BLACK HISTORY MONTH: MEET AFRICAN-AMERICAN ENERGY CORRIDOR LEADERS

The Energy Corridor District is highlighting African-American business leaders and entrepreneurs in honor of Black History Month. As part of this series, the District did a Q&A with Glenn Wright, a Shell Energy executive who lead's the company's Renewables & Energy Solutions Americas (RESA) division.

Q: To start, a little background. Where are you from originally? Where did you go to school and what did you study? How did you go about selecting your field of study?

Glenn Wright: I’m originally from Greenville, SC. My undergraduate degree is in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. I later received a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, and an MBA as well. I chose chemical engineering as a field of study mostly based on my strong inclination toward mathematics and the sciences. I didn’t actually know any chemical engineers before entering Georgia Tech, but enjoyed the curriculum immensely. I chose to go to graduate school largely based upon strong encouragement from college professors. I did undergraduate research at Georgia Tech which allowed me to foster good relationships with my professors.

Q: Can you tell me a little about your career and the path you took? More recently, as you’ve embarked down Shell’s embrace of renewable energy, why did you choose to participate in this particular journey? What do you hope to achieve and contribute as part of this energy transition team?

Glenn Wright: My career with Shell began in research at the Westhollow Research Center (today we call it Shell Technology Center Houston) in 1992. I was part of the combustion and reaction engineering team. I soon joined a group called Process Engineering and Evaluations. This group evaluated opportunities for both their technical and commercial viability. While in this group, I elected to pursue an MBA in the executive program at the McCombs School of Business (UT, Austin). Upon completing this degree, I joined a polymers group in Chemicals as the Strategy Manager. While in this role, I had reason to visit with Enron to facilitate a transaction we were pursuing. About three months later, I elected to join Enron as an originator for power and natural gas. This was in 1999. I progressed quickly in Enron after closing a number of significant deals. I ultimately moved into a new group in Enron that focused on physical and financial steel trading. I remained in this role through Enron’s bankruptcy. After the bankruptcy, I helped to liquidate assets for the estate for about a year. I then started my own business after raising private equity. Eventually, I sold my equity in this venture, and rejoined Shell in 2005 in the Downstream Strategy and Portfolio group. After this, I joined the Americas Leadership Team in the Shell Lubricants group. From there, I moved to Shell Energy first as a General Manager for power and gas, then led the power group for Shell Energy North America and later led Shell Energy Trading for the Americas. I joined Renewables & Energy Solutions Americas (RESA) in late 2020 and I continue to lead it today.

Q: You are a Black leader at Shell and in the Houston community. How do you hope to inspire others to follow in your leadership path? Do you do things to help the younger generation enjoy similar success and if so, what and how?

Glenn Wright: I hope to inspire others by demonstrating through my behavior the values I hold dear. I am committed to helping others achieve their potential. I hope my example demonstrates that hard work and perseverance positions one to have impact. I love coaching and mentoring junior staff, and I find joy in seeing them thrive personally and professionally.

Q: Finally, what does it mean to you to be a “good leader” both at work and in the broader community? What advice would you give to young people who either want to be leaders in the future or are taking on their first role in leadership?

Glenn Wright: In my view, to be a great leader of people requires that you find joy in people, that you offer purposeful direction, that you align their skill and passions with desired outcomes. Leading well is not simply a “job.” Many of the required skills can be learned, but the desire to lead needs to be deep and authentic.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH:

DR. CECE COOK BRINGS BUSYBODY PHYSICAL THERAPY TO THE ENERGY CORRIDOR

The pandemic convinced Dr. Cece Cook, a licensed physical therapist for 15 years, that her 10-year-old business, BusyBody, needed a change of scenery.

At first, she considered moving to the Third Ward with the express purpose of helping the Brown and Black community. But then her market research showed there was far greater need in West Houston, with people waiting up to six months to get an appointment for physical, occupational or speech therapy.

And so, in June 2022 she opened her doors at 928 N. Eldridge Parkway, eager to bring wellness and therapy to residents in West Houston, Katy, Fulshear and more.

"I want to fill that void," said Dr. Cook, who is also a certified dry needle practitioner, physical therapist and doctor of physical therapy.

"I don't feel any child should be left behind," she emphasized, lamenting the long wait times in this part of Houston for children to receive speech therapy.

At the bright and airy BusyBody Fitness Center, Dr. Cook now offers speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, yoga and more. Her approach is holistic with the goal of providing patients and clients a healthy path forward.

"Physical therapy is what we do, but wellness is what we preach," Dr. Cook said. "When you leave here you can soar."

As she looks over her long career as an African-American female entrepreneur, and the many prosperous years ahead, Dr. Cook thinks of those who came before her and those that will follow later.

"To know that I can continue to carry that torch," she says with pride. "Somebody did it before me but it was a little harder for them and they made it easier for me and I will now make it easier for someone after me."

AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARTNERS BRING FARMERS MARKET, COMMUNITY TO THE ENERGY CORRIDOR AND BEYOND

Cre Johnson and Yohance Neal, co-owners of the Your Neighborhood Farmers Market Association, don't just want to bring fresh, locally grown produce to the areas where they run markets.

Their goals are to do much more: create community, build a social fabric and pave the way for entrepreneurs -- especially African-American vendors -- to find even greater success.

"We are more than just a farmer's market," said Johnson, who along with Neal founded YNFMA in 2017 when she noticed a gap in community markets in Houston.

"If you make it, bake it, build it or grow it you can attend," Johnson added, as Neal started rattling off the vendors who's products can now be found on grocery store shelves or their own brick-and-mortar shops.

There's Four Brothers Bagels now sold in HEB and Pain Train salsa, available at HEB, Whole Foods and local convenience stores, Neal says smiling. And, of course, Milk Mustache has opened two cookie bakeries in Houston.

"A Black-owned business that is successful inspires them to do it too," Neal said, noting how YNFMA's success gives vendors the opportunity and path to find out what it's like to be a business owner and decide if that is the journey they want to take. "We've had vendors say we've changed their lives ... we're providing them an avenue to be successful and great."

All while also setting an example for their own two sons.

"The social gathering and fabric we create allows all the entrepreneurs to show their children what it's like," Johnson said, pointing out that the farmers markets are safe, warm "workplaces" to bring children.

"We allow an inexpensive way to start your dream," Johnson added. "We support the small businesses because if we don't, who will?"

Current condition of Interstate-10 wall.

ABOVE AND RIGHT: Renderings of the I-10 walls upon project completion. The plantings pictured represent conceptual landscape improvements under consideration.

I-10 WALL PAINTING PROJECT

The Energy Corridor District will repaint the freeway walls of Interstate-10 from Kirkwood to Barker Cypress beginning in March.

The project is an initial effort intended to improve the identity of the Energy Corridor by introducing a new paint design to the freeway walls. The District continues to explore complementary projects, such as landscape improvements, that will build upon the goal of creating a distinguishable public space.

Once the project begins, it may take five to six months to complete.

The District will work to minimize traffic disruptions by limiting lane closures to non-peak hours.

CITY OF HOUSTON CONSTRUCTION PROJECT UPDATE

The City of Houston's Park Ten Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Diversion Project has experienced numerous mechanical and supply chain delays in recent months. The city’s contractor is working to resolve the most current issues to ensure the portion of the project impacting Eldridge Parkway resumes in a timely manner.

The ongoing construction has led to lane closures along Park Row and a portion of Eldridge Parkway near I-10. The lane closures are necessary for the contractor to safely complete the construction project. In the coming months, current lane closures along Eldridge Parkway are expected to reopen, while additional parts of Eldridge, south of I-10, toward the Memorial Drive intersection, will experience traffic disruptions.

The overall project is expected to continue through the end of the year with traffic progressively improving.

More information about the project and traffic disruptions can be found on the City of Houston Public Works' website.