History of Southeast Texas, Inc.,
    dba      Partnership of Southeast Texas
 
1984 Features conference
 
  1. Established a regional marketing effort.
  2. Develop a clearinghouse for regional data.
  3. Conduct joint external marketing.
  4. Serve as a forum among organizations concerned with economic and community development.
1985 SET, Inc. organized
 
1985-86 SET, Inc. capitalized
 
  • $487,000 private sector
  • $ 70, 000 in-kind
  • $ 95, 000 regional governments
   
1986 Maury Meyers, Post Chairman
 
1987 Larry Cohick joins SET, Inc.
 
1987 Foreign Trade Zone merges operations with SET, Inc.
 
1987 Harry Wood, Post ChairmanEconomic Development Corporation merges with Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce.
 
1988 John Gray Institute spends $225,000 on a Strategic Economic Development Plan:
 
  1. Correct business image of Southeast Texas
  2. Pursue target industries strategies
  3. Provide additional support to local entrepreneurs
  4. Increase access to equity funds for selected ventures
  5. Improve education, training, and job opportunities
  6. Attack fundamental issues, which affect the region's competitiveness
  7. Sustain an on going economic development process
   
1988 George Irish, SET Inc. Chairman
 
1989 Beaumont Chamber of Commerce raises $90,000 for SET, Inc.
 
Cohick leaves
 
1989-90 Paul Adams, Post Chairman
 
1990 Beaumont EDC dissolved
 
1990 SET, Inc. contracts with Beaumont Chamber of Commerce and relocates to Chamber office.
 
1991 Roddy Bland joins SET, Inc. as Vice President
 
1991 Tom Lamb, SET Inc. Chairman
 
1992 SET, Inc. contracts with NCDS for refinancing campaign for $1,500,000 for four year program:
 
  1. New business recruitment
  2. Area image enhancement
  3. Small business and entrepreneurial development
  4. Retention and expansion of existing businesses
   
1992 Rodddy Bland leaves
 
1992-93 Tony Houseman, Post Chairman
 
1993 NCDS receives pledges for $1,350,000 for SET, Inc.
 
1993 Kevin Smith joins SET, Inc. as Vice President
 
1993 Leadership Southeast Texas formed, Executive Director Bessie Chisum
 
1994-95 Dean Robinson, SET, Inc. Chairman
 
1995 SET, Inc. terminates contract with Beaumont Chamber
 
1995 Lee Townsend joins SET, Inc. as president
 
1995 SET, Inc. conducts workshop and reestablishes focal points for SET, Inc.:
 
  1. Marketing the area
  2. Developing marketing material on a regional basis
  3. Bringing the area together to work as a team
   
1995 Kay Bottoms joins SET, Inc. as Office Manager
 
1996 Kevin Smith dies in Automobile Accident March '96
 
1996 Steve Buser joins SET, Inc. as president, Brian Smith as Vice President.
 
1996 Luis Silva, SET, Inc. Chairman
 
1997 SET, Inc. expands from 3 county region (Hardin, Jefferson, Orange) to nine county region (Chambers, Liberty, Jasper, Newton, Tyler, Bolivar Peninsula) and changes name to Partnership of Southeast Texas (dba)
 
1997 First POST website SETX.org created
 
1997 Partnership of Southeast Texas Economic Development Workshop I
 
1997-98 David Bernsen, POST Chairman
 
1998 Brian Smith leaves
 
1998 Partnership of Southeast Texas Economic Development Workshop II
 
1998 Ann Galassi joins POST as vice president
 
1998 POST contracts with The Perryman Group in "Creating A Strategic Vision,"a ten-year vision.
 
1998 LSET expands to 9 counties
 
1999 Ron Arceneaux, POST Chairman
 
1999 POST starts Fun365days.com
 
1999 P O S T Quarterly regional magazine created
 
1999 First Annual Banquet, "Stand up and Be Counted!"
 
2000 P O S T Magazine premier Issue - Winter 2000 - "On the Water"
Vol. 1, No. 1
 
2000 SETWIN created - DOL Grant
 
2000 First Big 9 Directory Published
 
2000 POST goes to Membership Investor levels
 
2000 Second Annual Banquet, "Creating a History of SUCCESS"
 
2000-01 Dr. Sam Monroe, POST Chairman
 
2001 Vicki Fulk joins POST as New Development Director
 
2001 First Big 9 Big Day fundraiser
 
2001 Ann Galassi leaves
 
2001 Laura Wilson joins POST as Vice President
 
2001 Third Annual Banquet
 
2002 Alan Sanders, POST Chairman
 
2002 Golf Tournament, Big 9 Par Day, fundraiser
 
2002 Tourism Talk Around reorganized
 
2002 Second - Big 9 Big Day fundraiser
 
2002 Vicki Fulk leaves
 
2003 Barbara Knight, POST Chairman
 
2003 Angie Colligan joins POST (fulltime)
 
2003 Strategic Planning Session, Building a New Consensus
 
2003 Laura Wilson leaves POST to become Orange Counties first EDC Executive Director
 
2003 Melinda McCall joins POST as Office Assistant for POST and Administrative Assistant for LSET
 
2003 5th Annual Banquet & Fundraiser, "Discover your true nature"