Friends of COSTEP Lunch & Learn. A Room Full of Strategy, Insight and Collaboration.

What an energizing afternoon!

We were thrilled to welcome a full house of regional economic development professionals to our latest Lunch & Learn session, focused on RFI Best Practices, a crucial topic for our shared mission of driving smart growth and meaningful investment across Rio South Texas Region.

Special thanks to Mr. Sean Ferguson, from the Texas Office of Economic Development & Tourism, for his clear and valuable perspective, and to Mr. Michael Camden from Ryan, for making the trip south and offering a sharp view from the site selector’s seat.

Our sincere gratitude to Harlingen EDC for hosting us in their space, and as always, to our Board of Directors and generous Sponsors, whose continued support powers everything we do.

Please find below the names of the attendees appearing in the photographs:

1. From left to right: Rick Carrera, Director of Economic Development at COSTEP; Michael Camden Jr., Director of Site Selection and Incentives at Ryan; Sean Ferguson, Project Development Manager at the Texas Office of Economic Development and Tourism; Adam Gonzalez, CEO of COSTEP.

2. Jim Darling, Chairman of COSTEP and Adam González CEO of COSTEP.

3. From left to right: Lilvette Santos, Director of Economic and Business Development at Pharr EDC; Richard Mesquias, Vice President of External Relations and Workforce Development at Texas Southern College; Victor Pérez, CEO of Pharr EDC.

4. Jhosh Vázquez, Director of Workforce Development at McAllen EDC; Rafael Tapia, Grants Manager at COSTEP; Sussie Flores, Vice President of Recruitment at McAllen EDC; Fredy Flores, Expansion and Special Projects Manager at the Pharr Bridge.

5. Jorge Lozano, María Cisneros, and Michelle Smith of Weslaco EDC.

6. Rick Carrera, Director of Economic Development at COSTEP; Alma Saldaña, Assistant Director of Economic Development at COSTEP; Alex Barrera, City Manager of Rome.

7. From left to right: Julio Quiroga, Development Specialist at UTRGV; Héctor Ramírez, Manufacturing Specialist at TMAC; David Ortiz, Director of TMAC.

8. From left to right: Ervey A. González, Business Development Manager at the Port of Brownsville; Sussie Flores, Vice President of Recruitment at McAllen EDC; Alma Saldaña, Assistant Director of Economic Development at COSTEP; Adam González, CEO of COSTEP.

9. Lilvette Santos, Director of Economic and Business Development at Pharr EDC and Adam González, CEO of COSTEP

10. From left to right: Rick Carrera, Director of Economic Development at COSTEP; Ana Sofía Canales, Events Manager at Trancasa; Julia Martínez, Marketing and Customer Service Manager at Trancasa.

11. Michelle Smith of Weslaco EDC and April Castañeda, Executive Director of Donna EDC.

Let’s keep building, learning, and working—together—for the future of Rio South Texas Region.