Skip to main content

Greater Houston Partnership President and CEO Bob Harvey Announces Retirement Plans

Published Jan 09, 2023 by A.J. Mistretta

Bob Harvey

HOUSTON (January 9, 2023) – The Greater Houston Partnership today announced the organization’s president and CEO, Bob Harvey, plans to retire at the end of 2023. 

Harvey, 67, joined the region’s premier business organization in 2012 and oversaw a strong expansion of the Partnership’s reach and influence during a period of rapid growth and change for the region. 

“This last decade has been a dynamic time for Houston and the Partnership. As a life-long Houstonian, it is a true honor to wake up each day focused on supporting Houston’s growth and working with the business community to create opportunities for all Houstonians,” said Harvey. “The commitment of business leaders to the success of this region is inspiring, and I look forward to continuing to lead the Partnership over the next year as we move Houston forward.”

The Partnership serves as the designated regional economic development organization for the Houston region and works in concert with more than 35 local economic development groups across the organization’s 12-county service territory. 

In addition, the Partnership leads the Houston business community’s policy advocacy efforts at the local, state and federal levels. The organization advocates for policies that support an environment conducive to business and one that supports the region’s success and overall quality of life for all Houstonians.

During Harvey’s tenure, the Partnership launched a number of highly-successful programs and initiatives including the UpSkill Houston workforce development initiative, the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI), and One Houston Together, the Partnership’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiative.

“I want to thank Bob for his tremendous leadership over the last decade as we’ve made great strides as an organization and as a region,” said Thad Hill, Partnership board chair and president and CEO of Calpine Corporation. “I am grateful that Bob will continue to advance the organization over the coming months as we begin the process to find his successor. Under Bob’s leadership, the Partnership plays an essential role in the inclusive growth and prosperity of our great community, and I am confident his successor will expand on that legacy.”

Hill announced he has formed an executive search committee comprised of Partnership board members that will be chaired by Marc Watts, former Partnership board chair (2018) and President of The Friedkin Group. Hill indicated the organization will undertake a broad, national search that will also consider candidates already on the staff.  He does expect the next leader to have some working familiarity with Houston and its business community.

“The Partnership is an outstanding organization with strong board and staff leadership, impeccable financials, and a mission-oriented bias for action to make Houston a better place to live, work and build a business,” Thad Hill continued. “The next leader of the Partnership is set-up to succeed, and I look forward to the process to identifying this person who will continue the organization’s momentum forward.”

###

Greater Houston Partnership
The Greater Houston Partnership works to make Houston one of the best places to live, work and build a business. As the economic development organization for the region, the Partnership champions growth across 12 counties by bringing together business and civic-minded leaders who are dedicated to the area’s long-term success. Representing 950+ member organizations and approximately one-fifth of the region’s workforce, the Partnership is the place companies come together to make an impact. Learn more at Houston.org.

A.J. Mistretta
Vice President, Communications
amistretta@houston.org
(c) 504-450-3516    

Brina Morales                                                
Senior Manager, Media Relations    
bmorales@houston.org
(c) 832-287-5089            
    

Related News

Membership

Partnership Welcomes New 2025 Board Members

2/3/25
Members of the Greater Houston Partnership voted to elect new members of the organization’s board of directors at its Annual Meeting held on January 31. The Partnership's 147-member board guides the work of the organization and is comprised of leaders from across greater Houston's business community. The event also marked the first official meeting of the Partnership's 2025 Gretchen Watkins, President of Shell USA. At the meeting, Watkins announced the nomination of Armando Perez, Executive Vice President for H-E-B Houston, as Vice Chair for 2025 and 2026 Chair. This nomination was also approved by the membership.  Outgoing chair Eric Mullins, President and CEO of Live Rock Resources, received the Bob Onstead award for his service in 2025. In addition to the election of new board members, several former members were approved for an additional term of service on the board. Walt Mischer, Partner at Mischer Investments, LP, and Ruth Simmons, Ph.D., President’s Distinguished Fellow at Rice University, were elected as emeritus directors by vote of the membership at the meeting. For a recap of the Annual Meeting, click here. 2025 New Board Members Dilip Choudhuri, President and CEO, Walter P Moore Larry Coben, Chair, President and Chief Executive Office, NRG Energy Ryan Dolibois, Executive Director, Sarofilm Foundation Jean-Marc Gilson, President and CEO, Westlake Corporation  Giles Kibbe, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Houston Astros Michael Lawson, Houston Market President, CommonSpirit South Region John Mooz, Sr. Managing Director for Austin, Houston and San Antonio, Hines Jessica O’Neil, President of Business Operations, Houston Dash & Houston Dynamo FC A full list of members of the Partnership Board of Directors can be found here. 
Read More
Economic Development

Greater Houston Partnership Unveils New Five-Year Strategic Framework

1/31/25
HOUSTON (January 31, 2025) – The Greater Houston Partnership announced the launch of its new five-year strategic framework, Houston Next: Advancing Opportunity, during its Annual Meeting. This comprehensive plan builds upon the organization’s work to position Houston as a world-class hub for economic growth, innovation, and quality of life. "Our region is on a remarkable trajectory, and rapid economic and workforce changes demand bold action to ensure Houston leads in talent, innovation, and resilience,” said Partnership President and CEO Steve Kean. “By fostering collaboration and creating opportunities for all, we are paving the way for a brighter future. Our new strategic plan will drive growth, create opportunity, and strengthen our community." Over the past six years, the Partnership has made significant progress through its core economic development and public policy work, along with key initiatives such as UpSkill Houston, Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) and One Houston Together. These efforts have laid a strong foundation for the new strategic framework, which focuses on three core pillars: Prosperity, People, and Place, with a particular focus on two strategic imperatives: Talent & Economic Mobility and Resilience. Three Core Pillars Prosperity: This pillar focuses on advancing a strong, diverse economy through proactive economic development that attracts global investment and drives growth across key industries including energy, life sciences, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and digital technology.  People: The focus here is on creating inclusive opportunity and driving economic growth for Houstonians through integrated education and workforce training for high-demand careers.  Place: This pillar aims to build a resilient and vibrant region that supports quality of life and economic growth.  New Strategic Imperatives Talent & Economic Mobility: This imperative focuses on creating a strong, skilled workforce that meets the demands of the future, and creates economic opportunity for more Houstonians. The Partnership will work with employers, education providers, and community organizations to align talent supply with demand, foster inclusivity, and expand apprenticeship programs. Resilience: The goal is to make greater Houston the most resilient coastal city in the world. This involves enhancing critical systems' resilience by convening leading stakeholders who own, operate, and use these systems; advocating for policy solutions that improve infrastructure; and telling Houston's resilience story to attract investment and talent.  "In Houston and at the Partnership, we face the future with optimism and the spirit that together, we can do anything,” Kean said. “Collaboration is Houston’s superpower. And the Partnership’s superpower is our ability to convene, connect, and develop plans with the people, the organizations, and the institutions to get things done." The Partnership is launching a $35 million fundraising campaign to help fund the Houston Next strategic plan.  Lead investors include CenterPoint Energy and Quanta Services, along with Camden Property Trust, Chevron, H-E-B, Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann Health System, Mustang Cat, Shell, and Steve Kean. The strategic framework was unveiled during the Partnership’s Annual Meeting. The event also introduced Gretchen Watkins, President of Shell USA, as the Partnership’s 2025 Board Chair. Additionally, the prestigious 2025 Robert C. McNair Award for Civic Leadership was presented to the Love family, recognizing their profound contributions to the greater Houston community. Learn more about Houston Next. Read our 2024 Annual Report. Click to expand ### MEDIA CONTACT:     Brina Morales                 Sr. Director, Communications        bmorales@houston.org            
Read More

Related Events

Membership

30th Annual Golf Classic

The Greater Houston Partnership is excited to announce the 30th Annual Golf Classic, a milestone celebration of one of our most cherished events. Reserve your spot to join us at Memorial Park…

Learn More
Learn More
Executive Partners