The Houston Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce has abandoned traditional chamber social events like golf tournaments and epicurean evenings to concentrate on business development for its members, according to a recent episode of The Building Texas Show. In the episode, titled Houston Chamber Stopped Doing Parties. Here's What They Do Instead, host Justin McKenzie interviews Reggie Gray, president of the Houston Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce, about the organization's decision to refocus on its core mission.
Gray criticizes chambers that have drifted toward social functions, saying they "started trending toward doing parties and events and forgot they were supposed to be generating business and networking and development." His chamber, formerly the North Houston Greenspoint Chamber, rebranded to reflect its proximity to Houston's Intercontinental Airport and its increasingly international membership. The chamber's board of directors now includes vice chairs for Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin and South America, Australia, and North America.
The shift matters because it demonstrates a results-oriented model that other chambers might emulate. Instead of hosting fundraisers, the chamber provides tailored business development: for Lloyd Engineering, it seeks port and infrastructure projects abroad, including a recent trip to Belize to meet with the Prime Minister's office; for energy members like Reliant and CenterPoint Energy, it focuses on local customers and new development. The chamber is purely membership-driven and funded by members, and it collaborates with management districts, the governor's office, the City of Houston, the Better Business Bureau, and the Greater Houston Builders Association to avoid silos.
Gray challenges businesses that think international work isn't for them, asking, "Do you have a website? Everybody can buy your stuff and they can see you anywhere all over the world. Everybody's international." Looking ahead, the chamber is eyeing Venezuela for 2027 and planning events in Europe and Saudi Arabia with partner Go-On Group, including stops in London, Milan, Düsseldorf, and Monaco.
Gray is also an author and speaker; his memoir, I May Never Come This Way Again, covers his collaborations with the FBI's International Corruption Unit. He emphasizes his Texas identity, closing the episode with, "It's a great time to live in Texas and I'm very proud to be a Texan." The full conversation is available on The Building Texas Show.
