The Research Valley Partnership economic development agency has changed its name.
President Matt Prochaska says those involved in selecting sites for new manufacturing plants didn’t know what the RVP was or where it was located.
That led to the new name, the Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation.
When the agency was created in 1989, it was called the Bryan/College Station economic development corporation, becoming the RVP in 2003.
Additional information from the Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation:
In an effort to better represent and serve the growing region, the Research Valley Partnership will be changing its name.
As approved by its Board of Directors at its May 23, 2018 meeting, the 501(c)6 not-for-profit entity will be known as the Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation. The decision came after extensive discussions about how the organization could best attract companies from across the state, nation and world to the region.
With the name change will come a new logo and branding to be utilized in marketing and presentations. Changes will also be coming to the website. The current site, researchvalley.org, will redirect to the new site when it is completed later this year.
“The Board voted unanimously to change the name of the Research Valley Partnership to the Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation in order to better reflect where we are and what we do,” said Chairman of the Board of Directors Casey Oldham. “I could not be more pleased with the direction and leadership of the organization.”
Originally founded as the Bryan/College Station Economic Development Corporation in 1989, the name was changed to the Research Valley Partnership in 2003.
Research institutions and efforts will always be at the center of the Brazos Valley’s growth due to the outstanding institutions of higher education, but with the potential to extend the area’s business horizons, the new name immediately puts a spotlight on the organization’s service area and its mission to those who may be interested in learning more about the Brazos Valley.
The May 23 board gathering also served as the annual meeting for the Partnership.
In the board’s annual chairman’s report, the foundational past year for RVP was celebrated, along with the new direction being set for the organization to get “back to the basics” of economic development. Through 2017, the RVP facilitated the creation of at least 900 new jobs with $54.5 million in payroll, and $307.4 million in capital investment value from seven active incentivized projects, plus others that did not have incentives. Texas A&M University became a Category I funding partner, joining Brazos County and the Cities of College Station and Bryan. The RVP implemented a four-year strategic plan with dozens of volunteers added to carry it out, underwent a successful audit, and put in place a clearer dashboard and metrics system to track its business recruitment process.
In October, the Board completed the recruitment and hiring of Matt Prochaska as the president and CEO. The organization has been adding new personnel over the past month, with Tim Neeley being brought in as business development manager, Audrey Schroyer arriving to head up marketing, and Steve Fullhart on board to oversee communications. Each brings extensive experience in their respective fields.
The vote to change the name capped off what board members deemed a successful year building toward even more achievements in the future.
The May 2018 meeting also marked the last for Casey Oldham of Oldham Goodwin Group as the board chairman. With Oldham’s year as the chair complete as of June 1, Glen Davis of BB&T will become the new chairman. Bobby Gutierrez of House of Tires was voted in as chair-elect, and Chad Wootton of Texas A&M University will serve as treasurer.
“I appreciate the Board’s vision for our future,” said Prochaska. “Casey Oldham provided strategic direction and essential support in accomplishing key changes in this foundational year. I am looking forward to our new board year with Glen Davis as our new chairman.”