Sponsors

Co-Sponsors

The Greater Houston Partnership is the primary advocate of the Houston's business community and is dedicated to building regional economic prosperity. It represents 10 counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto and Waller. Opportunity Houston is an aggressive five-year marketing and lead generation program that will help grow jobs, increase capital investment and expand foreign trade for the region by the end of 2015. Visit the Greater Houston Partnership on the World Wide Web at houston.org.

Texas is America's top state for business touting a favorable tax climate, tort reform, business-friendly attitude and low cost of doing business. From our competitive business incentives and highly skilled workforce to our rich cultural heritage and low cost of living, companies are choosing Texas.

Signature Sponsor

For more than 100 years, CenterPoint Energy has been committed to the growth of Houston and its close neighbors. As a regulated utility, it is our mission to drive growth in our service area, not only by delivering energy to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers, but also by energizing the efforts of community partners to attract the businesses and jobs that fuel economic growth. Our allies in this mission are economic development organizations (EDOs) and businesses in search of markets in which to expand or relocate. The Economic Development team at CenterPoint Energy exists to serve these allies with a combination of experienced, responsive professionals and access to critical informational and analytical services.

Chairman's Club

Accrinet delivers comprehensive solutions in all aspects of digital strategy, tailored specifically to your EDC, community and challenges. Our solutions are designed to increase your revenues, decrease your expenses and improve your communication with your target audience.

Since 1969, ESRI® has been giving customers around the world the power to think and plan geographically. The world leader in GIS, ESRI technology is used in more than 300,000 organizations worldwide including each of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments, and more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies. ESRI's Business Analyst suite brings geography and business intelligence together, allowing economic developers to view data in revealing geographic patterns that enable better decision making. Learn more about site selection, business attraction/retention, and demographic analysis. Visit ESRI in the exhibit hall and at www.esri.com/econdev.

ExecutivePulse, Inc. is North America's leading business retention & expansion consulting firm. Our ExecutivePulse Business Intelligence System is the most widely used database platform for business retention & expansion in both the United States and Canada. Each ExecutivePulse system is customized to meet unique client needs and market realities. By adding "plug and play" modules, clients leverage the technology for all of their business recruitment, entrepreneurial development, workforce and buyer/supplier needs. ExecutivePulse provides real world, experience-based management and training solutions for outreach, team and management personnel involved in all facets of business retention & expansion. Over the past 15 years, ExecutivePulse has provided highly rated, best-practices training to thousands of community, economic and workforce development professionals throughout North America. All ExecutivePulse products are fully supported 24/7 by a large, customer-friendly technical service department.

GIS Planning Inc.'s online solutions are the industry standard for economic development websites with over 200 implementations to date, currently serving the majority of the 50 largest cities in the USA and covering over 7,500 cities nationwide. The company's Internet geographic information systems (GIS) powered services, including ZoomProspector Enterprise and the nationwide site selection website ZoomProspector.com, give economic development organizations an extreme competitive advantage. ZoomProspector Enterprise gives EDOs the tools they need to prove they are the right location for business investment. ZoomProspector.com connects businesses looking for new locations with the communities and economic development organizations that are the right match. GIS Planning's technology has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, BusinessWeek, INC., Entrepreneur, and TechCrunch.

Shopping centers are America's marketplace, representing economic growth, environmental responsibility, and community strength. Founded in 1957, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) is the global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its 60,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and more than 80 other countries represent owners, developers, retailers, lenders, and other professionals as well as academics and public officials. For information about ICSC and the shopping center industry, please visit www.icsc.org.

Platinum Sponsors

Business Facilities offers an integrated suite of print, online, and in-person marketing venues.

• Business Facilities magazine delivers a steady flow of editorial focused on readers' strategic needs. News features; how-to articles; real estate updates; and state, local, and national reports prompt readers to contact advertisers for more information.
• Business Facilities LiveXchange is a unique event that connects economic development professionals with senior-level executives actively seeking new locations.
• Business Facilities Channels on BusinessFacilities.com are custom-made to highlight your location's strengths and educate executives who are actively seeking information about your community.

Convergent specializes in raising public and private sector funding for economic development organizations across the country. Our clients use this funding for operations, marketing, special projects, staffing, new facilities, industrial parks and more. To maximize financial support for your organization, we develop Return on Investment (ROI) analyses for all of our campaigns, thereby illustrating the direct correlation between your program of work and your stakeholders’ bottom lines. That’s the key to transitioning your donors to investors and securing significantly larger commitments.

Stop by our booth to learn more about the work we’re currently doing in two dozen communities around the country.

Convergent Nonprofit Solutions - Better fundraising. Better results.

Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE:JLL) is a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate. The firm offers integrated services delivered by expert teams worldwide to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying or investing in real estate. With 2011 global revenue of $3.6 billion, Jones Lang LaSalle serves clients in 70 countries from more than 1,000 locations worldwide, including 200 corporate offices. The firm is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 2.1 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle Investment Management, the company's investment management business, is one of the world's largest and most diverse in real estate with $47.7 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit our website, www.joneslanglasalle.com.

Resource Development Group (RDG) was established in 1995 for the sole purpose of providing experienced fund raising counsel specifically for economic development organizations. We have effectively created working partnerships with a variety of Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Corporations, Community Improvement Corporations and Regional Partnerships to help them successfully attain their programmatic and funding objectives. We have raised funds for operations, marketing and image enhancement, special advertising campaigns, industrial parks and buildings, incentive funds, workforce incubators and many other economic development related activities and programs. RDG specializes in custom-fit funding models and has helped our clients generate close to $700 million for economic development operations and special projects.

Gold Sponsor

The Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) is an Austin-based, state-wide, non-profit professional association dedicated to the development of economic and employment opportunities in Texas. The TEDC's objective is to support the economic growth of Texas and develop strategies that promote a positive business climate in our state. The TEDC is dedicated to preparing the next generation of economic development leaders for success. The TEDC provides information, education and legislative services to over 800 members.

Silver Sponsors

The Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership is a member-driven organization that provides the leadership to stimulate regional economic development and employment. Utilizing a collaborative committee structure, BAHEP engages over 265 investor companies, business professionals, local governments, and educational institutions to bring about prosperity and a high quality of life for the 1.5 million people who live and work in the region. Its municipal members include Clear Lake Shores, Dickinson, El Lago, Friendswood, Houston, Kemah, La Porte, League City, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Seabrook, Taylor Lake Village, and Webster as well as Galveston County, Harris County, and the Port of Houston Authority.

City of Sugar Land is one of the most favorable business climates in Texas. This planned city of over 79,000 residents has a well-deserved reputation as one of the top locales for business relocation and expansion, due to an educated workforce, aggressive economic development program, excellent access to the Gulf coast Region and one of the lowest tax rates in Texas. In addition, the Sugar Land Regional Airport provides corporate aviation services with US Customs to over 100 Fortune 500 corporations and ranked number one FBO in the Americas.

The greater Oklahoma City region has been redesigned for the future. This vibrant, activity-filled area, cited as one of the Best Places To Live In North America, enables its residents to enjoy an exceptional quality of life at an affordable cost. The 10-county region offers the perfect balance of the best - plenty of year-round sunshine, minimal traffic congestion and low pollution, an abundance of arts, excellence in education, a variety of recreation, and an ever-broadening cultural landscape. Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, McClain, Oklahoma, Payne and Pottawatomie counties create this region. Be among the growing number of those tying their futures to a city built in one day where dreams flourish and opportunity is boundless.

Oncor is a regulated electric distribution and transmission business that uses superior asset management skills to provide reliable electricity delivery to consumers. Oncor operates the largest distribution and transmission system in Texas, delivering power to more than 3 million homes and businesses and operating approximately 118,000 miles of distribution and transmission lines in Texas. Subject to governmental regulation, Oncor provides access to one of the largest energy infrastructures in the nation which is so crucial to the economic well-being of the public. Oncor focuses on providing safe, and reliable service to the public. Contact Terry Preuninger, terry.preuninger@oncor.com, for additional information.

Pearland Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) promotes, assists and enhances economic development activities and quality of life within Pearland. PEDC works to attract capital investments which add to Pearland's tax base and increases the number of better-paying jobs for residents. Houston's fastest growing suburb, Pearland is minutes from the Texas Medical Center, downtown Houston, Hobby Airport and two ports. With prime land, sound infrastructure, competitive incentives, foreign trade zone and a skilled work force, Pearland is your strategic site solution.

Bronze Sponsors

Since 1986, the Baytown-West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation has endeavored to make the Baytown area the best move for corporate expansion and location. As we have helped corporations expand, so have we advanced our mission of creating and preserving jobs. We attribute our success to strong community leadership and supportive financial partners, representing the City of Baytown, Harris and Chambers Counties, the Port of Houston, major industry, economic development allies, financial institutions, chambers of commerce, local media, and citizens. Today we are proud to be working directly with more than 40 companies that, over the past ten years, have invested over $1.85 billion in our community, created 2500+ jobs and generated more than $60 million in new tax revenues.

Seabrook, Texas is coastal living at its best. Located just 30 minutes from downtown Houston, Seabrook is known for its relaxed lifestyle, vibrant community, business-friendly climate and affordable waterfront property, making Seabrook one of the country's most attractive areas for commercial development. The Seabrook Economic Development Corporation is the economic engine of Seabrook, enhancing and expanding the local tax basewith quality, sustainable businesses and amenities. The EDC actively helps to expand existing business while attracting new enterprises in the hospitality, marine services, office, and retail industries. To learn more about development opportunities in Seabrook visit www.seabrookedc.com.

Contributors

BioHouston is a non-profit corporation founded by Houston area academic/research institutions. We are leading a broad effort to establish the Houston region as a vigorous global competitor in life science and biotechnology commercialization. Our mission is to create an environment that will stimulate technology transfer and research commercialization, thereby generating economic wealth for the Houston region and making it a global competitor in life science commercialization.

The Greater Conroe Economic Development Council's mission is to enhance the strength and stability of the greater Conroe economy through support of existing industry and the attraction of manufacturing and service sector businesses to the community. Located conveniently, just 40 miles north of Houston on Interstate 35, the GCEDC maintains a 1045 acre industrial park comprised of businesses recognized as Fortune 500, world headquarters, US & North American operations and international in scope. The GCEDC has been recognized as an Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) by the IEDC since 2001.

Official Media Partner

Site Selection Magazine, published by Conway Data Inc., is the flagship publication of a diversified multimedia communications company that brings together corporate real estate executives and economic developers.

Reaching 44,000 corporate executives six times a year with timely news, information and analysis, Site Selection is widely considered the most important journal in its field. Site Selection is supported by a variety of media platforms, including a Digital Edition, a multifaceted website (SiteSelection.com) and three email newsletters - SiteNet Dispatch, Site Selection Energy Report and Site Selection Life Sciences Report.

Site Selection also serves as the official publication of the Industrial Asset Management Council, a professional association comprised of corporate real estate executives, commercial real estate service providers and economic developers. The organization has 550 members and meets twice a year for national conferences at exclusive locations.

Conway Data, publisher of Site Selection, also offers direct mail lists, email campaigns, sponsored white papers, webinars, site selector tours, custom publishing, investment profiles, consulting and a proprietary database of corporate expansion projects.

Media Partners

Expansion Solutions is one of the fastest-growing publications and websites in the economic development field. Economic developers rely on its proven formula for generating contacts of potential prospect companies in the industries they target. The magazine also provides effective ways to reach high-value prospects with targeted media in both print and online formats. Published bi-monthly, the magazine features content focussing on locational and industry-specific articles from thought leaders in site location consulting, business and government.

fDi Intelligence is a specialist division of the Financial Times Ltd, established to provide leading insight into globalisation. The world-class business tools provide insightful data, comment and analysis for economic development organisations, companies, services providers and academic institutions, on foreign direct investment and associated activities. The fDi Intelligence products are essential whether you are promoting your own location, looking for a new business location, sourcing a prospect list or researching FDI trends. The new fDi Investor Signals module tracks early-warning signals that a company may be considering investment before it has decided where to invest.

Oxford Intelligence (OI) is a global leader in business intelligence and consulting services for government agencies and international businesses. OI provides Lead Generation, Research and Consultancy; and publishes IPAWorld, the leading source of FDI company intelligence, along with production of the European Investment Monitor for Ernst & Young. Established in 1996, Headquartered in Milton Keynes, with offices in the Hague, Boston and Moscow, the company operates in France, Spain, Germany and India, and manages a global network of more than 100 business analysts along with a consultancy network in key markets. Oxford Intelligence has worked with over 200 economic agencies in major markets around the world.

As "The Benchmark for Global Supply Chain Business", World Trade 100 is the vital source of news and information for U.S. senior executive manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers active in domestic and international trade. With cutting-edge coverage of every aspect of logistics and the integrated supply chain, WT100 reflects the priorities and diverse interests of its senior level and management subscribers to help them navigate today’s rapidly changing and highly competitive global marketplace.