Thank you to our Executive Partners for your long-term
support of the Greater Houston Partnership.
President & CEO
Bob Harvey
Senior Vice President, Workforce Development
Peter Beard
Senior Vice President and Chief Economic Development Officer
Susan Davenport
Senior Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
LaTanya Flix
Senior Vice President, Research and Chief Economist
Patrick Jankowski
Senior Vice President & Chief Policy Officer
Taylor Landin
Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
Clint Pasche
Senior Vice President, Member Engagement & Chief Development Officer
Katie Pryor
Senior Vice President and Executive Director of HETI
Jane Stricker
Vice President, International Investment & Trade
John Cypher
Vice President, Human Resources
Maurisa Lenz
Vice President, Research
Roel Gabe Martinez
Vice President, Finance & Accounting
Anna Miguel
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
A.J. Mistretta
Vice President, Advocacy & Policy
Kaitlyn Murphy
Vice President, Member Acquisition & Engagement
Nichelle Poindexter
Vice President, Regional Economic Development
Craig Rhodes
Vice President, Events & Programs
Christie Stewart
www.houston.org
713.844.3600 | contact@houston.org
View previous Partnership annual reports: 2021 / 2020 / 2019 / 2018
Thanks to the active engagement of Houston business leaders, the Partnership continues to lead our region forward through active economic development and public policy efforts along with special initiatives across workforce development, the energy transition, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
All this work positions the Houston region as one of the world’s leading cities in which to build successful businesses and enjoy a great quality of life.
At our Annual Meeting in January 2022, we redoubled our commitment to economic development, and over the last year we have made great progress. I am grateful to the more than 200 business leaders who volunteered across our 12 highly active economic development committees and our various recruitment initiatives. We have seen that direct involvement of business leaders is key to the corporate recruitment process.
We focused our work on several key sectors. For example, we delivered an in-depth life science ecosystem report and strategy roadmap. The plan leverages Houston’s long-standing position as an outstanding healthcare research and delivery hub to build robust commercial clusters around cell and gene therapy, molecular diagnostics, and biologics.
We also expanded relationships and collaboration with our more than 35 regional economic development allies and took our pro-Houston message around the globe. This report details the many project wins for our region, and it is important to note that our project pipeline is the most robust it has been in years, with more than 200 projects added throughout the year.
Critical to our mission to drive regional growth is the Houston Energy Transition Initiative. HETI has catalyzed the efforts of the entire energy ecosystem, advancing areas where Houston has a strategic advantage including CCUS, clean hydrogen, industrial decarbonization and capital investment. Billions of dollars of projects, investments and acquisitions were made by HETI member companies, and the Partnership is leveraging this momentum to position Houston as the leader in the transition to an energy-abundant, low carbon world.
Finally, I’d like to thank Bob Harvey for his leadership over the last decade. He has elevated the profile and strength of the organization and focused the business community on collective initiatives that continue to fuel Houston’s economic growth and advance opportunity across our region. Our community has made great progress, but of course, we must continue to build on that work. I am grateful for your many contributions to our efforts, and it has been a pleasure to serve alongside you.
Thad Hill
Chair
I was asked recently what primary features make Houston the unique place that it is. Though it might sound strange, I believe the principal characteristics that shaped Houston over the decades into the world class city we know today are its location and topography. Houston was in an ideal location for growth in the early days – situated on the bayou and near the Gulf for seaborne access yet just inland enough to connect easily to the interior parts of Texas. But it was rough country, with nothing going for it in terms of natural amenities. We had to build the city we wanted pretty much from scratch and attract the people here who wanted to help in the process. The city’s founders did this in 1836 and we still are doing it today.
I’m proud to have led the Partnership over the last decade in our ongoing effort to advance this great global city. There are few organizations where people of like mind can come together to make a real difference across a wide expanse of important issues in our region. We have a staff fully committed to tackling these critical issues, with deep expertise in many fields. Moreover, there is a leveraging effect to the fact that we engage others, particularly business leaders, in our work. With a staff of roughly 95, more than 950 member companies, and a fully engaged board of 140, we can accomplish a lot, just as we have since our founding 33 years ago.
In 2022, we made significant strides in a number of areas, from positioning Houston as a global leader in the energy transition, as Thad noted, to helping advance the North Houston Highway Improvement Project and secure funding for a coastal barrier that will make our region more resilient to future storms.
To ensure a vibrant and prepared future workforce, we advocated for additional community college funding, continued our work to unite the region’s four-year universities with area companies, and spearheaded a new mentorship initiative.
Through our One Houston Together racial equity initiative, we launched a new buyer cohort to increase corporate spending with area minority businesses and engaged Houston companies in efforts to promote hiring and advancement of underrepresented groups.
Our economic development team joined with our regional allies to spearhead efforts to recruit companies to Houston in targeted areas such as life science, aerospace, and manufacturing and logistics.
Meanwhile, we hosted more than 11,000 business leaders across 56 events, making this one of our most successful years on record. Those are just some of the significant accomplishments you will read about in this report. The achievements are significant, but the work is never done.
With the help of you, our members, we can continue our efforts to make Houston a great place to live, work and build a business in the years ahead.
Bob Harvey
President and CEO
Houston is a city of tremendous opportunity. It’s a region where no idea is too big to realize and no challenge too difficult to address with the right focus and leadership. Houston’s growth and prosperity have accelerated rapidly in recent years, but sustaining that positive trajectory is far from guaranteed.
To succeed as a global metro, it is critical that as Houstonians we focus our efforts on three key areas:
As we pursue our Houston Next goals, it is critical to view our efforts through a lens of racial equity, advancing bold solutions to strengthen
Houston as a diverse, inclusive and equitable city.
These are noble aspirations, but not easy to pursue or sustain. That’s why great cities need exceptional civic leaders to guide success.
Houston Next empowers the region’s business leaders, through the Greater Houston Partnership, to accelerate Houston’s progress across these areas of impact to ensure Houston continues to
advance as a great global city.
In implementing the Houston Next strategy, the Partnership is focused on continuously improving Houston’s position among the great global cities.
The Partnership thanks the 58 Houston Next investors who have pledged their support to our strategic efforts. Learn More.
Allegiance Bank
Amegy Bank
Baker Hughes
Baylor College of Medicine
BP America Inc.
Bracewell, LLP
Burns McDonnell
Calpine Corporation
Camden
CenterPoint Energy
Chevron
ConocoPhillips
Crown Castle
Deloitte
Ernst & Young
ExxonMobil
Gilbane Building Company
Group 1 Automotive Inc.
Halliburton
HCA Houston Healthcare
H-E-B
Hess Corporation
Hines
Houston Methodist
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Insperity
Intel
Janice McNair
JLL
John L. Nau, III
KPMG, LLP
Locke Lord
Lone Star College
LyondellBasell
Memorial Hermann Health System
Midway Companies
Motiva Enterprises, LLC
Mustang Cat
Oxy
Onstead Family Foundation
Phillips 66
PNC
PWC
Reliant, an NRG Company
San Jacinto College
SCF Partners
Service Corporation International
Shell Oil Company
Silver Eagle Distributors
St. Luke’s Health
Sysco Corporation
TC Energy
TDECU
Texas Medical Center
The Dow Chemical Company
Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. LLC
Vinson & Elkins
Westlake Chemical Corporation
For more than 100 years, Houston has been the global hub of energy activity. The economic vitality and growth of our region’s economy is inextricably tied to the energy industry. Importantly, the industry is rapidly changing to meet growing global energy demand while simultaneously lowering carbon emissions.
In 2021, the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) was launched to support Houston’s continued economic growth and prosperity through the transition to an energy-abundant, low-carbon world. HETI builds on the best of traditional energy skills and systems to leverage Houston’s industry leadership to accelerate global solutions for an energy-abundant, low-carbon future.
HETI aims to ensure that:
An analysis conducted by McKinsey & Co. suggests that the Houston region could create as many as 560,000 new jobs by 2050 by supporting low-carbon technologies, industrial investments, innovation eco-systems, government policies and reskilling of talent.
CCUS: This working group is focused on identifying and removing barriers to CCUS deployment in Houston. The region is increasingly recognized as a hub for carbon capture. HETI partners with other initiatives in the region like the Houston CCS Alliance and University of Houston/SSEB CCUS Commercialization Consortium to progress large scale CCUS deployment in the region.
CLEAN HYDROGEN: Led by the Center for Houston’s Future, this working group created a vision for “Houston as the epicenter of a global clean hydrogen hub”, and is building an ecosystem to enable clean hydrogen development and deployment across the Texas Gulf Coast.
INDUSTRIAL DECARBONIZATION: Working with a cross-sector of industry leaders, this group is developing a unified narrative to highlight industry’s role in meeting its emissions reduction goals and a regional decarbonization vision and roadmap for the Houston region.
CAPITAL FORMATION: This working group is identifying opportunities to catalyze Houston’s leadership in the energy transition through capital investment. Through its leadership in energy transition finance, this group is identifying the barriers and unlocks to enable early stage energy innovation, infrastructure, and large-scale project investment to support the energy transition.
The Energy Transition Ventures Day pitch competition brought together key members of the energy industry, investors, and startups to highlight the critical role innovation and new technologies play in addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by the global Energy Transition.
Houston-based start-ups competed across four emerging technologies including Carbon Capture, Use and Storage, Hydrogen Solutions, Energy Storage, and Circular Economy. The winning startup was invited to participate in the Chevron Technology Ventures Catalyst Program.
The Houston Energy Transition Initiative’s Capital Formation report, developed with significant support from McKinsey & Company, details why Houston is well positioned, the steps necessary to be the funding leader for the energy transition and how new legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) can play a critical role in advancing Houston’s ambition.
In just the last few years, Houston has seen a four-fold increase in energy venture capital investment in more than 60 low-carbon and climate-tech startups. Houston’s fast-growing energy transition innovation ecosystem is connected through collaboration across universities, startups, incubators, investors and corporates to enable the development and scaling of impactful solutions to slow the impacts of climate change.
Houston companies and energy financiers can leverage the strengths of the region to create an energy transition financing ecosystem that could become a benchmark for other cities in the United States and around the world.
Baker Hughes
Bechtel Energy
bp
Calpine
Centerpoint
Chevron
ConocoPhillips
Dow
ExxonMobil
Hess
HIF Global
LyondellBasell
NRG Energy
Occidental Petroleum
Plains All American
Shell
SLB
Sunnova
TC Energy
Wood Group
Woodside Energy
“Houston’s status as the energy capital of the world, based on decades of leadership in energy markets, has fostered an experienced PE and capital markets community. Our city’s financial sector leaders have great appetite to expand focus to the next investment wave—and face a pivotal opportunity in today’s evolving market to grow and scale energy transition-related endeavors. To accomplish this, the Houston’s business community has turned its attention toward attracting financial decision makers, capital, and new talent to the city.”
– Kassia Yanosek, Partner and Global Leader in McKinsey’s Energy and Sustainability Practices
Cyclyx, ExxonMobil and LyondellBasell jointly pursue plastic processing facility in Houston
– BUSINESS & INDUSTRY CONNECTION, October 2022
BP to acquire Houston-based renewable natural gas co. Archaea Energy in $4.1B deal
– HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, October 2022
Houston cleantech company sees shining success with gold hydrogen
– INNOVATION MAP, September 2022
Chevron, Talos, Carbonvert announce CCS joint venture expansion
– May 2022
BP, Linde plan major CCS project in TX Gulf Coast – May 2022
UH creates energy transition institute with $10m funding from Shell
– March 2022
Over 1,000 individuals gathered for dynamic and insightful events and activities over the course of the three-day conference in June to highlight the Partnership’s involvement in Houston’s energy transition.
Day 1 of the conference began with exclusive tours showcasing Greentown Labs and The Ion, two collision hubs making an impact on Houston’s energy ecosystem in the heart of the innovation district.
The highly anticipated luncheon gathered more than 670 guests at the Hilton Americas for day 2. Attendees learned of national and global perspectives on policies, investment, developing technologies and innovation impacting energy transition, updates on the initiative’s efforts to lead the global energy transition and insight on the importance of the region’s involvement.
The final day of the annual conference included virtual sessions featuring nearly 40 leaders in industry, academia and public interest organizations sharing insights on the changing energy landscape through a global and national lens. Panelists shared Houston’s achievements and the opportunity to lead the transition, with focuses on carbon capture, use and storage, decarbonization, hydrogen and climate equity.
The Greater Houston Partnership promotes Houston’s growth through economic development efforts aimed at attracting, retaining and growing companies, creating new jobs and growing the region’s GDP. The Partnership also provides a platform to connect foreign companies and entities with members of the Houston business community and facilitates initiatives that expand international investment and trade opportunities. This activity is led by our economic development committees comprised of executives from leading companies and organizations across Greater Houston.
Partnership Chair Thad Hill
During the 2022 Annual Meeting, Partnership Chair Thad Hill enhanced our commitment to economic development by outlining four key areas of action that are critical for Greater Houston to meet both the challenges of our changing economy and capture the opportunities these changes bring:
Key strategic highlights include:
Launch of Life Sciences Strategy: The Partnership commissioned Newmark Consulting Group to conduct a study, sponsored by San Jacinto College, Lone Star College, Houston Community College, and McCord Development, focused on assessing the Houston region’s existing resources and value proposition in the life sciences industry. Findings identified Houston’s industry-leading expertise in key sectors including cell and gene therapy, biologic drug development, and molecular diagnostics. The study also identified strategic next steps for the Houston region to capitalize on these advantages, which led to the launch of working groups focused on marketing, workforce development, and business retention and expansion.
Improve Regional Collaboration: The Partnership hosted the inaugural Houston Region Economic Development Summit on June 7, 2022. This annual summit served as an opportunity to improve collaboration and engagement with the more than 35 economic development organizations in our 12-country footprint. To continue this important work, the Partnership launched a quarterly marketing and communications roundtable, launched a Regional Mega-Sites program, and increased the frequency of the Houston Regional Economic Development Allies (HREDA) meetings to monthly.
Proactive media efforts generated a steady stream of top tier and targeted trade press coverage aimed at promoting Houston as a great location to work and build a business. This effort resulted in 185 editorial placements, including 19 local media and 66 global media placements.
The Houston region continues to be a top destinations for domestic and international business expansions and relocation activity. In 2022, the Partnership and its regional allies assisted in 25 economic development projects, accounting for over $1 billion in capital expenditure and over 4,219 new jobs to the region.
“We are very excited by the opening of our new factory in Houston. This is not only an opportunity to bring more jobs to the area, but it also allows us to further expand our manufacturing capabilities and meet the growing needs of the North American datacenter market.”
– Daniel Pope, CEO and Co-founder of Submer Technologies
Houston continues to draw interest from companies across the country and around the world thanks to its business-friendly environment, pro-growth policies and exceptional, low-cost, quality of life.
Houston House at SXSW
In 2022, the Partnership’s team organized 5 domestic business recruitment missions and brand activations:
Widely regarded as ‘Houston’s Front Door’, the Partnership welcomed 153 inbound delegations from 68 countries to further grow the region’s international ties.
Notable business and governmental delegations included:
H.E. Miloslav Stašek, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the U.S.
In December, The Partnership, in collaboration with the European American Chamber of Commerce in Texas and the Embassy of the Czech Republic in DC, hosted the second annual European Union – Texas Economic Leadership Forum. His Excellency Miloslav Stasek, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the U.S., represented the EU Council Presidency. Michelangelo Margherita, Head of the EU Trade and Agriculture Section, also joined the delegation and expanded on the importance of Europe and Texas’ relationship as economic power partners. The Forum focused on the dynamic trade ties between regions and the collaboration needed to promote clean and efficient energy transition practices in and beyond borders.
Samuel Garcia, Governor, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Visegrad Four (V4) Ambassadors
In February, the Ambassadors of Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia (collectively known as the Visegrad Four or V4) visited Partnership Tower for a private lunch followed by a trade and investment forum with Houston business leaders. The visit celebrated 30 years of the group’s existence and raised awareness of the opportunity for collaboration between their respective regions and Houston.
Samuel Garcia, Governor, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
In April, Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia, Secretary of Economy Maestro Iván Rivas Rodríguez, and General Director of the Corporation for the Development of the Border Zone of Nuevo León Dr. Marco Antonio González Valdez visited Partnership Tower in an effort to strengthen the relationship between the two regions. The discussion focused on further developing their energy, logistics, life sciences and technology ecosystems. A memorandum of understanding was signed.
Her Majesty Queen Maxima, The Netherlands
In September, The Partnership hosted Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands as part of a Dutch working visit to Texas. The event was organized jointly with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the U.S. and focused on the economic ties and shared societal challenges between the Netherlands and Houston. Over 150 business executives and governmental leaders participated in the event. An official memorandum of understanding was signed between the Partnership and VNO-NCW, the largest employers organization in the Netherlands, that outlined the strong commitment to the bilateral relationship between The Netherlands and Houston in the areas discussed.
H.E. Mohamed Bazoum, President, Republic of Niger
In September, The Partnership, in collaboration with the City of Houston, hosted the Plenary Session of the Houston-Africa Energy Summit. His Excellency Mohamed Bazoum, President of Niger, and ministers of energy from more than a dozen African nations were in attendance. The event focused on the distinct energy and development goals of these countries, and the role Houston and the United States can play to both support and partner in the future of energy development in Africa.
In 2022, the Partnership and the City of Houston led several international trade and investment missions to further establish avenues for cooperation with key global partners.
Trade Mission to Japan
Queen Maxima of The Netherlands
Houston’s long-term growth is intrinsically tied to its quality of life. While many aspects of the greater Houston region contribute to the attraction of top talent and leading companies, business leaders agree that ensuring a great quality of life for residents is increasingly important to continue growth and access to opportunity.
The Partnership’s advocacy helps to improve the quality of life for all Houstonians. We serve as the primary business advocate for the region, working closely with elected officials at all levels of government to advocate for policies that address the most pressing issues facing our community.
The Partnership has remained steadfast in working with our local, state and federal representatives to advance policies supporting the region’s growth and opportunity for all.
Throughout 2022, the Partnership’s Board of Directors, Public Policy Steering Committee, and Public Policy Advisory Committees identified and developed an impactful state legislative agenda for the upcoming 88th Texas Legislative Session beginning in January 2023. The agenda is designed to address the most pressing issues facing the greater Houston region’s business community. With these executive priorities as guiding principles, the Partnership spent the past year engaging with decision makers, elected officials, and stakeholders on solutions and other measures designed to strengthen the region’s long-term growth and provide opportunity for all.
Advocacy efforts relating to these executive priorities and efforts surrounding the state legislative agenda included developing coalition support, utilizing legislative forums to educate decisions makers, and creating space for policy development. The Partnership’s Executive Priorities include Higher Education Funding, Economic Development Incentives, Energy Transition, and Flood Mitigation.
The Partnership’s federal agenda prioritizes carbon capture technology and the coastal barrier project, while also focusing on international trade. The congressional advocacy work capitalized on the opportunities set forth in the large scale legislative successes of the Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the CHIPs Act in support of local priorities of transportation, economic development, flood mitigation, and international trade. Prioritizing these issues at the federal level ensures Houston’s future economic growth and enhances opportunities for all.
As the Energy Capital of the World, the Partnership and its member companies pursue policies that support Houston’s leadership position within the global energy transition while creating high-quality, high-growth jobs and new economic opportunities.
The Partnership supported measures within the Inflation Reduction Act that will rapidly accelerate the development of hydrogen and carbon capture storage, two of Houston’s strengths.
Recognizing energy security, environmental progress, and economic vitality are not mutually exclusive, we’ve worked to support policies that uplift Texas as the nation’s leader in resource development, backed by a commitment to environmental stewardship. To ensure carbon capture technologies can be deployed across the oilfields of Texas, the Partnership has supported the State of Texas in its request for primacy over Class VI injection wells from the Environmental Protection Agency. The
Partnership is committed to working with and encouraging lawmakers to leverage Houston’s energy leadership and advance our energy competitiveness.
WRDA Fly-In Meeting with Congresswoman Kay Granger
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Study Chief’s Report recommends the Coastal Texas Program that will create both man-made and natural barriers to protect both human life and economic interests. This includes Port Houston, the Houston Ship Channel, and the petrochemical infrastructure that is critical to manufacturing, retail, agriculture, business, and military supply chains across the nation.
In the Fall of 2022, the Partnership coordinated a Washington, D.C. trip with the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD) to advocate for the Coastal Texas Program. The coastal barrier will require significant support from our local, state, federal, and non-governmental partners. During the visit, the delegation engaged with several federal legislators and their offices and connected with trade associations and other stakeholders interested in the project.
The Coastal Texas Program was signed into law at the end of 2022. In order to begin construction, Congress needs to make a significant appropriation in year one and year two to move the project forward. The Partnership supports seeing this project to fruition.
The North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP) is TxDOT’s $9 billion investment to redesign I-45 in three segments from US 59 to Beltway 8 North. The project will enhance safety by bringing this corridor up to current standards and will alleviate congestion, expand transit options, create new greenspaces, and address flood mitigation and disaster evacuation needs.
Since 2017, the Partnership has worked to support and refine the NHHIP through official public testimony, written comments, and interactions with TxDOT and other government and community leaders. The Partnership’s efforts contributed to TxDOT receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the community. On August 30, 2022, the Texas Transportation Commission voted to maintain funding for the NHHIP within the state’s master transportation plan.
The Partnership worked closely with city, county and state officials to improve the project and ensure local support of this important initiative. The Partnership is committed to Houston’s continued growth and future success through the attraction of new investment and resilient transportation infrastructure in our region.
The Partnership champions efforts that impact the economic growth and success of the greater Houston region. In line with this mission, the Partnership convened business leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to assess the implementation of a statewide economic development incentive program and what that program should look like. Recognizing the critical role economic development incentives play in bringing opportunity to our region, Partnership President and CEO Bob Harvey testified before the Senate Committee on Finance about the importance of developing a new school property tax abatement program. He urged the Senate Committee to partner with industry and economic development groups to adopt a smart, new program that will attract large, capital-intensive projects to Texas and our region, including projects related to energy transition. An economic development incentive program is vital to the region’s economic growth and ensuring its long-term competitiveness.
The Partnership’s Washington D.C. Fly-In convened nearly 60 business leaders, energy industry experts, and governmental relations professionals in our nation’s capital to meet with national leaders and decision-makers working on some of the most important issues facing our nation, state, and region. Many of the conversations focused on Houston’s leadership role in the energy transition and the policies necessary to advance that work.
The Future of Texas series brought together hundreds of Partnership members with elected officials throughout 2022, providing the opportunity to engage with state government leaders and hear their perspectives on our state’s most pressing issues, from flood resilience to the future of energy. Participating elected officials and subject matter experts this year included:
In 2022, the Public Policy Department launched the Legislative Policy Forum (LPF) series. The purpose is to gather legislative staff from all levels of government to discuss emerging issues, our legislative priorities, and how Houston industries and partners are working to address them. The 2022 Forums highlighted several key issues, including energy transition, carbon capture use and storage, community college reform, and workforce development pipelines.
The Partnership held its first Policy Orientation in December. This special event convened the greater Houston region’s elected leaders, their staff, and state agency professionals to learn from policy experts about the most pressing issues affecting our region: flood infrastructure funding, energy transition, the Texas Economic Development Act, public education and life sciences.
We’re not investing only in infrastructure. We’re investing in training, culture, diversity and more to ensure we’re investing in our people.”
– Ric Campo, Port Houston Chairman, State of the Port, November 10, 2022
As the Partnership works to support a strong, diverse economy, it is paramount that the growth we achieve is powered by Houstonians – our neighbors who are seeking opportunities to improve their own lives and those of their families. From access to quality education to engaging those often marginalized in underserved and outlying communities, it is imperative that we foster a metro region where everyone has a chance to succeed.
The Texas Commission on Community College Finance (TCCCF) was established in 2001 by the Texas State Legislature to evaluate the current community college finance system and propose recommendations for improvement. The Partnership helped shape the commission’s recommendation by advocating for a community college funding system that is industry-aligned and outcomes focused.
The Partnership believes the region must continue to develop tomorrow’s workforce through educating the incoming workforce on emerging industries and retraining incumbent professionals for high demand careers. The commission’s recommendations will improve student success, reduce student loan debt, quicken the timespan from enrollment to completion, respond to the changing needs of the industry, and strengthen our state’s economy by making sure the companies have the talented workforce that is needed not just for now, but for the future.
The Partnership prepared for the early 2023 launch of PartnerUp Houston, a regional mentorship program aimed at providing students with access to the professional development they need to be competitive in today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.
This initiative is a collaborative effort with the leading, large-scale mentorship program provider, Mentor Collective, which has facilitated over 200,000 mentorships across colleges and companies alike. The Partnership is proud to deploy this initiative that will help build emerging leaders and offer our member companies an added opportunity for employee enrichment while building a stronger talent pipeline for companies across the region.
“All of us together build the fabric of education in Houston. This is a big city and that collaboration is incredibly important…Post-secondary education still provides the best opportunity for transforming lives, and for transforming generations.”
– Renu Khator, Chancellor, University of Houston System, State of Education, November 29, 2022
Houston’s business community understands that the region’s economic success depends on the quality of its educational institutions and skilled workforce. Higher Education United with Business, or HUB, is an initiative of the Partnership that serves to facilitate communication and collaboration between Houston’s higher education institutions and businesses, so the region’s educational and workforce priorities are strongly aligned. HUB played an integral role in supporting the University of Houston as it continues to make meaningful strides in terms of student success and research funding. Recently, the Partnership has engaged with the Governor’s office to support a study that examines the economic impact to major metro areas of having a university that is ranked in the national top 50.
Results showed elevating the University of Houston into the national top 50 through additional financial support would significantly enhance the economic strength of our region and state, improve Texas’ reputation for high-quality higher education, attract higher-quality students to the state, expand research opportunities, and help secure prestigious, competitive grants and other funding opportunities. With a current ranking of #91, University of Houston is within striking distance of the national top 50, and HUB is working to make sure that that goal is reached.
The Houston/Texas Gulf Coast region confronts significant talent and workforce challenges as it transitions from an industrial economy to a knowledge-based, technology-enabled one. This transition is reshaping, at an accelerated pace, the skills
industries require and increasing the digital and essential skills workers will need to succeed. In addition, the demographic shifts in the region are an important asset and present an opportunity to close the education and skills gap in our workforce. As the most diverse city in the United States, the region’s employers are seeking to access a pipeline of diverse and qualified talent that can get to full productivity and grow with their employers. These forces, among others in our region, have created a very tight labor market whereby there are more job openings than people with the skills to succeed.
More than 60% of jobs in the region require education and skills beyond a high school diploma
45 to 50% low-wage workers have a high school diploma or less and don’t make enough to make ends meet
80,000 high school students graduate each year, with 70-75% of this incoming workforce not completing a post-secondary degree or credential
The Partnership believes that it is essential for business and industry to lead the region’s efforts to build a pipeline that grows and develops the finest talent and skilled workforce in the world. In creating UpSkill Houston and Houston Back on Track, the
Partnership works to create and sustain a virtuous cycle of growth and economic opportunity for future generations of Houstonians and for businesses that want to relocate to the region with a dynamic regional economy.
UpSkill Houston focuses on the Region’s Workforce of the Future by creating employer-led partnerships that provide students and young adults with multiple pathways to success and get their first good job. It focuses on strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in school districts that connect into community college technical programs to improve the ability of student to navigate career pathways into good middle-skill jobs in the region.
Houston Back on Track focuses on the Region’s Low Wage Workforce by upskilling and reskilling existing workers into better jobs that provide greater economic mobility and productivity. Working with employer partners who have collective hiring needs for entry-level roles, Back on Track identifies the skills needed for success and then engages community and education partners to develop and support workers with wraparound supports and skills development to prepare individuals for new career opportunities.
Greater Houston Apprenticeship Network event
The Greater Houston Partnership and UpSkill Houston provide state and national leadership in workforce development.
Houston Back on Track advances economic opportunity and mobility for low wage workers.
UpSkill Houston continues to advance employer-led collective action to address the region’s talent and workforce challenges.
It takes a collective team of employers and industry, educational institutions, and community partners to ensure Greater Houston has the finest talent and skilled workforce in the world. Join UpSkill Houston to support the growth and prosperity of the region.
Led by a board-level committee, One Houston Together is the Partnership’s commitment to leverage the power of the business community to reduce inequities.
Progress through One Houston Together depends on collective action by the business community drive change in two priority areas: advance people of color into senior management roles as wells as increase racial diversity on corporate boards and grow spending with Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs).
The One Houston Together priorities were developed based on results of the Partnership’s first-ever regional Equity & Inclusion Assessment completed in 2021 by 120 companies representing 215,000 employees. This achievement makes Houston the first major metro to take a data driven approach to advance collective progress by the business community and drives our focus to address these key opportunities.
To accelerate progress, a Talent Roundtable and Supplier Diversity Roundtable were established in early 2022 to convene Houston area senior leaders to share best practices, align on regional indicators for progress, and drive action to help make Houston one of the most equitable and inclusive business communities in the country.
To create change within an organization you have to lead from the top down, but also from the bottom up, and squeeze the frozen middle…We were the first technology and professional services firm to release all of our data publicly and say we would report on that data year after year in terms of our progress [because] there’s this idea that transparency builds trust and that light brings heat.”
– Marty Rodgers, Market Unit Lead – South Region, Accenture, DiverseCity Summit, October 25, 2022
Panel discussion at DiverseCity Summit
The Talent and Supplier Diversity Roundtables provide peer learning and resources to advance our region’s collective progress on diversity, equity and inclusion. Roundtable audience includes HR/DEI/Supply Chain/Supplier Diversity senior leaders from Partnership member companies. Roundtables convene once per quarter.
The regional assessment will reopen from April 1 – June 30, 2023 and we encourage all companies to participate. This robust tool provides an internal roadmap to help organizations enhance their DEI strategy and increase community impact.
Dr. Derek Avery at DiverseCity Summit
More than 550 attendees gathered for the Partnership’s 2022 DiverseCity Summit in October. The half-day Summit featured national leaders and Partnership members who discussed their personal journeys and offered practical insights to help businesses shift culture to advance DEI progress.
The Summit began with a plenary session on the business case for inclusive leadership presented by Dr. Derek R. Avery, C.T. Bauer Chair of Inclusive Leadership at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business. A series of breakout sessions followed on key DEI topics such as Connecting DEI and ESG and Rethinking Talent Retention and Advancement for Underrepresented Groups. The Summit culminated in a panel discussion with national corporate leaders who offered an inside look into their journeys to lead DEI and lessons on how their organizations are creating transformation and learning along the way.
Presenters gave practical solutions and shared their personal experience and professional learnings to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and create DEI progress.
“If people are our biggest asset, inclusion is about maximizing our return on our assets…We must stop excusing and sanctioning unproficiency and understand that this is an imperfect science if we’re going to achieve inclusive leadership as a managerial competency.”
– Derek R. Avery, Ph.D., C.T. Bauer Chair of Inclusive Leadership at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business at DiverseCity Summit
Through the investment and active engagement of our more than 950 member companies and organizations, the Partnership’s mission to make Houston the best place to live, work and build a business is made possible.
By leveraging our vital business resources, Partnership members impact the region through innovation, dedication and brilliance, strengthening Houston’s business community and position as a great global city.
The member engagement team works directly with members to ensure companies and all of their employees have the opportunity to align their membership with their core values and business priorities. The team also delivers unmatched programming through Signature Events, Business Resource Groups, Councils and more.
These convenings allow members to engage with like-minded individuals, business leaders and industry experts while gaining new contacts and valuable information that fosters business growth. Here are some of the activities conducted in 2022.
The Partnership hosted its second annual Partnership Week, a multi-day opportunity to learn more about the Partnership’s work and how members can get involved in our efforts to make Houston even greater, culminating in the organization’s Annual Meeting.
The 2022 Annual Meeting ushered in Thad Hill, President and CEO of Calpine Corporation, as the Partnership’s 2022 Chair. Thad outlined the Partnership objective to sharpen its focus on the region’s economic development. As Thad shared, “we are doing a lot of things right, but we simply must do better. We must amp up the tactics that are working, change the tactics that aren’t, and launch new approaches to accelerate growth. With the expertise and hard work of leaders like yourselves, we will be a great global, and even more inclusive, city for years to come.”
The event also shared remarks from outgoing 2021 Partnership Chair, Amy Chronis, Vice Chair and Houston Managing Partner at Deloitte. Amy reflected on the significant strides Houston has made toward advancing and leveraging its tech renaissance. Chronis said “Entrepreneurs from around the world are coming to Houston to launch and build their businesses, drawn by our collaborative innovation mindset, our business-friendly environment, and great
Soiree 2022
quality of life.”
“These are really good days for Houston with considerable momentum and opportunity ahead of us,” added Partnership President and CEO, Bob Harvey.
Nearly 700 guests gathered for an evening celebrating the regional brilliance that has positioned Houston as a center for world-changing innovations in key industries like life sciences, energy, aerospace and more.
The evening showcased pillars of Houston’s limitless opportunity, featured an exquisite dining experience and provided live entertainment and truly valuable opportunities to deepen connections between members of Houston’s business community.
The Soirée is the Partnership’s cornerstone annual fundraising event raising vital funds that support the Partnership’s mission in making Houston the best place to live, work and build a business.
The Partnership’s Executive Women’s Partnership (EWP) gathered for its annual retreat, with this year’s theme “Growing Together: Female Leaders Shaping Houston’s Future.” EWP provides women in C-suite leadership positions at member companies an opportunity to address business issues and interests, learn from each other and exchange ideas and information on important issues facing the business community. The two-day retreat featured stand-out presentations and panel discussions on topics including:
This group is well-known for being among the premier networking groups for leading female executives and celebrated another 26 new recruits to the group in 2022.
The Golf Classic, the Partnership’s second largest fundraising event, is one of the region’s most beloved executive tournaments. Nearly 100 leaders gathered for a day out on beautiful Memorial Park Golf Course to support the Partnership’s efforts to strengthen the Houston region for generations to come. This year students from First Tee joined as caddies for the opportunity to network with leaders from the region.
The President’s Roundtable series is a highly valued benefit of membership offering the opportunity to engage with other c-suite leadership through conversations around topics that advance the Partnership’s mission and regional growth through strategic initiatives.
This year, President’s Roundtable hosted:
President’s Roundtable
HYPE had a landmark year in 2022 by featuring its’ highly regarded Illuminate Houston event series, a dynamic and interactive opportunity for members to hear from business leaders who challenge the way we think about the future and are helping to shape Houston’s innovation ecosystem. In 2022, Illuminate Houston hosted these dynamic speakers who discussed trends, technologies and issues that define how we do business:
HYPE also introduced ExecNext, previously known as, “Power Hour,” This redesigned experience brings together Partnership Board Members and young professionals to engage in focused conversations with about pathways to success, current trends in the Houston business landscape and strategies on advancing professional development.
Now in its fourth year, Talent Resources Group (TRG) is one of the Partnership’s member-exclusive Business Resource Group offerings, focusing on talent attraction, retention, enhancing corporate culture as well as continuing education needs for HR and talent professionals.
TRG held an event at Palace Social to discuss how to invest in talent and how to elevate employee engagement. Jenna Sneed, Organizational Strategy Leader at Gallagher, and Patti Wilkie, Principal, Global Employer Services at Deloitte, shared several keys to engagement and best practices. Their insights helped attendee leaders invest in their employees today to recruit, engage and retain top talent in their organizations.