Photo Credit: Rod PradoBusiness
The Woodlands Chamber hosts 2025 Economic Outlook Conference with national, regional, and local speakers
The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Outlook Conference (EOC) took place today, February 21, 2025, at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center. The highly anticipated conference offered business leaders and professionals an opportunity to gain insight and knowledge on the trajectory of our economy plus ways to prepare for the growth to come. National, regional, and local speakers addressed attendees on the economy, trends and growth.
View moments from the conference on the Hello Woodlands Facebook and Instagram Pages:
The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce’s President and CEO Aaron Cox welcomed attendees and kicked off the conference. Then former Congressman and Past Chamber President Kevin Brady led all in the U.S. and Texas Pledge of Allegiance as the Presentation of Colors was conducted by The Woodlands High School’s ROTC Color Guard. Chairman of The Woodlands Chamber’s Board Ann Wolford thanked EOC presenting sponsor Entergy Texas and introduced Eliecer Viamontes, President and CEO of Entergy Texas, who shared that the electric and natural gas service company’s purpose to “power life today and for future generations” in the communities, like The Woodlands, that they serve.
The Woodlands Township Director of the Board Cindy Heiser introduced keynote speaker, Enterprise Strategist, Bestselling Author, Technologist and Futurist, Nicholas Webb. In his keynote speech, Nicholas Webb addressed the question, “What’s the future of business?” Webb spoke on the transition from Incremental to Disruptive to Choatic Innovation that started first with the connection shift of the internet and now the AI shift. “Lean into the blur of change,” Webb advised and explained why we should take steps to embrace cooperative intelligence, a collaboration of both artificial and human intelligence. Based on his past experiences in the Healthcare industry, consulting opportunities, and research as detailed in his book Happy Work: How To Create A Culture Of Happiness, Webb shared that “Happiness is a Strategy.” Webb summed up his talk with three points to focus on for the future of business and to achieve “happy work”: 1) consumer experience strategy training, 2) fast implementation of AI automation, and 3) formal human experience innovation strategy.
EOC Team Lead Jordan Buras next introduced speaker Jevon Gibb, the new President and CEO of The Woodlands Area Economic Partnership (EDP). In his first Local Economic Update, Gibb highlighted the growth of jobs and major employers in The Woodlands area. Gibb stated that he and the team “have work to do”, are “ready to take EDP to the next level,” and will lean into excellence, with a goal of bringing new companies to The Woodlands. Gibb also announced a new partnership with Newmark Global, one of the leading site selectors in the world, to refine how the EDP targets companies and to align their team and resources to maximize success. “Ok isn’t good enough…We will work tirelessly to make the next 50 years just as good as the last 50.”
The Community Spotlight featured updates from The Woodlands Township Chairman of the Board of Directors Brad Bailey, City of Shenandoah Mayor John Escoto, and Sarah McClure, Director of Economic Development & Community Programming for the City of Oak Ridge North. Chairman Brad Bailey shared The Woodlands Township updates, highlighted future projects such as an expanded Christmas Lights display and Woodlands Parkway / Grogan’s Mill Renovation, and talked about the discussion of long term solutions for parking in Town Center and building a new Performing Arts Center.
Jesse B. Thompson, senior business economist at the Houston Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, shared a Regional Economic Update, and The Woodlands Chamber President Aaron Cox moderated the Texas Economic Landscape Panel with Aaron Demerson, President and CEO of Texas Economic Development Corporation, and David Leebron, President and CEO of Texas 2036.
After a buffet lunch served by The Woodlands Waterway Marriott, Conroe ISD Superintendent Dr. Curtis Null moderated the Preparing the Workplace of Tomorrow Panel with panelists Linda Head, Former Senior Associate Vice Chancellor of Lone Star College, and Chad Hargrave, Vice President for Research and Strategic Partnerships & Chief Research Officer at Sam Houston State University. Lastly, Houston Exponential President & CEO Natara Branch moderated the Innovation Panel including Mike O’Mara, Chief Operating Officer of Cellipont, Brad Rossacci, Creative Director at Accenture Houston Innovation Hub, and Hannah Kaplan, VP of Commercial & Industrial at Entergy Texas.
Visit eocthewoodlands.com for more information about The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Economic Outlook Conference.
