Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
When Jorge Torres arrived in the Rio Grande Valley in 1995, he saw potential. Nearly three decades later, as president of Interlink Trade Services, he has built a career at the center of U.S.-Mexico trade and has now been recognized and welcomed as a RioPlex Ambassador—a role he considers both a personal honor and a professional responsibility.
“This is a great honor for me,” Torres said. “I appreciate getting recognized by the business community and being included in this wonderful group of visionaries. I got to the RGV in 1995, and I have been blessed to have worked in this region for over 30 years.”
The RioPlex Ambassador program brings together business and community leaders to represent the Valley’s growing economic strength. Torres believes the most important duty of an ambassador is ensuring that companies interested in investing in the region receive the best possible support. “We as Ambassadors are responsible for ensuring that any company that is interested in setting up operations in the RGV and/or investing in the RGV is treated with the utmost care and responsibility,” he explained. “In most cases we only have one shot at things, so giving them the best impression since the get-go is crucial to land projects in our region.”
For Torres, RioPlex is more than a geographic label—it is a unifying vision. “RioPlex is a marketing brand that allows companies to obtain resources and information on what the RGV has to offer. We have been trying to work and promote our area as a region for some time, and RioPlex is a great avenue for this.” His company, Interlink Trade Services, provides customs brokerage services at every U.S. port of entry, giving him a unique perspective on the region’s role in global trade.
That role is significant. “We are at the crossroads of international trade between Mexico and the U.S. We have several land ports of entry, ocean ports, and rail,” Torres said. “We are strategically located near Monterrey and Houston, which makes the transportation of goods very efficient. Also, there are plenty of industrial parks and skilled labor. We have excellent college and university educational options such as South Texas College, UTRGV, and Texas A&M. This is key for decision makers.”
Looking ahead, Torres sees growth opportunities in logistics, manufacturing, and energy. He cited the Port of Brownsville’s industrial park and McAllen’s Foreign Trade Zone expansion as projects that will drive investment. Still, he emphasized that infrastructure and customs processes must keep up with demand. “Although we have plenty of ports of entry in all modes of transportation, we need to work with the federal, state, and local authorities to assist us in implementing more efficient and streamlined customs clearance processes, both on the U.S. and Mexico sides.”
Workforce development, he added, is equally critical. “We will need properly trained people for trade jobs such as soldering, electricians, and industrial equipment maintenance and repairs. Also, we will need trained people in soft skills such as computer programming/AI and in the import/export and logistics areas.” He praised South Texas College and its president, Ricardo Solis, for expanding programs that align with industry needs.
As a RioPlex Ambassador, Torres intends to showcase the Valley’s story internationally. “We have multinational and global companies already in our region. The counties, cities, and business sectors in the RGV continue to invest in development. There is no reason and no excuse why we cannot continue to grow. We have a lot to offer, and this is what we need to showcase.”
Looking ten years into the future, Torres hopes the program will leave a lasting legacy. “One of our goals as Ambassadors is to create a region that will provide continued economic growth with excellent job and educational opportunities for our future generations,” he said. “This also goes hand in hand with fostering excellent living conditions, having affordable housing, healthcare options, and social/cultural spaces for people to enjoy. I am confident that RioPlex will play a key role in achieving success in this legacy.”
