Welcome to the Dallas Regional Chamber’s new blog, CONNECTION POINT, which will be an upgraded feature of our new website launching in a few weeks. We’ve named the blog Connection Point for a very simple reason: that’s what we do at the DRC. We connect people and companies — to ideas, opportunities, and to each other – so that businesses can find new ways to grow and thrive in our region. And what a region it is!
Each week, we’ll post stories and share news and insights about the companies and people that make up the Dallas Regional Chamber – beginning with our member companies. We’re proud to serve the needs of our member companies in all we do. Our members are the reason we exist in the first place, and we’re proud to be the voice of the business community and the champion of economic growth and prosperity for all in our region. You’ll also hear perspectives from our professional staff who bring expertise and insights to the strategic areas we work on every day. We’ll also have some fun along the way, too.
If you’ve ever heard me speak or give a presentation about the Dallas Region, you’ve probably heard me say this: “What a place to be, and what a time to be here.”
Since 2010, the Dallas Region has added one million new residents — growth fueled by the addition of more than 120 corporate headquarters, hundreds of local company expansions, and the creation of more than 750,000 new jobs. We are now a region of nearly 7.5 million people — and we’re projected to reach 10 million in the next 20 years.
As the DRC continues leading the region’s efforts to attract more companies and jobs here, we understand that with this growth comes the responsibility to make sure we have a workforce prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. So we work hard every day to strengthen our talent pipeline of homegrown students and workers by improving our education system.
Another important way to strengthen the workforce is by helping attract the best and brightest workers from across Texas, the United States, and the world, while retaining the talent already studying and working here. From 2011 to 2015, DFW attracted more than 243,000 new young workers between the ages of 18 and 34 with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Through our Say Yes to Dallas initiative, more highly skilled workers know about the great quality of life we enjoy here, and that DFW is a great place for career advancement, and a great place to live and raise a family.
Underlining all this is our tireless work in public policy, which impacts everything we do. Specifically, we focus on ways to strategically manage our region’s growth by working on issues such as our need for better roads, renewable water sources, and better infrastructure. As our region continues to expand and prosper, it’s important that we keep our pro-business, pro-growth environment healthy, strong, and open for all.
Working with our member companies and community partners, the Dallas Region has become a shining example to the country for business opportunities, corporate relocations, and job growth. The DRC plays a key role in keeping this momentum going, and we could not do any of this without your support.
My hope with our Connection Point blog is that it will provide another way to hear from you – our business and community leaders, about how we can better serve this region in the work we do. If you have any ideas to share or challenges you face, please reach out to me via email at CEO@DallasChamber.org. I’d love to hear from you – and I look forward to posting more on this blog in the months ahead.
Here’s to a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. Looking forward to doing more good together in 2019.
All best wishes,
