A veteran in economic development, marketing, and banking has been hired by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce as senior vice president of small business and entrepreneurial support.
Jerrod Howard
In his new role, Jarred Howard will lead one the four pillars of the chamber’s new strategic plan called “Fortify,” the chamber said. He will join the chamber of April 3.
The strategic plan’s four pillars are Business Recruitment & Retention; Talent Development, Attraction and Retention; Small Business and Entrepreneur Support; and Government Advocacy.
Currently, Howard is regional leader of economic development for the southeastern U.S. at Fort Worth-based BNSF Railway, a subsidiary on the Berkshire Hathaway corporate tree.
“It’s not enough for Fort Worth to be great; we have to make people around the world aware of it.”
Jarred Howard
“Jarred is extremely passionate about helping small business across the Fort Worth area, and brings a wealth of economic development experience to this pillar of our strategic plan,” Brandom Gengelbach, the Chamber’s executive vice president of economic development, said in the release.
In his new role, Howard will develop free entrepreneur and small business support services; help establish a Start-Up Fort Worth Foundation; and work with the city on incubators and innovation labs, the chamber said.
“He and his wife run their own small business, which has provided him key insights into the challenges and concerns that business owners face,” Gengelbach said of Howard.
HOWARD IS FIFTH-GENERATION NATIVE OF FORT WORTH
A graduate of O.D. Wyatt High School, Howard is a fifth-generation native of the city.
“It’s not enough for Fort Worth to be great; we have to make people around the world aware of it,” Howard said.
Howard holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of North Texas, and an MBA from Dallas Baptist University.
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