High Tech in the Mesilla Valley?

New Mexico Business Journal, June, 2001

In a recent issue of The Bottom Line, published by the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, a high-tech entrepreneur offers some surprisingly candid comments about the potential growth of the city as a technology center. He is Herman Cardenas, president and ceo of Smart LLC, a Las Cruces-based company that is an emerging leader in the home automation industry specializing in developing integrated control products for the home. GE is an investor. Says he:

"Attracting companies should be harder than retaining them. So if you don't conquer retaining...you don't stand a chance of attracting other companies. So our city really has to get on the ball about retaining and attracting these companies. That's going to require services and very aggressive educational programs," not to mention foresight and planning. "Do we want to grow up to be El Paso?" he asks. "Or do we want to be a Port land or Austin when we grow up? If so, that work didn't start yesterday. Portland started planning 20 years ago, even the most recent activities are the fruit of seeds planted 10 years ago. We need to model ourselves after successful cities."