Chamber's VP Marketing on Recruiting Companies to San Angelo

Vice President for Marketing at the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce Michael Looney knows much about economic development. He arrived here in the summer of 2014, after moving to the hometown of his wife, who is appreciative to finally come home.

He grew up in Houston, earned a degree at The University of Texas and worked for 14 years as a developer in commercial real estate in Austin. His most recent job before migrating to San Angelo was rehabilitation of old buildings in east Austin.

Because of his diverse background in other parts of the state, Looney has a picture of San Angelo that many old timers don’t see.

“A lot of the companies we’re talking to like the fact that we have a progressive University, and stable relationship with an intel base at Goodfellow AFB. San Angelo has a very diversified economy,” he said. Prospective companies investigating locating here appreciate the culture of the city, the quality of the workforce and the intelligence of the people here, Looney said.

Looney said that within minutes of arriving on the job at the visitors’ center, a prospect walked through the door seeking information on high-rise buildings in historic San Angelo. There’s now a contract on the building today.

In the second half of the video, Looney discusses the challenges San Angelo has attracting new businesses to San Angelo, among them underemployment in the region.

The video interview is with City PIO Anthony Wilson and lasts approximately 30 minutes. The more interesting part is in the second half, starting at 16:30 minutes in.