The SUCCEED Conference
2024
JOCHEN FLOESSER
Bio
Jochen Floesser is the Director of Data Analytics and Research at the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) located in Houston, TX. H-GAC is the regional council of governments with over 350 employees and 130 mostly government members, covering 13,500 square miles with a population of more than 7.2M people. H-GAC is the coordinating body for regional programs and services to include economic development, workforce, social equity & justice, environmental sustainability, community planning, elder care / childcare, transportation, and more.
With a master’s degree in geography from Mannheim University in his home country of Germany and a master’s degree in geology from Auburn University, Jochen’s career spans over 26 years predominantly in the (geo-)data sciences realm. His expertise and leadership are founded in his professional experiences in the public and private sectors, to include the areas of environmental / natural resources, infrastructure, transportation, geographic information systems, and remote sensing.
Jochen began his career as an Environmental Scientist in groundwater modeling with a consulting company before transitioning into the role of GIS Software Development Coordinator in the public sector. Since then, he accumulated experiences as Project Lead, Department / Program Manager, and Vice President with several companies in the geo-data industry and government services.
In his current role, Jochen oversees a diverse, multi-cultural team of highly specialized and technical subject matter experts focused on sociodemographic & economic forecasting, travel demand modeling, air quality conformity, big-data processing (ML/AI), data analyses and dashboarding. His true passion comes to life in analyzing geospatial data & trends and developing tools to visualize valuable information and draw actionable conclusions that create positive impacts on people’s lives.
In his spare time, Jochen and his wife enjoy traveling, discovering new places, exploring cuisines, and visiting family across the world.
Education:
- MS in Geology
Other Info:
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Geographic Information System Professional (GISP)
- Six-Sigma Green Belt (SSGB)
- Professional GeoScientist (PG, expired)
- Dual Citizenship GER/USA
- DOD Secret Clearance (inactive)
- Auburn University Alumni & Advisory Board – Treasurer
Advice to Students
- Work hard. Anticipate your supervisor’s needs and questions.
- Double-check your work. Doubt yourself.
- Be curious and inquisitive. Learn continually. Don’t rest on your (academic) laurels.
- Keep an open mind, listen, aim to understand, see the ‘big picture’.
- Be authentic, honest, humble, fair & consistent.
- Share, recognize, and appreciate.
- Laugh and have fun!
Contact information
713.993.4544