BUSINESS BRIEFS INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Business Assistance Programs
1
Marketing
4
Public Relations & Media Communications
5
Special Initiatives
7
Storm Surge Protection
7
Preserve NASA Funding Levels
7
Bay Area Houston Advanced Technology Consortium
8
Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program
9
Membership
9
Our Partners
12
V O L U M E
1 2 ,
W I N T E R
2 0 1 9
N U M B E R
3
President’s Letter Busy. Challenging. Rewarding. When I think back over the work of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership throughout 2019, those are the first words that come to mind. The activities of the fourth quarter reported in this publication certainly reinforce those thoughts. We’re proud of our accomplishments. Of course, this newsletter can only touch briefly on the work it took to get there. While it’s gratifying to reflect on BAHEP’s successes, it’s exciting to look at the opportunities that lie ahead. BAHEP’s Council of Mayors was very active in 2019 especially in relation to its legislative agenda that the mayors took to Austin during the legislative session. The Council will continue to meet regularly in 2020 to discuss issues affecting their constituents and to formulate a regional approach to addressing them.
Bob Mitchell sion statement of BAHEP’s Aerospace Advisory Committee (AAC) has changed to reflect the expanded interests of the region’s aerospace and aviation industries. While continuing its support of the activities at NASA Johnson Space Center, the AAC will broaden its scope to include aggressively growing the region’s role in commercial space and aviation. Emerging technology throughout the region’s industries will continue to be of special interest as we collaborate with our educational partners to provide the pipelines that are necessary to meet current and future workforce needs. I look forward to working with all of our many partners to make 2020 another successful year for Bay Area Houston. Kind regards,
For the first time in 40 years, the mis-
Business Assistance Programs County Judges Lina Hidalgo and Mark Henry Discuss Issues Facing Their Counties BAHEP hosted Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Galveston County Judge Mark Henry on Oct. 2, 2019, at the Bay Oaks Country Club for its ‘State of the Counties’ general membership meeting.
Hidalgo said Harris County’s number one priority is flood control, particularly after Tropical Storm Imelda. The county has hired an independent firm to figure out how to get drainage projects done faster. Projects originally expected to take 10-15 years are now firmly set at 10, she said. As a county that borders the Gulf of Mexico, Henry said he was concerned about evacuation routes during hurricanes. During Hurricane Rita, more