HARLINGEN, Texas — As the Rio Grande Valley continues its rapid economic expansion, regional leaders are gathering this week to tackle two of the most critical factors underpinning future growth: infrastructure readiness and human capital development.
The Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) RGV Chapter, in partnership with the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation (EDC), will host "Powering Texas and Regional Growth: Infrastructure + Workforce Exchange" on Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Harlingen Convention Center from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Setting the stage for the event, Carol Warkoczewski, founder of I-LinCP, highlighted the critical timing of the gathering.
"As the South Texas area continues to experience unprecedented growth, the need for strategic infrastructure investment and a skilled workforce has never been greater," Warkoczewski said. "This collaborative event will bring together industry leaders, public sector representatives, educators, and economic development professionals to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of this region."
However, prospective attendees are urged to act immediately: seats are filling up rapidly, with organizers confirming that only a handful of spots remain available.
"We initially were thinking of having 70 attendees, but we had to open it up to 100," said Jose Delgado, I-LinCP co-founder and a McAllen-based engineer for Halff. "Just a few minutes ago, we had a meeting, and there were only 12 spaces, maybe 15 spaces left. Time is running out."
Founded in San Antonio, I-LinCP launched its local RGV chapter in June 2025 to bring architects, engineers, contractors, and public owners under a single umbrella. The goal is to address pressing infrastructure and development challenges across the Valley and the state.
Delgado noted that the Valley chapter has rapidly gained momentum over the past year by focusing on cross-regional collaboration rather than single-city initiatives. Past events have addressed classroom-to-commerce pipelines, school bonds, regional infrastructure demands, and the downtown Brownsville master plan.
"When there's an investment coming into the region, companies aren't just looking for tax incentives," Delgado explained. "They're asking hard questions: Do you have reliable power? Do you have water security? Do you have the workforce to fill these jobs? If you have power resiliency but lack water availability, these companies will go somewhere else, and the entire region misses out."
Delgado pointed to major capital projects already reshaping South Texas, including AEP’s $3.26 billion investment in transmission line infrastructure, as evidence of why high-level cross-sector dialog is urgent.
Orlando Campos, CEO of the Harlingen EDC, emphasized that partnering with I-LinCP offers a direct way to address core development priorities.
"The entire region is now on the radar of quite a number of decision-makers," Campos said. "We ourselves have quite a number of good projects in the pipeline, as well as every other EDC in the region. This event is a way of helping leaders feel comfortable that we can sustain the growth coming our way."
The program lineup features prominent figures from state policy, utility providers, and workforce development:
Campos noted that mayors and economic development officials from across the Valley are set to participate, reflecting a unified approach to South Texas growth.
Organizers encourage anyone interested in attending to secure their tickets immediately before registration closes. Looking ahead, I-LinCP RGV plans to maintain its event schedule into late 2026 and 2027, including a September resiliency conference on South Padre Island in partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
