Q&A

New Greater Houston Partnership chair asks business community to spread the word

Houston, we have a perception problem — but the Greater Houston Partnership's new chair, Amy Chronis, is here to fix it. Photo courtesy Deloitte/AlexandersPortraits.com

If there's one thing Amy Chronis — the Greater Houston Partnership's 2021 chair and the Houston managing partner at Deloitte — wants you to know, it's that now's the time to spread the word about what's happening in Houston.

"We just don't brag enough about how much the city has changed and its trajectory," she tells InnovationMap.

While Houston has long been innovative in the health, space, and energy industries, it has a perception problem. Recently, Chronis addressed some of these concerns in her address at the GHP's 2021 Annual Meeting. She joined InnovationMap for an interview to zero in on how the business community can work to change this perception problem and continue to grow its innovation and tech community.

InnovationMap: You describe your new role at GHP as a convening one. As you begin your tenure, what do you have your eye on?

AmyChronis: Well, if you told me a year ago that we would still be virtual, I would never believe it. I think that's one thing. And I think the GHP staff is really doing a great job in trying to bring connectivity despite the virtual times. Expanding the programming to more opportunities for people to hear experts and to connect — that's positive. On the other hand, people are tired of virtual meetings, and there's a fatigue factor. So, I worry about how much longer we're going to be virtual and can't get back together safely. It hinders us making more progress.

IM: In your address, you highlighted the importance of fostering innovation. Why is this top of mind?

AC: A university board that I participate on basically said it had taken them seven to eight years to get an eighth of their curriculum online. They accomplished the other seven-eighths in three weeks last spring when they went completely virtual. And that happened over and over again in terms of whole companies, including ours, going virtual in the space of a week, basically. And now we are all very accustomed to using technology to get our work done, to do breakout sessions, to do strategy sessions, focus groups. We can do all kinds of things virtually that just a year ago. So, I think that's really positive though, because the digitalization needed to happen.

IM: Looking back over the past few years, what were some key indicators of progress within Houston innovation that you have seen?

AC: Well, TMC3 is one of those things. There are so many great things happening in and around the medical center and the development. And frankly, the pandemic forced parties that hadn't worked that well together in the past to work really well and really fast together in terms of the development of the vaccines. The fact that we can now do that and prove that can happen is just going to continue to accelerate the sharing of knowledge and data.

The Ion too — Rice University stepping up and thinking through a really generous lens to make it so all the higher institutions of education to use it through the business community can be part of this. That was a landmark decision that will change our landscape in terms of enabling that whole Midtown corridor and all the other accelerators and incubators that are creating a density hub in that area. That's another foundational accomplishment that we'll look back in Houston and say we needed to create those hubs of density.

IM: Have you seen the pandemic’s effect slow this type of growth in any kind of real major way? Or are we still kind of on track to promote these hubs that are popping up?

AC: No, I think it's making them move faster. And it's not just because of the pandemic, but it's also because of all the other societal pressures around climate change, renewables, and clean energy. And, it's a business opportunity — it really is like a new frontier where people are rushing in, like Greentown Labs deciding to be here. They very smartly said, "well, where's the smartest place for us to be?" And it's at the hub where the energy companies and the huge R&D capacity, budgets, and the expertise already reside. I like to think this is like the next iteration of our frontier.

IM: Of course in Houston, the energy transition is a big focus. Is Houston were it needs to be to maintain its title of Energy Capital of the world?

AC: I think there are many great things going on, but if you talk to a typical person in New York and they think of Houston is old energy. There is certainly a perception campaign to be waged. And we as individual citizens all need to help. I think both the industry and everybody in the industry needs to do a better job of educating the world. We power the world.

IM: What must Houston do to continue to attract big tech companies?

AC: We are blessed that Texas is almost always in the consideration is kind of companies on both coasts look to move to more business-friendly and lower cost places to put either their operations and or their headquarters. And so we're lucky, Texas almost always gets a look. I think we do lose out more than our fair share to some of the other cities in Texas — especially the tech companies coming from San Jose, with the exception of HPE recently. I do think there are so many coming to central Texas right now that the ability to get lower cost housing and infrastructure needs at some point is going to be an issue. I think Houston needs to step up and state our case as often as possible.

IM: Why does Houston struggle to compete with other Texas cities for new corporate business?

AC: There's this perception issue that Houston is just not a great place or an attractive place to live. And that a lot of executives and their families don't see themselves living in Houston, but they have kind of an image around Austin and Dallas from TV or music festivals. We need to get those aerial images out that show us as a city with a lot of green space and a lot of fun capabilities for families and people that live here.

IM: How can the city continue to support startups?

AC: I think we need to continue on all cylinders — both internally and externally. So, externally, that's really continuing to reach out in welcoming venture capitalists here. Even though we've accelerated greatly over the last four years, in terms of venture capital coming into the city, there are still impressions around old energy.

I think we need to continue to press our story of advancing and how not only are we part of the solution, but we will be the center for clean energy too. I think we need to really continue aggressively selling our story to venture capitalists, especially on the coast. And then internally, you know, I sound like a broken drum, but we need to keep educating people around the opportunities with these accelerators and startups.

IM: What do you hope to leave behind at the end of your tenure?

AC: Well, I'm hoping by the end of my tenure that we are back meeting and networking together in person — working in an easier way with all of our constituencies in our city and county region. I hope I'm into my tenure that we will announce several more really exciting relocations to Houston.

Lastly, I try to weave D&I into all my goals, both inside Deloitte and this role too. It's my job to bring along future leaders. I've been talking to former chairs about making sure we get more D&I leaders onto our committees and participating in the partnership. So they also can grow and become hopefully the future chairs of in future years. So I would to leave that as a legacy as well.

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This conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.

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Building Houston

 
 

Students from the University of Houston are celebrating a win at a national competition focused on carbon innovation. Photo via UH.edu

A team of students from the University of Houston have placed in the top three teams for a national competition for the Department of Energy.

The inaugural American-Made Carbon Management Collegiate Competition, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, or FECM, tasked the student teams with "proposing regional carbon networks capable of transporting at least one million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year from industrial sources," according to a news release from DOE.

“With this competition, DOE hopes to inspire the next generation of carbon management professionals to develop carbon dioxide transport infrastructure that will help drive technological innovation and emissions reductions, new regional economic development, and high-wage employment for communities across the United States,” Brad Crabtree, assistant secretary of fossil energy and carbon management at DOE, says in the release.

GreenHouston, the University of Houston team mentored by Assistant Professor Jian Shi from the UH Cullen College of Engineering, took third place in the competition, securing a $5,000 cash prize. Sequestration Squad of University of Michigan secured first place and $12,000 and Biggest Little Lithium of the University of Nevada won second and a $8,000 prize.

The UH team's proposal was for an optimized carbon dioxide transportation pipeline for the Houston area. The presentation included cost analysis, revenue potential, safety considerations, weather hazards, and social impact on neighboring communities, according to a release from UH.

“We chose the greater Houston metropolitan area as our target transition area because it is a global hub of the hydrocarbon energy industry,” says Fatemeh Kalantari, team leader, in the release.

“Our team was committed to delivering an optimized and cost-effective carbon dioxide transfer plan in the Houston area, with a focus on safety, environmental justice, and social engagement,” she continues. “Our goal is to ensure the health and safety of the diverse population residing in Houston by mitigating the harmful effects of carbon dioxide emissions from refineries and industries in the area, thus avoiding environmental toxicity.”

With the third place win, GreenHouston will get to present their proposal at DOE’s annual Carbon Management Research Project Review Meeting slated for August.

"We are thrilled to see the exceptional work and dedication displayed by the GreenHouston team in this competition," said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president of energy and innovation at UH. "The team’s innovative proposal exemplifies UH’s commitment to addressing the pressing global issue of carbon management and advancing sustainable practices. We wish the students continued success."

The team included four Cullen College of Engineering doctoral students from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering – Kalantari, Massiagbe Diabate, Steven Chen, and Simon Peter Nsah Abongmbo – and one student, Bethel O. Mbakaogu, pursuing his master’s degree in supply chain and logistics technology.

The prize money will go toward funding additional research, refining existing technologies, addressing remaining challenges and raising awareness of CCUS and its project, according to the release, as the team feels a responsibility to continue to work on the GreenHouston project.

“The energy landscape by 2050 will be characterized by reduced greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner air quality, and a more sustainable environment,” Kalantari says. “The transition to green energy will not only mitigate the harmful effects of carbon dioxide on climate change but also create new jobs, promote economic growth, and enhance energy security. This is important, and we want to be part of it.”

The team of students plans to continue to work on the GreenHouston project.

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