Zoe Richmond, Director of Public Affairs for Union Pacific (UP) covering AZ & NM, was the featured speaker at a special breakfast for MVEDA Partners this morning.
Ms. Richmond provided an update comparing changes in UP’s business over the past 12 months and the impacts on the planned expansion of the Strauss Facility in the Santa Teresa area. She noted that the timeline for the expansion would be based on the economy and the passage of the locomotive fuel tax exemption by the New Mexico Legislature. The tax exemption lapsed in December 2009. New Mexico is competing with Texas, which has no locomotive fuel tax. Richmond also highlighted Union Pacific’s new concierge website, www.unionpacific.com, which is designed to enable small businesses to take advantage of the cost savings of shipping by rail.
Prior to Ms. Richmond’s presentation, Davin Lopez, MVEDA’s CEO, gave a brief update of MVEDA’s year-to-date progress, noting the more than 200 new jobs and $78M in capital investment created since July 1. He highlighted some of the national recognition from sources such as Moody’s Analytics, the Milken Institute, Garner Economics, and CNN Money that the Las Cruces MSA has received for its continued job market recovery. Lopez also previewed new marketing plans for the second half of the fiscal year.
