“Full-contact local government can be challenging sometimes, but at the end of the day, it really brings out critical thinking and discussions about how you move the city forward.”

Robert Sturns
Economic Development Director
City of Fort Worth
.…on how Fort Worth’s collaborative approach drives growth and innovation, via The CEO Magazine.

Fort Worth’s “explosive growth”—nearly 6% population growth since 2020—isn’t happening by accident. It takes what Economic Development Director Robert Sturns calls “full-contact local government,” a term once coined by the city manager to describe Fort Worth’s unique approach to progress.

While the numbers tell one story—with Moody’s Analytics ranking Fort Worth’s cost of doing business 3% below the national average and over $3.2 billion in capital investment flowing in this past year—Sturns points to something more fundamental. Having seen the city’s population double during his tenure, he says Fort Worth’s “secret sauce” is its small-town feel.

“There are very few communities this size where you can walk down the street, wave hello and people will wave back to you and be very kind and pleasant,” he told The CEO Magazine.

That philosophy—and a community “willing to roll up its sleeves collectively and move toward a common objective”—has helped transform Fort Worth from an oil and gas-focused economy into a diverse business powerhouse, attracting headquarters for American Airlines, BNSF Railway, Bell Textron, and GM Financial—while also drawing major operations from tech giants like Facebook and Amazon.

First economic development strategy ahead
Looking ahead, Sturns and local leaders are channeling growth efforts to support the city’s first-ever economic development strategic plan. Major initiatives include a $2 billion investment in southern downtown Fort Worth, Texas A&M’s expansion with its nationally ranked law school anchoring a new urban campus, and the ongoing development of AllianceTexas corridor. Additional projects include Panther Island and development work on some 13,000 acres of vacant land on the city’s west side.

“We are a city open to new ideas, new ventures and new technology,” Sturns told The CEO Magazine. “Fort Worth is a city that I think is on the verge of greatness.”

Read more in The CEO Magazine piece here.

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.