Cox's previous experience includes more than 15 years with state chambers in Texas and Kentucky, and he has worked in areas such as business advocacy and public policy at the state and federal levels. His experience also bridges the sectors of workforce and economic development, transportation and other human services.
Community Impact sat down with Cox on Sept. 19 to discuss his experiences and expectations for his new role with The Woodlands area chamber.
Can you describe your background and how you became interested in working with chambers of commerce?
My journey to where we are today has been a long, winding one, but as I look back, oftentimes it's been very fun. I grew up in southern California ... I went to Kentucky, finished school and for a number of reasons stayed in the state to finish up school and to start work. ... When I was in Kentucky ... my interest in chambers of commerce [and] the business community really stemmed from my work prior ... I worked for organizations where I was in charge of occupational skills training, workforce development ... transportation as well as childcare.
So I learned a lot of things about these working with grant funding, state funding and state contracts, and then moved into ... [being] our chief legislative agent. I did a lot of work in Washington, D.C., working with legislators on funding and projects for our local region. In that time, there was one key to our success—business. We were training people to get jobs. What did we need? Business partners to hire them.
What are your goals for the chamber in your first year?
In the short term, i think these first few months are about three key things. The first is what I call orientation and relationship building. It's understanding who we are as an organization, a business community [and] understanding our membership—who they are, what they do, how they contribute to all of this amazing stuff that we see. People matter, and we are more apt to work together, communicate and walk this road together when we have relationships.
The second one then becomes the planning and the beginning of implementation. Working with our leadership, our board of directors ... and with our team to set a plan, to say here’s what we’ve got going today. ... We want to work with our key members, our key leaders and get their insights.
The third part of that is ... implementation and optimization as we go out over the next year and begin to implement strategies. Making sure we have a solid strategic plan that encompasses our work as an organization, that's laser focused on our membership and helping to grow membership as we grow organizationally. ... So having a plan for the next couple of years that keeps us focused on the big things. One of those areas that we will have to address ... is amidst all of these wonderful things ... how do we maintain the identity that is The Woodlands?
How about long-term goals?
I think our long-term goal is to have an organization that leaves a legacy of care for the community, leadership, greatness and excellence in service to the business community. But I think an even maybe more grand kind of statement, we want to help create the place that every kid who's growing up in The Woodlands today, says, 'I never want to leave this place.' ... I think at the chamber, it's about building the environment, the talent and the resources to allow businesses to do what they do each and every day.
What role do you think a chamber of commerce plays among local businesses in a community?
The chamber is one place, it is the cornerstone of the community, it is the one place we can come together and convene people from different backgrounds and different ideas, often with different agendas, and we can sit around the table, and [have] a really unbiased, nonpartisan, straight-across-the-table discusion and come out with solutions that are going to be best for our community. We bring together the top minds, the top leaders, the economic influence, all the components we need to create solutions for community good. They have a heart of service, but feet of action. We have the opportunity ... because you're bringing business leaders ... they want to get stuff done.
What is your familiarity with The Woodlands area, and how is it similar to or different from other areas you have worked in?
One of the reasons I was so excited about the opportunity to even be considered [for the job] is, I've been in Texas since 2011, and ... The Woodlands always sticks out. It sticks out because of the aesthetic—it’s a beautiful place; it’s well thought out, well designed, it works together, it's a wonderful mix of business, great schools.
There’s the culture, arts ... it’s a wonderful place. Now being here, digging into the history, understanding where we came from ... we are at a place to truly be a part of the legacy that is spoken of, when you talk about the fabric of the United States of America, it’s today. We’re still building, the great foundation is laid and we get to build on that 50 years later. Who gets to live in a community that is 50 years old, in the context of history?
What are your next steps as CEO of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce?
Really trying to get out and meet our business leaders, meet our key industry professionals [and] the folks who make up our membership. Understanding them, understanding their businesses, and ... really getting into some of the nitty gritty and wanting to learn from their perspective: What are your challenges, what do you see as the next iteration of this place? We'll come up with some themes, commonalities, that will help us to chart our path.
