[Houston International Expo: Welcome Reception]
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I'M CO-CHAIR OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER AND HAVE HAD THAT PRIVILEGE FOR OVER 20 YEARS, SINCE ITS INCEPTION TODAY, MARKS A GREAT DAY BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON IN HOUSTON AND IN THE WORLD MARKETS.
IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME TO BE IN THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, IT IS NOW BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY AND SOME WOULD SAY THE CONFUSION OF GOING ON.
BUT WHEN YOU COME TO HOUSTON, WE PROVIDE A GOOD ENVIRONMENT, UH, FOR MAKING MONEY AND FOR TRADING AND TO LOOK FORWARD TOGETHER.
WE ARE SO PLEASED THAT YOU ARE HERE TODAY.
WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US FOR ALL THE SESSIONS TOMORROW, THE GALA TOMORROW EVENING, UH, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT.
UM, AND I CAN SEE THAT EVERYBODY HAS DRESSED FOR HALLOWEEN TOMORROW NIGHT.
SO WHAT WE LOOK AT IS ALL THE DIVERSITY THAT IS HOUSTON.
SO AT ANY RATE, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS ASK MY FRIEND, LONG-TERM COLLEAGUE, UH, MR. ROBERT ECKLES, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THIS EVENT, TO COME AND JOIN ME IN WELCOMING YOU HERE, ROBERT.
AND, AND IT IS EXCITING TO, TO BE HERE WITH THE GROUP TODAY.
WE'VE GOT A WONDERFUL EVENT PLANNED.
THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER HAS BEEN FOR 22 YEARS WORKING TO HELP BUSINESSES, UH, DRIVE THE GROWTH IN THE ECONOMY OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND PARTICULARLY THE SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE, AND THE, THE MINORITY BUSINESSES AND ASIAN BUSINESSES COMING INTO OUR CITY.
UH, THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES HAVE COME THROUGH THE ITC AND THE EXPO AND, AND GALA RELATED IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE AMONG THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND TO HELP BUILD MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY AS, AS THE, THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO DEVELOP.
I THINK THIS IS OUR FIRST EXPO, MR. LEE.
SO IT'S, IT'S A GREAT, UH, HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY, PARTICULARLY WITH THE MAYOR.
THE MAYOR AND I SERVED TOGETHER IN THE LEGISLATURE YEARS AGO.
I TELL FOLKS THE STORY OF WHEN I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL WHEN HE HAD HAIR AND MINE WAS DARK.
UH, I GOT A LETTER FROM MY STATE REPRESENTATIVE CONGRATULATING ME ON GRADUATING.
UH, WE WERE BOTH MUCH YOUNGER AT THE TIME, BUT, UH, I, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE WITH THE MAYOR TODAY AND HIS LONG-TERM SUPPORT FOR THE ITC AND THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY THAT I SERVED IN THE LEGISLATURE YEARS LATER WITH HIM IN THE SENATE AND THEN HIS COUNTY JUDGE.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME WEY LEE, OUR OUR HOST, OUR OUR OFFICIAL HOST.
I'M THE HONORARY CHAIR WEI LEE TO COME TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND WHAT TO EXPECT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
AND THEN THIS IS OUR HOMECOMING DAY.
WE AS A ASIAN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN LAST 22 YEARS, THAT'S PROBABLY FIRST TIME WE CAME TO THE CITY HALL BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT MAYOR GIVE US OPPORTUNITY.
I REMEMBER 22 YEARS AGO, GROUP OF US FOUNDED INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER WHO HELP OF BROTHER L GREEN.
SO IN LAST 22 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN SERVICE TO MORE THAN 12,000 SMALL BUSINESS.
THAT'S THE REASON WE STARTED THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL EXPORT AS A SIMILAR TWO RECENT.
NUMBER ONE IS A NETWORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY STRAIN IN MANY FEW.
SECOND THING IS THAT WE TRY TO BRING MORE AND MORE INVESTOR AROUND THE WORLD COME TO HOUSTON.
SO D WILL SERVE THE PLATFORM TO ALL OF US TO WORK UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF, UH, MAYOR WOMAN.
I JUST SO HONORED APPOINTED THE MAYOR SERVE ON THE CHU FIRST CORPORATION, WHICH IS, UH, WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MAYOR.
WE HAVE A $2 BILLION PROJECT GOING UNDERGROUND, UH, UNDER GOING OUT.
SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE COME HERE, MOST OF IT TODAY, WE COME HERE, DIFFERENT CORNER OF THE WORLD.
WE ARE THE NEW IMMIGRANT, BUT WE CONSIDER THIS IS A GREAT COUNTRY FOR US.
WE, WE ARE GRADING EVERYBODY'S EFFORT.
WE CREATE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, WE CREATE A LOT OF BUSINESS CHINATOWN SOUTHWEST DISTRICT.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE BIG CON CONTRIBUTION FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I'M HERE TO REPRESENT MANY OF US TO SAY, APPRECIATE THAT FOR OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS GREAT LAND.
WE LEE, FOR INITIATING THIS EXPO.
THE WONDERFUL MEETING IS EVERYTHING IN BUSINESS IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR PUTTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER TODAY, BUT ALSO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE
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OVER THE LAST 20 TH ACTUALLY 33 YEARS.I WOULD LIKE NOW TO ASK MAYOR WHITMEYER TO COME AND JOIN US.
UM, WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM HAVE DELIGHTED TO HEAR FROM HIM TODAY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM AS MAYOR OF HOUSTON AND AS OUR LEADER MAYOR.
THANK YOU JUDGE OLS, IT'S, UH, TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN.
AND LET ME WELCOME EVERYONE THAT'S HERE TODAY.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE COME TOGETHER AND EMPHASIZE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
UH, MR. LEE, UH, HOUSTON WOULD NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE PRESENT TODAY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT CITY AND GREAT PEOPLE.
WE HAVE CHALLENGES LIKE MOST MAJOR CITIES, BUT WE'RE ADDRESSING OUR CHALLENGES.
AND WHILE THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS IMPROVING ITS SERVICES AND, AND DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, IN FACT, OUR CAMPAIGN SAYING I WANTED CITY HALL TO LOOK LIKE HOUSTON, AND, UH, WE'VE MADE GREAT, GREAT IMPROVEMENT WITH YOU BEING ON HOUSTON.
FIRST KEN LEE ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR IS VON TRAN.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER ADDITIONS TO OUR TEAM THAT REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY INCLUSION OF HOUSTON.
BUT TODAY WE'RE SEEING IN REAL TIME WHILE WE SIT HERE, WE'RE SEEING WHY HOUSTON IS A GREAT CITY BECAUSE WE'RE COMING TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THIS EXPO AND LOOK AT ALL THE REPRESENTATION THAT'S INCLUDED.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS EVEN GREATER OPPORTUNITY.
SMALL BUSINESSES, DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ARE GONNA BE A PART OF THIS EXPO.
AND SO I WANT US TO CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE THIS DAY, THIS FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF AN EXPO AND INTERNATIONAL, BUT WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND WITH MR. LEE ON HOUSTON, FIRST, WE'RE ALREADY MAKING IT PART OF OUR AGENDA TO GET EVERYONE THAT COMES TO HOUSTON AND STAYS DOWNTOWN.
NEITHER THE HILTON, THE MARRIOTT, OR SOMEWHERE IN CENTRAL HOUSTON.
THEY MUST GO SEE THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT TO SEE THE COMMERCE, SEE THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, THE CULTURE, THE LANGUAGES.
YOU SHOULD NOT COME TO HOUSTON AS A GUEST AT ONE OF OUR CONVENTION HOTELS, A BALL GAME OR AN ACADEMIC GATHERING OR A BUSINESS MEETING SUCH AS THIS WITHOUT PROVIDING THE MEANS.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH METRO TO HAVE SHUTTLES LEAVE THE GEORGE BROWN TO GO TO THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.
AND I'LL EVEN SAY TO ANY HOUSTONIANS THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE, IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN TO THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, AND I DO RUN ACROSS HOUSTONIANS WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR GREATNESS.
AND I SAY, WOW, YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THE ENERGY IN THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN THERE.
OR IF THEY HAVE, IT'S BEEN MANY YEARS AGO, IT'S BOOMING.
IT'S, IT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT.
AND THEN YOU CAN GO TO THE MED CENTER AND SEE THE RESEARCH THAT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY'S PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, ONE OUT OF FIVE WORKERS IN THE MED CENTER.
WE'RE NOT BORN IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO WE SUPPORT IMMIGRATION, WE SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THEN YOU CAN GO TO THE PORT AND SEE THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE THERE.
AND WE'RE PREPARING FOR EVEN GREATNESS AT THE PORT BY THE WIDENING AND DEEPENING OF THE PORT SPACE CENTER AT NASA.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, GO SEE IT.
I'M CONVINCED SOMEDAY WHEN MAN LANDS ON MARS, MAN OR WOMAN LANDS ON MARS, THE FIRST THING THEY'RE GONNA SAY IS HOUSTON, WE'VE LANDED.
SO IT'S EXCITING TIME TO BE A HOUSTONIAN AND THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
THE DIVERSITY IN THIS ROOM IS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE.
SO LET'S CELEBRATE OUR SUCCESSES, BUT REALIZE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
AND I'LL CONCLUDE BY SAYING, LET'S GO TO WORK.
UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR RECOGNITION OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS AT THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER AND HOW, HOW IT'S FUNDAMENTAL TO HOUSTON'S FUTURE.
NOW I'D LIKE TO TALK WITH, UH, AND INTRODUCE YOU TO, UM, SOMEONE WHO'S VERY INTERNATIONAL AND WHO I FIRST MET IN CHINA, UH, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN WAY.
AND I HAD HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF TRAVELING IN NOVEMBER OF 2004.
AND NEWLY ELECTED CONGRESSMAN, UH, MR. AL GREEN FLEW TO MEET US.
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IT WAS VERY INTERESTING AS WE WERE THERE BECAUSE, UH, BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, HE BECAME THE LEADER OF OUR DELEGATION.AND IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN WE WOULD INTRODUCE HIM AS CONGRESSMAN GREEN AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION HAD WORKED FOR MAYOR WHITE AND, UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER PEOPLE HAD, UH, WORKED FOR MAYOR BROWN.
AND SO A CHINESE GUY ASKED ME IN BROKEN ENGLISH ONE DAY, HE SAID, MR. WARE DOES EVERYONE WHO IS IN POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE A NAME WHO'S A COLOR
AND FROM THAT, UM, I WAS PLEASED TO RECEIVE AN HONOR TO RECEIVE, UM, AN INVITATION FROM CONGRESSMAN GREEN TO ATTEND HIS INAUGURATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS.
A FEW MONTHS AFTER THAT, UH, IN JANUARY, AND IT WAS LIKE OLD HOME WEEK FOR ME BECAUSE I HAD JUST FINISHED A STINT WORKING FOR MAYOR TONY WILLIAMS, UM, AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REVITALIZATION CORPORATION.
CONGRESSMAN, PLEASE JOIN US UP HERE.
AFTER THAT INTRODUCTION, I THOUGHT I'D GET A GREATER APPLAUSE THAN THAT.
SERIOUSLY, GIVE JIM A BIG HAND, PLEASE.
HE DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH ALL OF HIS ENDEAVORS.
HE HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS FROM GENESIS, AND NOW WE ARE REACHING REVELATIONS AND HE'S STILL WITH US.
GIVE JIM A BIG HAND, PLEASE FOR ME.
I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT HOUSTON BEING AN INTERNATIONAL CITY.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST MEDICAL CENTER IN THE WORLD.
THE PLACE THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT SPACE.
HOUSTON IS REALLY A METROPOLIS THAT HAS BLOSSOMED INTO SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL IN THE WORLD, NOT JUST IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO I'M PROUD TO SAY, HEAR YOU SAY THESE THINGS ABOUT OUR CITY.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY IF WE HAVE ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS, WE SHOULD HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT THAT IS A DESTINATION.
PEOPLE OUGHT TO COME TO HOUSTON AND SEE THIS AS A PART OF COMING TO HOUSTON.
I PLAN TO WORK WITH MR. WE LEE TO MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENS, UH, BECAUSE HE HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT HE WILL PUT HIS MONEY WHERE HIS MOUTH IS.
AND I THINK HE HAS MORE MONEY THAN MOUTH
HE HAS ALSO ENDEAVORED TO HELP US WITH, UH, OUR MILITARY PEOPLE, HAD A BIG EVENT, RENTED THE BASEBALL DIAMOND, UH, TO HAVE AN EVENT FOR OUR VETERANS AND MILITARY PEOPLE.
UH, I CAN NEVER SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HIM.
WOULD YOU GIVE HIM A BIG EXPRESSION OF APPRECIATION AS WELL, PLEASE? AND, AND I WOULD SAY THIS, THAT WAS GOOD, BUT THAT WASN'T WHAT HE MERITS.
UH, MAKE IT A TEXAS SIZE EXPRESSION, PLEASE.
NOW NO WAY I CAN DO THIS AND NOT MENTION THE CITY CONTROLLER WHO'S HERE.
UM, AND MY GOOD FRIEND STEVEN LEE AND HIS SON, AND OF COURSE MY BANKER IS HERE, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF, UH, THE BANK.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, HONG OGLE.
GIVE HER A HAND PLEASE AS WELL, AND I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.
SERIOUSLY, UH, IMMIGRANTS MAKE AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL A MORE BEAUTIFUL AMERICA.
THEY BRING THEIR CULTURE, THEY BRING THEIR LANGUAGE.
AND IF YOU TRAVERSE THE DISTRICT, AS THE MAYOR HAS SUGGESTED, AND I STRONGLY COMMEND IT TO YOU, YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE THAN SEE WHAT THE IMMIGRANTS CAN DO.
YOU CAN EXPERIENCE IT AND, UH, THERE'S A NICE NIGHTLIFE THERE.
UH, YOU'LL SEE SIGNS IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES AND THE FOOD, UH, THE AROMAS, ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL CAPTIVATE AND WILL CAUSE YOU TO REALIZE THAT HOUSTON TRULY IS A CITY WITH AN INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT THAT SHOULD BE A DESTINATION.
AND WE ARE GONNA WORK WITH THE MAYOR AND MR. WE LEE AND ALL OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY.
GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS OUR GREAT COUNTRY.
I I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING YOU, YOU MENTIONED MR. LEE MONEY AND MOUTH.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING COMPETITION, WHICH, WHICH IS BIGGER.
SO AT, AT ANY RATE, UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, IS FOLLOW CONGRESSMAN GREEN'S, UH, COMMENTS AND INVITE OUR, OUR NEW CONTROLLER, UH, CHRIS HOLLINS UP TO SAY A
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FEW WORDS.CHRIS HAS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CITY.
UM, AFTER I FINISHED MY TWO YEAR STINT WITH THE CITY BACK IN 2012, I WAS APPROACHED BY THE HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL TO WRITE A COLUMN, WHICH I DID FOR THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR ABOUT PUBLIC FINANCE, AND PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT THE CITY'S FINANCES.
AND THAT CAUSED ME TO DO A LOT OF HOMEWORK, AND IT CAUSED ME A LOT OF HEARTACHE AND PAIN AS I FIGURED OUT WHAT PARENTHESES AROUND NUMBERS ACTUALLY MEANT.
AND SO, UM, WE, UH, WE DEVELOPED A, A GREAT KINSHIP, UM, UH, THE CITY FINANCE PEOPLE AND MYSELF OVER THE YEARS.
AND I'M JUST SO DELIGHTED THAT CHRIS IS HERE TO BE OUR VERY IMPORTANT WATCH DOC.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT EACH OF YOU MEET CHRIS AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, CHRIS.
JIM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE WARM WORDS.
I'LL TELL YOU, UH, THERE'S STILL SOME JOB OPENINGS IN THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
IF YOU WANNA COME READ SOME MORE SPREADSHEETS WITH US, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL BRING MY SHIELD.
UH, SO MUCH OF THE STRENGTH OF THIS COMMUNITY, UH, COMES FROM INGRAM IMMIGRANTS, ONE IN FOUR OF PEOPLE WHO CALL HOUSTON HOME.
UH, WE'RE BORN, UH, ON FOREIGN SOIL AND THAT THAT ADDS TO OUR CITY'S VIBRANCE.
UH, IT STRENGTHENS OUR ECONOMY.
UH, IT STRENGTHENS THE SET OF IDEAS THAT WE OPERATE FROM TO, TO CONTINUE, UH, TO PROPEL THIS CITY FORWARD.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR THOSE WORDS.
CAN WE GIVE CONGRESSMAN GREENE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE? LOOK, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE EVERYBODY HERE, UH, AT CITY HALL TODAY.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE TRAVELED HERE FOR THIS EVENT, UH, WELCOME TO TEXAS AND TO THE BAYOU CITY.
I'M HOUSTON'S CITY, UH, CONTROLLER.
UH, AND ON BEHALF OF MY OFFICE, WE'RE PLEASED TO CONGRATULATE THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER ON THE COORDINATION OF ITS FIRST ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS EXPO, AS WELL AS ITS 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORGANIZATION.
CAN WE GIVE THE ITCA ROUND OF APPLAUSE? WHERE'D WALEY GO? OH, THERE HE IS.
I WANNA EXPRESS MY THANKS TO ITC FOUNDER AND CEO WAY, LEE, FOR REACHING OUT TO MY OFFICE TO BE A PART OF THIS INAUGURAL EVENT, AS WELL AS JOINING THE MAYOR CONGRESSMAN GREEN AND JUDGE ECCLES AS PART OF THE GALA'S HOST COMMITTEE.
UH, AS CITY CONTROLLER, IT'S MY JOB TO SERVE AS THE CITY'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
THAT MEANS THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR SOLUTIONS THAT INCREASE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN THIS GLOBAL CITY.
HOUSTON IS THE STATE OF TEXAS'S LARGEST CITY, AND IT'S THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY, MAKING US A PRIME LOCATION AND BACKDROP, UH, FOR THIS INTERNATIONAL EXPO.
UH, SOME OF THIS HAS BEEN TOUCHED ON ALREADY.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST MEDICAL CENTER IN THE WORLD RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST PORT IN THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM OVER 90 FOREIGN CONSULATES, AND THERE ARE MORE THAN 145 LANGUAGES SPOKEN HERE IN HOUSTON.
IN MY OPINION, AND I THINK Y'ALL MIGHT SHARE IT, HOUSTON IS THE CULTURAL EPICENTER OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS, ATTENDEES OF THE EXPO WILL INTERACT WITH LEADERS FROM GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, HEAR FROM EXPERTS ON TRADE STRATEGIES, AS WELL AS RECEIVE MARKET INSIGHTS FROM DECISION MAKERS IN FINANCE, ENERGY, OIL AND GAS, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, AND REAL ESTATE.
FROM THAT ENGAGEMENT, I HOPE THAT EACH OF YOU WILL COME AWAY WITH IDEAS AND WITH VENTURES THAT WILL FURTHER EXPAND OUR CITY'S GLOBAL REACH.
I ALSO HOPE THAT YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FOOD, THE ARTS, AND THE VIBRANCE THAT RESULTS FROM THE DIVERSE PEOPLE WHO CALL THE CITY OF HOUSTON HOME.
IT'S NOT ONLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE YOUR BUSINESS PORTFOLIO, BUT ALSO TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND STRENGTHEN YOUR NETWORK.
AND SO, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S MY HONOR TO SERVE AS A CO-HOST FOR THIS EVENT AND TO WELCOME YOU TO HOUSTON CITY HALL FOR TODAY'S RECEPTION.
MY SINCERE BEST WISHES FOR AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE HERE IN HOUSTON.
I I WANNA JUST AMPLIFY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT CHRIS MENTIONED, HE SAID THAT, THAT HOUSTON IS THE CULTURAL EPICENTER OF, OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
DID A SIMILAR, I HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE BACK IN THE YEAR 2000.
I HAD JUST FINISHED A VERY IMPORTANT AND LARGE REAL ESTATE PROJECT, UH, IN THE YEAR 2000 WITH AN INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT PARTNER OUT OF NEW YORK.
AND WE SAT DOWN TOGETHER AND WE DID A PROJECTION OF HOUSTON RELATIVE TO THE OTHER 10 LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY
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FROM THE YEAR 1970 TO 2030 YEARS.IF YOU TOOK THOSE TRENDS AND EXTRAPOLATED THEM TO THE YEAR 2030, IN OTHER WORDS, 30 YEARS IN THE PAST, 30 YEARS IN THE FUTURE, THE TWO MOST SIGNIFICANT METROPOLITAN AREAS IN THE COUNTRY WERE HOUSTON AND DALLAS.
I WILL TELL YOU, I CHECK THOSE NUMBERS AS WE CONTINUE.
HOUSTON AND DALLAS ARE ON TRACK TO DO THAT.
NOW WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE HELP FROM NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, AND CHICAGO WHILE WE'RE GOING UP THERE PLATEAUING OR GOING DOWN.
SO WE'LL NOT ONLY BE THE CULTURAL CAPITAL, CHRIS WILL BE THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OUR LARGEST THREE INDUSTRIES, ENERGY, MEDICINE AND SPACE EXPLORATION, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY INDUSTRIES I'D RATHER HAVE AS OUR ECONOMIC BASE AND OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE GOING FORWARD.
UH, THEY HAVE EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY HELPING HOUSTON MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE ITS POSITION AS AN INTERNATIONAL MAGNET.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE NORMALLY DO IS SPACE, SPECIAL ATTENTION TO AN INTRODUCTION TO VIPS.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN APOLOGY BECAUSE AS I LOOK OUT HERE, I CAN'T SEE ANYBODY WHO IS NOT A VIP.
OKAY? SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME HOR D'OEUVRES AND RECEPTION FOR EVERYBODY.
AND I'D LIKE VERY MUCH FOR EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE, UH, CATHERINE HALL, SAY IF YOU WERE FROM STATE DEPARTMENT, PLEASE.
WE PART OF AS A IMMIGRANT, COME IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO I HAVE TO, UH, BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WAS NOT EXPECTING A SPEECH.
I WAS HOPING TO ENJOY THE SHOW, BUT, UH, NEVERTHELESS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, SO, UH, IF YOU GUYS ARE NOT FAMILIAR, UH, I AM AN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT.
I AM THE, CURRENTLY THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN MISSIONS HERE IN HOUSTON.
SO MY OFFICE IS THE OFFICE THAT OVERSEES ALL THE FOREIGN MISSIONS AND ALL THE FOREIGN DIPLOMATS THAT ARE HERE IN TEXAS AND ALSO SEVEN OTHER STATES AROUND US.
SO I WILL, UH, CONCUR WITH ASSESSMENT OF THE MAYOR AND CONGRESS GREEN AND THE CONTROLLER.
HOUSTON AND TEXAS IS A BOOMING CITY.
UM, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN GETTING, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN GETTING MORE INTEREST FROM FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE HERE IN, IN TEXAS, GIVEN THEIR INTERESTS ON ECONOMIC INVESTMENT PROMOTION.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN THE LAST YEAR, UH, MY OFFICE WORKING WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN WASHINGTON DC AND ALSO OUR US MISSIONS OVERSEAS, WE HAVE OFFICIALLY OPENED, UH, THE CAREER CONSULATE FOR IRAQ AND KUWAIT HERE IN HOUSTON, WHICH MEANS IT WILL BRING PET, UM, MONEY, UH, PETROL DOLLARS INTO THE ECONOMY.
AND WE ALSO, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE ALSO APPROVE TRADE OFFICES FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND ALSO THE CZECH REPUBLIC TO BE OPEN IN AUSTIN WITH A FOCUS THAT THEY WILL, UH, CONCENTRATE IN A LOT OF INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC PROMOTION THROUGHOUT TEXAS.
SO THAT'S ALL FOR ME TO SAY THAT TEXAS IN PARTICULAR, HOUSTON, WHICH IS MY HOMETOWN, IS THE PLACE TO BE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, UH, WE LEE AND THE ORGANIZER OF ITC.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE AND THANK YOU FOR VIPS, ALL OF YOU'RE VERY IMPORTANT.
EVERY SINGLE OF US PLAY A ROLE OF MAKING NOT ONLY THIS STATE GREAT, BUT THIS CITY.
AND A MESSAGE, UH, TO YOU ALL, UM, IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, FROM WHAT CATHERINE SAID, OVER THE NEXT, UH, DAY OR SO, YOU ARE GOING TO MEET, UH, 15 CONS GENERALS FROM LITERALLY ALL OVER THE WORLD.
WE'LL HAVE THE GALA TOMORROW NIGHT, UM, WHICH EVERYONE IS INVITED TO.
AND SO CATHERINE, SORRY TO INTERRUPT AND PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT NOW WE CAN ALL GO AND ENJOY THE REFRESHMENTS IN GETTING TO KNOW EVERYONE.
SO AGAIN, EVERYONE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE AND, UH, PLEASE ENJOY AND WE WILL SEE
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YOU TOMORROW.AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, TOMORROW EVENING.