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 & Chief Economic Development Officer
Susan Davenport
Senior Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
LaTanya Flix
Senior Vice President, Research
Patrick Jankowski
Senior Vice President & Chief Policy Officer
Taylor Landin
Senior Vice President, Resources
Bonita Lockings
Senior Vice President, Marketing Communications
Clint Pasche
Senior Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer
Jenny Philip
Senior Vice President, Member Engagement & Chief Development Officer
Katie Pryor
Senior Vice President, Finance and Accounting & CFO
Gerrie Richards
Vice President, Events & Programs
Cari Broderson
Vice President, Public Policy
Chase Kronzer
Vice President, Regional Economic Development
Bethany Miller
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
A.J. Mistretta
Vice President, Public Policy & Advocacy
Lindsay Munoz
Vice President, Member Acquisition & Engagement
Nichelle Poindexter
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
It goes without saying that 2020 was a year unlike any other we have experienced. The COVID-19 pandemic combined with the collapse of the energy markets had an outsized impact on Houston, and I was pleased with the work of the Greater Houston Partnership on both of these fronts.
When I took on the role of 2020 Partnership Chair, I wanted to tackle what I saw as the most pressing issue facing our region’s economic future, the global energy transition. I believed then, and still do, that Houston has an obligation to help lead the transition to a low carbon future while simultaneously ensuring the world’s growing energy needs are met.
The question at the beginning of 2020 was not whether a transition would happen, rather just how quickly it would transpire. While the impact of the global pandemic on the energy transition is still to be determined, the energy business has shifted in the last twelve months, making our work more important than ever.
Despite the challenges, we charted some significant energy transition wins in 2020. First, we’ve garnered fantastic support from the energy industry itself and the leadership who understand the issue better than anyone. We used the convening power of the Partnership to pull those leaders together to discuss Houston’s path forward. This group agrees we must leverage Houston’s unique knowledge base, talent and infrastructure to lead the transition. No city can match Houston.
The Partnership supported efforts to grow and develop Houston’s Energy 2.0 ecosystem focused on recruiting companies, start-ups and incubators in energy tech, renewables, carbon capture and the like. We had some tangible success in this respect, including the recruitment of Greentown Labs to Houston, North America’s largest cleantech accelerator. They are opening their first satellite office right here in Houston. At the same time, established operations like Halliburton through its Halliburton Labs, and the large integrated energy companies, are doing incredible R&D work to discover new carbon and non-carbon-based means of producing energy.
The momentum in Houston related to the transition is quite good, and it is essential that our companies continue to attract capital to attack this issue. It will take the continued focus and attention from all of us in the business community to see to it that Houston goes through this energy transition period and comes out of it on the other end with the same global leadership position in energy that we have today. I am very confident that that we will.
As we work to set the stage for our region’s economic success, we must also insist that all Houstonians have equal opportunity to succeed as individuals. The turmoil of the last year laid bare the systemic racism that has permeated our society for too long. I believe the business community has an important role to play as our community pursues racial diversity, equity and inclusion. Meaningful change will not be quick nor easy, but the Partnership is committed to ensuring that a lens of racial equity permeate all facets of our work and that we lead the broader business community in addressing racial equity.
The next few years will be critical to Houston’s long-term future, and I look forward to continuing to support the work of the Partnership.
Bobby Tudor
Chair
In my annual meeting speech at the beginning of 2021, I talked about the importance of advancing and leveraging Houston’s technology renaissance to help drive the region’s long-term success. I spoke at length about the importance of this tech renaissance—both its role in continuing Houston’s long history of innovation and the critical part it plays in ensuring Houston is among the great 21st century cities of the world.
I’m proud to say that Houston is a city looking forward. A metro where tech and innovation are at the forefront, and everyone is pulling in the same direction, moving Houston toward a brighter future.Over the last year, we celebrated the opening of The Ion in Midtown, which is already becoming a true hub of innovation. Greentown Labs also opened last year and is quickly helping establish Houston’s position in the world of climatech.
We also celebrated the openings of the East End Maker Hub and the growth of The Cannon, the Downtown Launch Pad, and so many others. Houston Exponential, formed in 2017 with support from the Partnership, continued to champion and support the Houston startup ecosystem, hosting its second annual Houston Tech Rodeo.
We had a record year for venture capital funding of Houston start-ups in 2021 at just over $2 billion, which is up 610 percent since 2016.
The HX Venture Fund, which the Partnership helped launch back in 2018, has fully invested its first $40 million dollar fund, and is actively fundraising its second fund-of-funds targeting a $75 million raise.
We saw two Houston start-ups – Solugen and Axiom Space – grow into unicorns, meaning they’ve achieved a valuation of more than a billion dollars. Solugen is a Partnership member company that is revolutionizing the sustainable chemicals industry, and Axiom Space is gearing up to build the world’s first commercial space station at the Houston Spaceport.
Beyond the start-ups, tech giants such as Microsoft, Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud have greatly increased their presence in Houston. Plus, we added two new Fortune 500 company headquarters to our roster with announcements from Hewlett Packard Enterprise and NRG—bringing our total to 24 Fortune 500 headquartered firms, the third largest concentration in the nation.
I’m also proud to say that Houston is leading the conversation around the global energy transition to a low-carbon future. This effort made significant progress last year through the release of a comprehensive strategy and the creation of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative. The energy transition will lean heavily on the innovation taking place in Houston companies, universities, and startups.
All this said, these wins and accolades have less impact if we do not properly leverage them. As the world continues to recover from the pandemic, it’s more important than ever that each of us does our part to tell Houston’s story. So, I encourage you, whenever you have the opportunity, to talk about what makes our region a great place to live, to work and to build a business. It is really quite simple. Just tell them why you came and why you’ve stayed.
I look forward to continuing to support the work of the Partnership in the years to come. This is a committed group of people truly focused on improving Houston’s long-term future, and it has been a thrill to lead such an impact-oriented organization.
Amy Chronis
Chair
For the Partnership and the Houston region, 2020 began with a great deal of optimism and anticipation. We entered the year on a solid trajectory to create more jobs for our region and continue enhancing our innovation ecosystem while simultaneously digging into the hard work of energy transition that would enable Houston to remain the world’s energy capital.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the downturn in the energy markets last spring dealt Houston one of the toughest economic blows in recent memory. We lost an astounding 350,000 jobs in just two months as the region joined the rest of the world in lockdown. Since then, we’ve regained more than half of the jobs lost, but complete recovery won’t be possible until COVID-19 vaccines are fully deployed and the virus’ stranglehold on daily life eliminated.
These have not been easy days for companies in our region, both large and small. But beginning in March, the staff of the Partnership leapt into action to help our members navigate an unprecedented situation. We produced several critical resources, stood up new programs and pivoted to digital programming. I’m proud of the job our staff has done to keep our members informed and engaged throughout this period.
Despite the challenges we faced, there were also major accomplishments. Companies including Amazon and Google announced plans for new operations in the Houston area that will add hundreds of jobs. Tech giant Hewlett Packard Enterprise said it would relocate its corporate headquarters from Silicon Valley to Houston, giving our region another Fortune 500 company. And in a move certain to reinvigorate our aerospace sector, Axiom Space announced it will build the world’s first commercial space station at a new headquarters facility it is constructing at the Houston Spaceport.
Our organization also made headway in the effort to lead the global energy transition to a low-carbon future—a bold initiative that began several years ago and took off in earnest in 2020 with a commitment from Bobby Tudor. We also took on a leadership role in working to address racial inequity in the Houston community through the launch of our One Houston Together initiative.
In the months ahead, we will work to continue our collaboration with elected officials, the Texas Medical Center and other groups in the battle to overcome COVID-19. We will help position our region for full economic recovery by creating an environment conducive to growth among existing companies and the attraction of others. We will refocus attention on our Houston Next strategic plan to ensure economic growth is balanced with a strong quality of life and equitable and inclusive opportunity for all residents.
Houston’s can-do spirit has not been more fully tested in any other period since the 1980s, but we can and will rise to the occasion and revitalize this great global city.
Bob Harvey
President and CEO
The last two years have certainly been challenging, but I am pleased the Partnership has been at the forefront: helping the business community navigate the pandemic while advancing Houston as a city of growth and opportunity.
Throughout Houston’s past, there have always been individuals and groups who step forward and ask, “What does it take to move Houston forward?”
I believe the Partnership’s board, our members and our staff are united in working together to move Houston towards a bright future. We have never been more focused than we are now, and it is important that each of us ask ourselves how we can help advance our region.
This is an exciting time to be in Houston.
Houston is growing as a hub for startups, leveraging our core industries to form and foster new companies focused on solving the problems that matter.
One key area of focus is the Houston Energy Transition Initiative. I think this may be the single most important issue impacting Houston’s future success that we have faced or will face in our lifetimes.
This past summer, we released a blueprint for how Houston can leverage our energy leadership and expertise to seize this opportunity. I am pleased that Houston’s top energy leaders are committed to this effort, invested in our strategy and actively engaged both collectively and individually through their own companies in moving the industry and Houston forward.
This year we also accelerated our work through One Houston Together, the Partnership’s commitment to addressing racial inequity. This effort focuses on helping underrepresented businesses grow and increasing racial equity in the corporate talent pipeline and executive leadership.
Last fall, at our Houston DiverseCity Summit, we unveiled the results of Houston’s first regional Equity & Inclusion Assessment. The findings of that assessment led us to sharpen our focus, and I believe we are on the right trajectory to achieve meaningful change that will provide a model for how business communities around the country can take action.
When people ask me what the Greater Houston Partnership is about, I tell them it’s simple: we are about growth and opportunity.
The curveballs thrown by the pandemic have been many, but time and again Houston’s business community has proven its strength and resiliency, eager to show what we are capable of despite adversity. Together, we can continue to build our great global city, one focused on growth and opportunity for all Houstonians.
Bob Harvey
President and CEO
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 city 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 that positive trajectory is far from guaranteed.
To succeed as a global metro, it is critical that Houstonians focus our efforts on three key areas:
As we pursue these goals, it is critical to view our efforts through the 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 37 Houston Next investors who have pledged their support to our strategic efforts. Learn More.
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
Houston is a city of tremendous opportunity. It’s a city 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 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 these 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 49 Houston Next investors who have pledged their support to our strategic efforts. Learn More.
Amegy Bank
Baker Hughes
BP America Inc.
Burns McDonnell
Calpine Corporation
Camden
CenterPoint Energy
Chevron
ConocoPhillips
Crown Castle
Deloitte
Dow
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
Midway Companies
Motiva Enterprises, LLC
Occidental Petroleum
Onstead Family Foundation
Phillips 66
PNC
PWC
Reliant, an NRG Company
Service Corporation International
Shell Oil Company
Silver Eagle Distributors
Sysco Corporation
TC Energy
Texas Medical Center
The Dow Chemical Company
Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. LLC
Vinson & Elkins
Westlake Chemical Corporation
The arrival of COVID-19 in Houston in March marked a seismic shift in how this region would conduct business through the remainder of 2020. The temporary shutdown of many industries, along with efforts to maintain the health and safety of on-site employees and maneuver through federal relief programs, required guidance and support for companies. The Partnership acted quickly to provide members and other companies in our region regular updates, direction and vital resources. The organization has also worked closely with elected officials and health officials at the state, county and city level, as well as leaders from the Texas Medical Center and local independent school districts to help coordinate response efforts.
Work Safe Company Program: First announced on March 25 and later updated and expanded, the Partnership developed principles designed to support a healthy and safe work environment for employers. To encourage companies to adhere to these principles, a corresponding pledge was developed for leadership to sign, signifying to their employees, customers and the public that they would follow the principles. To date, more than 180 Houston area companies, from small businesses with just a few employees to multinational corporations, have committed to being Work Safe Companies.Responding to the need for a centralized hub containing federal, state and local recovery resources, the Partnership created the Business Recovery Center in April to provide links to key programs and guides on applying for assistance.
To aid companies planning to reopen or expand their operations, the Partnership shared several resources to help businesses develop plans to protect the health of their employees and customers, minimizing the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
Each of the Partnership’s Public Policy Advisory Committees provided ongoing engagement on their industries’ unique challenges, learning and policy solutions during the pandemic.
Employers in the Houston region shed a total of 350,200 jobs early in the pandemic, adding back 202,500 jobs through mid-January 2021, or about 58% of those lost. The majority of the job losses have been in sectors such as restaurants and hospitality, construction, professional services and manufacturing.
In times of uncertainty, information is key. The Partnership began providing regular virtual updates on the economy and the impact of COVID-19 shortly after the pandemic began. Senior Vice President of Research Patrick Jankowski continued these updates monthly through the remainder of the year, providing up-to-date information and analysis on the trajectory of the national and local economies. These virtual events were augmented by a new Partnership podcast, Bayou Business Download, as well as written updates.
The Partnership’s COVID-19 Houston Business Forum was a digital series providing the latest information and analysis in the first few months of the crisis. The presentations with local experts and business leaders covered topics including managing COVID-19 cases in the workplace, ensuring safe public transportation and making sense of new federal regulations. Partnership President and CEO Bob Harvey also provided regular updates for members on the impact of the virus.
The Partnership’s Small Biz Insider digital program, which includes a podcast and video series, switched gears during the pandemic to help provide key guidance and advice to small businesses in the region facing challenges.
After announcing the Partnership’s prioritization of positioning Houston as a leader in the global energy transition in 2020, the organization has continued to work with key leaders from business, government and academia on how the region can seize that opportunity.
In June 2021, the Partnership shared the cumulative results of this ongoing work coupled with the efforts of the organization’s public policy and economic development energy-focused committees and proudly announced the launch of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) at the inaugural Future of Global Energy Conference.
Bobby Tudor, who chairs HETI, announced the Partnership’s regional strategic blueprint for leading the global energy transition to a low-carbon world. This strategy was informed by a deep dive into industry and economic trends as well as insights from interviews with more than 60 stakeholders representing leaders across industry, policy and research.
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.
The Partnership also built the foundation on which it will execute the strategy through the creation of the HETI Steering Committee, alignment on HETI’s long-term goals, launching action towards HETI’s 2022 objectives and raising over $4 million to implement the strategy over the next three years.
With stakeholders aligned and the initiative launched, the Partnership will now move to execute on HETI’s key initiatives, measure overall impact and continue to refine the approach in the year ahead.
More than 70 companies have signed a letter supporting the Houston Energy Transition Initiative. The letter communicates the Partnership and Houston’s shared vision and commitment to leading the global transition. The list of current signatories includes major energy companies and support services firms as well as other organizations not directly tied to the energy industry that support the goals of the initiative.
To ensure that the Houston region plays a key role in the global energy transition to a more efficient and sustainable, low-carbon future, the Partnership advocated for a series of measures aimed at energy competitiveness during the 87th Texas Legislative Session. The Partnership supported policies that will help Texas maintain its competitive advantage to lead the global energy transition to a low-carbon future. The Partnership prioritized legislation to advance carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) because the technology is recognized as one of the most significant components of the transition and critical for Texas’ energy competitiveness.
The passage of House Bill 1284 cleared a path for the region to lead in CCUS development and implementation. HB 1284 streamlines the bureaucratic process related to storing captured carbon and joins Texas with energy competitive states in seeking primacy over Class VI injection wells, a key factor in CCUS. This competitive advantage can drive the region’s position as a leader in CCUS and in the overall energy transition.
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 Partnership has long promoted Houston’s growth through economic development efforts aimed at attracting, retaining and growing leading global companies, creating jobs and growing the region’s GDP. We also provide a platform to connect foreign companies and entities with members of the Houston business community and facilitate initiatives that expand investment and trade opportunities.
Based on recommendations from an economic development tactical plan in 2019, the Partnership identified Aerospace and Aviation as a sixth area of strategic focus due to the growth potential of the commercial space sector in our region. Aerospace and Aviation joins Life Sciences, Energy 2.0, Headquarters recruitment, Digital Technology and Manufacturing and Logistics as the target sectors for recruitment. In addition, the economic development team expanded to include three industry experts tasked with leading strategic ecosystem enhancements and unique recruitment opportunities related to Aerospace, Life Sciences and Energy 2.0.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Partnership’s business attraction and retention efforts adapted to the current economic environment. This included a deeper look at target industries to ensure ongoing attraction efforts aligned with significant shifts in the economy and emerging areas of opportunity, as well as adapting our communications with prospect companies and international partners.
This activity is led by our economic development committees comprised of executives from leading companies and organizations across Houston.
During a time of increased uncertainty, it became even more important to harness strategic partnerships and connections to further regional economic development objectives through:
Houston-based companies raised $715 million in Venture Capital (VC) funding in 2020, up from $702 million in 2019 and a new record.
Despite economically challenging times, the Houston region continued to see both domestic and international business expansions and relocation activity. The Partnership and its regional allies assisted in 21 economic development projects, accounting for over $704 million in capital expenditure and over 3,200 new jobs to the region.
The Houston region further solidified its position as a top U.S. metro for business relocations and expansions, with an estimated total of more than 120 announced projects. Of those projects that disclosed investment and new job creation, the Partnership estimates over $4.3 billion in capital expenditure and more than 9,570 new jobs.
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.
While notable outbound visits took place earlier in the year, travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic quickly shifted business recruitment missions, both domestically and internationally, to a virtual setting.
In January, the Partnership traveled to Israel with Governor Abbott during the first month of the year to discuss synergies in our innovation and startup ecosystems. This visit included a special dinner with Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel.
In October, the Partnership organized a two-day virtual business recruitment mission to Silicon Valley. The delegation was led by Mayor Turner and included Houston business leaders. Notable company visits included Intel, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Chevron, Plug and Play Technology Center and The Wesley Group. Meetings focused on Houston’s role to lead the global energy transition, the region’s digital tech and innovation initiatives, as well Houston’s approach to racial equity. The trip concluded with a high-energy virtual marketing event featuring an update on the incredible transformation and investments shaping Houston, including venture capital investment, innovation infrastructure projects and greenspace.
In November, the Partnership hosted a multi-day virtual investment forum in partnership with the Dutch city of Rotterdam. The virtual forum brought together civic leaders, port authorities and subject matter experts to exchange knowledge and stimulate bilateral investment, trade and innovation between Houston and the Netherlands in the area of Energy 2.0. The event highlighted Houston’s commitment to working with our global partners on tackling climate change head on and identifying solutions for the future.
In December, the Partnership and Mayor Turner hosted a virtual multi-day investment and trade mission to Tokyo and Chiba. The mission focused on reinforcing our relationship with key allies, promoting Houston as a great global city and establishing new avenues for cooperation and investment with key government stakeholders and business leaders. Notable meetings included Mitsubishi Corporation, Toshiba, the Mayor of Chiba, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
The economic downturn brought about by the pandemic made it increasingly important to continue building awareness about Houston’s diverse industry base and broad value proposition through an integrated marketing and communications campaign that included:
“While some might have chosen Silicon Valley for their U.S. HQ, Houston has been kind of a hidden gem for us…Our company has been able to grow within the local community and ecosystem…I’d consider Houston’s startup scene to be unique, growing and diverse.” – Marcelo Cordini, co-founder of December Labs
Continuing to play the role of Houston’s Front Door, the Partnership welcomed 86 inbound delegations from 28 countries to further grow the region’s international ties. Despite travel restrictions, the Partnership continued to host key visits with our partners around the globe virtually.
Notable business and governmental delegations included:
“We’ve known for a long time that the digital economy will change how we work, and it’s not a new trend. This crisis has made it a step-change. We have now seen the arrival of that new digital economy at scale, and that will hurt employment, it will put some workers out of a job. We need to be thinking about retraining employees and taking this a lot more seriously.”– Mike Wirth, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Chevron
At the start of 2020, the Partnership prioritized efforts that will position Houston to lead the global energy transition to a more efficient and sustainable, low-carbon future, while also accommodating growing global energy demand.
Key 2020 wins:
The Partnership has dedicated cross-functional industry experts who are working alongside the business community, stakeholders, elected officials and others to:
“In order to meet the urgent challenge of climate change, we must engage the talent and assets of major ecosystems around the country. We look forward to catalyzing the Houston ecosystem’s support for climatetech startups as we work together toward a sustainable future for all.” – Emily Reichert, CEO, Greentown Labs
The Partnership has long promoted Houston’s growth through economic development efforts aimed at attracting, retaining and growing leading global companies, creating jobs and growing the region’s GDP. We also provide a platform to connect foreign companies and entities with members of the Houston business community and facilitate initiatives that expand investment and trade opportunities.
This activity is led by our economic development committees comprised of executives from leading companies and organizations across Houston.
“This move has been a part of our strategic plan for some time, and Houston’s commitment to climate goals and the electrification of transportation align with our own goals and strategy. Texas is a great place for business, growing at a rapid pace and attracting diverse talent and industries.” – Mauricio Gutierrez, President and CEO, NRG Energy in announcing the company’s HQ relocation to Houston
Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, the Houston region continued to see both
domestic and international business expansions and relocation activity. The Partnership and its regional allies assisted in 26 economic development projects, accounting for over $922 million in capital expenditure and over 2,900 new jobs to the region.
The Houston region further solidified its position as a top U.S. metro for business relocations and expansions, with a total of more than 231 announced projects. Of those projects, 24% disclosed jobs tied to the announcement, amounting to over 10,520 jobs, and 15% disclosed capital expenditure totaling $3.4 billion.
“Houston is a diverse and rapidly growing city, and locating our headquarters here will help us meet our long-term needs to recruit and retain premier talent in our industry. It will also allow us to build a closer, more impactful relationships with our Texas-based customers.” –Vimal Kapur, President and CEO, Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies in announcing the unit’s HQ relocation to Houston
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.
While restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic continued to limit travel, the Partnership’s team held several business recruitment missions, both domestically and internationally, both in-person and virtually.
The economic downturn brought about by the pandemic made it increasingly important to continue building awareness about Houston’s diverse industry base and broad value proposition through an integrated marketing and communications campaign that included:
The Partnership was thrilled to be a featured partner at 2021 South by Southwest Online Conference—one of the premier culture and technology conferences in the world. The conference serves as the prime stage to showcase Houston’s momentum as one of the most prominent emerging tech hubs in the country.
Through this digital activation, the Partnership garnered invaluable brand awareness for the region by hosting a series of virtual programming that featured innovation leaders. Panel participants discussed how Houston is coming together to solve the problems that matter, all while fostering a culture of inclusive innovation. Houston House welcomed a total of 3,000 virtual attendees, and secured over 15 business development meetings with innovation-focused companies to cultivate relationships and support business expansion and relocation to Houston.
The video series continues to be leveraged beyond the conference through a dedicated landing page.
Houston-based companies raised $2.014 billion in Venture Capital (VC) funding in 2021, up 610% since 2016.
“Houston is poised to be a leader in commercial space flight. We have led in human space flight, and now we will be a leader in commercialization.” –Vanessa Wyche, Director, NASA Johnson Space Center at State of Space, September 16, 2021
Continuing to play the role of Houston’s Front Door, the Partnership welcomed 49 inbound delegations from 21 countries to further grow the region’s international ties. Despite travel restrictions, the Partnership continued to host key visits with our partners around the globe virtually.
Notable business and governmental delegations included:
Houston’s role in the energy transition to a low-carbon future is critical to the region’s economy. Learn about the Partnership’s efforts in this important arena.
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. To ensure residents access to a great quality of life, the Partnership serves 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.
As the pandemic continues to present challenges locally and across the globe, the Partnership has remained steadfast in working with our local, state and federal representatives to advance policies that support the region’s growth and opportunity for all.
In advance of the 87th Texas Legislative Session, the Partnership’s Board of Directors, Public Policy Steering Committee and public policy Advisory Committees developed a legislative agenda that addresses the most pressing issues facing the business community and the greater Houston region – these being broadly categorized as access and energy competitiveness.
Despite the challenges presented throughout the 2021 session, including the ongoing pandemic and Winter Storm Uri, the Partnership successfully advanced important legislation.
Key bills were passed and enacted in both of these priority areas to:
For the 117th Congress, the Partnership developed a federal agenda to support the attraction of leading global companies and skilled talent to the Houston region. The federal agenda consisted of three executive priorities – Energy & Energy Transition, COVID-19 Response & Relief and the Houston Ship Channel Expansion – all of which are key to Houston’s future economic growth and opportunity for all. View the full federal agenda.
The Partnership’s virtual fly-in to Washington D.C. convened nearly 150 business leaders with members of the region’s Congressional delegation, as well as policy experts and commentators.
Greater Houston Regional Congressional Delegation participants included:
As the principal business organization in the region, the Partnership is committed to Houston’s continued growth and future success through the attraction of new investment in our region. A critical enabler of this continued growth and opportunity for all Houstonians is adequate and resilient transportation infrastructure that offers improved mobility for both people and goods moving within and across our region.
The North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP) is TxDOT’s $7.9 billion investment to redesign I-45 in three segments from US 59 to Beltway 8 North. The project not only brings this corridor up to current standards, but it also alleviates congestion, enhances safety, expands transit options and addresses flood mitigation and disaster evacuation needs.
Since 2017, the Partnership has worked to both support and refine NHHIP through official public testimony, written comments, and interactions with TxDOT and other government and community leaders.
When the project funding was threatened, the Partnership led an effort to ensure public support for the project was strongly communicated to TxDOT. The Partnership’s efforts contributed to TxDOT receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the community, with comments in support of the NHHIP outweighing those opposed to the project by more than a 2-to-1 ratio. On August 31, 2021, the Texas Transportation Commission voted to maintain funding for the NHHIP within the state’s master transportation plan.
While maintaining funding for the project is a victory, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) halted progress on the project in June to review the project’s environmental impact statement. We support a thorough and timely review and will work with state and local leaders to resolve any outstanding issues with the FHWA to move this transformational project forward.
In 2021, the Partnership advanced policy priorities by convening elected officials, subject matter experts and community leaders, including numerous federal and state level leaders, featuring:
“We are ready to create a pipeline for the talent who will be at the forefront of the second space age—a trillion dollar industry.” – Mario Diaz, Houston Aviation Director, State of the Airports, October 22, 2021
The Houston Airport System handled 42.9 million passengers in the 12 months ending November 2021, a 55.3% increase from the 27.6 million handled over the same period in 2020.
“A key component of the port’s continued growth lies in the progress made toward the widening & deepening of the Houston Ship Channel, ensuring that it is accessible by all forms of traffic efficiently and safely.” – Bob Harvey, President and CEO of the Partnership at the State of the Port, October 7, 2021
The Houston-Galveston Customs District handled 320.5 million metric tons in the first 11 months of 2021, up 3.2% compared to 2020.
For Houston to compete for companies and talent on the global stage, we must ensure a great quality of life for our residents. As the primary business advocate for the Houston region, the Partnership has worked to broaden the scope of efforts around quality of life to include issues such as flood resiliency and a robust transportation infrastructure.
Key to the Partnership’s effort to improve the quality of life for residents of our region is our advocacy function. The Partnership works closely with elected officials at all levels of government to advocate for policies that address the most pressing issues facing our community.
Throughout 2020, particularly since COVID-19 hit the Houston region, we have worked closely with officials at the local, regional, state and federal levels to provide policy recommendations that support our region.
Washington, D.C. Fly-In: In February, the Partnership led a delegation of almost 100 business leaders, elected officials and regional partners to Washington, D.C. to discuss federal priorities with members of Congress, the Administration, agency officials and other key stakeholders to advance key priorities including:
“As we move forward through these unprecedented times, the City’s foundation is strong; the City itself is resilient; and the City’s future is bright,” – Mayor Sylvester Turner, State of the City, October 22, 2020
Future of Texas brought together hundreds of members with elected officials and civic leaders who are shaping Texas’ future to discuss perspectives on our state’s most pressing issues. The 2020 series featured conversations with local leaders from the City of Houston and members of the Texas Legislature covering education and industry, the state budget, equity, public health and preparation for the 87th Texas Legislative Session.
In 2020, the Partnership advanced policy priorities through the convening elected officials, subject matter experts and community leaders, including:
The Partnership is committed to sustainable funding and health care access. Prior to the pandemic, the Trump Administration proposed new rules under the Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Regulation (MFAR). The Health Care Advisory Committee evaluated the issue and the Partnership supported a policy to limit disruptions to provider payment rates and state financing of Medicaid.
The City of Houston 50/50 Park Partners presents an opportunity for corporations to support neighborhood parks and their surrounding communities. The initiative includes an equity-based process for determining park selection and park improvements to ensure they are driven by local communities. The Partnership’s Quality of Place Committee provided advisory support to the initiative, which is operated by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department and Houston Parks Board.
“The 50/50 Park Partners program is a great example of how corporate partners can come together with the city and our communities to support neighborhood resources and promote park equity across Houston. I’m proud of the role the business community continues to play in making Houston a better place to live and work for everyone.” – Bob Harvey
“Port of Houston international tonnage is still 70% ahead of the next closest U.S. port. Even with a weak year in 2020, the Port of Houston will remain the number one U.S. port for international trade.” – Ric Campo, Chair Port Houston, State of the Port, October 13, 2020
“Our airfields began looking more like aircraft parking lots [in March and April]. And so few passengers meant little revenue was coming in… That was our rock bottom. But it was the point when I believe we found our greatest strength in ourselves, in our essential team and our leadership. We knew we had to adapt. We had to be nimble. We knew we had to come together and act fast.” – Mario Diaz, Houston Aviation Director, State of the Airports, October 2, 2020
The Houston-Galveston Customs District handled 311.3 million metric tons of goods and commodities in the first 11 months of 2020, an 8.6% increase over the comparable period in 2019.
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 opportunity 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, creating a metro region where everyone has a chance to succeed must be a priority.
Preparing for 87th Texas Legislative SessionRecognizing that COVID-19 and the energy downturn has had significant impacts on the state budget, the 2021 legislative session will bring unique challenges for lawmakers to navigate. The Partnership, with the support of the Public Policy Advisory Committees, Steering Committee, and Board of Directors, has approved a focused legislative agenda with two executive priorities – Access and Energy Competitiveness.
The Greater Houston HUB is an initiative that unites higher education and business leaders focused on:
The Higher Education Advisory Committee worked with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on a pilot initiative, GradTX 2.0, which seeks to re-enroll students in college to obtain a degree or credential of value.
“There are a lot of indicators that show that this economy can be strong again and can do so in a short period of time given the opportunity. We’ve got a lot of companies that have streamlined, they’ve looked at how to do things more efficiently, so once we get out of the way and we have a vaccine and this virus is behind us or in the rear-view mirror, I think it’s possible that we could have an even stronger economy.” – Trey Duhon, County Judge of Waller County, State of the Houston Region, September 25, 2020
The Partnership, in collaboration with business and education leaders, launched the Texas Digital Access Coalition. The Public Education Advisory Committee supports this initiative to improve access to reliable and affordable digital connectivity that empowers Texans to meaningfully engage in their education, employment and health care.
“We have all had to adjust with COVID. If you really try to hold onto the way things worked before, it’s going to be really tough. And it’s going to be tough for the people on the front lines of your business. Open things up more.” – Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic, Houston NEXT: An ERG Summit, October 14
The Partnership’s UpSkill Houston initiative works to strengthen the talent pipeline employers need and to help all Houstonians connect to good careers that increase their economic opportunity and prosperity. UpSkill Houston leaders worked with the Boston Consulting Group in 2019 to create a new strategy – Vision 2025 – to accelerate and scale UpSkill Houston’s impact. Vision 2025 key pillars include:
This effort has become only more urgent with the arrival of COVID-19 and the increase in automation and digital technologies in the workplace; and it will remain more important as the region recovers from the pandemic’s effects. Skills-based hiring practices and charting upskilling pathways to good careers will be key elements in the region’s recovery from the pandemic and its economic downturn. Vision 2025’s focus was informed by two major reports published this year:
Both reports highlight research conducted for the initiative by TEConomy Partners, LLC. in 2019.
Since its founding, UpSkill Houston has been known as a convener of employers, educators and community-based organizations invested in strengthening the region’s talent pipeline. Challenges driven by fluctuations in the economy and global markets, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, have caused greater alignment of workforce development efforts across the region and beyond, with UpSkill Houston serving as a model and a major driver of progress.
UpSkill Houston launched the UpSkill Works Forum Series to elevate and broaden the regional conversation around workforce development. The series delves into key workforce issues and has featured nationally known thinkers from the Brookings Institution, Opportunity America, WorkingNation and regional leaders from local organizations and educational institutions working with employers and individuals in the Houston region.
UpSkill Houston continued its work to promote awareness of the good careers and career pathways available in the regional economy through its popular “My Life As…” series, as well as active participation in career fairs and information sessions, and the promotion of opportunities and pathways offered by its partners.
UpSkill Houston also launched a new skills-focused animated series in partnership with Red+Black to help individuals recognize and develop the foundational skills that can set them up for career success.
In 2020, the Partnership helped host and facilitate the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s prestigious Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) Academy® in Texas with the goal of increasing alignment between workforce development practitioners across the state. The TPM Academy also lays the groundwork for a statewide network focused on addressing skills gaps. The six-month Academy included roughly 30 workforce development leaders from Texas cities and communities large and small, including four from the greater Houston region.
The TPM Academy was supported by an alliance of state workforce and education leaders, including the Partnership, Educate Texas and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Partnership Senior Vice President of Regional Workforce Development Peter Beard served on the faculty of the TPM Academy of Texas.
The Partnership became a founding partner of Aim Hire Texas, a statewide consortium of advocates, employers, non-profit organizations, and education and training providers working to improve the Texas workforce system for the benefit of all Texans and their employers.
The initiative, which launched in October, supports policies and expands programs that provide skills training from traditional and new public and private sources, ensuring that Texans who need a 21st-century job can find one, and employers can access a growing talent pool to meet their needs.
In October, UpSkill Houston’s Peter Beard testified before the Texas Senate Higher Education Committee as it examined innovative programs that assist non-traditional students in completing a degree or credential and considered potential partnerships with higher education institutions to expand successful programs.
In his testimony, Beard concluded that to be successful in its charge, Texas must:
In September, the Partnership joined forces with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and WorkingNation to launch Talent Finance – an initiative aimed at reimagining how we finance and invest in the development and upskilling of a competitive workforce. This groundbreaking initiative explores private sector-led finance solutions and innovations to better invest in people and skills that keep pace with innovation and advance economic opportunity, diversity, inclusion, and competitiveness.
The Partnership co-authored the Talent Finance white paper outlining a framework and opportunities for assessing, measuring and managing risk, and changing incentives for employers and government to work together. UpSkill Houston’s Peter Beard was also featured in the ensuing forum series that examined key themes of the white paper.
“We’ve known for a long time that the digital economy will change how we work, and it’s not a new trend. This crisis has made it a step-change. We have now seen the arrival of that new digital economy at scale, and that will hurt employment, it will put some workers out of a job. We need to be thinking about retraining employees and taking this a lot more seriously.”– Mike Wirth, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Chevron
Stay up to date with UpSkill Houston’s work and the latest workforce development news and information from around the region by subscribing to the UpSkill UpDate newsletter.
With HR professionals being called to swiftly adapt their workforces and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) coming to the forefront in 2020, the Talent Resources Group (TRG) had an active year. Pre-pandemic, this business resource group celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act by hosting ReelWorkplace in collaboration with the JFS Alexander Institute for Inclusion as part of the 8th annual ReelAbilities Houston Film & Arts Festival. The group also hosted the third annual Houston NEXT: An ERG Summit, a three-day event featuring experts discussing distributed work models and how HR and talent professionals can advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Houston-area realtors sold 96,151 single-family homes in 2020, up 10.5% compared to 2019. Sales of all property types (single-family, duplexes, townhomes and condos) totaled 115,523 homes in 2020, up 11.6% from 2019 and a new record high.
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 opportunity 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, creating a metro region where everyone has a chance to succeed must be a priority.
Throughout the 87th Texas Legislative Session, the Partnership supported policies related to equitable access to the institutions that power a strong, diverse economy and create true opportunity for all including education, digital connectivity and health care.
The Texas Legislature demonstrated their continued dedication to the prioritization of our students and teachers across the state. Several bills that advance the funding, access and quality of these institutions were signed into law and will enhance opportunity and quality of life for millions of students and residents across Texas. Highlights include:
State Budget (Senate Bill 1) – $3.1 billion increase in state funding for public schools, fully covering the cost of enrollment growth over the next two years.
Senate Bill 1102 – Establishes the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) Program designed to put Texans back to work in high-demand occupations post-pandemic and accelerates the ability for collaboration between higher education and business partners to provide training programs and credentials for displaced and underemployed workers.
Senate Bill 1365 – Ensures the continuation of the state’s accountability system and enhances intervention and sanction measures for perennially failing campuses and public school districts.
House Bill 5 – Establishes the Broadband Development Office charged with closing the digital divide in Texas
House Bill 3767 – Establishes the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative, strengthening the current work of the Texas Education Agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Texas Workforce Commission
“COVID-19 has forced us to think differently about how we educate kids and the importance of the learning environment at home, including being digitally connected.” – Jennifer Blaine, Ed.D., Superintendent, Spring Branch ISD at State of Education, October 12, 2021
The Partnership prioritizes equitable opportunities across all levels of learning, work that must be approached through focused efforts, tackling the specific challenges presented at each level of the education system. In addition to advancing K-12 education alongside regional leaders, the Partnership also works closely with higher education institutions, community colleges and community-based organizations to enhance overall workforce development efforts to meet the region’s ever-changing industry needs. The Partnership champions and advances policies that enhance skills-based workforce opportunities, such as House Bill 3767 and Senate Bill 1102.
In 2021, HUB set priorities to expand corporate recruitment efforts to encompass more
Houston higher ed institutions and advocate for more equitable state funding of higher education institutions during the 87th Legislative Session.
During the 87th Legislative Session, the Partnership advanced initiatives within the state budget, which directs the Trusted Programs Office within the Office of the Governor to conduct an economic impact study to measure the future value of having an additional top 50 public university in Texas.
In 2021, the HUB also:
The Partnership will continue to support the efforts of our regional higher education leadership to ensure the study provides sufficient recommendations for legislative action that fully take into account each institution located in our region. This study is a critical component to the evaluation and eventual enhancement of state formula funding elements that will provide the necessary investments in programs needed to meet the demand of a twenty-first-century workforce in a consistently changing global economy.
“Higher ed is an engine of opportunity, a necessary part of the fabric of the country to make it a fair and equitable country.” – David Leebron, President, Rice University at State of Education, October 12, 2021
The pandemic has widened the skills and people gap the Houston region faces – both in the near term and the long term. In today’s tight labor market, employers are struggling to find qualified people – the skilled workers they need as the region’s economy recovers. People who are unemployed or underemployed are being challenged to navigate and to enter the post-pandemic labor market.
Through the Partnership’s two major workforce development initiatives, Houston Back on Track and UpSkill Houston, we are working to address the skills and people gap challenges our businesses and regional economy face in the near and long term. In the near-term, we are connecting the dots by engaging and recruiting individuals to enter the labor market and helping them to develop the skills needed for the good jobs employers have today. In the long-term, we are focused on strengthening skills-based hiring and education and improving effective career guidance and navigation.
This work supports an equitable, inclusive economy by reaching and engaging underserved populations and preparing them for the good jobs our region offers which expands the diversity of the region’s overall workforce.
Houston Back on Track is an employer-led, jobs first initiative that works with employers who have current hiring needs in today’s
tight labor market. By understanding specific occupational roles and skills, Houston Back on Track works with community-based and education partners to source and prepare individuals for the roles needed by employers. Community partners are critical in this initiative because they provide individuals with the supports and services to ensure they are set up for success. This initiative is driven by committed partners who are creating a line of sight to good jobs for individuals impacted by the pandemic and supporting them with career guidance, skills training and development, and preparation for employment with our employer partners.
Key 2021 highlights include:
UpSkill Houston is the Partnership’s nationally recognized and employer-led initiative that mobilizes the collective action of employers, educators and community-based leaders to strengthen the long-term pipeline of skilled workers that employers need and to create better pathways to opportunity and prosperity for all Houstonians. UpSkill Houston focuses on the middle-skill occupations requiring education and skills beyond high school but less than four years of college.
Programmatic Highlights:
Effective career coaching and navigation are essential for improving workforce outcomes. Today’s labor market is very challenging to understand, so UpSkill Houston works with career counselors and coaches to strengthen their ability to help students and job seekers navigate the region’s dynamic labor market and identify and prepare for a good job. We partner closely with United Way of Greater Houston and its THRIVE network to connect and engage with employers who are hiring. As these coaches develop a better understanding of the jobs, they can prepare individuals to be successful as they are hired and grow in these jobs.
The Partnership’s UpSkill Works Forum series engages business, education and community leaders, policy makers, and leading thinkers on key workforce issues our region and nation confront. In 2021, the UpSkill Works Forum hosted two sessions to advance and champion the use of apprenticeships and to launch the Greater Houston Apprentice Network powered by Accenture and Aon. As technology disrupts the workplace, we hosted a forum focused on building the digital skills of workers to succeed in an innovation-based, technology-enabled Houston economy. Partnering with NextOp Veterans, we hosted a forum on what employers need to know about hiring, growing, and retaining veterans.
Keep up with our work and the latest workforce development news and information from around the region by subscribing to the UpSkill UpDate newsletter.
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.
While the issues of racial inequity and systemic racism are not unique to Houston, we have an opportunity as Houstonians to lead the way in reforming broken systems, partnering with communities, offering support and removing barriers. We often speak with pride of Houston being “America’s most diverse city,” but that’s not enough. The Partnership and the 1,000 member companies and institutions we represent are committed to making Houston “America’s most inclusive and open city”, one that does truly offer “opportunity for all.”
The co-occurring crises of this past summer have galvanized our nation and our city. The nation responded to acts of police brutality against Black individuals with renewed calls for racial justice and equity. Such acts are unfortunately part of a broader pattern of institutional racism in the American criminal justice system and, more broadly, in American society.
The COVID-19 pandemic placed a spotlight on inequities in our region, from access to quality education for Black and Hispanic students to adequate health care for these communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. As work to rebuild the economy continues, there’s growing concern that the recovery could split along socioeconomic and racial lines, with minority communities suffering the brunt. In this, the fourth-largest city in our nation, real recovery must include all Houstonians. That means eliminating the barriers to opportunity and access for our minority workforce. It also means support for minority entrepreneurs and businesses.
In August, the Partnership announced One Houston Together, our commitment to leverage the power of the business community to address racial inequity in Houston. We launched One Houston Together after holding several listening sessions with local community leaders, underrepresented entrepreneurs, and our members to learn about areas of racial injustice and inequity that need to be addressed as a priority for Houston.
We commit to build a shared understanding of systemic and individual racism, create changes within our organization and prioritize equity as an outcome of our work, and develop relevant programmatic and policy solutions. Racial equity is now an integral component of Houston Next, our strategic plan.
A Racial Equity Committee of the Partnership’s board was established in August to guide our efforts. Following several meetings, the 30-member committee developed a set of core principles that were approved by the Partnership board in December to be promulgated throughout the business community.
The Partnership’s Racial Equity Principles are a framework to communicate the Houston business community’s pledge to reform systems of bias, strengthen underserved communities, advocate inclusion, and remove barriers to achievement. Although many businesses have made their own individual statements and pledges, this unified approach sends an important signal about the Houston business community’s collective commitment. The Principles articulate how the Partnership and individual businesses can commit to advancing racial equity within their organizations and throughout our community. As of mid-January 2021, more than 80 companies representing more than 200,000 local employees had pledged to follow the principles.
The Greater Houston Partnership Racial Equity Committee harnesses the collective commitment and resources of Houston’s businesses and institutions to advance bold solutions to strengthen Houston as the most diverse, inclusive and equitable city in the United States.
Members of the Houston business community commit to addressing, individually and collectively, obstacles to racial equity that impede the fair and open treatment of members of the Houston community. We embrace the opportunity to lead the way in reforming systems of bias, strengthening underserved communities, advocating inclusion, and removing barriers to achievement. We understand that these actions require intentional, systematic and bold efforts to transform our city into a more equitable and inclusive place to live and work.
As leaders of Houston’s businesses and civic institutions, we commit to the following principles:
The effort to address racial inequities is complex and challenging. Nonetheless, we believe that meaningful change requires serious societal commitment and concerted action. A more equitable and inclusive Houston strengthens not only our community, but also positions our region to be more economically competitive as a global city.
In September, the Partnership hosted a series of webinars under One Houston Together to build a shared understanding around local issues in relation to racism and systemic inequities. Topics included Health and Racial Inequities, Understanding Racism, Developing Equitable Communities and more. The five events drew more than 1,830 participants and subsequent viewers. In November, we conducted our first-ever survey to gain a better understanding of the current business community activity surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“There’s a difference between recognizing race, whether someone is African American or Asian for instance, and attaching harmful, negative, destructive racial stereotypes to people who are different from us—that’s where the racism happens. And a lot of that is built on how we understand the narratives that have been created in society.” – Dr. Melanye Price, Endowed Professor of Political Science at Prairie View A&M University, One Houston Together: Understanding Racism, September 1
In 2020, the Partnership launched One Houston Together, a commitment to leverage the power of the business community to reduce inequities. With the formation of a board-level committee charged to guide the organization’s actions and the hiring of the organization’s first Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Partnership developed strategic priorities to advance its work to reduce inequities.
One Houston Together priorities include accelerating the growth of underrepresented businesses and increasing racial equity in the corporate talent pipeline and executive leadership.
In early 2021, the Partnership outlined a set of racial equity principles, which clearly communicate a position on business behaviors and actions the Partnership and individual businesses can commit to in advancing racial equity within their organizations and throughout the community.
More than 130 Houston area companies representing over 220,000 employees have committed to these principles.
The Greater Houston Partnership Racial Equity Committee harnesses the collective commitment and resources of Houston’s businesses and institutions to advance bold solutions to strengthen Houston as the most diverse, inclusive and equitable city in the United States.
“I have been greatly heartened by the robust collective enthusiasm of Partnership members for identifying concrete actions to address racial inequities in employment and business opportunities. Their commitment bodes well for the future of our city.” – Ruth Simmons, President, Prairie View A&M University, Racial Equity Committee Co-Chair
In fall 2021, the Partnership released results from the region’s first Equity & Inclusion Assessment, a robust tool to help businesses and organizations of all sizes enhance their equity and inclusion strategy and increase community impact. The assessment makes Houston the first major metro to take a data driven approach to advance collective progress by the business community.
This valuable tool:
The assessment results were first shared at the Partnership’s Houston DiverseCity Summit, held October 26-27.
The results showed that Houston area companies are largely proactive when it comes to advancing equity and inclusion, but are falling short of adequately addressing the racial, ethnic and gender gaps in the talent pipeline and promoting people of color and women to senior leadership roles and board positions.
In November, the Partnership convened two work groups for Talent Representation/Advancement and Supplier Diversity. The industry work groups will use the regional assessment findings to develop indicators of progress, share best practices, and drive change for better outcomes to help make Houston one of the most equitable and inclusive business communities in the country. To view, industry specific data, see fact sheets here.
“The principles established by the Greater Houston Partnership will drive member businesses to attract, develop, and progress the careers of people whose opportunities have historically been limited. As we follow through with our commitment to these principles, Houston’s workforce and corporate leadership will more closely reflect this city’s brilliant diversity, while our professional culture becomes even more caring and inclusive.” – Gretchen Watkins, Shell Oil Co., Racial Equity Committee Co-Chair
“We have to make hard decisions. People can disagree with those decisions…But that’s what it means to be a responsible CEO, it’s values-based actions…We think that standing up against discrimination of any kind isn’t a red issue or a blue issue, it’s a red, white and blue issue.” – Dan Schulman, President and CEO of PayPal at DiverseCity Summit
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
The Greater Houston Partnership is the region’s premier business organization representing 1,000 member companies that work together to achieve our mission of ensuring Houston’s place as a great global city.
The Partnership has long championed Houston’s growth through economic development efforts aimed at attracting leading global companies to Houston, creating jobs and contributing to the region’s GDP. We also advocate for sound public policy at the local, state and federal levels. And we convene a diverse set of regional leaders on key issues impacting the greater Houston community.
The arrival of COVID-19 in Houston made our work more challenging. Businesses and residents across our region have suffered the unprecedented effects of the pandemic, from lost revenue and jobs to severe illness. During this period, the Partnership has provided critical information and resources to the Houston business community while working to mitigate the impact on the regional economy. The continued commitment of business leaders and the broader community is essential as we work together to rebuild our economy and retain our place as a 21st century leader.
The Partnership’s work is made possible through the investment and active engagement of our 1,000 member companies.
Partnership members demonstrate their commitment to making Houston greater through their support of the organization and engagement in our activities. Connections, meetings, events and programs may have taken new forms in 2020, however member engagement and activity saw all-time highs.
The Partnership hosts regular engagement sessions to provide an overview of the organization’s priorities, initiatives and benefits available to prospective, new and returning member companies and their employees.
A key way in which the Partnership connects members is through Business Resource Groups (BRGs) and Councils. These gatherings bring together like-minded individuals around business trends and topics. Here are just some of the activities these conducted in 2020:
“You may want to be perfect because you want to prove you should be there, but none of us carry the entire weight of womankind. None of us should feel the pressure to have it all the time. Sometimes achieving a work-life balance means putting life first, and we shouldn’t feel guilty about that.” – Gretchen Watkins, President, Shell Oil Company, WBA’s Rise to the Top – March 6
The Partnership’s work is made possible through the investment and active engagement of our more than 900 member companies and organizations.
Partnership members make up a significant portion of the region’s workforce. When members engage in the Partnership’s impact work and harness our business insights, resources and programming, Houston’s business community as a whole is strengthened.
“In my role as a commercial banker covering a lot of different industries, I’ve found [the Partnership] helpful in the variety of resources that are available and access data and information. I think it’s another example of how the organization can appeal to many different members within a company. There really are a lot of ways that an individual can find value for their organization.” – Scott Silvas, Texas Market President, Fifth Third Bank
The member engagement team helps members find their unique place to make an impact at the Partnership and is the gateway into getting involved. The member engagement team also provides members with unparalleled programming through events, Business Resource Groups, Councils and more. These gatherings bring together like-minded individuals around business trends and topics. Here are some of the activities conducted in 2021:
Women’s Business Alliance Celebrated the 10th Anniversary of Rise to the Top
The Greater Houston Partnership’s Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) celebrated the 10th anniversary of Rise to the Top in a virtual environment this year. The annual event brings together high-achieving female business executives from all industries to share insight and advice.
WBA’s contributions to such an important endeavor make Rise to the Top one of Houston’s most anticipated and attended events. What began as a luncheon with 100 attendees in 2011 grew into a celebration with over 800 attendees at the 2021 virtual event.
Lisa Shumate, Associate Vice President of the University of Houston System and General Manager for Houston Public Media, moderated a panel discussion that featured these guests:
The Partnership proudly added to its podcast roster, Rise to the Top, which aims to amplify the voices of accomplished female leaders in the Houston region. Hosted in 2021 by Partnership Chair Amy Chronis, Rise to the Top features compelling guests to share their journey and how their organization impacts Houston. The podcast has featured Gretchen Watkins, President and CEO of Shell Oil Company, Renu Khator, Chancellor of the University of Houston System and the University of Houston, and Ann Stern, President and CEO of Houston Endowment.
Explore these podcasts and subscribe today.
HYPE (Houston Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs)
HYPE continued its Illuminate Houston webinar series in 2021 with a stellar lineup of innovators. Illuminate Houston is 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 2021, Illuminate Houston hosted these dynamic speakers who discussed trends, technologies and issues that define how we do business.
Partnership Week 2021
The Partnership hosted its inaugural 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.
During the week, Partnership staff and board members, along with industry leaders, engaged in conversations around the Partnership’s strategic priorities that support the advancement of Houston as a great global city. The discussions ranged from topics including Houston’s digital transformation, energy transition, racial equity and more.
Executive Women’s Partnership Annual Retreat
The Partnership’s Executive Women’s Partnership (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. This groups is well-known for being among the most premier networking groups for leading female executives and had a record-breaking recruitment year as it welcomed 26 new members. In 2021, EWP gathered for its annual retreat, whose theme was “Innovation and Ingenuity.” The two-day retreat featured stand-out presentations and panel discussions on topics including:
Attendees also received special tours of the Ion and Greentown Labs and learned more about how Houston’s Innovation Corridor is bolstering Houston’s digital tech transition.
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.
