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McAllen Economic Development Corporation | Dec 12, 2013
According to staffing giant, ManpowerGroup, McAllen, TX ranks second as the strongest hiring area for the first quarter of 2014.
According to Kelli Stanton, Manpower's regional director for south Texas, two segments of the economy are growing fast. One is what she calls "twin maquiladoras" in Reynosa, Mexico that produce cars and then companies in McAllen that inspect the vehicles and ship them out (Forbes, 2013).
Retail businesses like Walmart, Costco, Dillard's and Macy's also benefit from McAllen's proximity to Mexico as people cross the border to shop. In addition, the young bilingual population has spurred a growth in call centers for companies like T-Mobile and Ticketmaster (Forbes, 2013).
Construction is also healthy as retirees, or "winter Texans," have moved to the area. That has spurred the expansion of health care services, producing hospital, residential care and home health care jobs (Forbes, 2013).
"This is an indication that we have turned the corner and are forming a gradual growth curve." Says Keith Patridge, president of McAllen Economic Development Corporation.
About McAllen Economic Development Corporation: The McAllen Economic Development Corporation is a not-for-profit corporation that has been under contract with the City of McAllen for over twenty six years. MEDC’s main focus is to create jobs by attracting new industry and helping existing companies locate and expand within the city and in Reynosa, MX. As of now, MEDC has recruited over 650 companies and created over 160,000 jobs.