By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
As originally published by Texas Border Business in its newsprint Edition
The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce has become a tremendous force in promoting local businesses. The City it serves can easily be part of the Guiness Book of World Records in terms of growth. During the 2000-2010 US Census report, it showed that the City of Mission grew almost 70%. Today, according to the US Census 2012 estimated population, Mission Texas stands tall with 80,452 residents. These numbers by all means are an impressive growth for any city of its size.
The Greater Mission of Chamber is now under a new president and Chief Executive Officer. He is one that comes from the corporate world; prior to becoming president and CEO of the chamber, Myers was Director of Sales and Marketing for Hunt Valley Development (HVD). While he was with HVD, he developed strategies for the sales and marketing efforts of Sharyland Plantation, one of the largest master-planned developments on the Texas-Mexico border.
Before joining Hunt, he was responsible for the leasing, facility management, and administration of the JP Morgan Chase Bank real estate portfolio located in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Additionally, he has held several management and marketing positions with shopping mall developer, Simon Property Group.
Myers holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Marketing as well as a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from the University of Texas-Pan American. In today’s business world this is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Putting aside his academic education for a moment, in his own words, Myers told Texas Border Business the following, “The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce is a partnership between small and large businesses working for the prosperity and the development of businesses in Mission.”
Myers took over the position as President and CEO of the chamber as of August 15th 2013 and he has already started a revolution. “I have only been in the position for a few months but I can assure you that the Board of Directors and Staff of the Chamber are very focused on continued growth,” he said.
Myers is excited because he sees a lot of opportunities for Mission to continue the growth seen in this area over the last few years. “I am very impressed with the excellent working relationships that this chamber has with local entities such as the City of Mission, the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), and the Mission Economic Development Corporation. Everybody’s really on the same page, and ready to move forward.”
The Chamber currently has over 700 members and operates with a staff of seven and with the help of a very active fifteen member Board of Directors. “Additionally, we have an exceptional volunteer group of about 20 individuals that we call Diplomats,” Myers said. The Diplomats provide customer service on behalf of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce and they also interact with new and existing Chamber members to monitor member satisfaction, introduce new and updated programs and acknowledge member support.
Why do you think it is important for a city to have a Chamber of Commerce? “It is important because the Chamber of Commerce is a common vehicle through which business and professional people work together for the common good of the community.”
He said that being a member of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce brings with it a variety of benefits. These benefits range from networking opportunities, to learning new and innovative business practices at our educational workshops. In addition, Chamber membership brings with it countless opportunities to promote a company’s brand through publications, websites, etc.
“Chamber membership also includes special discounts from other members. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Chamber membership provides you with a network of support from fellow small business owners in the community who can serve as a continuing resource to meet your business’ needs.”
Aside from presiding the chamber, Myers plays important roles in a wide variety of community organizations and trade associations. His short and long-term plans for the chamber in plain words are to make it grow. “I believe the networking opportunities we provide will become even more beneficial for our members. That said, we want to ensure we grow at a rate that enables us to still continue to provide superior service to our current members.”
From your perspective how important are Mexico shoppers to our area? “Mexican shoppers are critically important to the border area. In 2012, Mexican shoppers spent over $850 million dollars in Hidalgo County alone and that represents about 35% to 40% of our business.”
Myers understands the local business community just as well as the trade that we have with Mexico. He also points to the importance of the Anzalduas Bridge. Just like the majority in this community, he acknowledges the effort that the Mission City Fathers have made in making the bridge a reality and the continued work to make it better.
With so many activities, how do you handle stress? “I find that one of the biggest sources of stress for anyone is feeling the pressure to deal with something, but not having the means to do it. Fortunately, I have a strong Board of Directors who make every effort to provide Chamber Staff with the necessary tools to most effectively do our jobs.”
Do you have any hobbies? “Reading and spending time with my family,” he said.
Myers is married to Brenda and they have two children, Brendan 6, and Bella 4. As a last comment for this interview he said, “We provide opportunities for all businesses and individuals who invest in the Mission community and our goal is to keep Mission a healthy, thriving community with an exceptional quality of life.”
The Greater Chamber of Commerce is located at 202 W. Tom Landry in Mission Texas. TBB
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