ExxonMobil senior advisor to give keynote at Economic Outlook Conference

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- ExxonMobil is the hottest topic north of Beltway 8, with cranes, construction and home values all going up in anticipation of the opening of the company’s north Houston campus just south of The Woodlands in 2014.

ExxonMobil Senior Advisor Bob Davis will give the lunch keynote speech at The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce's 28th annual Economic Outlook Conference on February 14, 2014 to an audience that is eager to learn details of its new, top-tier corporate partner.

"I have been up to the campus several times, and it’s fantastic," Davis says. "This represents the very first time that ExxonMobil is bringing together individuals from all of our different U.S.-based companies. The move will promote collaboration and help us operate more efficiently. You will be able to walk to a particular building, just like on a college campus, to have a meeting to discuss projects or issues. That's the really exciting aspect."

ExxonMobil currently has more than 10 separate entities scattered around the Houston area in locations such as Greenspoint, Katy, on Buffalo Speedway off Highway 59 and in downtown Houston. These groups, and its operations from Fairfax, Virginia, will be united at the new campus, eliminating the frequent driving and flying that was part of ExxonMobil's daily routine to bring employees together from the different business units.

What a campus it will be. ExxonMobil's facilities will feature its showcase "Energy Center," with movies and interactive displays, as well as restaurants, shops, an auditorium and executive offices. More than 20 buildings are being built, including a day care center and a 100,000 square-foot wellness center. Davis will provide attendees with a historical perspective on what this innovation means to a company that was founded over 130 years ago from the Pennsylvania oil fields, growing and changing with the major milestones of the 20th century into an international corporate and technological leader today. Leslie Hushka, Communications Manager for the ExxonMobil Houston Campus Project, will also speak at the conference about further details on the buildings and amenities in the ExxonMobil campus.

"We are so pleased to have Mr. Davis' prospective on the oil industry and energy giant ExxonMobil's rise to be the most influential oil company in the world," says Karen Hoylman, President and CEO of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce. "It is so important that our community understand this industry, which is an ever-growing part of our business community."

More than 500 business and local leaders are expected to attend the Economic Outlook Conference at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott to address the local, national and global economic trends that effect businesses in The Woodlands and beyond. In addition to Davis and Hushka, speakers include Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Tex); Ramón Hernán, Executive Vice President, North America & Brazil at Repsol; Gary Schlossberg, Vice President & Senior Economist at Wells Capital Management; Ron Corn, Senior Vice President of Specialties, Aromatics and Styrenics at Chevron Phillips Chemical Co.; Woody Pace, Vice President of exploration at Talisman Energy; Frank J. LaRosa, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Layne Christensen; Alex Sutton, Co-President at The Woodlands Development Co.; Bruce Tough, Chairman for The Woodlands Township; and Gil Staley, CEO at The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership.

ExxonMobil's Davis is no stranger to The Woodlands, having lived there since 1991, commuting to downtown Houston. "We have seen The Woodlands grow from George Mitchell's great vision, to create a hometown where people could live and work," Davis says. "That vision has been fulfilled. What has happened in The Woodlands in the last few years is nothing short of extraordinary.”

For more information on The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Outlook Conference, visit www.woodlandschamber.org or call 281-367-5777. For more information on The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership, visit www.edpartnership.net or call 281-363-8130.

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