Greater Houston Partnership hires lead development officer

Susan Davenport, president and CEO of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce in Florida, has been named chief economic development officer at the Greater Houston Partnership. She will lead domestic and international economic development

and trade efforts.

“Throughout the recruitment process, Susan demonstrated her strategic mindset and her ability to build strong relationships with board members, allies and key partners,” partnership president and CEO Bob Harvey said in a statement.

Prior to taking the job in Florida,

Davenport served on the Austin Chamber of Commerce, where she oversaw global tech strategies and worked on other economic development topics. She helped oversee the Opportunity Austin strategy, which was credited with creating more than 174,000 new jobs over eight years and increasing payrolls by

$8.7 billion.

Davenport developed the Greater Austin Technology Partnership and Austin TechLive, which included supporting a coworking technology hub partner in downtown.

Gina Luna, chairwoman of Houston Exponential and a partnership board member, said Davenport’s experience in the tech sector should benefit Houston’s ongoing efforts to build an Innovation District and foster a broader ecosystem for startups.

“Hopefully her experience and her relationships will accelerate the momentum we’ve got going,” Luna said.

Davenport will replace Bob Pertierra, who left in November. She begins her new job, reporting directly to Harvey, in September.

Greater Houston Partnership Susan Davenport previously worked in Austin and Florida.