A county official from the Rio Grande Valley has been appointed as the next chairman of the Border Trade Alliance (BTA).

The BTA announced on November 14 that Pete Sepulveda, Cameron County's county administrator and executive director of the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA), will assume the role. According to a press release from the BTA, Sepulveda was chosen due to his extensive knowledge of cross-border trade and commerce. He has overseen the permitting and construction of five international bridges between the U.S. and Mexico, as well as three Donation Acceptance Program projects in Cameron County.

The release said that Sepulveda will succeed Lance Jungmeyer, president of the Nogales, Arizona-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, whose term is ending. Jungmeyer will continue to serve as a member of the BTA Executive Committee.

"I am honored to be selected by my fellow board members to be the next chairman of the Border Trade Alliance," Sepulveda said in the release. "North American cross-border relations are top of mind for policymakers as new administrations get underway in the U.S. and Mexico and as Canada preps for elections next year," he added. "I hope to bring to the position a practical understanding of what our borders require to be economically competitive and secure."

Joining Sepulveda in BTA leadership roles are Kenia Zamarripa, vice president for international and public affairs at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, as vice-chair; Jon Barela, CEO of Borderplex Alliance, as secretary; Hector Cerna, president and CEO of IBC Bank-Eagle Pass, as treasurer; with Jungmeyer serving as immediate past chairman.