Courtesy photo
Members of the Edinburg EDC board of directors pose for a photo with new executive director, Raudel Garza, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Edinburg.
The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation welcomed a new executive director Wednesday evening.
Raudel Garza, the manager and CEO of the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation, accepted the position after the board offered it to him last week.
The board of directors approved his appointment during a special meeting Wednesday along with his employment agreement, the details of which were not disclosed.
“This is my community, this is my home and I’m happy to be a part of its future,” Garza said during the meeting, noting he lived just 10 minutes from city hall. “I’ve learned a lot over the last 30 years and I want to share that with this community and make this community even better than it already is.”
Garza was one of three candidates who were interviewed for the position over the last few weeks.
Board President Veronica Gonzales said that when considering candidates, the board looked at their years of experience but also the type of experience they had.
“We were very impressed with your credentials,” Gonzales said. “We are all very grateful that you have accepted this position and we are so excited about having you on board and look forward to getting you to work.”
In addition to working with the Harlingen EDC, Garza has also worked with the cities of Mission and Pharr and also with the Rio South Texas Economic Council, according to a news release issued by the city after the meeting.
Garza was awarded Texas’ Economic Development Council’s Economic Excellence award for the work he did with the Harlingen EDC from 2019-21, the release added.
In 2021, the Texas Workforce Commission appointed Garza to serve on a Regional Workforce Planning Committee tasked with developing best practices for workforce development and data collection and reporting.
He was also elected to the Texas Economic Development Council’s board of directors and serves as the only South Texas representative on the Team Texas Advisory Committee.
The Edinburg EDC board of directors expressed their excitement in having Garza on board and thanked him for accepting the role.
While the details of Garza’s employment agreement remain under wraps, Edinburg EDC board member and Edinburg Councilman Daniel “Dan” Diaz said the compensation was “comparable” with starting salaries of other EDC directors in the area.
Garza is slated to officially join the Edinburg EDC on Nov. 7.
“I’m excited to be here, I’m excited just to work with each and every one of you and learn from all of you as well,” Garza told the board. “I’m looking so forward to starting next month.”
