The City of Victoria’s first-ever Growing Victoria Summit will feature insights from local leaders and invited experts—including Mayor Duane Crocker’s 2026 State of the City address—with a focus on how Victoria can achieve growth and prosperity and how residents can get involved.
The free half-day summit will take place at the Victoria Community Center on Thursday, March 12, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. All sessions will be recorded and shared on the City’s local cable channels and on YouTube at a later date.
Goals and opportunities
The event begins at 8 a.m. with breakfast and a welcome from Mayor Duane Crocker, who will discuss the meaning of growth in the context of economic and community development and address feedback submitted by attendees as part of the registration process.
At 8:45 a.m., Newmark Group, a consulting firm specializing in economic development, will provide an overview of the elements and priorities that help communities grow, including strategies that have been successful in other cities.
After the presentation, at 9:15 a.m., Mayor Crocker will have a more casual fireside chat with Newmark and address attendees’ questions.
Where we are headed
At 10 a.m., the education panel will start. Guest panelists represent all levels of education in Victoria, from K-12 through higher education:
- Texas A&M University-Victoria President Christian Hardigree
- Victoria College President Jennifer Kent
- Victoria Independent School District Superintendent Sheila Collazo
- St. Joseph High School President John Gilley
Panelists will discuss the role of education in workforce development and community prosperity, highlight ongoing growth initiatives and answer questions from attendees.
The panel will be moderated by Victoria native Geanie Morrison, who represented the 30th district in the Texas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2025 and served on the House of Representatives’ Committee on Higher Education.
To conclude the event, at 11:45 a.m., Mayor Crocker will give his annual State of the City address over lunch. He will outline steps that the City is taking to help Victoria grow, including specific projects and initiatives, and highlight how attendees can be part of Victoria’s growth.
The event will end about 1 p.m.
Learn more and register
Residents who are interested in attending the Growing Victoria Summit can register at www.growingvictoriatx.com by March 6 to participate.