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GALVESTON

Jeff Sjostrom, who helped found the Galveston Economic Development Partnership more than 20 years ago, is stepping down to take a new job, the group announced Thursday.

Sjostrom is the partnership’s founding president, a post he has held since May 1999.

An organization whose dues-paying members include the county, city, many nonprofits and dozens of private businesses large and small, the partnership works to support the expansion and diversification of Galveston’s employment and tax bases.

During his tenure, the partnership has made significant strides towards accomplishing its mission, Sjostrom said.

“When we opened the doors to the GEDP in May ’99, Galveston was a different place,” he said.

“We had to spend a lot of time changing the perception of how many people thought of Galveston. We wanted people to know that Galveston could be a professional and profitable place to do business.”

Among the partnership’s many accomplishments were development improvements to at Scholes International Airport, demolition and redevelopment of the derelict Galvez Mall and opening of Schlitterbahn Water Park on airport land in 2006, he said.

Perhaps the biggest single accomplishment, though, was the recovery efforts after Hurricane Ike, Sjostrom said.

The partnership was instrumental in managing more than $100 million in business recovery resources after the category 2 storm flooded about 75 percent of island structures in 2008.

“Hurricanes tend to bring out the best and the worst in people,” Sjostrom said. “Overall, though, the best in people always wins.”

Sjostrom said he would take many of the lessons and experiences from his time in Galveston with him to his next post.

Sjostrom will be assuming a new role as executive director of the Aransas County Partnership Economic Development Corp. in Rockport.

“It really takes a consensus of the community to make the kind of changes we’re trying to make,” he said. “Business leaders must have a voice at the table, and there has to be a willingness to work on fundamental issues.”

Sjostrom’s last day with the partnership will be June 30 and no replacement has been named.

Partnership leaders were looking at a couple of options for a potential path forward, Sjostrom said.

“I came from Houston thinking I’d spend four or five years working here.” Sjostrom said. “This is the longest I’ve been anywhere. We’ve raised our kids here and Galveston will always be a part of us.”

Editor’s note: The Galveston County Daily News is a longtime member of the economic development partnership.