New Mexico Borderplex Importance Drives NMDOT and EDD Announce Senior Advisor for Global Trade and Infrastructure Investments

In the last 4 years, the New Mexico Borderplex has experienced high growth due in part to established logistics parks with rail spurs located in and around Santa Teresa, Interstate 10 (connecting the east and west coasts), increased water and road infrastructure investments and a moderate climate averaging 340 days of sunshine and low humidity. Delays due to inclement weather are rare. New Mexico has 3 ports of entry into Mexico, all overseen by the New Mexico Border Authority with varying degrees of service: Santa Teresa, Columbus, and Antelope Wells. Santa Teresa and Columbus serve commercial traffic.

Given the growth and importance to the New Mexico economy. The New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD) announced today that Joe De La Rosa, the special projects chief with the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT), will work for both agencies. De La Rosa will remain with NMDOT, working closely with Transportation Secretary Ricky Serna, and will now take on a new title and job description with Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes.

De La Rosa will work to strengthen the connection between transportation and infrastructure projects in support of global trade and economic growth. Expanding New Mexico’s global trade profile based on significant infrastructure investments made over the past few years is a high priority for both agencies.

The departments have identified global trade as one of nine target industries in the state for job growth and investment.

“Joseph De La Rosa and the Economic Development Department have been working closely to build bi-national relationships with our partners in Chihuahua and Mexico City,” EDD Secretary Keyes said. “We see unprecedented opportunities to develop the international border into a sustainable, environmentally friendly place for families to live and work.” “State agencies may be separated by department titles and general focus, but we are all working for the betterment of New Mexicans,” 

Transportation Secretary Ricky Serna said. “This is the perfect example of building a proverbial bridge between two collaborative agencies working toward a common economic development goal.” “I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to serve in this role for two of the most dynamic departments in state government.

“I look forward to working with our private and public sector partners to ensure we are efficiently utilizing our resources to further expand our growing economy,” De La Rosa said. Solidifying the relationship between transportation infrastructure investments and economic development strategies is necessary to capitalize on unprecedented opportunities created by a generational change in global geo-politics, the global-to-regional supply chain shift, and the global transition from fossil fuels to electrification of the transportation system. 

To adjust to these new realities, global corporations and the ecosystems that support them are making multi-billion-dollar investment decisions across North America. New Mexico is in a unique position to capitalize on several proposed manufacturing and commercial development projects.

Since 2019, significant investments have been made in transportation infrastructure associated with economic development and growth around the state. At the same time, the Borderplex region has emerged as a key manufacturing and logistics hub for several global electronics companies. These companies, and several others that are currently looking at the Borderplex, are demanding a higher level of infrastructure investment to support relocation of extensive supply chains. To positively impact company relocation decisions that are occurring in the near term, EDD and NMDOT will ensure that the proper policies are in place to drive infrastructure improvements.

De La Rosa will serve as the state’s primary point of contact for global trade issues and will support Secretary Keyes as chair of the New Mexico Border Authority, providing oversight and guidance to implement changes and increase productivity. Additionally, De La Rosa will support both agencies by developing joint strategies and policies to streamline project development.

De La Rosa is fluent in Spanish and was raised in Las Cruces. He has worked in state government for over a decade. He also worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona and a Juris Doctorate from the University of South Dakota School of Law.

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