Our city’s name, Port Arthur, comes from our founder, Arthur Stilwell, and our location on the Gulf Coast. The Port of Port Arthur, combined with rail and oil, is the recipe for success. Since 1899 our ties to the sea and the commerce it brings has made Port Arthur the heart of the Golden Triangle. Nutrients flow through our port and over our rail and highways to pump life into Port Arthur and the surrounding cities.
With the port and the sea comes the Coast Guard. In Port Arthur we are lucky to have a Coast Guard Unit based in our city. This vital frontline guard of our National Security is responsible for search and rescue as well as protecting us against criminal activity from the sea.
In an effort to recognize the contributions of the Coast Guard to our city and have Port Arthur recognized as a Coast Guard City, the Chamber, at the request of Mayor Deloris “Bobbie” Prince, formed the Coast Guard City Task Force. This task force consists of Mayor Prince, Chairman Bill Worsham, Major John Owens, representatives from the City, the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce, Marine Safety Unit - Port Arthur, the Coast Guard Station - Sabine, the Port Arthur Visitors Bureau, the Port Arthur International Seafarer’s Center, the Sabine Pilots, the Port of Port Arthur, Lamar State College – Port Arthur and the Port Arthur Independent School District. In July this group began soliciting letters of support for Port Arthur’s application to the Coast Guard City Application Review Board. To see a template of this letter you may go to www.portarthurtexas.com and click on Coast Guard.
If your company would like to write a letter of support for this project, simply place it on your letterhead, sign it and send it to the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce. It will be included in our application packet.
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Wording Under the photo should read: Contractor’s Workshop
In July the Chamber conducted a contractor’s workshop at the Carl Parker Center at Lamar State College-Port Arthur. One hundred and fifty Chamber members and other area businesses heard a presentation explaining the criteria needed to become a certified vendor for current and future projects along the Gulf Coast. The contractors were welcomed by Mayor Derrick Freeman and City Manager Brian McDougal. This workshop grew from the Chamber’s Contractor Networking Group that meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Carl Parker Center in downtown Port Arthur. If you would be interested in meeting with this dynamic group of people and exchanging leads on current and future jobs, call Paige Snyder at 409-963-1107.
In July, the Chamber expressed its appreciation to Mayor Bobbie Prince for her contributions to our city. We also saw Mayor Derrick Freeman sworn in as Port Arthur’s new mayor. On August 23, Mayor Freeman will speak at the Chamber’s leadership breakfast at the Holiday Inn-Park Central located at the corner of Jimmy Johnson and Highway 69 in Port Arthur. To register go to www.portarthurtexas.com. The Chamber is looking forward to working with the Mayor, City Council and City Staff to continue addressing our city’s needs. One issue that we will be presenting in late August is the Chamber’s suggested transportation plans. Our wish list includes 15 streets and roads which we believe are key to the future development of Port Arthur. Our plan is to have the City Council review our suggestions and alter as they wish. Once completed, the Chamber will ask the City Council and the Directors of the Chamber to vote to support a long range transportation plan for Port Arthur. This plan will become our mission. We will present it every time we are in Austin, Washington or Jefferson County when transportation funding is being discussed.
If you have an interest in joining the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce team today, please call Paige Snyder at 409-963-1107. If you are a member, be sure to look for emails every Monday with event invitations and instructions on how to register for each one.
Upcoming Events:
8/9 Ambassador Meeting
8/10 Contractors Business Development Group
8/18 Morning Business Connection
8/23 Leadership Breakfast
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