[00:00:07]
[Approval of Minutes ]
HAVE OUR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OF NOVEMBER 28TH AS OF 1ST ITEM.DO WE HAVE A MOTION. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.
>> PELAEZ: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[Briefing and Possible Action on the following items ]
(AYES.) >> PELAEZ: THAT WAS UNANIMOUS.
SECOND, WE ARE NOW GOING TO CONSIDER FOUR AT-LARGE APPOINTMENTS TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION. WHO'S UP?
>> WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO REQUEST IF WE COULD MOVE THIS ITEM TO THE
LAST ON THE AGENDA. >> PELAEZ: OKAY. AND THEN TAKE UP SATX.
>> YES, PLEASE. >> PELAEZ: OUR NEXT ITEM WILL BE THE SATX SERVICE AGREEMENT AND THEIR 2024 OPERATIONS PLAN. ALEX, BRENDA?
>> CLERK: SIR, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
>> HICKS-SORENSON: GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE. THANK YOU, CHAIR, I'M BRENDA HICKS-SORENSON WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE SATX. OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, GREATER SATX IS A PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT ASSISTS BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY RELOCATING OR EXPANDING IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA.
I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOLLOWING THEIR 2020 REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, WE AT THE CITY DID MOVE THEIR CONTRACT STARTING WITH THE 2021 CONTRACT TO A PERFORMANCE-BASED PAYMENT STRUCTURE.
YOU'LL SEE THE IMPACT OF THAT WHEN OUR COLLEAGUE PRESENTS THE 2023 PERFORMANCE AND, OF COURSE, THE 2024 CONTRACT THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR -- IT'S ALSO A REALLY FUN WEEK WITH ME, THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH GREATER SATX. TOMORROW WILL BE THAT DATE AND SO VERY EXCITED TO BE WITH THIS GROUP TODAY TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'VE BEEN THIS PAST YEAR AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED IN 2024 AND ALL OF THE WAYS WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AS WE ADVANCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE IN THE R REJORN.
REGION. SO FIRST AS A RECALIBRATION, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW OUR ORGANIZATION PRETTY WELL, BUT OUR MISSION IS QUITE SIMPLE. YOU KNOW, WE EXIST TO SUPPORT THE DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR ECONOMY THROUGH RECRUITING AND RETAINING EMPLOYERS THAT WILL LEAD TO JOB CREATION HERE FOR SAN ANTONIO.
SIMPLY PUT, OUR STRATEGY IS BASED ON THE IDEA THAT IF WE INVEST IN OUR PEOPLE AND IN OUR PLACE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO BRING JOB CREATING INVESTMENTS INTO THE COMMUNITY HERE WITHIN OUR REGION. AND FORGIVE ME, THE ALLERGY SEASON IS AT LARGE HERE AND IMPACTING ME.
SO 2023 MARKED THE MIDPOINT OF OUR FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING THAT PLAN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE MOVING FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TOWARDS OUR 2025 GOALS. YOU CAN SEE HERE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THOSE 2025 GOALS THAT WE ARE AIMING TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF 30,000 NEW TARGET INDUSTRY JOBS, $5 BILLION IN CAPITAL INVETION. INVESTMENT INTO THE COMMUNITY. ALL OF THOSE TOGETHER WOULD HAVE A COMBINED TOTAL IMPACT OF 55 BILLION. SO AFTER THE EVALUATION, WE FEEL THAT THE PILLARS, THE JOBS, PEOPLE, PLACE ELEMENTS OF OUR STRATEGY ARE STILL SOUND, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING IN THAT DIRECTION. WE WILL HAVE A FEW TWEAKS IN WAYS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR WORK, AND SOME THINGS THAT WE HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO IMPLEMENT THAT WILL BE REFLECTED IN OUR -- IN OUR 2024 WORK PLAN.
OKAY. SO PROGRESS TO DATE, THIS IS JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF THOSE KEY GOALS THAT WE'VE OUTLINED AND WHERE WE STAND TO DATE.
SO WE LAUNCHED THIS PLAN IN 2021. SINCE THAT DATE, WE'VE ANNOUNCED OVER -- ALMOST 12,000 JOBS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
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WE HAVE ANNOUNCED ALMOST $5 BILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT ALREADY TODAY, SO WE ARE WELL ON TRACK FOR THOSE PRIMARY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.YOU'LL SEE HERE THE WAGE NUMBER, THE 67% OF JOBS ABOVE THE MEDIAN FOR THE ZIP CODE, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND THE CRITICAL ELEMENT IN HOW WE ARE REEVALUATING AND WORKING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN TO DRIVE-IN VESTMENTS THAT ARE CREATING NOT ONLY SIMPLY JOBS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, BUT GOOD QUALITY JOBS. AND IT TAKES TIME TO TURN THAT NUMBER. WHEN HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON JOBS THAT MAYBE WEREN'T MEETING THOSE QUALITY MEASURES, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING STEADILY TO CHANGE THAT. AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT REFLECTED IN THE PIPELINE AS WE DIG IN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
SO CONTINUING ON, LOOKING AT THIS PAST YEAR, I ALREADY MENTIONED THE HIGH-LEVEL NUMBERS THERE, BUT IN 2023, WE ANNOUNCED 18 WINS HERE WITHIN THE REGION THAT INTRODUCED JUST UNDER 3,000 NEW JOBS TO THE COMMUNITY AND JUST UNDER $1 BILLION IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURES TO THE REGION.
WE CONDUCTED LAST YEAR 37 MARKETING INITIATIVES AROUND THE WORLD, AND WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH MORE THAN 2,000 COMPANIES THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THAT ULTIMATELY LED US TO ADDING 1200 OF THOSE COMPANIES INTO OUR NEW LEAD GENERATION PIPELINE.
THAT WAS A SUPER AMBITIOUS GOAL THAT I THINK WE WERE -- I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT WHEN I FIRST PUT OUT THERE, 1200 NEW LEADS FOR ANY ORGANIZATION IN ANY GIVEN YEAR IS A BIG NUMBER, BUT I'M REALLY PROUD TO SAY THAT THE TEAM ACHIEVED THAT, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR FUTURE PIPELINE. OKAY. SO, AGAIN, AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR PILLARS OF WORK AND ACTIVITY AS WE HEAD INTO 2024, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES THAT WILL -- WE'LL HIGHLIGHT HERE FOR YOU. BUT AS WE KICK OFF THE YEAR, I THINK JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF WHAT IS IN OUR EXISTING ECONOMIC PIPELINE MIGHT BE HELPFUL. WE HAVE 73 TOTAL ACTIVE PROJECTS TODAY SITTING IN OUR PIPELINE THAT OUR TEAM IS SUPPORTING. IF ALL OF THOSE WERE TO LAND WITHIN OUR REGION, IT WOULD BE 10,000 NEW JOBS, AND OVER $7 BILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT. IN 2023, AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE REALLY SUPPORTED EFFORTS AROUND AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT, ONE OF OUR CRITICAL PLACE FACTORS. REALLY LEANED IN ON TALENT PIPELINE INITIATIVES, AGAIN, ANOTHER CRITICAL ELEMENT OF OUR STRATEGY, AND THEN REALLY LEANED IN AS WELL ON MARKETING SAN ANTONIO TO THE WORLD THROUGH OUR CAMPAIGN EFFORTS. SO ALL OF THAT IS REALLY LEADING US TO A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE BELIEVE THAT GLOBAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BE THE CRITICAL ELEMENT OF OUR 2024 PLAN WHERE WE LEAN IN MORE HEAVILY.
RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE WORLD, THERE'S A LOT OF GEOPOLITICAL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IMPACTING BUSINESS, AND A LOT OF THOSE COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE LOOKING TO THE UNITED STATES AND SAYING, WE NEED TO BE OPERATING IN THE U.S. MARKET. ONE, THERE'S A LOT OF FEDERAL DOLLARS COMING INTO THE MARKET. TWO, IT'S A STABLE MARKET WHERE COMPANIES KNOW THAT THEY CAN SIT -- HAVE THAT SENSE OF STABILITY, EVEN IN AN ELECTION YEAR, IN THE UNITED STATES THERE WILL BE A SENSE OF STABILITY FOR A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES. AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE INCREASED LOOKS FROM GLOBAL COMPANIES HERE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO SPEAKING TO THAT POINT, AGAIN, AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS NEXT YEAR'S PLAN, WE ARE EXCITED TO REALLY LEAN IN AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE STARTED THIS YEAR WITH OUR 1200 NEW LEADS THAT WE ADDED INTO OUR PIPELINE THIS LAST YEAR, AND CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND TALK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES IN SAN ANTONIO TO TRY TO DRIVE THOSE TO BE PROJECTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE ADDING AT LEAST 400 NEW LEADS IN OUR TARGET METRICS FOR THE YEAR. WE HAVE 32 PLANNED MARKETING ACTIVATIONS AND MISSIONS OUTBOUND FROM SAN ANTONIO INTO OUR TARGET MARKETS, TARGETING COMPANIES WITHIN OUR KEY INDUSTRY SECTORS. SO YOU'LL SEE US THIS YEAR IN CANADA, GERMANY, JAPAN, I ACTUALLY RETURNED JUST TWO DAYS AGO FROM INDIA, MEXICO, SOUTH KOREA, POTENTIALLY TAIWAN, WE CAN SPEAK TO
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THAT AT ANOTHER POINT, UNITED KINGDOM AND THEN, OF COURSE, DOMESTICALLY CALIFORNIA, ILLINOIS, NEW YORK, AND WASHINGTON, D.C. ARE OUR PRIMARY MARKETS. ALL OF THOSE MARKETS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BECAUSE OF THEIR STRENGTHS WITHIN OUR KEY TARGET INDUSTRY SECTORS.SO WE ARE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT WHERE ARE COMPANIES THAT WOULD BENEFIT BEING AN ADDITION TO THE SAN ANTONIO REGION'S ECONOMY WITHIN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, WITHIN BIOSCIENCES, WITHIN CYBERSECURITY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL SERVICES AND, OF COURSE, SELECT HEADQUARTERS OPERATIONS. SO EACH OF THOSE MARKETS FIT ONE OF THOSE CORE TARGET INDUSTRIES FOR US, AND WE DEVELOP OUT PLANS TO GET IN FRONT OF COMPANIES THAT ALIGN WITH THAT FOR EACH OF THOSE TRIPS. WE ALSO HAVE LEAD GENERATION CONTRACTS THAT WE EXECUTE AND EACH OF OUR TARGET INTERNATIONAL MARKETS THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE, SO SPECIFICALLY SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN, GERMANY AND THE UNITED KINGDOM, AS WELL AS CANADA ARE WHERE WE HAVE THOSE CONTRACTS.
AND WE'RE UNDERTAKING FEASIBILITY CONTRACT RELATED TO INDIA SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND BETTER, IF THAT'S A MARKET THAT WE COULD SUSTAINABLY MANAGE FINANCIALLY MOVING FORWARD. I THINK THE OTHER CRITICAL SHIFT IN WHAT YOU'LL SEE FROM US THIS YEAR IS AROUND BUSINESS ADVANCEMENT. THIS IS A TERM YOU ALL ARE FREQUENTLY FAMILIAR WITH AS BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION. WHAT WE HAVE DONE AS AN ORGANIZATION IS SAID, BUSINESS RETENTION/EXPANSION IS ABOUT MORE THAN SIMPLY BEING AT THE TABLE TO HELP A COMPANY WITH THAT -- THEM WITH WORKFORCE. THAT IS THEIR NUMBER ONE ISSUE.
WE WANT TO HELP THEM SOLVE OTHER PLACE-RELATED CHALLENGES LIKE AIR SERVICE CONNECTIVITY OR OTHER ISSUES. AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS REALLY PULLED THIS INTO A SINGLE FUNCTION WITHIN OUR TEAM THAT ROMA NOVERO IS GOING TO BE LEADING MOVING FORWARD. OF COURSE I THOUGHT WE HAD TO PUT A CORE STRATEGY LINE ITEM IN CALLED WIN PROJECTS.
THIS IS WHERE WE HOPE TO GET THOSE PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT ACROSS THE FIN LISCH LINE SO WE CAN SELL BRACE MORE WINS AS WE MOVE INTO NEXT YEAR.
THAT ACTIVE MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND GETTING THOSE PROJECTS RIGHT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF ALL OF OUR WORK HERE AT GREATER SATX. YOU'LL CONTINUE TO SEE US LEAN IN ON RESEARCH AND DATA ANALYTICS. EVERY MARKETING EFFORT THAT WE UNDERTAKE HAS TO BE UNDERSCORED BY DATA, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT IS WHAT'S GOING TO ULTIMATELY SUPPORT A COMPANY IN THEIR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
WE WILL CONTINUE ALSO TO LOOK AT READY SITES. THAT IS A MAJOR FACTOR FOR COMPANIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING EXPANDING INTO THIS MARKET. WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE AS MANY READY-TO-GO SITES FOR THOSE COMPANIES. AND SO AS A COMMUNITY, PARTNERING WITH THE CITY AND OTHERS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT ISSUE.
SO OUR PEOPLE ELEMENT IS NOT TECHNICALLY PART OF THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSCORE JUST HOW CRITICAL WORKFORCE IS TO EVERY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DECISION. SO WHEN WE HAVE A CHANCE TO WORK WITH A COMPANY, IF WE CAN'T DEMONSTRATE EFFECTIVELY WE HAVE THAT READY WORKFORCE, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A SHOT AT THAT PROJECT. AND SO THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE BOTH BETWEEN THE CITY AND OUR GREATER SATX TEAM, AS WELL AS WITH OUR NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND PROGRAMS LIKE TALENT PIPELINE MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS, I THINK WILL CONTINUE TO HELP US BUILD THAT READY WORKFORCE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN STAY RELEVANT IN THESE CONVERSATIONS MOVING FORWARD. AND THEN I MENTIONED BEFORE, BUT THE VISIBILITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO THE WORLD AND TO COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD IS GOING TO BE REALLY CRITICAL AS WE CONTINUE -- AUDIO] -- SO YOU'LL SEE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS WORK FROM US AS WELL AS GLOBAL AND NATIONAL BRANDING EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO BRING SAN ANTONIO TO THE FOREFRONT. ADDITIONALLY, WE'LL CONTINUE TO LEAN IN ON LOCAL CAMPAIGNS, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING INFORMATION OUT TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ABOUT WORKING IN MANUFACTURING AND HELPING TO DISPEL MYTHS AROUND WORKING IN MANUFACTURING
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SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO DRIVE WORKFORCE INTO THAT CRITICAL SECTOR WHERE WE -- WHERE WE ARE THRIVING TODAY FROM A PROJECT STANDPOINT.AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE. WE'RE GOING TO STAY FOCUSED ON CONTINUING TO SUPPORT SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT ON DRIVING ADDITIONAL ROUTES INTO THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY INTERNATIONAL, BUT ALSO -- SPEAK TO THIS, BUT MOVING INTO 2023, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE PERFORMANCE FOCUS THAT BRENDA MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET OF THE CONVERSATION, SO OUR TARGETS LAST YEAR, OF COURSE, WE FELL A LITTLE BIT SHY ON SOME OF THOSE JOBS, GOALS AND WAGES, BUT YOU WILL SEE THAT WE CONTINUED TO MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE IN PAST YEARS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT AS I MENTIONED, BUT I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSCORE, THE JOBS TARGETS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A MASSIVE SHIFT AS AN ORGANIZATION AND AS A COMMUNITY WHERE WE WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY JOB IS THE IDEAL JOB FOR OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT TO BE KNOWN AS THE CHEAPEST, LOWEST COST MARKET FOR COMPANIES. FRANKLY, WE AREN'T THAT ANYMORE.
THAT IS HISTORY, RIGHT? BUT WE'RE HAVING TO TURN THAT PERCEPTION WITH COMPANIES THAT WE'RE ENGAGING WITH, WITH SITE LOCATION CONSULTANTS THAT WE'RE ENGAGING WITH, AND THAT TAKES TIME. SO THIS -- THE EFFORT AROUND FOCUSING ON NEW LEAD GENERATION THAT ALIGN TO OUR TARGET INDUSTRY GOALS, THAT FIT COMPANIES THAT MEET OUR CRITERIA FOR WOULD THEY BE A GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
Q. WOULD THEY BRING QUALITY JOBS INTO THE REGION? THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE HAVE LEANED INTO HEAVILY OVER THESE LAST TWO YEARS IS THAT TRANSFORMATION OF HOUSE WE OPERATE SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE RESULTS ON THE OTHER END. SO I THINK WE MADE SOME REALLY GOOD PROGRESS, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, GREAT WINS WITH JVD, SOLIDIA TECHNOLOGIES, WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER WINS LAST YEAR, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE THAT -- TO CHANGE THAT THE WAY WE OPERATE TO GET BETTER RESULTS IN THE LONG TERM. SO THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF LAST YEAR.
AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR PROPOSED AGREEMENT FOR 2024, AND THIS IS, OF COURSE, DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM, WHO, BY THE WAY, I SHOULD GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO.
THEY'RE DOING TREMENDOUS WORK. AND WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER THROUGH THIS -- THROUGH THIS EFFORT.
>> THANK YOU, SARA. JUST A FEW THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT HERE.
WE DID INCREASE -- EVEN THOUGH SARA DID MENTION THAT THE FOCUS FOR GREATER IS ALIGNING THOSE JOBS, WE ALWAYS DO TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR OVERALL CORPORATE GOALS AND THEN DO A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE FOR THE CITY.
SO WE CONTINUE TO BE INCREDIBLY OPTIMISTIC ON THE JOB CREATION, FOCUSED, OF COURSE, ON THOSE HIGHER WAGES WHICH ARE DEFINED IN THIS CONTRACT AS 50,000 OR HIGHER, AND THEN WE DO LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE OF THE WAGES IN THE MEDIAN INCOME, SO CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON THAT.
I DO WANT TO PARTICULARLY HIGHLIGHT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SHIFT HERE FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2024 FOCUSING MORE ON FOREIGN/DIRECT INVESTMENT ALIGNING AGAIN WITH WHAT SARA HAD HEIHIGHLIGHTED GIVEN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES SEEN ACROSS THE GLOBE, AND CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON THAT LEAD GENERATION, TARGETING THOSE HIGH-VALUE COMPANIES THAT WOULD BE GOOD FITS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THOSE KIND OF TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT WE'VE INCORPORATED SINCE 2021. THE 194,250 FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IS NEW FOR US, AND THIS IS ALIGNED WITH THAT PIVOT ON OUR INTERNAL FOR CUSS ON FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT THAT YOU MAY RECALL WE PRESENTED LATE LAST YEAR TO YOU ON -- WE INTERNALLY WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON MEXICO AND LATIN AMERICA. WE HAVE THE SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIP, WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT WITH SOME OF THOSE FUNDS THAT WE'RE KEEPING INTERNALLY, AND THEN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH GREATER SATX IS REALLY REVOLVING AROUND THOSE COMMUNITIES, THOSE COUNTRIES -- EXCUSE ME, THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED.
SO LEANING IN FURTHER ON SOUTH KOREA. WE HAD A TREMENDOUS TRADE
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MISSION LAST OCTOBER. WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THE FRUITS OF THAT RELATIONSHIP, SO HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND THAT.SOUTH KOREA, EUROPE, PARTICULAR FOCUSED ON THE UNITED KINGDOM AND GERMANY, AS SARA HIGHLIGHTED, AS WELL AS CANADA.
OF COURSE, CONTINUING JAPAN, AND REALLY TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE IN INDIA, AND, AGAIN, ALL OF THAT IS A RESULT OF THAT CONVERSATION WE HAD WITH YOU THIS PAST FALL, AS WELL AS THOSE -- THAT ONGOING MARKET RESEARCH. SO WANTING TO INCORPORATE THAT IN WHERE WE WILL PAY A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE CONTRACTS AND THEN, OF COURSE, ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS WILL HAVE SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE METRICS IN THOSE, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO GET THOSE REPORTS AS WE HAVE FOR THE JAPAN AND SOUTH
KOREA CONTRACT HISTORICALLY. >> PELAEZ: COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS TEAM?
>> CASTILLO: SURE. THANK YOU, BRENDA AND SAIR A FOR THE RENSTATION. I'M LOOKING AT THE GREATER SATX COAST L AGREEMENT SCORE CARD. I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR CONTEXTUALIZING THE NEW TARGET INDUSTRY J AT 50% OF MEETING THE GOAL. I GUESS -- AND IT'S JUST MORE OF A COMMENT, I GUESS MY CONCERN IS -- MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS SHOULD BE RUNNING PARALLEL TO READY TO WORK, AND IF IT'S AT 50%, I THINK THERE'S SOME RECALIBRATING ON OUR END WITH READY TO WORK THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING ON. AND WITH THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, CAN YOU REMIND ME THE SHIFT, AGAIN.
LIKE YOU EXSEATED THE FOREIGN INVESTMENT GOALS, BUT WITH DOMESTIC ARE BARELY MEETING THE MARK. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND -- AND YOU DID A GOOD JOB EARLIER TO UNDERSTAND THAT SHIFT, RIGHT, AND WHAT MAY BE IMPACTING THE INCREASE IN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT.
>> SO FIRST ON THE READY TO WORK COMMENT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONTEXTUALIZE THE SHIFT HERE, MAYBE FALLING A LITTLE SHORT ON THAT PARTICULAR GOAL. IT DOES NOT MEAN THERE AREN'T OTHER JOBS BEING CREATED HERE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THESE ARE SPECIFIC TO CORPORATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT. SO THERE IS CONTINUED GROWTH HERE LOCALLY, SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO STAY FOCUSED ON THOSE HIGH-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I KNOW OUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH MIKE RAMSEY AND YOUR TEAM ON -- SO LET'S STAY THE COURSE ON THAT, I THINK, WOULD BE MY MESSAGE. BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE READY WHEN THE JOBS COME. SO THAT WOULD BE ONE COMMENT THERE. I THINK TO THE POINT AROUND THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GOALS, SO THAT IS REALLY A REFLECTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY RIGHT NOW. WE ARE SEEING FEWER DOMESTIC COMPANIES THAT ARE PICKING UP AND MOVING AND EXPANDING TODAY.
NOT TO SAY THERE AREN'T SOME, AND WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO CAPTURE THOSE, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING -- AGO OF COMPANIES THAT WERE PICKING UP AND MOVING.
BECAUSE OF THE DYNAMICS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE ARE SEEING SO MANY INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES THAT ARE SAYING, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME PORTION OF OUR -- OF OUR WORK, OF OUR MANUFACTURING IN PARTICULAR IN THE UNITED STATES. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MEET CERTAIN THRESHOLDS AND GUIDELINES TO BE ABLE TO SELL HERE TO ADDRESS CERTAIN TARIFF ISSUES AND OTHER THINGS. AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHY THE BIG SHIFT AND WHY --
THIS YEAR, RATHER, IN THAT EFFORT. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, SARA. AND FOR -- GOING BACK TO THE TARGET INDUSTRY JOBS TO ENSURE THAT WITH 2024, 50% IS EXCEEDED, WHAT DO YOU ALL INTEND TO DO
DIFFERENTLY? >> SO THAT WAS THIS LAST YEAR, 2023, WAS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO CHANGE THAT TRAJECTORY. SO THOSE 1200 NEW LEADS THAT WE GENERATED, THOSE ARE COMPANIES THAT WE SAID -- YOU KNOW, WE MAY NOT BE NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST FOR A SITE LOCATION CONSULTANT WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT A MANUFACTURING PROJECT OR A CYBERSECURITY PROJECT OR A LIFE SCIENCE PROJECT, SO WE WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THAT CYCLE AND TALK DIRECTLY TO THE COMPANIES SO THAT WHEN THAT COMPANY IS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THEIR ADVISORY GROUP, THEY CAN SAY, HEY, I'VE HEARD X, Y, Z ABOUT SAN ANTONIO. WHY ARE THEY NOT ON THE LIST? WE THINK THEY NEED TO BE ON THE LIST. AND THAT WOULD HELP FACILITATE AND ADVANCE THAT PROCESS. SO IT'S GETTING AHEAD OF THAT DECISION CYCLE. WE WERE EXCITED TO SEE -- YOU KNOW, WE SET A GOAL THIS LAST YEAR OUT OF THAT 1200 NEW LEADS TO GET TO 24 THAT CONVERTED TO ACTIVE PROJECTS. WE ACTUALLY SAW THAT NUMBER EXCEEDED SIGNIFICANTLY, IT WENT UP TO ABOUT 60 IN OUR TARGET LAST YEAR.
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SO WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO PUSH THAT, AND I EXPECT THROUGH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE TURN TO ACTIVE PROJECTS AND HOPEFULLY ANNOUNCEMENTS SHORTLY AFTER.>> CASTILLO: GREAT. THANK YOU, SARA AND TEAM FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK
YOU CONTINUE TO TAKE ON. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, CHAIR. YEAH, I THINK -- THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M EXCITED AS WE GO INTO 2024 WITH THESE GOALS, BUT I DO WANT TO ECHO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S DISCUSSION ABOUT READY TO WORK AND ALEX AND BRENDA, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A LARGER DISCUSSION WE HAVE. I'M READY TO CREATE A SUBCOMMITTEE WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AT OUR GOALS AND WHAT WE DO.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE BRINGING IN JOBS. WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT IF READY TO WORK IS -- BECAUSE I BELIEVE OUR PEOPLE AND OUR WORKFORCE ARE PROBABLY THE GREATEST ASSET HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND WHY PEOPLE COME. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY'RE STARTING IN SOMETHING THAT'S A LOWER WAGE JOB, THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND. THIS IS -- THIS IS THE STEPS THAT THEY CAN DO, THESE ARE THE STEPS THAT THEY CAN MAKE TO MOVE ON TO A HIGHER PAYING JOB.
AND, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO FINANCIAL SECURITY, UNDERSTANDING THEIR WEALTH, UNDERSTANDING THEIR INVESTMENT, SO I THINK WE NEED TO -- WE MOVE FORWARD. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
THE OTHER THING -- AND I DON'T KNOW, AFTER WE MOVE THIS FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT DISTRICT THREE SPECIFIC GOALS THAT I HAVE THAT ALIGN WITH KIND OF WHAT YOU HAVE PUT UP HERE IN TERMS OF GOALS IN GETTING COMPANY AND GETTING -- COMPANIES TO MOVE. WE HAVE TWO -- WE HAVE WATER'S EDGE, WE NEED TO FILL THOSE. I HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PROPERTY THAT COULD BE USED IN AND AROUND TO IT, IN AND AROUND OUR COUNTY BORDER FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF INDUSTRY THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE TALK ABOUT. THE OTHER THING I APPRECIATE IS YOUR CONTINUED WORK WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO IN REGARDS TO FRANKFURT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING OVERSEAS AND HOW WE'RE BRINGING THE OVERSEAS THERE. IS THERE ANY WAY -- AND THIS IS PROBABLY LIKE MY ONE QUESTION. IS THERE ANY -- DO WE DO -- AND COULD YOU BRING IT TO HERE, WHERE WE DO A SCORE CARD AFTER THE TRADE MISSIONS TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WORKED, THIS IS WHAT FELL FLAT WITH THE TRADE MISSION.
I KNOW WE WENT TO MONTERREY AND -- BUT OURS WAS VERY TARGETED, SO WE HAD THE RIGHT PEOPLE THERE FOR THE UNIVERSITIES THAT WE WERE VISITING, BUT, AGAIN, WAS THERE -- WAS THERE ANOTHER -- DID WE INTERACT WITH PEOPLE WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT IN OTHER BUSINESS LEADERS OR EDUCATOR LEADERS? SO I'D LIKE TO SEE A SCORE CARD IN MAKING SURE WE'RE SENDING THE MOST -- LIKE OUR MOST COHESIVE TEAM OVERSEAS AS WE DO THAT BECAUSE SOMETIMES I THINK WE -- WE MISS OPPORTUNITIES AND I DON'T WANT TO MISS OPPORTUNITIES.
SO IS THERE A WAY WE CAN DO A SCORE CARD AND KIND OF GET THAT AND BRING
KIND OF BACK THE SUCCESS? >> YEAH.
I'M -- I THINK I PROBABLY NEED SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE CONCEPT OF A SCORE CARD, BUT DEFINITELY A POSTTRADE MISSION BRIEFING TO KIND OF SEE WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED, WHAT SOME OF THE FOLLOW-UPS ARE AND MAYBE SHORT- AND LONG-TERM ITEMS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT PARTICULAR MISSION
FOR SURE. >> VIAGRAN: I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, WE HAD ONE MIXER, AND WE HAD, LIKE, THREE OF THE MAYORS THERE FROM AROUND MONTERREY.
AND I THOUGHT THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T JUST SEND STAFF, THEY SENT THE ACTUAL MAYORS. AND SO THAT WAS ONE THING WHERE I WAS LIKE, OH, IF WE HAD DONE MAYBE A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH -- BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE THREE MAYORS WERE GOING TO SHOW UP -- WE COULD HAVE LOOKED AND KIND OF PRESENTED TO THEM SOME OPPORTUNITIES WE'D HAVE FOR THEIR SURROUNDING CITIES. SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, IT'S COMING BACK. AND THAT ONE WAS A SMALLER ONE AND VERY TARGETED, BUT IF WE LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHO'S SHOWING UP, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO. SO THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE. SO I THINK THAT IS ALL THE QUESTIONS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO -- DO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THIS?
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SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE THIS FORWARD TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE ASESSION? >> I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT AVAILABLE A SESSION, BUT WE DO NEED APPROVAL TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
>> VIAGRAN: I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE THIS FORWARD TO AN A SESSION.
>> SECOND. >> PELAEZ: GREAT. THANKS.
GOOD DISCUSSION. SARA, YOU AND I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN THE PAST, AND -- BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SOME EMPHASIS, AND I'LL START WITH A QUESTION. I SAW THE MAP OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, RIGHT, AND THOSE CONTIGUOUS PARTNERS. SO ARE THEY PAYING IN TO
THIS THE WAY THAT WE'RE PAYING INTO THIS? >> SO THEY ARE PAYING INTO THE PARTNERSHIP, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. WE ARE EVALUATING THIS YEAR THAT MODEL FROM A PAYMENT STRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO EVOLVE THAT, BUT, YES, THEY ARE DEFINITELY PAYING INTO --
INTO THE PARTNERSHIP. >> PELAEZ: CAN YOU GIVE AWES BREAKDOWN OF SORT OF WHO'S PAYING IN AND WHAT, RIGHT? I MEAN, BECAUSE IF WE'RE ALL GOING ON TRADE MISSIONS TO BENEFIT SEGUIN AND THEY'RE NOT PULLING THEIR PRO RATA SHARE OF THE BENEFIT, RIGHT, THEN WHY AM I
WORKING FOR SEGUIN? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> CERTAINLY.
CERTAINLY. SO ONE -- ONE KIND OF MINDSET THAT I'VE ALWAYS HAD IN REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THAT TECHNICALLY, YES, NOBODY LIKES TO LOSE TO THE NEXT CITY, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE BENEFIT TO THE OVERALL REGION WHEN A LOCATION GOES INTO SEGUIN, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SAN ANTONIO WORKFORCE THAT DRIVE IN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY. DOLLARS ARE GOING TO COME OUT OF THAT INTO AREA SUPPLIERS, RIGHT? YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE -- THE IMPACT IS MUCH LARGER THAN THAT SINGULAR FOOTPRINT. SO I THINK WE ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE STRENGTH OF THE WHOLE IS BETTER THAN THE STRENGTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL. BUT CERTAINLY WE CAN FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU ON THOSE FINANCIALS. I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE THAT AND LOOK AT HOW DO WE BEST STRUCTURE A KIND OF PRO RATA OR PER CAPITA OR SOME OTHER MODEL AS WE
MOVE INTO THIS NEXT YEAR. >> PELAEZ: OKAY.
AND SO AS FAR AS MEXICO GOES, LIKE I -- WERE THERE ANY MEXICAN COMPANIES ON THAT LIST OF COMPANIES THAT YOU SHOWED US, ASIDE FROM ACERO TECA
IN SEGUIN, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? >> CERTAINLY THERE ARE MEXICAN COMPANIES THAT ARE OPERATING HERE, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY HAVE BEEN IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WE DON'T SEE -- AND I'VE WORKED IN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR 20 YEARS NOW, WE DON'T SEE HUGE NUMBERS OF MEXICAN-BASED COMPANIES THAT ENTER THE UNITED STATES IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS. WE'RE JUST -- OUR PROXIMITY DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE FOR THAT. WHAT WE DO SEE IS KIND OF THIS BROADER REGIONAL CONVERSATION THAT I JUST HAD EXPANDED INTO MEXICO, RIGHT? SO WE HAVEVE SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERSHIPS, WE HAVE TRADE THAT GOES BACK AND FORTH, WE HAVE WORKFORCE THAT GOES BACK AND FORTH. AND SO THAT CONNECTIVITY IS REALLY THE REASON THAT I THINK WE CONTINUE TO LEAN IN ON HARD ON THE RELATIONSHIP WITH MEXICO. AND, YES, WE'RE GOING TO GET THE OCCASIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS OF A MEXICAN COMPANY THAT WILL EXPAND, BUT WE DON'T SEE HUGE NUMBERS OF THOSE EXPANSIONS INTO THE U.S. IN GENERAL.
>> PELAEZ: THE LOGISTICS. I WAS JUST IN LATIN AMERICA 48 HOURS AGO AND WE MET WITH A GROUP OF LOGISTICS FOLKS WHO DO SUPPLY TO H-E-B. IN FACT, THEY SUPPLY THE MAJORITY OF FLOURS AND FRUITS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE TO THE UNITED STATES, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WERE WONDERING, THEY JUST DIDN'T KNOW, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW EITHER, WAS WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S CHILLING FACILITY FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO SHIP IN THEIR FRESH GOODS AND WHERE THEY ARE.
IS THAT AT THE PORT? >> TYPICALLY THOSE FACILITIES WOULD BE LOCATED IN PROXIMITY TO THE AIRPORT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF HOW CARGO MOVES FROM LATIN AMERICA, IT'S ALMOST ALL -- ALL OF THAT FLIES VIA AIR.
>> PELAEZ: RIGHT. >> SO ANY OF THOSE FACILITIES WOULD BE RIGHT AROUND THE PORT. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME --
>> PELAEZ: CAN YOU GIVE ME A LIST OF SORT OF WHAT THOSE FACILITIES LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE WE PROMISED THEM FOLLOW-UP AND JUST TO LET THEM KNOW THAT IF THEY DO FLY DIRECT FROM, YOU KNOW, PANAMA OR COLUMBIA OR WHEREVER, THAT THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO LAND AND DELIVER THEIR GOODS.
>> CERTAINLY. I'LL BE DELIGHTED TO DO THAT.
>> PELAEZ: THE OTHER THING IS, YOU AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT THE INDUSTRY AROUND STUDENTS COMING FROM INDIA. SO IT TURNS OUT THAT THE UNITED STATES GENERATES $7.1 BILLION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FROM JUST INDIAN STUDENTS COMING TO STUDY HERE. THEY'RE WEALTHY STUDENTS, THEY PAY CASH. SOMETIMES THEY STAY, SOMETIMES THEY GO, BUT
[00:35:01]
THEIR CASH STAYS HERE. AND THERE'S OTHER CITIES THAT ARE ACTIVELY MARKETING THEIR CITIES AS LANDING SPOTS FOR THOSE STUDENTS.AND I'M WONDERING IF -- IF I CAN CHALLENGE YOU, RIGHT, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO SEE -- AND I HAVE A FEELING THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE US, REALLY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BRAG ABOUT TEXAS A&M ON THE SOUTH SIDE, UTSA AND UT HEALTH SCIENCE AND, YOU KNOW, OUR OTHER UNIVERSITIES AS DESTINATIONS FOR THESE STUDENTS. WHAT -- IS THAT SOMETHING
THAT IS WITHIN YOUR ROLE? >> YEAH.
SO -- DID YOU WANT TO JUMP IN? >> I'LL JUMP IN ALSO BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THE GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT OFFICE THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOCUSES ON. WE HAVE THE BUSINESS PART OF IT, BUT THEN SHERRY'S WORK REALLY DOES FOCUS ON THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, THAT ALL OF OUR UNIVERSITIES HAVE.
SOME OF THEM HAVE A MORE SIGNIFICANT EFFORT ALREADY UNDER WAY AND HAVE VERY TARGETED, YOU KNOW -- HAVE IDENTIFIED THE TARGETS ABROAD THAT THEY WANT TO FOCUS ON, BUT THAT IS -- OF COURSE, WORK WE DO IN COLLABORATION WITH GREATER SATX BUT THAT'S A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IN HOUSE AS WELL FROM AN EDUCATIONAL PROMOTION FOR STUDENTS.
>> PELAEZ: OKAY. >> I WOULD JUST ADD, I THINK THE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS THAT OUR TEAM HAS PUT IN PLACE, THE BRANDING COMMUNICATION TEAM, GREATER SATX LIFE WORKS GREATER IS THE PRIMARY THEME BEHIND THAT, BUT ALL OF THAT CAN LAYER INTO THE WORK THAT OUR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
OFFICE HERE AT THE CITY IS DOING. >> PELAEZ: TO WHAT EXTENT WOULD Y'ALL BE WILLING TO TAKE ON SOME OF THIS, RIGHT? IF THERE'S A $7.1 BILLION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FROM X, YOU KNOW, COMING TO OTHER CITIES, IT WOULD -- I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NONPROFIT ADVOCACY BODY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN JUMPING IN, TOO. IS THERE AN APPETITE ON YOUR PART, JENNA, TO GET
INVOLVED IN THIS? >> SO FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
I THINK THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, AND IT'S CERTAINLY WORTH EXPLORING. PROBABLY OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THIS CONTRACT BECAUSE IT'S SO PERFORMANCE-BASED AND FOCUSED ON CORPORATE ATTRACTION AND RETENTION AND GROWTH. WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS OUR BRAND AND NATIONAL CAMPAIGN EFFORTS, IT'S NATIONAL TODAY, IS WHAT OUR BUDGET WILL ALLOW. AND SO WE HAVE KEY DOMESTIC MARKETS THAT WE'RE PEPPERING WITH THE MESSAGING THAT LIFE WORKS GREATER, WITH THE INTENT TO RECRUIT TALENT HERE. THAT MIGHT MEAN BEING EDUCATED HERE.
IT MIGHT MEAN RELOCATING HERE TO LIVE HERE AND STAY HERE.
SO I THINK THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, WE CAN TALK TO BRENDA, SHERRY AND TEAM ABOUT WAYS TO ALIGN ON INTERNATIONAL MARKETS.
INTERNATIONAL MARKETING IS A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE. I'LL COUPLE THAT WITH SAYING WE'RE IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS ALL THE TIME. THEY SERVE ON OUR BOARD, WE HAVE A CONVENING WITH THEM COMING UP HERE SOON, IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO START THERE.
TAKE AN INVENTORY FOR ALL OF THEIR GLOBAL OUTREACH, AND DOMESTIC FOR THAT MATTER, AND MAYBE TALK THROUGH HOW WE CAN FURTHER AMPLIFY THEIR EXISTING WORK WITH OUR DOLLARS. SO THAT WE'RE NOT, IN ESSENCE, CREATING SOMETHING SEPARATE BUT RATHER LEVERAGE EXISTING EFFORTS. THE UIW, THE UNIVERSITY OF INCARNATE WORD AND I KNOW A LOT OF THE PRIVATES DO A WHOLE LOT IN THAT SPACE AS WELL.
BUT THE SHORT ANSWER IS, YES, SIR. >> PELAEZ: WAS IT 24% OF NEW AMERICAN DOCTORS ARE INDIAN. AND THEY STAY HERE, RIGHT? AND SO IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT IS THE EQUIVALENT OF RECRUITING SMALL BUSINESSES TO MOVE HERE, RIGHT? I MEAN, THESE ARE HIGH EARNERS, AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO STAY IN UNITED STATES, I SURE WOULD LIKE THEM TO STAY IN SAN ANTONIO AND HELP THEM WITH THE EQUIVALENT OF A SOFT LANDING IN SOME WAYS, RIGHT? LASTLY, I'LL END HERE AND I'M SURE I'LL GET A CALL SCOLDING ME FOR IT LATER, BUT I PERSONALLY AM DISSATISFIED WITH READY FOR WORK.
I DON'T KNOW, JENNA, IF I WERE TO TAKE A POLL OF ALL YOUR MEMBERS WHETHER OR NOT ANY OF THEM WOULD SING THE READY FOR WORK PRAISES AND IF IT'S MEETING THEIR EXPECTATIONS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE CEOS THAT I TALK TO HERE IN SAN ANTONIO DON'T REALLY THINK IT'S A MEANINGFUL -- IT'S HAD THE MEANINGFUL IMPACT THAT WAS PROMISED TO THEM. AND THE EXPECTATIONS THAT THEY HAVE, I'M NOT HERE TO CONTRADICT THEM AND TELL THEM THAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS NEED TO BE ADJUSTED, THEY'RE JUST DISAPPOINTED. I HAVE YET TO HEAR ANYBODY GET BEHIND IN SAYING THIS IS WORKING, RIGHT? AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME. I THINK IT'S -- YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY WELL INTENDED. I LIKE COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF OUR PEOPLE, BUT IF IT'S NOT BEING EMBRACED BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THEN WE'RE TRAINING A BUNCH -- WE'RE TRAINING UP A BUNCH OF PEOPLE AND NOT THAT TRANSLATING INTO JOBS, RIGHT? AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS ON OUR HAND WITH THE ULTIMATE CUSTOMER IN THIS TOWN, WHICH IS THE PERSON WHO'S BUYING THE SERVICE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE THEM. AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER
[00:40:03]
LUNES OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT AND NOT MANY JOBS TO SHOW FROM IT, I DO THINK THAT WE OWE THE PUBLIC AN ANSWER AS TO WHY IT IS THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE FEELING LIKE THEIR MONEY'S BEEN WASTED.AND, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S HOW THEY FEEL. SO I DO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A SERIOUS, HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS AND I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN TIPTOEING AROUND IT SO AS NOT TO OFFEND, BUT I'M NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF TIPTOEING, SO AT SOME POINT I WOULD LIKE US TO HAVE A CHECK-IN WITH READY TO WORK AND NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING, BUT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE MEETING EXPECTATIONS OF THE PUBLIC AND IF THERE'S A AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CHANGE THOSE EXPECTATIONS, MAYBE THAT'S ON US, RIGHT, BUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING GREAT PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED IS NOT BEING PICKED UP BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AND I MEAN, I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO GET UP HERE AND AGREE WITH ME, JENNA, BUT THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
SO WITH THAT, ALEX, YOU WANTED TO WEIGH IN? >> YES, SIR.
JUST THAT THE READY TO WORK BUDGET IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER IN THE COMING MONTHS, AND JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT MONEY. BUT READY TO WORK HASN'T SPENT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
>> PELAEZ: HOW MANY. >> IN DETAIL, THE BUDGET WILL ACTUALLY BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL. BUT I CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT INFORMATION OF EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE. IT'S NOWHERE NEAR EVEN A
HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS. >> PELAEZ: THAT'S FAIR. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT TOPIC. COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA IS NOT YET HERE, SO WE HAD ANOTHER ITEM. ALL THOSE IN FAY VOOR OF SENDING THIS TOASM
SESSION AT SOME POINT (AYE). >> PELAEZ: THAT WAS UNANIMOUS. THANKS, JENNA. ALL RIGHT.
NEXT PRESENTATION? >> HELLO. HELLO, EVERYONE.
I'M SARA RAPEL, I'M A SENIOR ECONOMIC SPECIALIST WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. TODAY I'LL BE PROVIDING YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR SECOND STAGE GRANT PROGRAM.
TO GIVE SOME BACKGROUND, DEFINING SECOND STAGE BUSINESS WE BORROWED FROM THE EDWARD LOWE FOUNDATION DEFINITION, WHICH IS THAT THIS BUSINESS IS A FOR PROFIT PRIVATELY OWNED COMPANY WHICH GARNERS BETWEEN 1 MILLION TO $50 MILLION IN REVENUE ANNUALLY AND HAS BETWEEN 10 TO 99 EMPLOYEES. THESE BUSINESSES ALSO MUST BE EXPERT ORIENTED BUSINESSES THAT HAVE AN INTENT TO GROW REGIONALLY OR NATIONALLY OR INTERNATIONALLY. SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK WHERE WE IDENTIFIED SOME GAPS WITH INCENTIVE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, GROWTH STAGE COMPANIES DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF THE GRANTS AND INCENTIVE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S TOOLBOX, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE DEVELOPED THIS GRANT PROGRAM FOR SECOND STAGE COMPANIES TO HELP PROVIDE THEM THAT NEXT LEVEL OF GROWTH FOR THEIR BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE EXPERT-ORIENTED COMPANIES. THESE COMPANIES COULD RECEIVE UP TO $50,000 PER COMPANY AND THE TOTAL PROGRAM FUNDS FOR THIS ARE AVAILABLE FROM OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND AND WE'RE CAPPED AT $500,000. SO FOR THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS PROGRAM, THEY MUST BE A SECOND STAGE BUSINESS HEADQUARTERED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE ASK THAT THEY REMAIN HERE FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR AFTER THAT AWARD DATE.
THEY ALSO MUST DEMONSTRATE GROWTH IN THEIR COMPANY, EITHER THROUGH EMPLOYMENT OR REVENUE FOR TWO OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
WE WANTED TO REMAIN FLEXIBLE GIVEN COVID AND THE NATURE THAT MIGHT HAVE ON PREVIOUS BUSINESS YEARS. WE ALSO ASKED THAT THEY WERE FULL-TIME POSITION THAT PAID 17.50 PER HOUR AND ALL OF THEIR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES ALSO MUST BE PROVIDED WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND HEALTHCARE BENEFITS PACKAGES. THESE GRANTS WOULD HAVE A THREE-YEAR COMPLIANCE PERIOD AND INCLUDE SURVEY RESPONSES SO WE CAN TRACK THAT DATA AND SEE PERFORMANCE OF THESE GRANTS.
AS PART OF THE APPLICATION, THEY ALSO SUBMITTED A WRITTEN GROWTH PLAN. THESE GROWTH PLANS WERE TO SHOW THE THREE-YEAR PERIOD OF HOW THESE GRANT FUNDS WOULD BE ALLOCATED AND ALSO THE DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT THEY WOULD LEVERAGE WITH OUR CITY GRANT FUNDS.
THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE A DETAILED LIST OF HOW THEY WOULD ESTABLISH THEIR GROWTH, WHETHER IT'S A PARKING PLAN, A FINANCIAL PLAN OF THOSE CURRENT ASSETS AND WHAT CAPITAL IS AVAILABLE AT THEIR DISPOSAL.
WE ALSO ASKED THAT THEY DESCRIBE WHATEVER THAT GROWTH PLAN MAY BE, SO WHETHER IT'S MARKET DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCT DIVERSIFICATION OR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES, ALSO EQUIPMENT COULD BE ANOTHER EXPENSE FOR THIS PROGRAM. SO FO TODAY, WE HAVE TWO APPLICANTS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND CONSIDERATION.
LAREDO TECHNICAL SERVICE, INCORPORATED, IS A TALENT ACQUISITION FIRM SPECIALIZING IN HEALTHCARE AND OFFICE ADMINISTRATION, THEY HELP DEFENSE CONTRACTORS AS A STAFFING AGENCY. THESE FUNDS WILL HELP SUPPORT THEM WITH THE CREATION OF A BUSINESS MANAGER POSITION.
THIS WAS IN THE COUNCIL DISTRICT 9 IS WHERE THEY'RE HEADQUARTERED.
WE ALSO HAVE OPTIMIZED TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS, INCORPORATED, THIS IS A
[00:45:02]
FEDERAL CONTRACTOR SPECIALIZING IN CYBERSECURITY, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND CLOUD SERVICES. THE FUNDS FROM THIS GRANT WILL HELP SUPPORT THEM WITH THEIR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WITH CONTINUAL PROPOSALS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEY WORK WITH LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND THIS WAS AHEAD QUARTERED BUSINESS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE. SO FOR BOTH OF THESE APPLICANTS WE RECOMMEND FUNDING FOR $50,000 EACH WITH TOTAL REMAINING FUNDS OF $400,000.SO OF THIS PROGRAM -- SO SOME TOTALS FOR YOU HERE, WE HAD A NUMBER OF NINE APPLICANTS SUBMITTED. TWO OF THESE APPLICATIONS WERE INELIGIBLE DUE TO BEING OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO OR NOT MEETING THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. WE HAVE FOUR THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN REVIEW WITH STAFF, WHICH REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE TWO FOR RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU TODAY. WE ANTICIPATE HAVING CONTINUED MARKETING AND OUTREACH FOR THIS PROGRAM THROUGH THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL TO CONTINUE THAT COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE WITH OUR DIRECT BUSINESS OUTREACH IN UTILIZING OUR RESEARCH AND INTELLIGENCE TOOLS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DIRECTLY CONTACT SOME OF THESE SECOND STAGE BUSINESSES WITH THE DATA THAT WE'VE ACQUIRED.
AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT COLLABORATION WITH MAESTRO ECONOMIC CENTER WHO IS ACTIVELY RECRUITING FOR THEIR NEXT COHORT PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EDWARD LOWE FOUNDATION. NEXT STEPS FOR YOU, WE ANTICIPATE ONGOING -- ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THESE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY, TAKING THOSE AWARDS TO CITY COUNCIL IN MARCH, AND THEN HAVING A FOLLOW-UP REVIEW OF THIS PILOT PROGRAM IN JULY OF 2024 TO ASSESS THE PROGRAM AND ITS PERFORMANCE, AND THEN ALSO SEE IF THERE'S ANY NECESSARY CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY ON THE PROGRAM. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND, AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE TWO RECOMMENDED APPLICANT COMPANIES.
>> VIAGRAN: I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF THE NINE THAT DID APPLY AND MAYBE WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT -- OTHER THAN THEM NOT BEING IN TOWN, THE OTHER FOUR THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS, CAN WE SEE THAT?
>> YES. >> VIAGRAN: I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.
BUT, NO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. I THINK IT'S KEY THAT WE BUILD UP OUR SECOND STAGE, AND THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO
>> PELAEZ: COUNCILWOMAN? >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THE FIRST IS FOR MUST BE A SECOND STAGE BUSINESS HEADQUARTERED IN SAN ANTONIO AND REMAIN SO FOR FOR ONE YEAR FROM AWARD DATE. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY ONE YEAR
AND NOT TWO YEARS? >> YEAH. SO WE WENT THIS ROUTE BECAUSE THE SECOND STAGE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HEADQUARTERED HERE, WE KNOW SOME OF THEIR OPERATIONS MAY LEAVE TO FURTHER EXPANSION, AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO HINDER THAT IN AN AGREEMENT SENSE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THESE PLANS ARE FURTHER TETHERING THEM TO SAN ANTONIO, SO IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, HIRING ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES, STAFF, HAVING EQUIPMENT HERE. FOR INSTANCE, LAREDO TECHNICAL SERVICES IS PLANNING TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HAVING A HEADQUARTERS -- OR EXPANDING THEIR HEADQUARTERS IN SAN ANTONIO AND OPERATION OUTSIDE OF 1604 AND 281. WE ALREADY SEE SOME OF THE GROWTH IN TH COMPANIES AND EVALUATING THEIR WRITTEN GROWTH PLANS COMMITTING TO SAN ANTONIO, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO NECESSARILY HINDER THEM IN A BUSINESS SENSE IF THAT WASN'T THE ROUTE THEY HAD TO GO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING ME WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING.
ON SLIDE 6 FOR OPTIMIZE TECHNICAL SERVICE, UNDER THE GROWTH PROJECT SUMMARY, IT M MENTIONS THAT FUNDS WILL SUPPORT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FOR FEDERAL CONTACT PERTAINING TO TALENT AND WORKFORCE TRAINING?
DO WE KNOW WHAT FEDERAL CONTACT? >> I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE TO IT. THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH A PROPOSAL WITH AN STTR WITH UTSA POTENTIALLY, SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING WITH UTSA. SO THAT WOULD BE A FEDERAL PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BE -- THEY WOULD BE DEVELOPING THAT FEDERAL PROPOSAL AND PROVIDING THAT APPLICATION. THESE FUNDS WILL HELP SUPPORT THEM WITH A PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, SO S SOMEONE WHO CAN LEM CONSULT THEM AND GET THEM THAT APPLICATION AND GET IT THROUGH THE FED.
>> CASTILLO: GREAT. SOUNDS LIKE AMAZING WORK.
THANK YOU, SARA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> THANK YOU.
MOVING THIS TO COUNCIL. MOTIONS? >>
>> SECOND. >> PELAEZ: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES.
THAT WAS UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. THE THIRD ITEM, ALEX.
>> WE'LL GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER TWO ON THE AGENDA.
[00:50:04]
>> PELAEZ: OKAY. SO WITH THAT, WHO'S PRESENTING AND KIND OF
GIVING US A BACKGROUND ON WHAT WE'RE DOING. >> ME, KAITLYN HOWARD, MANAGER WITH EDD. GOOD MORNING, WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING FORWARD CANDIDATES FOR THE AT LARGE POT POSITIONS OPEN ON THE -- BUSINESS -- I'VE LOST MY MIND, I'M SORRY -- SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION, I APOLOGIZE. FOR A BIT OF BACKGROUND, THIS COMMITTEE ESTABLISHES SUBCOMMITTEE BACK IN OCTOBER TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS THAT SUBCOMMITTEE MET IN DECEMBER TO RECOMMEND APPLICANTS FOR INTERVIEW. THERE ARE FOUR VACANCIES FOR AT-LARGE POSITIONS AND THERE ARE EIGHT CANDIDATES FOR CONSIDERATION TODAY.
THERE ARE SIX APPOINTMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE BRIEF PRESENTATION. OVERALL THERE ARE 15 POSITIONS, BY THE WAY.
10 CITY COUNCIL POSITIONS, ONE MAYORAL APPOINTEE AND FOUR
AT-LARGE POSITIONS. >> PELAEZ: OKAY. THANK YOU.
AND SO LIKE JUST FOR EXAMPLE, THE SMALL BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL TRADE ORGANIZATION, THERE ARE TWO NAMES THERE, RIGHT? AND SO TODAY WE'LL BE PICKING FROM ONE OF THOSE TWO IN ORDER TO FILL IN THE BLANK, RIGHT? SO... IS THAT RIGHT, ALEX?
>> YES, SIR. I KNOW THIS CHART'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED BUT WE'RE TRYING TO SHOW THE EASIEST WAY TO SHOWY POSITIONS WERE AVAILABLE AND WHICH CANDIDATES FIT EACH OF THOSE POSITIONS AND SO THE COLOR CODING
CAME INTO PLAY. >> PELAEZ: SO UNLESS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS, THE WAY I THINK WE'LL DO IT IS WE'LL START WITH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WITH 10 OR LESS EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? THERE'S THREE IN THAT CATEGORY, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WITH 10 TO 50 EMPLOYEES, THERE'S ONLY ONE THERE. AND THEN WE'LL DO THE SMALL BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL TRADE ORGANIZATION, AND THEN THE NONPROFIT SMALL BUSINESS SERVICE PROVIDER, THERE'S TWO IN EACH OF THOSE. ANY OBJECTIONS? NO? ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS THE POINT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHERE WE KICK YOU OUT IF YOU'RE AN APPLICANT, AND IF YOU ARE RUBEN ARSENEGA, STICK AROUND AND YOU'LL GO UP FIRST. FOLLOWED BY KAITLYN SOROCCA. RUBEN, ARE YOU HERE? YEAH, PLEASE APPROACH,
SIR. >> OKAY. WELL, AGAIN, MY NAME IS RUBEN ARSENEGA AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I WAS ABLE TO AT LEAST POTENTIALLY INTERVIEW. MY FAMILY HAS A 300 YEAR HISTORY IN DISTRICT TWO, DOWNTOWN AS WELL AS THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE A COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE COMPANY THAT DOES WORK IN SAN ANTONIO AND ACROSS SURROUNDING AREAS. WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE; HOWEVER, WHAT I WOULD SAY -- AND I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE -- SMALL BUSINESSES, WE'RE AT THE EPICENTER, SO TO SPEAK, OF THE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT INVOLVE HOW WE OBVIOUSLY ENGAGE CONTRACTS, HOW WE CAN GROW, HOW WE CAN SCALE UP. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID -- AND HAVING THAT KIND OF SO-CALLED LIVED EXPERIENCE AND THAT REALIZATION THAT WE NEED HELP, I FELT THAT IT WAS PERTINENT TO, IN A SENSE, LOOK AT WHAT THE CITY PROVIDES. AND WE UNDERSTAND THEY DO VERY GOOD WORK, AND I SAW THAT THIS -- RATHER THIS SUBCOMMITTEE WAS STARTED UP TWO YEARS AGO, SO IT'S RELATIVELY NEW. I THOUGHT IT WAS EXCITING TO ACTUALLY GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO, AGAIN, COMMIT A CERTAIN PORKS OF PORTION OF MY EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS IN HELPING THOSE OTHER BUSINESSES TO HOPEFULLY DO WELL IN SAN ANTONIO. AGAIN, I'M ALSO AN INAUGURAL MEMBER OF THE REVITALIZE SAN ANTONIO GROUP THAT JUST STARTED.
I'M A CURRENT DOCTORAL STUDENT AT UTSA WITH THOSE TYPE OF BACKGROUND AND SKILLS, I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN SMALL BUSINESS IN SAN ANTONIO, NOT NECESSARILY JUST IN THE PRESENT, BUT RATHER IN THE FUTURE, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A LONG HAUL, THIS IS A LABOR ROIOUS TASK. AND IF YOU HAVE THAT COMMITMENT, THAT BELIEF, AND, AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE LIVED EXPERIENCES AND BACKGROUNDS, THEN I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN, AGAIN, COLLECTIVELY PROVIDE SUCCESSFUL SERVICE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO SMALL BUSINESS THAT ARE HERE AND THAT, AGAIN, WILL GROW IN THE FUTURE. AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE HAVING THE AUDIENCE AND BEING HERE. THANK YOU.
>> PELAEZ: GREAT. THANK YOU, SIR. SO IF YOU'LL STICK AROUND, MY COLLEAGUES AND I WILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
AND WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN? >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
[00:55:03]
THANK YOU, RUBEN, FOR COMING TODAY AN PUTTING YOUR NAME FORWARD.SO WHAT ROLE SHOULD THE CITY PLAY IN THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM?
>> I THINK IT SHOULD HELP IN A SENSE KIND OF FORMULATE AN ORG FLIEZED PRAIM WORK FOR HOW SMALL BUSINESS CAN OPERATE. I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT IT FROM THE SUPPORT SYSTEM KIND OF SIDE, BUT I ALSO THINK THE CITY HAS ENOUGH SKILLS, EXPERIENCE IN PROVIDING THE MORE ORGANIZATIONAL COMPONENT. AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS FOR INSTANCE, I TALK TO OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES, WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IS THERE ISN'T NECESSARILY A CENTRAL REPOSITORY TO, AGAIN, GO TO ADVISEMENT.
THERE'S THESE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT YOU CAN GO TO MAESTRO, LIFTFUND AND DIFFERENT THINGS, SO IT MAY BE AT SOME POINT VITAL FOR US TO SAY, HOW CAN WE BEST ORGANIZE THOSE THINGS HERE IN THE CITY -- IN THE CENTER CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND ACT LIKE I HAVE SOME PERFECT ANSWER NOR SOLUTION FOR THAT, BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY, IT'S ONE OF THOSE MAJOR CONCERNS THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE DO HAVE OUR OWN NETWORKS, WE DO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. WE MAY NOT BE PRESENT AT CITY HALL ALL THE TIME, BUT WE DO UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
AND THEN SECONDLY, I'LL SAY THIS, THE CITY HAS DONE REALLY GOOD WORK.
AND I THINK THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST RELATIVELY NEW.
THEY'VE DONE IT FOR YEARS. HOWEVER, I DO FEEL THAT IN TERMS OF GETTING OUTREACH, MORE VIABLE, I FEEL THAT -- ESPECIALLY THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I CAN TELL YOU THIS, AND YOU MAY HAVE THIS IN YOUR FAMILIES AS WELL, BUT A LOT OF TIMES THERE MAY BE A BOOT CAMP OR TRAINING IN DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, AND, IN FACT, IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET AWAY TO ATTEND THOSE KIND OF TRAININGS AND SKILL-BUILDING KIND OF PROVIDERS, AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW BEFORE I CAME TO THE MEETING, I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS I HAD, IN A SENSE, KIND OF THOUGHT ABOUT AS WELL AS DIFFERENT BUSINESSES IS HOW BEST CAN WE KIND OF GET OUTSIDE. I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT HOW BEST CAN WE GET OUTSIDE OF SOME OF THE BUILDINGS AND ENTER OUR COMMUNITIES, RATHER IT BE AT A COFFEE SHOP, A MANUFACTURING PLANT, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, TO HELP IN A SENSE KIND OF MEET THOSE PEOPLE IN THE GROUND IN TERMS OF BEING ENTREPRENEURS AS WELL AS THE CITIMENT SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT.
>> PELAEZ: GREAT. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO? KALZ THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU, RUBEN FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING ON THE SBAC.
ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS FREQUENTLY LISTED AS ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, HOW DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE CITY CAN SERVE AS THAT LIAISON FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CAPITAL?
>> I THINK THEY'VE DONE A DECENT JOB AT THAT; HOWEVER, I THINK WHAT'S NOT CLEAR A LOT OF TIMES, OR RATHER TRANSPARENT, IS THE PROCESS.
BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE IN OUR PAST EXPERIENCES, WE'VE WORKED WITH SAGE TO POTENTIALLY GET SOME OF THESE MONEY, SO TO SPEAK, AND WE DO THIS OUT OF THE IDEA THAT, LOOK, WE WANT TO HELP THIS HELP US SCALE UP.
THERE'S REALLY NO OTHER REASON WHY WE WOULD DO THAT.
AND A LOT OF TIMES -- I'M NOT NECESSARILY SAYING SAGE IS AT FAULT BUT THE TRANSPARENCY, THEY'LL SAY WE'LL HELP YOU AND YOU DO DIFFERENT THINGS AND YOU DO THEM, RIGHT, AS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO AND YOU NEVER HEAR BACK FROM THEM OR OTHER GROUPS AS WELL. ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT TWO, I KNOW THERE'S A CERTAIN PERCEPTION THAT I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT WAS VERY OBVIOUS UNFAIR AND WRONG. I DON'T MOW THAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS DON'T NECESSARILY COME TOGETHER SOMETIMES, AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE ISSUE FOR US, NOT NECESSARILY DISTRICT TWO, BUT OTHER PARTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE PROCESS OF GRANT FUNDING, YOU HEAR THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE GET THAT, AND THEN WHAT YOU REALIZE BY TALKING TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT NECESSARILY FROM DISTRICT TWO, PER SE, IF THOSE FUNDS ARE FROM THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
WE SAY ACCESS TO GRANTS ARE HERE, HOWEVER IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL LITERACY AS WELL AS KIND OF THE PLATFORMS AVAILABLE TO MEET THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY THERE SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE SPANISH-SPEAKING BUSINESS, THAT WE'VE TALKED TO -- AND YOU'VE HEARD THIS AND YOU KNOW IT -- THEY'VE NOT HEARD THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND/OR IF THEY DO, THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT INVITING, NOR IS IT SOMETHING WE'RE ABLE TO DO AT THIS POINT. WHEN YOU ACTUALLY TALK TO THEM, YOU DO HAVE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, YOU JUST NEED THAT NEXT SORT OF SUPPORT SYSTEM TO ALLOW THAT. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD SAY THAT'S PART OF IT. AND, AGAIN, THIS ARE COMPLEX ISSUES. SOMETHING LIKE DPRANTS. I KNOW PEOPLE SAY THAT AND IT SOUNDS GREAT, HOWEVER, IT'S GOING THROUGH THE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENT LEVELS, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE ACTUALLY ARE, A LOT OF TIMES, AND THEN FULFILLING THOSE. AND THEN IN A SENSE BEING TRANSPARENT. I TALKED TO [INDISCERNIBLE] COFFEE HOUSE AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THEY HAD WAS THEY TOLD ME THAT, IN FACT, WHO ACTUALLY WINS A LOT OF THESE GRANTS? LIKE THE SMALL -- WHAT IS THAT, THE PATIO GRANT THAT WAS AVAILABLE? AND I'M SURE SOME OF THAT'S POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND WE HAVE TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN FINDING THAT OUT, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST TO FIND OUT WHO WON IT, BUT TO GIVE A SENSE OF HOPE FOR. LOOK, PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WON THAT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CHANCE. AND WHEN YOU DON'T SEE THAT AND IT'S JUST A BLANK SPACE, THEN YOU SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO TRY ANYMORE. I'M A LITTLE BIT DISILLUSIONED, SO TO SPEAK, SO I THINK THERE'S AN ENERGY THAT WE NEED TO MEET THAT.
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>> PELAEZ: THAT WAS REALLY POWERFUL. NOBODY'S EVER TALKED ABOUT THE JOB AFTER THE FACT THAT WE'RE TO HELP CREATE HOPE THAT THESE RESOURCES ARE WITHIN REACH. HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS VACANCY AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO BRING MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU OUT OF -- OUT OF THEIR JOBS AND THEIR DAY-TO-DAY TO APPLY FOR POSITIONS LIKE
THIS? >> WELL, I THINK, AGAIN, THERE HAS TO BE -- JUST LIKE YOU SAID, THERE HAS TO BE A SENSE OF HOPE AND A SENSE OF CHANGE.
AND TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU, AS A STAKEHOLDER IN DISTRICT TWO, A LOT OF TIMES -- AND IT'S VERY EASY FOR US TO OPERATE IN OUR SILOS, RIGHT, TO SAY, MAN, NOTHING EVER CHANGES AROUND HERE, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING. AND SO I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FAMILIAL SUPPORT, RIGHT, SO I HAD A MOTHER. SHE'S PASSED AWAY, BUT SHE USED TO BE A VERY STRONG PROPONENT OF THE EAST SIDE.
LOOK, MAN, PEEP REALLY GOING TO SAY THESE CERTAIN THINGS, HOWEVER FIKDZ ANYBODY CAN CHANGE IT BUT IT PROBABLY HAS TO BE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE WHO INVEST IN THOSE AREAS. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF AND/OR OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME COMMITMENT.
I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. THERE'S MULTIPLE OTHER PEOPLE THAT I KNOW IN THOSE AREAS THAT FEEL THE SAME WAY, YOU HAVE TO -- CURRENTLY I'M A DOCTORAL STUDENT AT UTSA AND I'M A PART OF THE NEW REVIVAL SAN ANTONIO, WE'VE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING AND IT STIMULATES THAT KIND OF INTEREST.
IT TELLS YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT? THINGS ARE POSSIBLE AND WE CAN BE IN A SENSE -- DISILLUSION IS NOT NECESSARILY THE WORD I WANT TO USE, BUT WE DO WANT TO SAY LOOK, MAN, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, FOR ALL THE SO-CALLED FAULTS AS A CITY, I'M NOT JUST SAYING BUREAUCRATICALLY, THEY DO GOOD THINGS AND HOW CAN THEY HELP PUT US IN A GREAT POSITION TO SUCCEED AND HOW CAN WE RECIPROCATE THAT.
BECAUSE IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ARE OPERATING IN CITY HALL OR DIFFERENT AREAS AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE COMMUNITIES. WELL, HOW DID WE HELP STIMULATE THAT? HOW DID WE MEET THEM HALFWAY? I THINK AGAIN YOU HAVE TO REVISIT BY THE STRUCTURE THAT YOU HAVE, THE FAMILIAL AND/OR SOCIAL/SOCIETAL SUPPORT THAT YOU POTENTIALLY HAD, AND LIKE YOU SAID COUNCILMAN, THE IDEA OF HOPE.
HERE ARE SOME SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE SEEN, HERE'S SOME OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT SEEM TO BE PROGRESS FOR OUR AREAS AND OTHER AREAS BECAUSE WE SEE DISTRICT ONE IS DOING CERTAIN DINGS, DISTRICT THREE, 4, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, AND WE SAY AT LEAST IT'S POSSIBLE.
HOW DO WE BEST DO THIS, ESPECIALLY DISTRICT TWO, WE SAY IT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN MALIGNED, IT'S A VERY PROUD COMMUNITY, WE'RE FROM THERE, WE KNOW THAT. THE OUTSIDE PERCEPTIONS DON'T MEAN A WHOLE LOT,
IT'S HOW DO WE BEST CHANGE THAT. >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT. IT WITH US VERY NICE MEETING YOU.
AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW. . >> AWESOME.
THANK YOU. >> PELAEZ: SO OUR NEXT CANDIDATE IS KAITLYN SOROCO AND SHE SUBMITTED A WRITTEN STATEMENT, RIGHT?
>> MY NAME IS KATIE SOROCO'S AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THE SEAT ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION. I HAVE BEEN A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER FOR FIVE YEARS RUNNING A SINGLE MEMBER LLC PROVIDING FUNDRAISING AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES PRIMARILY WITH NONPROFIT SECTOR PARTNERS.
STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS CHANGED MY FAMILY'S FINANCIAL TRAJECTORY.
I WAS ONE OF MANY FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WAS SPENDING UPWARDS OF 50% OF THEIR MONTHLY INCOME ON HOUSING AND CHILDCARE.
THE SUCCESS I'VE EXPERIENCED THROUGH WORKING HARD TO GROW MY PISS ALLOWED ME A GREATER INCREASED MEASURE OF FINANCIAL STABILITY DURING THE SEVEN YEARS I WAS A SINGLE PARENT. MY PROFESSIONAL INTEREST IN THE SMALL BUSINESS SECTOR WAS FURTHER DEEPENED LAST YEAR WHEN I ACCEPTED THE ROLE OF SAN ANTONIO PROJECT OFFICER FOR THE ASSET FUNDERS NETWORK. I LEAD A LOCAL CHAPTER OF GRANT MAKER WHOSE ARE INTERESTED IN PURSUING ASSET-BUILDING STRATEGIES FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME COMMUNITIES. ONE OF OUR CHAPTER'S FOCUS AREA IS SUPPORTING SUSTAINING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND WE'RE GROWING OUR COALITION OF PARTNERS INCLUDING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LISC AND MI M MAESTR O I BELIEVE THESE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES WILL BRING A UNIQUE ROLE ON THE SBAC. I DEMONSTRATED A HIGH INTEREST IN DIVING INTO DETERMINING SHARED GOALS AND METRICS TO DEFINE SUCCESS FOR VARIOUS INITIATIVES BROUGHT FORWARD BY EDD FOR FEEDBACK.
I WOULD CONTINUE TO APPLY THAT CRITICAL THINKING TO FUTURE SBAC AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CANDIDATE IS ESSA USOPSAI.
OKAY. SO THAT IS OUR -- THOSE WERE OUR THREE, SO OUR NEXT CATEGORY WILL BE JUAN CARLOS MERLO, HIS APPLICATION WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WITH 10 TO 50 EMPLOYERS AND I UNDERSTAND MR. MERLO SENT
IN A WRITTEN... >> RIGHT? >> YES.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT MY CANDIDACY FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION OF SAN ANTONIO.
MY NAME IS JUAN CARLOS MERLO, JR., AND I'M THE PROUD OWNER OF GLOBAL INSURANCE AGENCY A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS THAT HAS BEEN A
[01:05:02]
CORNERSTONE IN OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1987. IN THESE 36 YEARS, WE'VE GROWN FROM A HUMBLE STARTUP TO A ROBUST AGENCY WITH NINE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES SPECIALIZING IN CATERING TO INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS. OUR FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, UNDERSTANDING DIVERSE NEEDS AND BUILDING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS. WHAT SETS OUR AGENCY APART IS NOT JUST OUR EXPERTISE IN THE GLOBAL INSURANCE MARKET, BUT ALSO OUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE STRENGTH OF OUR BUSINESS IS INHERENTLY TIED TO THE VITALITY OF SAN ANTONIO.THIS UNDERSTANDING HAS DRIVEN US TO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT BE IT THROUGH LOCAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS, SMALL BUSINESS COLLABORATIONS OR PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR LOCAL MY EXPERTISE ON THE SAPD EXTERNAL AFFAIRS BOARD HAS EQUIPPED ME WITH GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPARENCY, INSTRUMENTAL IN SHAPING MY APPROACH TO BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
I SEEK POSITION ON THIS COMMISSION TO BRING MY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AS AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OWNER WITH STRONG COMMUNITY TIES. THE CHALLENGES SMALL BUSINESSES FACE ESPECIALLY IN NAVIGATEING INTERNATIONAL MARKETS.
I BELIEVE MY INSIGHTS COULD BE INVALUABLE AND INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT NOT ONLY THE GROWTH AND SMALL BUSINESS IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT THEIR ABILITY TO COMPETE AND THRIVE IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE. SAN ANTONIO'S SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC. IT DESERVES REPUTATION THAT UNDERSTANDS UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND ASPIRATION. WHICH ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR GREAT CITY. THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY APPLICATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SERVING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE
ESTEEMED COMMISSION. >> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO JUST WHILE YOU ARE READING, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA WALKED IN.
IF YOU CAN NOTE THAT SHE'S HERE,AL BE IT VERY TARDY AND DISRUPTIVE.
IN HIS STATEMENT, HE SAYS THEY'VE ONLY GOT NINE EMPLOYEES AND THIS IS THE 10
TO 50 CATEGORY. >> HE WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE 10TH, PROBABLY.
>> PELÁEZ: I HOPE SO. YES, MA'AM. >>
>> PELÁEZ: OKAY. >> WE'LL CONFIRM. >> PELÁEZ: CAN YOU PLEASE? CHANCE. OUR NEXT CATEGORY IS GOING TO BE OUR SMALL BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL TRADE ORGANIZATIONS STARTING WITH MR. MARTIN GUTIERREZ.
MR. GUTIERREZ, WELCOME. I INVITE YOU TO GIVE US AN OPENING ARGUMENT AND WE'LL
GO AROUND THE HORN AND ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS. >> PERFECT.
AWESOME. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN PELÁEZ AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, MY NAME IS MARTIN GUTIERREZ AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PERSPECTIVE I BRING.
IN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND ADVOCACY. THROUGHOUT THOSE SEVEN YEARS EVEN IN TODAY'S GREATER CHAMBER HAVE HAD DIRECT FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AND INTERACT WITH THEM DAILY. I THINK HAVING THAT KNOWLEDGE AND WORKING WITH THEM AND HAVING A FIRST-HAND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH AND BEING INTERFACE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THEIR BUSINESS PROVIDES VALUE. AND I THINK THE SECOND THING TOO IS BRINGING THE POLICY EXPERIENCE BECAUSE A LOT OF GREAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND HAVING SOMEONE WITH THAT EXPERIENCE CAN COMPLEMENT THE COMMISSION WELL. THEREFORE WE CAN PUT THEIR EXPERTISE WITH POLICY TO PROVIDE REAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT I THINK I CAN HELP PROVIDE TO THE COMMITTEE AND PROVIDE VALUE AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> CASTILLO: ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS FREQUENTLY LISTED AS ONE OF IF NOT THE GREATEST CHALLENGE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. HOW CAN THE CITY WORK TO
ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CAPITAL? >> I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO MY TIME WHEN WE WORKED AND REALIZED THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT PROGRAMS OUT THERE.
A LOT OF IT IS GETTING IN FRONT OF THOSE MEMBERS AND FIGURING OUT HOW YOU TARGET THEM, IS THAT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, COMMITTEES, TRADE ASSOCIATIONS, CHAMBERS. AND REALIZING ALSO WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE ANOTHER CITY IS DOING THAT SOMETIMES WE CAN LEARN FROM. SO SOMETIMES RESEARCH AND SAYING, HEY, WOULD THIS WORK. LEARNING FROM OUR OTHER COUNTERPARTS. ALWAYS OPEN TO FEEDBACK ON CURRENT PROGRAMS WE HAVE.
FIRSTHAND EXAMPLE, SOMETIMES MEMBERS WILL SAY HEY, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU CAN
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INCREASE THE AMOUNT OR IF WE APPLY, CAN'T GET IT IN TWO OR THREE YEARS.SHOULD I BE ELIGIBLE. I WOULD SAY FEEDBACK, LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES AND
OUTREACH, OUTREACH, OUTREACH. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU.
>> PELÁEZ: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: WHAT ROLE
SHOULD THE CITY PLAY IN THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM? >> I DEFINITELY FEEL CAPITAL IS A BIG ONE. I THINK TELLING OUR STORY AND KIND OF GETTING BEHIND OUR CAMPAIGN. I THINK A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES FEEL SOMETIMES THEY ARE LEFT OUT IN THE ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. THEY WANT TO BE HERE BUT THEY'VE GOT BUSINESSES TO RUN AND TIMES ARE TOUGH. FEELING YOU ARE GARNERING INPUT AND LISTENING TO THEM. SOMETIMES THESE MEMBERS HAVE REALLY GREAT IDEAS AND THEY WANT A CHANCE TO TELL THEM TO YOU, WHETHER THEY HAVE WORKED IN ANOTHER CITY OR TALKED TO SOMEBODY ELSE. SO I DEFINITELY THINK THAT'S HOW THEY CAN PLAY A ROLE IN HERE. AND, OF COURSE, ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, AND ALSO REALLY GETTING THE LOCAL BRAND OUT. I THINK OUR MEMBERS SAY THERE'S GREAT MOMENTUM. WHAT MORE CAN WE GET PEOPLE TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. >> PELÁEZ: COUNCILWOMAN.
ARE YOU SURE? SO I WONDER, AND I ASKED THIS OF THE PREVIOUS INTERVIEWEE, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS POSITION AND I KNOW YOU HEARD ABOUT IT BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS HERE. WHAT DO WE AS A CITY NEED TO DO TO GET MORE PEOPLE WITH BIG BRAINS, TALENT AND SOLID WISDOM TO BRING TO THE TABLE? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO GET MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AT THIS PODIUM TO INTERVIEW FOR
POSITIONS LIKE THIS? >> BIGGER PICTURE, A LOT MORE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY AMONG MY GENERATION. WE LACK ON THAT APPOINTMENT, WHY AM I GOING TO WASTE MY TIME OR MY VOICE ISN'T HEARD.
IT'S GETTING TO THOSE GROUPS THOSE PARTS OF TOWNS THAT MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE TIME AND DATE. IT'S HARD FOR SOMEBODY TO SHOW UP AT 10:00 A.M. ON A TUESDAY AND TARGET TO OUTREACH ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE'S YOUNG PROFESSIONAL GROUPS IN EACH OF THE CHAMBERS NOW THAT THEY ARE GROWING OR TRADE ASSOCIATIONS. GREAT GROUP TO TARGET.
THAT'S HOW I WOULD SAY DIFFERENT ASSOCIATIONS OR CHAMBERS OR GROUPS AND LOOKING AT DEMOGRAPHICS AND FOR EXAMPLE WHEN I LIVE I LOOK AT MY COMPLEX, THERE'S A LOT OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS. I DOUBT THEY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COMMISSIONS. MAYBE THERE'S APARTMENT OUTREACH BECAUSE A LOT OF US
CAN'T AFFORD TO OFTEN A HOME. >> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU.
THAT COMPLETES THE QUESTIONING. WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
OUR PEOPLE WILL CALL YOUR PEOPLE. OUR NEXT CANDIDATE, YAN YEN YAN, IS GOING TO PROVIDE US WITH A WRITTEN STATEMENT, RIGHT?
>> HAS BEEN A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AGENT AND BUSINESS BROKER IN TEXAS FOR 12 YEARS. SHE PROVIDES NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL CLAIMS WITH COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, MARKET RESEARCH AND FULL REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE SERVICES. SHE SPECIALIZES IN COMMERCIAL AND INVESTMENT PROPERTIES. BEFORE HER REAL ESTATE CAREER, SHE RESIDE UNDERSTAND SINGAPORE AND CHINA WHERE SHE SET UP AND MANAGED THREE SALES AND SERVICE OFFICE FOR A SAN ANTONIO COMPANY FROM 1994 TO 2003.
SHE HAD A WHOLESALE BUSINESS IN SAN ANTONIO DISTRIBUTING SIGN MAKING EQUIPMENT AND COUNCILMEMBERRABLES FROM 2000 TO 2011. BEING A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, MS. YAN FOUNDED THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN 2008 BRIDGING SAN ANTONIO BUSINESSES WITH PROVIDERS. SHE SERVED AS A 2022 SAN ANTONIO CHAPTER PRESIDENT OF THE ASIAN REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN AREA.
AREA IS THE LARGEST ASIAN ORGANIZATION IN NORTH AMERICA WITH 18,000 MEMBERS AND 44 CHAPTERS. SHE IS CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ALAMO ASIAN AMERICAN CHAPTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SHE HAS BEEN A BOARD MEMBER OF SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTOR COMMERCIAL COMMITTEE SINCE 2022.
BEING APPOINTED TO SAN ANTONIO SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION IN DECEMBER 2023, MS. YAN HELPS TO REVIVE -- REVIEW UPCOMING CITY POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND ISSUES AFFECTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND PROVIDES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. MS. YAN UNDERSTANDS BEING A MEMBER OF A SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCACY COMMISSION INVOLVES A PROFOUND APPRECIATION FOR THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, KEEN UNDERSTANDING OF LOCAL BUSINESS DYNAMICS AND COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING AND FOSTERING GROWTH. ACTIVELY LISTENING TO CONCERNS OF SMALL BUSINESS
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OWNERS AND COLLABORATING WITH FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE AREA. MS. YAN IS A CERTIFIED COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT MEMBER. CCIM, CCIM IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST DESIGNATIONS IN THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY REPRESENTING PROVEN EXPERTISE IN FINANCIAL, MARKET AND INVESTMENT ANALYSIS. MS. YAN HOLDS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN LAND USE FROM TEXAS A&M AND TWO BACHELOR DEGREES FROM BEIJING, CHINA.>> PELÁEZ: WE HAVE OUR LAST CATEGORY, NON-PROFIT SMALL BUSINESS PROVIDER ORGANIZATION, LINDSAY LOGAN HAS PROVIDED A WRITTEN STATEMENT AS WELL.
>> GOOD MORNING, ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS LINDSAY LOGAN AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS AT SAN ANTONIO FORGET ON THE EAST SIDE. PRIOR TO MY CURRENT ROLE, I SERVED AS BOTH THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER AND BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST. IT HAS BEEN MY DUTY TO SERVE ON EAST SIDE BUSINESSES IDENTIFYING THEIR NEEDS AND GOALS AND BEING AN OVERALL RESOURCE TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS. SINCE MARCH 2022, I HAVE SERVED AS A DISTRICT 2 AT-LARGE COMMISSIONER WHERE I HAVE PROVIDED INPUT AND RECOMMENDATION TO BEST ASIZE SAN ANTONIO SMALL BUSINESS AND NEED THROUGH THE ARPA RECOVERY PLAN AND VARIOUS OTHER INITIATIVES. AS YOU ALL KNOW, SAN ANTONIO SMALL BUSINESSES WERE TRULY IMPACTED AND HIT HARD DURING COVID. I SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF SB'S CONSTRUCTION SUBCOMMITTEE. -- SBAC'S CONSTRUCTION SUBCOMMITTEE THAT SUSTAIN THOSE BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION ZONES, SURVIVING COVID, THEN BEING IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION WAS A BLOW. BUSINESS OWNERS ARE BETTER SUITED TO LESSEN THE IMPACT CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE ON THEIR BUSINESSES.
THERE IS STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE. WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMAIN AS A COMMISSIONER AND CONTINUE SPEAKING UP FOR OUR CITY'S BUSINESSES. I SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.
MY SINCEREST APOLOGIES TO NOT BEING IN ATTENDANCE. >> PELÁEZ: OUR NEXT
CANDIDATE IS JASON MEZA. >> GOOD MORNING. PRIVILEGED TO INTERVIEW WITH YOU TODAY WITH YOUR SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
SINCE 2018, THIS ROLE HAS TAKEN ME A LOT OF PLACES, ALLOWED ME TO CONSULT WITH BUSINESSES LAST YEAR, ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER THIS PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE LISTEN TO THE PAIN POINTS OF SMALL BUSY THINK WILL SPEAK TO HELPING THIS COMMISSION OUT A LOT. PEOPLE THINK WE'RE THE BUSINESS POLICE. WE ARE NOT THE BUSINESS POLICE.
WE LISTEN, HEAR, PROVIDE RESOURCES, WORK ALONGSIDE LAUNCH SA, THE RELAUNCH OF IT. WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE THE '60S AND NOT GOING ANYWHERE. WORK FOR LOCAL NON-PROFITS, GOOD WILL, SAN ANTONIO FOUNDATION, MACY'S UNIVISION AND WORKING UP THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS FOR QUITE A WHILE, IT'S SHOWN ME THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF BUSINESS OWNERS.
PUMPED GAS SINCE I WAS 14. BUT THOSE SAME VALUES, TRUSTWORTHINESS, MAKING THINGS RIGHT, HONESTY, TRANSLATE WITH ME WORKING WITH THIS GROUP.
AND I THINK SERVING ALONGSIDE THE COMMISSION WOULD BE RESOURCEFUL, ABLE TO HELP YOU. SERVE AS HONORARY COMMANDER AT LACKLAND AND ARMED SERVICES -- SUGGESTING WHICH BUSINESSES SHOULD GO OFF LIMITS FOR THOSE FOLKS.
PRESIDENT -- ADVANCING COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS. A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT THEY INTERSECT AT A GOOD POINT TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE COMMISSION.
SMALL BUSINESS, 98% OF THE BUSINESSES IN TEXAS. WE'VE GOT TO SERVE THEM, LISTEN TO THEM, FIND OUT WHAT PAIN POINTS ARE. I THINK THERE'S A VOICE OF THE MARGINALIZED AND PLACE FOR THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO HELP THAT.
BE HAPPY TO TAKE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING ON THE COMMITTEE. ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS LISTED AS ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
>> IT'S A BIG QUESTION, A BIG POVERTIAL TARGET WITH LOANS, ACCESS A TO MICRO LOANS, GRANTS. I THINK IT'S THE EDUCATION. THEY DON'T KNOW IT'S OUT THERE. A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY QUALIFY OR HAVE ACCESS TO THAT. PROVIDING THOSE PITCH A TENT SERVICES, POPPING UP
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WEBINARS AS MUCH AS WE CAN, THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROMOTE AND REALLY SPREAD THE WORD. THE ON GOSPEL THAT'S OUT THERE.I THINK EDUCATION IS THE FIRST KEY AND MAKING SURE THEY KNOW THE QUALIFICATIONS. THE KNOWLEDGE IS A HUGE GAP WITH WHAT I'VE SEEN, NOT JUST IN SAN ANTONIO BUT ACROSS SATX. FIRST STEPS IS KNOWLEDGE AND
MOVING FORWARD AND PUT THEIR NAME IN THE HAPPEN. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU.
>> VIAGRAN: WHAT ROLE SHOULD THE CITY PLAY IN THE SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM?
>> A HUGE ROLE. I THINK GOVERNMENT HAVING RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM, THE EDD STAFF, CITY STAFF, A LOT OF THESE GREAT PROGRAMS THAT STARTED AND RETOOLED AND RETOOLED ALONG THE WAY. BRING UP READY TO WORK.
NEEDED SOME GUIDANCE AND JUST HAVING THAT AMPLIFIED VOICE AND REALLY SPEAKING TO BUSINESSES THAT DON'T GET THEIR VOICE HEARD, THEY ARE KIND OF LEFT OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE CITY STEP IN AND REALLY GET THEIR KNOWS AND NUTS AND BOLTS AND HANDS DIRTY AND SAY WE'RE HERE, WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE HEAR YOUR VOICE AND ADVOCATE FOR YOU.
I PROMISE THERE'S A PROGRAM FOR YOU. IT'S THERE SOMEWHERE. ARE JUMPIG
IN WITH BOTH FEET FIRST SMALL BUSINESS. >> CHAIR: MR. MEZA, I'VE BEEN ASKING THIS OF ALL THE APPLICANTS. HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US, ABOUT THIS POSITION, AND WHAT DO WE AS A CITY NEED TO DO BETTER TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE PODIUM TO APPLY FOR DIFFERENT POSITIONS, BUT IN PARTICULAR SMALL BUSINESSES
TO ENGAGE WITH US? >> THAT'S THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.
I WOULD BE SITTING ON A BEACH WITH A COLD ONE IF I KNEW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I DID HEAR THROUGH EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE. IT WAS A LINKED IN SOCIAL CHATTER THAT HAPPENED TWO YEARS AGO. I DIDN'T GET THE CALL UNTIL THIS YEAR SO HENCE I STEPPED FORWARD WITH A FEW OTHER APPOINTMENTS AND POSITIONS.
I THINK JUST ENSURING THAT THERE'S ACCESS TO ALL KINDS OF MARKETING AND PR-RELATED TOOLS THAT MAYBE YOU COULD USE AND STEP FORWARD AND WE CAN HELP PROVIDE SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE AND GUIDANCE AND GET THE WORD OUT. THAT'S HOW I BARELY HEARD ABOUT THIS APPOINTMENT AND THIS COMMISSION. I KNEW THE CITY STAFF DID GREAT WORK, I TRIED TO GET SOME GRANTS GOING WITH COVID, BUT THIS COMMISSION I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT UNTIL AT LEAST TWO YEARS AGO. WHEN IT STARTED.
I GUESS WHEN YOU LAUNCHED IT, YEAH. >>
>> PELÁEZ: TO DELIBERATE. THE TIME IS NOW 11:31 ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 30TH.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S EWD COMMITTEE COMMITTEE IS RECESSING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSSION THE APPOINTMENT OF BOARD MEMBERS, PERSONNEL MATTERS AND CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY.
>> PELÁEZ: WE MET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE IN ACTION WAS TAKEN AND PURSUANT TO SECTION 51 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE WE DISCUSSED PERSONNEL MATTERS AND CONSULTED WITH OUR ATTORNEYS. WE'RE NOW OUT OF EXECUTIVE
SESSION AND WE HAVE A MOTION TO MAKE. >> VIAGRAN: I MOVE TO RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING APPLICANTS FOR THE FOLLOWING CANDIDATES AS READ BY THE
CITY CLERK. >> RUBEN ARCINIEGA FOR SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYER.
SMALL BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL OR TRADE ORGANIZATION. YAN YEN YAN FOR TARGETED INDUSTRY CATEGORY. AND LINDSAY LOGAN FOR NON-PROFIT SMALL SERVICE
PROVIDER ORGANIZATION. >> PELÁEZ: DO WE HAVE A SECOND IN ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THAT WAS UNANIMOUS NEWS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR EWDC MEETING AND THANK YOU TO ALL PARTICIPANT AND WHEN
IS OUR NEXT MEETING, DO YOU KNOW? >> NO, BUT IT'S THE
REGULARLY SCHEDULED TIME IN MARCH. >> PELÁEZ: OKAY.
THANKS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.