Garza announces retirement: U.S. ambassador to Mexico to step down on Jan. 20

HARLINGEN - U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Antonio O. Garza Jr. was the keynote speaker at the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce's 87th Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration.

The luncheon was held at the Marine Military Academy with more than 300 people in attendance, including Mayor Chris Boswell, City Commissioners Jay Meade, Larry Galbreath and Bobby Farris, state Reps. Eddie Lucio III, and Tara Rios-Ybarra, Superintendent of Schools Steve Flores and other business and community leaders.

Crisanne Zamponi, HACC executive director, said the chamber waited three years to have Garza participate in the annual celebration and that it was a proud moment to finally have him in Harlingen.

"He started his political career as Cameron County judge and he has a lot of Valley supporters," Zamponi said about Garza. "A lot of people have waited to see an old friend."

Garza, a native of Brownsville, was appointed ambassador by President George W. Bush in 2002. Garza announced at the banquet that he will retire from his ambassador role on Jan. 20, the day Barack Obama is sworn in as president.

Garza said he was thankful to be home and then spoke of the importance of the United States and Mexico having a good working relationship.

"The Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce is all about making Harlingen safer and more prosperous," Garza said. "The relations between Mexico and the U.S. are about partnerships."

Garza said the U.S. and Mexico trade about $1 billion worth of goods between each other every day.

"The ties that link us are real," Gaza said about the two countries.

Garza said that although he will retire in January, he hopes that Obama's administration will continue to support the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, Bush's comprehensive news/" class="autolink">immigration reform, fund the Merida Initiative and continue the efforts against drugs and drug cartels that affect both sides of the border.

Zamponi also recognized the importance of partnerships and said the chamber will continue with its regional efforts to work with other local chambers.

This year the HACC partnered with the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce to host the State of the County address with County Judge Carlos Cascos.

"We need to promote our area as a region," Zamponi said. "We need to attract people to the Valley."

Zamponi said she was also proud of this year's bi-national conference where chambers from the Valley met with chambers from Northern Mexico to discuss issues that affect both sides of the border.

Next year, Zamponi said the chamber will focus on making legislators aware of Harlingen's needs; transportation, specifically the extension of I-37 into the Valley, education and small business development.

HACC Chairman Ruthie Ewers said the board will work to be more involved in community and business activities.

With the challenges of the current economy, the chamber will also work to make their members aware of their benefits, Ewers added.