Texas
Di gi t b De y al ve Wh edi w lo a ti o w r w pm ton n s .w e ha nt Ec pon r t Co on so on rp o r ed or mic ed c. at co io m n
businessclimate.com/texas
WIDE OPEN FOR BUSINESS
AEROSPACE, AVIATIO N AND DEFENSE GY HNOLO ED TEC ADVANC UFACTURING N AND MA
INFORMAT IO COMPUTE N AND R TECHNO LOGY
ING REFIN DUCTS O LEUM PETRO HEMICAL PR AND C ICES FINANCIAL SERV
ENERGY BIOTEC AND LIFHNOLOGY E SCIE NCES
Sponsored by The Office of the governor, Economic Development & Tourism | 2013-14
Contents
Texas WIDE OPEN FOR BUSINESS
66 Business Benefits
Texas Draw Lower costs and a business-friendly environment are making the Lone Star State a destination of choice for location and investment.
72 Foreign Investment
Many Flags Over Texas
Across a range of industries and from nations around the globe, foreign companies are investing in Texas, putting down roots and creating more than 446,000 jobs.
2013-14 Edition | Volume 4
80 Startups and innovation
Texas Stays Fresh Entrepreneurs and emerging companies find a wealth of resources in the state, from technology transfer to venture support to accelerator and incubator facilities.
105 Workforce Development
Ready to work The Texas labor force is more than 12.7 million strong, highly skilled and growing, thanks to collaborations and innovative programs that provide training and education.
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Where Quality of Life Meets Opportunity
CAMERON INDUSTRIAL FOUNDATION info@cameronindustrialfoundation.com • (254) 697-4979 www.cameronindustrialfoundation.com
Contents
on the cover All roads lead to Texas, where the nation’s strongest economy is generating jobs and spurring investment across a range of industries. Illustration by Kris Sexton
113
52
Incentive programs
In With the New
125 25 Overview
A suite of state incentives lead to capital investment and job creation.
60
site location
The Gift of Site
90
28 Discover
A highly skilled workforce, affordable labor costs and ready-to-work attitude make the state a top spot for corporate investment.
37
90
113
industry epicenter
Under the Microscope
Power of Renewal
Business Climate
By any measure, Texas is an economic dynamo thanks to its ideal business climate and abundance of new jobs.
44
Texas A&M AgriLife Research yields a bumper crop of discoveries.
98 multimedia
Workforce
The Best Brand in Business Cost advantage, workforce, innovation create winning formula in Texas.
Agriculture
Strong Sense of Direction Worlds of music, film and technology collide at Austin’s annual South by Southwest Conferences & Festivals.
energy
Texas’ energy industry unlocks the potential of renewable sources and creates clean technology.
125
technology
Technical Mastery Resource-rich Texas maps out the next digital breakthroughs.
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Contents
161
141
169 Economic Development contacts
175 Economic Profile 211 Gallery
181 161
141
150
Biotech and Life Sciences
transportation
Logistical Logic A superior system of ports, rail, highways and airports gives the Lone Star State all the right connections.
150
breakthrough state Texas is a discovery zone for life sciences advancements.
181
leaders in the labs Texas universities build global reputation as research leaders.
food and beverage
Craft Movement
livability
Texas’ microbrewing industry taps into Lone Star State pride one sip at a time.
Superior quality of life teams with strong economy in Texas cities.
208
Winning Formula
education
198
190
Sports and recreation
Taking It to the Seats
Growth Predictions
Texas Trends Lone Star State population and employment projections.
Sports facility marvels throughout the state bring spectators and worldwide acclaim to Texas.
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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Texas 2013-14 edition | volume 4
WIDE OPEN FOR BUSINESS
director of content | Bill McMeekin project manager | emily McMackin Contributing writers | Nan Bauroth, Pamela Coyle, John Fuller, Heather Johnson, Bill Lewis, Kathryn Royster, Kelly Kagamas Tomkies, Stephanie Vozza, Jeff Walter, Gary Wollenhaupt Content Coordinator | Jessica Walker Boehm Staff Writer | Kevin Litwin Proofreading Manager | Raven Petty lead designers | Laura Gallagher, Kacey passmore Senior Graphic Designers | Stacey Allis, Kris Sexton, Jake Shores, Vikki Williams Graphic Designer | Matt West Creative Technology Analyst | Becca Ary Senior Photographers | Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers | Michael Conti, Wendy Jo O’Barr, Frank Ordonez, michael tedesco color imaging technician | alison hunter Integrated Media Managers | Scott vonCannon, Jared Lane, Matt McWhorter Sales Support Project manager | Sara Quint Sales Support Coordinator | Christina Morgan Ad Production Manager | Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants | Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan Web project manager | David DAy Web Development lead | yamel hall Web Developer I | Nels noseworthy Web Designer II | richard stevens Web Product Manager | John Hood Digital Project Manager | Jill Ridenour Digital Products Designer | Erica Lampley
➟ Centrally loCated • Close proximity to Lubbock, Midland/Odessa and Hobbs, N.M. • On the border of the South Plains and Permian Basin • Among the escalating Texas and New Mexico shales
➟ easy aCCess to multiple growing markets ➟ 4th leading oil and gas produCing County in texas ➟ no state inCome tax and low loCal property tax ➟ pro-business loCal government
➟ City-wide
reinvestment zone
➟ no building or permit fees for new ConstruCtion
Chairman | Greg Thurman President/Publisher | Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President | Ray Langen Senior V.P./Sales | Todd Potter Senior V.P./Client Development | Jeff Heefner Senior V.P./Operations | Casey Hester V.P./Sales | Jarek Swekosky V.P./Content Operations | Natasha Lorens Audience Development Director | Deanna Nelson creative services Director | Christina Carden Distribution Director | Gary Smith Photography Director | Jeffrey S. Otto web services Director | Allison davis Controller | Chris Dudley Senior Accountant | Lisa Owens Accounts Payable Coordinator | Maria McFarland Accounts Receivable Coordinator | Diana Iafrate IT Director | Daniel cantrell Executive Secretary | Kristy Giles Human Resources Manager | Peggy Blake
Texas Wide Open for Business is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at info@jnlcom.com. For more information, contact: Office of the Governor Economic Development & Tourism Division P.O. Box 12428 Austin, TX 78711 Phone: (512) 936-0100 • biztex@gov.texas.gov www.texaswideopenforbusiness.com
Mileage to: HOBBS 36 Miles
Visit Texas Wide Open for Business online at businessclimate.com/texas
MIDLAND 87 Miles
©Copyright 2013 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
The Association of Magazine Media Custom Content Council
Member TexasOne
104 W. 3rd • P.O. Box 2 Denver City, TX 79323 (806) 592-3160 www.denvercityedc.com
ODESSA 84 Miles LUBBOCK 79 Miles
GROWING STRONGER … TOGETHER Texas Midwest Community Network (TMCN) is a coalition of 27 counties in West-Central Texas that can help your business grow and prosper. The TMCN region is centrally located in the state of Texas and is the geographic center of the world’s largest free trade zone providing easy access to east and west coasts, the industrial Midwest and northeast, and the large emerging markets in Mexico. The region is also host to one of the largest potential oil plays in history, the Cline Shale! Our region’s low cost of doing business, along with an educated, eager and abundant workforce, create the perfect environment for success. Join industry leaders in health care, alternative energy, oil and gas, agriculture, metal fabrication and global manufacturing in making the Texas Midwest home. Put our resources to work for your company, and see for yourself the benefits of doing business in the Texas Midwest. BUSINESS CLIMATE Skilled Workforce & Customized Training • Low Cost of Real Estate Low Cost of Living • Pro-Business Attitude Thriving & Diversified Industries • Safe & Clean Environment Natural Resources • Quality of Life • Good Climate – Year Round
INDUSTRIES Oil & Gas – Alternative Energy – Wind & Solar Information Technology • Education & Health Services Manufacturing – Light & Heavy • Metal Fabrication Agriculture – Beef, Farming, Vineyards, Dairy Leisure & Hospitality • Government – Local, State, Federal Professional & Business Services
TMCN ECoNoMiC DEvElopMENT AlliANCE MEMbErs Develop Abilene www.developabilene.com City of Ballinger, Community Development www.ballingertx.org Brady Economic Development Corporation www.bradytx.com Brownwood Economic Development Corporation www.brownwoodbusiness.com Cisco Development Corporation www.ciscodc.com FB – Cisco Development Corporation Clyde Economic Development Corporation www.clydeamerica.com Comanche Texas Economic Development Corporation www.cityofcomanchetexas.net Economic Development Corporation of Early Texas www.earlyecondev.com Eden Economic Development Corporation www.edentexas.com Development Corporation of Haskell www.haskelltexasonline.com
HOME TO Dyess Air Force Base • Goodfellow Air Force Base Texas Tech University College of Pharmacy • Angelo State University Texas State Technical College • Abilene Christian University McMurry University • Hardin Simmons University Howard Payne University • Four Community Colleges
San Angelo Chamber of Commerce/ Economic Development www.sanangelo.org/uptown.php FB – San Angelo Chamber of Commerce – Economic Development Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development Inc. www.sweetwatertexas.net FB – Sweetwater Economic Development
Texas Midwest Economic Development Alliance Communities working together to accomplish what one community cannot do alone. (325) 795-8626 www.texasmidwest.org
DAYTON, TEXAS The Place For You
n o t y a D
The City of Dayton is uniquely situated in the Gulf transportation network area to provide the most expedient access to the nation’s highway, air and rail systems. With direct access to US 90 and Highway 146, as well as two Class I rail carriers, the BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, Dayton can provide unmatched access to Houston, the Gulf, the nation and the globe. diSd www.daytonisd.net
CommuniTy/ConvenTion CenTeR www.cityofdaytontx.com/communitycenter
Dayton Community Development Corporation Courtland Holman, Executive Director 801 S. Cleveland, Ste. B • Dayton, TX 77535 (936) 257-0055 • cholman@daytontx.com
www.daytontx.com
n o t y a DADVANTAGES
to locating in the City of Dayton as a catalyst to your success … • Minutes from Houston, Baytown, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport and Port of Houston Facilities
Gulf inland loGiSTiCS PaRK www.gulf-inland.com
• Great Infrastructure • Expanding Housing Markets, Class 4A School District, Educated Workforce
PJf fabRiCaTion www.pjffab.com
• Greenfields for Retail, Office, Industrial and Manufacturing
STallion www.stallionoilfield.com f&C fabRiCaTionS www.fandcservices.com
• 1,600-Acre Industrial Park • Economic Incentives for Businesses That Are Expanding or Looking to Locate in Dayton • Dayton Is One of the Last Areas in the Houston Metro Market with Expansion Capacity
inSTeel www.insteel.com
ayton DLOCAL
INDUSTRIES • Gulf Inland Logistics Park • Insteel Industries – AMICO KLEMP • Global Tubing – PJF Fabrication • R&K Fabrication – Hammer & Steel • D.A.R.F. Fabrication • Fabrication & Construction Services • Sam’s Distribution Center • Stallion Oil Field Services
Global TubinG www.globaltubing.com
www.cityofdaytontx.com
Online
What’s on businessclimate.com/texas Technology
Learn more about the innovative companies that call Texas home.
Site Location Read more about the powerful advantages that Texas offers for business investment and expansion.
Livability Discover the features and attractions that make the Lone Star State a desirable place to live.
Demographics
Top Industries
Keep updated and informed on the latest real-time news, developments and information.
Drill down on the numbers behind the state’s powerhouse economy with a full set of statistics and data.
Learn more about the key industry sectors and top companies that make Texas work.
Texas
businessclimate.com/texas
Photo Gallery & Videos
wide oPen for business
See unique faces, spaces and places presented in a whole new way courtesy of our team of award-winning photographers.
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Tablet Take the state with you with a digital edition optimized for tablet viewing.
Visit us online at www.jasperedc.com
Find your best site
Proud to support the Texas business climate
Searching for a place to relocate or expand a business? Tap in to a detailed and searchable online database to find the right spot. An online tool provides comparative information, detailed information on key industries, incentives, higher education institutions, individual communities, key contacts and other valuable information.
Site includes: Search features by industry concentration Detailed community profiles and key contact information Infrastructure information
Search for properties at texassitesearch.com
Zapata Economic Development Corporation 1301 N. U.S. Hwy. 83 Zapata, TX 78076 www.zapataedc.com
Johnson County
Texas
Where Your Business Begins! Manufacturing, Distribution Commercial and Retail Sites on Major Highways Minutes to Dallas/Fort Worth and DFW Airport BURLESON HighPoint Business Park/I-35W
Numerous Industrial Parks/Rail Low Tax Rates Minimal Regulatory Burdens
JOSHUA Joshua Station Retail and Rail
No State Income Tax Award-Winning, Best Structured Deal In Texas
CLEBURNE Cleburne Industrial Park/Rail Retail/Commercial
Custom Local and State Incentive Packages Available
JOHNSON COUNTY 817-556-6985
BURLESON 817-426-9623
JOSHUA 817-558-7447
CLEBURNE 817-645-8644
JCEDC@digitex.net www.jc-edc.com
bford@burlesontx.com www.burlesontx.com/ed
citymanager@cityofjoshuatx.us www.joshuaedc.com
jerry.cash@cleburne.net www.cleburne.tx.us
Welcome to Texas
A
s Governor of Texas, I support an environment of job growth, opportunity and prosperity in the Lone Star State. Our state offers companies an unparalleled competitive edge, with the nation’s lowest per capita tax rates, no personal income tax, proximity to strategic markets, cutting-edge infrastructure, excellent schools and a skilled workforce. Texas provides businesses with the tools they need to grow and prosper, including the Texas Enterprise Fund and the Texas Emerging Technology Fund. Through June 2013, the TEF has resulted in the announcement of more than 67,200 new jobs and nearly $20.1 billion in capital investment in the state. Through February 2013, the TETF has allocated more than $200 million in funds to 140 early-stage companies, and more than $216 million in grant matching and research superiority funds to Texas universities. More than $761 million in additional investment from other non-state sources has followed on to the TETF investment. Texas is recognized around the world for our pro-business climate, which is demonstrated every day by statistics like these: Texas was named State of the Year by Business Facilities, No. 1 on the CNBC America’s Top States for Business ranking, Chief Executive’s Best State for Business in 2013 and Area Development’s Top State for Business. Texas won Site Selection’s Governor’s Cup in 2013, awarded to the state with the most new and expanded corporate facilities in 2012. Texas has been ranked the top state for exporting for 11 consecutive years, and for the eighth year in a row, Texas was the No. 1 relocation state in Allied Van Lines’ 45th Annual Magnet States Report. In addition, seven Texas cities were included in the top 25 of the 2012 Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities. I invite you to come to Texas, where we’re ready to work with you. No matter the industry, the Lone Star State is committed to doing what it takes to keep Texas Wide Open for Business.
For more information, contact: Office of the Governor Economic Development & Tourism Division P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711-2428 (512) 936-0100 locatetx@gov.texas.gov www.texaswideopen forbusiness.com
Sincerely, Rick Perry Governor
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Overview
10 Reasons to Live and Work in Texas the Lone Star State is a place to invest, grow and Prosper 1. Headquarters for business. More than 100
3. Business friendly. Texas
has one of the lowest tax burdens in the U.S., including no personal income tax. The state also has no state tax on property used for pollution control, on goods in transit or manufacturing machinery and equipment. Texas ranked No. 9 on the Tax Foundation’s State Business Climate Tax Index in 2012.
companies on the Fortune 1000 list are based in Texas. Between 2008 and 2012, the state attracted foreign direct investment projects from 42 nations, and more than 430 non-U.S. companies announced more than 500 business expansions in Texas, creating 46,000 jobs. For the 11th straight year, Texas led the U.S. in export volume in 2012.
4. Cost friendly. The state
offers incentive programs that help businesses grow, including the Texas Emerging Technology Fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund, the nation’s largest “dealclosing” fund of its kind. Through June 2013, TEF invested more than $486 million and closed the
2. World-class economy.
The Texas Gross Domestic Product in 2012 was $1.4 trillion. If Texas were a stand-alone nation, it would rank as the 13th largest economy in the world.
deal on projects generating more than 67,200 new jobs and $20.1 billion in capital investment.
5. Linked in. With 13 deep-
water ports, 14,361 miles of rail, 306,000 miles of highway, 26 commercial airports and 28 official entry points to Mexico, Texas offers superior transportation and logistical advantages.
6. Smart moves. The Lone
Star State includes top higher education institutions, including the University of Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, that are centers of innovation. DALLAM 385
7. Easy on the wallet.
SH ER M A N
40
Texas is one of the most affordable HUTCHI NSON H A RT L EY M O O RE places to live. The cost of living composite index for most metro areas in Texas is lower than the CARSON national composite 100. O L D H A Mindex of P O T T ER
27
METROP LE X
NORTHWEST TEXAS 20
Ft. Worth
Abilene
Tyler
GRA
287
Texas is a leader in medical ARM STRONG D EA F SM I T H treatment, innovation andR A N D A L L expertise. Among its facilitiesSW isI SH ER the MD Anderson Cancer Center, ST RO BRI SCOE one of 52 institutionsCAaffiliated with Texas Medical Center.
DONL
Longview
87
Odessa
Waco
WEST TEXAS
45
CEN TRAL TEX A S
10
S OUT H E A ST TEXAS
35
Beaumont
Austin
U PPE R RIO GRA NDE
30
NORT H E A ST
Dallas 20 T E X A S
Midland
10
60
60
Wichita Falls Lubbock
ROB
Amarillo
8. Health-care pioneer.
HIGH PL AIN S
OCHI L
87
40
El Paso
15
287
54
Amarillo
HANSFORD
87
Houston 10
San Antonio
GULF C OA ST
HALE L A M B The state 9. Great outdoors. B A I L EY
FLOYD
includes 13 national parks, 120 state parks, 18 wildlife refuges, H O C K L EY L U B B O CK more than 900 golf courses and Lubbock CO CH RAN 624 miles of coastline.
M OT
27
DI C
62
S OUTH TEXAS 37 35
Laredo
Port Arthur
385
70
CROSBY
84
Corpus Christi
10. Right where you want LY N N to be. With its beautiful 82
McAllen Brownsville
KE
380
OAKUM T ERRY landscape,Y warm weather, excellent schools and hospitality, D AW SO N Texas remainsG AaI N ES popular choice for people looking to relocate. 62
180
GARZA
SCUR
BORDE N HOWARD
M A RT I N
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385
Midland
M I TCHE
Discover Texas Cool Companies
Texas is a major center of aerospace and aviation innovation. More than 1,665 companies are in the aerospace and aviation sector in the state and combined, they employ more than 200,000 workers. Top aerospace manufacturing companies in Texas include: Lockheed Martin, which employs more than 20,000 people, has the largest concentration of its U.S. workers in Texas. Its work in the state ranges from military aircraft to missile systems to space vehicles. L-3 Communications produces military and commercial aircraft systems and employs a total of about 11,000 workers in Texas at locations in Greenville, Waco, Arlington, Carrollton and Rockwall. Bell Helicopter is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of helicopters for military and commercial use, as well as aircraft parts and components. The company, which has more than 7,000 Texas employees, has operations in Amarillo and Fort Worth, where it also has its headquarters. The Boeing Co. has 6,000 Texas employees at facilities in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Richardson and El Paso. Boeing’s work in the state includes both military and commercial aircraft. Raytheon, which has 4,000 Texas workers, makes electronic aircraft components. The company has operations in Garland, Plano, McKinney and El Paso. American Eurocopter, headquartered in Grand Prairie, is the North American affiliate of Eurocopter, the world’s largest helicopter manufacturer. The company’s helicopters are used by customers that include corporations, hospitals and emergency medical service providers, tourism operators, law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Army. Texas Wide Open for Business
Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility assembles aircraft and has the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.’s headquarters.
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by the numbers
8
Vintage Texas
Texas cities among the top 15 fastest-growing cities, according to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates data from April 1, 2010 through July 1, 2011.
Texas has more than 275 wineries, according to the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association, and ranks fifth among states in wine production and grape growing. A study by Texas Tech University’s Wine Marketing Research Institute put employment at state wineries at more than 10,700 and the annual economic impact from them at $1.83 billion. Among the state’s diverse collection of wineries: Ste. Genevieve Wines: This Fort Stockton winery is the biggest producer in the state, turning out some 630,000 gallons of wine each year. Llano Estacado Winery: Located, appropriately, in Grapevine, this winery produces about 220,000 cases of wine each year. Becker Vineyards: Offerings at the Stonewall winery in the Texas Hill Country include hand-crafted, award-winning Bordeaux, Burgundian and Rhone-styled wines. Messina Hof Hill Country: This winery in Fredericksburg produces dry white sparkling wines, semi-dry wines, red wines, ports and dessert wines.
Historic Stops
Who can forget the Alamo? The site of one of the most notorious battles in history is just one of the Lone Star State’s storied historic attractions. Visitors are able to stand in the spot that some of the famous defenders, including David Crockett and Jim Bowie, stood in 1836 during the historic siege of the Alamo. Other noted historical attractions in the state include: San Jacinto Battleground: The famous 1836 battle brought Texas its independence was fought on this site near Houston. The 1,200-acre San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, also a National Historic Landmark, includes the battleground, monument and the Battleship Texas. Washington-on-the-Brazos: Where Texas was born. The site on the Brazos River in Washington County was the site of the Convention of 1836 and the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico. The site today includes the Star of the Republic Museum, Independence Hall and Barrington Living History Farm. Texas State Cemetery: The 22-acre cemetery near downtown Austin is the final resting place of some of the state’s most famous luminaries, including Stephen F. Austin, the “Father of Texas.” Bishop’s Palace: One of many historic home sites in Galveston, it was built as a private residence in 1886, survived the 1900 hurricane and was acquired in 1923 by the Galveston-Houston Diocese’s bishop. Furnishings include a mantel that won first-prize at the 1876 Philadelphia World’s Fair, a Venetian crystal chandelier and a grand staircase.
“From quality of life to work and play, Texas is head and shoulders above other places.” John F. Crawford, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas
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made here
Texas is the Motor State. The Lone Star State has more than a 50-year legacy in auto manufacturing and it is a top-ranked state for automotive employment and establishments, vehicle retail market size and vehicle registrations. The state is the single largest retail market for full-sized pickups. General Motors has been a presence in Arlington since 1954. Today, the 2,400 workers at the 3.75 millionsquare-foot Arlington assembly complex turn out 1,140 vehicles each day, including the GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, and Cadillac Escalade. Other major autorelated manufacturing in the state includes: Toyota: The automaker opened a plant in San Antonio in 2006 to produce the Tundra full-size pickup truck and began manufacturing the Tacoma pickup for the entire North American market there in August 2010. Navistar: The commercial truck and vehicle manufacturer’s Garland plant makes several service trucks, such as the International WorkStar and International PayStar hauling vehicles, as well as a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, used for military applications. The company also has a major parts distribution center in Dallas. Peterbilt: The big rig builder, a division of PACCAR Inc., has its headquarters in Denton, where it also has a manufacturing facility.
Who’s Here
Texas is a magnet for business across a range of industries, from advanced manufacturing to life sciences, energy, aerospace and information technology. The Lone Star State is also a prime headquarters destination for some of the world’s best-known brands. ExxonMobil, No. 2 on the Fortune 500 largest U.S. public company list, is based in Houston. The energy giant, the world’s largest integrated oil company, is involved in oil and gas exploration, production, supply, transportation and marketing worldwide. It supplies refined products to more than 25,000 gas stations in 100 countries. Other companies with globally known brands that are based in Texas include: Kimberly-Clark: The paper products giant, whose signature brands include Huggies, Kleenex and Scott, is based in Irving in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Southwest Airlines: The low-cost carrier that revolutionized the airline industry was born in Texas and it maintains its headquarters in Dallas. The carrier broke ground in fall 2012 on a $100 million, nearly 500,000-square-foot expansion of its headquarters complex. Dr Pepper Snapple Group: The iconic soft drink Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. The Plano-based company’s line of beverages also includes 7Up, the Snapple iced tea lines and Canada Dry products. Neiman Marcus: The famous high-end retailer, which operates 41 Neiman Marcus stores across the United States and two Bergdorf Goodman stores in Manhattan, is based in Dallas.
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music
Texas has had a major influence on music across a range of genres, from jazz to blues to gospel, big band, rock and tejano. The Texas Music Museum (texasmusicmuseum.org) in Austin is a keeper of artifacts that chronicle the rich history of music in the Lone Star State. TMM volunteers interview and photograph Texas musicians and collect and preserve artifacts, early photos, documents and reference materials having to do with the diverse musical traditions of the state.
golf
The Lone Star State hosts seven professional golf events annually – four for the PGA Tour, two for the Champions Tour and one for the Web.com Tour. Texas has produced some of the game’s most famous players, including Ben Crenshaw, Ben Hogan, Tom Kite, Byron Nelson and Justin Leonard. The state includes some of the nation’s most challenging and renowned golf courses, two of which placed on Golf Digest’s America’s Greatest Golf Courses 2013-14.
Through permanent and rotating exhibits, the museum has chronicled the diverse heritage of the state’s musical segments such as East Austin’s African-American music history that helped establish the city as “Live Music Capital of the World,” the music of Texas Native American tribes, early cowboy songs, the development of early Mexican American bands and the rise of ragtime legend Scott Joplin, a native of Linden, Texas. Texas has given the world some of its most famous musical performers, from Buddy Holly (Lubbock) to Roy Orbison (Wink) to Janis Joplin (Port Arthur) to Freddie King, (Gilmer), Kenny Rogers (Houston) and Beyonce (Houston). The state’s deep roots in western music, including such pioneers as the “king of Western swing” Bob Wills, greatly influenced the country music genre.
Dallas National Golf Club, designed by golf architect Tom Fazio, is a 7,326-yard course carved out of The Metroplex’s rugged terrain. Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity is a 7,473-yard challenge that Golf Digest describes as a “dazzling romp across a gently rolling landscape, culminating in a final sixhole stretch along gator-infested Caney Creek and the headwaters of Lake Livingston.”
Texas’ stamp on country music is indelible, producing some of the most renowned recording artists of all time, names such as George Strait, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jim Reeves and Ray Price.
You don’t need to be a club member to play top courses in Texas. The state features highly regarded public courses, including these named by Golf.com as among the best public golf courses in Texas in 2012:
The 13,000-square-foot hall includes a major exhibit commemorating Reeves, a Panola County native whose recordings continued to sell in the millions long after his death in a plane crash in 1964.
Fazio Foothills and Fazio Canyons: Both courses, located in Austin, are part of the Barton Creek Spa & Resort and were designed by Tom Fazio. The Fazio Foothills features cliff-lined fairways, limestone caves and waterfalls, while the 7,153-yard Fazio Canyons is home to the Barton Creek Golf Academy.
The hall is also home to the Tex Ritter Museum, which showcases the life of the famed singing cowboy and film star, and also a Panola County native.
Pine Dunes Resort & Golf Club: This Frankston club includes a 7,118-yard course and on-site lodging for “stay and play” groups. The Rawls Course at Texas Tech: The 7,207-yard course in Lubbock hosts 30,000 to 35,000 rounds per year from a 3,200-foot elevation and a layout stocked with berms surrounding the course that rise 10 to 15 feet above the playing surface.
The Texas legends of country music are enshrined in the Texas Country Musich Hall of Fame in Carthage (www.carthagetexas.com/HallofFame).
By the numbers
552,000 New jobs created in Texas between August 2008 and March 2013, the most of any state during that period
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Business climate
industry epicenter By any measure, Texas is an economic dynamo thanks to its thriving business climate and abundance of new jobs
The Texas Economy added more than 581,700 jobs between december 2009 and december 2012.
Incentive programs are attracting new businesses and encouraging expansions and investments.
Texas has exported more goods than any other state for 11 consecutive years.
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T
exas is a hit maker in creating jobs, attracting investment and promoting innovation, and it has stayed at the top of the charts with a string of recent successes. Between December 2009 and December 2012, the Texas economy added 581,700,000 jobs – the most of any state during that three-year period. Over the past decade, the state has created more than
1.4 million jobs, an accomplishment nurtured in part by its highly desirable business climate, lower costs and favorable regulatory environment. “Texas has the nation’s best economic climate, and that creates jobs and provides opportunity for anyone looking to build their business, from a kitchen table startup to an international corporation,” says Texas Gov. Rick Perry. “It isn’t by accident – we remain committed to the
principles that have made our state’s economy strong, as well as maintaining a workforce that can fill the needs of any 21st-century employer.” Proof of its economic prowess can be found at the top of most any comparative ranking. Texas was: • Named 2012 State of the Year by Business Facilities magazine, which noted that Texas had “the most dynamic economy of any state in the nation.” • Named the top state on Chief
Texas Key Industries Aerospace & Aviation Texas has nearly 1,650 aerospace, aviation and defense companies that employ more than 152,600 workers.
Energy Texas is a leader in oil and gas production as well as wind energy and biofuels.
Financial Services The financial services industry in Texas employs more than 450,000 workers.
Advanced Manufacturing The Texas manufacturing sector employs nearly 874,000 people with an average annual wage of $64,000.
Biotechnology & Life Sciences The Texas biotechnology industry includes 3,400 companies and employs nearly 90,000 people. Information & Computer Technology Texas, the integrated circuit birthplace, has more than 15,100 information technology firms.
Petroleum Refining & Chemical Products More than 27 percent of all gasoline refined in the United States comes from one of the 27 refineries in Texas.
Transportation & Logistics The Texas transportation infrastructure includes 13 deepwater ports, 26 commercial airports and more than 306,000 miles of public roads.
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Executive’s Best State for Business in 2013, the ninth consecutive year it has received the recognition, which is based on a survey of business decision makers. • No. 1 on Area Development magazine’s Top States for Doing Business list for 2012. • The winner of Site Selection magazine’s 2012 Governor’s Cup, based on the 761 capital investment projects in the state for that year that resulted in an investment of at least $1 million, created 50 or more new jobs or involved construction of new space of at least 20,000 square feet. • Represented by six metros in the top 20 spots in the Milken Institute 2012 Best-Performing Cities ranking (Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas, El Paso and Lubbock). If Texas were a nation, it would have the 13th largest economy in the world based on its $1.4 trillion Gross Domestic Product. That’s more than South Korea, the Netherlands and Turkey, among others. The state has built a highly diverse economy that includes major industry clusters in aerospace and aviation, advanced technology and manufacturing, biotechnology and life sciences, energy, computers and information technology, and petroleum refining and chemicals.
Incentives: Job Creation Tools Texas brings to its arsenal a suite of innovative incentive programs designed to encourage expansion, investment and job growth. The Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF), called the largest “dealclosing” fund of its kind in the nation, was implemented in 2004. Companies can earn grants for bringing projects that offer significant job creation and capital investment when Texas is competing with another viable out-of-state option. The fund gives Texas the competitive edge
Job Additions for 10 Largest States Texas led the 10 largest states in job gains from December 2009 through December 2012, based on employees on nonfarm payrolls. Texas gained almost as many jobs in that period than New York, California and Florida combined.
Texas: +581,700
New York: +295,700
California: +250,800
Pennsylvania: +152,600
Michigan: +142,300
Georgia: +131,400
Illinois: +105,700
Ohio: +98,100
North Carolina: +80,600
Florida: +44,400
= 25,000 Jobs Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Regional and State Employment Data
Accolades
Austin ranks first in NerdWallet.com’s list of Top Ten Cities for Job Seekers, followed by Houston (#5), Fort Worth (#6), Dallas (#7) and San Antonio (#9). NerdWallet.com, January 2013 Texas tops Allied Van Lines’ Magnet States list for the eighth year in a row. SIRVA/Allied Van Lines, December 2012 America’s Best State for Business 2012. CNBC, 2012 Top State for Economy and Infrastructure. CNBC, 2013
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Milken Institute 2012 Best-Performing Cities The Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities index is a data-driven gauge of economic strength in U.S. metro areas. The comparative index measures such factors as job, wage and technology growth to determine how metro areas are performing economically. In 2012, Texas had six of the top 20 metros on the ranking, more than any other state. 13. Seattle-BellevueEverett, WA 17. Peabody, MA 16. KennewickPasco-Richland, WA 6. Salt Lake City, UT
5. Washington-ArlingtonAlexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
12. Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
1. San Jose-SunnyvaleSanta Clara, CA
8. Cambridge-NewtonFramingham, MA 11. New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ
15. Boulder, CO 7. Provo-Orem, UT
20. Lubbock 19. Bakersfield-Delano, CA
14. Dallas-Plano-Irving
3. Raleigh-Cary, NC
18. El Paso 9. Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC
2. Austin-Round RockSan Marcos
10. Fort Worth-Arlington
Source: The Milken Institute 4. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown
Accolades
Winner: 2012 Governor’s Cup. Site Selection, March 2013 No 1.: Dallas, on Forbes’ Best Cities for Good Jobs list, followed by Houston (#2), Austin (#3), Fort Worth (#4), and San Antonio (#6). Forbes, February 2013 2012 State of the Year. Business Facilities, January 2013 2012 and 2013 Best State for Business, Chief Executive
2010: $1.22 trillion
2009: $1.13 trillion
1. United States: $15.7 trillion 2. China: $8.2 trillion 3. Japan: $6.0 trillion 12. Australia: $1.54 trillion Texas: $1.40 trillion 13. Spain: $1.35 trillion
Texas GDP By Year 2008: $1.21 trillion
World’s Largest Economies (2012 GDP estimate)
14. Mexico: $1.18 trillion 2011: $1.30 trillion
2012: $1.40 trillion
15. South Korea: $1.12 trillion 16. Indonesia: $894.9 billion 17. Turkey: $794.5 billion 18. Netherlands: $773.1 billion 19. Saudi Arabia: $727.3 billion 20. Switzerland: $632.4 billion Source:CIA World Factbook, 2012
Texas Wide Open for Business
in attracting new businesses to the state and assisting with the expansion of existing businesses that might otherwise opt to expand elsewhere. The TEF was the driving force behind Caterpillar’s decision to relocate its engine assembly, paint and testing operations to Seguin, generating more than $176.8 million in capital investment and creating more than 1,700 new jobs for Texans. To date, the TEF helped draw 67,275 new jobs and a capital investment of more than $20.1 billion. In 2005, the Texas Legislature created the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF) under the guidance of Gov. Perry, providing Texas with an advantage in R&D and commercialization of emerging technologies.
Companies can receive grants that help take ideas from concept to development to ready for marketplace; create publicprivate partnerships that leverage the strengths of universities, federal government grant programs and industry; and enable Texas’ higher education institutions to recruit the best research talent in the world.
Doing Business With the World The state is also an export powerhouse, sending goods valued at $265.4 billion outside the United States. In 2012 it topped all other states for exports for the 11th consecutive year. “Businesses have the benefit of our central location and extensive transportation network,” Gov.
Perry says. “That’s why more than 100 Fortune 1000 companies call Texas home.” Texas is a corporate address, home to 52 Fortune 500 companies, and a string of new business investments and expansions. “Texas continues to be a beacon of opportunity for entrepreneurs and job creators looking for a skilled and competitive workforce and freedom from over taxation, over regulation and over litigation,” Gov. Perry says. “We’ve worked hard to make Texas the best state in the nation to live, work, raise a family and own a business, and we’ll continue strengthening the economic pillars that have helped us become a national example of job creation and economic strength.” Story by Stephanie Vozza
Business and Workforce Houston, home to a workforce of more than 2.7 million people, is a top spot for energy companies.
The Best Brand in Business Cost advantage, workforce, innovation create winning formula in Texas 44
Texas Open Business || Wide Texas Widefor Open for Business
L
ike the adventurous settlers who came looking for opportunity, many business pioneers have prospered in Texas. Texas Instruments, Dell and Southwest Airlines – once innovative startups – have all grown into major players in the global economy. Texas is home to more than 100 Fortune 1000 companies across a gamut of industries, from energy to telecom to retail to financial services. And the state is home to some of the nation’s bestknown private companies, including Neiman Marcus and grocery chain HEB.
Business Friendly One of the elements attracting growth and investment is the state’s favorable tax structure, with no personal or corporate income taxes levied. Texas ranks favorably on the Tax Foundation’s State Business Climate Tax Index, providing a ripe environment for business expansion and relocation. Entrepreneur Erica Douglass moved her tech company from California to Austin. Whoosh Traffic provides a suite of easy-to-use SEO tools to clients who want more site traffic. Douglass says she lived all of her adult life in California, but fell in love with Austin when she visited for the SXSW convention. “Austin is young and vibrant,” she says. “It’s a great startup community and has a
High-end retailer Neiman Marcus’ headquarters are in downtown Dallas.
strong business environment. Taxes in California are stifling. In Austin, you don’t need to sell your soul to pay for a mortgage.” Douglass says she was happy to find a local community that is close knit. “Everybody knows everybody, and people are willing to extend a hand,” she says.
Largest Private Companies Based in Texas
Company
Type
HEB Grocery
grocery retailer San Antonio
Energy Future Holding Corp.
power utilities Dallas
CC Media Holdings
radio stations San Antonio
Republic National Distributing Co. Michaels Stores Inc Gulf States Toyota Inc. Neiman Marcus Hunt Consolidated Inc.
Location
beverage wholesale
Houston
retailer Irving auto and parts wholesaler
Houston
retailer Dallas oil and gas Dallas
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Top 10 Fortune 500 Companies Headquartered in Texas
ExxonMobil Enterprise Products Partners Dell
AT&T
Plains All American Pipeline
Tesoro
Phillips 66 Valero Energy
“We’ve had no problem finding qualified people to fill our positions.”
A Climate for Growth Several other companies have announced recent expansions and relocations. ADP, the global human resources, payroll, tax and benefits administration solutions giant, is expanding its operations in El Paso, creating 585 jobs and $22 million in capital investment. Credit card giant Visa Inc. will build a global IT center in Austin, creating nearly 800 new jobs within five years, with an average annual wage of more than $113,000.
Sysco
Layne Christensen Consulting, a company that provides a number of services related to water management, mineral exploration and energy, consolidated its corporate offices to the Houston area in December 2012. “Establishing a collaborative and sustainable culture is part of Layne’s overall strategy,” says Jenny Caulk, corporate communications manager. “The Houston area provides us with greater access to the world’s natural resources clients. The move also placed us in the fourthlargest city in the United States,
ConocoPhillips
enhancing access to current and potential clients, as well as bringing together corporate functions and divisional leadership.” “We have a very businessfriendly environment in terms of low-cost tax structure,” says Fred Welch, vice president of regional economic development for the Greater Houston Partnership. “Houston is also a modern, clean city, with amenities a young person would like to have and opportunities to find employment.” California-based oil company Chevron Corp. is moving 800 jobs to Houston over the next two
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Texas Instruments’ wafer fabrication in Richardson
Erica Douglass, CEO and co-founder of Whoosh Traffic, relocated her company from California to Austin.
years. Software service provider TEKsystems Global Services is creating a new IT center in Irving, creating 500 jobs and a capital investment of $4.8 million. And USAA, a leading financial services provider for the military community and their families, is expanding its San Antonio headquarters facility, bringing up to 1,000 new jobs by the end of 2015. The company already employs more than 16,400 people in San Antonio.
compare our taxation and regulation issues. It’s a no-brainer why companies are looking at Texas as a relocation spot. From quality of life to work and play, Texas is head and shoulders above other places. We have a positive check in each one of those boxes.”
Story by Stephanie Vozza Photography by Jeff Adkins and Brian McCord
Something for Everyone “Texas has become the Third Coast,” says John F. Crawford, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas. “We’re drawing big companies because we have a strong economy, recreational opportunities, geography and culture. Bounce that off of what’s happening in California, New York and Illinois, and you can’t
BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE
Houston, home to a workforce more than of 2.7 top spot for million people, is a energy companies.
THE BE T BR AND S BUSINESIN S 44 || Texas
COST ADVA NTAGE, WORK INNOVATION FORCE, CREA FORMULA TE WINNING IN TEXAS
L
ike the adventuro us settlers who came looking for opportuni ty, many business pioneers have prospered in Texas. Texas Instrumen Southwest Airlines – once ts, Dell and startups – innovative have players in the all grown into major global economy. In fact, no other state is home to Fortune 1000 more headquart ranked No. ers. Texas 1 on the 2012 list, with 103 Fortune 1000 companies, 2012 Fortune and 500 list with No. 2 on the based in the state, including52 companies ExxonMobil. And the state No. 1 some of the is home to nation’s best-know companies, including Neiman n private and grocery Marcus chain HEB.
Business Friendly
One of the elements attracting and investmen growth tax structure, t is the state’s favorable with corporate income no personal or taxes levied. Texas ranked In fact, ninth on the Neiman Marcus’ Foundatio Tax corporate located on n’s State Business headquarter Main Street s is Index in 2012, in downtown Climate Tax Dallas. environment providing a positive for business relocation. expansion and fell in love with Entrepren eur for the SXSW Austin when she visited her tech companyErica Douglass moved convention. “Austin is young Austin. Whoosh from California to and vibrant,” “It’s a great Traffic provides of easy-to-us startup communit she says. a suite e SEO tools strong business y want more to clients who environment. and has a site traffic. California Taxes in Douglass says lived all of are stifling. her adult life she In Austin, don’t need you in California to sell your soul to pay , but mortgage. for a ” LARGEST
Company HEB Grocery Energy Futures CC Media
PRIVATE
Hunt Consolida
COMPANI
ES BASED
IN TEXAS
Type Holding Corp.
Holdings
Republic National Distributing Co. Michaels Stores Inc Gulf States Toyota Inc. Neiman Marcus ted Inc.
Location
grocery retailer
San Antonio
power utilities
Dallas
radio stations beverage wholesale
San Antonio Houston
retailer auto and parts
Irving
wholesaler
Houston
retailer
Dallas
oil and gas
Dallas
businesscl
Digital Magazine
imaTe.com/
Texas
|| 45
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fortune 500
Elite Company Texas is an address of choice for the Fortune 500 If a state is known by the companies it keeps, then Texas is a popular place to be. With more than 100 of the 2012 Fortune 1000 companies calling Texas home, the Lone Star State is a national leader in attracting the highest-revenue public companies. Ranking No. 2 on the list overall, ExxonMobil is headquartered in Irving in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, ExxonMobil provides energy that helps
grow economies around the world. In addition to oil, Texas has a strong technology base. Computer leader Dell was launched in Texas in 1984 when founder Michael Dell was a student at the University of Texas at Austin. Operating from his dormitory room, Dell sold personal computer systems directly to consumers. Today, Dell ranks sixth on Texas’ list of Fortune 500 companies, and the business in the 51st spot overall. Texas is home to consumer goods
Top Public Companies in Texas
Fortune 500 Ranking
manufacturers, such as KimberlyClark, a paper products maker founded in Wisconsin that moved its headquarters to Irving in 1985. Retailers are also strongly represented. GameStop, the world’s largest retailer of video games, got its start in Dallas. And natural foods grocer Whole Foods first opened its doors in Austin. From energy to transportation, a wide range of companies call Texas home. – Stephanie Vozza
Location
Revenue
ExxonMobil
2 Irving
$449.9 billion
Phillips 66
4
$169.6 billion
Valero Energy
9 San Antonio
Houston
$138.3 billion
AT&T
11 Dallas
$127.4 billion
ConocoPhillips
45
$63.4 billion
Dell
51 Round Rock
$56.9 billion
Enterprise Products Partners
64
Houston
$42.6 billion
Sysco
65
Houston
$42.4 billion
Plains All American Pipeline
77
Houston
$32.5 billion
Tesoro
95 San Antonio
Houston
Houston
$32.5 billion
Halliburton
106
Fluor
110 Irving
$27.6 billion
AMR
121 Fort Worth
$24.9 billion
Baker Hughes
135
$21.4 billion
Kimberly-Clark
136 Irving
$21.1 billion
USAA
139 San Antonio
$20.7 billion
HollyFrontier
143 Dallas
$20.1 billion
National Oilwell Varco
144
$20.0 billion
Energy Transfer Equity
161 Dallas
$17.3 billion
Southwest Airlines
164 Dallas
$17.1 billion
Houston
Houston
$28.5 billion
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Incentive Programs
In With the New
I Skinner Baking Co.
Texas Wide Open for Business
Strong State incentive programs lead to capital investment and job creation
magine earning $500 million on an initial investment of $1.8 million. That’s the powerful return that the Texas economy – and the city of Paris – can expect over the next decade from just one recent success from the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF). “This creates a compelling return on investment from not only the TEF funding commitment, but also for local incentives,” says Steve Gilbert, executive director of the Paris Economic Development Corporation. The TEF investment helped Paris successfully compete against locations in South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Nebraska for a new Skinner Baking Company production facility. The Omaha, Neb.-based company is investing $25 million to reopen a shuttered Sara Lee facility and expects to create 393 jobs. Many of those new workers will likely be former Sara Lee employees who lost their positions when that company ceased operations in Paris, Gilbert says. The TEF, along with the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF), are pillars of state incentive programs that encourage economic development. Through May 2013, the TEF invested more than $485.3 million and closed the deal on projects generating more than 67,100 new jobs and more than $20.1 billion in capital investment in the state. The fund provides cash grants for projects that offer significant projected job creation and capital investment. It is used when a single Texas location is
Texas Enterprise Fund As the largest “deal-closing� fund of its kind in the nation, the TEF continues to attract businesses to Texas. The fund is used only as a final incentive tool where a single Texas site is competing with another viable out-of-state option. Additionally, the TEF will only be considered to help close a deal that already has significant local support behind it from a prospective Texas community.
TEF Awards Job Creation by Industry FY 2012-13*
Manufacturing
Business Services and Corporate Management
*As of 5/31/13
Biomedical and Health Care
Information Technology
Financial Services
$$ 870
2,805
100
5,685
1,094
Locations of Recent TEF Project Awards Pactiv
Centene James Skinner Visa
Apple HID Global
National The Advisory Board Instruments
ADP
CGI Technologies Ferris Manufacturing TEKsystems Global Service
CH2M Hill
Borusan Mannesman Pipe Tenaris
Continental Automotive (Seguin)
Dow Chemical Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies
Layne Christensen Co. Emerson Process Management Ascend Performance Materials
Kuraray Americas
*5/31/13
Committed Capital Investment
$20.1B+
Total Texas Jobs Committed Directly From TEF Awards Since 2003* Manufacturing: 21,890 Business Services and Corporate Management: 5,867
Information Technology: 15,579 Biomedical and Health Care: 11,143 Financial Services: 11,810
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competing with out-of-state options. The TETF is a cash-grant program designed to help the state create jobs and grow the economy over the long term by expediting the development and commercialization of new technologies and attracting and creating jobs in technology fields. The program works through partnerships between the state, higher education institutions and private industry to focus greater attention on research, development, and commercialization of emerging technology.
Sweet Success Incentive programs create a strong partnership between communities and employees, says Audie Keaton, president of Skinner Baking Company. “With a focus on moving forward, J. Skinner has
partnered with the people of Paris,” Keaton says. “With a commitment to the craft of baking and providing unforgettable eating experiences, J. Skinner will continue to be an industry leader within our category and Paris, Texas, will be part of the recipe for success.” The company supplies more than 200 million pastries and baked goods every year under its own brand name and other labels. Customers across the country include store bakeries, food service companies and distributors. The company also provides services for contract food manufacturers.
Risk Management A $1.2 million TEF investment assisted in financial services and investment firm TD Ameritrade
“This creates a compelling return on investment from not only the TEF funding commitment, but also for local incentives.”
Steve Gilbert, executive director of the Paris Economic Development Corp.
TD Ameritrade expanded its Fort Worth facility after receiving a $1.2 million TEF investment. Photo by Brian McCord
Photo by Jeff Adkins
HID Global’s new, 200,000-square-foot Global Operations Center in Austin received a $1.9 million TEF investment.
choosing its Fort Worth operation for an expansion. The expansion is expected to create nearly 500 jobs within four years and generate an estimated $11 million in capital investment. “We’ve experienced strong growth over the past several quarters, and we are well positioned for that momentum to continue. This project emphasizes our commitment to our associates and the city of Fort Worth. We are quite pleased that the state has recognized that commitment and invested in the expansion of our local facility through the Texas Enterprise Fund,” TD Ameritrade President and CEO Fred Tomczyk says. For relocating companies, such incentives offset the financial risks inherent in moving to a new city, says Jeremy Hyatt, director of global public relations for HID Global. At the same time, incentives hold companies accountable to their commitment to local hiring, capital investments and other promises, such as environmentally sustainable practices. HID Global, an international leader in secure identity solutions, is building its new Global Operations Center in Austin. The $35.3 million investment, which is expected to create more than 250 jobs, was assisted by a $1.9 million TEF investment. “The state and city incentive is an investment in companies that have the promise to improve the business climate in the state. The company must demonstrate up front a plan that provides a return on the state investment,” Hyatt says. “The city and state receive a company that commits to local recruiting and hiring and capital investment to grow a business. The result is more employed citizens and an increased revenue base. The detailed process enables the state to have confidence in the company based on future investment plans and past business performance.”
Story by Bill Lewis
Texas Emerging Technology Fund Awards The goal of the TETF Commercialization Awards is to grow new small businesses and existing businesses to accelerate new products and services to the marketplace, ensuring a vibrant economy for Texas and a global leadership position. Commercialization awards provide selected, early-stage investments in new, technology-based, private entrepreneurial entities that collaborate with higher education institutions in Texas and provide economic benefit to the state.
Syndiant Inc.
itRobotics Inc.
Falcon International
Monebo Inc.
Photon8 Inc.
$3.5 million
$750,000
$850,000
$500,000
$650,000
Texas Wide Open for Business
Rebellion Photonics
Making the World Safer A $1 million commitment from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund is helping Rebellion Photonics develop and commercialize new technologies, create jobs and make the world more secure, all from an address in Houston. Rebellion makes what is called the world’s most sensitive chemical imaging video camera for applications as diverse as national defense, biological research, food safety, refinery safety and forensics. The company was spun off from Rice University to commercialize its hyperspectral video imaging technology, which has uses ranging from U.S. Air Force unmanned aerial vehicles – drones – to gas leak detection. The company received a TETF commercialization award and is eligible to receive up to $1 million. “Investments like these by the Texas Emerging Technology Fund are key to keeping the Lone Star State competitive, and continue to provide the critical, early stage capital that attracts innovative entrepreneurs to develop the next big idea in Texas,” Gov. Rick Perry said in announcing the TETF investment. Others are taking notice. R&D Magazine named Rebellion’s ARROW hyperspectral camera as a recipient of a 2012 R&D Award, which recognizes the past year’s 100 most technologically significant creations. Support from the TETF and the federal Small Business Innovation Research program has helped position Rebellion for success. “Robert Kester and I founded Rebellion Photonics around technology he and his colleagues at Rice University created with support from a federal grant for basic bioengineering research,” says CEO Allison Lami Sawyer. “Since then, we have created seven jobs, raised $1.1 million in venture funding, become cash flow positive and created products that truly make the world a safer place.” – Bill Lewis
City of Cibolo, which is a Native American word for buffalo, was officially founded in 1965 as a city. Development since 2005 has a growth rate as high as 384 percent, making Cibolo one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas. Cibolo’s population was a mere 400 in 1970. Cibolo’s current population is 25,000, having grown from 3,035 people since the 2000 census. In 2012, Cibolo’s city limits stretched from IH 35 to IH 10, encompassing as much as 39 square miles. Cibolo’s population includes diverse people with an average age of 35, a higher level of educational attainment and higher than average incomes found in neighboring communities. Cibolo is a vibrant community located just minutes from the Randolph Air Force Base and is ideally situated with ready access to both IH 35 (the NAFTA Highway) and IH 10. Cibolo CITY OF CIBOLO • P.O. Box 826 • 200 S. Main St. • Cibolo, TX 78108 • City Hall: (210) 658-9900
Based in Cibolo, Texas, Kalmar RT Center is the only manufacturer of rough terrain reach stackers in the world. Originally built exclusively for the U.S. Department of Defense and used in actual combat zones, Kalmar’s RT240 Rough Terrain Reach Stacker is now available to companies and organizations around the globe. The Kalmar RT240 has the ability to: • Grab containers in almost any position on the ground using side-shifting, slewing, tilting and leveling maneuvers • Carries up to 56,000-pound load • Stacks 20-foot and 40-foot ISO containers up to three high and two rows deep • Withstand temperatures ranging from -40 degrees F to 125 degrees F • Operates in 60 inches of salt water
Cibolo is less than 25 miles from downtown San Antonio and is a short commute to the San Antonio International Airport, the city of Austin and many other major employment and cultural centers of South Texas. Cibolo’s rapidly growing residential base will support many retail and service businesses. Cibolo also boasts two industrial parks with local, national and international firms, which offer opportunities for industrial prospects as well. Amenities within the Guadalupe Industrial Park include full water, waste water, gas and electrical services, as well as rail access. Cibolo’s population is complemented by a higher than average percentage of entrepreneurs, and a growing service and commercial base. Significant development of commercial properties is in the planning stages. The city’s master plan focuses on features such as natural elements, culture, open space, civic and cultural centers, retail, businesses and corporate headquarters, single-family homes, public structures and plazas – all in a walkable location adjacent to rail. With our athletic population, the city will welcome those outdoor enthusiasts to activities, parks, trails, hotels, outdoor auditoriums, professional conferences, sports and local/regional events. Fax: (210) 658-1687 • Economic Development Office: (210) 658-9900, Ext. 3118 • www.cibolotx.gov
“City of Cibolo has welcomed Sanjel, and has worked tirelessly to help us build our business and become an active member of the community.” Sanjel is a specialized, privately owned global energy service company with more than 30 years of experience. The company’s large-scale, international operations stretch across North America and overseas. Sanjel employs approximately 3,500 team members in more than 30 field districts, 11 laboratories, 11 regional maintenance facilities and three training centers. Sanjel provides two specialized product offerings – Pressure Pumping and Completions. Each product offering is complete with its own innovative engineering products and custom-designed and -manufactured equipment.
site location
The Gift of Site
Texas Wide Open for Business
A wealth of attributes equals A corporate location advantage for the Lone star state
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W
hen companies search for a new location, they look at numerous factors before making a decision. The availability of the labor pool, the educational attainment level of the workforce, transportation infrastructure, taxes, utilities and many other variables weigh into the equation. Across the corporate location and investment measurements range, Texas makes a strong showing. It’s why Area Development magazine rated Texas No. 1 overall on its Top States for Doing Business rankings. The corporate location professionals it surveyed ranked Texas tops for overall business environment, including its cost of doing business, corporate tax environment, incentive programs, speed of permitting, and access to capital and project funding. That combination has given the state a lead in attracting investment and creating jobs. The Lone Star State received Site Selection magazine’s 2012 Governor’s Cup, which measures private-sector projects that involve investment of at least $1 million, create 50 or more jobs or include construction of new space of at least 20,000 square feet. Texas attracted 761 of those projects in 2012,
including 161 manufacturing projects, and its project count was 270 more than the second-place state. The accolades highlight the successes that Texas has had in attracting companies, says Dean Barber, CEO of Plano-based Barber Business Advisors, which consults with companies considering sites from coast to coast. “The numbers prove that Texas has been doing relatively better than other parts of the country,” Barber says. “Here in Plano, it’s an exciting growth area. I’m surrounded by corporate headquarters.” King R. White, president of Dallas-based Site Selection Group LLC, agrees that Texas has done well lately in attracting businesses. “We’re seeing a lot of activity and a resurgence in the manufacturing type of projects,” he says. “Texas does hit the radar for a lot of those companies.” A recent survey of corporate relocation professionals rated the state in the top five for labor climate, availability of skilled labor, infrastructure and global access, including its logistics and distribution strength and rail and highway access.
Built for Business Companies can benefit from Texas laws that allow communities to adopt 4A and 4B local sales and use
HendeRson economic All RoAds leAd to HendeRson www.hendersontx.us For more information, contact: Sue Henderson (903) 657-9146
62 || Texas Wide Open for Business
Move-In Condition
Michigan
New York
Illinois
Pennsylvania
-777
-537
-882
-948
73 Ohio
211 California
348 Oregon
451 Colorado
433 Arizona
666 Florida
Texas
1,585
For the eighth year in a row, Texas in 2012 eclipsed every other state and maintained its lead as the top magnet state on Allied Van Lines’ 45th annual Magnet States Report, which tracks U.S. migration patterns.
development coRpoRAtion … A Texas Main Street City in Rusk County, with a network of highways radiating
A City on the “GROW!”
from Henderson makes it one of the most important highway centers in the East Texas Region.
Land Available Now! (will trade property for jobs)
Job Creation Incentives
Competitive Low Electrical Rates
Tax Abatements (both city and county)
Low Taxes Railroad Access
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63
King R. White, founder and president of Site Selection Group in Dallas
taxes to finance economic development efforts. That gives communities the ability to construct or acquire buildings, upgrade infrastructure and take other steps to serve businesses. “That helps a lot, especially on upfront investments,” Barber says. “A lot of economic development organizations in other states don’t
have that kind of money.” The tax structure allows Texas cities to compete on a national scale. The state levies no personal or corporate income taxes, and the Tax Foundation ranked the state in the top 10 on its annual Best States for Business in 2012. “That gives a lot of leeway for some tertiary markets to compete
effectively with other parts of the country for a lot of these projects,” White says. White says Texas cities compare very favorably against other top locations in the nation for location investment. In terms of labor costs, Texas offers a highquality workforce at affordable rates. For instance, White noted
The hits keep on coming
No. 1: Texas is the winner of Site Selection’s 2012 Governor’s Cup, finishing with 761 projects in 2012, a 65 percent increase over its finish in 2011. No. 1: Business Facilities magazine names Texas its 2012 State of the Year, based on the state having “the most dynamic economy of any state in the nation.” No. 1: On Chief Executive’s Best States for Business survey for 2013, which surveyed 736 business leaders. Texas was also CEO’s Best State for Business in 2011 and 2012. No. 1: Dallas tops Forbes.com’s Best Cities for Jobs in February 2013. The ranking includes Houston at No. 2, Austin at No. 3, Fort Worth at No. 4 and San Antonio at No. 6. No other state has more than one city in the top 10. Texas Wide Open for Business
telecommunications engineers in the Dallas area cost 15 to 20 percent less than people with the same skills in Silicon Valley. “One of the positive attributes we have is the quality of workforce around the state,” White says. “You can go to a Tier 1 city and find great technical talent and go to a Tier 2 or 3 city and find great skilled industrial labor.” Other costs of doing business are lower as well. For example, office space in Silicon Valley can be 20 percent to 25 percent higher than most Texas cities, White says. Texans are ready to go to work, even in industries with which the state does not have a long legacy. “In most parts of Texas, even if there’s not a strong manufacturing tradition, there is a kind of get-itdone attitude,” Barber says. “It’s the rancher’s attitude that says we may not know how to do it, but we’ll figure it out.”
Texas Measures Up However, not all sides of a state can be captured on a spreadsheet. “There is an emotional aspect to corporate decision making and site selection,” Barber says. “What communities can offer in terms of quality of life can tip it one way or the other for a location.” Often, it takes a trip to Texas to see the whole picture of what makes the state so attractive. “There’s the qualitative aspect that happens when people visit the area and see what other employers are saying,” White says. “There’s a major difference when it comes to the friendliness factor of Texas culture and that’s hard to put a price tag on.”
Story by Gary Wollenhaupt Photography by Brian McCord
Discover more reasons why Texas is a great place for business investment at businessclimate.com/texas.
Business Benefits
Chevron has moved about 800 jobs from San Francisco to the company’s Houston facility, which is located in the downtown area.
Texas Draw Texas Wide Open for Business
Lower costs, businessfriendly environment offer major location advantages
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hen Texas says it has created a businessfriendly environment, it means it. And a wealth of comparative rankings underscores the state’s business vitality and appeal for site location, expansion and job creation. Proof positive are listings that put Texas on top as a business destination. In 2013, CNBC named Texas the top state for economy and for infrastructur on its annual America’s Top States for Business list. Texas was also the first choice of business decision makers on Chief Executive’s annual Best States for Business in 2012, where CEOs noted the state’s low cost structure and favorable regulatory environment among its major attributes. Texas ranked No. 1 on the executive survey portion of Site Selection magazine’s Top State Business Climate list on 2012. Texas also won Site Selection’s 2012 Governor’s Cup based on the number of capital projects in the state. “You go where the opportunity is,” says Joseph Vranich, principal of Spectrum Location Solutions, an Irvine, Calif., corporate relocation services provider with a nationwide client base. “Companies are looking for a friendly business environment, which includes reasonable taxes and straightforward regulation.”
The Port of Corpus Christi is one of Texas’ major transportation assets.
Texas meets those objectives on both fronts, with no personal or corporate income tax and a regulatory environment conducive to the needs of business. Vranich says while the relocation and expansion trend is increasing all over the country, several states in particular, including California, have such a perceived negative business environment that he’s seeing a sharp uptick in the number of companies making major investment decisions or locations elsewhere. To be sure, Texas has enjoyed great success in drawing investment and creating jobs from many different sources. It is a major destination for foreign direct investment and its track record
of job creation through startups, expansion at existing businesses and relocation is impressive. Texas created 679,000 jobs between December 2009 and December 2012, more than any other state. And state leaders have taken to the road to drive home the message of the Texas advantage. Gov. Rick Perry spoke to business leaders across California in early 2013 to highlight his state’s cost advantages and overall business friendliness. In November 2012, California passed Proposition 30, which creates new brackets for higher-earning individuals and raises the state’s sales tax. A number of California companies have found the appeal
Tax Climate Rankings The Tax Foundation’s 2013 edition of the State Business Tax Climate Index shows how state tax systems compare. Source: The Tax Foundation
9
48
50
5
29
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in a Texas ZIP code. In 2010, Vermillion Inc., a research and developer of high-value diagnostic tests used by physicians, relocated its corporate headquarters from California to Austin. In 2011, Xeris Pharmaceutics, a maker of injectable pharmaceuticals, moved its headquarters from California to Austin, citing, in part, California’s regulatory environment. That same year, home health services provider AccentCare shifted its headquarters to Dallas from California, in part because the CEO said Texas was more business friendly. Texas continues to gain major investment and jobs from companies based in California, including some of the biggest names on the corporate landscape. Chevron announced in early 2013 that it would move about 800 jobs from its San Francisco headquarters to
its operations in Houston. Google, Apple, eBay and Facebook all have a significant and growing presence in Austin, where 63 of the 225 corporate relocations between 2004 and 2011 were from California.
Texas Quality of Life Quality of life is another key variable in relocations, both talent recruitment and retention, and if the sentiments of Texas residents are taken into account, they feel good about their state as a place to live and work. Texas ranked in the top 10 among states on the American Dream State Ranking Report, the work of place-branding consultant Burghard Group in collaboration with Xavier University in Cincinnati. The report is based on research that
includes survey responses to 139 statements that encapsulate various American “aspirations” ranging from economic conditions to overall well being to assimilation and diversity, trust in people and institutions, and the quality of air, water and food. “In Texas, business friendliness is terrific, and depending on the community, costs of living are lower than elsewhere,” says Vranich. “As a consequence, costs of labor are lower. The benefit to that is a more stable workforce, because a person who can afford to own a home will stay with an employer longer than someone living in a crowded apartment.” Schools are important as well. “Employees jump at the chance to leave Los Angeles to relocate to a community with a better educational system,” he says.
All the Right Infrastructure Another significant selling point of Texas for companies reliant on exporting and importing is the state’s fully integrated transportation and logistics system, which includes 12 deep-water ports with channel depths of more than 30 feet. The widening of the Panama Canal to accommodate larger vessels, a project expected to be completed in 2015, will put the state’s Gulf Coast ports in prime position for increased activity. According to Vranich, not only will access to ports along the Gulf Coast increase the efficiency of shipping containers for Asia, but also help companies avoid the more costly ports of Oakland, Long Beach and Los Angeles. Energy costs are a driving factor in many relocations and expansions for every kind and size of company,
making power another sizeable advantage for Texas. Vranich notes that it is the only state with an electrical grid not tied into the national grid system, helping avoid some federal regulations. “Food processing operations in California are seeing their energy costs skyrocket because the state has implemented the cap and trade system,” he says. “They use lots of energy – gas for cooking and electricity for freezing – so there is a particular interest among them to go elsewhere.” In addition, private power companies produce much of the energy supply in Texas, so they are often in a position to offer incentives or bargain over a rate, an incentive not necessarily available in other states. “For eight years, California has been ranked by CEO magazine as the single worst state in which to do business, while it has scored
Texas as the Best State for Business,” says Vranich. “That’s your contrast right there.”
Story by Nan Bauroth Photography by Jeff Adkins and Brian McCord
Find more about Texas’ advantages at businessclimate.com/texas.
Texas offers low energy costs.
Export Volume Among Five Most Populous States, 2012
$81.4 billion $68.1 billion
$161.9 billion
$264.7 billion
$66.2 billion
Source: U.S. Census
Union Membership
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Jan. 2013
% of employed represented by unions
6.8%
18.4%
Unemployment Rate as of 2/13
24.9%
7.3%
15.5%
Cost of Living
Source: C2ER, 4Q 2012
U.S. average = 100
125.6
130.4
6.4%
9.6%
8.4%
7.7%
15.5 %
99
TX
CA
NY
FL
IL
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
92
TX
CA
NY
FL
96.5
IL
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Many Flags Over Texas
Texas Wide Open for Business
Foreign Investment
Foreign companies put down roots and invest in the Lone Star State, employing more than 446,000 Texas workers
Netherlands-based energy company Royal Dutch Shell has a major presence in Texas. Photo by Mike Duhon Productions
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hen executives at Kelso Technologies were looking for a plant site in the United States, their search started and stopped at Bonham, Texas. The Canadian-based maker of pressure relief valves and other products wanted to be closer to its customer base of railroad tank car manufacturers. Kelso CEO James R. Bond says the Vancouver company’s production manager was originally from Bonham and introduced them to the Texas city. “We became very good friends with the mayor, and the city shared our long-term goals,” Bond says. “It was not a hard decision.” The decision has also been an easy one for a number of foreign companies that have made Texas their choice for investment and
job creation across a range of industries. Between 2008 and 2012, Texas attracted FDI projects from 42 different nations. During that span, more than 430 non-U.S. companies a nnounced more tha n 500 separate business expansions in the Lone Star State, creating an estimated 46,000 jobs. Overall, more than 446,000 Texas workers are employed by foreign companies, including Alcatel-Lucent, BASF, Toshiba, Novartis, Royal Dutch Shell and Siemens. The state’s track record earned it Foreign Direct Investment magazine’s inaugural Governor’s Award in 2012, based on a number of qualitative and quantitative factors.
A Winning Attitude Texas’ list of recent foreign direct investment successes is as
long as it is deep. More than 1,300 major foreign companies had operations in the state in 2012. Nearly one in every four oil, gas or mining projects and one in every nine industrial machinery projects locating in the United States from outside the country went to Texas. Among the recent achievements: In Corpus Christi, Austria’s largest steel maker plans a $700 million facility that will use natural gas to reduce iron ore into iron pellets and bricks that are used to make steel. Voestalpine plans to build the plant at a site adjacent to Port Corpus Christi. South Korean semiconductor giant Samsung Electronics launched a $4 billion expansion program in late 2012 at its Austin chip plant to serve demand in the smartphone market. The company, which chose Austin in
1986 for its first manufacturing site outside South Korea has invested more than $13 billion at its 2,400-employee Austin facility since the mid-1990s. Steel pipe manufacturer Tenaris will build a $1.3 billion facility in Matagorda County in the heart of the Texas energy belt between Houston and Corpus Christi, creating 600 jobs. The company, headquartered in Luxembourg and a majorityowned subsidiary company of the Italian group Techint, will build a 1 million-square-foot, state-of-theart seamless pipe mill, plus heat treatment and premium threading facilities that will produce 600,000 tons of pipe annually. The company’s North American operations are in Houston. Chinese petrochemical manufacturer Formosa Plastics plans a $1.7 billion expansion at
Jacey Zuniga of Bigcommerce, an Australian company that provides e-commerce solutions for companies. The company opened an Austin office in 2009.
Karnes County …
more than just Eagle Ford! (830) 583-3957 • www.karnescountyedc.com
Kenedy,Texas Chamber of Commerce
(830) 583-3223 • www.kenedychamber.com
(830) 780-3112 www.karnescitychamberofcommerce.com
Runge Chamber of Commerce www.rungechamber.com
its Point Comfort facility on the Gulf Coast, which is expected to create 200 jobs. While major foreign direct investments like Samsung and the expansion of Toyota’s truck manufacturing operation in San Antonio grabbed headlines, smaller projects like the Kelso Technologies’ investment were part of the mix as well. Working with the city of Bonham, Kelso plans to construct a new facility that will expand jobs from 20 to 50 direct employees and another 150 in vendor companies. The new plant is within 400 miles of the company’s customers and major suppliers. A major factor in the selection was the availability of workers skilled in the heavy industrial production of hazardous materials handling products for the transportation industry. “There’s a good pool of labor there; they understand the importance of deadlines and the supply chain,” Bond says. Management at Bigcommerce also liked the business-friendly attitude of Texas. The company’s founders are laid-back Australians who found kindred spirits in the easygoing but hardworking Texas culture, says Steve Donnelly, director of human resources and recruiting for Bigcommerce. Bigcommerce opened its U.S. presence in Austin in 2009, drawn by the high-tech savvy employee base. The company creates e-commerce solutions for smalland medium-sized businesses to enable them to engage in online commerce. The Austin office originally was devoted to sales and support but will add software developers soon. “You have great academic institutions that put out fresh talent all the time and you have people who are startup veterans who have been through it before at all levels of the organization,” Donnelly says. “Austin has the sort of talent pool
Foreign Trade Zones in Texas
26
27 22 15
4
3
18
19
24
9
28
25
29
21 5
16
7
8
10 20
6 23
14
12 11
2
13 1 17
1. FTZ No. 12 McAllen 2. FTZ No. 36 Galveston 3. FTZ No. 39 Dallas/ Fort Worth 4. FTZ No. 68 El Paso 5. FTZ No. 80 San Antonio
16. FTZ No. 155 Calhoun/ Victoria Counties 17. FTZ No. 156 Weslaco 18. FTZ No. 165 Midland 19. FTZ No. 168 Dallas/ Fort Worth
6. FTZ No. 84 Harris County
20. FTZ No. 171 Liberty County
7. FTZ No. 94 Laredo
21. FTZ No. 183 Austin
8. FTZ No. 95 Starr County
22. FTZ No. 196 Fort Worth
9. FTZ No. 113 Ellis County
23. FTZ No. 199 Texas City
1 0. FTZ No. 115 Beaumont
24. FTZ No. 234 Gregg County
11. FTZ No. 116 Port Arthur
25. FTZ No. 246 Waco
12. FTZ No. 117 Orange
26. FTZ No. 252 Amarillo
13. FTZ No. 122 Corpus Christi
27. FTZ No. 260 Lubbock
1 4. FTZ No. 149 Freeport 1 5. FTZ No. 150 El Paso
28. FTZ No. 269 Athens 29. FTZ No. 265 Conroe (Montgomery County)
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you won’t find everywhere.” Bigcommerce also looked at other technology centers such as Silicon Valley, but lower costs played a large role in choosing Austin. “It’s so expensive to be in an area like San Francisco from a municipal tax standpoint and what you pay for the same skill set makes a huge difference,” Donnelly says.
Support From the Top
Kelso Technologies, based in Canada, opened a production facility in Bonham.
International Flavor
1,300
Samsung Austin Semiconductor selected the site for its first Texas chip fabrication plant in 1986 because the city was home to other companies in the industry. In its latest expansion, the company will hire an additional 500 employees. Samsung chose to invest in the Austin facility because of its track
record with the city and the state. “We’ve been successful recruiting employees, and we have a great partnership with the city of Austin, the county and the state,” says Catherine Morse, general counsel and director of public affairs for Samsung Austin Semiconductor. The company’s senior management in Korea appreciates the business-friendly climate in the state and the support Gov. Rick Perry personally delivers. “The state realizes we could have built anywhere in the world and we have chosen to expand in Austin,” Morse says. “And the governor has really expressed his appreciation.”
Story by Gary Wollenhaupt Photography by Jeff Adkins and Brian McCord
Top Industry Sectors for FDI Projects in Texas (2008-2012) Software & Information Technology: 64 Business Services: 58
Foreign companies with active operations in Texas as of 2012
Industrial Machinery: 54 Oil, Gas & Mining: 31
504 FDI projects announced in the state since 2008
446,00
Communications: 27 Source: Texas Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism
Top Countries for FDI Projects in Texas (2008-2012)
Workers at Texas operations of foreign-owned companies in 2010
Germany
Canada
Japan
Spain
58
33
24
Source: Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism, Congressional Research Service, Organization for Intl. Investment
United Kingdom
62
Capital investment from FDI projects in Texas since 2008
105
$38 Billion
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entrepreneurs
Texas Stays Fresh
T
exas has long been heralded as a new frontier. Today, that reputation as a land of opportunity extends to new entrepreneurs leveraging a vibrant startup, commercialization and technology transfer culture. Beneficiaries include SolarWinds, which last year topped Forbes’ annual list of Best Small Companies in America, and GenBand, a global developer of IP infrastructure solutions that has been on the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies list since 2007. The state’s commitment to fostering innovation explains why in 2012 Texas companies generated $924 million in venture funding, fifth highest in the nation, according to the annual MoneyTree report. “We’re on the front end of that innovation continuum,” says Jodey Arrington, vice chancellor for research and commercialization for the Texas Tech University System, which specializes in the food, fuel and fiber niches. “We screen ideas that emerge from research across our system, conduct initial analysis of marketability and then file patents.” At that stage, Arrington’s group either licenses the technology to a company or helps start a company and locates sources of capital. “We also connect them to alumni who can serve as investors, mentors or even CEO,” he says.
Texas Wide Open for Business
The State bolsters innovation and new ventures with tech transfers, financial assistance, support centers
One success story is Microzap, a Lubbock-based startup inspired by a faculty member’s inventive method to treat bacteria in food and other products. TTU licensed the invention to Don Stull, an alum who serves as CEO, while Dr. Mindy Brashears, who pioneered the technology, is chief scientist. The company’s technology reduces Salmonella in food products without a reduction in quality.
Innovation Center The Research Valley Innovation Center, anchored between Bryan and College Station, is a regional economic development corporation that encourages late-stage technology transfer from Texas A&M University and its Health Science Center. Its umbrella specialties are the physical sciences, with an emphasis on engineering, including life science, biotechnology and energy, says Todd McDaniel, president and CEO. RVIC also supports companies with a distributed R&D model seeking to engage with its university partners on sponsored research. McDaniel says this corporate cross-collaboration makes RVIC unique among agencies in Texas and other states. Recent RVIC success stories include Ecolyse, which is commercializing a green technology licensed through Texas A&M that controls corrosion in energy
The Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies was awarded a Texas Emerging Technology Fund Research Superiority Acquisition grant in order to recruit the world’s top researchers.
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pipelines and wastewater treatments; Lynntech, which specializes in new technologies for defense, aerospace and human health; and Kalon Biotherapuetics, a late-stage accelerator in biologics development.
A Laboratory for Entrepreneurs To respond to growing demands in West Texas, the Development Corp. of Abilene has repositioned Abilene Laboratories through a strategic alliance with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, home to The Center for Immunotherapeutics Development. “This sets the stage for a growing number of resources and services for startup and expanding companies alike,” says Richard Burdine, CEO of the Development Corporation of Abilene. Abilene Labs offers access to facilities and equipment, as well as scientists and researchers via its relationship with TTUHSC. “AbLABS has a unique specialization in immunotherapeutics and immunodiagnostics not found elsewhere,” Burdine says. Receptor Logic, a startup in the field of immunology through its proprietary T-Cell Receptor mimic (TCR™) technology, is currently utilizing the lab’s resources.
Texas Emerging Technology Fund When it comes to supporting new ventures, Texas puts its money where its mouth is. The Texas Emerging Technology Fund offers grants in three categories: Commercialization awards for startups, matching awards for universities and research superiority acquisition funds for recruitment of academic research talent. In addition, the TETF has established Regional Centers of Innovation and Commercialization that provide support for new ventures in a given area. The commitment by development organizations and the business community in Texas is instrumental in the state’s leadership in technological innovation. Dr. Jon Weidanz, TTUHSC professor and department chairman of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and chief scientist at Receptor Logic, has seen it firsthand. Not long ago, he approached Abilene community leaders and discussed progress at the center, as well as growth needs. “As always, the leaders understood the situation and bought into the vision,” Weidanz says.
Story by Nan Bauroth Photography by Jeff Adkins
Abilene Laboratories is home to TTUHSC’s Center for Immunotherapeutics Development.
84 || Texas Wide Open for Business
Accelerating Entrepreneurial Growth Texas offers a number of resources to help innovative companies grow, including more than 60 business accelerators and incubators that focus on emerging companies in such areas as technology, biotech, energy, telecommunications and aerospace. Find a comprehensive directory at governor.state.tx.us/files/ecodev Here are just a few examples:
Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) www.ati.utexas.edu ATI is a nonprofit unit of the IC2 Institute of the University of Texas that provides strategic counsel, operational guidance and infrastructure support from business, government and academic resources to help member companies become successful technology businesses. ATI focuses on life sciences, information technology, wireless networking and communications, and clean energy. ATI has worked with more than 250 companies and helped raise almost $1 billion in investor capital.
University of North Texas Discovery Park Business Incubator discoverypark.unt.edu/incubator The incubator assists entrepreneurial companies seeking to commercialize technologies or work with UNT to turn scientific innovations into businesses. The incubator allows proximity to UNT facilities including its science and technology research labs, Murphy Center for Entrepreneurship, Center for Economic Development, and Research and Communications Design Group.
InCube Labs www.incubelabs.com Founded in 2010, InCube Labs focuses on emerging biotech, medical device and pharmaceutical companies. Its 20,000-square-foot facility includes wet labs, a machine shop, and two Class 100 clean rooms providing the necessary equipment and facilities for developing life science companies. It collaborates with universities and entrepreneurs in Texas and around the country to help identify promising innovations and bring them to market.
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce Creative Incubator (McA2) www.mcallenart.com The McA2 provides support services and 13 low-cost studios for local artists in the Rio Grande Valley. The McA2’s new two-story incubator, which opened in 2012, has been transformed from a library to an artist haven. The space includes offices, Wi-Fi, classrooms and theater space, and an art gallery. The space is located in the heart of McAllen’s Art District, where a monthly Art Walk takes place.
Kitchen Incubator LLC www.kitchenincubator.com Kitchen Incubator is devoted exclusively to incubation of craft food businesses. Its goal is to increase entrepreneurial success in the culinary industry along with access to facilities and equipment in a co-working environment conducive to collaboration, networking and mentorship. Its facilities include fully-equipped commercial kitchens in downtown Houston.
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Corp or at e opp or t unit y Sm a ll t ow n Communit y eduCated work forCe Shov el - re a dy Sit eS
COMMERCE
texas
• Home of Texas A&M University – Commerce • Located just 65 miles east of Dallas • Access to multiple interstates and highways
• Local municipal airport; easy access to Dallas Love Field and DFW International Airports • Rail service • Customizable workforce training • Five area lakes • University sponsored events • NCAA Division II Athletics • Northeast Texas Children’s Museum • Local country club and driving range • Tax abatement – city, county, hospital district • Economic Development Corporation • INCENTIVES!
Second-largest university in the texas a&m university System
903.886.1121 • www.commerceEDC.info
Accelerators and incubators
Fast Track Abundant accelerators speed growth for Texas startups
Texas takes startups seriously. With 63 accelerators and incubators throughout the state, emerging companies find a wealth of resources to propel them from the embryonic stage into a growth trajectory. Presently, 60 percent of these Texas facilities are focused on the high technology field, with specialization in the promising niches of biotechnology, energy, telecom and aerospace. The other 40 percent cover a wide spectrum, working with clients across industry sectors. A sampling within life sciences includes the Biotech Manufacturing Center of Texas, the only full-scale biotech manufacturing incubator in the
country; and the Pipeline at BioCenter in North Texas, dedicated to helping biomedical startups. Energy accelerators include the San Antonio Clean Energy Incubator and University of Houston Research Park. In the high-tech field, emerging companies can turn to facilities such as Baylor University’s Innovative Business Accelerator, North Texas Regional Center of Innovation & Commercialization and the Hub of Human Innovation in El Paso. Texas even has the SXSW Music Accelerator in Austin, aimed at discovering the latest in music-related technology. Depending on their mission, these incubators and accelerators in Texas
offer fledgling companies everything from inexpensive office space to technical expertise, networking, business plan generation, licensing agreements and seed capital sources. Most are public/private partnerships managed in conjunction with economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, local governments or for-profit businesses, and colleges or universities. Texas’ vibrant entrepreneurial spirit is evidenced by the arrival of TechStars, DreamIt and TechWildcatters – all located in the state – on Forbes’ Top Ten Incubators and Accelerators list in 2012. – Nan Bauroth
Recognized Go Texan Hard Working Community P.O. Box 494 • Nocona, TX 76255
940.825.3150 • noconaedc@nocona.org www.nocona.org
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Agriculture
Under the Microscope Texas A&M AgriLife Research yields a bumper crop of discoveries that lead to improvements
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hen it comes to agriculture, Texas is a leader on the farm and in the lab. With 247,500 farms and ranches covering more than 130 million acres, Texas agriculture garners more than $22 billion in cash receipts annually, including more than $7.6 billion from exports. It is the top state in cattle and cotton production, as well as one of the nation’s largest food processing states. The economic impact of Texas’ food and fiber sector is more than $100 billion. “From the time people planted the first crops and domesticated the first livestock, those working in agriculture have strived to improve it,” says Texas
Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. “As our technology evolves, Texas farmers and ranchers benefit from increased efficiency and production, and in turn, our state and nation enjoys a safe, healthy and more affordable food supply.” The Lone Star State’s reputation for efficient, safe food production is a direct result of its extensive agriculture and food research efforts. Texas’ premier research and technology agency in agriculture, natural resources and life sciences is Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Spanning many disciplines, AgriLife Research has more than 1,600 employees, including more than 550 doctoral-level scientists. As part of a major land grant institution, AgriLife Research has a special mission to serve the public, says Dr. Craig Nessler,
Texas A&M AgriLife Research employees work to improve Texas’ agricultural landscape. Photo Courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife Research Texas Wide Open for Business
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92 || Texas Wide Open for Business
jeff adkins
The National Center for Electron Beam Research at Texas A&M University is one of just two electron beam facilities in the United States approved by the USDA for phytosanitary treatment to protect against invading insects and pests.
“From the time people planted the first crops and domesticated the first livestock, those working in agriculture have strived to improve it.”
Todd Staples, Texas Agriculture Commissioner
director of AgriLife Research. “Like good Texans, we are always seeking to find practical, economically feasible solutions to problems and issues,” he says.
Where Research Means Business The institution has been particularly successful in its collaboration with private industry. AgriLife has partnerships with a host of companies, including Monsanto, Ceres Inc., BP Oil and Bayer CropScience. Many of those partnerships are long-term ventures. AgriLife Research has emphasized development of a sound project
management approach to its research efforts, says Nessler, who added that AgriLife primarily focuses on deliverables for its partners, saving them more in research costs. AgriLife and Bayer CropScience recently signed a multiyear agreement to develop wheat plants that have higher yields and are more drought resistant. AgriLife also has a partnership with Monsanto to develop more efficient varieties of cotton worldwide, and in 2009, AgriLife received a private donation of approximately 4,000 cotton molecular makers and associated information from the company.
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Texas A&M AgriLife
Impact of agriculture on the Texas economy each year
Website: agrilife.org Founded: 1887
245,000
Headquarters: College Station Research: More than 580 projects each year, with nearly $200 million in research funding
Number of Farms
Staff: Includes 550 doctoral-level scientists spanning a host of disciplines Description: As the state’s leading research and technology development agency in agriculture, AgriLife Research has a statewide presence, with scientists and research staff on other Texas A&M University System campuses and at the 13 regional Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Centers. Its research touches all facets of agriculture, including everything from revolutionizing cotton harvesting to improving irrigation systems, increasing grain yields and harnessing biomass for fuel.
Top Texas Commodities
1 2
Cattle and calves: $11.2 billion, 17.2%
130 Million Acres of farm land
531 Acreage of average farm Source: USDA Economic Research Service Top Texas Ag Exports
1. Cotton - Value: $2.4 billion, U.S. rank: 1 China, Turkey, Mexico, and various Pacific Rim countries are major buyers of Texas cotton 2. Other products - Value: $1.65 billion, U.S. rank: 2 Includes live animals, other meats, animal parts, eggs, wine and beer 3. Beef and veal - Value: $960 million, U.S. rank: 1 Cattle have been raised in Texas beginning with the Spanish missions in the mid-18th century
Cotton: $2.3 billion, 27.9%
4. Hides and skins - Value: $471.7 million, U.S. rank: 1 Used in the production of a variety of leather goods
3 4
Dairy products: $1.99 billion, 5%
Total exports - Value: $7.55 billion, U.S. rank: 4 Increasing demand for food and fiber worldwide has made Texas an important ag exporter
Broilers: $1.67 billion, 7.2%
5
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Texas Historical Association
Greenhouse/nursery: $1.21 billion, 7.8%
Total commodities: $22.68 billion, 6.1% Texas Wide Open for Business
5. Wheat - Value: $325.7 million, U.S. rank: 12 Wheat was first grown commercially in Texas near Sherman in the early 1830s
Texas leads the United States in amount of farmland and has more sheep, lambs, cattle, calves, goats, cotton and hay than any other state. In addition, Texas is the nation’s No. 2 producer of Pima cotton, peanuts, grain sorghum and grapefruit, and is No. 3 in the production of carrots, honeydew melons, chili peppers, oranges and pecans.
Fueling Energy Innovation One of the most promising areas of research is in biofuels. In the past five years, AgriLife has participated in more than 40 bioenergy projects with a portfolio of more than $50 million. AgriLife Research and BP Biofuels signed a three-year agreement to develop commercialized cellulosic feedstock for the production of advanced biofuels. Part of this research is development of new varieties of grasses and cane plants for use as feedstock in production of biofuels. AgriLife Research also received a $2 million National Science Foundation grant in 2012 to study ways to get fuel-grade oil from algae and also partners with Ceres Inc. to find uses of sorghum as a potential biofuel feedstock. “Renewable energy produced from dedicated energy crops will play a vital role for the 21st-century economy,” Nessler says.
Head of the Class Another important area of research at AgriLife is determining better use of water resources for agriculture and horticulture. This is particularly critical due to recent drought conditions in the state. AgriLife Research continues to make a name for itself in animal science research. A focus in this area is exploring animal temperament in terms of living and transportation conditions. Researchers have found that less stress on livestock usually means healthier livestock. AgriLife Research is gaining worldwide attention for its work in food safety and medicine, including cancer and nutrition research. The National Center for Electron Beam Research on the Texas A&M campus has received the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Inspection
Service approval to use its equipment in the treatment of agricultural items regulated under the provisions of quarantines and regulations administered by the USDA. The center is only the second electron-beam facility in the continental United States approved by the agency for phytosanitary treatment, providing protection against invading insects and pests. In addition to those applications, the use of electron-beam irradiation technology is making significant improvements in the sterilization of medical devices. The approval will allow expanded export capabilities not only for Texas crops, but crops from other states as well, and for products imported from other countries, notes Dr. Suresh Pillai, National Center for Electron Beam Research director. “Having this capability in Texas can be a boon to agricultural exporters from states such as Georgia, South Carolina and Florida,” Pillai says. “USDA-APHIS is currently revising a federal law to allow the use of this technology on imported commodities in the United States. If this law comes into effect, there will be a significant demand for using this technology on commodities currently being imported from Mexico, such as guavas, mangoes, sweet lime, manzano peppers and carambola.” Story by John Fuller
Clockwise from top: AgriLife Research in the field; Glandless cotton plants are grown in an AgriLife Research lab; AgriLife includes an algae facility clean room; Agriculture and Life Sciences building at Texas A&M Photos Courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife Research
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Scott Belsky, cofounder and CEO of Behance, speaks during the Connecting & Empowering The Creative World session at the 2013 South by Southwest速 Conferences and Festivals. Photo by Rita Quinn/Getty Images for SXSW
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Strong Sense of Direction Worlds of music, film and technology collide at austin’s annual South By SouthwesT Conferences & festivals
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or 10 days each March, the entertainment and technology industries have their eyes fixed on the Lone Star State, when the annual South by Southwest® Conferences & Festivals take over every nook and cranny in Austin. Now in its 27th year, the music/film/technology showcase has grown from 700 participants to nearly 150,000, making it a premier event. Music, film, technology and innovation intersect over the course of a nine-day industry conference series, four-day trade show, nine-day (and night) film festival and six-night music festival that includes 2,200 artists on 100 stages.
Austin’s Economic Impact Emerging bands, films and tech startups not only benefit from the wealth of opportunities that SXSW® offers, but also from the vibrancy of the host city. Naturally, SXSW is big business in Texas’ capital city. An economic study estimated South by Southwest delivered a $190 million impact for Austin in 2012. “Austin is a reflection of South by Southwest and vice versa,” says Hugh Forrest, director of the South by Southwest Interactive Festival. “The event could not have grown to such a level if it wasn’t held in such an exciting city as Austin.” SXSW Interactive accounts for much of that
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impact, generating nearly 25,000 participants in 2012, far ahead of the 19,000 music attendees. SXSW Interactive saw modest growth until 2007, when an unknown startup called Twitter gained considerable traction at the event. In 2009, mobile app Foursquare launched at SXSW. From then on, the event has “virtually” exploded, offering a full plate of panel sessions, awards competitions, a gaming expo, meetups, pitch events and, of course, parties.
New Ideas and Successes Web developers, investors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, musicians and even politicians share information, ideas and business cards. “We’re continually getting the A-plus-plus list,” says SXSW Startup Village and Accelerator event producer Chris Valentine. The innovation found in Austin year round works in tandem with SXSW Interactive, and particularly the Accelerator competition for emerging online technology.
“We have incredible, innovative people in Texas,” says Josh Alexander, cofounder and CEO of Toopher, an Austin-based startup and 2012 Accelerator finalist. “The thought and leadership that comes out of the University of Texas alone is phenomenal. And there are more and more opportunities in Texas for a startup to get funding in the early stages.” Alexander should know. He and Toopher founder/Chief Technology Officer Evan Grim developed an online security system that authenticates a user’s identity using the location of the Toopherenabled smartphone. After being accepted into Austin Technology Incubator’s development portfolio in January 2012, Toopher was encouraged to apply for the 2012 Accelerator competition. The security startup became one of a handful of finalists chosen from more than 670 applicants. “South by Southwest allowed us to showcase our innovation on a larger stage,” Alexander says. “We raised $2 million through the connections we made from Accelerator.
Meredith Maycotte, chief marketing officer and founder of Umbel, works at the company’s headquarters in Austin. Founded in 2010, Umbel was one of six Austinbased startups selected to present business plans and products in the 2012 South by Southwest Interactive Accelerator. The company was able to secure investors and clients at SXSW. Photo by jeff adkins
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Comedian and author Baratunde Thurston delivered the 2012 SXSW keynote speech.
Historic Sites & Museums Texas Main Street City Festivals & Bazaars Eastern Wild Turkey Capital
We can hire more people in Texas, spend money in Texas and do good things for our state.” Another Accelerator finalist, Austin-based Umbel, acquired funding as well as some of their biggest clients through contacts made at SXSW Interactive. Umbel, a digital audience measurement company, partners with online publishers to allow them to collect and analyze customer data via social media and other sources. In the past year, the company has evolved from bootstrapping its financing to acquiring at least $3.7 million in funding, allowing expansion into sports, entertainment and other media. “We had a booth in the [South by Southwest] trade show and met a lot of investors and clients,” says CEO Higinio “H.O.” Maycotte. “We attended a ton of panels and parties. So much happens when so many innovative minds come together.” The outside-the-box mindset that permeates SXSW Interactive helps push participating businesses to turn their great idea into something spectacular.
“Accelerator helped us grow up very quickly,” says Alexander. “We had to learn how to rise above the noise of an event with so many interesting facets.” “Those 10 days in March really bring creativity to a higher level and make the city more attractive long-term,” says Forest. Valentine agrees, noting, “Huge numbers of people move to Austin weekly. During the economic downturn we continued to grow and prosper. The city as a whole has developed.”
Low Tax Rate Proximity to I-30 Manufacturing Tax Incentives Industrial Buildings & Land Available
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Clarksville EDC (903) 427-3834 Ext. 4 Fax (903) 427-3907 ENTERTA INMENT AND TECHNOL OGY
Strong Sense of Direction Scott Belsky, speaks duringcofounder and CEO of Behance, Creative World the Connecting & Empowering session at The Southwest® Conferences the 2013 South by and Festivals. RITA
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WORLDS OF MUSIC, FILM TECHNOLOGY COLLIDE AT AND ANNUAL SOUTH AUSTIN’S CONFERENCE BY SOUTHWEST S & FESTIV ALS
or 10 days each March, the entertainm ent and technology Austin’s Economic industries have Impact the Lone Star their eyes fixed on Emerging bands, State, films and tech South by Southwest®when the annual benefit from the startups not Conference only Festivals take offers, but also wealth of opportuniti s& cranny in Austin. over every es that SXSW® from the vibrancy nook and Naturally, SXSW of the host Now in its 27th year, the music/film city. An economic is big business in Texas’ city. showcase has capital study estimated /technology grown from Southwest 150,000, making 700 participant South by delivered a $190 million s to nearly it a premier Austin in 2012. technology event. Music, impact for and film, “Austin is a of a nine-day innovation intersect reflection of industry conference over the course vice versa,” South by Southwest trade show, says series, four-day nine-day (and and by Southwest Hugh Forrest, director six-night music night) film Interactive of festival festival that not have grown Festival. “The the South on 100 stages. includes 2,200 and event could to such a level artists an exciting if it wasn’t city as Austin.” held in such SXSW Interactive accounts for much of that businessclim
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Headed in One Direction The South by SouthwestŽ Conferences & Festivals is a premier showcase for emerging music, film and technology. Launched in 1987 in Austin, the annual event initially aimed to shine a brighter spotlight on the city’s diverse music scene. The event quickly gained popularity with acts throughout the United States to garner the attention of music industry executives and build their fan base. In 1994, SXSW expanded to include film and interactive, allowing the multifaceted event to grow from 700 registrants in its first year to 147,000 total participants in 2012. SXSW Interactive launched as its own entity in 1995. SXSW Gaming launched in 2006 and the SXSW Accelerator competition kicked off in 2009. SXSW recently added education and sustainability fields to the mix.
Conference Attendees
Interactive Conference
1,034 Conference Sessions
1,800
Music Festival
2,278
##% 597 Musical Acts
International Acts
Conference Speakers
Film Festival
74,955
113 Music Festival Stages
188
Film Festival Attendance
133
Films Screened
Trade Shows & Exhibits
Interactive Conference Music Conference Film Conference = Roughly 2,000 people
571 147 73
SXSW Trade Show Exhibit Spaces Gaming Expo Exhibit Spaces
Music Gear Expo Exhibit Spaces
Music Conference Sessions
65 K Approximate Trade Show Attendance Over Four Days
40 K Approximate Gaming Expo Attendance Over Three Days
20 K Approximate Music Gear Expo Attendance Over Three Days
In 2012, SXSW was directly and indirectly responsible for injecting approximately $190 million into the Austin economy. Texas Wide Open for Business
Bastrop County Open for business
BUSINESS and TOURISM FIND SYNERGY AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE BRINGS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE and AFFORDABLE LAND HELP WRITE SUCCESS STORies | www.BastropCountyTexas.com | Photo: Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative Corporate Headquarters
Destination: Bastrop County
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ith its unique blend of city convenience and rural charm, Bastrop County is a destination of choice for both business and tourism. The county is just a 30-minute drive from Austin, one of the nation’s hippest, fastest-growing cities. According to Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape, that proximity fuels dramatic businessfriendly growth. “In the 30 years I’ve lived here, our population has tripled,” Pape says. “Our growth is going to accelerate as Austin continues to be a magnet for business and industry.”
San Antonio and Houston are also within easy reach, giving Bastrop County businesses ready access to major markets. And, of course, big cities mean many other benefits: a diverse and educated workforce, ample support services, and amenities for
| www.BastropCountyTexas.com |
employees, to name a few. But Bastrop County’s appeal isn’t just about proximity. The county itself has plenty to attract businesses. Cooperative Culture “We have a supportive culture for economic development. When businesses come in, we try to do as much work as we can for them,” says Rachel Clampffer, the county’s director of planning and economic development. That culture starts with a cooperative relationship between local governments and business-focused organizations. These groups have created an economic development alliance called BEST: Bastrop – Elgin – Smithville, Texas, named for the county’s three cities. BEST members meet monthly to brainstorm business-friendly initiatives and encourage connections between high-level officials, business owners and developers.
Bastrop County Courthouse Built in 1883, the courthouse serves as a symbol of Bastrop County strength.
In addition, both city and county governments have financial incentives for new or expanding businesses. Bastrop County participates in Texas’ 381 Economic Development Agreement plan, which allows local governments to reward job creators with tax abatements, grants, sales tax payments and other assistance. The county and the City of Elgin have cooperatively created a designated TIRZ (tax increment reinvestment zone). Taxes from businesses that invest in this zone are earmarked for infrastructure improvements that directly benefit those businesses. Wide-Open Spaces Judge Pape also points to the county’s abundant land as one of its key assets. “We still have 1,000-acre ranches that can be transformed into anything anyone can dream of doing,” he says. “They’re like blank canvases. There aren’t too many places left in the country where you can do that.” For businesses looking for smaller properties, the county also has many shovel-ready sites with electricity and water service already in place. Both are supplied by large, long-established utility cooperatives that are accustomed to working closely with businesses. Other assets include a regional airport, one U.S. and four state highways, a new Austin Community College campus and a relaxed, rural lifestyle that appeals to employees. Destination: Tourism and Business Bastrop County also has several features that make it ideal for tourists and the businesses that serve them. The county is a recreation paradise, with three Lower Colorado River Authority parks, the stunning Lost Pines Forest and two state parks. “People from all over the state have childhood memories of hiking in our
forests or fishing here,” Pape says. “Our natural beauty makes us a great destination for vacationers and travelers.” The area’s rich history is likewise a big draw: the town of Bastrop, founded in 1832, is one of the oldest in the state. The National Register of Historic Places lists more than 300 Bastrop County sites, including the 1883 Bastrop County courthouse and several historic districts. Tourists also choose Bastrop County for its convenient, low-traffic proximity to major Austin events such as concerts and Formula One races at the nearby Circuit of the Americas. Visitors can stay at one of many hotels in the area, including the four-star Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa. The county also has numerous chain and family-owned restaurants, as well as boutiques that sell handmade jewelry, pottery and Texas specialties such as custom boots. But there’s plenty of room for more destination businesses. “Our hotels are often completely full, especially on event weekends,” Rachel Clampffer says. “You won’t have to be a pioneer if you open a destination business in Bastrop County – the market is already here.” To encourage travel-sector growth, the county offers attractive benefits to destination business owners. The hotel occupancy tax, for instance, is reinvested in the lodging industry – the Bastrop County Tourism Office recently purchased Texas Hotel and Lodging Association memberships for the county’s hoteliers. Overall, Clampffer says, these kinds of features make Bastrop County a great place for business. “We’re well-centered,” she says. “It’s a good time to develop here – we’re excited about welcoming businesses.”
| www.BastropCountyTexas.com |
Control Room Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative’s control room shows the distribution of power as it is provided throughout Bastrop County.
Art Foundry Deep in the Heart Art Foundry, located in the Bastrop Industrial Park, works beside other innovative companies that enjoy the easy business climate that Bastrop County offers.
Industry Leader
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ne of Bastrop County’s most valuable assets is the Bastrop Industrial Park, a 263-acre complex that’s fostering success for both existing and expanding businesses. Putting Down Roots The Coghlan Group, which distributes pharmaceuticals and other materials for clinical trials, moved into the park in 2000. Thanks to nearby U.S. and state highways and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the company can ship easily to its clients on both U.S. coasts and overseas. Founder and CEO Terry Coghlan says the park’s wide-open spaces are another advantage. His four-plus acres have allowed him to expand his original facility from 6,000 to 20,000 square feet over the years, and he’s now preparing to add a 30,000-squarefoot warehouse. “All this land lets us have a convenient, campus-type setting instead of having buildings in different parts of town or even in different sections of the park,” he says. Even more convenient is the assistance he’s received from the Bastrop Economic Development Corporation (BEDC). “They’re extremely helpful to people who are interested in moving into the Bastrop Industrial Park, always willing to listen to ideas for fulfilling the needs of a particular client so they can relocate,” he says. “And in Bastrop, permitting is seamless; it’s all prearranged for you.” Expanding for Success It’s no wonder, then, that businesses like JAMCo are coming to Bastrop.
| www.BastropCountyTexas.com |
The Atlanta-based company, which manufactures and installs high-rise building envelopes, is expanding to Bastrop Industrial Park in late 2013. “We see a large amount of quality work coming out in Texas, and if we’re going to accept work in Texas, then we want to create jobs in Texas,” says JAMCo President Phil Greeves. The company’s Texas clients are located primarily in Austin, Houston and Dallas, so the centrally located Bastrop Industrial Park was a logical choice. Greeves says that the nearby highways and airport make it easy to move materials to those three cities. And, like Coghlan, Greeves found a willing partner in the Bastrop EDC and the city of Bastrop. They helped JAMCo design an expandable facility and offered the company free land in exchange for meeting certain employment targets. “They were extremely easy to work with, and that makes a big difference when you’re trying to accomplish something from a distance,” Greeves says. “We felt like they genuinely wanted us to be here.” Both Greeves and Coghlan have also found that Bastrop and nearby Austin supply a plentiful skilled workforce, and the area’s quality of life makes workers willing to relocate. “This is a very robust community, but as it’s growing and progressing, it’s keeping what makes it unique,” Coghlan says. “I would encourage everyone to come to Bastrop and make your fortune – it can definitely be done here.” For more information about the Bastrop Industrial Park and the Bastrop EDC, visit www.bastropedc.org.
Austin Community College: Workforce Partner
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hanks to Austin Community College’s new 98-acre Elgin campus, Bastrop County residents and businesses alike enjoy easy access to higher education and workforce development. ACC Elgin, located next to U.S. 290 and County Line Road, enrolled its first crop of students recently for fall 2013. The 65,000-square-foot campus currently has space for 1,500 students, but Campus Manager (and Elgin resident) Betsy Erwin expects the location to expand as enrollment increases. “The Elgin campus will make higher education more convenient for residents throughout the Bastrop County area,” Erwin says. “In fact, we’re expecting to draw enrollment not only from Elgin but also from the communities of Manor and Bastrop.” Expanding to Elgin was a partnership effort. A citizen committee approached ACC about joining the college’s taxing district, and voters in Elgin ISD approved annexation in 2010. The annexation touched off a 60 percent increase in enrollment by Elgin students, and the new campus wasn’t far behind. Classes for College, Career and Beyond From the word go, ACC Elgin is offering comprehensive classes and services to help students achieve their college and career goals. Students have access to foundation skills, core curriculum, and workforce courses in subjects like writing, history, computer science and website design. The campus also has academic and financial aid
Austin Community College – Elgin Campus In addition to ACC’s outstanding workforce preparation courses, this new 98-acre campus debuts ACC’s only sustainable agriculture classes.
| www.BastropCountyTexas.com |
counseling, a learning lab staffed by free tutors, science and computer labs, and a library. Erwin is particularly excited about two programs that will be unique to the Elgin location. One, a noncredit sequence on sustainable agriculture, debuted for fall 2013. The other, a veterinary technician program, is currently undergoing accreditation. Erwin also expects the Elgin campus to participate in ACC’s Early College Start program for ambitious high school students. “A community college gives all residents an opportunity to improve their lives, whether they want to train for a new career, take transferable classes or add to their resumes. It also creates a skilled workforce – something that employers need,” Erwin says. Given those benefits, it’s no surprise that community response has been overwhelmingly positive. About 1,000 residents attended a college fair and business expo held at the campus over the summer, and Erwin says that residents, local businesses, the Elgin city government and the chamber of commerce have all been extremely supportive. But it’s no more than she expected. “This is a very special area,” Erwin says. “Bastrop County is charming and well-positioned for economic development and growth. Austin Community College is proud to be part of this community.” For more information about ACC’s Elgin campus, visit www.austincc.edu/elgin.
The GOOD Things in Life
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astrop County is where to find the good things in life – both for visitors and the businesses that serve them. Rich in history and natural beauty, Bastrop County is a relaxing getaway from the pressures and grind of city life. “This is a casual, rural area, so you don’t have to make a big plan before you come here or worry about everything being booked,” says Adena Lewis, a Smithville native and the county’s tourism coordinator. “You can be as self-structured – or not – as you want to be.” Eat, Play, Learn
Colorado River The Colorado River is just one of the recreational opportunities offered for Bastrop County tourists and residents.
photo by bastrop river company
Historic tourism is one of the area’s biggest draws. History buffs can stroll beautifully preserved Main Street districts in all three of the county’s cities – Bastrop, Smithville and Elgin – or visit one of the county’s 100-plus buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Bastrop County Historical Society operates a museum with rotating exhibits and a calendar of historyrelated activities. Visitors seeking major events can visit the nearby Circuit of the Americas, which hosts arena-style concerts as well as Formula One races. Foodies can munch on famous Texas barbecue at Southside Market & Barbecue or Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse; fine dining and farm-to-table eateries also dot the county. And film fans can enjoy a jaunt around Smithville, Texas’ first Film-Friendly City, which appears in Hope Floats, The Tree of Life and many other movies. Bastrop County has plenty for outdoor types, too. Bastrop and Buescher state parks and the Lost Pines Forest are all ideal for hiking, biking, birding and camping. The Colorado River also snakes through Bastrop County, providing fishing and watersports opportunities.
| www.BastropCountyTexas.com |
Lee Harle, a lifelong Texan, owns and operates river outfitter Bastrop River Company. He left an Austin banking job to enjoy the rural Bastrop County lifestyle. “I kept looking forward to the weekends when I could run off to the river. Finally, I visited Bastrop and thought, ‘This is a pretty cool little town. Why don’t I just live here?’,” he says. Harle’s company is a river outfitter with a twist: in addition to familiar pastimes like canoeing and kayaking, Bastrop River Company also outfits visitors for overnight camping, tubing and stand-up paddleboarding. And Harle treks the river regularly so he can give his customers up-to-date information about landmarks, routes and safety. Friendly Support Harle may have come for the fun, but he’s stayed because Bastrop County is friendly to him and his business. “The county is really pro-business,” he says. “There are a lot of wise people in high positions, and there’s not a whole lot of red tape; if you have a business that needs to grow, there’s a lot of support for that.” Adena Lewis says it’s easy for Bastrop County to support destination businesses because the area lures a plentiful and diverse group of visitors from nearby Austin, Houston and San Antonio. “There are no rules about how you enjoy your experience here as a business owner. You can be eclectic, conventional or anywhere in between, and we have a base of people to support you,” she says. Both Harle and Lewis say that the people of Bastrop are what tie the whole package together. Residents have a genuine desire to help visitors and businesses alike enjoy the Bastrop County experience. “We either know you or we want to get to know you,” Lewis says. “Every visitor and every business is precious to us – we enjoy personal relationships with all of them. It’s that friendliness and sincere interest that captures what every day in Bastrop County really is.”
Automation Robotics: Cutting edge technology can be found all over Bastrop County. From the Brick Capital of the Southwest, Elgin, to the biotech campuses in Bastrop and Smithville.
Build it in Bastrop County
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n Bastrop County, solid infrastructure and affordable land are helping businesses to build their own success stories. State and U.S. highways connect the county to Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. For points beyond, there are the nearby Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and eastern Bastrop County’s Smithville Crawford Municipal Airport. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, headquartered in the city of Bastrop, is another key part of the county’s robust, business-friendly infrastructure. The cooperative has community representatives who work with economic development agencies, local governments and developers to meet business’ needs. “Our goal is reliable, safe and cost-competitive electricity for our members,” says Will Holford, Bluebonnet’s manager of public affairs. “We have a first-class distribution system, and we feel that we can compete with any utility in terms of rates and reliability.” Bastrop County also draws businesses with abundant, affordable land. “We’re still at price per acre here, not price per square foot,” says Smithville City Manager Tex Middlebrook. “We’re surrounded by properties that can host any number or type of businesses.”
| www.BastropCountyTexas.com |
Those properties are easy to develop, too, thanks to a permitting process that combines speed, clarity and direct access to decision-making officials like Middlebrook. Success, Texas-Size It’s no wonder, then, that Bastrop County already has a number of business success stories. One is Spiradrill, a Smithville-based commercial drill manufacturer. Local highways help Spiradrill move people and heavy equipment efficiently throughout the region. Bastrop County is also home to the Virginia Harris Cockrell Cancer Research Center, a division of the world-famous MD Anderson Cancer Center. Located just outside Smithville, the center specializes in researching the origins and prevention of cancer. “The cancer research center shows that we have a very educated workforce,” Middlebrook says. “It also shows that, no matter what type of business you’re in, you can succeed here in Bastrop County.” Will Holford agrees. “In Bastrop County, we have historic downtowns with mom-and-pop businesses and newer areas with big-box and chain stores, and all those businesses are doing well,” he says. “The folks in Bastrop County welcome everyone.”
Workforce Development
Ready To Work texas offers a highly skilled workforce thanks to collaboration and innovative training and education programs
Texas’ Skilled Development Fund helps provide customized job training to businesses through grants
the NAAMREI program has worked with about 50 manufacturers and trained more than 10,000 employees in advanced manufacturing skills
Texas Companies are offering internships and training programs to help build the state’s workforce
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Brian McCord
Left: Priefert Manufacturing in Mount Pleasant supports a program that allows high school students to earn dual credit at an industrial technology training center. Right: Priefert is known for its innovative ranching products such as horse walkers.
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he Lone Star State is committed to making sure its Texas-size workforce of more than 12.6 million people is prepared for jobs of the future, while also meeting companies’ present-day needs. It is an effort built on collaboration and innovation that includes local and state government, businesses, local workforce boards, colleges and even high schools and junior highs. The Texas Workforce Commission oversees workforce development services. The commission is part of Texas Workforce Solutions, a network that includes 28 workforce
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development boards statewide and their contracted service providers and community partners.
Skills Development Fund A linchpin of the state’s workforce development effort is the Skills Development Fund, Texas’ leading job training program, which offers grants to community and technical colleges to provide customized job training for businesses. The workforce commission’s Texas Back to Work program offers incentives to employers that provide jobs to unemployed Texans. Through the program, a company, group of businesses or trade union identifies a training need and then partners with a public community or technical
college to fill its specific needs. Companies work with college partners to submit proposals, develop curricula and conduct training. The Skills Development Fund pays for the training, and the college administers the grant. The Workforce Commission provides access to a team which provides no-cost technical assistance to help streamline the development of projects and proposals. Workforce Solutions offices frequently collaborate with local companies and higher education institutions. When the San Antonio Manufacturers Association identified more than 2,500 manufacturing job openings in the region, Alamo Workforce Solutions partnered with SAMA and Alamo Colleges on the Just in
Time Skilled Workforce Development pilot program. The initiative is a 90-day, fasttrack training program to help participants obtain skills certifications needed to fill manufacturing-related job openings in a 12-county area.
Spirit of Collaboration Community colleges are key components of workforce training, through degree and certification programs designed to meet demand and through training tailored to individual employers. One example is at South Texas College in McAllen, home base for the North American Advanced Manufacturing Research & Education Initiative, which offers
For more information, contact: Economic Development Department CITY OF CEDAR PARK
| 450 Cypress Creek Rd. | Cedar Park, Texas 78613
phone: 512 401 5014
| fax: 512 250 8602 | www.cedarparktx.us
Jeff Adkins
South Texas College in McAllen hosts the North American Advanced Manufacturing & Research Initiative, devoted to strengthening manufacturing in the region.
customized training that helps incumbent manufacturing employees advance in their careers. The initiative is designed to boost advanced manufacturing capabilities in the Rio South Texas Region. It brings together more than 60 partners in business and industry, education, economic development and government to offer manufacturers access to proprietary, world-class advanced manufacturing and rapid response production. Training is split roughly 50-50 between the college in McAllen and local businesses, with on-thejob training comprising about 10 percent of that. Adjunct experts from various industries supplement the in-house instructors. Skills Development Fund grants offset the tuition. Since its creation in 2007, the NAAMREI program has worked with about 50 manufacturers and trained more than 10,000 employees in advanced, highdemand manufacturing skills such as CNC programming and mechatronics. NAAMREI partners with multiple higher Texas Wide Open for Business
education institutions to increase the region’s manufacturing talent. “To have colleges put their resources together benefits the entire region,” says Carlos Margo, interim executive director for the initiative. Similar collaborations take place at Collin College, whose Center for Workforce & Economic Development provides customized contract training for companies of all sizes. The center also partners with the North Central Texas Workforce Board to deliver certified logistics associate and certified logistics technician training. The college, based in Plano, stays abreast of business needs through active partnerships with local chambers of commerce and economic development organizations, while using the latest research tools to study targeted occupations.
Building Workforce Muscle Champion Cooler Corp., a division of Essick Air Products, created an internship program to help meet the region’s need for skilled trades. Graduating high
school seniors selected for the industrial maintenance technology program at Grayson College in Denison attend class for eight hours a week and work for 32 hours, earning a certificate in a year. Champion and its partners also created a feeder intern program that introduces high school students to manufacturing opportunities. These efforts earned Denisonbased Champion, which manufactures evaporative coolers, the Texas Workforce Commission’s 2012 Employer of the Year Award. Brian Aspell, Champion’s vice president of manufacturing, credits the program’s success to a team effort that includes local manufacturers, the Denison Development Alliance, the Denison Independent School District and Workforce Solutions Texoma. While some interns will become Champion employees, many will go to work for other manufacturers. “What’s important,” Aspell says, “is we’re building the workforce.” Priefert Manufacturing, a Mount Pleasant ranch equipment company, is also growing the workforce. It has collaborated with the On-the-Job Training and other programs, and it worked with Northeast Texas Community College and the Workforce Solutions Center to develop an industrial technology training center that the college maintains in conjunction with the Mount Pleasant Independent School District. High school students can earn dual credit in classes such as PLC programming, industrial electronics and hydraulics, some taught by Priefert employees. “We are able to use some of the resources we have to make Mount Pleasant an even better place to live,” says Jim Dyal, Priefert human resources director. Story by Jeff Walter
Enrollment Trends at Texas Two-Year Colleges Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
2012: 755,612 2010: 743,252
2008: 617,507
2011: 752,998
2009: 692,845
City of La M arque
We Mean Business
2007: 587,244
The Texas Workforce Commission created WorkInTexas.com, which has become the largest free job-matching network in the state. The user-friendly website helps employers and job seekers alike, and as of June 2013, more than 2 million jobs had been filled and more than 148,000 positions were available.
12.6 M+ Number of people in the Texas workforce
Training Incentives at a Glance Texas offers a number of programs to support workforce development and training. Among the key programs: Skills Development Fund In fiscal 2012, Texas set aside $48 million for the Skills Development Fund. Community and technical colleges use fund grants to provide customized job training programs for businesses that want to train new workers or upgrade the skills of their existing workforce. Once a business, consortium of businesses or trade union identifies the need, it partners with the college to develop curricula and conduct training to fill that need, with free technical assistance from highly skilled professionals provided by the Texas Workforce Commission. Self-Sufficiency Fund This job training program is specifically designed for individuals who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or are at risk of becoming dependent on public assistance. The fund also assists businesses and trade unions by financing customized job training projects for new and incumbent workers.
We have What you need Developmental Incentives Commercial Property & Land Available
Build-to-Suit
Opportunities Available
For more information, contact: Alex Getty, Executive Director 409.938.9258 www.lmedc.com
The City of Windcrest & The Windcrest Economic Development Corporation Windcrest Elementary
We don’t meet the standard … we set the standard! • Home to the international headquarters of Rackspace Hosting (NYSE-RAX) • Available raw land located on IH-35 just five minutes from SAMMC, San Antionio International Airport and Randolph AFB • Nationally ranked restaurants in sales (Applebee’s, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, etc.) • City-based revenue growth of more than 20% for the last few years and continues at an even higher percentage in 2013 • The City of Windcrest is on a plan to reduce residential property taxes to zero; in the next three years it will be reduced by 25%
210.967.9381 • wedc@windcrest-tx.gov www.developwindcrest.org
workforce program
Present and Future Mansfield company invests in, supports workforce programs Mouser Electronics has discovered that being a partner in the Mansfield region’s workforce and economic development pays – for a lot of people. The Mansfield-based distributor of semiconductors and electronic components, which began in 1983 with 100 workers, has grown to 1,000 employees at its nearly 500,000-square-foot headquarters and distribution center, making it the largest private employer in the city. It has 19 offices worldwide. “We appreciate the efforts of Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County and the Texas Workforce Commission in helping us to grow our workforce with qualified people,” says Paula Holcomb, vice president of human resources for the company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Mouser has participated in the Back to Work program since September 2012, hiring more than 72 people, and its human resources team also participates regularly in job fairs. With an eye on tech jobs for the future, the company has worked closely with the Mansfield Independent School District to foster innovation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In 2012, Mouser supported a NASA educational program that gave students an opportunity to speak to astronauts aboard the International Space Station. It also donates to the district’s education foundation to provide grants to teachers for STEMrelated projects, and supports FIRST Robotics, an international competition open to high school students, and Engineers Week. “At Mouser, we serve electronic design engineers, so it’s a natural fit for us to support programs that help foster science and math education,” Holcomb says. Such initiatives contributed to Mouser’s designation as the 2012 Employer of Excellence for Tarrant County and as a finalist for Employer of the Year for Texas. – Jeff Walter
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112 || Texas Wide Open for Business
energy
Power of Renewal T
Texas’ energy industry unlocks the potential of renewable sources and creates clean technology
exas is known worldwide as an oil producer, but the Lone Star State is also leading the way to an energy future in renewable technology. Natural gas, a cleaner fossil fuel, is abundant in Texas, and its development is an economic boon for the state. Two of Texas’ shale plays – Barnett in the north and Eagle Ford in the south – have together generated more than $90 billion in economic impact and supported 147,000 full-time jobs since 2001. But Texas energy is not just about fossil fuels. The state leads the nation in wind energy capacity, and it is ranked first in solar energy potential according to the State Energy Conversation Office (SECO). Other renewable energy sources include biofuels,
hydropower and geothermal energy. In 2011, Texas’ renewable energy industry helped to sustain more than 1,300 companies and almost 100,000 jobs. Texas has abundance and diversity in biomass resources. Its concentration of skilled workers in petrochemical and petroleum and its major forestry and agriculture industries give it an advantage for biomass and biofuels production. Texas is the largest biodiesel producing state with 328 million gallons of production capacity from eight refineries.
Robust Renewable Energy Sector Russel E. Smith, executive director of the Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association, sees tremendous growth potential for renewable energy
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114 || Texas Wide Open for Business
Broad-Based Mentoring Budding clean tech entrepreneurs can find help at the San Antonio Clean Energy Incubator, established in 2011 by the Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute at the University of Texas at San Antonio. “We have large organizations that can be partners and customers for energy startups,” says Executive Director Andrew Trickett. The incubator mentors startups from the preprototype stage all the way through to the first liquidity event. Trickett helps with business plans and product development, matches startups with grants and demonstration partners, and even assists with packaging and branding. This broad-based approach is already proving effective. One success story is GreenStar, which makes LED bulbs for warehouses, streetlights and other high-wattage applications. The company has obtained more than $8 million in funding and is doing high-volume sales around the world.
staff photo
Successful Companies
Texas is the U.S. wind energy production leader. The Roscoe Wind Farm is the world’s largest.
in the state, powered by its diverse renewable portfolio, its independent power grid and Texans’ “practical environmentalism” that are encouraging a robust and diverse renewable energy market. Operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the Texas Interconnection is separated from the rest of the nation, making it the only mainland state with its own grid and freeing the utilities that use it from many federal regulations. TREIA, founded in 1984, hosts a variety of events for the renewable energy industry, including several annual gatherings. The consumer-focused Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair, held every September in Fredericksburg, showcases products and innovations from TREIA’s member companies. TREIA also sponsors the Texas Renewables Conference each November and a Texas Energy Independence Week every March. Both events give TREIA members a chance to network with each other and with investors and policymakers.
Other Texas renewable energy successes include Pasadena-based KiOR, a pioneer in commercial-scale production of cellulosic biofuels, and Houston-based Renewable Biofuels, whose Port Neches biodiesel production facility is the largest in North America. And then, of course, there’s Texas’ nation-leading wind energy capacity: more than 12,000 megawatts as of 2012. Utility E.ON operates 10 of the state’s wind farms, for a total capacity of about 2,100 megawatts – enough to power more than 640,000 homes. Steve Trenholm, CEO of E.ON Climate and Renewables North America, says the company loves Texas for many reasons. He cites abundant wind in the Panhandle, coastal and western regions; property tax incentives from local and county governments; and the state’s Competitive Renewable Energy Zone initiative, which is bringing new, high-capacity transmission lines to formerly neglected areas. “No other states have done this kind of project,” Trenholm says of the CREZ lines. “It opens up areas like the Panhandle, where previously you either couldn’t get your power out, or transmission was curtailed.” It’s this kind of progress that encourages TREIA’s Smith. “Ultimately, I think Texas is going to be the largest overall renewable energy state,” he says. “We are the energy state, and we can do it all.” Story by Kathryn Royster
Find more about Texas’ energy industry and its renewable sources at businessclimate.com/texas.
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BROWNWOOD, TX www.brownwoodbusiness.com Located in the middle of oil and gas …
Accessible • Easy highway access to all major cities in Texas • Within three hours (or less) to the Permian, Cline, Barnett and Eagle Ford
Available • 500+ acres of land available • Industrial park with infrastructure • BNSF and short-line rail service
Affordable • Reasonably priced real estate • Lower cost of doing business • Business friendly taxes and incentives
Doing BIG business with LITTLE hassle … Brownwood is no stranger to big business. With international manufacturers like Kohler, 3M, Superior Essex and Chevron Phillips, we understand global competition and productivity. We also have proven that major industry can make its home in Central Texas, insulated from the hassles of traffic congestion and inflated wages and real estate. With three higher education institutions, a regional medical center and regional airport, we have what you need to start, expand or relocate your business to Brownwood. Come see us. you will be pleasantly surprised.
Brownwood Economic Development Corporation
325.646.9600
www.brownwoodbusiness.com
2.1 B
1.3 B 394.1 M
1.6 B 1.3 B 457.5 M
2.0 B 1.1 B 7.2B 3.0 B
Top States for Natural Gas Production (in cubic feet, 2012) Texas Energy Facts
$$ $172 B Contribution of the energy industry to the Texas economy
339,000 Jobs in the various sectors of the Texas energy industry
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Top States for Wind Energy Capacity Texas
Illinois
12,212 MW
3,568 MW
California
Oregon
5,549 MW
3,153 MW
Iowa
U.S. Total
5,137 MW
60,007 MW
All numbers represent installed megawatts of wind power as of Q4 2012. Source: U.S. Wind Industry Fast Facts, American Wind Energy Association
830 Operational oil and gas rigs in Texas, 47 percent of the national total
27 Number of refineries in Texas, which leads the nation in refining Source: Texas Office of the Governor, Economic Dev. & Tourism Division
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Top States for Oil Production
700
(in barrels produced, 2012)
600
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
500 400 300 200 100
Kansas 43.6 M
Colorado 49.1 M
Wyoming 57.8 M
Louisiana 70.7 M
New Mexico 84.2 M
Oklahoma 89.3 M
Alaska 192.4M
California 196.3 M
North Dakota 242.5 M
Texas 732.5 M
0
Net Electricity Generation by State (in megawatts produced, 2011)
= 50 million
1. Texas: 435.5 million 2. Pennsylvania: 227.6 million 3. Florida: 221.9 million 4. California: 200.8 million 5. Illinois: 199.5 million 6. Alabama: 156.3 million 7. New York: 137.6 million 8. Ohio: 135.5 million 9. Georgia: 124.8 million 10. Indiana: 122.1 million Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
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biomass
Chipping In Biomass plant converts wood waste to power Texas’ large agriculture and forest industries are feeding a growing trend: renewable energy from biomass, a fuel type that includes wood, wood products, agricultural by-products and livestock waste. As of 2011, the state had 124 megawatts of biomass generation capacity – and that number will increase. Nacogdoches-based East Texas Electric Cooperative is building a $199.7 million wood-fueled biomass plant just outside of Woodville. Once completed in late 2014, the plant will
have a 50-megawatt capacity – enough to power about 30,000 homes, says ETEC Manager Edd Hargett. The plant’s fuel will come from a nearby forest, where local wood chip company NAPCO cuts timber for its mill. ETEC has purchased the right to use the wood waste from NAPCO’s logging operations. “So not only is this eco-friendly, since we’ll be using waste chips and limbs that are dead or too small, but it keeps the money in the community,” Hargett says. Including plant construction and fuel
Pampa, Texas is located at the intersection of Highways 60 and 70, only 20 minutes north of I-40. We are less than one hour from Amarillo’s Rick Husband International Airport. BNSF’s main rail line between Chicago and Los Angeles runs through Pampa, and our industrial park, Pampa Energy Center, is a rail-served facility. PAMPA EDC offers competitive business incentives on a project-by-project basis.
transportation, the project will also create about 350 jobs in the area. And adding a biomass plant to ETEC’s portfolio will help with grid stability. According to Hargett, biomass plants have a faster disaster recovery time than do fossil fuel plants. All in all, it’s a setup that just makes sense for this part of Texas. “The supply of local wood is plentiful, so transportation doesn’t eat up our profits,” Hargett says. “And with the connection at NAPCO, it’s just good economics for the area.” – Kathryn Royster
PamPa, Texas
Where the wheat grows, the oil flows and the wind blows.
INDUSTRIES Agriculture: Farming, ranching and dairy Manufacturing: Skilled workforce Oil and Gas: Continued growth and expansion Wind Energy: Heart of the Great Plains Wind Corridor, new transmission lines • Shipping: Rail and truck • Aviation: Perry Lefors General Aviation Airport • • • •
QUALITY OF LIFE • Retail: Multiple shopping districts • Activities: H2O Aquatic Park, recreation park, youth sports, hunting and fishing, private and public golf courses • Education: Pampa ISD and Clarendon College, Pampa Center • Health Care: Pampa Regional Medical Center with LifeStar Heliport
Pampa EDC 107 E. Foster • Pampa, TX 79065 (806) 665-0800 tel • (806) 665-3800 fax www.pampaedc.com
Introducing Pampa Energy Center, Pampa EDC’s new 4,000-acre, rail-served industrial park.
staff photo
Temple-Inland in Diboll supplies lumber, gypsum board and fiberboard products to be used in residential and commercial construction projects. The company uses recovered and recycled materials to manufacture its fiberboard products.
Gonzales LET THE GONZALES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BE YOUR PARTNER IN LOCATING YOUR BUSINESS IN THE HEART OF THE FERTILE GUADALUPE RIVER COUNTRY AND THE CENTER OF THE EAGLE FORD SHALE OIL AND GAS PLAY.
GEDC offers a wide range of incentives such as grants, loans, land, local and state assistance, and professional staff ready to help your business succeed and flourish. Gonzales is centrally located between Austin, San Antonio and Victoria, at the intersection of State Highway 183 and 90A, only 10 minutes south of Interstate 10. The Texas Gonzales and Northern Railroad, a short-line rail company, has brought considerable economic activity to Gonzales with multiple rail spurs and siding locations, making Gonzales a favorable choice for any businesses needing expedited rail access. GEDC is a Type B Sales Tax funded Economic Development Corporation that generates more than $700,000 in revenues that are used to increase the tax base, promote business in Gonzales, create jobs and improve commercial infrastructure. THE GONZALES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS FUNDED MORE THAN $6.2 MILLION IN BUSINESS, TOURISM AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS since its inception in 1997. Our successful partnerships include the creation and expansion of the Victoria College-Gonzales Campus and Career Center, Adams Extract, J.B. Wells Park,
Holiday Inn Express, Tropical Fusions, Wise Products, Schmidt & Sons, and more. Infrastructure projects, including water and wastewater upgrades, storm water drainage, and street improvements, show Gonzales’ business-friendly attitude. Whether you want to locate in our historic downtown, our modern industrial park or any of our other commercial centers, favorable business opportunities abound throughout all of Gonzales. GONZALES HAS FLOURISHING MANUFACTURING/ INDUSTRIAL AND FOOD INDUSTRY BUSINESSES SUCH AS ADAMS EXTRACT, TYSON CHICKEN, SOUTHERN CLAY PRODUCTS, LAND O’ LAKES PURINA AND JIM H. WILSON RAIL CAR DISMANTLING. In addition, Gonzales County is one of the state’s top poultry, egg and pecan producing counties. Major agricultural commodities in Gonzales County include broilers, pullets, eggs, beef, corn, grain, pecans and hay. In Gonzales County, the value of the broiler industry is more than $175 million and the egg industry more than $100 million. Market values of agricultural products sold for Gonzales County account for gross revenues of more than $500 million annually.
A JEWEL OF TEXAS HISTORY, A STAR IN TEXAS FUTURE, A TRUE AGRICULTURAL LEADER, AND ALL OF THIS IN THE HEART OF THE EAGLE FORD SHALE!
NOT ONLY IS GONZALES A GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS, IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. The quality of life in Gonzales is unparalleled. Gonzales Independent School District is a vital part of our quality of life. Their academic and athletic programs are a source of great pride in the community. The Gonzales Health Care System is beyond compare in a community of our size. They offer state-of-the-art facilities and access to world-class medical specialists who come to Gonzales from Austin and San Antonio. Gonzales is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Hunting and fishing abound in Gonzales; the Guadalupe River offers some of the best paddling opportunities around; and JB Wells Arena has made us the “Youth Rodeo Capital of Texas.” THE GONZALES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WORKS TO STRENGTHEN AND RETAIN EXISTING BUSINESS AND HELP THOSE BUSINESSES EXPAND. They also work to grow and diversify the community through job creation and the attraction of new business. The Career Center at Victoria College – Gonzales Campus will provide job skills training and certifications for the workforce and our youth. Recent oil and gas activity in the area has
brought many new companies to Gonzales. Housing starts, coupled with increased retail activity, and a brand-new 58,000-square-foot HEB Grocery offer bigtown amenities in a rural setting. Strong partnerships between the City of Gonzales, utility and service providers were forged to ease the transition into our city. We work closely with the Governor’s Office, United States Department of Agriculture, Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Guadalupe Blanco River Authority, and many other state and federal agencies.
If you would like additional information about the pleasure of doing business in Gonzales, please contact: Carolyn Gibson-Baros, Director Gonzales Economic Development Corporation 830-263-0410 cgibson@cityofgonzales.org www.gonzalesedc.org
Gonzales, Come and Take It! ONCE YOU DO, YOU WILL NEVER LET IT GO!
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technology
Technical Mastery
Resourcerich Texas maps the plan for innovation growth, Investment
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Founded in a dorm room at the University of Texas at Austin in 1984, Dell has grown to a worldwide company with its headquarters in nearby Round Rock. Its 2.1 million-square-foot campus is powered by wind energy and gas converted from landfill emissions.
T
exas is a technology magnet, attracting investment from big players, including Apple, eBay, Facebook and Electronic Arts, while fostering a culture that also supports startups and university spin-offs. The climate of innovation spans the state and a range of technologies, from video game and software development, to cyber security, data centers and cloud computing. As the birthplace of the integrated circuit and globally known brands like Dell, which is headquartered in the Austin suburb of Round Rock, now has nearly 28,000 high-tech industry establishments with an annual
payroll approaching $40 billion. More than 196,000 workers in the state are employed in the electronics industry. Major research universities, highly skilled workers, innovation clusters and a supportive state government have converged to make Texas a draw for major technology project investment from some of the world’s biggest companies. “Texas has done an amazing job of branding the state,” says Julie Huls, president of the Austin Technology Council, which began in 1994 as an information hub for Austin’s technology and life science community. “We have some of the finest universities in the country. We have a proinnovation and can-do attitude.”
A Tech Capital In Austin, Visa U.S.A. Inc. will build a new global IT center and add nearly 800 jobs by the end of 2017. The jobs are expected to pay an average of $113,000 a year; Visa also will spend $27.2 million to retrofit and equip an office building for the new center. The city of Austin has agreed to a $1.6 million incentive package over 10 years, matching $7.9 million in state incentives through the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF). The city’s “vibrant technology community and business-friendly climate” played into Visa’s decision, says Will Valentine, a Visa spokesman. “Visa is continually looking for opportunities to add world-class talent to our
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BioWare, a division of Electronic Arts, develops video games in Austin.
organization,” he said at the November 2012 announcement. General Motors already is hiring software developers, project managers, database experts, business analysts and other information technology professionals for its new IT Innovation Center in Austin, the first of four planned in the United States. The availability of technology workers contributed to Austin’s selection, and GM expects to hire up to 500 people. Facebook doubled its Austin presence less than 18 months after opening its sales and operations support center. And Apple Inc. has begun construction
of a $304 million campus for its Austin operations center that will add 3,600 new jobs over the next decade. At more than 1 million square feet, the project will include seven buildings and three parking garages.
From Lab to Market Six cities – Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas, El Paso and Lubbock – were among the top 20 performers on the 2012 Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities list, which heavily weighs technology-oriented GDP growth and tech firms. “I’m seeing more university spinouts, more early stage
companies and people bootstrapping with their own resources,” says Bill Sproull, president and CEO of the Metroplex Technology Business Council, the largest technology trade organization in Texas. “I see a lot in mobile communication, cloud computing, cyber security, anything web 2.0, social media and gaming. We’ve got a global talent pool here.” Sproull credits the state’s major research universities for helping create such technology depth. In all, Texas universities draw $2 billion in externally funded research each year, he says. “Our universities are prolific in
“We think that presence is a real sign of the R&D innovation and power of our innovation ecosystem.”
Bill Sproull, president and CEO of the Metroplex Technology Business Council
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terms of patents, and the University of Texas system alone gets two patents a day and spins off a new company every four days,” he says. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex also scored big with one of four new U.S. Patent and Trademark offices. “We think that presence is a real sign of the R&D innovation and power of our innovation ecosystem,” Sproull says.
Embracing Entrepreneurs As tech firms relocate and expand, industry groups work to meet their needs. The ATC, for example, is crafting a talent recruitment campaign and expects to directly draw from states including California. “We have a very high number of companies with very specific programming needs,” Huls says. The ATC serves executive-level leaders, more than doubling in size in three years, and sponsors programs to put entrepreneurs and investors together. “With entrepreneurs especially, it is important for them to live and work in a place they’ll be comfortable to live in,” she says. “Austin is affordable, as is Texas generally. We don’t have a state income tax and we have amazing colleges and universities. I think we literally have it all.”
BioWare creates console, PC and online role-playing games such as Baldur’s Gate™, Neverwinter Nights™, Mass Effect™ and Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™.
Story by Pamela Coyle Photography by Jeff Adkins and Brian McCord
TECHNOLOGY
Technical Mastery
businesscl
Digital Magazine
RESOURCE RICH TEXAS MAPS THE PLAN FOR
INNOVATION GROW TH, INVESTMEN T
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exas
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Apple Inc. is adding 1 million square feet of office space to its Austin operations center which, within 10 years, is predicted to lead to the creation of 3,600 jobs.
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tech startup
Powered Player A university spinoff is amping up new technology A startup tech firm with its roots at the University of Texas at Dallas is commercializing a new approach to deliver stable power, an issue that affects the performance of everything from mobile phones to electric grids. Cirasys Inc.’s unique approach increases stability and control, while allowing for significantly simplified design. It was awarded a $250,000 Texas Emerging Technology Fund award in 2012, with a commitment of up to $1 million.
“Converters are very complex to design and tend to be relatively slow,” says Paul Gregory, Cirasys’ CEO. “Stability is a huge issue, and often you have to slow it down so performance is compromised. Our control method doesn’t have the restriction.” In technical terms, Cirasys and UT at Dallas advanced digital power control and conversion technology based on mathematics of input-output linearization control for power electronics. In power terms, the approach allows for exact
input and output levels across the entire voltage range. The company says its technology is “not an engineering or design tweak” but a new intelligent control technology. In business terms, the technology will allow end users to increase performance at less cost. With solar cells, for example, existing converters take a highly variable output and use as much as they can. “The goal is to deliver what is
wanted and not waste,” Gregory says. “Our technology makes that very easy to do.” The technology has broad applications, from the smallest cell phone to the largest power grid. For now, Cirasys will focus on midmarket uses of DC power, such as battery management, LED/lighting systems, motor control, solar PV optimizers and intermediate bus converters. The company’s developments are
receiving industry attention. In 2012, Cirasys was a finalist for the inaugural TeXchange One to Watch award, an honor given to early-stage technology companies in North Texas that are “destined for great things.” The selection included a nomination process by a TeXchange member community, then a business plan presentation and pitch to TeXchange’s early-stage investor community. Located at the new UT Dallas Venture Development Center, which
houses startups that are affiliated with the university, Cirasys has big plans for 2013. The company will work on developing prototypes for simple, board-level power supply and control. “This is a huge expense area. Even improving performance a few percent makes a big difference, and what we bring to the table is a simplification of power conversion and control,” Gregory says. – Pamela Coyle
Keene, TX is
for Business
Where small town values meet growth and industry on the crossroads of Texas Located on the Highway 67 corridor between I-35 and the new Chisholm Trail Parkway on the southern edge of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Industrial park with rail access and land availability Available land and resources for commercial, retail and small business growth Several small airports in the area support small business jet traffic Commercial flights out of both DFW International and Dallas Love Field-DAL Just 32 miles from the heart of Fort Worth and 55 miles from Dallas Member of Texas Historical Society Located on the old Chisholm Trail and on the beds of the Santa Fe original rail system that spanned the U.S. Top-rated education system including a spacious historical university City park and sports programs for all ages Ad Sponsored by the Keene Business Development Corporation (817) 641-3336 www.keenetx.com
Community programs featuring music, festivals and parades throughout the year Housing and land availability Health and fitness facilities
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businessclimate.com/texas
transportation
Logistical logic A sophisticated and integrated transportation infrastructure makes the lone start state a center of global commerce
nine interstates offer direct access to major U.S. markets and international destinations
Texas has 27 commercial airports and is home to headquarters for American Airlines and Southwest Airlines
The state offers 16 seaports, including 12 deep-water ports, and more than 14,350 miles of rail
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The Up and Coming
TransporTaTion HUB
for Texas
(432) 264-6032 • info@bigspringtx.com
www.bigspringtx.com
142 || Texas Wide Open for Business
F
or distribution or logistics businesses, it’s all about reducing miles when it comes to transportation, so a good highway system is vital to trucking companies that need convenient and multiple road options. Such is the case in Texas, where the highway infrastructure helps make the state a logistics leader and a major player in business. More than 306,000 miles of public roads run through Texas, more than any other state, and it has nine interstates – the most in the nation. Those nine interstates – I-10, 20, 27, 30, 35, 37, 40, 44 and 45 – provide direct access to some of the nation’s largest markets, and are why hundreds of trucking companies are headquartered in the state. One such company that uses the road system in a big way is Central Freight Lines, a Waco-based motor carrier with 1,600 tractors and 8,000 trailers that haul products to virtually every community in Texas. “The road system is convenient throughout the entire state, even in more rural parts such as West Texas and the northern portion of Texas,” says Donald Orr, president of Central Freight Lines. “Any trucking company can service a big city like Dallas, but when you can haul manufactured and retail products into rural communities like Odessa, Midland and Sweetwater with no problems whatsoever, that makes a big difference.”
Above and Beyond For air travel, Texas has 380 airports, with 26 of them dedicated to commercial travel, and two are ranked among the world’s busiest – Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental and Dallas/Fort Worth International. Major carrier American Airlines is headquartered in Fort Worth and contributes nearly $100 billion annually to the U.S. and international economies, while Dallas-based Southwest Airlines has 35,000 employees nationwide, including 10,500 in Texas. In addition, Southwest recently partnered with Volaris Airlines, Mexico’s second-largest carrier, which expands Southwest’s market to Cancun,
Guadalajara, Morelia, Toluca/Mexico City and Zacatecas. Texas also offers two major air facilities geared to industrial cargo – Alliance Global Logistics Hub in Fort Worth and Port San Antonio. Alliance is the world’s first purely industrial airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston
and accommodates air cargo, corporate aviation and military needs, while Port San Antonio features an industrial airport at Kelly Field that provides a strategic position to ship and receive goods from throughout the United States, Mexico and South America.
Take the Train Texas has 16 seaports, including 12 deep-water ports with channels at least 30 feet deep, and 10 ports designated as Foreign Trade Zones. The ports move more than 500 million tons of commodities each year, and the deepening of the Panama Canal by 2014 will result in Texas waterways moving more goods than ever. As for rail, that industry dates back to 19th-century Texas, when cowboys cattle-drove their livestock to rail yards. Today’s modern rail industry in Texas features three Class I carriers – Kansas City Southern, Union Pacific and BNSF. “We operate on nearly 5,000 route miles of track and annually originate or handle nearly six million carloads of freight in the state,” says Matt Rose, president and CEO
Transportation Facts
306,403 Miles of public roads that run through Texas, more than any other state
47 Freight rail operators in the state, including three Class I carriers
14,361 Miles of rail in Texas
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Fort Worth Alliance Airport is part of the AllianceTexas development.
Photo by Debra Hale, courtesy of Hillwood Development Co, LLC
of BNSF, which employs nearly 7,500 Texans with an annual payroll of more than $785 million. There are also 44 other rail lines that serve Texas on about 14,300 miles of track. Each year, more than seven million tons of intermodal rail freight are shipped from Texas, ranking the state among the top five in the United States for rail traffic. The many transportation advantages helped rank Texas as the Top State for Doing Business in 2012 by Area Development, and No. 1 in the Overall Business Environment and Leading in the Economic Recovery areas. Story by Kevin Litwin Photography by Jeff Adkins and Brian McCord
A $150 million interchange on Interstate 30 in Texarkana at Arkansas 549, also known as the Texarkana highway loop, was recently completed and will be part of the planned Interstate 49.
Forces in Air Alliance Airport
Port San Antonio
www.alliancetexas.com
www.portsanantonio.us
Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, a key part of the AllianceTexas industrial-office-retail-residential development, is owned by the city of Fort Worth and managed by Alliance Air Services. Opened in 1996, the airport covers nearly 1,200 acres and accommodates air cargo, corporate aviation and military aircraft. Among its features are an 11,000-foot runway that is being extended, Foreign Trade Zone designation, access to BNSF Railway’s Alliance Intermodal Facility and Union Pacific rail lines. The airport offers access to Interstate 35W and Texas Highway 170.
The industrial airport at Kelly Field is at the center of the master-planned, 1,900-acre Port San Antonio aerospace, industrial complex and international logistics center in San Antonio. Created from the former Kelly Air Force Base, Kelly Field includes an 11,500-foot runway; nearly 90,000 square feet of cargo terminal space with 14 acres of ramp space; 235 acres of rail-served warehouses and sites with access to Union Pacific and BNSF rail lines; access to I-35, I-10 and I-37; and Foreign Trade Zone designation.
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2012 Top State Export Volumes
Texas Ports
Texas: $264.7 B
9 7
12 3 2
11 13
4
6
California: $161.9 B
10 8
New York: $81.4 B Washington: $75.6 B
5
Illinois: $68.1 B Florida: $66.2 B
15 1
14
Louisiana: $62.9 B Michigan: $57.0 B
16
Ohio: $48.6 B
12. Victoria 13. West Calhoun 14. Port Mansfield 15. Harlingen 16. Brownsville
6. Texas City 7. Houston 8. Port Arthur 9. Beaumont 10. Orange 11. Palacios
1. Port Isabel 2. Corpus Christi 3. Calhoun Port Authority 4. Port Freeport 5. Galveston
Pennsylvania: $38.8 B Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Top U.S. Ports by Cargo Volume 1
2
1. South Louisiana, LA: 246.5 million
7. Hampton Roads, VA: 72.6 million
2. Houston: 237.8 million
8. Corpus Christi, TX: 70.5 million
3. New York/New Jersey: 139.2 million
9. Los Angeles, CA: 65.0 million
4. Long Beach, CA: 80.3 million
10. Huntington-Tri-State, WV: 58.6 million
5. New Orleans, LA: 77.2 million
Source: American Association of Port Authorities, 2011
6. Beaumont, TX: 73.7 million
3 4
5
6
7
8
9
10
= 20 Million Tons
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Exports
Where Opportunity Docks Texas leads the nation in maritime commerce Texas is a major player in global exports, leading the United States for the 11th straight year in export volume. Goods valued at more than $265 billion were exported from the Lone Star State in 2012. Contributing a lead role in Texas’ export success story are the state’s 16 seaports. The Port of Houston is consistently among the top U.S. ports in cargo volume handled, while several other Texas ports – including Beaumont and Corpus Christi – consistently rank high for cargo volume. “Texas is No. 1 in the nation for maritime commerce, which is all commerce that moves over the water,”
says Eduardo Campirano, Port of Brownsville director/CEO and president of the Texas Ports Association. “In Texas, 1.4 million jobs are related to port activities and more than 560 million tons of cargo move through Texas ports each year. Those are impressive numbers.” Campirano says the overall annual economic impact for Texas ports is more than $80 billion, which generates about $2.5 billion in tax revenue. “Texas ports connect many regional industries to the global market, both with exports and imports, in goods such as petroleum, oil products, agricultural commodities, seafood and finished products,” he says. “The ports are a
way of connecting the world to Texas, and Texas to the world.” Ten of the state’s ports are designated as Foreign Trade Zones, and the current deepening of the Panama Canal means that Texas will soon be moving more goods than ever before. “Three Texas ports are even designated by the U.S. Department of Defense to distribute strategic military cargo worldwide,” Campirano says. “Even the tourism industry is heavily affected by our ports, with vacationers from Texas and surrounding states embarking on cruise vacations from many of our locations.” – Kevin Litwin
staff photo
The Port of Corpus Christi handles more than 70 million tons of cargo annually such as crude oil, gasoline, feed stock and wheat.
Researchers inspect a radar system at Texas Tech University’s National Wind Institute. Photo by Brian McCord
Research Projects
Texas Wide Open for Business
education
Texas universities build worldwide reputation for discovery, innovation
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O
ne of the biggest research achievements in recent times at the University of Texas at Austin is the hiring of Robert Metcalfe. Metcalfe is an electrical engineer who co-invented the Ethernet and founded 3Com, and in January 2011, was hired as professor of electrical engineering and director of innovation at UT-Austin. Today, Metcalfe is heading innovation initiatives at the university’s Cockrell School of Engineering. “UT-Austin wants to take the next step toward being a great research and innovation university, and hiring Bob Metcalfe certainly helps,” says Gregory Fenves, dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering. “We are attracting top research faculty in engineering and science who are developing new products and new processes, so that student engineers leave our research labs with ideas to take to companies for entrepreneurial efforts.” Fenves says UT-Austin is concentrating much of its current research efforts in three main areas: energy, health care and advanced manufacturing. “Energy research includes developing a better manufacturing process for shale gas and oil through sophisticated physics, petro-physics, engineering, imaging, automation, robotics and controls,” he says. “In health care, we have a biomedical engineering department for innovation and advancements in cancer and cardiac medicine, and
The University of Houston’s M.D. Anderson Library. Portions of poems, novels and prose are displayed on the walls of the library at night by the A,A sculpture.
a new medical school is being developed. For advanced manufacturing, the state of Texas wants cost effective, high-tech manufacturing and nanomanufacturing, and UT-Austin looks to take the lead.”
Big Money on Research Research is a major initiative at many Texas universities, with efforts to develop advancements across a gamut of industries that range from electronics and life sciences to aerospace and energy. Developing skilled workers for the high-tech future is not a problem because total enrollment at Texas’ higher education institutions is more than 1.45 million, with the major university systems being
UT, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Texas State, University of Houston and University of North Texas. Universities in Texas today are spending big money on research. Texas A&M reported research and development expenditures of more than $706 million in fiscal 2011, while UT-Austin spent $632 million. UT, A&M and the University of Houston have all been designated Tier 1 research universities by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the top designation for academic research institutions.
A Wind-Wind Situation Texas Tech University is also making major strides to become one of the top research
“It’s exciting to be involved in a project that can benefit the whole world.”
Michael San Francisco, interim vice president for research and professor of biological sciences at Texas Tech University
Texas Wide Open for Business
Research at UT-Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering, which offers nine undergraduate programs and 13 graduate programs that serve more than 7,800 students. Photo by Jeff Adkins
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|
More than $1.1 billion in sponsored research has been awarded at the University of Texas-Austin over the past two years. Photo by Jeff Adkins
The Lanier Professional Development Center at Texas Tech University staff photo
Texas Wide Open for Business
The University of Houston includes 40 centers of research.
universities not only in Texas, but the entire United States and the world. One of the key projects at TTU is in wind exploration, and the university has constructed research wind turbines at the former Reese Air Force Base just west of Lubbock. “Mechanical engineers are studying turbine gears, turbulence and materials, while atmospheric scientists are studying the wind itself through a variety of mechanisms,” says Michael San Francisco, interim vice president for research and professor of biological sciences at Texas Tech University. “A number of companies from around the country are also on site to observe our research, plus the U.S. Department of Energy has people visiting us at Texas Tech. Our wind studies have also attracted interested dignitaries from South Korea and Europe.” San Francisco adds that the research is invaluable to Texas Tech engineering students because they are involved in both education and actual commercial interests. “Besides mechanical engineers and atmospheric scientists, there are also electrical engineers studying how batteries can store more energy during periods of low use, such as at night,” he says. “In addition, there are people researching better ways to efficiently distribute wind energy, and there is also the cyber-security component to make sure the energy is safe and nonhackable.” San Francisco credits the Texas Emerging Technology Fund for providing much of the money needed to spearhead and research the wind exploration project. “The Technology Fund has allowed us to hire top faculty in this field from around the world,” he says. “It’s exciting to be involved in a project that can benefit the whole world.” Story by Kevin Litwin
Sponsored by the LVEDC
Small-Town HoSpiTaliTy. Big-CiTy advanTageS. Located in northwest Bexar County, Leon Valley is a business-friendly community, which emphasizes prosperity for its business community as well as its residents. The inviting atmosphere of the city is further enhanced by the city’s proximity to major institutions of higher education, medical facilities, retail centers and entertainment. Leon Valley is able to maintain its small-town appeal while still providing big-city services. Businesses’ and residents’ needs are met.
• Leon Valley is located in the northwest section of Bexar County, Texas; 11 miles from downtown San Antonio on Bandera Rd. (State Hwy. 16).
Leon Valley provides small-town hospitality and big-city advantages.
• Leon Valley is located approximately eight miles from San Antonio International Airport.
• Leon Valley’s main business corridor is Bandera Rd., which brings more than 88,000 vehicles through the city. • Leon Valley has easy access to major transportation corridors – Loop 410, Loop 1604 and IH-10. • Leon Valley’s population is 10,402 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011).
• Leon Valley is in proximity to the South Texas Medical Center (two miles). The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio campus is located in the Medical Center area. • Leon Valley has a strong retail business community. • Leon Valley has available real estate – existing facilities as well as undeveloped land.
City of Leon Valley • Leon Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) 6400 El Verde Rd. • Leon Valley, TX 78238 • (210) 684-1391 • www.leonvalleytexas.gov
accolades
Climbing the Charts Several private universities earn national accolades Private colleges and universities in Texas are gaining reputations well beyond the state’s borders, with several earning high marks on national lists of the best higher education institutions. Rice University in Houston is a leading research university with a $4.5 billion endowment, and is currently ranked among the nation’s Top 20 Universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition, The Princeton Review ranked Rice first for Best Quality of Life and Happiest Students in its 2012 edition. At Southern Methodist University outside Dallas, the school has built a $1.4 billion endowment and is also listed among the Top 20 Universities by U.S. News & World Report. BusinessWeek has also recognized SMU’s Cox School of Business as No. 6 nationally for highest SAT scores.
College Rankings and is included on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Colleges. Trinity University in San Antonio took first-place honors in U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 Regional University
Rankings in the West region. Trinity is also named one of the nation’s Best Values in Private Colleges for 2011-12 by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. – Kevin Litwin
Baylor Valued for Value
Baylor University in Waco, with a $1 billion endowment, is touted as one of America’s Best Values in Private Colleges for 2012-13 by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Several publications also recognize the university for its robust spending on campus upgrades over the years. “Baylor completed nearly a halfbillion dollars in capital projects over the last decade and has more than $120 million in capital projects currently under way, all scheduled for completion in 2013,” says Lori Fogleman, director of media communications at Baylor. “As for another national recognition, the university’s entrepreneurship program is rated among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report.”
Notable Achievements
Other private universities in Texas are also gaining notice. Abilene Christian University earned a fifth-place spot on Guide to Online School’s 2012 Online
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Unlock Your Potential in Longview, Texas! Milken Institute • 6th Best Performing Small City in 2012 (9th in 2011, 15th in 2010, 2nd in 2009) Forbes Lists • #10 in Job Growth • #16 in Cost of Doing Business
Area Development • #10 in Leading Locations for a Mid-Sized City • #31 in Overall Leading Locations Inc. Magazine • #13 in Best Small Place to Do Business • #41 in Best Overall Place to Do Business
Longview has what you’re looking for: certified sites, direct interstate access, existing rail served properties, talented workforce and 52 million gallons of water/day. • Thriving community conveniently located in East TX, along I-20 two hours east of Dallas, Texas, and one hour west of Shreveport, Louisiana. • Fourteen local colleges, universities, and technical schools, an accredited workforce recruitment and training program for direct placement into aspiring careers. Ask us about our newly launched Longview Talent Inc. program! • Twelve-county region is home to more than 680,000 residents and offers a labor pool of more than 330,000 people. • Average utility costs in Longview (5.9 cents/kWh) are lower than many regions within our state and 45% lower than the national average. • Currently using about one-third of our total water capacity, which is 52 million gallons per day. • Two business parks with 500+ acres of certified and shovel-ready sites. • Variety of available properties to assist with your next expansion project Please let us know how we can help, and come take a closer look at the Real East Texas – Longview, Texas.
410 N. Center St. • Longview, TX 75601 (800) 952-2613 • Info@LongviewUSA.com www.LongviewUSA.com
Longview, TX and Workforce Improvement: In East Texas, we value our experienced, available and skilled workforce, but we felt the need to take it one step further. That’s exactly why we worked with ACT back in 2009 to implement WorkKeys® – part of the WORKREADY SYSTEM. WorkKeys® is a nationally recognized job skills assessment that was developed by ACT, a leader in education and workforce development programs. Visit us at www.LongviewUSA.com to learn more.
Public University Systems in Texas (university, city, 2012 enrollment) Flagship Campuses
= 2,000 Students
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS UT at Austin, 52,213
Texas A&M Texas A&M, College Station, 50,353
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON University of Houston, 38,758
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS University of North Texas, Denton, 35,836
TEXAS TECH Texas Tech, Lubbock, 32,611
University systems TEXAS A&M
Prairie View A&M, Prairie View, 8,336 Tarleton State, Stephenville, 10,271 Texas A&M International, Laredo, 7,331 Texas A&M-Central Texas, Killeen, 2,259 Texas A&M-Commerce, 12,052 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 10,508 Texas A&M-Galveston, 2,025 Texas A&M-Kingsville, 7,231 Texas A&M-San Antonio, 4,133 Texas A&M-Texarkana, 1,966 West Texas A&M, Canyon, 7,955
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
UT at Arlington, 33,267 UT at Brownsville, 8,376 UT at Dallas, 19,626 UT at El Paso, 18,100 UT at San Antonio, 30,607 UT at Tyler, 6,858 UT of the Permian Basin, Odessa, 4,074 UT-Pan American, Edinburg, 19,263
TEXAS STATE
Lamar, Beaumont, 14,469 Lamar Institute of Technology, Beaumont, 2,914 Lamar State College-Orange, 2,643 Lamar State College-Port Arthur, 2,712 Sam Houston State, Huntsville, 18,396 Sui Ross State University, Alpine, 1,834 Texas State-San Marcos, 34,225
TEXAS TECH
Angelo State, San Angelo, 6,826 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, 4,030
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
University of Houston-Clear Lake, 8,301 University of Houston-Downtown, 13,568 University of Houston-Victoria, 4,383
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS University of North Texas-Dallas, 2,106 University of North Texas-Health Science Center, Fort Worth, 2,000
Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
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Biotechnology and life sciences
Strong Science Texas leads the pack for biotechnology and life sciences breakthroughs
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A
diverse life sciences and biotechnology sector continues to contribute to a healthy
Texas economy. The Lone Star State’s 3,500 companies involved in biotechnologyrelated manufacturing, research or testing employ more than 89,600 workers. The state is fertile ground for life sciences innovation in everything from medical devices and pharmaceuticals to gene therapy and clinical research. Biotech and life sciences companies are drawn here in part because of lower taxes and cost of doing business, as well as the proximity to major medical research institutions in Texas. Texas is committed to growing its base of life science businesses, evidenced by the Texas Emerging Technology Fund’s investment of
Above and previous page: The National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing has a 48,000-square-foot academic wing with lecture halls, labs and cell culture facilities.
$295 million in more than 100 biotech deal since 2005.
Medical Device Leader The depth of the state’s biotech and life sciences sector can be seen in the more than 800 medical
The National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing The center at Texas A&M University in College Station provides therapeutics manufacturing education, training and outreach programs to support the development of a skilled pharmaceutical workforce proficient in process development, production systems, standard operating procedures and regulatory guidelines. To achieve these goals, the NCTM offers short courses and workshops that are customized to meet the needs of its commercial partners such as G-Con LLC; Gradalis and Caliber. NCTM also partners with other academic institutions in the state, such as Texas A&M, to provide both degree and non-degree programs in biotechnology and medical research fields. Texas Biotech Sector (percentage of workers in each sector) Medical & Testing Labs 11%
Scientific R&D
12% 37% 17% 23%
Texas Wide Open for Business
device companies that operate in the state and employ more than 15,000 workers. A dozen Fortune 500 giants have chosen to locate medical device operations in Texas, including Abbott Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson, GE, Cardinal
Texas Biotech Facts
89,600 Workers in Texas’ biotech sector
3,500 Biotechnology manufacturing, testing and R&D firms
$75 B Estimated annual economic impact of industry (2009)
$73,400
Devices & Equipment Manufacturing
Average annual salary for Texas biotech workers
Agriculture & Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing
2
Pharmaceutical & Medical Manufacturing Source: Texas Workforce Commission
Rank among all states for the number of life and physical scientists employed (48,850 in 2010)
Health, Becton Dickinson, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Agilent Technologies. When Ferris Manufacturing was considering relocating its headquarters in 2011, one of the factors in its decision was the business climate in Texas. The company, which specializes in wound care products, relocated from Illinois to Fort Worth. “We like the business climate in Texas,” says Dr. Roger Sessions, chairman and CEO of Ferris. “We wanted to be close to the airport, the weather is good, the taxes aren’t high and there’s no employee taxes, so it’s like our employees got a raise when we moved.” The company was awarded a $450,000 grant through the Texas Enterprise Fund for relocating. Another medical device company, Merit Medical, opened a research and development facility in Pearland. The company markets disposable medical devices used in interventional and diagnostic procedures. “Pearland was chosen due to the proximity to the greater Houston area, in particular the Texas Medical Center and top-rated universities that produce phenomenal engineers with a tremendous technology and engineering base,” says company spokesperson Anne-Marie Wright. “Merit will rely on these individuals in the future to move forward with material engineering.”
Biomedical Might Texas is home to many nationally and internationally recognized medical research centers. The Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio is one of the world’s leading independent biomedical research institutions, operating on a $55 million budget and employing more than 400 people. “The three areas of study in which we specialize are genetics, virology and animal models of human disease, primarily using nonhuman primates,” says
Preserving the Past …
Promoting the Future!
Kendall County provides a thriving business environment with an unmatched quality of life. Growth targets for Kendall County include: • Health & Medical • Clean Industry • Corporate Headquarters • Retail & Service • Resort & Conferences • Higher Education • Existing Business & Industry Expansion
Come and see all that Kendall County has to offer your business!
Living green starts from the ground up. 830.331.9070 www.kendallcountyedc.com
Texas Wide Open for Business
Living green is making sure the air in your home is healthy for your family to breathe. Test your home for radon and build radon-resistant. It's easy. That's living healthy and green.
Just call 866-730-green or visit www.epa.gov/radon
Story by Kelly Kagamas Tomkies
Find more about Texas’ biotechnology and life sciences sector at businessclimate.com/texas.
Photo by Brian McCord
Kenneth P. Trevett, president and CEO of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute. “The business environment for biomedical research entities, both for-profit and not-for-profit, in San Antonio in particular, and Texas in general, is quite good,” Trevett says. “There is seed financing to support new business initiatives, public assistance with recruiting of new companies, available and affordable land in San Antonio and abundant intellectual property around which to form new companies and collaborate with existing ones.” Texas is home to 920 private scientific R&D firms. Many of the largest private biotechnology R&D firms in the world have operations in the state, including Covance, Quintiles, Premier Research and INC Research. In 2012, Texas A&M University opened the National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing , a first-in-class biopharmaceutical GMP (good manufacturing practice) manufacturing facility and interactive academic training center. It received a $50 million Texas Emerging Technology Fund award in 2009 to help it get established. “The general business climate is great,” says Brett Giroir, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives for the Texas A&M University System. “The state has low taxes, less regulation and a qualified workforce. We have created an industry cluster [of biotech and life science companies]. Texas is wide open for business and I expect this sector to grow substantially over the next decade.”
The Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio is located on a 200-acre campus and employs about 400 people, including 85 doctoral-level scientists.
Texas Biotech Key Sectors Source: Texas Workforce Commission
1
2
3
4
5
1. Medical & Diagnostic: 822 2. Testing Laboratories: 746 3. Medical Equipment & Supplies Manufacturing: 701 4. R&D in Physical, Engineering & Life Sciences: 609 5. R&D in Biotechnology: 314 6. Pharmaceutical & Medicine Manufacturing: 119
6
7
8
9
10
7. Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing: 83 8. Pesticides, Fertilizer and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing: 80 9. Electromedical Apparatus Manufacturing: 51 10. Analytical Laboratory Instruments Manufacturing: 31
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we once made bricks for the world. what can we make for you? City of Ferris Economic Development (972) 842-2923 www.cityofferris.org
Texas Wide Open for Business
Lynda Anderson Economic Development Director City of Whitesboro P.O. Box 340 • 111 W. Main St. Whitesboro, TX 76273 903.564.4000 903.564.6105 Fax landerson@whitesborotexas.com
hospitals
Top Spots State hospitals known for excellence in quality of treatment For many years, Texas has been home to some of the world’s leading hospitals. Lone Star State hospitals have gained national and international recognition for quality of patient care, teaching, research, and prevention of illness and injury. The Texas Medical Center in Houston, for example, is the largest medical complex in the world. It appears regularly on U.S. News & World Report’s Annual Survey of America’s Best Hospitals and treats more than 7 million patients annually. Fifty-four institutions make up the large complex, combining medical research with world-renowned, quality patient care.
Methodist Hospital, also in Houston, is ranked nationally in 13 adult specialties, including cancer, gastroenterology, gynecology, orthopedics and pulmonology. Researchers at this teaching hospital are working on a drug that reduces ovarian cancer tumors by 83 percent. Lung transplant surgeons in the Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center in Houston performed more transplants in 2012 than any other center in the country, making it the No. 1 lung transplant program in the nation in terms of volume. Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas is ranked nationally in six adult specialties that include gastroenterology, orthopedics,
gynecology and pulmonology. Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital’s new Center for Valve Disorders focuses exclusively on the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting heart valves. Baylor All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth was the first hospital in the city to earn Cycle 4 Chest Pain Center accreditation. The accreditation means that the hospital has demonstrated its commitment to successfully treating heart patients with symptoms in a timely and effective manner in accordance with rigorous standards set by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care. – Kelly Kagamas Tomkies
Texas Wide Open for Business
Economic Development contacts The following is a resource to links to select economic development organizations at the local, regional and state level in Texas. It is not intended as a complete list of economic development organizations in the state but as a service to the supporters of this publication. A more comprehensive listing of economic development organizations can be found at TexasSiteSearch.com, a data source and clearinghouse for commercial and industrial property listings in Texas. The site includes an interactive mapping feature that highlights economic development organizations and their websites, as well as clickable map layers that allow users to explore the geographic assets of Texas, including transportation infrastructure, universities and Enterprise Zones.
Texas - Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism www.texaswideopenforbusiness.com
Canyon Economic Development www.canyonedc.com
Idalou Economic Development Corp. www.idaloutx.com
Childress Economic Development Corp. www.childresstexas.com
Levelland Economic Development Corp. www.golevelland.com
City of Hale Center www.cityofhalecenter.com
Littlefield Economic Development Corp. www.littlefieldtexas.org
The High Ground of Texas www.highground.org
City of Plainview www.plainviewtx.org
Amarillo Economic Development Corp. www.amarilloedc.com
Dalhart Area Chamber of Commerce www.dalhart.org
Lubbock Economic Development Alliance www.lubbockeda.org
Texas Economic Development Council www.texasedc.org
High Plains
Andrews Economic Development www.andrewsedc.com Borger Economic Development Corp. www.borgeredc.com Brownfield Industrial Development Corp. www.ci.brownfield.tx.us Canadian/Hemphill County Economic Development Corp. http://edc.canadiantx.org
Dumas Economic Development www.dumasedc.org Floydada Economic Development Corp. www.floydadaedc.com
Muleshoe Economic Development Corp. www.city-of-muleshoe.com Pampa Economic Development Corp. www.pampaedc.com
Friona Economic Development Corp. www.frionachamber.com
Panhandle Regional Planning Commission www.theprpc.org
Hereford Economic Development Corp. www.herefordedc.com
Perryton Community Development Corp. www.perrytoncdc.com
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Plainview/Hale County Industrial Development Foundation www.phcif.org
Central Texas
Shamrock Economic Development Corp. www.shamrockedc.org
Bastrop Economic Development Corp. www.bastropedc.org
Slaton Economic Development www.slaton.tx.us
Belton Economic Development Corp. www.beltonedc.org
Spearman Chamber of Commerce www.spearman.org
Brady/McCulloch County Economic Development Council www.bradytx.com
Tulia Economic Development www.tuliaedc.com Wolfforth Economic Development Corp. www.wolfforthedc.org
Upper Rio Grande El Paso Regional Economic Development Corp. www.elpasoredco.org
West Texas Midland Development Corp. www.midlandtxedc.com Odessa Economic Development www.odessatex.com Andrews Economic Development www.andrewsedc.com Ballinger Chamber of Commerce www.ballingertx.org Big Spring Economic Development Corp. www.bigspringtx.com Denver City Economic Development www.denvergov.org Eden Economic Development www.edentexas.com
Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce www.austinchamber.com
Bryan/College Station Economic Development www.researchvalley.org Buffalo Jewett Economic Development Corp. http://buffalotex.com/business/bedc/ index.html
Lamesa Economic Development www.growlamesa.org
Hamilton Economic Development www.hamiltontexas.com Hubbard Economic Development Corp. www.hubbardcity.com/copy_index.html Hutto Economic Development Corp. www.huttoedc.com Kyle Economic Development http://kyleed.com Madison County Economic Development Corp. http://madisoncountyedc.com Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. www.marblefallseconomy.com
City of Bellmead Economic Development www.bellmead.com
McGregor Economic Development Corp. www.mcgregor-texas.com
City of Burnet www.cityofburnet.com
Mexia Economic Development Corp. www.mexiaedc.com
City of Cedar Park www.cedarparktx.us/index. aspx?page=360
Pflugerville Community Development Corp. http://pfdevelopment.com
City of Lacy Lakeview www.lacylakeview.org
Rockdale Chamber of Commerce www.rockdalechamber.com
Cameron Industrial Foundation http://cameronindustrialfoundation.com College Station Economic Development www.cstx.gov Copperas Cove Economic Development Corp. www.copperascove-edc.com Elgin Economic Development Corp. www.elgintx.com Fairfield Industrial Development Corp. www.fairfieldtx.com
Fort Stockton Economic Development Council http://fortstocktonedc.com
Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce www.wacochamber.com
Georgetown Department of Economic Development www.invest.georgetown.org
Round Rock Economic Development Partnership www.roundrocktex.com Taylor Economic Development Corp. www.tayloredc.com Temple Economic Development Corp. www.choosetemple.com
Northeast Texas Atlanta Economic Development Corp. www.atlantatexas.com Carthage Economic Development www.carthagetexas.com
Giddings Economic Development Corp. www.giddingsedc.com
Crockett Economic and Industrial Development Corp. www.crockett.org
San Angelo Economic Development www.sanangelo.org
Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce www.killeenchamber.com
Henderson Economic Development Corp. http://hendersontx.us/index.aspx?NID=4
Seminole Economic Development www.seminoleedc.org
Greater San Marcos Partnership www.greatersanmarcostx.com
Jacksonville Development Corp. www.jacksonvilleedc.com
Monahans Economic Development www.monahans.org
Texas Wide Open for Business
Kilgore Economic Development Corp. www.kilgore-edc.com Longview Economic Development Corp. www.longviewusa.com
Rusk Economic Development www.ruskchamber.com/DiscoverRusk/ economicDev.aspx Sabine County Chamber of Commerce www.sabinecountytexas.com
Marshall Economic Development Corp. www.marshalledc.org
Gulf Coast
Mount Pleasant Industrial Foundation www.mpedc.org
Greater Houston Partnership www.houston.org
Mount Vernon Economic Development Corp. www.comvtx.com
Angleton/Brazoria County Economic Development Alliance www.eda-bc.com
Palestine Economic Development www.palestinetexas.net
Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership www.bayareahouston.com
Paris Economic Development Corp. www.paristexasusa.com
Baytown/West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation www.baytownedf.org
Queen City Economic Development www.queencitytx.org Sulphur Springs Economic Development Corp. www.ss-edc.com Texarkana Economic Development www.texarkana.org/economic_ development
City of La Porte www.ci.la-porte.tx.us/gov/econ City of Missouri City www.missouricitytx.gov/index. aspx?nid=74 Dayton Community Development Corp. www.daytontx.retail360.us
Southeast Texas
El Campo City Development Corp. www.elcampoeco.org
Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation www.setedf.org
Galveston Economic Development Partnership www.gedp.org
Partnership of Southeast Texas (Beaumont) www.setx.org Center Texas/Shelby County Chamber of Commerce www.shelbycountychamber.com Jasper Economic Development Corp. www.jasperedc.com Lufkin Economic Development Corp. www.lufkinedc.com Nacogdoches Economic Development Corp. www.nedco.org Newton Economic Development www.newtontexas.org/nedc.htm Polk County Economic & Industrial Development Corp. http://users.livingston.net/~pcidcorp
Big-City Services with a Small-Town Feel
QualiTy oF liFe is a top priority.
Katy Area Economic Development Council www.katyedc.org League City Economic Development www.leaguecityedc.com Liberty Economic Development www.cityofliberty.org North Houston Economic Development Council www.northhoustonedc.com
City
of
L aCy L akeview
501 e. Craven ave. Waco, TX 76705 254-799-2458 Visit us online at: www.lacy-lakeview.org
Pearland Economic Development Corp. www.pearlandedc.com Rosenberg Development Corp. www.rosenbergecodev.com Sugar Land Economic Development Corp. www.sugarlandecodev.com Tomball Economic Development Corp. www.tomballtxedc.org
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Wharton Economic Development Corp. www.whartonedc.com
Helotes Economic Development www.shophelotes.com
Zapata Economic Development Corp. www.zapataedc.com
South Texas
Jourdanton Chamber of Commerce www.jourdanton.net
Northwest Texas
10/35 Economic Development Alliance www.10-35economicalliance.com San Antonio Economic Development Foundation www.sanantonioedf.com Alice/Jim Wells County Economic Development Corp. www.alicetx.org
Karnes County Economic Development www.karnescountyedc.com Kingsville Economic Development Council www.kingsvilleedc.org
Texas Midwest Community Network www.texasmidwest.org Abilene Industrial Foundation http://aif.developabilene.com Bowie Economic Development Corp. www.cityofbowietx.com/index. aspx?nid=75
Beeville Development Authority www.beedev.com
Leon Valley Economic Development Corp. www.leonvalleytexas.gov
Brooks Development Authority www.brookscity-base.com
McAllen Economic Development Corp. www.medc.org
Brownsville Economic Development Council www.bedc.com
Mercedes Economic Development Corp. www.mercedesedc.com
Business Development Corporation of Vernon www.bdcvernon.com
Mission Economic Development Corp. www.missionedc.com
Cisco Development Corp. www.ciscotx.com
North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce www.northsachamber.com
Colorado City Area Chamber of Commerce www.coloradocitychamber ofcommerce.com
City of Cibolo www.cibolotx.gov City of Donna www.ci.donna.lib.tx.us City of San Antonio Economic Development Department www.sanantonio.gov/edd City of Schertz Economic Development www.schertzedc.com City of Selma http://ci.selma.tx.us City of Universal City www.universalcitytexas.com Converse Economic Development Corp. www.converseedc.com Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corp. www.ccredc.com Del Rio Economic Development www.cityofdelrio.com Edinburg Economic Development Corp. www.edinburgedc.com Floresville Economic Development Corp. www.floresvilleedc.org Gonzales Economic Development Corp. www.gonzalesedc.org Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce www.nbcham.org Texas Wide Open for Business
Pleasanton Economic Development Corp. www.pleasantontx.org Refugio County Community Development Foundation www.refugiocountytx.org Rio Grande City Economic Development Corp. www.rgcedc.org Rio South Texas Economic Council www.riosouthtexas.com Robstown Area Development Commission www.robstownadc.com San Patricio County Economic Development Corp. www.sanpatricioedc.com Seguin Economic Development Corp. www.seguintexas.gov/economic_ development
Brownwood Economic Development www.ci.brownwood.tx.us Burkburnett Development Corp. www.yourehomenow.org
Jacksboro Economic Development Corp. www.jacksboroedc.com Nocona Economic Development Corp. www.nocona.org Mitchell County Economic Development mitchellcountyeconomicdevelopment.org Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development www.sweetwatertexas.net Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and Industry www.wichitafallscommerce.com/ed
Metroplex Dallas Regional Chamber www.dallaschamber.org Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce www.fortworthchamber.com
Victoria Economic Development Corp. www.victoriaedc.org
Addison Economic Development www.addisontx.gov/economic_ development/
Windcrest Economic Development Corp. www.windcrest-tx.gov/index.aspx?nid=136
Allen Economic Development Corp. www.allentx.com
Arlington Chamber of Commerce www.arlingtontx.com
Frisco Economic Development Corp. www.friscoedc.com
Benbrook Economic Development www.cityofbenbrook.org
Garland Economic Development Partnership www.garlandedp.com
Bridgeport Economic Development www.cityofbridgeport.net Burleson Economic Development www.burlesontx.com
Greater Irving/Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce www.irvingchamber.com Greenville Economic Development www.greenvilletxedc.com
The Colony Economic Development Corp. www.thecolonyedc.org
Gateway to the hill Country
HEB Economic Development Foundation www.heb.org/economic-development
Commerce Economic Development Corp. www.commercetxedc.com Corinth Economic Development Corp. www.cityofcorinth.com Cedar Hill Economic Development Corp. www.cedarhilledc.com City of Azle http://cityofazle.org
Johnson County Economic Development Commission www.jc-edc.com Lancaster Economic Development www.lancaster-tx.com Mansfield Economic Development Corp. www.mansfield-texas.com North Dallas Chamber of Commerce www.ndcc.org
City of Coppell www.ci.coppell.tx.us
Plano Economic Development www.planotexas.org
City of Dallas Economic Development www.dallas-ecodev.org City of Keene www.ci.keene.nh.us City of Keller Economic Development www.cityofkeller.com
Prosper Economic Development Corp. www.prosperedc.com Richardson Economic Development Partnership www.telecomcorridor.com
• • • •
• • • • • • •
Central location no City Property Tax affordable utilities at the intersection of u.s. 183, u.s. 84 and state hwy. 16 and an active rail line Pro-Business environment City airport City Park and Pool library and museum Golf Course Outdoor recreation and hunting home to Official state Championship BBQ and Goat Cookoff
Sachse Economic Development Corp. www.sachseedc.com
City of Waxahachie www.waxahachie.com City of White Settlement www.wstx.us/wp Decatur Economic Development Corp. www.decatur-edc.com
Seagoville Economic Development Corp. www.seagovilleedc.com Sherman Economic Development Corp. www.sedco.org
Deniso Development Alliance www.denisontx.org
Terrell Economic Development Corp. www.terrelltexasedc.com
DeSoto Economic Development Corp. www.desototexas.org
Town of Fairview www.fairviewtexas.org
Duncanville Economic Development www.ci.duncanville.tx.us/econ_dev.shtm
Town of Westlake www.westlake-tx.org
Forney Economic Development Corp. www.forneytexasedc.org
Weatherford Economic Development Authority www.weatherfordtxeda.org
Fort Worth Economic and Community Development www.fortworthgov.org/ecodev
Goldthwaite
COme see us in GOldThwaiTe ameriCa P.O. Box 450 Goldthwaite, Texas 76844 325-648-3186 www.centex.net/~city/
Whitesboro Economic Development www.whitesborotexas.com
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Texas Wide Open for Business
Economic profile Major Population Centers (2012) Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
6,700,991
Texas has one of the lowest tax burdens in the U.S., including no personal income tax. The state also has no state tax on property used for pollution control, no state tax on goods in transit and no state tax on machinery and equipment utilized in manufacturing.
2,234,003 Austin-Round Rock
1,834,303 El Paso
830,735 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
806,552 Corpus Christi
Gross Sales
Per capita personal income:
2012
San Antonio-New Braunfels
Income
$1.63 trillion
Total personal income in 2012:
2011
6,177,035
$1.53 trillion
Total personal income in 2009:
2008 2009 2010
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown
$1.32 trillion
$41,471
$1.08 trillion
$903.7 billion Change in TPI since 2009:
19.6%
437,109 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood
Brownsville-Harlingen
Cost of Living
Beaumont-Port Arthur
Median Household Income (2011):
404,180
$1.20 trillion $1.47 trillion
Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
420,375 415,557
(in-state, all industries)
$50,920
Median Home Sale Price:
$$ Estimated Rent for a 2BR Apartment:
$158,000 $722
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Major Employment Sectors (as % of nonfarm jobs)
Polk County Economic and Industrial Development Corporation
10 11
1. Trade Transportation & Utilities: 20.0% 2. Government: 16.3% 3. Education and Health: 13.5% 4. Professional and Business Services: 12.9% 5. Leisure & Hospitality: 10.2% 6. Manufacturing: 7.8% 7. Construction: 5.4% 8. Financial Activities: 6.0% 9. Other Services: 3.5% 10. Mining & Logging: 2.5% 11. Information: 1.8%
8
9
1
7 6 2 5 3
4
Average Home Selling Price
Source: Texas A&M Real Estate Center, January 2013
• Sites, buildings, office space • Tax abatements • Location: – Downtown Houston, 75 miles – Bush Intercontinental Airport, 60 miles – Port of Houston, 80 miles • Major highways • Rail • Strong regional labor force • Site and state incentive assistance
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Texas: $190,800
San Antonio: $182,400
McAllen: $121,800
Lubbock: $149,000
Houston: $199,600
Fort Worth: $154,300
El Paso: $146,700
Brownsville: $114,100
www.pcidcorp.net
Beaumont: $144,800
(936) 327-2710
Austin: $257,200
• Recreational environment
Dallas: $217,100
• Business friendly
Corpus Christi: $163,800
• Quality health care
Bryan-College Station: $191,200
• Higher education
Texas Cost of Living Comparison Grocery
90.4
Labor Force Civilian Labor Force (as of 12/12):
12,680,700 Total Nonfarm:
11,035,100
Housing
84.7 Utilities
95.3
Private (Non-government):
Transportation
9,240,100
Health
2002-2012 Nonagricultural Employment Growth Percentage:
95.7
17.3%
96.4 U.S. Average
100
Source: C2ER, 1Q 2013
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Texas Population 2000: 20,851,820 2010: 25,145,561 2012: 26,059,203
25%
33.1 Median Age
Change Since 2000
During April 2013, Texas’ total nonfarm employment increased by 33,100 jobs. In addition, between April 2012 and April 2013, the state’s total nonfarm employment increased by three percent. Source: Texas Economy In Focus, www.texasahead.org
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for·ward – adjective \ˈfȯr-wərd: of, relating to, or getting ready for the future Hale Center, Texas, is an exciting, growing community with a deep history and heritage of hard work, located on the South Plains just 35 miles north of Lubbock. Whether your business is in the agriculture, retail or medical fields, Hale Center is the place where you can move … forward. 702 Main St. Hale Center, TX 79041 (806) 839-2412 www.cityofhalecenter.com
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Largest Public Companies ExxonMobil, $449.9 Billion, Irving
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$ Phillips 66, $169.6 Billion, Houston
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$ Valero Energy, $138.3 B, San Antonio
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ AT&T, $127.4 B, San Antonio
$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ConocoPhillips, $63.4 B, Houston
$$$$$$$ Dell, $56.9 B, Round Rock
$$$$$$ Enterprise Products Partners, $42.6 B, Houston
$$$$$ Sysco, $42.4 Billion, Houston
$$$$$ Plains All American Pipeline, $37.8 B, Houston
$$$$ Tesoro, $32.5 B, San Antonio
$ = $10 Billion
$$$$ Largest Private Companies HEB Grocery, San Antonio
CC Media Holdings, San Antonio
Energy Future Holding Corp., Dallas
Republic National Distributing Co., Houston
$15.6 Billion $82 Billion
$6.2 Billion
$4.4 Billion
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas A&M Real Estate Center, www. texaswideopenforbusiness.com, quickfacts.census.gov, www.texasonline.com
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180 || Texas Wide Open for Business
livability
Winning Formula T
Economic growth factors into the high quality of life in texas cities
exas has several cities that rank nationally as great places to do business. Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio make frequent appearances on any number of national rankings. The prestigious Milken Institute Best-Performing Large Cities Index ranks U.S. metropolitan statistical areas by how well they are creating and sustaining
jobs and economic growth, and seven of the nation’s top 25 MSAs for 2012 hail from Texas. No. 2 on the Milken Index is the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA, and No. 4 is Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown. No. 10 is Fort Worth-Arlington, while Dallas-PlanoIrving is 14th, El Paso 18th, Lubbock 20th and San Antonio-New Braunfels 22nd. Big cities aren’t the only Texas communities receiving accolades for their economic and quality
The American Airpower Heritage Museum in Midland, also known as the Commemorative Air Force Airpower Museum, has World War II artifacts and memorabilia.
181
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The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts is located near the Concho River in the city’s downtown area.
of life attributes. Amarillo, Longview, Midland, Odessa, Tyler and San Angelo all score high on the Milken Small Cities Index, which depicts smaller communities that are great places to live, invest and expand. “In San Angelo, we are surrounded by lakes, as well as rivers running through the community, plus we have an arid climate and good farming,” says John Dugan, vice president of marketing and recruitment for the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce. “We have a downtown Main Street designation and good shopping, plus tourism attractions, such as Fort Concho and an International Waterlily Festival. We are also strong in the business sector.”
Steel and Shale San Angelo has always had a steel industry along with oil and gas, and that oil industry is projected to soon become even bigger. A Cline Shale project is an area drilling endeavor estimated to produce 30 million barrels of oil over the next 20 years. “We’re also big in agriculture – San Angelo is one of the largest sheep producers in the world,” Dugan says. “In addition, our city has an MSA of 106,000 people, so we are a regional retail hub, as well as a medical hub with two hospitals. Plus there are two colleges here – Angelo State University and Howard College.”
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VAN HORN •tex as• Wide Open Spaces – Clean Mountain Air and Water Texas-Sized Business Opportunities Without the Stress … Wind Energy, Natural Gas, Agriculture … the Blue Sky’s the Limit! Located on I-10 Along the Historic Union Pacific Railroad Van Horn is the Crossroads of the Texas Mountain Trail, Close to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Davis Mountains, Marfa, Big Bend National Park and El Paso
Give Us a Call or Visit Us Online
184 || Texas Wide Open for Business
Town of Van Horn • P.O. Box 517 • Van Horn, TX 79855 (432) 283-2050 • (432) 283-2839 Fax www.vanhorntxusa.org
Clockwise from left: The Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center in Midland; Angelo State University in San Angelo, a member of the Texas Tech University System; Downtown San Angelo.
Dugan adds that on the north side of San Angelo is four-lane divided U.S. Highway 87 that goes all the way to Alberta, Canada. “State funding has also been approved for a Super 2 highway that will stretch from San Angelo southward to Del Rio,” Dugan says. “A Super 2 highway features an occasional passing lane added to the two-lane highway to allow passing of slower vehicles.”
Mushrooming Midland Midland, in the heart of the Permian Basin, is one of the fastest-growing small cities in the nation due
primarily to new technologies in the oil and gas industry. Those technologies allow companies to increase oil production by great numbers, and forecasts estimate that drilling in the basin can continue for the next 100 years. “We are a high-end city with a vibrant central business district that has more than 3 million square feet of office space along with hotels,” says Pamela Welch, executive director of the Midland Development Corporation. “The downtown area is getting more apartments and housing in 2013, which will encourage even more retail and restaurants.”
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Welch adds that Midland College is thriving in the city, and the University of Texas of the Permian Basin has introduced a new engineering program at its Midland campus near Midland International Airport. “The airport has 27 direct daily flights to seven major hubs,” she says. “Another key asset in Midland is the recent opening of our $89 million Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center that has added even more to our quality of life.”
Welch says Midland is also embracing new technologies, as evidenced by California-based XCOR Aerospace moving to the community. “XCOR is involved in commercial space flights, building rockets and eventually flying people in them,” she says. “Their new frontier thinking is going to bring a lot of new visibility to Midland.” Story by Kevin Litwin Photography by Jeff Adkins and Brian McCord The Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail, one of Austin’s most popular trails, covers 10 miles along the Colorado River.
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festivals
Stay and Play Texas Communities know how to throw a party Texas residents celebrate their communities with signature festivals that take place throughout the year. Here are some examples of the state’s annual festivals and events:
Charro Days Fiesta
The Charro Days Fiesta is a weeklong traditional Mexican “pachanga” festival that has been held every March since 1938. The host city is Brownsville at the southern tip of Texas, and entertainment includes Mexican food contests, parades, dances and a carnival midway with
more than 40 rides and attractions.
Czhilispiel
This festival in Flatonia in Southeast Texas recognizes the large Czech settlement that resides in the state. Czhilispiel occurs annually on the fourth weekend of October with activities that include chili cook-offs, barbecue cook-offs, a jalapeno-eating contest, 5K run and parades.
Fiesta San Antonio
This 10-day celebration, which began in 1891, now features more than 100
events sponsored by local nonprofit organizations and has an economic impact of $284 million. Attracting about 3.5 million people, Fiesta San Antonio offers music, food, parades, exhibits, and military and patriotic observances. More than 75,000 volunteers come together to put on the festival each April.
Great Texas Mosquito Festival
The annual Great Texas Mosquito Festival in late July has been named the No. 1 Wackiest Summer Event in America by TripAdvisor. Thousands of
people crowd the community of Clute to participate in a fajita cook-off, paintball tournament, best mosquito legs contest, and a mosquito calling contest.
Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival
Held in the city’s downtown area each April, the festival includes fine art and craft showcases with works created by local artists, as well as food from more than 20 restaurants. The festival also includes the four-day Music on Main event, Fort Worth’s biggest music festival.
Tyler Rose Festival
A rose by any other name would not be the Texas Rose Festival, an even held each fall in Tyler since 1933 to celebrate the city’s status as the nation’s Rose Capital. Tyler also is home to the Tyler Rose Museum and the 14-acre Tyler Municipal Rose Garden, the nation’s largest rose garden, with some 38,000 rose bushes and more than 600 different varieties of roses.
Wurstfest
Wurstfest in New Braunfels celebrates the rich German influence found in
Texas with this 10-day event in early November. There is plenty of oom-pah and polka music as well as yodelers, games, rides and food vendors.
The State Fair of Texas
The annual three-week extravaganza at Fair Park in Dallas includes rides, carnival games, auto shows, livestock shows and, of course, a full range of food. Usually beginning the last Friday in September, the fair also hosts the annual Texas-Oklahoma college football classic known as the Red River Rivalry. – Kevin Litwin
Westlake Academy
WESTLAKE
Why Choose Westlake?
We are a one-of-a-kind community that blends our rural atmosphere with our vibrant culture and metropolitan location.
TEXAS 3 Village Cir., Suite 202 Westlake, TX 76262 (817) 430-0941
www.westlake-tx.org
Sports and Recreation
Seats of Distinction sports facility marvels throughout the state bring spectators and worldwide acclaim to Texas
W
hile the rest of the sports nation was sitting on rickety wooden bleachers in the early part of the 20th century, Texas unveiled the country’s first stadium made from concrete. When others tried to modernize their sports facilities in the 1960s, Texas topped them all with a structure in Houston so amazing it was dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World. And as sports and technology have merged in the 21st century, the Lone Star State once again is creating venues on the cutting edge of design and spectator comfort. From the concrete-clad Jones Stadium in El Paso to the space-age inspired Astrodome in Houston to the billion dollar Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas has consistently led the way in innovative
Texas Wide Open for Business
sports facilities. And as Texas has built it, the rest of the world has come, turning many of the structures into tourist attractions as well. “When they say everything is bigger in Texas, they don’t just mean size. They also mean groundbreaking initiatives and making things the best they can be,” says Ali Putnam, media relations manager for the new Circuit of The Americas race track in Austin. “We’ve done a lot of great things here, and every new [facility] only adds to that reputation.
A New Direction With Compass In many ways, Houston truly set the tone for this trend in 1965 with the opening of the Astrodome, the world’s first domed stadium. More recently, the city has transformed its sports landscape with the construction of new facilities for professional
Cary Estes
BBVA Compass Stadium Location: Houston Opened: May 12, 2012 Capacity: 22,000 Construction cost: $95 million
Distinguishing features: The first row of seats is approximately 18 inches above field level, and there are 33 suites located less than 10 rows from the playing field. Roof canopies cover nearly 75 percent of the stadium circumference, protecting spectators from the heat and rain. The stadium’s eye-catching silver exterior includes 94,000 square feet of aluminum panels that can be partially opened to improve air flow.
Photo by Jeff adkins
Primary tenants: Houston Dynamo (professional soccer), Texas Southern University (college football)
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Texas Wide Open for Business
football, baseball and basketball. Professional soccer joined that list in 2012 with the opening of BBVA Compass Stadium, a soccerspecific facility built for the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer. Instead of playing in a large football stadium ill-equipped for soccer, the Dynamo now has a cozy 22,000-seat stadium to call home. Fans responded by doubling the team’s seasonticket sales to 12,000. And since the stadium is located downtown near two other new sports facilities (Minute Maid Park and the Toyota Center), the area has become a sports-and-entertainment district. “Sports facilities in the downtown footprint create that critical mass that brings people into the city,”
says Doug Hall, general manager of BBVA Compass Stadium. “Then you get the surrounding benefits from bars, restaurants and entertainment districts.”
Circuit of The Americas One of the state’s most ambitious new sports facilities, the Circuit of The Americas race track, opened in 2012 just outside of Austin. It is the only track in the United States designed specifically to handle Formula 1 racing, which is extremely popular in Europe, Asia and South America. The 1,000-acre facility hosts five major racing circuits in 2013, highlighted by the United States Grand Prix F-1 race in November. There is also an
Circuit of The Americas Location: Austin Opened: Oct. 21, 2012 Capacity: Approximately 120,000 Construction cost: $400 million Primary tenants: Several auto racing circuits hold events at the track, highlighted by the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. The facility also has an outdoor music amphitheater that attracts such national acts as the Dave Matthews Band, Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett. Distinguishing features: A 250-foot observation tower – made out of thousands of red-colored steel pipes – curves out over the tracks, allowing spectators to see the action through the glass floor. The facility’s Grand Plaza includes a large green space, a reflecting pool, retail offerings and concession stands.
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R E F U G I O
Live Work
RaiseFamily a
THE WESTERN GATEWAY BUSINESS CENTRE OF THE DFW METROPLEX Emerging Retail Center of the Western DFW Metroplex – trade area population more than 75,000 • More than 905,000 square feet of new open-air shopping centers constructed since 2005 • Lowe’s, Target, Kohl’s, JCPenney, Belk, T.J.Maxx, Best Buy, PetSmart, Ross, Michael’s, Bed Bath & Beyond Development Assistance Available • Retail: sales tax refund program • Industrial: property tax abatement, select permit and development assistance, state programs 55,000 County Workforce • Population: City – 25,300 County – 116,900 Shovel-ready Industrial Park • 40 acres with rail and highway service, various private sites Website Property Search • http://weatherfordtx.gov/ index.aspx?NID=914
Weatherford Economic Development Authority 202 W. Oak St. • Weatherford, TX 76086 (817) 598-4302 www.weatherfordtxeda.org
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Play Small Town Big
ExcEllEnt schools: Refugio IsD • Austwell-tivoli IsD Woodsboro IsD supERIoR hEAlth cARE: Refugio co. Memorial hospital three clinics two rehabilitation nursing homes state-of-the-art wellness center
Dallas El Paso
AffoRDAblE housIng REcREAtIon: hunting • fishing • camping • birding www.refugiocountytx.org
Austin San Antonio
Refugio
Houston
Photo by Brian Mccord
outdoor amphitheater that brings in national music acts. Approximately 800,000 to 1.2 million people are expected to attend events at Circuit of The Americas annually, with an economic impact estimated at $400 million to $500 million. “We have a variety of different types of events drawing all sorts of crowds, including that live music component,” Putnam says. “Being in Austin, we realize how important that is. So there’s the race track, but there are also a whole lot of other events taking place.”
In addition to Cowboys games, the stadium hosts college football games and other sporting events, including the 2010 NBA All-Star Game and championship boxing matches. Temporary seating and standing-room-only areas increase the stadium’s capacity to more than 100,000. “Between all the new venues and the great cities we have here,” Hall says, “there are just so many options [for sports events] in the state of Texas.” Story by Cary Estes
How ‘Bout That Cowboys Stadium?
SPORTS AND RECREAT ION
CARY ESTES
W
SPORTS FACILIT Y MARVELS THROUGHOUT SPECTATORS THE STATE BRING AND WORLD WIDE ACCLAIM TO TEXAS
BBVA Compas
s Stadium
Location: Houston Opened: May 12, 2012 Capacity: 22,000 Construction cost: $95 million Primary tenants: Houston Dynamo (professional soccer), Texas Southern University (college football) Distinguishin g features: The first row seats is approximately of 18 inches above field level, and there are 33 suites located less than 10 rows from the playing field. Roof canopies cover nearly 75 percent the stadium of circumference , protecting spectators from the heat and rain. The stadium’s eye-catching silver exterior includes 94,000 square feet of aluminum panels that can be partially opened to improve air flow.
ADKINS
Seats of Distinction
PHOTO BY JEFF
Probably no sports facility in the state since the Astrodome has garnered as much attention as the new Cowboys Stadium, which opened in 2009 as home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. The 3 million-square-foot structure is the largest domed stadium in the world and is equipped with so many state-of-the-art amenities that the price tag reached approximately $1.2 billion.
hile the rest of the sports nation was sports facilities. sitting And as Texas rickety wooden on the world has bleachers come, turning has built it, the rest of in the early into tourist many of the part attractions structures as well. 20th century, of the “When they Texas say everything unveiled the stadium made is bigger in country’s first don’t just mean size. They from concrete. Texas, they also initiatives and When others tried to modernize making things mean groundbreaking facilities in says Ali Putnam, the their sports the 1960s, Texas media relations best they can be,” structure in new Circuit topped them manager for Houston so of The Americas the amazing it was all with a Eighth Wonder “We’ve done race track in dubbed the a lot of great of the World. Austin. technology things here, And as sports [facility] only have and every new adds to that Star State once merged in the 21st century,and reputation. again is creating the Lone A cutting edge New Direction venues on the of design and With Compass From the concrete-cla spectator comfort. In many ways, d Jones Stadium to the space-age Houston truly trend in 1965 in El Paso with the opening set the tone for this the billion dollar inspired Astrodome in Houston to world’s first of the Astrodome, Cowboys Stadium domed Texas has consistently the in Arlington, has transformed stadium. More recently, led the way the city its sports landscape in innovative construction with the of new facilities 190 || for professional texas Wide open for business
businessclim businessclim ate.com/texa ate.com/texa ss
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Cowboys Stadium Location: Arlington Opened: May 27, 2009 Capacity: 80,000 permanent seats; expandable seating and standing-room areas can accommodate nearly 30,000 more. Construction cost: Approximately $1.2 billion Primary tenants: The NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and various college football teams Distinguishing features: At 3 million square feet, it is the world’s largest domed stadium. It also has a 660,000-squarefoot retractable roof and a 600-ton high-definition video screen.
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sed i r o mp O U NG c s Y ua i WING, ASS h s L Jo GRO DLE-C c a of MID aphi and emogr D
at e r a g to g n ri ative ving e f of tern ex li al opl tr me
Can you imagine … a world without children? 101 S. Main St. Joshua, TX 76058 (817) 558-7447 Learn more here: www.joshuaedc.com
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We Can’t.
Call 1-800-996-4100 to help. www.stjude.org
High School Football
Friday Night Delights Texas high school football stadiums are in a class by themselves It’s not uncommon to see out-oftown travelers stopping at Allen High School’s new Eagle Stadium, even when there is no game taking place. They simply want to see this $60 million, 18,000-seat jewel that vividly illustrates the passion that Texas has for high school football. “We actually have tourists come to Allen and drive over to look at the stadium,” says Tim Carroll, public information director for the Allen Independent School District. “We’ve drawn national attention.” Allen’s old stadium had only 7,000 seats, and by the 1990s, as many as 14,000 people were showing up for games. So since a new facility was needed, the community approved construction of one of the best high school stadiums in the country, complete with double-deck seating, a giant HD video screen/ scoreboard, a three-tier press box and entertainment plazas behind each end zone. Situated on 72 acres, the stadium opened in 2012, and the Eagles regularly drew crowds in excess of 15,000 people. According to Carroll, 9,000 season tickets were sold for the 2013 season. Allen is hardly alone in the state’s love of what has been famously called the Friday Night Lights of high school football. A number of teams play in front of crowds of 15,000 to 20,000, and the more than 1,100 stadiums located throughout the state reflect that passion. In fact, only four Texas counties – Hartley, Kenedy, Loving and McMullen – do not have stadiums. San Antonio’s Alamo Stadium, which was built in 1940, remains the largest high school stadium in Texas with a seating capacity of 23,000. Commonly referred to as “the rock pile” due to the large amounts of limestone used to construct the facility, it also hosts high school track meets. The Frisco Independent School District plays home games at the 21,193-seat FC Dallas Stadium, formerly known as Pizza Hut Park, whose primary tenant
is the FC Dallas Major League Soccer team. The $105 million venue is located on 145 acres and also hosts concerts and other special events. High school football games also are played at Mesquite Memorial Stadium (20,000 seats), Farrington Field in Fort Worth (18,500 seats), Buccaneer
Stadium in Corpus Christi (18,000 seats), Ratliff Stadium in Odessa (17,931 seats), San Angelo Stadium (17,500 seats), Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Pasadena (16,800 seats) and Stallworth Stadium in Baytown (16,500 seats). – Cary Estes
Available Land and Buildings 45 Miles East of Houston 45 Miles West of Beaumont City-Owned Utilities Municipal Airport Trinity Valley Exposition Rodeo Arena and Fairgrounds Municipal Park with Sand Volleyball, Soccer, Softball/Baseball Fields, Playgrounds and Water Park Magnolia Ridge Golf Course Cultural Center and Library Expedited Permitting and Zoning 1829 Sam Houston Liberty, TX 77575 (936) 336-3684 Fax (936) 336-9846 areiss@cityofliberty.org
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Food and beverage
Craft Movement Texas’ microbrewing industry taps into Lone Star pride one sip at a time
S
omething is brewing in Texas and creating plenty of reasons to raise a glass. It’s craft beer – and the industry is showing no signs of slowing down. According to an economic impact study commissioned by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, the state’s craft brewing industry generated $608 million in economic impact in 2011. While the industry
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only produces 12.3 percent of craft beer and 0.7 percent of all beer consumed in Texas, more than half of Texas’ jobs within the beer sector are related to craft brewing, accounting for more than 6,300 direct, indirect and induced jobs.
Generating Revenue, Jobs “One of the best things going for our industry is our pride in the state, and the pride our customers
have in us being from this state,” says Scott Metzger, author of the economic impact study, economics professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio and founder/CEO of Freetail Brewing Company, a craft brewery and restaurant. Located in San Antonio, Freetail is Texas’ second-largest brewpub, meaning all of the beer produced at the facility is purchased by customers on site. The
Freetail Brewing Co. in San Antonio, open since November 2008, is the second-largest brewpub in Texas.
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establishment includes a 900-square-foot brewery that contributes about 1,050 barrels of beer to the approximately 133,000 barrels produced in the state annually, a figure that has increased 46 percent since 2010. “We’re named after the Mexican free-tailed bat,” Metzger says. “They’re small, but they have a huge impact on the ecosystem, and we want to be the same – a small brewery making a big impact.” But it’s not just Freetail that’s flourishing. The state’s entire craft brewing industry is growing stronger. Metzger’s study concluded 78 licensed brewers were operating in Texas in 2011, up 50 percent from 2010, with 37 of those operating as packaging breweries and 41 as brewpubs. Growth is expected to continue as 92 percent of the study’s responders, comprising 28 members of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, say they plan to expand their operations and invest $29 million in the industry over the next five years.
Saint Arnold Brewing Co. in Houston, Texas’ oldest craft brewery, offers tours and beer tastings Monday through Saturday.
To What Ales You In addition to having a powerful economic impact, the craft brewing industry is connecting beer lovers throughout the state and adding flavor to its communities. Double Horn Brewing Company in Marble Falls, located about an hour from Austin, opened in 2011 as the first and only brewery in Burnet County. “There were no places like this outside of Austin,” says Eric
Scott Metzger is founder and owner of Freetail Brewing Co. in San Antonio.
“One of the best things going for our industry is our pride in the state, and the pride our customers have in us being from this state.”
Scott Metzger, author of Texas Craft Brewers Guild’s economic impact study, economics professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio and founder/CEO of Freetail Brewing Co.
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Left: Freetail Brewing Co. serves a mix of classic and one-of-a-kind beers. Right: Brock Wagner, one of the founders of Saint Arnold Brewing Co., conducts a tour of the brewery. The facility creates a selection of year-round beers, such as an amber ale, and also provides seasonal beers like the Saint Arnold Christmas Ale.
Casey, Double Horn’s head brewer. “We just wanted to bring what was missing to the community.” Today, Double Horn includes a restaurant and a seven-barrel brewhouse, as well as an everevolving menu of beer based on the season and customer requests. Casey says the brewpub fits right into what he calls a “weekend lifestyle” community. “Marble Falls is a tourist destination,” he says. “We want to be the local place where families can come with their kids and just relax.” Beyond brewpubs, Texas is home to several microbreweries Texas Wide Open for Business
that produce craft beer and distribute it to bars, restaurants and retailers. Many of Texas’ microbreweries are clustered near metropolitan areas, with eight in Austin and four in Dallas. The state’s oldest craft brewery – Saint Arnold Brewing Company – is located in Houston. Many of these offer tours, enabling visitors to sample several beers and learn how they are created. “With very little exception, almost all of the craft beer made in Texas is consumed by Texans and not shipped to other states,” Metzger says. “We make beers for our fellow Texans, and I think that
fact doesn’t go unnoticed.” Texas also celebrates the craft brewing industry through beerfocused festivals and events. The Texas Craft Brewers Festival in Austin has taken place annually since 2003, and the BrewMasters Craft Beer Festival in the Galveston area began in 2011. The Big Texas Beer Fest in Dallas featured approximately 80 breweries and about 350 beers during its first event in 2012, while the Houston Beer Fest included a selection of 200 beers and live music on four stages at Hermann Square Park in the city’s downtown area.
“People in general, in the United States especially, want unique stuff, and craft beer goes along with the transformation in consumer tastes,” Metzger says. “People are interested in local beers, and they are excited to try new things. Texas has followed the lead in that respect.” Story by Jessica Walker Boehm Photography by Jeff Adkins
To learn more about Texas’ diverse businesses and industries, visit businessclimate.com/texas.
Visit Our Advertisers 10/35 Economic Development Alliance • www.10-35economicalliance.com Allen Economic Development Corporation • www.allentx.com Amarillo Economic Development Corporation • www.amarilloedc.com Andrews Economic Development • www.andrewsedc.com Bastrop County • www.co.bastrop.tx.us Belton Economic Development • www.beltonedc.org Benbrook Economic Development • www.benbrook.org Big Spring Texas Economic Development • www.bigspringtx.com Bowie Economic Development Corporation • www.cityofbowietx.com Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation • www.bridgeportedc.com Brooks City-Base • www.bc-b.com Brownfield Industrial Development Corporation • www.brownfieldbidc.com Brownwood Economic Development Corporation • www.brownwoodbusiness.com Burkburnett Development Corporation • www.burkburnett.biz Cameron Industrial Foundation • www.cameronindustrialfoundation.com Canadian Hemphill County EDC & Chamber • www.canadiantx.com Cedar Hill Economic Development • www.cedarhilledc.com City of Azle • www.cityofazle.org City of Bellmead • www.bellmeadedc.com City of Burnet • www.cityofburnet.com City of Cedar Park • www.cedarparktexas.gov City of Cibolo • www.cibolotx.gov City of Clarksville • www.gatewaytotexas.com City of Dallas • www.dallas.ecodev.org City of Donna • www.cityofdonna.org City of Ferris • www.cityofferris.org City of Goldthwaite • www.centex.net/~city/ City of Hale Center • www.cityofhalecenter.com City of Joshua • www.joshuaedc.com City of Keene • www.keenetx.com City of Kyle Economic Development • www.kyleed.com City of La Porte • www.laportetx.gov City of Lacy Lakeview • www.lacy-lakeview.org City of Missouri City • www.missouricitytx.gov City of Plainview • www.plainviewtx.org City of Plano Economic Development • www.planotexas.org City of Selma • www.ci.selma.tx.us City of Universal City • www.universalcitytexas.com City of Waxahachie • www.waxahachie.com City of White Settlement • www.wstx.us Commerce Economic Development Corporation • www.commercetxedc.com Converse Economic Development Corporation • www.converseedc.com Dayton Community Development Corporation • www.daytontx.com Decatur Economic Development Corporation • www.decatur-edc.com Denison Development Alliance • www.denisontx.org Denver City Economic Development Corporation • www.denvercityedc.com Edinburg Economic Development Corporation • www.edinburgedc.com El Paso International Airport • www.flyelpaso.com Forney Economic Development Corporation • www.forneytexasedc.org Fort Stockton Economic Development Corporation • www.fortstocktonedc.com Friona Economic Development Corporation • www.frionachamber.com Giddings Economic Development Corporation • www.giddingsedc.com Gonzales Economic Development Corporation • www.gonzalesedc.org Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce • www.austinchamber.com Greater Irving Chamber of Commerce • www.irvingchamber.com Greater San Marcos Partnership • www.greatersanmarcostx.com Greater Waco Chamber • www.wacochamber.com Greenville Economic Development Corporation • www.greenvilletxedc.com Henderson Economic Development Corporation • www.hendersontx.us Hereford Economic Development Corporation • www.herefordedc.com Jacksboro Economic Development Corporation • www.jacksboroedc.com Jacksonville Development Corporation • www.jacksonvilleedc.com
Jasper Economic Development Corporation • www.jasperedc.com Johnson County Economic Development • www.jc-edc.com Karnes County Economic Development Corporation • www.karnescountyedc.com Kendall County Economic Development Corporation • www.kendallcountyedc.com Kennedale Economic Development • www.gokennedale.com La Marque Economic Development Corporation • www.ci.la-marque.tx.us Lamesa Economic Development Corporation • www.growlamesa.org League City Economic Development Corporation • www.leaguecityedc.com Leon Valley Economic Development Corporation • www.leonvalleytexas.gov Levelland Economic Development Corporation • www.levellandtexas.com Liberty Economic Development Corporation • www.cityofliberty.org Longview Economic Development Corporation • www.longviewusa.com Lubbock Economic Development Alliance • www.lubbockeda.org Mansfield Economic Development Corporation • www.mansfield-texas.com Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation • www.marblefallseconomy.com McAllen Economic Development Corporation • www.mcallenedc.org Mercedes Economic Development Corporation • www.investinmercedes.com Midland Development Corporation • www.midlandtxedc.com Midland International Airport • www.flymaf.com Mount Pleasant Industrial Foundation • www.mpedc.org Nocona Economic Development Corporation • www.nocona.org North Houston Economic Development Corporation • www.northhoustonedc.org Odessa Development Corporation • www.odessatex.com Palestine Economic Development • www.palestine-tx.net Pampa Economic Development Corporation • www.pampaedc.com Pearland Economic Development Corporation • www.pearlandedc.com Pflugerville Community Development Corporation • www.pfdevelopment.com Polk County Economic & Industrial Development Corporation • www.pcidcorp.net Port of Houston Authority • www.portofhouston.com Prosper Economic Development Corporation • www.prosperedc.com Reese Technology Center • www.reesetechnologycenter.com Refugio County Chamber of Commerce • www.refugio.countytx.org Rio Grande City Economic Development Corporation • www.cityofrgc.com Rio South Texas Economic Council • www.riosouthtexas.com Rosenberg Development Corporation • www.rosenbergecodev.com Round Rock Economic Development Partnership • www.roundrocktex.com Sachse Economic Development Corporation • www.sachseedc.com San Antonio Economic Development Foundation • www.sanantonioedf.com San Patricio Economic Development Corporation • www.sanpatricioedc.com Seagoville Economic Development Corporation • www.seagovilleedc.com Seminole Economic Development Corporation • www.seminoleedc.org Sherman Economic Development Corporation • www.sedco.org Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation • www.setedf.org Sugar Land Economic Development • www.sugarlandecodev.com Taylor Economic Development Corporation • www.tayloredc.org Temple Economic Development Corporation • www.choosetemple.com Terrell Economic Development Corporation • www.terrelltexasedc.com Texas Midwest Economic Development Alliance • www.texasmidwest.org The City of Coppell • www.coppelltx.gov The Colony Economic Development Corporation • www.thecolonyedc.org Tomball Economic Development Corporation • www.tomballtxedc.org Town of Addison Economic Development • www.addisoned.com Town of Fairview • www.fairviewtexas.org Town of Van Horn • www.vanhorntxusa.org Town of Westlake • www.westlake-tx.org Weatherford Economic Development Authority • www.weatherfordtxeda.org Whitesboro Economic Development Corporation • www.whitesborotexas.com Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce & Industry • www.wichitafallscommerce.com Windcrest Economic Development Corporation • www.developwindcrest.org Work Hard – Work Smart • www.workhardworksmart.net Yoakum Economic Development Corporation • www.yoakumedc.com Zapata Economic Development Corporation • www.zapataedc.com
Brewing a Big Impact
130,000
Barrels produced by Texas craft brewers in 2011, up 46 percent from 2010 = 20,000
1,244
Workers at Texas craft breweries in 2011
$75.9 M Annual craft brewery sales in Texas
51.2%
Jobs in Texas brewing associated with craft breweries
4.5 Million Direct annual payroll of Texas craft breweries
= 50
Licensed Brewers in Texas 2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
35
37
40
52
78
Source: Texas Craft Brewers Guild, Economic Impact Study, July 2012
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206 || Texas Wide Open for Business
food products
An Appetite for Business Variety is the spice of life for food manufacturers in Texas. Whether they were Texas-born or attracted to Texas’ business-friendly landscape and atmosphere, numerous and diverse food products are produced in the Lone Star State. Here is a taste of some Texas flavors: Tyler-based John Soules Foods Inc. has been producing quality fajitas and marinated meats since 1975. The leading fajita processor in the nation, John Soules Foods produces its value-added meat products in its 250,000-square-foot facility, which was expanded in 2006. John Soules fajitas are distributed to the food service industry, restaurant groups and retailers. Founded in Austin and now based in Brenham, the Del Sol Food Co. produces the Brianna’s Fine Salad Dressings line. Whether you prefer Classic Buttermilk Ranch, Asiago Caesar or Chipotle Cheddar, Brianna’s has a dressing to suit any taste. The company’s dressings are sold in all 50 states and several foreign countries and produced in a state-ofthe-art facility built in 2006. Another Brenham-based company has a reputation that extends far beyond Texas. Blue Bell Ice Cream, started by a group of local dairy farmers in 1907, produces one of the top-selling brands of ice cream in the nation. The company’s products are sold in 20 states. Headquartered in Fredericksburg, Fischer & Wieser produces a range of specialty food products including cooking sauces, salsas, jams, jellies, appetizers and pasta sauces. The company, whose roots date to a familyfounded, 60-acre peach orchard in 1928, began selling products from a roadside fruit stand in 1969. The fruit stand is still in operation today, and the company operates from a historic warehouse near Fredericksburg’s downtown that
staff photo
Texas offers diverse menu of food producers
Blue Bell Ice Cream, headquartered in Brenham, offers yearround and rotational ice cream flavors in half gallons and pints.
includes a showroom for its products. The company also operates a store on Main Street in downtown Fredericksburg and sells its products at gourmet stores, natural food stores and groceries across the United States. Hausman Foods, founded in Corpus Christi, has been producing quality meat products for more than 70 years. The company’s two processing facilities in Corpus Christi produce gourmet steaks, briskets, hamburgers and other meat products for both nationwide and international distribution. In addition, Hausman Foods has been named one of the top 200 producers in the U.S. by Meat Processing Magazine. – Laura Atack
• 5th largest port • 300,000 Corpus Christi MSA population • Rail • Highways
(361) 293-0476 www.yoakumedc.com
The Hub of South Central Texas
P.O. Box 238 Gregory, TX 78359 361.777.2368 sanpatricioedc.com
• Three hours from Houston and San Antonio • Low cost of living • High quality of life – beaches, fishing and more
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Texas Trends Lone Star State population and employment Projections States With Greatest Population Increase Since 2000 17.7%
20.6%
10%
18.5%
18.3%
Texas Population Projections
State Population Projections State
50
2030 Projection
Increase from 2010
46.44 million
21.9%
Texas
33.31 million
35.2%
Florida
26.69 million
49.0%
New York
19.48 million
0.2%
Illinois
13.43 million
4.0%
Pennsylvania
12.77 million
1.5%
North Carolina
12.23 million
31%
Georgia
12.02 million
25.3%
Ohio
11.55 million
-0.3%
Arizona
10.71 million
61.3%
California Population in Millions
40
30
20
10
2000
2005
2010
2015
Total Population
2020
School Age Population
2025
2030
Retiree Population
Employment By Industry Projections
Mining/Oil & Gas Extraction 2010: 193,790 2020 projection: 267,060
Health Care 2010: 1,315,280 2020 projection: 1,744,930
Educational Services 2010: 1,182,080 2020 projection: 1,536,590
Leisure & Hospitality 2010: 1,002,670 2020 projection: 1,267,630
Administrative & Support 2010: 594,610 2020 projection: 740,150
Scientific, Technical & Business Services 2010: 543,060 2020 projection: 672,250
37.8%
32.7%
30.0%
26.4%
24.5%
23.8%
Texas Wide Open for Business
Growth Projections for Select Occupations
Growth Projections for Manufacturing Operations
423,250 30.9% Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners Metals and Plastics Workers 166,120, 19.8%
16,470 29.3% Life Scientist 294,980 28.2% Health Technologists and Technicians
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers and Weighers 40,700, 18.6%
33,320 24.2% Physical Scientist 31,570
320,550 22.8% Computer Specialists 162,090 21.2% Engineers 77,600 12.6%
Percent Increase From 2010
Life, Physical and Social Science Technicians
Number of Employees (2020 Projection)
23.2%
Assemblers and Fabricators 117,420, 15.7%
Food Processing Workers 60,500, 14.5%
Drafters, Engineering Technicians and Mapping Technicians
$ Finance & Insurance 2010: 439,840 2020 projection: 514,920
Real Estate 2010: 168,900 2020 projection: 196,790
Utilities 2010: 47,810 2020 projection: 55,450
Transportation & Warehousing 2010: 406,390 2020 projection: 471,330
Manufacturing 2010: 806,550 2020 projection: 887,980
Information 2010: 190,720 2020 projection: 207,590
17.1%
16.5%
16.2%
16.0%
10.1%
8.8%
Sources: ProximityOne State Population Estimates and Projections & Texas Workforce Commission Digital edition sponsored by Wharton Economic Development Corporation | www.whartonedc.com
Gallery
enjoy waco’s view
The Waco Suspension Bridge crosses the Brazos River in downtown Waco and features two parks, Indian Spring Park and Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, on either side. Photo by Brian McCord
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Explore San Antonio The San Antonio River Walk stretches about five miles through the city’s downtown area and includes restaurants, shops and hotels, making it a top attraction for tourists. Staff Photo
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Find Fun in victoria DeLeon Plaza, a historic park in downtown Victoria, is the site of several community events such as Concerts in the Park, Cinco de Mayo – La Celebración and Victoria Market Days. Photo by Jeff Adkins
Texas Wide Open for Business
Fort Worth Twin 48-foot-tall angels sculpted from Texas limestone by sculptor Marton Varo grace the grand facade of the Bass Performance Hall in the city’s downtown. Photo by Frank Ordonez
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Texas Wide Open for Business
head to Boerne City lake Boerne City Lake offers opportunities for water recreation including swimming, sailing and paddle boarding. The area also includes Boerne City Lake Park, which has a nine-hole disc golf course, a butterfly garden, trails, volleyball courts, a playground and picnic units. Staff Photo
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Ad Index
160 10/35 Economic Development Alliance
1 34-135 Allen Economic Development Corporation
112 Amarillo Economic Development Corporation
A1-a8 Bastrop County 48-49 Belton Economic Development
167 Benbrook Economic Development
142 Big Spring Texas Economic Development
24 Bowie Economic Development Corporation
43 Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation
30 Brooks City-Base
118 Brownfield Industrial Development Corporation
116 Brownwood Economic Development Corporation
157 Burkburnett Development Corporation 12 Cameron Industrial Foundation 188 Canadian Hemphill County EDC & Chamber 16 Cedar Hill Economic Development
186 City of Azle
177 City of Bellmead
132 City of Burnet
107 City of Cedar Park
58-59 City of Cibolo
103 City of Clarksville
149 City of Dallas
26 City of Donna
166 City of Ferris
173 City of Goldthwaite
178 City of Hale Center
196 City of Joshua
Ad Index (cont.)
136 City of Keene
163 City of Kyle Economic Development
182 City of La Porte
171 City of Lacy Lakeview
102 City of Missouri City
124 City of Plainview
178 City of Plano Economic Development
218 City of Selma
14 City of Universal City
78 City of Waxahachie
138 City of White Settlement
65 Greater San Marcos Partnership
50 Greater Waco Chamber
23 Greenville Economic Development Corporation
62-63 Henderson Economic Development Corporation
133 Hereford Economic Development Corporation
174 Jacksboro Economic Development Corporation
54-55 Jacksonville Development Corporation
20 Jasper Economic Development Corporation
86 Commerce Economic Development Corporation
22 Johnson County Economic Development
196 Converse Economic Development Corporation
76 Karnes County Economic Development Corporation
8-9 Dayton Community Development Corporation
164 Kendall County Economic Development Corporation
138 Decatur Economic Development Corporation
34 Denison Development Alliance
17 Denver City Economic Development Corporation
84 Edinburg Economic Development Corporation
148 El Paso International Airport
119 Kennedale Economic Development
109 La Marque Economic Development Corporation
168 Lamesa Economic Development Corporation
74-75 League City Economic Development Corporation
156 Leon Valley Economic Development Corporation
95 Forney Economic Development Corporation
175 Levelland Economic Development Corporation
146 Fort Stockton Economic Development Corporation
197 Liberty Economic Development Corporation
121 Friona Economic Development Corporation
158 Longview Economic Development Corporation
192 Giddings Economic Development Corporation
114 Lubbock Economic Development Alliance
1 22-123 Gonzales Economic Development Corporation
38 Mansfield Economic Development Corporation
C4 Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
180 Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation
68-69 Greater Irving Chamber of Commerce
144 McAllen Economic Development Corporation
Ad Index (cont.)
111 Mercedes Economic Development Corporation
206 Seminole Economic Development Corporation
46 Midland Development Corporation
40 Sherman Economic Development Corporation
57 Mount Pleasant Industrial Foundation
87 Nocona Economic Development Corporation
97 North Houston Economic Development Corporation
C1-C2 Odessa Development Corporation
19 Palestine Economic Development
82-83 Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation
2-3 Sugar Land Economic Development
6-7 Taylor Economic Development Corporation
210 Temple Economic Development Corporation
120 Pampa Economic Development Corporation
100 Terrell Economic Development Corporation
200 Pearland Economic Development Corporation
4-5 Texas Midwest Economic Development Alliance
126 Pflugerville Community Development Corporation
140 The City of Coppell
176 Polk County Economic & Industrial Development Corporation
CF3 Port of Houston Authority
36 The Colony Economic Development Corporation
70 Tomball Economic Development Corporation
155 Prosper Economic Development Corp
179 Reese Technology Center
32 Town of Fairview
194 Refugio County Chamber of Commerce
184 Town of Van Horn
189 Town of Westlake
194 Weatherford Economic Development Authority
166 Whitesboro Economic Development Corporation
128 Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce & Industry
88-89 Sachse Economic Development Corporation
110 Windcrest Economic Development Corporation
10 San Antonio Economic Development Foundation
164 Work Hard – Work Smart
207 San Patricio Economic Development Corporation
207 Yoakum Economic Development Corporation
92 Seagoville Economic Development Corporation
21 Zapata Economic Development Corporation
18 Rio Grande City Economic Development Corporation 1 Rio South Texas Economic Council
203 Rosenberg Development Corporation
C3 Round Rock Economic Development Partnership
130 Town of Addison Economic Development
Ad Index (cont.)
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# S o m e Co m pa n y
Selma, Texas
A premier destination in the Austin-San Antonio corridor for quality entertainment, shopping, dining and industrial services. Fast-growing community with over 600% growth over the past decade! Strategically located in Northeast Region of San Antonio Easy access to major transportation corridors like Interstate 35 and Loop 1604 Home to Retama Park Horse Track Home to one of the largest outdoor shopping centers in Texas: The Forum at Olympia Parkway Five minutes to Randolph Air Force Base 20 minutes to downtown San Antonio 15 minutes to San Antonio International Airport Low taxes and ISO Rating Available real estate Located near major higher learning institutions
9375 Corporate Dr. • Selma, Texas 78154 • (210) 651-6661 • Fax: (210) 651-0385 • www.ci.selma.tx.us