Archive for the Northwest News Category

Compaq’s New Legacy In 2018, I wrote an article for this newsletter titled, “The Legacy of Compaq” which illustrated how Compaq computers locating to northwest Harris County in the 1980s substantially shaped how the community developed over the subsequent decades. Yet, on February 24, 2025 the business community perked up when Apple, Inc. announced it was investing $500 billion in the US to build out its new AI platform. The press release also included an announcement that the computer servers for this new system were going to be manufactured in Houston, the only city named in the release. At the time, I thought it was a bit interesting, but did not give it too much thought, recognizing Houston’s now robust

Launching this week is the creation of the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce volunteer corps, the Chamber Champions.  Some twenty-plus Chamber members will have convened for the first time this week to kick off the program.  The intent of the program is to generate a more visible Chamber presence at Chamber events, whether it be ribbon cuttings, luncheons, networking events, and to also serve as volunteer helpers at some of the larger chamber events, like the annual Founder’s Cup Golf & Croquet Tournament and the NXNW Economic Outlook. This program will function differently from other previous Chamber ambassador programs in that there will be no score keeping or point system to monitor individual attendances at events. Yet, Chamber Champion members

Vote for Proposition A By a unanimous vote of the Harris County Commissioners Court, a measure will be placed on the November 5th election ballot, which if passed by the voters, will add an additional $100 million dollars to the Harris County Flood Control District’s maintenance program bringing the total annual amount the district has available for ongoing maintenance and flood risk reduction infrastructure to $241 million.  Over the past 25 years, the acreage the Flood Control District owns and maintains has more than doubled.  Yet, funding during this time has remained relatively flat. With the incredible support the County voters demonstrated in the 2018 flood bond referendum and the measured improvements the Flood Control District has subsequently made to

  On July 1st, the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce is moving it’s office to City Place, formerly known as Springwoods Village.  We are very excited for this opportunity to be locating to one of the most progressive master planned commercial developments in the Houston area.  City Place is located at the intersections of I-45, TX Highway 99, and the northern terminus of the Hardy Toll Road.  It is home to the corporate headquarters of ExxonMobil, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, ABS Shipping, Southwestern Energy and more.  Locating the Chamber among these successful companies is a symbolic match, and to be able to represent northwest Harris County from such a stellar location bodes well for the entire community. This will be a

  In 1974, J. Kent Adams, along with a group of civic and business leaders, formed the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce to market business opportunities in the area and serve as a collective voice to advocate for infrastructure and quality of life improvements for the community.  This year the Chamber celebrates 50 years of service to the community, and we are still true to that original mission today. Absent any centralized government, the Chamber has served as a clearinghouse for the community, addressing and/or organizing many of the initiatives to improve the community in which we live and work.  In fact, the Chamber is still working diligently on the formation of a management district for the Cypress Creek Parkway

  There are a number of indicators which suggest the United States will be, or already has, entered into a recession. The most glaring indicator has been two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, compounded by rising interest rates, prolonged inflation, and of course the supply chain problems we are all sick of hearing about. Don’t just take it from me, I am an armchair economist. These explanations require far more research and understanding.  For instance, just because the U.S. may be heading into a recession does not necessarily mean the same is true for Houston.  Historically, the Houston economy tends not to run with the crowd.  But is that still the case today?  I don’t know.  Therefore, anything I

  The Cost of Doing Business   The side effects of this great global disruption continue to interfere with our ability to manage our businesses in a more predictable and sustainable manner.  Because of supply chains, large government aid, the Ukraine war, etc., inflation has plunked itself in the front of the line.  Cost increases are coming at us from every direction.  Now, the pundits are sending up flares warning of a looming recession.  If such is to be the case, then remind yourself, just like with hurricanes, we have been through this before.  With a little planning and mindfulness, we will navigate our way through it when the waves start getting choppy. As the restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations,

How Do You Define Success? In a recent meeting with a property owner to discuss the merits of the Cypress Creek Management District, a question was posed to me that triggered a state of panic and temporary paralysis.  It was a great question, and seemingly so basic, but one that was difficult to get my head around due to the myriad of ways it could be answered. Cursing myself, I thought it should have been obvious for me to have already contemplated this question beforehand. The property owner asked, “How will the management district define success?” I admitted that I would have to get back to her on that one.  Of course, I have visions of short-term and long-term positive

Decision Fatigue Virtual vs. In-Person Once upon a time, I held public office, and if you strip away all the other nonsense that comes with that position, being an elected official really only means you are a glorified decision maker.  I did my utmost to make the most sound, informed decisions possible, and I felt like I did okay with it, or at least I do not carry any regrets.  Yet, during my time in office I have never felt as much consternation as I have been experiencing this past year.  A recent visitor to the Chamber office told me I was suffering from “Decision Fatigue.”  I like that term. One would be in a fog if not to notice

  It is official, the 2021 Economic Outlook Forum on April 8 is going virtual. That’s right folks, another day at the office where slippers and sweatpants are the standard business attire, or COVID Casual as I like to refer it. Originally, scheduled to be held at the CityPlace Marriott in Springwoods Village, the Economic Outlook Forum begs to be an in-person event.  However, with the ongoing spread of That-Which-Shall-Not-Be-Named and the new, more contagious strains taking hold on U.S. soil, the decision was made to move forward with the event yet, err on the side of caution by going virtual. The Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce has procured the services of a virtual software platform created for the specific