To the Extended Chamber Family - I am excited to be in the middle of my first week on the job as the Interim President and CEO of the Austin Chamber. I am proud to work alongside the staff and the boards of the Austin Chamber and Opportunity Austin to continue our vital work of making the Austin region the most prosperous in the country.

I was humbled and thrilled when the board asked me to take on this role. I am looking forward to helping with the transition as a new leader for the organization is located. I have been a longstanding advocate of the Chamber because I know how important it is in helping businesses in the region.

I have had a long career in Austin in finance and have also been involved in economic development for decades. I spent a large portion of my career at Texas Capital Bank, and I recently joined the board of directors of Susser Bank. I am currently a board member for Opportunity Austin and have been a board member for the Austin Chamber in the past.

I am eager to share that a familiar face has joined me to help in the transition. Jeremy Martin has rejoined the Austin Chamber as the Interim Chief Operating Officer. Jeremy has more than 15 years of experience with Austin Chamber. There is no better person to help me navigate learning the chamber’s work than him. Jeremy has already hit the ground running and will be assisting across a wide variety of areas.

We have a lot to be mindful of in the weeks and months ahead. This week, we will welcome a new Mayor and City Council members. Next week begins the legislative session at the Texas Capitol. And earlier this week, TxDOT opened its public comment period on the I-35 project. All of these things you will hear more about from us shortly.

Along those same lines, we continue to grow the region through the retention, expansion, and relocation of businesses. Opportunity Austin is our effort to develop the region’s economy, and we have been incredibly successful in those efforts. Since the start of Opportunity Austin in 2004, we have created more than 500,000 jobs in the region.

Looking ahead, we are beginning to plan for the next 5-year Opportunity Austin plan, starting in 2024. This year-long effort has multiple opportunities for you to be involved. Right now, we have a survey open that will help us get started. You can take the survey here.

Thank you for your continued support of the Austin Chamber and the region.

Sincerely,
Kerry Hall