Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Brownsville Navigation District (BND) Commissioner Esteban Guerra, was unanimously reappointed chairman of the BND Board of Commissioners during the board’s regular meeting held Wednesday, May 15, 2024.
During the meeting, Commissioner, Place 1, Ernesto Gutierrez, Commissioner, Place 3, John Reed, and Commissioner, Place 5, Sergio Tito Lopez, took the oath of office following their victories in the May 4, 2024, BND General Election. Lopez and Reed were reelected to a fifth term on the board while Gutierrez begins his first term after replacing former Commissioner Ralph Cowen, who chose not to seek reelection. State District Judge Arturo Nelson administered the oath to Lopez and Reed, while State District Judge Ricardo M. Adobbati administered the oath to Gutierrez.
Lopez will represent the BND as Vice Chairman and Reed as Secretary of the Board after being unanimously appointed to serve on the executive board alongside Guerra. Assistant secretaries John Wood and Gutierrez complete the board.
Guerra, first appointed chairman of the board in May 2022 after his election in 2018, brings an international perspective and extensive business experience to the commission. His focus has been in economic development, promoting industrial growth and greater access to good paying jobs for the region.
Lopez, owner of Jonick-Lopez International Transport, was initially elected to the board in 2008. With a wealth of expertise in transportation and logistics, he has played a pivotal role in enhancing business opportunities at the port, particularly through fostering relationships with Mexican companies seeking to enter the U.S. market.
Reed, a member of the BND Board since 2008, offers significant financial, managerial, and leadership experience. His strategic infrastructure development efforts have contributed to the growth of the Port of Brownsville, underscoring his commitment to fostering a pro-business environment.
With a focus on promoting economic growth and job creation, Gutierrez prioritizes the expansion of existing businesses and attracting new enterprises to the port. Gutierrez brings a wealth of professional experience to his role, spanning sectors crucial to the port’s development.
The BND serves as the elected authority for the Port of Brownsville, setting policy and financial decisions for the port.
About the Port of Brownsville
The Port of Brownsville is the only deep-water seaport directly on the U.S.-Mexico border and encompasses 40,000 acres – the largest land-owning public port authority in the country. The port transships more steel into Mexico than any other U.S. port and is home to premier energy, shipbuilding, and ship recycling industries. As the major multimodal transportation hub serving the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico, the Port of Brownsville supports investment opportunities and jobs.
Activity at the port is responsible for adding more than $2 billion to the regional economy, $3 billion to the Texas economy, and the creation of more than 51,000 jobs statewide. For more information, visit www.portofbrownsville.com
