and with a handful of leaders from the Southwest.”

Another attention-getter in Washington, D.C., has been the Hispano chamber’s website, bi-monthly publication El Próspero and TV show – the BNC that aims to promote local businesses and nonprofits.

Though Muñoz said he was interested in programs going on in other parts of the country, such as work with San Diego school systems, he said he was especially proud to share the work being done in southern New Mexico.

“I think North America does almost $1 billion a day in trade with Mexico,” Muñoz said. “It makes sense that we leverage this to the benefit of southern New Mexico and find cutting edge ways to be more competitive. There is so much more to this emerging area of our country. Partners such as Doña Ana Community College, The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, The Bridge of Southern New Mexico and Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance have been great resources to Sitel and to the Hispano Chamber. Beyond that, our community has been our bedrock. Sitel remains active in our community because we have been given so much.”

As another topic of discussion, Muñoz said he was able to go into detail about the growth at Sitel and the company’s contribution to job growth. “Sitel focuses on optimal results and strong customer service,” he said. “And because of the hard work, results and consistently high quality, we have produced in Las Cruces we have been able to grow into new ventures and new jobs.”

Since March, Muñoz said the company has promoted more than a dozen local Sitel employees to leadership and support positions as well as hire more than 100 new people.

“And we are not done yet,” Muñoz added. “I have seen new entrants to the workplace; single parents and second and third career employees learn life and business skills over the past five years. Since we employ hundreds of people, I get a bird’s-eye view of the mosaic of people from all walks of life and ages.”

In addition to the economics of the discussion, Muñoz said he was also proud to talk about the natural benefits Las Cruces has to offer, such as the Organ Mountains and sunny skies. “Pristine wild lands, our majestic mountains, great weather and friendly Southwest hospitality make this a great region to do business, to live and to raise a family,” Muñoz said. “In the midst of hard times, there is still a frontier, can-do attitude not waiting for things to get better or to happen. Instead, New Mexicans are making things happen.”

As for the future of southern New Mexico, Muñoz said he is hopeful the unemployed can find work. “Putting Americans back to work is critical – it’s job No. 1. We can work with our community leaders and with the Hispano Chamber and other partners and our local businesses to make this happen. In the sessions, we would able to identify some potential resources, which may help us create additional jobs in southern New Mexico. Entrepreneurs and business people by design or, by choice, make things happen.”

The Small Business Development Center of New Mexico has developed a program with exports as its focus, making available international trade counselors and an abundance of resources for those looking to start up business with Mexico.

Working as a nonprofit, SBDC is spread throughout the state with 20 locations serving New Mexican business owners and entrepreneurs.

The new program – Gateway to Exporting: Your Key to International Markets – is being spearheaded by Flo Dow, as­sistant director for marketing and professional development at the New Mexico SBDC, and is aimed at developing New Mexi­co’s small businesses and increasing their capabilities to export products and services to Mexico’s maquiladora industry.

“We are trying to let people know this program is up and running,” she said. “We received a federal grant in January for $325,000 and spent the first six months getting things sorted out. Now, we are ready to go.”

As part of the program, the SBDC has designated five team members as international trade consultants and one of them is in Las Cruces.

Fred Owensby, director of the Las Cruces SBDC, will serve as the consultant for southern New Mexico.

“I will be covering all of the south, from Hobbs, N.M., to Silver City, N.M.,” Owensby said. “We hope to bring people in and get their initial questions answered. Then from there, they could work with someone like the (International Business Ac­celerator) to advance further with doing business across the border.”

Another service the program offers is a database, connecting buyers with suppliers, which can be found at www.nmiba.com/ gateway.

The site will also be posting webinars that cover issues such as international business planning, finance, logistics, marketing identification and secure commerce, Dow said.

“We will be very proactive in identifying people and compa­nies that are interested in international business,” she added.

The services being offered are free and open to anyone.

“Anyone and everyone who has the right product,” she said, adding that the international consultants are available if some­one is trying to determine if they “have the right product.”

“They can contact the office and we will do a one-on-one in­terview,” Owensby added. “We will have that conversation and help people figure it out.”

Since safety in Mexico is still of high concern, Owensby said this program provides an alternative to traveling across the bor­der for business.

“We have strong connections with people who are already down there and are willing to help,” he said. “There are two con­sultants in Juárez in the community doing the legwork who are familiar with the industry.”

“We are making in-country connections,” said Bill Dobricky, senior procurement adviser for the Procurement Technical As­sistance Program, a division of the SBDC that assists companies in doing business with the government.

Though the grant will expire two years from its inception, Dow said this is a good start to a program the center hopes to continue.

“We hope to have great success and create a model that will put us in a position for more funds in the future,” she said. “We also hope that this will help people to understand the value of the SBDC. We are providing these services and your tax dollars are at work.”

Also as part of the New Mexico SBDC, additional free work­shops will be held at Doña Ana Community College from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursdays, Sept. 8, Oct. 6, Nov. 10 and Dec. 8.

Workshop participants are invited to make an appointment for individual assistance. To make arrangements with an SBDC representative after any workshop, call 527-7676.

For more information on SBDC or the Procurement Techni­cal Assistance Program, visit www.nmsbdc.org.

By Diana M. Alba

 SANTA TERESA, N.M. – Amid a backdrop of national uncertainty about the economy, a slate of New Mexico’s top elected officials Monday heralded the growth that could originate with a new $400 million Union Pacific project in Santa Teresa.

Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and three of the state’s five congressional representatives – U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Jeff Bingaman, Democrats, and Rep. Steve Pearce, Republican – were on hand to mark the start of construction on a new rail yard and intermodal facility, along the international border.

Bingaman noted he doesn’t attend nearly as many groundbreaking ceremonies these days as he once did, acknowledging the country’s economic situation in recent years. Even so, he seemed optimistic.

“Union Pacific deserves great credit for reminding us, with the investment they’re now making today and the work they’re beginning today, that the economy of this country is going to come roaring back, and they’re going to be ready when it does come roaring back,” he said to a crowd gathered just south of a Santa Teresa industrial park.

The facility, expected to take four years to build, will create some 3,000 construction jobs over a four-year construction schedule, officials said. Some 600 permanent jobs would be created, once operations start.

The facility would serve as a place to refuel locomotives and transfer shipping containers from trucks to rail and vice versa. Union Pacific officials said it will serve as focal point for products being shipped to both the East and West coasts.

Martinez said the southern New Mexico region is ripe for economic growth along the international border, but the state hasn’t taken advantage of that in past years.

“New Mexico has not made the most of its strategic positioning in the region, and that changes today,” she said.

The company awarded 65 percent of its first wave of contracts to local companies and is making a commitment to continue that investment, said Jim Young, chairman and CEO of Union Pacific. Also, it’s working with Dona Ana Community College to make sure residents are trained to work at the facility when it’s done.

“We will do everything we can to hire local,” he said.

In the distance, two Union Pacific locomotives and a tailing train were positioned strategically behind officials, as they addressed the crowd of dignitaries and businessmen.

Instead of the stereotypical groundbreaking with shovels and hard hats, officials signed their names into wet concrete blocks, which a Union Pacific official said will eventually be incorporated into the rail hub.

“We’ll have a wall that will enshrine the folks who are here today kicking off this project in a way that will stay with this facility throughout its life,” said Bob Turner, Union Pacific senior vice president, corporate relations.

Attendee Victoria Perea of El Paso, who retired from El Paso Electric Co. as an economic development liaison, said talk of the rail hub has been in the pipeline for years, but the project is finally materializing. She credited the governor, who she also said is a longtime friend.

“Economic development happens over time,” said Perea, a La Mesa native. “I believe there’s a lot of potential, but the potential is in the future.”

Pearce said in a statement he’s promoted the project since 2005 and is “happy to see this work coming to fruition in the form of jobs for New Mexico.”

“New jobs are the key to economic security, which is why I have made jobs my top priority in Congress,” he said.

Udall, too, highlighted the jobs that will result.

“The best thing is the good news of growing jobs here in New Mexico, which is what we need to do in Washington,” he said. “It’s what we need to do at the local level, because that’s what people want right now.”

The facility will be 11.5 miles long and one mile wide and entail 26 buildings and 200 miles of railroad track, according to a Union Pacific news release.

Monday’s gathering was reminiscent of one in October 2006 in Santa Teresa, when Union Pacific officials said construction on the hub could have started in 2008, if a key train fuel tax break were granted by the Legislature. The project never started.

What put the project on hold in recent years was the national economy, said Aaron Hunt, director of corporate relations and media for Union Pacific. But Hunt said the company certainly is moving forward now.

“We’re in it for the long-haul at this point,” he said.

Diana M. Alba can be reached at (575) 541-5443

As part of MVEDA’s “Business Connection Series”, New Mexico Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Jon Barela will join economic development representatives from throughout the area and meet with residents to discuss initiatives to create jobs for New Mexicans and to identify ways to provide employment and growth opportunities for small businesses. The Las Cruces town hall will be held on Wednesday, August 3 from 3:00 – 5:30 p.m. at the Dona Ana Community College Workforce Development Center, 2345 E. Nevada.

The meetings will include an introduction by Secretary Barela, presentations by selected panel members and a public comment/input portion. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The information and feedback gathered from these meetings will be taken into consideration for a job creation bill for the 2012 Legislative Session. The goal of this job creation bill is to make New Mexico competitive when it comes to local, national and international job recruitment, retention and expansion.