Arturo Marquez, Director, Pasadena Economic Development Corporation

Invest: sat down with Arturo Marquez, director of the Pasadena Economic Development Corporation, to discuss Pasadena’s near-term priorities, the tools the city can deploy to compete for investment, and how the organization is supporting both entrepreneurs and existing employers. “The goal right now is to give Pasadena the tools it needs to be a competitive market,” Marquez said.

What attracted you to the opportunity to direct the EDC? What are your initial impressions, and what are your top priorities to start?

I’ve worked in communities of different sizes, and that background shaped what drew me to Pasadena. I started in El Paso, then became the first director in Eagle Pass, and later was recruited to Corpus Christi as their first director. Each community had different needs, from infrastructure constraints to positioning and identity, and that helped me understand how economic development priorities change based on local conditions.

When I started looking at Pasadena, I felt like it had what it needed to create something great, especially with new leadership and a real opportunity to build the next chapter with intention. In many cities, you hear about common incentives and development tools and long-standing policies that shape the business environment. Here, there is room to develop or refine some of those approaches and create a clearer playbook for how the city recruits, supports, and grows business investment.

A big draw is Pasadena’s location. Proximity to the port matters, and Pasadena sits in a key spot where the community can support services that connect to port activity, and also support production tied to the region’s industrial base. Proximity to Houston is also important. Houston is a global powerhouse, and Pasadena has the opportunity to amplify what already exists here and position itself more clearly within the region’s broader economic story.

On the organizational side, what attracted me was the team and the level of coordination I saw during the process. In other places, you sometimes see misalignment between different layers of government or across partner organizations. Here, I saw a cohesive environment and strong working relationships across the city, county, and surrounding organizations. That kind of alignment is a real advantage when you’re trying to move quickly and execute.

What is your impression of the business climate? Where do you see immediate potential, and how are you working to start those relationships?

Pasadena has a large pool of entrepreneurs. When you drive across the city, you see a lot of small businesses, and that creates real opportunity because it means people are already taking the risk to start and operate here.

One area I’ve worked on in the past is small-business incubation, and I see potential for that kind of support here. Some partnerships hint toward it, but there isn’t a single, clear one-stop shop for an incubator model. With the amount of small-business activity in Pasadena, a more intentional structure could help entrepreneurs access resources, navigate growth challenges, and build staying power.

The way I look at it is that businesses often start small and scale over time. The point is not just to celebrate entrepreneurship, but to help businesses become stronger, more sustainable, and more capable of expansion. If the community already has the talent and appetite to build businesses, our role is to connect those efforts to practical support.

In terms of challenges, no city is without areas to improve. I’ve only been here a short time, but one issue I’ve already heard consistently is the need to streamline processes tied to construction and development. If a business chooses to locate in Pasadena, we want the experience to be clear and efficient. That includes revisiting ordinances and processes that may be due for an update. Those reviews are a normal part of city operations, and the important piece is listening to the building community, identifying where friction exists, and then improving the process so businesses can move forward with more certainty.

How is the EDC helping the city prepare for growth in key sectors like petrochemicals, logistics, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy?

This is where the opportunity is especially strong, because Pasadena has the ability to sharpen how it uses the tools available for large projects. Some tools have been used locally, and there are also tools that have not been used but could expand how Pasadena competes.

One example is the ability to use agreements that allow the city to partner with private businesses to support major investment, whether through infrastructure support or other mechanisms. Another common tool in many cities is a tax increment reinvestment zone, which is often used for large developments and major construction projects. Pasadena does not currently have an active zone, which creates the opportunity to bring that tool forward in the right context and, if adopted, use it strategically.

From an investor standpoint, it matters that a city can communicate clearly: we are ready to use the tools in our toolbox, we are ready to have a practical conversation about project needs, and we can move with intent. These tools are typically most relevant for larger-scale investments, which often align with major industrial and petrochemical activity. I also view them as cost-saving tools that can improve feasibility when investment reaches the scale where incentives and structured support meaningfully affect returns.

Quality of life is also part of the attraction story. Are there specifics you can share about how projects like infrastructure and placemaking strengthen that work?

The Pasadena Economic Development Corporation does play a role in quality-of-life projects, including enhancement and beautification work. I want to be careful not to misstate project details because I’m still new, and I have not gone deep into every initiative yet. But I do know there have been multiple beautification efforts over the last couple of years, including in North Pasadena.

The purpose is not only to make the city more attractive on the surface, but to strengthen the underlying environment that supports workforce retention and business recruitment. Companies want to locate where their employees can envision a long-term life, where families have options, and where the community is actively investing in the places people use every day.

This is an area where I would welcome a follow-up discussion once I’ve had time to fully review the portfolio and speak more specifically about which projects have been completed, what’s in progress, and what is planned.

How are education and workforce assets in the Houston region helping you build the talent pipeline Pasadena needs?

Houston’s scale and strength in healthcare is one of the region’s defining advantages. Pasadena benefits from that proximity, and there is also a healthcare presence within Pasadena itself. Healthcare is one of the target industries that has been identified as important, and it’s also a sector with sustained demand and workforce pressure nationwide.

When you look at Pasadena’s economic foundation, petrochemicals and healthcare are major players. They are sectors with long-term relevance, and they are also sectors where targeted programs, partnerships, and incentives can help strengthen workforce development over time. The goal is to align recruitment, training, and growth strategies with the industries that are most central to the local economy.

What is your overall outlook for Pasadena after your first year in the role?

The goal right now is to give Pasadena the tools it needs to be a competitive market.

That includes strengthening the policy and incentive toolkit so the city can respond to the needs of real projects, and it also includes increasing Pasadena’s visibility in the places where investors and industry leaders are having conversations. If we want more attention, more opportunities, and more serious engagement, we have to show up consistently, communicate clearly, and demonstrate that Pasadena can execute.

When people talk about Houston, they often talk about other cities in the region. I think Pasadena can elevate its profile in those discussions. A priority is helping investors understand we are here, we are building the environment they need to succeed, and local leadership is willing and able to work together to move opportunities forward.

What is the importance of attracting and retaining business in Pasadena?

One principle I emphasize everywhere I go is that attraction and retention should be treated with equal importance. Attraction is often what the public focuses on, and it matters, but internally, retention is just as critical. If you don’t land a new business, that’s disappointing, but those jobs were not here yet. If an existing business shuts down, the impact is immediate and difficult. Then you’re dealing with a vacant site, workforce disruption, and ripple effects across the community.

My philosophy is to pursue new opportunities while also putting equal effort into supporting and retaining the businesses that are already here.