Hill Country Economic Summit

Save The Date: February 26, 2026

As a vibrant area business, the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce knows you have goals for your business and a desire to tell your story. We were excited to host the 9th annual Hill Country Economic Summit. The Hill Country Economic Summit brought Kerrville and the surrounding communities a current economic update and a State of the Union on important happenings within our region.

The audience heard from renowned speakers discussing important topics that not only engaged the audience but brought insightful information to this year's attendees.

Hill Country Economic Summit

Presented By

2025 Summit E-blast for Newspaper (11 x 17 in) (8)

Keynote Speaker

"Blueprint for Winning at Leadership"

John Felkins has been with Ramsey Solutions for 12 years and is currently the Executive Director of EntreLeadership Elite, Dave Ramsey’s leadership coaching program for business owners. John brings expert advice and leadership insights to help thousands of leaders grow personally, lead their teams effectively, and scale their businesses the right way. In addition to leading EntreLeadership’s team of business coaches, John is a frequent speaker at prestigious business conferences, including the EntreLeadership Master Series and EntreLeadership Summit.

"The Mood in Texas and the 2025 Legislative Agenda"

Joshua Blank is the Research Director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has conducted public opinion polling of Texans for over a decade. Dr. Blank has extensive experience surveying Texas voters about their attitudes towards the economy, state leadership, and public policy, on issues including, but not limited to abortion, gun control/gun violence, voting/elections, and many other areas of public interest. He regularly writes, presents, and gives interviews about contemporary Texas politics, including on elections, public opinion, and governance.

Economic Update

Dr. Daniel Oney joined the Texas Real Estate Research Center in 2022. He specializes in building forecasting and decision models to help public and private leaders make better economic and fiscal choices. Before joining the Center, Daniel was managing director in Newmark’s Global Corporate Services division where he supported clients with site selection, labor analysis, and development strategy. Daniel was economic research manager for the City of Dallas and senior economist for the Virginia General Assembly. He holds MPA and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Texas at Dallas.

State of the City

Dalton Rice, MSHS, CPM, became the City Manager of Kerrville in October 2023, following his tenure as City Manager for Morgan’s Point Resort. With 13 years of service in the U.S. Army Special Forces, Dalton brings a diverse background that includes experience as a paramedic, firefighter, and healthcare administrator. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Law, an MSHS in Health Care Quality, and is a Certified Public Manager. Active in professional organizations, Dalton is a member of International City/ County Management Association (ICMA), Texas City Management Association (TCMA), and serves on boards such as the Kerrville Economic Development Corporation (KEDC), Elevate Adult Education, and Here’s to Our Heroes. Rice also participates in community activities through the Rotary Club.
Dalton is married to his wife, Anna, and they have three children: Rylan, aged 14, and twins Rhett and Ryker, aged 6. His leadership is grounded in family values and community engagement, balancing the demands of public service with his personal passions. In his free time, Dalton enjoys flying, skydiving, scuba diving, camping, and traveling with his family.

Joe Herring, Jr. is a Kerrville native, and a Tivy High School and University of Texas at Austin graduate. He is married to his college sweetheart, Carolyn, and they have two grown children. Mayor Herring, Jr. has served on multiple committees and boards including, KPUB, Kiwanis Club, Kerr County Historical Commission, Kerrville Main Street Advisory Board, Arcadia Theatre, Riverside Nature Center, Playhouse 2000, Symposium of the Hills Association, Kerrville Folk Fest, and Kerrville Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Herring, Jr. has been awarded multiple community recognitions, including the Kerrville Daily Times “Bill Dozier” Citizen of the Year in 2010. Joe was elected to Kerrville City Council in 1990, and served as Mayor 1992 to 1994, then again in 2022 as Councilmember, and in 2024 as Mayor. Over the years, the Mayor’s instrumental projects have been rebuilding the downtown area, the river trail, recycling programs, and establishing Kerrville as a Texas Main Street City.