Bold bets shaping the Dallas Region’s big futures

By Ashlynn Bouldin, Coordinator, Communications & Marketing

Average reading time: 2 minutes

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, more than 800 business leaders and elected officials convened for the Dallas Regional Chamber’s 2026 Annual Meeting. Even with a weather-induced schedule change, the Dallas Region’s business community showed up — reflecting the same momentum and commitment that continue to define North Texas.

As the Dallas Region’s flagship business gathering, the Annual Meeting — presented by Hillwood, a Perot Company — both celebrated the progress of the past year and set the tone for what comes next.

*Brad Cheves, Dallas Regional Chamber President & CEO*

Continuing the climb from base camp

Marking one month since stepping into his role as President & CEO, Brad Cheves reflected on the leadership decisions that shaped both the Dallas Region — and his own confidence in its future.

“We stand on the shoulders of leaders who made bold bets before us — bets on infrastructure, education, innovation and an open, pro-growth business environment,” said Cheves. “Those decisions lifted this region higher than almost any other in the country.

“But this is not the summit. It’s a base camp,” Cheves quickly added.

By framing this moment as a starting point rather than a finish line, Cheves challenged leaders to stay engaged, aligned and intentional — so the region’s growth continues to compound rather than level off.

Bold bets that shaped the Dallas Region’s success

The event’s keynote came from legendary North Texas visionary Ross Perot Jr., joined in conversation by Bank of America Dallas President and 2026 DRC Board Vice Chair Jennifer Chandler. The Chairman of The Perot Companies and Hillwood reflected on the long-term vision behind AllianceTexas, a 27,000-acre inland port and planned community home to more than 66,000 jobs with a total $130 billion in economic impact.

Perot emphasized that success depended on trust and collaboration.

“[AllianceTexas] would not have worked if we didn’t have great public leaders. The blessing for Texas is the public leadership that we have,” said Perot. “With public-private partnerships, great public leaders and a great vision, we got it done.”

He also pointed to population growth—and the talent and ideas that come with it—as a defining advantage for the Dallas Region.

“Great entrepreneurs are moving in from around the nation — and now they’re moving in from around the world — to North Texas,” said Perot. “It’s because we are bold. We are courageous. If you do your best and you have integrity, but you fail, we’re all going to give you a chance to get up again.”

At the foundation of that growth, Perot said, is the region’s people.

“Why do we keep winning in Texas? It’s because of the workforce. We have the best workforce in the country. … The men and women in this workforce are the greatest advantage we have.”

*Ross Perot Jr., Chairman of The Perot Companies and Hillwood, and Jennifer Chandler, Bank of America Dallas President and 2026 DRC Board Vice Chair*

Working toward the big futures ahead

Perot also pointed to the unexpected rise of the entertainment industry as a North Texas growth driver. With Taylor Sheridan’s Hollywood-style production operations now centered at AllianceTexas, Perot noted the global visibility and economic ripple effects that follow.

“There are now 430,000 ft. of studios for Taylor,” said Perot. “The largest [film] studios in Texas are now in Alliance. … [The region is] seen all over the world, and an extra million people are coming into Fort Worth because of ‘Landman’ and Taylor Sheridan.”

“I think all of Dallas should embrace this, and I think we’ll all be stunned at the impact the entertainment industry can have on this community.”

Perot also pointed to artificial intelligence as a powerful — if more expected — engine of the region’s next phase of growth. While AI data centers themselves must be located near energy sources, he noted that North Texas is emerging as the hub for the infrastructure that supports them.

Thanks to the Dallas Region’s deep talent pool and available real estate, “the AI supply chain cluster is being built in North Texas,” Perot said, with components then transported to data centers in West Texas.

That same supply-chain logic, he added, is driving growth in advanced manufacturing.

“Another great cluster coming into North Texas is magnets,” Perot said, noting that MP Materials’ leadership recently visited AllianceTexas as Texas competes for new magnet facilities. The development positions the Dallas Region as a critical link in the supply chains supporting AI, energy and next-generation technologies.

In his first address as 2026 DRC Board Chair, Hillwood’s Darcy Anderson underscored that the region’s success is the result of leaders willing to invest with confidence, plan for the long-term and work together.

“That mindset remains just as important today, even when we have so much success to celebrate.”

Thank you to our 2026 Annual Meeting sponsors:

PRESENTING