West Houston Business Summit

 

WHEN
Friday, February 3rd, 2023

TIME

7:15 am - 2:00 pm

Overview

A new normal is the order of the day, as everyone globally pivots to navigate business with COVID as a part of everyday life - at least, for now. Consumer behavior seems unpredictable, while labor shortages and a slow economy throw many industries into havoc. Fortunately, the outlook for West Houston is not all doom and gloom.

To provide insight into some of the most critical markets in our region, the Houston West Chamber of Commerce is hosting the West Houston Business Summit, February 3, 2023, at the Norris Conference Center. Hundreds of business owners and other professionals will gather for impactful networking, engaging forums, and informative presentations focused on current trends specific to West Houston.

Key executives from some of the most important business segments in West Houston will be on hand to discuss projects for the upcoming year in the areas of the stock market, oil and gas, artificial intelligence, mental health, and economic challenges including workforce struggles. Executives, managers and business owners of all sizes and industries are encouraged to attend to learn more about expected trends for 2023.

The target audience for the West Houston Business Summit includes industry leaders and business owners from Greenway Plaza to the Energy Corridor. The Conference will kick off with am opening session with continental breakfast and a business marketplace/expo, followed by a series of forums that discuss the most pressing and cutting-edge issues in business today. The day will end with luncheon featuring a keynote speaker.

 

Economic Challenges

Panelist:
Gwynne Shackelford, Senior Vice President and Investment Manager at Truist
Peter Jessup, Local Director, ISM Houston
Christian Tracy, General Manager, Corporate Strategy Phillips 66
Craig Mills, Senior Vice President of Finance, Texas Children’s Hospital

Supply chain issues have slowed our economy. Oil shortages have increased the price we pay at the pump. The stock market has been a roller coaster for investors. Listen to our industry panelists as we discuss the current impact and if there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

AI - I am Robot

Panelists:
Samir Saber, Dean, Digital Information Technology Center of Excellence and Executive Director, Workforce Technology at Houston Community College
Dr. Christopher Gibbons, Associate Professor, Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Raymond Brown, Program Coordinator Artificial Intelligence, Houston Community College

Over time, we are now relying more on artificial intelligence and the actions of robots. What all are they doing that impact our lives daily? And are we setting ourselves up for a robot takeover? Listen to our panel as we find out more about these questions and realize that we do not live in Kansas anymore.

The Great Divide in Employment

Hosted by: Amerant

Panelists:
Caryn Lee, Division Vice President, ADP
Jenna Sneed, Consultant, Gallagher
Dr. Brian Mayhugh, Chief Executive Officer, MindStreet Inc.
Dr. Eric Gustafson, Behavioral Health Consultant, MindStreet Inc.
Scott Willis, HR Business Partner, Texas Division

Labor shortages have dominated the papers over the past 3 years. Did the changes due to COVID impact the labor market for years to come? Our panel of experts delve into what is going on with Labor and what potential changes we can expect.

 

Breakfast Speaker

Former Commissioner R. Jack Cagle

Harris County Precinct 4

Lunch Speaker

Janis Burke, CSEE

CEO

Harris County Houston Sports Authority

Welcome

Francisco Rivero

Texas Regional Manager

Amerant

Moderator

Richard Nevins

Chairman of the HWCOC Board

Richard Nevins is the Chairman of the Board for the Houston West Chamber. He worked for Higginbotham/Chapman Schewe for 30 years where he served as an Employee Benefits Consultant. He is a graduate from the University of Texas and the University of Houston. He became a CPA in 1990. He has also coached High School Basketball for 20 years.