There’s a new boss at the Mission Economic Development Corporation.
Last month, the Mission EDC board hired Teclo Garcia, 56, to head the organization following the departure of its previous CEO in July.
Garcia officially took the reins of the EDC on Oct. 24, taking over for former CEO Daniel Silva. Silva was CEO of the Mission EDC for nearly four years, but he resigned earlier this year to become the president and CEO of the RGV Partnership, another nonprofit that aims to address regional issues.
Reflecting on his new responsibility, Garcia said that although it might sound cliche, Mission is on the cusp of accomplishing big things.
“Or, they have the opportunity to do them if we plan right and act swiftly,” Garcia said, highlighting the expansion of the Anzalduas International Bridge into a full-service commercial bridge, the construction of a business park by Killam Development in the area and retail growth.
“All those make it a really, really good opportunity,” Garcia said, “and I’m so appreciative to get the job and be able to help Mission.”
Garcia is no stranger to the Mission EDC.
He previously worked there for about three years, from April 2016 to August 2019, as the director of communications and external relations. He left to serve as director for Laredo’s economic development department.
“We’re very excited to have him back at the helm,” Mission Mayor Norie Gonzalez Garza said, noting that since he started on Oct. 24, they’ve already met with potential investors.
“I think he’s already hit the ground running, and I think he’s going to be a big asset for the city of Mission and its growth,” she said.
Garcia said his goals for the EDC centered around four pillars:
>> creating opportunity for investment, which means recruiting more business to the city and working with existing businesses and industries to expand
>> creating quality, well-paying jobs, which he said goes hand in hand with the first pillar
>> enhancing the workforce by working with partners such as Workforce Solutions, the Texas Workforce Commission, school districts, South Texas College and the University of Texas- Rio Grande Valley for certifications, trainings and job fairs, and
>> continuing to contribute to the community with the city’s Center for Education and Economic Development, which serves as an incubator, and by fostering entrepreneurs, small businesses and startups.
Garcia added that the Mission EDC strives to be an important partner to all other entities and cities in the Rio Grande Valley and also across the border.
“There’s certainly a spirit of competition between cities and entities, but there’s so much more that we have in common; that we can do together,” Garcia said.
He pointed to regions like the Dallas-Fort Worth area that worked together economically to build a commuter system and one of the nation’s largest airports.
“We need to compete that way, on both sides of the border — we’re one region,” he said.
Gonzalez Garza echoed Garcia’s positive outlook for the city’s economic growth and said the city was looking forward to working with him on future ventures.
“It’s a really good time for the city of Mission, and I think it’s going to impact all our residents because the projects that they’re looking at as possibly coming in — it could mean up to thousands of jobs, and high-paying jobs as well,” she said. “So we’re excited about that for the area.”
