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‘Wet’ Your Appetites Well Trained
New intermodal facility moves the goods
At High Speed Economy picks up momentum
Sponsored by the Alamo Area Council of Governments | 2010
GONZALES, TEXAS FREE LAND for qualified businesses … Come and Take It! • Gonzales Industrial Park • 60 Miles East of San Antonio • 60 Miles South of Austin • Type B Sales Tax Incentives • County Revolving Loan Fund • Expedited Permitting • Expedited Rail Spurs • National Main Street City • National Preserve America Community • Texas Department of Agriculture Go Texan Community • Texas Historical Commission 2010 Visionaries in Preservation City • Where the First Shot of the Texas Revolution was Fired October 2, 1835 • Museums, Parks, Golf, Volleyball, Soccer, Camping • J.B. Wells Rodeo Arena • Victoria College, Gonzales Campus • Gonzales North Texas Rail Road
www.cityofgonzales.org Gonzales Economic Development Corporation PO Box 547 • Gonzalez, TX 78629 (830) 672-2815 • E-mail: cgibson@cityofgonzales.org
SELMA
“A unique city that leads through providing planned growth, quality of life, a safe environment and a vision for the future.” The Forum Shopping Center is a showcase of stores, restaurants and professional services. Such include Old Navy, Chili’s Restaurant and Borders, among others. Most recently, Bed Bath & Beyond opened in 2009. For a full list of tenants, visit the Forum’s Website at theforum-sa.com. Olympia Market Place continues to grow around the anchor store of Academy Sports and Outdoors. Wachovia Bank opened a branch in 2005, and in late 2007, Costco opened for business. The Village at the Forum currently has Chuy’s fine tex-mex restaurant and Basset Furniture Direct as tenants, among others. In 2010, one of the pioneer USAA Savings Bank branches will open for business. The traveling public is served by a 300-room Holiday Inn Express and an 88-room Comfort Inn & Suites. Several more hotels are planned for the future. Retama Park, a Class A horse-racing facility, hosts quarter-horse and thoroughbred racing from April through October of each year. Retama also has simulcast races from tracks throughout the United States on a daily basis. Selma’s two current industrial parks host such notables as Bob White and Schwerman Trucking, Munter Dry Cool, Tex Star, Spaw Glass, Sunshine Nut, Green Tweed and Alamo Crane. Selma also hosts Olympia Business Park and Madilee Business Park that offer a wide range of professional services. Two major car dealerships, Gillman Honda and Mitsubishi along with Cavender Saturn, also enjoy a business-friendly atmosphere in Selma. Subdivisions abound with Forest Creek, Chelsea Crossing, Live Oak Hills, Retama Ridge, Selma Park Estates, Olympia Hills, and two ongoing developments by Centex Homes: Retama Springs located off of Lookout Road and The Trails at Kensington Ranch located off of FM 1518. Retama West is another future residential subdivision. Chelsea Park Apartments opened in 2007 with Lookout Hollow Apartments scheduled to build in the future. The Retreat at Retama and the Reserve at Retama are future upscale town home community developments. Selma will not be without a memory of its past. In 2007, a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation along with money from the city was used to renovate the Stage Coach Stop and construct a visitor’s center, which opened in the summer of 2009. Selma has held true to its mission of planning for growth, quality of life, a safe environment and a vision for the future. In 2009, Selma constructed a new Police Department building, supplied the city’s fourth public park, and added two million gallons of water storage infrastructure. Selma is proud of its low ISO rating and enjoys having one of the lowest tax rates in the area.
City of Selma • 9375 Corporate Drive • Selma, TX 78154 (210) 651-6661 • Fax: (210) 651-9450 • www.ci.selma.tx.us City Council meets every second Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m.
STAMP OUT BREAST CANCER WITH YOUR FEET.
Every step you take in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® helps raise vital funds for the fight against breast cancer. But don’t let your journey stop there. Take a step toward improving your own health by educating yourself about the disease and getting regular screenings. Step by step, this Race will be won. Learn more about the Komen Race for the Cure by visiting www.komen.org or calling 1-877 GO KOMEN.
This space is provided as a public service. ©2008 Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
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business
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Workstyle Sunnier Days Ahead
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Solar programs get a boost from local providers, new firms in the market.
A Joint Effort
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Base realignment creates central command for multiple sites.
Strong Lure, Big Rewards
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Alamo Area’s workforce, location play a key role in business recruitment.
Insight
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Overview
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Business Almanac
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Business Climate
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Energy
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Transportation: Well-Trained Solutions
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Economic Profile
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Livability ‘Wet’ Your Appetites
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Education: Hi, Education
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Health
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On the Cover Buildings stand out against the dusk sky in the Gruene Historical District of New Braunfels, Texas. Photo by Jeff Adkins
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All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.
Please recycle this magazine
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business
Don’t just take our word for it ... see it for yourself
®
Alamo Area , Texa s 2010 Edition , volum e 3 Content Director/Business Publications Bill McMeekin Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinators Jennifer Graves, Erica Hines Staff Writer Kevin Litwin Copy Editors Lisa Battles, Joyce Caruthers, Jill Wyatt Contributing writers Joe Morris Media Technology Director Christina Carden Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Jessica Manner, Janine Maryland, Kris Sexton, Candice Sweet, Vikki Williams Media Technology Analysts Chandra Bradshaw, Yamel Hall, Alison Hunter, Marcus Snyder Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord
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Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier Web Content Managers John Hood, Kim Madlom Web Design Director Franco Scaramuzza Web Designer Leigh Guarin Web Developer Jeremy Dickens Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants Marcia MillAr, Patricia Moisan I.T. Director Yancey Bond I.T. Service Technician Ryan Sweeney Regional Sales Manger Charles Sweeney Sales Support/Community, Business, Custom Rachael Goldsberry Senior Accountant Lisa Owens Accounts Payable Coordinator Maria McFarland Accounts Receivable Coordinator Diana Guzman Office Manager/Accounts Receivable Coordinator Shelly Miller Sales Support Manager Cindy Hall Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Senior V.P./Sales Todd Potter, Carla Thurman Senior V.P./Operations Casey Hester Senior V.P./Client Development Jeff Heefner V.P./Content Development Teree Caruthers V.P./Custom Publishing Kim Newsom V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens V.P. Sales Charles Fitzgibbon, Herb Harper, jarek swekosky Controller Chris Dudley Content Director/Travel Publications Susan Chappell Marketing Creative Director Keith Harris Distribution Director Gary Smith Recruiting/Training Director Suzy Simpson Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan Human Resources Manager Peggy Blake Receptionist Linda Bishop
What makes the Alamo Area such a favorable place to do business? What is it about the livability of the Alamo Area that makes people who move there to work decide to stay for the long term? Experience the vitality and charm of the Alamo Area from the comfort of your computer. Business Images Alamo Area shows you the Alamo Area like you’ve never seen it before, thanks to the work of our award-winning photographers and writers. The Alamo Area is just a click away.
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Business Images Alamo Area is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Alamo Area Council of Governments. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.
For more information, contact: Alamo Area Council of Governments 8700 Tesoro Dr., Suite 700 • San Antonio, TX 78217-6228 Phone: (210) 362-5200 • Fax: (210) 225-5937 E-mail: mail@acog.com www.aacog.com
Visit Business Images Alamo Area online at imagesalamoarea.com ©Copyright 2010 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Member Member
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Magazine Publishers of America Custom Publishing Council
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Overview
10 Reasons To Live, Work and Play in the Alamo Area 1. Strategic Location
Approximately equidistant from the East and West coasts of the United States and along the NAFTA Corridor between Mexico and Canada, the Alamo Area encompasses 12 counties with the nation’s seventhlargest city, San Antonio, as its hub.
2. Quality of Life Whether you enjoy the arts, culture, shopping and nightlife San Antonio has to offer, the diverse housing options of suburban living or the tranquility of small-town life, the Alamo Area has it all – within commuting distance.
7. A Skilled and Adaptable Workforce The region offers
top education and workforce training institutes.
8. Favorable Tax Climate The State Business Tax Climate Index ranked Texas as among the best business tax environments in the nation. Local officials work hard to create favorable tax incentives for business.
4. Thriving and Diversified Industries Manufacturing,
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KERR
Kerrville
KENDALL 27
COMAL C O L
Boerne
BANDER D ER ERA Bandera
New Braunfels
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B X BEX BE XAR AR
Seguin
MEDINA N
San Antonio
Hondo
GUA U A DALU UA UPE U PE 80
WIL ILSON IL L O 87
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Floresville
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173 97 57
Pearsall
6. Scenic Beauty The Alamo Area
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5. Low Cost of Living Housing
can lay claim to three things that make it a standout in Texas: trees, water and hills. Hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking and tubing are popular outdoor activities.
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Fredericksburg
biotechnology, distribution and military enterprises have all found the Alamo Area to be fertile ground for their growing businesses. prices are among the lowest in the nation, making it an attractive location for relocating families who find they can get a lot more in return for their housing dollars here.
10. An Ideal Climate The subtropical climate is consistently mild, with average monthly temperatures in the 50s in winter and 80s in summer.
GILLESPIE S
3. Transportation Port San Antonio is emerging as one of the nation’s premier inland international ports, and an extensive network of highways, rail and airports make transportation the region’s strongest asset.
9. Recreation The Alamo Area offers abundant recreational activities, from boating and fishing to museums and festivals to professional sports to shopping and small-town antique adventures.
FR FRIO 85
Karnes City
Jourdanton
KARNES RNE RN N EES NE S
ATA ASCOSA A SA A 97
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Almanac Texas Toasts Texas is gaining a reputation – for winemaking. The Lone Star State is currently fifth on the nation’s list of top wine producers, thanks in part to wineries in the Fredericksburg area. Becker Vineyards, Comfort Cellars Winery, Fredericksburg Winery and Grape Creek Vineyards have all earned awards. The Texas wineries in the Hill Country offer a large choice of wines and host tasting events. Special Wine Trail events include the Wine Lover’s Trails, Wine & Wildflower Trail, Harvest Wine Trail, Texas Wine Month Passport Trail and Holiday Wine Trail. For more information about these events, go to www.texaswinetrail.com.
Flying Forward The aerospace industry has an economic impact of $4 billion annually in San Antonio, and $1.99 billion of that comes from the maintenance, repair and overhaul business. Port San Antonio, the former Kelly AFB, is the hub of the industry. Boeing is the anchor tenant at the Port. Its workers perform maintenance, modifications, inspections and other work on C-17 and C-130 cargo planes and KC-135 and KC-10 refueling tankers. Boeing also is gearing up to work on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplane in 2011.
Sharp Shooters Western heritage takes center stage during the Labor Day weekend each year in Bandera. Produced by the Bandera Community Foundation, Celebrate Bandera opens with the Blessing of the Circle of Life at the Intertribal Powwow at Mansfield Park. The weekend fun includes the Cowboy Capital Mounted Shooters. This fast-action competition sees mounted contestants competing at full gallop to aim at and explode balloons using .45 caliber single-action revolvers. Other highlights include a Wild West Show, arts and crafts exhibits, a parade and a Texas longhorn cattle drive down Main Street. The event also features live music and historic re-enactments. The highlight is the National Professional Bull Riders Challenge.
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Marking a Century Birthdays are always fun and Jourdanton’s 100th was no exception.
History Replaced A little piece of history sits at the beginning of the Hike and Bike Trail in Floresville, which was created on the old San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad right of way. The Floresville train depot, constructed in 1885, has been hauled back to its original site near the city’s historic downtown square to serve as a small museum anchoring the trail. The wood-frame structure with loading dock bays is one of a few still in existence built by the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad.
Cofounded by Jourdan Campbell and T. H. Zanderson, the town was built in a matter of weeks. The centennial celebration kicked off, literally, with Jourdanton High School’s homecoming football game. A parade, car show, barbecue sale, dance, the dedication of historical markers and a traditional party with cake and ice cream were all part of the event.
Job Generators Jobs are coming to the Alamo area. Toyota is moving its Tacoma production to San Antonio and Columbus, Ohio-based Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. will create 838 jobs in San Antonio at a regional corporate campus to be developed in the city’s Westover Hills area. The campus will be finished in December 2011. San Antonio’s 932 existing Nationwide employees will move in by 2012, totaling more than 1,750 employees in the city. The new jobs will pay an annual average salary of $44,000. About 500 of the new jobs will be sales positions requiring investment and financial licenses. The Toyota plant will add 850 jobs at the San Antonio assembly plant.
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Business Climate
New Heights, Within Reach New industry, military expansion bode well for region Story by Joe Morris • Photography by Jeff Adkins
quality of life
educated workforce
diverse economy
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hanks to a diverse economy, well-educated workforce and other positives, the Alamo Area is poised for explosive growth while other parts of the country struggle just to retain the businesses they have. In fact, the region around San Antonio may well lead Texas and this part of the nation out of the current economic slowdown due to an influx of new industry sectors, a sharp uptick in local military spending and other economic-development efforts that are all coming to fruition more or less at once. “Over the years, the business and political leadership of this community has understood the need to diversify the economy,” says Richard Perez, president and chief executive officer of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. “Fifty years ago, we had two horses pulling the wagon: tourism and the military. A snapshot taken now would still show those two, but we also now have health care and biobusiness, our largest and most productive economic drivers; educational facilities which are growing in number and offerings; manufacturing, which has been growing since the advent of Toyota here three years ago; the aerospace and cyber-security industries, which are helping grow our tech sector; energy research and production; and a very robust financial service and insurance industry.” The various new and expanded industries have brought more people to San Antonio, which in turn has enhanced the overall quality of life here. A prime example is the arts community, which is growing in every direction — so much so that a move
is afoot to spend $150 million to renovate the historic Municipal Auditorium, giving San Antonio a major performing arts center right on the famous San Antonio River Walk. Other major new projects include Texas A&M’s San Antonio campus, which will join the University of Texas at San Antonio and other colleges and universities. That complex also will make San Antonio the only Texas city that’s home to a campus for each of the state’s flagship universities. The
growing number of educational facilities will continue to feed a growing entrepreneurial sector that should keep the city moving ahead well into the future, Perez predicts. “We’re a huge draw for all of south Texas,” he says, “and all the cities and counties around us are doing the economic-development work that will help all of us grow, that will help us feed each other as we look to expand what we have and bring in new businesses.”
San Antonio’s skyline as seen from the Tower of the Americas
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Let the Sun Shine In Solar programs get boost from local provider, new firms in market 12
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Story by Joe Morris
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he combination of new technologies and federal stimulus funds is creating a new-energy industry cluster in the Alamo Area, and the sky’s literally the limit as multiple projects and programs move forward. A prime mover in the field is CPS Energy, which is studying storage options for electricity generated by both traditional and renewable energy sources. As the nation’s largest municipally owned energy company and one that provides both natural gas and electric service, any and all options are on the table when it comes to lowering costs and enhancing production stability, says Julia Jones, CPS research manager-technology transfer. “We have found that bringing in all parties and leveraging the assets we have are critical to making things happen in this community,” Jones says. “We are working with companies and colleges, public and private, to create worthwhile projects.” By tying in with outside vendors on
specific technologies and also with colleges on training programs, CPS can affect economic development on two fronts. That’s going to be key with such activities as energy storage, which is in its infancy but already is showing great promise. “With our great access to the sun, we can do a lot with solar if we can find ways to store it at night and discharge it at peak times,” Jones says. “The same goes for wind power. We’ve got a solar film installation on a landfill, and one of the largest solar installations on a rooftop in the state of Texas. Now, we’re working on creating some small microgrids so we can study and enhance our storage options.” The area’s embrace of new technology was a major reason why Meridian Solar Inc. opted to expand into San Antonio. The 10-year-old Austin-based company will be providing sales and installation, as well as working with area colleges and universities on renewable-energy
training programs, says Linda Haas, Meridian director of marketing. “Our decision was largely fueled by CPS Energy’s renewed commitment to its solar-rebate program,” Haas says. “The path CPS Energy has laid to promote the development of larger solar projects will help pave the way for design/build firms like ours to flourish and will, hopefully, make the area attractive for manufacturers of renewable-energy technologies.” Creating and growing that kind of synergy is a chief goal of Solar San Antonio, a nonprofit advocacy group for solar energy. “We believe that San Antonio is on the verge of major solar expansion,” says Lanny Sinkin, Solar San Antonio executive director. “There is a challenge to train the workforce to be ready to meet the demand.” 1% 7% $44,747 34% 53%
$39,977
5% $47,644
Breakdown of Renewable Energy Consumed in the U.S. Wind Solar Energy Hydroelectric Geothermal Biomass Renewable Energy Equals 7% of Total U.S. Energy Consumption Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels
more at imagesalamoarea.com
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Ph o t o C o u r t e s y o f U . S . A i r F o r c e p h o t o/ S e n i o r A i r m a n Ch r i s t o p h e r G r i ff i n
Joint Effort Base realignment creates central command for multiple sites Story by Joe Morris
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he massive reorganization of the military in and around San Antonio continues to reshape its presence here, in both size and scope. One of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) recommendations creates Joint Base San Antonio. Installation support functions at Fort Sam Houston are merging with those at Randolph and Lackland Air Force bases. When Joint Base San Antonio is finally fully operational in 2011, it will be the largest customer-based installation-support organization
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in the U.S. Department of Defense, with an estimated 80,000 service members and government employees and some 150,000 military members each year who will receive training on all three installations, according to military planners. In the meantime, about $3 billion is being spent on construction as each site prepares for its new role. The work encompasses some 78 major facilities and 10 million square feet of new and/ or renovated space. As one of only 12 such joint sites in the entire defense network, the
San Antonio project is breaking a lot of ground. That said, everything is moving well despite the ambitious size and agenda, says Dr. Clarence “CEM” Maxwell, deputy director of the San Antonio Joint Program Office. “The logic of Joint Basing is that by managing adjoining base-operation functions as one, there will be some cost savings. However, in San Antonio, the three bases identified are a good distance apart and are spread across the seventh largest city in the United States,” Maxwell says. “That’s made the project a challenge, but we have
our mandate and in our case the Air Force has the lead responsibility to operate and provide base support to all three bases.” In the end, he says, both the military and surrounding business and residential communities will benefit by having one base operation command with a single operational structure. “There’ll be one place to go, one point of contact, for people when they need to deal with any of the bases, but to our customers on the bases, things will look pretty much the same,” he says. “Gen. Leonard A. Patrick, the commander of the 502 Air Base Wing, took command and control of Lackland and Randolph in January 2010. He will take operational control of Fort Sam Houston in April 2010 and
we’ll be at full operating capacity by the end of September, when all of the civilian employee base support personnel at Fort Sam Houston will be converted to Air Force civilians and the property at Fort Sam Houston will be transferred to the Air Force.” Other recommendations that came out of the BRAC legislation included consolidating many training and other services, and so Fort Sam Houston now will be home to all medical training for enlisted personnel, which will bring more federal money, and jobs, to the area. By and large, however, Maxwell says that once the construction and repositioning of various personnel is over, most of the moves associated with joint-basing will be transparent to the community.
BRAC Impact
$1.25 billion Construction contracts in 2009
$900 million Construction contracts in 2010
2,200 Construction workers
5,500 Jobs transferred to Fort Sam Houston
Below: Capt. Veronica Bodine (right), works with Tech. Sgt. Lisa Anderson at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Left: Lackland Air Force Base is among the military installations in the region receiving mult-billion-dollar upgrades as they take on new functions.
Ph o t o C o u r t e s y o f USA F p h o t o b y R o bb i n C r e s s w e l l
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Strong Lure, Big Rewards Alamo Area’s workforce, location play key role in business recruitment
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Story by Joe Morris
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ultiple robust industry sectors, a strong workforce and nimble economic development efforts have kept the Alamo Area from being overly affected by the current national economic downturn and also have the area poised for rapid expansion as the economy rebounds. “We’ve weathered the recession better than most everyone else, and that’s because of the balance in our economy,” says Mario Hernandez, president of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation. “Predictability is the key, and companies that we recruit know that they can predict their costs – their availability of labor – for years to come. We’re the seventh-largest city in the country, and we’re adding jobs at a much faster rate than other cities our size.” Hernandez ticks off everything from new-energy companies and the incentives that are luring them in to the massive military reconfiguration at the area’s multiple installations due to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closing recommendations as major reasons why the area’s economy continues to be robust. New players, such as Toyota, have helped a semi-dormant manufacturing sector regain its luster as well. The area’s many positives were enough for officials at Caterpillar, which is building a 1 million-squarefoot engine-manufacturing plant in Seguin. Set to open in 2011,
the plant will employ more than 1,400 people and represents a $170 million investment. “We had a good combination of incentives and strategic location, and that aggressive package along with our proximity to ports made the difference,” says Terry Trevino, director of economic development. Another high-profile company that now calls the Alamo Area home is Medtronic, which opened its new Diabetes Therapy Management and Education Center in San Antonio in November 2009. The 150,000-square-
foot facility will ramp up to 1,400 employees over its first five years of operation. Company officials settled on San Antonio after looking at more than 900 other locations in all 50 states, says Jeff Ruiz, general manager of San Antonio operations. “The main factor was the availability of labor, as well as the cost and overall educational levels of that labor,” Ruiz says. “But the final thing that made it happen was the culture and the customer-focused nature of the people here. San Antonio stood head and shoulders above the rest.”
Alamo Area New Braunfels Seguin San Antonio
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‘Wet’ Your Appetites
Brian McCord
Livability
Comal County remains a top water recreation draw
Story by Kevin Litwin
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ow refreshing: Comal County bills itself as the water recreation capital of Texas, and has been promoted that way for the past 75 years. The county, founded in 1846, has long been admired for its clear, clean water. Settlers to the region, including a large German contingent, knew the importance of the Guadalupe River, Comal River and Canyon Lake, and those waterways remain vital to outdoor activities in Comal County to this day. In addition, a mega waterslide park called Schlitterbahn (German for “slippery road”) is located along the Comal River in New Braunfels, and brings millions of tourism dollars into the county each year. “The Comal River is actually the
shortest non-navigable river in the world, according to Guinness World Records,” says Judy Young, convention & visitors bureau director at the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce. “It only measures 2.2 miles in length and no motorboats are allowed. It is fed by an aquifer spring, and the water remains a constant 73 degrees all year round.” Young says that only tubing and fishing are allowed on the Comal River. “The river flows in a giant letter S through our entire community,” she says. “It takes about 3 1/2 hours to fully navigate, and there are about 30 tubing outfitters between the Comal River and Guadalupe River. That’s how popular tubing and water recreation
are in this part of Texas.” Speaking of the Guadalupe, that river spans 16 miles through Comal County, and is the largest stocked trout fishery in the southwestern United States. “Both the Guadalupe and the Comal rivers are popular for residents of the Alamo Area, plus millions of outdoor enthusiasts who travel here to experience those waterways each year,” Young says. But even though water attractions are popular, there is also plenty of land-based outdoor adventure in the Alamo Area. The region hosts the largest concentration of caves in Texas, and there are numerous horseback-riding opportunities.
From left: The Alamo Area is home to many beautiful lakes and is a big draw for fishing, boating and swimming; walkers in Landa Park in New Braunfels; people enjoy tubing on the regions’ waterways; Moe (left) and Jo Schwab take in the scenery at Landa Park.
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There are well-manicured parks with hiking trails, plus the San Antonio River Walk Loop features a 6.1-mile trail that takes about 2 1/2 hours to fully stroll. And for golf fans, there are challenging and scenic venues such as La Cantera Golf Club and Quarry Golf Club. The 36-hole TPC San Antonio opened in January 2010 on 2,800 acres, with courses designed by renowned architects Pete Dye and Greg Norman that were built with infrastructure to be able to serve as venues for PGA Tour events. “There is a lot to enjoy outdoors in this part of Texas,” Young says. “What’s especially nice is that there are active conservation programs in place to keep our natural resources as pristine as they can be, all while developing the region into even more of a tourism draw.”
Antony Boshier
Antony Boshier
J e ff A d k i n s
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Energy/Technology
Commanding Presence Military’s cybercommand HQ elevates region’s high-tech status Story by Joe Morris
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The Alamo Area’s technology infrastructure is being enhanced by the presence of a cybercommand operation at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
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hile its final configuration isn’t quite set in stone, the U.S. Air Force’s planned cybercommand at Lackland Air Force Base continues to draw interest as operations begin to ramp up. The command will be the 24th Air Force headquarters, and will have a staff roster of around 400. Its chief purpose will be to defend military networks against attacks as well as conduct some offensive operations, all from a new operations center and network at Lackland. “Several years ago, the Air Force decided to create a cyber-related organization within itself to deal with cyberspace issues and to build cyber-trained warriors,” says Capt. Bob Krause, public affairs officer for the 24th Air Force. “Over time, the idea turned into a much bigger, global-effort command, and then it was decided that it should be inclusive of other things besides cyber issues. Now, we’re creating a more joint type of cybercommand agency, the U.S. Cyber Command, and we’re the active-duty Air Force component.” Since being activated in September 2009, the 24th has been located in temporary quarters at Lackland, but as the unit is fully staffed out and its various active and reserve wings, groups and squadrons are set in place, it will move into permanent headquarters at nearby Kelly Air Force Base. The new building is a joint effort between the Air Force and the
Ph o t o C o u r t e s y o f U . S . A i r F o r c e p h o t o/ S e n i o r A i r m a n Ch r i s t o p h e r G r i ff i n
“Celebr ating 50 Years of Community” surrounding municipalities, which are refurbishing that property to lease back to the military. That effort, as well as other planned cooperative ventures between the 24th and the local community, should benefit all parties concerned, Krause says. “For the local area we’ll be generating additional jobs, and of course there already is and will continue to be contract work to support the 24th in the future,” he says. To that end, business leaders in and around San Antonio happily point out the region’s existing cyber infrastructure to further capitalize on the area’s rising tech profile. Local institutions expected to interact with the military include the University of Texas-San Antonio Institute for Cyber Security, the National Security Agency’s Texas Cryptologic Center and others. And that doesn’t even factor in companies that have yet to relocate to the area, or even come into existence, to meet needs that are just now developing. That spells out a bright future for all parties involved, Krause says. “Contracting is big business for the [U.S.] Department of Defense and within the Air Force, so we always have a lot of people courting us. That’s a very valuable relationship, and we’re going to make sure that the local companies that can provide the services we need are going to get the opportunity to do so.”
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he northeast gateway to San Antonio, where I-35 intersects with Loop 1604.
• Five minutes to Randolph Air Force Base 8001 Shin Oak Drive Live Oak, Texas 78233 (210) 653-9140 tel (210) 653-2766 fax www.liveoaktx.net
• 15 minutes to San Antonio International Airport • 20 minutes to downtown San Antonio • Civic Center with 30,000 sq. ft. of floor space for trade shows plus free parking • NE Lakeview College • NE Methodist Hospital • The Forum shopping center with over 120 stores and restaurants • City parks including a lake, disc golf course, playscapes, ball fields and walking trails
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Transportation
Well-Trained Solution Goods and services come, go faster with new intermodal platform
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Story by Joe Morris Photography by Jeff Adkins
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ransporting freight just got easier in the Alamo Area, thanks to Union Pacific Railroad’s new San Antonio Intermodal Terminal. The facility, which opened in March 2009, allows for faster and more direct intermodal shipping of foreign and domestic products. With a $100 million price tag, it represents a hefty investment for the railroad, but also greatly expands the capabilities of an already-strong air, ground and water transportation grid in south Texas. The 300-acre terminal was built for growth, and will tie into a network of similar facilities around the country, allowing for an even more seamless shipping stream, says Raquel Espinoza, director of corporate relations and media for Union Pacific’s southern region. “It’s the future of ground transportation, and we knew we had the freight and the intermodal trains in south Texas, that there was a very strong need for this type of facility here,” Espinoza says. “Companies had to carry freight to San Antonio for shipping to Houston, and then wait for trucks to pick up those containers. With the terminal, there’s faster, more direct access to the entire region.” The site can process 180,000 containers per year, with enough room to expand that capacity to 250,000 containers annually. When the train reaches the facility, the containers are lifted off and placed on trucks for final transport, and with
1,300 parking spots for those vehicles, there’s plenty of access at any time. According to an economic-impact analysis by Insight Research, the facility will have a $2.48 billion cumulative impact over a 20-year period, according to the railroad. And in addition to being able to ship more goods faster, there’s also a strong green element in place. “A train can move a ton of cargo 831 miles on one gallon of diesel fuel, and one double-stack intermodal train can remove 300 trucks from the highways,” Espinoza says. “This gives businesses an economic advantage, and is good for the environment as well.” The San Antonio facility will handle shipping to and from businesses within the entire Alamo Area, but also will tie in with a sister operation that’s currently being built on Chicago’s south side and is set for a June 2010 launch. That will provide a fast, reliable north-south corridor for shipping, something that has been the railroad’s goal for some time. “The need is growing to provide direct and efficient freight access, and also to send and receive quickly across the country,” Espinoza says. “These intermodal facilities do that, and they’re also a much more efficient and faster way to transport freight. We’re very pleased with how the San Antonio operation has been doing so far, and we think that with fewer trucks on the road and out of the city, the community is pleased as well.”
Union Pacific Railroad’s new San Antonio Intermodal Terminal allows for faster and more direct shipping of foreign and domestic products by various forms of transportation.
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Education
Centers of Attention Rural, urban centers offer college enrollment, classes and more
Alamo Colleges • Northeast Lakeview College • Northwest Vista College • Palo Alto College • St. Philip’s College • San Antonio College • Fall enrollment total: 60,366 www.alamo.edu
Story by Joe Morris • Photography by Antony Boshier
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he Alamo Colleges’ chief goal is to provide access to higher education, and with five bustling campuses in Bexar County that mandate is being met — and then some. But with three rural centers and their urban counterparts providing everything from technology training to enrollment and counseling, the colleges are ensuring that even more residents than ever have access to their offerings. “We are charged with providing a college education to everyone possible within our service area, which encompasses Bexar and the surrounding counties, so we have created outreach in all sorts of ways,” says Kay Hendricks, coordinator of communications. “That includes urban centers in San Antonio, in areas that are economically disadvantaged, where people can find out about student aid, enroll and get processed to attend a college without having to go to the campus. It’s convenient for them, and makes it a little easier to provide college services to people in those communities.” The two Community Education and Technology Centers offer skills assessment, financial aid assistance, registration, career exploration and more. They are joined by the Westside Education & Training Center, which is in the midst of the Edgewood Independent School District and provides occupational and technical skills training, job search assistance, a computer lab, transferable college core courses and much more to area residents.
The centers opened a decade ago, and have since been joined by similar, but much more expansive, facilities in New Braunfels, Kerrville and Floresville. The Central Texas Technology Center in New Braunfels and the Greater Kerrville Center offer workforce and occupational training as well as academic courses, and the Floresville Early College and Community Education Center, which opened in January 2010, also offers a credit, workforce and dual credit curriculum tailored to the needs of the Floresville community. “We had a lot of demand for colleges courses and other services to be provided in other areas of Bexar County, as well as to the other counties in our service area,” Hendricks says. “They make it more convenient for people in those areas to go to a college, and offer the kinds of courses that are requested by the community.” Each of the centers actively partners with its local school districts, city officials, chamber of commerce and other organizations to ensure that its offerings reflect the area’s specific needs, making it a strong partner in economic development efforts. “All of our centers have been a manner of responding to the communities that we serve,” Hendricks says. “We can be very responsive to a community’s changing workforce needs, and to tailoring programs to fit those needs. We’re always exploring innovative ways to get more training into the community, and also to get more high-school graduates to go to college.”
Right: Alamo Community Colleges’ St. Philip’s College’s Welcome Center, Center for Learning Resources and Center for Health Professions
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Alamo Area
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Alamo Area
Health
Get Well Soon Need for nurses, other medical staff drives programs’ expansion Story by Joe Morris
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an abundant supply of applicants,” Rasco says. “Faculty funding is our huge issue. A few years ago, we saw some extra money donated to a faculty-funding project, and there was a doubling of graduates. We couldn’t sustain that because the money ran out, but it showed that if we can come up with creative new programs, and find the dollars, then we’ll be able to train a lot more people in this area.” To that end, the council operates the Nurse Executive Forum, which meets at least quarterly and is comprised of academians, nursing officials from regional hospital systems and others in the health care community who are affected by staffing issues. That organization
has been so successful that a new Health Professionals Executive Forum is being launched to tap into the expertise of health-school deans, chief operating officers and other high-level officials in the academic and business communities. Both will tie into the workforce centers, and all entities will be interconnected. “We are trying to speak with one voice,” Rasco says. “We have built relationships with each other, and we’re going to use those to look at where we want to go with nursing training and staffing, and how we’re going to get there. We’re in a creating mode now, and people know that by working together we can all get our fingerprints on the solution.”
Antony Boshier
he U.S. military’s decision to train all its medical personnel at San Antonio area military bases is just the latest recognition of the Alamo Area’s expanding health-care industry. As home to multiple health-care and related biobusinesses, the area is increasingly becoming an entrepreneurial hub. What’s more, colleges and universities are expanding their research and teaching roles at area hospitals, which is driving the need for more nurses and other in-facility health-care workers as well. In other words, health care is big business here. “We’re now going to be the home of military medicine, which entails a tremendous amount of new infrastructure in education,” says Bill Rasco, president and chief executive officer of the Greater San Antonio Hospital Council, an advocacy group representing more than 125 hospitals and health-care regions throughout south central Texas. “We’re now working with the Greater San Antonio Healthcare Foundation and others to create two workforce management centers; one for nursing, and another for health professionals.” Putting such organizations in place will create centers where various educational institutions can funnel their graduates, as well as stay tapped into the medical community to better gauge its ongoing needs. They also can help to bring together various interested parties to lobby for greater highereducation funding so that more nurses and other workers can be trained and put into the workforce faster, Rasco says. “We have a nursing shortage like everywhere else, but we also have
Nursing Students at Alamo Community Colleges’ St. Philips College’s located in San Antonio, TX. Foreground L to R Joana Martinez Melissa Hancock, BSN, RN imagesalamoarea.com
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economic profile Business snapshot The Alamo Area is a thriving business and industrial community centered in San Antonio, the third-largest city in Texas and seventh-largest in the United States.
Taxes
Gillespie County, 730
Average Sales Tax Rate 6.67%
Education
Guadalupe County, 2,551 Karnes County, 82 Kendall County, 897 Kerr County, 1,179 Medina County, 412
Bachelor’s Degree
Wilson County, 292
Atascosa County, 1,998 Bandera County, 2,034 Bexar County, 161,183 Comal County, 14,525
Public Administration Jobs
Frio County, 678
Atascosa County, 508
Gillespie County, 2,681
Bandera County, 168
Guadalupe County, 11,321
Bexar County, 23,833
Karnes County, 690
Comal County, 2,611
Kendall County, 4,518
Frio County, 640
Kerr County, 5,170
Gillespie County, 693
Medina County, 2,768
Guadalupe County, 2,128
Wilson County, 2,665
Karnes County, 302
Construction Jobs Atascosa County, 771 Bandera County, 240 Bexar County, 38,315 Comal County, 4,258 Frio County, 58
Manufacturing Jobs Atascosa County, 116 Bandera County, 62 Bexar County, 43,366 Comal County, 2,819 Frio County, 7 Gillespie County, 742 Guadalupe County, 5,735 Karnes County, 98 Kendall County, 602 Kerr County, 1,040 Medina County, 587 Wilson County, 147
Retail Trade Jobs
Medina County, 1,334
Atascosa County, 2,254 Bandera County, 451 Bexar County, 166,950 Comal County, 11,741 Frio County, 829 Gillespie County, 3,244 Guadalupe County, 9,760 Karnes County, 698 Kendall County, 3,006 Kerr County, 5,002 Medina County, 1,871 Wilson County, 1,117
Wilson County, 398
Information provided by:
Kendall County, 1,268 Kerr County, 2,062
What’s Online For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on the Alamo Area, go to imagesalamoarea.com and click on Demographics.
visit our
advertisers Alamo Area Council of Governments www.aacog.com Cambria Suites www.cambriasuites.com/ hotel/txb63 City of Cibolo www.cibolotx.net 28
Alamo Area
City of Gonzales www.cityofgonzales.org City of Kerrville www.kerrvilletx.gov City of Live Oak www.liveoaktx.net City of Selma www.ci.selma.tx.us
San Antonio Economic Development Foundation www.sanantonioedf.com Texas Research & Technology Foundation www.trpf.com
Cibolo
“City of Choice” • Available land • Skilled labor force • Located between IH35 and IH10 • 446% population growth since 2000 (3,035 to 18,000) • International FIFA regulation size soccer field for football, soccer, concerts, events and festivals
Traci Anderson Economic Development Director (210) 658-9900, Ext. 118 “CITY OF CHOICE”
tanderson@cibolotx.com www.cibolotx.net
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Ad Index
6 A l a m o A r e a Co u n c i l O f G ov e r n m e n ts
C 4 C a m b r ia S u it e s
2 9 C it y o f C i b o lo
C 2 C it y o f G o nz a l e s
2 3 C it y o f K e r rv i l l e
2 1 C it y o f Li v e Oak
1 C it y o f S e l m a 2 9 Sa n A n to n i o Eco n o m i c D e v e lo p m e n t Fo u n dati o n 5 T e x a s R e s e a r c h & T ec h n o lo gy Fo u n dati o n