The Woodlands Area EDP luncheon guests hear from HARC president Lisa Gonzalez

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership (EDP) held their Quarterly Partner Luncheon at The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center on Thursday, September 20, 2018. Over 100 partners and guests heard from Lisa Gonzalez, President and CEO of the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC).

Founded in 1982 by George P. Mitchell, HARC’s mission is to provide independent analysis on energy, air, and water issues to people seeking scientific answers and to operate as a research hub finding solutions for a sustainable future. Their headquarters building in The Woodlands was the first Platinum LEED-certified building in Montgomery County, achieving the most environmentally stringent certification issued by the U.S Green Building Council. Coming this fall they will have the first commercial net-zero energy (NZE) building in the Greater Houston area and one of first in the State of Texas.

HARC provides science-based resilience solutions to communities resulting in proactive, collaborative action to ensure the economic, ecological and social vitality of a changing Gulf Coast region. HARC’s resilience research is driven by the importance of problem solving with a systems approach. They bring together HARC’s multidisciplinary air, energy and water expertise in a way that provides practical, science-based solutions to communities to identify and mitigate risk to increase sustainability.

For the past twelve years, the EDP has held their luncheons for Partners in order to keep them informed of important issues facing businesses today. Past topics have included Economic Development, Regionalism, State of Education, Law Enforcement Update, Center for Houston’s Future Scenarios 2040, Anadarko’s Current and Future Projects, State Economic Development and Tourism, Banking Executives Update, Life Science Update, State of our Economy, Local Tourism and Healthcare.

Gil Staley, CEO of The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership, said, “It was a pleasure to hear from Lisa Gonzalez, President & CEO, of the Houston Advance Research Center (HARC). As the original research center in The Woodlands’ Research Forest area, HARC is a significant contributor to sustainable development across the U.S. We are fortunate that HARC calls The Woodlands home and we look forward to their contributions to our environment for many years.”

Partners in attendance at the luncheon were Abercrombie & Associates, adWhite marketing & design, Amegy Bank, Ameriprise Financial – Kristin L. Young, Matrix Technologies - Aqua Auto Wash Detail and Lube Center, BB&T, Caldwell Companies, Calvetti Ferguson, Cherry Creek Mortgage, CHI St. Luke’s Health The Woodlands Hospital, City of Oak Ridge North, Corporate Incentives, Cypressbrook Company, Efficient Wealth Management, Entergy Texas, First Financial Bank, Frost Bank, Gallagher Benefit Services - division of Arthur J. Gallagher, Haley Garcia Group, Independent Bank, Linscomb & Williams, Lone Star College, McKesson Specialty Health, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center, Northwestern Mutual, Petroleum Wholesale, Richmond Realty Group - RE/MAX The Woodlands and Spring, Sam Houston State University, Soules Insurance, Spirit of Texas Bank, Stibbs & Co. Attorneys PC, Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, The Blair Law Firm, The Woodlands Christian Academy, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, The Woodlands Township, Tough Law Firm, United Way of Greater Houston, Waste Connections, Wells Fargo, Westwood Magnolia Parkway Improvement District, Woodlands Relo Group and Wright Business Technologies.

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The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership (EDP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the economic development of The Woodlands Area through the support of existing businesses and the recruitment of new businesses that can bring job opportunities and capital investment to the area.

The EDP is a public/private partnership with 96 funding partners active in the organization. For further information on the EDP, log on to: www.edpartnership.net or call 281 363-8130.


Photo Caption: (L-R) Steve Pilgrim, Entergy Texas, EDP Board of Director; Frank Holmes, Sam Houston State University, EDP Board of Director; JJ Hollie, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, EDP Board of Director; Lisa Gonzalez, President and CEO, Houston Advanced Research Center; Jim Calvetti, Calvetti Ferguson, EDP Chairman of the Board, Gil Staley, CEO of The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership (EDP).