Jarred Howard
Jarred Howard, an executive with more than 20 years of economic development, marketing and banking experience, will join the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce staff April 3 as senior vice president of Small Business and Entrepreneur Support, leading one of four pillars of the Chamber’s new strategic plan, Fortify.
Howard is presently Regional Leader of Economic Development for the Southeastern United States at BNSF Railway, the nation’s largest railroad and the largest subsidiary in the Berkshire Hathaway family of brands.
“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,” said Brandom Gengelbach, the Chamber’s executive vice president of Economic Development. “He and his wife run their own small business, which has provided him key insights into the challenges and concerns that business owners face.”
As leader of Small Business and Entrepreneur Support for the Chamber, Howard’ will develop free entrepreneur and small business support services; help establish a Start-Up Fort Worth Foundation; and work with the City of Fort Worth on incubators and innovation labs.
“As a fifth generation native of Fort Worth, the opportunity to contribute to the continued evolution of the city is more than professional, it’s personal, said Howard. “”It’s not enough for Fort Worth to be great; we have to make people around the world aware of it! Joining the Chamber team is an incredible honor and I can’t wait to get started.”
Howard graduated from O.D. Wyatt High School. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of North Texas and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Dallas Baptist University.
He launched his career at JP Morgan-Chase where he held roles in their Consumer Products and Commercial Lending units. He later spent six years at DaimlerChrysler Financial Services, where he worked in commercial lending and led a remarketing group.
As part of its new strategic plan called Fortify the Chamber has also named veteran economic development executive Chris Strayer as senior vice president of Business Attraction, Retention and Expansion.
For more on strategic plan: www.fortworthbusiness.com/news/wanted-rock-stars-chamber-plays-new-economic-development-tune/article_4f683c2c-fc8b-11e7-8a43-9b43648286d0.html