The Woodlands Area EDP celebrates 5 years of Rice Business Executive Education in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- It’s been five years since Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, one of the country’s top-ranked business schools, launched their open enrollment off-campus executive education program in The Woodlands in partnership with The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership (EDP).

The programs have satisfied a growing demand for executive education programs for our local professionals in business and leadership roles by offering customizable programs and courses that have included The Management Incubator, The Leadership Accelerator, and Rice Advanced Management.

“We take great pride in our collaboration with Rice Business Executive Education within our community. Over the past five years, they have consistently provided exemplary leadership programs, greatly enhancing the capabilities of our local businesses. Anticipating the forthcoming phase, we are confident that it will not only maintain but surpass the level of excellence, offering a riveting and transformative experience for our esteemed business leaders,” expressed Gil Staley, Chief Executive Officer of The Woodlands Area EDP.

On the evening of November 8^th to mark the anniversary, Rice Business invited fellow business leaders, corporate partners, and members of the Rice Business community to a networking reception co-hosted by Howard Hughes and held at The Woodlands Towers. The event included a panel moderated by Rice Business Dean, Dr. Peter Rodriguez on the 'Impact of AI on Future of Business' featuring Carlos Olea, Chief Financial Officer, Howard Hughes; Tom Peck, Executive Vice President, Chief Information and Digital Officer, Sysco; Dr. David Hatrick, Vice President Strategic Marketing and Innovation, Huntsman Advanced Material and Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

The following morning, The Woodlands Area EDP hosted a special opportunity for local executive leadership to attend a CEO Roundtable with a presentation by Dr. Peter Rodriguez, who has served as Dean of the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University since 2016. The presentation was tailored to executive-level leadership from our community's major employers and partners and provided insight from the Dean and a discussion on regional economic conditions, workforce trends and inflation factors on our businesses and our workers. The meeting also provided an opportunity for partners to discuss personal challenges and share success stories.

“We express deep gratitude for our esteemed partnership with The Woodlands Area EDP, an institution synonymous with excellence in education. Their commitment aligns seamlessly with the mission of Rice Business Executive Education. The dynamic community in The Woodlands is home to a group of industrious and highly skilled professionals, fostering a collaborative environment that enhances the success of our joint initiatives,” said Michael Koenig, Associate Dean for Innovation Initiatives & Executive Director of Executive Education.

For more information about Rice Business degree programs and executive education, visit https://business.rice.edu.

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