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WELCOME, UH, E W TO OUR ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON THIS MOST BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, 2021 OF GREAT HISTORIC PROPORTION BECAUSE OF THIS MEETING, BUT BECAUSE OF ALSO SOMETHING THAT I'M SURE EVERYBODY ON THIS CALL HAS DONE AND THAT HA IS TO VOTE TODAY.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UM, MADAM CLERK OR, UH, FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, IF WE CAN HAVE ROLL PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROTO GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER EZ AND CHAIR
UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR EITHER OF OUR AGENDA ITEMS TODAY? NO, MA'AM, WE DO NOT.
[1. 20-6493 Consideration of Applicants to the San Antonio Economic Development Corporation Board (3 seats) [Tina J. Flores, City Clerk]]
YOU VERY MUCH.THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE STRAIGHT ONTO, UM, ITEM NUMBER ONE, AND THAT IS THE CONSIDERATION OF APPLICANTS TO THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD.
THERE ARE THREE SEATS AVAILABLE, AND, UM, WE HAVE SOME OF OUR APPLICANTS ON THE LINE ALREADY.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHAT IT DOES, AND THEN, UM, AFTER OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS, WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED YOUR, UH, PACKETS WITH THE, UM, APPLICANTS, THEIR, UH, THEIR APPLICATIONS, THEIR RESUMES, BUT ALSO A NARRATIVE IN WHICH THEY ANSWERED SOME QUESTIONS AS WELL.
SO WE'LL BE GOING FOR THE APPLICANTS, WE'LL BE GOING FOR THREE MINUTES OF AN INTRODUCTION AND WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD, AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND TWO MINUTES EACH PER COUNCIL MEMBER TO ASK, UH, QUESTIONS AND GET SOME ANSWERS.
SO I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO MINUTES IF IT GOES A LITTLE BIT OVER, BUT, UM, WE'LL START WITH THAT.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, I'M LOOKING AT, UH, ALEX OR CARLOS TO GIVE THE OVERVIEW OF THE S A E D C.
UM, JUST AS A QUICK, VERY, VERY BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THERE'S JUST A COUPLE SLIDES TO GIVE SOME, SOME BACKGROUND ON THE ENTITY, WHICH REALLY IS ANOTHER TOOL THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
UM, SO WE ACTUALLY CREATED THIS CORPORATION 10 YEARS AGO IN, UM, 2010.
UM, OVER THESE 10 YEARS, WE'VE ACTUALLY USED IT AS, AS A WAY TO INVEST IN PROJECTS.
UM, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE INVESTED IN SEVEN DIFFERENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
WE ACTUALLY HOLD EQUITY IN SOME STARTUP COMPANIES, UM, MOSTLY IN THE BIOSCIENCE AND A COUPLE OF IT COMPANIES.
UM, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TOOL THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
AND, AND IT HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, POTENTIAL USES, BUT WE REALLY USED IT AS A WAY TO, TO INVEST IN STARTUPS, UM, AND, AND KIND OF SHOW THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY HAVE TO GROW HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, MOST RECENTLY WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK AROUND, UM, THE MILITARY MEDICAL INNOVATION AND, UM, CREATED THE ACTUAL SAMMY FUND.
WE HAVE THE SAN ANTONIO MILITARY MEDICAL INNOVATION, WHICH WE CALL SAMMY.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A POSITION, WE HAVE A DIRECTOR.
UM, HE IS TECHNICALLY AN EMPLOYEE OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, AND HE'S SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN INNOVATION ENTREPRENEURS, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IDEAS OR, OR OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH THE MILITARY.
SO, UM, THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE RECENT, UM, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST YEAR, PROBABLY THROUGH THE CORPORATION ITSELF.
SO, THE BOARD OF THE CORPORATION IS ACTUALLY, IT CONSISTS OF SEVEN MEMBERS.
UM, AND THIS IS, THESE ARE THE BYLAWS THAT WERE, UM, WERE APPROVED WHEN THE CORPORATION WAS CREATED.
UM, THE MAYOR SERVES AS THE PRESIDENT AND THE CITY MANAGER SERVES AS A SECRETARY.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, TWO COMMIT, TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS SERVE AS BOARD MEMBERS, AND THEN WE HAVE THREE CITIZENS THAT ARE SELECTED AT LARGE, UM, THAT ALSO SERVE AS BOARD MEMBERS.
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CITIZENS ARE APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL FOR TWO YEAR TERMS. UM, AND TODAY WE HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS, UM, TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE THREE AVAILABLE POSITIONS.UM, THREE AVAILABLE AT LARGE, UH, POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR CITIZEN SEATS.
AND HERE'S THE LIST OF THE APPLICANTS.
AGAIN, THEY ALL ARE CONSIDERED AT LARGE.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT MIGHT BE THE LAST SLIDE I HAVE.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS.
THE FIRST, I, UH, THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL ON THE LINE IS, UH, MR. KEN BRIGGS.
SO KEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR APPLYING.
IF YOU COULD JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND MAYBE EXPAND ON A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR NARRATIVE.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WELCOME.
UM, AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, INTERVIEW FOR THIS, UH, BOARD POSITION.
UM, I'M CURRENTLY CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER FOR A LOCAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY, UH, DECENTRALIZED WEB TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE STARTED UP BACK IN MARCH.
UH, BEFORE THAT I WORKED FOR FOUR YEARS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AS A CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER, AND, UH, MAJORED IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AT A AND M.
AND, UH, I'VE ALSO SERVED ON THE BOARD OF, OF SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE CITY.
UH, ONE OF THEM BEING SAN ANTONIO YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, UH, WHICH IS A YOUNG PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING GROUP, UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF EXPOSED ME TO THE NEEDS OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE CITY THAT WOULD ATTRACT THEM TO LIVE AND WORK HERE.
UM, SO THAT'S BASICALLY WHERE MY PERSPECTIVE IS, IS COMING IN FOR, UM, THE, THE THINGS THAT I FEEL LIKE THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION COULD DO TO HELP SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED, AND THIS THIS PART WASN'T ON THE QUESTIONNAIRE, ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED HERE IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THE CITY HAS TO OFFER TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND, AND WORKERS WHO MIGHT WANNA LIVE HERE.
AND WE WANNA MOVE HERE BECAUSE IT'S SO CHEAP COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.
UM, BUT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HERE.
SO THINGS LIKE THE, THE MISSION TRAILS AREN'T VERY WELL KNOWN.
THE MISSION REACH, THE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT BARS AND RESTAURANTS, UH, THAT CATER TO YOUNG PEOPLE.
A LOT OF THOSE THINGS ARE, ARE NOT WELL KNOWN AROUND HERE.
AND I NOTICED THIS MYSELF WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.
SO I THINK THE, THE CORPORATION COULD DO A LOT TO MARKET AND PROMOTE THE ASSETS SAN ANTONIO ALREADY HAS, AND YOU'VE GOT TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN, UH, TALENT, UH, TO WORK HERE.
UM, IN THAT VEIN, I ALSO SEE THE CORPORATION AS A RESOURCE AGGREGATOR AND CONNECTOR FOR BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS AROUND TEAM ANTONIO.
UH, BASICALLY YOU CAN COMPILE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, UM, HIGHLY SKILLED WORKFORCE WOULD FIND VALUABLE.
ALSO, DIFFERENT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS FOR BUSINESSES.
SO IT'D BE EASY TO LOOK THOSE UP AND SEE WHAT RESOURCES THE CITY HAS AVAILABLE TO THEM.
UM, AND I ALSO BELIEVE IN TRYING TO IDENTIFY, UH, WAYS THAT OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS, SUCH AS DALLAS, AUSTIN, AND HOUSTON ARE GROWING RAPIDLY, UM, IDENTIFY THINGS THEY'RE DOING THAT WE COULD IMPORT INTO SAN ANTONIO AND HELP FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY HERE.
UM, AND I BELIEVE ALSO THAT STRONG SUPPORT OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND START COMMUNITIES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IS VITAL TO THAT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW EMERGING INDUSTRIES THAT COULD SPUR A LOT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE CITY, AND WE COULD LEVERAGE, UM, THE GROWING TALENT BASE IN THE TECHNOLOGY SECTORS, PARTICULARLY AROUND CYBERSECURITY TO HELP GROW, GROW THOSE INDUSTRIES.
UM, MY COMPANY IN PARTICULAR FOCUSES ON INTERNET THINGS, TECHNOLOGY OR SMART DEVICES.
UM, THAT'S A VERY NEW AND GROWING INDUSTRY THAT'S RESILIENT TO, YOU KNOW, PANDEMICS OR ANY OTHER MAJOR ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT INDUSTRY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW NO MATTER WHAT.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO COUNCIL, UH, COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND ASK THEM TO MY COLLEAGUES,
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OR YOU CAN PASS TO THE NEXT, I'LL CALL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.AND THANK YOU MR. BREAKS FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP CHANGE THE PERCEPTION THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A CHEAP PLACE TO DO BUSINESS? WELL, WHEN I SAID CHIEF, I, I MEANT MORE THAT, YOU KNOW, COST OF LIVING AND THINGS ARE, ARE LOWER HERE THAN OTHER MAJOR CITIES.
AND I THINK THAT COULD BE TURNED AROUND AS A NET POSITIVE.
UM, WHICH BASICALLY I WOULD MARKET THAT AS SAN ANTONIO IS A CITY, YOU KNOW, RICH IN OPPORTUNITY.
AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET STARTED AND ESTABLISH THEMSELVES AND, UH, BASICALLY SET THEM UP TO SUCCESS GOING INTO THE FUTURE.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER GABRIEL HDA.
UM, MR. BRIGGS, WILL YOU EXPLAIN YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? MY PHILOSOPHY ON THAT IS, IS BROADLY, UM, BASICALLY FOR THE CITY TO USE INCENTIVES TO SPUR DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS WHERE, UH, I, UM, MR. BRIGGS, I'M, I'M SORRY.
WELL, WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET HIM BACK ON, UM, TO FINISH UP WITH THAT QUESTION.
BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO, DO WE HAVE SYLVIA LOPEZ GOONA ON THE LINE? WE DO.
UM, WELCOME, SYLVIA, WE ARE HERE IN OUR ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
UM, WE WANNA GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES JUST TO TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE E D C BOARD OR CONTINUE TO SERVE.
IF YOU, UM, CAN GO AHEAD AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND AND HAVE OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO INTERVIEW THE CANDIDATES, UH, FOR THE BOARD POSITIONS.
UM, I, UM, STARTED VOLUNTEERING ON CITY, UM, COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND EVEN TODAY, I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT, UH, FOR THE PROCESS.
UM, IT'S TRANSPARENT AND IT'S THOROUGH, AND I THINK IT, IT DOES, UH, A LOT TO GO, UH, A LONG WAY AND, AND FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
UM, MY PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THIS BOARD IS TO TAKE MY EXPERIENCE, UH, FROM BEING A CAREER ECONOMIC DEVELOPER AND APPLY IT TO MY HOMETOWN TO TRY TO CONTRIBUTE TO, UM, THE BALANCE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEM AND, UM, AND, AND, AND HELP MAKE INVESTMENT DECISIONS, UM, IN COMPANIES THAT, UM, LOOK GOOD IN LOTS OF WAYS, UM, THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE PROMISING, THAT JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HELP IN ORDER TO, UM, ADVANCE THEIR INNOVATIONS AND CREATE JOBS AND GENERATE, UM, UH, INCOME IN, IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT, UM, MY EXPERIENCE IN REVIEWING APPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE US COMMUNITY ADJUSTMENT INVESTMENT PROGRAM FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND MORE RECENTLY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S RECOVERY GRANT, UM, PLAN FOR PROGRAM, UM, DO A LOT TO, TO HELP ME TO DO THAT WITHIN THE E D C.
UM, I FOUND THAT EXPERIENCE TO BE, UM, VERY USEFUL IN MY FIRST TERM.
UM, AND, UM, IT, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO SERVE ON THE SAMI WORKING GROUP, UM, AS THAT PLAN WAS BEING DEVELOPED, UM, TO PARTICIPATE IN A SELECTION OF THE SAMI DIRECTOR, I THINK THAT WE HAVE A WONDERFUL, UH, AND TALENTED PERSON, UM, AT THE HELM.
UM, I, UM, AGAIN, HAVE JUST REALLY ENJOYED, UM, THE PROCESS.
UM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TOUR A LOT OF THE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SMALL BUSINESS STARTUP ECOSYSTEM, UM, PARTNERS, LOCATIONS.
UM, IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL EDUCATION, UM, IN THE BIOSCIENCE AREA, IN THE
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MILITARY MEDICAL, UM, STARTUP AREA, SMALL BUSINESS AREA.UM, I AM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE ME, SAN ANTONIO.
I THINK THAT THE E D C, UM, DOES DO A LOT TO, TO BALANCE OUT THE ECOSYSTEM WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START WITH COUNCIL, UH, COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, MS. LOPEZ, FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
UM, MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE, AND I'M JUST WONDERING HOW YOU WOULD HELP CHANGE THE PERCEPTION THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A CHEAP PLACE TO DO BUSINESS? YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIKE THE WORD CHEAP.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT LOOKS GOOD ANYMORE.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT I WOULD SAY, I, AS I WOULD DIRECT, UM, PERSPECTIVE ELSEWHERE TO SHOW WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE SAN ANTONIO IS TO DO BUSINESS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE HAVE TOURED PEOPLE FROM, UM, OUT OF TOWN, UH, YOU KNOW, ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, AT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, UM, PEOPLE ARE JUST REALLY TAKEN ABACK WITH, UM, HOW WELL WE COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER.
SO IT'S A COLLABORATIVE PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A RESOURCEFUL PLACE TO DO BUSINESS, IS WHAT I WOULD SAY.
UM, MS. LOPEZ, ANA, WILL YOU EXPLAIN YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, IT'S THE BEST KIND THERE IS, UM, THROUGHOUT MY CAREER.
UM, BACK TO WHEN I WAS IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND DEFINITELY WHEN I WAS IN NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE BEST SOLUTIONS COME FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, ANY OTHER HELP, YOU KNOW, IS JUST ADDING TO THE TOOLBOX.
BUT, UM, THE COMMUNITY KNOWS ITS, UM, CHALLENGES BEST AND, UM, COMMUNITY DRIVEN, ASSET BASED SOLUTIONS ARE, ARE ALWAYS THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA WORK BECAUSE THEY, THEY KNOW WHAT WORKS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY, HOW TO COMMUNICATE THAT, HOW TO IMPLEMENT THAT.
UH, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AN ENDLESS NUMBER OF DETAILS THAT COULD MAKE A PLAN GO WRONG.
AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE, UM, LOCAL PARTICIPATION, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MAJORITY OF ANY KIND OF PROCESS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
UM, MY QUESTION, UH, MS. LAONA IS, UM, YOU WORK FOR A VERY EXCITING, UH, COMPANY RIGHT NOW.
SO HOW WOULD YOU, UH, BALANCE THE, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN YOUR EXCITING NEW POSITION, UH, OR YOUR EXCITING POSITION AND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING ON THE BOARD THAT THERE'S NO CONFLICTS? SO, I, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY SELF-EMPLOYED.
I WAS LAID OFF IN APRIL, SO I AM A COVID 19 POSTER CHILD.
AND, UM, SO I WORKED ACTUALLY FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT, UM, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, SMALL BUSINESS, UM, DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND IT IS VERY EXCITING WORK FOR ME.
UM, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I CONTRIBUTE IN SOME WAY TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S RECOVERY.
UM, AND SO, UM, I WAS BLESSED WITH A LOT OF WORK
SO, UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING FROM HOME MAKES THAT EASY BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE TIME TO COMMUTE AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TIME MANAGEMENT IS, IS CRUCIAL WHEN YOU'RE WORKING FROM HOME AND WHEN YOU'RE WORKING FOR, UH, MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS WITH MULTIPLE LEVELS OF TASKS AND SCHEDULES AND PEOPLE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT, UM, UH, IT'S, IT'S GONE WELL AND, UH, I FEEL LIKE I'M MAKING A WONDERFUL IMPACT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MY SERVICE ON THE BOARD IS OF A VERY DIFFERENT NATURE THAN, UH, THE WORK THAT I'M DOING, UM, FOR THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO, UM, I FEEL LIKE IT ALSO BRINGS BALANCE TO WHAT I DO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWER.
UM, I'M JUST GOING TO COUNCIL MEMBER LIAS, I KNOW YOU JUST JOINED, BUT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UM, ONE OF OUR APPLICANTS, UH, SYLVIA LOPEZ GAONA FOR SEEKING REELECTION, UM, YOU CAN ASK IT NOW.
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YOU ALL.NEXT ON THE LINE, WE SHOULD HAVE DR.
UH, WE ARE GIVING OUR APPLICANTS THREE MINUTES FOR INTRODUCTION AND A WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE E D C.
AND THEN WE WILL MOVE OVER, UH, MOVE AROUND FOR TWO MINUTES ANSWERS FROM OUR COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO ALL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, FOR ASKING ME TO, TO TALK.
I, UM, TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND, I'M CURRENTLY THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF COMMERCIALIZATION AND INNOVATION AT U T S A.
I AM, UM, I'VE BEEN A COMMERCIALIZATION PROFESSIONAL, UM, FOR OVER 17 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN IN SAN ANTONIO SINCE 2007, BOTH AT UT HEALTH AND U T S A.
UM, I'VE BEEN INTERACTING WITH THE, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR PROBABLY AS MANY YEARS AS IT'S BEEN AROUND.
ORIGINALLY WHEN IT WAS WITH ED DAVIS AND I, I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED, UM, HELPING 'EM TO, WHEN THEY WANNA BRING IN COMPANIES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN SAN ANTONIO, HELPING THEM TOUR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE, IN THE AREA IN THE, WITH THE VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES.
UM, MY BACKGROUND, JUST TO GIVE YOU MORE, MORE BACKGROUND, IS, UM, I HAVE A PHD IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, CANCER RESEARCH AND IMMUNOLOGY.
I DID MY, UH, POSTDOC, WELL, THAT WAS AT YALE.
I DID MY POSTDOC AT U C S F IN, IN IMMUNOLOGY.
SO A LIFE SCIENCES, UM, HAS BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, MY, MY STRONGEST UH, BACKGROUND RESEARCH WISE.
I THEN LEFT AND FORMED A, WELL, CO-FOUNDED A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY THAT ENDED UP BEING VENTURE FUNDED AND, UH, SERVICES FOR LIFE SCIENCES.
SO I'VE, I'VE BEEN IN THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPACE FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE.
AND, UM, AND IT'S A SPACE THAT I'VE REALLY ENJOYED BEING IN.
UM, I WAS ALSO PART OF THE, UM, MILITARY MED COMMERCIALIZATION, UH, GROUP THAT, THAT FOUNDED THE, THE PROGRAM AND, AND CAME UP WITH THE, THE JOB DESCRIPTION, ESSENTIALLY.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH COREY LEVINSON, THEIR DIRECTOR EVER SINCE THEN, AND HAVE REALLY ENJOYED, UM, SEEING HIS WORK, UM, IN THIS SPACE, IN THE, UM, WITH THE, WITH THE NEW, THE NEW SANDY, UM, FUND AND, AND THE ABILITY TO GROW GROWN IN COMPANIES IN THE MILITARY, UH, COMMERCIALIZATION SPACE AS WELL.
UM, WHY DO I WANNA BE IN WITH THE S S A E D C'S? IT'S A LITTLE MORE, BECAUSE I SEE A LOT OF GROWTH POTENTIAL IN, IN REALLY STRONG FIELDS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, INNOVATION IN THE BIOMED SPACE AND THE CYBERSECURITY SPACE, MATERIALS ENGINEERING.
UM, AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF GROWTH AND POTENTIAL FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, CREATING A BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR NEW COMPANIES, SMALL COMPANIES THAT WANNA MOVE TO SAN ANTONIO AND STARTUPS THAT WANNA FORM IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND, UM, AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY NICE OVERLAP WITH, WITH MY INTERESTS AS WELL.
AND I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WE'LL MOVE TO THE COUNCIL'S, UH, QUESTIONS.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND ALSO YOUR, UM, PARTICIPATION THUS FAR.
UM, MY QUESTION AS YOU, UH, WOULD, WOULD CONTINUE, HOW WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO HELP CHANGE THE PERCEPTION OR THE NARRATIVE THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A CHEAP PLACE TO WORK? SORRY.
I, I, I THINK THAT THE SPACE THAT I AM IN MOST OF THE TIME IS THE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE GROWING, GROWING NEW COMPANIES AND INCUBATING NEW COMPANIES, THE THE PERCEPTION THAT I'M SEEING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DEVELOPING JOBS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PRETTY HIGH, UH, HIGH SALARY TYPES OF POSITIONS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, HIGHER EDUCATION LEVELS NEEDED AND, AND HIGH TECHNICAL SKILLS NEEDED.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A STRONG GROUP, UH, MANUFACTURING GROUP THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE, LIKE THE PERCEPTION THAT
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
BURKE, WILL YOU EXPLAIN YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? MY PHILOSOPHY, UM, LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
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UM, WELL, I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY STRONG, UM, REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROGRAM AND GROUP, AND IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT, UM, EDUCATION FOR ME, JUST, JUST BEING HERE, UM, TO, TO LEARN WHERE AND HOW PEOPLE COOPERATE.AND I THINK THAT THAT THEME IS THE STRONGEST THEME THAT I'VE FELT COMING OUT OF SAN ANTONIO SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, IS THAT THE COOPERATIVE ENVIRONMENT OF PEOPLE WILLING TO, WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER, TO, TO GROW SOMETHING LARGER THAN THEMSELVES.
AND THAT REALLY IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH SAN ANTONIO'S STRENGTH COOPERATIVE PROGRAM, OR COOPERATIVE CITY, AND IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO, TO BE A PART OF.
COUNCIL MEMBER S ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO, NO QUESTIONS OTHER THAN TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, I STARTED FLIPPING THROUGH THE, YOUR PAPER IN 2014 ABOUT THE, UH, NCATS AND THE N I H CENTER.
UH, I CAN TELL YOU PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT, AND I PROMISE YOU THAT I, I'M GONNA TRY TO GIVE IT A SECOND TRY.
UH, BUT, UM, I, I JUST LOOKING AT YOUR RESUME AND LOOKING AT YOUR, UH, YOU KNOW, AT YOUR QUALIFICATIONS, IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU'VE GOT THE STREET CRED, UH, THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, NOT JUST FOR THIS POSITION, BUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHERS.
SO I'M VERY PLEASURE, HOWEVER I CAN.
BURKE, SO MUCH FOR, UM, YOUR APPLICATION, AND, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE MR. CARLOS GONZALEZ ON THE LINE.
HOW, HOW DOING, DOING WELL, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, UH, FOR AN INTRODUCTION AND WHY YOU'D LIKE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD, AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND AND ASK QUESTIONS FROM EACH OF OUR COLLEAGUES, MY COLLEAGUES, UH, TO YOU.
SO YOU HAVE THE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
FIRST, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY, OBVIOUSLY, TO SPEAK, AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TO CHANCE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I KNOW YOU GOT OTHER PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW, SO I'LL TRY NOT TO TAKE TOO MUCH OF THE TIME.
BUT I AM CARLOS DE GONZALEZ AND, UM, THE FOUNDER OF CARLOS EZ, WHICH IS A FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM.
UM, I'M ALSO A PROPERTY TAX DISPUTE ARBITRATOR FOR THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS AND A LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENT WITH BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY.
UM, ALL OF THIS IN SAN ANTONIO, UM, SAN ANTONIO IS MY HOME, AND THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY ARE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M APPLYING TO THIS BOARD IS BECAUSE I WANNA ASSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M DOING MY PART IN OFFERING MY EXPERIENCES, MY KNOWLEDGE, MY LEGAL EXPERTISE TO WHERE IT'S BEST SUITED.
NOW, I'M AN ENTREPRENEUR, AND I THINK THE EASIEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE MIND OF AN ENTREPRENEUR IS TO BE ONE.
UM, I CAN CERTAINLY RELATE TO THESE INDIVIDUALS AND BE HONORED, UH, TO BE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM AND THEIR BUSINESSES.
THE ROLE OF THIS BOARD SHOULD BE, UH, THE GROWTH OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
I BELIEVE THE BOARD CAN HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT IN THAT.
IT'S OUR CIVIC DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE IDEAS AND INCENTIVES FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO START A BUSINESS, THOSE WHO WANT TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS.
AND OF COURSE, FOR THOSE THINKING OF STARTING THEIR BUSINESS FROM OUT OF TOWN, COMING INTO SAN ANTONIO, MY AREAS OF FOCUS ARE, WOULD PROBABLY, WELL, NOT PROBABLY, WOULD BE TO INCREASE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES, DECREASE THE UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS, HELP ALREADY EXISTING BUSINESSES GROW TO THE POTENTIAL, AND OF COURSE, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT COME TO SAN ANTONIO FROM OTHER CITIES.
UM, ANOTHER PRIMARY FOCUS WILL BE TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, AND TO COLLECTIVELY ENGAGE IN PRODUCTIVE THOUGHT AND DISCOURSE, SO WE CAN MAKE A PROFOUND DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
MY EXPERIENCE AS AN ENTREPRENEUR HAVE ALLOWED ME TO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF WHAT IT TAKES TO NOT ONLY OPEN, BUT OPERATE AND GROW A SMALL BUSINESS IN PEPSI.
ONE OF THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT I CAN RELATE TO, UH, NOWADAYS IS THAT I OPENED MY FIRM SHORTLY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, BUT, UH, WITH THE GRACE OF GOD, A LITTLE BIT OF HARD WORK, I'VE STILL MANAGED TO GROW, UH, UH, EVEN WHILE OPERATING AT ONE OF THE NATION'S MOST TROUBLING TIMES.
AS AN ATTORNEY, I ALWAYS FIND ADVOCATING FOR SOMEONE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND, AND WHAT KIND OF HELPS IN THIS SITUATION IS THAT VERY INDIVIDUAL I'M ADVOCATING FOR ARE THE SAME AS ME ENTREPRENEURS, UH, UH, AND MY EXPERIENCES ALLOW ME TO RELATE TO STARTUPS AND THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPE OF PROGRAMS AND, AND OR INCENTIVES CAN HELP, UH, AND,
[00:30:01]
AND WHICH DO NOT.SO, ADVOCATING FOR STRONG AND LOCAL BUSINESSES IN TURN, ALLOWS JOB STABILITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE EMPLOYED AND JOB CREATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT.
UH, UH, AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE I SEE MYSELF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, IT'S GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, OBVIOUSLY, I'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE, UH, FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU MR. GONZALEZ, FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
UM, MY QUESTION IS JUST HOW WOULD YOU, AND YOU REFERENCED THIS, YOU REFERENCED THE RECRUITMENT OF COMPANIES TO SAN ANTONIO, BUT HOW WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO HELP CHANGE THE PERCEPTION THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A CHIEF PLACE TO DO BUSINESS? OKAY.
UH, REALLY, I, I CONCENTRATE ON GROWTH.
I CONCENTRATE ON JOB CREATION.
I WON'T ALLOW THE STIGMA OF CHEAP BUSINESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO TO AFFECT, UH, WHAT WE'RE ALREADY, UH, DOING NOW.
I THINK IF WE STAY, UH, ON THAT AND PRIMARILY FOCUS ON GROWTH AND JOB CREATION, AND I THINK THAT THE NARRATIVE WILL CHANGE.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THANKS, CHAIR.
UM, MR. GONZALEZ, WILL YOU EXPLAIN YOUR PHILOSOPHY, PHILOSOPHY ON LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? SURE, ABSOLUTELY.
UH, WELL, I THINK IT'S, IT'S UBER IMPORTANT TO CONCENTRATE ON LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I READ A BOOK CALLED THE COMPOUND EFFECT, AND IT, I THINK IT APPLIES TO HERE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU CONCENTRATE ON THE CITY AND, AND, AND CITIES CAN COLLECTIVELY DO SO, THEN IT'S BETTER FOR THE STATE.
AND IF EACH STATE CAN DO SO, THEN IT'S BETTER FOR THE, FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE NATIONAL ECONOMY.
SO I THINK IT, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO CONCENTRATE ON LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, AND, AND, UH, I THINK THAT, UH, THE BOARD'S ALREADY DOING A GREAT JOB TO IT.
I JUST FEEL MAYBE MY EXPERIENCES CAN, UH, HOPEFULLY ADD TO IT.
CAN YOU, UM, BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY, UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONCENTRATE ON WITHIN MOBILIZE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? SURE, YEAH.
THAT, THOSE AREAS FALL BACK TO WHAT I WAS DISCUSSING EARLIER, LIKE INCREASING THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT OPEN HERE, UM, DECREASING UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE CITY.
UH, HELP ALREADY EXISTING BUSINESSES GROW TO THE POTENTIAL, WHICH IN EFFECT ALLOWS THEM TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE.
AND OF COURSE, OFFERING SOME SORT OF INCENTIVE, UH, TO BUSINESSES TO ACTUALLY WANT TO COME IN TO SAN ANTONIO AND, UH, OPEN SHOP HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, MR. GONZALEZ FOR YOUR TIME.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING BACK.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, MS. MARGIE JOHNSON ON THE LINE.
MS. JOHNSON, HELLO, THIS IS MARGIE JOHNSON.
HI, THIS IS COUNCIL WOMAN REBECCA VRAN.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR AN INTRODUCTION AND SHARE WHY YOU'D LIKE TO BE ON THE BOARD, AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND AND HAVE QUESTIONS FROM OUR COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M MARGIE JOHNSON, UM, UP TO SAN ANTONIO.
AS OF FOUR YEARS NOW, UM, I AM IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
UH, I STARTED MY CAREER, UH, ESSENTIALLY WITH THE AIR FORCE BACK IN 1999.
UM, CAME IN AS A, UH, A LOGISTICS PERSONNEL.
AND, UH, AFTER FOUR YEARS AFTER THE RECOMMENDATION OF MY COMMANDER, UH, I WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE R O T C PROGRAM AT TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY, WHERE I WOULD, UH, RECEIVE MY BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS.
UM, IN MY THREE YEARS THERE, UH, PRETTY MUCH A, A, A CURVE
SO, UH, I HAD A DAUGHTER, UM, THE YEAR I SUPPOSED TO COMMISSION.
AND INSTEAD OF CHOOSING TO COMMISSION, UM, I DECIDED TO GO BACK INTO THE AIR FORCE AS A FIELD OF SERVICE EMPLOYEE.
AND WHICH TIME I STARTED MY CONTRACTING ACQUISITION PROFESSIONALLY.
UM, I HAD BEEN SERVING THE AIR FORCE FOR OVER 14 YEARS IN THAT CAPACITY.
IN TOTAL, I WOULD SAY OVER, OVER 21 YEARS NOW, UM, IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY, A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR.
[00:35:01]
UM, AFTER HAVING LEAVE, UH, THE AIR FORCE AS A SILVER SERVICE, I DECIDED TO, UH, WORK WITH A SMALL BUSINESS COMPANY IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.UM, THEY WERE MORE IT, UH, COMPANY.
AND, UM, OF COURSE, I'M COMING IN WITH AN ACQUISITION BACKGROUND.
SO, UH, MY MINDSET WAS SIMPLY I WOULD HELP YOU, UM, GROW AND EXPAND AND PROVIDE CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION.
BUT THE COMPANY HAD DIFFERENT PLANS FOR ME.
THEY SAW FIT THAT I WOULD BE BETTER SUITED AS A BUSINESS DEVELOPER, WHICH
RIGHT? SO THAT WAS MY MINOR, UH, AT TUSKEGEE.
SO, UM, WHAT I FOUND IS, UH, I ACTUALLY WAS UP TO IT.
UM, I, PART OF THE ACQUISITION SIDE IN THE AIR FORCE, YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ENGAGE WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, LARGE COMPANIES WHO WANNA DO BUSINESS WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
AND IN PARTICULAR, UM, I WAS SERVING, UH, THE AIR FORCE AND ALL OF ITS IT ENTERPRISE WIDE SERVICES.
SO ANYTHING RELATED TO IT, UH, GUNTER AIR FORCE BASE IS WHERE I WAS, UM, PLACED THE STATIONS, AND THAT WAS THE PRIMARY SOURCE FOR IT SERVICES.
SO YOU WANT TO GET INTO THE BUSINESS AND ALL, UH, COMPANIES WHO KNEW THAT WOULD, UM, COME TO GUNNER.
AND SO I WOULD BE THAT, UH, INTERFACE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND WHAT THEY EXPECTED AS A REQUIREMENT AND ENGAGING WITH THESE COMPANIES WHO POTENTIALLY COULD HELP US REFINE, UM, AND SUPPORT US IN DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINMENT OF THESE PROGRAMS. SO NOW I'M OUT WITH THIS SMALL BUSINESS COMPANY WHO'S STILL FAIRLY NEW AND, UM, THE, THE GOVERNMENT BUSINESS, UM, NOW TRY TO EXPAND THEIR CAPABILITIES OUTSIDE OF THE MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA AREA.
SO WHAT THAT ENTAILED IS FOR ME TO TRAVEL BETWEEN THE DC, ATLANTA, AND VIRGINIA AREA, UM, TO, TO EXPAND THOSE FACILIT IN WHICH I WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
IN DOING SO, UM, I WAS ABLE TO, UH, CAPTURE FOUR CONTRACTS WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
ON THE THREE MINUTES, BUT WE'RE GONNA GO NOW TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND WE ARE GOING TO START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
THANK YOU, MS. JOHNSON, FOR YOUR INTEREST IN, UM, IN, IN THIS, UH, CAPACITY.
AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR YOUR SERVICE WITH THE AIR FORCE.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, HOW WOULD YOU HELP CHANGE THE PERCEPTION THAT SAN ANTONIO IS SEEN AS A CHEAP PLACE TO DO BUSINESS? AS A WHAT PLACE? PLACE TO DO BUSINESS? ARE YOU SAYING CHEAP PLACE? I'M SORRY.
UM, I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, UH, WHAT I DO FIND IN THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY, AS I MYSELF HAVE LEARNED, UM, WHEN I RELOCATED HERE FOUR YEARS AGO, UH, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY INTACT RELATIONSHIPS.
SO, BUT WHAT I DID IS I WOULD INTRODUCE MYSELF AND OUR GOALS AS PART OF MY COMPANY, JOHNSON METRO MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS, AND OUR POTENTIAL CAPABILITIES AND LOGISTICS, CYBER IT SUPPORT.
AND WHAT I FOUND IS THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THOSE WHO WERE, MAY NOT BE DIRECTLY IN LINE COULD BE ABLE TO HELP ME, UM, EXPAND THE COMPANY WITH NO RELATIONSHIPS.
AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE PARTNERS UP, AND THAT WAS HELPED WITH THE P A, THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS, THE MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, UM, REALLY ENGAGING.
I WOULDN'T SAY IT WAS CHEAP, BUT MORE HIGHLY SKILLED EXPERTS.
YES, ABSOLUTELY, BUT TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THE CHIEF PORTION.
WHAT A GREAT THING ABOUT SAN ANTONIO IS BEVERAGES.
UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, JUST BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY IN A LOT OF PLACES, UNFORTUNATELY, DO NOT DO THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
AND MS. JOHNSON, WILL YOU EXPLAIN YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? PLEASE, UH, SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
WILL YOU, UH, PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? OH, YES, MA'AM.
SO OF COURSE, THERE'S MANY PROGRAMS WITHIN THE CITY, UM, THAT TRY TO SIMULATE WITHIN ITS OWN ECONOMY THAT COULD ONLY BE DONE IF THE RIGHT COMMITTEES, THE RIGHT BOARDS, THE RIGHT, UM, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE SUPPORTING THOSE COMPANIES WITHIN ITS CITY.
[00:40:01]
GENERATING, UM, JOBS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND CYCLING IMPACT THAT CAPITAL, THOSE REVENUES WITHIN ITS OWN.SO, UM, WE, IN MY COMPANY, WE DEFINITELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT BEHIND LOCAL FOLKS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BELA? NO, THANK YOU.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. JOHNSON, FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR, UM, YOUR APPLICATION.
OUR LAST APPLICANT IS, UH, CHRISTOPHER ROSA.
CHRISTOPHER, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? I AM.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND THEN, UH, WHY YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OR CONTINUE SERVING ON THE BOARD.
AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND, UH, HAVING QUESTIONS FROM OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.
UM, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, MY NAME IS CHRIS RUIS, AND, UH, I CURRENTLY SERVE IN MY FULL-TIME JOB AS THE VICE P PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL TAX AND TREASURY FOR RACKSPACE HOSTING.
IT'S A SAN ANTONIO BASED COMPANY THAT I'M SURE YOU, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF.
IT'S BEEN A BIG CONTRIBUTOR TO A LOCAL TECH ECOSYSTEM FOR THE LAST TWO PLUS YEARS.
I HAVE SERVED ON THE S A E D C, AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE LAUNCH OF SANDY INITIATIVE.
IF I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE HONORED WITH ANOTHER TERM, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE INCREDIBLE MILITARY AND MEDICAL RESEARCH EFFORTS, UH, AND ALSO EXPLORE WAYS TO INVEST IN THE TECH ECOSYSTEM THAT IS DRIVING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, I'M A NATIVE SANTON AND I'M INVESTED IN CITY SUCCESS.
I RECEIVED MY BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S DEGREES FROM B T S A AND HAVE BEEN ACTIVE WITH THE SCHOOL FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, SERVING ON BOTH THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD AND THE ACCOUNTING ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, I FEEL IT'S MY ALLEGATION TO GIVE BACK TO THE CITY THAT HAVE GIVEN ME SO MUCH.
I FEEL THAT MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND IN FINANCIAL ACUMEN ARE AN ASSET VIA S A E C BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO EVALUATE THE INVESTMENT PROPOSALS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN A DILIGENT AND THOUGHTFUL MANNER.
THE S A E D C HAS MADE EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN LOCAL COMPANIES AND WANTS THEM TO STAY LOCAL.
HOWEVER, THE EQUITY INVESTMENTS ALSO PRESENT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN A RETURN THAT CAN BE RE THAT CAN BE REINVESTED INTO ADDITIONAL STARTUPS IN THE FUTURE.
I HAVE BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE EVALUATION OF ACQUISITION TARGETS DURING MY TIME AT RACKSPACE, SO I HAVE AN APPRECIATION OF WHAT COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR IN STARTUPS AND HOW TO BEST POSITION OUR INVESTMENTS FOR SUCCESS.
IN ADDITION, I'VE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN RACKSPACE'S OWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND
I FEEL THAT THIS EXPERIENCE IS HELPFUL WHEN MEETING WITH COMPANIES SO THAT WE CAN SET PROPER JOB TARGETS AND OTHER ECONOMIC GOALS WITH APPROPRIATE WAYS TO MEASURE SUCCESS FOR THE S A E C.
UM, I ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH, IN DEALING WITH THE STATE AS I SERVE ON THE BUSINESS ADVISORY GROUP TO THE STATE COMPTROLLER, I REPRESENT RACKSPACE, UM, ON THE BOARD FOR THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS.
I TRULY OFFER A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN MY HOMETOWN, AND I'M COMMITTED TO CONTRIBUTING TO ITS CONTINUED SUCCESS.
I WANT THE CITY TO BE THE MOST ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION FOR BUSINESSES IN ANY STAGE OF OUR LIFECYCLE, WHETHER IT'S A STARTUP OR A LARGE BUSINESS.
AND I'D BE HONORED TO SERVE AS A PART OF THIS TEAM AND HOPEFULLY REQUEST YOU CONSIDER ME FOR A CONTINUED ROLE ON THE S A E D C.
UM, MR. ROSA, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COUNSEL, UH, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER RICHARD GARCIA, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU MR. UH, ROSA FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
UM, MY QUESTION IS JUST, UH, ABOUT, UH, CHANGING THE PERCEPTION, HOW YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO CHANGE THE PERCEPTION THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A CHEAP PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I, I, I KIND OF, I SEE THAT CHALLENGE AS, AS I LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AT, WE, WE TRY TO, IN LEVERAGE, WE TRY TO PULL RACKSPACE AND HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUR, OUR WORKFORCE.
UH, I I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT COMPANIES DO A PLACE THAT HAS A, HAS A FANTASTIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AS WELL AS A NICE GROUP OF COMPANIES THAT ARE REALLY CREATING A, A SOLID TALENT BASE THAT IS READY TO EXPAND AND HELP OTHER COMPANIES.
UH, I THINK YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE OF THOSE EFFORTS THAT ARE, ARE BEING DONE AT THE CITY RIGHT NOW WITH ADDITIONAL COMPANIES LOCATING TO SAN ANTONIO.
AND I THINK HAVING ADVOCATES THAT WORK FOR THE, THE LARGE COMPANIES HERE IN TOWN, WHETHER IT BE IN THEIR CAPACITY, WHETHER A COMPANY OR ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE, TO REALLY ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY AND SHOW THEM WHAT, WHAT THE CITY CAN OFFER.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, NO QUESTIONS.
[00:45:01]
YOU.SO WILL YOU EXPLAIN YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON LOCALIZED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? UH, YEAH.
I, I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S A COMBINATION OF PROVIDING THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVES THAT, THAT PUT SAN ANTONIO IN A COMPETITIVE SITUATION WITH OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NOT NECESSARILY, UH, PROVIDING THEY'RE ACTUALLY SOMETHING IN RETURN AND PUTTING THE RIGHT JOB TARGETS WITH THE RIGHT TYPE OF INDUSTRIES AS WELL AS, UM, NOT, MAYBE NOT AS FOCUSED ON AS MUCH WITH, UM, I'D SAY ABATEMENTS, BUT MORE REBATES.
SO THAT THERE IS A WAY TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN PLACE BEFORE YOU GO ABOUT, UM, PROVIDING THAT BENEFIT TO THE COMPANY.
AND WE, WE'VE SEEN IT WITH THE ENTERPRISE ZONE GRANT WE HAD AT RACKSPACE AND WITH THE TECH GRANT WE HAVE FROM THE STATE EFFECTIVE, WHICH I THINK ARE GREAT PROGRAMS THAT REALLY DRIVE THE RIGHT TYPE OF, UH, BEHAVIOR FROM COMPANIES.
AND THEY, THEY ALSO HAVE A LONG TERM FOCUS IN NATURE.
THIS ISN'T, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU NECESSARILY ANYTHING FREE TO BEGIN WITH.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A NICE BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP FOR BOTH THE MUNICIPALITY AND THE COMPANY.
ELIAS, ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU CHRISTOPHER, MR. ROSA FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND WE'LL BE IN TOUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT DAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR, UM, GOING THROUGH THIS VERY IMPORTANT EXERCISE.
[A. 20-6572 Economic development negotiations pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.087 (economic development).]
IS NOW 2:51 PM ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020.THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL COMMITTEE WILL NOW MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 DASH EIGHT SEVEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AM I READING, UH, DE B DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT EVALUATION AND DUTIES OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 4 PERSONNEL MATTERS AND TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY ITEM C, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 2 REAL PROPERTY, THE LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND DIS E DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATING TO C OVID 19 PREPAREDNESS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
WE'LL SEE YOU IN THE OTHER LINE.
UH, FOR EVERYONE ELSE, PLEASE, YOU CAN STAY ON THE LINE HERE.
UH, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO MUTE YOURSELVES.
THE TIME IS NOW 3:11 PM ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020, AND THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL COMMITTEE WILL NOW RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
I MOVE THAT WE REAPPOINT SYLVIA LOPEZ GONA AND CHRISTOPHER ROSA TO THE S A E D C BOARD, AND THAT WE APPOINT DR.
CHRISTINE BURKE ALSO TO THE SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPOINTMENT OF SYLVIA LOPEZ, GAONA, CHRISTOPHER ROSA, AND DR.
CHRISTINE BURKE TO THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THIS GOING TO, UM, IS THIS GOING TO FULL COUNSEL CONSIDERATION? CORRECT.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, UH, FOR WORKING WITH US ON THIS.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE APPLICANTS.
LOOKING FORWARD TO GREAT WORK THERE.
[2. 20-6439 Briefing and possible action on the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation Business Plan for July through December 2020. [Carlos J. Contreras, III; Assistant City Manager; Alejandra Lopez, Director, Economic Development]]
[00:50:01]
NOW OUR SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION BUSINESS PLAN FOR JULY THROUGH DECEM THROUGH DECEMBER, 2020.I BELIEVE WE HAVE JENNA EDA HERRERA ON THE CALL.
AND, UH, ALEX, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE GONNA KICK THIS OFF OR IF WE'RE GONNA JUST TOSS THIS STRAIGHT TO JENNA AS SOON AS SHE TURNS HER CAMERA ON, OR MAYBE IT'S ON AND I CAN'T SEE IT.
SO, CHERYL, I'M ACTUALLY HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES NOW.
I'VE BEEN ON, I SWEAR, FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND MINUTES, UH, BUT NOW MY CAMERA ISN'T STARTING.
IT MIGHT JUST BE AUDIO FOR ME THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, BUT WE HAVE YOUR PRESENTATION AS WELL.
OKAY, ALEX, SORRY, ALEX, OFF OF WHERE WE ARE, ALEX, UH, YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND INDICATE WHERE WE ARE? SURE.
I CAN PROVIDE JUST A TINY LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND HERE.
UM, AS PART OF OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, WE APPROVE AND, AND WE BRIEF COUNSEL ON BUSINESS PLANS.
BASICALLY SOME OF SOME OF THE SPECIFIC TACTICS THAT THE E D F IS GONNA BE DEPLOYING AS PART OF, OF, YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL STRATEGY, BUT THEN SPECIFICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CONTRACT.
SO, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR WE APPROVED, WE APPROVED, UM, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A SIX MONTH BUSINESS PLAN THAT WOULD TAKE US FROM JANUARY THROUGH JUNE.
UM, AND, AND THEN THE COVID PANDEMIC HAPPENED.
AND, UM, E D F, LIKE SO MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS QUICKLY PIVOTED.
AND JENNA'S GONNA SHARE A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU TODAY.
UM, BUT NOW WE'RE HERE TO BASICALLY PROVIDE THIS UPDATE OF WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE, THE SECOND OR THE THIRD QUARTER OF THE YEAR, HOW JEN IS GONNA BE CLOSING OUT THE YEAR, AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, OUR CONTRACT TECHNICALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
SO, UM, MOVING INTO NEXT YEAR WILL BE REEVALUATING, UM, HOW WE ALIGN WITHIN THE OVERALL STRATEGY THAT JENNA'S GONNA BE SHARING A TINY LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, NOW AND THEN PROVIDING MUCH MORE CONTEXT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE COMING MONTHS.
JENNA, THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALEX.
AND AGAIN, MY APOLOGIES,
UM, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INTRODUCTION.
AND, AND BY THE WAY, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME, UH, TO ALLOW ME TO PRESENT TO EACH OF YOU TODAY ON SUCH A, AN IMPORTANT DAY FOR, UH, OUR COUNTRY AND OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF HOW THE ELECTION TURNS OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY HERE LOCALLY, I WANTED TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR, UH, REALLY YOUR COMMITMENT TO INVESTING IN OUR ECONOMY AND INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE THROUGH PROPOSITION B.
UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN GARCIA, GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, UM, PREVIOUSLY TO THE CANDIDATES FOR THE E D C BOARD, UH, IT'S ONE THING TO CHANGE THE PERCEPTION, RIGHT? ABOUT HOW SAN ANTONIO IS PERCEIVED.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE IN INFORMING AND TRANSFORMING NARRATIVES, UH, AND DOING A BETTER JOB STORYTELLING.
UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME WORK TO DO AND TRULY IN INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE SO THAT WE DO HAVE THE TALENT AND THE WORKFORCE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE HIGHER WAGE GOOD QUALITY JOBS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT THERE AND TO ALEX AND CARLOS WHO I KNOW HAVE BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TIRELESSLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, UH, TO DEVELOP THAT PROGRAM.
AS ALEX MENTIONED, UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON OUR Q THREE Q FOUR CALENDAR, UH, ACTIVITIES.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT HAPPENING IN 2020.
IT'S BEEN A VERY HECTIC YEAR FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.
IN Q TWO, YOU KNOW, WE PIVOTED AND WE REALLY WENT INTO HYPER RESCUE MODE FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
UM, BUT IN Q THREE AND Q FOUR, WE'VE CONTINUED ON.
UM, WE'VE EXECUTED SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THIS PRESENTATION.
SO PART OF THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE A PERFORMANCE UPDATE OF SORTS, AND THEN ALSO WE'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR, UH, INITIATIVES AND TACTICS THAT STILL REMAIN FOR THE LATTER PART OF THE YEAR INTO Q FOUR.
UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CLOSING OUT FOREFRONT SAN ANTONIO.
THAT WAS OUR PREVIOUS STRATEGY, UM, THAT WAS ON A FIVE YEAR TIME HORIZON THAT WAS REALLY TRUNCATED DOWN TO 2017 TO 2020, UH, AFTER MY ARRIVAL TO THE E D F.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE VIEW THAT YOU'LL SEE HERE TODAY.
SO, I ALWAYS THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO START PRESENTATIONS JUST BY RECALIBRATING, UH, OUR AUDIENCES ON WHAT THE E B F IS ALL ABOUT.
AND OF COURSE, WE EXIST TO GROW AND DIVERSIFY THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
BUT BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF JOBS.
WE'RE HERE TO PRODUCE JOBS, WE'RE HERE TO RETAIN JOBS, WE'RE HERE TO GROW JOBS WITHIN THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMY.
AND BASICALLY THAT THAT COMES IN THE FORM OF BRANDING AND MARKETING AROUND THE WORLD.
UM, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, ALL SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON CORPORATE RECRUITMENT, BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
OVER THAT, UH, THREE YEAR TIME HORIZON FROM 2017
[00:55:01]
TO 2020, WHEN WE REALLY FLUSHED OUT OUR PERFORMANCE KPIS, UH, AND SET ON THE TRAJECTORY TO, UH, EXECUTE OR OPERATIONALIZE FOREFRONT SAN ANTONIO, WE'VE EXECUTED ON, UH, OVER A HUNDRED MARKETING TRIPS, UH, OVER 300 PROSPECT VISITS, WHICH IS PROBABLY EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE CAN GET FOLKS TO SAN ANTONIO, OUR, UH, LIKELIHOOD TO CLOSE RATE, UH, INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY.UH, WE'VE WON 68 PROJECTS, ABOUT 2 BILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND JUST SHY OF ABOUT 16,000 JOBS IN THOSE THREE YEARS.
AND THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT $32 BILLION OF, UH, ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT, WHICH IN AND OF ITSELF IS A SMALL INDUSTRY, OR I SHOULDN'T SAY SMALL INDUSTRY, IT'S, IT WOULD BE ONE OF OUR LARGEST HERE, UH, IN SAN ANTONIO.
VERY, VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT.
IF YOU LOOK AT TOTAL JOB GROWTH JUST IN 2019, WE HAD A STELLAR YEAR WITH ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIES.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT JOB GROWTH IN 2019, UH, 60% OF THE MARKET SHARE WERE E D F JOBS THAT WE DIRECTLY TOUCHED THROUGH OUR PROJECT.
SO AGAIN, EXTREMELY PROUD THERE.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE DETAILED, UM, BUT I DO WANNA FOCUS ON IT BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE ATTEMPTING HERE TO CLOSE OUT FOREFRONT SAN ANTONIO THROUGH 2020.
AND THEN GOING INTO 2021, WE'LL SET OUR COURSE ON THE NEXT, UH, THREE TO FIVE YEAR STRATEGY, VERY SIMILAR TIME HORIZON.
SO YOU SEE HERE, UM, THAT AS I MENTIONED, 2019 WAS A GREAT YEAR FOR US.
WE ACTUALLY ACHIEVED OUR 2020 CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT NUMBERS IN THE LATTER PART OF LAST YEAR.
Y'ALL WILL RECALL THE BILLION DOLLAR WEEK ANNOUNCING TOYOTA'S EXPANSION, UH, NAVISTAR'S INVESTMENT, CHEN'S INVESTMENT.
SO YOU ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR AND YOU PLAYED A HAND IN DIRECTING A LOT OF THOSE DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE 2020 GOALS, RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE AGGREGATE GOALS FROM 2017 TO 2020.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN, YOU SEE OUR YEAR TO DATE ACTUAL SPECIFICALLY FOR 2020 ANNUAL GOALS.
AND OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR WAS DIFFERENT FOR ALL OF US.
WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE AN EVEN BETTER YEAR HEADING INTO 2020 THAN WE DID IN 2019, AND THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY THE CASE, ALTHOUGH I'M PROUD OF HOW OUR TEAM HAS PIVOTED AND HOW ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS HAVE PIVOTED AS WELL.
UM, WE ARE STILL STRUGGLED ON THE JOB COUNTS, RIGHT? SO OUR PIPELINE IS, UH, RELATIVELY STRONG AS COMPARED TO OTHER, UH, EDS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE HAVE ABOUT 55 PROJECTS RIGHT NOW IN THE HOPPER.
WE WOULD'VE HOPE TO HAVE ABOUT DOUBLE THAT THIS TIME IN 2020, UM, HAD COVID NOT HAVE IMPACTED OUR OPERATION.
UM, BUT YOU SEE HERE AGAIN, WHERE WE'VE ACHIEVED IN GREEN AND WHERE WE'RE JUST SHY AND YELLOW, WE DO EXPECT TO CLOSE.
I KNOW YOU ALL REVIEWED A FEW DEALS, UH, IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND WE EXPECT TO, UH, CLOSE, UH, A FEW LARGER DEALS THAT WILL REPRESENT SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF JOBS WITHIN THE LATTER PART OF THE YEAR.
BUT THE, THE STRETCH TARGET OF ALMOST 5,000, UH, WILL BE TOUGH FOR US TO CLOSE OUT 2020.
SO AS I MENTIONED IN Q TWO, WE REALLY FOCUSED ON RESCUE AND WE DOVE IN AND IN PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION WITH BOTH OUR PUBLIC PARTNERS AND PRIVATE PARTNERS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STREAMLINE AND, AND SUPPORT OUR DIFFERENT LOCAL, UH, LOCAL COMPANIES.
IN Q THREE AND Q FOUR, WE HAD A CHANCE TO RECALIBRATE AND RESET AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WERE GOING TO FOCUS OUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
SO IF YOU SEE ACROSS THE TOP HERE, THOSE WERE OUR TOP PRIORITIES.
WE WANTED TO SCALE OUR WORKFORCE AND B R E PROGRAMS, OBVIOUSLY FOCUSING HERE LOCALLY.
WE WANTED TO REACTIVATE OUR TARGETED RECRUITMENT OUTREACH BECAUSE IN Q TWO WE REALLY STOPPED THE PRESSES.
WE WEREN'T MARKETING EXTERNALLY, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL ALL YEAR, AND THAT'S OUR PRIMARY SOURCE OF, OF LEAD GENERATION.
AND SO WE WANTED TO REACTIVATE THERE AND WE WANTED TO BE EVEN MORE TARGETED THAN EVER, UH, AND REALLY FOCUS ON DIGITAL OUTREACH BECAUSE THAT BECAME OUR MAIN SOURCE OF LEAD GEN.
WE ALSO WANTED TO FOCUS ON STRATEGY INTEGRATION SO THAT WE COULD BE PREPARED TO LAUNCH IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AS EVERY ORGANIZATION'S HAD TO FOCUS ON THEMSELVES, WE TOO AT E D F, WERE FOCUSED ON BUSINESS CONTINUITY AND HOW DID WE NEED TO, UH, PIVOT TO LOOK AT REDUCING EXPENSES INTERNAL TO OUR OPERATION, BUT PREPARING FOR NOT JUST 2020, BUT UH, TWO YEARS TO COME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SUSTAINABLE AS A, AS AN ORGANIZATION.
SO THIS GETS INTO A LITTLE BIT OF THE DETAIL, AND THIS ISN'T CERTAINLY ISN'T ALL THE TACTICS THAT WE HOPE TO EXECUTE ON.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
SO TARGETED HIGHWAY WAGE, JOB ATTRACTION.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALWAYS IN THE BUSINESS OF HIGH WAGE JOB ATTRACTION, BUT WE HAVE SOME EXTENSIVE PROJECTS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
SPECIFICALLY TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE BIOSCIENCE SIDE, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR TOP FOUR RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS AND THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PRECISION THERAPIES TO FOCUS ON BUILDING OUT A COMPREHENSIVE PERIODICAL OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT BIOSCIENCE ASSETS WITHIN THE REGION.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, THAT CONTENT IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE DISTRIBUTION PLAN AS A COUNCILMAN GARCIA WILL SCHOOL ME.
UH, AND SO WE'RE WORKING NOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE DISTRIBUTE THAT AND WHO
[01:00:01]
DO WE GET THAT CONTENT IN FRONT OF.BUT ONCE WE HAVE THAT CONTENT, IT WILL EQUIP US AND ARM US HEADING INTO 2021 TO HELP SHARE THAT BIOSCIENCE STORY.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE ON THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT, UH, WHAT'S BEEN GOOD IS WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 22% OF THE PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE ARE INTERNATIONAL.
UH, AND WHILE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL, AND QUITE HONESTLY WE DON'T EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL, UH, INTERNATIONALLY INTO NEXT YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED ON THE DIGITAL SIDE WITH OUR CONSULTANTS IN OUR INTERNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIES OF FOCUS.
UM, AND WE'RE DEVELOPING AN EXPORT LEADERS PROGRAM AS WELL TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL COMPANIES WITH TRADE AND EXPORT STRATEGIES.
IN Q THREE, WE LAUNCHED OUR NEW E D F WEBSITE.
AGAIN, WE KNEW THAT DIGITAL WOULD BECOME OUR MAIN, UH, MECHANISM FOR ENGAGING WITH PROSPECTS AND TALENT AROUND THE WORLD.
UM, AND SO WE LAUNCHED THAT NEW WEBSITE AND WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THAT.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING OUR COMMUNITY DASHBOARD, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT HERE LATER.
OUR V R E TRENDS REPORT WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON WORKFORCE HIGHLIGHTS WILL BE PUBLISHED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FAM TOURS AND VIRTUAL ROADSHOWS THAT WE CONTINUE TO EXECUTE ON WITH CONSULTANTS AND DIFFERENT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
OUR CAREER PATHWAYS CAMPAIGN IS ALSO HITTING THE STREETS AND WILL CONTINUE TO SCALE IN THE LATTER PART OF THIS YEAR AND INTO 2021.
WE PUBLISHED A BIOSCIENCE WORKFORCE REPORT IN Q THREE, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP OUR REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL.
I MENTIONED OUR NEW WEBSITE, JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THAT IS OVER TO THE LEFT HAND, UH, UPPER SIDE OF THE SLIDE.
WE ALSO, UH, EXECUTED OUR WORK-BASED LEARNING PROGRAMS. OUR INTERNSHIPS AND JOB SHADOWS CONTINUE.
THEY WERE JUST VIRTUAL IN NATURE, SO YOU SEE A SNAPSHOT THERE OF THAT.
UM, WE SPECIFICALLY ON THE B R E SIDE, WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO DO MORE TO PROMOTE THAT PROGRAM HERE LOCALLY AND DIGITALLY.
AND SO THAT'S AN AD, THE INTERSECTION OF THE SLIDE.
UH, WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT THE, UH, PAPS HEADQUARTERS.
WE HAD PREVIOUSLY LOCATED THEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THEY'RE OPERATIONAL ASSETS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO LAST YEAR, AND WE WERE ABLE TO UPSELL 'EM AND RELOCATE THE ENTIRE HEADQUARTERS OVER WAS ANOTHER PROJECT WIN.
AND OUR Q THREE INVESTOR MEETING WAS HELD IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UH, WHAT YOU'LL SEE FROM US IN Q FOUR, UH, SCALED UP AGAIN ON THE BUSINESS RECRUITMENT SIDE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A FEW KEY MARKETS.
SO WE'RE IN SAN FRANCISCO PRETTY HEAVILY RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE HAVE SOME BUYS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO TIMES, SPECIFICALLY TARGETED AT CYBERSECURITY AND TECH.
AND SO YOU SEE SOME OF THOSE ADS OVER TO THE RIGHT, BUT WE'RE ALSO PAYING FOR ADVERTORIAL PIECES TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TELLING THAT STORY.
UM, THIS CYBERSECURITY, UH, ADVERTORIALS ACTUALLY IN THE DC MARKET, UH, THEIR BUSINESS JOURNAL EQUIVALENT RIGHT NOW, AND IT'LL POST FOR ABOUT A MONTH OR SO.
UH, WE'RE ALSO IN, UM, SOME OF OUR LARGER MARKETS, UH, SPECIFICALLY MARKETING OUR CLASS A OFFICE SPACE.
SO YOU SEE LOS ANGELES, CHICAGO, NEW YORK, ET CETERA.
SOME OF THOSE MORE DENSELY POPULATED METROS, UH, WE'RE REALLY IN THOSE MARKETS SAYING, HEY, WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE THE CLASS A SPACE HERE, AND YOUR, YOUR WORKERS CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD A QUALITY LIFE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND OUR ROUTINE VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON COMPANY VISITS CONTINUE.
ON RECENT WINS, UM, YOU SEE, AGAIN, THIS IS FROM KIND OF A 2017 TO 2020 TIMEFRAME.
UH, U S A A, EY NAVISTAR, VICTORY CAPITAL.
THESE ARE SOME OF OUR HIGHLIGHTS HERE.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS ISN'T COMPREHENSIVE.
AND THEN YOU SEE SOME OF THE RECENT MOVES INCLUDING PAPS, SYNAPSE, FINANCIAL, ET CETERA.
NEXT SLIDE ON THE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION SIDE.
UM, WE SCALED UP, AND I FAILED TO MENTION THIS ACTUALLY ON OUR K P I SLIDE EARLIER.
UM, BUT WE SCALED UP OUR BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION OUTREACH AND ACTUALLY INCREASED THE GOAL FOR OUR VISITS THIS YEAR.
UM, WE DID SO BY ENGAGING OUR CHAMBERS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS TO HELP US GET OUT THERE, UH, AND JUST TOUCH MORE COMPANIES BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT'S WHERE WE NEEDED TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY IN Q TWO.
BUT THAT FOCUS HAS REMAINED IN A LATTER PART OF THIS YEAR AS WELL.
SO YOU SEE HERE THE NUMBER OF VISITS, UH, WHICH IS WELL ON TRACK TO HIT OUR GOAL, BUT ALSO THE ASSIST, YOU KNOW, THE VISITS ARE JUST A LEADING INDICATOR.
UH, THE ASSISTS ARE WHAT MATTERS.
AND YOU SEE HERE THAT THE PRIMARY ASSIST RIGHT NOW IS UNDER WORKFORCE AND REALLY CONNECTING THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO O J T OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THEN LONGER TERM TALENT SOLUTIONS AS WELL.
THERE CONTINUES TO BE A FOCUS ON SMALL BUSINESS WITH B R E.
AND OF COURSE, THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH PROGRAM THAT ISN'T RELATED TO THIS CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT BECAUSE IT'S FUNDED THROUGH CARESS,
[01:05:01]
UH, IS SPECIFICALLY, UM, RELEVANT TO THE OVERALL BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION OUTREACH, BECAUSE IT COMPLIMENTS THE TRADITIONAL B R E OUTREACH AS WELL.YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'M SORRY, ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SIDE, YOU ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR, FAMILIAR.
I THINK
UM, BUT Y'ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING BOTH THE CARES FUNDED, TRAINED FOR SA PROGRAM, AND THEN OF COURSE, PROPOSITION B SA READY TO WORK GOING FORWARD.
BUT THIS SPECIFIC AGREEMENT ACTUALLY FUNDS A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE WORK, OUR WORK-BASED LEARNING PROGRAMS, AND SPECIFICALLY OUR CAREER PATHWAYS WORK.
THE CAREER PATHWAYS WORK IS, IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE AWARENESS, BUT ALSO DISPEL MYTHS ABOUT CERTAIN TARGET INDUSTRIES.
YOU KNOW, MANUFACTURING AS AN EXAMPLE, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE FIRST INDUSTRY WE'RE FOCUSED ON.
UH, IT'S NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S MANUFACTURING ANYMORE, RIGHT? IT'S NOT A DARK OLD WAREHOUSE, UH, WHERE THESE JOBS ARE LOW WAGE AND, AND NOT VERY PRODUCTIVE.
IF YOU GO TO TOYOTA, NAVISTAR HOLT, ET CETERA, UH, THESE DIFFERENT SAN ANTONIANS ARE WORKING WITH ROBOTS, RIGHT? AND CLEAN ROOMS AND, AND VERY SEXY AS AN INDUSTRY.
AND SO YOU SEE TO THE RIGHT, JUST SOME OF THE DATA POINTS HERE.
AND SO FAR OUR OUTREACH HAS BEEN ORGANIC VIA SOCIAL, BUT WE'RE LEANING INTO PAID SOCIAL, AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO, UM, LEAN INTO MORE TRADITIONAL OUTREACH AS WELL, UH, TO INCLUDE BUSES AND, AND THOSE TYPES OF, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, TACTICS THAT WE'LL GET DIRECTLY TO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
SO THIS IS VERY EXCITING FOR US.
WHEN WE, UH, DEVELOPED OUR SCORECARD FOR 2021 AND BEYOND, THAT'S BASICALLY UPDATING OUR PERFORMANCE KPIS THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY SAW.
SO JOBS, CAPITAL INVESTMENT, YOU KNOW, WAGES BY ZIP CODE, THAT TYPE, THOSE TYPES OF INDICATORS.
BUT WE ALSO BUILT OUT A COMMUNITY DASHBOARD THAT WOULD TRACK INDICATORS THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPREHENSIVE TO SHOWCASE THE TRUE HEALTH OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, UH, BROKEN DOWN BY JOBS PEOPLE IN PLACE, WHICH ARE BASICALLY OUR, UH, STREAMLINED PILLARS FOR OUR STRATEGY GOING FORWARD.
WE WORKED WITH PARTNERS LIKE SA 2020, STEVE NIVAN FROM ST.
MARY'S ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP THIS COMMUNITY DASHBOARD.
AND WE'RE WORKING NOW TO ACTUALLY BUILD OUT THE ELECTRONIC PORTAL ON OUR E D F, UH, PORTAL OF OUR WEBSITE TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THIS DATA.
AND SPECIFICALLY, THERE'S AN EQUITY LENS TO REALLY ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT INDICATORS THAT WE'RE TRACKING.
AND YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT WE'RE SPECIFICALLY BENCHMARKING OUR PERFORMANCE AGAINST A GROUP OF ABOUT 10 OTHER ECONOMIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T JUST WANNA COMPARE OUR PERFORMANCE TO PAST PERFORMANCE IN SAN ANTONIO, WE WANTED TO COMPARE AGAINST THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WE COMPETE WITH REGULARLY, BUT ALSO THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ASPIRE TO COMPETE WITH IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND THIS PORTAL ISN'T LIVE YET.
IT'LL GO LIVE IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND ACTUALLY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, ALEX'S TEAM SERVED ON THIS COMMITTEE TO BUILD OUT THE SCORECARD AS WELL.
SO FOR 2021 AND BEYOND ONE AND BEYOND, OF COURSE, AS ALEX MENTIONED, WE'RE GOING TO BE FORMALLY LAUNCHING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
THAT'LL INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY DASHBOARD I JUST MENTIONED, UH, REGIONAL BRAND LAUNCH, UH, UNIFIED CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT, UM, UNDER THE E D SS, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON BIOSCIENCE TECH AND CYBER AND, UH, MANUFACTURING, AS WELL AS A FOCUS ON MILITARY ENGAGEMENT.
AND YOU'VE SEEN US LEANING IN A LITTLE BIT MORE HEAVILY THERE ON SPACE COMMAND AND, UH, D H A OPPORTUNITIES, ET CETERA.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEW GRADUATE RETENTION PROGRAM THAT WILL COMPLEMENT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, AT SA WORKS AND REGIONAL CENTERS DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ALSO EXCITING UNDER OUR PLACE TEAM.
AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE'RE WORKING TO REBRAND THE E D F, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO CONTINUE TO SCALE OUR CAREER PATHWAYS WORK AND FOCUS ON OTHER INDUSTRIES BEYOND MANUFACTURING AND SKILLED TRADE.
AND OF COURSE, OUR PROJECT WORK CONTINUES, AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER ANNOUNCEMENT WITH THAT CHAIRWOMAN
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I AM OPEN AND READY FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
THANK YOU FOR THE ENTIRE TEAM OF SS A E D X WORK.
UM, ALTHOUGH EVERYONE'S HAD TO PIVOT, WE HAVE BROUGHT YOU IN.
WE, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE BROUGHT YOU ALL IN AS BIG PLAYERS SINCE, UM, MARCH ON ALL OF OUR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I DID WANT TO HAVE YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL REBRAND, BUT ALSO YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL, UM, STRUCTURE IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE I DID SEE SOME SORT OF ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING YOUR BOARD AND YOUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPRESENTATION
[01:10:01]
MATTERS AND, UM, THE REPRESENTATION AND EQUITY AND DIVERSITY OF INCLUSION.SO CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM.
YES, WE JUST WENT THROUGH, UM, OUR NOMINATING COMMITTEE ACTUALLY MOBILIZES EVERY YEAR TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR, UH, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO, UM, OUR DIFFERENT COMMITTEES AND TEAM STRUCTURE, REALLY OUR VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP THAT HELPS DRIVE, UM, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.
AND, UH, THE, SPECIFICALLY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SLATE THAT WE, UH, JUST ANNOUNCED THIS PAST WEEK INCLUDES, UM, A VERY DIVERSE SLATE OF CANDIDATES.
UM, OUR PARTICIPATION OF BLACK EXECUTIVES ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE INCREASED FROM 9% TO 21%.
UM, OUR HISPANIC PARTICIPATION WENT FROM 35% TO 37%.
AND OUR SMALL BUSINESS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THIS PAST YEAR, WE REALLY FOCUSED MORE ON OUR SMALL BUSINESS OUTREACH.
AND SO WE BASICALLY DOUBLED SMALL BUSINESS REPRESENTATION, AND NOW WE'RE SITTING AT ABOUT 13%.
I THINK WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO WITH FURTHER DIVERSIFYING.
I THINK WE NEED MORE, UH, FEMALE REPRESENTATION.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 33%, UM, BUT WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO, ALTHOUGH WE'RE MAKING SOME GOOD PROGRESS THERE AS IT RELATES TO OUR OTHER COMMITTEES AND TEAMS. UM, OUR PLACE TEAM, OUR PEOPLE TEAM AND OUR JOBS TEAM, THEY'RE EVEN MORE DIVERSE, UH, THAN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
SO THEY'RE BASICALLY OUR SUCCESSION PLANNING POOL OF CANDIDATES TO CONTINUE TO ADD TO THE EC IN, IN COMING YEARS AS WE BUILD UP THEIR, UM, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT WE DO WITH THE E D F AS IT RELATES TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL REBRAND.
IT WAS INTERESTING EARLIER LISTENING TO SOME OF THE CANDIDATES THAT WERE INTERVIEWING FOR THE E D C, I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME CONFUSION AROUND WHAT THE E D C DOES AT THE CITY, AND THEN WHAT E B F DOES, RIGHT? IS KIND OF THE LEAD MARKETING OR QUARTERBACK ENTITY.
UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, IN THEIR DEFENSE, UM, THAT'S ON US, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T CLEARLY DEFINED, YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR ACRONYMS, AND WE HAVEN'T CLEARLY DIFFERENTIATED.
UM, I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT A FOUNDATION.
WE'RE NOT GIFTING OR GRANTING ANYBODY MONEY.
UM, AND SO IT'S KIND OF MISLEADING TO POLICY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION.
UM, WE'RE ALSO FOCUSED ON THE BROADER SERVICE TERRITORY, AND SO THAT SHOULD BE DRIVING OUR NAMING CONVENTION AS WELL.
UM, WE SHOULD HAVE SOME NAMING OPTIONS AND SOME LOGO TREATMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND WE'LL LAUNCH THAT WHEN WE LAUNCH OUR NEW STRATEGY IN 2021.
SO YOU CAN STAY TUNED FOR THAT.
BUT I'M, I'M HOPING FOR JANUARY EXCITEMENT THERE.
SO I'M GONNA GO TO COUNCIL, MY COLLEAGUES, UM, QUESTIONS.
AND I'M LOOKING AT THE SCREEN.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M GOING TO GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAVEDA, AND THEN DISTRICT FOUR.
UM, MY QUESTION REGARD IS THERE IS SURROUNDING THE, UH, THE MEGA REGION GEOGRAPHY, AND I, I'M CURIOUS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN, JENNA, WHAT, WHAT IS LACKING TODAY THAT MAKES A MEGA REGION GEOGRAPHY NECESSARY? DEFINITELY.
SO, UM, WE'RE NOT EX ACTUALLY DEPLOYING THE MEGA REGIONAL STRATEGY THIS YET.
ALL WE'RE DOING IN 2021 IS LOOKING AT MORE FORMALLY REPRESENTING OUR M S A.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT TOP PERFORMING METROS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IN FACT, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE STATE.
IF YOU LOOK AT HOUSTON, DALLAS, AUSTIN, ALL OF THEIR DIFFERENT REPRESENT THE BROADER M SS A, RIGHT? AND IT JUST MAKES SENSE, RIGHT? IF YOU THINK ABOUT, UM, YOUR, YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION, WHEN YOU HAVE EXPANDED LAND, WHEN YOU HAVE EXPANDED ASSETS, IT JUST FURTHER, UM, UH, EVOLVES YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION.
IN ADDITION, OUR TOOLS GROW AS WELL, RIGHT? SO TOOLS IN THE TOOLKIT WHERE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS THEIR DIFFERENT INCENTIVES AND THEIR DIFFERENT OFFERINGS, OUR OTHER REGIONAL ALLIES ACROSS D M S A AND SEINE AND SHIRTS, ET CETERA, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TOOLS IN THE TOOLKIT.
AND THERE MIGHT BE PROJECTS THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MIGHT NOT WANNA INCENTIVIZE OR MIGHT NOT WANNA PRIORITIZE WHERE THE CITY OF SEIN WOULD.
SO IT JUST INCREASES OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DELIVER ON OUR MISSION OF GROWING JOBS, UH, WITHIN THE SAN ANTONIO M S A.
NOW, THE
UM, AND THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, OBVIOUSLY, TO SCALE WORKFORCE AND TALENT ALIGNMENT, UH, AND TO REALLY CONNECT THOSE ECONOMIES LIKE THEY'VE NEVER BEEN CONNECTED BEFORE.
UM, BUT THAT IN ALL HONESTY, IS A LONGER TERM, UM, OBJECTIVE OF I THINK A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS, BUT NOT CURRENTLY IN SCOPE FOR THE E D F.
SO I WAS, UM, PREPARED TO ASK, YOU KNOW, IF THERE WERE ANY DEFICITS THAT WE WERE, THAT WE WERE LACKING, THAT
[01:15:01]
THAT, THAT A MEGA REGION WOULD, WOULD, UM, FILL, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD FILL THOSE VOIDS.BUT I, I THINK I'M HEARING FROM YOU, IT'S MORE OF AN ENHANCEMENT AS, UH, THAT WILL EXPAND OUR, OUR CAPACITY.
IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURATE.
AND I'M ALWAYS IMPRESSED BY YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE THOUGHTFUL CARE YOU PUT INTO THEM.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE REBRANDING OPPORTUNITY.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT YOU, YOU MADE A GREAT POINT, UM, IN TALKING ABOUT HOW, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MIGHT PERCEIVE IT BASED ON, SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL ARE GIVING SOME, UH, THOUGHT, UH, ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, I, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THE CYBER CITY, UM, CAMPAIGN THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE PITCHING.
I, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I, I'D JUST OFFLINE MAYBE LIKE TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, JENNA, WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT FOCUS.
MY QUESTION IS, UM, SPECIFICALLY IN REGARD TO THE PLAN THAT YOU HAVE OR OR TO THE, THE ITEMS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON, UM, FOR INSTANCE, IN IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OR IN B R E, UM, HOW DO YOU LOOK AT INNOVATIVE APPROACHES? LIKE WHAT DRIVES NEW APPROACHES? WHO ARE YOU LOOKING AT OR WHO ARE YOU WORKING WITH TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD GET CREATIVE? I LOVE THAT QUESTION.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU ON, UM, OUR CYBERSECURITY CAMPAIGN.
WE ALSO HAVE A MANUFACTURING CAMPAIGN SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED HERE LOCALLY.
AND SO I'D LOVE TO GET YOUR, UH, YOUR THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS THERE.
SO I'LL WORK WITH ALEX AND WE CAN GET SOMETHING SET UP.
UM, BUT REGARDING B R E INNOVATION, YOU KNOW, SADLY, UH, COVID FORCED A LOT OF DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, INTO, UH, FURTHER INNOVATION, UH, THIS PAST YEAR.
BUT PRIOR TO COVID, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE REALLY DID IS WE PRIORITIZED COMPANY VISITS AND COMPANY OUTREACH BASED OFF OF RISK AND OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND SO NOT TO KIND OF, OF MAKE THIS OVERLY SCIENTIFIC, BUT WE'RE TRACKING THINGS THAT WOULD INFORM OUR OVERALL RISK ASSESSMENT.
SO IF YOU CAN THINK OF LIKE, ON ONE ACCESS, THINK ABOUT SUCCESSION PLANNING, RIGHT? IF, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME LARGE ORGANIZATIONS, ACTUALLY AT T'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, ED WHITAKER WAS STICKY TO SAN ANTONIO, BUT HIS SUCCESSOR WASN'T NECESSARILY.
AND SO WE'RE TYPICALLY TRACKING THOSE TYPES OF SUCCESSION PLANS, AND WE'RE WORKING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE DIFFERENT, UH, EXECUTIVE LEADERS WITHIN THESE ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY KNOW WHO WE ARE.
AND IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TOUGH TO DEPART FROM, FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
THAT'S ONE VARIABLE THAT WOULD INFLUENCE THIS, YOU KNOW, HIGH GROWTH COMPANIES, YOU KNOW, TRACKING, UH, FUNDING, TRACKING HIRING.
WE, UH, LEVERAGE A, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT DATA SOURCES, BUT MZ AND GAZELLE AI ACTUALLY PROVIDE US SOME PRETTY DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL COMPANIES AND EXTERNAL COMPANIES, UM, THAT WE SHOULD BE TARGETING.
AND SO WE LEVERAGE THAT INTEL AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S JUST KIND OF THE PRIMARY OUTREACH WE GET FROM INTEL ON THE STREET.
WE GET CALLS FROM FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY SAYING, HEY, YOU NEED TO GET WITH THIS, UH, COMPANY.
I JUST TALKED TO AN ORGANIZATION THIS MORNING THAT IS GROWING RAPIDLY, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT AUSTIN.
AND SO I'M TRYING TO INTERCEPT THAT TYPE OF, SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT VARIABLES ON ONE ACCESS, AND THEN THERE'S, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT RISK, THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN ALSO, BY JUST SUPPORTING THEM, WE COULD PROVIDE A MUCH GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SCALE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, SO THAT, THAT TYPE OF SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO PRIORITIZING OUR B R E VISITS AND OUR B R E OUTREACH, UH, TO ME, SHOWS INNOVATION BEYOND JUST VISITING WITH THOSE COMPANIES THAT ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
BUT THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAD TO GET A LOT MORE CREATIVE WITH THE OUTREACH.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH.
UM, TYPICALLY ABOUT 90% OF THE COMPANIES THAT WE ENGAGE WITH ON OUR TRADITIONAL B R E ARE SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, BUT WE'VE HAD TO GET VERY CREATIVE WITH SOME OF OUR E D O PARTNERS, UM, IN SAN OUR SMALLER E D O PARTNERS IN SAN ANTONIO TO REALLY, UH, FOCUS ON MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE COMPANIES ARE JUST WORKING HARD TO STAY ALIVE AND KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN, AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY WANTING TO ENGAGE WITH FOLKS VIA PHONE OR SURVEY, ET CETERA.
UM, SO MORE TO COME THERE, BUT, UH, WE HAVE HAD TO, AS A FORCING FUNCTION, WE'VE HAD TO BE MUCH MORE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE WITH HOW WE OUTREACH TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH BOTH MARKETING AND TRADITIONAL OUTREACH.
I LOVE THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH THAT YOU HAVE.
SO WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT RISK AND OPPORTUNITY, I, I WAS LOVING ALL OF THAT.
UM, I ALSO LOVE THE FACT THAT, THAT YOU ALL ARE BEING INNOVATIVE AND THE WHOLE, UM, SUCCESSION PLANNING, I THINK IS, UH, A CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT FOLKS FORGET TO OVERLOOK.
UM, YOU ALL ARE BEING SO THOUGHTFUL.
I ALSO, UM, WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ROMANITA.
AND, UH, I SAW HER AT A, A GRAND OPENING LAST WEEK OF, UM, RESTORE EDUCATION,
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AND I WAS ABLE TO CHITCHAT WITH HER, AND SHE WAS TALKING TO ME ABOUT, UH, THE MANUFACTURING, UM, UH, RECRUITMENT THAT WAS COMING UP FOR, FOR THE, THE NEXT DAY.AND SHE WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK THAT WE OFTEN OVERLOOK MANUFACTURING AND, UM, I THINK YOU ALL ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.
I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, UM, I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL, I THINK YOU ALL TWEETED SOMETHING LIKE BINGE ON OUR DATA, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY COOL.
UH, I'M HAPPY ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, AND, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, GOOD WORK.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, AND I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE KUDOS TO RAMA ON THE WORKFORCE SIDE AND ALSO
UM, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T MENTION STATS AS I WAS RUSHING THROUGH, UH, MY PRESENTATION, UM, BUT WE HAVE FACILITATED SEVERAL VIRTUAL, UH, JOB FAIRS WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO, AND I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE STAFF FROM
AND SO WE KEEP GETTING ASKED THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW, IF PROP BS APPROVED, ARE THERE GOING TO BE JOBS THERE FOR THESE SAN ANTONIANS TO FILL? AND I'M HERE TO SAY, LOOK, THOSE JOBS EXIST TODAY.
WE KNOW THAT IN, UH, HEALTHCARE, WE EVER HAVE OVER 6,000 OPEN JOBS IN CYBERSECURITY AND TECH.
WE HAVE OVER 5,000 MANUFACTURING HAS OPEN JOBS AS WELL.
UM, SO THE MORE WE CAN DO TO HELP PROMOTE THOSE OPEN POSITIONS AND PLAY MATCHMAKER, UH, THE BETTER.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELIAS.
HEY, JENNA, I'M SORRY, YOUR, YOUR CAMERA DOESN'T WORK.
IT'S ALWAYS NICE SEEING YOU, BUT IT'S EQUALLY NICE HEARING YOU
UM, THE, UM, I, I, I'VE BEEN, UH, I, I JUST TEXTED YOU AN ARTICLE, BUT I, I READ YESTERDAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW NEW YORK IS EXPERIENCING THIS GHOST TOWN PHENOMENON.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, C B R E AND OTHER, UH, PROPERTY MANAGERS ARE LOOKING AT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME BACK TO WORK AND JUST IN NEW YORK ALONE, THEY'RE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF LAST MONTH, I THINK IT WAS 10% OF THE WORKFORCE HAD RETURNED BACK TO THE OFFICES.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT 10% OF THE WORKFORCE ISN'T WORKING, THAT JUST MEANS THAT THEY'RE JUST NOT SHOWING UP TO THE OFFICE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? AND SO I'M, I'M THINKING THAT THIS ENTIRE YEAR HAS BEEN DEFINED BY US REACTING TO THIS, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER PUNCHES THESE, THIS VIRUS THROWS OUR WAY.
BUT AS FAR AS PROACTIVELY THINKING ABOUT, OH, YOU KNOW, WHAT MIGHT BE COMING AT US, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SEEING IS ALL THE ECONOMISTS ARE AGREEING THAT WE ARE STARING DOWN THE BARREL AT YET ANOTHER ECONOMIC CRISIS COMING OUR WAY IN THE FORM OF COMMERCIAL, UH, WHITE CO YOU KNOW, WHITE COLLAR, UH, OFFICE, UH, NOT BEING RE-UPPED, NO LEASES NOT BEING, UH, RENEGOTIATED, BUILDINGS NOT BEING BUILT OUT.
UH, BECAUSE EVERYBODY JUST REALIZED THAT THEY COULD STAY HOME, UH, AND STILL, YOU KNOW, THESE BUSINESSES COULD STILL SUCCEED WITHOUT THERE HAVING TO BE, YOU KNOW, UM, MILLIONS A SQUARE FEET OF CUBICLE SPACE.
AND SO, I'M, I'M WORRIED THAT, YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE TRYING TO DIP B R E, AND HERE WE ARE TRYING TO ATTRACT PEOPLE FROM OTHER PLACES TO COME HERE AND WORKING ON JOBS.
BUT IF WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IN STORE FOR US, UM, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CRISIS, THEN I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, ASKING ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ASKED.
RIGHT? AND I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER ORGANIZATION OR A MORE APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATION TO BE ASKING THAT QUESTION AND COMING UP WITH ANSWERS, HELPING US FORECAST WHAT THE PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE SPECTRUM OF PROBLEMS COULD LOOK LIKE, RIGHT? AND THEN WHAT SOLUTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR US IF IN THE EVENT WE HAVE TO FACE THE, THIS ACUTE CRISIS WHICH EVERYBODY'S TELLING US IS COMING.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, STEVE NIMAN DOES A WHOLE BUNCH OF REALLY GOOD ANALYSIS ON SORT OF WHAT THE FACTS ARE ON THE GROUND NOW, BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, AT, AT YOUR SHOP.
SO FIRST OF ALL, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, IS RIGHT ON THE MARK.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN ENGAGING WITH A LOT OF OUR REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS HERE LOCALLY, UH, AND EVEN THE NATIONAL FIRMS, RIGHT, LIKE C B R E J L L L AND, AND OTHERS, UM, THEY'RE SEEING THOSE TYPES OF TRENDS.
IT'S INTERESTING THOUGH, AS WE'VE ENGAGED, AND THIS, BY THE WAY, UH, COUNCILMAN BLIS WILL BE A PART OF OUR B R E TRENDS REPORT AS WELL.
IT'S FASCINATING BECAUSE IN THE PAST WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH HAVING
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AVAILABLE REAL ESTATE FOR SOME OF THESE LARGER HEADQUARTER DEALS.YOU KNOW, LOOKING, I THINK ONE YEAR WE HAD, UH, THREE RFPS FOR 400,000 SQUARE FEET CONTIGUOUS SPACE, AND WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THAT ONLINE WITHIN THE URBAN CORE.
BUT TODAY, AS YOU SAID, THAT DYNAMIC HAS SHIFTED ENTIRELY.
UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN HAVING REGULAR MEETINGS.
WE STARTED THIS, UM, GOODNESS BACK IN MARCH, BUT WE'VE HA BEEN HAVING REGULAR MEETINGS WITH OUR TOP CEOS, UH, H E B IN FACT, CRAIG, MY CHAIRMAN, BRINGS THESE MEETINGS TOGETHER, BUT H E B U, SS A, A VALERO CROSS BANK, UH, UH, HOLT CAT, WHATABURGER, UM, JUST TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING.
UM, THAT WAS HELPFUL EARLY ON, I THINK, TO, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE MAYOR AND THE JUDGE AS THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT REOPENING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, H U B AND U SS A HAVE ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ON RETAINER FROM JOHNS HOPKINS AND OTHERS.
SO IT WAS HELPFUL FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, BUT NOW, UH, IT'S REALLY LIKE B R E ON STEROIDS, GETTING THIS PRIMARY DATA DIRECTLY FROM THE CEOS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING TO DO GOING FORWARD.
UM, SO YES IS THE SHORT ANSWER.
WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE DO NEED TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED ABOUT WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE IN COMING YEARS, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO INFORM OUR OUTREACH STRATEGIES, BUT PRIMARILY OUR RETENTION AND EXPANSION STRATEGIES HERE LOCALLY.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU SENDING ME THAT ARTICLE, TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
UM, BUT WE DO NEED TO DO SOME MORE WORK THERE.
THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WAS, UH, FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, I, I GOT TO MEET YESTERDAY WITH, UM, UH, WHAT'S HER NAME? DR.
EMILY BRIGHT, I THINK, I THINK HER NAME IS BRIGHT, UH, THE, UH, C E O OF THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.
AND WE HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR, UM, THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW, FOR 2021 AND GOING FORWARD.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF 10% OF TEXAS JOBS ARE FOOD AND BEVERAGE JOBS, AND IF THEY CONTRIBUTE 8%, UH, YOU KNOW, SORRY, $8 BILLION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY, UM, AND THEY'RE TELLING US THEY'RE IN REALLY, REALLY, REALLY DIRE STRAITS.
UM, I, I, IT, IT, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO BE HAVING WITH YOU AS WELL, JENNA MM-HMM.
AND SO, UM, I WORRY THAT THE SAN ANTONIO RESTAURANT ASSOCIATIONS, UM, SOPHISTICATION AS FAR AS THEIR ABILITY TO TACKLE REALLY, REALLY BIG PROBLEMS LIKE THIS ISN'T QUITE THERE, RIGHT? THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT OTHER THINGS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'VE GOT THE BANDWIDTH TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT QUESTION THAT'S, UH, THAT'S FACING THEM RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT EXPERTS IN HOUSE, BOTH IN ALEX'S DEPARTMENT AND IN YOUR SHOP TO BE ABLE TO HELP US THINK THROUGH WHAT, WHAT AVAILABLE LEVERS WE CAN PULL FROM, ASIDE FROM JUST SIMPLY RUNNING TO THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE STIMULUS FUNDS.
UM, AND SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TALKED ABOUT? WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY, UM, I'LL SAY EARLY ON IN THE CONVERSATIONS, UM, BACK IN MARCH, APRIL, MAY, WHEN WE HAD PULLED TOGETHER THE DIFFERENT INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS LIKE V S A AND THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS, UH, THE CONVERSATION CAME UP, BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY, UH, HAD THE DETAILED CONVERSATION AS IT RELATES TO FUTURE PROJECTIONS AND PIVOTING STRATEGIES.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT.
UM, AND I, I DO THINK THAT'S WORTH A CONVERSATION FOR ALEX AND I TO HAVE OFFLINE, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT HOW IT WOULD INFLUENCE OUR OPERATIONS.
AND YOU KNOW, ALL THESE FOLKS WHO WORK FOR THESE RESTAURANTS, THEY'RE HOURLY WORKERS, THEY'RE THE VERY FOLKS WHO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT THIS ENTIRE YEAR.
UM, AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CHECK TO CHECK AND REALLY JUST ON THE PRECIPICE OF, OF HOMELESSNESS IF, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A JOB.
AND SO I, I'M, I WORRY ABOUT THAT AND, AND I DO THINK THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, UM, AS MUCH OF AN URGENCY, THERE SHOULD BE, BE AS MUCH OF AN URGENCY ON OUR PART TO FOCUS ON THEM AS WE FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH PAYING CYBERSECURITY, BIOTECH RESEARCH, MANUFACTURING JOBS, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE RESTAURANT WORKERS AND THOSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO SPEND THEIR MONEY.
SO ANYWAY, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ DOES NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
UM, MY LAST QUESTION, UH, JENNA, IF YOU CAN PLEASE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ON THE SLIDE, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PERFORMANCE TO 2020 KPIS UNDER WORKFORCE, WHERE IT HAS WORKPLACE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, YOUR 2020 GOALS WERE 7,520, YOUR YEAR TO DATE ACTUALS WORK, 8,503.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHAT, WHAT MADE IT HAPPEN? YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I WISH
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THIS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT GOING VIRTUAL WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE.SO EARLY ON, I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO PIVOT ON OUR OPERATIONS PLAN, A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WERE CANCELING THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS. THEY WERE CANCELING DIFFERENT, UM, JOB SHADOW OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, UM, AND HER TEAM, SO FUN.
THEY GOT VERY INNOVATIVE AND, AND CREATIVE ON HOW WE COULD CONTINUE TO FACILITATE THESE PROGRAMS, UM, VIRTUALLY.
AND SO WE VIRTUALLY EXECUTED ON INTERNSHIPS, BUT ALSO JOB SHADOWS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT AND IT'S CERTAINLY LESS EXPENSIVE TO DO THESE TYPES OF, UH, WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES VIRTUALLY.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT BECAUSE THOSE ARE AGGREGATE NUMBERS, UM, WE HAVE BEEN OVERPERFORMING THOSE NUMBERS, UH, IN PAST YEARS AS WELL.
SO WE SET A STRETCH TARGET FOR THIS YEAR AND THEN ENDED UP EXCEEDING IT AS WELL.
BUT IF I HAD TO PICK ONE REASON, UM, IN ADDITION TO OBVIOUSLY THE TEAM JUST BEING GREAT AND HAVING EXCEPTIONAL PARTNERS THAT PROMOTE THESE OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE EACH OF YOU ON THE PHONE, UM, I WOULD SAY IT WAS THE, THE VIRTUAL OUTREACH THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, JENNA, APPRECIATE THIS REPORT.
APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, UM, FOR THE, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS OUR BRIEFING ON THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION BUSINESS PLAN FOR JULY THROUGH DECEMBER.
UM, SO TO MY CALL AND JUST IF ANYBODY IS WATCHING US ON, UH, THE STATIONS, IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF THE WORKFORCE PROGRAMS, PLEASE BE SURE TO REACH OUT.
WE HAVE OUR JOBS, OUR TRAINED FOR JOB, SAN ANTONIO PROGRAM THAT WE ARE HAPPY TO, UH, CONNECT YOU WITH MOST DEFINITELY.
SO PLEASE DO REACH OUT TO US 3 1 1.
AND WITH THAT, UM, MAKE SURE YOU DO ALL THAT YOU CAN BEFORE SEVEN O'CLOCK TO VOTE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED, USE IT OR LOSE IT.
UM, HAVE A GREAT DAY, YOU ALL.