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For their exemplary record of leadership, service, and activities that serve to improve the school and community, the Lamar Academy/IB Student Council and the McAllen Memorial High Student Council have each been recognized as 2020 National Gold Council of Excellence by National of Student Council (NatStuCo). “Receiving a National Gold Council of Excellence Award reflects the highest dedication on the part of the school to providing a strong, well-rounded student council program,” said Nara Lee, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Director of Student Leadership. “NatStuCo applauds the work of the National Gold Councils of Excellence and challenges them to continue their leadership and service to their schools and communities.” To meet the requirements for the National Council of Excellence Award, a student council must meet a variety of criteria. In addition to basic requirements such as a written constitution, regular meetings, a democratic election process, the councils have…

Goodwill Makes A Plea To The Public To Hold Onto Donations Until It Reopens

March 27, 2020

Athena Garcia

As the situation around the coronavirus pandemic continues to evolve and with Hidalgo County’s shelter in-place in effect, Goodwill makes a plea to the public to hold onto those valuable donations of clothing and household items until it can reopen. Goodwill stores and donation stations have been closed to the public since Monday, March 23rd. Even with the closure, donors are dropping off items, causing donations to be left outside and rummaged through (see attachment). “During this crisis, people ransack donations that have been left outside of our closed facilities. When donations are exposed to the elements, it tends to make them unusable. When we get back to normal operations, we welcome the opportunity to thank donors, personally, for giving to Goodwill. Until then, we urge donors to hold on to their donations,” said John Owen, President & CEO, Goodwill Industries of South Texas. In the coming weeks and months,…

Driscoll’s Transition to Professional Nurse Program accredited with distinction by the national program

January 24, 2020

Driscoll Children’s Hospital Nurse Residency Program’s new Graduate Registered Nurse Residency Program was accredited with distinction by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) after an extensive evaluation. “We are proud that the Transition to Professional Nurse Program at Driscoll Children’s Hospital is recognized by ANCC as one of the highest-quality transition programs for nurses,” said Julie Pina, MSN, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer at Driscoll Children’s Hospital. “ANCC accreditation gives nurse residents assurance that Driscoll Children’s Hospital offers an elevated transition program with a clear course of instruction and reliable evaluation methods. With ANCC accreditation, our transitioning nurses gain the skills and confidence needed to perform effectively within a new practice setting,” she said. Driscoll Children’s Hospital’s Transition to Professional Nurse Program is the first in South Texas to obtain the ANCC accreditation. The accreditation adds several benefits to the Driscoll program: Nurses can claim they participated in an…

A Message from GE McAllen

January 14, 2020

This communication is to announce the transition of our Plant Leader, Horacio Repetto, to a new role leading the GE Aviation Materials team (GEAM) in Dallas, TX after 3 and a half years at McAllen. Horacio has been a great champion of the GE McAllen shop, a great advocate of our community while significantly driving a culture of change and continuous improvement. We are very confident he will continue to do so in his new capacity at GEAM, supporting all of our customers with various material solutions. We are pleased to announce that Len (Leonard) Davis has accepted the role of GE McAllen Plant Leader, reporting to Dan Fermon. Len was selected for this role based on his strong operational background, component repair knowledge, and experience across multiple functions and businesses. His previous experience includes a 3-year stint at the GE Aviation McAllen facility, where he led the LPT Nozzle…

Engaged or Basic Instincts?

December 12, 2019

Engagement or basic instincts are two of the more powerful emotions we deal with internally. Are we willing to get engaged with something, or do we want to cover up and protect? The basic instincts are the classic fight or flight responses. The fight or flight desire takes on different roles in the workplace. The first response is to strike back at someone or something that you believe is attacking you or your project. Fighting back is a powerful basic instinct. When we are in the fight mode, we are not concerned about long-term consequences, and this feeds that basic instinct. Fighting back feels good in the short-run. The problem with the “fight mode” is it creates long-term relationship issues and can damage a person’s reputation as “difficult” and not a team player. The fight mode is destructive. The other side of the fight or flight response is the lack of…

Patient-Designed Holiday Cards from Driscoll Children’s Hospital

September 26, 2019

Celebrate the season with holiday cards designed by the patients of Driscoll Children’s Hospital! Twelve different card designs are available for purchase. You can also place a custom order featuring your company’s name and logo. For more information, please call (361) 694-5011 or order online at www.driscollchildrens.org/holiday

Radisson Hotel General Manager, elected NHPO Chairman of the Board

September 3, 2019

Congratulations to Omar Guevara, Radisson Hotel General Manager, on his election as Chairman of the National Hispanic Professional Organization Board! 👏 Among his many other duties and responsibilities, Guevara will now also Chair the NHPO as it promotes enterprise and education for its members in partnership with our community.

South Texas College and Texas Workforce Commission came together for a check-signing on August 1 benefiting students in the STC nursing program

August 5, 2019

South Texas College and Texas Workforce Commission united for a Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant in the amount of $75,000 for their Associate Degree of Nursing Program. This grant will enable students at STC to learn and practice their nursing skills with new anatomically correct, life-sized, Juno Mannequins. These mannequins are replications of the human body from head to toe which will give students a holistic perspective in interacting with patients. President of South Texas College, Dr. Shirley A. Reed says collaborating together is an important factor for success. “This region has been immensely successful,” said Dr. Reed. “I believe it’s because of the hard work we put in. We make sure we are in partnership, we are in sync, and that we really can do what we say we can do.” Commissioner Representing Labor, from Texas Workforce Commission, Julian Alvarez, says student success is a priority. “At…

SOUTH TEXAS HEALTH SYSTEM HOSPITALS ACHIEVE AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING QUALITY OUTCOMES IN WOMEN’S SERVICES

August 5, 2019

Healthgrades has announced their 2019 award recipients for outstanding quality outcomes, and South Texas Health System Edinburg and South Texas Health System McAllen achieved the 2019 Gynecologic Surgery Excellence Award, placing the hospitals among the top five percent of all hospitals evaluated. The highly qualified team of physicians and nurses at South Texas Health System Edinburg and South Texas Health System McAllen have proven to provide exceptional care to female patients of the Rio Grande Valley as evident in the results shared by Healthgrades which evaluates hospital quality based solely on clinical outcomes for the most common in-hospital procedures and conditions. Patients that are treated in hospitals that receive one or more of these awards have a significantly lower risk of suffering from in-hospital complications than if they were treated in a hospital that did not. Healthgrades also named South Texas Health System Edinburg and South Texas Health System McAllen…

Weddings and Funerals

June 17, 2019

Chamber News Member Briefs No Comments

Weddings and funerals are signature bookend events. One demonstrates a commitment that goes beyond one’s self, and the other tells the tale of a life and how it was lived. Last week, as I sat in Ruben Cardenas’s funeral, I was reminded about one of Ruben’s life focuses on making an investment and impact in our community. He instilled the same message in his children, Dr. Carlos Cardenas, Oscar Cardenas, and Diana Albrecht. Each echoes that same DNA that was so important to their father and his life. Ruben Cardenas was the McAllen Chamber’s longest-serving volunteer – 59 years (a record that will never be broken). Ruben could be direct, blunt, and forceful, but he was committed to making McAllen world class. As I sat there, I began to reflect on how a person can genuinely measure their effort and impact. Moreover, my thoughts turn to the two most…

Why “RANTS” Don’t Work

June 3, 2019

Chamber News Member Briefs No Comments

Going on a “rant” never works. It seems like every day someone on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook or some other social media platform vents and calls out a person or group. This almost always backfires and usually does more damage to the person doing the “rant” than to the person being “attacked.” The person doing the “ranting” may feel good after the post for a short period but, long-term, people begin to question the “ranter’s” mental state and stability. La Croix’s CEO, Nick Caporella, has a history of lashing out at a wide range of people and groups. Two years ago, he went after short-sellers of his company’s stock prices. Everybody who was questioning the stock value was a “perpetrator and self-serving manipulator.” The “rant” was done in all caps, with vast claims of the “best year ever.” Many financial observers labeled the outbursts bizarre and even bordering on deranged.…

Why Capitalism Matters

May 13, 2019

Last week I wrote about the voting trends for the 2020 Presidential elections and how each party is going to need to appeal to people outside of its base. The fact that 44.6% of the people in the United States identify as being Liberal/Progressive was a surprise to me. There is a growing movement to support the “Green New Deal,” which propels key socialist ideas to the forefront of the political discussion. However, why does this failed economic system keep coming back to life when there are so many examples of the system failing – think Cuba and Venezuela? Socialism does not work because it fundamentally ignores human nature and behavior. Collectivism may appear to work at the beginning, but human nature and behavior begin to take over and all people are left within this socialist system is a “shell government” of tyranny and misery. There are three critical drivers…

Upcoming Fusing Workshop at McAllen Stained Glass

March 13, 2019

Make a beautiful and functional work of art in just one session! We will guide you through the process and provide all the materials and tools needed for your special work of art. These pieces will be fired and picked up later. 16+ yrs. old. Prior glass cutting experience is not necessary. Advance registration required. Space is limited. For your safety, closed-toe shoes are required in the classroom. HANDKERCHIEF VOTIVE WORKSHOP Tuesday, March 19, 2019 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Class Fee: $25 REGISTER FOR HANDKERCHIEF VOTIVE HERE WILDFLOWER WORKSHOP Monday, March 25, 2019 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Class Fee: $75 and $125 REGISTER FOR WILDFLOWER HERE SERVING TRAY WORKSHOP Tuesday, March 26, 2019 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Class Fee: $70 REGISTER FOR SERVING TRAY WORKSHOP HERE MCALLEN STAINED GLASS 800 N. MAIN ST. STE. 400, MCALLEN, TX 78501 956.687.8682

McAllen Public Library and Workforce Solutions Invite the Public to Job Fair

January 22, 2019