Harlingen EDC reports jobs, investment and small-business assistance in 2024'25 work plan review

Orlando Campos, CEO of the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation (EDC), summarized the organization's accomplishments under the FY 2024'25 work plan and outlined ongoing initiatives to support business attraction, retention, workforce training and infrastructure.

Why it matters: The EDC coordinates programs designed to attract investment and support small businesses in Harlingen. Campos' presentation covered grant programs, outreach results, workforce partnerships and a multi-project pipeline.

Highlights from the report. Campos said the EDC and staff attended 12 trade shows in the U.S. and Mexico and recorded 145 trade-show leads. The EDC submitted 30 corporate-relocation proposals to the governor's office and completed 88 local company visits covering employers with roughly 7,000 combined employees. The EDC reported closing 10 projects that generated or retained approximately 453 jobs and about $15 million in private capital investment. Campos also said the EDC manages a pipeline of 12 active projects that, if realized, would amount to approximately $5.9 billion in proposed capital investment.

Small-business and recovery programs. Campos reviewed grant programs, including a façade-enhancement program that supported local businesses with $38,000 in EDC funds leveraged into approximately $451,000 in private investment. He described the "Harlingen Strong" program created after late-March floods, which awarded assistance to 107 small businesses totaling more than $312,000 to help with cleanup and reopening. The EDC also launched an "Equip Harlingen" program that awarded two businesses $6,000 for equipment purchases and ran entrepreneurship outreach including a Rise Up Harlingen pitch competition that granted $65,000 total to three businesses.

Workforce and training. Campos said the EDC invested nearly $300,000 in workforce development with partners such as TSTC and VIDA, and co-hosted seven job fairs with Cameron Workforce Solutions. The EDC also supported entrepreneurship training and scholarships through UTRGV programs.

Questions and next steps. Commissioners asked whether the EDC met the metrics set the previous year; Campos said the EDC met all metrics except for the entrepreneurship hub work while staff redirected efforts to disaster relief immediately after the floods. The EDC staff noted one job opening for an economic development coordinator and invited commission and community participation in planning the entrepreneurship/innovation hub.