A N N U A L
R E P O R T 2015
Contents
The Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce
Week of October 5, 2015
In This Issue
Irving Economic
Video Feature Coupons & Discounts
Development Partnership
Irving Economic Development Partnership
New Italian restaurant opens in Irving
Top Local Stories
DiRosani's Italian Restaurant in Heritage Crossing opens
Biz Briefs News
tonight for dinner. The authentic Italian restaurant has
Upcoming Events
reasonably priced and very tasty meals that can be
Advertising Opportunities
paired with the restaurant's wine bar. Read more here.
Tuesday Morning opens second retail store in Irving The popular retail store, Tuesday Morning, opened their second retail location in Irving on Friday, September 25. The Dallas-headquartered company has a presence in View the Flickr photo album here
the Irving Towne Center. Read more here.
Video Feature Presented by ICTN
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Board of Directors
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Year in Review: Executive Summary
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Excellence in Economic Development
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L to R, Texas Representatives Roberto Alonzo, Matt Rinaldi, Rodney Anderson, AT&T Representative Holly Reed, Texas Senators Royce West, Kelly Hancock and Don Huffines at the 84th Legislative Recap & Impact Signature Program.
Community Wins
Irving Fast Facts
Hilti North America at 3701 W. Royal Ln. La Margarita at 2922 N. Belt Line Rd.
Global Reach
Irving’s Future Workforce
Connecting North Texas
Editor: Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce Graphic Design: Alejandra Herriott, aherriott@irvingchamber.com
The Voice of Business
Photography: Nick Mallouf Photography, Ignacio PeraldĂ - MITO Group, Shutterstock and The Dallas Morning News
Education Report
Check out our website www.irvingchamber.com Follow the Irving Chamber on Facebook facebook.com/IrvingChamber
Your Return on Investment
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General Revenue
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Small Business Success
Follow the Irving Chamber on Twitter twitter.com/IrvingChamber
ON THE COVER Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce Member-Investors at work.
@ Email the editor
chamber@irvingchamber.com
Leadership. Jerry Bates Rick Bidne Lori Bunger Dirk Burghartz Dr. Bobby Burns Mike Christopher Roxanne Clary David Cole Pedro Correa Ed Dolanski Mark Fenner Bob Galecke Maura Gast Mike Goff Rich Haldeman Linda Harper Brown Reed Hatfield Chris Hillman R.W. Holleman Paul Kimbel Jacky Knox Kristin Larimore David Leaverton David McMichael Kerri Miene Jesus Miranda Jesus Monroy Ryan Ogden Amanda O’Neal Brummitt Dr. Jose Parra Rakesh Patel David Pfaff Rodney V. Phelps Lisa Proctor Keith Rhodes Lars Rosene Angela Ross Chuck Rudnick Cindy Schamp Jonathan Schneider Christa Slejko Tracy South Rick Stopfer Michelle Therrien Sandee Treptow Tom Trotter Tabitha Turner Mayor Beth Van Duyne Michael Veitenheimer Michael Wawczak Cristina Young Al Zapanta
Oncor Las Colinas Association* Holt Cat Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD* Elemental Methods Freeman+Leonard Irving Convention & Visitors Bureau Board Chairman* Verizon Aviall Services, Inc. Rise Performance Group University of Dallas* Irving Convention & Visitors Bureau* La Cima Club Cancer Treatment Center of America-Tulsa Linda Harper Brown Associates, Inc. Time Warner Cable Business Class City of Irving* Pro Quality Microsoft Corporation Dallas County Utility & Reclamation District* GE Capital Equipment Finance - Irving Pioneer Natural Resources Dr Pepper Snapple Group State Farm Insurance Agency Universal Technical Institute* Mexinco, LLC Jabian Consulting The Brummitt Group/Metropolitan Anesthesia Consultants Irving ISD* The Patel Law Group Plastronics Citi Fluor Corporation Big Brothers Big Sisters* Flowserve Corporation AT&T SCORE Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Irving BB&T North Lake College* HMS DART* Allstate Insurance Company reliant, an NRG Company IBM-Retired MMC Strategic Staffing City of Irving* Michaels Stores, Inc. BBVA Compass Exxon Mobil Corporation U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce
2015-2016 Board of Directors Chairman of the Board Michael McCall, NCH Corporation Immediate Past Chairman of the Board Gary Huddleston, The Kroger Company Treasurer Bill Brown, CPA General Counsel Robert Martinez, Cotten Schmidt & Abbott, L.L.P.*
*Ex-Officio Non-Voting Member
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Year in review: executive summary
Main Office Williams Square Plaza 5201 N. O’Connor Blvd. Suite 100 | Irving, Texas 75039 Chamber Information Center Heritage Crossing District 135 S. Jefferson Street Irving, Texas 75060 P: (214) 217-8484 F: (214) 389-2313 chamber@irvingchamber.com www.irvingchamber.com
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Y 2014-15 can best be described as a year of transition with a new Governor, new City Manager, new Chamber President/ CEO, and eight new Chamber staff members. We believe this change is indicative of the dynamic times we live in and the incredible vitality and energy of North Texas and Irving, the gateway to the Metroplex. These changes have prepared us for what we believe will be exceptional business and economic activity in 2016. While a lot has changed, you can trust that some things remain consistent: • The Chamber’s qualified staff with professional credentials and proven results • 5-Star Chamber services and programs • Our commitment to the mission, representing investors and Irving Fiscal year 2014-15 was a productive time for the Chamber, and the following are a few of the highlights: A new strategic plan In a collaborative process, the Chamber’s Board of Directors, committees, and staff developed a strategic plan that will serve as our roadmap for the next three years for creating and supporting those services and activities that add the most value to our member-investors. The plan calls for growing the Irving-Las Colinas economic base by globalizing Irving to help our members compete on a world stage. We will continue to be the voice of business and advocate for pro-business public policies. This roadmap will also help us develop new revenue streams that support the Chamber’s activities and much more. The Board of Directors unanimously approved the 2015-2018, Delivering Irving’s Future, Strategic Plan in January. The entire community is counting on us to have the tools, tactics and resources to get the job done. Partnership with State’s Economic Development Marketing Program, TexasOne ™ The Chamber’s participation in Governor Greg Abbott’s TexasOne initiative is vital to growing Irving’s economy. Governor Abbott’s personal appearance in New York and New Jersey for the “Wide Open for Business” events gave us national and international exposure to business and relocation leaders. As a result, we had the unique honor of ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Additionally, we participated in the Governor’s inaugural national and international trade missions resulting in nine economic development leads for Irving. Irving Economic Development Partnership. The Chamber led Partnership met every Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for this year’s marketing services contract with the City, which resulted in the City Council approving funding for the Chamber in FY 2015-2016. This one-stop-shop for resources, information and support is a tremendous City asset for closing economic development deals.
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Through the Partnership, the Chamber has been directly involved in the development of the City’s Economic Development Strategic Comprehensive Plan, and in the selection process for the Director of Economic Development and our Director of Business Recruitment. Through the Partnership, the Chamber has a unique role in delivering the future growth and development of Irving. Economic Development Success The Chamber tallied up 20 “wins” in relocation and retention projects including CEC Entertainment (Chuck E. Cheese), Michaels, Mission Foods, Whole Foods, and international companies NEC Corporation of America, Honda, Hilti, Expal, and others. These “wins” created over 4,500 jobs in Irving, 1.7 million square feet in occupancy and increased the capital tax base by nearly $177 million. We have many more development projects in the pipeline that we expect to bring to fruition over the next several months to grow Irving’s tax base and benefit its citizens. Some of these potential deals are the largest that the Chamber/City team has worked on during the past 10 years and have important implications for the City, our investors and the North Texas region. Connecting Irving to the World The Chamber has a long-standing commitment to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport’s future growth. It is the third busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements, the ninth busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic, and the busiest airport in Texas by every measure. The airport handles nearly 900 flights a day and expects to grow to nearly 70 million customers annually by the end of the decade. The Chamber supports International Airport’s “Connecting the World” initiative focused on promoting the economic benefits of our region while expanding global access. Irving is the gateway to the Metroplex, and the City’s strategic location near the airport differentiates our City from all other North Texas municipalities, giving us a critical competitive advantage. We will continue to work with International Airport to make it the preeminent global hub and Irving, the premier business address. Working to keep Irving a market leader Irving is the second largest office sub-market in the Metroplex and home to the largest office park (Las Colinas) in the Metroplex. Irving was named an Enterprising City by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and had the largest number of Blue Ribbon Small Businesses in the country (again). Clearly, the hard work is paying off to make Irving one of the most desirable business addresses in the world. We expect 2016 to be exceptional for a number of reasons. The City will roll out its new Economic Development Strategic Plan to refine and refocus Irving’s economic development priorities. The Chamber is eager to review and support the City in its goals with a specific focus on business
recruitment, retention and marketing/advertising services. We will continue to support the redevelopment of the Downtown Heritage District, the former stadium site, and other areas that offer opportunities to create a unique city culture, heritage and lifestyle that attracts and retains families, businesses and workforce. We will also support new development opportunities like Carpenter Ranch, the Irving Music Factory, Water Street, the Quad at Las Colinas, and other transit-oriented developments as they will enhance the quality of life in Irving. As you can see we’ve had a busy year and next year will be even more productive. As they say, “it takes a village” and everyone has a role and responsibility to keep Irving strong and growing. We look forward to collaborating with you to drive results in 2016.
Beth A. Bowman, IOM, CCE President & CEO Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce Irving Economic Development Partnership
Gary Huddleston Chairman Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce Director, Consumer Affairs The Kroger Co.
Excellence. Irving economic development
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Michaels at 7635 N. MacArthur Blvd. Texas Musicians Museum at 222 E. Irving Blvd.
NEC at 6535 Hwy 161
015 was a year of transition within the Chamber’s Economic Development team, including the recruitment of seasoned professional Joey Grisham to lead our business recruitment program and the promotion of Nicole D’Souza, a former intern for the Chamber, to lead our business retention effort. Don Williams was named the Chamber’s Vice President of Economic Development and Operations. The Chamber produced outstanding economic development results for the City of Irving. The Chamber’s contract and strategic collaboration with the City of Irving, Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau and Las Colinas Association has driven diverse economic development wins and successful retention and expansion projects from our local, regional, national and international business partners.
We successfully recruited the U.S. headquarters of ExPal, a Spanish company and Hilti Tools research and repair center, a Liechtenstein-based company. On the retail front, a groundbreaking was held for the Shops at MacArthur Hills which will include a number of restaurants and retail shops, including a Whole Foods grocery. The Texas Musicians Museum, Heritage Treasures and Di Rosani’s Italian Restaurant are new options in Heritage Crossing. Other Irving economic development “wins” this year are scattered throughout the City.
Irving is home to six Fortune 500 companies’ global headquarters, up from five in 2014, three Fortune 1000 companies, and has a presence of more than 10,000 businesses, large and small, local and multinational. Irving, Texas is home to North Texas’ largest office park — Las Colinas. Several office projects are under construction as the office occupancy rates are now in the mid-80s percentile with retail and industrial occupancy in the mid-90s percentile. Irving’s unemployment rate is 3.6% and the commercial tax base increased by 10.4 % in 2015.
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Our success in economic development stems from a combination of factors, including the fact that Irving is an innovation hub. We provide world-class infrastructure and amenities, and we offer transportation options that allow our corporate employees and residents to travel easily within the region and around MacArthur George Bush Center the globe. From site selection and moveLas Colinas - Irving, Texas 75039 in, to cultivating relationships within the business communities, Irving’s Economic Development Partnership paves the way for successful relocations and expansions. Whole Foods Market to be built near SH 161 and North MacArthur Blvd.
The Irving Economic Development Partnership celebrated the retention of two national corporate headquarters: Michael’s, North America’s largest specialty retailer of arts and crafts, and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, with over 150 locations in the U.S. The American College of Emergency Physicians also chose to keep their headquarters and operations in Irving. Internationally, we retained the U.S. headquarters of Mission Foods, a Mexicobased company, and NEC Corporation of America headquarters, a Japanese company.
Our Goals: Create Jobs and Grow Irving’s Tax Base The success of the Irving Economic Development Partnership is reflected in two key statistics:.
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The commercial tax base of Irving increased from $ 1.4 billion in 2014 to $15.5 billion in 2015, or a 10.4% increase. We have seen the unemployment rate of Irving residents decrease from 4.6% in September 2014 to 3.6% currently.
We enhanced our marketing efforts with a more pro-active role in the Governor’s TexasOne program, including mission trips to New York/New Jersey and internationally to Mexico City. With our partners in the DFW Marketing Team, we met with major site selectors in Atlanta and the southeast United States. We participated in the International Council of Shopping Centers’ Texas retail show and their national convention in Las Vegas, taking the Irving brand to world class retailers. The City of Irving was represented at the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors’ annual EXPO. We also continued our print advertising in selected publications to maximize exposure for Irving. Going into 2015-2016 the Irving Economic Development Partnership sees a healthy market and continuing opportunities to grow Irving’s tax base and employment.
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Facts.
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Irving “wins”
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Relocations 1 ArtFX
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ArtFX is a contract screen printer that does a lot of work for Nike. They purchased an 82,000 square foot vacant building and creating up to 195 jobs in Irving.
2 CEC Electrical
CEC Electrical is an exciting company and one of the largest subcontractors in the state of Texas. They are relocating their HQ to Irving and creating 450 jobs.
3 Expal USA
Expal, a subsidiary of Spanishbased Maxam, relocated its US headquarters to Waterway Tower. They contract with the Department of Defense for weapons systems, ammunition, and pyrotechnics. They are creating up to 18 jobs.
4 Great Hearts Academy
Great Hearts is a high-performing public charter school. Their first North Texas Campus is located on Belt Line Road at Story. The school serves 643 students grades K-5.
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5 Hilti
Hilti Tools is leasing 65,000 square feet in Park Royal Business Park for a testing lab/R&D facility with 50-60 jobs.
6 Jimboy’s Tacos
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We worked with Jimboy’s Tacos to open their first location in Irving, and they are looking at adding other locations within the city.
7 Orbitz
Orbitz acquired a piece of Travelocity and is now known as the Orbitz Partner Network. They leased 17,000 square feet in Irving and will create 125 high salary jobs.
8 Preferred Business Solutions
Preferred Business Solutions bought a 43,000 square foot building in Irving. The company will create 52 new jobs in Irving with opportunity for future expansion.
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9 Shops at MacArthur Hills
The Chamber worked with Leon Capital (developer) on this exciting retail development that will be anchored by Whole Foods at MacArthur and SH-161.
10 Woolley Classic Suites
The Chamber was able to secure a TEA EB-5 letter to support this hotel project that will locate in Avion Business Park on SH 114 near Freeport. This will be the 2nd national location for the hotel.
11 Yard House Restaurant (Darden)
The Chamber started working with Yard House last year to get them signed into the Irving Music Factory.
Retention/Expansions 12 American College of Emergency Physicians The American College of Emergency Physicians is expanding their presence in Irving into a new 58,000 square foot building in Avion Business Park. This project retained 70 jobs with growth potential.
13 American Honda Finance
American Honda Finance renewed their lease at 3625 W. Royal. The company retained 75,000 square feet and 400 jobs.
14 CEC Entertainment
CEC Entertainment, the parent company of Chuck E. Cheese, chose to stay in Irving with their 350 employees, but relocated into the Westway One Building on Market Place Blvd. They are leasing 50,000 square feet of space.
15 DMG Mori Seki
DMG Mori Seki is an exciting international business that negotiated a payment in lieu of taxes with the City to obtain the Foreign Trade Zone status necessary to retaining their 72 jobs in Irving.
16 Fidelity Investments
The Chamber began working with Fidelity in 2014 to find new space. They will be relocating into Shops at MacArthur Hills.
17 Gruma/Mission Foods
Mission Foods, a subsidiary of Mexico Gruma Corporation, expanded their presence in Irving by leasing 90,000 square feet in Las Colinas.
18 Holt Cat
With a long-term presence in Irving, Holt Cat is expanding with the purchase of the former Surefire property on SH 161 for their crane division.
19 Michaels Stores
Michaels, a Fortune 1000 company, opted to keep its corporate headquarters in Irving, retaining 1388 jobs.
20 NEC Corporation of America
NEC, a Japanese company, signed a new lease in Royal Ridge for 120,000 square feet, keeping their North American headquarters in 600 jobs. Irving and retaining 6
Irving 10 fast facts
Irving has the most diverse zip code in the U.S. and is the 7th most diverse city in America —over 90 nationalities represented. - Business Insider
30%
+
of DFW International Airport is located within the City limits of Irving.
Irving has 5 Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail stations. The Orange Line runs directly to DFW International Airport. Trinity Rail Express commuter rail connects Downtown Dallas and Ft. Worth via two South Irving stations.
AT A GLANCE
2015 Irving demographics
228,653 Irving Population
+35%
31 7.1M
Irving Adults Bachelor Degree
36,726
Las Colinas Population
+69%
2.5M
Irving Median Age
DFW Metroplex Population
Las Colinas Adults Bachelor Degree
Dallas County Population
DFW Labor Force
3.6M
Irving Economic Development Partnership
Bloomberg Businessweek named Irving as one of its Top 50 Places to Live in America.
Irving has the 2nd lowest property tax rate of comparable-sized cities in the DFW Metroplex.
FBI
stats show that Irving is one of the Safest Cities in the U.S.
Las Colinas is the largest office park in North Texas and one of the largest master planned developments in the U.S. About 57% of the residents of Las Colinas are age 34 or younger.
EDUCATION Wallet Hub named Irving as the “Best City in the U.S. for Starting a Career.”
Irving is served by 5 different public school districts and multiple charter and private schools.
Size Up recognized Irving as one of the “Top 3 Cities in the U.S. for Tech Startups per capita.”
Irving is the home to the University of Dallas and North Lake College.
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Embracing cultural diversity at the Cinco de Mayo Concert.
Governor Greg Abbott at the TexasOne trade mission in Mexico City.
Global.
Mexico’s Mariachi Vargas at the Cinco de Mayo Concert.
Global reach: Creating business & partnerships around the world
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he Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce continues to pave the way for international opportunities with businesses across North Texas and the world. Trade, investment projects and economic benefits are the major components of establishing and expanding business relationships with other countries. The Irving Chamber’s International Trade Development & Assistance Center provides support to Irving companies interested in starting or expanding their international business activities. During the year the International Trade Development & Assistance Center assisted more than 150 local companies and entrepreneurs in expanding their international footprint. The Center has also organized and participated in international trade missions and delegations. The Irving Chamber provided assistance and educational forums for business leaders from two key U.S. trading partners, Mexico and China. Additionally, the Chamber added its voice, expertise and leadership in advocating for the Export-Import Bank at two international business conferences. Noteworthy among these was the participation in the successful TexasOne trade mission to Mexico City, led by Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Secretary of State, Carlos Cascos. The local business community has benefited from multiple conferences and events focusing on international business. The Irving Chamber continued its active role in the Sister Cities Program with Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico; Marino, Italy; Merton, England; Boulogne, France; Darkhan, Mongolia, and Espoo, Finland.
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Additionally, through contact and dialogue with six other countries, successful work continued to expand the program by identifying, at least, one more potential relationship; these included China, Korea, Panama, Honduras, Canada and Kenya. With pro-business relationships across the globe, the Chamber helps businesses create new opportunities, and can guide business through the process of consummating international transactions. The objective of the International Trade Development & Assistance Center and the Irving Sister Cities Division is to create a positive economic impact for the Irving community through international relationships and activities. Investing in culture In order to accomplish more with limited resources, the International Trade Development & Assistance Center and the Irving Sister Cities completed successful initiatives to leverage relationships with other organizations. Our partnership with the United States - Mexico Chamber of Commerce has been successful, sharing not only in human resources, trade missions and conferences, but also in larger scope events and activities. A recent example of our successful partnership was hosting the North American Sustainable Economic Development Summit. The event featured experts in Energy, Telecommunications, Transportation, Logistics, Infrastructure and Cybersecurity fields.
Additional examples of our partnerships include the execution of a Cooperative Agreement with the North Texas District Export Council, and the extension of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that exists with the Greater Dallas KoreanAmerican Chamber of Commerce. These agreements and the day-to-day programs and initiatives being worked on are expected to produce dividends derived in trade and new Sister Cities relationships, and the potential for direct foreign investment in Irving through the Foreign Investor Visa Program. The program continues to promote projects and investments in Irving, consistent with the City’s economic development strategies and objectives. Embracing the cultural diversity in the City of Irving, the Irving Sister Cities presented the Fifth Annual “Sounds of Mexico Concert” and organized a Cinco de Mayo concert at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas that featured Mexico’s Mariachi Vargas, recognized as the best mariachi in the world.
Workforce.
One Irving Scholar Athlete of the Month for May. L to R, John Fleming of ESPN Dallas, Dexter Freeman of the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber, MacArthur Head Cross Country Coach Eric Alonzo, Scholar Athlete recipient Madeleine Rowe, MacArthur Head Girls Track Coach Johnny Hodge and Irving ISD Athletic Director Clint Roddy.
Shaping Irving’s future workforce
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he Irving Chamber believes that the best way to tackle education reform, a top priority in Texas, is through successful partnerships.
To create partnerships, the Chamber’s education and leadership development committees are led by local business executives. The Education Foundation and Technology Leadership Council focus on creating a variety of events, scholarships and programming. The Chamber works to empower business leaders in our community by educating them on issues and encouraging them to become partners to advocate for improving public education throughout Texas. The Chamber supports our Irving school districts through the five-year, One Irving Programmatic Capital Campaign to raise $3.1 million. Every year, the Chamber hosts a Back to School Luncheon at Nimitz High School. This year, more than 700 new Irving ISD teachers and administrators continued the Chamber’s 60-year tradition. Civic leaders and elected officials connected with the group of new teachers and administrators to honor their service to educate our future leaders while shaping them to become Irving future business workforce. 2015 Graduating Class of Leadership Irving-Las Colinas.
Teachers from Schulze Elementary School enjoying lunch at the 2015 Back-To-School Luncheon.
Leadership Irving-Las Colinas Twenty-seven business and civic leaders made up the Class of 2015, making them our 34th annual class. The Leadership Irving-Las Colinas Program engages program participants in team building, leadership skills development and communication skills development, while immersing participants into the fabric of the Irving-Las Colinas community. The Class of 2015 was able to raise $4,000 for their class project, which went towards building a fence around the garden area at the Family Advocacy Center in Irving. The fence created a friendlier and more secure area for families and children visiting the Center. 9
Elected officials and regional leaders celebrate the MidTown Express groundbreaking in March 2015.
Connecting North Texas
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our 5-Star Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce will continue to support funding for the expansion and improvement of highways, a flexible and reliable transportation system and other infrastructure that facilitates trade, effective flow of goods and services, promotes tourism and increases public safety.
Midtown Express Project The Midtown Express Project, formerly known as the State Highway 183 Managed Lanes Project, will increase the capacity and reconstruct portions of State Highway (SH) 183, SH 114 and Loop 12. The $1.1 billion roadway will be constructed in two phases with SouthGate Constructors responsible for the “interim” phase of the project. The Texas Department of Transportation projects that construction will be finished in early 2019. As expected, there is tremendous interest among our members for construction updates. This year the Irving Chamber cohosted business task force meetings with Midtown Express and the City of Irving Public Works Team to provide business owners and residents with the latest progress reports. Additionally, the Chamber supports the SouthGate public information team’s commitment to keep the public informed of the project’s status throughout the life of the project.
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Proposition 7 The Irving Chamber is advocating for the passage of Proposition 7 on the November ballot that will add $3 billion a year in new revenue to the State Highway Fund. Revenue will come from the State’s general sales tax and motor vehicle sales tax. The funds will be directed to construction projects that keep up with growth and relieve traffic congestion in mixed-use districts, biking lanes and pedestrianfriendly neighborhoods. These goals are aligned with the City of Irving and the Chamber’s Transportation & Infrastructure Committee objectives to make Irving a great place to live, work, walk, play and visit.
Connecting. Irving, Grand Prairie Campion Trail extension This fall, city, county and state officials dedicated the Lone Star–Campion Trail Connection, an extension that adds 2.4 miles of trail joining the Lone Star Trail in Grand Prairie with Irving’s Campion Trail, creating a continuous 9.6 mile, 12-footwide concrete recreational trail connecting the two cities. The project is being funded by a $2.5 million grant from Dallas County. This is a great example of our commitment to creating a community environment that invites residents to live, work, walk, play and visit Irving-Las Colinas.
DART station activation The City of Irving and the Chamber are working collaboratively to open two additional DART stations near the intersection of Hwy 114 and 183, next to the former stadium site. The second station will be at Carpenter Ranch, off Hidden Ridge. This connectivity will provide better access and accommodate the anticipated growth and development along these major corridors.
Irving City Council member Phil Riddle cuts the ribbon with fellow council members, Gerald Farris , Oscar Ward, John Danish, Allan E. Meagher, Commissioner Elba Garcia and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins to dedicate the Lone Star-Campion Trail Connection.
Senator Royce West discusses his priorities for the 84th Texas Legislative Session during the Chamber’s Legislative Send-off event.
Texas Representative Matt Rinaldi speaks with Chairman Gary Huddleston at the Legislative Send-Off event.
The Voice of Business: Impacting policy & moving business forward
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mpowered by private investment, the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce aggressively advocates for pro-business legislation and public policy at all levels of government— from Irving City Hall to the Texas State Capitol and on to our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C. Our Legislative Advocacy Team works closely with elected officials and key staff to ensure that the voice of business is heard. Key Priorities of 84th Texas Legislative Session
Texas Senator Kelly Hancock speaks with Irving ISD Superintendent Dr. Jose Parra and Chamber investors at the Legislative Send-Off event.
Economic Development The Chamber supports local control and flexibility of incentives, specifically the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF). These grants are critical to the Chamber’s work helping to entice and incentivize businesses to choose Irving. We advocated to increase TEF’s funding to $200 million to ensure Texas keeps it’s competitive edge over other states. Budget writer allocated $90 million. Transportation and Infrastructure The Chamber supports funding for the improvement and expansion of highways, as well as, a flexible and reliable transportation system that facilitates trade, promotes tourism and increases public safety.
Irving Leadership meets with Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus at Irving Day in Austin.
Impacting.
Senator Robert Nichols and Representative Joe Pickett, chairs of the Senate and House Transportation committees worked together to successfully develop a funding plan to address a portion of the Texas Department of Transportation’s $5 billion budget shortfall. This legislation (Senate Joint Resolution 5 / Proposition 7) would dedicate $2.5 billion a year in state sales tax revenue provided the overall sales taxes exceed $28 billion and will be added in the 2017-2018 budget year. The legislation also calls for 35% of the motor vehicle sales tax above $5 billion to begin in 2019. Proposition 7 is a reliable and sustainable method of funding transportation infrastructure.
Education and Workforce The Chamber is invested in our youth through all stages of education to ensure our students graduate career ready. Pre-kindergarten was one of Governor Abbott’s priorities during the 84th Texas Legislative Session. He emphasized that Pre-K is a critical first step to creating a better prepared workforce. House Bill 4, introduced by Representative Dan Huberty, is a $130 million grant program to improve the quality and accountability of the state’s current half-day public pre-kindergarten programs. That’s about $1500 per Pre-K student in additional funding if quality standards are met. Air Quality The Chamber supports continued funding for state programs that improve air quality and provide traffic congestion relief. The Texas Emissions Reduction Plan was an initiative created by the Legislature more than a decade ago. It takes a portion of vehicle fees and uses that money to fund vehicle repairs and replacements thereby reducing vehicle emissions. While $1 billion has been used for that purpose, a significant amount of those dollars are unspent and being used to balance the state’s budget. The House advocated to extend the expiration date of the Plan. The Senate wanted to use those funds to help government agencies overhaul their natural gas vehicle fleets. Unable to settle difference, no legislation passed. 11
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Gaming The Chamber advocates for a limited number of strategically located, high-end, destination-type gaming venues that will economically benefit the State of Texas. Attempts to legalize casino gambling faced an uphill battle during the 84th Texas Legislative Session. No proposed legislation was able to get traction. Technology The Chamber supports developing and growing entrepreneurship, innovation and technology in Texas. The Texas Emerging Technology Fund a tool used to promote technology and provide grants for the research, development and commercialization of emerging technologies was eliminated. Heading into Session, Governor Abbott expressed his desire to end this program. In its place the legislature created the Governor’s University Research Initiative Fund. It provides grants to recruit distinguished researchers to public universities in Texas. Water The Chamber continues to support the Texas State Water Plan including conservation efforts to help meet regional water needs and legislation that streamlines the permitting process for new water projects. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) work is vital to ensuring we have an adequate water supply in our region. TCEQ is responsible for approving applications for new water infrastructure projects. The legislature was successful in modifying TCEQ’s permitting process making it easier and quicker to reach a decision.
Members of the Irving delegation highlight their accomplishments at the 84thTexas Legislative Session Recap and Impact Forum held at AT&T University Center.
Access to Key Decision Makers and Elected Officials The Chamber hosted several signature programs to give business leaders direct access to our Local, State and Federal Legislators. Legislators convened at the Legislative Send-Off prior to the beginning of the 84th Legislative Session. Irving Day in Austin allowed business and civic leaders, as well as Irving residents the opportunity to travel to the State Capitol and discuss with legislators issues that impact the Irving business community. The 84th Legislative Recap and Impact program provided a comprehensive overview of what happened and the impact of 1000+ bills on business, beginning September 1, 2015.
Elected officials connect with Chamber Member-Investors at the 84th Legislative Recap and Impact Reception.
A Washington D.C. Fly-In was held in June where our U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Small Businesses and business leaders were provided the opportunity to meet with Congressional leaders including Senator John Cornyn, Representatives Pete Sessions, Kenny Marchant and Marc Veasey. The Chamber is proud of the successes that came from the 84th Legislative Session and will continue to support local issue campaigns through the Committee to Inform Voters on Business Issues (CIVBI) and advocate for pro-business results that positively affect Irving’s business community and move North Texas forward.
Blue Ribbon Small Business Recipients take part in the U.S. Chamber’s Small Business Summit and Washington D.C. Fly-In, in June 2015.
Education. Building a brighter future
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hank you for joining our efforts of Educating, Motivating and Celebrating the students and teachers of Irving schools. This annual report marks the conclusion of the third year of our five-year capital campaign, One Irving – Making the Grade. To date, we have raised $2,713,490 in pledges and in-kind donations. We are well on our way to achieving our $3.1 million goal. One Irving and our ongoing image campaign are driving results. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) programs in the Irving Independent School District; the Leader in Me program at Tom Landry Elementary in Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District and Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring program have all received your support through One Irving – and their programs are growing, as they are able to serve an increased number of students each year. The annual report card showcases the impact that your support has made in each program. Thanks to your continued support, our volunteer leadership and the efforts of Chamber staff, we’re looking to close the gap of $386,510 to reach our total five-year goal. There is still much work to be done. We must continue to support and build our future workforce and invest in education. Join us today! There is still time for you to directly impact the students and teachers of schools in Irving. If you have previously contributed, please consider increasing your contribution, and take advantage of an additional charitable deduction. If you cannot make a contribution in 2015, please consider supporting the future of our City in 2016 as we push to close the gap in our five-year campaign, One Irving – Making the Grade!
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One Irving’s objectives are to increase the number of college-bound and post-secondary students by improving scores in science and math, create a culture of empowerment through applied leadership, link career opportunities and academic excellence and promote Irving through an image and marketing campaign by accurately and consistently portraying Irving’s assets and academic achievements.
AVID Program: Irving ISD AVID students outperform the general student population in various areas, according to Irving ISD. AVID students receive five-to-seven hours of additional support every week through an AVID course, curriculum, tutoring and Friday speakers and field trips. Each AVID teacher receives at least 48 hours of additional enrichment training as part of their role in AVID. AVID has been fully implemented at all twelve Irving ISD middle and high school campuses with almost 2,000 students participating in the Program.
Camp Invention Camp Invention’s top priority is to provide quality programming in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The summer enrichment day experience is designed for children entering grades one through six. The curriculum within Camp Invention features collaborative learning opportunities that are led by Irving teachers in the safe environment at an Irving school. Irving ISD was able to offer two camps this year because of your donations to One Irving and the Irving Schools Foundation. Irving ISD would like to continue to offer two camps each year to students. 115 Irving students participated in Camp Invention at Townsell Elementary School.
Texas PreFreshman Engineering Program (TexPREP) Summer Courses The Texas PreFreshman Engineering Program (TexPREP) identifies middle and high school students with an interest in engineering, science, technology and mathematics. The program promotes high achievement and provides students with the necessary reinforcement to successfully pursue higher education and careers in the fields of math, science, engineering and technology. 50 North Lake College and 39 University of Dallas students participated in the Summer Program.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Brothers Big Sisters goal is to help all children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-on-one relationships with volunteer mentors. Served a total of 6,979 at-risk youth ages 6 to 18 from across the North Texas area - 70% are from low-income families - 1,777 youth have at least one parent incarcerated - 4,435 youth come from single parent homes
One Irving High School Athlete of the Month Program: Irving ISD With your support, One Irving, ESPN and Toyota of Irving partner to showcase the outstanding educational contributions of Irving student-athletes. The One Irving High School Athlete of the Month program aims to motivate all Irving ISD students to achieve excellence through discipline and dedication. Every month, the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, ESPN, Toyota of Irving and our supporters visit a local area high school to award an athlete for their achievements both on and off the field. To date, 20 Irving ISD student-athletes have been recognized and received the One Irving High School Athlete of the Month Award.
Connectivity.
NCH Corporation Co-CEO Walter Levy e-xplains the impact of connecting business and the education community.
Your investment at work
O
ur Five-Star Chamber provides value to businesses in Irving and throughout North Texas through networking that provides powerful business connections that drive results, identifying market trends, and being the experts and go-to source for our community. The Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce is a leader in identifying and providing resources that allow our investors access to the information they need to stay relevant. Connecting our investors with potential customers and fellow business and community leaders remains a central focus of our program of work. The Irving Chamber provides purposeful connectivity opportunities for all sizes and types of businesses as well as area nonprofits. Our monthly networking events include Chamber Connections, Coffee Break, Business Connections, and the FiveStar Business Mixers. The Chamber hosted the 84th Legislative Send Off, Irving Day in Austin, and also the 84th Legislative Recap & Impact Signature Program which allowed our membership to interact with community leaders as well as local, state and federal elected officials.
Through our Business Connection networking event, we have been able to provide our small business community purchasing opportunities within various industries including transportation, hospitality, information technology, education, and the public sector. Our Signature Programs (special events) include The State of the City, The State of Dallas County, Best In Irving, our Annual Meeting, and Back to School Luncheon. The 5th Annual Contact Center of Excellence Forum focused on millennials in the workforce and how to manage across generations. Our quarterly Newsmaker Receptions allows us to recognize Irving businesses and business leaders who have made local, regional, and national newsworthy accomplishments. Also, the Chamber is a partner and strategic advisor to the Mayor’s Executive Business roundtable and Monday with the Mayor series. The Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce remains a resource for our investors by providing such services as SCORE (Senior Core of Retired Executives) which offers business planning guidance, Reference USA (lead generation), and vendor referrals. This allows our member businesses more time to focus on their core competencies.
The Chamber continues to communicate with our investors through the weekly Monday Business Report (MBR), an e-mail based publication sent to nearly 14,000 professionals that highlights weekly news, Signature Programs, and Chamber and community events. The Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce provides internet exposure for our members with advertising opportunities, weekly news updates, press release assistance, ribbon cuttings, and grand opening assistance. Identifying industry trends and developing programs that bring timely information to our investors continues to be one of our top priorities. Connecting our investors with potential customers and fellow business and community leaders remains a central focus of our program of work. As we look towards the future, your Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce will continue to provide a positive business environment that fosters community engagement, advocacy at the local, state and federal level for industry, and be the driver for economic development growth with our partners at the City of Irving, Irving Convention Visitors Bureau and Las Colinas Association. 15
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Investment. Your investment at work 2014-2015 General Revenue
The Chamber has continued to do more with less by improving productivity, value and results for its investors while reducing expenses. The Chamber’s membership has grown each year, with member investments, sponsorships and advertising sales, providing the Chamber with its largest source of revenue. The remainder of the Chamber’s financial resources are earned revenue from the Chamber’s marketing services agreement with the City of Irving to provide business recruitment, business retention, advertising and marketing services for the Irving Economic Development Partnership and our Sisters Cities/International Trade Development Assistance Center programs and services. Through strategic planning, the Chamber has successfully reduced its expenses each year since 2010.
2%
EXPENSES Recruiting New Businesses: 37%
3%
5%
37%
Protecting Irving’s Brand: 20%
$3,260,422
Retaining & Expanding Existing Business: 2% Engaging Business / Lead Generation for Business: 2% International Trade: 5%
20%
Legislative Advocacy: 3% Workforce Development: 18%
YEAR-BY-YEAR EXPENSES
$1,210,730
2004
$1,354,859
2005
$1,661,673
2006
$2,057,968
2007
$2,313,005
2008
$3,279,048
2009
$3,463,582
2010
$4,028,898
2011
$3,978,512
2012
$3,447,436
2013
$3,376,707
2014
$3,260,422
2015
18%
15%
1703
2010-2011
1817
2011-2012
1823
2012-2013
1895
2013-2014
1925
2014-2015
MEMBERSHIP
REVENUES Investments from Members: 46%
46%
45% $3,453,534
Public Funding for Economic Development Recruitment / Retention: 45% Sister Cities / Trade Center: 4% One Irving Foundation: 4% Committee to Inform Voters on Business PAC: 1%
4% 4% 1
%
2004
$1,258,690
2005
$1,379,062
2006
$1,830,796
2007
$1,961,089
2008
$2,268,011
2009
$3,053,958
2010
$4,039,968
2011
$4,079,537
2012
$4,006,722
2013
$3,658,131
2014
$3,390,062
2015
$3,451,328
YEAR-BY-YEAR REVENUES
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SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS
Success. 19
Irving leads the nation with Blue Ribbon Small Businesses
F
or the seventh consecutive year, Irving has led the nation with the most Blue Ribbon Small Business of the Year winners. Irving has 19 Blue Ribbon Small Businesses, as designated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes a company’s success, innovation and contributions to economic growth and free enterprise. The winners are evaluated in four key areas including employee development, strategic planning, customer service, and community involvement. The Chamber encourages and assists the businesses in applying, organizes and travels with the winners to Washington, D.C. every year to be recognized at the U.S. Chamber’s Small Business Summit, and arranges meetings with Congressional leaders to assure that the voice of small business in Irving is heard at the federal level.
Gail Cooksey, Cooksey Strategic Communications Ricky Stephenson, Rick’s Independent Car Kare
The 2015 Summit took place June 9-10, and winners had an opportunity to meet with Senator John Cornyn, Congressman Pete Sessions, Congressman Kenny Marchant, and Congressman Marc Veasey.
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1
Big State Drug Store
2
Cooksey Communications
3
Courtroom Sciences
4
Elemental Methods
5
Express Employment Professionals
6
FastSigns – Irving/Las Colinas
7
FigDesign
8
Glory House Catering
9
SAM Scribes & Design, LLC
David Fiegenschue, FigDesign
10 Joe’s Coffee Shop 11 Kerri Miene State Farm 12 La Margarita Restaurant 13 Larsen Dye Associates Architects 14 Mammen Glass 15 Mart Inc. 16 MATSolutions 17 MITO Financial 18 Rick’s Independent Car Kare 19 Teo Tios
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Small Business Award recipients meet with Congressman Marc Veasey during the Washington D.C. Fly-In, in June 2015.
CLOSE TO EVERYTHING.
FAR FROM ORDINARY.
Make the move into the center of one of the globe’s most thriving economies. Business thrives here because families love to live here. A safe city with great neighborhoods, great schools and easy access to a world of activities. Welcome Home to Irving, Texas!
(214) 217-8484
irvingchamber.com
DOUBLE AAA BOND RATING
A City Built by the Numbers
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TOP THREE CITY IN AMERICA FOR TECH STARTUPS PER CAPITA
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50 BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK’S TOP FIFTY PLACES TO LIVE
FIFTH SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA
SIX FORTUNE 500 GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS
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20 75038 THE MOST DIVERSE ZIP CODE IN AMERICA
By any measure, Irving, Texas is the perfect place to move your business. Welcome home to Irving, Texas!
(214) 217-8484
irvingchamber.com
TWENTIETH BEST CITY FOR FAMILIES IN AMERICA BEST PLACE TO START A CAREER ACCORDING TO WALLETHUB
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