Office of the Texas Governor Greg Abbott

Texas Business Bulletin | March 2022

Office of the Governor Texas sent this bulletin at 03/03/2022 11:22 AM CST

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Dear Texas Economic Development Stakeholders,

Big news for the Lone Star State! In case you missed it, Texas was awarded the Governor's Cup for the 10th consecutive year from Site Selection Magazine. This award recognizes the Lone Star State's efforts in announcing the most corporate relocation and expansion projects among all other states in the country. See photos from this announcement below! Thanks to our community partners who we worked with on some great announcements in 2021. Also a big thank you to the companies who are choosing Texas for their new and expanded facilities!

And the wins keep coming! Texas was once again named the #1 state in the nation for exports—now for the 20th year in a row! In 2021, Texas exports were valued at more than $375 billion. The Lone Star State is also the top state for tech exports for the ninth year in a row (more on this below). 

In the March Texas Business Bulletin, you will find the latest on Texas trade and export data, meet some of our new and returning team members, discover recent project announcements from across the state, and more!

As always, please visit our website, follow us on social media, or reach out to a member of our team if we can be of any assistance. Thanks for all you do for our great state!

-Adriana Cruz, Executive Director, Texas Economic Development & Tourism

Unemployment Rate: 5%

Job Recovery Rate: 106%

Workforce: 14.3 million

Sales Tax Revenue: $3.9 billion

View the full economic snapshot ›

Governor's Cup: 10 Years of Texas Economic Development Excellence

Texas has won the Governor's Cup for a record-shattering 10th year in a row, marking a decade of excellence in economic development for the Lone Star State! This is the 18th overall cup for Texas from Site Selection Magazine. The award highlights top-performing states for job creation and capital investment. Texas also set a new record for the most qualified projects with a total of 1,123 projects for 2021—more than twice the number of the next highest state. Compared to the prior year, this is a 44% increase in qualified projects for Texas.

The Texas economy is more diverse today than ever before. Companies across all industries chose to invest in Texas last year—from advanced manufacturing to biopharma, and from energy to corporate operations, the world’s most innovative companies are finding themselves right at home in Texas. From rural towns to urban metros, all regions of Texas are booming with new and expanded corporate facility projects.

In Texas, economic development is a team sport, and this award would not be possible without the dedication of our many local and regional economic development partners across the state.

This award is also thanks to the many companies that chose to invest in Texas last year, supporting local economies by creating capital investment and new jobs for hardworking Texans.

Governor Greg Abbott was joined for the announcement by representatives from Site Selection, company representatives and economic development leaders from across the state. See the full Site Selection article and Governor's press release for more information.

Hot off the Press

Our office develops in-depth reports and publications highlighting the Lone Star State's best assets in various industry sectors. Check out these and other Reports & Publications on our website.

Texas at a Glance

Check out the latest version of our Texas at a Glance infographic for a quick overview of the Texas economy in 2022, available for download in an easily-shareable format.

Texas Dominates Two Decades of Trade

Although the Texas economy has continued to diversify over the last two decades, one thing has remained constant—the state's status as a powerhouse in global trade.

Thanks to a number of unique logistical advantages, including a strategic geographic location, state-of-the art infrastructure, and robust transportation systems, Texas has been named the #1 exporter in the nation for 20 consecutive years.

Texas exports were valued at more than $375 billion in 2021. This is a 36% increase from the year prior and is more than the total exports of the next three largest states combined (California, New York and Louisiana). Texas is also the leading state for high tech exports, now for the ninth year in a row. In 2021, tech exports were valued at more than $50 billion, exceeding exports of the next two largest states combined (California and New York).

"Made in Texas" has never been a more powerful global brand. With total trade valued at more than $688 billion, Texas' share of U.S. trade is higher than ever before—contributing 21.4% to the nation's total in 2021. Texas also has strong and growing economic relationships with top export and import markets, which include:

Top Export Markets	2021 Exports	Top Import Markets	2021 Imports
Mexico	$122.7 billion	Mexico	$108.4 billion
Canada	$28.9 billion	China	$34.7 billion
China	$21.1 billion	Japan	$21.4 billion
South Korea	$18.6 billion	Canada	$21.3 billion
Brazil	$14.6 billion	Vietnam	$14.7 billion

By offering companies reliable and easy access to global markets, along with a highly skilled and job-ready talent pool, Texas will continue to attract the most innovative companies from across the nation and the world, solidifying our state as a strategic hub for global business.

(Note: This is U.S. Census Bureau data as of March 2022.)

New Staff Spotlight & Moves

Bryan Roller has joined the Business & Community Development Team as a Business Assistance Specialist. Bryan has a diverse background in communications, marketing and sales having held positions at convention and visitor bureaus and chambers of commerce, and in collegiate sports information, healthcare and tradeshows. Bryan holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations from Stephen F. Austin State University. Bryan enjoys studying the art of Texas barbecue, discovering local craft breweries, surveying the live music scene, dabbling in countless hobbies, and traveling with his wife and family. You may contact Bryan through our online staff directory.

Philip Rocha has rejoined the Business & Community Development Team as an Industry Specialist. Phil previously served in the Office of the Governor for 18 years, primarily in a corporate recruitment role having assisted numerous companies locate or expand in Texas. During his time with the Industry Team, he served as the point person for the life sciences, broadband, energy and finance industries. Philip also served with the former Texas Economic Development Agency, primarily in an international finance role having worked with several Texas banks and exporters. Philip also served as the agency’s point person for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. Philip earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance and General Business from St. Edward’s University in Austin. You may contact Philip through our online staff directory.

Eric Schneider has joined the Business & Community Development Team as a Business Assistance Specialist. Eric has been with the Governor’s Office for three and a half years, and has spent the past two and a half years as a Finance Specialist on the Economic Development Finance Team. Eric has a passion for small business, but his main focus is making sure every Texan understands the tools and resources available to help them succeed. Eric’s hobbies include taking his two pugs on walks around Austin, cooking and watching the Harry Potter movie franchise. You may contact Eric through our online staff directory.

On February 15, 2022, Governor Abbott announced USA BioEnergy's newest advanced biorefinery in Bon Wier, Texas.

Texas' success in attracting the most corporate facility projects is thanks to the multitude of unique competitive business advantages that no other state can claim. For more on these business advantages, visit our Why Texas? webpages. Here are some of Texas' recently announced projects in regions across the state:

BioEnergy in Bon Wier: USA BioEnergy will build a new $1.7 billion advanced biorefinery in Bon Wier, Texas, which will convert wood waste into premium clean burning transportation fuel. The facility is expected to create 142 new jobs in Newton County.
Chick-fil-A in Hutchins: Chick-fil-A has selected Hutchins as the site of its third full-scale distribution and production center. Projected to open in 2023, the $325 million center is expected to create nearly 400 new jobs.
Schneider Electric in El Paso: Schneider Electric has selected El Paso for a new manufacturing plant and expects to hire about 400 new employees to manufacture electric products for commercial businesses.
Messer in McGregor: German-based Messer will build a $50 million air separation facility in McGregor, powered by its own solar farm. The facility is expected to create 22 long-term jobs and other 80 jobs by 2024.

Join Our Team!

Interested in working with the best state economic development team in the country? The Governor's Office is hiring! There are multiple positions for experienced professionals in Business & Community Development, Economic Development Finance and the Texas Workforce Investment Council. Here's a select sampling of open positions:

For more information on available positions, visit gov.texas.gov/employment.

Pharr International Bridge Sets New Trade Record
The Pharr International Bridge, connecting U.S. 281 to the City of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, is poised to set a new record for its best year for crossing goods. The value of goods crossing the bridge in 2021 will likely top $40 billion once the numbers for December are known. The previous record was in 2019, when $36 billion worth of goods crossed the bridge.

East Texas Council of Governments Funds New Business Development Tool
The East Texas Council of Governments is funding the incorporation of a free-to-use software that can help businesses, real estate developers and site selectors find the best local properties for their needs. The program collects data on demographics, available properties, talent pools, income statistics and more to paint a picture of the area’s economic opportunities.

UTEP Launches New Concentration with Federal Grant
The University of Texas at El Paso's College of Engineering will establish a new concentration in Systems Modeling and Simulation, thanks to a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The new degree path will allow graduate students to enhance their knowledge in data analytics, computer simulation, augmented and virtual reality and machine learning for dynamic production and operations systems.