An interview with the CEO of the Texas Economic Development Corporation

MISSION, Texas - Aaron S. Demerson, the recently appointed president and CEO of the Texas Economic Development Corporation, says he loves visiting the Rio Grande Valley because he gets to experience the can-do attitude of its people.Austin-based Demerson was in the Valley recently. Asked what the region’s best assets are and why investors should take a look, he  said:“The best food America. No, no, aside from that I leave at least five pounds heavier all the time. I joke about that. But, the people. The people are pretty phenomenal,” Demerson said.“I hold that if they see it, touch it, feel it, they (potential investors) will be impressed as well. And then, the can-do attitude, the innovation, the willingness to get down there to make a difference is extremely important and its exist here in this community.“And so I'm always excited to get down here to see what's new. See what's happening from the standpoint of… the energy that's here is pretty phenomenal and it is just an opportunity for us to take additional levels.”The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service interviewed Demerson, the former business representative on the Texas Workforce Commission, at Mission Economic Development Corporation’s Center for Education and Economic Development. He was at the CEED building for both a meeting with the Council for South Texas Economic Progress (COSTEP) and to speak at a ribbon cutting ceremony for an outreach center that Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies was opening.Asked what the purpose of the Texas Economic Development Corporation was, Demerson said: “We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization set up, really, to showcase and market Texas both domestically and internationally. We're trying to showcase the best of what Texas has to offer so that if a company is looking at expanding to another state, we want them to expand here in Texas. Even international companies that are looking at other states to expand their operations, we want them to come to the state of Texas.”Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website to read the full story.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.