On BAHEP’s Leadership

BAHEP’s decades of successful economic development in the region has been achieved through hard work, a commitment to those they serve, and their leadership for Texas businesses. Keep up the good work.

The Honorable John Cornyn U.S. Senate port of retiring CEO Bob Mitchell and look forward to continued cooperation, growth, and excellence with incoming President-elect Brian Freedman.

Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership is a pivotal organization in our community. Every company, business professional, local government official, educator, and small business benefits from the leadership at BAHEP. They have championed many initiatives in the last year, and I can't wait to see what they will do for years to come. I have been privileged to work with BAHEP and its leadership team on multiple occasions over many years. Their dedication to our communities' economic development is important and necessary to the growth of our entire region.

The Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership is the personification of leadership. Without BAHEP’s presence in our community, we would not have institutions like the Houston Spaceport or the Gulf Coast Protection District. Over the years, BAHEP has played a vital role in strengthening and growing our region.

The Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership has assisted Houston in achieving its status as a world-class city with a thriving international community. Houston Airports takes great pride in our longstanding partnership with BAHEP, and we applaud your dedication to the economic betterment of the people and businesses of this region. We are grateful for the support of retiring President Bob Mitchell and look forward to continued cooperation, growth, and excellence with incoming Presidentelect Brian Freedman.

The Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership has played leading roles in issues like construction of a coastal barrier system to major infrastructure upgrades in transportation and flooding. The Coast Guard Command Center at Ellington Field, the Houston Spaceport, commercial space, the maritime industry, and our educational institutions have all benefited from BAHEP’s relationships and partnerships. Thank you, BAHEP, for your service to our region.

What sets the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP) apart is its regional leadership. As mayors, we have come to count on BAHEP as our partner to lead when issues affect all of us, when issues require frank and confidential discussions before regional actions, and when issues require a coordinated, effective response. Three words are at the heart of BAHEP’s leadership: Trust, Collaboration, and Determination. Our cities benefit from BAHEP, and, when our cities benefit, every citizen benefits.

Council of Mayors Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership

The City of Houston takes great pride in its longstanding partnership with BAHEP, and we applaud its dedication to the economic betterment of the people and businesses of this region. We are grateful for the sup-

Mario C. Diaz Director, Houston Airport System

I have been a BAHEP Board member for the past 14 years, and throughout that time, BAHEP has been leading our region on important economic development and quality of life issues such as coastal storm protection, flood insurance, NASA reauthorization, and development of the Houston Spaceport. BAHEP is recognized as a leader at the national, state, and regional levels, and I am proud to be affiliated with BAHEP. There are more years of success ahead as BAHEP builds on its legacy of leadership and continues to focus on enhancing the Bay Area Houston region.

Brenda Hellyer, Ed.D. Chancellor, San Jacinto College District

College of the Mainland is proud to be a member of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership for many years. We value our membership with BAHEP and the networking relationships that were developed through this partnership. BAHEP continues to provide leadership and advocacy for not only our region, but our educational institutions as well.

Warren Nichols, Ed.D. President, College of the Mainland

(continued from page 16) sensus for infrastructure development in this greater region is like nowhere else in Texas. It should serve as a blueprint for regional and economic development and infrastructure support.”

BayTran Executive Director Amy Skicki added, “The Houston region is a powerhouse for this nation. It is imperative that our freight corridors and evacuation routes be improved and expanded with projects such as adding capacity to SH 225 and the completion of Grand Parkway Segments A, B and C.”

Panelists for the sessions included BAHEP President Bob Mitchell, Texas Department of Transportation Director of Transportation Planning James Koch, Morgan’s Point Mayor Michel Bechtel, Houston-Galveston Area Council Executive Director Chuck Wemple, and U.S. Reps. Brian Babin, DDS, and Randy Weber.

BAHEP Helps Lead Initiative to Highlight Impact of Human Trafficking

BAHEP, in collaboration with the Houston Airport System, hosted a meeting of stakeholders to discuss human trafficking, how to help publicize the severity of this problem, especially in the Houston – Galveston region, and how the community can work together to prevent this heinous crime. BAHEP President Bob

Mitchell said, “Federal statistics reflect that 70 percent of victims are trafficked through airports. There is a huge number of people who pass through our region’s airports annually. We must and can do something to end this.”

Subsequent to this meeting, BAHEP and the Houston Airport System organized a committee to address the issue and plan a public event to bring focus to the extent of the problem in the region. The committee organized an event, Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness, held at the Lonestar Flight Museum.

Houston Airports and its partners are committed to end human trafficking. The advice shared during the event empowered approximately 450 members of the community to identify human trafficking and take action should they suspect a person's life might be in danger. Chief Eternal Affairs Officer Saba Abashawl, Houston Airports, and emcee of the press conference, said, “Every single day women, men, children – both boys and girls –are targeted and groomed by traffickers who want to profit off the forced work done by victims, victims who are often trafficked, unfortunately, through airports. In line with the City of Houston’s Zero Tolerance Policy, Houston Airports is committed to fighting human trafficking.”

Abashawl introduced Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner who spoke on how Houston has served as a model for other U.S. cities and cities/countries around the world. He reported, “There are over 55 million people who pass through our airport system annually. That makes our airports a critical partner in raising awareness through the many communication touchpoints available.”

The Houston Mayor’s Office was the first city in the country to establish a full-time position within the Mayor’s cabinet to address human trafficking. The office has developed a comprehensive model for Houston that includes leveraging city departments, like Houston Airports. In October 2019, Houston Airports became the first airport system in the country to formally partner with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its Blue Campaign.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez spoke about Harris County’s efforts and successes. Among other survivors, Rhonda Kuykendall, Human Trafficking Survivor Leader Council, shared her story and talked about how victims are targeted and groomed by criminals operating in communities across the Houston area.

Karinda Washington, Department of Homeland Security executive director, Social Impact & Campaigns, spoke about DHS’s

Blue Campaign. Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign designed to educate the public, law enforcement, and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and how to appropriately respond to possible cases. Blue Campaign works closely with DHS Components to develop general awareness trainings, as well as specific educational resources to help reduce victimization within vulnerable populations. Through the initiative, Houston Airports has trained more than 20,000 badged airport employees on how to identify and safely report human trafficking. The training continues.

BAHEP Completes Healthcare Workforce Assessment

BAHEP is committed to supporting the regional economy – now and into the future. Key to a strong, sustainable economy is an educated workforce. To that end, BAHEP’s Education and Workforce Development Committee (EWDC) convenes monthly with business leaders and senior educational leaders to encourage collaboration and to support initiatives that will result in providing a qualified workforce for the region’s industries and businesses as well as with elected officials and other engaged citizens who will assure our high quality of life.

The EWDC, in response to concerns about availability, recruitment, and retention of a qualified workforce for the regional healthcare industry, began to focus on the workforce issues that affect the industry, one of the region’s primary employers and one of the cornerstones of the quality of life. To begin the initiative, EWDC Chairman Harv Hartman convened 46 representatives of the area’s medical facilities, educational institutions, and political leaders to assess the level of interest in a healthcare initiative, the nature of the issues, and a plan for moving forward. Hosted at UTMB Health-Clear Lake, the initiative was launched.

Within six weeks of the meeting, the pandemic caused a lock down for almost all of the groups that participated. No action was taken for approximately 18 months. However, interest in the project remained high, and the workforce needs accelerated.

Beginning in September 2021, subcommittees again began to meet, interview, and gather data, resulting in the final report which was completed in early September 2022. The goal of the assessment was to help bring a better alignment of the various healthcare organizations’ workforce needs with the region’s educational institutions. The assessment builds on BAHEP’s previous experience with similar assessments in the maritime and aerospace sectors.

The core question to address was: How can we create a regional approach to healthcare workforce issues that is manageable, viable, and responsive to healthcare institutions’ and education in- stitutions’ missions, capabilities, capacity, and resources?

EWDC interviewed 19 healthcare executives from Houston Methodist, Houston Physicians Hospital, University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston (UTMB), MD Anderson, and smaller clinics to determine the needs and challenges of the healthcare industry workforce. The EWDC worked with local education institutions from K-12, community colleges, and universities to examine and revise current healthcare-related programs and curricula that will assist in guiding students to the many medical field opportunities in the Bay Area Houston region.

The education institutions that participated in the assessment included Clear Creek ISD, Dickinson ISD, Friendswood ISD, Hitchcock ISD, La Porte ISD, Pasadena ISD, Santa Fe ISD, Alvin Community College, College of the Mainland - Galveston, and San Jacinto College District, as well as Texas A&M University at Galveston, University of Houston - Clear Lake, and UTMB.

Results included in the 13-page final report showed that 1) There are significant workforce pipeline issues across the board 2) Workforce retention is a huge issue 3) The changing business models present challenges … and opportunities 4) Increased collaboration/more partnerships between educational institutions and healthcare systems are needed 5) Expansion is going on eve- rywhere 6) More emphasis on “soft skills” is needed in basic education.

One of the most significant lessons learned during the process of the initiative was that both educators and healthcare providers could benefit from a clearer picture of what the current healthcare career pipelines are and how many students/future workers there are in each of them.

The healthcare assessment provides valuable insights to leadership in regional healthcare and educational institutions. It offers a basic understanding of the workforce issues affecting the regional healthcare industry – issues that will evolve as healthcare, itself, changes to meet the needs of the people and the industry.

BAHEP Marketing – So Much More Than Selling

Philip Kotler wrote, “Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others.” Kotler is an American marketing author, consultant, economist, and professor emeritus.

In marketing the Bay Area Houston region, BAHEP’s marketing team must be knowledgeable about available land, facilities, infrastructure, incentives, and more that would attract new investment or expansion in the region. It’s an incredibly complicated task that also relies on valuable relationships that BAHEP has fostered over many years.

BAHEP Participates in Galveston County Regional Economic Development Allies Meetings

BAHEP Executive Director for Economic Development Dan Seal and Real Estate / Facilities Marketing Manager Barbara Cutsinger participated in the virtual meeting of the Galveston County Regional Economic Development Allies led by Dane Carlson, director of Galveston County Economic Development (GCED). The attendees reported on developments and related activities in their municipalities.

Seal and Cutsinger participated in another virtual meeting of the Allies where the highlight of the meeting was Mark Winchester, deputy director of the Houston Small Business Administration office, discussing COVID and the impact of the pandemic on small businesses.

In a subsequent virtual meeting attended by BAHEP, GCED Director Dane Carlson led discussions with attendees Courtland

Holman of the City of Dickinson, Galveston County Economic Development Partnership President Jeff Sjostrom, League City Economic Development Director Scott Livingston and Economic Development Coordinator Devin DePascal, and Santa Fe Economic Development Corporation President Fidencio Leija.

Topics of discussion were workforce housing options, the Grand Parkway, and the Space Symposium that Seal attended in Colorado. Following the meeting, Carlson sent the attendees a snapshot of the new average home prices in the region with all segments showing a significant increase in values.

BAHEP Presents ED 101 to City of Santa Fe Citizens

The citizens of Santa Fe heard a presentation by BAHEP Executive Director for Economic Development Dan Seal on Economic Development 101 (ED 101), an introduction to the process. Seal’s topic for the event included “game changers” that are impacting the economy and economic development both positively and negatively – price of oil, supply chain “just in case,” tourism with the return of cruise ships, the Grand Parkway completion, and the rise of commercial space. Seal’s presentation was part of a larger citizens meeting organized by Fidencio Leija, Santa Fe City Council Member Place 4, and president of the Santa Fe Economic Development Corporation.

BAHEP Promotes Bay Area Houston at ICSC Red River Retail Trade Show

BAHEP Real Estate / Facilities Marketing Manager Barbara Cutsinger staffed a booth at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) at its regional Red River trade show in Dallas, Texas. Joining Cutsinger to promote their municipalities were representatives from the cities of Dickinson (Courtland Holman), Hitchcock (Tyler Robert), League City (Scott Livingston), and Nassau Bay (Kristin Edwards). A Galveston County representative (Garrett Yarbrough) also participated in the trade show.

ICSC is a regional gathering of innovators and dealmakers who promote and elevate the marketplaces and spaces where people shop, dine, work, play, and gather as foundational and vital ingredients of communities and economies. There were 2,500 attendees and 200 exhibitors at this year’s trade show.

Santa Fe Citizens Hear Business Retention and Expansion Presentation by BAHEP

BAHEP Executive Director for Economic Development Dan Seal, at the request of the Santa Fe Economic Development Corpora- tion (EDC), made a presentation on Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) to the citizens of Santa Fe, Texas. Seal’s presentation covered: What is the purpose of an effective BRE program? Why do BRE? Essential Ingredients of a successful BRE program. Potential Structure of BRE Program. Initial first steps of BRE Outreach.

League City Regional Chamber Hears Game Changers Presentation by BAHEP

BAHEP Executive Director for Economic Development Dan Seal gave his “Game Changers” presentation to the League City Regional Chamber of Commerce members. Seal discussed economic factors that are positively impacting the Bay Area Houston region including: Population Increasing, Inventory Philosophy Shifting, Energy Prices Soaring, Highways Constructed, Aerospace Commercialization, Tourism – a nice rebound!

BAHEP’s Hot Projects presented to Leadership Galveston

BAHEP Real Estate / Facilities Marketing Manager Barbara Cutsinger presented her Hot Projects to Leadership Galveston program participants. Cutsinger discussed the latest news about commercial, residential, and industrial developments in Galveston County and Bay Area Houston. More than 40 people attended including Leadership Galveston members and Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce staff. Cutsinger’s presentation was part of an annual event hosted by the chamber.

BAHEP Participates in Harris County EDO Collaborations Meeting

At the request of the Harris County Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity (DEEO), BAHEP participated in a collaborations meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to inform attendees of a Precinct 2 consultant’s efforts to attract inbound foreign investment to Harris County and to begin collaborations to maximize the opportunities.

BAHEP Executive Director for Economic Development Dan Seal recommended that the consultant make a presentation to a meeting of the Houston Region Economic Development Alliance (HREDA). Seal said this would engage input from more than 25 HREDA economic development organizations located in Harris County.

The meeting, facilitated by the DEEO, included Precinct 2 Deputy

Chief of Staff Tiko Hausman, BAHEP President Bob Mitchell, BAHEP President-elect Brian Freedman, Seal, and representatives from the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, the Katy Area Economic Development Council, and the Baytown – West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation.

BAHEP Participates in League City Council Workshop on Future Land Use

At the invitation of the City of League City, BAHEP Executive Director for Economic Development Dan Seal and BAHEP Real Estate / Facilities Marketing Manager Barbara Cutsinger attended a city council workshop. Cutsinger was asked to share and discuss information regarding the City of League City’s future land use. The city council made comments, as well as Mayor Pat Hallisey, and Cutsinger also commented on the possible uses for the vacant land, especially along the expected route of the Grand Parkway.

Presenters during the workshop included David Hoover, Planning Services executive director, and Scott Livingston, Economic Development director. Some of the topics discussed during the workshop by the city council were shopping malls (would they be needed), traffic congestion (the city has too much now), and office buildings (who will use them and do we need to build them).

BAHEP Working 27 Projects in Pipeline

The BAHEP marketing staff is currently working 27 projects for Bay Area Houston. The majority of the projects are in manufacturing or related projects. Collectively, the 27 projects have the potential to bring more than 2,000 jobs to the region.

In Closing

Arguably, nothing is more vital to economic health than leaders with a vision toward the future. Since 1976, the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership has effectively engaged with its many partners to forge opportunity and generate a great quality of life for the region which has created a lasting ...