Huffman announces new venture

Former Austin Chamber of Commerce President Laura Huffman, in partnership with Steven Pedigo, has a new venture called CivicSol, a consulting firm to help communities “develop their economies to benefit all.” Huffman, who resigned as president and CEO of the chamber late last year, previously served as an assistant city manager with the city of Austin and then as executive director for the Texas branch of the Nature Conservancy before joining the chamber. She is the founding executive director of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs Urban Lab at the University of Texas. Sharing her news on LinkedIn, she wrote, “Steven and I have teamed up to bring our deep cross-sector expertise to the table with an approach that is grounded in the belief that value-driven, public-private partnerships are necessary for building successful economies and addressing the challenges inherent to the urban environment.”