The event, titled “A resilient Austin in 2022 and beyond,” was moderated by Michele Glaze of Samsung Austin Semiconductor, and featured Robert Bryce, author, journalist, film producer, and host of the Power Hungry Podcast; Peter Mullan, Chief of Architecture and Urban Design of Austin Transit Partnership; Dewitt Peart, President and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance; and Tracy Thompson, Chief Officer of Administrative and External Affairs of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

The panel discussed the strengths and challenges the Austin region faces and how our local businesses and members of the community can contribute to its ongoing resilience. Given the timing of the event, one year after the infamous February 2021 freeze that shut down our state for a week, a prominent criticism was of the past failures of the Texas power grid system and the perception that the root causes of the failure have not been addressed. This raised the issue with infrastructure as a whole, and how crucial it is to the region’s stability. Panelist Peter Mullan commented that “the way to become a resilient community is to invest in your infrastructure – both physical and social.”

There was significant discussion on partnerships within the region, specifically between public and private institutions and government agencies, and how they will strengthen the city of Austin and the region as a whole. "We need to build the Austin region’s capacity for public-private partnerships,” panelist Dewitt Peart said. Panelist Tracy Thompson agreed, noting that "Working together, finding compromise, and creating partnerships that outlive the ink on the paper of our infrastructure deals will make us more resilient.” This conclusion was universal, with all panelists agreeing.

Transportation was also taken into account as a system that needs improvement, and what the impacts of that improvement would be.

“30% of the workers downtown live outside of the city, so smooth transportation is essential,” Peart said.

With billions of infrastructure investments planned across all modes of travel in the region, we are hopeful for the future of mobility in and around Austin.

One of the shining stars of our region is our education system. Panelists praised the region’s educational institutions, particularly the community college system, citing its affordability and teaching quality. Within 200 miles of Austin, there are more than 100 colleges and universities with more than 400,000 students combined. That level of education produces a wide range of talent, which attracts major companies like Samsung and Tesla, providing numerous unique opportunities for our region’s residents.

The Austin region is already thriving when it comes to industry and the economy, and there is so much potential for this to be the most sought-after region in the state, if not the country, in every category. Panelist Robert Bryce noted that the focus should be on improving affordability and reliability, particularly when it comes to the power grid, and with advancements in those fields comes an even higher overall quality of life.

In her closing remarks, Chamber President and CEO Laura Huffman noted that “we are always the last ones in and the first ones out of an economic downturn, because of the resilience of our economy.” That resilience can be attributed to the passion of the people who live here, dedicating their lives to making the Austin region the best it can be. And we already have so much to be proud of. Through the pandemic and over the last decade, Austin has proven itself time and time again as a force to be reckoned with, and a contender for one of the best places to live, work and thrive.