Chair
President and CEO
The Greater Houston Partnership is the region’s premier business organization, representing more than 900 member companies that work together to achieve our mission of ensuring Houston’s place as a great global city.
Advancing Houston as a great global city.
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.
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020
Years Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
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, 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, International Investment & Trade
John Cypher
Vice President, Public Policy
Chase Kronzer
Vice President, Human Resources
Maurisa Lenz
Vice President, Strategic Initiatives
Ben Melson
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
A.J. Mistretta
Vice President, Advocacy & Policy
Lindsay Munoz
Vice President, Member Acquisition & Engagement
Nichelle Poindexter
Vice President, Regional Economic Development
Craig Rhodes
www.houston.org
713.844.3600 | contact@houston.org
View previous Partnership annual reports: 2020 / 2019 / 2018
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
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
Nataly Marks
JPMorgan Chase
George Y. Gonzalez
Haynes & Boone, LLC
Werner Schaefer
Intel
Elizabeth Killinger
Reliant, an NRG Company
Hong Ogle
Bank of America
David Leebron
Rice University
T.J. Raguso
Amegy Bank
Tom Luby
Texas Medical Center
Kurt Heim
Daikin
Courtney Johnson Rose
George E. Johnson Properties
Earl Hesterberg
Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
Geraldine Slattery
BHP
David Callender
Memorial Hermann Health System
Thad Hill
Calpine Corporation
Leslie Duke
Burns & McDonnell, Inc.
Donna Sims-Wilson
KAH Capital
Jay Brown
Crown Castle
Tom Rourick
RSM USA
Jamey Rootes
Houston Texans
Amy Chronis
Deloitte
Steve Retzloff
Allegiance Bank
Mark Kelly
Vinson & Elkins
Bobby Tudor
Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co.
Marc Watts
The Friedkin Group
Ruth Simmons
Prairie View A&M University
Gretchen Watkins
Shell Oil Company
Troy Villarreal
HCA Health Care
Amy Chronis
Deloitte
Thad Hill
Calpine Corporation
Bob Harvey
Greater Houston Partnership
(Key: * Executive Committee Member, ** Executive Committee Member Only, ^ Passed Away in 2021)
Claudia Aguirre
BakerRipley
Esi Akinosho
Ernst & Young LLP
Earl “Duke” Austin
Quanta Services Inc.
Gwenaëlle Avice-Huet
Engie North America Inc.
Jason Baker
Comerica Bank
Kathy Banks
Texas A&M University
Laura D. Bellows
W. S. Bellows Construction Corporation
William J. Berger
Sunnova Energy Corporation
Astley Blair*
Center for Houston’s Future
Marc L. Boom, M.D.
Houston Methodist
Bob Borochoff
Café Adobe
Denis Clive Braham
Winstead PC
Tammy Brennig
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
James W. Brookshire
S & B Engineers and Constructors, Ltd.
Jay Brown*
Crown Castle International Corp.
Rafael Bustillo
BBVA
Alex Cabanas
Benchmark Hospitality
David Callender, M.D.
Memorial Hermann Health System
Ric Campo**
Camden Property Trust
Tony Canales
Telemundo Houston KTMD-47
Albert Chao
Westlake Chemical Corporation
Stanley Chapman III*
TC Energy
Amy Chronis*
Deloitte
Steve Clarke
Jacobs
Brian Scott Coffman
Motiva Enterprises LLC
Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, M.D.
UTHealth
John Collett
Korn Ferry International
Roberto Contreras
St. Christopher Holdings
Michele Costa
Clear Channel Outdoor
Tony L. Council
TLC Engineering, Inc.
Mark A. Cover
Hines
Rodney Cox
United Airlines
Carter Crow
Norton Rose Fulbright
Lesia Crumpton-Young
Texas Southern University
Heidi Cruz*
Goldman Sachs & Co.
Danny David
Baker Botts LLP
Caleb Deerinwater
AT&T
Mohamed E. Abdo Denbarno
Libyan National Oil Corporation
David Dickson
McDermott
Leslie Duke*
Burns & McDonnell, Inc.
Tilman Fertitta
Landry’s Restaurants
James C. Fish
Waste Management, Inc.
Henry Ford
Houston Chronicle
Stephen Fraga
Tejas Office Products, Inc.
Brad Freels
Midway Companies
Jack A. Fusco
Cheniere Energy, Inc.
Lori Garcia
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Roland Garcia
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Greg C. Garland
Phillips 66
LaTonya Goffney
Aldine ISD
George Y. Gonzalez*
Haynes and Boone, LLP
Mary Beth Gracy*
Accenture
Steve Green*
Chevron
William T. Harris
Space Center Houston
Bob Harvey*
Greater Houston Partnership
Katherine Hatcher
NewQuest Properties
Stephen C. Head Ph.D.
Lone Star College
Earl J. Hesterberg**
Group 1 Automotive Inc.
Thad Hill*
Calpine Corporation
Paul W. Hobby*
Genesis Park LP
Monzer Hourani
Medistar Corporation
Kevin Hourican
Sysco Corporation
Kenneth Huewitt
Texas Southern University
John Johnson
Silver Eagle Distributors Houston, LLC
Melanie Johnson
Collaborative for Children
Courtney Johnson Rose
George E. Johnson Development Inc.
Steve Kean
Kinder Morgan
T. Mark Kelly*
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Elizabeth Killinger*
Reliant, an NRG Company
Nancy Kinder
Kinder Foundation
Paul Klotman M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Gregg Knight*
CenterPoint Energy
Lorena Kubera
HP Inc.
Ryan Lance
ConocoPhillips
Douglas Lawson, Ph.D.
CHI St. Luke’s Health
David Leebron
Rice University
Colter Lewis
Northern Trust
Julie Luecht
KPMG
Gina A. Luna*
formerly with JPMorgan Chase
Nataly Marks*
JPMorgan Chase
Paul Marsden
Bechtel Energy
Ralph Martinez
Comcast
David McClanahan*
retired from CenterPoint Energy
Scott McClelland*
H-E-B
Wayne McConnell
McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy LLP and Affiliate McConnell & Jones, LLP
William F. McKeon*
Texas Medical Center
Amanda McMillian
United Way of Greater Houston
Mia Mends
Sodexo
David Milich
UnitedHealthcare
Jeffrey A. Miller
Halliburton
Jay Mincks*
Insperity
Matt Morris**
Lutroco
Eric Mullins
Limerock
John Nash
Hanover Company
John Nau**
John L. Nau, III
Alex Lopez Negrete
Lopez Negrete Communications
Hong Ogle
Bank of America
Bob Patel
LyondellBasell Industries
Carrin F. Patman
METRO Board of Directors
Armando Perez
H-E-B
Peter Pisters M.D.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Michael J. Plank
The Plank Companies, Inc.
Jim J. Postl
James J. Postl Interests
Jodi Probst
PwC
Steven Retzloff*
Allegiance Bank
Judson W. Robinson
Houston Area Urban League, Inc.
Jamey Rootes*
formerly with Houston Texans
Tom Rourick*
RSM US LLP
Werner Schaefer
Intel
Michael Scheurich
Arch-Con Corporation
Jeff Shellebarger*
Retired from Chevron
Fernando Signorini
Dow
Scott Silvas*
Fifth Third Bank
Ruth Simmons*
Prairie View A&M University
Geraldine Slattery*
BHP
Robert Sloan
Houston Baptist University
Gerald Smith*
Smith Graham & Co., Investment Advisors, LP
John Sowers
Sempra LNG
Bobby Springer
KHOU-TV LP
Steve D. Stephens**
Amegy Bank
Ann Stern
Houston Endowment Inc.
Julie Sudduth
PNC Bank
Bruce Stewart
Direct Energy
Starlee Sykes*
bp America
Arja Talakar
Siemens Corporation
David Taylor
Locke Lord
Alan Thomson
The Boston Consulting Group
Stephen M. Trauber
Citigroup
Brad Tucker
Mustang Cat
Bobby Tudor*
Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. LLC
Sheel Tyle
Amplo
Uwem Ukpong
Baker Hughes
Rishi Varma
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Laurie Vignaud
Unity Bank
Massey Villarreal*
Precision Task Group Inc.
Troy A. Villarreal*
HCA Houston Healthcare
Loic J. Vivier*
ExxonMobil Fuels and Lubricants Company
Andrew L. Waite**
SCF Partners
Jay Waring
Service Corporation International
Kim Warnica
Marathon Oil Corporation
Tammi Warfield
Microsoft
Gretchen Watkins*
Shell Oil Company
Marc Watts*
The Friedkin Group Inc.
Richard W. Weekley*
Weekley Development Company
Rich A. Wells
The Dow Chemical Company, Freeport
Donna Sims Wilson*
Kah Capital Management
Welcome W. Wilson Jr.
Welcome Group LLC
Bill Yardley
Enbridge
Eduardo Aguirre*
Mike Ballases
E. William Barnett
Daniel G. Bellow*
Deborah M. Cannon
Chip Carlisle
Tony Chase*
Charles W. Duncan
Charles Foster*
Kelly Frels
John Hofmeister ^
Ned S. Holmes
Jodie L. Jiles
Don D. Jordan
R. Bruce LaBoon
Steven L. Miller
Robert Mosbacher
Patrick C. Oxford*
James R. Royer
Welcome W. Wilson Sr.
Daniel J. Wolterman
James A. Baker
William P. Hobby
Rod Paige Ed.D
(Key: * Executive Committee Member, ** Executive Committee Member Only, ^ Passed Away in 2021)
Revenue |
2021
|
2020
|
|
Membership dues | $ 9,088,403 | $ 8,857,150 | |
Event registration and sponsorship fees | 2,145,313 | 2,015,672 | |
Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness | 1,557,105 | – | |
Other revenue | 36,465 | 18,781 | |
Investment return, net of expenses | 190,418 | 234,285 | |
Net assets released from restriction | 5,526,250 | 4,796,211 | |
Total Revenue | 18,543,954 | 15,922,099 | |
|
|||
Expenses |
2021
|
2020
|
|
Personnel costs | 11,206,285 | 10,432,956 | |
Stimulus payroll credits | (1,460,197) | – | |
Program services | 5,957,601 | 4,490,493 | |
General and administrative | 609,873 | 795,073 | |
Depreciation | 501,560 | 605,475 | |
Total Expenses | 16,815,122 | 16,323,997 | |
Change in net assets without donor restrictions | 1,728,832 | (401,898) | |
Change in net assets with donor restrictions | 1,765,443 | (66,334) | |
Net assets, beginning of year | 21,269,573 | 21,737,805 | |
Net Assets, End of Year | $ 24,763,848 | $ 21,269,573 |
The financial statements reflect the combined balances and results of activities of the Greater Houston Partnership, Inc., and the Greater Houston Partnership Foundation.
Estimates shown above are subject to revision. Send requests for a copy of completed audited financial statements to contact@houston.org.
Assets |
|||
ASSETS |
2021
|
2020
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents | $ 11,040,034 | $ 8,427,310 | |
Accounts receivable, net | 316,309 | 547,832 | |
Accounts receivable – other, Stimulus Receivable | 1,113,586 | – | |
Investments | 2,062,191 | 1,929,117 | |
Pledges receivable, net | 11,856,712 | 11,173,429 | |
Prepaid expenses and other assets | 293,467 | 183,415 | |
Property, net | 3,610,573 | 3,707,973 | |
Total Assets | $ 30,292,872 | $ 25,969,076 | |
|
|||
Liabilities and Net Assets |
|||
LIABILITIES |
2021
|
2020
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ 1,089,983 | $ 721,340 | |
Deferred membership revenue | 3,629,647 | 3,236,698 | |
Other deferred revenue | 331,640 | 327,000 | |
Lease liability | 477,754 | 414,465 | |
Total Liabilities | 5,529,024 | 4,699,503 | |
NET ASSETS |
|||
Without donor restrictions | 7,651,711 | 5,922,879 | |
With donor restrictions | 17,112,137 | 15,346,694 | |
Total Net Assets | 24,763,848 | 21,269,573 | |
Total Liabilities and Net Assets | $ 30,292,872 | $ 25,969,076 | |
The financial statements reflect the combined balances and results of activities of the Greater Houston Partnership, Inc., and the Greater Houston Partnership Foundation.
Estimates shown above are subject to revision. Send requests for a copy of completed audited financial statements to contact@houston.org.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
The Greater Houston Partnership is the region’s premier business organization, representing more than 900 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. We convene a diverse set of regional leaders on key issues impacting the greater Houston community. And we engage our members to create meaningful impact and business opportunity.
The pandemic-induced recession of the last two years has made this work more challenging. But the resilience and fortitude of Houston companies, coupled with the spirit of Houstonians themselves, has helped our region recover in 2021. The Partnership anticipates that before 2022 ends we will have returned to pre-pandemic employment levels, setting Houston on a trajectory for increased growth led by our core sectors and emerging industries.
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 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.