LAREDO, TX – City of Laredo Interim City Manager Rosario C. Cabello appointed two department directors. Miriam Castillo will be the new Economic Development Director and Jesús Esparza will be the Budget Director.
The City Council reported that both individuals had held those public positions on an interim basis. “I am confident in the ability, leadership and commitment of these two people to move our city forward,” said Administrator Cabello.
Miriam Castillo joined the City Cabinet in 2021 after 16 years with the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, where she spent nearly seven years as Vice President.
Castillo was instrumental in leading the agency’s five-star accreditation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a prestigious honor that was achieved by the organization in 2017, a distinction that at the time, only 116 of the more than 7,000 chambers in the United States carried.
At the Chamber, he also launched the first Business Development Certification Program, which reached more than 2 thousand business owners and employees since its inception in 2016. Prior to her time with the business organization, she began her professional career in the banking sector and later in the logistics and import/export field, where she held senior management positions as a liaison and project manager for international clients in the manufacturing sector.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue working and collaborating on programs that will further enhance Laredo’s economy and quality of life. We will continue to prioritize enhancing programs for downtown revitalization, grant opportunities, small business support, workforce development through strategic partnerships, and promoting Port Laredo for recruitment and attraction,” Castillo said.
Jesus Esparza has been an employee of the City of Laredo for more than 25 years. He began his career at City Hall as an accountant. He most recently served as Municipal Payroll Manager, where he oversaw the payroll system for all 2,700 employees, including Transit, Police and Fire.
As administrator of the Laredo Firefighters Retirement System, he oversaw the organization’s investments. Esparza holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. “I am excited about the new opportunities that come with this role and look forward to improving the city’s budget process,” he said.
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