When looking for a new president around the beginning of the year, the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce sought a dynamic person who would help it meet economic development and transportation challenges.

Leslie Martone was chosen as president Jan. 9, after eight years of serving the organization in various capacities.

The chamber is in a critical time and Martone has the skills, connections and chamber experience that will help it to move forward, said board chairman Mark Sappington.

Martone was most recently part of the executive committee of the board of directors and was committee chair of the ambassador committee, on which members serve as mentors, working to connect new members to the committee or an event.

She was introduced to the chamber during her time as community development manager for the Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union, a position in which she implemented community development programs. Martone knew right away that the chamber was a natural fit for her.

Growing up in the Cy-Fair community, getting the chance to later help connect and grow the businesses that found a home in the area has been a fascinating and rewarding experience, Martone said. She believes the area is attractive to new businesses, whether they are start-ups or moving to Cy-Fair.

Many businesses that are looking to relocate from out-of-state or from in-state to a different area want a place to produce their product and make their employees happy. It is the chamber's mission to convince the businesses that Northwest Houston is the right home for them, Martone said.

What are your everyday responsibilities as chamber president?

Attend meetings and luncheons, just doing whatever it takes to keep up on Cy-Fair and Houston. I have to make sure that I am keeping my name out there not only for the chamber, but for the community. I have to keep my eyes and ears open for the issues that spark conversation for the different ways of improving the community. It really is a lot of meeting people and connecting with them. I'm a big relationship builder and following up is huge.

What types of challenges are local businesses facing in the Northwest Houston community?

Economy and growth are our two biggest challenges. The economy part is businesses dealing with their day-to-day money like their cash flow and bottom line. At the same time, if the business isn't a chain organization backed by a corporate office, it is very difficult. People are spending money at local businesses, which is good, but they may not have the money to hire that extra person that they need. I think that our businesses are in that in-between stage where they need to hire more people because the growth is happening, but they don't have the resources to do so. Transportation is still an issue in this community. We don't have a business district. I think our businesses are here, there and everywhere and they need to learn how to market to their areas. They want to market to Fairfield, they want to market to Copperfield and they want to market to Willowbrook. Those are three unique, specific areas and I think we are becoming that large of a community that businesses are learning how to do that.

What is the hardest part of your job?

Scheduling. Deciding where is the right place to be with my limited time. With my strong passion for relationship building, I want to be at those committee meetings, luncheons and ribbon cuttings. I had to miss my first ribbon cutting to go to a luncheon and it was a hard choice to make.

What do you like most about your job?

I like how every day is different and the fact that I get to work with people. Helping people recognize that they have their place in this community and recognize their strengths is something that I enjoy. I like to find out more about a business owner as a person and who their customers are.

What is a project or initiative that you are most proud of?

I am proud that the Lone Star College-CyFair campus came out of our chamber. There were influential people sitting here at an education committee and they said, "We need a community college in this area." They researched HCC and what was North Harris Montgomery College District. They ended up bringing Lone Star College to Cy-Fair, and it is now one of the fastest growing campuses in their system.

What is your vision for the future of the chamber?

We would like to grow along with the growth in the area. The growth is going to happen in this community, and we want to be right there with it continuing to make a difference in the lives' of the business owners. It is important to recognize the residents as well. As a chamber, we primarily focus on our businesses, but being an unincorporated area our residents call us every day seeking help. We act as a city office, whether we are designated as one or not. When we look at the volume of calls coming in, we can't ignore that. You have to give recognition and support to the residents. And our residents sometimes are business owners.