Business Images Alamo Area, TX: 2008

BUSINESS

imagesalamoarea.com TM

OF THE ALAMO AREA, TEXAS

Gateway to the World San Antonio poised to become one of nation’s key inland ports

The Deal With Data High-tech equals high growth here

Where the Living Is Easy Newcomers have many housing options

SPONSORED BY THE ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS | 2008

contents BUSINESS TM

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OVERVIEW

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BUSINESS ALMANAC

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BUSINESS CLIMATE

Working Together

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Business is booming in San Antonio, and it comes as no surprise to the city’s 1.3 million residents.

A Lesson in Economics

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TR ANSPORTATION

Gateway to the World

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The Alamo Area is poised to become one of the nation’s largest international ports, by highway, air and rail.

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Cultivating a Commuting Culture

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The Triangle Effect

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More Places To Land

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TECHNOLOGY

The Deal with Data

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From homegrown talent to Microsoft, high-tech equals high growth in the region.

Cyber City, USA

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On the Cover

PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

The Alamo READ MORE ONLINE

IMAGESALAMOAREA . com LINKS Click on links to local Web sites and learn more about the business click climate, demographics, service providers and other aspects of life here.

WEATHER Find current conditions, immediate and long-range forecasts and historical averages.

SHARE E-mail articles to a friend, Digg them, or use the RSS feed function to keep track of content updates.

THE MOVIE Take a virtual tour of the Alamo Area as seen through the eyes of our photographers.

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

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Business Images of the Alamo Area is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Alamo Area Council of Governments. In print and online, Business Images gives readers a taste of what makes the Alamo Area tick â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from transportation and technology to health care and quality of life.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Find the good â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and praise it.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

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contents E N E RGY

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King Oil ... and Gas and Alternative Fuels

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Natural energy resources abound in the region.

MANUFACTURING

Opportunity Knocked

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Texas itself is a big reason why Toyota Motor Corporation decided to construct a $1.28 billion vehicle assembly plant in San Antonio.

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QUALITY OF LIFE

Where the Living Is Easy

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Newcomers to the Alamo Area can take their pick of housing options from a variety of neighborhoods.

AGRIBUSINESS

There’s Cattle, of Course, and More

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Agribusiness across the sprawling Alamo Area is much more than cattle ranches.

TE LECOMMUNICATIONS

Calling Home

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Home to AT&T, San Antonio is at the forefront of the innovative and competitive communications industry.

BIOSCIE NCES

A Healthy Industry

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San Antonio increasingly is being hailed as a leader in bioscience.

Good Genes are Hard to Find

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The Prognosis Is Excellent

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E DUCATION

Masters of Education

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San Antonio is home to a wealth of higher education choices.

Off the Field, They’re a Dynamic Duo 49 ECONOMIC PROFILE

ALAMO AREA

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BUSINESS TM

OF THE ALAMO AREA 2008 EDITION, VOLUME 1

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

SENIOR EDITOR ANITA WADHWANI COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, KIM MADLOM, BILL MCMEEKIN ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY DIRECTORIES EDITORS AMANDA MORGAN, KRISTY WISE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS JON BROOKS, PAM GEORGE, TIM GHIANNI, AMY GREEN, MELANIE HILL, MICHAELA JACKSON, LEANNE LIBBY, JOE MORRIS, CINDY SANDERS, JAIME SARRIO REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON EXECUTIVE INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER AMY NORMAND ONLINE SALES MANAGER MATT SLUTZ SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, WES ALDRIDGE, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN M C CORD CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASSISTANT PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH PRODUCTION PROJECT MGRS. MELISSA HOOVER, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER CANDICE HULSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, ALISON HUNTER, JANINE MARYLAND, LINDA MOREIRAS, AMY NELSON WEB PROJECT MANAGER ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ WEB PRODUCTION JILL TOWNSEND COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC MEGHANN CAREY, SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART V.P/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, RICHIE FITZPATRICK, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH MARKETING DIRECTOR KATHLEEN ERVIN IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE CUSTOM SALES SUPPORT PATTI CORNELIUS SALES COORDINATOR JENNIFER ALEXANDER OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

Business Images of the 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 www.aacog.com VISIT BUSINESS IMAGES OF THE ALAMO AREA ONLINE AT IMAGESALAMOAREA.COM ©Copyright 2008 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.

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ALAMO AREA

Bexar County

SUPPORTS YOUR ECONOMIC DE VELOPMENT

Standing (left to right): Commissioner Paul Elizondo, County Judge Nelson Wolff, Commissioner Sergio “Chico” Rodriguez Seated (left to right): Commissioner Tommy Adkisson, Commissioner Lyle Larson

100 Dolorosa, Suite 120A • San Antonio, Texas 78205-3042 • (210) 335-0667

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ALAMO AREA

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overview

WELCOME TO THE ALAMO AREA With the nation’s seventh largest city – San Antonio – at its center, the Alamo Area encompasses far more than the famous battle site.

The 12-county Alamo Area covers more than 11,000 square miles of urban, rural and suburban territory. It is home to high-tech industry and agriculture, aerospace and auto manufacturing, first-class colleges and universities, and the scenic beauty of lakes, forests and ranchlands.

The Alamo Area Council of Governments, a voluntary association of cities, counties and special government districts, promotes unified development of the region.

For more information about doing business in the Alamo Area, contact: Alamo Area Council of Governments 8700 Tesoro Dr., Suite 700 San Antonio, Texas 78217-6228 Phone: (210) 362-5200 Fax: (210) 225-5937 www.aacog.com

Alamo Area

GILLES E PIE E 16

Fredericksburg

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K ER R 41

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of the Alamo Area at imagesalamoarea.com, courtesy of our awardwinning photographers.

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Ingram

Kerrville

Camp Verde

K EN DA L L

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Comfort

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CO C O M AL

Boerne

Gruene

Bandera New Braunfels

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BE XA X R

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Frio R

B AN DERA A

Live Oak

Seguin

Helotes Leon Valley

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Converse

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San Antonio

Hondo Castroville 173

WILSO ON N 87 aR din

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Pleasanton

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Karnes City

Jourdanton

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ATASCOSA A A 97

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Falls City

Pearsall

Dilley

Floresville

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Moore

Devine

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Thelma

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overview

TOP TEN REASONS TO DO BUSINESS IN THE ALAMO REGION 1. Strategic Location

9. Recreation

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 seventh-largest city, San Antonio, as its hub.

The Alamo Area has an abundant supply of recreational activities, from boating and fishing to museums and festivals to retail shopping and small-town antique adventures.

10. An Ideal Climate 2. Quality of Life

The subtropical climate is consistently mild, with average monthly temperatures in the 50s in winter and 80s in summer.

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.

3. Transportation Port San Antonio is emerging as one of the nation’s premiere inland international ports, and an extensive network of highways, rail and airports make transportation the region’s strongest asset.

4. Thriving and Diversified Industries Manufacturing, biotechnology, distribution and military enterprises have all found the Alamo Area to be fertile ground for their growing businesses.

5. Low Cost-of-Living Housing 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.

6. Scenic Beauty The Alamo Area 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.

7. A Skilled and Adaptable Workforce

8. Favorable Tax Climate The State Business Tax Climate Index ranked Texas as having the sixth best business tax environment in the nation. Local officials work hard to create favorable tax incentives for business.

ALAMO AREA

ANTONY BOSHIER

The region offers top education and workforce training institutes.

The Alamo Area has a wealth of golf courses.

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business almanac

GEM OF A BUSINESS James Avery Craftsman has been a shining example of a successful enterprise ever since it started in 1965.

The company of 350 employees designs, manufactures, markets and sells its own product line of fine jewelry for men and women. Its selections range from sterling silver to 14-carat yellow gold and 18-carat white gold, and it offers 1,100 designs and 14,000 separate jewelry items.

Its headquarters and a manufacturing plant are in Kerrville, plus there are plants in Fredericksburg, Hondo and two in Comfort. Nearly 50 James Avery retail stores are in Texas, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

HOWDY, DUDES Yee-hah from Bandera County, Texas, which calls itself the “Cowboy Capital of the World.”

The county has several dude ranches that draw amateur and professional cowboys from all over the United States. Bandera is home to ranch tours, rodeos, honky tonks, and a variety of horseback riding opportunities.

One of its more popular festivals is called Cowboys on Main, which features an extensive western cowboy exhibit in front of the Bandera County Courthouse.

The festival also showcases numerous entertainers strolling along Main Street.

IT’S PRONOUNCED ‘GREEN’ The entire community of Gruene has been designated a historic town by the state of Texas.

Henry D. Gruene founded the town – whose name is pronounced like the color green – in 1872. His first home is now known as the Gruene Mansion Inn and is one of many local sites on the National Register of Historic Places.

Other interesting attractions include Gruene Hall, which is the oldest dance hall in Texas. Well-known entertainers who have performed there include George Strait, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett. The line dance scene from the movie Michael, starring John Travolta, was filmed there.

Gruene is also known for its antique shopping, wine tasting, river tubing and variety of lodging options.

ALAMO AREA

OUT OF DEER CHOW? One of the largest suppliers of high-end wildlife ranching products in the United States is located in Atascosa County.

Atascosa Wildlife Supply provides a wide range of wildlife management tools that range from corporate hunting blinds to wildlife feeders. The feeders can range in size from tailgate feeders to 3,000-pound farm feeders.

The company also manufactures several foods for wild animals, as well as a complete line of hunting accessories. There are 40 Atascosa Wildlife Supply dealers throughout Texas, with 15 located in the Alamo Area alone.

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business almanac

KING REBOOG RULES You don’t have to be nuts to attend the Floresville Peanut Festival.

The annual festival recognizes the importance of the peanut to Southwest Texas agriculture and is always held on the second weekend in October. Businesses throughout Floresville hang peanut plants in front of their buildings to mark the arrival of the season.

Festival activities include the Goober Games for children and a Queen Tunaep (peanut spelled backwards) and King Reboog (goober spelled backwards) pageant. There is also a carnival, parade, street dance, fiddler’s contest, peanut brittle contest, arts and crafts and live music.

Peanut products available for purchase include peanut brittle, homemade peanut butter, peanut cookies, roasted peanuts, pies and ice cream.

HURRAY, IT’S DOVE SEASON It is never lonely at the annual Lonesome Dove Fest.

The Karnes City Rotary Club hosts the annual event each September to celebrate the opening weekend of dove hunting season in the South Texas zone. Activities include a parade, barbecue cookoff and live music entertainment, with most events taking place at the Karnes County Show Barn.

The festival also features a Youth Day that offers several hundred area high school students miniseminars in firearm safety, resource and wildlife management and general outdoor activities.

POTATOES, PEANUTS AND PIONEERS Agriculture is pretty big in Frio County. Why else would there be a statue devoted to the watermelon in the town of Dilley, and a sculpture of the World’s Largest Peanut in the county seat of Pearsall? Plus Pearsall is home to an annual Potato Fest.

There are also plenty of cattle in Frio County, but there is also a lot of oil and natural gas production. And the community also hosts an annual Pioneer Days to celebrate the way life in Texas used to be, in rougher and tougher times.

One of the highlights of Pioneer Days is a tour of the Old Frio County Jail, which is now a museum devoted to those rougher days.

The old jail was unusual because prisoners were locked up in the jail upstairs, and the county sheriff had living quarters downstairs.

THAT’S A HUGE PECAN It weighs a delicious 1,000 pounds, but it is not edible.

The self-proclaimed world’s largest pecan sits in front of Sequin City Hall in Texas.

The ceramic sculpture was the brainchild of a local dentist and was erected in 1962. The pecan is five feet long, 2 1/2 feet wide and weighs a little more than half a ton.

The unusual artistic landmark is dedicated to Cabeza de Vaca, a Spanish explorer who was held captive afloat for 10 years on the Guadalupe River, known then in the 1500s as the “River of Nuts.”

The Spaniard thrived on a diet of local pecans.

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ALAMO AREA

business climate

Working

Together The Alamo Area Council of Governments brings the region together

B

usiness is booming in the San Antonio area, and it comes as no surprise to the city’s 1.3 million residents.

Conveniently positioned along the I-35 corridor and just a short drive from Mexico, the first-class city has become an international hub for industries ranging from manufacturing to biomedicine. Its status as a preferred place to live and work has helped make San Antonio the seventh largest city in the U.S., outranking Dallas, San Jose and Detroit.

Newcomers to the San Antonio area

are soon pleased to discover much more than a mild climate and affordable cost of living. A dynamic regionalism movement initiated by the Alamo Area Council of Governments more than 40 years ago means the area also offers a cohesive workforce of more than 900,000 and positive working relationships among the area’s diverse communities and governing bodies.

“Employers want to know, ‘If I move and make an investment in the region, will it in fact be sustainable?’ Those are the answers San Antonio has been able

to provide,” says Al Notzon, former executive director of the Alamo Area Council of Governments from 1971-2007.

Today, AACOG’s 100 member governments, including 12 active and participating counties work together daily to meet the regional challenges and promote the regional strengths of the region.

“Everyone has their own interest, but regionalism says you work at those interests while remembering the times you helped your neighbors and also needed their help. That’s the kind of

Businesses are relocating to the New Braunfels area, where small-town charm and a thriving industrial sector coexist. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

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business climate

consciousness we’re trying to promote – neighboring towns working together,” Notzon says. “When people come together, they’re not wasting time building turf wars or duplicating staff or services.”

The voluntary council serves 11,354 square miles in the Alamo Area/State Planning Region 18 and has been instrumental in the planning of dozens of local and regional programs, from aging and mental health services to homeland security, transportation services and rural workforce programs. The council also helped implement the region’s 9-1-1 system and has been extensively involved in improving air and water quality throughout the area. Working with member

governments, the council helped establish the Alamo WorkSource Board as well as the Alamo Area Regional Law Enforcement Academy.

“Because members put part of their budget into the council, it becomes a true service bureau for each region,” Notzon says of the council, whose 300member staff now operates with an annual budget of $42 million. “We have to stay responsive to the needs of local governments and they have to feel like they’re getting their money’s worth.”

Those needs extend far beyond Bexar County into its neighboring counties, which Notzon says are an equally important part of the council’s mission.

“If we serve a region, we serve everyone,” he says. “Through collaborative efforts, we bring everyone to the table, both small and large. Every area has its own role in economic development.”

From the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in New Braunfels to Continental Automotive Systems and Commercial Metals Company plants operating in nearby Seguin, the region’s success can be felt throughout every urban and rural setting in the Alamo Area.

“There’s no question in my mind about the region’s continued growth,” Notzon says.

“If you’re global, we become a logical place to locate.”

– Melanie Hill

Groups Unite to Form Military Task Force REGION READIES ITSELF FOR ECONOMIC IMPACT OF BRAC IMPLEMENTATION The Alamo Area region is gearing up for a major military build up in the near future. According to Kara Hill, Senior Economic Development Analyst/Military Liaison with Bexar County, as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 2005 actions, in the next five years, military missions in Bexar County will experience a number of realignments and expansions, including the relocation of approximately 11,000 new personnel to Fort Sam Houston.

Consequently, Bexar County and the Alamo Area will become the home of all military medical training for enlisted personnel worldwide as well as the new home for a number of headquarters operations, including the Army Contracting Agency and Installation Management Functions for both the Air Force and Army. Bexar County has partnered with

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the City of San Antonio and the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce to form the Military Transportation Task Force (MTTF), which serves as the focal point for the community-wide effort to successfully implement the BRAC recommendations.

As the initial planning stages for BRAC implementation start to wrap-up, the impacts BRAC will have on this community are becoming more apparent. These actions will benefit the area economy not only by the immediate infusion of investment and construction dollars, worth about $2.3 billion, but will also provide significant opportunities for the area workforce and businesses, as well as the possibility for further recruitment and attraction of support companies to Bexar County. This is a big boom for not only Bexar County, but for the entire Alamo Area.

ALAMO AREA

A Lesson in Economic Development BUSINESSES ARE FINDING NEW REASONS TO CALL ALAMO AREA HOME

F

ew are as knowledgeable about San Antonio’s diverse business climate as Mario Hernandez. As president of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, the Texas native is tasked with bringing new job-producing investments to the area – a mission he’s accomplished repeatedly during his 18-year tenure.

“San Antonio has one of the better economic development programs in the country,” he says. “It’s a growth area that will be an economic success for many years to come.”

When he’s not luring new employers to the city, the grandfather of three enjoys cheering on the Spurs, golfing, hunting and reading in the community he’s called home for more than 20 years.

Q

How is the Alamo region recruiting and welcoming businesses and professionals?

A

We make a continued, concerted effort to recruit jobs.

We know growth occupations have to be a part of the economic mix if we want to keep businesses and professionals in this area, so we target specific industries in growth sectors.

It helps us retain high-level professionals as well.

Q

Q

Why do businesses choose to relocate to the area and why do entrepreneurs find this an attractive place to start a business?

A

Businesses find the necessary infrastructure and both skilled and unskilled labor that they need. The city also has a cost of living that is five to ten percent below the national average. There’s also a level of predictability with good labor and infrastructure for years to come.

Q

What training resources are available for companies and individuals?

A

There’s a central entity called Alamo WorkSource, which is our regional training operation tied to the Texas Workforce Commission. They handle state, local and federal delivery systems all in one place. They provide identification, screening and training for new employees and work very closely with Alamo Community College District, which is one of the largest junior college systems in the United States.

– Melanie Hill

What kinds of businesses are a good fit here?

A

There are a lot of opportunities in diverse sectors, but information services, technology, computer security and data centers are some of the largest. Microsoft is building a billion-dollar data center here. We’ve also had a lot of success in manufacturing. Toyota opened a big plant here, and it’s helped grow the city’s manufacturing sector four percent in the last four years. Healthcare is the single largest public sector employer in the region, with 114,000 employees. More of the big regional distribution facilities are here as well, including Home Depot and many others tied to the homebuilding and retail industry. Financial sectors also comprise a really strong growth sector.

What types of business clusters have emerged?

JEFF ADKINS

Q

A

Information technology, computer security and healthcare are the main areas. We have a Texas Research Park in the northwest part of the Metro area where we incubate a lot of those businesses.

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Mario Hernandez stands in front of a sculpture titled The Torch of Friendship by Mexican sculptor Sebastian.

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transportation

Gateway

to the World By air, rail, road and sea, San Antonio is becoming a choice international port

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Investments in the expansion of rail networks are strengthening the Alamo Area’s position as a global logistics hub.

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he Alamo Area is poised to become one of the nation’s largest international ports, by highway, air, rail and sea.

With the ongoing development of Port San Antonio at the former Kelly Air Force Base, a Union Pacific railroad hub under construction and highway improvements, the region is capitalizing on its location.

San Antonio is perched on Interstate 10, halfway between the east and west coasts. Interstate 35, traveling north and south, gives San Antonio a prime location on the NAFTA Corridor connecting Canada and Mexico. And Interstate 37 provides easy access to the Gulf Coast at Corpus Christi.

The rail system is undergoing significant improvements as well.

Kyle Burns, president and CEO of Free Trade Alliance San Antonio, says investments such as Union Pacific’s $90 million terminal, under construction, “will strengthen San Antonio’s position as a global logistics hub.”

Already the city “is at the crossroads of the North American Free Trade Agreement area. With I-10 and I-35, you can access any of the three markets (Mexico, Canada and the U.S.) from here and enjoy a low cost of living and a great life.”

The Union Pacific terminal will add to both the trade and lifestyle pluses of San Antonio. “It will keep trucks off the road and allow more to go on rail,” Burns says. “It’s going to make (San Antonio) a lot more accessible for companies to do things more cost effectively.”

Port San Antonio, the former Kelly Air Force Base, “got a

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connect the area north of Austin with Seguin, just east of San Antonio.

“The road is like a river of commerce: Growth comes with it,” says Webb, of the project which is set for completion in 2012.

“What we are technically doing is pushing the cities of San Antonio, Austin and all the cities in between to the east,” he says of the toll road project that eventually will run virtually parallel to I-35, but will divert much of the traffic from that road that cuts through both cities.

“Over a million trucks from Mexico pass through San Antonio and Austin each year,” Webb says. “That’s 8,00010,000 a day. And they obviously impact this region.”

– Tim Ghianni

PHOTOS BY JEFF ADKINS

whole new life for shipping, distribution and manufacturing” when it was turned into a trade hub, according to Stephanie Ramsey, vice president of marketing.

The 300 acres of railport industrial property includes about 70 “rail-served acres.” The port has invested in interchange tracks and a switch engine to bring rail cars into the distribution center. Rail containers can “either be unloaded into the buildings or onto the trans-load pads and then picked up by trucks,” Ramsey says.

“Already, we have had copper ore coming in from Idaho into our rail port, where it was trans-loaded into trucks and went to the port of Houston and then on to Hanover, Germany.”

The same process gets goods to and from manufacturers and seaports in Mexico.

Enhancing the port’s development is the fact that it “is serviced by a 11,500-foot runway, which is one of the largest in the country,” Ramsey says.

On one side of the strip is Lackland Air Force Base. “On the Port San Antonio side, we have approximately 575 acres that we will be developing for office flex space and warehouse area, and we will be completing construction on an almost 90,000-square-foot cargo terminal” by the first of this year, says Ramsey.

“We are a formidable location for a logistics platform,” she says.

Jeff Webb, vice president of the Austin/San Antonio Corridor Council, says his organization is involved in logistics upgrades enhancing the growth of the entire NAFTA hub.

“The largest economic development in the state of Texas” is the State Highway 130 project, a 90-mile toll road that will

Port San Antonio’s new terminal is expected to generate a $2.48 billion economic impact over the next 20 years.

Cultivating a Commuting Culture REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION A GAS-SAVING ALTERNATIVE Alamo Area Council of Governments vans soon may begin transporting commuters from the 11 rural counties surrounding Bexar County to work in San Antonio or other sites in the bustling Alamo Area.

At least that’s the hope of Beverly Lutz, transportation manager for the Alamo Area Council of Governments.

“We have 12 counties in our region: Bexar County (including San Antonio) is in the middle,” says Lutz.

She says the project is in the exploratory stages.

Currently, AACOG is seeking a pool of businesses interested in participating in the vanpooling idea.

“We would need to find 10 or 15

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people who are going in the same direction and put them together,” she says.

The AACOG plan is to provide vans and find riders, and then from that pool find drivers to volunteer in exchange for the cost of transportation.

Lutz says timing is critical, since the cost of fuel is high and commuters may be seeking alternatives. In addition, she says, it would help air quality and traffic flow within the region as well as in the congested San Antonio area.

While the commuter van idea is being explored, Alamo Regional Transit (ART) already provides public transportation services in the AACOG region counties.

“We work as a demandresponse transportation service,” Lutz says, meaning people

call AACOG and schedule appointments for pickup. ART takes riders to adult daycare, senior nutrition centers, medical appointments, dialysis treatments, work, training and elementary schools. Other passengers travel to San Antonio for job training and work.

ART’s 66 vehicles, including vans and different types of buses, make between 8,000 and 10,000 trips per month for the rural counties.

The intermodal facility in Kerrville shares office space with Coach USA/Kerrville Bus Company.

Lutz says citizens can arrange for transportation from ART from their homes to the Kerrville facility, where they can board buses to begin journeys throughout the U.S. – Tim Ghianni

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transportation

The

Triangle

Effect 26

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Trio of cities positioned as ideal distribution center hub

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uadalupe County seat Seguin, nearby Comal County seat New Braunfels and Hays County seat San Marcos are partnering to sell their stretch of the Alamo Area as ideal for distribution centers.

The three cities are within easy highway travel of one another – and just a few miles from San Antonio.

And, increasingly, distribution centers and warehouses are finding the municipal triangle they form an ideal location.

“Technically, the signs say we are 32 miles from San Antonio, but we have clocked the mileage and it’s really 11 miles from the outer city limits,” says Seguin’s Kate Silvas, assistant director of economic development. What’s more important to economic growth is that Seguin is 14 miles east of New Braunfels, which is 14 miles south of San Marcos,

which is 13 miles northwest of Seguin.

And local officials are finding ways to get the word out.

Together, the Economic Development Partnership of Central Texas represents all three cities and emphasizes “strategic location” to lure distribution centers, according to Rusty Brockman, director of economic development for the New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce.

Interstate 10 also runs through the region en route from Houston to El Paso and I-35 as it connects Austin and San Antonio.

State Highway 130, a toll road that eventually will go from Georgetown (north of Austin) and all the way to I-10, roughly parallels I-35 and passes within honking distance of all three cities.

New Braunfels’ Brockman says the two interstates already make the triangle

Even as the Alamo region gears up to increase its transportation capacity, it is already poised to become a distribution center hub. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

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transportation Silvas says real estate developers have closed a deal for 500 acres in western Seguin that will be turned into “a multi-use retail, residential and industrial development.”

New Braunfels’ Brockman notes that

more than 400 acres are being developed near the regional airport as land ideal for use in this distribution hub.

As Silvas says: “I believe we are primed for the future.”

– Tim Ghianni

PHOTOS BY JEFF ADKINS

attractive. The toll road, to be completed by 2012, will boost the distribution hub’s value even further, he says.

“We are in an ideal place to be able to garner distribution facilities,” Brockman says, adding that the regional airport in New Braunfels and 42 daily freight trains along the Union Pacific routes out of San Antonio enhance the options for this development.

Distribution centers are taking notice.

In Comal County, Wal-Mart operates a 1.5 million-square-foot distribution center. Ashley Furniture’s distribution center in Comal County has a quartermillion square-foot distribution center.

And the county is also home to the 300,000-square-foot Lack’s Furniture distribution center.

A California development group has built a 224,300-square-foot warehouse facility in Seguin “that is first-class in terms of properties that are on the market right now,” Silvas says.

Some 164,000 square feet of space is available right now. The rest is occupied by a contractor that makes plastic storage bags for Wal-Mart, she adds.

Wal-Mart is among the latest companies to establish a distribution center in the area, lured by accessible transportation and the low cost of doing business.

Windcrest, Texas …

The possibilities are endless. Become a part of the vision.

City of Windcrest • 8601 Midcrown • Windcrest, TX 78239 For more information, contact the Windcrest Economic Development Corporation at (210) 967-9381 or visit www.windcrest.ci.tx.us.

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More Places To

Land

Regional airports invest in infrastructure

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ondo Airport needed a little gas to attract the growing market of corporate travelers. Literally.

Airport managers knew if they were going to convince more corporations to fly private jets in and out of the Medina County airport, they needed to install self-service aircraft fuel stations.

“Having an airport without fuel is like having a hotel without beds,” says manager Timothy Fousse. “The object is to make the airport more viable to local pilots and companies that want to locate here.”

Hondo isn’t the only area airport making changes to attract this growing group of airline elite. Regional airports in

Hondo Municipal Airport is making the move to accommodate more corporate travel by installing self-service fuel pumps.

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Fredricksburg and Kerrville are making upgrades to boost traffic, and are among the local airports investing millions to expand runways, build new hangers and offer more accommodations for those passing through.

“A lot of it has to do with the challenges of airline flight and the increased security and delays,” says Dave Fulton, Director of Aviation for the Texas Department of Transportation, which provided funding for many of the upgrades. “Business individuals want to go from Point A to Point B that might not necessarily be served by an airline.”

But travelers aren’t the only ones expected to benefit from the growth.

In Hondo, general aviation tenants and visitors at the airport are responsible for nearly $15.2 million in total economic output, 95 full-time jobs, and $4.1 million in payroll, according to a 2005 Department of Transportation study. Officials expect those numbers to increase as more businesses relocate to Hondo to take advantage of the airport’s five runways.

Kerrville opened a new terminal and parking lot to help travelers get in and out more easily, which officials say will increase access to local motels and shopping.

Gillespie County Airport, which serves the city of Fredericksburg, offers easy access for the area’s growing tourism industry. Airport officials say that’s been boosted with the addition of a new terminal and a longer runway, which allows access to larger jets.

“I think we’re looking to the future and seeing us accommodating more jet traffic,” says Roger Hansen, Airport Manager. “The county is growing, and we know it.”

– Jaime Sarrio

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technology

The Deal

Data

With

From homegrown talent to Microsoft, high-tech equals high growth

PHOTOS BY JEFF ADKINS

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People said Rackspace would never make it in San Antonio.

Now, the company is expanding to nearby Windcrest.

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nce a suburb in a slump, the city of Windcrest is on the fast track for revitalization.

Most notable is the extreme makeover of the area’s deserted mall. Rackspace is taking over the 1.2 million-squarefoot space, with plans to relocate more than 1,000 employees there in 2008 and thousands more by December 2012.

“If you just take the salary calculations, that’s a $300 million salary base in the area,” Ray Watson, executive director of Windcrest’s Economic Development Corporation, says of Rackspace’s impact. “This is an opportunity for us to have highly skilled jobs in a fast-growing industry. With the airport and downtown nearby, we are ideal for new development.”

Rackspace’s commitment has spurred renewed interest in the area, including talk of a $200 million, master-planned residential development. Another sure sign of economic confidence: Starbucks recently opened its first Windcrest location.

Rackspace, headquartered in San Antonio, helps companies of all sizes host and manage their Web presence.

“We have large data centers that have thousands and thousands of computers hooked to the Internet,” said

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The availability of sites such as the empty Windsor Park Mall is drawing data centers like Microsoft and Rackspace.

company spokeswoman Annalie Drusch. “They all have special cooling and monitoring systems to make sure the sites stay up and running.”

The company employs 1,400 people locally and 1,800 worldwide, and has seen 60 percent growth a year for seven years. The average Rackspace salary, Drusch says, is $51,000.

“We love San Antonio,” Drusch says. “We feel like we have the secret San Antonio advantage. In the dot-com days, people said we would never make it here. They said we had to go to the Silicon Valley or at least Austin. But San Antonio has the universities, the schools, the military, which mean we’re able to find the talent we need.”

Community support, Drusch says, has been constant, noting the cities of San Antonio, Windcrest and Bexar County, as well as the state, worked cooperatively on the mall agreement.

“San Antonio is a wonderful place to build a company,” she says. “It has a stable IT environment and is very supportive of entrepreneurs.”

Spaces with large floor plans and ample parking like the old mall are ideal for information technology companies.

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New construction is also under way, with Microsoft’s 477,000-square-foot data center scheduled for completion in mid-2008 in San Antonio.

“With 100 employees, it isn’t huge, but the investment of $1 billion over 7 years is,” says Mario Hernandez, president of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation. “It’s very exciting. Having Microsoft’s name here focuses attention on IT here.”

Hernandez says the San Antonio area is experiencing a boom in technology jobs. Banks, investment firms and other agencies have moved data centers to the area, creating thousands of jobs requiring advanced degrees.

San Antonio’s powerful combination of infrastructure, low costs and a strong labor force, Hernandez says, increasingly is attracting corporate America’s attention.

“The service sector is the largest part of our prospect activity,” Hernandez says. “We have 104 companies looking at San Antonio, and more than 40 percent have some type of IT facility.”

– Leanne Libby

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technology

Cyber City, USA With its military roots, San Antonio has a lock on the security industry

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hat’s keeping our nation’s financial industry locked down and secure? Odds are one of the many security companies located in the San Antonio region.

Named one of the Top 10 cities in America for information assurance by Information Week, San Antonio’s mix of military manpower, academic know-how and a prepared workforce is earning it the nickname “Cyber City.”

Thanks to the city’s strong military presence, most notably the Air Force Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency and the 67th Network Warfare Wing, San Antonio’s become a breeding ground for a growing industry of information security developers who work on the Web and with digital hardware.

But even though these companies are based in San Antonio, they’re building prestige by doing business around the globe.

Mark Bell is vice president of security and compliance operations for Digital Defense, a San Antonio company that serves financial companies with assets from $10 million to more than $25 billion. He says the military has helped breed some of the most innovative business owners in the security industry.

“Lots of these guys are ex-military, and they start out in military intelligence,” he says. “The military is always cutting edge, and eventually that technology makes it into the marketplace.”

Bell himself, who joined the company shortly after it opened in 2000, is also currently serving in the U.S. Air Force Reserves as a security engineer. He says Digital Defense primarily helps companies assess their cyber risks and also

the safety of the actual workplace.

“With the nature of the Internet, the threat has really changed from someone coming in with a mask and a gun and robbing a credit union to robbing you without having to show their face,” he says.

Other companies concentrate their services in more obvious areas of need, such as the corrections industry. ISI Security Group, which was bought in July 2007 by Argyle Security and is headquartered in San Antonio, furnishes security systems and equipment to prisons and jails across the United States and internationally.

Sam Youngblood, CEO of ISI, says the security industry has boomed since Sept. 11th, and that’s had an effect on the San Antonio business industry.

“San Antonio has busted loose over the last few years,” he says. “There’s no longer a small group controlling the major economy in this city, and I think that’s a good thing. On the other hand, it still has a small-town feel, which is really nice.”

Another factor in the growing industry is the academic community’s interest.

The University of Texas San Antonio has recently opened the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security, which is working to research new techniques and to help other cities plan for a cyber attack.

Jeffrey Kantor, the Center’s Senior Associate Vice President for Research Development, says he doesn’t believe the need for cyber security will slow down anytime soon.

“There’s a whole other issue when you go wireless,” says Kantor. “When you send things wirelessly, and anyone can pick them up.”

– Jaime Sarrio

ISI Security Group CEO Sam Youngblood says his business in equipping prisons and jails with security systems has grown tremendously since Sept. 11. The trend has made San Antonio home to a cluster of security companies. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

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energy

Fueling the

Economy Natural energy sources play key role in region’s economy

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gas reserves. There are two large oil fields and several oil service companies. Many local residents depend on the energy industry for their livelihood.

Both Tesoro Corporation and Valero Energy Corporation, two of the largest refiners in the nation, are headquartered in San Antonio. Valero refines 3.1 million barrels of oil per day in refineries around the country, and the company has nearly 6,000 retail outlets in 44 states and across Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Tesoro processes more than 660,000 barrels of oil per day and operates more than 900 retail outlets.

Oil and gas are prominent natural resources in the Alamo Area, but they are by no means the only ones. Lignite mining began in Atascosa County in the 1980s, and the operation is a vital part of the local economy.

“When you look at the tax rolls, it’s hard to say how many millions of dollars the coal mine and the power plant provide to the area,” says Dan Nick, city manager in Jourdanton who was the business manager at the mine for 17 JEFF ADKINS

he Alamo Area is rich in natural resources, not the least of which are oil and gas.

“Besides agriculture and cattle ranching, oil and gas are the main products of the county,” says Ralph Morgan, 911 coordinator for Frio County. “We have a lot of cattle ranching, and the cattle graze around oil pump jacks.”

In Frio County, just 70 miles south of San Antonio, farmland sits atop oil and

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years. Together, the mine and the mine employ approximately 500 people.

Many of the industry’s employees drive into Atascosa County for their jobs, broadening the influence of the operation, Nick says. The plant and the mine also draw job applicants from other parts of the country.

“When you look at the purchase of homes and the kids going to school and the purchase of vehicles and food and other necessities, definitely it’s a big impact,” he says.

Due to its bundant water supply, large coal reserves and immediate access to transportation and pipeline availability, Frio County is moving toward the production of alternative fuels, according to Morgan.

“We have the proven ability to grow crops that can be converted not only to biodiesel but to biomass as well,” he says.

Biomass is used in the ethanol process.

“We could become a net exporter of diesel products just by going green on our marginal land.”

– Michaela Jackson

Valero Energy Corp., headquartered in San Antonio, is the largest oil refiner in the United States and among the largest retail operators.

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Opportunity Knocked

San Antonio was surprising choice for Toyota plant

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manufacturing

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That issue was the fact that all of Toyota’s other U.S. assembly plants are located in smaller communities.

“Toyota likes to be in more isolated areas, so getting them to settle in the seventh-largest city in the country was no small task,” Hernandez says. “It took a real sales job to get them here, but we finally won out.”

Hernandez says a team effort between San Antonio, Bexar County and the state of Texas resulted in a $130 million incentive package to lure the automaker. That dollar amount is now dwarfed by Toyota’s economic significance in the local economy.

“We initially estimated that Toyota would have an annual $1.2 billion economic impact in San Antonio, but 37 supplier companies to Toyota have also located here – way more than we thought there would be,” Hernandez says. “So instead of $1.2 billion, Toyota’s economic impact figure is actually more like $1.7 billion to our community each year.”

Don Jackson, senior vice president for quality and production at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, says the availability of a 2,000-acre piece of flat land just south of downtown San Antonio – coupled with easy access to rail, highways and utilities – essentially clinched the company’s decision to build and locate in San Antonio.

“Everything is going well,” Jackson says. “The 2,000-member workforce is proving to be excellent problem solvers, which is critical to Toyota. They also pay close attention to the quality of work, and our productivity is excellent. We are highly encouraged with our San Antonio venture.”

– Kevin Litwin

P H OTO S C O U R T E S Y O F TOYOTA M OTO R N O R T H A M E R I C A

exans love pickup trucks, and Toyota hopes more Texans will be thinking “Tundra” when they choose a new pickup truck.

Texas itself is a big reason why Toyota Motor Corp. decided in 2003 to construct a new $1.28 billion vehicle assembly plant in San Antonio. The plant began manufacturing Tundra full-size pickups in November 2006 and can produce 200,000 trucks a year if desired.

“Five years ago when Toyota was starting to look at possible sites for its Tundra plant, San Antonio was nowhere on their radar,” says Mario Hernandez, president of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation. “We went from being a complete unknown to ultimately winning out on the project.”

So what happened?

Back in 2003, Toyota had a 12 percent share of overall automotive sales in the U.S. market, but only a 4 percent sales share in Texas. So in order to build up their market numbers in the important Lone Star State, the Japanese-based company realized it needed to target the pickup truck audience.

“Texans drive more pickups and SUVs than regular automobiles – it’s just our preference for basic transportation,” Hernandez says. “Knowing that, the Toyota sales group based in California wanted to settle in Texas, but the company’s logistics and operations people were totally against it. For one reason, they pointed out that there were no automotive suppliers here because Toyota’s other U.S. plants are in the Southeast, Michigan and Indiana. Then there was one other key issue working against us as well.”

Toyota’s move to San Antonio with a new, $1.28 billion plant building Tundra pickup trucks has been a boon to the regional economy, directly providing more than 2,000 jobs and attracting new auto supplier companies.

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quality of life

Where the

Living Is

Easy Alamo Area offers rural, urban and suburban living options

JEFF ADKINS

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Residents of the Alamo Area can choose the small-town charm of cities like Hondo or city living in San Antonio.

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ewcomers to the Alamo Area can take their pick of housing options from a variety of neighborhoods in urban, suburban or rural settings across the region.

Schertz may be a bedroom community, but it is also something of a media darling.

CNNMoney.com examined cities with fewer than 50,000 people and named Schertz its first choice. U.S. News & World Report called Schertz the 11th best place to retire. And Forbes magazine listed it as the 91st fastest-growing city in the nation.

The city of just over 30,000 is growing rapidly, thanks to booming business growth and expansions.

Brad E. Bailey, Schertz’ director of community and media relations, credits the growth to a number of factors, including the city’s proximity to the I35 corridor and its strong school district.

Schertz has capitalized on the growth, he says, while maintaining a friendly,

small-town atmosphere.

In 2006, voters approved one of the largest bonds in the area’s history, paving the way for projects such as a new civic center and state-of-the-art library.

“When businesses consider moving to an area, they consider quality of life,” Bailey says. “We have all the big-city services, including a high-tech ambulance system and hotels, as well as proximity to major airports and the rail system.”

For those who want the big-city experience around the clock, San Antonio developers have renovated apartments, condominiums and lofts.

Downtown living spaces with hardwood floors and granite counters give residents suburban amenities within steps of the city’s legendary San Antonio River Walk, a vibrant arts community and sporting events.

In quieter areas such as Helotes, residents enjoy the scenic life in a town billed as “the gateway to the Texas Hill Country.” Located 12 miles northwest

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Hoops and Help SPURS PLAYERS AND TEAM GIVE BACK

The Broadway San Antonio

of San Antonio and with a population of close to 10,000, the area beckons those wanting a rural lifestyle with fast access to the city.

Dedication to this lifestyle includes having the city’s wireless communications tower double as a flagpole. Historic and modern limestone buildings add to the area’s country charm, as well.

In 2007, city leaders finalized the Old Town Helotes Plan, a comprehensive development plan to create a central gathering place that retains the area’s small-town appeal, while allowing for growth.

“Helotes is extremely diverse and a perfect getaway for those seeking suburban living or a weekend of fun,” says Rick Shroder, Economic Development specialist with the Helotes Economic Development Corporation. “With a relatively low tax rate and cost of living, Helotes offers affordable luxury set within the foothills of the Texas Hill Country. Moreover, the city boasts an eclectic downtown area filled with small boutiques, restaurants and serenity.”

– Leanne Libby

The San Antonio Spurs have worked hard to win four NBA championships, earning the enthusiastic support of local fans.

But perhaps their most meaningful work occurs away from the basketball court.

In 2008, the team’s Spurs Foundation is marking its 20th year of helping physically, emotionally and economically underserved youth in the South Texas community. The foundation has donated more than $12 million to charities over the years, with all of the money raised by fundraisers and donations.

“We try to create positive educational and recreational opportunities for children and young people to enjoy a greater quality of life,” says Alison Fox, San Antonio Spurs vice president of community relations and the Spurs Foundation director. “That includes awarding more than $100,000 in grants each year to organizations that work on behalf of young people.”

The Spurs Foundation also teams up with San Antonio center Tim Duncan and his own foundation to annually recognize and reward 3,000 children who demonstrate caring and civic responsibility.

Retired San Antonio Spurs also continue to contribute to the South Texas community. For example, former Spurs center David Robinson started Carver Academy, a K-6 school that helps develop a child’s academic, social, emotional, physical and spiritual needs. In addition, former guard George Gervin helped to establish a local youth center that is named after him.

The city has other professional sports teams, including the San Antonio Missions minor league baseball team that won the Texas League championship in 2007.

But it is the Spurs that create most of the sports buzz in San Antonio, so Fox says the team tries to be involved in the community as much as it can – earning respect both on and off the courts.

“The Spurs have many loyal fans in San Antonio and South Texas,” Fox says. “It’s a pleasure for our players and the team to give back.”

– Kevin Litwin

To read more about quality of life in the region, visit imagesalamoarea.com and click on “quality of life” in the Lifestyle section.

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JEFF ADKINS

SEE MORE ONLINE

A hometown crowd cheers as the San Antonio Spurs play the Detroit Pistons.

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agribusiness

There’s Cattle,

More

of Course, and

Mild climate, vast landscapes yield surprisingly diverse bounties

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The Alamo Area is home to large commercial apiaries that yield a flavorful honey from the local Guahillo plant.

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he landscape here may be forever associated with Texas cattle ranches. But agribusiness across the sprawling San Antonio region is much more than that. The region is also famous for fresh vegetables, wild game, specialty products and even the bees that make agribusiness possible.

“The climate is so mild here that we can grow our products outdoors for most of the year,” says Charles Johnson, president of Patty’s Herbs in Pearsall. Johnson’s products consist of 18 varieties of herbs and edible flowers – many of them hard to come by. Patty’s Herbs are distributed by grocery stores across the state, including the rapidly expanding 300-store HEB Grocery Co. chain.

The business began as a garden plot in 1981 from which Johnson’s mother sold herbs to a couple of local restaurants.

Johnson, an MBA who spent 15 years working in high finance, found the herb business hard to resist and returned to the family calling. Keeping up with demand from groceries and

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Fresh mint leaves are packed at Patty’s Herbs in the Frio County seat of Pearsall. The Alamo Area is famous for fresh vegetables, wild game, specialty products and even the bees that make agribusiness possible. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

restaurants now requires a labor-intensive packing operation that pulls plants from across 40 acres and greenhouses.

In Floresville, Promised Land Dairy has also seen rapid growth. Beginning as a small local dairy, Promised Land developed a niche of supplying dairy products exclusively from Jersey cows. Most commercial dairies use Holsteins, but Jersey milk is considered more flavorful, with higher calcium content and more protein, says Gordon Kuenemann, Promised Land executive vice president.

Consumers in several states apparently agree with him.

The dairy now supplies 2,882 grocery stores in 17 states from New Mexico to Virginia. A few years ago, the company grew too big to continue maintaining its own cows. Instead, it turned over all milk production to a local co-op of exclusively Jersey dairies.

“This is very diverse area,” observes Ralph Morgan, a Frio County rancher and county 911 coordinator. “The ranches

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here do more than you think. Because of the local brush and vegetation, this area has abundant wildlife. Hunters come here from all over the world.”

When they do, they might very well munch on one of the region’s other big products – peanuts. So important is local peanut farming that the Frio County courthouse lawn features a giant statue of a peanut.

“Vegetables are very big here,” says Jason Ott, county extension agent in Hondo, Texas. The growing season for green beans, cabbage and cucumbers is one reason why Del Monte operates a large local farm, he says.

None of which would be possible without bees. The region is home to large commercial apiaries that yield a flavorful honey from the local Guahillo plant. But the hives also perform a more critical job, being leased and trucked out to agribusiness customers from California almond growers to local melon farmers.

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telecommunications

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Calling

Home

From its home base in San Antonio, AT&T expands worldwide

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an Antonio is home to AT&T, putting the city at the forefront of the innovative and competitive communications industry.

With more than 6,000 employees here, AT&T is the nation’s largest communications company offering phone, wireless, Internet and television services. In San Antonio, AT&T’s operations range from retail to repair, customer service and executive management, and its impact in the region is far-reaching.

“It brings all the people that they do business with here on an ongoing basis. It continually brings the attention of all those business partners of AT&T to San Antonio,” says Robert Peche, Director of San Antonio’s Economic Development Department. “The company has grown tremendously. They have a very, very far-reaching impact. Their business really is worldwide now. So we’re very fortunate.”

Southwestern Bell, later SBC Communications, moved to San Antonio from St. Louis in 1993 at a time when Texas provided the most business in the region. In 2005 SBC joined with AT&T, and AT&T’s headquarters moved from New Jersey. A year later AT&T acquired BellSouth, and BellSouth’s headquarters moved from Atlanta. Today San Antonio is a good fit for AT&T, says April Borlinghaus, a company spokeswoman.

“San Antonio is a great city, and it’s a city that is as diverse as our employees and customers are,” she says.

Also in San Antonio is the AT&T Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm supporting academic and economic achievement and addressing community needs. AT&T

contributed more than $101 million in 2006 through corporate, employee and foundation-giving programs, Borlinghaus says.

Additionally the AT&T Pioneers are a group of active and retired employees who volunteer their time for education, literacy, environmental concerns and technology training for children and adults. Some 5,700 AT&T volunteers gave more than 670,000 hours of service in 2006 to the greater San Antonio community, Borlinghaus says.

Meanwhile San Antonio leaders are working to maintain the city for the fast-growing AT&T, investing in roads, the airport and education, Peche says.

The company’s plans call for expansion, Borlinghaus says.

AT&T is focused on growing its new TV product U-Verse TV, launched in 2006 in San Antonio and now in more than 33 markets nationwide. The service brings television into the home using an Internet connection rather than cable lines.

The company also is focused on promoting its bundled services, allowing customers to package all their phone, wireless, Internet and television services together for convenience and savings.

“We obviously really want to be the only communications and entertainment company that customers would really need,” Borlinghaus says. “We are continuing to expand our operations in all facets of our company. We are continuing to grow the company that has served its customers for more than a century.”

– Amy Green

San Antonio-based AT&T is the nation’s largest communications company.

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PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

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biosciences

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Healthy

Industry San Antonio’s bioscience sector is booming

PHOTOS BY JEFF ADKINS

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Researchers conduct protein studies at San Antonio’s Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Clinic.

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an Antonio is nationally recognized for its arts, culture and entertainment offerings. But increasingly it’s also being hailed as a leader in bioscience.

And it’s no wonder.

The city is home to major military medical treatment and training centers and nationally known research institutions, which are all powerful draws for both established and startup private bioscience companies.

BioMed SA, launched in fall 2005, resides at the heart of the region’s industry. The organization was founded to bring together the industry’s four major sectors: medical and healthcare delivery, biomedical research, health professional training, and bioscience firms.

“We want to help sustain and grow the existing industry, attract new companies, help develop workforce talent and help develop financial resources,” says Ann Stevens, president of BioMed SA, a nonprofit industry organization supported in part by the city and county.

The industry’s anchor is the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. “It’s a research powerhouse that’s in the top 5 percent of all federally funded institutions in the nation,” Stevens says. “It has spawned a lot of activity and growth.”

In December 2007, the Cancer Therapy and Research Center announced that the merger with the UT Health Science Center was approved. The merger comes at an opportune time because, also in November, Texans voted to provide $3 billion in funding for cancer research over the next 10 years. “The consolidation helps us compete for state money as well as federal money,” Stevens says.

San Antonio also leads the way when it comes to military medicine. As part of the military’s Base Realignment and

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Closure process in 2005, Wilford Hall Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio are consolidating into one entity, the San Antonio Military Medical Center.

“We are going to become the largest military medical treatment center in the entire country,” Stevens says. The consolidation is scheduled for completion in 2011.

Brooke, along with Walter Reed Army Military Center in Washington, D.C., already receives the bulk of wounded soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq. Along with treating the military, San Antonio will become the training site for all military medics, as part of the BRAC process.

To further enhance San Antonio’s importance to the country, the Center for the Intrepid – a state-of-the-art rehabilitation facility for wounded soldiers – opened in January 2007. The $50 million center, built entirely with private donations from 600,000 Americans, serves traumatic amputee patients, burn patients requiring advanced rehabilitation and those requiring limb-salvage efforts.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs has budgeted $67 million for a polytrauma rehabilitation center in San Antonio. Congress has already approved $30 million in construction funding.

What’s more, San Antonio is currently one of five finalists vying to host the Department of Homeland Security’s National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) to research diseaseborne health and security threats, including animal diseases and bio-terror agents, and to develop vaccines.

“The reason we’re so well positioned is that San Antonio has a large body of expertise in infectious disease research,”

Stevens says. She points to the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, which operates the nation’s only privately owned bio-safety Level 4 laboratory.

San Antonio’s health-care and bioscience industry’s economic impact in 2006 was $15.3 billion, with more than $4.4 billion in wages and salaries to 112,762 employees. The industry has added about 22,000 net new jobs over the past decade.

Expect that growth to continue. As America’s seventhlargest city, San Antonio is embracing science and medicine.

“At BioMed SA, our role is to bring the story of San Antonio’s expertise to the attention of the nation and the world,” Stevens concludes.

– Pam George

Ann Stevens is president of BioMed SA.

Good Genes Are Hard To Find FOUNDATION BREAKTHROUGHS PINPOINT DISEASE-RELATED GENES In its 67-year history, the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research already has an impressive catalog of discoveries under its belt in the areas of cancer, AIDS and other complex diseases. Now the foundation has made a new breakthrough by developing a method for rapidly isolating disease-related genes. In so doing, researchers have found a gene that plays a major role in regulating HDL, the so-called “good” cholesterol. A scarcity of HDL can be a major risk factor in heart disease.

The gene, called VNN1, “wasn’t on anyone’s radar,” says Dr. John Blangero, the senior author of the paper in Nature Genetics announcing the findings. “Now it’s probably a direct target.” If a drug

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could be found that increases VNN1, Blangero explains, HDL levels might be improved as well.

The research team used the search for HDL-influential genes as a demonstration of the process by which scientists can hunt for genes implicated in diseases in general.

Fundamental to this method are the 1,500 parallel processors in SFBR’s AT&T Genomics Computing Center. Using this enormous computational power enables scientists to narrow the field from the 25,000 genes in the human genome to those relevant to the target disease. “It’s quite an advantage,” says Dr. Blangero.

“The main set of analyses that we ran for the Nature Genetics paper took about two weeks.

These would have taken years using a conventional approach.”

The team is already using the technique to analyze genes associated with other diseases.

– Jon Brooks

The AT&T Genomics Computing Center analyzes genetic data at record speeds.

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The

Prognosis Is Excellent Large hospital network meets the needs of a growing population

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f the number of hospitals in the Alamo Area is any indication, residents can rest at ease about their health.

Many of the hospitals in the region, including Christus Santa Rosa Health Care (CSRHC) and Methodist Healthcare System in San Antonio, are expanding into new facilities while others, such as South Texas Regional Medical Center, are adding on to their existing buildings.

Christus Santa Rosa is constructing a new 150-bed hospital in the Westover Hills area of town that is scheduled to be complete in December 2008.

“The heavy population growth in western San Antonio has created the need for a full range of medical services in this portion of the community,” says Don A. Beeler, CEO of CSRHC, in a statement announcing the new hospital.

“This complex not only will bring outpatient and inpatient care closer to these residents, but it will provide extraordinary technology that should enhance the already high level of care that we deliver.”

Methodist recently opened a $13.6 million freestanding emergency center in Boerne, the first of its kind in South Texas. The hospital is an answer to serving the booming population in what was once a rural area.

South Texas Regional Medical Center (STRMC) in Jourdanton opened a new 27-bed center exclusively for heart and lung care in 2006, according to the hospital’s CEO Michael Pierce. The hospital also touts advanced hyperbarics and

wound care capabilities, as well as effective and competent home healthcare and rehabilitation services.

STRMC heavily emphasizes community involvement, Pierce says.

“STRMC’s tradition is to provide quality care to the community through strong, lasting relationships with physicians that have a long standing with the community – a tradition of caring for the local community by the local community,” he says.

“STRMC is known for the personalized care the staff delivers. We pride ourselves in having familiar faces on staff and physicians who live in the area so that neighbors are treating neighbors.”

Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital in Kerrville is a community, non-profit health-care provider that was established in 1949 by Hal and Charlie Peterson, in honor of their father, Sid. Sid Peterson died of a heart condition after many long, hard trips from Kerrville to San Antonio, 60 miles away, and his sons wanted residents of the community to have a local alternative to San Antonio’s health-care providers.

The hospital is now an expanding institution, serving residents of the Hill Country with specialty wound care, women’s health and rehabilitation units, all opened since 2000. Construction on a new facility, located on a 35-acre campus west of the Peterson Ambulatory Care Center, began in December 2005.

– Michaela Jackson

Many of the hospitals in the Alamo Area, including Christus Santa Rosa Health Care in San Antonio, are expanding into new facilities. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

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education

Masters of Education Region offers higher education in private, public, community college settings

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an Antonio is home to a wealth of higher education choices, including Texas’ two major public university systems, community colleges and an extensive menu of private offerings.

Alamo Community College District’s 52,000 students take courses at one of five campuses and four satellite centers.

Satellite centers in Kerrville and Floresville are expected in 2008.

“We have programs for medical assistants, physical therapy, mortuary science and culinary arts,” says Leo Zuniga, the District’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Communications.

The University of Texas at San Antonio’s downtown campus

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“We also provide training for local businesses such as Christus Santa Rosa Health Care and the Boeing Company.”

In October 2007, the district’s parent/child scholarship program, funded by the League of United Latin American Citizens, received the Texas Higher Education Star Award.

The award recognizes outstanding contributions toward closing the state’s educational gap. The scholarship awards $1,000 to single parents and, once they complete their education, a twoyear scholarship for their child.

The district’s community education centers strive to make a college education accessible to all residents, offering services such as assistance with scholarship and financial aid applications. The district also provides free tuition to area high school students enrolled in dual-credit programs.

Increasingly, the district is helping prepare students for manufacturing, aerospace and information technology careers, which are flourishing in the area, as well as designing customized training programs for incoming businesses.

David Gabler, assistant vice president of communications at the University of Texas at San Antonio, says the university’s 29,000 students make it the fastest-growing university in the state and, he says, poised to be the next premier public research center.

The university’s three campuses offer a broad range of programs, specializing in science, engineering, business, music and architecture. Business Week ranked its MBA program among the top 50 in the nation.

The university’s $270 million capital expansion includes an $83 million engineering building slated for completion in 2009 and a $48 million student wellness and recreation center.

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Off the Field, They’re a Dynamic Duo RIVALRY ASIDE, UT, A&M SERVE STUDENTS TOGETHER

For more information about education opportunities in the Alamo Area, visit imagesalamoarea.com and click on “education” in the Lifestyle section.

A $48 million student center at the University of Texas at San Antonio’s main campus is part of a $270 million expansion.

“The community is actively engaged with UTSA,” Gabler says. “We have advisory boards for all our programs to make sure we are helping shape future leaders for the community and the region.”

Gabler says many of the university’s 70,000 alumni have remained in the region, helping transform the area’s economy.

“Educational opportunities will help San Antonio go to the next level of excellence,” he says.

Trinity University, ranked top in its category for 10 years

by U.S. News & World Report, is one of a variety of private universities in the area.

The liberal arts and sciences university has an enrollment of 2,700 students, more than half from within Texas. In addition to nationally ranked academics, the university’s Division III athletics programs have won a number of national championships in recent years.

The university offers a variety of programs, including East Asian studies and a science curriculum where undergraduate students have opportunities to engage in research shortly after enrollment. The university also offers an urban studies program and a variety of resources for student and professional educators.

“Every university offers something a little bit different,” Sharon Jones Schweitzer, the university’s assistant vice president for university communications, says of the area’s offerings. “If you’re a young person in this area, there is no reason you shouldn’t go to college. Our state population is growing and will continue to grow, and education is extremely important in terms of economic development and developing leaders.”

– Leanne Libby

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PHOTOS BY JEFF ADKINS

SEE MORE ONLINE

The University of Texas and Texas A&M University have a long-standing sports rivalry.

But in recent years, the universities have found common ground in cities such as San Antonio, where A&M has established a System campus to support the Alamo Area’s growing population.

It’s a population the University of Texas at San Antonio has served since 1979.

After establishing System centers in Killeen and Dallas, Texas A&M University turned to San Antonio. In 1999, the System received $1.6 million to open a center for third- and fourth-year college students in San Antonio. Classes began in fall 2000.

“If you look at the population in San Antonio and the surrounding areas and the rural cities, the area, along with the state, is growing,” says Greg A. Garcia, Texas A&M’s Assistant Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations.

“There is a big population base and a lot of students who want to stay in San Antonio for college.”

Texas A&M’s classes currently meet in former South San ISD school buildings on the city’s south side. The System thanks the district for the space by offering scholarships to 10 district students a year. The students earn an associate’s degree from Palo Alto College and then receive a free ride at the System campus to complete a bachelor’s degree.

The System recently received additional funding from the Texas Legislature, enabling it to add faculty and make plans to increase their programming. Building a campus will follow once the System meets its goal of 1,500 fulltime-equivalent students, which they hope to accomplish by 2009. By 2030, Garcia would like to see a four-year campus with 25,000 students.

The University of Texas at San Antonio has 29,000 students.

“San Antonio is a rapidly growing city, and I think this demonstrates the city is committed to providing resources for all students,” says David Gabler, UTSA’s Assistant Vice President for Communications. “We’re now a knowledgebased economy in San Antonio, and we’re working together to best prepare students for the future.”

Says Texas A&M’s Garcia: “In the long run, the better job we do educating and improving the level of education for undergraduates and graduate students, the more it entices industry.”

– Leanne Libby

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551 HILL COUNTRY DR. • KERRVILLE, TX 78028 (830) 896-4200 • (830) 258-7628 • (830) 258-7833 FAX WWW.PETERSONRMC.COM

Taking health care to new heights in the Hill Country.

PETERSON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Come grow with us.

The Peterson Regional Medical Center is a health care facility of the future – modern, patientcentered, welcoming and convenient. It will anchor a 35-acre campus that already includes an ambulatory care center. Our patients will be cared for in 125 private rooms, with accommodations for family members and 24-hour room service. It is high-tech, with a 64-slice CT scanner, seven surgical suites and a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization and interventional radiology lab. It is high-touch, with a serene, inviting birth and women’s center and an acute rehabilitation unit complete with a gym. The Hill Country’s premier medical center opens in April 2008. Our family – including more than 800 employees and a medical staff of 86 physicians – looks forward to welcoming your family, and we thank you for placing your trust in us.

ECONOMIC PROFILE BUSINESS CLIMATE

TRANSPORTATION AIRPORT San Antonio International Airport (210) 207-3526, www.ci.sat.tx.us/aviation

TAXES Texas has no state income tax.

The state sales tax is 6.25 percent, with groceries and medicine exempt. The local sales tax and property tax varies by county.

COUNTY INFORMATION ATASCOSA COUNTY www.co.atascosa.tx.us Population, 42,696 County seat, Jourdanton Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 153 Pleasanton, TX 78064 Phone: (830) 569-2163 Fax: (830) 569-5272 www.pleasantoncofc.org

BANDERA COUNTY www.banderacounty.org Population, 19,754 County seat, Bandera Bandera County Texas Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 2445 331 Main St. Bandera, TX 78003 Phone: (830) 796-3280 Fax: (830) 796-3970 www.banderatex.com Bandera Texas Convention & Visitors Bureau P.O. Box 171 Bandera, TX 78003 Phone: (800) 364-3833 www.banderacowboycapital. com

BEXAR www.co.bexar.org www.bexar.org Population, 1,493,965 County seat, San Antonio

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The Alamo Area is a thriving business and industry community centered in San Antonio, the second-largest city in Texas and seventh-largest in the U.S. The region serves as the gateway to the Southwest. It has a thriving economy, with one of the largest military concentrations in the nation, in addition to traditional manufacturing and service sectors.

Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce 602 E. Commerce St. San Antonio, TX 78205 Phone: (210) 229-2100 Fax: (210) 229-1600 www.sachamber.org City of San Antonio Economic Development Department Frost Bank Tower 100 W. Houston St. Suite 1900 San Antonio, TX 78205 Phone: (210) 207-8080 Fax: (210) 207-8151 www.sanantonio.gov

COMAL COUNTY www.co.comal.tx.us Population, 91,806 County seat, New Braunfels New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 311417 New Braunfels, TX 78131 Phone: (800) 572-2626 or (830) 625-2385, www.nbcham.org

FRIO COUNTY www.co.frio.tx.us Population, 16,386 County seat, Pearsall Pearsall Texas Chamber of Commerce www.pearsalltexas.com

GUADALUPE COUNTY www.co.guadalupe.tx.us Population, 99,620 County seat, Seguin Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce 427 N. Austin St. Seguin, TX 78155 Phone: (830) 379-6382 or Fax: (830) 379-6971 www.sequinchamber.com

KARNES COUNTY www.co.karnes.tx.us Population, 15,458 County seat, Karnes City Largest city, Kenedy Kenedy Texas Chamber of Commerce Tourism & Visitors Center 205 S. Second St. Kenedy, TX 78119 Phone: (830) 583-3223 www.kenedychamber.com

KENDALL COUNTY www.co.kendall.tx.us Population, 27,214 County seat, Boerne Greater Boerne Texas Chamber of Commerce 126 Rosewood Ave. Boerne, TX 78006 Phone: (830) 249-8000 Fax: (830) 249-9639 www.boerne.org

GILLESPIE COUNTY

KERR COUNTY

www.gillespiecounty.org Population, 21,607 County seat, Fredericksburg

www.co.kerr.tx.us Population, 45,675 County seat, Kerrville

Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce 302 E. Austin Fredericksburg, TX 78624 Phone: (888) 997-3600 (830) 997-6523 www.fredericksburg-texas.com

Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce 1700 Sidney Baker Suite 100, Kerrville, TX 78028 Phone: (830) 896-1155 Fax: (830) 896-1175 www.kervilletx.com

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WELCOME to Red Roof Inn – San Antonio Downtown Enjoy our new 24-hour coffeehouse-style service featuring fresh brewed, ground whole bean coffee, cappuccino and latte served with fresh muffins every morning at Red Roof Inn – San Antonio Downtown.

Our all-inclusive king rooms offer free local and long distance calls and they are Wi-Fi accessible using T-Mobile along with offering a microfridge and desk area. We also feature “On Command Video” with a selection of free TV channels, pay-toview premium channels, movies, music and games. Plus, we offer a FREE on-site parking garage for our guests.

Outside our comfortable hotel, you will find all of the attractions San Antonio is famous for, like the Alamo, the Riverwalk, River Center Mall, the Alamo Dome, the San Antonio Convention Center and the Tower of the Americas.

With all there is to see and do in our beautiful city, we doubt you’ll be spending much time in your hotel room. That means that for your stay to be complete, your hotel should provide the amenities you want at the price you need. Fortunately, Red Roof Inn – San Antonio Downtown provides that and more. We’re your best choice for economy lodging in the Alamo City!

1011 E. Houston St. • San Antonio, TX 78205 (210) 229-9973 • Fax: (210) 229-9975 www.redroof-san-antonio-downtown.com

www.medinacountytexas.org Population, 42,269 County seat, Hondo Hondo Chamber of Commerce 1607 Avenue K Hondo, TX 78861 Phone: (830) 426-3037 www.hondochamber.com

WILSON COUNTY www.co.wilson.tx.us Population, 36,726 County seat, Floresville Floresville Chamber of Commerce Tourist and Visitor Center 910 Tenth St. Floresville, TX 78114 Phone: (866) 276-6778 or (830) 393-0074, Fax: (830) 393-9224 www.floresvillechamber.org

MAJOR AREA MILITARY CONCENTRATIONS Brooke Army Medical Center (210) 916-4141, www.bamc. amedd.army.mil

VISIT OUR ADVERTISERS

Fort Sam Houston, www.samhouston.army.mil

Alamo Area Council of Governments www.aacog.com

Huser Construction Company Inc. www.huserco.com

Lackland Air Force Base, (210) 671-2907 www.lackland.af.mil

Jourdanton Chamber of Commerce

Randolph Air Force Base, (210) 652-1110, (210) 652-1411, www.randolph.af.mil

Alamo Community Colleges www.accd.edu Bexar County Economic Development Department www.bexar.org/ed BioMed SA www.biomedsa.org Capital One NA www.capitalonebank.com City of Pleasanton City of San Antonio www.sanantonio-airport.com City of Windcrest www.ci.windcrest.tx.us Floresville Economic Development Corporation www.floresvilleedc.org HPI Real Estate Services www.hpitx.com

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Red Roof Inn www.redroof-san-antoniodowntown.com

Wilford Hall Medical Center, (210) 292-7412 www.whmc.af.mil

San Antonio Economic Development Foundation www.sanantonioedf.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Sid Peterson Hospital www.spmh.com TAMU – San Antonio www.tamuk.edu/sanantonio Texas Research & Technology Foundation www.trpf.com University of the Incarnate Word www.uiw.edu

Alamo Area Council of Governments 8700 Tesoro Dr. Suite 700 San Antonio, TX 78217 Phone: (210) 362-5200 www.aacog.com The Alamo Area Council of Governments is a voluntary association of local governments serving the twelve counties of the Alamo Area.

SOURCE: www.aacog.com

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JOURDANTON, TEXAS “A Small Town on the Grow” County Seat Low Taxes Excellent School System Strong Community Spirit Modern Medical Facilities with a New Heart & Lung Center American Pride Day – July 4th Located just 30 miles south of San Antonio on Hwy. 16

City of Jourdanton & Jourdanton Economic Development Corpor ation (830) 769-3589 Jourdanton Chamber of Commerce (830) 769-2866 www.jourdanton.net

(830) 769-3515 www.strmc.com

(830) 769-3557 www.jsbbank.com

JOURDANTON PHARMACY 1105 Oak St. Jourdanton, TX 78026 (830) 769-3614