HBJ On The Record

Danny David, Global Managing Partner of Baker Botts LLP, joins host Sean McCrory to discuss the firm's 186-year legacy, Houston's trajectory as a global business hub, and how AI is transforming legal strategy, client expectations, and deal-making. From M&A trends to the future of the legal profession, this conversation is a must-listen for Houston business leaders navigating a rapidly changing landscape.

In this episode of HBJ On the Record, Houston Business Journal's Sean McCrory and finance reporter Chandler France sit down with Kevin Hourican, CEO of Sysco — the Houston-based food distribution giant behind the restaurants you eat at every day.

Kevin breaks down the inside story of Sysco's landmark $29.1 billion acquisition of Restaurant Depot (Jetro), the "Costco for restaurants" serving hundreds of thousands of independent mom-and-pop eateries. He explains why the deal is about saving restaurants money — not raising prices — and how combining two massive food businesses creates a coast-to-coast distribution powerhouse.

Plus: the real story behind beef inflation (hint: it has nothing to do with tariffs), why mom-and-pop restaurants are actually outperforming national chains right now, and what Sysco's data reveals about where the American consumer is truly headed.

Topics covered:

The $29.1B Restaurant Depot acquisition — how it came together and why now Cash-and-carry vs. delivery: two models, one company.

Tariffs, supply chains, and food cost reality vs. perception.

Why independent restaurants are winning over chains.

The rise of Indian food, TikTok, and "experimental eating."

How Sysco's 6,500 sales consultants help restaurants survive rising costs What Houston's food scene says about America's restaurant future.

HBJ On the Record is brought to you by the Houston Business Journal, with presenting sponsor Withum.

Houston looks unstoppable. But according to James Ross, CEO of LJA Engineering, that growth doesn't happen on its own — it's engineered, project by project, decision by decision.

In this episode of HBJ On the Record, James joins host Sean McRory and HBJ technology reporter Jishnu Nair to talk about the infrastructure challenges and opportunities shaping Greater Houston's future. From regional drainage and highway capacity to AI adoption, workforce development, and public-private partnerships, this is a candid look at what it actually takes to keep one of America's fastest-growing cities moving.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why drainage is Houston's most urgent infrastructure priority
• The road projects that will matter most over the next decade
• How AI is changing engineering today — and what it will never replace
• The case for thinking regionally instead of locally
• How LJA's 200-intern program is building the next generation of Houston engineers
• What a blank-check infrastructure investment would look like

James Ross has spent decades at the center of Houston's growth story. This conversation is essential listening for business leaders, developers, city planners, and anyone who wants to understand where Houston is headed — and what it will take to get there.

HBJ On the Record is presented by the Houston Business Journal and sponsored by Withum. Supporting sponsors: Douglas Elliman and Spring Branch Management District.

Dr. Porsa joins the Houston Business Journal to talk about getting approval for expanding Ben Taub Hospital, the current strains facing the Houston health care system and stories from his life.

Houston Business Journal Editor-In-Chief Sean McCrory and staff reporter Naomi Klinge interview Mark Lashier, CEO of Phillips 66.

Get exclusive access to the biggest conversations impacting the Houston business community with HBJ On the Record. Join Houston Business Journal Editor-In-Chief Sean McCrory, the HBJ newsroom and special guests as they cover the topics most critical to every business leader in and around the Bayou City. Episodes release biweekly. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.