Mayor, city of Plano

Harry LaRosiliere was elected mayor of Plano in May 2013, previously serving two terms on City Council from 2005–11. Since moving to Plano in 1994, LaRosiliere said he has seen the city grow and thrive as a diversely rich community. With Toyota Motor Corporation's relocation to Plano and the inaugural student internship program, LaRosiliere said Plano is experiencing a renaissance. "What I like to say is that Plano now has turned into one of the cool kids of Collin County," he said.

Toyota has created a buzz in Plano. Since the announcement, what has Plano been doing to help the company get here?

Our biggest focus with Toyota is trying to emphasize to [the company] that their relocation is not a transaction but the start of a relationship. I think the easy conceptual thing to say is 'OK, we've got them, they're coming here, let's move on.' From a business [perspective], if you don't nurture the relationship then, No. 1, it doesn't flourish and No. 2, you're not creating the opportunity to deepen it. We're working really hard with the company in terms of meeting their needs and responding to them by integrating their high-level executives. They are already here and on the ground preparing.

What were your goals for the inaugural summer internship program for high school students?

The idea behind the summer internship program was to give some of these dreamers the opportunity to be the leaders of today and tomorrow. If [the students] can have the skills and an understanding of what it takes to be in the business world, then they have a chance. We're in such a competitive environment now that the [educational background] is a given. If [the students] don't have that skill of how to give a firm handshake, look [employers] in the eye and do their homework before they get to the job interview, then they're at a disadvantage.

Did students develop in a visible way by the end of the summer?

I've done a number of site visits, and I think what I've gained from it is [the students] have gotten an opportunity to learn how to work as a team above and beyond studying the books and answering questions. Probably the best quote I heard was Jeff Womack of NTTData. He basically said [the business] went into this thinking they're going to give these kids a shot, but [the company] didn't realize how much they were going to give back to the organization in terms of their energy and their perspective. It was as beneficial to the company as it was to the young students.

What transportation concerns are on your mind?

I think the main issue is the overarching concern of funding. The reality is we can't lay enough concrete. There are 76 people moving to Collin County a day. We can't put enough roads [down] to accommodate them. Within the city itself, we have a high degree of mobility, and we really are focusing on upgrading our infrastructure. We are a mature city so we have to put the money into our streets so it's vibrant and easy to get around town. To me, [transportation] is not sexy, it's not exciting, but it's something that when it's not there, you notice. There's going to be some level of discomfort as we do this because we have to hit different neighborhoods, and you're going to see three lanes turn into one. But as I tell everyone, if you're caught in traffic because of construction, it's a sign of progress.

What projects are in the works to help Plano become a greener city?

We have a number of programs that we offer to our new buildings to encourage them [to be green.] Toyota is going to be a LEED certification project. We have an annual "Learn To Live Green" event, which attracts over 18,000 people in a day at a convention center. We have an environmental purchasing policy for city supplies, and conversion of landscape to water and drip irrigation for water efficiency. We've added a number of hybrid vehicles to our city fleet to be environmentally friendly as well.