May 2020 | 5 COMMUNITY
Mayor Turner
Appoints Office of Business Opportunity Director
to continue providing economic opportunity and workforce inclusion in the News Provider city of Houston,” said Mayor Turner. “She has consistently shown great leadouston City Council approves ership and is committed to workforce appointee. development as evidenced through her Today, Houston Cit y professional achievements. Since I’ve Council confirmed Marsha E. Murray been mayor, Houston has awarded nearly as Director of the Office of Business more than one billion dollars in City of Opportunity. She has filled the role as Houston contracts to MWBEs (Minority Interim Director since September 2019. & Women Business Enterprises). I expect Murray previously served as Deputy that level of commitment to continue.” Director of OBO from 2012-2019. “I am extremely honored to be asked to While at OBO, Murray played an lead the Office of Business Opportunity. instrumental role in the department’s I am keenly aware of the important role growth and led comprehensive opera- the Office of Business Opportunity tional changes and policy updates in plays in ensuring the success of local the department. Murray also led the small businesses and creating employexpansion of OBO’s services to facilitate ment pathfree legal assistance and guidance for ways for disHouston’s small business community enfranchised doing business globally. individuals," said Marsha E. Murray, “Marsha Murray’s Of f ice of Business experience and Opportunity success working director. "Under my with the business le a d e r s h ip, community is the I ’m c o m m it t e d t o kind of leadership the providing Office of Business transformational services and programs Opportunity needs to to support their resiliency and continue providing economic success.” Murray has a Bachelor opportunity and workforce of Arts degree in Political inclusion in the city of Science and Spanish from Colgate University and a Houston,” said Mayor Turner. law degree from Villanova University School of Law. Murray is active in the local In February 2019, Murray received community and serves on the board of OBO’s Advisory Board Chairman’s Zonta Club of Houston, a global orAdvocate of the Year award for her ganization of professionals empowering work on behalf of Houston’s business women worldwide through service and community. advocacy. Prior to joining the City of Houston, She is a graduate of the Center for Murray served as legal counsel to New Houston’s Future Business/Civic York City government for 10 years. Leadership Forum and has served as an During that time, she worked to ensure advisory board member of the World that the most vulnerable New Yorkers Chamber of Commerce. She has served had access to social services and led pro- on national and international panels adgrams that served to maximize housing vocating for the continued support and options for citizens in a perpetually chal- development of small businesses. Her lenging housing market. advocacy for businesses to thrive globally “Marsha Murray's experience and suc- has led her to earn a National Association cess working with the business com- of Small Business International Trade munity is the kind of leadership the Educators Certified Global Business Office of Business Opportunity needs Professional designation. By d-mars.com
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