Effective August 1, 2025, Sarah Carabias Rush has been named the new President and CEO of Greater:SATX, the regional economic development authority responsible for promoting business and job growth in the greater San Antonio region. She succeeds Jenna Saucedo-Herrera and brings deep experience from her prior role as Chief Economic Development Officer, along with nearly two decades of economic development work at the Dallas Regional Chamber.
Since joining Greater:SATX in 2022, Carabias Rush led a transformation in lead generation and business recruitment strategy. Under her leadership, the organization secured 85 projects valued at $5.9 billion in capital investments and created close to 14,000 new jobs across the San Antonio region. These results reflect a nearly 200% increase in projected job creation and more than 400% growth in capital investment since she took over economic development responsibilities.
In her inaugural address as CEO, Carabias Rush laid out an ambitious growth strategy. She aims to attract corporate headquarters and bolster target sectors such as manufacturing, life sciences, cybersecurity, and defense—all while improving air connectivity and strengthening regional talent pipelines. Her goal is to generate between 18,000 and 20,000 additional jobs from companies exploring local expansion.
She pledged to empower her team, finalize key projects already underway, and engage stakeholders in crafting a new strategic roadmap aligned to regional priorities. Carabias Rush emphasized the importance of partnerships and collaboration across government, industry, and community organizations as foundational to delivering results in her first 90 days and beyond.
The timing of Carabias Rush’s appointment coincides with San Antonio’s accelerating economic momentum. In 2024 the city led Texas in job creation and ranked third nationally, while educational attainment and wage growth metrics continued to outpace peer metros. Recent corporate commitments include major expansions from firms such as JCB and Guidehouse, which collectively are poised to deliver thousands of jobs to the region.
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Carabias Rush acknowledged the factors still weighing on business decisions, including economic uncertainty and tariff-related hesitations. She noted that several projects remain in the pipeline but await favorable market clarity before proceeding. Nonetheless, she expressed confidence in closing those deals, pointing to growing interest from both domestic and international companies seeking expansion in San Antonio.
Thriving sectors targeted in the strategy include advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity and IT, defense and aerospace, finance and professional services, and life sciences—areas where San Antonio already exhibits competitive strengths and high growth potential. Improving air service, particularly international nonstop routes, remains a priority to support corporate attraction. Greater:SATX continues to lead efforts backed by an air service development fund to expand connectivity at San Antonio International Airport.
The organization also plans to ensure that job opportunities align with regional workforce initiatives. Greater:SATX is working in concert with programs like SA WORX and Ready to Work to develop local pipelines of skilled workers and elevate the region’s talent competitiveness, particularly in STEM fields.
As Carabias Rush steps into her new role, Greater:SATX is also advancing a comprehensive five-year strategy through 2030. The plan is informed by employers, educators, civic leaders, and industry stakeholders—setting priorities for inclusive and sustainable regional growth in the years ahead.
Sarah Carabias Rush’s elevation to CEO marks the beginning of a new chapter for Greater:SATX—one defined by ambitious targets, strategic sector focus, strengthened connectivity, and an emphasis on pathways to economic mobility for San Antonians.
