Join the DFW Chapter as we venture to where the west begins for chats and Q&A with Fort Worth Chamber’s Executive Vice President of Economic Development, Chris Strayer, Urban FW’s Austin James, and Van Trust’s Jim Kehoe.

Tickets are $15 for members, $25 for non-members and include two drink tickets and an appetizer.

For more information or to sponsor this event, email dee@dbia-sw.org or call 682.719.9183

Please note that registration for this event will close on 3/10/2020. Attendees will be asked to comply with all local ordinances and establishment guidelines regarding mask use and social distancing. 

RSVP

About the Speakers

Chris Strayer joined the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce staff February 12, 2018 as senior vice president of Business Attraction, Retention and Expansion, leading one of four pillars of the Chamber’s four-year strategic plan, Fortify. Strayer came to Fort Worth, Texas, from Columbus, Ohio, where he was a project manager for Business Development and Project Management at Columbus 2020, the economic developmentorganization for the 11-county Columbus region.

There, he oversaw more than 180 successful projects with more than $1.5 billion in investments and 35,000 retained and created jobs. Clients have included Verizon, Kroger, Abbott Laboratories and Avnet, as well as several other Fortune 500 companies. In addition, he led the SiteOhio site authentication process for the Columbus Region. This process includes real estate identification, site due diligence documents, utility location and capacity concerns and site visit protocol.

With a background in land use planning, civil & environmental engineering, construction, land development and government at the local and state level, Strayer understands the process that companies must embark upon for the expansion of their organizational footprint.

Strayer holds a B.S. in Urban and Regional Planning from Michigan State University and an Economic Development Finance Professional credential from the National Development Council.

The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, with 2,000 member businesses, is one of the largest chambers in North Texas. Through its core functions of business attraction and retention, talent development, small business and entrepreneur support, and government advocacy, the Chamber’s mission is to bring the Fort Worth region together to identify issues, solve problems and help align resources resulting in a stronger business climate and greater economic prosperity for all.

Austin James is the founder of Fort Worth Urban, the popular twitter account with over 4,500 followers that’s a go-to resource for developers and architectural enthusiasts. Also a Content Coordinator at Visit Fort Worth, Austin’s passion for urban development spurred the launch of his Twitter handle @UrbanFortWorth, which provides updates and commentary on local projects, along with an urban development map of more than 200 projects around town.

Jim Kehoe is a proven development and construction management professional responsible for coordinating all aspects of design, construction and overall development for VanTrust. He brings with him more than 20 years of experience in commercial real estate development and construction. His project experience includes office, industrial, retail, multifamily and mixed-use projects. As Senior Director of Development Services, Jim is responsible for the successful delivery of VanTrust projects in the southwest region. At VanTrust, Jim incorporates his development background, civil engineering education and industry relationships to coordinate all aspects of design and construction to ensure budget, quality and timely delivery.

VanTrust Real Estate, LLC, is a full service real estate development company with a regional focus and national scope. VanTrust’s ownership and substantial capital base are associated with the Van Tuyl Group. VanTrust offers its clients and capital partners a full spectrum of real estate services, including acquisition, development, asset management, design and construction oversight, and consultation. We are open to adapt our role to meet our client’s objective. Product types include office, industrial, multifamily, retail, institutional, governmental, hospitality, and recreational.