Houston City Hall’s Big Events Guru Retires To Join Rice University — Susan Christian Must Move The Owls Beyond The Hedges

When Susan Christian retired from the Houston Mayor’s office in January, the numbers tallied were impressive: working 39-plus years at City Hall, serving seven mayors, producing all eight of the city’s sports championship parades and enjoying a career that in one way or another touched some 50,000 local events.

But the woman wasn’t finished with life in the special events lane. At the beginning of this month, the former director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events joined Rice University as the school’s first senior director of campus and community engagement and conference services.

“I loved my job at the city of Houston. I really did. But it was time to leave and I was ready, ready to leave,” Christian tells PaperCity. “But you know, truly, to my very core, I am all about community. And to watch special events become a vital core service for the city of Houston meant everything to me, because people engage in the community through special events.

“It’s a lot about experiences, but it’s also a lot about seeing the value that you as an individual can add to your community.”

Christian plans on sharing those decades of experience in event management, public service and community relations by assisting Rice in developing topnotch productions and events that are aimed at strengthening the university’s ties to the Houston area. The multi-faceted goal includes fostering goodwill and promoting educational and cultural exchange, which are considered key elements as Rice continues in its current phase of rapid growth.

“The best aspect (of my job) is producing events, or working on events, collaborating on events that bring people together,” Christian says. “Because the rewards are continual, and the impact is so good for the community.”

Of her leadership in producing multiple events, Christian points to the first Power of Houston festival in 1997, billed as “The Largest Laser, Light and Fireworks Spectacular in North America,” as perhaps her favorite. But she admits it’s difficult to name one after so many spectacular events. Among other memorable productions in her hands: the 2013 Freedom Over Texas Fourth of July fest headlining Sheryl Crow with more than 100,000 people attending and the Houston Rockets’ first NBA championship parade.

Christian’s biggest challenge during her tenure: convincing city leadership that Houston needed a special events ordinance. It took 10 years from when she first presented the idea until it was finally approved. That is just one of the many accomplishments of which she is most proud. Another is creation of the nonprofit Houston Civic Events, a fundraising arm that helps fund Houston’s myriad activities.

While another 40 years in the special events lane is not expected, Christian does plan on committing to another lengthy career with Rice bringing to the fore an expertise held by few, if any, others.