Inaugural Invest: Houston Leadership Summit covers sustainable education, healthcare innovations, decarbonization
September 2024 — As Houston continues an upward ascent of economic growth, regional leaders shared some important developments and initiatives underway during the Invest: Houston 2023-2024 Launch Conference.
The wider business community gathered on Thursday morning at JW Marriott, with more than 200 industry executives, elected officials, and rising stars in the professional world attending for key networking opportunities and actionable panel discussions.
In her opening remarks, Capital Analytics President & CEO Abby Lindenberg provided an overview of the Greater Houston area’s economic climate, emphasizing both the region’s ongoing growth and its challenges. “Houston’s economy has diversified significantly while maintaining a strong foothold in oil and gas. Despite macroeconomic hurdles, including inflation and geopolitical uncertainties, there is a prevailing sense of optimism among local leaders,” said Lindenberg.
Keynote speaker Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner highlighted the city’s pivotal role in the region’s economic landscape. “Pasadena is at the heart of Southeast Harris County’s growth, with a robust petrochemical sector and vibrant industrial clusters,” Wagner noted. He also discussed the city’s educational and job opportunities, emphasizing Pasadena’s commitment to supporting its workforce and fostering business growth.
The first panel, “Revolutionizing Healthcare: How Houston is adopting cutting-edge technologies and transformative models of care for improved efficiencies and better outcomes” featured distinguished panelists, including Jamie Bailey, EVP and chief financial officer of UTMB Health System, Rodgers Wilson, national medical executive for behavioral health at Evernorth for Cigna Healthcare, William McKeon, president and CEO of Texas Medical Center, and Kengo Takishima, president and CEO of Baylor Genetics. The panel was moderated by Lindenberg.
The discussion explored the integration of AI and other advanced technologies in healthcare. William McKeon, highlighted the efficiency gains with AI. “Our AI platform has reduced the time needed to identify patients for clinical trials from two years to just three minutes,” McKeon noted.
Jamie Bailey highlighted AI’s impact on clinical documentation, noting, “We’ve introduced ambient documentation technologies that allow physicians to focus more on patient care rather than paperwork.” Kengo Takishima emphasized AI’s role in diagnostics: “AI accelerates diagnostics by analyzing vast amounts of genetic data to identify critical variants.” Meanwhile, Wilson discussed AI’s contributions to proactive care management: “AI helps us identify and manage high-risk patients before issues escalate.”
The second panel, “Education Reform: Pathways to access and quality learning experiences through policy, technology, and community engagement,” was moderated by Matthew Neighbors, superintendent at Galveston ISD. The panel examined affordability and access challenges pertaining to education and the critical role schools play in preparing the future workforce in Houston. The panelists included Alisa White, president of Sam Houston State University, Col. Michael Fossum, the vice president of Texas A&M University, chief operating officer at Texas A&M University at Galveston, and superintendent of Texas A&M Maritime AcademyTexas A&M Galveston, and Bob Keith, dean of the Cameron School of Business at University of St. Thomas.
During the discussion, White discussed the challenges faced by students in remote areas, saying, “Many of our students, who are first-generation college-goers, struggle with broadband access, especially during extreme weather conditions. We need to ensure they have reliable internet to support their learning.” While Fossum stated, “Our goal is to create environments that foster community and collaboration, adapting to new learning models and technologies to support our students effectively.”
The final panel, “Filling the Sustainability Gap: Trends and technologies shaping Houston’s path toward sustainability and resilience,” was moderated by Cody Cannon, Houston market co-president at Vantage Bank Texas. The panelists included Ken Bullock, partner-in-charge – Houston at Frost Brown Todd, Ricky Sakai, senior vice president of new business development at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, and Ryan Ezell, CEO of Flotek Industries.
Bullock remarked, “The reports of the death of oil and gas have been greatly exaggerated. While oil and gas will continue to play a crucial role, Texas leads the U.S. in wind and solar energy capacity, and we have significant investments in hydrogen production and decarbonization technologies.” Sakai discussed Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ commitment to sustainability, highlighting investments in clean energy technologies and startups based in Houston. “Houston’s startup ecosystem and collaborative initiatives, like those from Green Town Lab and the Greater Houston Partnership, are pivotal for advancing sustainable innovations,” Sakai said.
Closing remarks were delivered by Alina Manac, Capital Analytics’ senior executive director, who highlighted the pivotal role that regional leaders play in positioning Houston as a national model for both business growth and a high quality of life. “A special shout-out to our fantastic audience; your presence is a testament to the impact of business intelligence in promoting and attracting smart growth to the Greater Houston region. It reflects the character of our business community — a community that leans in, rises above, and strives for more,” Manac stated.
To read the brand-new Invest: Houston 2023-2024 report, click here. (Subscription required.)
To watch the Invest: Houston 2023-2024 Launch Conference panel discussions, please subscribe and stay tuned to our YouTube Channel as those videos are released in the coming week.
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About Capital Analytics & Invest: Houston 2023-2024
Capital Analytics is an integrated media platform that produces in-depth business intelligence through its annual print and digital economic reviews, high-impact conferences and events and top-level interviews via its video platform, Invest:Insights.
The Invest: Houston 2023-2024 report provides an in-depth look at what makes the region’s economy tick and the challenges that remain from the perspective of over 200 local leaders and elected officials.
Invest: Houston looks at the metro area’s key industries, including healthcare, energy, financial services, real estate, technology, tourism and infrastructure, that drive the local economy. The area has enjoyed continuous growth and economic expansion in recent years, fuelled by business friendly policies and a number of business relocations and expansions during and after the pandemic. Based on this solid foundation, the region is poised to continue its robust growth in the years to come.
For more information, contact:
Jerrica DuBois
Senior Editor
786-843-8500
