Borderplex Alliance

Borderplex Alliance
FormerlyPaso Del Norte Group
Websitewww.borderplexalliance.org

The Borderplex Alliance (formerly known as Paso Del Norte Group) is a civic economic development group formed in 2012 that focuses on business development in El Paso, Texas, Ciudad Juárez, and Southern New Mexico. The Borderplex group provides private, no-fee consultations to businesses and industries looking to expand or start operations in the greater El Paso region. The current CEO is Jon Barela.

History

The group can trace it roots to the El Paso Business Leadership and Research Council, formed in 1999.[1] On May 5, 1999 a Texas corporation was formed called the Paso del Norte Group.[2] On June 5, 2001, a nonprofit "supporting organization" called the PDNG Foundation, was formed and lasted until it was dissolved in 2013.[2] In 2003, the original leadership changed the name to the El Paso Business Leadership Council and was led by Bob Hoy.[1] By 2011, the group was made up of around 350 members.[3]

PDNG worked as an "exclusive private organization," according to scholar, Yolanda Chavez Leyva.[4] Members of the group often used the different entities associated with PDNG "interchangeably and sometimes the same entity is referred by similar, yet different names."[2] PDNG was described in Economic Geography as "a civic organization of wealthy oligarchs, real estate developers, and politicos from both sides of the border."[5]

In 2012, the group merged with the El Paso Regional Economic Development Corp (RED-Co or REDCO) to form the Borderplex Bi-National Economic Alliance or Borderplex Alliance.[6][7][8] REDCO, an industrial recruiter, was formed in 2004.[9][10] The Borderplex Alliance was created as "privately funded nonprofit organization" which provides "confidential, no-fee" consultations to businesses and industries that are interested in working in the El Paso region.[11][12][13] The Borderplex Bi-National Economic Alliance Foundation is part of the non-profit structure that provides funding to the Borderplex Alliance.[14] The Borderplex Alliance is also a major lobbyist working to keep military installations in the El Paso region.[15]

The Hunt Family Foundation donated $175,000 to the Borderplex Alliance in 2017.[16] In 2025 the Borderplex Alliance was awarded the Economic Development Organization of the Year Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).[12]

The Borderplex Alliance hosted a bi-national summit in 2019, where the CEO, Jon Barela talked about securing the Mexico–United States border.[17]

Projects

PDNG was involved in a controversial plan, announced in 2006, to redevelop Downtown El Paso.[2] The city government of El Paso contracted with PDNG on February 15, 2005 in order to create a master plan for the downtown development.[2] After the unveiling of the plan, it was clear that the next community to be targeted for redevelopment was El Segundo Barrio.[2] Critics of the plan say that it was unveiled without public input.[18]

In 2015, Borderplex Alliance paid more than $200,000 for an economic development report covering the El Paso region.[19] Borderplex Alliance was involved in bringing an Amazon Fulfillment Center in 2020.[20] In 2021, Borderplex Alliance was involved with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and ASPIRE ERC.[21] Borderplex Alliance worked with El Paso Water (EPWater) in 2022 to assist the utility to find potential buyer or lessees for property owned by EPWater.[22] EPWater paid Borderplex $250,000 for their services for the next two years.[22] In 2024, Borderplex Alliance announced a partnership with Spaceport America.[23] In 2025, the Borderplex Alliance worked with Meta to bring AI data center development to the Northeast El Paso area.[24][25] Jon Barela, a CEO of Borderplex, called this multi-million dollar investment one of his proudest accomplishments.[26]

Leadership

Gilbert Moreno served as an early representative of the group.[27][28] Myrna Deckert served as CEO of the Paso Del Norte Group between 2004 and 2007.[29][30] In a May 19, 2006, email newsletter, Lisa Colquitt Muñoz was indicated to have accepted a staff position of Deputy Chief Operating Officer.[31] Rolando Pablos was CEO in 2015.[11] In August of 2016, Jon Barela, became the CEO of Borderplex.[32]

Notable members

References

  1. ^ a b "Name Change". El Paso Times. March 20, 2003. p. 41. Retrieved February 19, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Paredes, Martin (October 25, 2020). "The Paso Del Norte Group - The Story Behind The Secretive Organization". El Paso News. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  3. ^ Kolenc, Vic (November 1, 2011). "Paso del Norte Group Chief Steps Down". El Paso Times. p. 20. Retrieved February 19, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Chavez Leyva, Yolanda (April 9, 2017). "City Uses Deceptive, Spotty Data to Convince Citizens". El Paso Times. p. 6. Retrieved February 20, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Ebner 2024, p. 361.
  6. ^ Borunda, Daniel (December 22, 2012). "Merger Creates New Economic Alliance". El Paso Times. p. 1."Merger". El Paso Times. December 22, 2012. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Kolenc, Vic (December 12, 2015). "Community Development Group Progress321 Hires its First CEO". El Paso Times. p. 22. Retrieved February 20, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Feser, Edward (May 4, 2014). "Economic Development on Right Path". El Paso Times. p. 21. Retrieved February 20, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Kolenc, Vic (May 18, 2004). "Natural Gas Costs May Rise". El Paso Times. p. 35. Retrieved February 19, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Kolenc, Vic (May 18, 2004). "New Corporation Has Big Hopes to Bring Jobs". El Paso Times. p. 35. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  11. ^ a b Washington Valdez, Diana (August 10, 2015). "Economic Push Set to Begin". El Paso Times. p. 1."Economic". El Paso Times. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b "Borderplex Alliance wins IEDC Awards for economic development". El Paso Inc. August 28, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  13. ^ Sandoval, Apolonio; Jr.; Taylor, Steve (March 10, 2017). "Pablos: Borderplex Alliance model can be replicated across border region". Rio Grande Guardian. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  14. ^ Barela, Jon. "Setting it straight: The Borderplex Alliance is a nonprofit; state needs dental school". Amarillo Globe-News. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  15. ^ Kolenc, Vic (June 13, 2015). "Chamber Leads in Miltary Lobbying". El Paso Times. p. 22. Retrieved February 20, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "The Hunt Family Foundation 2017 Annual Report". El Paso Times. May 20, 2018. p. 5. Retrieved February 20, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Villagran, Lauren. "Borderplex Alliance hosting bi-national summit in El Paso, includes speech from Jeb Bush". El Paso Times. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  18. ^ Welsome, Eileen (May 4, 2007). "Eminent Disaster". The Texas Observer. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  19. ^ Kolenc, Vic (April 22, 2016). "Work Ongoing for Regional Economic Development Plan". El Paso Times. p. 18. Retrieved February 19, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Amazon Announces First Fulfillment Center in El Paso". Business Wire. July 22, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2026 – via EBSCO.
  21. ^ Christensen, David (October 14, 2021). "New ASPIRE Innovation Members: The Borderplex Alliance and the Pennsylvania Turnpike". ASPIRE Research Center. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  22. ^ a b "Public Service Board Meeting Agenda Item Regular Meeting" (PDF). El Paso Water. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  23. ^ "Spaceport America Inks MOU with Globally-Recognized Economic Development Engine The Borderplex Alliance". Spaceport America. January 4, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  24. ^ Ibave, David (October 15, 2025). "Meta to build $1.5 billion AI data center in El Paso, creating nearly 2,000 jobs". KFOX. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  25. ^ Garcia, Luis (December 1, 2025). "Meta data center in East El Paso concerns local residents". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  26. ^ "Jon Barela, CEO, The Borderplex Alliance". El Paso Inc. January 5, 2026. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  27. ^ Wilson, Charles K. (June 10, 2004). "City Council Hears Details of Downtown Arena Plan". El Paso Times. p. 1. Retrieved February 19, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Morgan, Harold (April 4, 2013). "Southern Cities Work as a Cooperative". Rio Grande Sun. pp. A6. Retrieved February 19, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ El Paso Times – Business luncheon focuses on Downtown plan Deprecated link archived January 22, 2013, at archive.today
  30. ^ "Longtime City Leader Deckert Dies at 83". El Paso Times. September 15, 2020. p. 1."Deckert". El Paso Times. September 15, 2020. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.landgrabopponents.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  32. ^ Kolenc, Vic (August 30, 2016). "Barela to Broaden Region's Brand". El Paso Times. p. 1. and "Barela". El Paso Times. August 30, 2016. p. 2. Retrieved February 20, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ Murphy, Tim. "Beto's wealthy father-in-law helped launch his political career. He's haunted it ever since". Mother Jones. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
  34. ^ Diaz, Kevin (October 14, 2018). "GOP Uses His Past to Blast O'Rourke". The Houston Chronicle. p. 1. "O'Rourke". The Houston Chronicle. October 14, 2018. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.

Sources

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