Montgomery County State of The Market

As Executive Director of the Conroe Economic Development Council, Danielle is responsible for marketing Conroe to new and expanding businesses. In the last year and a half she has attracted 6 new projects or expansions to Conroe generating a capital investment of over $240M and 447 jobs. She received a B.S. from Texas A&M University and is a certified Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED). Danielle is a graduate of both Community Development Institute (CDI) and OU Economic Development Institute (EDI). She was named a 2018 Top 50 Economic Developer in North America by Consultant Connect. Danielle’s professional memberships include the International Economic Development Council, the Texas Economic Development Council (where she serves on the Board of Directors), Team Texas (where she serves on the Advisory Council), the Texas Economic Development Corporation and a host of other commercial real estate organizations (NAIOP, CoreNet, and the Commercial Real Estate Association of Montgomery County). She was also recently appointed to the Houston Galveston Area Council Gulf Coast Workforce Board and to the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Board. Danielle was recently honored with the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural ATHENA Award, honoring professional excellence, community service and active mentorship of women. She was also named a 2018 Trailblazer by the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Danielle has been honored with a Woman of Distinction Award twice by the Montgomery County Women’s Council of Organizations – once for her work with Leadership Montgomery County and once for her work with the Executive Women’s Alliance. Locally, Danielle was recently elected to return to the board of directors for Leadership Montgomery County. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for Conroe Regional Medical Center and is the Board representative to the HCA Gulf Coast Advisory Board. As the parent of a special needs child, Danielle is especially proud of her current involvement on the Board of Directors for New Danville, serving special needs adults. She also enjoys serving the food insecure in the community on the Board of Directors for Montgomery County Food Bank. Danielle is an ex-officio director for the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce and is a member of Executive Women’s Alliance. She has previously served as a Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce, Montgomery County United Way, Executive Women’s Alliance and Leadership Montgomery County (where she is an active alumni association member). She and her husband Stacy live in Woodforest with their two boys and a menagerie of pets.

Scott Fikes is a Senior Vice President within JLL Houston’s Agency Leasing group, where he is responsible for leasing commercial office properties throughout the Houston metropolitan area. He focuses on the strategic positioning of his clients real estate assets to maximize value. Scott brings a holistic perspective to the negotiation process, having represented tenants for almost 14 years. Scott successfully combines his expertise in project management, sales and marketing, and finance to achieve quantifiable results for his clients. Because Scott values partnership and collaboration, he is recognized by his colleagues and the industry as a consummate relationship builder. Prior to joining JLL in June 2018, Scott was a Vice President at Avison Young, where he was a member of the firm’s Tenant Representation and Agency Leasing group. While at Avison Young, he managed numerous global, national and local accounts and completed lease and sale transactions with an aggregate value of more than $180 million. He also helped manage the office’s “Young Guns” program to recruit, train and mentor new associates. Before his time at Avison Young, Scott was an office tenant rep broker at Grubb & Ellis, where he served on the Houston office’s Board of Directors and was a consistent top ten producer.

Gil Staley has been with The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership for over 18 years and serves as Chief Executive Officer. In this position, he is responsible for recruiting new businesses to the South Montgomery County area as well as directing the business retention and expansion program. Gil also oversees the operational aspects of the EDP while maintaining the financial integrity of the organization. Prior to joining the EDP, he was the District Sales Director in Houston for Delta Air Lines. In this role, he was responsible for marketing, corporate sales and community affairs for Central & South Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Gil was with Delta for over 26 years. Gil is a 2009 Center for Houston's Future Business/Civic Leadership Forum graduate, as well as a 2006 Leadership Montgomery County graduate. He serves on numerous community boards including The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Coast Workforce Board and Conroe North Houston Regional Airport Advisory Board. Gil is a member of the Texas Economic Development Council, the International Economic Development Council and Commercial Real Estate Association of Montgomery County. Gil is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University with a B.B.A. degree in Business Management.

Rachel Steele is the Executive Director of her hometown EDC. Magnolia, Texas is a rural 5-square mile town in southwestern Montgomery County, and amid a tidal wave of double-digit residential growth. For the past four years Ms. Steele has worked as the Magnolia 4A and 4B Corporations Executive Director, facilitating both boards in evaluating, planning and implementing economic and community development projects. As executive Director, the corporations have undertaken critical infrastructure projects, initiated planning on a local industrial park and supported the city with key planning activites. Ms. Steele is a seasoned developer in rural communities with high growth rates given her previous tenure in west Fort Bend County and the ten-county region surrounding Austin. When she’s not storyboarding her next development idea, Ms. Steele enjoys a BBQ road trip to one of Texas’s small quaint towns.

Kyle Watson is a shareholder in Winstead’s Business Litigation, Energy, and Financial Services Litigation Practice Groups. He joined the firm in September 2004 and practices primarily out of Winstead's The Woodlands, Texas office. Kyle represents clients locally, regionally and nationally in a wide variety of complex litigation matters in state and federal courts. He also practices before the American Arbitration Association. Kyle has considerable experience representing both individuals and business entities in a varied range of commercial and civil disputes with an emphasis on contracts, business tort litigation, energy litigation, product liability disputes related to drilling equipment and oil country tubular goods, real estate, lease and property disputes, business divorce, construction and development disputes, and financial services and lending disputes. Kyle’s experience includes all phases of litigation including bench and jury trials as well as subsequent appeals. He has tried multiple bench and jury trials as first and second chair counsel. Because many cases do not or should not proceed to trial, in addition to being a zealous advocate, Kyle acts as a trusted advisor and counselor to solve his clients’ problems efficiently and achieve their goals short of trial or formal litigation.

Justin serves as Executive Managing Director of Transwestern’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Advisory Services Group and leads the Houston Healthcare & Life Sciences Brokerage Team. With 12 dedicated professionals, the Team leases over 6 million square feet of clinical & lab space, more than any other local firm, and has transacted over 2,000 lease and building sales in the last 5 years. The team specializes in agency leasing, tenant representation, investment services and strategic account management. Justin has been with Transwestern since 2007 and specializes in providing real estate solutions within this niche space to investors, developers, end users and VC firms. His expertise in leasing, investment services, development, construction and asset management, allows him to apply a holistic lens to any real estate opportunity, resulting in optimal outcomes for Transwestern clients.

Dr. Alisa White is president and professor of mass communication at Sam Houston State University, located in Huntsville, TX. Ranked the number one university in Texas in social mobility, Sam Houston State offers its nearly 22,000 students a transformative educational experience. Sam Houston State operates three campuses in Huntsville, Conroe, and The Woodlands, Texas, and has the only College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Texas. White serves on the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), teaches in AASCU’s New President’s Academy, is past president of the Tennessee College Association, serves as vice chair of the Council of Public University Presidents and Chancellors (TX), served as a director for the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, has twice served on the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Division I Presidential Forum, and serves as vice chair of Conference USA. She has been honored as a Trailblazer by the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce. White’s leadership is characterized by her commitment to building strong teams, empowering leaders, and forging positive relationships with internal and external communities. Sam Houston State University’s Motto is “The measure of a life is its service,” and the University takes it to heart. The University’s Center for Community Engagement was the first recipient of the American Association of State Colleges and University’s We the People Award presented by the American Democracy Project. Prior to joining Sam Houston State in 2020, White served as president of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN.

HHC is a Master Planned Community Real Estate Developer. My role supports Central Region leadership on the Strategic Development team. The team plans, entitles and develops commercial land holdings within HHC communities. Activities include managing land sale and ground lease contracts, underwriting and due diligence of new investments, generating financial models, creating investment memorandums and preparing board materials.

Lambert brings over 30 years of organizational and operational leadership across the public and private sectors. Prior to joining The Cannon, Lambert served in a number of leadership roles with KPMG, including four years as Executive Director of Investment Operations for KPMG Capital, providing oversight to a diverse portfolio of global investment companies. Earlier in his career, Lambert played key roles in the formation and growth of a number of startup entities and M&A-driven rapid growth companies, and will bring a depth of operational experience to The Cannon as it continues to expand to additional locations in 2020. “I am thrilled to join this exciting and fast-growing company as we continue to create and serve vibrant entrepreneurial communities across Houston and beyond,” said Lambert. “Lawson and his team have done an incredible job taking The Cannon vision and making it real. I’m happy to be part of the positive momentum and energy they have created. There has never been a better time for startups to enter the market, but achieving success has never been more challenging. The Cannon is playing a unique role in helping evolving companies navigate and accelerate their way through this journey.” Gow echoed Lambert’s excitement for The Cannon’s expansion. “We are lucky to be able to bring someone with Jon’s extensive experience to our company. Our team has done an amazing job getting us this far, and Jon’s background and operational expertise will be a difference maker to help take us to the next level.”

Dr. De’ Reese Reid-Hart, a native of Chicago, assumed the presidency of Lone Star College-Montgomery on Sept 1, 2023. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Eastern Illinois University and her doctorate from National Louis University. Dr. Reid-Hart is the 5th president of Lone Star College-Montgomery. As president, she is tasked with inspiring, innovating, and strategically leading Lone Star College-Montgomery which includes Conroe and University Center. With a distinguished career marked by dynamic leadership in higher education, Dr. Reid-Hart brings a wealth of experience in areas ranging from instruction and student services to strategic budget planning and program development. Dr. Reid-Hart's passion lies in cultivating programs that foster student success, making a tangible impact on the communities served. Deeply committed to the college's tradition of academic excellence, career development, and community engagement, Dr. Reid-Hart is always looking for ways to exceed expectations and address the needs of students, faculty, and staff. With her keen vision and innovative approach, she plans to introduce new programs and strengthen bonds between the college and the community to ensure that everyone has access to the best possible experience at Lone Star College-Montgomery. For Dr. De' Reese Reid-Hart, education is not just a profession, but a calling to uplift communities through strategic leadership and student-centric programs. With a track record of excellence in higher education administration, Dr. Reid-Hart chose Lone Star College Montgomery for its culture, community reputation, and student-first approach. Follow your passions, celebrate your successes, and never stop learning - that's Dr. Reid- Hart's motto.

Jason Cramer is a member of Winstead’s Corporate & Tax Practice Group. He represents both public and private companies in matters relating to securities regulation, capital markets and corporate finance, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and other commercial transactions. Jason regularly works closely with members of Winstead’s prominent Real Estate Development & Investments Practice Group to advise on corporate and capital raising matters. He is an active Partner Delegate in The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership and is a volunteer in his local church. Jason lives in The Woodlands with his wife and three children.

Currently oversee the Planning and Development of all TxDOT projects in the Houston District of TxDOT and for the Houston Galveston Area Council (MPO). Responsible for oversight on planning, funding, environmental, right of way, design and agreements for generating $1B of construction lettings per year.

Jeff Dewese, Senior Vice President for the land division of the Signorelli Company, comes with over 18 years of experience in real estate. He is currently involved in every aspect of the company’s land development operation from acquisition, land planning, construction management, and landscape architecture, to reimbursement entity and HOA management and development. Prior to joining the Signorelli Company in 2017, Jeff worked for various reputable local and national builders where he gained experience on construction, purchasing, sales, and land project management. Jeff’s extensive experience has allowed him to collaborate with numerous Houston area municipalities, local governments and school districts. Jeff is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. His community involvement includes serving as a member of The Association of Former Students Texas A&M, leading and volunteering for the Cub Scouts, volunteering with the Angel Reach program and completing Leadership Montgomery County where he currently an active alumni.

Founded in 2017, XAG Group is a privately owned, full-service company with deep experience in commercial development, retail leasing, tenant representation, brokerage, and property management. Our partners each have decades of experience working in commercial real estate. We currently manage a $200 million portfolio with 15 retail, multifamily, and mixed-use projects in Texas and Louisiana with a staggering $176 million in ongoing development projects. XAG team is guided by a commitment to exceptional service and optimizing returns for clients. As the CEO and leader, Nathaliah Naipaul is a Broker with impressive accolades, published articles, and numerous awards for her mentorship and knowledge expanding over 20 years. She remains a humble leader, attributing her success to her unwavering passion for her work. In recognition of her exceptional contributions, she was honored as one of the Top 50 Women in 2022 by The Top 100 Magazine and also received the prestigious title of a RedNews Texas Icon in 2023. XAG Group has a performance record of providing 20-30% IRR with consistent cash flow opportunities with each investment. We strategize with local Master Planned Community Residential Developers to embrace the markets needs collaboratively. Our focus to create an urban community experience in the suburban setting that will empower residents to feel a collective community.

Duane Heckmann is a greater Houston area advisor with more than 35 years of raw land and residential lot brokerage experience in Houston and the surrounding counties. He has developed extensive knowledge regarding utilities, drainage, surface control and other unique development issues, as well as a comprehensive working knowledge of land values and overall market trends. Duane has very strong relationships with developers, homebuilders, banks, funds and investors that are active in the Houston market, and also assists and advises a large number of owners with their respective land holdings. He has assisted most of Houston’s master planned community developers, commercial developers, lot developers and landowners with their raw land needs as well as selling land and lots to homebuilders, commercial/mixed use developers, industrial developers and investors. Duane has also completed extensive work for national, regional and local banks including Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Enterprise Bank, assisting them to analyze their real estate holdings and disposition of various assets. Prior to joining Land Advisors Organization, Duane ran his own commercial real estate company for 15 years. He is a member of the West Houston Association, Urban Land Institute, Houston’s Commercial Real Estate Network (CREN), The Greater Houston Partnership and is a board member of FiveTwo Network, a nonprofit organization. Duane received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Sam Houston State University and has held his Texas Real Estate Broker’s license since 1988.

Mr. McKenna serves as Vice President, Business Development at Centric, where he focuses on the company’s strategic growth initiatives and the management of key developer & builder relationships. Kevin manages and oversees the Business Development, Customer Acquisition, Customer Experience teams. Most recently prior to joining Centric, Mr. McKenna served as Managing Partner at Teleios Commodities in The Woodlands, TX, where he managed operations, business development, and investments during a period of strong growth. Before Teleios, Mr. McKenna was VP of Business Development at a Houston-based oilfield technology company serving the upstream E&P space in North America. Kevin has over twenty years of experience in business development and executive management helping privately held businesses increase revenues, margins, and market share. In his role as head of business development, customer acquisition, and customer experience, Mr. McKenna ensures that Centric delivers value to its customers which leads to sustainable growth for the firm. Mr. McKenna holds a MSc in Global Energy Management from the University of Colorado in Denver and a BS in Geology from Trinity University. He is an active volunteer in Boy Scouts of America and serves on the Board of Directors for the North Houston FCA. Mr. McKenna lives in The Woodlands, TX, with his wife and three children, and enjoys mountain sports, golf, and running.