Steve Montgomery, President & CEO, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

Steve Montgomery, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, talked to Invest: about the chamber’s advocacy work with the local and state government and its efforts to create connections between decision-makers in the public, private, and academic sectors.

How would you describe the role of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce in the local business ecosystem?

We serve as the voice of the business community. We deliver value to our members through two different avenues. One is through connectivity, which means helping business leaders connect with decision-makers, and with their peers. The other way is through advocacy, where we advocate for a healthy business climate with policymakers. If our members have a permitting issue or another problem with the local or state governments, we advocate on their behalf.

What have been some key economic development milestones in Fort Worth?

We have had and continue to experience tremendous growth. Fort Worth is ranked as one of the fastest-growing large cities in the country. We are now the 12th largest city in the United States, and we will probably clear a million people in the next couple of years.

Additionally, Fort Worth is part of a fast-growing region. The Fort Worth-Dallas metroplex is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States and is bound to be the third largest by 2030, surpassing Chicago. The metroplex is also projected to become the largest metropolitan area in the United States by 2100. In that sense, growth is our trajectory, so the challenge is managing that growth while maintaining our authenticity as a city and as a community. Growth is coming, so the question is whether we want to shape it, or let it shape us.

How has the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce contributed to economic development?

Being a voice of the business community has helped us shape it through our work with local decision-makers and policymakers. We have contributed by providing forums where our business leaders can get together and talk about challenges and opportunities. Chambers of commerce should be a convener that brings parties together to have those discussions and provide the programming to inform members about opportunities. We play a crucial role as the connective tissue for our business community.

What are the biggest opportunities for economic growth in Fort Worth that the chamber has identified?

We have a lot of available land for companies that want to move to Fort Worth and establish their facilities, as well as room for companies that are already present to grow. Fort Worth has roughly 365 square miles of land, but only about half of that has been developed. Even though the city is growing quite rapidly, we have long-term growth opportunities. Our growth is multifaceted in the sense that we can attract companies but also grow local businesses and have a robust and vibrant local economy.

What strategies has the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce implemented to attract new members?

It is about communicating the value proposition. If I was a business owner who is considering a membership in the chamber, I would ask myself what the return on investment is. Therefore, our strategy is to articulate a cogent value proposition. For instance, for small businesses that want to meet potential customers, the chamber can create those opportunities. Similarly, for banks that want their young associates to build their professional networks to attract business, the chamber can help build those networks.

Our strategy is to provide and articulate a true value proposition to our members so people who contemplate joining can identify their return on investment. Businesses want to ensure that they are getting something for their money, and it is up to us to deliver that value.

What is at the top of the advocacy agenda for the chamber?

There will be a legislative session for the Texas Legislature in 2025, so we are advocating for our members to ensure good policies come out of Austin. The chamber will work on a legislative agenda throughout the summer and fall. That agenda includes recommendations to the legislature on policies that are helpful to our local employers and will maintain a healthy business climate.

We are also heavily engaged with our city council and mayor to ensure that they are aware of the needs of the business community and that the policies they propose are helpful and not harmful to our business climate.

What sectors does the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce expect will experience growth over the coming few years?

Transportation is important in Fort Worth, whether it is aviation, rail, or transit. Additionally, advanced manufacturing is a great growth area for us. For instance, aerospace is a major focus for us, with Lockheed Martin and Bell, as well as their suppliers, being located here. Logistics is also important. Fort Worth is a major logistics hub in this part of the United States. We also have a growing movie industry here, with a lot of movies being shot locally.

What challenges have resulted from the demographic growth in Fort Worth?

One of our big challenges with all the growth is rising housing costs. Keeping up with the growth on the housing front is a challenge for any community that grows. Being able to build enough housing that is affordable for the workforce and for families that are moving here and growing here is challenging.

What advice would you give to investors or businesses interested in investing in or relocating to Fort Worth?

Fort Worth is a great place to live, work, and do business, which is reflected in our growth and the number of business starts we have here. The business climate is strong. It is an exciting time in Fort Worth. We have great political leadership, including an amazing mayor. It is an important time to be in Fort Worth. Unlike a lot of communities, we are blessed with astounding fundamentals. We want to make sure that we build on the legacy that has been given to us and pass it on to the next generations.

What are the outlook and top priorities for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce in the near term?

One of the things we are focusing on is returning to the fundamental things that a chamber should do for its members, which include the advocacy, engagement, and connectivity pieces. Additionally, we need to focus on how to innovate and remain relevant to our members. I am excited about our Business Intelligence area, which makes actionable data available to our members so that they can make informed business decisions about hiring, financing, investments, and their sales and marketing programs. We have some tools that we make available to our members so that they can glean information that helps them make better business decisions.