MARKING THE SOUTHERN BORDER’S PORT RIGHT ON THE MAP

by Emmanuel Vera

To Eduardo, building long-lasting relationships and commitment to hard work are his driving force. One thing his parents instilled in him and his siblings is the fat that in order to get ahead one has to work hard. His family came from low means but he never noticed it because of his parents, to which he never went hungry and always had a roof over their heads. As a kid, he remembers selling peanuts in the parades, shining shoes, washing cars, and cutting lawns because they didn't know the difference between good work and bad work. To them, it was all good because you earned something for it. Additionally, being involved in athletics was where he learned teamwork and real leadership, such as working together as a group to strive for the same goal. Those were all important and strong traits that would help Eduardo mold him into the leader he is today.

His first internship in public administration with the old HUD 701 program introduced him to something never even thought of, being a city planner for the municipal government. As a city planner in the city of Brownsville, Texas, Eduardo noticed many issues in the community development area. He reiterated “even though we were a city, there were so many parts of the community that had no running water, no sewer system, no paved streets, no sidewalk. It also lacked gas service, streetlights, etc.” As he assessed the neighborhoods and walked the streets he wondered “how do we fix this problem?”

Eventually, through his work and past involvements in different organizations he began to address those needs. Eduardo took the lead in the department and began to pave the streets, bring water to the homes, and sewer systems to the neighborhoods.

Later on, he would become a graduate intern with the city of Brownsville’s planning department and continued to work in community development to address the poverty in the neighborhoods and needs being unmet. Eventually, after seven years as a city manager in South Padre Island, Texas, Eduardo accepted a position back in the city of Brownsville. He was offered a general manager position at the largest corporate entity at the time. For five years, he took the experience of leading at a new working environment. After a brief corporate experience, Eduardo was offered his current role at the Port of Brownsville. ”I was grateful for the people who decided to take a chance on me,” he expressed. He took the challenge of becoming a director with not much experience in ports but he knew exactly what the community looked like and needed. He was given a chance as a minority within a highly populated Latino region. Today, Eduardo continues his leadership position and will be his fourteenth year in June.

“Our community today, has some real strong young Latino leaders who are making a difference, look at the electric body that we have right now. Look at some of the young people involved in the business. One thing I would like to see is more people get involved in the community which is the best way I've paid my dues. I'm not talking about just being successful but doing service to your community. Find an organization, a cause, find something that is rewarding but be part of making it successful especially those kinds of organizations that serve the community you know. I've kind of paid my dues and done my public civic duty, I just wish I saw more and more of that with this generation, there's honor in service. It's not about recognition, your ego, it's about service to the community and that's one thing I keep striving and pressing hard for.”

The Port of Brownsville is the only deep water seaport directly on the border with Mexico besides California, for this reason, they’re in the business trade with Mexico. The port connects the community to the world such as China, Africa, and Brazil. It's through the seaport, that Brownsville imports commodities from those countries here, some are domestic consumption but many of them land at the port. “We turn around and export them to another foreign country,” stated Eduardo. “In our case, it's Mexico, whether it's steel slab that goes to the Mills in Monterrey or white appliances as well as premium gasoline or diesel we import there.” According to Eduardo, Texas is the leading maritime state in the nation with 20% of all the commerce that moves through water either in or out of the port originates or is destined to Texas.

As Eduardo reflected, the one thing that has stood out to him in his tours through the communities in the ports was seeing the faces of the Valley. “I saw skilled workers, the electricians, the pipe fitters, the welders, building those world-class facilities and all being Latinos.”

For the Port of Brownsville, 80% of the revenue comes from being a landlord port or from the use of their facilities. The port is actually not a tax-dependent entity, although it is a government entity, they don't charge a tax. The port needs to generate money not only to operate and be maintained but it’s also responsible for maintaining the roads and the access to the facilities that the port owns.

Regardless of what changes are to come, there is more diversity incoming from people moving into the community. “We are becoming diverse not only in different cultures moving to the area but people from different parts of the country moving to the area bringing another way of thinking,” states Eduardo. “I've just been very lucky and been very fortunate, but at the same time I can appreciate the effort that's gone into getting to this point as well. So don't take anything for granted that's the other thing I'll tell you, nobody owes you anything, you earn it. “.