Proud grandparents Vincent and Regina with William, Parker and Madelyn Morales.
COVER STORY –
Toguide or direct, to provide guidance or show initiative – these words describe what it means to be a leader. But being a leader means much more than mere words alone. Being a leader means experience. Being a leader means having a proven track record of success. And more importantly, being a leader means being capable and compassionate about addressing a community’s needs and concerns both now as well as for the future. For Precinct 1, Republican candidate for County Commissioner and former Mayor of Rosenberg Vincent Morales is such a leader.
Family First
“My commitment to this community begins at home,” said Morales, a 25 year plus resident, business owner and two-term mayor of Rosenberg. “I married a Fort Bend County native and together, Regina and I have raised our family, started and built a successful business here. Today, our sons, Chris and Justin, are raising their families here, and our entire family is committed to community service by volunteering for numerous organizations. That’s how we raised our boys – to value and contribute to their community – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
While the legacy of community service in Fort Bend began with Regina Klingle Morales’ ancestors – her great uncle Ervin Muegee served as Fort Bend County Commissioner Precinct 1 for 12 years in the 50s and 60s – her husband has made his own mark leading the City of Rosenberg as mayor for four years. “Vincent’s accomplishments as Rosenberg mayor led the City to a time of unprecedented growth and development,” shared Regina, who knows a bit about economic development in her role as the President/CEO of Central Fort Bend Chamber. “His focus on managed growth and bringing new businesses and jobs to not only Rosenberg but Fort Bend as a whole has paved the way for a bright economic future for the City and its residents.
Experience in Leadership
“Vincent understands what it means to meet a payroll, to balance a budget and to make the tough decisions,” said Regina. “When we started our business, GreenScape Associates, 12 1/2 years ago, it wasn’t easy. We began with a few key clients, and today, our business has grown exponentially with over two dozen employees. Vincent knows how to grow and nurture a business, whether it’s a landscape management company or a county. He knows how to lead and prepare for the future.”
Morales’ track record as mayor of Rosenberg speaks for itself. He achieved several major milestones in economic development, infrastructure and education benefitting the City and its constituents. In the business arena, several companies relocated or expanded their headquarters in Rosenberg, two new business parks were created and new retail developments were created with 489 certificates of occupancy issued since 2011. “Business expansion and relocation means more jobs,” said Morales, who reported in his 2015 State of the City of Rosenberg Address that Rosenberg’s unemployment rate was just below four percent, lower than both the state and national average. “My focus on economic development in Rosenberg helped us attract corporations and bring more, better jobs to our community. This is how we built a stronger local economy with less unemployment than then rest of our state.”
Vincent Morales and Hector Avelar. Photo by Terry Blackburn.
Morales assisted Rosenberg in creating new housing developments during his tenure resulting in 664 certificates of occupancy issued since 2011, and in 2014, the City reported 775 new housing starts along with nearly 1,400 newly platted residential lots. “It’s not just luck that so many people want to live in our community,” said Morales. “All of our non-profit organizations and municipalities work hard to create a community that will sustain our projected growth and provide an exemplary quality of life for generations to come. That’s exactly why I want to serve as Precinct 1 Commissioner. I plan to take my experience and achievements as both mayor of Rosenberg and a Fort Bend business owner to ensure a viable, secure future with vast economic opportunities and reliable infrastructure to Precinct 1 constituents for our future generations.”
A Vision for the Future
Whether it’s designing a commercial landscape project or serving on TX DOT’s I-69 Alliance Board to expand the Interstate Highway, Morales knows that infrastructure is key to both current and future success. As Rosenberg mayor, he negotiated and signed an agreement with the Brazosport Water Authority to secure the delivery of three million gallons of treated surface water a day to the City creating a cost effective, sustainable, abundant, clean water supply for Rosenberg citizens to meet the State ground water reduction mandate.
“Educating our work force for the jobs that are coming our way is a vital component of maintaining a strong local economy. It helps us prepare for a prosperous future,” said Morales, who was instrumental in Texas State Technical College (TSTC) selecting Rosenberg for their newest expansion. “The industries that we are attracting to Fort Bend need an educated work force, and TSTC will help us provide that asset to businesses.” The 80-acre technical education campus opens this fall, and when fully developed, will support a student body of up to 5,000.
Committed Leadership
Morales’ commitment to public service is inspiring. “Seeing the positive results of my public service in the community is the ultimate reward for me,” said Morales. “Being accessible to my constituents is one of the most important aspects of my job. I thoroughly enjoy being out in our community, meeting with different groups and organizations, so I make an effort to be as accessible as possible.”
The former mayor’s commitment to public service is essentially a Morales family motto. “My parents have always instilled in us that faith, family and community are our core values – the things that matter most,” said Justin Morales. “Supporting our community is just something we do, and it’s something that we are proud to do, just as we are proud of our dad and the work that he has done, and that he will continue to do as Commissioner of Precinct 1.”
Visit vincentmorales.com for more information about Vincent Morales.
Pol Ad Pd by Morales for FBC Commissioner – Precinct 1, Doris Gurecky Treasurer