Representatives from the organizations said the split will help each group hone in on their areas of expertise. Opportunity Austin, the economic development initiative of the Austin Chamber, focuses on education, recruitment, workforce development and mobility strategies, while the Austin Chamber will continue focusing on advocacy, philanthropy, programming and strengthening relationships with City Council.
The move comes from a May vote from Opportunity Austin’s board of directors to choose their own leadership; however, they will still maintain a shared services agreement.
“The primary intent is for those organizations to focus on what they do best,” said Jeremy Martin, the Austin Chamber’s soon-to-be CEO. “It's time to recognize how the region has grown; both organizations have grown, and [now is a good time to put] dedicated leadership for each organization [in place].”
The details
Starting June 26, the Austin Chamber will be led by Martin, who is serving as the interim chief operating officer and has been with the organization for almost two decades. Martin replaces interim CEO Kerry Hall, who stepped into the role in November after then-CEO of both groups Laura Huffman parted ways.
Gary Farmer, longtime chair and title insurance expert, will serve as interim CEO of Opportunity Austin while the organization conducts a search for a permanent leader. A search committee—which includes judges from Caldwell County and Williamson County to boost regional representation—has been formed, and the new CEO is expected to be announced by December, Farmer said.
The background
Opportunity Austin and the Austin Chamber have always operated under a separate budget and a separate board of directors. The partnership between the two began in 2003, the same year Opportunity Austin was founded. The Austin Chamber has been active for 145 years.
What’s next
Farmer said Opportunity Austin plans on attracting new industries, including life sciences and international development.
“We've radically diversified the economy,” Farmer said. “Moving from 2004 when we were a tech town [to] 2023, we're certainly a tech town but also a life sciences, financial services, national defense and automotive manufacturing region of the country.”
Since its founding, Opportunity Austin has attracted 827 new companies to the region and expanded 1,443 companies, creating more than 640,000 new jobs, Farmer said. The group also played a hand in securing flights from London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Panama City to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Farmer said, and they hope to announce the first trans-Pacific flight soon.
As for the Austin Chamber, Martin said the group will be kicking off a strategic planning process soon that will highlight ways the business community can help advance Austin and Central Texas.
