The Fort Worth Chamberletter

Areli Casiano counts many blessings this first week of her freshman year at the University of Texas in Austin.

High on her list is the college preparatory program, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), in which she excelled at South Hills High School for three years, recently graduating in the top 10 percent of her class. All Fort Worth Independent School District high schools and middle schools are AVID sites.

Areli reveres her AVID teacher, Kristen Bulger, “who always received me with a bright smile and her arms wide open,” Areli recalls. “Without her, I would not be going to college. She always told us: ‘Never give up the ship.’”

Areli Casiano and AVID teacher, Kristen Bulger

And Areli treasures the $500 scholarship she won in an essay contest sponsored by a partnership of the Fort Worth Chamber’s South Area Council and First Command Educational Foundation, a Chamber member whose chief executive officer, Vickie C. Mauldin, serves on the council’s board. South Hills is the council’s adopted high school.

Areli won first place, focusing her essay on how she benefitted from AVID, which strengthens “students in the middle” with academic rigor, goal-setting and other challenges, including learning good citizenship and how to give back to the community.

The program “gave me the hand I needed to stand up and start walking toward a better future,” Areli wrote in her essay.

Bulger describes Areli as “the epitome of what AVID stands for,” but “her dedication to others shines most to me.” An example, Bulger said, is the support group for newly arrived immigrant students that Areli and a classmate organized, led and passed along to other AVID students to continue this coming year and in the years to come.

Among Areli’s greatest blessings, she says, is her mother’s advice: Hija, siempre ve hacia delante. “Daughter, always look forward.”

That view has guided Areli through many challenges.

In 2004, commitment to looking forward brought the Casiano family from the mountainous Mexican town of Teziutlan, Puebla state, near the border of Veracruz state, to Fort Worth.

“My parents wanted to give my brother and me a better future,” she said. “They wanted us to learn a new language and to give us the tools to be successful.

“When my parents told me that we were immigrating to the United States, I thought I was living in a nightmare. I thought my life was over.”

But, in looking forward, Areli mastered English and amassed numerous academic achievements through middle school and at South Hills.

For now, Areli hasn’t decided on a career path. She’s interested in either architecture or communications. “I’ll probably change my mind,” she said. But, as Bulger and AVID taught her, that’s a natural blessing of growth.

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Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program in Fort Worth schools.

This school year’s opening bell rang in a new era at the Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD).

Beginning now and by the fall of 2011, Gold Seal Programs of Choice will be changing students’ focus from just getting a high school diploma to graduating with certified strengths for post-secondary career paths. Those paths may lead to either higher education or immediate entry into the workforce with marketable credentials for jobs in many industries.

“We are preparing for a world we can’t even imagine, because it’s changing so quickly,” said FWISD Superintendent Melody Johnson. “This is just the beginning.”

Tailored to students’ interests, plans call for each high school to offer Gold Seal programs next year for careers in high-demand areas in North Texas such as health science technology, architecture/construction, aerospace engineering, information technology, arts and audiovisual technology, culinary arts and advanced media.

“Goodbye, old mass-production model of education,” the district’s annual report states. “Hello, new Gold Seal Programs of Choice. These highly specialized courses of study target areas that strongly interest students and provide hands-on, real-world experiences to prepare them for the job market of the future.”

“A workforce pipeline can’t be built by classroom education alone. Students must see a purpose in classroom instruction to remain motivated,” said Cynthia Miller, the Chamber’s senior director of Workforce/Education. “Gold Seal will help employers easily identify high school programs that correlate with their business endeavors.”

Budgets and program lineups should be ready for school board consideration by October, administrators say.

The programs eventually will extend into middle schools where students will select and begin studies for career paths. “We know kids might change their mind, but we want them going into high school with a (career) vision in mind,” Mike Sorum, FWISD chief academic officer, told the school board in a March presentation.

Two Gold Seal programs launched this month:

– Young Women’s Leadership Academy (YWLA) at 1066 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth’s first single-gender public school, provides 75 sixth-grade students and 75 seventh-grade students with advanced academics and a focus on Science, Math, Engineering and Technology (STEM) courses. Students were selected according to a number of criteria, including academic performance, attendance, student leadership and behavior, teacher assessment and an essay.

A Young Men’s Leadership Academy will open next year. Both single-gender academies will relieve students of social and cultural pressures found in coeducational settings, administrators say, and will help them to concentrate on studies and development of personal strengths. Both academies eventually will extend through the 12th grade.

Led by Principal Mia Hall, YWLA partners with the Addison-based Foundation for the Education of Young Women; Girls, Inc. of Tarrant County, and Motorola, which has provided a $25,000 grant.

– Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences (TABS) at W.C. Stripling Middle School opened with a $720,000 grant from the Sid Richardson Foundation.

The “school within a school” partners with the University of North Texas Health Science Center in preparing 74 eighth graders gifted in math and science for degree programs and careers in biotechnology, biomedical science research and medical fields.

Administrators expect TABS enrollment to grow to more than 400 students in grades 9-12 by 2013.

A third Gold Seal program, Southwest High School’s Southwest Academy of Petroleum Engineering and Technology, began its second year this month. The academy partners with the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA). Students will graduate fully prepared for college or the energy-related workplace where they can begin careers in areas such as chemical, graphic or computer engineering, geology and computer science.

Industry experts provide extra training for teachers. The IPAA brings engineers into the classroom to mentor students and share special insights. Field trips include visits to production sites where students see how their lessons apply in the professional world.

Such private-sector involvement and mentoring are vital to Gold Seal students’ success, Johnson said.

Gold Seal programs “will require time and resources, human and financial,” Johnson said. “But we owe this to our children, to their future and our own.”

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• Young Women’s Leadership Academy
• Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences
• Southwest High School’s Southwest Academy of Petroleum Engineering and Technology

When Sherry Green and Allen Spinner founded Technology Team, LLC, in 2003, they were sure they’d plugged into a wide-open niche in the moving business – helping companies dismantle, relocate and reinstall their information technology.

Green had owned a catering business, working part-time disconnecting and reconnecting computers for Spinner, who was a technical services manager for a local moving company. They pooled their technical and business expertise to form Technology Team with Green as majority owner.

“Relocation of data centers had the potential to be a booming business, because no one was doing them,” Green and Spinner said in a joint statement.

Revenue growth of 1,132 percent validates not only their idea, but also the innovative entrepreneurship they’ve practiced along the way.

Such achievement earned Technology Team the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Small Business of the Year Award (SBOY) in the 1-10 Employees category, adding another major award in a string of honors the woman-owned company has chalked up.

A key to Technology Team’s approach is the focus on full involvement of employees, customers, moving companies and all other service providers a project requires, all of whom also conduct ongoing evaluation throughout the job and afterward.

“Vendor relationships are the norm in the relocation industry,” Green and Spinner said, but “we see vendor relationships as adversarial, which is the low end of a relationship. We create a team environment where the sum of all is wiser than any one. This creates responsibility and accountability.”

Technology Team’s “smart expertise” is built around nearly 60 results-driven, part-time technicians who prefer flexible schedules and are deeply loyal to the company.

They and other staffers, along with Green and Spinner, give back to the community through involvement with a wide range of organizations such as the National Association of Women Business Owners, Tarrant County College Small Business Development Center, churches and programs aimed at providing business training to low-income women and men.

Entering the Chamber’s SBOY competition refreshed their perspective on Technology Team, they said. “We took a different look at our business. We believed we had made major accomplishments in 2009 and the application forced us to recognize and verbalize our accomplishments.

“We believe the Chamber award is the most prestigious award in Fort Worth,” they said. And in their entry narrative, they noted another belief: “No one has the passion of the entrepreneur.”

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Technology Team’s website.

2010 Small Business of the Year Award winners.

The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and members moved forward on many fronts in 2009.

Advocacy

History was made when the Fort Worth Chamber and the Dallas Regional Chamber traveled for the first time as partners to Washington, D.C., for the biannual Congressional Summit with elected representatives and other policymakers. As allies, the chambers carried significant impact in making sure that regional issues such as transportation, water and air quality are top of mind on Capitol Hill. The chambers introduced another first – use of social media (Facebook and Twitter) during the trip to keep members and the public updated back home.

On the state level, with Chamber officials and members helping to rally support, voters in the November election approved a critical success measure in establishing more Tier 1 universities in Texas when they passed a constitutional amendment that creates a $500 million National Research University Fund. Local institutions moving toward Tier 1 status are the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of North Texas in Denton.

The Chamber presented a Health Care Summit as federal health care reform stirred many questions and issues. Attracting 230 attendees, mostly from the health care industry, the summit included speakers and panelists who examined the future of health care and reforms’ impact on business. Topics ranged from “Health Insurance 101” to “The Physician’s Perspective on Reforming Health Care.”

Dream comes true

The SH 121/Southwest Parkway project was put into motion after lingering for years as only a vision but an ongoing priority championed by the Chamber. Beginning at I-30 near downtown Fort Worth, the four- and six-lane toll road will tap new dimensions of southwest Fort Worth’s development potential while providing long-needed relief from increasing traffic congestion. Southwest Parkway will extend 14 miles toward the Johnson County line where it will become the 13-mile Chisholm Trail segment extending south to U.S. 67 in Cleburne. Officials hope to have the project open to traffic by 2013.

Game on

Planning for next year’s Super Bowl XLV led the Chamber, city officials and leaders from other key local organizations on a high-stakes reconnaissance mission to south Florida for Super Bowl week. The advance team explored how the massive Super Bowl universe works as it engulfs an area. Of key interest was how south Florida entities were balancing normal delivery of services to citizenry with other emerging challenges.

Fort Worth will serve as the American Football Conference (AFC) host city next February, thrusting the public and private sectors and infrastructure into new dimensions of services delivery, tourism management, economic development and international media exposure. Super Bowl-related benefits could enhance the city’s outlook for years beyond game day.

The Chamber joined other local officials for a fact-finding trip to Indianapolis aimed at generating ideas on how Fort Worth can tune its economic engines to pull more economic impact from the million-plus attendance at Texas Motor Speedway events. In Indianapolis, the public-private sector team learned about strategies and practices that have made and keep that legendary auto racing capital an annual destination for fans from around the world.

Tickets to TMS races are sold in all 50 states. Televised races are broadcast internationally, giving Fort Worth exposure in approximately 60 countries.

Honors

Small Business of the Year winners were announced at Mayor Mike Moncrief’s State of the City address. Emerging Business – Alexander Chandler Realty; 1-10 Employees – Technology Team, LLC; 11-50 Employees – Buzz Custom Fence; 51-100 Employees – Worthington National Bank.

Native West Texan Vernon Bryant, Jr., chairman and CEO of Southwest Bank, was inducted into the Business Hall of Fame as Fort Worth’s 2009 Business Executive of the Year.

The Fort Worth Farm & Ranch Club, an independent arm of the Chamber, named Tarrant County cattleman James E. “Jim” Link as the 2010 recipient of the W.A. “Bill” King Award for Excellence in Agriculture.

Grooming future leaders

Vision Fort Worth, the Chamber’s program for young professionals, launched a mentorship initiative that pairs YPs with Chamber board members committed to helping groom Fort Worth’s future business and civic leaders by sharing experience and connections. The ultimate goal is to empower young professionals with knowledge and a network for deeper involvement in community affairs.

Sold on Fort Worth

A wide array of companies moved operations to Fort Worth during 2009. Leading the way were four companies that alone created more than 1,400 new jobs. Q-Edge, a Taiwan-based international giant in electronics assembly and distribution, relocated to Alliance Global Logistics Hub. DT Credit Corporation of Phoenix opened a new call center at CentrePort Business Park. Vetoquinol, France-based international source for veterinary drugs, opened its U.S. headquarters in Mercantile Center. International HVAC leader Coaire Corporation of Los Angeles opened a new manufacturing and distribution center at Northern Crossing Business Park.

The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce was recognized as one of the Top 20 Economic Development Groups in the U.S. by Site Selection magazine.

The Dallas-Fort Worth region was recognized by Southern Business and Development magazine as the top major market of the decade. Each year, the magazine ranks states and markets in the South based on projects that landed at least 200 jobs and/ or at least $30 million in investment or more.

Ten big steps in 2009.
http://www.fortworthchamber.com/letter/?p=1369

 After 50 years as a dream, Southwest Parkway gets the green light.
http://www.fortworthchamber.com/letter/?p=1537

 Dallas, Fort Worth chambers form historic partnership for Congressional Summit.
http://www.fortworthchamber.com/letter/?p=1593 

Planning for Super Bowl XLV leads a local advance team to Super Bowl Week in south Florida.
http://www.fortworthchamber.com/letter/?p=1421

The DFW Delegation from the Dallas Regional and Fort Worth Chambers pose on the steps of our nation’s Capitol before the day’s briefings.

The Fort Worth Chamber’s bi-annual Congressional Summit put a delegation of Fort Worth Chamber members face-to-face with elected officials and other policymakers in Washington, D.C., last week.

Discussions covered a wide range of issues. While the Chamber group arrived with priority concerns, they placed a premium on briefings from policymakers.

“We have always left it to the legislators to talk candidly to us,” said Brinton Payne, the Chamber’s vice president of Government-Urban Affairs. “We wanted a sense of what’s happening in Washington and how it may translate and affect our members.”

Andrew K. Johnsen, assistant vice president of Governmental Affairs for BNSF Railway, said the trip was important because “competition occurs not just in the marketplace but among states and regions of the country.”

The trip demonstrated that “our community is united and committed to the priorities of a bright future,” Johnsen said, adding that he was looking for “a confirmation that we have alignment with our congressional delegation on the region’s priorities.”

Fran Eichorst, vice president of public affairs for Fidelity Investments, agreed, noting: “Fidelity welcomes any opportunity to meet with policymakers to discuss issues of interest or concern to them and to serve as a resource for them whenever possible. Likewise, we appreciate the chance to raise and discuss issues and concerns of the business community with Members of the Texas Congressional delegation and explore ways in which we may work together.”

Pollard Rogers, managing partner at Cantey Hanger, said the trip facilitated “a better understanding of the issues affecting our region and businesses.” Rogers said he wanted to gather “concrete ideas for creating support for political initiatives on a local level” and then communicate those ideas to clients.

Summit sponsors were Lockheed Martin, Cantey Hanger, LLP, North Texas Commission and TXU Energy.

For the first time, the Fort Worth Chamber’s summit trip was carried out jointly with members and staff of the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce and Dallas business leaders.

“The joint trip came out of a relationship that formed around shared interests related to water issues two Texas legislative sessions ago,” Payne said.

“Going to Washington together made sense in light of the importance that regionalism has attained as we all address matters of common interest, such as infrastructure and other growth-related priorities. Together, we created an opportunity to hear from a multitude of legislators and strengthen our relationship with our neighbors to the east.

“For the most part, the chambers have the same goals.”

Another first involved the Chamber’s use of social media to give members real-time reports.

“In addition to reporting the trip in our newsletter, the ‘virtual DC experience’ was communicated in real time via Facebook and Twitter to Chamber members and fans who are on those networks,” said Andra Bennett, the Chamber’s director of Communications.

“This allowed those followers to give immediate feedback to the staff and member delegation while they were in D.C.”

Members of Texas’ congressional delegation and Texas Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison met with the Chamber groups April 21. An international dinner that night was keynoted by Ambassador Ron Kirk of Dallas.

On April 22, the Department of Defense briefed the Chamber delegations at the Pentagon, followed by a tour of the memorial there. They also visited Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors and received a private tour of the USS Fort Worth model.

Prior to the trip, the Fort Worth Chamber conducted an informal poll of membership to get a general sense of issues that were top-of-mind among members.

More than 400 responses focused primarily on energy, transportation, labor policy, economic policy, health care, national defense and tax policy.

Economic policy was the leading priority among more than 32 percent of respondents followed by taxes and health care, which were both identified as top priorities among more than 23 percent of respondents.

More links

• Fort Worth Chamber’s congressional issues poll results.

• Pentagon Memorial website.

• News about the USS Fort Worth.

• Fort Worth Chamber’s Facebook reports.

• Fort Worth Chamber’s Twitter reports.

Voters in the Nov. 3 election have an opportunity to help empower Texas with much-needed economic and competitive strengths that stream from Tier One research universities.

As stipulated in the Tier One bill Gov. Rick Perry signed in June, Proposition 4 would establish the national research university fund, reallocating $425 million from the dormant Higher Education Fund to help enable Texas’ emerging research universities to move toward Tier One status.

Of the state’s seven emerging research institutions, three are in the Metroplex – UT- Arlington, UT-Dallas and the University of North Texas. The others are Texas Tech, the University of Houston, UT-El Paso and UT-San Antonio.

A Tier One university generally is defined as a doctoral-granting institution with at least 1,000 tenure-track faculty, more than 50 different doctoral degree programs, annual research expenditures of more than $100 million and membership in the Association of American Universities.

Studies have shown the immense economic impact generated by Tier One universities – benefits sought by Metroplex leaders who have worked for years to establish such an institution here in the largest metropolitan area in the United States without a Tier One university.

Texas has only three Tier One universities – UT-Austin, Texas A&M and Rice University. The result, officials say, includes loss of billions of dollars in federal R&D funds and venture capital investment. Additionally, thousands of Texas high school graduates are lost to out-of-state universities.

In an analysis of the proposed amendments on the Nov. 3 ballot, the Texas Legislative Council noted that supporters of Proposition 4 emphasize that “creating additional national research universities in Texas would better position the state to achieve its vision of a globally competitive workforce by providing greater educational opportunities within the state for its best and brightest students.”

Proposition 4 “would … provide an established source of guaranteed funding for emerging research universities, put those universities on the pathway to (Tier-One) status and allow those universities to attract and retain top talent while generating important research in the state,” the analysis said.

The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce urges approval of Proposition 4.

More links:

Analysis of proposed constitutional amendments.
www.tlc.state.tx.us/pubsconamend/pubsconamend.html

A case for Tier One.
www.fwbusinesspress.com/display.php?id=10103

Applications are now being accepted for the Distinguished Employers of Fort Worth Teens.

Surveys show that 25 percent of Fort Worth ISD teens work in part-time or summer jobs, and the Distinguished Employers of Fort Worth Teens want to make successful teen employment compatible with high school completion.

Currently, 23 employers with 90 locations throughout Fort Worth have pledged to employ proven best practices that support these goals, such as providing flexible hours and encouraging school performance and attendance. This annual designation is provided by collaborative community partners (listed below) as an important component of the Stay in School Initiative and Fort Worth ISD’s Project Prevail.

Go here for the brief application package.

To be eligible, a business or organization must employ current Fort Worth ISD students and pledge to implement proven practices as listed on the application, such as providing flexible hours and competitive wages, or allowing adult employees to attend school/teacher conferences without penalty and with adequate notice.

Benefits to employers include use of program logo for corporate communications and teen employee recruitment, decals, certificates and other recognition by the community partners. Employers whose applications are received and approved by August 2, 2009 will be recognized at an autumn event hosted and publicized by the collaborative community partners.

See a complete list of current employers here.

“We are so excited about the potential of this program; helping Fort Worth teens be successful in school and on the job is important to us,” said Sondra Bowden of the Fort Worth Zoo. “The Zoo works to be a real partner in creating an environment that supports their future, and helps prepare them to graduate from high school ready for higher education and/or the work force.”

For additional information, go to the DEFWT web page or contact Cynthia Miller, senior director of workforce development, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce at 817-336-2491 ext. 240 or cmiller@fortworthchamber.com.

Community partners for Distinguished Employers of Fort Worth Teens are the Fort Worth Chamber, the Fort Worth ISD, the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Tarrant County, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County and the City of Fort Worth.

click to see full-size graphic

By Micheal Truss, marketing intern

Meadowbrook 7th-graders at the Chamber’s Math & Science camp.

Forty 7th-grade students from Meadowbrook Middle School attended the third annual Math & Science Camp on the Texas Wesleyan University Campus (TWU) May 20-21.

The camp’s purpose is to demonstrate the importance of math and science in everyday life, and to give them ideas about future career goals. Activities are coordinated and funded by the Chamber’s East Area Council board (EAC).

The students are enrolled in the AVID Program: Advancement via Individual Determination. Students involved in AVID receive one-on-one guidance and tutoring. AVID has helped hundreds of students across 28 secondary campuses in the Fort Worth ISD.

“The Math & Science Camp has been successful for three years now and we look forward to keeping it running for years to come,” said John Gonzales, communications outreach coordinator at TWU. “We gave our best effort to give each student a quality learning experience. We hope some will be back one day as TWU students.”

All students attended two classes each day focusing on math, science, team building and personal growth. Motivational speeches on team building and setting goals were given by representatives of TWU, Fort Worth Brahmas, The Boys and Girls Club and others.

The first day students learned about physical science and computer gaming. Dr. Ric Rodriquez, TWU, spoke on the electromagnetic spectrum. He explained how it influences our daily lives, from microwaves to rays of sunlight. Charlene Ghaedi and Don Cunningham of Tarrant County College held two classes explaining the benefits of computer gaming, which helps with problem solving and intellectual exercises for players.

The second day offered classes in geology and engineering. During geology class, students learned about types of land formations. Nina Ronalder of EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) spoke about the geological makeup of the Earth and how EnCana uses drilling equipment to capture fossil fuels to provide energy for our nation. Jeff Abbot, design engineer for Painless Performance Inc., showed students how mathematics must be applied to construct the various parts of any automobile, from the engine to the chassis.

“Three of the four instructors have participated from the beginning and we hope that it becomes an annual event for Nina Ronalder as well,” said Pennie Blossom, director of area councils for the Fort Worth Chamber.

For 127 years, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce has worked diligently to create professional advancement opportunities for local businesses and their employees. In 2008, the Chamber announced new programs, increased economic development and made headlines, including the following highlights.

Awards and Recognition

Site Selection Magazine recognized the Fort Worth Chamber as one of the Top 20 Economic Development agencies of 2008. This is the third time in the past four years the Chamber has received this designation.

Two ACE Awards of Merit from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) were awarded in August to the Chamber in recognition of the Barnett Shale EXPO and the Chamber’s 125th Anniversary.

Small Business of the Year awards were announced at Mayor Moncrief’s State of the City address. Winners included: Emerging Business – Arcos; 1 – 10 Employees – Designs For Living; 11 – 50 Employees – Innovative Developers, Inc.; 51 – 100 Employees – Reata Restaurant.

Matt Rose, CEO of BNSF Railway, was honored as the Outstanding Business Executive of 2008 at the 39th annual Business Hall of Fame sponsored by Texas Wesleyan University, the Fort Worth Business Press and the Fort Worth Chamber.

Fort Worth and Tarrant County companies’ achievements in the global marketplace were honored at the 2008 Mayor’s Global Business Awards. Winners were: Teneo Linguistics Company (small business); Turbomeca USA (medium business); and ATC Logistics and Electronics (large business). Partners in the event included the City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth International Center, and the Fort Worth Business Press.

Edwards Family Ranches was named recipient of the 2009 W.A. “Bill” King Award for Excellence in Agriculture. The award, named for the late Bill King, founder of the Fort Worth Farm and Ranch Club and longtime manager of the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show, recognizes a business or individual who has significantly contributed to the agriculture or agribusiness industry. The award was presented at the Stock Show’s Livestock Appreciation Day Luncheon, Jan. 22 at the Round Up Inn.

Chamber Foundation

The Chamber accomplishes many community initiatives through its 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Fort Worth Chamber Foundation, Inc.

Established in 1982, the mission of the Foundation is to raise, manage and render financial support for key community initiatives as identified through the Chamber’s strategic planning process. Foundation funds are used exclusively for public education, crime reduction, beautification and strategic community planning, and are approved by a board of community business leaders.

The Lisa Dodson Memorial Education Fund was founded this year in loving memory of Lisa Ann Dodson, executive assistant for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce for 16 years, who passed away December 18, 2008. Awards from the Lisa Dodson Memorial Education Fund are used to supplement teachers’ needs in Fort Worth ISD classrooms and distributed through the Chamber’s five Area Council Boards to their adopted schools.

Economic Development

The Chamber continued its aggressive business retention visitation program, calling on more than 100 businesses to get an accurate read of the local business climate. An executive summary of the results are available upon request.

In international business development, a delegation of Fort Worth-area companies traveled to Mexico City and Toluca, one of Fort Worth’s seven sister cities, to pursue business opportunities. The delegation ranged from aerospace and manufacturing to road maintenance. Individually customized itineraries allowed each company to meet pre-qualified prospects.

Top 6 Economic Development Deals

Q-Edge
500 jobs
$10 million invested
365,000 square feet at Alliance

Regent Aerospace
300 jobs
$9 million invested
200,000 square feet in CentrePort

ENTECH
60 jobs
Solar energy panel (manufacturing/distribution/headquarters)
71,250 square feet at Alliance

Galderma
100 additional jobs
Administrative and training facility (U.S. headquarters)
50,000 square feet at Alliance

ATC Logistics & Electronics LP
800 new employees
Expansion at Alliance

FW Mason Heights
300,000 – 500,000 square foot mixed-use shopping center
East Berry Street and U.S. 287
$46 million investment

Government and Urban Affairs

Transportation continues to be a focus for the Fort Worth Chamber. Given that Metroplex population is expected to more than double over the next 50 years, the Chamber has taken an active role in supporting the Texas Local Option Transportation Act. Staff and volunteer members provided both oral and written testimony to the Texas Legislature to designate future funding for transportation projects in the North Texas area.

The Chamber also voiced its support for continuation of the state’s economic development programs. The Texas Economic Development Act, Texas Enterprise Funds and Emerging Tech Fund all came under fire this legislative session. The chamber, as head of the Metro 8 this year, worked hard to safeguard those funds and continue the Economic Development Act to remain competitive in recruiting top companies to our state.

Finally, a top priority in the 2009 legislative session was assistance in establishing a framework for more Tier 1 universities in Texas.

Member Programs

Vision Fort Worth, the Chamber’s young professionals (YP) program, completed its second year in 2008-2009 with 330 members. Vision FW is aimed at helping YPs build long-term personal and professional relationships, enhancing awareness of issues that impact the city and encouraging YPs to actively participate in growing their community. This year, Vision FW held 11 events and was also highlighted in an American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) webinar for its use of social media.

Fort Worth Independent School District Superintendent Melody Johnson, Ph.D., presented her fourth annual State of Education address on September 10. She shared highlights of the previous school year, new district initiatives and opportunities for the future.

Bob Simpson, founder of XTO Energy, Inc., addressed the January 29 Leaders in Business luncheon, focusing on low-risk growth strategies, community involvement and the natural gas industry’s outlook.

The March 31 Leaders in Business luncheon featured Larry Nichols, CEO and co-founder of Devon Energy Corporation. Nichols shared information about the natural gas boom that helps fuel the Fort Worth economy and presented perspectives on national and international energy demand.

The 22nd annual Chamber Golf Classic, presented by Nike Golf at Ridglea Country Club, provided fun “fore” all on September 22. Above-par winners of the tournament were: 1st place – North Texas Specialty Physicians, including Fowad Choudhry, Ken Lentz, John Lovelady and Mike Redding. 2nd place – Frost Bank, including David Moor, Gordon Ramsey, Mike Smith and David Moore.

To raise awareness of and opportunity for women’s roles in Tarrant County business leadership, the Chamber’s Women Influencing Business (WIB) held 10 events, including roundtable luncheon discussions, Net@Night after-hours networking and the 2nd annual Texas Hold’em Poker Party fundraiser.

The Tarrant Area Chambers Trade Show on October 30 featured 19 Chambers of Commerce, 200 booths and more than 1,500 attendees. Winners of the “Taste of Tarrant” contest held during the show included awards for the following: Best Decorated Booth – Chadra; Favorite Food – Texas Pit BBQ; Fine Dining – Hoffbrau Steaks; Friendliest Booth – All Wrapped Up; Healthy Eating – Lone Star Park; Sweet Tooth – Durham Ellis Pecans; Zestiest Food – Texas Pit BBQ.

Details of Fort Worth’s tremendous economic growth and continued development were shared at the 6th annual State of the City Address by Mayor Mike Moncrief on February 12.

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Honorable Susan Combs, addressed the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and the Fort Worth Chapter, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, at Leaders in Government luncheon on September 25. Combs discussed the state budget and the franchise tax.

At the October 26 Leaders in Government luncheon, U.S. Senator John Cornyn updated Fort Worth constituents on a number of federal issues important to Texans such as the economy, Medicare, energy policy and small business issues.

The 3rd annual Barnett Shale EXPO presented by Devon Energy, EnCana Oil and Gas, and XTO Energy, Inc. was held March 11, offering information on local, regional, national and global drilling issues, as well as breakout sessions regarding investing in the Barnett Shale and ways it will impact surrounding areas. For the third year, the Chamber commissioned an economic update by noted Texas economist Ray Perryman. All speeches, sessions and study results are available on www.barnettshaleexpo.com.

Area Council luncheons featured Mike Berry at DFW Marriott Golf (North), Scott Ransom at the UNT Health Science Center (West), T. Boone Pickens at the Ashton Depot (East), Nolan Ryan at City Club (Central) and Steve Newton at Baylor All Saints Medical Center (South). Also, all five councils organized one or more projects with their adopted schools.

Other Chamber programs such as Minding Your Business, Money Works, Business After Hours, Lunch & Learn, Leads Explosion and Leads Groups continue to benefit members every month with personal and professional strategies to maximize business growth.

In 2008, the Chamber updated its logo and launched a new digital version of the Chamberletter to complement the print version, distributed monthly via the Star-Telegram.

Workforce Development

Distinguished Employers of Fort Worth Teens is a key part of the Stay in School Initiative and Project Prevail. Guided by a Leaders Council (employers in industries where students work), the program involves 23 employers in 90 locations and nearly 1,000 students. The program helps employers build expertise in managing teens; students gain job experience and career/college readiness while finishing high school.

GO Centers in schools, community centers and faith-based organizations help students research careers, college and financial aid and work one-on-one with mentors from higher education institutions. Since 2007, Chamber staff has provided oversight and technical assistance to GO Centers in Fort Worth ISD’s 13 high schools. Some 8,000 students visit GO Centers annually.

Job Links EXCELerator helps employers fill their open positions and helps candidate providers hone their understanding of employer needs. Held monthly, Job Links EXCELerator is not a job fair. Approximately 20 percent or more of the attendees are employers who want to fill jobs. The other 60 percent includes staffing agencies, higher education institutions, and nonprofits with expertise in placing persons with disabilities, a feature that expands community outreach and increases employer options.