Keri Schmidt joined the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce in 2000 as membership director and was named president following a unanimous decision by the chamber's board of directors in October 2010. She now oversees all of the chamber's divisions—such as governmental relations, business development and transportation—and also participates in community and chamber events throughout the year, giving large and small local business owners a chance to network together and helping with business development and retention in the community.

Before her work with the chamber, Schmidt worked with Guardian Savings—a savings and loan association based in downtown Dallas. She was transferred to the Houston office in 1993 where she worked for the company for more than 16 years. In her time with Guardian Savings, Schmidt served as a regional trainer and manager and assisted with a variety of duties, such as multi-family management and branch acquisition and construction, before becoming a senior vice president overseeing branch operations in five states. Schmidt said that her previous job helped her realize her talents for critical thinking and community involvement.

From ground breaking and ribbon cutting services to monthly events featuring public figures and valuable information for businesses, the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce acts as a proponent for the local business community and a resource for numerous members representing a range of retailers, restaurants and corporations.

As president of the chamber, Schmidt said her priorities are to keep true to the chamber's mission of serving as advocates of the business community and by helping members meet their objectives.

How has your background prepared you for your current role?

I had unbelievable opportunities working for Guardian Savings. I reported to the two brothers who owned Guardian Savings, and they were geniuses who strongly instilled the value of critical thinking. We spent countless hours evaluating our systems and procedures, ensuring that the bank operations were as efficient as they could be. We were challenged to solve problems in new ways and never succumb to the traditional ways of doing things. They gave me an invaluable education and phenomenal experiences.

What are some of the roles of a chamber of commerce?

We are the foremost resource for businesses, providing innovative and effective programs, initiatives and services that enhance the business climate, and thus, quality of life throughout Fort Bend County. We connect people and as a result help build their relationships in the community. We are the voice of business in Fort Bend County. Through our divisions and initiatives, we make Fort Bend County a better place to work and live.

Can you describe some of the ways the chamber meets these roles?

We make connections through our events where people have an opportunity to meet and foster relationships. Through our Infrastructure and Governmental Relations divisions, we educate our members about the various legislative issues that impact business. We invite our elected officials to speak to our members and conduct candidate forums for local, state and school elections.

How do businesses involved with the chamber benefit from their membership?

As each business has a unique strategy, we believe that the Fort Bend Chamber experience needs to be customized for each member. Our new businesses are looking for exposure in the market, and we provide ribbon cutting and ground breaking services. Some businesses want to be in the know about future development and find great benefit in attending our monthly infrastructure breakfasts. We also offer two premier leadership programs. The Fort Bend Leadership Forum is designed to prepare our future by providing exposure to the various components of our community. The Leadership Excellence for Nonprofits is designed for executive directors, board members and others involved in the philanthropic community. The Governmental Relations Division allows our members to stay informed and meet with our elected officials. There are numerous other benefits, and we urge our members to come talk to us about how we best fit with their business strategies.

What makes Fort Bend County a good place for businesses?

Business is booming in Fort Bend County. As one of the fastest growing counties in Texas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked us No. 6 six in the nation for job growth. Our county is unique in that our chamber works together with our cities, our businesses, our nonprofit organizations, our educational leaders, our county and the Fort Bend Economic Development Corporation to ensure that our high quality of life is maintained. Fort Bend County is a business-friendly community, and we make relocating, opening and maintaining a business in Fort Bend County as easy as possible.

What are a few things the chamber is excited about for 2014?

We are finalizing our strategic plan for the next four years and have some ambitious goals. We are implementing a new membership investment schedule that adds great value to being a member of the chamber. Members may choose their level of investment based on their specific and unique needs. Through our various goals and objectives, we will continue to be the go-to resource for the Fort Bend business community. The best is yet to come.