The new CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership is going to focus on their Upskill initiative… He was formerly CEO of Kinder Morgan.

Houston Chronicle: New Greater Houston Partnership head focused on opportunity, unity, 2023-Dec-4 by Erica Grieder

Q. In your career in the private sector, you’ve traveled the nation and the world. Have you seen other organizations doing things like GHP, or at the same scale?

A. Not really at the same scale. There are a lot of other similar organizations around the country, but the GHP pulls together a lot of things. It’s not just the Chamber of Commerce; it also is the the economic development arm for the region. Now, there are numerous economic development organizations at the sub-regional level around us, but the GHP helps pull all that together, and then of course participates in the public policy process. There are a lot of organizations that do one or two of those things, but I’m not aware of any that does all the things that GHP does. 

Q. Does GHP’s work feel uniquely Houstonian, to you?

A. It does. The other key thing, along with opportunity: The unity we have here is really unusual for major metropolitan areas in our country, and maybe the world. People tend to come together here. That’s unique, that’s rare and that’s powerful. That’s something that we have to build on. It’s a great advantage for our community….

Q. As you embark on this new chapter, what do you see as some of the top-of-mind challenges?

A. I’ll be spending a lot of my effort on economic development activity and the Upskill initiative. I think that’s really what the partnership contributes. We are a group of businesses, primarily, but businesses and community leaders and educational institutions. It’s about economic development and attracting opportunity here. By having a workforce that is attractive to the people we’re trying to get here, that also creates opportunity for the people who are already here. That’s the big body of work for a business organization to pursue.

Q. Do you think Houston’s growth over the past 10 years has strained the sense of unity you mention?

A. You know, not that I see. There will always be some controversy about whether development takes place here or there, but generally, particularly compared to other metros, this is a place that is open to growth and to development and opportunity. I think it’s largely what people come here for. It’s what I came here for. 

via www.houstonchronicle.com