The Greater Houston Partnership welcomed 18 new member companies in the month of August. The Partnership works to connect companies with resources, information and networking opportunities to help increase business while also providing a platform to influence the direction of the region. New members joining in the month of August include: ABIC - American Business Immigration Coalition: ABIC - American Business Immigration Coalition is active in key states and communities across the country, engaging activists, advocates, business leaders, and elected officials on the urgency of passing immigration reform that boosts our economy, creates jobs, eases the labor shortage, and supports families. Website.  ACE Scholarships: ACE Scholarships provides children of lower-income families with scholarships to private schools in grades K-12, and to advocate for expanded school choice. Website.  Alvin Community College: Alvin Community College is a fully accredited community college working closely with business and industry to provide customized training in a full range of programs for traditional and nontraditional students. Website.  AMA Houston: AMA Houston is the area’s largest and most active professional marketing organization and one of the largest chapters in the nation. Website.  BBVA Compass Bancshares Inc: BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc. is a U.S.-based financial holding company that provides banking and financial services. Website.  BE&K Building Group: BE&K Building Group is an integrated construction services company serving industrial + manufacturing, aviation + aerospace, life sciences, food + beverage, healthcare, higher education, and commercial clients. Website BidConnectUSA: BidConnectUSA is a cutting-edge 21st-century business ecosystem platform designed to increase your company's growth and provide holistic education to Small & Medium Sized Enterprises. Website  Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc.: Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc. provides chemical management services and is an independent petrochemical distributor serving the nation. Website  Elevator Repair Service, Inc.: Elevator Repair Service, Inc is comprised of a highly-skilled and experienced staff of Union elevator mechanics who are qualified in all phases of repair, construction, maintenance, modernization and installation of elevators, escalators, rack & pinions, and material lifts. Website.  Octagon Staffing, LLC: Octagon Consulting, LLC is a management consulting firm dedicated to enhancing organizational performance across private, public, and social sectors. Website.  Optimal Wellness and Lifestyle Balance LLC: Optimal Wellness and Lifestyle Balance is a wellness and fitness business that supports optimal health and wellness through blended formulations of natural product. Website.  Rippling Nature: Rippling Nature is Innovative results-oriented strategic advisor possessing rare combination of market, business, and technology acumen. Strong background in assessing, planning and directing the implementation of digital transformation projects within the food-water-energy nexus focused to greening the world/decarbonization. Website.  Rockwell American Services, Ltd: Rockwell American Services sells, rents and provides a wide range of products and services to the U.S. military, government and energy industry. Website.  Sixty Vines: Sixty Vines is a casual New American kitchen & wine bar offering bites & wines on tap in spacious, modern surrounds. Website.  Visa Solutions: Visa Solutions has been the premier immigration and relocation agency. Website.  West Gulf Maritime Association: The WGMA negotiates and administers various multi-employer collective bargaining agreements with the International Longshoremen’s Association. Website.  Whiskey Cake: Whiskey Cake is your neighborhood joint for craft cocktails and farm-fresh comfort food. Website.  Click here to see the Partnership's Membership Directory. To learn more about membership with the Greater Houston Partnership click here, or contact membership@houston.org.

The Greater Houston Partnership received a 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Bronze Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The award was bestowed specifically for the Partnership’s work in the regional or cross-border partnership for regions with 500,000 or more residents.  The strategy formed in partnership with regional allies, as elaborated in the regional playbook, aims to enhance regional economic development in greater Houston by fostering collaboration and coordination among stakeholders. This involved creating a framework for the Houston Regional Economic Development Alliance (HREDA) to maximize engagement and support.  Formed in 2006, HREDA is comprised of economic development organizations and municipalities interested in creating jobs and investment to maintain a positive business environment. HREDA meets monthly at Partnership Tower, and often at other locations around the region. Hosted monthly at Partnership Tower and other regional sites, HREDA meetings include members from 98 economic development organizations, representing over 160 full-time economic development professionals.  The project's uniqueness and innovation reside in member involvement at every stage, ensuring ownership of the final playbook. It addressed previous collaboration deficits noted in studies, aiming to leverage regional resources for economic growth. The scale of marketing the region is no small feat. Covering 8,838 square miles, the 12-county Greater Houston region, with its centerpiece, the 10-county Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands MSA, surpasses an area the size of New Jersey,  Despite this vast expanse, the region's stakeholders have rallied together as allies, streamlining processes to attract prospective companies. This collective effort reflects a shared commitment to securing victories for the region's economic growth. “I am proud to be a part of an organization, such as HREDA, that exemplifies how regionalism and collaboration can drive economic success and set high standards for regional development,” HREDA Chair and Chief Economic Development Officer at Partnership Lake Houston Stephanie Wiggins said. “By uniting various stakeholders under a common goal, HREDA leverages the strengths of the Houston region to create a prosperous and sustainable economic environment." Every year IEDC looks specifically for economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives, and programs that have demonstrated consistent, exemplary performance in the economic development profession, leading the execution of projects that have a significant impact on revitalizing communities, and playing a major role in shaping and improving the practice of economic development. “This group understands what it means to succeed together," Greater Houston Partnership President and CEO Steve Kean said. “When we work together as one to combine the expertise, assets and capabilities of our regional partners, the Houston region is unmatched in potential. Through this mindset of regionalism, we can create a more prosperous and inclusive future for all of our citizens.” Learn more about the 12-county region the Partnership represents.