Letter from the Outgoing Chair

2020 has been a remarkable year. The adversity we have endured during this year brings into focus the strengths of this remarkable organization - BAHEP. BAHEP’s greatest strength is in its membership. Bob reminds us of this fact in almost every General Membership Meeting. This year, the membership rallied around BAHEP and our region as never before. When the BAHEP staff needed support for a new initiative, an educational event to help other members, or to try new ways of meeting and interacting, you were there for each other and this great organization. BAHEP’s professional staff rose to the occasion. Members of the BAHEP staff demonstrated their strengths of innovation, commitment, and forming partnerships. When they were challenged with the new ways of doing economic development, they pivoted and excelled. The team kept projects on track; organized and held some of our most informative General Membership Meetings; expanded initiatives at the Houston Spaceport; and brought our region’s cities together to bring focus and alignment in the communication of their issues and needs.

The General Membership Meetings displayed BAHEP’s use of its large network of regional alliances to offer timely information to its members and the surrounding communities on the state of our hospital systems, the ongoing research at the University of Texas Medical Branch, the ways in which our educational institutions were addressing the vast needs of students, help for small businesses, and how the extensive capabilities of the military forces at Ellington Field are assisting and protecting the nation. view the design concept, and the Chief’s Report will be submitted to Congress in May 2021. BAHEP has consistently expanded the base at Ellington Field, now hosting every military service. In 2020 BAHEP advocated to relocate the new Space Force command to Ellington, and while not successful for the full command base, our region was brought to awareness within the senior leadership of the military. Additionally, further increasing the foundation for the expansion of our space industry, BAHEP was instrumental in a feasibility study for a multi-collegiate academic collaboration at the Houston Spaceport that will address workforce development requirements. The negatives of this past year have been enormous, but they brought to focus the strengths of BAHEP: the value of a strong membership; the excellent staff and leadership from Bob; and our joint long-term commitment to improving our region. While this is not the year we hoped for, I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to serve as chair, for the guidance and support provided by the Board throughout the year, and for the entire membership supporting this community we call home. Best regards,

A long term vision. BAHEP focuses on the long term. The team certainly responded to the pandemic through health, safety, and government aide educational efforts to our membership. However, they did this while continuing to focus on the long term. BAHEP advanced support for the Coastal Barrier System. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently released for final reRobert McAfoos President, Barrios Technology