The Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce was rushed to the hospital after he was found unconscious in his vehicle on Friday. He had surgery to repair a heart blockage and is hospitalized in the ICU at St. Elizabeth Hospital. We are asking for prayers and support for his family.

The Government Affairs Division led by Chairman Tom Broussard met on Tuesday and welcomed Sara Tays, former Austin based Government Affairs Manager for ExxonMobil. Sara who just retired is being considered as a professional consultant to assist us with windstorm insurance reform for the coming legislative session. A proposed bill was circulated to review. State Senator and Comptroller candidate Glenn Hegar also visited Southeast Texas. 

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The Advancing New Technologies at Lamar University Division chaired by Louis Wilson met on Thursday for an update on the CICE and a discussion about next steps for the division. A major gift to the program will be announced in the near future. 

The Regional Economic Development Initiative group made up of regional economic development professionals met in Nederland hosted by the Nederland EDC. There continues to be strong expansion activities including votes this week on tax incentives for Oiltanking. They are planning a $340 million dollar expansion in Beaumont. Jim Rich was invited as a representative from Oiltanking for a weekend event in Austin at Barton Creek Resort sponsored by Team Texas, a committee of the Texas Economic Development Council. The annual marketing event thanks corporations for their investments in Texas.