NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
February 26, 2026
Contact: Keri Schmidt
Fort Bend Regional Partnership
[email protected]
281-491-0216
Fort Bend Regional Partnership Advances Regional Economic Development Alignment in Preparation for Historic Growth
FORT BEND COUNTY, TX – The Fort Bend Regional Partnership (FBRP) announces its expanded initiative in economic development in Fort Bend County. Fort Bend County has been long recognized as a powerhouse in the region for economic development initiatives. In looking to the future, the Partnership is expanding and refining its collaborate initiative with the public and private sector to support and build upon existing efforts and address new challenges for the future of Fort Bend.
As one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas, Fort Bend’s population is expected to nearly double within the next 20–25 years. In response, the Fort Bend Regional Partnership is actively engaging municipal, county, and private-sector leaders to explore opportunities for shared planning, coordinated strategies, and common-ground priorities that will help the region sustain economic vitality, infrastructure capacity, workforce readiness, and the high quality of life residents and businesses enjoy today.
This approach reflects the organization’s new regional positioning. Just last month, the organization unveiled its new name and visual identity. Now known as the Fort Bend Regional Partnership, the organization has evolved beyond the traditional chamber
model to serve as a regional convener—bringing together business, government, education, and nonprofit stakeholders to strengthen communication, identify areas of collaboration, and advance long-term economic competitiveness.
“The new name reflects the work we are already doing—regional, collaborative, and impact-driven,” said Keri Schmidt, President & CEO of the Fort Bend Regional Partnership. “Partnership is at the core of everything we do. As Fort Bend continues to grow, we see tremendous opportunity to align efforts, share insights, and work toward common goals that benefit the entire region.”
Fort Bend 2050: A Data-Driven Roadmap
Central to the organization’s new economic initiatives is the forthcoming Fort Bend 2050 Report, a comprehensive, data-driven analysis examining the critical issues the county will face as growth accelerates.
The study is being led by Dr. Jeronimo Cortina, Director of Faculty Research Initiatives for Population Health and an award-winning associate professor at the University of Houston.
Fort Bend 2050 is a forward-looking roadmap that brings public and private stakeholders together to evaluate key elements including infrastructure, workforce alignment, economic development capacity, education, public services, and quality-of-life indicators which will assist in identifying key issues and strategic priorities critical to meet the future demands of Fort Bend’s evolving economy.
Strengthening Economic Development Leadership
To further advance these efforts, the Fort Bend Regional Partnership has appointed Joe Esch as Senior Executive Director of Economic Development. With more than 35 years of experience in economic development and real estate in Fort Bend County and beyond, Esch brings a deep understanding, an inclusive approach, and extensive institutional knowledge that will help further the Partnership’s expanded regional role.
“Joe’s leadership strengthens our ability to align city and county economic development strategies with private-sector investment priorities,” Schmidt added. “This collaboration ensures we are planning together rather than reacting separately.”
A Business-Led, Region-Focused Approach
In addition to its close ties and support of the public sector, the Fort Bend Regional Partnership represents a broad cross-section of the private-sector business community, serving as a trusted table for collaboration among employers, infrastructure partners, local governments, educational institutions, and nonprofit stakeholders. Through this work, the Partnership helps lead economic development efforts in areas like:
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Strategic planning grounded in credible data
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Regional collaboration across jurisdictions
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Shared resources and alignment to maximize impact
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Private sector engagement to guide sustainable growth
These coordinated efforts are essential to maintaining the economic strength, workforce mobility, infrastructure capacity, and quality of life that define Fort Bend County.
“The Fort Bend Regional Partnership is in a unique position in our region to support our public and private sector partners as all prepare for the next decade of growth,” Joe Esch said. “By its nature, successful Economic Development solve complex problems that have multiple variables operating a dynamic political environment to bring people together for the benefit of our communities.”
Additional details, stakeholder engagement opportunities, and the release timeline for the Fort Bend 2050 Report will be announced in the coming months.
About the Fort Bend Regional Partnership
The Fort Bend Regional Partnership (formerly Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce) is a 5-star accredited, the largest single-county chamber in the greater Houston region and the largest business organization in Fort Bend County representing over 1,000 business organizations, over 5,000 individuals, and over 250,000 jobs. As the advocate for excellence in Fort Bend County and beyond, we do essential work to protect the business interests in our region. The organization has been able, over the last 53 years, to be a strong and successful voice for business due to the solid and impressive investment of our members. The Fort Bend Regional Partnership creates, enhances, and promotes the dynamic environment in which we work and live.
Fort Bend Regional Partnership Advances Regional Economic Development Alignment in Preparation for Historic Growth
