HBJ On The Record

Houston's philanthropic landscape is changing. Donors are demanding measurable results, younger generations are taking a more active role in charitable giving, and billions in family wealth are expected to change hands over time. What does that mean for the future of Houston?

In Episode 15 of HBJ On The Record, host Sean McCrory and Houston Business Journal reporter Chandler France welcome Stephen Maislin, President and CEO of the Greater Houston Community Foundation, for a conversation about the business of philanthropy and its growing influence on the region's future.

Maislin explains how donors are moving toward more strategic, data-driven giving and why collaboration between businesses, foundations, and nonprofits is becoming essential to addressing Houston's biggest challenges.

The conversation explores:

• Generational wealth: How Houston families are preparing to transfer philanthropic assets and involve children and grandchildren in giving decisions.
• The future of philanthropy: Why younger donors increasingly expect measurable results, transparency, and hands-on involvement.
• Houston's economic mobility: How business leaders and nonprofits are collaborating to create opportunities and address poverty.
• Disaster preparedness: What the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance is doing to prepare for future hurricanes and help charitable dollars reach communities more effectively.
• Artificial intelligence: How emerging technology and data are changing the way nonprofits evaluate needs and measure impact.
• The business of nonprofits: Why mission-driven organizations need financial discipline, operational excellence, and the willingness to innovate.

Maislin also discusses the importance of keeping philanthropic resources in Houston, preparing businesses before the next major disaster, and why strong nonprofit leadership requires both business expertise and a commitment to serving people.

About HBJ On The Record

HBJ On The Record features conversations with Houston's business leaders, executives, journalists, and industry experts about the decisions and developments shaping the region's economy.

Follow the show for new episodes and insights from the Houston Business Journal.

Presented by Withum, a top 20 advisory, tax, and audit firm, with support from Douglas Elliman, Spring Branch Management District, and Right Choice Construction.

For more Houston business news, visit https://www.bizjournals.com/houston.

What goes into reporting the business stories shaping Houston? In Episode 14 of HBJ On The Record, host Sean McCrory takes listeners behind the headlines with the Houston Business Journal reporters covering energy, sports business, and Greater Houston's rapid growth.

Energy reporter Naomi Klinge previews her latest cover story examining Texas' data center boom, ERCOT's efforts to manage soaring electricity demand, and the state's audit of large power users. She also explains the questions surrounding nearly $900 million in security deposits collected by CenterPoint and whether the cost of new electrical infrastructure could ultimately affect consumers.

Money and sports reporter Chandler France shares his path into journalism and how he developed HBJ's sports business coverage. From stadium developments and sponsorship deals to landing a major interview with Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, Chandler offers a look at the business stories happening beyond the playing field.

Growth editor Florian Martin discusses the extraordinary development transforming Greater Houston's suburbs. He explains how he tracks new master-planned communities, commercial projects, and growth along the Grand Parkway, and shares the story behind his reporting on George Foreman's mansion.

The episode also features Julie Garcia, Assistant Managing Editor for Print and Events, with insights into HBJ's reporting and editorial process.

It's an opportunity to get to know the people behind Houston's business news, how they find their stories, and why their reporting matters to the region.

About HBJ On The Record

HBJ On The Record features conversations with Houston's business leaders, executives, journalists, and industry experts about the issues shaping the region's economy.

Follow the show for new episodes and conversations from the Houston Business Journal.

Presented by Withum, a top 20 advisory, tax, and audit firm, with support from Douglas Elliman, Spring Branch Management District, and Right Choice Construction.

For more Houston business news, visit https://www.bizjournals.com/houston.

Houston's economy is expanding into biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. But can the region develop the skilled workforce needed to support that growth?

In Episode 13 of HBJ On The Record, host Sean McCrory and Houston Business Journal reporter Janet Miranda sit down with Dr. Brenda Hellyer, Chancellor of San Jacinto College, to discuss how the college is preparing workers for Houston's next generation of jobs.

With companies like Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb investing in the region, Hellyer explains how San Jacinto College is partnering with employers to develop specialized training programs and prepare students for high-paying technical careers.

The conversation also explores:

• Houston's workforce pipeline: Preparing students for careers in biotechnology, petrochemicals, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing.
• Artificial intelligence: Why critical thinking, adaptability, and responsible AI use are becoming essential workplace skills.
• Cybersecurity: A proposed student-powered regional security operations center that could eventually help protect hundreds of Gulf Coast businesses.
• Higher education funding: How San Jacinto College is responding to a $6.8 million state funding gap while maintaining workforce training programs.
• Student success: How a $15.3 million Arnold Ventures grant aims to improve graduation rates and expand opportunities for first-generation college students.

From workforce shortages and emerging technologies to the rising demand for skilled trades, Hellyer shares how higher education and Houston's business community can work together to prepare for what's next.

About HBJ On The Record

HBJ On The Record features conversations with Houston's business leaders, executives, and industry experts about the issues shaping the region's economy.

Subscribe for new episodes every week.

Presented by Withum, with support from Douglas Elliman, Spring Branch Management District, and Right Choice Construction

For more Houston business news, visit https://www.bizjournals.com/houston.

This week on HBJ On the Record, Managing Editor Erica Ponder takes you inside the Houston Business Journal newsroom for a reporter's roundtable on the stories shaping Houston business.

Publisher Traci Peltier and Assistant Managing Editor Julie Garcia join the conversation to preview the upcoming Women Who Mean Business awards — one of HBJ's signature events of the year. With 76 honorees across energy, finance, healthcare, hospitality, law, and nonprofit sectors, and Lifetime Achievement honoree Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher of Houston City College, the team discusses what it takes to earn a nomination, how the event has grown, and why celebrating women in leadership matters now more than ever. Julie also walks through open nominations for 40 Under 40, CFO Awards, Most Admired CEO, and Community Leadership Awards.

Then, Energy Reporter Naomi Klinge breaks down the biggest stories on her beat: the Strait of Hormuz closure and its ripple effects on diesel prices, major CEO retirements at ConocoPhillips, Occidental, and Enterprise Products Partners, and the ERCOT data center audit that's putting Texas energy permitting on hold. She also shares a standout moment — interviewing the all-female legal team behind the $26 billion Constellation–Calpine acquisition.

The team wraps with a look at upcoming cover stories, including a deep dive into Houston's growing luxury condo market and the Women Who Mean Business special section.

This podcast is presented by Withum, a top 20 advisory, tax, and audit firm, and supported by Douglas Elliman, Spring Branch Management District, and Right Choice Construction.

🔗 Links & Resources

• 📰 Subscribe to HBJ (print + digital): https://www.houstonbusinessjournal.com
• 🏆 Women Who Mean Business Event — October 15th: https://www.houstonbusinessjournal.com/events
• 📋 Open Nominations — 40 Under 40, CFO Awards, Most Admired CEO, Community Leadership Awards: https://www.houstonbusinessjournal.com/nominations
• 📧 Contact Laura Mudd (Douglas Elliman): [email protected]

🏢 Sponsors

This podcast is presented by Withum — a top 20 advisory, tax, and audit firm. https://www.withum.com

Supported by Douglas Elliman — https://www.elliman.com

Supported by Spring Branch Management District — https://www.springbranchmanagement.com

Supported by Right Choice Construction - https://rightchoiceconstruction.com/

Houston's healthcare economy is being reshaped by public health threats, workforce shortages, rising costs, and a race to follow patients into fast-growing suburbs. In this episode of HBJ On the Record, host Sean McCory sits down with Dr. David Callender, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System — one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in Texas — to discuss the decisions impacting health outcomes and competitiveness across Greater Houston.

Dr. Callender breaks down how Memorial Hermann is working to rebuild public trust in healthcare after COVID, combat falling vaccination rates and outbreaks like measles and cyclospora, and shift more care from hospital beds to outpatient and at-home settings. He also unpacks the healthcare "quintuple aim," why health equity is a cost issue — not just a moral one — and how Memorial Hermann is partnering directly with employers to bring down the 9–10% annual increases in health benefit costs. Plus, the innovative Heal High School career technical education model aimed at solving the looming healthcare workforce shortage, and how the system decides where to expand next as Houston's suburbs boom.

🎙️ About the Show HBJ On the Record is the Houston Business Journal's podcast featuring candid conversations with Houston's top business leaders and experts on the issues that matter most to you and your business. New episodes drop regularly — subscribe so you never miss one.

Presented by Withum — a top 20 advisory, tax, and audit firm. Supported by Douglas Elliman and Spring Branch Management District.

Subscribe & Listen Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. We welcome your feedback — let us know what you think in the comments.

Guests & Host Host: Sean McCory, Houston Business Journal Guest: Dr. David Callender, President & CEO, Memorial Hermann Health System Reporter: Jishnu Nair, Houston Business Journal

Houston is booming — but is its infrastructure ready for what's next? In this episode of HBJ On the Record, host Sean McCrory and HBJ reporter Naomi Klinge sit down with Paula Fitzpatrick, Texas and Louisiana Region Executive at WSP, to unpack the aging systems that could throttle the region's next wave of growth.

Topics covered:

• Whether Houston is truly built for the next 20 years of growth
• The strain on the power grid post-Winter Storm Uri and how utilities are adapting
• Houston's aging, leak-prone water infrastructure and what it will take to fix it
• Lessons from Corpus Christi's desalination struggles
• Data centers, permitting, and the state's response to explosive demand
• Why early, honest community engagement is critical to responsible growth
• Innovative solutions: microgrids, produced water reuse, and desalination

This episode is presented by Withum, a top 20 advisory, tax, and audit firm, with support from Douglas Elliman and Spring Branch Management District.

Subscribe so you never miss an episode of HBJ On the Record — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Houston's luxury real estate market has flipped into buyer's-market territory — but is that actually good news for sellers? In this episode of HBJ On The Record, host Sean McCrory sits down with Compass Real Estate Managing Director Seita Jongenbloed and HBJ reporter Jeff Jeffrey to break down what's really happening in Houston's high-end housing market. Seita shares why months of inventory for homes above $1 million has climbed to 6.9 months, how Compass has captured over 15% of the luxury market share, and what the Anywhere acquisition (Sotheby's, Coldwell Banker, Corcoran, and more) means for the brand going forward. She also digs into phased marketing strategies, the risks of relying on Zillow's Zestimate, the booming ultra-luxury condo market (including the 34-story Birdsall tower), and her candid take on whether AI will ever replace real estate agents.

Topics covered:

Current state of Houston's luxury real estate market

Why "months of inventory" is the number to watch

How Compass built and maintains its market-leading position

The impact of the Anywhere brand acquisition

Phased marketing and the "moment of demand"

Why Zillow's Zestimate can mislead sellers

The rise of ultra-luxury condos in Houston

Advice for buyers in today's market

Can AI replace a real estate agent?

Presented by Withum, a top 20 advisory, tax, and audit firm. Supported by Spring Branch Management District.

Subscribe to HBJ On The Record for more candid conversations with Houston's top business leaders.

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Want more from the Houston Business Journal—click here to subscribe and never miss the latest news, insights, and events.

Link: https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/subscribe?csrc=6315

Charlie Meyer, co-founder and president of Lovett Industrial, sits down with HBJ's Sean McRory and Florian Martin to discuss launching a company right as COVID hit, riding the e-commerce-driven construction boom, and navigating the slowdown that followed. Charlie explains Lovett's approach to balancing large build-to-suit projects with smaller infill developments, how relationships and calculated risk-taking set the company apart, and why Houston continues to lead the nation in industrial absorption. The conversation closes with a look at what's fueling Houston's long-term advantage — from the Mexico trade shift to clean-energy manufacturing — and what could get in the way.

Presented by Withum, supported by Spring Branch Management District and Douglas Elliman.

Immigration isn't just a political debate — it's a Houston business crisis hiding in plain sight. In this episode of HBJ On the Record, host Sean McCrory sits down with Charles Foster, chairman of Foster LLP and one of the nation's leading immigration attorneys, alongside HBJ reporter Jeff Jeffrey to break down how federal immigration policy is hitting Houston employers right now.

From construction and restaurants to the Texas Medical Center and university research, Charles explains the real workforce math behind mass deportation, the chilling effect of H-1B restrictions, and why Congress has repeatedly failed to pass meaningful reform. He also lays out what business leaders can — and should — do about it.

Topics covered: Why immigration is a Houston business issue, not just a political one Mass deportation's economic and humanitarian impact Legal immigration slowdowns: H-1B fees, DACA backlogs, TPS cancellations Why Congress can't pass reform (and who keeps blocking it) Practical steps Houston business leaders can take today.

HBJ On the Record is presented by Withum, supported by Douglas Elliman and Spring Branch Management District.

Want more from the Houston Business Journal—click here to subscribe and never miss the latest news, insights, and events.

Link: https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/subscribe?csrc=6315

Dan Rollins, vice chairman of the board of directors at Huntington Bank, joins HBJ On the Record to talk about one of the most significant banking moves in Houston's recent history. After completing the acquisitions of both Cadence Bank and Veritex Community Bank in under five months, Huntington — now the 10th largest bank in the nation and the 5th largest in Houston — is making a clear statement about its commitment to Texas.

HBJ's Sean McElroy and Chandler France sit down with Dan to discuss: What makes Huntington's model different from other national banks Why size and scale matter more than ever in regional banking How the Cadence and Veritex integrations were completed so quickly Huntington's branch expansion strategy across Houston and Texas.

The verticals driving growth: energy, healthcare, SBA lending, and auto What being the first bank listed on Nasdaq Texas really signals Plus: A bonus Executive Insights segment featuring Melissa Webb, President of Brokerage for Douglas Elliman Texas, on the luxury real estate market and what the state's economic boom means for buyers and sellers.

HBJ On the Record is presented by Withum.

Want more from the Houston Business Journal—click here to subscribe and never miss the latest news, insights, and events.

Link: https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/subscribe?csrc=6315