Recap: Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Event

June 27 - 29, 2023
Odessa Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

The Texas Venture Alliance was pleased attend and speak on a panel at the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Conference about the topic of Chamber innovation. The Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives is the professional society of chamber of commerce executives, staff, and affiliated members in the state of Texas. We also introduced an Innovation Award Category, as well as selected a winner to present the trophy to at the culmination of the conference. After the conference we’ve met with the venture community in Midland via the Texas Venture Road Trip blog series. Read more details below.

Innovation Panel

One of the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executive Conference’s core values is “Innovation”. From their website: “To be an organization that is visionary, future-focused and risk taking in programs, events and dialogue. To recognize and allow failure with new opportunities (permission to fail with new ideas/events).”

The panel, “Chambers’ Emerging Leadership in Innovation Ecosystems”, speakers were Texas Venture Alliance cofounder, CS Freeland; Texas Venture Alliance Board Member and Builders + Backers Director of Global Brand Growth, Marisa Vickers; and Frisco Chamber of Commerce CEO Tony Felker.

Chamber Innovation Panel Session entitled “Chambers’ Emerging Leadership in Innovation Ecosystems”

“This was a great discussion that highlighted the economic value of chambers working directly with accelerators such as Builders + Backers as well as venture membership organizations such as TVA, said Vickers from her LinkedIn post here. “For three days, I had the chance to connect with chambers all across the state who are interested in startups and investors, learn more about what is happening in each of their regions, and also enjoyed a bit of Texan culture by attending an official "honky tonk barn bash," as well as the annual Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Excellence Awards gala.”

One of the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executive Conference’s core values is “Innovation”. From their website: “To be an organization that is visionary, future-focused and risk taking in programs, events and dialogue. To recognize and allow failure with new opportunities (permission to fail with new ideas/events).”

Innovation Award Category

Texas Venture Alliance also partnered with the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Conference to introduce an innovation award category recognizing excellence in the venture and startup ecosystem.

The Texas Association of Business (the Texas Chamber of Commerce), President & CEO Glenn Hamer Keynote

Innovation Award Winner

On June 29, 2023, CS Freeland recognized the Dallas Regional Chamber’s President & CEO, Dale Petroskey as the first winner of the Innovation Award. The award not only celebrated their important work and leadership in the Dallas region, but also inspires other chambers across Texas to consider their role in innovation as well.

The Dallas Regional Chamber has a six person R&D and Innovation team; they helped start The DEC Network which is a series of coworking spaces, events and mentorship program; offer an Innovation Guide, hold a founding membership at Venture Dallas, formed the North Texas Innovation Alliance, host hackthons, amongst many other initiatives. To view all of their programming catering to the venture and startup ecosystem check out their website here.

The Dallas Regional Chamber is also the most recent winner of the National Chamber of the Year.

Dallas Regional Chamber President & CEO, Dale Petroskey, accepting the Chamber Innovation Award with Texas Venture Alliance Cofounder, CS Freeland

Texas Venture Road Trip

Texas Venture Alliance also met with a few individuals from the greater venture community in Midland as part of the Texas Venture Road Trip, a tour our leadership team promotes to travel to and capture a showcase of the many regions across across the state where innovation is growing. The following is one of the photos taken of the tour. More can been seen on the Texas Venture Road Trip page.

Second Story Coworking Space, a place where startups go to get work done, host events, and meet other entrepreneurs in Midland, Texas

Additional Links
Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Conference
Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives
Texas Venture Road Trip

Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives
TCCE provides professional education, resources, consulting, idea exchange, and connection to a community of like-minded professionals committed to excellence in the chamber industry and the success of the communities they serve.

Frisco Chamber of Commerce
The mission of the Frisco Chamber of Commerce is to protect and promote commerce through advocacy, resources, and connections.

Builders + Backers
Builders + Backers invests in ideas and people shaping an entirely different, and better, digital future for all.

Texas Venture Alliance
The Texas Venture Alliance objectives are to amplify the state’s greater venture ecosystem of support, advocate for future initiatives for startups and investors at the Texas State Capitol, and connect the startup, venture, and government communities.