Following a year of uncertainty regarding its future, the Fort Bend Economic Development Council will establish a new entity under the auspices of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce.
For around 40 years, the council was a public-private partnership that served as the county’s unofficial department of economic development.
Nonetheless, the county established its own department dedicated to economic development in 2022. To create a strategy plan for regional economic growth and offer recommendations for the council’s new function, the county and the council engaged a consulting firm.
In the end, the business made two suggestions regarding the council’s future, both of which called for firing the board and employees. The development council lay offfits staffers in January.
The council will transfer its principal programs, members, and leadership to the chamber of commerce as part of a new project called the Fort Bend Business Partnership, according to an agreement that was revealed this month.
“It’s an integration of EDC leadership into a very sound business association in Fort Bend County,” stated council president and CEO Jeff Wiley.
The Fort Bend Legislative Conference and the Fort Bend Levee Coalition are two council initiatives that have already been transferred to the chamber. Other projects are now being brought under the chamber’s direction by the council.
Five executive officers from the council will join the chamber’s board of directors in January as a result of the new collaboration. Jared Jameson, who chairs the council, will also head the Fort Bend Business Partnership.
In the past, the council assisted the county in its negotiations by luring developers and new industrial companies to Fort Bend. Additionally, it operated a marketing campaign that was supported by both public and private funding. The council will no longer be involved in these marketing and recruitment initiatives under the new collaboration.
“Any incentives, any recruitment initiatives, any marketing to the site selector, brokerage or development community to come to Fort Bend County is going to be handled by probably a combination of the county’s economic development department and the cities in some capacity,” Wiley stated.
Under the new relationship, the council will continue its public policy activities and assist the chamber in expanding its efforts to represent the interests of the business community “at the local, state and federal level,” a chamber news statement stated.
The cooperation began with conversations between the two groups after the chamber started to take over some of the council’s efforts as it started to disintegrate, according to Keri Schmidt, president and CEO of the chamber.
“I think this is a really positive step and I think it’s a great opportunity for Fort Bend County to ensure that businesses are represented and that it is a reflection of the entirety of the community,” she stated. “Our chamber is extremely proud to be working on this effort.”
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