PRESIDENT’S LETTER

203 Ivy Avenue, Suite 200 Deer Park, TX 77536 (281) 476-9176

Economic Alliance Executive Board

Chair: Bob Bradshaw, INEOS

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. I firmly believe that this region produces its’ own unique culture, born out of blue-collar manufacturing work. The residents work hard and raise their families in tight-knit, small town communities that still support their local schools, Little Leagues and pack stadiums every Friday night in the Fall. I also believe that it’s that culture that inspires our companies to reach into the communities and pour resources back into them.

As Jim Griffin used to always say, these cities allow us (the petrochemical industry) to operate in their communities. That partnership and service attitude shows through in numerous ways, including grant programs, sponsorships of local fire departments, education foundations, non-profit charities, school districts and many more community first causes.

We’re fortunate to live in such a thriving economic ecosystem where jobs and education and quality of life all coexist. The Economic Alliance works everyday to continue and grow that prosperity, which is the American Dream.

God Bless,

Chad Burke President & CEO Economic Alliance Houston Port Region

Treasurer: Dr. Brenda Hellyer, San Jacinto College

Secretary: Rob Bacon, ExxonMobil

Vice Chair: Ryan Sitton, Pinnacle

Vice Chair: Mayor Michel Bechtel, City of Morgan's Point

Vice Chair: Monty Heins, DOW

Past Chair: Steve Cote, Brady, Chapman, Holland & Associates

Communications Advisory Board

Sarah Arroyo, Lubrizol

Heather Betancourth, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC

Jessica Blackmore, Shell Deer Park

Sara Cronin, TPC Group

Amanda Fenwick, San Jacinto College

Jason Lee, Exponent Prosperity Accelerator Advisors, LLC

Lori Pace, ADIM Media, LLC

Kara Slaughter, LyondellBasell

Bill Stephens, Chevron

Aaron Stryk, ExxonMobil

Connie Tilton, ExxonMobil

Dennis Winkler, Winkler Public Relations

Tess Hammock, Community First ER

MaryJane Mudd, East Harris County Manufacturing Association

Sabrina Schwertner, Texas Chemical Council

Brian Waddle, Lee College

Economic Alliance Staff

Chad Burke, President & CEO

Chad Carson, VP of Economic Development

Marisela Ramirez, Events & Membership Director

Amanda Baucum, Marketing & Communications Director

Heather Carrico, Financial & Administrative Manager

Patti Bell, Workforce Development Manager

Karen Gregory, Contracts Manager

LAYOUT AND DESIGN

Amanda Baucum, Marketing & Communications Director

EDITORIAL & SPONSORSHIP SUBMISSIONS amanda@allianceportregion.com

Newsletter archive: https://allianceportregion.com/newsletters/

Houston Pilots Doing Good In The Community

Houston Pilots is a voluntary association of 97 ship pilots providing pilotage services to vessels navigating the Houston Ship Channel. A leader in navigation safety and innovation since 1919, the Association’s goal is to safeguard the interests of the citizens of Harris County by ensuring the safe navigation of deep draft vessels transiting to the over 160 public and private docks along the 52 mile Houston Ship Channel.

Since 1919, Houston Pilots have lived and raised their families in the communities along the Houston Ship Channel. So it should come as no surprise that their commitment to keeping the channel safe and to investing in their local communities runs especially deep.

With special focus on the the neighborhoods and organizations surrounding Houston’s East End and communities along the Houston Ship Channel, Houston Pilots have provided support to a number of local community, educational and health related organizations over the years.

Dia De Los Muertos Magnolia Park

Platted in 1890, Magnolia Park is one of the oldest Latino neighborhoods in the Houston area. The Dia de los Muertos festival was founded in Houston’s East End to build community between neighbors, support local artists and students, provide local small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods, and develop relationships between local community leaders. Houston Pilots are honored to be a sponsor of this community event which supports the East End and Magnolia Park neighborhoods.

El Centro De Corazon

Houston Pilots believe that a healthy community is vital to a vibrant and strong work force along the Houston Ship Channel. With this in mind, they have supported El Centro de Corazon, which is a Federally Qualified Health Center with three locations in Houston’s East End, for over 12 years. El Centro provides a full range of pediatric and adult health care services for the medically underserved and uninsured.

Maritime Education

Understanding how the channel underpins future local and regional prosperity, Houston Pilots have invested heavily in recruiting the next generation of maritime leaders from local communities.

Partnership maritime schools include Pasadena ISD, Houston ISD, LaPorte ISD, Galena Park ISD, and Texas City ISD. Additionally, Houston Pilots serve on the San Jacinto and Pasadena ISD Maritime Advisory Boards and provide guidance on curriculum, instructor qualifications, equipment, and facility requirements.

With a focus on under served and minority students, Houston Pilots typically hosts 4-6 interns every summer, and provides $120,000 a year in scholarships and financial support to local maritime education programs through their Houston Pilots’ Anchorwatch Foundation. Just recently, the Anchorwatch Foundation surpassed over $1million in support of maritime education. Consistent with the Houston Pilots focus on local communities, scholarships are awarded with preference towards students from local partner high schools.

EXXONMOBIL SUPPORTS LEE COLLEGE’S ENERGYVENTURE CAMPS, BLENDING FUN AND EDUCATION!

ExxonMobil Baytown recently donated $15,000 to sponsor Lee College 2023 EnergyVenture camps, an energy career exploration summer camp for middle school and high school students.

In addition to funding, ExxonMobil is providing volunteers to lead experiments and talk careers. Volunteers kick off discussions about their time at ExxonMobil and the journey that led them to where they are today. Students can ask questions and learn more about what it takes to have a career in our industry. Campers also learn about the world of chemicals and how the products that we make are used in everyday items.

“We appreciate ExxonMobil’s continued efforts to support Energy Venture camp at Lee College for the last 14 years,” stated Lee College Community Education and Senior Programs Program Manager Jordan Smith. “Through this support, students are able to see how vital the energy industry is to everyday life and decide if a career in the industry may be a good fit for them.”

Through ExxonMobil’s 14 years of sponsorship, more than $200,000 has been donated to support the camps and to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders.

“We couldn’t make this camp possible without ExxonMobil’s support, and we hope to continue growing this program to create more opportunities for young members of our community to learn about the energy industry,” Smith added.

WHEELCHAIRS FOR WARRIORS, HELPING MOBILIZE VETERANS IN NEED

Wheelchairs for Warriors, a local area nonprofit, envisions a world where every wounded vet eran and first responder can confidently and independently pursue their dreams with the support of custom-fit, complex-rehab mobility solutions (wheelchairs). They serve those who served us – warriors critically injured in the line of duty. They travel to recipients around the country and custom fit each wheelchair to their specific physical and lifestyle needs, providing a range of solutions from daily use to adaptive sports wheelchairs.

In June, they visited Sue Downes in Cypress, TX to fit her for a custom wheelchair she desperately needs and has been unable to get through the VA. Sue enlisted as an Army police officer in Dec 2004 and deployed to Afghanistan in February of 2006. In November of that year, Sue’s unit was en route for an overnight mission; their Humvee was struck by five landmines powered by a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) and also received enemy fire. Sue was gunning the .50 caliber machine gun – she was shot in the left hip, and her fellow soldiers (best friends) were both killed.

The blast took both of Sue’s legs below the knee, lacerated organs, caused a traumatic brain injury, and PTS. Sue underwent dozens of surgeries, and in March of 2007 she was given her fist pair of prosthetics.

Six months ago, Sue was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (A.S.). Her right hip is fused and a few of her spine segments have started to fuse as well. Sue has worn prosthetics for 16 years with success, but now her injuries and illness have caught up to her and she needs a wheelchair.

Sue says, “A wheelchair will give me back my independence – I can get around a store without my legs hurting, I can be more mobile in everyday tasks.”

To learn more about Wheelchairs for Warriors visit: wheelchairsforwarriors.org

To help fund Sue Downes wheelchair visit: https://give.wheelchairsforwarriors.org/suedownes

COASTAL ICE & WATER, KEEPING THE COMMUNITY HYDRATED PROVIDING HYDRATION SAFETY GUIDANCE

Coastal Ice & Water debuted a hydration safety guidance presentation available to customers and non-customers. Participants are encouraged to consider diet and behavior with increased consumption of water to safely hydrate, especially in Houston’s summer heat.

Placing a monitor under people’s tongues to read hydration levels grabs attention. Most display moderate dehydration. Some reach severe levels.

Skipping breakfast and drinking caffeinated beverages is confessed as the culprit in dehydration rates, notes Monica Beynaerts, Vice President, Sales for Coastal Ice, who brings fruit, pastries and water-soluble electrolytes for people to consume.

Beynaerts holds attention with a tear-jerking ending – a father describing his son’s death from heat-exhaustion on the job.

“It is easy to remedy dehydration when you know the facts and have a solution,” Beynaerts concluded.

Grabbing Attention With Hydration Safety Twist At Ehs Trade Show

Coastal Ice & Water continued its industry Hydration Solutions theme by introducing Hydration Safety Solutions during the Texas|Louisiana EHS Seminar. Coastal Ice’s booth offered cold, refreshing water, and a unique dehydration testing site.

Many safety professionals, surprised to test dehydrated, requested Coastal Ice bring its hydration safety guidance presentation to their sites. Plant managers, equally impressed, recommended testing as a method to garner employees’ attention.

“Our safety presentation helps employees understand how easy it is to be dehydrated and learn proper methods to hydrate,” said Scott McAlister, president of Coastal Ice & Water.

Coastal Ice ambassador and Olympic boxer Termite Watson visited industry safety professionals and plant managers during the seminar about knocking out dehyd ration which increases safety incidents. Termite delivered motivational presentations during the conference.

Knock out dehydration and reduce safety incidents. Olympic boxer & motivational speaker, Termite Watkins, visits with customers in the Coastal Ice & Water booth during the TexasLouisiana EHS Seminar in Galveston. Adding water and fruit to your diet and avoiding caffeinated beverages can help the fight against dehydration.

BACODA | BAY AREA COUNCIL ON DRUGS & ALCOHOL

BACODA is committed to a community-wide effort to prevent and reduce the harmful impact of alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs among our youth. They accomplish this by utilizing a multi-prong approach.

The first approach features prevention education within the Youthworks Program. This program uses school-based prevention education for grades 1st-12th. They also provide positive alternative activities and presentations for after school programs, youth-based non-profits, community partners and, of course, parents.

The second approach involves BACODA’s five community coalitions which implement environmental strategies. The coalitions rely on effective partnerships, collaborations, and volunteers to bring awareness to their communities, educate leaders and policy makers, and evoke change. Coalitions can be found in Brazoria County, Galveston County, Matagorda/Wharton and Southeast Harris and the city of Pasadena.

The third approach concentrates on counseling services for those seeking assistance with substance use and substance use disorders. BACODA offers direct services providing a combination of critical activities including psycho-educational classes, crisis counseling, assessments, problem identification, and referrals. All sessions are conducted by a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC). For more information or to make an appointment, please call 800-510-3111. Youth, adults, and families are welcome.

BACODA’s impact in the community can be seen throughout the region. With collaborations with local municipalities, law enforcement, health promotion agencies and faith-based organizations, events and projects are happening at full speed! Recently, BACODA received a grant from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to sponsor and support projects to reduce stress and increase wellness. Below are some of the projects sponsored by BACODA:

• Increase community beautification by designing and painting full size murals in Freeport, Kemah, and Dickinson. The mural in Kemah features a smoke and alcohol-free picnic area for all to enjoy.

• Community gardens in Galveston and Oyster Creek allow collected food to feed those in the community.

• New “ninja” style park in Pasadena located across from an elementary school to increase exercise opportunities for youth.

• Provided a cement court for Sanford Community Center in Palacios which allowed local youth to games and socialize safely.

• Purchase supplies to support the Clothes Closet at La Porte HS for students in need.

• Sponsored an awning at the Hesed House in Wharton to allow for community gatherings and outdoor events.

It is easy to follow along with BACODA’s current projects, coalition meetings and prevention activities by visiting www.bacoda.org and following on FB, Instagram and Twitter! For additional information, please call 800-510-3111.