The Bastrop Chamber of Commerce team recently returned from the 2025 Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives (TCCE) Annual Conference, held June 16–18 in Denton, Texas, and we came home with more than just new ideas, we came home as winners!
I’m incredibly proud to share that our Chamber Team brought home 1st Place in Category 3 for Event Marketing for our outstanding work on the Bastrop County Health Fair. This award recognizes the creativity, execution, and community impact of one of our key annual signature events. Our staff works tirelessly to bring quality programs to the community, and this honor is a testament to our dedication, innovation, and teamwork.
In addition to our team’s award, I had the distinct honor of receiving the 2025 Arthur A. Roberts Award, the highest individual honor presented by TCCE to a Texas Chamber of Commerce professional. This recognition reflects not only my personal journey in the Chamber industry, but also the incredible support I’ve received from our Board, membership, staff, and this remarkable community called Bastrop. You can learn more about this award and what it means to me by visiting the “Press Releases” section on our website at www.bastropchamber.com.
Beyond the accolades, the TCCE Conference was an important opportunity for professional development. Our Chamber staff attended sessions on the
latest trends in economic development, leadership, membership engagement, technology, and advocacy, equipping us with fresh strategies and tools that we are eager to bring back and implement for the benefit of our members.
We are deeply grateful to our Board of Directors for their ongoing investment in continuing education for our Chamber Team. It’s this kind of forward-thinking leadership that allows us to grow as professionals and elevate the level of service we provide to our membership and the greater Bastrop business community and region.
While we’ve been working hard on professional development and learning from the best in the business, we’re also tackling a major project on the home front. The Chamber is currently in the process of converting our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to GrowthZone, a new and improved platform that will allow us to manage your memberships, events, communications, and billing with greater efficiency and ease. We have been sitting in our weekly trainings since February 2, flipped the switch connecting GrowthZone to the website on June 23 and now waiting for payment history to come over into your Info Hub. If you have ever done a data conversion, you know this is not seamless, so please check your company profile in the Info Hub so we have the BEST information on you.
This kind of system upgrade takes a significant amount of time and attention behind the scenes, and I want to personally thank my Chamber staff for their dedication to this project and each of our members for your patience and understanding during this transition. We’re confident that once fully implemented, GrowthZone will be a valuable tool for enhancing your experience with the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce, from event registration to directory listings and more.
As we move forward into the second half of 2025, our Chamber Team is more energized than ever. With new knowledge, new systems, and a few more awards under our belt, we remain committed to our mission: “To improve business prosperity and the quality of life in Bastrop county, through leadership, advocacy, and collaboration.” We hope to report very soon on the status of our US Chamber Accreditation. I am sure you will be able to hear us shouting from the rooftop when that call comes in!
Thank you for being part of the journey. We’re proud to serve you.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work,
Becki Womble, CCE, IOM President/CEO
We’re excited to welcome nationally recognized Opportunity Strategist Alysia Cook, PCED, IOM, for a high-impact training workshop in just a few weeks!
With 30+ years of experience, Alysia delivers energetic, practical sessions that help business, nonprofit, and community leaders tackle real-world challenges and drive results.
Don’t miss this chance to gain tools and strategies that strengthen your organization and community!
Hey there, awesome business community!
Your help is needed! 200 New Teacher Bags are being prepared for fantastic new educators, and they need to be filled with some great swag. As the new school year approaches, these bags should showcase all the cool stuff Bastrop businesses have to offer.
This is where you come in! If you or your business can contribute items like pens, notepads, lanyards, or any other useful goodies, it would be greatly appreciated. Need more ideas? How about Kleenex boxes with your logo or Germ-X bottles with a sticker of your company info? These small gifts will really show the new teachers how much they are valued in the school district. Please help out by providing swag for these 200 New Teacher Bags by Friday, July 25 at noon.
Drop off your items at the Chamber office at 927 Main St.
Let’s come together and make a big impact on our educators’ lives.
Thanks in advance for your generosity and support!
Want to help in another way? Come volunteer on Monday, July 28 at 9 a.m. to help stuff the bags. With enough hands, it should only take about 2 hours. Please contact info@bastropchamber.com to sign up.
Fellow Chamber Members,
It feels like just yesterday we were moving and grooving at the Chamber banquet, but somehow half a year has gone by already. Rest assured - time may be passing at warp speed, but your Chamber staff and board move even faster!
As our local economy grows and changes, Chamber leadership recognizes that we too must evolve to meet the shifting needs of our members and the broader business community. At the heart of this transformation is a commitment to continuous improvement - grounded in understanding members’ needs and delivering services that provide real value. These last six months, we have continued to do what we do best – we listened to you and heard the challenges you face, we tracked current trends, and we looked ahead to see what’s on the horizon.
We’ve supported businesses with opportunities for building connections and receiving education. We’ve helped members navigate the legislative session by keeping you informed about potential changes that could impact your businesses and by connecting directly with policymakers to advocate on your behalf. We’ve convened stakeholders to bridge the gap between employers, educators, and job seekers to ensure that not only are today’s jobs filled, but that our workforce is prepared to move our community forward into whatever the future holds for the Bastrop area.
To effectively meet the growing needs of our members and adapt to a rapidly changing business environment, the Chamber must also look inward. Expanding internal capacity - our people, systems, and infrastructure - is essential to delivering high-quality service, fostering innovation, and sustaining longterm growth. To keep pace with member expectations and streamline operations, we’re upgrading our technological infrastructure (hello, GrowthZone!). We are thinking beyond the day-to-day, engaging board members, staff, and stakeholders in strategic visioning. Expanding our internal capacity is not a behindthe-scenes effort, it’s a strategic priority that directly impacts every member’s experience. When our team is strong, our systems are modern, and our vision is clear, we can serve you better.
Our goal is simple: to be a Chamber that not only meets expectations but exceeds them. That begins with a culture of continuous improvement, rooted in member input and driven by a passion for excellence.
Your support of the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce allows us to continue strengthening what makes this community excellent while advocating for smart growth that allows your business to thrive. Together, we can shape a Chamber that reflects our collective values, supports our local businesses, and drives lasting impact.
Legislative Wins & Next Steps: What the 89th Texas Legislature Means for Bastrop-Area Businesses
The 89th Regular Session is officially in the books: 1,155 bills were signed, 26 were vetoed, and a 30-day special session will open July 21 to revisit the most controversial leftovers. Below is a quick tour of the headline wins that align with the Chamber’s 2025-26 Advocacy Plan—and the ballot measures every employer should have on their radar this fall.
Education & Talent Pipeline
• Record school funding. House Bill 2 injects $8.5 billion into public schools, including up to $4 billion in teacher and staff raises and new money for early-learning and cam pus safety.
• School choice expansion. Senate Bill 2 launches statewide Education Savings Ac counts (up to $10 k per student) beginning in the 2026-27 year—expect new competi tive dynamics for local districts.
• Higher-ed overhaul. SB 37 gives university governing boards new authority to align degrees with workforce demand; signed June 23.
Together, these bills deliver on our priorities to raise instructional quality, reward educators and add flexibility for families.
Workforce Availability
• Child-care access. SB 462 (effective 9/1) moves child-care workers’ own children to the top of subsidy wait-lists, helping centers retain staff. (trackbill.com)
• Early-learning inclusion. HB 2310 (signed 6/20) orders TEA, HHSC and TWC to draft a four-year plan for children with disabilities. (texastribune.org)
• “Missing-middle” housing. SB 15 lets build ers use 3,000-sq-ft lots statewide, aiming to lower entry-level home prices. Signed 6/20. (kiiitv.com)
• Rural health lifeline. HB 18 creates a State Office of Rural Hospital Finance to steady care access in communities like ours. (texastribune.org)
• Inventory-tax break. HB 9 boosts the business personal-property exemption from $2,500 to $125,000—but it only takes effect if voters approve the companion constitutional amendment in November. (gov.texas.gov)
• THC regulations TBD. The Governor vetoed the blanket THC-product ban (SB 3) and instead called the July 21 special session to craft a “regulation-first” framework. (texastribune.org)
Infrastructure & Economic Development
• Faster, cheaper broadband. SB 1405 modernizes grant rules, exempts internet access from sales tax and raises the statewide service floor to 100/20 Mbps effective today, July 1.
• Generational water funding. SB 7 and HJR 7 dedicate $1 billion per year for 20 years to the new Texas Water Fund—pending voter approval.
Why It Matters to Bastrop County
1. Talent retention: Higher teacher pay and child-care access help stabilize our local workforce pipeline.
2. Lower overhead: Passage of the inventory exemption could erase the tax bill for roughly 90 % of retail ers and distributors. (texastribune.org)
3. Growth capacity: Broadband upgrades and long-term water funding attack two of the infrastructure bot tle necks business owners cite most often in our surveys.
Call to Action
Watch your inbox for a “Know Before You Vote” toolkit in early September. Mark your calendar now: Vote early October 20-31
Join us for our #BastropVotes breakfast on October 21 Election Day, November 4
Last Thursday, Bastrop proudly hosted the Governor’s Small Business Summit at the Convention & Exhibit Center, drawing a vibrant mix of local entrepreneurs, business owners, and community leaders. This important event, presented in partnership with the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce, Bastrop Economic Development Corporation, and Texas Workforce Commission, offered practical tools and inspiration to help small businesses grow and thrive.
The Summit began with warm Welcome and Opening Remarks from emcees Becki Womble, President/ CEO of the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce, and Dori Kelley, Business Attraction, Retention, and Expansion Manager for the Bastrop Economic Development Corporation. Their remarks set the tone for a day focused on opportunity, growth, and community collaboration.
Throughout the day, attendees engaged with three insightful panel sessions on the main presentation stage, covering key topics including:
Grow or Go: Knowing When to Scale or Sell Your Small Business
Strategies for Growth: Leveraging State & Local Programs
Harnessing
the Power of Technology for Your
Small Business
Each panel featured experts from local, state, and federal agencies who shared valuable strategies and resources tailored to the needs of small businesses.
A special highlight was the pre-recorded message from Governor Greg Abbott, who emphasized the crucial role small businesses play in Texas’s economy and encouraged Bastrop entrepreneurs to utilize the wealth of resources available across the state.
Toward the end of the Summit, keynote speaker Clint Howard, Bastrop-native and owner of Pyrology Foundry & Studio, shared his inspiring journey from artist to successful business owner. His heartfelt story underscored the importance of
creativity, perseverance, and community roots in building a thriving business.
In addition to the educational sessions, attendees enjoyed a networking lunch and had the opportunity to connect directly with representatives from state agencies at resource booths. Many also took advantage of free professional headshots offered during the event.
As one of just 15 Texas cities selected for the 2025 Governor’s Small Business Summit series, Bastrop’s event highlighted the city’s growing reputation as a hub for entrepreneurship and economic development. The Summit left local business owners energized, connected, and better equipped to take their ventures to the next level.
