Mission of Mercy is a New Mexico Dental Foundation sponsored event. During the two day event, dental professionals and passionate volunteers come together to help provide dental care for the underserved population in our state. It is a first come, first served clinic where all are welcome. This clinic is for low- or no-income New Mexicans who cannot pay for dental care.

In 2010, the inaugural NM MOM was held in Albuquerque, NM and it was a huge success. A total of 1.3 million dollars in dental services was donated. This event pulled together 1,700 volunteers who served over 2,200 New Mexico residents and performed 8,724 procedures. The 2010 MOM event was the single largest charitable event in New Mexico history. The New Mexico Dental Foundation will be sponsoring the second event here in New Mexico in Las Cruces with the help of the Las Cruces community. The Foundation is an important new player on the public health scene in our state.

With Virgin Galactic developing its spaceliner and new launch testing at Spaceport America, the first jobs created by the spaceport are coming, members of a panel said.  At the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce community update forum Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Doña Ana County Government Center, Wayne Savage of the chamber’s spaceport committee said the forum was about making Spaceport America bring about the promise of jobs. We’re beginning to see things take place, and we’re seeing opportunities show up, and that’s what we’re here for,” Savage said.

Chad Rabon of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) said the first phase of construction on the $209 million spaceport between Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences is almost complete. To get Spaceport America ready for business with a runway, vertical launch area, several support facilities and the terminal hangar for its anchor tenant Virgin Galactic. NMSA is now starting the spaceport’s second construction phase, which Rabon said includes paving the southern road leading to the complex. It was recently announced that the surfacing of the already wide and well-grated county road won’t require time-consuming environmental studies.

Spaceport America operations are located the Lewis Cain Ranch and is surrounded by similar desert range ranches 45 miles north of Las Cruces.

The next construction phase includes adding more pads and support facilities to the spaceport’s vertical area, Robin said. NMSA is currently accepting bids on contracts to provide information technology and space operations support.

Already, activity at NMSU is picking up for research and development of new systems, such as reusable rocket boosters, with Lockheed Martin winning an Air Force contract to test its design for such a system at Spaceport America.

NMSA’s Aaron Prescott said Armadillo Aerospace has tested more traditional rocket prototypes with three launches since May. Also, Boeing will test a helicopter avionics system at the spaceport, he said. The new construction will provide a second pad for vertical launches and rollback shelter for these kinds of tests, Prescott said. The current Spaceport America vertical launch facility was developed for UP Aerospace that has been launching sounding rockets since 2006 to send a variety of small payloads into suborbital space.

With the State Legislature about to start its new session, Prescott mentioned spaceport supporters are pushing for refining the 2010 law that protects companies such as Virgin Galactic from lawsuits as something goes wrong with a flight carrying passengers. The informed consent legislation didn’t extend those protections to suppliers of the spaceship companies, but competing states have passed protections granting protections to support industries.  “It doesn’t help us very much to protect the operator, but not the supplier,” Prescott said. “This is key for Spaceport America to remain competitive with other states.”

Mark Butler of Virgin Galactic, who moved from England to New Mexico, said the company is making progress on the safety and flight testing of its prototype of the kind of thrilling but- upscale suborbital flights it plans to give passengers for $200,000 a ride.  The craft that will carry the six-passenger spaceship to 50,000 feet for midair launches, the White Knight 2, has completed about 80 flights reaching important altitude and duration goals, Butler said.

Testing has begun with Spaceship 2 more than 15 “captive carry” flights and 16 release and- glide tests, Butler said. The hybrid engine – the world’s largest such engines – is being tested, he said, and the company won’t start taking passengers into space until the system performs safely, he said.  “We are now pushing the envelope on that system,” Butler said. “Yes, this is rocket science, so it takes a while. … This kind of thing does take a long time, and this is the first time this is being done so we are going to take the time to do it right.”

Butler reported that five Virgin Galactic staff members are now using office space in Las Cruces.  Once the flights begin on a regular basis, Butler said Virgin is going to need human resources and financial people, all the normal behind-the-scenes people. Also, there will be people hired to provide a variety of customer services, he said.  The space business goes beyond needing engineers and other technical staff, but also hospitality and other support staff, Butler said. Virgin does intend to buy local supplies as much as possible, he said.

“It’s important for us to get our supply chain to New Mexico,” Butler said.  With $60 million in deposits and more than 500 signed up as future astronauts, Virgin has “a hugely busy year ahead of us,” he said. To work for Virgin, Butler recommended patience and persistence.

Meanwhile, Fiore Industries won the contract for providing protective services to the spaceport, including security, EMS, fire protection and hazardous materials control. Fiore’s Tim Zagorski said the company is hiring people with local experience and subcontracted with local entities such Sierra Vista Hospital and the Las Cruces-based Zia Engineering “We strongly believe in local economic development,” he said “ We even rent power generators from a local company and buy fuel locally.”

Fiore will be looking to buy fire equipment, EMS vehicles and equipment in the near future, he said, and the company is seeking applicants for security guards, firefighters and EMTs. The company will need 15 security guards and 15 firefighters/EMTs, along with some office and compliance support, he said.

Also at the forum was Paul Schmidt of EASI, general services contractor, that will be running spaceport functions, such as water and wastewater, fuel depot operations, electrical systems, roads and grounds upkeep, runway maintenance, generator maintenance and repair, janitorial services, pest control and even HazMat clean-up and removal.

The Southwest Aerospace & Defense Trade Compliance Forum includes a seminar, networking reception, workshop options and a tour of Spaceport America.

Do you know?

• What are you and your organization’s level of exposure, liability and risk when it comes to international trade and the demanding regulatory driven environment?
• What are the key requirements that you and your organization must abide by?
• What are the ongoing challenging, difficult and sometimes sensitive problems the regulations present?
• What are the potentially devastating consequences if you or your organization get it wrong?

If you need or want answers to these and many other questions, this low-cost, high-quality two-day, hands-on, practical-application and case study-focused program is for you.

Day one seminar topics include:

• Overview and Update on US Export Controls;
• International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) HOT Topics: State Department Trends, Defense Service Exports, Export Control Reform Initiatives, Agreements, Brokering, Third-Country/Dual Nationals, D-Trade, Merger & Acquisition Due Diligence, and much more…;
• Automation & Software Essentials in Trade Compliance;
• Industry Panel – How to Successfully Navigate the ITAR Minefield; Enforcement Update and Latest Consequences of Non-Compliance with Important Case Studies and Lessons Learned.
• Day one ends with a Q&A session followed by a networking reception

On day two attendees have two workshops to pick from:

• TRACK 1 is “Challenges Facing Empowered Officials and Trade Compliance Professionals: Minimizing Exposure, Liability and Risk” and includes sessions on Investigations, Disclosures and Decision Making; What the Regulations Don’t Say and How to Prepare for What’s Ahead, Hands-on Interactive Case Studies and ends with a presenter Q&A period.

• TRACK 2 is “Commercial Space and the ITAR” with sessions on What Every Commercial Space Entrepreneur Needs to Know; USML Categories IV, VIII and XV, as well as Relevant CCL Entries; Obstacles to Export; Interagency and Regulatory Conflicts Launch/Spaceflight Insurance Issues, Defense Services, etc.; Spaceports and the ITAR: Compliance Requirements for the Owner, Operators, Tenants, Suppliers, etc.; Hands-on Interactive Case Studies and also ends with a presenters Q&A.

In the afternoon of day two there is a special Spaceport America tour.

Additional details including registration, hotel information and a complete agenda are linked here.

By Marvin Tessneer

Sapphire Energy is constructing an integrated algal bio-refinery (IABR) to produce green crude oil on a site near Columbus, N.M., in Luna County, the first commercial facility in the country, according to a company newsletter. Sapphire, which is headquartered in San Diego, also operates a 22-acre test and development facility in Las Cruces’ West Mesa Industrial Park.

 Sapphire has scheduled a multi-year project to produce green crude. The first production phase will start this summer. By 2014, the company expects the Columbus IABR facility to produce 100 barrels, or 1 million gallons of fuel a year, according to Sapphire.

The Columbus IABR facility is expected to provide 700 jobs during construction and 30 permanent jobs for continued operations. Sapphire has designed raceway ponds at Columbus to grow algae that will cover 100 to 300 acres. In the energy business, the operation is termed “farming under water.”

Government agencies believe Sapphire is on the right track to grow and harvest algae and produce green crude. The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the company a $50million grant and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has guaranteed a $54.5million loan, according to Sapphire.

Most people consider green mass seen on ponds “green gunk.” But Sapphire is developing that green gunk, or algae, into a renewable and sustainable transportation fuel that will help reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign petroleum.

“All of us on the research and development side are rooting for Sapphire to have tremendous success at its commercial demonstration facility at Columbus,” said Pete Lammers, New Mexico State University biochemistry professor.

Algae are a micro-organism that combines sunlight and carbon dioxide from the air as sources of energy to produce green crude oil. Scientists report algae can produce 10 times or more energy per acre than other bio-fuels crops. Algae don’t compete with food crops. Land at the Columbus site is marginal for crops, and the water is brackish and not suitable for irrigation.

The algal green crude is termed “drop-in” fuel in the industry. The Sapphire newsletter reported, “Sapphire Energy has cultivated algae that create renewable crude oil that can be processed in existing refineries into jet fuel, diesel and gasoline. These drop-in replacement fuels are molecularly identical to petroleum-based fuels and are compatible with existing infrastructure and engines.”

Top national and state economists will unveil their economic forecasts for 2012 at the inaugural Economic Outlook Conference sponsored by the College of Business at New Mexico State University and Wells Fargo Bank. The free conference takes place from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Corbett Center Student Union on the NMSU campus.

“Wells Fargo’s decision to co-host its economic forecast conference in Las Cruces reflects the growing importance this region has on the overall state economy,” said Garrey Carruthers, dean of the NMSU College of Business and vice president for economic development.

“Wells Fargo is proud to partner with NMSU to present this inaugural economic outlook event,” said Lisa Riley, regional president for Wells Fargo New Mexico. “The purpose of this event is to deliver the very latest information concerning the United States and New Mexico economies. Recent history, current state and future paths of each of these economies will provide the business owner or executive with the best information available to plan for the coming year.”

Delivering the national economic forecast for Wells Fargo will be Eugenio Alemán, a senior economist and vice president for the company. Alemán will discuss the country’s strengthening economy as job creation rises and the housing market stabilizes. He also will discuss the challenges still facing the nation’s economy, particularly the risk posed by a potential collapse of the euro.

At Wells Fargo, Alemán forecasts national, regional and international economic trends. His primary focus is the United States, including interest rates and the economies of Texas and Arizona. He also is an expert on the economies of Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Within that area, his specialties include the economies of border towns that trade with Mexico and the maquiladora-manufacturing sector along the U.S.-Mexico border. He is based in Charlotte, N.C.

After Alemán’s presentation, NMSU economist Jim Peach will provide the state’s economic forecast. Peach will explain how the national economy affects New Mexico and also will focus on economic growth prospects for the state.  “Three sectors of the state economy – government, energy and construction – will be key factors in both the short- and long-run recovery in New Mexico,” Peach said.

To register for the event, contact Judy Wetzel at 575-521-6849 or at judith.a.wetzel@wellsfargo.com.

Activity at Spaceport America in 2012 will be up over 2011, and new opportunities for local businesses will be available.  On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, Spaceport America, Virgin Galactic, and key site operations contractors will provide a briefing on upcoming activities as the Commercial Space Committee of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce sponsors the first Spaceport Community Forum of the year.  The meeting will be held from 5:30 – 7:00pm at the Dona Ana County Government Center at 845 N. Motel Blvd in Las Cruces, in the main Commission Chambers.

Representatives from Fiore Industries, Enterprise Advisory Services Inc. (EASi), and Follow The Sun Tours will be on hand to share their roles at Spaceport America, talk about upcoming contract opportunities, and how to engage their procurement processes.  Program updates for 2012 will be provided by the New Mexico Spaceport Authority and Virgin Galactic representatives.  Information will also be presented on other local and statewide procurement registration databases to assist local businesses in identifying opportunities for growing in 2012.

A “business card” drawing will be held to give away four tours passes to Spaceport America with Follow The Sun Tours, operators of the “Spaceport Preview Tours”.  For more information, contact the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce at 575-524-1968.

With a building as futuristic as the company itself, Virgin Galactic selected the Green Offices to house its Las Cruces headquarters. John Hummer, owner and Broker of Steinborn & Associates Real Estate , said Jacob Garland, associate broker with Steinborn, represented the project. The office will be located in the new Green Offices, 166 S. Roadrunner Parkway.

“Virgin began their office search back in May,” Garland said. “They looked at numerous locations throughout the city, and after much consideration, the team decided the Green Offices would be the best site for their Las Cruces headquarters.” Garland said construction has already commenced on the interior build-out, and the company’s goal is to occupy the space around the beginning 2012.

The office complex is the first privately funded professional office building built in New Mexico using LEED certification standards.

“Virgin Galactic is leasing approximately 2,000 square feet on the upper level,” Garland said. “They worked with a local architect to design the interior of the suite, which will be somewhat futuristic to stay with the Virgin Galactic theme; we are very excited to see the completed product.”

Virgin Galactic is an innovative company within Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. Virgin Galactic is the world’s first space line giving individuals the groundbreaking opportunity to become one of the first ever non-professional astronauts.

Virgin Galactic will own and operate its privately built spaceships – WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo – from Spaceport America, which is located northwest of Las Cruces.

“Virgin Galactic’s commitment to this location is a positive example of Spaceport America’s promise of new growth and development in our community,” Hummer said.

“The entire team at Virgin Galactic has been excellent to work with throughout the entire process, they will be a great asset to the community,” Garland said.

Steinborn also represented the developer and owner of the Green Offices. The offices of the state-of-the-art, first of its kind, new professional office building consists of 18,000 square feet and was built to LEED certification standards. It is expected to receive Platinum LEED Certification – the highest LEED designation – upon final completion.

For more information about available space in the Green Offices, contact Garland at jacob@steinborn.com or 202-0429. To learn more about the Green Offices, visit www.greenofficeslc.com.

Fred Shepherd

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Sun-News

LAS CRUCES – After more than eight years with the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance, Business Development Manager Fred Shepherd has left the organization. In an e-mail he sent out to MVEDA members, Shepherd reports that he left to perform regional marketing for H&R Block.

“Although I was not looking, it was an offer that I felt I could not pass up, however, it was a very difficult decision as it meant leaving MVEDA,” Shepherd writes. “Although I am leaving MVEDA, I will still be based in Las Cruces and I plan to be involved in the community.”

MVEDA is a public/private organization that works to bring companies to Doña Ana County and to help those already here expand. Davin Lopez is the president and CEO, Les Baldock is the operations manager, Jaclyn AaronsCooke is the research analyst and Sandi Metz is the organization’s executive assistant.

Shepherd is a native of Utah who moved to Las Cruces in 2003 and started with MVEDA as a research analyst.

“I have truly enjoyed my eight-and-a-half years at MVEDA and was able to experience a lot of personal growth … as we labored to improve the local economy and create thousands of job opportunities,” Shepherd said.

More information about MVEDA can be found online at mveda.com and at nmborderplex.com.

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.

By Brook Stockberger/Sun-News Business Editor

LAS CRUCES – “Las Cruces, manufacturing hub!”

Well, southern New Mexico’s largest city might not gain that moniker anytime soon, but the reality of an operating Spaceport America north of town and the start of construction on a $400 million Union Pacific Railroad facility south of town, has spurred increased interest in Las Cruces among manufacturing and logistics companies.

According to a recent quarterly report, the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance says that 65 percent of all new leads are in the manufacturing sector.

“This is a great area to be growing in because manufacturing/logistics generally involves paying local people and local suppliers to make things that people outside the region pay for,” said Christine Logan, economic development administrator for the city of Las Cruces.

L&M Radiator and Alaska Structures both moved into town and created manufacturing jobs. That was welcome news that came on the heels of a stretch last decade in which Las Cruces lost Parkview Metals, Rea Wire Magnet Wire and manufacturing jobs with Taylor Precision Products. “Both of these companies moved from El Paso to Las Cruces,” Logan said. “A big factor was that we had facilities here that they could move into and expand their operations. A recurring theme in the city’s economic development efforts has been the need for existing industrial space.”

Minnesota-based L&M had a facility in El Paso, but outgrew that location and turned its eyes north across the state border. “Our business has seen a tremendous amount of growth over the last year,” L&M Radiator President Dan Chisholm said when the company decided to move. L&M, which makes cooling systems for heavy machinery, is leasing about 52,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space on South Valley Drive.

In addition, TE Connectivity, an electronics component manufacturer, will relocate 100 jobs to its Santa Teresa plant from El Paso. “In the next three years, we’re hoping those 100 jobs grow to 250,” said Jerry Pacheco, vice president of the Border Industrial Association.

According to the city’s most recent economic development report, the manufacturing business category makes up just 1 percent of the businesses and 4 percent of the jobs.

Still, Davin Lopez, president and CEO with MVEDA, said that the area is increasingly showing up on companies’ radar. MVEDA works to bring companies to Doña Ana County and to help those already here expand. “We continue to see manufacturing leads increase as a percentage of total leads developed,” Lopez said. “This category also includes logistics companies. Whereas this category accounted for approximately 39 percent of all leads in the last fiscal year, we have seen it grow to 65 percent of in the first quarter of this year.”

Both Logan and Lopez said that the Union Pacific facility in Santa Teresa plays a major role. “Over the past 12 to 18 months, we have received greater interest from manufacturing and logistics firms due to the Union Pacific announcement,” Lopez said. “A $400-million-plus investment catches attention both regionally and nationally.

“It has enabled us to not only showcase opportunities in and around the Santa Teresa region but also to bring greater attention to the Las Cruces region where we happened to have existing facility space that fits the needs of some of these companies,” he said.

“We are getting more attention lately because, No. 1, we had vacant facilities to accommodate companies,” Logan said. “No. 2, there is pent-up demand for manufacturing space since no one wanted to expand or relocate in the worst of the economy and, No. 3, the proximity to the Union Pacific intermodal facility makes this a great place to locate a manufacturing facility.”

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