LAREDO, RGV – The 24th Annual Logistics & Manufacturing Symposium takes place in Laredo next week, under the banner, ”Pathways for Trade: North America – The Most Competitive Region in the World.”
The event is being held over two days, Sept. 19-20, at Texas A&M International University.
Among the keynote speakers are:
- Alan D. Bersin, Global Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Center and Former Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Policy;
- Cynthia F. Whittenburg, Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of International Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection;
- Christopher Wilson, Deputy Director, Mexico Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars;
- Karen Antebi Benuzillo, Economic Counselor for the Trade and NAFTA Office of the Ministry of the Economy of Mexico in Washington, D.C.
The co-hosts are Laredo Development Foundation, Logistics & Manufacturing Association, Laredo Motor Carriers Association, Texas A&M International University, Association of Laredo Forwarding Agents, Inc., Laredo Licensed U.S. Customs Brokers Association, Inc., CodeIn, and Index Nuevo Laredo.
Among the panelists are Carlos W. Talancon, Secretary of Economic Development for the State of Tamaulipas, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, Dr. Pablo Arenaz, President, Texas A&M International University, Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, Nuevo Laredo Mayor Enrique Rivas Mayor, and state Rep. Richard Peña Raymond of Laredo.
Tony Arce, President, Laredo Development Foundation, will also speak at the event, as will Colleen Shepherd, executive director of the Calgary Regional Partnership, Bob Miller, director of the Calgary Region Economic Development Alliance, Vice Almirante Alejandro Miranda, General Director, Integral Port Administration from Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico, and Carlos Dominguez Ahedo, Secretary of Economic Development from the State of Colima, Mexico.
Congressman Cuellar will speak on panel discussing “Energy Renaissance in North America.” Also on the panel are Jack N. Gerard, President and CEO, American Petroleum Institute (API), and Dr. Ernesto Ríos Patrón, Director General, Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo.
“The Laredo Manufacturer’s Association created the Symposium as a way of engaging the community on the importance of Laredo’s maquilas, and to also shed light on accusations of irresponsible business practices, like rumors of pollution, etc.,” Alma Acevedo, 2016-2017 President, Logistics & Manufacturing Association of Port Laredo, and 2017 Symposium Co-Chair, told the Rio Grande Guardian.
“In 1997, the Laredo Manufacturers, and the Laredo Transportation Associations combined to create the Logistics & Manufacturing Association of Port Laredo (LMA) and at some point, the Laredo Development Foundation became the main organizer of the event, and really took it to the next level.
“Every year, the host organizations bring together the public, private, and academic sectors to share their successes and failures, exchange ideas, and take action. The 24th Annual Logistics and Manufacturing Symposium is geared to reinforce the bridges of unity, the unity that makes the United States, Canada, and Mexico ‘North America: The Most Competitive Region in the World’.”
The other co-chair of the 2017 symposium is Ermilo Richer of Agencia Aduanal.
Editor’s Note: Click here to view the event’s website, which includes an agenda and bios on the speakers.
