HAS-OBO Welcomes New Deputy Assistant Director

By: Mark Luo

To successfully carry out its mission of cultivating an inclusive and competitive economic environment in the City of Houston, the Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) relies on the dedicated compliance and outreach support provided by the Houston Airport System (HAS-OBO) office. In Fiscal Year 2021, HAS awarded more than $271 million in City contracting dollars to minority, women-owned, and small business enterprises.

Leading this partnership is Kellie Irving, who joined the OBO-HAS office as Deputy Assistant Director in June. Born and raised in Compton, California, she graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills with a B.S. in Public Administration and a concentration in Urban Administration.

“When small businesses can grow due to City contracting, so can our disadvantaged communities.” -Kellie Irving, HAS-OBO

Throughout her career, Irving has advocated for equity and inclusion for historically underutilized small businesses in the land transportation world and in municipal government, having worked at Long Beach Transit, LA Metro, and the City of Augusta, Georgia.

The chance to explore and apply her experience to another arm of transportation and aviation excited Irving and led her to Houston because of her neverending desire to grow and learn.

There is always an opportunity for me to learn and as a professional,” she said. “One should always want to be in the mode of constantly learning.

At HAS-OBO, Irving has already hit the ground running to expand opportunities for disadvantaged business enterprises, including airport concessionaires, MWSBEs and LGBT Business Enterprise certified firms (LGBTBEs) that are interested in contracts at George Bush International Airport, William P. Hobby Airport, and at Ellington Field. The representation of these businesses at HAS, Irving said, will further showcase the beauty of Houston’s diverse and inclusive community, something she hopes travelers will see each time they visit.

Additionally, she is committed to improving the efficiency of services and workflows at HAS-OBO. She also hopes to positively impact the community by monitoring contract compliance and advocating for contractors to hire locally.

"What I’m doing today, and how it’s going to impact someone down the road, is critically important to me,” Irving said. "When small businesses can grow due to City contracting, so can our disadvantaged communities. Moms and dads can keep food on the table, pay their mortgages, pay their rent, and buy new cars. Their children then get the opportunity to chase their dreams and become outstanding members of society."