08/30/10 Business Journal--coming highlights

It's been an intersting week here in Laredo in the business world.
In this week's Business Journal:
1. The Laredo Development Foundation has some interesting speakers for their September symposium from the Port of New Orleans. They're experts in handling rail and oil tanker traffic and have interesting insights about the Gulf oil spill.

2.Coffee Talk will focus on a conversation I had with a businessman who contends the city government is neglecting its oldest trading partner, Mexico, for missions to Central and South America. Are we doing enough? That's a matter that people in Laredo have their individual opinions on. He thinks we need to enrich our trade relations with Mexico now while the economies of both nations are in an econmic survival mode. Meanwhile, I haven't seen any press releases from the city in the month I've been here about trade missions to Central and South America. I think whatever's happening with those missions needs to be made public, if these officials are spending taxpayer money. There needs to be a public disclosure of the money spent and the results we've gotten. But I do commend city manager Carlos Villarreal for telling his side of the story in response to Paul Cavazos' letter denouncing the Central and South American trade missions two "Coffee Talks" ago.
Bottom line--we need to open up trade routes to Central and South America. But are we doing enough to enhance, to perfect, the trade relationship between Laredo and America's third-largest trading partner on our southern border?

3.Meanwhile, in the Business Journal, advertising and marketing agency owner A.B. Barrera talks about the shopping habits of the Mexican National buyer, something which can really help retailers in Laredo.

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