November 2008 Business on the Border Forum

The November meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Best Western Mesilla Valley Inn Columbus Conference Center. The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet followed by an update from MVEDA staff.

John Munoz, site director for Sitel, will be the featured speaker for November’s luncheon. Sitel is one of Las Cruces’ major employers and provides customer and technical support services for Direct TV.

Luncheon cost is $10.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public and reservations are not required.

Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance
505 S. Main, Ste. 134 – PO Box 1299
Las Cruces, NM 88004-1299
Tel: (575) 525-2852 – Fax: (575) 523-5707
www.mveda.com

Mesilla Digital Imaging Workshops in Southern New Mexico

The Mesilla Digital Imaging Workshops is in its first season of operation in southern New Mexico, offering 2-5 day intermediate and professional level workshops in all aspects of digital imaging, as well as commercial, aesthetic and composition workshops for photographers and artists.

The Mesilla Workshops are directed by professional staff from across the nation with years of expertise. The faculty is comprised of photographic educators and writers who are widely published and exhibited photographers and artists in every aspect of the medium: aesthetic, technical and studio.

A state-of-the-art digital lab offers large format printers, professional scanners, a Smart classroom, and a commercial studio set-up in a comfortable, professional environment. Educational partners include Adobe, Alien Skin, Canon USA, DXO, Giottos, Lexar, Microtek, Moab/Legion, Photo Techniques magazine and Wacom.

The MDIW facility is part of the Preston Contemporary Art Center, located in Mesilla, NM near the historic “La Mesilla” Plaza and a short drive to White Sands National Monument, where some on-location workshops are scheduled.

Visit www.mesillaworkshops.com for current class schedule and descriptions, faculty bios and easy online registration.

The October meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum

The October meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Best Western Mesilla Valley Inn Columbus Conference Center. The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet followed by an update from MVEDA staff.

This month’s featured speaker will be New Mexico Deputy Land Commissioner Dennis Garcia. As Deputy Land Commissioner, his duties include negotiations with federal, state and private land owners to protect natural resources, and to generate economic growth when feasible.

Luncheon cost is $10.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public and reservations are not required.

For those that missed last month’s Business on the Border Forum, the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) will be held October 21-24. “Space Week in New Mexico” will kick off with the Leonard R. Sugerman Public Forum on Tuesday, October 21 at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. This free event will focus on who in the local area is making money now from space related business and current opportunities for local businesses at Spaceport America.

The Symposium will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, October 22-23, at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, focusing on “Positioning for Profit”. ISPCS registration and information is available on the web @ www.ispcs.com or by e-mail to nmsgc@nmsu.edu.

Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance
505 S. Main, Ste. 134 – PO Box 1299
Las Cruces, NM 88004-1299
Tel: (575) 525-2852 – Fax: (575) 523-5707
www.mveda.com

Upcoming Economic Development Events

The 24th Annual Career Expo is a two-day career fair, co-sponsored by the College of Engineering and Career Services. The event is coordinated by Career Services and will be held in the Corbett Center Ballrooms. Tuesday, September 16th, is reserved for those who major in Business, Agriculture & Liberal Arts; Wednesday, September 17th, is for Engineering, Science, and Technology majors. The event will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on both days. For more information contact Roseanne Bensley, Event Coordinator, Career Services at 646-1631 or by e-mail expo@nmsu.edu.

On Tuesday, October 7, 2008, MVEDA will host the monthly “Business on the Border Forum” luncheon at the Best Western Mesilla Valley Inn beginning at 11:30 a.m. State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons will be the featured speaker.

On Wednesday, October 8, 2008, Doña Ana Community College will host the “Workforce Summit 2008” at the Hotel Encanto beginning at 7:30 a.m. The event will feature Franklin-Covey Facilitator Clyde Burch. Early bird registration of $60 ends September 10th. For information or registration call 527-7776 or see http://dacc.nmsu.edu/ctp/summit08.shtm.

Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance
505 S. Main, Ste. 134 – PO Box 1299
Las Cruces, NM 88004-1299
Tel: (575) 525-2852 – Fax: (575) 523-5707
www.mveda.com

Guggenheim Fellow David Taylor Featured in Artist Dialogue at Preston Contemporary Art Center Friday, Sept. 5

Photographer David Taylor, winner of a 2008 Guggenheim Fellowship, will be featured in the next of a series of Artists Dialogues hosted at the Preston Contemporary Art Center on Friday, Sept 5 at 7 pm. The event is free of charge. The Center’s Artists Dialogues series takes the format of a conversation, rather than a lecture. Artist and audience members will have the opportunity to react and interact with comments and questions about the artist’s works.

Taylor, assistant professor of art at New Mexico State University, will be recognized for his current body of work that focuses on his experiences on both sides of the US-Mexican border. His working relationship with Border Patrol offices from Texas to Arizona has led to photographs of the daily routine of officers and their interactions with the people attempting to cross the border.

Taylor earned a MFA in Visual design/Photography from the University of Oregon in 1994. His BFA is from Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Taylor has taught at NMSU since 2003. His photographic career includes numerous awards, exhibition and publications, and his photographs are found in both private and public collections. His recent fellowship is one of only 200 awarded in 2008 from among 2,600 US and Canadian applicants. Taylor received a $45,000 grant from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation for three projects: photographing all 275 mile-markers along the US -Mexican border; riding with Border Patrol officers and chronicling their work; and photographing the areas around Asarco, Mount Cristo Rey, the Juarez landfill, Sunland Park Racetrack and western El Paso .

The Preston Contemporary Art Center is located off I-10 Exit 140, 1755 Avenida de Mercado (at the end of Calle de Mercado), Mesilla, NM. For information, call 575-523-8713 or visit the website www.prestoncontemporaryart.com.