Photo courtesy Nelda Blair

Nelda Blair (right) was elected to The Woodlands Township board in 2008 and re-elected in 2011.

Recently appointed to the the Texas Economic Development Corporation, Nelda Blair said she plans to use her varied experience to recruit new businesses, increase tourism, and inform big business owners about Texas opportunities in her new role.

Governor Rick Perry recently appointed Blair to the corporation, which serves as the appointed section of the Division of Economic Development and Tourism. The division oversees the Texas Enterprise fund, Texas tourism and the Texas-One program. The position is unpaid.

"My goals will be to really get the word out about opportunities Texas has," Blair said. "Also, to identify some of the people that are interested so that we can connect them with the right people in our state government to get the incentives that we have available for them to move people here."

Blair said she plans to continue efforts already in place to help new businesses start up in Texas and to draw existing companies away from competing states.

"I think so far, [Texas] has been very successful in getting people to move," she said. "Now folks are catching on to us, but nobody has the combination of pro-business, good weather, friendly people and places to live that Texas has. I think the outlook is really good."

Blair said the first step in that direction is to increase tourism, along with informing business owners about available incentives, such as the Texas Enterprise Fund and the Texas Emerging Technology Fund.

"Tourism is very important to me," she said. "I think an important part of economic development is getting people here in the first place. They get here and they see what we have to offer. That's how we get big businesses and people to move here."

Blair also serves as chair of the Conroe ISD Education Foundation, is on the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce, is a cabinet member of Opportunity Houston 2.0 and formerly served on the University of Houston Board of Regents and on the Woodlands Township.