On Tuesday, November 7, 2017 a panel of local business men and women will discuss how MVEDA and its efforts to improve the local economy impacts them personally and their businesses. The panel will include Heather Salopek, owner of Legacy Pecans, Tom Hutchinson, co-owner of La Posta de Mesilla, Aaron Perez, real estate broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Richard Coltharp, publisher of the Las Cruces Bulletin, and Jeff Banegas, owner of Able Signs Company. This will be an interactive session so bring your smart phone.
The Business in the Borderplex meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2017 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, 705 S. Telshor. It will begin with a hot entrée buffet. The meeting will conclude with an update on the Amazon HQ2 proposal developed by MVEDA and the Border Industrial Association. Due to the packed agenda, the meeting will be called to order at 11:50 AM.
Advance registration is $25.00 per person, payable by major credit card via the secure PayPal portal on the registration form. Payment at the door with cash, check or credit card is $30.00 per person. Due to space constraints reservations are required. Registration closes Thursday, November 2, 2017.
About the Speakers
Heather Salopek, entrepreneur and owner of Legacy Pecans, 
is deeply rooted in the Mesilla Valley, as she is a fourth-generation New Mexican. After representing the U.S. Pecan industry worldwide in Dubai, Paris and China, Heather returned to her roots where she started her own gourmet retail pecan and corporate gifting business. Legacy Pecans was awarded 2016 Small Business of the Year by the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce and has now opened their flagship store on the historic Mesilla Plaza.
Tom Hutchinson, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, retired from active duty in 1986 and joined CB Richard Ellis Commercial Real Estate in Dallas, Texas, where he specialized in commercial office building leasing, sales and investments. Tom and his wife, Jerean, moved to Las Cruces in 1996 and acquired the historic La Posta de Mesilla Restaurant and Cantina. They recently acquired for the former Meson de Mesilla, renaming the property Hacienda de Mesilla, Grille, Inn and Cantina. They own a small real estate investment firm as well.
Aaron Perez, Associate Broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New Mexico Properties 
in Las Cruces, is a 16-year real estate professional. His expertise covers Luxury Real Estate sales and acquisition as well as First Time Homebuyers and everything in between. Aaron is not afraid of hard work, in fact, he’s been selling property and running his family business for most of his life. At age 15, Aaron started working at the family restaurants and, at age 19, he began his real estate career.
Richard Coltharp, publisher of the Las Cruces Bulletin, is responsible for the operations and management of the news, sales, circulation, production and administration departments. The Bulletin was established in 1969, and Coltharp joined the company in 2010. He has worked in journalism since 1985 in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Alamogordo, New Mexico, where he moved in 1995. Richard grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and earned a journalism degree and a minor in marketing from Oklahoma State University.
Jeff Banegas, owner of Able Sign Company, graduated from Mayfield High School and attended New Mexico State University. 
He began his career with Newman Outdoor Advertising as a sign painter and started his own business, Designs by Jeff, in 1986 working out of his Dad’s garage. In October 1987 Jeff started Able Sign Company. Along the way, Jeff dedicated time to coaching high school baseball for 9 seasons at Mayfield High School.
