Harris County DEEO Highlights Small Business Opportunities at IACCGH Luncheon

Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones and officials from the Department of Economic Equity & Opportunity (DEEO) detailed contracting opportunities and support programs at the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston's Small Business Series luncheon, held at the Ballroom at Tanglewood and co-sponsored by Wallis Bank and the CenterPoint Energy Foundation.

Briones noted that Harris County is larger than 26 U.S. states and has more people in unincorporated areas than the city of Houston. She addressed challenges to the county's Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) program, saying, "Harris County is not backing down... we're on the right side of justice and the right side of history." She emphasized that with one in four residents born abroad, the county thrives by building partnerships, not "zero-sum games."

DEEO Executive Director Tiko Reynolds-Hausman told attendees, "We want you to be part of our family." Chief of Staff Victoria Lara explained that DEEO was established in 2021 after a disparity study found that less than 9 percent of contracts went to minority- and women-owned businesses. Assistant Director Elizabeth Balderama highlighted incentives including tax abatements offering up to 50 percent property tax relief for 10 years, foreign trade zone support, and industrial revenue bonds.

Adrien Balden discussed MWBE goal setting, compliance monitoring, and capacity-building workshops. Communications Director Amber Rangel spotlighted Harris Hub, which provides technical assistance and a $5,000 grant, and the Harris County Opportunity Fund offering loans up to $250,000. Purchasing Agent Kimberly Williams noted roughly $5 billion in projects across more than 70 departments, urging businesses to register, monitor weekly opportunities, and request debriefs if not selected.

Wallis Bank's Sugar Land President Aziz Rahim welcomed attendees, highlighting the bank's 16-location footprint and focus on SBA and conventional lending. Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia reflected on the chamber's growth since 1999 and encouraged attendees to connect directly with DEEO representatives as the event moved into networking.