Rebecca Viagran, CEO & President, South Texas Business Partnership

In an interview with Invest:, Rebecca Viagran positioned South Texas as a key investment hub, citing its strategic location near Mexico and strength in logistics via Laredo, the top U.S. inland port. “We’re not just trade partners with Mexico. We’re co-production partners,” she noted.

What makes South Texas a unique and advantageous location for investment compared to other Texas markets?

What makes South Texas, and San Antonio more specifically, strategic in the economic market is, first, our location — our proximity to Mexico and northern Mexico. We have partnerships throughout South Texas now. In fact, we rebranded in 2022 from the South San Antonio Chamber to the South Texas Business Partnership.

The area we cover now includes 27 counties, from San Antonio down to the Rio Grande Valley and Laredo. That encompasses the I-37 and I-35 corridors. I-35, as many know, connects directly to Laredo, which is the No. 1 inland port in the Western Hemisphere. That means all the products moving in and out of Mexico pass through San Antonio, whether by truck or rail.

That’s a strategic partnership and a strategic location. What sets the South Texas Business Partnership apart is our focus. We’re bringing people together. We’re working to be a collective voice for the region. We highlight the industries in this area that many people aren’t even aware of. For example, the fact that Laredo is the top inland port. Or the growing space economy right here in San Antonio and South Texas. That’s strategic as we continue to grow, not just domestically, but in co-production with Mexico and Canada.

With growing interest in megasites and large-scale industrial development, how are you preparing the region to attract investment in key sectors like logistics and space?

South Texas has seen major population growth — over 20% of the Texas population resides here. That’s based on 2023 data. Altogether, we’re talking about roughly 9 million people. Since the last census, we’ve seen about a 25% increase in industrial productivity, so we know there’s growth.

All the expansion happening in sectors like space and aerospace, especially with SpaceX, means they need suppliers on site or nearby. One of our focus areas is working with our partners across these 27 counties to figure out how we build that strategic workforce pipeline. That could mean upskilling, training, or partnering with universities in Texas and Mexico.

It’s about this back-and-forth of creating that workforce, both education and industry working together. So yes, we’re growing, and yes, people are looking at us. We believe investors should be looking at South Texas.

What economic or policy shifts are shaping the investment landscape in the region?

There have been a lot of policy shifts. At the South Texas Business Partnership, and with many of our partners, we’re all learning how to navigate them. We’re trying to understand where the exemptions might land, especially in terms of tariffs. But we’re also focused on telling the real story — that we’re not just trade partners with Mexico. We’re co-production partners.

Things are made in Mexico, then come to the U.S. to be further manufactured, and sometimes go back again before being finalized. That back-and-forth is constant. We’re learning to navigate these waters, and we’re doing it collectively. We’re showing how connected we are — not just geographically, but economically and culturally.

We’re also watching what’s happening in the Texas legislature and at the federal level. We’re working to help policymakers understand how tightly our economies are tied together. South Texas is a deeply connected economic ecosystem. Small businesses, large manufacturers, technical schools, and universities, we’re all relying on one another. Our goal is to help everyone, especially small businesses, have a voice and grow together.

What efforts are underway to align education and workforce training with evolving industry needs?

Many of our partners are already doing innovative work. At the Partnership, our job is to help them learn from each other and not work in silos. We want lessons learned from one part of the region to inform the others.

For example, at UTRGV in the Valley, there’s incredible work happening in healthcare training that aligns with efforts in Bexar County and San Antonio. There’s a shared need across South Texas for healthcare workers — nurses, technicians, administrators — and we’re building programs to address that.

We work closely with Palo Alto College, Texas A&M–San Antonio, and Alamo Colleges. Dr. Salvador Ochoa at Texas A&M–San Antonio is doing great things in public health and has partnered with A&M Health in Houston. Their recent economic impact report showed a $300 million impact. That’s huge, and they’re not doing it alone.

We also need skilled workers, including welders, dental hygienists, and others. We’re in conversations with companies like Toyota TX and JCB to identify exactly what they need. Then we help connect that demand with programs across the 27 counties, including in rural areas that might not have access to those pipelines. That’s what sets us apart: we are connecting dots regionally.

What are the region’s most pressing infrastructure needs, and how are you working to address them?

There are a few major infrastructure priorities. Regionally, the biggest one is I-35, from San Antonio to Laredo. There’s a huge amount of truck traffic — around 12,000 to 15,000 vehicles per day — and only two lanes in each direction. That’s a bottleneck for the No. 1 inland port in the U.S.

We’re collaborating with TxDOT, Laredo, and others to figure out how to expand it. But the one closest to home — and long overdue — is the South Texas Parkway. It’s an east-west connector that would link I-35 and I-37, just south of Loop 410.

This road is essential. It’s been discussed for over 20 years, and we’re finally gaining traction. It would improve traffic flow and safety, and it would support major employers like Toyota TX, JCB, TJX, and University Health’s new hospital, which will bring 500 new jobs. It will also help with access to housing developments and educational institutions like Texas A&M–San Antonio.

This 15-mile connector would be done in phases, and it’s a game-changer. We’re advocating for it at the city, state, and federal levels. The community sees the value. We just need to get it done.

What are your top priorities for the next two to three years?

First, we want to continue expanding our partnerships and build stronger regional collaboration across all 27 counties. That’s key to our mission.

Second, we’re focused on helping our partners navigate policy and economic uncertainty, especially around tariffs and trade issues. We want them to know we’re standing with them.

And third, the South Texas Parkway. That’s our top infrastructure priority, and we’re not letting up. We need more investment, more buy-in, and we’re doing the work to make it happen. The growth potential in that area is enormous — we just need to keep pushing.

We want to continue celebrating the wins. The growth. The progress. We want to show our partners and investors that there’s a lot of momentum in San Antonio and South Texas.

No matter what’s happening at the federal or state level, we’re not slowing down. This region matters. People have spent their lives building businesses here. We want to support that, uplift it, and let the world know: South Texas is open for business, and we’re doing it together.