He takes stock of the changing panorama that has unfolded in that time. Despite some learning missteps in local politics, he now sees a developing path to better the conditions here. Hernandez says that residents' personal values can meld with economic and political goals that will guide the city forward and out of the stagnation of the recent past. His oversight on those themes are laid out below.)
By Mike Hernandez
Founder OP10.33
Brownsville has new leadership and hopefully they will work together to help make the future much brighter than the past.
I plan to be generally less directly involved in Brownsville going forward. I feel that I’ve done what God asked me to do by giving back by planting the seeds for a more prosperous future in my hometown. The rest will hopefully happen organically.
I feel that everyone on our team has benefited and is in a better place today than they were 3 years ago. I thank you all for your commitment to your community and hope you will continue your efforts toward improving our community for the better.
Here is an honest assessment of what I feel has been accomplished over the last 3 years for the community and the plan going forward:
1) Started a nonprofit trade school that has produced trained students for the workforce without debt. That effort has turned into a potential workforce training center in partnership with the Port of Brownsville, Texas A&M, Texas State Technical College (and possibly Texas Southmost College) to address the workforce needs for the coming industrial development at the Port.
In addition, and in conjunction, supporting the creation of an advanced manufacturing Research and Development (Manufacturing Innovation Hub) component in partnership with Texas A&M and GBIC.
The skilled workforce that these two efforts will create in the construction and industrial trades, and in the advanced manufacturing sector, will help to attract industrial investment and the high paying jobs we so badly need.2) Building a teaching Hotel in a private public partnership with the UT-RGV Hospitality and Tourism program and the City of Brownsville to help create a trained workforce for the tourism cluster. Hernandez Foundation will donate use of the land.
3) Created the Brownsville Scholars Program 10 full- ride scholarships to Texas A&M for first generation kids from Brownsville annually in the fields of Engineering, Medical and Business. Hernandez Foundation donated $1 million.
4) Guadalupe Regional Middle School - Hernandez Foundation donated $500,000 for Catholic teaching for underprivileged kids 5) St. Joseph Academy - Hernandez Foundation donated $500,000 for Catholic teaching
6) TSTC - Hernandez Foundation donated $100,000 for scholarships in engineering technology studies and hospitality training.
7) Hernandez Foundation has made a large number of donations to local charities focusing on the poor.
8) We have asked local leaders of the various entities to work together on a plan to create high paying jobs for our low income residents and focus less on their entities’ own narrow missions.
9) Made a good faith effort to help clean up BEDC mismanagement by supporting the separation of BEDC and recruiting a new GBIC CEO to create a Master Economic Development plan. It’s very important that we support the trajectory established at the new GBIC because unless we successfully attract manufacturing investment to Brownsville, we won’t be able to increase our service levels, reduce our taxes, or create jobs that will increase our low per capita incomes.
Going forward:
1) If the Port of Brownsville requests my assistance, I will pledge to do everything within my reach to help the Port recruit large industrial companies that can provide the high paying jobs our community needs.
2) Nada mas...for now.
Good luck and may God bless us all.
14 comments:
Mr Hernandez added value to the conversation. His willingness to push towards equity and put his money where his mouth is is commendable.
He should work with current leadership - and together build more opportunity for families in Brownsville
Why not change the city name to hernandezville tx.
Number 6 is unbelievable gall.
You're a Millionaire Big Shot. Why not fund a "guaranteed income" project to help the city's many poor residents. City of Stockton, California is doing it.
There is no doubt that Mike Hernandez has put his money where his mouth is....he has given generously to this community to try to improve it. his claim however, on trying to get politicians to work together instead of being self serving is what this community has a problem with. When Mr. Hernandez makes such a claim, which I do not doubt he speaks from the heart, his working with Carlos Marin brings a sense of hypocracy to his words. carlos Marin has been nothing but self-serving. Carlos Marin was involved in the original acreage where the Industrial Park sits today....and not one company has located there. Carlos Marin is rumored to have sold another parcel of land adjacent to the original acreage...selling it to GIBIC for 2.9 million dollars. When the original sale of the land was done Mr. Marin was a member of the BEDC...and his company was the engineering firm of record for the entity. If this is not self-serving I do not know what is. Mike Hernandez' philanthropic endeavors should be commended, but he should look at the qualities he asks of politicians, to the people he employs as well.
Ask about Steel Dynamics Inc.
Very generous contributions.
Thanks.
However..............“You give a poor man a fish and you feed him for a day. You teach him to fish and you give him an occupation that will feed him for a lifetime.”
Mr. Hernandez, i know you mean well for the City of Brownsville, too bad you got to meet the wrong people and they saw you and your wealth coming (carlos marion example) (gutierez-raza unidad party and others) so now its kinda fucked up, you lost the trust. Hope you prove many of us wrong.
City of Stockton, CA is bankrupt, so the State of CA and the United States funds the city.
But hey I guess they were first in something.
Congratulations on your speaking up and giving your support to Brownsville.
Thank you.
This is one way to down play the terrible loss.
And no answers yet on why there are no in-and-out burgers in brownsville. we demand progress!
Because Marin probably ran a $1MM study on why In and Out burger wouldn't be successful.
Mr. Hernandez
Thank you for your desire to help Brownsville. However, your first mistake was to trust Marin.
You lost every political race in Brownsville. Your money couldn’t overcome the bad element that Marin brought to the spectrum.
The day after Mendez and the slate won you decide to pull back from Brownsville. You picked up your toys and left the play area.
PS: Gavito wasn’t any help either.
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