Williams: Texas tops in business trends

If the United States is the best country in the world, and Texas is the best state in the union, then its not far-fetched to assume we are living in a veritable Eden. At least that’s how former Secretary of State Roger Williams sees things.

Speaking at the South Texas Young Professionals and National Hispanic Professional Organization Lower Valley Chapter “Dynamic Professionals” luncheon on Monday, Williams told the roughly 40 attendees that Texas is like a big business and its residents like customers.

If you want to claim the best business climate in the country, he said, you have to keep your customers happy.

“You’ve got a great situation here (in Brownsville),” Williams said of Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley. “I can tell you one thing, I would not want to be competing against Texas.”

Citing job growth, including 229,000 more jobs through August, compared to the same period last year, and record low unemployment, Williams said the opportunities in the state are limitless.

“Don’t think for one minute that its all about Dallas or Houston,” Williams said. “You may think people don’t know (about the Valley), but I’m telling you they know you’re doing the right things.”

Williams’ speech was sponsored by New York Life, among others, and was the first of several up-coming professional and motivational seminars.

He described Texas as the envy of the nation and the world because of its favorable business climate, especially for small businesses, which comprise 98 percent of total businesses statewide.

To ensure that trend continues, Williams added, parents are responsible for teaching their children that profit is not a bad word, and to defend free enterprise because “it’s what this country is built on.”

Deborah Strong is an account representative for AT&T in Harlingen.

She attended the luncheon to keep abreast of what’s happening in the business community, and because its always a great place to network.

She didn’t see eye to eye with everything Williams had to say, but she couldn’t find fault with his assessment of Texas’ business climate.

“Business is good,” Strong said. “Really good.”

While obviously seeing the world through a business lens, Williams also encouraged the luncheon crowd to vote. Voting is the most important thing business leaders and citizens have to do in Texas because it drives everything else, he said.

“Texas in the hands of Texans is a powerful force,” he said. “Texas in the hands of the people here today is second to none.”