Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
Edwards Abstract and Title Co. has confirmed the guest speaker for the 21st Annual State of Real Estate Forum. Dr. Michael B. Hocker, Dean of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine and Senior Vice President of UT Health RGV. Together with Real Estate Economist Dr. Ted C. Jones, PhD, the speaker lineup will have an impactful presentation regarding issues that directly affect the Rio Grande Valley. The Real Estate Forum will be held on Thursday, March 6th at the McAllen Convention Center Ballroom starting at 8:30 am.
Dr. Hocker assumed his position at UTRGV School of Medicine on June 28, 2021. Dr. Hocker comes to the Rio Grande Valley from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) at Augusta University where he served as the senior associate dean and designated institutional official (DIO) of graduate medical education. In that role, Dr. Hocker oversaw 51 residency and fellowship programs. Previously, he served as the Vice-Chair of Operations for Emergency Medicine and assistant DIO for graduate medical education. He also holds the J. Harold Harrison M.D. Distinguished Chair in Emergency Medicine.
Prior to joining MCG, Dr. Hocker spent 14 years at Duke University School of Medicine, where he helped start what is now considered one of the country’s top emergency medicine training programs. He also earned a Master of Health Science in Clinical Leadership from Duke. In 2016, the Duke Division of Emergency Medicine honored his leadership with the naming of the Michael B. Hocker, MD, Duke Emergency Medicine Division Leadership and Service Award.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine is the realization of the decades-long effort of community leaders and other supporters to establish a medical school in the Valley to provide health care to a region that historically has been burdened by health disparities. In 1997, the Texas Legislature approved Senate Bill 606, which allowed The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA)—now known at UT Health San Antonio—to open a Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) to train physicians who would practice medicine in the Valley. UTHSCSA opened its Medical Education Division in 2002 in Harlingen and its Medical Research Division in 2006 in Edinburg. In 2009, the Texas Legislature approved for The University of Texas System Board of Regents to create a medical school, using the resources from the RAHC, for the Valley in the future.
There is no cost to attend, however, reservations are required by contacting Elva Jackson Garza, Vice President and Marketing Manager at elva.garza@edwardsabstract.com or any member of the Edwards Team. The early registrations and interest in the Forum has been phenomenal and there’s currently limited seating available. Edwards Abstract and Title Co. has a legacy of long-standing service since 1880. The company is recognized as the second most established title insurance company in the state of Texas. During 2025, the company will reach a milestone of serving the region for the past 145 years and is locally owned with the corporate office based in Edinburg. Edwards operates eight full-service offices in Hidalgo and Cameron Counties in Brownsville, Edinburg, Harlingen, McAllen, Mission, South Padre Island, and Weslaco. For more information, log on to www.edwardsabstract.com or follow Edwards on social media.
