SEA partner breakfast focuses on Rio Rancho updates

RIO RANCHO — The Sandoval Economic Alliance (SEA) held a partner breakfast at Rio Rancho City Hall Oct. 28 to celebrate and hear about things happening in Rio Rancho.

According to their website, the SEA is a private, not-for-profit economic development corporation established to strengthen and diversify the economic base of Sandoval County, which include Bernalillo, Corrales, Cuba, Jemez Springs and Rio Rancho, along with the nine Native American pueblos, three Navajo Chapters, and part of the Jicarilla Apache Reservation.

“I just want to say thank you to the municipalities and the governmental entities for helping these companies and assisting them, and for allowing us to be a part of that process as well,” SEA President and CEO Fred Shepherd said.

It was a day that started with breakfast burritos and coffee, and soon transitioned into celebrating the accomplishments happening in the City of Vision.

“It’s really important for us to make sure — it’s always been a priority for me — to make sure that we are communicating as much information as we possibly can,” Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull said.

Many spoke at the breakfast, including Shepard, Hull and new Economic Development & Business Relations Manager Alberto Solis.

“The purpose for my role here in the city is essentially to first put priority on companies that exist in Rio Rancho. Businesses that are here in our city, and making sure that you all have the resources,” Solis said.

The Rio Rancho Governing Body will officially adopt the 2025 Legislative Priorities and Capital Outlay requests later this year, which will include investment in public infrastructure, investment in public safety, investment in workforce development and economic opportunities, and IPRA reform to modernize and offset the associated cost burden.

“We actually invested over $33 million in our road networks this past year,” Hull said. “The businesses really started seeing that we were making investments in ourselves, and then they wanted to come along and be a partner with that as we started to improve infrastructure, add infrastructure.”

Hull also made it clear that Rio Rancho will focus on the businesses, and people, that have invested money in Rio Rancho.

“We are going to celebrate them, and we are going to support them,” Hull said.

If you would like to learn more about becoming a partner and supporting economic development in Sandoval County, contact Deborah Breitfeld at deborah@sea-nm.com.