Important announcements, resources, events & recent news.



Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page [ [link removed] ].

The Governor's Texas Business Bulletin, Economic Development and Tourism

Dear Texas Economic Development Stakeholders,

Happy *Economic Development Week [ [link removed] ]* to all of our partners across the state! We are so proud to recognize the many local and regional chambers, EDOs and our state agency partners for the role they play in supporting our communities, growing the state economy and increasing prosperity for all Texans. It's thanks to your efforts that Texas is peerless when it comes to our success in economic development, and we want to say thank you for all you do for this great state! Find more on the importance of Economic Development Week in Texas in the bulletin below.

We are also proud to announce that for a record-breaking 20th year in a row, Texas has been named the Best State for Business [ [link removed] ] in the nation! AND we are again leading the nation in annual job creation, according to the latest jobs news from March [ [link removed] ].

In this issue of the Texas Business Bulletin, you'll find new resources and publications, our economic snapshot, recent meetings and upcoming events, as well as project announcements across the state. 

As always, please be sure to visit our website [ [link removed] ], follow us on social media or reach out to a member of our team [ [link removed] ] if we can be of any assistance!

Image

"-Adriana Cruz, Executive Director, Texas Economic Development & Tourism"

________________________________________________________________________


ImageImage

*Unemployment Rate: *3.9%

*Workforce:* 15.2 million

*U.S. Rank in Annual Job Growth: *#1

See full economic snapshot › [ [link removed] ]
Image
________________________________________________________________________



*Happy Economic Development Week!*

Economic Development Week in Texas celebrates economic development efforts across the entire state and increases awareness of local programs and economic development professionals who are helping to build a bigger, better Texas!

Our state's dedicated economic developers work to bring new investment and create new jobs, advance economic opportunities and improve quality of life in communities across Texas.

We are excited to share Governor Greg Abbott's official proclamation [ [link removed] ] and special message [ [link removed] ] highlighting Economic Development Week in Texas.

2024 Small Business Week in Texas [ [link removed] ]

*
Ready to join the celebration?*


* Follow us on social media and join in throughout the week by using the official hashtag *#EconDevWeekTexas* in your own promotions.
* Sign up for our *Texas Business Bulletin* [ [link removed] ] and *Resource Provider Updates* [ [link removed] ] to stay in the know about new resources from our office.
* Visit our website for the latest resources, economic data, reports, publications and general information for economic development partners: *gov.texas.gov/business* [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________



Hot off the Press

Our office develops in-depth reports, publications, infographics and maps highlighting the Lone Star State's best assets for business and targeted growth sectors. Check out more Reports & Publications [ [link removed] ] on our website.

Image [ [link removed] ]

*Texas Economic Development Guide [ [link removed] ]
*The new Texas Economic Development Guide is here! Texas is drawing companies from across the U.S. and around the world with our superior business climate, robust infrastructure and world-class workforce. Learn more about Texas' unique competitive business advantages and check out interviews with Governor Greg Abbott and EDT Executive Director Adriana Cruz.



________________________________________________________________________



New Team Member

Image

*Laurel Davies *recently joined the Business & Community Development Team as a Marketing Specialist. Laurel is a Texas Tech University alum with a dual degree in Marketing and Management. She has prior experience working at a San Antonio-based advertising agency and brings a background in Chambers of Commerce and CVBs. Eagerly jumping into the role, she looks forward to bringing her expertise to support the office’s mission of promoting Texas as not only the best place to grow and start a business, but as the best place to live and raise a family. A proud New Braunfels local, Laurel can be found shopping at local boutiques, listening to live music or indulging in the local food and beverage scene over the weekends. You may contact Laurel through our online staff directory [ [link removed] ].



________________________________________________________________________



Small Business Export Assistance Opportunity

*Farnborough International Airshow I July 22-26, 2024*

Texas companies are invited to apply to join the Texas Pavilion at the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA). FIA is an international aviation and aerospace exhibition located outside of London, England, highlighting the newest technologies of the aerospace industry and related equip­ment, such as aircraft engines, satellite navigation technology, aircraft cabins, seats, weapons systems and more. As an exhibitor, you will:


* Showcase your product or service to thousands of participants at this industry-leading, global trade show
* Gain visibility among influential decision makers
* Form valuable partnerships with leading aviation and aerospace companies

Learn More [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________


ImageImage
Image [ [link removed] ]

In April, Exfluor celebrated the groundbreaking of a new 33,000-square-foot expansion to its headquarters in Round Rock.

Image

Texas' success in attracting the most corporate expansion and relocation projects in the U.S. is thanks to a unique combination of competitive business advantages that no other state can claim. For more on these business advantages, visit our Why Texas [ [link removed] ] webpages. Here are some recently announced projects in regions across the state:


* Crystal Window & Door Systems in Mansfield [ [link removed] ]: Crystal Window & Door Systems, Ltd. is growing in Texas with a new advanced manufacturing facility and regional corporate headquarters in Mansfield. The project is expected to create more than 500 new jobs and $121 million in capital investment. A Texas Enterprise Fund grant of $3,150,000 was extended to the company, in addition to a $15,000 Veteran Created Job Bonus.
* FreshRealm in Lancaster [ [link removed] ]: FreshRealm will open a new $10.5 million facility in Lancaster, creating more than 112 new jobs. A Texas Enterprise Fund grant of $672,000 was extended to the company, in addition to a $15,000 Veteran Created Job Bonus.
* Coca-Cola in Fort Worth and Houston [ [link removed] ]: Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages plans to ramp up production and double its warehouse space in Fort Worth, representing a $168 million capital investment. The company also expanded in Houston, investing more than $250 million on a recently opened plant.
*

Rich Products in Brownsville [ [link removed] ]: Rich Products will expand its manufacturing facility in Brownsville with a $117 million expansion in two phases and the creation of more than 130 full-time jobs.


* Exfluor in Round Rock [ [link removed] ]: Exfluor, a chemical research and manufacturing company, broke ground on a 33,000-square-foot expansion to its headquarters in Round Rock.

More recent announcements › [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________



Upcoming Small Business Summits

Join us at an upcoming Governor's Small Business Summit! These events aim to help Texas small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs reach new heights by connecting them with the resources and information needed to start, strengthen and grow a business. This event offers a variety of sessions bringing together local, state and federal resource partners to provide key insights on critical business topics. It's also an opportunity to network with other business owners and meet experts who will share timely, relevant and actionable advice on a multitude of small business topics. 


* *May 30*: Governor’s Small Business Summit — *Round Rock* [ [link removed] ]
* *June 13*: Governor’s Small Business Summit — *Pampa* [ [link removed] ]
* *June 27*: Governor’s Small Business Summit — *Lufkin / East Texas* [ [link removed] ]
* *July 18*: Governor’s Small Business Summit — *Galveston / Gulf Coast* [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________



Tourism Week: May 19-25, 2024

The travel and tourism industry is a critical driver of the Texas economy.

This year’s National Travel and Tourism Week theme is “Travel. Powering the Economy. Connecting America,” which celebrates how the travel industry powers the economy, connects our people, creates quality job opportunities and supports our communities.

Travelers to and within Texas spent $94.8 billion while exploring destinations across the state in 2023. This spending created an economic impact of $193.8 billion, which supported 1.3 million Texas jobs and $72.9 billion in travel generated earnings. Roughly 1 in 11 jobs statewide was created by travel.

Visit the Travel Texas [ [link removed] ] website to learn more about this important industry for our state!

________________________________________________________________________


Imagewhite spacerImage

*"“It ain’t bragging if it's true!” Here are some of the recent accolades Texas has received:"*


* For a record-breaking 20th year in a row, Texas has been named the *Best State for Business *by Chief Executive Magazine [ [link removed] ].
* Texas is the* #1 state to launch a business in 2024*, taking the top spot thanks to strong new business growth and an influx of educated workers. (SimplifyLLC [ [link removed] ])
* Texas cities are among the *Best Large Cities to Start a Business* in 2024, according to WalletHub [ [link removed] ]: Fort Worth (#7), Austin (#8), Arlington (#12), Dallas (#14), Lubbock (#16) and more!
* Four Texas metros rank among *America's Most Dynamic Metropolitans*: Midland (#2), Austin (#3), Odessa (#14) and Bryan-College Station (#20). (Heartland Forward [ [link removed] ])
* The following counties were among the top 10 for *highest level of net domestic migration in the U.S*. in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau [ [link removed] ]: Montgomery, Collin, Denton, Williamson and Fort Bend.

Download the latest Top Texas Touts [ [link removed] ] to your phone for talking points you can take on-the-go—everything from economic expansion, job creation, workforce, industry, infrastructure, education and more. 

________________________________________________________________________



Recent Meetings & Events

*Meeting with Samsung*

Image

Governor Greg Abbott met with Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd. President and CEO Kye Hyun Kyung and other executives at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin to celebrate Samsung’s continued partnership with Texas and investment of more than $40 billion in fabrication facilities in the state. We look forward to continuing to work with Samsung to lead America’s chip resurgence from Texas! Read more in the Governor's press release [ [link removed] ].

Image

*LCRA Peaker Power Plant Groundbreaking*

Image

Governor Greg Abbott celebrated Texas expanding access to affordable and reliable power at a groundbreaking ceremony in Maxwell for the two new Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) peaker power plants, which will add hundreds of megawatts of power to the Texas electric grid. Read more in the Governor's press release [ [link removed] ].

Image

*Texas Venture Gala & Forum*

Image

At the Texas Venture Forum in April, EDT Executive Director Adriana Cruz spoke about "Texas & Texas-Sized Innovation" and was joined on a panel by President & CEO of the Texas Economic Development Corporation, Aaron Demerson, and the Texas Association of Business President & CEO Glenn Hamer.

white spacer

*Innovation for Progress: Austin Summit*

Image

In April, EDT Executive Director Adriana Cruz participated in the Innovation for Progress: Austin Summit to speak about preparing businesses for the future of technology, people and innovation. Adriana was joined on a panel by Anthony Porter, Chief Operations Officer at Muzes.ai, and Vik Kumar, Director of Strategy Innovation at Oracle.

Image

*State of Small Business*

Image

To kick off Small Business Week in Texas, EDT Executive Director Adriana Cruz spoke as a keynote speaker and joined a panel for the City of Austin Economic Development’s State of Small Business event on April 29. The event highlighted the importance of small businesses to our state and resources to help entrepreneurs thrive.

Image

*Meeting with Dallas Regional Chamber*

Image

In March, EDT Executive Director Adriana Cruz and North Texas Community Relations Specialist Janie Havel met with the Dallas Regional Chamber Economic Development Council. They provided an update on our office's activities and resources as well as an overview of business development in Texas. We appreciate the strong partnership between EDT and our North Texas community partners!

Image

*Governor's Small Business Summit — Weslaco*

Image

The Small Business Assistance Team kicked off this year's series of events in April with a sold-out Governor's Small Business Summit in Weslaco! The event featured guest speakers and panelists on a multitude of small business topics including generational differences in small business leadership, building blocks of franchise ownership, women-owned business resources and more. See more photos [ [link removed] ] from the event.

Image

*Governor's Small Business Summit — Corpus Christi*

Image

The Governor's Small Business Summit — Corpus Christi took place April 18 and connected more than 200 participants with state, local and federal resource providers, subject-matter experts and area entrepreneurs. These events are designed to help small business owners take their business to new heights! See more photos [ [link removed] ] from the event.

________________________________________________________________________



Join Our Team!
Image

Interested in working with the best state economic development team in the country and helping grow the Lone Star State's economy? Come join our team! There are multiple positions for experienced professionals in Business & Community Development (BCD), Economic Development Finance (EDF), Texas Music Office (TMO), Texas Film Commission (TFC) and other divisions. Here's a select sampling of open positions:


* Regional Representative - Panhandle (BCD) [ [link removed] ]
*

Project Development Coordinator (BCD) [ [link removed] ]


* Senior Financial Analyst (EDF) [ [link removed] ]
* Community Relations & Outreach Specialist (TMO) [ [link removed] ]
* Production Incentives Specialist (TFC) [ [link removed] ]

For more information on available positions, visit gov.texas.gov/employment [ [link removed] ].

________________________________________________________________________


news
Image

*New Advanced Manufacturing Training Center [ [link removed] ]
*Governor Greg Abbott celebrated the groundbreaking of Texas A&M University’s South Texas Workforce Development Project advanced manufacturing training facility near the Port of Brownsville and lauded the state’s efforts to bring high-quality training programs to hardworking Texans.



Image

*Partnership in Semiconductor Workforce Development [ [link removed] ]
*A new partnership with The University of Texas at Austin, Austin Community College District and Texas Institute for Electronics will make Central Texas a premier hub for workforce development in the semiconductor industry. The joint program will address skill sets ranging from equipment technicians to semiconductor engineers.







The Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office markets Texas as
one of the world's premier business locations and travel destinations.
For more information on doing business in Texas, visit us online at gov.texas.gov/business [ [link removed] ].



Sign up for our other e-newsletters! Visit our subscription page [ [link removed] ] for more information.

Twitter [ [link removed] ] Facebook [ [link removed] ] Instagram [ [link removed] ] YouTube [ [link removed] ] LinkedIn [ [link removed] ]



Subscribe and Manage Subscriptions [ [link removed] ] • Opt Out of Receiving These Emails [ [link removed] ]



GovDelivery [ [link removed] ], Inc. sending on behalf of the Office of the Governor · P.O. Box 12428 · Austin TX 78711-2428 · 800-843-5789