Texas A&M Forum to Explore Trade, Investment, and the Future of Texas-Mexico Economic Integration

The economic relationship between Texas and Mexico will be at the center of a gathering that will bring together business leaders, academics, and public-sector representatives on September 22 at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. The Leadership Forum, “Security and Prosperity in North America: Advancing Texas-Mexico Commerce and Cooperation,” will examine opportunities to strengthen trade and cooperation between both countries, with an agenda focused on strategic sectors for North America’s economic development.

Organized by The Bush School at Texas A&M University, the forum will take place at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center and will feature specialists from financial institutions, manufacturing companies, business organizations, and academic institutions. The program will begin with welcome remarks from Dean John B. Sherman ’92 and President Susan Ballabina, followed by remarks from Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar ’93.

Trade and Investment as Pillars of the Texas-Mexico Relationship

The first session, “Celebrating the Success of the Texas-Mexico Relationship,” will be moderated by Larry Rubin, president and chairman of the board of the American Society of Mexico. Panelists will include John Beckham, managing director of NADBank; Alberto Gómez Alcala, head of Institutional Affairs at Banamex-Citigroup Financial Group; and Rabi Mohtar, professor at Texas A&M University and senior advisor for Resource Nexus at the Texas A&M Energy Institute.

The discussion will explore the evolution of economic ties between Texas and Mexico through perspectives related to financing, institutional relations, and resource management. The participation of financial and academic representatives will contribute to a broader discussion of the conditions supporting regional economic development.

The forum will then turn to the potential of agricultural trade and food security. Moderated by Luis Ribera, director of the Center for North American Studies and professor of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University, the session will feature John Bode, president and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association and the USMCA Agriculture Coalition; BJ McElroy ’05, chief operating officer of 44 Farms; and David Salazar, vice president of Legal Services at GRUMA and vice chairman of the SMU Mission Foods Texas-Mexico Center.

Energy, Infrastructure, and Industrial Competitiveness

The program will also feature a panel on energy, infrastructure, and economic impact, with Andrés Rivero Vila, director of LNG Development at SEMPRA, and Ray Washburne, former president and CEO of OPIC. The session will be moderated by Arnie Vedlitz, director of the Institute for Science, Technology, and Public Policy at Texas A&M University.

These topics are closely connected to the growth of North America’s industrial and commercial activity, particularly in a region where energy availability and infrastructure are important factors in the development of new projects and the operation of supply chains.

One of the forum’s central sessions will be “Industrial Competitiveness, Data Centers, and Supply Chains,” scheduled for the afternoon. The panel will feature Alyson Freeman of Dell’s Efficient Data Centers; Jasper Jung, executive director of Global Strategic Initiatives for Public Policy at General Motors; and Sergio Mendez, country head of Mexico at BlackRock. The session will be moderated by Pia Orrenius, vice president and labor economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

The participation of representatives from Dell, General Motors, and BlackRock will bring together perspectives on technology, manufacturing, investment, and supply chains. The panel will focus on industrial competitiveness and the factors shaping the evolution of economic activity across North America.

A Shared Vision for the Texas-Mexico Economic Region

The agenda will conclude with “Next Steps: Building a Thriving Texas-Mexico Economic Region,” moderated by Jorge Torres, founder and president of Interlink Trade Services, a firm specializing in customs brokerage, trade compliance, logistics, and cross-border consulting.

Torres has more than 30 years of experience in international trade and has worked extensively with supply chain operations connecting the United States and Mexico. His professional background includes positions at Rudolph Miles Customs Brokers and Parker & Company, as well as teaching experience at South Texas College.

The panel will feature Emilio Cadena, CEO of Prodensa and chairman of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation, who has extensive experience promoting foreign direct investment and developing manufacturing projects in Mexico and other markets. Antonio Ortiz-Mena, president and CEO of AOM Advisors, former member of Mexico’s NAFTA negotiating team, and a specialist in international trade, investment, and economic relations between Mexico and the United States, will also participate.

The session will examine the next steps for strengthening the Texas-Mexico economic region, connecting investment, trade, manufacturing, and opportunities for cooperation.

The Leadership Forum will conclude with a public reception and a public policy conversation with Robert S. Howden, Texas Secretary of State.

Through its program, the event presents a broad agenda focused on the future of the Texas-Mexico relationship, with particular attention to collaboration opportunities that can contribute to strengthening North America’s competitiveness, investment, and supply chains.