Linda Teniente, an accomplished human resources professional and a 26-year veteran of City service, has been named the City’s Human Resources Director.
The announcement was made Friday by interim City Manager Keith Selman, who also announced the appointment of Miriam Castillo as interim Economic Development Director.
According to Teniente, her focus will be “to attract and retain a quality workforce for the City and to develop a succession plan for the City’s next generation of leaders.”
Teniente has a strong background in guiding organizational growth. She is a skilled interpersonal communicator with employees at all levels of the City organization.
Her focus in HR has been on continuous growth and improvement by using actionable data insights to guide decisions.
She said that another of her primary goals is to establish and maintain open communication and transparency with all City departments and stakeholders. “My door is always open to help in any way possible,” she said.
She began her career with the City of Laredo in the Fire Department and has also held positions in
Parks and Community Development Real Estate departments.
Teniente holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in management from Texas A & M International University.
MIRIAM CASTILLO
Miriam Castillo, a native of Nuevo Laredo, joined the City of Laredo as Programs Administrator for the Economic Development Department.
Before joining the City of Laredo, Castillo worked for the Laredo Chamber of Commerce for 16 years, serving as its vice president since 2014.
“I am thankful for this opportunity to serve as interim Director for the Economic Development Department. I look forward to continue working in the development and enhancement of programs that promote and facilitate economic growth and vitality for our City,” said Castillo.
She began her professional career as an accountant in banking, and later worked in the logistics and import/export field where she held upper-management positions as the liaison and project manager for international customers in the manufacturing industry.
Under her guidance, the Chamber launched and expanded numerous successful programs and initiatives, including the first-ever Business Development Certification Program, which reached over 2,000 business owners and employees since its inception in 2016.
Along with board members and volunteers, she was instrumental in the Chamber’s 5-star accreditation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a prestigious distinction that was achieved by the organization for the first time ever in 2017.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management — a four-year professional development program for association and chamber professionals, certified Castillo in 2014.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in International Business, both from Texas A & M International University.
