Brazos Valley making impact on Texas Triangle

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - The Brazos Valley is contributing to the global business success within the Texas Triangle. This was the focal point of conversation at the Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation executive luncheon Thursday.

The luncheon was hosted at the Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center, with former San Antonio mayor Henry Cisneros as the keynote speaker. He’s also the former secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in President Bill Clinton’s administration.

Cisneros said the Brazos Valley is blessed to sit in the middle of the Texas Triangle, which includes Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. The Brazos Valley’s success includes exporting to those cities along with developing new products and services for those areas, according to Cisneros. Texas A&M also plays a big role in Bryan-College Station’s impact on those places.

“I think A&M is doing its part by growing at the rate that it is and bringing in top-flight scholars and doing the research that results in ideas,” Cisneros said.

Along with the Brazos Valley’s success, Cisneros emphasized the importance of looking toward the future. He said this includes local business owners thinking about the next generation of products and services, and collaborating with those in cities like Houston and Austin. Business owners, according to the former mayor, should take advantage of the proximity to those cities as they are among the fastest growing in the country.

The speaker said Texas is expected to have a population of 47 million by 2040 with 75% of those people living within the triangle.

“It’s a future that is almost assured but can be improved by focusing on education, infrastructure and the workforce,” Cisneros said. “I think it’s going to be a great future.”