The Greater Houston Partnership’s Houston Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE) program empowers early- to mid-career professionals to grow as leaders, build meaningful connections, and deepen their engagement in Houston’s business and civic landscape. Through curated events and purposeful programming, HYPE cultivates a pipeline of rising talent ready to take on leadership roles in their companies and communities. The Partnership is committed to fostering the next generation of leaders who will help shape Houston’s future, and HYPE is one way we’re investing in that vision. Hear from a past HYPE Member, Houston City Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas, on how her journey with HYPE helped shape her career, particularly at a HYPE coffee chat.   “When I first joined what was then the Greater Houston Partnership’s Involvement Committee in 2011, now known as HYPE, I saw an opportunity to bridge my work with the Houston Area Urban League, the city’s business community, and my interests.  Though work and civic demands have occasionally pulled me away, I’ve always understood HYPE’s immense value for young professionals, especially those without ready access to mentors or development resources.   My single most memorable HYPE moment took place at a roundtable breakfast at Hotel ZaZa. Dan Bellow facilitated our “table talk” with such openness that I, coming from a family without insider connections, felt empowered to ‘shoot my shot’ and ask the BIG questions.   Dan’s openness to listening, sharing personal insights, and responding with honesty exemplified the kind of relational leadership that HYPE strives to cultivate, authentic, courageous, and deeply human. While I may have dominated the Q&A portion of the breakfast (much to the likely frustration of my tablemates), I knew I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by. Moments like that aren't guaranteed, and I would have regretted staying silent.  Over the years, what I learned through HYPE involvement led me to board seats, speaking invitations, and collaborative projects with city officials, connections that ultimately helped lay the groundwork for my dual roles in academia and as a Houston City Council member. Serving on HYPE workgroups sharpened my ability to set agendas, mobilize volunteers, and execute strategic initiatives—lessons in “leadership by doing” that continue to guide me today.   My advice for current HYPE members is simple: lean in and bring someone with you. Be involved and attend HYPE programs, ask to shadow a senior leader, and don’t hesitate to reach out for a 15-minute coffee chat. Those small acts of initiative not only expand your network but also build confidence in your own voice.   To the future business and community leaders of Houston, I offer two key pieces of counsel: cultivate genuine curiosity—ask “Why?” before “How?”—and practice servant leadership by elevating others’ contributions as much as your own. Today, you can deepen your impact by serving on local nonprofit boards, participating in city advisory councils, or championing inclusive economic programs in your neighborhood.   These experiences strengthen our region and hone the collaborative, civic-minded skill set that today's leaders will need. I joined HYPE seeking a platform; what I found was a community that champions growth, connection, and possibility. Here’s to the next generation of Houston’s leaders—may you ask big questions, build real relationships, and drive our city forward. I am counting on you.” —Houston City Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas The Houston Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE) is a member-based program, to subscribe you must be employed at a current member company. Learn more about HYPE.

Like every city, Houston experiences setbacks. The difference is Houston doesn’t dwell on them. It adapts, rebuilds and always comes back stronger. That’s exactly what the region is doing with biotech, an emerging sector where Houston is determined to lead.  The region’s economic development strategy shifted after losing Amazon’s HQ2 in 2019. Leaders doubled down on partnerships, long-term planning and industry diversification.  In 2022, there was another missed opportunity. A leading pharmaceutical company’s decision to choose North Carolina highlighted another critical gap in Houston – the need for a biotech workforce.   Rather than retreat, Houston responded with action. San Jacinto College (SJC) and Generation Park launched a bold partnership to build a biotech talent pipeline, ensuring the region is ready for the next big opportunity.  Learn more about Houston’s life sciences industry and how local colleges and businesses are working together to build the region’s biotech workforce.  SJC & Generation Park Partnership  Ryan McCord, McCord Development President and the visionary behind Generation Park, had long believed Houston could lead in life sciences. But as biotech investments flowed to other cities, it became clear: infrastructure alone wasn’t enough.  While Houston’s life sciences sector has grown steadily over the past decade— recording the second-highest employment growth rate among major markets from 2022 to 2023, according to CBRE’s 2025 Life Sciences Outlook—the region continued to face a shortage of technicians to support critical functions such as laboratory setup, data collection and research observation.  That’s when McCord turned to SJC, a proven leader in workforce development with a track record of building industry-aligned programs. Together, they launched the Center for Biotechnology, a workforce-first solution to close the talent gap and make Houston a top destination for biotech companies.  "San Jacinto College’s Biotechnology Center at Generation Park is the catalyst our region needs to fill the gap in our existing life science ecosystem and accelerate biomanufacturing in Houston,” said McCord in a news release.  Inside the Center for Biotechnology  Opening this summer, the Center for Biotechnology offers more than just textbook knowledge, it delivers hands-on training with industry-grade equipment. At its core is a pilot-scale bioprocessing plant where students will gain real-world experience using the same tools found in commercial facilities.   Click to expand To develop the curriculum, SJC partnered with the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), a global leader in biopharma education. That partnership makes the center the exclusive provider of NIBRT-licensed training in the southern U.S., and one of just six institutions worldwide with this distinction.  “Building on San Jacinto College’s established track record of working with industry to develop need-specific training and accreditation centers, the partnership with NIBRT represents an opportunity to train the workforce that Houston's biopharma industry needs to sustain its rapid growth,” said Brenda Hellyer, Chancellor of SJC, in a statement. “We also expect to contribute to the global market by training people eager to enter this growing industry from around the United States and beyond.”  The center also offers students exposure to emerging fields like cell and gene therapy. A regional advisory board of life sciences leaders will guide the curriculum to ensure it evolves with industry needs.  Strategic Location  The center is located within Generation Park, one of Houston’s fastest-growing innovation districts, and sits just steps away from BioHub Two, a 45-acre biomanufacturing campus currently under development. Once complete, BioHub Two will feature 500,000 square feet of state-of-the-art lab, office and cGMP manufacturing space, designed to attract life sciences companies to the region.   Click to expand What makes this proximity so powerful is the built-in connection between workforce development and industry growth. Companies moving into BioHub Two won’t just gain access to premier infrastructure, they’ll have a direct pipeline to trained, job-ready talent.  Spanning 4,300 acres, Generation Park is also home to leading institutions like Lone Star College and companies such as TechnipFMC and Apache Industrial Services. Beyond businesses, the district offers a great quality of life, surrounded by restaurants, shops, green space and residential options, all just a short drive from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Port Houston.  Positioned for the Future  The partnership between SJC and Generation Park is more than a response to a missed opportunity – it’s a bold investment in Houston’s future. The Center for Biotechnology demonstrates how aligning education with industry needs can unlock long-term growth, strengthen the region’s talent pipeline, and position Houston as a national hub for life sciences innovation and biomanufacturing.