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A few minutes with Debbie Westbeld
This week, we spend a few minutes with Debbie Westbeld, economic development administrator for the city of Deer Park.
InsideDP.com: Where are you from originally?
Debbie Westbeld: I'm from Corpus Christi and graduated from Carroll High School there. I grew up there, left when I was 17. I don't have any relatives there anymore, so I don't really get to visit. I attended Texas Tech in Lubbock, but finished back home at Corpus Christi State University, which is now Texas A&M Corpus Christi. My major was marketing.
What did you do after you graduated from CCSU?
I went straight to San Antonio and worked for USAA Insurance and then Dunn and Bradstreet as a business analyst. My territory was Austin, so I drove there almost every day and so I fell in love with Austin. A few years later, we moved there. I got a job with what is now the TCEQ and was there for about six years. From there, I came to Houston 15 years ago.
What did you do when you came to Houston?
I worked for an engineering firm as their public relations person. Lee Brown was running for mayor for the first time and my job was to go to all of his parties and make sure that if he was elected, we got work with the city, which we did. From there, I went to the Greater Houston Partnership.
Is that where you got your first exposure in economic development?
Yes. I was in their economic development department and I was a cheerleader for Houston. We brought companies in from all over the world. We showed them the city, around town, talked about the city and gave them interesting facts about the city. That was a fun job because I got to know Houston so well. It was a fun job. I got to know Houston so well and show it off. I loved it. After working for the Greater Houston Partnership, I got job in the planning department in the city and was there for six years. After that, I went to the Uptown Management District as their director of economic development for five or six years.
How was it that you came from the big city to the suburbs?
We moved to Deer Park and I was making the commute to Uptown every day. The day care was here and it closed at 6 p.m. So, I had to try and make it from the Galleria area to here every day before six. That was nearly impossible, so I tried looking for a job in this area. La Porte had an opening, so I job a job there. In Uptown, prospective developers would fly in to Houston and they had never been here before or had an appreciation for the city. We had 30 minutes to tell them about what a great place Houston is and try to sell them on the city. Then, they would get back on the plane, fly back to New York or wherever they came from and we would never see them again. In La Porte, and now Deer Park, people love this place. I don't have to convince anyone because they want to come here. It's so much more personal here and more about the community. Back then, it was all about the dollar.
What do you do as economic development administrator in Deer Park?
There had never been anyone in this position before. I've only been here since October and my role this first year is to build a program to get people and local businesses, familiar with the city and other businesses. At the same time, I work with businesses thinking about coming to Deer Park and put feelers out there for getting retail, restaurants or other projects to come to Deer Park. Doing all that, I also try to get the community try to shop local and build more civic pride. Deer Park is not short on pride and so we want to encourage everyone to shop here. Part of that is the newsletter. We want to let people know that we have awesome companies coming to town. People choose to move here every day. It's a great place to shop and have a business. When I got here, there was really nothing to hand to a business that had facts about Deer Park.
What is the most important thing about Deer Park that a prospective business needs to know?
I would say how awesome the city is to work with. There has been a misconception that it's difficult to get permits here and maybe that was true in the past. The city has come far in making it business-friendly. They mayor and council want businesses to come here and thrive. It has great to see business react to our low fees and rates as compared to those in other local towns.
What is the important thing citizens need to know about what you do?
I think it's important that they know I live here and that I've lived here long before I ever got this job. My whole goal is to get people to know what the businesses are, where they can go to get services and get excited about the retail and other business.
What would you say is the most important thing you have accomplished in your first year?
I hope it's to answer the question why we need and economic development person? I know that was a question. Before this job was even posted, I asked if there would ever be a position like this in Deer Park. The prevailing question is why would the city need one? I hope in this first year is show that there is a need for a person in this role. One of the questions in my interview was if I thought there was going to be enough to do to keep me busy and if we could develop a program in Deer Park. I hope I've put those questions to rest.
Why do we need an economic development person?
Businesses had no liaison with the city. Businesses could go to Pasadena and La Porte and find out about those communities and answer all their questions from city government. Here, there was no one who could do it on a full-time basis. Businesses want to feel like there is someone who is looking out for their best interest. It left Deer Park at a disadvantage.
How does your role differ from that of the chamber of commerce?
The chamber's job is to promote their paid members, which are from Deer Park, La Porte, Pasadena, Clear Lake and all over the place. My role is to see the economy in Deer Park thrive from the lady who makes jewelry in her house to the refineries. They are all apart of this community. I don't advertise for them, but I try to promote them by raising awareness of their presence.
What do you like best about what you do?
I would say the people. The people in Deer Park are the best. Everyone is so proud of the community. My hat is off to the small business owners because they have a tough job. I love meeting them and hearing their stories. I love talking to the people who have been here forever and the small-town atmosphere. Gary Jackson is great to work with. He lets me do what I need to do while giving me great guidance.