Governor’s Small Business Summit Held in Eagle Pass
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2025
The Texas Governor’s Office of Small Business Assistance in collaboration with the Texas Workforce Commission and the City of Eagle Pass Economic Development Department held a Small Business Summit on Thursday, September 11, 2025 at the International Center for Trade in Eagle Pass, Texas with over 150 participants attending the business summit, announced Aide Castano, Eagle Pass Marketing and Tourism Director.
The Governor’s Small Business Summit purpose was to help small businesses in Eagle Pass and surrounding area with expertise from experts and successful entrepreneurs on how to start, develop, grow, finance, and market a small business in Texas. The summit offered a variety of session topics from “Growing Your Small Business” to “Funding Your Future and Financing Strategies” to “Marketing Insights” and Networking with state, federal, city and area agencies and entities on obtaining new business opportunities to grow one’s small business.
Master of Ceremony for the Summit was Aide Castano, Eagle Pass Marketing and Tourism Director. Mayor Aaron Valdez welcomed the guests and distinguished speakers to Eagle Pass and applauded them for their entrepreneurial spirit and creating economic development in the community and in Texas. With Eagle Pass being an international border community on the United States-Mexico border, Mayor Valdez touted the future growth of international trade in Eagle Pass and encouraged local and area entrepreneurs to invest in Eagle Pass for a bright future.
Texas Workforce Commission Commissioner Joe Esparza representing employers in the State of Texas was the first keynote speaker to address the summit attendees, offering them guidance on how to take advantage of the many state-funded programs designed to assist small businesses.
Texas Economic Development and Toursim Small Business Specialist Bryan Roller presented the many small business programs available in Texas to assist entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and contribute to the dynamic Texas economy.
The first summit panel discussion was titled “Grow or Go: Knowing When to Scale or Sell Your Business,” featuring Cynthia Gomez from the Sul Ross State University Small Business Development Center as Moderator and Janie Martinez Gonzalez, Founder and CEO of Webhead Tech, Dr. Sumatra Sengupta, Dean of Sul Ross State University-Rio Grande College Business Department, and Catrina Purcell Longoria, Partner at Longoria & Kelly, PLLC as panelists.
The second summit panel titled “Funding Your Future: Financing Strategies for Small Business,” featuring Cindy Solana, Lead Lender Relations Specialist at the U. S. Small Business Administration-San Antonio District Office as Moderator and Hector J. Cerna, President and CEO IBC Bank-Eagle Pass and Gina Palma, Senior Business Development Officer at LiftFund as panelists.
A third panel titled “Marketing Insights to Drive Real Results,” featuring Aide Castano, Eagle Pass Marketing and Tourism Director, as Moderator and Abram Rodriguez, Marketing and Public Relations Manager at Border Federal Credit Union, Sandra Ruiz, Owner of Rio Insurance Agency, and Madison Hailey-Fernandez, Founder and Owner of 830 Press as panelists.
A networking luncheon was held with a delicious lunch, refreshments, and desserts provided to all attendees.
The afternoon summit panel titled “Talking Business: Small Business 101,” featured Adislada Mendoza, Interim Economic Development Director of the City of Eagle Pass as Moderator and Andres Chavarria, Owner of Takitos Con Sabor de Chavarria and Francisco Carmona, Co-Owner of The Wagon Wheel Restaurant as panelists.
Over 20 federal, state, and regional government agencies were present at the summit to educate and inform entrepreneurs of the many services available to them at these government agencies..
With over 150 registered summit attendees, exhibitors, and press in attendance, Eagle Pass Interim Economic Development Director Adislada Mendoza declared the Governor’s Small Business Summit a tremendous success for Eagle Pass and surrounding communities.
