Greater Yuma Port Authority’s George sees positive economic future for Yuma
The economic future of the greater Yuma area looks exciting in the eyes of the Greater Yuma Port Authority’s executive director, Buna George.
“When people say ‘Oh Yuma, bluh. There’s nothing going on there.’ I say ‘Do you realize the billions of dollars that come through there?’ Just our agricultural industry alone is a billion dollar industry,” George said. “You have to look at the numbers to realize what a real gem we are.”
Aside from being the lettuce capital of the world and holding other agricultural prospects, George looks at the trucks coming through the San Luis commercial port and the land around the port as building blocks for a stronger Yuma economy.
Part of her job is overseeing the efficiency of the San Luis commercial port, which sees more than 200,000 trucks go through it each month. George said that number should climb as the San Luis port modernizes, which she hopes to ensure.
George also oversees the land around that commercial port and expects it eventually to house light industry like truck support services or warehouses to store goods and products.
George took over as the executive director in November 2018 and has since seen a consistent flow of trucks crossing both sides of the border, which tells her a steady stream of trade is going on. For her, all the statistics she looks at representing trade and the economy of the Yuma look good, and she expects that to continue.
“I expect better numbers, higher numbers or at least consistent numbers with what we had last year,” George said. “I expect it’s going to be a good year.”
When George looks at the greater Yuma area, she includes San Luis Rio Colorado and Mexicali in Mexico along with Yuma County. One of her goals for the coming year is to see a “seamless border” around Yuma where both sides exchange in what they have.
“Sometimes I hear that there’s a shortage of teachers in Yuma and think ‘oh well, there’s a lot of teachers in San Luis (Rio Colorado),’” she said.