Brenda Hicks-Sorensen, Director, City of San Antonio Economic Development Department

In an interview with Invest:, Brenda Hicks-Sorensen, director of the City of San Antonio Economic Development Department, emphasized the city’s strategic investments in workforce development, infrastructure, and global connectivity as key drivers of its economic momentum. “The future is incredibly bright for San Antonio. We’re seeing momentum from years of planning, and it’s exciting to watch everything come together,” she said.

What have been the key milestones, highlights, and achievements from the past year regarding economic development strategy?

This past year continued to be a time of focused relationship development, which became a central part of our department’s work post-COVID. Through our Economic Development Strategic Framework, we’re emphasizing transformative change, not only within the department but also across the community.

One major highlight was JCB North America’s commitment to San Antonio. Its new facility is expected to bring over 1,500 jobs when fully constructed. Just recently, the company announced plans to invest over $500 million into a space that could reach up to 1 million square feet. That momentum continues.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas also announced an expansion last year, which includes a new axle facility. That project represents over 400 jobs and more than $500 million in investment. Overall, our manufacturing recruitment efforts remain strong. For instance, we’re receiving encouraging feedback about the Ready to Work program, which continues to support our talent pipeline.

Another major success was Guidehouse’s expansion. It marked the largest office recruitment project in Texas last year, with over 1,000 jobs expected, and potentially even more. The response from companies has been overwhelmingly positive, especially in support of our workforce, which they recognize as strong and well-prepared.

While we’re focused on attracting new business, we’re equally committed to supporting those already here. We’ve expanded our business retention and growth efforts, which are heavily relationship-based. It’s about understanding what our businesses need to succeed, whether that’s growth through job creation or other means. Last year, we conducted over 420 business visits, working with partners like greater:SATX to maintain and deepen these connections.

Small businesses are vital to San Antonio—they’re a cultural and economic cornerstone. During fiscal year 2024 (October 1 through September 30), our small business outreach team had over 14,000 contacts. That volume is new for us and shows how seriously the city takes supporting businesses of all sizes.

What makes the city such an attractive location for businesses looking to relocate or start up?

When you’re in San Antonio, you know you’re in San Antonio. The city has a deeply unique and vibrant culture. We’re proud of our heritage, and that pride shows up in everything, from City Council meetings that begin with local musicians to investments in arts and culture.

We also have a strategic geographic location. We’re a gateway to Mexico, with strong cross-border relationships. But our focus extends globally. For example, last year, we expanded our Sister Cities program, adding two Friendship Cities, one of which, Piedras Negras, Mexico, has since become a full Sister City. We also formalized a Sister City relationship with Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, Spain. This global connectivity, combined with our local character, is what sets San Antonio apart.

Can you speak to the current business sentiment, and what sectors are you targeting for continued growth?

We’re continuing to focus on mobility, which includes, but isn’t limited to, the automotive and aerospace industries. San Antonio has a solid aerospace presence. We’re also investing heavily in IT security and infrastructure. We’re especially excited about the governor’s recent announcement regarding a potential Cyber Center at UTSA. Combined with the UTSA–UT Health merger, we see a lot of potential for Tier 1 research to fuel industry growth.

Sustainable energy is another emerging area, and our project pipeline reflects increasing interest in that sector. Biosciences also remain a strong industry here. We’re proud of our partnerships, including with BioMedSA and Heather Hanson, who continue to drive innovation and support in that field.

And, of course, corporate services are essential. Guidehouse’s expansion is a great example. Overall, these targeted industries collectively account for nearly half of San Antonio’s employment and contribute more than $70 billion to our annual GDP, which now totals close to $170 billion.

In light of the nearshoring trend, how is San Antonio adapting?

Nearshoring is something we’re actively tracking. We pay close attention to developments at the local, state, and national levels, especially during the legislative session. We’re working to identify and fill gaps in the supply chain, particularly around companies already located here. We aim to bring more of that production capacity back to the United States, and specifically, to San Antonio.

We collaborate closely with greater:SATX, which plays a big role in our attraction and retention strategies. And because we’re Military City USA, we have a significant number of companies tied to federal contracts. We’re maintaining strong relationships with those companies to ensure we understand and can support their evolving needs.

As San Antonio positions itself within a broader regional and even cross-border context, how are you working with other cities to support regional growth?

We work closely with greater:SATX and have strong relationships across the region. Our department regularly collaborates with partners across Texas and Mexico, and the mayor is an active member of the South Texas Mayors’ Coalition, which provides frequent opportunities to engage across jurisdictions.

From an economic development standpoint, we often connect with peer cities, whether it’s McAllen, Laredo, El Paso, or others, to share best practices and explore collaborative opportunities. Our strategic location allows us to serve as a bridge between Mexico and the broader United States, which is why we’re also building stronger ties with Latin American countries like Colombia and Panama.

Austin is part of that picture, too. We recognize the importance of the mega-region and are leveraging it through ongoing collaboration.

How are you collaborating with local educational institutions to ensure a strong talent pipeline?

Our Workforce Development Office works closely with educational institutions and has a robust partnership through Ready to Work. We coordinate with Mike Ramsey, executive director of Workforce Development, and his team to emphasize that strong relationship.

As we engage with companies during our visits, we gather insights that we share directly with our Workforce Development team. We also use a shared customer relationship management platform to track and leverage this information. This allows us to better align with local colleges and universities.

We’re in regular contact with leaders at institutions like UTSA. For instance, I recently spoke with Rod McSherry, associate vice president and director, Institute for Economic Development, UTSA about developments on the small business side. These conversations happen often, and they’re essential to aligning education and workforce goals.

What is your vision for San Antonio’s economic landscape over the next few years?

Our priorities remain rooted in building and nurturing relationships. We want to support businesses of all sizes and stay responsive to economic shifts, especially those happening at the federal level.

Our pipeline is incredibly strong, and we’re starting to see the payoff from efforts like Ready to Work. We’re also receiving more national and international attention as companies look to San Antonio for U.S. expansion.

Perhaps most importantly, we’re starting to tell our story more effectively. For too long, we’ve been so focused on the work that we haven’t shared how special this community truly is. But our businesses are beginning to share their positive experiences, and that’s powerful.

The future is incredibly bright for San Antonio. We’re seeing momentum from years of planning, and it’s exciting to watch everything come together.

One thing I didn’t mention earlier is the city’s investment in commercial corridors through our Revitalize SA program. We’re in year two, and while these efforts may not be as high-profile as Project Marvel, they’re significant at the grassroots level. These smaller, neighborhood-focused investments tie into transit-oriented development and are critical to our broader infrastructure strategy.

All in all, we’re thrilled about what’s ahead.