Economic Alliance Houston Port Region - 2015 Q3 Newsletter: Public Policy

THIRD QUARTER

2015

In This Issue: The Real Ozone Threat....................................06 Re-Authorizing the Import-Export Bank........ 13 Robust Growth for the Houston Ship Channel Region..................................... 15 Economic Alliance Advocates in D.C............. 18

President’s Letter • Members in Motion • San Jac Tomorrow Bond Proposal

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ECONOMIC ALLIANCE THIRD QUARTER | 2015

Special Features

THE

06 The Real Ozone Threat: The Loss of Jobs

PUBLIC POLICY

10 San Jac Tomorrow

In This Issue

by Michelle Hundley

Bond Proposal Low-Tax, High Value for the Workforce

13 Re-Authorizing The

Import-Export Bank: A No Brainer

by Chad Burke

ISSUE

PRESIDENT’S LETTER ...................... 05 ECONOMIC ALLIANCE IN MOTION ......................................... 21 MEMBERS IN MOTION ...................... 24 MEMBER LISTING ............................. 30

15 Robust Growth

For the Houston Ship Channel Region Forecast

by Petrochemical and Maritime Experts

18 Economic Alliance Advocates Regional Priorities in D.C. This past April, over 20 members of Economic Alliance Houston Port Region traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate on behalf of the Houston Port Region.

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

3

About the Economic Alliance The Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, a non-profit organization created in 1985, provides professional economic development services on behalf of 16 communities surrounding the 25-mile Houston Ship Channel - home to one of the world’s most influential energy corridor and trade ports. Since 2008, the Economic Alliance has supported over 40 successful projects that has facilitated business activities creating over 4,400 new jobs and over $5.5 billion of capital investment to the Houston Port Region.

We are proud to count among our members the following Cities, Communities, Chambers of Commerce, and other government entities: Harris County Port of Houston Authority City of Baytown City of Deer Park City of Galena Park City of Houston City of Jacinto City City of La Porte City of Morgan’s Point City of Pasadena

City of Pearland City of Seabrook City of Shoreacres City of South Houston Community of Channelview Community of East End Community of North Shore Community of Sheldon Community of South Belt-Ellington Baytown Chamber of Commerce

Deer Park Chamber of Commerce Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Highlands-Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce Houston East End Chamber of Commerce La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce North Channel Area Chamber of Commerce Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Pearland Area Chamber of Commerce South Belt-Ellington Chamber of Commerce South Houston Chamber of Commerce

President’sLetter: Many of us often find ourselves caught up in the rigorous demands of our daily lives, the market fluctuations that affect our businesses, and the ever-growing media hype about our global economy. However, what some may not recognize is that public policy is the driver for all of these things. Regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum, the actions taken by our elected officials on the local, state, and federal levels potentially can have a huge impact on how we conduct business.

Throughout the course of the year, the Public Affairs team here at the Economic Alliance has worked diligently to represent the policy interests of our membership in a variety of ways. As you’ll see in the Feature Stories in this issue of the Economic Alliance Quarterly, we had a successful outing on our annual trip to Washington, D.C.; we took our members’ priorities to the Texas Capitol in Austin for Texas Chemicals Day; we escorted one of our mayors to testify on proposed air quality legislation in front of the U.S. House of Representatives; and we authored several op-eds and whitepapers on policy issues like the new EPA standards and the re-authorization of the Export-Import Bank that will leave an indelible impact on our industry. We are currently in the process of gathering information on dredging needs affecting our members and advocating at the local and state levels for regional freight mobility projects that will only serve to bolster our collective ability to efficiently and safely move goods.

With your support, we are continuing to grow our public policy breadth and are fast becoming the go-to resource for our state and federal legislators when they are seeking input on how to craft legislation that supports- not harms- our regional economy. These and many other issues will continue to be priorities for us as we close out the last quarter of the year and set our public policy agenda for 2016.

As John F. Kennedy once said, “Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.”

203 Ivy Avenue, Suite 200 Deer Park, TX 77536 281-476-9176 www.allianceportregion.com ECONOMIC ALLIANCE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Chairman, Karen Gregory, CenterPoint Energy Immediate Past Chairman, Dr. Brenda Hellyer, San Jacinto College Treasurer, Lawrence Waldron, LBC Tank Terminals Secretary, Jim Griffin, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Vice Chair, Steve Cote, Brady Chapman, Holland & Associates Vice Chair, Randy Boeding, Setech Consulting Solutions Vice Chair, Barry Klein, Shell Deer Park Advisory, Mayor Tom Reid, City of Pearland

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Randy Boeding, Setech Consulting Solutions Melissa Botkin, Galena Park ISD and City of Seabrook Teri Crawford, San Jacinto College Patti Jett, City of Baytown Steve Lestarjette Connie Tilton, ExxonMobil

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE STAFF

Chad Burke, President/CEO Michelle Hundley, Vice President of Public Affairs Traci Koenig, Director of Economic Development Dana Ramirez, Event & Member Services Coordinator Bridget Yeary, Administrative & Financial Manager

LAYOUT AND DESIGN Lorrent Smith

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS traci@allianceportregion.com SPONSORSHIP SUBMISSIONS traci@allianceportregion.com To read an issue online: www.allianceportregion.com/newsletter/

I appreciate the faith you have put in us to represent your interests and look forward to continuing to fight the good fight.

Yours,

Chad Burke President/CEO, Economic Alliance ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

5

The Real Ozone Threat: Loss of Jobs

by Michelle Hundley

6

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

The Economic Alliance Houston Port Region was invited to participate in a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C. entitled, “EPA’s Proposed Ozone Rule: Potential Impacts on Manufacturing and Jobs” hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Power Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitifield (R-KY) on July 28.

City of Deer Park Mayor, Jerry Mouton, represented the Economic Alliance and the city during the meeting. The discussion built off the House subcommittee’s ongoing work to highlight the potentially devastating effects on jobs and economic growth in many areas of the country from EPA’s proposed revisions to the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground level ozone. Below is the full text of the White Paper issued by the Economic Alliance to inform our members and other interested parties about the full context of what these new regulations will mean once enacted on October 1st.

WHAT IS NAAQS?

T

he National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone is an outdoor air regulation established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act. Ozone is a naturally occurring gas composed of oxygen molecules.

Ground-level ozone occurs both naturally and due to chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, which are emitted from industrial facilities, power plants, vehicle exhaust, and chemical solvents.

In March 2008, the EPA lowered the 8-hour primary NAAQS for ozone to its current level of 75 parts per billion (ppb). In November 2014, the EPA proposed lowering the ozone standard to a range between 65 to 70 ppb. By court order, the Agency must finalize the standard by October 1, 2015.

At this time, the EPA should retain the current 2008 ozone standard (75 ppb) because that standard still has not been fully implemented.

States did not even find out which of their counties would be designated as nonattainment under the 2008 standard until April 2012. Additionally,

the EPA did not finalize the necessary implementation regulations and guidance for the 2008 standard until just recently in March 2015. States are committing time and money to meet the 2008 ozone standard. Yet the EPA now wants to move the goal posts in the middle of the game. This action will further strain what are already limited resources that states have for implementation and fails to give states a chance to meet the current ozone standard.

The Proposed Standards Have Significant Consequences

It May Be Impossible to Meet Compliance Under the New Standard

The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Power Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitifield (RKY), recently held a roundtable in Washington, D.C. entitled, “EPA’s Proposed Ozone Rule: Potential Impacts on Manufacturing and Jobs.”

The Economic Alliance Houston Port Region was invited to participate, and City of Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton, Jr. represented the Economic Alliance and the city during the meeting.

According to the EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), the EPA “is not clear as to how background estimates might impact the primary and secondary standards and whether these impacts may differ regionally.” For example, the Yellowstone National Park would fail the proposed 65 ppb standard due to having high natural background levels of ozone. Also, the EPA does not consider the impact of international border pollution. Ozone and other pollutants are transported to the U.S. from other countries, thereby causing states and counties to be nonattainment areas.

According to a February 2015 economic study done by the National Association of Manufacturers, a 65 ppb standard could reduce the U.S. GDP by $140 billion, resulting in 1.4 million fewer jobs and costing the average U.S. household $830 in lost consumption each year from 2017 to 2040. That would mean a total of $1.7 trillion in lost U.S. GDP during that time period.

The discussion builds off the committee’s ongoing work to highlight the potentially devastating effects on jobs and economic growth in many areas of the country from the EPA’s proposed revisions to the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground level ozone.

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

7

If these pristine national treasures can’t meet the new standard, how can any community be expected to comply?

The Port of Houston has more than 8,000 vessel and 200,000 barge movements per year, supports 1,026,820 jobs throughout Texas, provides more than $178.5 billion in statewide economic impact, including more than $4.5 billion in state and local tax revenues, and has a $500 billion national economic impact. In addition, the Port of Houston has a regional market reach of over 28 million people within a day’s drive, and trade around the world totaled $62.67 billion through the first five months of 2015 alone.

The economic development relationship between industry and communities in the Houston Port Region is significant and all stakeholders are keenly aware of regional air quality. In fact, with more than 50 air monitors, the Houston

8

region has the most extensive monitoring network in the U.S. and should be considered a model for the EPA to use. The Houston Regional Monitoring (HRM) Network is an important part of Houston’s air monitoring system and is committed to the scientific understanding of air quality in the Houston area. The HRM Network shares its findings with communities, elected officials, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and other state and national agencies.

The EPA’s ozone rules affect all aspects of our communities and municipalities, including consumers and vital industries. EPA data indicates that the air is cleaner today than it has been in thirty years, progress due in large part to control measures associated with past and current standards. This

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

process shows that ozone standardswhen given an opportunity to be fully implemented- produce significant reductions. The EPA should allow the 2008 standards the opportunity to be fully implemented before increasing restrictions.

These new ozone regulations being proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency are so restrictive that not only will the majority of the nation be considered non-compliant or in nonattainment- even some of our country’s most iconic National Parks will also be unable to reach attainment. This status means less development, fewer jobs and the potential for significant and longterm damage to our economy. If these pristine national treasures can’t meet the new standard, how can any community be expected to comply?

COMMON SENSE – A LOST ART The Houston Port Region is a clear example of how industry and communities work together for the greater good. There is no reason for an either/or approach. We can have clean air and support a growing, vital, economy. By allowing the 2008 standards to be implemented, further reductions in ozone will be achieved and our national economy will not be threatened.

If we continue on this unnecessary path as a nation, we are in jeopardy of losing not only future businesses- but also current

ones- because they all will have difficulty finding emission offsets in nonattainment areas, and if they do find them, they will have to pay a higher price that will be passed down to you, the consumer.

The United States is one of the most environmentally restrictive countries in the world. Our economy is not only a national one, but a global one. Businesses have a choice; if we continue to place unnecessary roadblocks before them, they will relocate in countries with more lax environmental regulations. How does that serve the goals of the EPA in the end?

WHAT CAN YOU DO? 01

CONTACT THE ADMINISTRATION

Ask your local and state officials to weigh in with the Obama Administration on the ozone issue. A sample letter, which can be tailored to your particular community, can be found here: https://www.uschamber.com/sites/default/ files/example_elected_official_ozone_letter. docx.

02

CONTACT ELECTED OFFICIALS

Ask your Members of Congress in the House and Senate to support the CASE Act and the ORDEAL Act. Also, encourage your local and state officials to weigh in with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the ozone issue.

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

9

This bond will only serve to improve the resources available to meet our mutual goal of marketing available jobs and certification opportunities to students in order to address the skilled workforce gap.

10

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

San Jac Tomorrow Bond Proposal: Low-Tax, High-Value for the Workforce

A

skilled workforce is critical to our region. With a projected additional 11,000 workers needed in the

petrochemical industry alone by 2019, it is vital that we support training programs in our area that will produce our future workforce. It is essential that these programs have up-to-date facilities and equipment to train tomorrow’s workers. This will keep our economy and community strong. That’s why the Economic Alliance supports the San Jacinto College bond election on this November’s ballot.

According to Chad Burke, President of the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, “San Jacinto College is one of our foremost partners on the issue of workforce development. The Economic Alliance recognizes the vital role that San Jacinto College plays in the success of our own workforce efforts through the Dream It. Do It. Southeast Texas initiative. This bond will only serve to improve the resources available to meet our mutual goal of marketing available jobs and certification opportunities to students in order to

The maximum increase in taxes when all bonds are issued will not exceed 3 cents per $100 of valuation. This means that residents that own a home with an appraised value of $100,000 will see their taxes increase a maximum of approximately $28.50 per year. projects include state-of-the-art facilities to train students and workers in the petrochemical, energy, engineering, computers, and technology sectors; a new welcome center providing a “one-stop shop” for student support services such as admission, financial aid, and counseling; new culinary and cosmetology facilities; and additional classroom facilities across the district.

Nine buildings will be renovated – most of which are more than 30 years old – which will provide updated space for early college high school and dual credit programs, as well as more relevant, efficient, and technically updated instructional

address the skilled workforce gap.”

space for employees and students. Additionally,

On Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, voters

and safety upgrades throughout all facilities

within the San Jacinto College District will

and significant infrastructure upgrades and

vote on the issuance of $425 million in general

replacements for systems at the end of their

obligation bonds needed to prepare students

useful life.

the funding will provide for security, access,

to live and work in our community. Proposed ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015 11

“San Jacinto College brings great value to our region,” said Mr. Dan Mims, Chairman of the San Jacinto College Board of Trustees.

“This bond referendum will allow us to continue to be the higher

Across the Gulf Coast, we’ve been meeting the needs of our clients for over 125 years

education leader in the Gulf Coast region. This area is experiencing growth and expansion, as well as a retiring workforce, so it is imperative that we continue to meet the changing needs of our industry partners, while also helping students realize their earnings and career potential by completing their certificate or associate degree.”

The impact on taxpayers in the San Jacinto College District is expected to be minimal. The maximum increase in taxes when all bonds are issued will not exceed 3 cents per $100 of valuation.

This means that residents that own a home with an appraised value of $100,000 will see their taxes increase a maximum of approximately $28.50 per year. Most senior citizens age 65 or older will see no increase in their taxes; however, those seniors over 65 who own a house valued for taxes above $132,500 will see a nominal increase. San Jacinto College has a 54-year history of sound fiscal management. The College’s practice has been

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to mitigate the tax impact on our senior citizens and disabled by increasing the tax exemption for these citizens. San Jacinto

Land Development Public Works Site Development Energy Services Construction Services Surveying Geographic Information Systems District Engineering

College remains committed to this practice, and intends to continue this in the future. That is great news for our senior residents.

“Our goal at San Jacinto College is to help our students succeed by

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completing what they start,” noted Dr. Brenda Hellyer, San Jacinto College Chancellor. “We want them to gain the skills they need to enter the workforce or transfer to a four-year college or university to continue their education, and we know that keeping taxes low and offering an affordable tuition rate are keys to the success of our students and our community.”

Early voting for the November election runs Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.

For more information about the San Jacinto College 2015 Bond proposal, including a complete list of proposed projects by campus, visit sanjac.edu/bond. Get out and vote YES for the San Jacinto College bonds!

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ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

Re-Authorizing the ExportImport Bank: A No-Brainer

By Chad Burke

In a competitive world, we are left with no choice but to invest in non-U.S. manufacturing and move production to countries that support high-tech exports.

T

exas’ economy has boomed in

beginning of 2014, including over

second signed or potential satellite

recent years, due in large part

1,600 exporters comprising nearly

deal Boeing has forfeited due to

to exports of goods produced

900 small businesses, and over

the congressional wrangling over

150,000 jobs in our state.

Ex-Im’s future, following a decision

in this state and of goods produced elsewhere in the U.S. that depart for international customers via the Port of Houston. But a needless political fight in Congress has put Texas’ economy and thousands of export-

Many jobs have already been lost since the legislature failed to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank over the summer. Companies like Boeing

by privately held ABS, based in Bermuda and Hong Kong, to cancel an order in July. (“Boeing Loses Second Potential Satellite Deal Over Ex-Im Lapse,” Reuters, 9/15/15)

related jobs in our state at risk.

have begun to lose major contracts, naming two satellite deals they

General Electric (GE) recently

The issue is the Export-Import (Ex-

have lost as a direct result of the

announced that it will have to move

Im) Bank, a small federal agency

failure of Congress to re-authorize

500 U.S. manufacturing jobs abroad

that provides loans and insurance

the Ex-Im Bank. Singapore-based

in order to compete for ongoing

guarantees to help U.S. companies

satellite operator Kacific recently

projects. GE Vice Chairman John

sell their products overseas. Ex-Im

decided it would not consider a bid

Rice has said that GE was left with

is a crucial engine for our economy

on a satellite contract from Boeing

no choice but to move production

– the petrochemical industry

without financing from the U.S.

to countries that support high-tech

especially – supporting $5 billion

Export-Import Bank, whose charter

exports.

in annual Texas exports since the

expired in June. This marks the

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015 13

“In a competitive world, we are

have been rejected by the private

left with no choice but to invest

sector. In reality, private lending is

in non-U.S. manufacturing and move production to countries that support high-tech exports,’ said John Rice, vice chairman at GE, in a statement on Tuesday.” (Nick Timiraos, “General Electric Says to Move 500 U.S. Jobs Overseas Blaming Ex-

Critics call the Bank, “corporate welfare,” but the Bank doesn’t subsidize any company or offer any kind of handouts or giveaways.

Im Bank Closure,” Wall Street Journal, 9/15/15) Yet, there are critics that want to keep this agency shut down because they don’t believe

Perhaps that cost would be worth bearing if there were legitimate arguments to make against the ExIm Bank, but stated arguments just

often unavailable for many macroeconomic or geo-political reasons – such as the global credit freeze following the 2008 financial crisis – that are unrelated to the security of a particular deal.

Private lenders will often be reluctant to loan too much into any single foreign market, to avoid putting all their eggs in one basket, but the Ex-Im Bank is so diversified that it doesn’t face this risk. Private

don’t reflect the facts.

lenders also may lack expertise or

in leveling the playing field

Critics call the Bank “corporate

and governments that the Ex-Im

of global commerce for Texas

welfare,” but the Bank doesn’t

Bank possesses as a matter of

businessmen and women, who

subsidize any company or offer any

institutional knowledge. When the

must often compete against foreign

kind of handouts or giveaways. It’s

Ex-Im Bank is able to underwrite a

companies supported by their own

a bank that charges interest and

deal where no commercial option

governments.

fees to foreign companies buying

was available, that’s not distorting

from U.S. exporters – rates that are

the market, it’s making the market

typically higher than comparable

stronger and more robust. And

financing in the commercial market.

ultimately, we know that the Ex-Im

government has a role to play

What these critics don’t realize, however, is that the damage caused by shuttering the Bank will

familiarity with foreign economies

Bank isn’t making unsound loans

reverberate far beyond the specific

That is why claims that the Bank

companies that use the Bank.

puts taxpayer dollars at risk are

Thanks to its strategic location,

so far off base. In fact, it actually

Texas is a critical gateway to the

funds all of its own operations out

Southern hemisphere – and much

of customer payments, and in most

Texas is the country’s leading

of the world – for a huge chunk of

years even generates a surplus

exporting state and these foreign

U.S. businesses, sweeping from New

back to the US Treasury – $675

sales have boosted every sector

Mexico across the whole Midwest all

million in 2014.

of our state’s economy. When

the way to Mississippi. In the most recent survey, the Port of Houston indicates it generates nearly $180 billion in economic activity for our state each year, along with 1 million jobs and $4.5 billion in state and

Many critics focus on broader ideological objections – claiming it distorts the private economy and commits the ultimate sin of “picking winners and losers” in the market.

because its loan failure rate is extremely low – well below the rates of commercial banks.

exports grow, it creates economic opportunities for all- including supporting a better quality of life and providing job opportunities for our citizens. We are all in this economy together.

local tax revenue.

But those points fail to reflect the truth about how the Bank does its

Critics of the Ex-Im Bank should

In other words, exports – and not

job.

put jobs and our state’s economic

just Texas exports – fuel the port and the port drives growth through the rest of the economy in our state.

And slowing down these exports by permanently shutting the Ex-Im Bank will ripple across our entire state, from dockworkers to truck drivers to gas stations and far beyond.

14

The Bank’s charter bars it from competing with private lenders, which means that, when a commercial option is available, Ex-Im financing cannot be used. Critics say this means that, where the Bank does step in, it is propping up unsound transactions that

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

interests ahead of philosophical and political battles. We are working hard to urge Congress to renew the U.S. Export-Import Bank for the longterm.

Petrochemical & Maritime Outlook Conference (PMOC)

2015

ROBUST GROWTH for Houston Ship Channel Region Forecast by Petrochemical & Maritime Experts

In what was the largest and best-attended Petrochemical & Maritime Outlook Conference (PMOC) yet hosted by the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, petrochemical, maritime and logistics experts delivered bold forecasts for continued capital investment in new facilities and expansions in the Houston Ship Channel and Greater Houston region.

Over 700 attendees were present to hear from experts in the day-long conference held at the Pasadena Convention Center.

While declining oil prices and resulting job cuts were on the minds of industry leaders, they expressed confidence that the “downstream” industry was well-positioned to grow and could adjust to a changing market due to cost constraints implemented by refining, chemical and maritime industries during the 2008-2009 recession.

“During the recession, we were very diligent from a fixed-cost

containment standpoint,” Chris Witte, senior vice president – Freeport site for BASF, told the audience of nearly 700 people eager to hear positive news of continued expansion. “Over the past four years, we have seen growth opportunities.” Witte mentioned an ammonia production plant currently underway at BASF’s Freeport location with targeted completion in 2017.

Industry faces workforce challenges The maritime and petrochemical industries both see challenges. A growing gap of skilled workers needed to build, maintain and operate plant and port facilities has created initiatives with local community colleges, high schools, and construction and maintenance contractors to expand the pool of qualified workers. Zachry Industrial, S&B Engineering and Infinity Construction Services outlined initiatives within their companies and initiatives with outside partnerships

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015 15

Over 700 attendees were present to hear from experts in the day-long conference held at the Pasadena Convention Center. that help recruit, train and retain qualified employees needed along the Texas Gulf Coast. Both Lee College and San Jacinto College have expanded their training programs for petrochemical careers. San Jacinto College is near completion of a new maritime training center on the Ship Channel to boost maritime training.

“The expansion of our industries – from the Port of Houston to our refining and chemical complexes throughout the Gulf Coast region – is requiring more qualified employees to handle these high tech jobs,” said Chad Burke, president of the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region. “That is a good challenge, and we are meeting the challenge by working with our partners to identify the workforce needs and ensure that we have the right solutions. Recently, we enhanced our workforce development effort with a unique partnership through Dream It. Do It. Southeast Texas, an initiative of the Manufacturing Institute to prepare students for jobs in today’s fast-paced manufacturing environment with state-ofthe-art facilities and advanced technologies.”

with undue regulation, the speakers did acknowledge the importance of industry operating safely and working closely with communities.

Students interested in maritime and petrochemical careers from San Jacinto College, Lee College the University of Houston – Clear Lake, and TSU, as well as local independent school districts, attended the conference to meet industry leaders and hear about jobs, salaries and qualifications to work in the maritime and petrochemical industries. Students were greeted at breakfast by members of industry as well as members of our Houston congressional delegation. Many students came with resume-in-hand, underscoring the value of PMOC in attracting young talent to the industry.

The significant boost in attendance at this year’s conference coupled with the quality of speakers hosted at the conference is driving the expansion of PMOC into becoming more than a local forecasting conference. Next year’s conference brand will be professionally developed and expanded to include the entire Gulf Coast region in an effort to acknowledge the interdependent nature of port and petrochemical economies along the entire Gulf Coast. Unlike any other region in the world, the Gulf Coast is its own entire ecosystem of feedstock, refining, and maritime activities.

Regulatory burdens are challenges industry must overcome

The Port of Houston Authority was the presenting sponsor of this year’s PMOC. LyondellBasell, Lee College, San Jacinto College, and Bay Group Media were Gold sponsors. More than 40 companies were Silver and Bronze sponsors. Presentations approved for public dissemination have been posted on the Economic Alliance website at the following link: http://www.allianceportregion.com/ pmoc/2015pmocpresentations/.

Several participants at the conference asked panel members and speakers about multiple concerns including whether burdensome government regulation could slow down the petrochemical renaissance, and impact the logistics industry.

While remaining positive that elected officials and regulatory agencies could regulate without burdening the industry

16

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

Congressman Gene Green (D-29) expressed optimism that EPA would continue current programs that have seen improvement in air quality rather than burdening industry with new, costly regulation. Congressman Brian Babin (R-36) acknowledged that Congress is prepared to pass legislation that protects the public and industry in a cost-effective manner.

The future of PMOC as a regionally-branded conference

Students were greeted at breakfast by members of industry as well as members of our Houston congressional delegation. Many students came with resume-in-hand, underscoring the value of PMOC in attracting young talent to the industry.

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015 1717

feature article

Economic Alliance Advocates Regional Priorities in D.C. This past April, over 20 members of Economic Alliance Houston Port Region traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate on behalf of the Houston Port Region.

Included in the Economic

This is the third year the

Houston region congressional

Alliance delegation were

Economic Alliance has

delegation, senior members

representatives from local

organized a policy trip for its

of Congress, the U.S.

area businesses, cities,

members and stakeholders.

Army Corps of Engineers,

petrochemical and chemical

This year, over a two-day

Department of Labor, and

companies, community

period, the delegation had

Vice President staff.

colleges, the Port of Houston

over 20 individual meetings

Authority, and Houston Pilots.

with members and staff of the

18

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

Attendees

Members of the delegation participated in meetings in teams, all with the intent of solidifying Economic Alliance’s role as a regional association

Michel Bechtel

City of Morgan’s Point Mayor

Chad Burke

President/CEO, Economic Alliance

with a diverse membership synchronized for the benefit of the region.

The Economic Alliance advocated for the following issues on its April D.C. trip: •

maintenance;

Kippy Caraway City of Houston

•

Gayle Cooke

City Manager, City of Seabrook

Teri Crawford

Associate Vice Chancellor Marketing / Government Relations, San Jacinto College

Tom Downs Venable, LLP

•

Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank;

•

Sustaining and enhancing federal funding for students, including the federal Pell Grant program;

•

•

Karen Gregory

Regional Manager, CenterPoint Energy

Karl Hilprecht

Identifying funding support for a Gulf Coast storm surge project that protects the majority of communities and businesses from future storm surges while supporting future economic growth in the Houston Port Region.

Owner, The Drake Companies Director State and Local Government Operations, The Boeing Company

Funding critical workforce development programs focused on career and technical education; and

Randy Drake

Darcie Durham

Addressing challenges in the Corps of Engineers permitting process with respect to dredging;

Spencer Chambers

Director of Government Relations, Port of Houston Authority

Continued funding of the Ship Channel’s dredging and operational

The D.C. trip taken by the Economic Alliance each year is instrumental in reinforcing the relationships necessary for our organization to effectively advocate for our members; however, the work isn’t restricted to once a year. Our Task Forces and staff work year round to ensure that our legislators at both the state and federal levels are educated about the issues affecting our members.

Director of Business Development, XTL, Inc.

Currently, we are working on continuing the conversations initiated

Michelle Hundley

above as well as issues specific to the local level through:

VP of Public Affairs, Economic Alliance

•

whose ability to do business may be affected by the USACE

Debi Jordan

permitting process. Responses are currently being gathered and will

Executive Director Workforce & Community Development, Lee College

be presented to the Vice President’s office by the end of October in an anonymous report once all of the data has been collected.

Mike Lykes

Director of Neighborhood Initiatives, Neighborhood Centers

Distributing a dredging survey of regional industry stakeholders

•

Working with San Jacinto College on drafting legislation to support federal funding of the Pell Grant program and state-level policy to

Marisela Martinez

Business Consultant- Southeast, Workforce Solutions

distribute the grants in a way that effectively addresses the financial

Deedra Moe

training programs rather than solely addressing the financial need of

need of students enrolling in critical workforce certification and

Baytown Area Public and Government Affairs Manager, ExxonMobil

JJ Plunkett

Port Agent & Chief Ops Officer, Houston Pilots

Glenn Royal

City of Seabrook Mayor

Gina Tolley

Engineering Manager, Kinder Morgan/BOTSCO

Buddy Tucker

VP Strategy & New Market Development, Hunter Buildings & Manufacturing

students enrolling in four-year degree programs.

•

Working through the Harris-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) Transportation Improvement Program process to advocate for an increase in funding for regional transportation projects to be commensurate with the level of value the Houston Port Region provides to the Gulf Coast and state economies. A presentation is under development and will be given to first to H-GAC’s Technical Advisory Council (TAC) and subsequently to H-GAC’s Transportation Policy Council (TPC).

ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015 19

o P n o oust

n o i g e rt R

H e h t for

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Economic Alliance

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ECONOMIC ALLIANCE HOSTS AUGUST BOARD & MEMBERSHIP MEETING AT STAR FLEET YACHTS On Thursday, August 19th, the Economic Alliance held its bi-monthly Board & Membership meeting. Attendees received updates from the chairs of each Task Force and were then treated to a great presentation by Captain Brian PenoyerCommander, Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston. Capt. Penoyer detailed the history of the Coast Guard, its mission, and left attendees with a few very salient pieces of wisdom about that history and about our current status as a region.

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JULY BUSINESS UPDATE LUNCHEON ON “WATER & ROADS: THE RISING INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGE” The Economic Alliance recently held an informative discussion on “Water & Roads: The Rising Infrastructure Challenge,” featuring guest speakers Bech Bruun, Chairman of the Texas Water Development Board; and Jeremy Phillips, Senior Director of Infrastructure, Harris County Precinct Two.

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ECONOMIC ALLIANCE ACCOMPANIES DEER PARK MAYOR JERRY MOUTON TO TESTIFY TO U.S. HOUSE ENERGY & POWER SUBCOMMITTEE The Economic Alliance Houston Port Region was invited to participate in a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C. entitled, “EPA’s Proposed Ozone Rule: Potential Impacts on Manufacturing and Jobs” hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Power Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitifield (R-KY) on July 28.

City of Deer Park Mayor, Jerry Mouton, represented the Economic Alliance and the city during the meeting.

CAROLYN WATSON OF CHASE BANK SPEAKS AT AUGUST WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON AT CULLEN’S The women of the Economic Alliance recently gathered to hear Carolyn Watson of JP Morgan Chase speak on the topic of leadership. Carolyn Watson is a Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at JPMorgan Chase. She directs the JPMorgan Chase Foundation’s philanthropic investments for Houston and San Antonio, which collectively employ more than 12,000 people.

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Armand Bayou Nature Center’s Mark Kramer Receives Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award Armand Bayou Nature Center Stewardship Coordinator Mark Kramer received the prestigious 2015 Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award, recognizing his thirty years of exceptional service to local ecosystems, environmental education and community quality of life. The center manages Armand Bayou as a State Coastal Preserve in cooperation with Texas Parks and Recreation Department and the Texas General Land Office. The center manages the surrounding upland habitat in public-private partnership with Harris County Precinct 2, making Armand Bayou Nature Center one of the largest urban wilderness preserves in the United States. Kramer is responsible for all natural resource management programs at the center.

BIC Alliance Moves into New, Expanded Office BIC Alliance has moved into its new office building at 311 Columbia Memorial Parkway in League City. “We have been blessed with continued growth, and our new building allows us room to expand so we can better serve our clients,” said BIC Alliance President Thomas Brinsko. “This building accommodates additional staff as well as meeting and training space to serve our clients’ marketing and staffing needs. We will host an open house in the coming months. In the meantime, we hope our industry friends will stop by to say hello and take a tour!”

The 7,500-square-foot facility was built by Wycoff Development & Construction and houses BIC Alliance companies including BIC Magazine, BIC Recruiting and IVS Investment Banking. For more information, visit www.bicalliance.com or call (281) 538-9996.

CG Roxane LLC Purchases Land from City of Pasadena for State-of-the-Art Water Bottling Facility CG Roxane currently operates 8 plant locations throughout the United States. The City of Pasadena facility will focus on product manufacturing for private label store brands in the greater Houston region.

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ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

The facility will be constructed in two phases over a 5-7 year time period, each comprising approximately 130,000-square-foot buildings. The Company expects that the phase one construction will be completed by May 2016.

CG Roxane plans to invest approximately $30 million during the first phase alone, resulting in approximately 15 - 20 jobs. The Company estimates an additional 10 – 15 jobs at full build-out.

City of Seabrook to Host Inaugural Celebration Seabrook Set sail for the inaugural Celebration Seabrook on November 14 from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. This one-day event celebrates coastal living and a love for the bay with music, wine, craft beer, gourmet food trucks and more. Catch the island vibe and enjoy two live music stages. Share a love of seafood cooking with demonstrations by Gulf coast culinary masters. Sip on fine wines and craft beers. It’s a day at the bay for the whole family.

To get tickets or more information visit www. celebrationseabrook.com. Tickets are $25 for adults; $15 for 11 – 20 yrs. old; children under 10 FREE. The event is co-presented by the Seabrook Economic Development Council and the Seabrook Association. Event sponsors include Cobb Fendley & Associates, Inc. and the Seabrook Police Association.

City of Seabrook Renames Second Street to “Main Street” On Tuesday, August 18, 2015 Seabrook City Council unanimously voted to rename a primary section of Second Street to Main Street. Earlier this year Seabrook City Council and city staff held their annual Strategic Planning Session, which helps to define the goals for the upcoming fiscal year. The 2015 Strategic Plan included economic development initiatives that will help revitalize and redevelop the Old Seabrook District The city selected Second Street to be renamed because it is the primary center of the Old Seabrook District. The renaming will allow city staff to apply for grants and other funding that is available through Main Street redevelopment programs.

D & C Inspection Receives Certificate of Authorization from the FAA to Operate Drones for Commercial, Industrial & Civil Applications On June 1st 2015, D&C received their Section 333 Exemption and Certificate of Authorization from the FAA permitting the use of our drones for all commercial, industrial, and civil applications.

D&C Inspection Services, Inc. of Seabrook, TX, foresaw the need to reduce the safety risks of using rope access, scaffolding, man lifts, and other at height solutions to perform required inspection activities in the oil and gas industry. The solution D&C Inspection Services offered the industry was the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) as known as drones. For questions about how this may apply to you, contact D & C Inspection Services, Inc. at 281326-1800.

The Center offers advanced care in both Cancer and Orthopedics including complete diagnosis, treatment, and surgery if necessary; all provided by a board-certified team of medical professionals committed to providing quality, compassionate care. East Houston Regional Medical Center also houses the only 24-hour Level IV Trauma Designated Emergency Center in East Harris County and a medical staff consisting of nearly 300 board-certified physicians offering a broad range of medical and surgical care.

The Greater Houston Port Bureau honored ExxonMobil as the Maritime Company of the Year at its 86th Annual Maritime Dinner.

DuPont La Porte Names New Plant Manager James O’Connor, a 34-year DuPont veteran, is returning to Texas and has been named plant manager at the DuPont La Porte facility on Strang Road, effective immediately.

Prior to this new assignment, O’Connor was an Operations director for The Chemours Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont, where he was responsible for manufacturing operations, personnel, safety, logistics and capital project execution. He previously served as the plant manager for the DuPont plant in Belle, W.Va., from 2010 to 2014. He was the Safety manager for the DuPont Electronics & Communications business from 2007 to 2010. Early in his DuPont career, he held a variety of leadership roles at the DuPont Sabine River Works site in Orange, Tex., and also supported the La Porte and Victoria plant operations. For questions, contact Aaron Woods at 281-7269336.

East Houston Regional Medical Center Expands Services

Neil Chapman, Chemical Company president, accepts the award on behalf of ExxonMobil. left: Wayne Smith, Texas state representative; Matt Crocker, Baytown refinery manager; Woody Paul, ExxonMobil Baytown Olefins Plant manager; Rob Tully, ExxonMobil Baytown Chemical Plant manager; Brian Babin, U.S. representative; Paul Fritsch, ExxonMobil Mont Belvieu Plastics Plant manager; Stephen DonCarlos, city of Baytown mayor; Robert Baker, Baytown marine superintendent; Neil Chapman, ExxonMobil Chemical Company president.

“We chose to recognize ExxonMobil because of their exemplary commitment to the port region and the Houston community,” said CAPT Bill Diehl, president of the Greater Houston Port Bureau.

ExxonMobil was recognized through proclamations from the city of Baytown, presented by Baytown Mayor Stephen DonCarlos, the city of Houston, and from Harris County.

Chairman Janiece Longoria of the Port of Houston Commission highlighted ExxonMobil’s key involvement in business, education, and philanthropy. “On behalf of the entire Port of Houston, thank you ExxonMobil for all that you do to create commerce and economic prosperity for our region, and for all of your investments in education, health, and our communities.”

East Houston Regional Medical Center, an HCA Affiliated hospital, and extended campus of Bayshore Medical Center, is a full service, acute-care hospital conveniently located on Interstate 10. Due to a continual need for world-class medical services within the community, EHRMC recently expanded its services to include an internal Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Treatment Center.

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Flint Hills Resources Donates Truckload of bath Tissue to Local Crisis Center & Shelter

This esteemed nationwide award program signifies NACWA members’ commitment to environmental protection and represents the diligence and hard work of each award winner’s employees.

Gulf Winds Expands New Bayport Warehouse

Flint Hills Resources has donated a truckload of Quilted Northern® bath tissue to The Bridge Over Troubled Waters (The Bridge), the 8th largest crisis center and shelter in Texas, serving southeast Harris County for the last 37 years. The donation is worth more than $40,000.

Becky Kyles, The Bridge’s Associate Director of Development said, “This donation is greatly appreciated and will help thousands of people. ‘Giving back’ is a lot more than writing checks, it’s becoming a partner, a friend, and pitching in when it matters most. We are proud to have a neighbor like Flint Hills Resources with such a giving attitude and willingness to step in and offer exactly what we have asked for.”

Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority Earns Gold and Silver Peak Performance Awards The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) recognized four Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority (GCA) facilities earning a combination of Gold and Silver Peak Performance Awards for consistently outstanding permit compliance in 2014. The Gold Awards represent 100% compliance with a facility’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit while the Silver Awards celebrate facilities for achieving no more than five violations within the calendar year.

GCA’s 40-Acre Facility and Washburn Tunnel Facility were both awarded Gold Peak Performance Awards and GCA’s Bayport Facility and Odessa South Facility were both awarded Silver Peak Performance Awards for their consistent compliance records.

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Gulf Winds has opened a new, 243,360 sq. ft. facility at Bayport!

This expands their Bayport warehouse operation to 460,000 sq. ft. The new facility also operates 77 doors and is a true cross dock facility.

Gulf Winds strives to continually provide customers with World Class Logistics Service. For questions, contact Chuck Rice at 866238-4909.

Innovative Alternatives’ Victim Assistance Program Funding Expands from $240,000 to $617,390 Great news! Innovative Alternatives’ Victim Assistance Program grant funds from the Office of the Governor-Criminal Justice Division of the State of Texas will increase from $240,000 to $617,390. As part of the expansion, IA will collaborate with up to 10 local nonprofits to co-locate counseling services to victims at their facilities ranging from the City of Galveston in the south to the Ship Channel in the north. Our required grant match also increases from $60,000 to $155,000 annually. We invite you to help us raise matching funds to serve over 2,500 victims of crime through your sponsorship and/or participation in our Totally Texan 26th Anniversary Blast on Monday, November 16th at the Greater Houston Gun Club. For more registration info, visit www.InnovativeAlternatives.org or call 713-222-2525.

Members

in MOTiON

LJA Engineering Announces New Hire Steven Boyd, P.E. as Project Manager in the Land Division Steven has over 10 years of civil engineering and construction management experience. His expertise encompasses land development; water resources; hydraulics and hydrology; drainage, detention improvements and modeling; paving design; and soil mechanics. His design experience includes water treatment and distribution modeling, wastewater collection and treatment, site design, and construction phase services. He has worked on projects in Fort Bend, Waller, Brazoria, and Harris Counties, as well as the Cities of Houston, Pearland, Stafford, Missouri City, and Wharton. Steven is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the States of Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.

LJA Engineering Announces New Hire David Harris, PMP as Director of Client Services in the Houston Rail Division David has over 25 years of diverse management experience with hands-on knowledge of a wide range of project disciplines. His expertise includes strategic planning, business development, project and program management, engineering design, construction, and maintenance. Since joining LJA, David has been involved in freight rail business development and strategic growth initiatives to build and expand LJA’s reputation in the railroad industry as well as its geographic presence.

As Director of Client Services, David will utilize his diverse railroad and management expertise to build customer satisfaction and confidence by ensuring value through quality, schedule, and cost performance. David is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Project Management Institute, and the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance Association.

Ken Wesson Joins Moody National Bank Moody National Bank has named Kenneth Wesson Executive Vice President and Commercial Lender.

Wesson has spent much of his 35-year career in the banking and financial services industries serving the needs of privately held businesses.

“I am excited to have joined a bank with such a rich history and promising future,” Wesson said, “and to work for a great leadership team.”

Moody National Bank is among the largest privately owned banks in the Houston Metropolitan area, with assets totaling over $1.1 billion, loans totaling more than $500 million and 19 banking locations serving Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Travis Counties.

Wesson offices in Moody National Bank’s Clear Lake Branch, 1100 Bay Area Blvd., (281) 998-3337.

PKF Texas and The Catalyst Group form Joint Venture Strategic Advisors On June 1, 2015 Pannell Kerr Forster Texas, P.C. (PKF Texas) and The Catalyst Group have formed a new entity, Joint Venture Strategic Advisors (JVSA). With offices located in Houston and Calgary, JVSA was purposefully built to address the oil, gas and global energy market’s demand for financial professionals who possess industry specific knowledge, experience and who understand the challenges facing energy companies today. JVSA’s team will provide services including; joint venture auditing, joint venture management, and joint venture accounting. Located in the premier energy markets in North America, JVSA will primarily serve larger publicly traded and privately held companies, with services scalable to middle market companies. JVSA while partially owned and operated by PKF Texas and Catalyst, is not an accounting firm. Visit www.jvsa. com.“

Raba Kistner, Inc. Announces Hire of Erik Knudsen as Building Envelope Consultant Raba Kistner has announced that Erik Knudsen has been hired as a Building Envelope Consultant, serving the Houston and surrounding areas. Mr. Knudsen will support the Raba Kistner Building Envelope group, providing building envelope observation, surveys, design, and consulting. Mr. Knudsen is currently providing services for Sterling High School for Houston ISD. Mr. Knudsen brings more than 27 years of experience to the Raba Kistner team. His experience includes providing QA/QC services, field inspection, and estimation. He has managed inspection and testing services on exterior building projects, including performing American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) water and air infiltration testing, roofing, waterproofing, curtain wall, and glazing services. For more information, contact Nancy Parker, Director of Marketing, at 866-722-2547.

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Members

in MOTiON

Tolunay-Wong Engineers, Inc. Relocates Gonzalez, LA Facility

TWE has outgrown our existing Gonzales facility in Louisiana and has completed and moved into a new facility for relocation. The new address is now 6037 Commerce Pointe Drive Geismar, LA 70734. Department Manager James Richardson may be reached for any questions by email at jrichardson@tweinc.com or by phone at (225)644-4966.

Tolunay-Wong Engineers, Inc. Opens New Fort Worth Office TWE is pleased to announce opening of new facility in Fort Worth – providing geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, and environmental services. The new address is 2426 Gravel Drive – Fort Worth, TX 76118. This location, in addition to our facility in McKinney, will allow us to provide excellent service to the entire DFW Metroplex. For more information or to schedule service please contact Branch Manager Donnie Ives dives@tweinc.com or Project Manager Ben Englert benglert@ tweinc.com or by phone at 817-616-3284 or 817-505-7257.

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ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

Wednesday, November 4, 2015 Business Growth Task Force Wednesday, November 11, 2015 Quality of Life Task Force Thursday, November 12, 2015 Annual Membership & Awards Banquet Tuesday, November 17, 2015 PMOC Committee Meeting Wednesday, November 18, 2015 New Business Development Task Force Thursday, November 19, 2015 Workforce Development Task Force

Annual Membership Banquet Sylvan Beach Pavilion 1 Sylvan Beach Drive, La Porte, TX 77571 Registration & Networking: 6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner & Dancing: 7:30 – 10:30 pm

SAVE THE DATE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

Registration $100 individual $750 table

Sponsorships Available For additional information contact: Dana Ramirez, (281) 476-9176 dana@allianceportregion.com

Join Our Growing List of Members Our Partner Members:

Our Stakeholder*, Corporate, and Proprietorship Members.

Adaptive Tech Services Aggregate Technologies, Inc. Air Products Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemical LLC Alpha Technical Services Amegy Bank American Acryl Andrews Myers, PC Anthem, LLC Apache Oil Company APJ Wealth Management/MerrillLynch Argosy Transportation Group Arkema Inc. Armand Bayou Nature Center Association of Bayport Companies AT&T August Companies Austin Industrial B.J. Superior, Inc. B2BCFO Barbara Walling Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Bay Group Media Baytown/West Chambers EconomicDevelpment BB&T Branch Banking & Trust Company BBVA Compass Bank Beacon Federal Credit Union Belt Harris Pechacek, LLLP Bendel Tank & Heat Exchanger BIC Alliance Blasingame-Whitley Attorneys at Law Bowen Brady Chapman Holland and Assoc.

Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc. Bureau Veritas, NA Capital Bank Capital Idea Houston Cardinal Delivery

Cenikor Foundation Change Magazine Channel Biorefinery & Terminals, LLC Cherry Demolition Chevron Phillips Choice Energy Services Cintas CMEF Comerica Bank Commscope Community Bank of Texas Core Trucking of Texas Corporate Memory Solutions Cummings Westlake LLC D&C Inspection Services Dan Blanchard Dao’s Bookkeeping & Tax Services DeLane’s Ad Specialties Denbury Resources Inc. Dianal America, Inc. Dimension Energy Services, LLC Dixie Chemical DuPont East Houston Regional Medical Center Economic Incentive Services, LLC Ecosystem Renewal, LLC Energy Edge Consulting Equipment Depot Excel Modular Scaffold & Leasing Corporation Exel Logistics Fishbone Safety Solutions Force Corporation Freese and Nichols Frost Bank FSI - Field Specialties Inc. Galveston Bay Foundation GHD Great Western Valve

*Stakeholder members in bold.

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ECONOMIC ALLIANCE | THIRD QUARTER 2015

Greater Houston Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance Greater Houston Partnership Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority Gulf Winds International, Inc. Gulfex, LP Haldor Topsoe,Inc. Hargrove Engineers + Constructors HDR Engineering, Inc. Hilton NASA Clear Lake HKA Enterprises Houston Gulf Coast Building & Construction Houston Marriott South Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital Houston Pilots Association Houston Travel Zone Houston Yacht Club Hunter Buildings & Manufacturing HydroChem LLC IberiaBank IBEW, Local 66 IDS Engineering Group ILA #1351 Industrial Packaging System Infinity Construction Services, LP Innovative Alternatives, Inc. iProcess Data Systems, LLC Island Bound Company, LLC ISTC J. Simmons Group John Manlove Marketing & Communications JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA. JSC Federal Credit Union Kaneka North America LLC Kiewit Energy Group & TIC Group Kinder Morgan Knudson LP La Porte Education Foundation

LJA Engineering Lubrizol Main Event Entertainment Marco A. Arredondo, Inc. Martin Recruitment Solutions Meador Staffing Services Metropolitan Commercial Finance Mid-America Contractors, LLC Mobil Steel International Moody National Bank Mosher Seifert & Company, CPA Munro’s Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr P.C. My IT People, LLC NA Industries National Property Holdings Neighborhood Centers Inc. Nissan Chemical Houston Corp Noltex, LLC OCTG, LLP Oxyvinyls Palms Banquet & Event Center Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C. (PKF) Parkway Chevrolet PetroLogistics Pfeiffer and Son,Ltd. Phelps State Farm Insurance Philibert Insurance Agency Pollution Systems Port Terminal Railroad Association

Priority Power Management, LLC Qualified Properties, Inc. R & R Heat Exchangers Raba Kistner Consultants Regions Bank Resource Development Company Richard Industrial Group Richardson Stevedoring & Logistics Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey P.C. RUS Industrial San Jacinto Family YMCA San Jacinto River and Rail SETECH Shafaii Party and Reception Center Inc. Shell Federal Credit Union Sol Bobst Solvay South Atlantic & Gulf Coast District ILA Southwest Shipyards, L.P. Springhill Suites by Marriott - Baytown Springhill Suites by Marriott - Seabrook Sprint Waste Services, L.P. Star Fleet Star of Hope STG Design Stockstill & Associates Structure Tone Southwest T & T Construction, LP Taylor Marine Construction TDS - Training & Development Systems Inc.

Teadit North America Tech Trans International Terracon Consultants, Inc. Tetra Tech Texas Industrial Medical Texas Lawn & Sprinkler Texas Molecular Limited Partnership Texas Southern University The Drake Companies The Mundy Companies The Royal Group at Merrill Lynch Tolunay-Wong Engineers,Inc. Tower Tech Inc. TPC Group Trey Industries Trustmark National Bank United Way of Greater Baytown Area & Chamber County University of Houston-Clear Lake US Telehealth Vesco Office Services Walter P. Moore Welcome Group, LLC West Gulf Maritime Association Wilhelmsen Ships Services Winkler Public Relations Workforce Solutions XTL, Inc.

Newsletter Sponsorship Your sponsorship will allow us to continue to broaden our reach and to maintain and improve the visual quality of the publication and written content. We have some exciting themes planned for 2015 and look forward to continuing to highlight the impressive accomplishments of our members and region.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Quarterly publication sponsors will receive: §§ A sponsor ad in the print and online versions of the publication commensurate with level of sponsorship §§ A link to the sponsor company website from the electronic version of the publication Based on the structured space we have within our publication, there will be a limited number of sponsorships available.

Website Sponsorship The Economic Alliance is developing a brand new mobile-responsive and user-friendly website to be launched in the third quarter of this year. We are now offering quarterly Website Sponsorship opportunities to begin showing upon launch to have your company logo placed prominently in key sections of the new website. With over 50,000 page views per month on average, a Website Sponsorship is an excellent way for members to increase their brand awareness and make the most of their membership in the Economic Alliance.

Please contact our Director of Economic Development, Traci Koenig via email at traci@allianceportregion.com, for sponsorship levels and benefits.

203 Ivy Avenue, Suite 200 Deer Park, TX 77536 281-476-9176