Sharing knowledge and business growth are focuses for Robert Andrade at Marshall EDC

Meeting people in Marshall and building trust were a key part of Robert Andrade’s days after starting at Marshall Economic Development Corporation in October 2023. For the Business Retention-Expansion and Workforce Development Manager, confidence and local knowledge are essential for creating a growth environment for local businesses and the workforce. Andrade's role provides no-strings-attached assistance, a message he shares through words and action as he leads new and existing initiatives. 

“A lot of people ask why I’m helping them or what’s in it for me,” Andrade explained. “There is nothing in it for me beyond doing my job – supporting Marshall businesses to promote growth. When I see you need help, I want to help you.” 

Andrade learned to help others from his grandmother Esperanza (Hope), a successful entrepreneur who coupled business acumen with service and humility. 

“I was the gopher and ran errands for my grandmother,” Andrade said. “She was kind and charitable and laid the foundation for what I have been doing for most of my career, and I am grateful for the examples and the opportunities that I probably wouldn’t have been exposed to otherwise.”

After starting a career as a chef, an injury prompted Andrade to change careers until he found his first role in state government. He has stayed in the industry since 1990, working with individuals, small and large enterprises. At the start of the millennium, he went to work for the State of Texas economic development and has since then worked primarily in the industry for under a quarter of a century.  For a time he served as an economic development advisor to the city council and mayor of El Paso and was the coordinator and liaison for the El Paso Lyceum, a group of industry leaders focused on growth and development. He finally started his own company, which lasted for about a handful of years, he then returned to work for the state in workforce/economic development, visiting East Texas occasionally.  Then after meeting Marshall EDC Executive Director Rush Harris at a conference, Andrade decided to make the move from Austin.

WE Align

For Andrade, the Workforce and Education Alignment group, or WE Align, has been a natural fit. The group is an opportunity for Harrison County industries and educators to meet, increase communication, and collaborate.

“We have created a platform for industry and education to speak to each other, and the individual industries also talk to each other,” Andrade said. “We now have the WE Align Council, and there we share workforce issues, funding programs that may assist individual businesses or entities, and what other issues affect the industry of Marshall.” 

Industry participants at WE Align range from large healthcare and manufacturing groups to personal care providers and government agencies, reflecting the diversity of Marshall’s residents and businesses. Secondary and higher education officials learn more about the needs of local businesses and share updates on initiatives to train future workers. 

Creating opportunities

Educating businesses about funding opportunities and other initiatives happens at WE Align and in the daily execution of Andrade’s job. 

“Our industry partners are different sizes, and some of them don’t know what is available,” he explained. “Some don’t know that if you’re a minority-, woman-, or veteran-owned business, there are programs they can get certified in to receive more opportunities. That’s part of the hurdle, and I’m going to help them find out about those programs.”.

“At these meetings, you listen and hear what these individual businesses are looking at, what they’re facing, and my objective is to listen and offer suggestions but not to give direction.” 

Suggestions include helping people navigate where to go next for municipal permits or paperwork, connecting them with the Small Business Development Center, or sharing program details.

One example is the Certificate of Occupancy Bonus program, or COB, a local grant designed to cover 10% of construction costs, up to a $100,000 maximum, after a business in designated areas receives a certificate of occupancy for a once-targeted property. The program incentivizes the rehabilitation of old buildings or the construction of new businesses in specific areas – typically historically underutilized business zones and corridors needing revitalization. 

“If you want to start a business in our community, my job is to make sure you know there is a bonus program if you’re in a particular area,” Andrade reports. “Or let’s say they were a growing small business ready to move out of the home – that’s expansion. We want to help them grow, and we can do that when they are in our areas of concentration.” 

Upcoming events

Andrade also contributes to Marshall EDC’s major events each year, including a career expo slated for Wednesday, February 26. There were over 50 businesses from the county and from the region that participated in 2023.

“Last year, we had about 700 students come through,” Andrade said, “and we anticipate being close to 900 this year. It’s an all-day affair. Businesses are there to explain what jobs are available and what necessary training they need to obtain those jobs.” 

In April, an engineering day will allow interested students to ask engineering professionals questions about the field, and later in the year, students of various ages can also participate in the Student Leadership Forum to ask local leaders and professionals questions about careers they might have an interest. 

To learn more about workforce initiatives at Marshall EDC or WE Align, click here or contact Marshall EDC here.