MEDC committed 56 companies and created 4,216 jobs.
Faced with unemployment in the mid 20’s, an agricultural economy decimated with two freezes, and the devaluation of the Mexican peso due to lower Mexico oil prices, the McAllen Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) was founded by Mike Allen.
MEDC strategic objectives were to diversify the economy, improve relations with Mexico, and improve the profitability of the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ)
MEDC quickly grew to 6 employees and our current President, Keith Patridge, joined the organization
In order to compete with low wages in Asian countries such as Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, MEDC focused on recruiting manufacturing companies to Reynosa, Mexico. This gave birth to the booming maquila industries in Reynosa and allowed supplier companies to set up operations in McAllen
Whirlpool became one of the first companies to commit approximately 30,000 sq. ft
MEDC committed 288 companies and created 43,268 jobs.
Keith and the leadership team traveled to different cities across the country conducting as many as 5 Hit and Run Seminars to recruit businesses to McAllen/Reynosa metro
First students enroll at South Texas Community College to provide industry needed skills
McAllen International airport is expanded with the addition of Continental Airlines and American Airlines
McAllen named “All American City” which was given to communities that demonstrate the following: civic engagement, collaboration, inclusion and innovation to address local issues
McAllen ranked 3rd fastest growing metroplex in the country and is the first MSA with job growth in excess of 23% for 5 years in Forbes Magazine
MEDC committed 5 North American company headquarters to McAllen Reynosa metro
McAllen ranked as the 4th top performing city in Milken Institute & one of the top performing metros post recession in Brookings Institute
City of McAllen celebrates 100 years (1911-2011)
McAllen ISD was named College Ready Gold Performance Acknowledgement School District and Top 25 district with highest number of students applying to Texas Colleges
UT – Pan American merges with UT – Brownsville to become University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV)
UTRGV School of Medicine opens in 2018 with the inaugural class of 2022
Master planned Community Tres Lagos is formed and Texas A&M University opens
