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NEUTEX Advanced Energy Group, Inc.™ Announces Gordon Quan As Newest Board Member
NEUTEX Advanced Energy Group Inc.™ today announced that Gordon Quan, Co-Chairman of FosterQuan LLP. the nation’s second largest immigration law firm, was appointed to the company’s board of directors, allowing the board to be comprised of 8 members.
Board chairman John C. Higgins summed up the decision; “Mr. Quan has extraordinary legal, business and government experience and expertise, and we are delighted that he is joining the NEUTEX™ board of directors,”.
Currently, Gordon Quan serves as Co-Chairman of FosterQuan LLP, an immigration law firm located in Houston, Texas, whose services are designed to assist individuals pursuing citizenship, temporary work visas, naturalization and litigation.
“Mr. Quan brings a wealth of experience, from a legal perspective, as well as the insights that come from running a successful global law firm and holding a leadership role in local government. He will be a great addition to our board,” said Mark Sam, NEUTEX™ Chief Financial Officer.
“I am honored to join the NEUTEX™ board and work with this exceptional team,” Quan said. “NEUTEX™ is poised to be a leader across the entire LED lighting technology landscape for decades, and I look forward to sharing my experiences and contributing to the future direction and growth of this growing enterprise.”
Elected as the first Asian American member of the Houston City Council, in 1999, Mr. Quan’s work on store safety issues earned him the prestigious “Council Member of the Year” Award by the Houston Police Officers Union. He was also honored by the American Institute of Architects for his leadership on providing a plan for affordable housing.
Recently, Mr. Quan was named as one of the “Lawyers of The Year” for immigration law in Texas by the Best Lawyers in America survey.
In 2001, Gordon was selected by the Houston Mayor and City Council to serve as Mayor Pro-Tem.
Since leaving office, Mr. Quan has continued to serve the Houston community in myriad ways including as chair of the Asian Chamber of Commerce; as vice chair of the Asia Society-Texas Center; working on the advisory board of Catholic Charities and the Women’s Home; and as a board member of Neighborhood Centers Inc.
For his selfless work on behalf of others, Gordon was selected as the recipient of the 2009 International Service Award by the Houston’s Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Quan attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a degree in History and Government.
Returning to Houston, Mr. Quan taught at E.O. Smith Junior High School in the Fifth Ward. Additionally, he earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Houston, and went on to earn his law degree from the South Texas College of Law.
Magazine names Houston best place for corporate relocation and expansion - Houston KTRK
HOUSTON (KTRK)—A positive sign when it comes to jobs here in the greater Houston area as a national publication has named it the best place in the country for corporate relocation and expansion.
The magazine “Site Selection” is the latest publication to put Southeast Texas atop its list of post-recession boomtowns. And it’s just the latest sign that Houston is bouncing back faster than a lot of other big cities, creating opportunities for business owners and employees.
You might not have heard of Site Selection magazine, but for business owners looking to move their companies it’s a bible of sorts and it’s preaching the praises of Southeast Texas.
“It means that the area is being considered a desirable location for new business,” said Mark Arend with Site Selection magazine.
What the magazine is reporting to the country is something so many of us here already know—that Houston entered the recession late, is exiting it early, and is growing quickly as a result. Already this year, publications have called the Houston area the number one manufacturing city, the fastest at growing wages, number one for technological job growth, and number one for new plants and expansion.
“All of these announcements, we know, are not accidental. It’s because we do have such a vibrant, robust business climate,” said Jeff Moseley with the Greater Houston Partnership.
Friday’s announcement was held inside one of those businesses that relocated its manufacturing here to Houston. Neutex Lighting, which we featured last month for its move here, brought its plant from China and is hiring 150 workers here.
“Houston’s the best place; it’s not just a good place. Houston’s the best place for business. It gives you opportunity. You have leaders who stand behind you,” said John Higgins with Neutex Lighting.
Neutex makes energy efficient light bulbs. Manufacturing begins in the next 30 days. So it’s appropriate maybe that this is the place chosen to celebrate another publication putting a spotlight on Houston.
Site Selection took into account new businesses that invested $1 million or more, hired at least 50 people, or built at least 20-thousand square feet. After the Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land metro area was Chicago, Pittsburgh and Dallas/Ft. Worth/Arlington.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
HOUSTON-BAYTOWN-SUGARLAND METRO NAMED #1 BY SITE SELECTION!
HOUSTON – While other cities are struggling to create growth, Houston is maintaining its reputation as a bustling area with boundless economic growth possibilities according to Site Selection magazine. The 2011 “Top Metro” rankings have been released and the Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land area tops the list as the No. 1 metro area in the nation for corporate location and expansion activity. This is a key factor for job growth and retention in Houston.
This is the second time in three years the Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) takes the number one spot. The Houston region logged in 195 new and expanded facilities to garner the honor.
The Chicago-Naperville-Joliet metro followed at number two with 167 projects and Pittsburgh with 141 projects rounded out the top three in major metros.
“Site Selection’s award adds to the long and growing list of distinctions the Houston area is earning for our business recruitment, business retention, job creation and economic growth efforts,” said Jeff Moseley, President and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership. “We will continue to show that the Houston region is the most attractive place to locate or expand your business in the United States.”
The announcement was made by Site Selection in its annual “Governor’s Cup” issue.
“The Greater Houston area’s commanding performance in our Top Metros facilities race is proof positive that the economic development infrastructure here is delivering the location solutions most in demand by corporate real estate investors,” says Mark Arend, editor in chief of Site Selection. “Executives we spoke to about their Houston area sites listed the strong business climate, helpful state and local agencies, logistics assets and availability of skilled workers as their primary decision drivers. My colleagues at Site Selection and I congratulate Mayor Parker, Jeff Moseley and his team and all who worked to make Greater Houston the right location for so many companies.”
Site Selection is the most recent in a series of awards and recognitions lauding the region including: “Top U.S. Manufacturing City” - Manufacturers’ News, Inc; “Fastest Growing Wages in U.S.” - Business Insiders ; “Best Performing Cities Among Top 10 Largest U.S. MSAs” - Milken Institute; “Most Affordable City to Do Business Worldwide” - Pricewaterhouse Coopers; and 2011 Fast City of the Year - Fast Company.
Neutex Advanced Energy Group was one of the featured facilities that helped the Houston region become the No. 1 metro in the country. The company, which manufactures energy efficient LED lighting fixtures, bulbs and applications, recently moved its manufacturing operations to Houston from China.
“When it became clear that we needed to transfer the majority of our manufacturing from China back home the United States, we became very serious about moving our manufacturing business and its jobs to Houston,” said Neutex President & CEO John Higgins. “We were serious about moving our business back to Houston, because Houston is serious about business.”
According to numbers recently released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Houston region still leads the nation in job growth. Houston has regained almost all or 99.8 percent - of the jobs lost during the recent national and global recession. Houston is the largest major metro to have accomplished such a feat. The region is expected to gain almost 85,000 jobs this year.
In addition to the Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land metro, Texas earned the second spot in state rankings for corporate project attraction. These designations from Site Selection magazine are based upon the tally of corporate facility projects, both green field and expansions, during 2011.Site Selection’s New Plant database does not track retail and government projects, schools or hospitals. New facilities and expansions included in the analyses must meet at least three criteria:involve a capital investment of at least $1 million; create at least 50 new jobs; or add at least 20,000 square feet of new floor area.
Site Selection Governor’s Cup award, which the 59-year-old Atlanta-based magazine has awarded annually since 1978, goes to the state with the most new and expanded corporate facilities. Site Selection’s yearly analyses are regarded by corporate real estate analysts as “the industry scoreboard.” The magazine’s circulation base consists of 44,000 executives involved in corporate site selection decisions, most at the CEO/President/COO level.
View the top metro article at www.siteselection.com. For more information on the Houston region or to become a member of the Greater Houston Partnership, visit www.houston.org.
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The Greater Houston Partnership is the primary advocate of Houston’s business community and is dedicated to building regional economic prosperity. It represents 10 counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto and Waller. Opportunity Houston is an aggressive five-year marketing and lead generation program that will help grow jobs, increase capital investment and expand foreign trade for the region by the end of 2015. Visit the Greater Houston Partnership on the World Wide Web at houston.org.
NEUTEX Lighting To Be Featured on ABC World News With Diane Sawyer
NEUTEX Lighting™ Featured on ABC News “Made In America” Segment, Hosted by Diane Sawyer
February 21, 2012
Houston, TEXAS – NEUTEX Lighting™, producers of innovative, energy-efficient LED and other advanced technology lighting applications were featured during the most recent segment of ABC World News’ “Made in America” Series, hosted by Diane Sawyer.
Highlighted in the report by David Muir, the Made in America piece focused on NEUTEX’s opening of their 40,000 square foot Houston, Texas based Corporate Headquarters and Manufacturing facility and their continued and successful efforts to transfer the majority of their manufacturing processes from China to the Untied States.
The jobs that NEUTEX foresees the move bringing to the Houston job market, were also featured front and center as the day of the show’s taping coincided with their first Job Fair, hosted by SER-Jobs Houston.
Although the reasons for the move from China were discussed at length in the piece, “NEUTEX President and CEO John C Higgins explained that there are still some who don’t get it, “I’ve gotten into arguments with other CEO’s on flights (about moving the manufacturing back home to Houston from China)”.
Nonetheless, the entire team at NEUTEX knows that what they are doing is right for them and their country. “This is a very big event on the NEU Path to Illumination!” explained Mr. Higgins.
ABC World News with Diane Sawyer’s series “Made in America,” focuses on American manufacturing and our economy. To watch the piece, click the link: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2012/02/companies-move-manufacturing-jobs-back-to-america/ - .
Earlier in the day local ABC affiliate KTRK Channel 13 stopped by the NEUTEX facility to meet with Mr. Higgins and the team as well. In that report, viewers learned more about the very exciting new product line that NEUTEX will be making that is to be assembled entirely by United States Armed Forces Veterans.
For information on how NEUTEX Lighting™ and NEUTEX First™ can provide an energy efficient lighting electricity power package for your company, home or any application visit http://www.neutexlighting.com or http://shop.neutexlighting.com
About NEUTEX™ Lighting.
Founded in 2007, NEUTEX Lighting™ is the maker of the most advanced lighting products available. With domestic manufacturing scheduled to begin this year, their products use the most advanced lighting technologies; LED, Induction & Wind / Solar Hybrids and feature unprecedented energy efficiency and quality.
