Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
COSTEP, Council for South Texas Economic Progress, announces the appointment of Alma Saldaña Cruz as its new Assistant Director of Economic Development. A creative strategist and award-winning marketing professional, Mrs. Saldaña Cruz brings over a decade of cross-border experience in economic development, branding, and public sector outreach.
A native of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mrs. Saldaña Cruz holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Universidad Valle de México and a Certification in Public Management from Texas A&M International University. Her binational perspective and deep understanding of the South Texas–Northern Mexico region uniquely position her to advance COSTEP’s mission of economic collaboration and regional growth.
During her impactful tenure as Marketing Manager for Port Laredo, Mrs. Saldaña Cruz launched the “We Keep the World Moving” campaign, which was recently awarded 1st Place in the 2025 International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Excellence in Economic Development Awards under the Printed Promotional Category, a prestigious international recognition of innovation and impact.
Before her work in the public sector, she led marketing, branding, editorial, and promotional design initiatives for organizations across the medical, retail, and news/communications industries. Her career is defined by results-driven strategy, creative leadership, and a passion for regional development.
Ms. Saldaña Cruz stated, “I am honored to join COSTEP and continue working to elevate our region’s economic potential. As someone raised along the border, I understand the power of binational collaboration and creative strategy to drive real progress. I look forward to building stronger connections and opening new opportunities for South Texas.”
Mrs. Saldaña Cruz officially joined COSTEP in July 2025 and will oversee regional business attraction efforts and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
COSTEP, the Council for South Texas Economic Progress, is a nongovernmental organization advocating regional economic development for the seven-county region of Rio South Texas and servicing the counties of Willacy, Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Jim Hogg, Zapata, and Webb. COSTEP focuses on business recruitment services and provides regional market data to host site selector tours, regional familiarization tours, and area economic development enrichment sessions. To learn more about how you can support our work visit COSTEP.org or contact Adam Gonzalez at agonzalez@costep.org.
