Cross Border World Class Leadership Exposition & Conference
By Rebecca H. Fass
"A VERY SPECIAL THANKS OF GRATTITUDE AND APPRECIATION for the group of cross-border leaders from industry, economic development, tourism, and more at
the privately organized Cross-Border World Class Leadership Conference, held Thursday May 31st at the Las Rocas Resort & Conference Center in
Rosarito.
Thanks as well to the team of volunteers and behind the scenes staff and others who took care of everything from exhibitor tent setup and sound system
management to speaker prep, running the high adventure ropes course on site, leadership luncheon and business networking reception- which ended up
lasting well past the scheduled end time. Old relationships were re-established and many new connections were created.
From in depth discussion of economic and industrial trends and infrastructure development to best practice global competitiveness and the highlights
of living in the region, the World Class Leadership Conference was designed to increase connection and competitiveness between northern Baja and
Southern California.
Workshop, panels and speakers included many industrial, economic, business and community leaders from the region, special lunch presentations and the
opportunity to spend a day interacting and connecting at the beautiful ocean front grounds of the Las Rocas Resort at K37.5. The clean and refreshing
ocean front atmosphere was a welcome change from worn Rosarito, or Tijuana downtown conference locations, and made for a beautiful sunny spring day of
positive energy from those who were more than willing to show up and be counted as the leaders who are actually doing something to promote a stronger
regional economy.
Keynote speaker, Bart Allen Berry set the tone for the entire conference, presenting research-based prediction of World Class levels of customer
satisfaction and excellence, with a comprehensive World Class Leadership audit of each attendee's organization. The common language of the ten
predictors of World Class perception made for an effective evaluation of what each company, and the region need to do to improve in satisfaction and
global competitiveness.
Noticeably absent were many of the larger industrial and government organizations whose charters are specifically oriented towards industrial,
economic and tourism promotion - despite large salaried staff and operating budgets, supposedly dedicated to this very purpose.
It was widely agreed at the conference that a clean sweep should be made of the bureaucratics that talk big, but actually do little to improve
regional trade - including actually showing up and rolling up their sleeves to do something in the cross-border region where it counts. Arguments of a
negative PR image for Baja, frustration with ineffective trade promotion by the US, and the desperate need for a revitalized outlook on cross-border
cooperation were quickly labeled as 'tired' and more of the 'same old, same old' stories heard so many times before.
A new and fresh energy pushed aside old frustrations with ineffective bureaucratic cross-border policy, replaced by the determination from the private
sector to create stronger cross-border opportunities, connections, and results in spite of out of touch agencies who can't manage to answer their
phones or to hear the voice of their customers.
Speculation about possible policy changes with new presidential administrations in Mexico and the US seemed to share the hope for more progressive
policy improvements in cross border trade development that might move faster than a slow moving glacier.
Especially frustrating was the marked absence of the CBP, who administrates not only homeland security at the busiest border in the world, but
regulates import-export activities and according to their core mission- 'facilitated trade between the US and Mexico'. Despite multiple phone calls
and requests to policy makers in Washington DC, the CBP policy was not to allow even one of their 230,000 employees (and the second highest level of
funding of any US Govt Agency) to cross the border and attend an international economic and trade development conference, just 25 miles into Mexico.
Further request to appear by way of videoconference, from the safety of their own offices was not even something they could technically manage. It
seems incredulous, and embarrassing for the United States Of America not to have the agency who represents trade promotion, to be able to actually
send someone to the country they are supposed to be trading with - despite the current lackluster global economy.
Suggestions were made to replace these trade promotion positions at CBP with Chinese American representatives who might better understand the concept
of how to develop new market opportunities. The general feeling was that Osama Bin Laden is dead, there are no Islamic terrorists at the San Ysidro or
Otay Border Crossings, Micans and Americans have been doing business as trading partners for more than a hundred years and yes Martha, it is possible
for effective security management and world class international trade to co-exist in our region. CBP policies are holding back cross-border economic
development and opportunity.
Overall however, there are definitely signs of new economic life in the cross-border region with a developing emphasis on biomedical device
manufacture, aerospace, automotive products, electronics and the development of new regional engineering and design capabilities. Local sourcing was
seen as one of the critical elements to a more competitive world class region. Although California remains too expensive for new manufacturing
start-ups, North American hope rests on a growing Mexican manufacturing sector which shows strong signs of being able to take up the slack. While
intellectual capital and innovation remain strong north of the Border, it is obvious to all that heavier manufacturing is not coming back any time
soon, and the sooner that cross border synergies can be developed to utilize strengths on both sides of the border, the less negative economic impact
- and more positive this developing trend might turn out to be.
The Baja region continues to grow as a world food and wine heritage region with the abundance of fresh seafood and the emergence of world class
Baja-Med cuisine at competitive prices. Demographic trends in baby boomer retirement and the need for more affordable medical care and assisted living
are new real estate models sure to see growth in Baja in the short term. Long time ex-pat residents shared their stories of a great affordable
lifestyle, dream oceanfront living, and a safer feeling than living in San Diego. The idea of being an international cross-border citizen of our
unique region, and enjoying the best on both sides of the border, seems like an idea whose time has come.
San Diego's large downtown infrastructure projects from the Broadway Pier and Embarcadero Park redesign to the monolithic convention center expansion
promise to create an even more vital San Diego downtown, while defense related industries in Southern California remain strong. There was discussion
of intellectual property protection advantages of cross-border trade being extended within a short range of the border into Mexico, in sensitive
defense industries, to take better advantage of the growing aerospace supplier sourcing in Baja, rather than electronic and other components coming
from Asia. Northern Baja industry seems ready to begin competing for Venture Capital in several technology areas, with an advantageous start-up
position in tapping international exportation.
Many expressed the motivation to work closer and continue efforts to connect in meaningful, tangible ways, and to work towards more effective
cross-border trade and commerce. There is a new and positive cross-border economic energy ready to emerge from the recession, and it is no surprise
that the private sector will be the ones leading the way.'
512-547-4846 US
646-102-1186 cell Ensenada
661-614-1773 Rosarito
RebeccaHFass@aol.com
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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