Patti Worfe Mills, President & CEO, The Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County

Invest: sat down with Patti Worfe Mills, president and CEO of The Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County, to discuss the county’s evolving investment landscape, infrastructure priorities, and long-term vision for growth. “Port Freeport is the absolute gem of Brazoria County,” Mills said, pointing to the logistics advantages and partnerships driving the region’s momentum.

What kinds of projects and investments have defined Brazoria County’s growth over the past year?

We are seeing continued interest in renewable energy projects, and I suspect that is true for many communities across Texas and the country. Reliability matters to residents and employers, and those investments are part of a broader resilience conversation that shows up more often in site selection today, whether the concern is severe storms, grid stability, or long-term operating costs.

We are also seeing more expansion from companies that are already here. Over the last several years, we welcomed several new businesses, but it is just as important to take care of existing employers. When those companies choose to expand, it confirms that the fundamentals are working, and it usually means jobs, capital investment, and a longer-term commitment to the community. We have seen several of those projects move through the pipeline, and we expect that trend to continue.

Data centers are another area of increasing interest. As more activity moves to cloud-based systems, these facilities need sites with strong infrastructure and the ability to scale. What has been especially interesting is that many developers are now planning to provide or support their own power generation as part of the project. In the past, communities worried about how much power these sites would draw. Increasingly, companies are coming in prepared to share responsibility for their energy needs, which helps communities evaluate these projects with more confidence.

How is the Alliance helping businesses navigate site selection and development today?

We start by working hand in hand with leaders across the county to understand what communities want to see and what is a good fit for Brazoria County. Then we work with site selectors and company teams from that foundation. We do not want to bring projects here that are not aligned with local priorities or that will create challenges we cannot responsibly support.

Our role is to help both sides succeed. That means being clear about what is feasible, how long processes take, and what tradeoffs might exist. The goal is strong capital investment and high-quality jobs, and we want those wins to make sense for the company and for the county. Sometimes you have to balance interests, but our focus stays consistent: a successful project is one where the community feels good about the outcome and the company can operate and grow here.

We also care about the full spectrum of opportunity. Whether someone works in retail, hospitality, skilled trades, or as an engineer or research scientist, we want Brazoria County to offer pathways that support families and careers. If one side is not successful, then we are not either, so we treat it as a partnership from the beginning.

What advantages do you see in different communities across the county, from Pearland and Angleton to Lake Jackson and Freeport?

Our communities are different, and that variety is a strength. Someone might work in the southern part of the county at a major industrial facility and still choose to live in Angleton, while others prefer Pearland because of its amenities, housing options, and proximity to friends and everyday conveniences. Lake Jackson and the surrounding area offer a different feel as well, and that range of choices helps employers recruit and retain talent.

We focus on supporting quality of life in a practical way: housing inventory that meets different needs, strong schools, and the kinds of amenities that help people picture a future here. It is not just about attracting people to the county, but about keeping them here as their lives change. A young professional may want access to restaurants, events, and social spaces, while a family may be thinking about neighborhoods, parks, and school options. A retiree may be looking for a different type of home and a different pace, and we want Brazoria County to have options across that spectrum.

That balance is a competitive advantage. Plenty of places can be a good place to work, but not necessarily a place where people want to live, or a place to live but with limited career options. Our goal is to keep strengthening the mix so people can build a life here and do not feel like they have to choose between opportunity and quality of life.

How has Port Freeport influenced the type of businesses showing interest in the region?

Port Freeport is the absolute gem of Brazoria County, and almost every lead that comes in asks about port access in one form or another. For some companies, it is about moving goods through the port and then connecting to rail or trucking networks. For others, it is about export capacity or locating near the industrial ecosystem that has developed around the port.

We work closely with the port’s team, and they are exceptional at what they do. Their knowledge and responsiveness strengthen our ability to compete for projects, and we benefit from being able to connect prospects directly with experts who understand that business inside and out. A great example is Volkswagen, which selected Freeport because of Port Freeport. That kind of story highlights how valuable the port is, not just for the south end of the county, but for the broader economic position of Brazoria County.

It also matters that the port is deeply invested in the community’s success. When the port is bringing in opportunities and expanding its capabilities, the county benefits in real ways. We feel fortunate to have that asset and that level of partnership.

What infrastructure improvements are most critical to support continued growth?

Roadways are extremely important, both for daily commerce and public safety. We focus on connectivity throughout Houston, and we also think about evacuation capacity and safety during severe weather. We work closely with the Texas Department of Transportation on projects that add capacity, improve key corridors, and, where possible, expand existing lanes so people and goods can move efficiently.

Rail remains a core piece of economic development because companies need reliable options to move goods. And Port Freeport continues to be a major infrastructure anchor, with ongoing investments that improve how the region connects to national and global markets. When those systems work together, Brazoria County can support growth while protecting the quality of life.

How are you ensuring the county has the workforce capabilities to meet evolving industry needs?

We are fortunate to have two strong community colleges, and workforce development is one of their biggest strengths. When a company asks about training support, we can sit down with those colleges and quickly map which programs exist and what new programs could be built, whether the need is industrial operations, technology roles, or newer areas like cloud computing and AI. That responsiveness matters because companies want to know that talent pipelines can be developed locally.

What I appreciate is that they are thinking ahead. One college has leadership that is actively focused on how AI is changing the workforce, and the other has built strong niche programs, including esports, that reflect how fast skills needs and career pathways are evolving. Even when something feels new to many of us, they are already asking the right question: What are the jobs of tomorrow, and how do we prepare people for them?

That forward-looking mindset makes a big difference in what we can confidently communicate to employers considering the county. It also helps our residents, because it keeps training aligned with real opportunities that are coming next, not just the jobs we have today.

What are your top goals for the Alliance over the next two to three years?

Our goals stay consistent because the fundamentals matter. We want Brazoria County to be a place where people can truly live, work, and play. That means continuing to attract and support employers while also working with developers so we have the right kinds of housing and amenities for different stages of life.

We want to be able to speak clearly to site selectors about what we offer, and we want that message to be real, not lip service. When we say we have strong schools, a capable workforce, and a high quality of life, we want to be able to back that up with outcomes and community experience.

Another advantage for the county is collaboration. We have elected officials and community leaders who understand that success takes coordination, from county commissioners and mayors to port leadership and school boards. Not every community has that, and it makes a real difference when you need alignment to move a project forward. That cooperation, combined with the assets we have, positions Brazoria County to keep building a balanced, sustainable future.