Writer: Jerrica DuBois
3 min read July 2023 — The art of collaboration as a key to future growth was a key theme for panelists Curt Kruse, Jason Giulietti, Jesus Saenz, and Sarah Carabias Rush at the recent Invest: San Antonio 2022-2023 leadership summit.
The second panel, ‘The South Central Ecosystem: Economic development, infrastructure growth and Greater San Antonio’s capacity for more in today’s economy,’ covered development and investment in the region. Moderator Rebecca Viagran, CEO and president of the South Texas Business Partnership, kicked off the conversation with the importance of resiliency.
“If we learned nothing from the pandemic, it’s about how to pivot,” said Carabias Rush, the chief economic development officer for greater:SATX. “We need to take that step back as organizations and advise the community and say ‘These are the trends, this is where we’re headed, this is what we see coming’ so that as a community we can respond and react to create that level of resiliency.”
The panel then moved into the hallmarks of a post pandemic economy. The San Antonio Business Index, which is a broad measure of economic activity in the region, sat at 161.5 in January of this year – 10 points higher than January 2020. The region also saw housing permits dip to pre-pandemic levels as housing affordability continues to decrease.
“We are very much an owner-operator city, which differentiates us from many other MSAs,” said Curt Kruse, San Antonio market president for Vantage Bank. “We see the balance sheets. We see the financial results of these small to medium size enterprises. It’s been really encouraging to see how they weathered the storm. There’s a heightened sense of discipline. They are very careful about positioning their balance sheet for the unchartered waters we have in front of us.”
Jesus Saenz, director of airports for the San Antonio Airport System, also shared his perspective on the topic. “It’s where opportunity is going to purposefully collide with culture here in San Antonio. When you look at the number of jobs in small businesses, think about when those businesses begin to graduate to medium or large-sized businesses because of the opportunity that is going to exist. The people here represent those jobs and the impact they will have on the growth and expansion of San Antonio. All of those people are going to have to fly at some point, so how do we make certain we bring them to the airport of choice. The San Antonio International Airport, being the economic engine for the city, will also expand and attract businesses not just domestically but also internationally. It’s going to catapult San Antonio. It will inevitably be the next big city in the state of Texas for economic opportunity.”
The panel discussed the needs and challenges related to infrastructure. While the topic can include everything from water and sewer, transit, roads and broadband, panelists shared their thoughts on the most pressing needs of the region. The discussion touched on land scarcity, broadening the corporate base and the importance of capital investment.
“We are uniquely positioned in this space,” said Jason Giulietti, president and CEO of the Greater San Marcos Partnership. “Projects have gone up in size tremendously since COVID. We’re home to very large megasites; 2,000 to 3,000 acre sites to bring in new companies and land large investments. What’s lacking is infrastructure on the ground. We have utilities only so far up the corridor on Highway 130. We are trying to activate the utilities side. That will allow these projects to come in with the timeline they have. What’s important is that they will not just live in those surrounding communities. They will live in San Antonio, they will live in Austin, so all of the communities need to be ready for those types of investments. We’re talking about ten to fifteen thousand employees within one company. And it’s not just one company, it’s several companies that want to come here and make an impact.”
As the panel began to wrap up, the participants shared their thoughts on what it means to be in San Antonio in the next three to five years, prompting further commentary on rapid growth, the importance of collaboration and why San Antonio is the place to be.
“The unique attribute here is the culture, and that is what outsiders see,” said Rush. “As we collaborate and support each other, we have to do it with one voice.”
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