Texas Department of Agriculture

We had lunch at Scholtz Beer Garden with Judy Fort and Sherri Gothart-Barron. Ms. Fort shared her role as rural economic development representative and how she helps the communities she serves. Ms Gothart-Barron discussed her Certified Retirement Communities and the impact of baby boomer retirees to the economy. She now has 32 communities certified.

I felt it was important to deviate from the intended course outline and therefore, I received Dr. Forgey's permission to have our class visit with TDA.  More specifically, while Texas has 5 of the top 10 major metropolitan areas and will continue to experience growth in these metro areas, Texas also has many rural communities which will experience tremendous growth as well.  With this in mind, it is eminent these rural communities will face some of the same challenges and issues that come with growth.  Population in these Texas communities will bring development of all sorts and thus will have to be forward thinking when expanding. Aah-ha moment...Coming soon, "Good Developers wanted and needed" !!! 

Texas as a whole is flying high on the radar which is mostly concentrated on the Major Metro areas and with that, development competition is high.  However, for those of us, myself included who would like to limit competition, let me suggest one fly under the radar and seek out these growing rural communities.  I would venture to say, with Texas being the best state in the USA, one could probably make a very good living in Texas' rural roots!!!  

Food for thought.