Eric Voyles

Executive Vice President / Chief Economic Development Officer

TexAmericas Center

Leadership Texarkana Class of 2018

Eric is a relative newcomer to Texarkana USA, one who brings valuable expertise with his presence: Eric has over twenty years of progressive experience as a seasoned public-private partnership economic developer, which he passionately applies to his work leading sales, marketing, public relations as well as property management and redevelopment at TexAmericas Center. TexAmericas Center is a state of Texas redevelopment authority, (for repurposing land formerly part of the Red River Army Depot), where Eric is responsible for a lease portfolio of over 750,000sf; marketing over 2,000,000sf of Office, Warehouse, Industrial, Storage, Explosive Bunkers; and, 12,000 acres of ground.

Last year’s Leadership Texarkana’s sessions were literal eye-openers for Eric.  After spending time downtown exploring the many incredible treasures that exist there, Eric said, “How can a person live in Texarkana and NOT know that these places exist??”    

When asked what he learned most about making a difference from being a part of Leadership Texarkana, he responded,

“Texarkana is an action-oriented community.  People don’t want to get in your way, they just want you to do whatever it is you suggest ought to happen – they want you to put your money where your mouth is. SO, to best accomplish something you need to stay positive, have facts, communicate, be consistent and you must keep trying.  It’s what I call, ‘Pushing the rope.’”  He thinks of leadership as “Doing what you think is right, again and again.”  He believes one thing that could make a difference of significance in Texarkana would be if all of us here could see Texarkana the way visitors see Texarkana.

Fortunately for all of us who live here, Eric brings his passion and makes his personal investments of time, talent and money to Leadership Texarkana, Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce, as well as TexAmericas Center.

He is never NOT pondering the realities of our region and community, as well as its possibilities, and he regularly challenges others in the business of Texarkana with food for thought about it all by sharing articles concerning economic development.

To read one of Eric’s most recently shared articles, click here for an article about Rockford, IL, where Eric was engaged in the economic development conversation of a decade ago as part of the Strategic Doing team led by Janyce Fadden, as a region-wide effort to link and leverage the innumerable assets and educational resources for regional benefit.

When sharing his future plans in Texarkana, Eric says, “I intend to remain Constructively Discontent.  Which is to say that I plan on:

• Being observant and god willing display a keen mind
• Always be thinking
• Have a positive attitude
• Display an aptitude for disciplined thought
• Encourage and demonstrate a bias for action
• Be resilient during the process of promoting transformative change
• Try to keep it simple by attempting to intuitively derive purpose and meaning
• Continue to contribute even in the face of unremitting change
• Process challenges and opportunities with equal veracity.”

Eric has a proven track record of being resourceful, performing well with limited supervision and resources, and delivering significant bottom-line results.

What do many people not know about you that you would to share with us? 

I have visited 17 communities in China almost all with populations in excess of 1m.

What are some of your passions and hobbies?  

See Also

Silvermoon Children’s Theatre

Doing what my wife asks me to do.

What do you most love to do in Texarkana?

Aside from my job, walk the dogs with my wife along Bringle Lake trail.

What do you most love about Texarkana, in general?

Its rural environment.