From the Director

Greetings,

Happy New Year (City fiscal year 2023)!

Having spent time at our staff retreat to discuss our priorities for this fiscal year, the OBO team has kicked off the year with the express intention of engaging the voice of our customers, enhancing your customer experience, and delivering the services that you need and find impactful. With this in mind, we have rolled out a new vision to eliminate systemic barriers to prosperity and economic opportunity in the Greater Houston region, and an updated mission to emphasize our commitment to inclusivity. The full vision and mission statements can be found on our website at www. houstontx.gov/obo.

In this issue, we will share highlights from OBO’s Business Beyond Borders Summit, a continuation of our efforts to connect local businesses to resources and opportunities for exporting their products and services.

We are excited to embark upon the 10th year of the Liftoff Houston Startup Business Plan Competition which provides entrepreneurs with valuable information and resources each year, including more than $30,000 in prize money made possible by Capital One Bank.

Last, but certainly not least, we welcome Kellie Irving to the OBO team. You will learn more about Kellie, who leads the Houston Airport System-OBO office, in this issue.

In closing, I want to thank our summer intern class of 2022 for the incredible work they have done in the various divisions in our office, especially for their work on a capstone project which explored how OBO can further enhance our services for maximum impact.

-Marsha E. Murray, OBO Director

Marsha E. Murray was appointed by Mayor Sylvester Turner and confirmed by City Council to serve as the Director of the City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) in April 2020, after having served as OBO’s Interim Director.