* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [Banking on Your Business Financial Symposium on October 17, 2025]
          [00:00:18]
          IT IS MY HONOR. 
          NOW TO INTRODUCE THE VISIONARY BEHIND THIS INAUGURAL SYMPOSIUM. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS AT LARGE POSITION TWO HAS A DEEP AND PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL, MINORITY WOMEN AND VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES. 
          THIS EVENT IS HIS BRAINCHILD CREATED TO BRING TOGETHER CITY LEADERS, LENDERS, AND BUSINESS OWNERS FOR CANDID SOLUTIONS-FOCUSED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND THE TOOLS REQUIRED TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN SUCCESSFUL ENTERPRISES. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS IS A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT AND A RESPECTED FAITH LEADER. 
          HIS LEADERSHIP SHAPED EVERY ASPECT OF TODAY'S PROGRAM. 
          SO PLEASE JOIN ME NOW IN WELCOMING THE HONORABLE WILLIE DAVIS FOR OPENING REMARKS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          IT IS INDEED A JOY, AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND CERTAINLY TO SEE SO MANY OF YOU THAT ARE EXCITED AND ENERGIZED BY WHAT WE ARE DOING. 
          I AM, I AM OVERWHELMINGLY PLEASED BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE DREAMED AND VISIONED FOR SO LONG, UH, ACTUALLY TO GO BACK TO 1988. 
          AND, UH, AND IT COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE HELP, FIRST AND FOREMOST OF HILLS DAY, WHO HAS EMBRACED THIS? COME ON, YOU GOTTA GIVE HILLS DAY, ARGENTINA AND ROGER. 
          AND THAT WHOLE TEAM HAS JUST BEEN PHENOMENAL. 
          AND, UH, FOR THEM JOINING IN WITH ME AND, UH, WHAT CAN I SAY ON THE HEELS OF WHAT WE ARE DOING, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT IS IMPORTANT. 
          AND I WANT TO SAY THIS BECAUSE OUR CITY IS CERTAINLY NEEDFUL OF THIS TYPE OF GATHERING. 
          IT'S NEEDFUL FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY. 
          AND SO I'M EXCITED. 
          'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT THAT THERE'S MUCH TO BE DONE, BUT THERE'S ALL ALSO MUCH RESOURCES THAT WE CAN USE. 
          AND SO SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM TODAY IS GOING TO BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS. 
          BUT I'M SO EXCITED AND I'M SO HONORED TO SERVE YOU, FIRST OF ALL, UH, AS YOUR AT LARGE COUNCILMAN, UH, IN POSITION TWO. 
          AND, UH, AND IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU, I WOULDN'T BE HERE. 
          AND NONE OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING ON TODAY. 
          SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE READY. 
          AMEN. 
          AND, UH, WE'RE READY. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          GOOD DEAL. 
          WELL, LET, LET ME JUST SAY I STOLE THE VIEW WHO KNOW ME AND KNOW THAT I'M THAT HOUSTON THIRD WARD, TEXAS GUY. 
          AND I'M ALWAYS PROUD OF MY ROOTS FROM WHICH I COME. 
          BUT I'M EVEN MORE EXCITED TODAY BIG AND SERVING ON CITY COUNCIL AND CERTAINLY TO, UH, IN RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT I'M SERVING UNDER AN ADMINISTRATION THAT TAKES WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY. 
          SERIOUS. 
          I'M HAPPY AND PROUD TO BE SERVING AN ADMINISTRATION THAT WELCOMED THIS AND SUPPORTED ME AND MY VISION FOR MY CITY THAT I LOVE SO DEARLY. 
          I'VE ONLY BEEN OUT OF THE CITY FOR AT ONE POINT FOR ONLY FOUR YEARS IN CHICAGO, BUT I HURRIED UP AND GOT BACK INTO TEXAS. 
          BUT, UH, , BUT, UH, SOUTH SIDE AT THAT, I'M THE SOUTH SIDE. 
          BUT, UH, BUT I'M IN NEED HONORED TODAY BECAUSE DOING MY POSITION ON COUNCIL, BEING SUPPORTED SO MUCH BY MY FRIEND, UH, AND MAYOR PROTE, MARTHA TATUM. 
          SHE'S AWESOME. 
          SHE'S SO AWESOME. 
          SHE'S SO AWESOME. 
          AND, UH, BUT, BUT PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY SAID, WILLIE, WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR OBJECTIVES, UH, WHEN YOU ON, NOW THAT YOU'RE ON COUNCIL? I SAID, THREE THINGS. 
          LOOK, LISTEN, AND LEARN. 
          LOOK, LISTEN AND LEARN. 
          AND I DID THAT. 
          AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THE DAY THAT WHEN I GOT ON COUNCIL, I DID NOT KNOW OUR MAYOR. 
          I DID NOT KNOW HIM. 
          I KNEW OF HIM, BUT I DID NOT KNOW HIM. 
          I KNEW OF THE WORK THAT HE DID AS A STATE REP AND DID AS A SENATOR, BUT UP CLOSE. 
          AND PERSONALLY, I DID NOT KNOW HIM. 
          AND THEN 
          [00:05:01]
HE AND I GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER. 
          VERY WORKABLE CLOSE. 
          AND I AM SO HONORED TO KNOW THAT OUR CITY IS IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO TAKES HIS CITY SERIOUS AND LOVES IT AND EMBRACE THIS. 
          SO TODAY, MY FRIENDS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I'M INDEED HONORED TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR MAYOR. 
          NONE OTHER THAN MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, COME ON, SHOW YOU THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          AND THANK EVERYONE THAT IS PRESENT. 
          AND LET ME JUST EMPHASIZE, THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. 
          OUR CHALLENGE IS FOR EACH OF US TO BRING ANOTHER COLLEAGUE TO NEXT YEAR'S. 
          THIS WILL BE WHERE FOLKS WANT TO BE, TO HEAR ABOUT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          YOU KNOW, WE NEED MEETINGS LIKE THIS TODAY TO SHOW FOLKS HOW GREAT HOUSTON IS. 
          FIRST, BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I'VE GOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT IS PRESIDENT TODAY. 
          OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE ALREADY RECOGNIZED AND OUTSTANDING LEADER THAT I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT FROM THE FIRST APPOINTMENT I MADE. 
          AND EACH AND EVERY DAY I RECOGNIZE HOW DARN SMART I WAS. 
          BUT ACTUALLY IT CAME FROM ARGENTINA AND FOLKS THAT HAD WORKED WITH MARTHA CASTEX TATUM IN PREVIOUS EVENTS AND SERVING ON COUNCIL. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE, CAST TAYLOR. 
          SHE HAS MADE ME SUCH A BETTER MAYOR. 
          'CAUSE I'M NOT A VERY PATIENT PERSON. 
          SHE SAYS, HOLD IT DOWN. 
          OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, RANDY MAKA, A CAN-DO PERSON, GET IT DONE, IS OUR MOTTO AND LENCIA HORDE BUSINESS, OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. 
          A CHALLENGING JOB IN THESE, THIS ENVIRONMENT OF, QUITE FRANKLY, SOME OVERT ATTACKS ON DEI, MINORITY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. 
          SHE'S SMART, SHE'S INCLUSIVE. 
          I DON'T KNOW OF A TOUGHER JOB IN AMERICA TODAY THAN THE DEAL WITH THE ATTACKS ON OPPORTUNITY. 
          WE KNOW WE FEEL IT. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF TURMOIL IN OUR COUNTRY, CERTAINLY IN OUR MAJOR CITIES. 
          BUT THINK ABOUT TODAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. 
          OTHER CITIES ARE FIGHTING ON THE STREET. 
          WE'RE GATHERED HERE TO GIVE PEOPLE OPPORTUNITY. 
          WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING IN REAL TIME HOUSTON'S GREATNESS. 
          LOOK AROUND. 
          THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. 
          THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING IN BATTLES WHEN PEOPLE PROBABLY THAT THEY CAN'T WIN. 
          WE HAVE CONVICTIONS. 
          I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT WE'VE GOTTA BE SMART. 
          WHETHER IT'S THE STATE CAPITOL OR THE WHITE HOUSE, I KNOW, I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE UP TO. 
          THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO WORK TOGETHER. 
          I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM TO WITNESS SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 
          A FINANCIAL SYMPOSIUM FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED AN OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND THERE'S SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN THIS ROOM FROM THE FAITH COMMUNITY, FROM ADMINISTRATORS, SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS LIKE RAY TECH. 
          WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION. 
          WE'RE HERE, WE'RE BLESSED. 
          THERE'S PEOPLE DEPENDING ON US, THERE'S PEOPLE DEPENDING ON US. 
          AND I'M GONNA LEAVE HERE A BETTER MAYOR THAN THE ONE THAT GOT HERE. 
          'CAUSE I'M GETTING FIRED UP FROM THE ENERGY AND EXPERIENCE AND PASSION IN THIS ROOM. 
          I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT WILLIE DAVIS. 
          I DIDN'T KNOW HIM EITHER. 
          IN FACT, WHEN I GOT THERE, I WAS TOLD, FIRST THING I HAVE TO DO IS HAVE THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S SEATS ARRANGED. 
          I THOUGHT I GOT ELECTED TO FIX THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTHCARE. 
          FIRST DUTY I HAD WAS, WHERE DO YOU WANT COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SIT? AND I WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE AT CITY HALL, NO ONE WANTS TO SIT BY WILLIE DAVIS . 
          I SAID, WELL, WHOEVER SAID THAT, PUT HIM NEXT TO HIM. 
          . 
          [00:10:01]
AND GOING FORWARD, HE CAN SIT NEXT TO ME ANYWHERE I GO. 
          HE'S THE REAL DEAL. 
          HE'S NOT INTO SPIN. 
          HE'S IN INTO GETTING THINGS DONE FOR THIS ENTIRE CITY. 
          YES, HE WALKS THE WALK IN THIRD WARD, BUT HE GOES TO ALL THE OTHER COUNCIL DISTRICT MEETINGS TO REPRESENT THIS GREAT AT LARGE CITY THAT HE REPRESENTS. 
          SO LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS TODAY. 
          THANK YOU TO THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. 
          THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO GROW YOUR ENTERPRISES AND YOUR BUSINESS. 
          LET ME JUST CLOSE BECAUSE IT'S ON MY HEART. 
          I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC OFFICE SINCE 1972. 
          U OF H STUDENT. 
          SENIOR THOUGHT I WAS GONNA SAVE THE WORLD. 
          STILL GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, . 
          BUT I GOT ELECTED KNOCKING DOORS, GREW UP IN OAK CARS, GARDEN OAKS, GRADUATED FROM WALTER, TENDED TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THEN AT U OF H AND STAYED OUT MY SENIOR YEAR TO HELP FOLKS. 
          INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN MY TOUGH RACE. 
          YOU KNOW, DIVINE INTERVI, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE AT 22 AND STAY THERE 50 YEARS. 
          IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT ELECT ME AND KEPT ME THERE IN SHAPE AND MOLDED ME. 
          AND I'VE GIVEN THIS SERMON MANY TIMES ACROSS NORTHWEST HOUSTON, ACROSS ACRES, HOME AND GARDEN OAKS FOLKS, WE'VE COME A LONG WAYS, BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO. 
          AND WHEN I GOT ELECTED IN 72 CITY GOVERNMENT, COUNTY STATE SUPERINTENDENTS, HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM. 
          JUDSON ROBINSON WAS THE ONLY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER OF COLOR. 
          NO AFRICAN AMERICAN COUNTY COMMISSIONER OR CONGRESSMAN BARBARA JORDAN HAD TO DECIDE, YOU WANNA GO TO CONGRESS OR BACK TO THE CITY, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA DRAW BOTH DURING THE 71 REDISTRICTING. 
          SHE CHOSE CONGRESS. 
          WE WENT 10 YEARS WITHOUT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN STATE SENATOR IN THIS GREAT CITY. 
          SO MY POINT IS, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY NOW. 
          WE HAVE DIVERSE REPRESENTATION AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT AT THE CITY, AT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT. 
          BUT LET ME TELL YOU THE WORK AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS TODAY, THE ECONOMIC PATH. 
          I'VE SAID THIS ACROSS MY DISTRICT FOR YEARS AND YEARS. 
          DON'T BE FULL BECAUSE THEY GIVE US SOME DISTRICTS THAT ARE DIVERSE, BUT THEY'RE HOLDING ONTO THAT ECONOMIC PATH. 
          LOOK WHO GETS THE CONTRACTS. 
          WELL, LET'S GO UP TO THE STATE THAT I'M SO FAMILIAR WITH. 
          'CAUSE WE'RE KICKING TAIL IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH THE DIVERSITY TEAM THAT I HAVE HERE TODAY. 
          RANDY'S GOING TO ISSUE $500 MILLION OF CONTRACTS THIS YEAR, ROAD REPAIR DRAINAGE. 
          SO LITHIUM'S GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT IS DIVIDED EQUALLY. 
          BUT LOOK AT THE STATE. 
          YOU DON'T SEE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN ON THE PARKS WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT THAT DECIDES WHERE YOU SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE NEXT PARK OR THE HIGHWAY CONDITION THAT SPENDS BILLIONS. 
          SO LET ME JUST CHALLENGE YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT PROGRAM TODAY, AND YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T COME HERE TO LISTEN TO ME, BUT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AGAINST SOME CRITICS. 
          THEY DON'T WANT ME TO BE SUCCESSFUL. 
          THEY DON'T WANT US TO BE SUCCESSFUL. 
          CAN'T GET OVER THE LAST ELECTION, OR THEY WANNA RUN PROBLEM. 
          GO FOR IT. 
          BUT WE'VE GOT A MISSION TO ACCOMPLISH. 
          AND I HAVE CHALLENGE EACH AND EVERY ONE HERE TODAY. 
          COME TOGETHER. 
          LET'S BE INCLUSIVE. 
          LET'S HOLD OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE. 
          WE DON'T NEED RECEPTIONS AND RIBBON CUTTINGS. 
          THAT'S FINE. 
          IF YOU'RE INTO THAT. 
          WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTRACTS, AFFORDABILITY, KEEPING TAXES LOW, WHICH IS PART OF AFFORDABILITY AND GETTING THE JOB DONE. 
          I'M FIRED UP. 
          I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE CITY HALL AND WORK IN A MINUTE. 
          I'M LEAVE IT WITH YOU, BUT I'M A PHONE CALL AWAY. 
          LET'S GO TO COURT. 
          [00:15:02]
WOW, I FIRED UP TOO. 
          ARE YOU FIRED? UP, UP? AM I AT CHURCH OR AM I AT A, THIS, THIS, THAT WAS AMAZING. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER. 
          WE TRULY ARE A BLESSED CITY HERE IN HOUSTON, AREN'T WE? AND HOUSTON GETS IT DONE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR REMARKS. 
          WOW. 
          WE ARE NOW HONORED TO HEAR FROM ANOTHER DYNAMIC LEADER WHOSE VISION AND HARD WORK WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN SHAPING TODAY'S SYMPOSIUM. 
          MS. SEIA HORDE, DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, HAS BEEN A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND ADVANCING THE CITY'S M-W-S-P-E PROGRAM. 
          UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING TO STRENGTHEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS OWNERS TO ACCESS CAPITAL, BUILD CAPACITY, AND COMPETE FOR CITY CONTRACTS. 
          HER OFFICE HAS WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS TO BRING THIS INAUGURAL BANKING ON YOUR BUSINESS FINANCIAL SYMPOSIUM TO LIFE, CREATING A SPACE WHERE LENDERS, AGENCIES AND BUSINESS OWNERS CAN CONNECT AND COLLABORATE. 
          PLEASE JOIN ME NOW IN WELCOMING LY HOY PRESENTING IN A TED TALK STYLE FORMAT, ADDRESSING CAPITAL GAPS AND ADVANCING THE M-W-S-B-E PROGRAM. 
          I LIKE THIS MUSIC. 
          I I NEED THAT INTRODUCTION. 
          GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          Y EXCITED BECAUSE THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUILDING. 
          FIRST OF ALL, DO YOU KNOW THAT 80 TO 82% OF BUSINESSES GO OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE CAPITAL. 
          50% OF OUR NEW BUSINESSES FAIL IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS. 
          THAT'S HUGE. 
          THAT'S HUGE. 
          THAT'S NOT ONLY YOU IN THIS SPACE, THAT'S THAT NEW ENTREPRENEUR WHO HAS AN IDEA AND READY TO GET OUT THERE AND THEN BOOM, THERE'S NO MONEY. 
          SO I'M GONNA TELL YOU A STORY TODAY ABOUT A YOUNG MAN, UM, WHO STARTED TO WORK FOR HIS DAD AS PART OF, UM, HIS MECHANIC BUSINESS. 
          HE WORKED FOR HIS DAD THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. 
          HE WORKED FOR HIS DAD. 
          AS HE GOT OLDER, THEY EXPANDED TO A COUPLE OF GAS STATIONS, . 
          AND THEN HE WENT OFF TO THE VIETNAM WAR. 
          HE CAME BACK AND HE DECIDED TO WORK FOR A COUPLE OF COMPANIES. 
          AND AT SOME POINT HE SAID, I KNOW HOW TO DO THIS MYSELF. 
          LIKE A LOT OF US, YOU KNOW, I CAN DO THIS BETTER, I CAN DO THIS MYSELF. 
          SO HE BRANCHED OUT AND HE TALKED TO, UM, SOME HAIRCARE COMPANIES AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, I CAN GET YOU IN EVERY STORE IN THE COUNTRY. 
          AND THEY SAID, OKAY. 
          SO HE STARTED TO GO OUT AND TALK TO THESE STORES, WHICH MEANS HE GOTTA BUY THE PRODUCT, GET THE PRODUCT OUT, HE'S GONNA DO IT FOR PENNIES ON A DOLLAR. 
          AND HE REALIZED HE NEEDED WHAT TO DO IT SOME MONEY. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          AND HE WENT TO THE BANK, BUT HE, HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING. 
          HE DIDN'T HAVE A HOUSE YET. 
          HE'S VERY YOUNG. 
          HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY BIG SAVINGS, BUT HE HAD THIS DREAM. 
          HE KNEW THIS WAS SOMETHING HE COULD, HE COULD DO IT WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT. 
          SO WHAT HE DID WAS HE GOT AN AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD AND HE SAID, IF I CAN JUST GO MONTH TO MONTH, BUY THIS PRODUCT, GET IT OUT, MAKE SOME MORE MONEY, PAY IT OFF, GO MONTH TO MONTH. 
          AND HE DID THAT FOR A VERY LONG TIME, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. 
          AND FINALLY IT SAVED ENOUGH MONEY AND STARTED BANKING WITH A BLACK BANK. 
          HE KEPT PUTTING A LITTLE PIECE IN HIS BANK, PUTTING A LITTLE PIECE IN HIS BANK. 
          HE WAS ABLE TO COME BACK TO THAT BANK AND GET HIS FIRST LOAN. 
          AND SO WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING AT THAT TIME? AND HE SAID, I WAS THINKING, I CAN'T FAIL . 
          I GOT KIDS. 
          I GOT A WIFE. 
          I CAN'T FAIL. 
          HE SAID, SO I GOTTA MAKE IT WORK, HE SAID, BUT WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT WAS MONEY BEGETS MONEY. 
          MONEY BEGETS MONEY. 
          I'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN THAT. 
          UM, HE TOLD ME THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, I'M GONNA CLICK THROUGH MY DEPARTMENT 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT EVEN IMPORTANT TODAY, BUT I CLICK THROUGH IT. 
          SO TAKE PICTURES. 
          UM, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, MONEY BEGETS MONEY AND YOU GOTTA START SOMEWHERE 
          [00:20:02]
IF YOU CAN FIND A GOOD VENTURE CAPITALIST, WHICH HE COULDN'T AT THAT TIME. 
          THIS WAS 19 74, 75, HE COULDN'T FIND A VENTURE CAPITALIST. 
          THERE WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT GIVE YOU A LOAN FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW PEOPLE WOULD POCKETS TO EVEN ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. 
          AND SO HE VENTURED OUT TO ENSURE THAT HE COULD DO THAT. 
          AND I WANNA SAY TO YOU, IF YOU ARE AN ENTREPRENEUR, YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER, FIRST OF ALL, YOU DO THIS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO. 
          BUT NEVER STOP DOING IT BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS ALWAYS BENEFITING FROM YOU. 
          WHO ARE THE BENEFICIARIES? IT CAN BE YOUR FAMILY, IT CAN BE THE KID NEXT DOOR WHO WATCHES YOU TAKE THIS BUSINESS AND GROW. 
          IT COULD BE YOUR EMPLOYEES OR THE CONTRACTORS THAT YOU WORK WITH. 
          BUT EVERYBODY IN HERE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU START SOMEWHERE. 
          THE GENTLEMAN THAT I AM TALKING ABOUT IS MY FATHER, WHO IS A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR DISTRIBUTOR FROM THE SEVENTIES WHO GREW BUSINESSES LIKE AHE, UM, PROLINE, UM, HE WAS THE ONLY DISTRIBUTOR FOR ALL THE BLACK PRODUCTS IN THIS COUNTRY. 
          AND SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT A SMALL BUSINESS CAN'T DO IF YOU REALLY, REALLY, REALLY SEEK OUT THOSE THINGS. 
          BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS YOU GOTTA DO THE RIGHT WAY. 
          SO YOU GOTTA HAVE SOME MONEY TO GET MONEY. 
          YOU GOTTA PUT MONEY, BEGIN MONEY. 
          SO YOU GOTTA HAVE SOME SAVINGS. 
          YOU GOTTA HAVE SOMETHING TO LEVERAGE. 
          YOU GOTTA HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN GO TO. 
          VENTURE CAPITALISTS IS A BIG THING RIGHT NOW, AND YOU SHOULD BE FINDING THOSE GROUPS. 
          YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND IT WHERE THE ANGEL INVESTORS ARE FOR YOUR PRODUCT, FOR YOUR BUSINESS, WHERE THE VENTURE CAPITALISTS ARE FOR YOUR PRODUCT OR YOUR BUSINESS. 
          UNDERSTANDING WHICH BANKS DO BUSINESS WITH YOUR BUSINESS. 
          EVERY BANK DOESN'T LIKE EVERYTHING. 
          LIKE EVERYBODY DOESN'T LIKE EVERYBODY. 
          SO EVERY BANK DOESN'T LIKE EVERYTHING. 
          AND SO UNDERSTANDING WHICH BANKS HAVE AN APPETITE FOR WHAT IT IS YOU DO AND HOW THEY WANT TO SEE THAT PRESENTED TO THEM, HAVING A GOOD TEAM IS IMPORTANT. 
          WHO'S YOUR TEAM? WHO'S YOUR DREAM TEAM? WHO BELIEVES IN YOU? WHO HELPS YOU? WHO'S THERE REGARDLESS? IT'S ALL IMPORTANT. 
          AND IT ALL COMES BACK TO WHAT MONEY. 
          NOW, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE BIBLE SAYS MONEY ANSWERS WITH EVERYTHING. 
          AND SO IF YOU, IF YOU KNOW THIS, MAKE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP THAT WITH YOUR BANKER. 
          FIND A GOOD SOLID BANKING INSTITUTION, HOPEFULLY ONE IS IN THIS ROOM TODAY THAT YOU CAN SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO. 
          IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOUR BANK OR YOUR INSTITUTION WOULD BE INTERESTED IN? AND IF THE ANSWER IS YES, THEN I WOULD ADMONISH YOU TO PUT SOME MONEY IN THAT BANK, BUILD A TRACK RECORD WITH THAT BANK, CONTINUE TO SPEAK WITH YOUR BANKER, THAT LOAN OFFICER, BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT BANK, AND THEN YOU CAN COME BACK AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT I'VE DONE. 
          THIS IS HOW FAR I'VE GOTTEN. 
          CAN I LEVERAGE WHAT I HAVE? CAN I LEVERAGE SOMETHING? I'VE GOTTEN THESE VCS AND NOW I HAVE THIS PORTFOLIO. 
          CAN I LEVERAGE THAT TO GO A STEP FURTHER? SO WHAT I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH TODAY IS, FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR REALLY COMING. 
          I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR REACHING OUT TO ME. 
          UH, WE SAT TOGETHER AND WE BOTH AUTOMATICALLY HAD THIS VISION. 
          I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT SINCE I TOOK ON AS INTERIM DIRECTOR, THAT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BRING THE FINANCES TO PEOPLE. 
          UH, BRING THE GROUPS TOGETHER SO THEY CAN TALK. 
          SO THIS WILL BE THE FIRST AS, UH, MY BOSS, MAYOR MEYER SAID, THIS IS A FIRST AMENDMENT. 
          WE'RE GONNA KEEP DOING THIS. 
          UH, WE'RE GONNA KEEP DOING IT BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER, BECAUSE YOU HELP THE BANKS TOO, RIGHT? WHEN YOU INTERVIEWING THEM, WHEN THEY'RE INTERVIEWING YOU, YOU INTERVIEWING THEM, RIGHT? AM I JUST FIT FOR YOU OR YOU JUST FIT FOR ME? I MIGHT NOT LIKE YOUR PHILOSOPHY. 
          LIKE YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE MINE. 
          AND SO YOU WANT TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FIT. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP. 
          THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT MY FATHER BUILT WITH THAT VERY SMALL BANK AT BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA LASTED A LIFETIME. 
          HE'S RETIRED NOW. 
          HE SOLD HIS BUSINESS. 
          HE'S LIVING LA VIGA LOCAL WITHOUT ME. 
          AND, UH, HE TALKED TO ME THIS MORNING, , HE SAID, DO WHAT YOU DO. 
          I'M ABOUT TO GO MOW LAWN. 
          [00:25:01]
UM, HE LIKES TO RIDE HIS RIDING LAWN MOWER EVERY DAY, I THINK. 
          BUT THAT SAID, YOU TOO CAN LIVE LIFE OF ME ALONE LIKE MY DADDY. 
          UM, IF YOU REALLY, REALLY DO MAKE THESE RELATIONSHIPS WORK, GET WITH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, TALK TO PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM. 
          DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT A CARD. 
          DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A BANK. 
          IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A BANK, EXPLORE HAVING TWO OR THREE. 
          DON'T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET. 
          THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY, RIGHT? SO YOU GOTTA DIVERSIFY. 
          SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS MORNING. 
          I HOPE THAT THIS DAY WILL BE FRUITFUL FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM. 
          UM, AND I HOPE THAT WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE NEXT ONE. 
          AND DON'T FORGET, MONEY BEGINS MONEY. 
          THANK YOU MS. FORD FOR THAT INSIGHTFUL PRESENTATION. 
          LET'S GIVE HER ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE TIPS, HER PERSONAL STORY. 
          AND CAN WE JUST THANK HER DAD FOR BEING A TRAILBLAZER, BE A PART OF THE STORY FOR TODAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO WE ARE NOW MOVING INTO OUR FIRESIDE CHAT SESSIONS. 
          WE WILL HAVE FOUR OF THEM TODAY FEATURING AGENCY LEADERS, PRIME CONTRACTORS, AND FINANCIAL EXPERTS. 
          YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THIS MORNING REAL WORLD STRATEGIES FOR EXPANDING ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH AS TIME ALLOWS. 
          WE'LL TAKE A COUPLE OF AUDIENCE QUESTIONS DURING THESE SESSIONS TO GUIDE US THROUGH THESE CONVERSATIONS. 
          I GET TO RETURN THE FAVOR. 
          NOW I AM PLEASED TO PASS THE MICROPHONE TO PATRICK TREHAN, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS HILL DAY PUBLIC RELATIONS. 
          PATRICK WILL MC THE FIRESIDE CHAT PORTION OF THE PROGRAM AND HELP US CLOSE OUT THIS AFTERNOON. 
          ENJOY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH, MELINDA. 
          IT WAS REAL INTERESTING WHEN THE MAYOR CAME UP, THE CITY SEAL WAS SITTING HERE ON THE SCREEN AND YOU COULD HEAR THE TRAINS MOVING OUTSIDE THE WALL. 
          THERE'S A DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN THAT CITY SEAL AND THE TRAIN THERE. 
          AND THAT RAIL THAT RUNS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS WALL, THE COLUMBIA TAP IS FAMED. 
          IT WAS ONE OF THE SEVEN RAILS THAT LED TO THE SEA THAT LED TO THAT SEAL BEING WHAT IT IS TODAY. 
          SO THAT'S JUST AN INTERESTING NOTE. 
          SO WHILE YOU HAVE ENERGY IN AGGREGATE AND ALL THE HEAVY CARGO THAT HELPS TO FILL THE CITY RUNNING UP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS WALL, INSIDE THIS PLACE, WE'RE ABOUT TO MOVE THE CARGO, THE CASH, THE CAPITAL. 
          SO LET'S GET MOVING. 
          LET'S DO OUR JOB IN MOVING THE HEAVY STUFF. 
          OKAY, OUR MODERATOR FOR THE NEXT SESSION. 
          THIS FIRST SESSION IS THE HONORABLE MARTHA CASTEX TATU. 
          SHE'S THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE CITY COUNCIL. 
          UH, MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          AND COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D. 
          OKAY, K. 
          AND THAT AGAIN, IT'S K, IT'S K, IT'S K NOW THE SESSION ITSELF. 
          HOW OWNERS AND PRIMES ARE EMPOWERING SUBS THROUGH ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND INNOVATIVE PROCUREMENT METHODS. 
          HOW OWNERS AND PRIMES ARE GETTING ACCESS TO CASH. 
          JOINING US, MR. GREG REYES. 
          HE IS THE OWNER, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF RAY TECH RESOURCES. 
          MR. SCOTT HILL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND CHIEF INFRASTRUCTURE OFFICER, HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEMS. MR. RANDY MCKAY, DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND OTIS JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR METRO. 
          THE CHANNEL SESSION WILL LAST 25 MINUTES. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY. 
          HELLO, GOOD MORNING. 
          MORNING. 
          IT IS EXCITING TO BE HERE AND TO LOOK OUT ACROSS THE ROOM AND SEE ALL OF YOU HERE. 
          I AM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, THE MAYOR PRO TIM, AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER OF DISTRICT K . 
          AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE DISTRICT K IS, YOU'RE RIGHT IN IT NOW. 
          SO WELCOME TO DISTRICT A IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          WE'RE EXCITED, UM, TODAY FOR THIS, UH, FIRESIDE CHAT. 
          LET ME FIRST JUST SAY TO DIRECTOR WARD, WHO I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE WITH, UM, AS WE ARE FIGHTING TO MAINTAIN OUR MWBE PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERY HOUSTONIAN HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN CONTRACTING IN OUR CITY THAT EQUITY CLEARLY IS IN HER DNA. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT STORY 
          [00:30:01]
WITH US. 
          UH, THE ONE THING I WANT YOU TO LEAVE WITH TODAY, UM, WE HEAR A LOT OF CONVERSATION FROM PEOPLE AT MEETINGS LIKE THIS AND THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN DO I EVER HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET THE BANKER? YOU TALK A LOT ABOUT GETTING TO KNOW MY BANKER. 
          WHEN WILL I EVER HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE BANKERS? NOW IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO LEAVE KNOWING THIS. 
          YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR BANKER BEFORE YOU NEED YOUR BANKER. 
          SO GET TO KNOW THE BANKERS IN THE ROOM TODAY. 
          FIRST ON OUR LIST TODAY FOR THE FIRESIDE CHAT, UM, AS WE TALK ABOUT PATHWAYS FOR SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS ON LARGE SCALE PROJECTS, OUR PANELISTS, MR. GREG REYES, MR. SCOTT HILL, MR. RANDY MACKEY, AND MR. OTIS JOHNSON. 
          LET'S GO AHEAD AND START THE FOUNDATION OF OUR DISCUSSION TODAY. 
          WE'RE GONNA JUMP RIGHT INTO THE QUESTIONS. 
          DIRECTOR MACKEY, UH, BECAUSE I GET TO WORK WITH YOU EVERY WEEK, WE'RE GONNA THROW THE FIRST QUESTION TO YOU. 
          HOW COULD WE POSSIBLY BEGIN DESCRIBING YOUR ROLE AT HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND HOW IT CONNECTS TO HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE IN CITY PROJECTS? MOST PEOPLE OUT HERE, THEY WANT TO KNOW, HOW DO I GET IN WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON? WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT . 
          YOU KNOW, UH, THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE DO IN PUBLIC WORKS, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, HOUSTON'S PUBLIC WORKS AGENCY. 
          IT'S THE LARGEST ACCREDITED AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY. 
          UM, AND IT'S NOT BY A LITTLE BIT THE LARGEST. 
          IT'S BY A LOT THE LARGEST. 
          AND THAT GOES WITH THE SIZE OF OUR CITY TOO. 
          UH, HOUSTON, BY GEOGRAPHY, IT'S THE LARGEST BIG CITY IN THE COUNTRY. 
          AND NOT BY A LITTLE BIT, BUT BY A LOT. 
          AND THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE'VE GOTTA DO. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF ASSETS THAT NEED TO BE CATALOGED, MANAGED. 
          AND, AND, AND AS YOU HEARD THE MAYOR THIS MORNING, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. 
          UM, WE KNOW RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT WE'VE GOTTA PLAY CATCH UP ON FIXING A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR A LONG TIME. 
          MAYOR PRO TEM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, ALAMEDA PLAZA DITCH FOR A LONG TIME, RIGHT? HOW LONG HAS THAT BEEN THE SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION IN THE CITY? AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS, RIGHT? TODAY WE FINALLY HAVE A PATHWAY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THANKS TO LEADERSHIP FOR OUR MAYOR, WE ARE GETTING INTO ACTION. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S THE MESSAGE OF HOW DO WE CONNECT AND HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE THERE. 
          IT'S ACTUALLY GETTING INTO ACTION. 
          IT'S STOPPING THE TALK AND THE CHATTER AND ACTUALLY GETTING TO WORK. 
          MAYOR MENTIONED THAT THIS YEAR I'LL SPEND ABOUT HALF A BILLION DOLLARS. 
          WHAT HE WAS REALLY TALKING ABOUT WAS JUST ON OUR ROADS. 
          OVER THE NEXT DECADE, PUBLIC WORKS WILL SPEND MORE THAN $16 BILLION ON INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. 
          AND I HOPE AS YOU HEAR THAT NUMBER, WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IS OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND THAT'S NOT JUST THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR FIRMS, OUR CONSTRUCTION FIRMS, OUR ENGINEERING FIRMS. THAT'S OPPORTUNITY ALSO FOR OUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AS WELL. 
          BECAUSE YOUR INVESTMENTS IN THOSE FIRMS DOING THE WORK, IT'S A DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE CITY, WHICH IS A DIRECT INVESTMENT IN ALL OF YOUR CUSTOMERS LATER ON. 
          BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE A GREAT CITY, IF WE DON'T HAVE A SOLID FOUNDATION, A GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE RELY ON, WE DON'T HAVE A CITY AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE CUSTOMERS. 
          THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. 
          I'M GOING TO, UH, MOVE ON TO, BECAUSE RANDY COULD TELL YOU ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF, UH, THE WAY THE CITY WORKS AND IN PUBLIC WORKS. 
          BUT I WILL SAY, IF YOU ARE NOT A REGISTERED VENDOR WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, SEA DIRECTOR HOR AND HER TEAM, BECAUSE WE NEED FOR YOU TO BE A REGISTERED VENDOR WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE'RE GONNA JUMP TO MR. OTIS JOHNSON, THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AT METRO. 
          TALK TO US ABOUT THE PATHWAYS WITH SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR, UM, AT METRO? THANK YOU. 
          UH, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ALLOWING TO BE HERE. 
          IT'S EXCITING. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THE ALLOWING US TO BE A PART OF IT. 
          THE PATHWAY IS, IS IS NOT DIFFICULT IN TERMS OF MOVEMENT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO LEARN. 
          IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW METRO WORKS, IT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THROUGH THE PROCESS, RIGHT? SO IN TERMS OF PATHWAYS, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESS FIRST, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ACCESSIBLE. 
          WE HAVE A VERY STRONG ONBOARDING PROCESS. 
          WE SHOW FOLKS BY LOOKING AT THEIR COMPANY THROUGH BUSINESS ASSESSMENTS, TOOLS TO DETERMINE WHERE DO YOU FIT. 
          YOU KNOW, SHOULD YOU START AT THE $50,000 LEVEL? SHOULD YOU START AT THE $10 BILLION LEVEL, RIGHT? OUR PROCUREMENT HAS LANGUAGE, THEY'RE VERY STRONG FOR SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES. 
          SO FOR EXAMPLE, AT METRO, 
          [00:35:01]
IF YOU WANT TO CONTRACT WITH METRO AND THAT OPPORTUNITY HAS A SMALL BUSINESS CALL, RIGHT? YOU CANNOT GET THE CONTRACT UNTIL YOU SAY WHICH SMALL BUSINESS YOU'RE GOING TO USE UP FRONT, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PIVOTING, MAKING SURE THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES KNOW HOW THE PROCESSES WORK, HELPING THEM THROUGH OUR TRAINING SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT ACCESS AND CAPITAL AND ALL THROUGH THE THINGS THEY NEED TO KNOW. 
          SO, UH, WE ARE DOING A LOT, WE GET A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE TOP. 
          SO OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESSES ARE VERY STRONGLY TAILORED TOWARDS OUR SMALL BUSINESS. 
          AND I'LL END WITH THIS. 
          I'M TRYING NOT TO GO YES, , . 
          WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT CASH FLOW IS. 
          OUR PAYMENT TERMS FOR A PROJECT THAT HAS A GOAL IS 15 DAYS YOU CAN APPLY. 
          THAT'S GOOD. 
          SECONDLY, OUR PAYMENT POLICY IS FIVE DAYS. 
          WOW. 
          'CAUSE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO GIVE MONEY TO OUR SMALL. 
          HOW MANY PEOPLE WANNA DO BUSINESS WITH TRUCK, GET PAID IN 15 DAYS? WE LOVE THAT. 
          THANK YOU, UH, MR. JOHNSON FOR INCLUDING THAT INFORMATION. 
          AND I HOPE THAT YOU BROUGHT CARDS 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE HERE IS READY TO GET PAID IN 15 DAYS. 
          , WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT PROCUREMENT AND ACCESS NOW, AND I WANT MR. HILL, WHO'S REP REPRESENTING THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, TALK TO US A LITTLE ABOUT A BIT ABOUT HOW WE CAN ENSURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL CONTRACTORS ACROSS MAJOR AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. 
          THE PEOPLE WANNA KNOW, HOW DO I GET IN THE AIRPORT, SIR? SOUNDS GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WELL, FIRST OFF, I WANT THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND, UM, TO, TO INVITE US HERE. 
          I'M GLAD TO BE HERE ABOUT TO REPRESENT THE HOUSTON AIRPORTS AND TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE. 
          SO, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT RANDY WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP. 
          UH, WE HAVE, UH, LAST YEAR, 63 MILLION PASSENGERS CAME THROUGH OUR HOUSTON AIRPORT, BOTH BUSH AND HOBBY. 
          AND THE FAA IS PROJECTING US TO BASICALLY HAVE A 99% GROWTH IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS. 
          AND WE DID CATCH UP WITH THAT FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE AGENT INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          WE GOT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE UPON. 
          AND SO TO BE ABLE TO MEET THAT GROWTH, UH, WE GOT $40 BILLION IN, UH, ECONOMIC OUTPUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO WE GOT A LOT GOING ON. 
          UH, SO ONE THING THAT WE ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE DOES IS CHECK OUT THE FLY TO HOUSTON, UH, WEBSITE. 
          I SAW IT ON, UH, ON, UH, THE PREVIOUS FLIES. 
          GO ON THERE. 
          BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. 
          CHECK OUT THAT. 
          CHECK OUT THE LATEST, UM, UPDATES AND EMAILS. 
          GET ON THE EMAIL REGISTRY SO YOU CAN FIND OUT THE UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE COMING OUT. 
          AND THEN CHECK OUT OUR, UH, DESIGN CRITERIA MANUALS. 
          CHECK, CHECK OUT ALL OF, UH, THE BID DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS AND SEE THE TYPE OF, UH, PERCENTAGES. 
          A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WE DO IS, UH, GRANT FUNDED FA GRANT FUNDING. 
          I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGES GOING ON WITH THE DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES. 
          SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE UP TO DATE WITH ALL THAT INFORMATION AND BE READY TO, TO, UH, PUT YOUR NAME ON HAT AND, AND PUT A BID IN BECAUSE, UH, WE HAVE THINGS AIRFIELD RELATED, PAVEMENT, ELECTRICAL IT, ALL THAT STUFF GOING ON AT ALL THREE OF OUR AIRPORTS, BUSH, AVI, AND ELLINGTON. 
          AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO COME HELP US GET THIS STUFF DONE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH HAPPENING. 
          UH, WE'VE GOT BASICALLY THREE SMALL CITIES THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN, BUT ALSO BUILD SO WE CAN KEEP, UM, KEEP UP WITH THE PACE OF OUR GROWTH. 
          SO, UH, JUST KEEP MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SIGNED UP FOR THAT. 
          UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, WE GET OFF THE STAGE HERE, I'LL BE AROUND, WE GOT OTHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM HOUSTON AIRPORTS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR INDUSTRY DATA THAT WE, WE CARRY OUT EVERY, UM, EVERY YEAR. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, INTERIM, UM, TYPE OF MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR, UH, WHEN WE PARTNER UP WITH OBO AND THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. 
          SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND ALSO, IF YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, IF YOU ARE NOT SIGNED UP FOR THEIR NEWSLETTERS, MAKE SURE YOU DO THAT TODAY BECAUSE THEY PUT OUT A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING. 
          I DO WANT THE AIRPORT TEAM TO STAND, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE WALKING AROUND THE ROOM TODAY. 
          GET THEIR CARDS BECAUSE THEY CAN ALSO HELP YOU NAVIGATE, UM, THE OPPORTUNITIES AT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM. 
          THANK YOU ALL TO YOUR CARDS OUT, BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE MAKE GOOD CONNECTIONS. 
          AND THEN I WANNA JUMP INTO MR. GREG REYES' STORY, BECAUSE IF HE COULD DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT TOO. 
          AND QUITE FRANKLY, GREG NEEDS HIS OWN TED TALK BECAUSE HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO WORKED HIS BUSINESS FROM THE GROUND UP. 
          AND WHEN HE MADE IT, HE HAS REACHED BACK TO HELP OTHER BUSINESSES TO LEARN HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OTHER ENTITIES THAT PROVIDE PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES. 
          HE'S SUCH AN AMAZING MAN. 
          UM, AND I WILL TELL YOU, QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN I SEE RAY TECH ON A CONTRACT IN DISTRICT A, I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT BECAUSE GREG REYES DOES IMPECCABLE WORK, AND HE'S A MAN THAT KNOWS 
          [00:40:01]
THAT THERE IS ENOUGH FOR ALL OF US TO EAT. 
          AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHER COMPANIES HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT I HAVE HAD. 
          SO, MR. REYES, WHAT I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO IS TELL US HOW PRIME CONTRACTORS, UH, AND PUBLIC AGENCIES CAN BETTER SUPPORT FIRMS LIKE YOURS IN BUILDING LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS WITH SMALL SUBCONTRACTORS. 
          A LOT OF SUBCONTRACTORS WANT TO KNOW, HOW DO I GET WITH THE PRIME AND HOW DO I EVENTUALLY BECOME A PRIME? WELL, THANK YOU. 
          FIRST, LET ME, UM, THANK, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CAST STATE, UM, AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, FOR HAVING A VISION TO, TO ALWAYS REACH OUT. 
          BUT I, I WANT, I WANNA DO, I WANNA TAKE ONE, ONE, I WANT ALL OF YOU BUSINESS OWNERS. 
          I WANT AP I WANT YOU TO APPLAUD YOURSELF FOR BEING HERE. 
          I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO BE A PLEASURE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT. 
          LEARN ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. 
          AND LISTEN, WHILE I HAVE A, A FAIRLY LARGE SIZED BUSINESS, IT'S INGROWN. 
          I I STARTED OUT OF MY TRUCK AND I MADE, I MADE THESE MEETINGS EVERY WEEK, AND IT WAS ENGAGING AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. 
          BUT, AND I WILL JUST TELL YOU REAL QUICK, AND I'M GOING, I'M GOING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BUT I AM A PRODUCT OF, AT THE TIME IT WAS CALLED AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. 
          NOW IT'S CALLED SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM. 
          MY DIRECTOR AT THE TIME WAS BELMAN LAWS. 
          AND, AND MY, UH, MY ANGEL AT THE, AT, AT THE CITY, AT THE SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM OFFICE WAS, WAS ROGER HARRIS. 
          AND THEY MADE SURE THAT I WAS ENGAGED AND INVOLVED. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          DIRECT BOARD FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING IS SO IMPORTANT. 
          IF Y'ALL ARE NOT FOLLOWING OBO, YOU NEED TO BE, THAT'S WHERE THE ACTION IS. 
          IT'S ALL ABOUT EDUCATING YOURSELF. 
          UM, I, I AM, UH, BLESSED TO BE HERE. 
          I'M A NATIVE HOUSTON, AND BORN AND RAISED. 
          I LOVE MY CITY. 
          I GOTTA PING TO MYSELF WHEN I GET UP EVERY MORNING, UM, BECAUSE I'M IN THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD, AND I GET TO WORK WITH, UH, ALL THESE FINE FOLKS. 
          THERE'S JUST SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE. 
          BUT THERE ARE CHALLENGES AND, AND WE HAVE TO WORK AT THEM BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT. 
          I KNOW ON THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE, IT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. 
          IT'S THE COST OF ENTRY INTO THE BUSINESS IS, IS, IS, UH, YOU KNOW, ON OUR WATERLINE REPAIR CREWS, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 15 SOMETHING CONTRACTORS THAT WORK FOR US. 
          WELL, FOR, FOR EACH CREW, THEY HAVE TO HAVE ABOUT $200,000 WORTH OF EQUIPMENT. 
          AND THEN THEY GOTTA MAKE A PAYROLL EVERY WEEK. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, ACCESS THE CAPITAL FOR THEM IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. 
          UM, I WILL SAY, UM, UH, WORKING WITH THE CITY AND FOR METRO, UH, WE'VE DONE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF WORK FOR BOTH THE CITY. 
          AND WE'VE DONE A FAIR AMOUNT OF WORK FOR METRO AND THOSE BOTH THE CITY AND METRO AND AIRPORT SYSTEMS, WE JUST FINISHED A JOB OUT AIRPORT. 
          THEY ARE A WIDE OPEN TO, TO INVITING YOU TO COME IN. 
          YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THE HARD WORK OF LEARNING HOW TO, TO, TO GET INVOLVED IN THOSE BUSINESSES. 
          AND, AND THE OPPORTUNITY IS NO QUESTION THERE. 
          WHAT WE'VE DONE AS A COMPANY IS WE'VE CREATED A SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM FOR OUR CONTRACTORS BECAUSE WE'VE FOUND THAT A LOT OF FOLKS, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE CREDIT OR THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEIR BOOKS QUITE IN PLACE, COULDN'T GO TO A BANK TO GET A LOAN. 
          AND BY THE WAY, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU COULD EVER DO BEFORE YOU START A BUSINESS, IS MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF A BOOKKEEPER OR CPA, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART. 
          YOU MIGHT BE THE BEST AT WHAT YOU DO, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO EVER KNOW WHERE YOU ARE FINANCIALLY. 
          AND BANKS WANT TO SEE THAT AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY. 
          BUT WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT A LOT OF OUR GUYS WERE GOING AND DOING THIS FACTORING THING, WHICH WAS THEY WERE PAYING TWO AND A HALF, 3% ON THEIR INVOICE, WHICH WAS HORRIBLE. 
          AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE SAID, LOOK, GUYS, WE'RE GONNA LOAN YOU THE MONEY. 
          AND WE DID A DEAL WHERE WE PAID PEOPLE BIWEEKLY AND MONTHLY. 
          SO LONG AS YOUR WORK IS DONE AND ACCEPTED BY WHICHEVER AGENCY WE'RE WORKING FOR OR FROM OUR TEAM, YOU'LL GET PAID. 
          UH, BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY A FEE. 
          AND, AND, AND THE REASON WE CHARGE THE FEE IS BECAUSE IF, IF, IF YOU DON'T, YOU'LL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, THEN THEY'RE GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. 
          BUT IT'S WORKED OUT TREMENDOUSLY WELL. 
          WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW OUR SUBCONTRACTOR BASE AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME OF THE BEST BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THAT WORK DONE. 
          NOW, WITH REGARD TO THE CITY, UH, AND, AND, AND EVEN IN, AT METRO AND AT THE AIRPORT, I'M GONNA TELL YOU, IT IS NOT COMPLICATED. 
          UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO WORK, I STARTED, MY FIRST CONTRACT WITH THE CITY WAS, I WAS A SECOND TIER SUB FOR A CONTRACTOR THAT WAS A $275 DOOR REPAIR AT TRANQUILITY PARK. 
          AND I THINK THE NUMBER TODAY IS WELL OVER 
          [00:45:01]
$800 MILLION IN COMPLETED WORK FOR JUST THE CITY ALONE. 
          AND SO, IF I CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT. 
          THERE'S NOTHING HOLDING YOU BACK AT, AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY. 
          IT'S, UH, BUT YOU GOTTA WORK IT AND YOU GOTTA STAY COMMITTED TO IT. 
          UM, AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU, WE'RE SO BLESSED BECAUSE WE HAVE LEADERSHIP THAT CARES ABOUT GROWING AND DEVELOPING OUR BUSINESS. 
          YOU KNOW, SMALL BUSINESS IN THIS ECONOMY IS 48% OF OUR GDP. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          THEY ARE, THEY'RE NOT EXXONS AND CHIPS. 
          THEY ARE THE DRIVING ENGINE OF OUR COMMUNITY. 
          BUT, AND OPPORTUNITIES THERE, YOU, YOU JUST, YOU JUST GOTTA GO OUT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. 
          SO EVERYBODY, MAKE SURE YOU GET GREG REYES'S PHONE NUMBER SO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT  AND I'M HAPPY, I'M HAPPY TO, TO, TO, TO HELP. 
          HE AND HIS TEAM CAN DEFINITELY ANSWER. 
          AND I WILL SAY, COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M SITTING UP HERE. 
          I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU I'M SITTING UP HERE BECAUSE THERE ARE 434 PEOPLE AT RAY TECH TODAY IN FOUR DIFFERENT CITIES WORKING THEIR TAIL OFF TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN GET TO DO THIS TODAY. 
          AND ALWAYS REMIND PEOPLE, DON'T YOU EVER FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND YOU BETTER BE READY TO GIVE IT BACK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU SEE WHY I SAY HE NEEDS A 10 TALK. 
          MR. JOHNSON, UH, LET'S TALK AGAIN ABOUT METRO. 
          HOW HAS METRO'S BONDING AND FINANCIAL READINESS PROGRAMS HELPED SMALL CONTRACTORS PREPARE FOR PROJECT WORK? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE RECOGNIZE IS THAT, OBVIOUSLY BONDING IS A CHALLENGE. 
          UH, WE OFFER WORKSHOPS TO HELP EDUCATE IN THAT PROCESS. 
          WE BRING IN THOSE, UH, COMPANIES THAT CAN ASSIST YOU AS A SMALL BUSINESS IN THE PROCESS. 
          BUT ALSO WHEN WE HAVE A PROJECT, WE ONLY REQUIRE THAT THE PRIME BE BOUGHT SO THAT THE SUBS DON'T HAVE TO BE RIGHT. 
          SO THAT'S JUST A STRATEGY. 
          NOW, IF THIS CRIME DECIDES FOR RISK PURPOSES THAT THEY NEED TO FLOW THAT DOWN, THEN THEY CAN, RIGHT? BUT WE TEND TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF SAY, A 5% RETAINAGE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THOSE SUBS CAN PARTICIPATE BUT NOT CARRY THAT LOAD, RIGHT? SO THAT'S ONE OF THE STRONGEST THINGS THAT WE DO. 
          BUT AGAIN, WE WORK WITH A LOT OF OUR AGENCIES IN HELPING WITH EVENTS LIKE THIS, BUT JUST HELPING TO GET THE WORD OUT AND GOING, OKAY, HOW DO I GET STARTED? ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HELPS IS, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU WORK ON A PROJECT, LET'S SAY FIVE YEARS, AND YOUR BONDING IS TIED UP FOR WHAT, FIVE YEARS? NOT SO AT METRO. 
          OKAY. 
          WHEN YOUR WORK IS DONE AND SIGNED OFF ON YOUR BOND, MONEY IS RELEASED EVEN IF THE PROJECT IS NOT FINISHED. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE UNDERSTAND. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THAT IS REALLY GOOD INFORMATION TO KNOW. 
          DIRECTOR MCKEY TALK ABOUT, UM, ANY CITY INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT SMALL FIRMS WITH EARLY PAYMENTS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. 
          AND THEN I ALSO WANT YOU TO TOUCH ON HOW THE CITY'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF BREAKING DOWN SOME OF THOSE REALLY BIG PROJECTS TO GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SMALLER COMPANIES. 
          YEAH, I THINK, I THINK THAT THAT'S, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CITY RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE IN A, A TREMENDOUS PERIOD OF TRANSITION AND GROWTH. 
          UM, METRO'S GOT SOME GREAT INITIATIVES HERE THAT HAVE MADE IT REALLY EASY TO DO BUSINESS WITH METRO. 
          THE CITY'S NOT ALWAYS BEEN REALLY EASY TO DO BUSINESS WITH. 
          AND I THINK WE, WE'VE GOTTA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND UNDERSTAND IT. 
          WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE NEED MORE PROGRAMS AND HELP FOLKS OUT. 
          WE'VE GOTTA TAKE A LOOK AT THE CONTRACTING MECHANISMS AND SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE PUT ON OUR FOLKS, PARTICULARLY THE SMALL BUSINESSES AND PARTICULARLY OUR SUBCONTRACTORS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO NOT JUST BE PROTECTED, BUT THAT THE CITY'S PROTECTED AT THE SAME TIME. 
          AND AS WE GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S EASIER TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO SIGN UP AND BE ONE OF THOSE PARTICULAR VENDORS. 
          ONE OF THE BIG INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE UNDERTAKING RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF PRE-QUALIFYING FIRMS THAT WILL DO WORK WITH THE CITY. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS LONG BEEN DISCUSSED, BUT NOT A LOT OF ACTIONS TAKING PLACE. 
          AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO STAND UP THE PROGRAM WHERE, AS A VENDOR, WHETHER YOU'RE AN ENGINEERING FIRM, WHETHER YOU'RE A CONSTRUCTION FIRM, UH, OR ANYBODY ELSE, THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO BE PRE-QUALIFIED AND PUT INTO A POOL OF CANDIDATES SO THAT WHEN THE WORK OPPORTUNITIES COME UP, WE CAN GIVE YOU A CALL AND ASK, IF YOU'VE GOT CAPACITY TO HELP US OUT, THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT TREMENDOUSLY FASTER FOR US TO GET WORK DONE. 
          REMEMBER I SAID, $16 BILLION OF WORK OVER THE NEXT DECADE. 
          THE REALITY IS IF WE'RE GONNA GET THAT DONE, WE GOTTA GET WORKING TODAY. 
          AND IF IT TAKES US A COUPLE OF YEARS TO AWARD 
          [00:50:01]
A CONTRACT AND GET SOMEONE STARTED, WE'LL NEVER GET OVER THAT HUMP. 
          AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIG THINGS GOING ON. 
          IT'S ALSO GONNA MAKE SURE THIS PREQUALIFICATION PROCESS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SPREAD SOME OF THOSE WORK, UH, PROJECTS OUT THAT WE CAN, WE CAN BREAK 'EM DOWN INTO SMALLER PACKAGES SO THAT WE CAN AWARD 'EM TO MORE, UH, FIRMS OUT THERE AT A TIME SO THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PUT AS DIRECTOR HO SAID, ALL OUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET. 
          THANK YOU MR. HILL AT THE AIRPORT. 
          AS AIRPORT DEVELOPMENTS CONTINUE, HOW ARE NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS OPENING DOORS FOR SMALL FIRMS? TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORT AND HOW SMALL FIRMS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. 
          SURE. 
          UM, YEAH, WE, WE ARE, ONE OF OUR, UM, CORE VALUES IS INNOVATION AND BUILDING PLATFORM FOR FUTURE SUCCESS. 
          AND WE ALSO TAKE PRIDE IN THE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE WITH SUSTAINABILITY. 
          WE JUST HAD A RECENT, UH, 100%, UH, UTILIZATION OF THE SOLAR PV OVER AT HOBBY, UH, AIRPORT. 
          YOU GO IN THE GARAGE THAT, THAT THING'S A HUNDRED PERCENT GOING, GIVEN US A MEGAWATT OF POWER SO WE CAN HELP CURTAIL SOME OF THE POWER USAGE OVER THERE. 
          AND SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE DOING THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          AND SO IF YOU, UH, THOSE, ALL THESE PROJECTS BREAK DOWN TO, UH, ELECTRICAL TRADES OR, UH, ANY TYPE OF UNIQUE TYPE OF MATERIALS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PURCHASE SO THAT WE CAN, UH, MEET THOSE, UH, LEAD STANDARDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT'S GONNA HELP US GET THOSE, NOT NECESSARILY THE POINTS, BUT JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE BEING SUSTAINABLE, WE'RE BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR HOW WE'RE BUILDING THINGS. 
          AND SO THERE'S A, AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES, UH, WE, WE ARE, WE PARTNERED UP WITH, UH, FIRMS LIKE, UM, UH, TEXAS A AND M ENERGY SYSTEMS LABORATORY, WHO'S GOING OUT THERE AND DOING ENERGY AUDITS AND IDENTIFYING THINGS, WHETHER, WHETHER IT'S OUR HVAC, UH, SYSTEMS THAT ARE, WE HAVE UNITS OUT THAT ARE, THAT ARE AGING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, IDENTIFYING THOSE THAT WE CAN GET MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT UNITS IN THERE. 
          AND THESE ARE SMALLER PROJECTS THAT WE CAN HAPPEN AT ALL THREE AIRPORTS TO MAKE SURE. 
          SO IF YOU'RE A MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR AT, WE START IDENTIFYING THESE THINGS AND COMING OUT AND PUTTING THESE OUT FOR BID BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO ARE, DO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION BY HAVING WORKING UNITS, BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE EXPERIENCING THE, THE ENERGY SAVINGS AND THE EFFICIENCIES THAT WE HAVE GAINED BY REPLACING THESE THINGS. 
          SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPENING. 
          WE'RE ALSO GOING OUT, UH, EVERY ONE OF OUR INTERFLOW PROJECTS TRYING TO CHANGE ALL OF OUR, UH, LIGHTS, GOT MILLIONS OF LIGHTS OUT THERE, UM, LED. 
          UM, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN, IN THAT, MAKE SURE YOU'RE, UM, PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTUAL WORK, UH, ANY OF THE MATERIALS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR, FOR CHANGING THOSE OUT. 
          SO, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE COMING DOWN THE LINE. 
          A LOT OF STUFF ON THE MECHANICAL SIDE, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO TRY TO IMPROVE OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UH, MAKE SURE LEADING OUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS. 
          GREG, SCOTT, RANDY AND OTIS, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU'ALL FOR BEING AN ALL-STAR PANEL AND MAKING MY JOB EASY. 
          UH, AS WE MOVE TO OUR CLOSING REFLECTIONS, I'D LIKE FOR EACH OF YOU TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, IF YOU COULD LEAVE ONE MESSAGE FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE TODAY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? AND WE'LL START WITH GREG GRAY AS THE GREAT TECH. 
          YEAH. 
          MY MESSAGE WOULD BE TO BE PRESENT, UM, AND, AND TO, AND TO PARTICIPATE. 
          IF YOU'RE NOT THERE SEEKING OUT THAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, IT, IT, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN. 
          IT, IT'S JUST NOT. 
          YOU GOT, YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA DO THAT. 
          I KNOW IT'S HARD 'CAUSE YOU GOT, YOU GOTTA GET THE WORK DONE, RIGHT? WHATEVER IT IS YOUR BUSINESS IS, BUT PRESENT, IT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT, UH, UH, UNDERSTANDING, KNOWING WHERE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE. 
          AND, AND WE LIVE IN A BLESSED PLACE WHERE, I MEAN, RANDY'S GOING TO, AND RANDY'S GONNA SPEND $16 BILLION IN 10 YEARS. 
          DO THE MATH, DR. 
          DR DRIVE THAT DOWN ON A MONTHLY BASIS. 
          IT'S, AND THAT'S JUST, RANDY METRO IS RIGHT BEHIND HIM AND THE AIRPORTS RIGHT BEHIND HIM. 
          SO, TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY, BUT YOU GOTTA BE PRESENT. 
          YOU GOTTA BE THIS, THAT'S A GREAT MESSAGE. 
          WE HEAR FROM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. 
          A LOT OF TIMES THEY SAY, BUT I'M TRYING TO MAKE THE PAYROLL. 
          I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE ALL THE WORK IS COVERED. 
          BUT THE ADVICE IS PUT IN THE HARD WORK NOW SO THAT LATER YOU CAN SIT ON THE PANEL WHILE 400 EMPLOYEES ARE OUT. 
          IT'S, IT'S A FACT. 
          I I CAN DO IT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT, IT, YOU GOT, YOU GOTTA BE THERE, YOU KNOW? THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RAY, FOR BEING HERE. 
          MR. HILL, IF YOU COULD LEAVE ONE MESSAGE FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE TODAY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? WE HAVE A LOT. 
          I MEAN, UH, WE'VE SPENT HAPPY FIVE, 10 YEARS ON OUR INTERNATIONAL TERMINALS. 
          WE'VE GOT DOMESTIC REDEVELOPMENT COMING UP. 
          WE'VE GOT THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE HAPPENING THAT WE WANT THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE ECONOMY TO BE PART OF THAT. 
          AND IT IS REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HELP CONNECT PEOPLE, UH, AND THROUGH THE AIRPORT SYSTEM. 
          SO WE JUST INVITE YOU ALL TO, UH, BE, COME, BE PART 
          [00:55:01]
SOMETHING SPECIAL IN HELPING US, UH, BUILD OUR, OUR AIRPORT SYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE GROWTH. 
          AND THAT'S REALLY GONNA HELP THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND HOUSTON REGION, UM, TO, TO MANY YEARS TO COME. 
          SO COME ON DOWN. 
          AND WE GOT A LOT, A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND WE HEAR A LOT ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AT THE AIRPORT AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS AT THE AIRPORT. 
          THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH. 
          IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN OUR AIRPORTS LATELY, THEY ARE AMAZING AND DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THE NEWS AND THINK THAT IT'S BAD, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF GROWING PAINS WHEN WE GET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT. 
          HOUSTON WILL BE A TOP TIER AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY. 
          I MEAN, HOBBY IS ALREADY FIVE STAR. 
          UM, IAH OUR AIRPORT SYSTEM IS PHENOMENAL. 
          AND SO THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE, AND WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM ALSO HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN MAKING SURE OUR AIRPORTS ARE THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. 
          MR. MCKAY, TELL US, WHAT WOULD BE THE ONE MESSAGE YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE TODAY? I WOULD SAY DON'T SELL YOURSELF SHORT. 
          YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU'RE GONNA SEE OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE, AND ESPECIALLY AS A SMALL BUSINESS, YOU MAY THINK THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO BIG FOR YOU, BUT AS I HEARD GREG'S STORY WITH A $475 DOOR, 200, 270 $5 DOOR, RIGHT? , LISTEN, WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR. 
          DON'T SELL YOURSELF SHORT. 
          YOU'VE GOTTA MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S OUT THERE. 
          EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE SUPER COMPETITIVE TO START GETTING IN THE PROCESS IS WHAT'S GOING TO GET YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS LATER. 
          SO JUST GIVE IT A TRY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND MR. OTIS, WHAT IS THE ONE MESSAGE YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE TO THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY TODAY? I, I PROMISE HELEN CO. 
          THAT I WOULD NOT SAY A DAD JOKE, SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH NO, JUST KIDDING, . 
          UM, I, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID. 
          I'M GONNA TAKE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DETOUR AND THAT IS ABOUT YOUR MINDSET, OKAY? AND I HAVE THIS PHILOSOPHY, SO I NEED TO DO A QUICK SURVEY. 
          HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE YOUR PHD IN BUSINESS? BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR PHD IN BUSINESS, YOU'LL NOT SUCCEED. 
          NOW LET ME HELP YOU WITH THAT. 
          I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN HONORARY PHD TODAY, OKAY? SO YOU CAN RELAX  ONE. 
          THE P IS FOR BE PROFESSIONAL. 
          I DON'T CARE HOW YOU FEEL WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING WHEN YOU'RE ENGAGING. 
          ALWAYS BE PROFESSIONAL. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          NUMBER TWO, THE H IS FOR HUNGRY, NOT HUNGRY HOME. 
          RIGHT? BE HUNGRY. 
          AND D IS STATE DISCIPLINED, AND IF YOU FOLLOW THAT PARENT, I BELIEVE YOU'LL CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR THOSE HONORARY PHDS, . 
          WE WILL NOW OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL. 
          IF WE COULD GET ONE PERSON THAT MAYBE HAS A PRESSING QUESTION THAT SAID, THERE'S AN ALL-STAR CAST ON THE STAGE, AND I WANT TO KNOW THIS. 
          WHO IS THAT PERSON OUT THERE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WANTS TO ASK THAT ONE QUESTION? HELEN COLLIER. 
          OF COURSE. 
          . 
          THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. 
          UH, THANKS EVERYBODY FOR BEING ON STAGE. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S HUGE. 
          UH, RANDY, UH, THE, UH, DIRECTOR, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD WITH A LOT OF THE LARGE PROCUREMENTS, UH, WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PRE-PROPOSAL MEETINGS TO BE IN PERSON OR WILL THEY CONTINUE TO BE VIRTUAL? THANK YOU, HELEN COUNTY. 
          WE'RE PERFECT. 
          US NOW. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THE ANSWER IS YES. 
          THE ANSWER IS YES. 
          WE, WE ARE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY IN AS MANY WAYS AS POSSIBLE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GIVE IT UP FOR GREG REYES OF RAY TECH. 
          MR. SCOTT HILL OF THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, MR. THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, AND MR. OTIS JOHNSON, THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AT METRO. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          THAT'S COUNCIL DISTRICT K. 
          DISTRICT K IS ACTIVE IN MOVING. 
          JUST A QUICK NOTE, ON OCTOBER 29TH, WE'RE REACTIVATING SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 40, 
          [01:00:01]
THE MEETING ON OCTOBER 29TH. 
          TAKEAWAYS AT THE HAR PRESTON, UH, POLICE SUBSTATION, JUST ONE OF THE MANY THINGS WE DO. 
          SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS BRING PROJECTS TO NEIGHBORHOODS, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 
          THEY MEAN BUSINESS. 
          OUR NEXT MODERATOR IS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COCH, UH, UH, CHAPTER CO-CHAIR FOR SCHOOL OF HOUSTON. 
          SHE IS NIKITA GROVE AND SHE WILL MODERATE OUR SESSION ON CAPITAL ACCESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY, A CONVERSATION WITH BANK LEADERS. 
          THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WITH THE CAPITAL. 
          JOINING US IS MR. NASHAN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF LENDING OFFICER FOR WALLACE BANK. 
          MR. MARCUS VASQUEZ, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CRA AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR STELLAR BANK. 
          AND MR. DAVID LOPEZ, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. 
          THANK YOU ALL. 
          COURTNEY TAYLOR, EXECUTIVE AND VICE PRESIDENT OF STELLAR BANK OF STELLAR BANK OF ANCE BANK. 
          OKAY, I WANNA MAKE A BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT. 
          THE MONEY IS HERE. 
          SO, UM, I WANNA FIRST START OFF BY, UH, RECOGNIZING THERE COULD NOT BE A BETTER PANEL OF INDIVIDUALS TO COME AND SPEAK TO YOU ALL ABOUT MONEY AND ABOUT HOW TO ACCESS CAPITAL WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          UM, IF YOU ALL DON'T MIND, TAKE A BRIEF SECOND TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO THE AUDIENCE AND ALSO LET THEM KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION YOU ALL REPRESENT. 
          SOUNDS GOOD. 
          AND GOOD MORNING. 
          UH, MARCUS VASQUEZ WITH STELLAR BANK. 
          UM, BEEN WITH THE BANK FOR, UH, QUITE A WHILE. 
          WE JUST, UH, RECENTLY WENT THROUGH A TRANSITION A COUPLE YEARS AGO, TOOK TWO LEGACY BANKS HERE AT HOUSTON. 
          VERSION TOGETHER, CREATED STELLAR BANK, SO WE DO A LOT OF COMMERCIAL LENDING THERE. 
          UH, I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OVER OUR COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AREA AS WELL AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. 
          SO MY PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO ENSURE, UH, WELL FIRST OFF THAT WE KEEP, UH, FEDERAL RESERVE HAPPY FROM A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE, BUT I'LL ALSO MAKE SURE, AND I, AND I OVERSEE OUR FUNCTIONS IN WHICH WE'RE REINVESTING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. 
          UH, WHETHER IT BE FROM A MORTGAGE PERSPECTIVE, SMALL BUSINESS LENDING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, INVESTMENT SERVICES, THAT ALL FALLS, UH, KIND OF IN MY, MY AREA OF OVERSIGHT. 
          SO, UM, LUCKILY ON THIS PANEL WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, FAMILIAR FACES. 
          I WOULD SAY PROBABLY PARTNERS FROM THE CRA PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INVEST IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE HERE. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN DAVIS. 
          UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER, THANK YOU  FOR INVITING US TO BE HERE. 
          SO APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          GOOD, GOOD MORNING. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          I'M COURTNEY TAYLOR, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AT VEREX COMMUNITY BANK. 
          I'VE BEEN WITH THE INSTITUTION NOW FOR SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS, AND, UH, NEXT WEEK WE WILL ACTUALLY BE VEREX BANK, A PART OF THE HUNTINGTON BANK FAMILY. 
          SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT, UH, THE CHANGES IN TRANSITION THAT IS HAPPENING. 
          UM, THERE'S BE SOME, SOME GREAT THINGS HAPPENING, UM, IN MY NEW ROLE WITH THE, UH, NEW BANK. 
          SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU ALL HERE WITH ME THIS MORNING SO WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE WORK THAT WE GET A CHANCE TO DO IN, UH, THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE LOOKS LIKE LITTLE EARLIER, SO IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, LIKE MAYBE IF WE CAN ALL STAND UP AND GIVE YOURSELF, RELAX AND GIVE YOURSELF A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE. 
          EVERYONE. 
          LOUD, LOUD. 
          APPLAUSE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          NOW I CAN GO HOME AND TELL MY WIFE WHAT KIND OF A RECEPTION I RECEIVED. 
          , I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN. 
          UH, MY NAME IS NASER NAULA KHAN. 
          UM, PEOPLE CALL ME NASER, WHATEVER YOU CAN CALL AS LONG AS YOU CALL ME. 
          I AM FROM WALLACE BANK. 
          I'M AN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, UH, HANDING ALL THE LENDING SIDE OF THE BANK AND WHATEVER. 
           SAID, THIS 
          [01:05:01]
IS THE REAL BANK FOR YOU. 
          AND IF YOU REALLY NEED ANY KIND OF A FACILITIES OR ANYTHING, WE HAVE BEEN SERVING, UM, HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, AND, UM, WE ARE ONE OF THE LEADING SPA LENDER IN TOWN. 
          WE ALWAYS TALK THE LIST. 
          AND THIS YEAR ALSO, WE HAPPEN TO BE NUMBER ONE BANK COMMITTEE BANK IN HOUSTON AREA. 
          SO WE GOT THIS. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. 
          I WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH CORE. 
          I HAVE MY FRIEND THERE AND, UH, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, HVDI AND HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL. 
          ASK FOR IT. 
          WALLACE BANK IS TRULY A COMMUNITY BANK. 
          WE CAN HELP WHOEVER AND MAKE THEIR DREAMS COME TRUE. 
          SO THANK YOU ALL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WELL, I WANTED TO START OFF THE FIRST QUESTION WITH MS. TAYLOR. 
          WHAT STRATEGIES DOES YOUR BANK EMPLOY TO BE LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH SMALL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOCUS ON DOING, JUST LIKE EARLIER, THE GENTLEMAN WERE SPEAKING ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, AND IT TRULY IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND COMING OUT TO EVENTS LIKE THIS, UM, AND CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE ONE-ON-ONE. 
          UM, WE'VE GOT A WOMEN IN BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP WHERE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, MONTHLY FUNCTIONS WHERE LADIES CAN COME OUT AND LEARN ABOUT VERTEX AND WHAT THE PRODUCTS ARE THAT WE OFFER TO TALK ONE-ON-ONE. 
          UM, WE PARTNER WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UH, CD FFIS, LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO TALK ABOUT THE SERVICES AND PRODUCTS THAT WE DO OFFER. 
          SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF SHOWING UP. 
          YOU SHOW UP, WE'RE SHOWING UP, AND WE CREATE THOSE, UM, RELATIONSHIPS. 
          I'M ALWAYS PHONE NUMBER, UH, LINKEDIN, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED. 
          IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T DO, I DON'T PHONE AND CALL MARCUS, RIGHT? I CAN CALL NASSAR. 
          I CAN CALL OTHER, UM, FAMILIAR FACES THAT I KNOW SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. 
          IT TAKES THE VILLAGE AND YOU JUST SHOWED THAT AS AN EXAMPLE. 
          YES. 
          SO, MR. CON, I WANNA ASK YOU, IN THIS CURRENT ECONOMY, IS THERE ARE MONEY AVAILABLE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES? ONE THING ABOUT, UH, I CAN TELL YOU, PLEASE DON'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. 
          YOU'RE LIVING IN THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON EARTH. 
          THIS IS A COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE CAN MAKE THEIR DREAMS COME TRUE. 
          FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE SERVED IN SO MANY COUNTRIES, WHICH THE OPPORTUNITIES OVER HERE IS ANONYMOUS. 
          THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE. 
          YOU KNOW, WHETHER THINGS, YOU MAY LOOK AWAY FOR SOMEBODY AND THINGS CAN LOOK BAD. 
          IT'S A LITTLE BAD EXAMPLE. 
          I WILL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, I FINANCED THE SYMMETRY JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED AND IT WAS IN CORPUS CHRISTI AND THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED. 
          IT WAS A WORSE SITUATION. 
          PEOPLE WERE, BUT HONESTLY, THIS GUY, AFTER PANDEMIC HAPPENED AFTER TWO, THREE YEARS, HE CAME IN AND PAID OFF HIS WHOLE LOAN. 
          BUT I'M JUST SAYING THE OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER IT'S THE SITUATION CAN BE BAD OR , BUT THERE IS ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE AS FAR AS THE CAPITAL IS CONCERNED. 
          THE BANKS ARE STILL ENDING. 
          THE MARKET IS GOOD. 
          THE INTEREST RATE HAVE GONE LOWER WITH QUARTER PERCENT. 
          AND THIS, UH, WHAT SV HAS DONE RECENTLY IS ANY PERSON WHO IS IN MANUFACTURING, YOU KNOW, UP TO 975,000, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE FEE. 
          THE BANK, IF YOU HAVE ATTENDED THIS, UH, UM, A SESSION, AND IF YOU COME TO ME AND SAY, I ATTENDED THE SESSION, YOU CAN SHOW ME SOME PROOF UP TO $2,500, THE BANK, WALLACE BANK WILL WAIVE THAT FEE FOR YOU FOR JUST AN APPLICATION FEE. 
          SO THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE IF YOU WANT TO APPLY RIGHT NOW. 
          THE THING IS, THE SB UH, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE OFFICES ARE CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, BUT YOU CAN STILL APPLY. 
          IT'S A GOOD TIME. 
          YOU CAN COME AND TALK TO US, TALK TO THE BANKS. 
          MY BANKERS ARE ALSO AT THE BANK. 
          SO IF YOU CAN GO TALK AND YOU CAN STILL SUBMIT THE APPLICATION, THE PROCESS IS STILL THERE AND IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND WE CAN SUBMIT AND PUT YOUR LOAN ON A QUEUE. 
          WHEN THEY OPEN UP, THEY CAN APPROVE THE LOANS PRETTY QUICK. 
          SO THINK ABOUT SVA IS VERY MUCH OPEN, THE MONEY IS AVAILABLE AND, AND WE MAKE THE THINGS HAPPEN FOR ANYBODY STARTUP OR IF THEY HAVE EXPANSION. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. 
          MR. VASQUEZ, COULD YOU PLEASE SHARE A SUCCESS STORY FROM YOUR BANK, UM, THAT HAS BENEFITED A SMALL BUSINESS, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          UH, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE ABOUT SWEAT ? UM, NO, THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST PARTS ABOUT THE JOB IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY IS, UH, SEEING THOSE BUSINESSES, UM, EXPAND AND GROW. 
          UM, AS A BANKER, YOU HAVE A LOT OF UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES 
          [01:10:01]
THAT, THAT YOU CAN LEVERAGE. 
          AND THIS IS, UH, I GUESS REALLY THIS ISN'T EVEN A, WELL, IT'S A SUCCESS STORY, BUT, UH, SO WE'RE ALL HOUSTONIANS HERE, NATIVE HOUSTONIANS, AND I CAN THINK OF A TIME WHERE THE BANK WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND ALSO HAS TO DO WITH WHEN WE'RE HIT THE HARDEST. 
          AND IT'S USUALLY DURING TIME OF A NATURAL DISASTER. 
          SO, UH, WE WERE HIT DURING HURRICANE HARVEY. 
          UM, AS WE ALL REMEMBER, UH, IT WAS PRETTY HARD. 
          A LOT OF OUR BUSINESSES TOOK KIDS. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S REALLY WHEN COMMUNITY BANKS AND LOCAL BANKS STEP UP AND, AND REALLY SHINE. 
          UH, I REMEMBER RIGHT AFTER THAT TIME, A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES WERE SHUT DOWN. 
          AND, AND AS A LOCAL COMMUNITY BANK, WE'RE MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK OF DALLAS. 
          AND WE HAVE ACCESS TO GRANTS AND FUNDING THAT ARE TYPICALLY NOT AVAILABLE DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC. 
          YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A MEMBER BANK, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER IS THAT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE ACCESS TO THINGS THAT COULD BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS OR THE COMMUNITY, BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE A PARTNER BANK. 
          SO DURING THIS TIME, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO AWARD SEVERAL BUSINESSES, ACTUALLY QUITE A FEW, UH, UH, I THINK WE ACCESSED ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS THAT WE PROVIDED TO BUSINESSES HERE. 
          BUT, UM, I, I, I REMEMBER ONE, IT WAS A SMALL SANDWICH, UH, GRILL THERE IN THE FIFTH WARD AREA. 
          AND, UM, HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW US. 
          LIKE I JUST, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HEARD HE WAS NEEDING, UH, SOME SUPPORT CALLED HIM. 
          AND, UH, HE, HE THOUGHT IT WAS A SCAM, . 
          HE WAS LIKE, SO, SO YOU'RE JUST GONNA GIVE ME A GRANT? I SAID, WELL, YEAH. 
          I SAID, WHY NOT? I SAID, IF WE HAVE ACCESS TO IT AND WE CAN KEEP YOUR BUSINESS GOING, THAT'S GONNA KEEP JOBS, THAT'S GONNA KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED, THAT'S GONNA PROTECT THEIR HOME. 
          AND ULTIMATELY, MAYBE ONE DAY YOU, YOU'LL COME TO US FOR BUSINESS. 
          SO, UM, TIME WENT ON. 
          HIS BUSINESS DID WELL. 
          HE DID BECOME A CUSTOMER IN THE BANK. 
          BUT, UM, I THINK ABOUT THAT, I THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC WITH THE PPP LENDING. 
          UH, I KNOW OUR INSTITUTION WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST PPP LENDERS IN THE CITY. 
          AND TO SEE THAT SUPPORT GO OUT TO OUR CUSTOMERS IN THE COMMUNITIES IS HUGE. 
          AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT CRA AND COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT THAT, THAT WE REALLY LIKE TO, TO PROVIDE BACK TO BACK TO THE CITY. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. 
          SO THIS QUESTION IS FOR EACH OF YOU TO ANSWER. 
          HOW DOES YOUR BANK COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NON-PROFITS TO ENHANCE CRA INITIATIVE? I'LL START. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO I'M, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING INVOLVED WITH QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT ENTITIES. 
          UM, I ACTUALLY SIT ON THE BOARD FOR THE GREATER HOUSTON WOMEN'S CHAMBER AND I AM THE CO-CHAIR OF THEIR, UH, WOMEN'S SMALL BUSINESS CENTER. 
          AND ON A MONTHLY BASIS WE HOST, UH, FREE WORKSHOPS, FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPS. 
          UH, WE'VE HAD CITY OF HOUSTON, WE'VE HAD LOCAL CDFIS PROVIDING INFORMATION ON MANAGING YOUR FINANCIALS, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH BANKS. 
          UM, SO I'VE HAD BANKERS COME ON THERE AND TALK ABOUT JUST EXACTLY WHAT WE DO IN PROVIDING, UH, DIFFERENT PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AND JUST ADVICE, YOU KNOW, TO LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES. 
          ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE HOUSTON AREA GALVESTON COUNCIL, THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. 
          THEY'RE ACTUALLY HERE TODAY, BUT I SIT ON THAT BOARD AS WELL. 
          AND THEY HAVE A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, TO GET, YOU KNOW, LENDING OPPORTUNITIES FROM. 
          AND SO WITH, UH, THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS, LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, LIKE THE LIFT FUNDS, THE TRUE FUNDS, UM, PEOPLE FUND, HBDI, ALL OF THESE GREAT INSTITUTIONS THAT WE GET A CHANCE TO WORK WITH, WE MAY DO, UM, YOU KNOW, PARTNERSHIPS AND POST DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS THAT ARE FOR FREE OR VERY LOW COST IN THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE, UM, JUST INFORMATION THAT FOLKS NEED, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 
          UM, MANY TIMES THERE MAY BE IN PERSON, BUT THEY ARE VIRTUAL. 
          WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY TO GET, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED, WHETHER THEY'RE AT WORK, YOU KNOW, OR AFTER WORK, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY LOOK LIKE. 
          SO, UM, IT'S REALLY JUST RELATIONSHIPS. 
          I WORK WITH PROBABLY ABOUT 50 DIFFERENT NON-PROFITS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON, TEXAS AREA, AND THEN ALSO ABOUT 50 TO 60 IN DALLAS FORT WORTH AS WELL. 
          SO WE ARE, UM, DOING OUR PART, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE GET THE INFORMATION FROM THE FINANCIAL LITERACY ASPECTS, BUILDING PERSONAL CREDIT, BUILDING BUILD, UH, BUSINESS CREDIT, UM, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, MANAGING FINANCIALS, JUST GETTING THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN BUSINESS. 
          UM, SO I WAS JUST GONNA KIND OF PIGGYBACK WITH, WITH, UH, WHAT COURTNEY PROVIDED. 
          SO FROM A CRA PERSPECTIVE, UH, QUICK CO CRA 1 0 1, UH, FOR THE ROOM, FROM A SMALL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, UH, FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT AWARE, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ARE REGULATED FROM THIRD REGULATOR, WHETHER IT BE THE FDIC, THE FED, THE OCC, AND THEY GET EVALUATED FOR CRA COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT. 
          EACH INSTITUTION HAS TO FOLLOW AND GO THROUGH, UH, THREE TESTS PRIMARILY THROUGH A LARGE BANK. 
          FROM A SMALL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, BANKS 
          [01:15:01]
ARE EVALUATED ON THEIR LEVEL OF LENDING TO BUSINESSES LOCATED IN LOW TO MODERATE INCOME TRACKS INTO BUSINESSES WITH REVENUES OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR LESS. 
          SO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I'M JUST GONNA SHARE THIS, 9.2% OF BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON ARE LOCATED IN LOW INCOME TRACKS. 
          19.7 ARE LOCATED IN MODERATE INCOME TRACKS. 
          SO OUT OF ALL THE LENDERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, 8.4% OF THE LOANS ON AVERAGE WENT TO LOW INCOME TRACKS. 
          19.4% OF THE SMALL BUSINESS LOANS WENT TO MODERATE INCOME TRACKS. 
          SO THE SECOND PART OF THAT TEST, WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE REVENUE SIDE, 92% OF THE BUSINESSES IN HOUSTON HAVE REVENUES OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR LESS. 
          IF ALL THE BANKS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ON AVERAGE, 50% OF THEIR LOANS WENT TO BUSINESSES WITH, UH, REVENUES OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR LESS. 
          I SAY THAT BECAUSE WHAT I DO FOR THE BANK INTERNALLY IS I EVALUATE OUR DATA ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, IF NOT MONTHLY, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE DATA'S PROVIDED. 
          AND IF I SEE DEFICIENCIES, IF WE'RE WAY BEHIND PEER OR WE ARE JUST NOT DOING GOOD IN DISTRIBUTIONS TO LOW TO MODERATE INCOME TRACKS, I'LL REACH OUT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I'LL REACH OUT TO OUR PARTNERS, I'LL CALL HBDI, I'LL GET ON THE PHONE WITH BARLIN TO SEE WHAT CAN WE CREATE INTERNALLY TO BETTER PENETRATE THAT MARKET. 
          IF WE'RE NOT GETTING TO BUSINESSES WITH REVENUES OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR LESS, THAT'S 92% OF THE OPPORTUNITY. 
          IF WE'RE FALLING WAY BELOW PIER, I'LL GO TO THE BANK INTERNALLY TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PRODUCT OFFERING. 
          WE'RE MISSING, UH, WE'RE MISSING THE TARGET, WE'RE MISSING THE MARK, IT'S THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          WE SHOULD BE PENETRATING MORE. 
          SO WE STAY ON TOP OF THAT INTERNALLY. 
          BUT WHAT WE DO IS WE RELY ON OUR CITY PARTNERS. 
          WE'LL WORK WITH SCORE TO PENETRATE BUSINESSES. 
          WE'LL WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OR WE'LL REACH OUT TO THE H BDIS, THE LIFT FUNDS OF THE WORLD SO THAT WE CAN BE CREATIVE ON HOW WE CAN BETTER MEET OUR TARGET GOALS. 
          'CAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. 
          BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I KEEP MY JOB . 
          AMEN. 
          SO IF THE FEDERAL RESERVE COMES IN AND THEY, THEY LET OUR CEO KNOW, IF I GET A CALL FROM, UH, RAVEN TWO OR BOB FRANKLIN AND THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT WE WERE BELOW OUR, OUR DISTRIBUTION LEVELS THAT LOW, YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD, SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING. 
          I DON'T EVER WANT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. 
          AND, AND I KNOW EVERY INSTITUTION UP HERE DOES THE SAME. 
          SO, UH, WE UTILIZE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO TO, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HITTING OUR BENCHMARKS. 
          PRIOR TO A BANKER, BEING A BANKER, I WAS A REGULATOR. 
          I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN DC AND I REGULATED INSTITUTIONS FOR CRA AND FAIR LENDING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THERE'S EQUAL ACCESS TO CREDIT REGARDLESS OF, UH, MINORITY STATUS OR INCOME LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT AND I STAY ON TOP OF. 
          YEAH, YEAH. 
          I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY JOB 'CAUSE IT'S A MINORITY OWNED BANK AND WE ARE ONE OF THE . 
          IT'S RIGHT. 
          THAT WAS A GOOD POINT. 
          AND WE'RE ONE OF THE LEADING SB LENDERS IN TOWN. 
          UM, AND I'LL TELL YOU A TRICK. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU'RE APPROACHING THE BANK, LOOK AT THE FOOTPRINTS. 
          YOU MAY APPROACH ANY BANKS, OH, I'M MILLION DOLLAR LESS MILLION DOLLAR A, B, C, I'M LOOKING FOR THE LOANS. 
          AND YOU CAN'T CONTACT THE BANK AND YOU MAY NOT BE IN THE FOOTPRINT. 
          SO FIRST OF ALL, CHECK THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE BANK OR THE BRANCHES AND IF YOU QUALIFY, AND THEN YOU CAN TALK ABOUT, IT'S NOT A FREE MONEY, IT'S A LOAN. 
          SO TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED WHETHER THERE'S SMALL LOAN OR SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO REPAY BECAUSE WE USED TO DEPOSIT JUST MONEY. 
          THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, SP IS GREAT BECAUSE THERE IS A PROGRAM IN SPA, WHICH IS CALLED LENDER MATCH. 
          IF YOU GO INTO THE LENDER MATCH PROGRAM, GOOGLE IT AND THE SPA WEBSITE, YOU CAN ALSO APPLY THERE. 
          AND THERE'LL BE NUMEROUS BANKS WHO WILL BE CONTACTING YOU BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT YOUR REVENUES, LOOK AT YOUR COUNTY VALUE WORKING. 
          SO THAT'S A GOOD, SO IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, WRITE IT DOWN. 
          SBA LENDER MATCH, YOU CAN GOOGLE IT OR YOU CAN GO TO THE SBA WEBSITE, REGISTER YOURSELF. 
          THAT'S A VERY GOOD, BECAUSE YOU APPROACH ALL THE BANKS AND LET THE BANKS JUMP ON YOU. 
          SO THAT'S ANOTHER ADVANTAGE. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN UNDERSTAND THE CRA IS AN IMPORTANT, BUT YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, GREEN BANK, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET WHATEVER IT IS, BUT THIS IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. 
          I'M TELLING YOU. 
          THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE. 
          THERE IS A SMALL BUSINESS CENTER, THERE'S A SCHOOL WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A FREE ADVICE, YOU CAN GO TO MOVEMENT BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, YOU CAN GO TO SO MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. 
          THERE IS A PRO PROGRAM, WHICH IS FREE OF COURSE WITH GOLDMAN SACHS. 
          THERE'S A PROGRAM FOR SEC BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION. 
          SO THESE ARE ALL FREE. 
          AND WALLACE BANK IS A BIG SPONSOR OF THOSE PROGRAM. 
          I HAPPEN TO SIT ON THE BOARD OF HVDI, I SIT ON THE BOARD OF HOUSTON, CAMPUS AREA COUNCIL, AND I LOOK AT IT, EVERYBODY'S VERY SINCERE, BUT 
          [01:20:01]
WE DO NOT GET TOO MANY APPLICATIONS FOR THE BORROWERS OF THAT. 
          SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT. 
          NO, THE MONEY IS THERE, BUT, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S A STRUGGLE FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY. 
          THEY MAY COME AND DO 10% OF THE APPLICATION AND SUDDENLY THEY DISAPPEAR. 
          SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU, THIS IS A A, A VERY BIG CHALLENGE. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, YOUR CPA, YOUR, YOUR ACCOUNTANTS OR ANY COUNSELORS, BUT IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE FREE ADVICE, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AND I CAN GIVE YOU THOSE CONTACTS. 
          OR YOU CAN ALSO GOOGLE THOSE CONTACTS. 
          SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER SCORE IS THERE MOMENT BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS CAN HELP YOU DO YOUR BUSINESS PLAN AND COME TO THE BANK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND TO ADD TO THAT TOO, THAT THAT WAS GREAT ADVICE. 
          UM, CRA VALUATIONS ARE PUBLIC. 
          THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PUBLIC FOR ANYONE TO READ. 
          IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE EVALUATIONS. 
          YOU CAN GO TO THE FBI'S WEBSITE, LOOK AT THEM. 
          BECAUSE WHEN YOU READ ABOUT A BANK THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, YOU'RE GONNA GET A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF HOW MUCH LENDING THEY DO IN SMALL BUSINESS. 
          UH, WHAT TYPE OF LENDING DO THEY DO, UH, WHERE THEIR MARKETS ARE, ARE LOCATED. 
          SO IT'S, IT'S ALL FREE, IT'S PUBLIC. 
          UM, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO OUT AND READ IT. 
          'CAUSE THAT'LL KIND OF GIVE YOU A GOOD IDEA OF THE PROFILE. 
          'CAUSE NOT ALL BANKS ARE CREATED EQUAL, RIGHT? RIGHT. 
          UM, BANKS DO BANKS DIFFERENTLY. 
          SOME BANKS HAVE AN APPETITE FOR SMALL UNSECURED CREDIT CARDS. 
          SOME BANKS ARE JUST NOT INVOLVED. 
          THEY'RE MORE INVOLVED WITH REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT. 
          SO IT JUST DEPENDS, UH, EVERYONE DOES SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. 
          SO GO LOOK AT THE CURRENT BANK THAT YOU'RE WITH. 
          PULL THAT, SIR. 
          YES. 
          NO, THE BANK THAT YOU'RE LENDING, YOU'RE WITH THE BANK THAT YOU HAVE DEPOSITS WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND THOSE INSTITUTIONS SHOULD BE SEWING INTO YOU JUST AS MUCH AS YOU SOW INTO THEM. 
          MY LAST QUESTION FOR THE PANEL BEFORE WE TAKE QUESTIONS FROM AUDIENCE, WHICH I THINK IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES THAT WILL BE ASKED WOULD BE, WHAT BARRIERS HAVE YOU ALL IDENTIFIED THAT SMALL BUSINESSES FACE WHEN SEEKING FINANCING? AND HOW DOES YOUR BANK WORK TO MITIGATE THOSE CHALLENGES? SO, UH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. 
          UH, GREAT QUESTION. 
          ONE OF THE, THE CHALLENGES, AND ACTUALLY, UH, MR. REYES HIT IT, HIT IT RIGHT ON THE HEAD. 
          A LOT OF, A LOT OF COMPANIES, THEY HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A BUSINESS. 
          THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN BUSINESS. 
          THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING WELL, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE READY TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP. 
          AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMING TO THE INSTITUTION FOR A LOAN, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR, THEIR FINANCIALS IN ORDER. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES. 
          AND, AND WHAT THAT TIES BACK TO IS EDUCATION. 
          SO WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SPORT. 
          WE'LL, WE'LL WORK WITH HBDI, WE'LL DO FINANCIAL LITERACY, WE'LL DO SMALL BUSINESS TRAINING. 
          UM, AND WE'LL PROVIDE MORE OF A GUIDANCE AND, UH, MENTORSHIP SO THAT BUSINESS OWNERS KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE. 
          UH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS WHEN WE GET INTO IT AND GO, HEY, LOOK, THAT SOUNDS GREAT. 
          YOU'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR THREE YEARS, UM, A SINGLE FINANCIALS, AND THEN WE'LL SHOW UP WITH LIKE A SPREADSHEET. 
          AND I'M LIKE, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR. 
          BUT RATHER THAN SAY NO, WHAT WE DO IS WE DIRECT THEM TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA DISCOURAGE ANYONE FROM, FROM APPLYING OR, OR PURSUING THEIR DREAM BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE. 
          AND EVERYONE IN HERE SHOULD BE EXCITED TOO, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOMETHING SMALL LIKE THE WORLD CUP COMING UP NEXT YEAR, AND I FORGOT HOW MANY BILLION IT'S GONNA BRING TO THIS CITY. 
          BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE. 
          SO IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS THAT'S, THAT'S IN THAT SPACE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO SCORE OR REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS IF, IF YOU'RE NOT SURE YET OF WHERE TO START, UM, TO, TO KIND OF GET AN IDEA OF, OF WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO PREPARE BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT YEAR SO THAT YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND REACH OUT TO A BANK, ASK FOR THE CA OFFICER CALL, CALL US DIRECTLY AND SAY, HEY, LOOK, I, I GO INTO A BRANCH AND SAY I WANNA TALK TO YOUR CRA OFFICER. 
          NORMALLY THE EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA GET NERVOUS 'CAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, OH NO, WHAT DID WE DO ? BUT, BUT REACH OUT TO THE CA OFFICER. 
          JUST SAY, HEY, I SIMPLY WANT TO KNOW WHERE CAN I GO TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT I NEED TO DO TO BECOME A CUSTOMER FROM A SMALL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE? WHAT DO THE BANKS NEED? AND WE'LL DIRECT YOU, WE'LL PROVIDE YOU IN THE RIGHT, UH, DIRECTION OF, OF WHERE YOU NEED TO GO FOR THAT. 
          I TOO ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS. 
          I WOULD ALSO JUST SAY, GOING BACK TO THAT ACCESS TO CAPITAL PIECE, UM, THAT HAVING THAT GOOD CPA, BUT IF YOU HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BANKER, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO CALL UP YOUR BANKER AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU GIVE ME A REFERRAL TO A GOOD CPA OR TO A TAX PERSON? CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF THE, UH, DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW? UM, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS EVENT TODAY, RIGHT? UM, JUST TELLING YOU ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE TO HELP YOU REALLY GROW YOUR BUSINESS. 
          ONCE YOU HAVE THAT TRUE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BANKER, UTILIZE THEM. 
          UM, I'M BIG ON CONNECTING OTHERS, UM, AND, AND HOSTING. 
          AND YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHETHER IT'S ANOTHER BUSINESS OWNER THAT 
          [01:25:01]
YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO THAT YOU COULD BE DOING BUSINESS WITH A YEAR FROM NOW. 
          RIGHT? AND SO REALLY BEING CONNECTED TO THOSE, UM, RESOURCES ARE GONNA BE KEY. 
          SO YES, THE FINANCIALS ARE A BIG THING, BUT REALLY HAVING THAT TRUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BANKER AND MAKING SURE THAT YOUR BANKER IS KNOWLEDGEABLE AND THAT THEY CAN CONNECT YOU TO DIFFERENT RESOURCES. 
          IT'S A VERY INTERESTING THING IN LIKE YOU'RE DATING WITH SOMEBODY YOU'RE CALLING AND JUST TELL THEM THAT, OH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO DATE WITH YOU AND I'M UGLY , I HAVE, I HAVE NO MONEY, I HAVE TOO MANY LIABILITIES. 
          I'VE GOT MY MOTHER GOING TO LIVE WITH ME. 
          YOU KNOW, IF YOU TELL ALL THOSE THINGS, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO HANG THE PHONE ON YOU. 
          IT'S THE SAME THING WITH INDIVIDUALS. 
          BORROW THE MONEY. 
          IF THEY CALL ME AND TELL ME I DON'T HAVE A CREDIT, MY CREDIT IS BAD, I DON'T HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO, CAN I COME HERE AND COME SEE YOU AND SEE IF WE CAN EXCHANGE SOMETHING? AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL COME TO ME AND SAY, LISTEN, UM, HONESTLY, YOU ARE A GOOD BANKER. 
          YOU HAVE BEEN IN BANKING FOR SO LONG AND CAN YOU ADVISE ME WHICH BUSINESS I SHOULD GET INTO AND WHICH IS PART OF PROFITABLE? AND I WILL, I ONLY ANSWER HIM ONE OR HE OR SHE, WHOEVER. 
          I JUST TELL THEM, LISTEN, IF I HAD KNOWN A VERY GOOD BUSINESS, I WON'T BE WORKING HERE FOR FOREVER TOO LONG. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, MY ONLY OPINION OPTION IS DO YOUR HOMEWORK. 
          YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ORGANIZATION BEFORE OR YOU MAKE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A BANKER IN A VERY EARLY STAGE SO THAT YOU CAN MEET WITH A BANKER FOR SOME TIME SO THAT YOU CAN DEVELOP SOME KIND OF A BUSINESS PLAN WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. 
          BUT THE IDEA IS TO MAKE THOSE IDEAS COME TRUE. 
          YOU HAVE THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESS PLAN, THE BANKS HAVE MONEY TO LEND AND THEY WANT TO LEND IT TO ALWAYS GOOD BORROWS. 
          YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK HERE WITH CRA, WE CAN TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING, BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU IF YOU ARE DOING A LOAN FOR THE CCRA, IF SOMEBODY COMES WITH A VERY BAD CREDIT, WOULD YOU DON'T LEND THE MONEY TO THEM? NO. 
          SO THE SAFETY SHORTNESS FOR THE BANKS IMPORTANT. 
          SO INITIAL, HAVE A CONVERSATION, HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN, AND USE THOSE ORGANIZATION AND COME TO THE BANK. 
          AND PEOPLE LIKE US, WE ARE THERE TO HELP. 
          AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES. 
          AND I EXIST AT THE BANK BANKING IN LAST 40 YEARS AND I ONLY EXIST BECAUSE I MUST HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT GOOD LOANS AND MADE, MADE PEOPLE DREAM COME THROUGH. 
          SO TAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FROM US. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          NOW WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE. 
          IS THERE ANYONE THAT WANTS TO ADDRESS THE PANEL? YES. 
          ACTUALLY MY QUESTION IS, I WORK WITH YOUTH IN VARIOUS PROGRAMS WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SHOWCASE THEIR PROFESSION TO TODAY. 
          MY JUNIOR DEPUTY IS HERE AND SHE'S GONNA BE COMPETING ON A GLOBAL STAGE. 
          AND MY QUESTION IS, HOW CAN YOUR ORGANIZATION SUPPORT HER IN HER QUEST TO SHARE HER PASSION AND PURPOSE OF BEING A POLICE OFFICER? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. 
          THAT'S, WHERE'S SHE AT? SHE'S UP THERE. 
          CAN YOU STAND UP FOR US PLEASE? THAT'S AWESOME. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. 
          WELL, WELL FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON, UH, YOUR CAREER. 
          YOUR CAREER CHOICE. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. 
          I'VE GOT, UM, FOUR LITTLE ONES OF MY OWN, SO THAT'S AWESOME. 
          COME ON UP. 
          HERE YOU GO. 
          YOU COME SIT DOWN. 
          GOOD STUFF. 
          GIVE A BIG ROUNDUP. 
          APPLAUSE. 
          WELL, WHAT YOUR NAME GUY, A BEAUTIFUL NAME GUY. 
          SO, UM, AND WHAT'S YOUR ORGANIZATION'S NAME? WHAT'S ORGANIZATION I, BLACK WALL STREET, USA AND STAY ON IN ENACT. 
          OH, THAT'S AWESOME. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. 
          SO, UM, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. 
          SO PART OF CRA AND WHAT WE DO IS, UM, WE, I WOULD SAY THIS PROBABLY HITS, UH, MORE OF THE INVESTMENT TESTS THAN THE, UH, SERVICES TEST. 
          SO WHAT WE DO IS WE PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS, WE'VE WORKED WITH, UM, ORGANIZATIONS SIMILAR IN A CAPACITY IN WHICH THERE'S MENTORING, JOB TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND WE'VE DONE THINGS SUCH AS PROVIDE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OR GRANTS TO THE ORGANIZATION FOR SUPPORT. 
          UH, WE'VE PROVIDED OUR EMPLOYEES TO COME IN AND DO JOB SKILLS TRAINING OR, OR TO, TO DO SOME FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING. 
          UM, WE'VE 
          [01:30:01]
DONE SOME WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE'LL GET HR INVOLVED AND THEY'LL DO INTERVIEW, INTERVIEW TRAINING, UH, RESUME WRITING SKILLS. 
          SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WOULD A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION TO SUPPORT, UM, IF, IF WE, IF I'LL GIVE YOU MY CARD, IF YOU WANNA GIVE A SHOUT, AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN HELP SUPPORT, SUPPORT THE CAUSE FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE. 
          SO I ECHO WHAT MARCUS SAYS. 
          SAME THING WITH . 
          IF YOU WANT KNOW A POLICE OFFICER, I'M A VERY GOOD FRIEND, , AND CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU GOT ANYTHING? SAY, ALRIGHT, I APPRECIATE IT. 
          AND, AND SO WHERE ARE YOU GONNA GO TO TRAINING? LAS VEGAS. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. 
          AND WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE A CONS AND WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE A POLICE OFFICER AT ANYWHERE? ALRIGHT, WELL LET ME STAY HERE IN HOUSTON. 
          REMEMBER THIS PHASE IF I GET PULLED OVER . 
          WELL, I WANT TO END THIS PANEL WITH ST. 
          KING, MR. KHAN, MS. TAYLOR AND MR. QUEZ FOR ANSWERING THE CALL. 
          UM, TO COME IN, SELL THE SEEDS OF KNOWLEDGE AND DISPLAY YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERTISE WITHIN BANKING. 
          HOW CAN INDIVIDUALS REACH YOU ALL? UM, SO IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WW DO STELLAR BANK, UM, OUR CONTACT INFORMATION'S THERE. 
          UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS MARCUS, UH, LAST NAME VASQUEZ, UH, MARCUS DOVASQUEZ@STELLARBANK.COM. 
          UH, SHOOT ME AN EMAIL OR ME CONTACT THE BANK. 
          THEY'LL, THEY'LL GET YOU OVER TO ME, COURTNEY TAYLOR, CTAYLOR@VERTEXBANK.COM, CTAYLOR@VERTEXBANK.COM. 
          YOU CAN ALSO VISIT VERTEX BANK.COM AND SEE OUR ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT OUR ACQUISITION WITH HUNTINGTON BANK AND READ MORE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. 
          EXCITING THINGS ARE TAKING PLACE. 
          I'LL MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER. 
          YOU CAN CALL ME ON MY CELL PHONE. 
          . 
          IT'S, IT'S (281) 217-1163. 
          I REPEAT 2 8 1 2 1 7, 1 1, 6 3 7 DAYS, 24 HOURS. 
          , YOU CAN, YOU CAN TEST ME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU ALL. 
          THANK YOU ALL AGAIN. 
          WE WANT TO THANK OUR BANKING PARTNERS. 
          OUR BANKING PARTNERS, WALLACE BANK, STELLAR BANK, AMIE BANK, AND VERTEX BANK. 
          THANK YOU ALL. 
          WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR SPONSORS. 
          WE WANNA, ESPECIALLY THANK STELLAR BANK, WHICH IS LIVING UP TO ITS NAME. 
          THEY PROVIDED $5,000 IN SPONSORSHIP FOR TODAY'S EVENT TO HELP MAKE TODAY'S EVENT HAPPEN. 
          WE THANK THEM AND WE THANK ALL OF OUR SPONSORS. 
          NOW MOVING ON BEYOND THE BANKS ALL, SO BEYOND THE BANK, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER WAYS WE CAN FIND LENDING? INNOVATIVE LENDING PATHWAYS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IS THE FOCUS OF OUR NEXT SESSION. 
          IT WILL BE MODERATED BY ROGER HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF CONTRACT COMPLIANCE FOR HIL DAY. 
          WE HAVE MR. YUSEF MUHAMMAD REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR SCORE. 
          MS. NATASHA LIVINGSTON, COMMUNITY OUTREACH OFFICER FOR PROSPERITY BANK AND MR. FRANCISCO GONZALEZ, BUSINESS DEVELOPER OR LIFT FARM CHANGE. 
          HEY, GIVE IT UP FOR THIS PANEL. 
          COME ON, SOMEBODY GIVE IT UP FOR THIS. 
          THESE FOLKS ARE HERE TO TRY TO GIVE YOU SOME MONDAY. 
          I THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT. 
          SOMEONE DO BETTER THAN THIS PANEL. 
          DO BETTER THAN. 
          SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I DO WANT TO GIVE A PLUG. 
          DECEMBER 11TH, THE CITY'S GONNA HAVE TO MEET THE BUYER EVENT AT THE GEORGIA BROWN CONVENTION CENTER. 
          SO AS YOU LOOK FOR CAPITAL, YOU NEED TO HAVE CONTRACTS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE BUSINESS, RIGHT? SO EVERY BUSINESS OWNER, HOW MANY BUSINESS OWNERS, EVERY BUSINESS OWNER STAND UP. 
          YOU, YOUR BUSINESS OWNER. 
          STAND UP. 
          STAND UP. 
          ALL BUSINESS OWNERS, CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE ARE HERE FOR YOU. 
          LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS. 
          LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS. 
          SO LISTEN FOLKS, LIGHTNING ROD, TELL US WHAT YOU DO AND 
          [01:35:01]
WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES REAL QUICK. 
          SO, I'M YOU SETH HAM. 
          I'M WITH SCORE, UM, WAS THE REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT AS OF OCTOBER, I'M THE NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP. 
          SO I'VE BEEN IN SCORE FOR 21 YEARS. 
          SO YOU'RE MOVING ON UP. 
          MOVING ON UP. 
          STARTED AS A, I ENJOY WHAT I DO, BUT I'M WITH SCORE. 
          SCORE. 
          NATASHA. 
          HI, I AM NATASHA RAJA LEVION, AND I'M WITH PROSPERITY BANK. 
          I'M THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH OFFICER FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. 
          AND WE HANDLE ALL BANKING NEEDS AND FOR COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL AND WHATEVER BANK WE NEED AS WELL AS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. 
          FRANCISCO, FRANCISCO GONZALES, WITH LEAD FUND, LEAD FUND. 
          IT'S A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. 
          AND I'M BEEN IN THIS INDUSTRY FOR 22 YEARS. 
          A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. 
          SO LET'S GET RIGHT DOWN TO BUSINESS. 
          SO FRANCISCO, TELL ME, YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK AT THE REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A LINE OF CREDIT. 
          SO FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS THE MOST, ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER PRODUCTS THAT THE LIFT MARKET AND WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET A YES? UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THERE'S A, MAYBE THERE'S A NO. 
          LET'S TALK ABOUT A YES. 
          SO WHAT GETS A YES, RIGHT? LIKE YOU GET A LOAN, YOU GET A NO. 
          RON POINT, COME ON . 
          SO, UM, THERE'S ONE LEAD FUND ON THE OFFER TURNAROUNDS, WE DON'T OFFER, UH, LINES OF CREDIT. 
          IF MY CLIENT IS, UH, SEEKING A BUSINESS LINE OF CREDIT, I SEND IT TO MY BUSINESS. 
          UH, BANKING PARTNERS, FOR EXAMPLE, PROSPERITY BANK. 
          WE OFFER LINES OF CREDIT. 
          YES. 
          AND, UM, BUT I, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IF YOU REALLY NEED THE BUSINESS LINE OF CREDIT OR IF YOU NEED A BUSINESS LOAN. 
          SO YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH YOUR BANKER AND EXPLAIN WHAT IS THE USE OF FUNDS. 
          AND, UM, FRANCISCO, MAYBE I NEED THE BUSINESS LINE OF CREDIT FOR SHORT TERM OR I NEED TO PURCHASE AN EQUIPMENT AND THAT ONE CAN, I CAN HELP YOU BECAUSE THAT ONE NEEDS, UH, IT'S A TERMINAL THAT I CAN OFFER TO YOU. 
          SECOND, TELL US PROSPERITY BANK, WE'LL GET YOU. 
          SO FOR US WITH PROSPERITY BANK, WE ARE HERE AS A RESOURCE. 
          AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, LET ME SAY THIS TO ALL THE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT YOU ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP WITH A BANKER, AND I BELIEVE SOMEONE ELSE SAID THAT EARLIER ON ONE OF THE PREVIOUS PANELS. 
          AND IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE READY RIGHT WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE DOOR. 
          BUT HAVING THAT PARTNER TO HELP GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE JOURNEY IS KEY. 
          THAT'S THE KEY TO SUCCESS. 
          SO WE OFFER ALL TYPES OF BUSINESS LINES, WE DO COMMERCIAL LINES, WE DO RESIDENTIAL LINES. 
          AND SO YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT IS THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE FOR YOU AND WHAT'S GONNA BE THE BEST WAY TO GET TO THE YES, THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET THERE. 
          AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS QUICK AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY. 
          BUT THE KEY IS WITH PROSPERITY. 
          WE ARE HERE TO BE YOUR PARTNER. 
          AND I, I HAVE, I WORK WITH ALL THE BANKING CENTERS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND I CAN SAY EVERY BANKING CENTER I'VE GONE IN, MY BANKING PRESIDENTS ARE THERE, MY COMMERCIAL LENDERS ARE THERE. 
          IF I NEEDED THEM TO COME HERE TODAY, THEY'RE HERE, TWO OF THEM ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. 
          SO THAT'S KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS TO GETTING YOUR YES. 
          SO YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND ESTABLISH THAT RELATIONSHIP AND ENSURE THAT THAT'S THE PROPER BANKING PARTNER FOR YOU AHEAD. 
          YOU SAID FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF SITTING WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AND SCORE AND HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET TO THE FINISH LINE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE SEEING THAT SLOWS PEOPLE DOWN FROM GETTING TO THAT? YES. 
          RIGHT? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SLOWS BUSINESSES DOWN IS NOT BEING PREPARED. 
          OH, THERE'S A LOT OF SAY THAT AGAIN. 
          NOT BEING PREPARED. 
          NOT BEING PREPARED. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT YOU HELP THEM GET PREPARED, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. 
          PRAISE THE LORD. 
          YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU GO TO THE BANK, THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION THAT THE BANKERS ARE GIVEN. 
          AND THIS IS AN INFORMAL, UH, SETTING. 
          SO YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THEM ONE ON ONE FOR THE BUSINESS OWNERS. 
          BUT THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS THAT YOUR BUSINESS CAN BE DENIED FOR CREDIT. 
          BEING UNPREPARED IS ONE. 
          WHEN YOU SIT WITH A BANKER, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THEY'RE GONNA ASK YOU QUALIFYING QUESTIONS. 
          THEY'RE NOT JUST HAVING COFFEE WITH YOU JUST TO HAVE COFFEE. 
          THEY'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN HELP YOU. 
          SO YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED. 
          SO SOME OF THE BARRIERS 
          [01:40:01]
THAT CAN PREVENT YOU IS YOUR CREDIT. 
          YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR CREDIT SCORE? NOW I MEET WITH A LOT OF, UH, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. 
          THEY'LL GO ON CREDIT KARMA OR ALL THESE DIFFERENT APPS, AND THAT MAY BE FICO SCORE EIGHT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT. 
          BUT THERE'S MULTIPLE DIFFERENT FI O SCORES. 
          THERE'S OVER 10 DIFFERENT FICO SCORES. 
          THERE'S A FO SCORE FOR AUTO, THERE'S A FO SCORE FOR HOMEOWNERS. 
          THERE'S A FO SCORE, YOU KNOW, FOR DIFFERENT, FOR ACCESSING DIFFERENT TYPES OF CREDIT. 
          SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE YOU MEET WITH THAT BANKER, WHERE DO YOU STAY? DO YOU HAVE YOUR FINANCIALS? DO YOU, ARE YOU PROFITABLE? YOU KNOW, WHAT'S YOUR, I DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE WEEDS, BUT JUST THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED TO BE ARMED WITH AND PREPARED TO DISCUSS WHEN YOU MEET WITH THE BANKER BECAUSE THEY DESIRE TO GIVE YOU A LOAN, THEY'RE IN BUSINESS TO LOAN YOUR BUSINESS MONEY, BUT THEY CAN'T GIVE IT TO YOU. 
          YOU'RE NOT PREPARED. 
          TRUE, TRUE. 
          NATASHA, DO YOU WANT TO ADD TO SOMETHING TO THIS? NO, I'M JUST GONNA, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. 
          'CAUSE SO OFTEN OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, THEY DON'T KNOW AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF THAT. 
          AND YOU START A BUSINESS, YOU'RE EAGER, YOU'RE IN IT AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE GETTING DEALS, YOU'RE GETTING CONTRACTS. 
          BUT IF YOU FAIL TO SIT DOWN OR TAKE A MOMENT AND TALK TO GO MEET WITH SCORES, SOMEONE THAT CAN HELP YOU GET EVERYTHING THAT'S NEEDED TO BE PREPARED. 
          SO WHEN YOU DO SIT DOWN WITH YOUR BANKER, YOU'RE READY AND YOU GET A YES. 
          AND SO THAT'S THE KEY. 
          IT'S KIND OF LIKE BEING IN SCHOOL. 
          YOU HAVE TO MATRICULATE THERE, BUT WE HAVE IDEAS AND WE START OUR BUSINESSES AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO. 
          BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT TAKES TIME TO GET THERE SOMETIMES. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE SCORE. 
          AND WE HAVE PARTNERS LIKE LIFT FUND AS WELL AND WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THEM IN THE COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY OUR CHURCHES. 
          SO WE, WE, WE DO OUR PART TO BE A RESOURCE AND THAT'S WHAT I'M OUT THERE DOING, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WE ARE HERE AS THE RESOURCES AND THANK YOU. 
          COOL. 
          SO NUMBERS FRANCISCO, UH, YOU SAID FOR HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE PROCESS? WHAT'S MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION? YEAH. 
          HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? QUICKLY? IT DEPENDS. 
          THE, UM, THE FUNDING PROGRAM DEPENDS. 
          UM, THERE'S SOME, UH, FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN PROCESS IN TWO WEEKS, FOUR WEEKS. 
          AND ANOTHER ONES THAT PROBABLY TAKE THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, DEPENDS IF MY CLIENT IS READY. 
          WE WERE TALKING ABOUT REQUIREMENTS. 
          YOU HAVE TO COLLECT, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE BANK OR DIFFERENT THREE BANKS ASK FOR THE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE APPLY AND THE BANK SAY YOU ARE NOT READY. 
          AND THEY GO TO ANOTHER BANK AND THEY APPLY AND THEY GOT THE SAME ANSWER. 
          I ALWAYS SAY, TAKE A MOMENT, CHECK THE REQUIREMENTS. 
          IF YOU ALREADY GET TO APPLY, WAIT, COLLECT ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND THEN APPLY ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA ADD TO THAT. 
          IT TAKES TIME. 
          AND ANYTHING WORTH HAVING IT DOES NOT COME EASY. 
          IT DOES NOT COME QUICK. 
          IF IT COMES QUICK AND EASY, SOME SOMETHING YOU NEED TO QUESTION THERE. 
          SO IT TAKES THE TIME FOR US BEFORE LENDING MONEY AND GETTING, UM, INFORMATION FROM SCORE AND OTHER PARTNERS EVEN THEY WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING. 
          IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME EVEN TO GET A HOME MORTGAGE. 
          IT'S AT LEAST 30 TO 45 DAYS. 
          SO WHEN THE MONEY THAT YOU MAY BE REQUESTING FOR YOUR BUSINESS, WE'RE TALKING MORE DOLLARS, MORE ZEROS, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER. 
          AND IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW PREPARED YOU ARE. 
          AND IT DEPENDS ON A LOT OF FACTORS. 
          SO HAVING A BANKER SITTING DOWN TALKING TO THEM, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF BANKERS HERE TODAY THAT SPECIALIZE IN DIFFERENT AREAS. 
          FIND OUT WHAT THAT SPECIALTY IS AND IF THAT WORKS WITH YOUR BUSINESS. 
          AND THEN C YOU MAY BE READY NOW. 
          AND THEN WE ARE A COMMUNITY BANK, A REGIONAL BANK. 
          WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE AGRICULTURAL LENDER IN TEXAS. 
          AND SOME, SOME LOANS WE CAN GET DONE IN A WEEK OR TWO WEEKS. 
          BUT IT JUST DEPENDS AND SOME TAKE LONGER. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IT JUST DEPENDS. 
          YOU SIR. 
          YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE HEAR THE HORROR, HORROR STORIES AND I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU A PEEK INTO SOME OF THE HORROR STORIES. 
          SO IF YOU WANT SOMETHING FAST, THERE'S BANKS OUT THERE THAT WILL, OR LENDERS THAT WILL GET YOU IN WHAT'S CALLED MERCHANT CASH ADVANCES BE, YOU KNOW, JUST BE CAREFUL JUST BECAUSE IT'S QUICK. 
          IT CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE AND VERY DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US THAT ARE IN 
          [01:45:01]
SEASONAL BUSINESSES AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT BRIDGE, WE'LL GET THESE QUICK ACCESS LOANS FROM THESE, YOU KNOW, ONLINE LENDERS OR DEPENDING ON OUR CREDIT PROFILE, IT GETS MORE AND MORE PREDATORY THAN BEFORE. 
          YOU KNOW IT, YOU HAVE ONE OR TWO OR THREE OF THOSE LOANS, NOW YOU HAVE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THESE PREDATORY LOANS AND THEN YOU COME TO THE BANK AND YOU WANT TO DO DEBT CONSOLIDATION. 
          WELL, SBA NO LONGER, UH, REFINANCES, MCA, THERE'S VERY FEW INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL EVEN DO A DEBT CONSOLIDATION OF AN MCA. 
          SO YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR SOMETHING QUICK, IT COULD GET YOU IN TROUBLE. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS THIS QUESTION, WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO ASK FOR MONEY? I, I'LL HAVE, I HAVE MY ANSWER. 
          I DON'T SEE WHAT YOU SAY. 
          WHEN IS THE BEST TIME? WAIT, YOU DON'T NEED IT. 
          YOU DON'T NEED IT. 
          . 
          THAT'S THE BEST TIME TO ASK FOR MONEY, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU DON'T, WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT, THAT'S THE BEST TIME TO ASK FOR IT. 
          ANYONE WANNA ADD TO THAT? I MEAN, IF THERE IS NO BEST TIME OR RIGHT TIME, BUT WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT, YOU'RE NOT PRESSED, THEN YOU'RE LESS LIKELY TO GET INTO A PREDATORY LOAN. 
          SO IN THAT WE DON'T WANT, THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE. 
          AND SPEAKING OF COUNCILMAN DAVIS, HIS PASSION FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS MINE, I DIDN'T SHARE THAT OTHER GENTLEMAN SHARED THAT I'VE BEEN, THAT THEY'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 20 YEARS IN THIS INDUSTRY AND I HAVE AS SADLY TO SAY THAT I HAVE AS WELL. 
          SO I'VE SEEN A LOT GO ON IN THE REAL ESTATE AND PREDATORY LENDING SPACE. 
          AND SO WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO GET TO THAT SPACE. 
          AND I THINK I HEARD SOMEONE SAY EARLIER, WAS IT, UH, 92% OR A LARGE NUMBER OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES FAIL 'CAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDING. 
          SO SOMETIMES IT MAY NOT BE 'CAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET A PREDATORY LOAN. 
          IT MAY BE BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T PAY THOSE BACK. 
          SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT YOU TO KNOW AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL TAKE AWAY FROM IN TODAY'S SESSION FROM US. 
          SO WHEN IS THE GOOD TIME WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT? BUT, UM, WE'RE IN OCTOBER BUSINESS OWNERS, THIS IS THE TIME THAT YOU NEED TO GET WITH YOUR CPA WITH YOUR BANKER. 
          YOU HAVE TO CREATE THE TAX PLANNING. 
          UM, BECAUSE NEXT YEAR IS THE WORLD CUP. 
          IF YOU'RE IN BUSINESS, THIS IS THE TIME BECAUSE THE CPA, IT WILL BE, IT WILL BE SO DIFFICULT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE CPA FROM A, FROM JANUARY TO APRIL. 
          SO NOW IS THE TIME TO GET WITH YOUR CPA AND YOU, YOU WANT TO GROW, GET IN TOUCH WITH THE CPA, BRING THE BANKER. 
          MAYBE YOU, YOU WILL NEED MONEY FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT PLAN RIGHT NOW, NEXT YEAR IS GONNA BE VERY DIFFICULT. 
          IF YOU START, IF YOU START APPLYING FOR A LOAN, YOU NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE BANKER AND SAY, WHAT DO I NEED? I NEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND, I NEED 200,000, HALF A MILLION. 
          WHAT DO I NEED? AND, AND BRING YOUR CPA SO HE CAN HE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANT TO GROW. 
          AND ALSO TAX PLANNING VERY IMPORTANT. 
          I'D LIKE TO, THIS IS JUST SUCH AN AWESOME PANEL. 
          I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS. 
          THEY JUST SPIT OFF EACH OTHER BACK AND FORTH. 
          I'M JUST GONNA SIT HERE AND LISTEN. 
          I'M JUST LOOKING AT EVERYBODY. 
          GO AHEAD, ROGER. 
          SO ROGER, HERE'S ANOTHER SPIN ON THAT. 
          UH, WHAT'S THE BEST TIME TO ASK? YOU KNOW, THERE'S BANKERS IN THE ROOM FOR THE BUSINESS OWNERS. 
          IF YOU'RE TALKING TO A BANKER IN THIS INFORMAL SETTING AND THEY SAY, WELL, HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU NEED? AND YOU SAY, WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU GONNA LEND ME. 
          THAT'S A RED FLAG THAT LETS US, LETS THEM KNOW IMMEDIATELY. 
          YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE THE FUNDS FOR. 
          THERE'S NO PLAN IN PLACE IN THAT RESPONSE. 
          SO THE BEST TIME TO ASK IS WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE THE MONEY FOR, OKAY. 
          TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS. 
          FAIR, FAIR ENOUGH TO BOOST YOUR, YOUR PROFITS. 
          OKAY, FAIR ENOUGH. 
          SO THE BEST TIME TO ASK, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU NEED AND WHAT YOU NEED IT FOR. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          YES, SIR. 
          GOTCHA. 
          SO LOOK, FRANCISCO, NONTRADITIONAL BANKING. 
          SO WE HAVE A TRADITIONAL BANKER, NONTRADITIONAL, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO? RIGHT? THE, THE VERY SIMPLE, SIMPLE, RIGHT? WE ARE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION ALSO. 
          WE ARE CVFC AND WE ARE AN ALTERNATIVE FUNDING. 
          WE HELP STARTUPS, NEW BUSINESSES, AND WE HELP BUSINESSES BETWEEN ONE TO FIVE YEARS THAT, UM, IS STILL, UM, IN THAT STAGE TO GROW. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          AND 
          [01:50:01]
WE ARE A TRADITIONAL BANK. 
          WE HAVE OVER 248 FULL SERVICE BANKING CENTERS WITHIN, THROUGHOUT OUR FOOTPRINT IN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA. 
          UM, SO YOU CAN DO BANK DEPOSITS, YOU CAN DO WITHDRAWALS, YOU CAN DO COMMERCIAL LENDING. 
          WE DO MORTGAGE LENDING. 
          WE PRETTY MUCH DO EVERYTHING. 
          BUT THE DIFFERENCE. 
          AND THE ONE THING THAT MAKES US THE NUMBER ONE BANK, ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE BEST BANKS IN TEXAS OVERALL IS WE ARE A COMMUNITY BANK AND WE'RE THERE. 
          YOU CAN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, YOU HAVE A BANKER. 
          WHEN WE WALK IN, WE ARE THERE, WE STILL HAVE TELLERS. 
          AND SO WE DO THE THINGS THAT YOU THINK OF WHEN IT COMES TO TRADITIONAL BANKING, AS WELL AS WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIVISION, WE DO COMMERCIAL LENDING AND WE DO MORTGAGE LENDING. 
          AND SO THERE AREN'T MANY THINGS THAT WE DON'T DO. 
          WE ARE A HUGE IN AGRICULTURE. 
          SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE LEND ON AND I HAD NO IDEA, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ASIDE FROM AGRICULTURE, I MEAN, WE'LL LEND ON ANYTHING THAT MOVES AND BREEDS. 
          SO LET, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION. 
          SO FRANCISCO, OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T HAVE AS MUCH OVERSIGHT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR REGULATIONS THAN THE TRADITIONAL BANK. 
          AND WE ARE REGULATED TO HAVE THE CRA REGULATIONS, CCRA REGULATIONS AS WELL, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. 
          SO FRANCISCO, HAVE YOU SEEN, OH, I'M SURE YOU HAVE, WHERE SOMEONE CAME TO YOU AND YOU GOT THEM TO START AND THEN THEY WENT FROM YOU TO A TRADITIONAL BANK. 
          'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SO MUCH YOU COULD DO. 
          CORRECT? EXACTLY. 
          BECAUSE MY, UH, LARGER LOAN IS UP TO 350,000. 
          SO I'M THE FIRST PUSH, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO STAY WITH ME. 
          I WANT YOU TO GROW. 
          I WANT YOU, YOU NEED TO FIND A GOOD BANK. 
          EVERY BANK HAS A DIFFERENT APPETITE. 
          SO YOU NEED TO FIND, YOU NEED TO FIND THAT BANKER THAT CLICK WITH YOU, THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR PHONE, THAT YOU CAN CALL HIM ANYTIME, CALL HER ANYTIME, SAY, THIS IS WHAT I NEED FROM, FROM YOU. 
          THAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE ALWAYS, UH, MY MISSION IS TO HELP YOU TO START, BUT YOU NEED TO FIND A GOOD BANKER. 
          SO WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE MINUTES LEFT AND I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF BEING ABLE TO HEAR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND WE DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS TO COME BACK. 
          I, I, I FEEL THAT THERE'S PROBABLY SOMEBODY THAT HAS A QUESTION WHO NEEDS MONEY RIGHT NOW. 
          UH, QUESTIONS. 
          SO, OH, LOOK, WE'VE GOT A CONTESTANT. 
          COME ON DOWN. 
          COME ON. 
          WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? COME, COME ON. 
          COME CLOSE. 
          COME CLOSE. 
          WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR QUESTION. 
          I WANT YOU TO COME. 
          ANYONE ELSE HAS A QUESTION, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          RIGHT? TELL US YOUR NAME, WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS YOU HAVE. 
          PATRICK GONNA GIVE YOU THE MIC. 
          OKAY. 
          HELLO. 
          TELL US YOUR NAME. 
          WHAT'S YOUR NAME? MY NAME IS TANYA GATES. 
          TANYA. 
          I'M A SMALL OWNER OF A, UH, GATES HVAC R I'M A MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR. 
          GREAT, GREAT. 
          UH, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, UH, GENERAL CONTRACTOR IN THE BACK. 
          HIS NAME IS JARED JEFFERSON, JARED WITH MCCARTHY. 
          OKAY. 
          SO MAKE SURE YOU CONNECT WITH HIM. 
          SEE ALL ABOUT CONNECTION. 
          SEE RIGHT AWAY. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          COME ON TANYA. 
          TALK, TALK TO ME. 
          OKAY, SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, MY BUSINESS IS SCALING AND I AM, UH, LOOKING FOR, I'M GETTING THOSE BANDAID TYPE OFFERS FOR CAPITAL. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, WHICH IS GREAT, RIGHT? IT GETS ME THROUGH THE MOMENT, BUT I'VE GOT SOME BIG PROJECTS THAT I'M PLANNING TO TACKLE THIS NEXT YEAR. 
          AND THE CAPITAL THAT I AM GETTING IS NOT REALLY, UH, IT'S NOT WHERE I NEED IT TO BE. 
          UH, SO, AND I HAVE, I SAY GOOD CREDIT. 
          UH, I PAY MY BILLS. 
          I MEAN, WE HAVE DEPOSITS COMING, WHICH OF THESE BANKS WORKS WITH A MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR LIKE MYSELF? BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT MORE LIKE SECURED LOANS BECAUSE THIS IS INVESTING IN OUR COMMERCIAL SPACE. 
          UM, WE'RE BUYING SMALL HAND TOOLS OR TOOLS OUT FOR SERVICE, UM, PAYROLL TYPE. 
          UH, YEAH. 
          SO WE, UH, WE CAN HANDLE THAT. 
          UM, I BELIEVE CHRISTIAN IS STILL HERE. 
          UM, MY, UM, SPA, UM, SPECIALIST BACK THERE AND HE CAME IN FROM OCAMPO. 
          SO THAT'S HOW DEDICATED, UH, PROSPERITY IS. 
          AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE DO A LOT OF COMMERCIAL LENDING ON EQUIPMENT, HEAVY EQUIPMENT. 
          SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DEFINITELY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM ABOUT OR ANY ONE OF OUR BANKERS, BUT WE, WE CAN DEFINITELY HANDLE THAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU HOW TO USE SCORE. 
          SCORE. 
          WE HAVE OVER, WE'RE A NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, 10,000 VOLUNTEER. 
          WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS. 
          WE DON'T GET PAID FOR THIS. 
          SO WE REALLY WANT TO HELP YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          AND HELPING YOU DEVELOP THAT FUNDING STRATEGY. 
          WHAT YOU NEED. 
          I CAN HEAR A COUPLE THINGS IN YOUR, IN YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU'RE NOT AN EXPERT TO KNOW HOW MANY BANKS ARE IN HOUSTON, HOW MANY ARE IN TEXAS? THERE'S OVER 700 SBA PREFERRED LENDERS IN HOUSTON ALONE. 
          [01:55:01]
YOU ARE, YOU'RE AN EXPERT IN WHAT YOU DO. 
          YOU DON'T KNOW ALL THE, THE DIFFERENT BANKS AND THE LENDING CRITERIA OF ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT BANKS. 
          AND LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'RE GETTING BRIDGE, BUT YOU NEED TO EXPAND. 
          SO YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH A, A MENTOR, A COUNSELOR, SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO UNDERSTAND YOUR BUSINESS ON YOUR TIME, FREE OF CHARGE, RIGHT? RIGHT. 
          HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET IT'S FREE OF CHARGE, FREE OF CHARGE, FREE OF CHARGE, AND HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR GOAL IS. 
          WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? THAT WAY WHEN WE CONNECT YOU WITH A PARTNER, IT'S GONNA BE THE RIGHT CONNECTION BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GO AND WE KNOW THE PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD MATCH FOR YOU. 
          AND WE MAKE THAT CONNECTION AND THAT'S KEY, THAT'S IMPORTANT. 
          SO LET FRANCISCO, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? SO WHAT I, WHAT I DO WANNA ADD TANYA, IS ALSO FROM THAT ASPECT, WHEN YOU CONNECT WITH A GENERAL CONTRACTOR SUCH AS THE CAR OR SOME OF THESE OTHER CONTRACTORS, THEY HAVE PROGRAMS WHERE, SO OBVIOUSLY IF YOU ONLY THINK ABOUT GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS, MOST OF YOUR CONTRACTS ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE, PRIVATE SIDE, NOT EASIER. 
          BUT, UM, THE GOVERNMENT SIDE, UH, SOMETIMES THESE GENERAL CONTRACTORS WILL HAVE PROGRAMS WHERE YOU CAN PUT INTO YOUR BID THAT THEY WILL PAY YOU EVERY 30 DAYS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE BEEN PAID BY THE OWNER. 
          SO THEY HAVE THOSE KIND OF PROGRAMS. SO OBVIOUSLY FROM THAT ASPECT, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO UNDERSTAND THAT ASPECT OF IT. 
          BUT IT'S ALSO GOOD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GENERAL CONTRACT IS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU, TANYA AREN'T GONNA BE THE PRIME CONTRACTOR. 
          YOU GOING TO BE A SUBCONTRACTOR, AM I RIGHT? YES. 
          A LITTLE BIT, JUST A LITTLE . 
          SO YOU NEED TO START UNDERSTANDING WHO YOU GONNA, WHO YOU GONNA CONTINUE TO DATE AND DATE. 
          THOSE FOLKS THAT GET YOU THE MONEY AND GET YOU THE PROJECTS AND THE ONES THAT, THAT, THAT STRING YOU ALONG, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TELL THEM THEY GOTTA GO RIGHT. 
          PATRICK, AM AM I FINISHED? YES, YOU ARE DONE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH TALK. 
          THANK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. 
          THANK, THANK JOB HOW GET FINANCING. 
          THANK YOU MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I LEFT CARTER, SHE'S AT LARGE POSITION THREE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND? THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TODAY. 
          NOW WE HAVE ONE MORE FIRESIDE CHAT. 
          IT WILL BE MODERATED BY OUR HOST, THE HONORABLE WILLIE DAVIS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE POSITION TWO. 
          AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING THE MISSION LENDING TO NONPROFITS. 
          AND HE IS JOINED BY DR. 
          RUDY RASMUS, CO-FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BREAD OF LIFE INC. 
          CO-FOUNDER OF THE TIMINOS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY PASTOR JERRY MARTIN, SENIOR PASTOR LIGHT OF THE WORLD CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, AND REVEREND BYRON JONES, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TOGETHER FOR GOOD, THE NONPROFIT ARM OF MUELLER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US. 
          AND GEORGE ANDERSON. 
          GEORGE IS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE FOUNTAIN OF PRAISE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WELL, FIRST OF ALL, AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT THE LEAST, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO, I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THESE GENTLEMEN, MY FRIENDS, AND THOSE I ALL OF MY KNOW, PRETTY PERSONAL AND UP CLOSE. 
          BUT I DID WANT TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY BECAUSE WHAT WE ALSO KNOW IN THE FIELD OF DOING BUSINESS, AND PARTICULARLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THE CHURCHES AND THE LEADERS OF OUR FAITH COMMUNITY HAS A GREAT, UH, ASSET IN THE, IN INVOLVED. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, AT CITY COUNCIL, WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT SO MANY DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, ALL OF THE COUNCILMEN IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL LIFE, IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO. 
          UH, MY COLLEAGUE AND COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, TWILA CARTER, UH, WHO'S IN AT LARGE THREE, 
          [02:00:01]
AND HER CONTRIBUTION, HER WORK WITH THE ASTROS FOUNDATION FOR MANY YEARS, ALL OF US BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE. 
          BUT ONE OF 'EM FOR CERTAINLY ME BEING A PASTOR FOR 40 YEARS AND THE INTERACTION THAT I'VE DONE WITH OTHERS IS, UH, CERTAINLY THE, THE BEDROCK OF OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          AND, UH, BEFORE I GET TO THE PANEL AND ASKING THEM SOME QUESTIONS, LET ME JUST SAY WHAT MOST PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW. 
          IT WAS THAT IN 1988 WHEN I TOOK ON, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO BRING THE CRA LAW TO THE PUBLIC VENUE. 
          UH, I WAS AS A YOUNG PASTOR AND ONLY BEEN PASTORING FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS. 
          AND, UM, I FOUND MYSELF IN A POSITION TO WHERE IT WAS DIFFICULT GETTING FUNDS FOR OUR CHURCH. 
          UH, WE WERE BACK THEN. 
          THEN DURING THAT TIME, UM, MINISTER ABDUL MUHAMMAD AND I WERE EARLY IN OUR MINISTRY WORK, AND THEN HERE I WAS TRYING TO BUILD THE CHURCH AND MAKE IT VIABLE IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO EVEN GET FARMS. MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, BUT THERE WAS NOT A BRANCH BANK IN A MINORITY COMMUNITY. 
          IN 1988, THE CRA LAW WAS PLA PASSED IN 19 77, 10 YEARS LATER, AND THERE STILL WAS NOT MUCH OF A FINANCIAL VEHICLE IN THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES. 
          SO THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN CARRYING SINCE THAT TIME. 
          AND SO TODAY I WANTED TO LIFT UP SOME OF THE, UH, THOSE WHO WORK WITH US, UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION. 
          AND I WANTED THE FAITH LEADERS TO BE HERE BECAUSE IT'S CRITICAL FOR YOU TO KNOW AND TO HEAR IN ALL ASPECTS OF HOW THE FINANCES WORKS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THE CONSTITUENTS AND CONGREGATIONAL PEOPLE IN YOUR CHURCH, THAT'S VERY VIABLE BECAUSE THEY COME TO US FOR MANY THINGS. 
          SO LET ME BEGIN BY FIRST OF ALL, THANKING MY PANEL FOR BEING HERE. 
          AND, UH, I'M GOING TO START, UH, RIGHT INTO MY LEFT, TO MY FRIEND. 
          AND, UH, I WANT, IF YOU WOULD JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THOSE THAT MAY NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND THEN, AND, AND, AND LET 'EM KNOW THE WORK THAT YOU ARE PARTICIPATING AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN CONTRIBUTING AS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT IN FAITH. 
          HELLO EVERYONE. 
          GOOD TO BE WITH YOU TODAY. 
          MY NAME IS RUDY RASMUS. 
          UH, STARTED IN MINISTRY IN 1992, UH, THREE, THREE YEARS AGO IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. 
          UH, DURING THAT TIME, WE, UH, STARTED SERVING WITH THE, UH, THE UNHOUSED, THE HOMELESS, UH, STARTED WITH ONE HOT BILL IN 92, SERVED 500 A DAY FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS AFTER THAT, UH, AND THEN STARTED BUILDING HOUSING, ADDRESSING, UH, HEALTH, UH, ISSUES AND INEQUITIES. 
          AND, UH, WE BEEN A GREAT, GREAT JOURNEY. 
          UM, RED OF LIFE IS THE, UH, THE FIRST NONPROFIT WE STARTED, UH, TIMINOS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WAS THE NEXT. 
          UH, WE, WE, UH, ACTUALLY LAUNCHED THAT ONE, UH, TO BEGIN, UH, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE ARE, UH, WORKING RIGHT NOW COMPLETING OUR FIFTH DEVELOPMENT IN, UH, IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. 
          ONE OF MY GOALS, LASTLY, ONE OF MY GOALS, UH, REALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR JOURNEY IN 92, UH, WAS FOR, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR TO HAVE A BUILDING WITH AN ELEVATOR IN IT. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, AND, UH, , WE ENDED UP WITH, UH, WITH A FEW THANK. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          GOOD MORNING BROTHER. 
          I AM REVEREND BYRON JONES. 
          I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TOGETHER FOR GOOD, WHICH IS THE AFFILIATED NONPROFIT RHODE AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH. 
          AND ALLOW ME TO THANK PASTOR DAVIS, COUNCILMAN DAVIS, UH, FOR EXTENDING, UH, THIS OPPORTUNITY. 
          LET ME, THIS IS, UH, EVIDENT OF HIS GRACE BECAUSE I AM A FIRST YEAR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. 
          UM, AND SO TO SIT ON THIS PANEL WITH THESE TWO DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMEN WHO ARE EXPERTS, I'M, UH, NERVOUS BUT GRATEFUL. 
          , JUST HOPING I HAVE AN ANSWER, UM, FOR YOU ALL. 
          BUT WE ARE, UM, A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NONPROFIT, STARTED BY PASTOR WILLIAM MA LAWSON BACK IN THE 19, UH, NINETIES, LATE 1990S, ABILITY TO BE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NONPROFIT. 
          RIGHT NOW WE OPERATE, UH, 16 UNIT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR SINGLE MOTHERS, UM, TO, UH, WITH ONE, TWO CHILDREN LIVE FREE, HELP THEM SAVE 50% OF THEIR INCOME FUND, PERMANENT HOUSING, WRAPAROUND SERVICE CASE MANAGEMENT, AND WE ALSO HAVE SENIOR HOUSING AND SOME REAL ESTATE, UH, DEVELOPMENTS, UH, IN THE THIRD WORLD COMMUNITY. 
          GLAD TO BE HERE. 
          YES, GOOD MORNING. 
          MY NAME IS GEORGE ANDERSON, AND I THINK I AM TRULY THE LEAST OF THESE . 
          I'M 
          [02:05:01]
THE NON PASTORS, THE NON MINISTER, RIGHT, . 
          IN FACT, I LIKE TO VERY AFFECTIONATELY SAY I DRINK WHISKEY AND CURSE. 
          SO THESE, UH, MINISTERS TOLERATE. 
          I, UH, LABORER AT THE FOUNTAIN OF PRAISE. 
          I SERVE UNDER DR. 
          REUS E WRIGHT. 
          AND, UH, I'M VERY HAPPY, UH, TO BE HERE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. 
          UH, HOPEFULLY I CAN SHARE WHAT NOT TO DO, UH, CAN SHARE SOME BEST PRACTICES, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IS COMMUNITY. 
          SO WHILE I DON'T PREACH, I HANDLE ALL OF THE BUSINESS AFFAIRS FOR THE FOUNTAIN PRAISE. 
          WE ARE MINISTRY IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. 
          WE'RE A LITTLE OVER 26,000 MEMBERS. 
          AND, UH, PART OF MY CALLING AGAIN IS TO SUPPORT, UH, THE WORK, SUPPORT THE MINISTRY. 
          AND THEN AGAIN, I LABOR AGGRESSIVELY IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          I AM THE CHAIR OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IN OUR AREA UNDER MAYOR PROTON, AND AS WELL CHAIRED A BOARD IN THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER. 
          SO A LOT OF MY WORK IS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          SURE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SOUND LIKE THE LEAST OF US, BUT , YEAH. 
          HE SEEMS LIKE IT MAY BE THE LEAST, BUT HE DO THE MOST. 
          LET ME, LET ME START WITH YOU, GEORGE, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WHO WE HAVE. 
          AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL SIDES OF THE FINANCIAL, UH, BENEFIT TO INSTITUTIONS. 
          AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE BEING A FAITH LEADER MYSELF, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE AT THE TABLE. 
          THE REASON WHY I INVITED YOU GUYS SO THAT WE COULD HEAR AND OTHER FAITH LEADERS COULD HEAR THE PROCESS OF WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH IN ORDER YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BANKS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN GIVE SOME TIDBITS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS ABOUT SHARING. 
          NOBODY INVENTS ANY PARTICULAR THING. 
          IT'S ALL ABOUT SHARING, BUT ALL OF US BRING SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THE TABLE. 
          SO JUST TELL US WHAT DID, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OR MAYBE SOME OF THE, THE VICTORIES OR EVEN NOT VICTORIES YOU HAD IN DEVELOPING THAT FOR FOUNTAIN? SO I MIGHT ADD THAT, UH, DR. BRIGHT IS MY UNCLE, AND, UH, HE CONVINCED ME TO COME HERE, HOUSTON, TO HELP HIM WITH EXPANDING THE CHURCH. 
          SO I LANDED IN 2000. 
          AND WHAT I FOUND WHEN I GOT HERE WAS A, UH, CHURCH THAT NEEDED RESTRUCTURING A CHURCH AND A MINISTRY THAT WAS REALLY ABOUT THEMSELVES IN TERMS OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE BANKING COMMUNITY. 
          THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE 'EM. 
          UH, THEY HAD, UH, A RETAIL BANK THAT THEY HAD DONE, UH, BANKING WITH FOR A NUMBER OF DECADES, BUT THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BANK. 
          MOST IMPORTANTLY, INTERNALLY, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE CHARGED WITH FINANCING THE NEW BUILDING, UH, THEY WERE CLUELESS ABOUT BANKING. 
          SO PASTOR WRIGHT ASKED ME, HE SAID, WHO DO YOU WANT TO WORK WITH, THE TRUSTEES OR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? AND I SAID, NEITHER OF 'EM. 
          UH, AND HE ASKED ME, HE SAID, WELL, WHY DO YOU, HOW'D YOU GET TO THAT CONCLUSION? I SAID, WELL, IF THEY'VE BEEN, UH, IN THE STREETS FOR OVER FIVE YEARS TRYING TO FIND FINANCING, UH, I WOULD CHARACTERIZE THEM AS LOSERS, AND WE NEED TO FIND SOMEONE WITHIN THE MINISTRY THAT UNDERSTANDS BANKING. 
          AND SO, UH, WE WERE BLESSED. 
          THERE'S A GENTLEMAN, I THINK HE'S HERE TODAY, WORLEY MARKER, WHO WAS WITH CHASE, UH, WORLEY. 
          AND I FOUND GREAT FELLOWSHIP AND WE EMBARKED UPON, UH, FINANCING OUR CHURCH, WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS A LITTLE OVER 15 MILL, UH, TO BUILD A NEW CHURCH. 
          UH, WE GOT TOGETHER, WORKED WITH A REAL ESTATE BROKER, AND WE MARKET, WE, UH, DID A DEAL IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS. 
          UM, AND I ATTRIBUTE MOST OF THAT TO, AGAIN, HAVING SOMEONE THAT SPOKE THE LANGUAGE THAT THE BANKERS UNDERSTOOD, AND THEN ALSO KNEW WHAT WOULD BE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL IN TERMS OF A DEAL. 
          IT'S BEEN A CONSTANT THING TODAY THAT YOU SHOULD BE SHOPPING BANKS AND KNOWING WHICH INSTITUTION WAS OPEN TO COMMERCIAL LENDING, ESPECIALLY TO A CHURCH, WHICH IS A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION. 
          MOST BANKS DON'T WANT TO CLOSE AND FORECLOSE ON A CHURCH. 
          SO THERE WERE ONLY A FEW OF THEM THAT WERE DOING THOSE DEALS. 
          SURE, SURE. 
          SO WE FOUND, UH, THE RIGHT BANK. 
          AT THAT TIME, IT WAS COMERICA. 
          UH, WE THEN REFINANCED WITH IBERIA, WHICH IS NOW FIRST HORIZON, AND WE FOUND A GREAT FELLOWSHIP, UH, WITH FIRST HORIZON. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          THANK YOU BROTHER JONES. 
          TELL US SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT, UH, IN DOING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECT THAT YOU ARE, THAT MAYBE THE WHEELER CHURCH THAT YOU EXPERIENCE IN THE BANKING PROCESS. 
          SURE. 
          SO WHEEL AVENUE IS LIKE MOST CHURCHES IN BLESSED CHURCH. 
          [02:10:01]
WE HAVE SOME, UH, WONDERFUL INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CONNECTED TO BANKS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND PARTICULARLY AM BANK, UH, AM BANK WAS OUR, UH, IS OUR BANKER, AND ALSO OUR, UM, UH, FINANCE FOR OUR BUILDING. 
          BUILDING AND JUST BUILT AND KEEPING THAT RELATIONSHIP, UH, WITH, UH, AM HAS HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY. 
          UM, THAT WAS STARTED WAY BEFORE MY, MY GETTING TWO TOGETHER FOR GOOD. 
          UM, GROWING UP AT , THOSE FOLKS THERE, UM, HAS CONTINUED TO, HAS TEAM TO PUSH THE MISSION TOGETHER FOR GOOD AND SUPPORTING US THROUGH DONATIONS, UM, UH, UH, CONNECTING US WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE WE NEED TO TALK TO, TO GET ALL FOR OUR REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE DOING THE SENIOR HOUSING, AND LIKEWISE FOR THE TRANSITIONAL, UH, HOUSING. 
          SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY, UM, WE PERSON ANY HICCUPS, UH, BLESS, UH, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR THAT REALITY. 
          PASTOR RASMUS, YOU KIND OF HAD A TWOFOLD, UM, SITUATION BECAUSE BEING A PASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF THE ST. 
          JOHN CHURCH AS WELL AS DOING THE PROJECT THAT YOU WERE DOING, SO HOW WAS YOUR FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP GOING FORWARD? THEY HELPED YOU ACHIEVE THOSE, THOSE OBJECTIVES THAT YOU NOW HAVE BROUGHT IN THE FRUITIONS AND GREAT JOB THAT YOU'VE DONE, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA OF THE HOMELESSNESS. 
          HOW WAS THAT FOR YOU? FIRST OF ALL, I, UH, MY WIFE AND I RETIRED IN 23, UH, PRIMARILY SO I COULD, UH, JOIN, UH, BROTHER GEORGE IN CUSSING AND WHISKEY ALREADY . 
          BUT, UH, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A JOURNEY. 
          I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A REAL JOURNEY. 
          UM, AND ONE THING, UH, ONE OF MY, UH, MY MY MENTORS TOLD ME YEARS AGO, HE SAID, RUDY, WE ARE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS. 
          UH, HE SAID, THE PRODUCT CAN CHANGE, BUT, BUT OUR PRIMARY WORK IS IN DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS. 
          SO OVER THE YEARS, UH, OVER THE YEARS, I'VE MADE GREAT FRIENDS AND, AND THE TESTAMENT FOR GREAT FRIENDSHIP IS, UH, AT THE, AT THE MOMENT, A PROJECT ISN'T GOING AS PLANNED. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UH, AND WE'VE HAD A FEW, UH, THAT HAVEN'T GONE AS PLANNED. 
          WE'VE HAD MORE THAT HAVE GONE WELL. 
          UH, BUT ONE PARTICULAR, UH, MOMENT ABOUT 8, 8, 9 YEARS AGO, WE HAD A PROJECT THAT JUST WENT UPSIDE DOWN. 
          AND, AND IT WAS IN THAT MOMENT WHERE I REALIZED EVEN MORE SO THAT, THAT THE, UH, THE STRENGTH OF THE RELATIONSHIP, UH, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO FINANCE, UH, IN YOUR ONGOING ACTIVITIES, THE STRENGTH OF THAT RELATIONSHIP DOES MAKE THE DIFFERENCES TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SURVIVE, UH, IN DOWNTURNS. 
          SPEAKING OF DOWNTURNS, UH, CURRENTLY WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A, UH, OF A DOWNTURN AS A RESULT OF A, UH, OF CHANGES MADE ON A NEW ADMINISTRATION. 
          UH, THOSE CHANGES HAVE IMPACTED EVERY AREA OF OUR OUTREACH. 
          UM, PART OF OUR OUTREACH IS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. 
          UM, OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS, UH, HAVE BEGAN TO, TO SEGUE AND TAKE, UH, NEW PATHS, UH, AS IT RELATES TO HOW THEY ADDRESS OUR, UH, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WORK. 
          UH, WE HAVE, UM, I USE THIS TERM LOST SIGNIFICANT FUNDING, UH, OVER THE LAST, UH, 10 MONTHS. 
          UH, IT HAS BEEN, UH, IT'S BEEN AN UPHEAVAL, BUT, UH, WE CONTINUE TO, UH, WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. 
          UH, THE, UM, THE ONE THING THAT I DO, UH, REALIZE, UH, AS IT RELATES TO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF KNOWING, UH, WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU ARE, AND WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A PIVOT RIGHT NOW. 
          PART OF THAT PIVOT IS IN, IN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT. 
          UH, WE ARE MOVING MORE, UH, INTO THAT AREA TO HELP FUND THE, UH, THE, UH, THE ONGOING HUMAN SERVICES WORK. 
          UH, SO THE, THE CHALLENGE, THE CHALLENGES ARE REAL, UH, BUT THE, UH, BUT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE VAST. 
          GOOD. 
          WELL, YOU KNOW, I, I WANT TO, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE DO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY I PUT THIS TOGETHER. 
          THE MAIN REASON WHY, BECAUSE INFORMATION IS KEY AND IT'S POWERFUL. 
          IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE INFORMATION, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE. 
          IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER EXPERIENCES HAVE, THEN YOU CAN'T REALLY GO FORWARD. 
          I'M A BELIEVER IN WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT. 
          BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT, UH, THERE ARE WINDOWS THAT WILL BE OPEN TO ALLOW US, YES, WE LIVING IN A PARTICULAR TIME WHERE FINANCES IN A LOT OF AREAS, WE HEAR THE CITY HALL ALL THE TIME, UH, WHERE DEPARTMENTS HAVE RECEIVED GRANTS AND 
          [02:15:01]
OTHER FINANCIAL DEALS, AND THAT SOME OF THAT MONEY'S BEEN CAUGHT CUT OR DRIED UP. 
          BUT, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE BANKS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I SAY THERE'S ALWAYS AN OPENING THAT GOD ALLOWS US TO DO, BUT WE HAVE TO KNOW WHERE THOSE OPENINGS ARE AND HOW DO WE GET THOSE RESOURCES AND SOME OF THE RELATIONSHIPS. 
          SO LET ME, LET ME ASK THIS, AND, UH, PASTOR, STARTING WITH YOU, UM, IF YOU HAD TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO ALL OF THE OTHERS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING, UH, AS FAITH LEADERS AND TRY TO DO THESE OBJECTS, WE KNOW WE AS MINISTRIES, WE DON'T SELL POPCORN AND PEANUTS. 
          UM, WE ARE NOT THE KIND OF OUR FAITH-BASED OBJECTIVES. 
          SO GIVE ME, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO ASK EACH OF YOU GIVE SOME ALTERNATIVES ABOUT WHICH YOU CAN MEET THAT GOAL. 
          I HADN'T MET THAT GOAL AND FULFILLING WHAT YOUR, YOUR MISSION IN MINISTRY IS. 
          WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN? I THINK ONE, ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT, UH, CHANGES WE'VE MADE, UH, IN, IN THE PAST MAYBE A YEAR AND A HALF OR SO, UH, IS AN EFFORT TO ATTRACT PRIVATE EQUITY TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          UH, HISTORICALLY WE'VE RELIED, UH, SOLELY ON, UH, ON PUBLIC FINANCING, UH, THROUGH OUR, UH, CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS. 
          UM, BUT, BUT NOW AS A RESULT OF, OF REALLY, UH, THE, THE, THE SHIFTS IN, IN HOW, UH, FUNDING AVAILABILITY OCCURS, UH, WE HAVE GONE OUT TO, UH, TO, TO, TO EQUITY MARKETS AND, AND ACTUALLY HAVE ATTRACTED, UH, PRIVATE EQUITY TO TWO, UM, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECTS, WHICH ARE THE, UM, ARE THE MOST CHALLENGING TO FINANCE BECAUSE OF THE, UH, UH, ONE, THE, THE RENT STRUCTURE IN THOSE UNITS. 
          AND NUMBER TWO, WHO THE TENANTS ARE TYPICALLY. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, ONE THING, UH, BREAD OF LIFE AND TIM AND SEMINO, CDC, UH, HAVE BECOME KNOWN FOR IS HOUSING, UH, THE MOST CHALLENGING HOUSTONIANS, UH, PRIMARILY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEAH. 
          PRIMARILY BECAUSE, UM, UH, FORTUNATELY IT'S PART OF MY ORIGIN STORY. 
          SECOND, WE'RE NOT AFRAID OF PEOPLE. 
          THIRDLY, WE REALLY DO LOVE FOLK. 
          YES, YES. 
          AND, AND IN THE MIDST OF THAT, WE HAVE SEEN OPPORTUNITIES OPEN, UH, IN AREAS WHERE MANY DEVELOPERS ARE PASSING ON. 
          RIGHT? UH, SO JUST, IT'S REALLY SEIZING THE MOMENT, UH, AND, AND WALKING IN SOME PRETTY INTENSE INTEGRITY IN THE PROCESS SO THAT, UH, ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AND ALL OF OUR LENDER KNOW, UH, THAT WE'RE TELLING THEM THE TRUTH AND WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE SAID WE DID WITH THEM, UH, GONNA DO WITH THEIR MONEY. 
          GOOD. 
          THANK YOU, PASTOR. 
          YEP. 
          I, FOR ME, WHEN I CAME INTO MY POSITION, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS WAS TO FUNDRAISE. 
          AND WITH, UH, EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON NATIONALLY WITH OUR GOVERNMENT GRANTS BEING CUT, WE HAD TO MAKE UP THAT DEFICIT. 
          AND, UH, REALLY WHAT I DID STARTED WITH THE CLOSE NETWORK THAT I HAD. 
          AND FROM THERE EXPANDED, UH, LUCKY. 
          I HAVE A BOARD THAT, UM, IS A, UH, WORKING BOARD THAT GIVES AND, UH, NETWORKS WITH, UH, OTHERS. 
          SO STARTING WITH THAT CORE, UM, GROUP THAT YOU HAVE EASY CONNECTIONS WITH IS, UH, DEFINITELY, UH, UH, PARAMOUNT. 
          UH, SECONDLY, ALSO WHEN WE WERE FUNDRAISING AND STARTED TO BRING KIND OF THAT, UM, UH, PRIVATE EQUITY, WE MATCHED OUR FINANCIAL METRICS WITH OUR, UH, COMMUNITY IMPACT. 
          UH, THAT STORYTELLING REALLY IS IMPORTANT WHEN YOU ARE GOING AFTER MONEY, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW, WHAT IS MY MONEY GOING TOWARDS AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          YEP. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE A POWERFUL IMPACT COMMUNITY STORY, YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED TO PAIR THAT WITH YOUR, UH, FINANCIAL METRICS. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND SO, I'M A STRONG ADVOCATE OF PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS AND WHAT I HAVE FOUND WITH THOSE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, ONE, IT GIVES STRENGTH TO THE PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. 
          AND AT THE FOUNTAIN OF PRAISE, WE ARE VERY INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND SO THOSE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS HAVE BEEN SURVIVAL FOR US NOW. 
          AND AS FUNDING HAS SHIFTED, UH, WE HAVE FOUND, FOR EXAMPLE, GREAT PARTNERS WITH DIFFERENT BANKS. 
          SO WE ACCESS THE CRA PROGRAMS. WE ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING A VERY SUCCESSFUL, UH, VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE. 
          AND THAT PROGRAM, AGAIN, IS PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH THE IRS AND AS WELL THROUGH THE BANKS. 
          BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKE ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS, ONE, I'M OPEN BOOK. 
          AND SO 
          [02:20:01]
ANY OF THE MINISTRIES THAT COME TO US AND SAY, WE WANT TO LEARN, WE OPEN OUR DOORS. 
          I ALSO LOOK AT, UH, OTHER MINISTRIES. 
          SO WHEN I LOOK AT PASTOR RUDY, UH, HE'S AGAIN, HAD, IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. 
          AND SO I BELIEVE IN BENCHMARKING AND LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES SO THAT WE AVOID MISTAKES SO THAT WE REPEAT SUCCESS. 
          AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL, UH, THAT ARE IN THIS REALM, UH, TO PUT PRIDE IN YOUR POCKET, UM, AND TO LOOK AT HOW CAN I WORK WITH OTHERS TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOOD GOALS. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COME ON, LET'S GIVE OUR POWER. 
          YES. 
          I, I, I WANNA, I WANNA SAY, I KNOW TIME IS, IS OF ESSENCE THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DO, AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU THAT TOOK UP YOUR DAY AND SERVED IT TO THOSE WHO I'VE INVITED THE PANELISTS AND TO ALL THE ONES WHO HAVE COME, IT HAS JUST BEEN AN AWESOME DAY. 
          THIS IS OUR FIRST, UM, AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW. 
          FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK THE, UH, THE OFFICE, UH, OF OBO. 
          AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, FOR ALLOWING ME AND WORKING WITH ME AS AN AT LARGE IN MY FIRST TERM TO DO THIS. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE CARRIED FOR A VERY LONG TIME BECAUSE I LOVE MY CITY AND I WANT TO SEE OUR CITY AS WE ARE GROWING. 
          WE ARE A GROWING CITY, BUT THERE HAS TO BE MORE COLLABORATION. 
          AND I WANT THE FAITH-BASED LEADERS TO ALL TO UNDERSTAND YOU SERVE A VITAL HEART. 
          AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY AT THE TABLE THAT'S SPEAKING ON YOUR BEHALF, IF YOU HAVE NO ONE AT THE TABLE WHO ARE LETTING YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, THEN IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE TABLE, THEN YOU ON THE MENU. 
          SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT WE, WE CAN NO LONGER BE ON THE MENU. 
          WE, WE HAVE GOT TO BE INVOLVED. 
          THESE MINISTRIES HAVE BEEN, HAVE MADE SOME SUCCESSES, BUT GUESS WHAT? YOU CAN DO THE SAME THING. 
          SO YOU, YOU KNOW, SO PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR ME TO PUT ME THERE, AND, UH, AND I, I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT WITH ALL OF OUR MINISTER BASES WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FAITH BASES ARE, ARE, OR FAITH COMMUNITY ARE SUPPORTED. 
          UH, IN CLOSING, BEFORE I ASK BROTHER PATRICK TO COME BACK UP, I JUST WANT TO SAY TODAY THAT I, I'M REALLY, REALLY HONORED HILL DAY. 
          UH, I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THESE GREAT PEOPLE. 
          IT IS ALSO, THIS IS ALSO, YES, ARGENTINA, JAMES, AND ROGER. 
          UH, AND I, I CAN CANNOT THINK ENOUGH OF THEM AND THEIR STAFF AND CERTAINLY FOR ALL OF THOSE, SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL SAY WHAT CAN'T HAPPEN, BUT I'M NEVER IN THE LINE WITH THE KING PEOPLE. 
          I'M IN THE LINE WITH THE I PEOPLE. 
          AND, UH, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THERE. 
          SO THANK OUR PANEL AND THANK YOU FOR COMING BECAUSE WE GOING TO DO MORE. 
          I'M LAST POINT. 
          I WANT TO MAKE, IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO REACH ME, I WANNA GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE WE INTEND TO FOLLOW UP WITH THIS. 
          UH, I HOPE THAT WHATEVER RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU FOUND, UH, THAT YOU GOT WITH BANKS, THAT WERE HERE, WHATEVER, I'M HOPING THAT YOU GOT PLENTY CARDS AND INFORMATION, BUT I'M, I'M NOT JUST THROWING THIS OUT HERE. 
          I WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH THESE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. 
          I WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU SO THAT WHATEVER YOU ARE TRYING TO DO, MY OFFICE TO ASSIST YOU, EXCUSE ME, TO HELP YOU AND GET THAT DONE, THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF WHY WE PUT THIS TOGETHER. 
          THIS IS NOT A JUST A STAND A SHOW. 
          UH, I'M NOT THE SHOW HORSE. 
          I'M THE WORK HORSE AND I'M THE PERSON THAT LIKE TO GET AND SEE STUFF GET DONE. 
          AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY. 
          YOU HEARD IT TODAY. 
          YOU HEARD A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM THIS STAGE ABOUT HOW TO ENGAGE AND GET YOUR BUSINESSES ENGAGED. 
          YOU KNOW, EVEN SOME OF YOU THAT MAY BE PASTOR, FAITH LEADERS, BUT OUTSIDE OF YOUR MINISTRY WORK, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS TOO. 
          SO IN MY TURN, UH, I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I NEED TO DO. 
          UH, I DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING FOR WHAT'S COMING IN THE FUTURE. 
          I TRY TO WORK ON WHAT'S NOW, AND THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE TO SERVE IN MY OFFICE. 
          BUT IF YOU NEED TO REACH ME, I CAN GET THAT TO YOU, ANNOUNCE IT TO YOU. 
          I'M IN AT LARGE TWO, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL ME AT AT LARGE ATT L-A-R-G-E, THE NUMBER2@HOUSTONTX.GOV. 
          YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL. 
          UH, I HAVE A VERY GOOD STAFF AND WE TRY TO STAY ON TOP OF IT AS MUCH AS WE CAN. 
          BUT YOU REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE IF WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE YOU IN THIS EFFORT. 
          BUT THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT DAY AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. 
          THAT WAS THERE. 
          ANYTHING ELSE, BROTHER PATRICK? IS THAT IT? ALL RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          [02:25:01]
WELL, I HOPE EVERYBODY WAS PLEASED WITH IT AND I HOPE YOU GOT IT. 
          ENJOY YOUR MORNING. 
          GOD BLESS YOU. 
          ENJOY. 
          BE SAFE GOING HOME.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.