Chairman's Letter

Hello Friends,

From microchips to Port Houston to the Texas restaurant scene, there is diverse and exciting news from across the state this month that is important for your business.

First off, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) announced a $1.4 billion, five-year partnership with UT-Austin to establish the first U.S. hub for advanced microelectronics manufacturing. Part of it will fund the Texas Institute of Electronics, a semiconductor consortium of state and local government, preeminent defense electronics and semiconductor companies, national labs and nationally recognized academic institutions including Rice University and the University of Houston.

Port Houston revealed that it has reached the two million TEU in record pace. (TEU is a measure of shipping container volume.) Roger Guenther, Executive Director at Port Houston, the fifth-largest in the nation, attributes this to Houston’s robust and diverse economy as well as population growth.

Per the Greater Houston Partnership’s Economy at a Glance monthly briefing, in Q2 2024, 180 businesses made plans to expand or relocate in the region. In alignment with that stat and the trend of businesses moving from California to Texas for a friendlier business environment, Chevron says the company is moving its headquarters to the state, with leadership making the transition from San Ramon to Houston by the end of the year.

And in a nod to the Texas culinary scene, Michelin recently unveiled plans for a Lone Star State guide. This is exciting news for hospitality and restaurants as the guide has the propensity to drive restaurant business growth and competition across the state.

Lastly, congratulations are in order. We’re excited that 15 BoyarMiller attorneys were recognized by The Best Lawyers in America . In addition, the firm was named a finalist in the Houston Business Journal’s Best Places to Work for the 5^th year in a row.

At BoyarMiller, we strive to deliver exceptional service that surpasses expectations with strategic advice tailored to support both business and legal goals.

Sincerely,