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Mexico Business Center Update

By James Clark, Director General of the Mexico Business Center

The Mexico Business Centerinaugurates "Project Smart Border 2010" at the "SeventhAnnual International Tribute Awards Gala" on Wednesday, December 5.

"Project Smart Border 2010" is the major initiative of the Mexico Business Center for 2008. Its expressed goal is reduce the border waits that have such a crippling effect on the San Diego and Tijuana economies to an average of 15 minutes by 2010. "Project Smart Border 2010" Chairman Malin Burnham believes that this can be accomplished through regionally developed technology, innovation and sufficient staff and the opening or construction of two additional border crossings at Otay East and a passenger crossing at Tijuana International Airport. An additional benefit will be to improve the border area's notoriously bad air quality by eliminating some traffic at the airportand the idling up to two hours at the current Otay Mesa and San Ysidro crossings.

Mexico Business Center Chairman John McNeece will highlight the launch of "Project Smart Border 2010" at the November 7th "Third Annual InterAmerican Business Awards" in Tijuana and at the"Seventh Annual International Tribute AwardsGala" dinner on December 5, at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina.

TheInternational Tribute Awardssalute Dr. Eduardo Sojo, Mexico's Secretary of the Economyfor his work in improving the Mexican economy, thus reducing the need for Mexican citizens to seek employment in the United States. President Felipe Calderon named Dr. Eduardo Sojo Garza-Aldape Secretary of the Economy in 2006. Prior to moving up to the Cabinet, Dr. Sojo served as Economic Advisor to Mr. Calderón during the presidential campaign and was subsequently the Transition Team's Coordinator of Liaison Work with the Federal Public Administration.

Local San Diego/Tijuana Awards will also be given. A Special Recognition Award for outgoing Baja California Governor Eugenio Elorduy Walther is scheduled to be presented by Mayor Jerry Sanders. The San Diego/Tijuana Citizen of the Year Award for 2007 will be given to civic activist Elsa Arnaiz.

The San Diego Natural History Museum has been chosen to receive the Outstanding Cultural Achievement Award for 2007. The Museum was chosen for its outstanding efforts to educate and inform the region on the great diversity of the Baja California peninsula and the Sea of Cortes. The Mexico Business Center also recognizes the annual "Dos Aguilas" event held at the San Diego Natural History Museum honoring distinguished leaders from both sides of the border.

The Distinguished Service Award will go to Project Concern International. The San Diego-based organization's early work in Tijuana in the 1960s included building a maternal and children's hospital to meet the needs of impoverished families. Today, this organization continues to care for those with few other resources.

The cost for the International Tribute Awards Gala dinner and ceremony is $125 per person, and $1,000 for tables of eight. For information or registration for both events, consult the SDRCC website, or call Viviana Ibañez at(619) 544-1362.