JERRY POSTS INTERVIEW WITH OP 10.33's MIKE HERNANDEZ

By Gerardo F. McHale-Scully

El Rrun-Rrun Mexico City Correspondent

And Abuelo of Brownsville Soccer

As publisher of The McHale Report, I sat down with OP 10.33 founder Mike Hernandez and discussed a wide range of issues that he has endeavored to promote during the few years since he has returned to his hometown with no other intention than to make Brownsville a better place. When I first heard about him and his intent, I shook my head and said to myself, "That can't really be true. Nobody cares enough to make that kind of commitment anymore. There has to be an ulterior motive."

We met on the bar side of Campero's. It's one of my favorite drinking holes in Browntown. I like the dark setting and there is seldom a crowd. You can have a quiet conversation. And we did. Over beers and botana, I questioned and he answered. Here is the Q&A:

Are you ready to rumble?
I think it is appropriate to honestly evaluate our progress over the past 24 or so months.

What is OP 10.33's focus?
Education, economic development, basic services for the most in need regardless of citizenship and politics.

How do you see this area's realities?We all know the realities of the power structure in Cameron County and it all unfortunately centers around local governmental entities since there is no real private sector to lead the way. That is why we had to address the local political situation first to “separate the sheep from the goats” as they say. It's an old line from a John Wayne western.

What do you mean by that exactly?Pressure and/or replace all of the corrupt and self-serving public servants one by one and then support and guide the rest. Guide means showing them how successful communities elsewhere have proven models that can be replicated here for the good of their constituency.

Where do we begin?
That starts with education. When we are talking about education, we realize that we are talking about workforce trainingat the same time. That has been one of the missing links in Brownsville with all of the TSC dysfunction. And with BISD to some degree.

In your opinion, in what areas should we focus our energy and resources?
There are three main industries in which we are focusing our workforce: Advanced manufacturing, hospitality/tourism and medical. That is why implementing this TX FAME program is so crucial. That is the final piece of the puzzle on the advanced manufacturing/engineering educational pathways that will gin out skilled workers at every level.

Can you give me something precise in terms of an actual operation?
The Advanced Manufacturing Training Center at the industrial parks will house student interns from all of the ISDs in Cameron County and TSTC. CCEI is extremely important as well. That brings in the resources and cache that it takes to pull off the next Silicon Valley. Not that we cannot pull it off without UTRGV, but it will be much more difficult. Hopefully, TSC will see the light soon and join once we get going.

Can you give me some other examples of on-the-ground reality?
We are establishing the same basic structure for stackable education/workforce training credits in the field of hospitality by partnering with UTRGV to build a hotel that serves as a teaching facility as well. This has been done at a number of universities: UH, Memphis U and Oklahoma St. are some examples. It can be easily replicated in Brownsville.

You haven't mentioned the medical part of your program. Where are we there?The last of the Educational Pathways that we saw as an immediate opportunity is in the medical field. All local educators seem to be focused on that already, so I’m not sure that they need any assistance from us per se.

What has been your biggest challenge thus far?
Economic development has been the most complicated to plan out and maneuver around, but here is where I think we have made tremendous progress. BEDC was completely corrupt. It was abusing the poor people's tax dollars and had to be blown up. Mission accomplished.

Blown-up is an understatement. What a blatant waste of money! It was criminal. It was much like the Port of Brownsville's Bridge to Nowhere. A combination of corruption and incompetency. Where are we now?

We have played an instrumental role in bringing in the new executive director at GBIC who will tie all of the educational efforts that are being set up directly to a master economic development plan, which dovetails directly into the overall BiNED plan that revolves around manufacturing on both sides of the border.

His critics says he's a puppet. What is your opinion of Mario Losoya, GBIC's new executive director?
Mario is not the kind of guy that will be pushed around, which is exactly what we need, so this was a crucial piece of the puzzle. Hopefully, he can reel the port in to pull it all together. We can make sure that Mario has our complete support. Beyond that, we need to let him implement his program without any interference from us. He knows exactly where to go and who to talk to about bringing tier 2 and tier 1 manufacturing to this area, which will be a game changer for the local economy.

What about the hospitality side?
As far as the hospitality industry goes, SPI already has a pressing need for professionally trained workers at all levels. Given the efforts to revitalize downtown, which I fully support, and the Riverwalk project finally getting past Mayor Tony Martinez’s games, there will be an even larger need ahead soon.

Who needs to cooperate in order to achieve your vision of the future?
I think we should coordinate with SPI and Brownsville hotel and restaurant operators to create internships and hire our graduates. Coordinate with TSTC as well since they currently have a program in place. Again, hopefully TSC will eventually come along.

Let me get the next round, Mike. Same? Two more, bartender. Where were we?
Lastly, with regard to economic development in the medical industry, McAllen's Alonzo Cantu has run into a few political roadblocks with Renaissance. I think we should find out what he needs to help expand his operations into Cameron County to create jobs and provide quality healthcare for us. CCEI, TSC, I believe, and UTRGV all are focused on this type of training, so we should be able to provide the skilled workforce he needs.

What about the truly needed since you addressed that issue at the beginning of our interview?
Services for the most in need pertains to the work we have been doing for the shelters in Brownsville. We must incorporate workforce training into the shelter programs, so that these people can provide for themselves going forward. We are already making sure that they have enough meat and vegetables to take care of everyone and will continue to do so.

But where we do we go from here?
We must address the facilities at both locations because something needs to be done to upgrade them. I am working with Texas A&M to provide free medical services through their Healthy South Texas program for these people. We still need to sit down with the Bishop Flores to discuss how we can coordinate with their efforts on the ground because I’m sure there are synergies there. George Gavito has put together a list of what we have done to date, but it is generally just responding to that community’s needs.

And politics?
Politics is a means to an end, nada mas. We’ll continue to do what we have to do in that regard.

Obviously, it is not a one-man operation. How would you evaluate your team?
I cannot thank each of them enough for all the good work that they are doing for the community. “A rising tide floats all boats,” so in the end they will benefit from these efforts. But at the end of the day, the members of our team are truly unsung heroes because the work that they are doing is going to positively affect thousands of people now and in the future. They may not realize it, but we do!

Thanks, Mike. I really enjoyed the chat.

Anytime. I have nothing to hide. I am an open book. You can ask me any question you want and I can handle criticism, but I expect to be treated fairly and professionally.

One more for the road?

Another time. I'm driving. You're walking.

One of his last comments stuck with me: "The work they are doing is going to positively affect thousands of people now and in the future. They may not realize it, but we do."

I remember when Trey Mendez was part of the Fantastic Four comprised of himself, Adela Garza, Rene Torres and Kiko Rendon in their combative crusade to save TSC against Queen Julieta Garcia and all of her Brownsville court.

He wistfully noted when the blood was flowing in the streets and he and his comrades were dealing with protests in front of his law office, "There are thousands of families and their children who don't recognize the war that we are waging right now against formidable forces in order to assure them the education that they deserve."

It can be a lonely and unappreciative struggle, but in the end it may be the one that gets you into heaven.