By BURT LEVINE
Dr. Daniel Wong, former at large Sugar Land City Council Member and current Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Member, looks forward this new year to efforts in Fort Bend County and throughout Texas to workforce development to make the region a force increasingly competitive for jobs and improving life for families and businesses.
“With the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board I am working in partnership with the legislature, businesses and key local civic leaders to ensure Fort Bend County and Texas’ higher education goals align with our economic needs and possibilities,” said Wong who came to the region in the in the late 1970s to earn his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering and his doctorate from the University of Houston where he currently is an adjunct engineering professor.
Before building in the early 1990s his company Toulany Wong Engineers and being appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and by Gov. Greg Abbott to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Wong earned his Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana Professional Engineering licenses and since then has served on UH Alumni, Greater Houston Partnership and Fort Bend YMCA Missouri City Boards.
“Focusing on economic competitiveness and excellence for Fort Bend County’s future is imperative not just by ensuring UH here is a Tier 1 university with regard to premiere professors from around the planet, resources for its research facilities and great graduate degree programs but our community college certificates and job training to tailor to what is best for our growing businesses and inspiring entrepeneurs is exciting for everything that we do in every corner and every effort in Fort Bend County,” said Wong who with his wife Mei raised their two sons in Fort Bend County who went on to earn degrees from The University of Texas and Texas A&M University to growing businesses and families.
When Wong was elected and served on Sugar Land City Council he collaborated with local school districts, community colleges, small and growing businesses to pave the way for Fort Bend to be a hub building for new horizons for young families’ success here. “We must keep focused on Wharton County Junior College and Texas State Technical College, college opportunities must be tailored to the Fort Bend communities from Katy to Kendleton, Simonton and Fulshear, Needville, Stafford and Missouri City with a focus on affordability, class size and scheduling suited for students no matter their schedule. I listen to those in position to invest in Fort Bend, so these facilities fit for them,” he said.
Wong is filled with passion and wonderment, patriotism and a bit of wonkiness in his approach to get results as he did as an at large city council member when Sugar Land was growing at its fastest rate while maintaining respect for quality of life and property rights.
“I love Fort Bend County because of its history in breaking barriers and its respect for families and its foundation in looking forward,” said Wong who works with thousands of folks at Toulany Wong and at the organizations he and his family volunteer with in their church and in the MUD and Levy Improvement Districts he has helped and in the pledge he has made to improving the quality of life metrics for his neighbors across Fort Bend.
“I have served with the Texas Municipal League, Houston Galveston Council of Governments, Greater Houston Partnership, the Fort Bend Economic Development Council and the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce because my bedrock always is building business relationships better regionally and locally to make life better,” he said.
Wong has witnessed when government at the city, county, state and federal levels can work with bringing professionals together with exciting entrepreneurs and experienced businesses to pave a way forward with less complicated permit processes and a reigned in tax, fines and fee climate more can get done to provide for record growth tempered with a quality of life that made Fort Bend County the envy of state, country and even the world.
“I know from my experience in area academia, corporate and area philanthropy and in my own private business what it takes to create jobs, equity capital and the energy to get things done for local cities and to focus on Fort Bend County as a whole,” he continued.
Wong with his bright smile is looking ahead to the future for Fort Bend County in its higher education opportunities and in his economic development and in redevelopment leadership roles he’s in now and those he’s being encouraged to invest in going forward.
“This is a bright and shiny year ahead. With ethical enterprising efforts the possibilities are as endless as the rushing waters of the Brazos River and the horizons ahead,” said Wong.
