THOMAS WESTBROOK – THE DOWNTOWN CLUB AT THE MET
Thomas Westbrook is the General Manager of The Downtown Club at The Met. With over 17 years of leadership in fitness and hospitality, he brings a customer-first philosophy and operational excellence to create a “Community Growth Engine.” The Downtown Club at The Met was Founded in 1976 by some of the most prominent business and government leaders in Texas, what began as a tennis megacenter where people came to train ultimately became a nighttime dining, indoor tennis and social hot spot for the who’s who of Houston. Today, it’s Houston’s premier fitness and executive club, featuring a state-of-the-art fitness facility with indoor tennis, basketball and racquetball, group fitness, personal training and high-performance equipment.
RODGER BROGDON – RODGER BROGDON RACING, ROOFTEC, VIZIONONE DETAIL
Rodger Brogdon is a professional race car driver from Tomball, Texas, who grew up around the sport thanks to his father’s love for drag racing. He’s been a Professional NHRA Stock Car Driver since 2007 and is a longtime competitor on the national drag racing circuit, where he’s earned multiple big wins—including major cash prizes and top honors in high-stakes events. Outside the track, Rodger owns RoofTec, one of the largest roofing companies in Houston, and VizionOne Detail, a premier automotive detailing and protection studio. Rodger’s been recognized for his perseverance, spirit, and success in balancing elite-level racing with running a major local business.
CHARLES BROGDON – ROOFTEC
Founded in 1991 as a family-owned business, RoofTec has installed over 10,000 roofs throughout Greater Houston with exceptional craftsmanship and unwavering integrity. The experienced team brings hands-on expertise, specialized training, and a people-first approach—delivering clear communication, on-time service, and quality work done right the first time. With their in-house sheet metal fabrication, RoofTec creates fully custom solutions for any home. Holding an A+ BBB rating and active membership in the Greater Houston Builders Association, RoofTec treats every roof like it’s their own.
BRIAN GITZEN – VIZIONONE DETAIL
VizionOne Detail is a premier automotive detailing and protection studio based out of Tomball and serves the Greater Houston area. They provide auto detailing, marine detailing, RV exterior detailing, ceramic coating, paint correction and protection, and window tint. Everything they do is treated as a true craft: custom plans for every vehicle, no shortcuts, using pro-grade products and advanced techniques. They pride themselves on transparency, treating every car like their own—whether daily driver or luxury ride—and deliver results that keep clients coming back.
FOSCA BARRIOS – TEXAS LAW SOLUTIONS
Texas Law Solutions is a boutique law firm built on strength, strategy, and heart. Fosca helps Texans protect what matters most — their families, their businesses, and their peace of mind. Fosca is more than an attorney, she is their strategic legal advisor and their legacy architect. She acts as outside general counsel, helping business owners navigate growth, risk, succession, and long-term wealth protection. She designs asset protection strategies, structures businesses correctly from the start, and builds estate plans that don’t fail when they’re tested. In short, she protects what entrepreneurs have worked their entire lives to build.
ALEXANDER BARRIOS & RAY CORTES – ALEXSCA LLC
Alexsca LLC is a family-owned Houston construction company founded by Alexander Barrios and Ray Cortes, delivering licensed, insured design-build services with a strong emphasis on integrity, quality craftsmanship, and a ‘done right’ philosophy. They specialize in full-service commercial and residential projects: remodels to boost value and functionality, ground-up new construction for homes and offices, tenant improvements for customized leased spaces, and complete end-to-end project management that keeps timelines on track without cutting corners. What sets them apart is their commitment to clear communication, meticulous oversight, and eliminating ‘contractor anxiety’—turning client visions into lasting, community-strengthening realities.
CHRIS HAYES, KRISTINA HAYES, AND ROB HAYES – NEPTUNE MOLD SOLUTIONS
Neptune Mold Solutions provides forensic-level environmental inspections and indoor air quality testing for residential and commercial properties. Unlike many in the industry, they operate with a strict no-conflict-of-interest policy; they do not perform the remediation themselves. Instead, they provide the scientific “truth” – detailed protocols and legally defensible reports that homeowners and property managers need to ensure their environment is safe and their liability is cleared.
BRIAN CELESTE
Brian is a Houston composer who makes powerful music for films, brands, and stories.
He has over 30 years of experience creating emotional, big-sounding scores that can help creators stand out. Faith remains the core of his sound, blending piano’s classical roots with electronic layers. His compositions range from lo-fi to dance-like electronic, always with an underlying resonance. Brian has produced original music tracks for Houston City Beat productions. Over 200 pieces span his catalog, including a 20-year-old experimental CD. Free downloads await on Brian’s online Bandcamp account, and short videos pop up on his Instagram (@briancelesteofficial).
OSCAR DURAN – SUPER SHINE SQUAD
Oscar Duran is the founder of SuperShineSquad, a premium mobile detailing service built on the foundation of “Heart and Hustle.” As the son of hardworking immigrants, Oscar views his business as a vehicle for giving back to the northwest Houston neighborhoods where he was raised. He doesn’t just clean cars; he restores pride for his clients by delivering meticulous, high-end care directly to their driveways, ensuring that every vehicle—and every customer—receives the “SuperShine” experience.
ADAM GREER – EZ LIFT GARAGE DOORS AND MORE
Adam Greer is the founder of EZ Lift Garage Doors and More, a trusted Houston-area garage door specialist providing honest, expert repairs and installations. He focuses on homeowner education with a “pressure-free” service model—helping clients understand simple maintenance versus critical safety needs—while delivering high-quality workmanship and proactive checks to prevent breakdowns. Adam founded the company to bring honesty, responsiveness, and genuine relationships back to the home service industry, acting as a reliable partner for homeowners, real estate agents, and professionals across the Houston metro.
ARTHUR HOPKINS – YOUR ENTHUSIASTIC ADVOCATE
Arthur Hopkins is a Houston-based Life & Business Design Consultant and founder of You., where he serves as an artist, investor, and elite strategist. He guides purpose-driven founders and leaders to align their personal identity with professional strategy, using his proprietary Living Legendary Path™ framework to turn scattered ideas into clear, authentic, high-impact businesses—without burnout. His approach emphasizes inside-out growth, purpose clarification, and simple roadmaps that make success sustainable and true to who you are.
DEREK TICE – TICE HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE
Derek Tice is a Houston-based health insurance advisor and founder of Tice Health & Life Insurance, launched in 2018 after 26 years as an entrepreneur—including owning a moving and storage company. He specializes in customized health planning for self-employed professionals, small business owners, and families—comparing multiple carriers to cut through the noise, eliminate pressure, and deliver simple, transparent, affordable coverage that fits real-life needs. With a focus on empowerment and entrepreneurial advocacy, Derek mentors 24 agents, builds service-rooted businesses, and provides peace of mind so clients can focus on growth.
TRAVIS LAIRSON – TLN CONSULTING GROUP
Travis Lairson is the founder of TLN Consulting Group, a Houston-area strategic consulting firm based in Rosenberg helping small business owners scale sustainably. With nearly 20 years of high-level experience—from elite automotive brands like BMW and Porsche to leadership roles as Director of Operations in major fertility companies and COO of a large surgical center—he bridges corporate expertise with the real needs of local entrepreneurs, especially in healthcare and trades.
TLN focuses on customized strategic planning, operational fixes, lead generation, and eliminating bottlenecks to turn visions into growth without burnout.
KELLY SIMON – KELLY SIMON PROPERTIES
Kelly Simon is a Houston real estate broker and leader of The Selling Houston Team at Kelly Simon Properties. With nearly two decades of experience, she’s a cornerstone of the Houston market, mentoring clients through major life milestones with an education-first approach. She prioritizes the human element over transactions—replacing pressure with deep market education, clear honest data, and no-pressure guidance to bridge the information gap and empower confident decisions.
Her team thrives almost entirely on referrals thanks to integrity, excellence, and long-term trust. Kelly serves on the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) Board of Directors and leads BEAR (Be a resource) to support at-risk children in Houston.
JOHN SIMPSON – WORLDLINK TEAM
John Simpson is the Director of WorldLink, a Houston-based company delivering high-performance cellular solutions and essential services tailored for local businesses and entrepreneurs. With a background in service-oriented marketing, he focuses on providing transparent, cost-effective alternatives to overpriced ‘big-box’ services—helping small business owners, realtors, rideshare drivers, and field professionals optimize expenses, reclaim revenue, and stay connected with high-speed, high-data plans. WorldLink’s approach is built on service-first integrity, radical transparency, and empowering individuals to simplify complex markets so they can focus on growth. John advocates for the local ‘doers’ by keeping more capital in Houston pockets and hosting weekly Zoom forums every Thursday at 8:00 PM Central for education and Q&A.
Landmark Legislation: Redefining the High School Diploma
To back this vision, the Governor has overseen more than $7 billion in investments specifically dedicated to career training. Two pivotal laws, House Bill 20 and House Bill 120, have fundamentally changed how students enter the workforce:
House Bill 20 (The Applied Sciences Pathway): This program allows 11th and 12th graders to earn their high school diplomas while simultaneously completing professional certificate programs in 20 high-growth industries. This “fast-track” model covers fields like robotics, cybersecurity, and aviation mechanics, allowing a student to walk across the graduation stage on Friday and start a career as a certified technician on Monday.
House Bill 120 (Rural Pathway Excellence): This law ensures a student’s zip code doesn’t limit their potential. It expands access to high-quality CTE programs in rural areas and triples funding for “Pathways in Technology” (P-TECH) schools. It also strengthens advising, ensuring students have access to up-to-date workforce data to make informed career choices.
Funding Tools, Not Just Textbooks
A cornerstone of the Governor’s strategy is the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program. Managed by the Texas Workforce Commission, JET grants provide millions of dollars for schools to purchase expensive, “real-world” equipment. Recent announcements include:
$14 million in grants to help 6,500 students earn licenses in high-demand industries.
$1.6 million for North Central Texas to train mechanics and truck drivers.
$1.2 million for West Texas to expand nursing and welding programs.
This shift extends to higher education through House Bill 8, which overhauled how Texas funds community and technical colleges. Funding is now tied to student outcomes, meaning schools are financially rewarded when their students land jobs in high-demand fields. Additionally, the expansion of “earn-while-you-learn” apprenticeship programs allows Texans to receive a paycheck from day one, gaining national certifications without the burden of student debt.
Supporting the “Blue-Collar CEO”
The Governor’s office is not just focused on jobs, it’s focused on ownership. Through the Governor’s Small Business Summits, the state is actively connecting trade-skilled workers with the resources to start their own businesses.
“Small businesses are the backbone of the Texas economy,” Abbott recently stated, noting that the state is home to more than 3.5 million small businesses. For a welder or HVAC technician looking to start their own company, the Governor’s Small Business Resource Portal provides a “one-stop-shop” to navigate licenses and permits without needing a business degree. The state also offers Skills for Small Business grants, which help new entrepreneurs pay for the training of their own employees at local community colleges.
Summary of State-Backed Career Pathways
| Initiative | Governor’s Goal | Impact |
| Applied Sciences Pathway | Direct-to-work graduation | Diplomas + Industry Certs in 20 fields |
| JET Grant Program | High-tech vocational training | Funding for specialized industrial equipment |
| Rural Pathway Excellence | Economic equity | High-demand training in small and rural towns |
| Small Business Portal | Entrepreneurship | Direct access to licensing and startup capital |
The Bottom Line
Governor Abbott’s administration has made it clear: the state of Texas values the “skilled worker” as much as the “scholar.” By lowering the barriers to entry for technical trades and providing the capital for small business startups, Texas is ensuring that the path to a “bigger paycheck” is open to everyone. Whether in a boardroom or a machine shop, the path to prosperity in Texas is wider and more accessible than ever before.
