Business Images Coastal Bend, TX 2010

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COASTAL BEND, TEXAS

What’ss Onlinee There’s an adventure around every corner aboard the USS Lexington.

Intellectual Capital Texas A&M graduates impact the globe

Global Gateway The world moves through Port of Corpus Christi SPONSORED BY THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS OF THE COASTAL BEND | 2010

Are you looking for

qualified employees?

Register your job openings toll-free (888) 860-JOBS (5627)

Or register your jobs online, log on to www.workintexas.com — Texas’ largest labor pool

www.coastalworksource.com

Skills, Jobs, Dreams!

Deme Rodriguez, 19 NCCER Certified Combo Welder

LOOK NO MORE Workforce Solutions matches your job openings to qualified applicants.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Programs. Auxiliary aids and services are available, on request, to individuals with disabilities.

Contact Relay Texas (800) 735-2989 (TDD) or (800) 735-2988 (Voice).

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Workstyle Intellectual Capital

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Texas A&M University System graduates undertake research projects that have a global environmental impact.

Global Gateway

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The world moves through Port of Corpus Christi.

Well-Oiled Machine

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Cooperation and training keep regional workforce strong and nimble to meet demand for top skills.

Better, Faster, Stronger

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Range of locally made products highlights region’s manufacturing versatility.

Table of Contents Continued

30 ON THE COVER Port of Corpus Christi

PHOTO BY BRIAN McCORD

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San Patricio County The New Texas Connection UÊ45 Ft. Deep Water Channel UÊI-37 & I-69 Corridor UÊTwo Point Rail Access UÊAirports UÊCost Effective UÊAvailable Land UÊSmall Town Living UÊBig City Life

o t n o k c i l C Future! the

www.sanpatricioedc.com

Insight

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Overview

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Business Almanac

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Business Climate

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Energy/Technology

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Transportation

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Economic Profile

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Livability Livability: Prosperity in Paradise

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Education

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Health

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All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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BUSINESS ®

DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT ... see it for yourself

CO AS TAL B END , TEXAS 2010 EDITION , VOLUME 4 MANAGING EDITOR KIM MADLOM COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SUSAN CHAPPELL, JESSY YANCEY STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DANNY BONVISSUTO, JOE MORRIS, KATHRYN ROYSTER, BETSY WILLIAMS DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER BLAKE PETIT SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT MANAGER ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN

VIDEO >>

PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER JESSICA MANNER GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER, JANINE MARYLAND, MARCUS SNYDER WEB IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTOR ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB CONTENT MANAGER JOHN HOOD WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN CARL SCHULZ WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS BILL McMEEKIN V.P./CUSTOM PUBLISHING KIM NEWSOM PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY SIMPSON DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

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

What makes Coastal Bend such a favorable place to do business? What is it about the livability of Coastal Bend that makes people who move there to work decide to stay for the long term?

Business Images Coastal Bend is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend.

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COASTAL BEND

L I F E S T Y L E | W O R K S T Y L E | D I G G I N G D E E P E R | V I D EO | L I N K T O U S | A D V E R T I S E | C O N TA C T U S | S I T E M A P

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Channel Your Energy to Ingleside

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What’ss Onlinee There’s an adventure around every corner aboard the USS Lexington.

COASTAL BEND, TEXAS

Intellectual Capital Texas A&M graduates impact the globe

Lifestyle A showcase for what drives Coastal Bend’s high quality of life

Global Gateway

We’re Open For Business!

The world moves through Port of Corpus Christi SPONSORED BY THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS OF THE COASTAL BEND | 2010

Read Business Images Coastal Bend on your computer, zoom in on the articles and link to advertiser Web sites

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Located on La Quinta Ship Channel

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We Work Closely with Port of Corpus Christi

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Multi-Modal Access – Sea, Land, Air, Rail

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Acres of Open Land – Great Location

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Channel Front (45 ft.)

Acreage Available

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Home to new Texas A&M Commercialization of Technology Division

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Home to DOE/U of H Wind Blade Testing Site

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Within 200 miles – Brownsville, Houston, Austin, San Antonio

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15 minutes to metro Corpus Christi

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Synergy Among Existing Industry

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Poised for Growth & Business Friendly

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Hometown Feel, Low Crime, Many Amenities

NEWS AND NOTES >> Get the Inside Scoop on the latest developments in Coastal Bend from our editors and business insiders

Workstyle A spotlight on innovative companies that call Coastal Bend home

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS >> Meet the people setting the pace for Coastal Bend business DIG DEEPER >> Log into the community with links to local Web sites and resources to give you the big picture of Coastal Bend DATA CENTRAL >> A by-the-numbers look at doing business and living in Coastal Bend

See the Video Our award-winning photographers give you a virtual peek inside Coastal Bend

GUIDE TO SERVICES >> Links to a cross section of goods and services in Coastal Bend

GO ONLINE

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What has been our secret, IS your business’ greatest opportunity

Call us today at

(361) 776-2517 or visit www.inglesidetx.gov

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Overview

Top 10 Reasons To Do Business in the Coastal Bend Region 1. Location. Corpus Christi is an important seaport and central gathering place for communities up and down the Texas coastline.

2. Information Technology.

Corpus Christi has been ranked No. 1 by the Center for Digital Government, which examines and assesses how city governments are utilizing information technology to operate and deliver quality service to their customers and citizens.

3. Military Presence. Both the Army and Navy have facilities in the Coastal Bend region, providing important military training and a big boost for the local economy.

services, including residential care, nursing and personal care, miscellaneous health-care specialties, hospitals, and general health practitioners.

positioned for international trade including bulk, container and refrigerated cargos.

7. International Trade. Everincreasing trade between the Coastal Bend and Mexico is resulting in sustained growth in many industries, including the trucking and warehousing sectors of the regional economy.

10. Workforce Development. The region is aggressively working to train a highly skilled workforce in order to meet the business challenges in a global economy.

8. Tourism. Wildlife, marine life and

For more information, contact:

the abundance of birds are a few reasons why the Coastal Bend area is becoming an increasingly popular place for vacationers year-round.

Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend 400 Mann St., Suite 1000 Corpus Christi, TX 78401 Phone: (361) 225-1098 Fax: (361) 814-3450 www.coastalworksource.com

9. Health Care. The Coastal Bend region is expanding its health-care

4. Energy Technologies. The Coastal Bend continues to be strong in the oil and gas industry. Success in this industry also extends into the plastics and chemicals fields and is expanding into biotechnology. Wind energy is growing.

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5. Population Growth. The population throughout the Coastal Bend increased by more than 20,000 people from 2000 to 2008, creating continued growth in the education, recreation and health-care sectors.

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Fulton Sinton Rockport 359 181 Gregory Aransas Pass San Patricio Portland Ingleside 37 181 Port Aransas Robstown 44

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of Corpus Christi continues to be an important economic engine for the Coastal Bend region and is well

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Almanac

IT’S A WONDERFUL WILDLIFE A distinction worth remembering: The Rob & Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation is the largest privately owned wildlife refuge in the United States.

The 300-acre spread near Sinton includes a museum that is free and open to the public. The museum features 2,000 bird skins, 500 mammal skins, a reptile and amphibian collection, wildlife paintings, pottery, arrowheads, and guns. There is also a research library for biologists to study wildlife ecology and management, plus a lecture hall that can hold 55 people.

Rob Welder (1890-1953) was a conservationist interested in the scientific study of wild creatures.

WHAT’S IN A NAME? What makes a burger so special that the Texas Legislature officially dubbed it a Texas treasure?

Whataburger is made hot, fresh and with quality ingredients – and you can get it 36,864 ways, according to the company’s communication director.

The burger is served on a 5-inch bun (unlike the standard 4-inch bun), so large that when founder Harmon Dobson invented it in 1950, he anticipated people would pick it up and say, “What a burger!”

They did, in droves. From the first store in Corpus Christi, Whataburgers soon became a Texas phenomenon, and then a regional favorite.

Today, Whataburger’s more than 650 stores continue the tradition that began in the Coastal Bend.

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A TOWN THAT ROCKS Rockport, a seaside community where artists have resided since the early 20th century, has been rated one of the nation’s 100 best small art towns.

Fittingly, the Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce has published a brochure that details a gallery walk.

Other eye-pleasing attractions include the Spirit Columns sculpture by Jesus Bautista Moroles, windswept oak trees that permanently lean due to the prevailing southeasterly winds, and Paint-A-Long sessions where artists paint along downtown streets.

Residents and visitors also are drawn to the Texas Maritime Museum, Rockport Beach Park, Connie Hagar Wildlife Refuge and the Zachary Taylor tree, where the general and his troops camped during 1845.

MILITARY STRONGHOLD Corpus Christi may be best known for its energy industry, transportation services and, of course, its beaches, but it’s also very much a military town.

The region is home to two Naval Air Stations, one in Corpus Christi and one in Kingsville.

The same geographic features and favorable climate that make the Coastal Bend a tourist destination also make it a favorable location for pilot training.

The NAS Corpus Christi’s primary function has been pilot training since 1940, when it was founded to train flyers for an anticipated Second World War. Today’s training program produces about 400 aviators annually.

NEW LIFE FOR NAVAL BASE The Port of Corpus Christi and the Texas A&M University System know how to turn lemons into lemonade.

NAS Corpus Christi is one of the largest employers in the region and its payroll of more than $200 million has a significant impact on the economy.

The Naval Station Ingleside is set to close September 2010 in accordance with a 2005 decision from the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. However, that won’t be the end of the good work and economic impact of the site. The port and the Texas A&M System inked a partnership to manage the redevelopment of the Naval Station.

Under the agreement, the Port of Corpus Christi will take control of the 1,000-acre complex. The A&M System will manage the redevelopment of the site and help it become a major research and training center, particularly in the area of renewable energy.

The project represents a new chapter for Ingleside, one that could create a wealth of opportunities in energy, engineering, education, training, production and other jobs that are good for Coastal Bend and Texas.

CONNECTED FOR SUCCESS Corpus Christi earns praise as one of the nation’s top digital cities.

Corpus Christi’s completion of a 147-square-mile multipurpose wireless broadband network gives it the single largest municipalscale wireless network anywhere in the world. The citywide Wi-Fi links water and gas utilities, public safety officers, public works department employees and building inspectors to vital online information while they are in the field.

Citizens and visitors can sign onto the city’s Internet site, www.cctexas.com, to pay utility bills and traffic tickets, apply for jobs, view real-time city council meetings and airline flight status data, check events calendars and pinpoint lot-by-lot zoning or right-of-way easements via an interactive Geographic Information System map.

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Connecting with Coastal Bend has never been easier …

imagescoastalbend.com 1

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FIND IT FAST: Our enhanced search features let you find the information you want in a snap.

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GET WHERE YOU NEED TO GO: Our site is easy to use and organized for quick navigation.

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VIRTUAL VIEW: Flip through the pages of the digital magazine – an enriched online version of the print publication.

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SEE IT FOR YOURSELF: Experience first-hand views of the community in our video gallery and share them with friends and colleagues.

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A PLACE TO CALL HOME: We give you the word (and the picture) on living in the community, from health care to education to favorite local eateries to cultural attractions and recreation spots, in one organized and easy to access place.

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WORK IT OUT: A content-rich and easy to navigate resource on the community’s economy, organized by industry sector.

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SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS: Learn about the people and companies that have made the community thrive.

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MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS: Meet the movers and shakers that are shaping the community’s economy.

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NUMBERS GAME: Drill down into the community with a treasure-trove of demographic and market information.

Almanac A FLOATING PIECE OF HISTORY Perhaps the greatest aircraft carrier in U.S. military history is proudly docked in Corpus Christi Bay. The USS Lexington, which spans more than three football fields, is open for tours, with multiple exhibits and hundreds of artifacts devoted to its more than 60-year history.

Visitors can tour the hangar deck, flight deck, bridge and commanding officer’s quarters. Exhibits include an overview of the last-ditch kamikaze campaign waged by the Japanese during World War II and a high-tech flight simulator that tourists can enjoy.

The USS Lexington, nicknamed The Blue Ghost for all its surprise attacks in WWII, is also equipped with an IMAX theater that has a gigantic screen three stories tall.

STRINGS ATTACHED The 64th season of the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra promises to be another year of unforgettable performances.

Founded in 1945, the Corpus Christi Symphony is the premier classical orchestra along the Texas Gulf Coast. As a professional contract orchestra, the CCSO provides classical and pops music experiences to the region’s culturally diverse audience.

Through the orchestra’s continued support of the Corpus Christi Symphony Youth Orchestra, the CCSO facilitates the education of current and future musicians and audiences.

The orchestra is under the musical direction of John Giordano.

P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F G R E G S PA U L D I N G

LET’S PLAY BALL The Coastal Bend Thunder took to the field for the first time in April 2009. The team was formed thanks to a deal between the Nueces County Commissioners and the United Baseball League.

“This is the most exciting thing that’s happened in Nueces County since I’ve been here,” County Judge Loyd Neal said when the deal was announced. The Thunder took the field for its first game June 11, 2009.

The Thunder’s home field is the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds in Robstown, a multipurpose complex that hosts events ranging from concerts to rodeos to professional baseball.

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Business Climate

Yes We Can Cooperative spirit, strong industry, employee base mean ongoing success Story by Joe Morris • Photography by Brian McCord

regionalism

vibrant economy

low business cost

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ew international industries, coupled with a resurgence of longtime major local business sectors, showcase the Coastal Bend’s “can-do” business climate now more than ever.

Companies are drawn to the region for a variety of reasons: geographic location, port facilities, road/rail infrastructure, a well-trained, skilled workforce and more. Economicdevelopment officials are quick to tout those amenities, but also highlight the area’s strong sense of cooperation and team spirit across industries and among communities.

“We have everything from agricultural to aerospace here, plus off-shore manufacturing, helicopter building and health care. We have companies that operate here and reach around the world,” says J.J. Johnston, executive vice president and chief business development officer for the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation. “We are a gateway to the entire world, and we are always working to add to what we have here

and to become even more successful.”

As the Coastal Bend has diversified its industry base, companies and workforce-development officials have relied on a strong network of community colleges, working in tandem with Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and other collegiate partners, for workforce development, training and education. That holds especially true today as technologically advanced research companies increasingly call the area home. To bring it all together, there are support entities standing ready to facilitate every step of the process.

“Our role is a critical one, because our core business is connecting people to jobs,” says Mary Ann Rojas, president and chief executive officer of Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend, which includes multiple local industries, school districts, community colleges and universities, training centers and other entities among its partners. “We have initiatives that we began that continue to result in job creation, and we continue to work to

provide training and education through and with our partners.”

These collaborative efforts send a strong message, she says.

“Anyone coming in, even just to look at our area, doesn’t have to go to 10 of 15 places to get their questions answered,” Rojas says. “They find out very fast how united we are in our approach to helping them, and they can get plugged into what we offer as a region very, very quickly.”

The Coastal Bend’s 12-county area also is strongly connected physically by its various transportation networks, a feature that allows residents not only to live near their jobs but also connects them to higher education offerings and other opportunities.

Coupled with multiple recreational and cultural amenities, it’s a region that has plenty to offer everyone.

“We have a very diverse economic base as well as a diversified workforce, and that sends the message that this is a great place to live, and whatever your business is, here’s the place to get it done.”

Corpus Christi has a vibrant economy, a highly skilled workforce and excellent higher education institutions.

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Intellectual Capital Texas A&M University System produces research with a global environmental impact Story by Betsy Williams • Photography by Brian McCord

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nnovative programs at the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering Texas A&M University-Kingsville College of Engineering in collaboration with the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Pharmacy are leading to environmental advancements with a global impact.

One such program, under the direction of Dr. Rajat Sethi, assistant professor at the TAMHSC-COP, is targeting environmental pollutants as a cause of cardiovascular disease, or CVD, as they relate to pollution issues along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Environmental pollutants have been neglected as a cause of CVD,” Dr. Sethi says of the five-year program funded by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant. “We are realizing the effects of ozone and other pollutants on the heart, brain, skin, eyes – even diabetes.”

CVD is a major contributor to the mortality rate in North America, resulting in approximately 1 million deaths per year in the U.S. Texas A&M-Kingsville proposed this comprehensive project to contribute effectively to preparing engineers and scientists to work on solutions to environmental problems surrounding CVD. “Ours is an interdisciplinary team effort, a mixture of environmental engineering and health projects,” Dr. Sethi says. “Students participate in field trips and lab studies to conduct the experiments and prove the hypotheses.”

Dr. Sethi says that when he first began working on environmental issues as a cause of CVD, this was a new area. “Now people talk about the importance of a green environment, ethanol, clean air, and they are becoming concerned,” Dr. Sethi says. “These grants funding these types of studies can alert the public and create the solutions by motivating students to pursue careers related to

environmental pollution and its health effects.”

Professor Kuruvilla John, interim dean of the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering, says the school’s environmental engineering program is one of the nation’s strongest, ranked among the top 50 by US News and World Report.

More focus needs to be placed on developing the skills to enter the engineering field, he says.

“Technology is growing by leaps and bounds, and it is vital that we direct students into engineering at an early age so that we can compete on a global level,” Dr. John says. “That is the driver for many of these programs we are offering.”

For example, the Kingsville-based university offers a summer camp for middle- and high-school girls to be exposed to college-level research and academic preparation in the engineering arena.

“This is an exciting component of our outreach program, to see young students coming on board dealing with problem-solving applications.”

The Center of Research Excellence in Science and Technology offers one of just six environmental engineering research programs in the nation funded through the National Science Foundation.

“This has enabled us to fund research in the area of environmental engineering and support our only Ph.D. program on campus, also in environmental engineering,” Dr. John says.

“One of the focus areas is sustainability, especially in areas of water resources. We are looking at current and future growth in areas of climate change and what that will do to the atmosphere. We now have graduates who are affiliated with EPA and other major universities.”

Rangel College of Pharmacy’s Rajat Sethi, Ph.D., researches the prevention, management and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

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Global Gateway The world moves through Port of Corpus Christi Story by Betsy Williams • Photography by Brian McCord

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he Port of Corpus Christi is on track to generate an impressive $5 billion in direct investment over the next four years for the Coastal Bend region, says John LaRue, the port’s executive director.

With a new $3.5 billion power plant in the planning stages on a 100-acre PCC-owned site and almost $1 billion in new terminal projects and various transportation improvements, the port is seeing its share of growth and activity – even in the current economic downturn.

“We have a tremendous opportunity with alternative energies, especially wind turbines,” LaRue says.

“Texas is the real wind energy funnel for the United States, and the port has been loading these types of towers since 2006,” says Sandy Sanders, deputy port director for business development and operations. “Our stevedore services are experts in all things wind turbine, and we have partnered very well with our rail trucking firms. They are all equipped with getting these turbines from the port to their

More Insight Top outbound commodities moving through Port of Corpus Christi • Gasoline • Fuel Oil • Diesel • Wheat • Feed Stock

Approximately 6,000 cargo, tankers and barges move through the Port of Corpus Christi annually.

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Gasoline and fuel oil are the primary commodities shipped through the Port of Corpus Christi.

Scorecard SHIPS MOVING THROUGH PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI IN 2008

789 Dry cargo ships

962 Tankers

4,281 Barges

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destinations safely and efficiently.”

The port is changing its infrastructure to accommodate these loads, which will include the exportation of pipes made by a nearby Chinese pipe manufacturer.

“The La Quinta Terminal started out as a container terminal,” LaRue explains. “But as we got into the economic downturn and container trades declined, we saw it wasn’t going to work strictly as a container terminal.

When the Chinese plant is completed by the end of the year, we will be handling pipe and the wind turbines.

We expect to see 500 to 700 jobs related to that terminal in warehousing and handling, trucking and rail.”

Also on the drawing board is a new dry bulk terminal funded by a private sector investment approaching $100 million. Economic stimulus funds are being used to complete the Joe Fulton International Trade Corridor, which opens up the north side of the port for development of roughly 1,000 acres of land that previously had no transportation access.

“The potential for this investment is incredible,” LaRue says. Proposals have been submitted for additional stimulus funds to build a new rail yard in the same area, which will enable the port to further expand its capability in the area of handling alternative energy resources.

The Naval Station Ingleside closure effective April 30, 2010, means that 500-acre site will revert to the port, and a partnership has been established with Texas A&M to develop those 500 acres plus 500 more into a research and development campus.

“We don’t expect to immediately replace the 3,000 jobs that were lost with the base closure, but we will have great success in replacing those jobs over a period of five to 10 years,” LaRue says.

The future looks very bright for the port and the community it serves, Sanders says.

“We are a powder keg, and we are getting ready to meet a match,” he says.

“We are prepared for the explosion.”

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Del Mar College

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COASTAL BEND

Well-Oiled Machine Cooperation and training keep regional workforce strong and nimble Story by Joe Morris Photography by Brian McCord

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s the Coastal Bend economy continues to expand in size and scope, workforce training and development play a more crucial role than ever before.

“It’s a perpetual need,” says Mary Ann Rojas, president and chief executive officer of Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend. “We want the educational and skill levels of the workforce to grow at the same pace as our industries, and we have measurable results, ways that we can see the return on our investment in terms of training dollars.”

The area’s community colleges, universities and training entities all team up to provide programs for new employees, as well as reeducation and other specialized programs for existing companies. It’s an ongoing, cooperative effort that’s the envy of many other parts of the country, Rojas says.

“We partnered with Texas A&M to help fund a faculty position that expanded their capacity and allowed for 60 additional nurses to be trained there,” she says. “Those are jobs that will stay in the Coastal Bend. We take that kind of high-level approach to looking at our region and all we can do to promote growth by growing our own employee base, and keeping those educated, trained people here.”

The focus is not only on existing employers, but also on industry sectors that are being recruited. This allows for some advance legwork in terms of preparing training and

other programs for a new company’s arrival, says Bud Harris, dean of workforce and economic development at Del Mar College.

“The oil and gas sector, and the fabrication area, are high priorities here,” Harris says. “But health care is now a large sector of the Coastal Bend employment picture. So, we’re preparing people for a lot of different types of jobs. We’ve also moved into the avionics area, with helicopter refurbishing and related jobs, and we’re preparing workers for several other emerging occupations.”

That diversification has helped the area’s employment picture remain stable during the current national downturn, but it’s incumbent on the training and education network to stay on top of trends in order to ensure continued growth, he adds.

“We’ve got some major companies that will begin construction of their operations here in the next year to two years,” Harris says. “That will give us two opportunities: the construction phase and then the actual operations phase.

One of our strengths is meeting the needs of both existing and new business, and in attracting new business. Our collaborative efforts have made that possible, and they will continue to do so. Our hiring, training and recruiting people all work together, and we keep employers in the pipeline. There’s no one component to the workforce development and training areas, and we all recognize that. It’s just that critical to our area’s ongoing success.”

Noteworthy • Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend received the Theodore E. Small Workforce Partnership Award for its collaborative efforts with educators and other entities in the region.

Only one board in the nation is selected for this award.

• Enrolling more than 20,000 credit and noncredit students each year and partnering with local industries and military, Del Mar College provides training using cutting-edge technology to ensure the area’s workforce possess the skills employers need now and for the future.

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BRIAN McCORD

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Clockwise from top: UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter; Col. Joe Dunaway speaks during the Black Hawk unveiling ceremony; Kiewit offshore platforms are built and assembled in the Coastal Bend region.

Better, Faster, Stronger Range of locally made products demonstrates Coastal Bend’s manufacturing versatility Story by Joe Morris

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hile the fabrication industry is hardly new to the Coastal Bend area, innovative companies are bringing a fresh approach to one of the region’s oldest and most successful industry sectors.

Everything from undersea pipe construction to military helicopter refurbishing is on the table, and multiple new projects showcase the area’s ability to not only adapt to change, but to be a catalyst for it as well.

The area’s strong partnerships are an asset.

Such is the case between Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and the federal government, which allows the aviation manufacturer to work with staff at the Corpus Christi army depot to rebuild military helicopters that have seen service in Iraq and other theaters and need to be reconstituted for further use.

“We work solely with the UH-60 Black Hawk and have been in partnership with the CCAD since 2002,” says Rick Golob, program manager of the Sikorsky-CCAD Partnership.

The first production model of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter rolled out of the Corpus Christi Army Depot hangar 44 and into aviators hands during a special ceremony June 25. The unprecedented UH-60 A to L modification increases the Black Hawk’s mission lift, range and load capacity at a time when cost-effective measures are critical.

A major new player is TPCO America Corporation, a subsidiary of Tianjin Pipe Corporation of China. When operational in 2011, the $1 billion facility will produce some 500,000 metric tons of pipe per year on a 250-acre site.

It should bring at least 300 jobs during its first

year of operation, with more people coming online as production continues to ramp up over time.

The facility represents a major Chinese investment in the region and showcases the Coastal Bend’s ability to pull various components together to get a major deal done.

“The cooperative spirit among all the various individuals and entities was a key factor in the selection of this site,” says Zhang Wenfeng, vice president and chief officer. “TPCO believes the workforce in the area will be well qualified to meet our needs. This was a factor we evaluated during site selection.”

A talented workforce also was a consideration for Helix Energy Solutions, which in July 2009 finished a facility in Ingleside that will construct subsea pipelines. These will be welded together in mile-long strings, placed on a special reeling ship and then laid in a single piece on the sea floor, says Joe Mazzola, general manager of shore-based facilities.

“We needed a large site, but it had to be a long, narrow strip of land on a deep-sea channel,” Mazzola says of the operation, which when fully staffed will employ around 150 people.

“We were able to get 120 acres here on the waterfront, so we have quick access to the gulf.

The local governments and other agencies helped us out a lot, and we plan on being a long-term player in the area.”

Other major players include Kiewit Offshore Services and Gulf Marine, which build offshore-drilling platforms; DuPont; Oxy; Sherwin Alumina, which processes bauxite into alumina, and Air Liquide, which supplies various gasses to area industries.

More Insight • Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. dates back to 1925. To date, Sikorsky helicopters have saved an estimated 2 million lives since performing the world’s first helicopter rescue in 1944.

• 25 nations utilize Black Hawk helicopters • 1,200 new Black Hawk’s are planned in the next 25 years • 40 Black Hawk’s are to be recapitalized annually

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Livability

Prosperity in Paradise Coastal cities attract tourism and much more

Story by Kevin Litwin

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ort Aransas has long been a popular tourist destination.

In fact, many of its residents are actually part-timers who primarily live in other cities but own second homes in the seaside resort.

“For example, there are numerous nonresident property owners from all over the state of Texas and beyond who love spending some time in Port Aransas,” says Ann Bracher Vaughan, executive director of the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce/Tourist Bureau.

“We are on the Gulf Coast surrounded by water, the climate is nice, and we have a lot of available land for potential homeowners. It’s an ideal situation.”

Vaughan says Port Aransas isn’t like most idyllic communities that are situated on a coast.

“We have beachfront property that is attractively priced, which makes us unusual and is why there continues

to be much construction activity despite the tough national economy,” she says. “Over the past few years, Port Aransas has enjoyed a big economic boom of new condos and single-family homes built.”

One attractive Port Aransas residential development that began construction in 2009 is Cinnamon Shore, a subdivision that features a Southern Living Idea House – one of only two built in the U.S. in 2009.

Other resort developments that are under construction include La Palmilla and La Joya de Island Moorings.

The city is also home to a recently built Arnold Palmer signature golf course, which is the only links-style course on the Texas Gulf Coast.

“Activities such as deep-sea fishing, birding, beachcombing and water sports are what Port Aransas is primarily known for, but we also have an

Sailing is a fun learning experience in the inlets in Corpus Christi. PHOTO BY BRIAN McCORD

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exemplary and recognized school district,” Vaughan says. “We are also home to the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, which is a research facility for not only the Gulf of Mexico but all oceans and bays throughout the entire world.”

Corpus Christi is also lucky enough to be situated along the gulf.

But besides the tourism aspect, several other factors contribute to the city’s fine quality of life.

“If I was to name the most significant asset for further developing the entire seven-county Coastal Bend regional economy and overall quality of life, it would be the Port of Corpus Christi,” says J.J. Johnston, executive vice president for Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corp. and chairman of the Coastal Bend Regional Marketing Alliance. “It is the sixth largest port in the United States in

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Newport Beach and Golf is a large-scale residential and golf development in Port Aransas. PHOTO BY BRIAN McCORD

Coastal Bend Port Aransas

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terms of tonnage, and is truly the gateway into the entire Coastal Bend region via the Gulf of Mexico.”

Johnston says people think of Corpus Christi and the entire Coastal Bend region as having only two industries that contribute to livability – the tourism sector and the oil refinery business. However, the area also has many developable sites, a large workforce and a good industry mix that is driven by heavy industry, the military, health care, the port and

higher education.

“Right now, there is a total of $7 billion in upcoming capital investments on the Coastal Bend table, so the overall business and industry community is in pretty good shape,” he says. “As for quality of life, we have a symphony orchestra right here in Corpus Christi, and home prices have remained steady in the struggling national economy. It all adds up to Coastal Bend being an excellent place to live, work, play and visit.”

S TA F F P H O T O

Rockport Beach

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Education

Well-Schooled Community colleges, universities anchor economic efforts Story by Joe Morris • Photography by Brian McCord

A

s the Coastal Bend’s business population becomes more varied, thanks to new industries moving in as well as expanding local operations, a well-educated workforce is more vital than ever.

Enter the region’s community colleges and universities, which are not only strong partners with area economic development agencies for workforce development and specialized training, but which also offer community and lifestyle courses for residents who just wish to expand their knowledge.

“We are definitely a part of the economic development fabric of the area,” says Bud Harris, dean of workforce and economic development at Del Mar College. “We prepare individuals not only to enter the workforce, but also to continue on to receive a four-year or advanced degree. But it’s in giving people occupational skills, and working with employers when they introduce new technologies into the area, that we play a critical role.”

Del Mar College, Coastal Bend College and other educators work in tandem with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as feeder schools and as training and education partners. The academic cooperation is much appreciated by the business community, which relies on all these institutions to keep its workforce up to date.

“A very aggressive community will always be bringing in new business, and the university will get you here,” Harris says. “The community colleges will keep you here, because we’re going to provide the individuals and support you’ll need after getting the research and other services from the university. All of us, independently and together, add incredible value to the area.”

For their part, the community colleges also have become adept at drilling down into the next generation of workers, ensuring a steady stream of qualified employees for multiple industries now and into the future. Occupational and

vocational training, as well as dual-credit programs, are offered at Coastal Bend College and others to allow high-school students to take college classes as upperclassmen, thus getting a jump on their college career.

By being as forward thinking as possible now and remaining nimble as new needs arise, the colleges and universities have cemented their place in local business development continuum, Harris says.

“We have so many opportunities now and in the near future in terms of jobs that are going to be very positive for our community,” he says. “Here at Del Mar we have developed many new programs and also have opened a center for economic development, so we can respond to the community by working with employers and agencies throughout the area. We’re working to ensure that they’ve got a good shot at attracting new industries, and I think we have the potential to see many more good things here.”

Texas A&M University-Kingsville

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Energy/Technology

Winds of Change Coastal Bend is on cutting edge of wind-energy industry Story by Kathryn Royster Photography by Brian McCord

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s demand for renewable energy increases, forward-thinking investors, officials and landowners are teaming up to give Coastal Bend a head start on windenergy production.

“In the last couple of years, wind energy has grown tremendously,” says Adam Cohen, Southwest development manager for Eon Climate and Renewables. “It’s gone from being a cottage-type industry to a vital part of our energy mix.”

And Coastal Bend, he says, is a great place for the industry to take root.

“Coastal Bend has huge growth and some of the highest power prices in the country, so there’s a need for a more efficient, price-stabilized power source like wind,” Cohen says.

Furthermore, the region is equipped to meet two of the renewable-energy industry’s greatest challenges: storage and transmission. Coastal Bend’s wind flow is highest at peak demand times, making significant storage unnecessary.

And transmission lines with plenty of available capacity are located close to potential wind-farm sites.

Recognizing the area’s potential, Eon began scouting Coastal Bend sites in 2005. With support from forwardthinking officials around the region, the company then embarked on an ambitious

E.ON Climate & Renewables North America chose San Patricio County as home to its new wind farm operation.

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plan to build a number of wind farms in the South Texas area by 2012.

The first two wind farms are scheduled for completion by 2010.

Together, they will generate about 400 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 118,000 homes.

“We’ve had help from so many directions,” Cohen says. “Senators, representatives, city and county governments, economic development agencies, local colleges and school districts, the Texas Farm Bureau, the Port of Corpus Christi – they’ve all been very supportive.”

Such support is not surprising, given the tremendous long-term benefits wind energy brings to the region.

“Setting up a wind farm is not like drilling for oil or gas – our turbines are going to run for 30 years,” Cohen says.

“We consider ourselves a permanent member of these communities.”

As of summer 2009, Eon had already hired 150 local employees and spent $18 million on local contracts. Since the company offers a set fuel price over the life of its turbines, local residents should see a decrease in their electric bills. And the farmers whose lands

house the turbines now have a guaranteed source of yearly income.

“That means they can keep farming, even if they have a year of bad crops,” Cohen says.

The overall result is a renewed sense of community pride.

“These communities are part of something that’s the future of the country – it has a benefit not just for them but also for their children and future generations,” Cohen says.

“Renewable energy is going to fuel America’s continued growth, and to be at the forefront of that is really exciting.”

STATS

10000

7%

Installed Wind Energy Capacity (MW) Top Five States

8% 39%

8000

23%

6000 23%

4000 PRIMARY ENERGY USE Petroleum: 39%

2000

Natural Gas: 23% Coal: 23% Nuclear Electric Power: 8% Renewable Energy: 7% Source: Texas Wind Facts

0 Washington Minnesota California Iowa Texas MORE AT IMAGESCOASTALBEND.COM

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Transportation

Coastal Bend Keeps the 21st Century Moving By sea, road, rail and air – accessibility is an asset here

Transportation Assets • Three strong rail providers • Nueces County and San Patricio County Rural Transportation Districts • Joe Fulton Corridor • LaQuinta Trade Gateway • Pollution Prevention Partnership • Corpus Christi bond issue for street improvement • Nueces County bond issue for county road improvement • TX DOT US 77 improvement plans • San Patricio upgrade of FM roads • Port Avenue • Inland Port of Americas Robstown • SH281 Project

Story by Danny Bonvissuto

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hile most of the rest of the country – and the world – is focusing on ways to reduce transportation congestion, Coastal Bend is part of the solution with port, highway, airport and rail enhancements.

“Our port is a very active, very forwardthinking organization,” says Tom Niskala, director of transportation planning for the Corpus Christi Metropolitan Planning Organization. “We’re a strategic military deployment port – one of five in the country – and a major port for wind turbine installations.

All the tanks and Humvees were loaded onto ships here and transported to Iraq or Afghanistan, and they’ll come back though here, too.”

Based directly on the water, and with Interstate 37 ending in Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend is poised to be the next great commercial hub. A new container facility called La Quinta that would allow for increased growth in container trade is planned for completion in 2014. And major highway improvements are in the works to accommodate the increased traffic from freight expansion with Cuba and Mexico.

“An incredible amount of goods and services are still coming out of Mexico into Texas,” Niskala says. “Work is under way to develop an interstate-level highway between Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley. Ultimately that portion of the interstate highway may become part of the Interstate 69 development from Texas all

the way to the northern United States.”

The area is served by three Class 1 railroads: Union Pacific, Kansas City Southern and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. The port also has its own short-line railroad called the Corpus Christi Terminal. Again, Coastal Bend has an eye on the future. “There are two rural rail districts looking at improvements in the two-county area that would serve agricultural and commercial interests,” Niskala says.

“They’re in the planning stages now.”

But the ground isn’t the only place getting a futuristic facelift. In addition to aggressive improvements in the local street system, the Corpus Christi International Airport is enjoying its own growth spurt. “Extension of the runway is in the planning stages, and there’s a commercial development program for property at the airport in the works,” Niskala says. “Additional tenants are being accommodated with new facilities at the airport, including the U.S. Coast Guard, immigration officials and other government agencies.”

For countries looking to move goods and services in and out of the United States, Coastal Bend’s location isn’t the end; it’s the beginning.

“Coastal Bend has consistently grown at a rate the infrastructure can handle that growth,” Niskala says. “It’s truly a multi-modal city.

Congestion levels are manageable, and work continues to make sure we maintain the level of mobility we enjoy.”

Clockwise from top: Corpus Christi International Airport; train engine from the Corpus Christi Terminal Railroad; The Joe Fulton International Trade Corridor

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BRIAN McCORD

BRIAN McCORD

S TA F F P H O T O

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Health

Comprehensive Care CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Beeville expands in size and services

Staff at CHRISTUS Spohn

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Story by Betsy Williams

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estled among the trees in historic Bee County is CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Beeville. The beautifully renovated 69-bed rural hospital provides general and specialized services that allow residents to receive quality medical treatment close to home.

One of the largest employers in the county, the original Bee County Hospital was built in 1964, becoming part of the CHRISTUS Spohn Health System that serves the Coastal Bend region in the mid-1990s.

Several upgrades have been made to the Beeville facility in recent years, including a second-story hospital addition, a new emergency room and intensive care and obstetrics units.

The $6 million addition, built in partnership with Bee County in 2001, added three operating rooms, eight out-patient rooms and updated patient rooms throughout the hospital. Recent renovations include a new admitting area and comprehensive radiology.

The hospital is supported by more than 20 physicians practicing family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics, gynecology, pulmonology and radiology. “The community and the hospital are blessed to have a wide range of specialists who serve our rural population,� says Jerry Rodriguez, vice president and chief operating officer of the Beeville hospital.

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Beeville is a Level IV Trauma Center, providing 24-hour emergency and ICU services for critically ill or injured patients, and stabilizing some 16,500 patients in the ER each year. The hospital employs a trained ER physician around the clock, and partners with Halo-Flight and regional emergency medical services to facilitate timely transport of all critical care and trauma patients to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus ChristiMemorial, the region’s only Level II Trauma Center south of San Antonio.

In addition, the hospital provides complete diagnostic services; the women’s care unit includes nine birthing suites and a full-service

nursery that is connected to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi-South’s Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit by Halo-Flight and EMS. Pediatric care is offered by several primary care physicians and a pediatric specialist. “Parents with children who become ill and require hospitalization can rest assured that the care they receive is equal to that of much larger hospitals,� Rodriguez says. “Convenience, quality and compassion

are the cornerstones of care bestowed on each and every patient.�

In- and outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy are provided on the hospital campus.

The hospital also offers comprehensive wound care services.

CHRISTUS Spohn Health System provides services to the Coastal Bend region through six faith-based hospitals, a cancer center, various health centers and a mobile clinic.

Programs Oered: Welding Pipefitting Instrumentation Industrial Painting Scaffolding DOL Registered Apprenticeship Programs: Electrical Plumbing

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ECONOMIC PROFILE BUSINESS CLIMATE The 12-county Coastal Bend features a diversified economy that includes a robust oil-and-gas sector, military presence and major transportation assets including the Port of Corpus Christi. The region has gained numerous accolades as a top draw for retirees, for its low housing costs, job creation, entrepreneurship and technology innovation.

POPULATION (2008) REGION, 559,249 Aransas, 24,900 Bee, 32,661 Brooks, 7,549 Duval, 12,033 Jim Wells, 41,069 Kenedy, 388 Kleberg, 30,739 Live Oak, 11,247 McMullen, 837 Nueces, 322,077 Refugio, 7,350 San Patricio, 68,399 Texas, 24,326,974

Corpus Christi ISD, 5,178 HEB, 5,000 Corpus Christi Army Depot, 3,541 City of Corpus Christi, 3,171 Bay Ltd., 2,100 Del Mar College, 1,542 Corpus Christi Medical Center, 1,300 First Data Corporation, 1,200 Whataburger Corporate Offices, 1,115

LABOR FORCE STATISTICS (2007) REGION, 264,838

MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS Corpus Christi, 285,507 Kingsville, 24,391 Alice, 19,759 Portland, 16,408

MAJOR EMPLOYERS Naval Air Station-Corpus Christi, 5,525 Christus Spohn Health System, 5,400

Aransas, 11,019 Bee, 11,330 Brooks, 3,077 Duval, 5,180 Jim Wells, 21,251 Kenedy, 245 Kleberg, 16,226 Live Oak, 5,079 McMullen, 334

Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation www.ccredc.com

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Refugio County Community Development Foundation www.refugiocountytx.org Robstown Area Development Commission www.robstownadc.com San Patricio County Economic Development Foundation www.sanpatricioedc.com

Craft Training Center www.ctccb.org

Texas A&M Corpus Christi www.tamucc.edu

Del Mar College www.delmar.edu

Texas A&M Kingsville www.tamuk.edu

Hilton Garden Inn www.stayhgi.com

Workforce Solutions – Coastal Bend www.coastalworksource.com

COASTAL BEND

REGION, $35,558 Aransas, $38,281 Bee, $34,714 Brooks, $24,208 Duval, $29,968 Jim Wells, $35,528 Kenedy, $30,581 Kleberg, $37,008 Live Oak, $39,814 McMullen, $37,661

KEY INDUSTRY SECTORS Government, 19% Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 17% Educational & Health Services, 16% Mining, Logging & Construction, 12% Leisure & Hospitality, 11% Professional & Business Services, 9% Manufacturing, 6% Other Services, 4% Financial Activities, 4%

For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on Coastal Bend, go to imagescoastalbend.com and click on Economic Profile.

visit our

City of Ingleside www.inglesidetx.gov

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2007)

What’s Onlinee

advertisers Christus Spohn Health System www.christusspohn.org

Nueces, 157,371 Refugio, 3,822 San Patricio, 29,409 Texas, 11,492,422

Ad Index 4 CHRISTUS SPOHN H E A LT H SYS T E M

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