LOZOYA'S GBIC WORKFORCE PROGRAM GETS TEDC'S AWARD

(Ed.'s Note: The "We Grow Our Own" Workforce Development Program created by former Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation CEO Mario Lozoya shared the best practices for an Award Winning 
Workforce Development program during the Texas Economic Development Council held at its mid-year 
conference June 9 in Frisco Texas.

Unfortunately, Lozoya won't be around to receive the recognition for his creation. It was Ramiro Aleman, GBIC's Director of Recruitment, Retention and Expansion who received the award from the Workforce Excellence Award Peer Panel. If ever anyone was unworthy to receive the award, Aleman is the guy. But hey, nadie sabe para quien trabaja. 

Lozoya was ousted as GBIC CEO after a three-year campaign led by city commissioners Ben Neece and Nurith Galonsky. Galonsky was miffed when her choice for GBIC CEO, Gilberto Salinas, former VP of Brownsville Economic Development Council notoriety, was not chosen by the GBIC board majority.

Lozoya, the top Hispanic Toyota USA executive, was given a $350,000 golden parachute to settle and Assistant City Manager Helen Ramirez was placed in the  position at $195,000. 

Galonsky sued the GBIC over Lozoya's selection even before he arrived in the city. After an adverse court ruling, she and Neece non-suited and continued efforts to remove him until he left earlier this year.

And former GBIC board president Steve Guerra and the rest of the board who oversaw the implementation of the award-winning program won't be there either. They were all removed by the city commission. The commissioners then took over the running of the GBIC.  

Under Lozoya, workforce development was a critical component of preparing local workers to upgrade their skills to be competitive Brownsville’s economic success depends on attracting industry by providing a relevant workforce that is ready to meet the current and future industry demands.

For the ‘We Grow Our Own!’ plan to succeed, partners committed themselves to agree on, and commit to,and implement a plan that included measurable outcomes.

Implementation of the plan was to result in the creation of a prepared workforce equipped to help move Brownsville’s economic needle forward.

One of the most important aspects of the “We Grow Our Own” initiative was addressing the digital divide. Now with Lozoya gone and Ramirez on On the Job Training, that divide will probably get wider.

The Texas Economic Development Council recognized the excellence of the concept and its implementation. To Brownsville's loss, Neece and Galonsky did not.)