A flagship international business event which is renowned for connecting the North-east of Scotland with Houston is set to launch an award in memory of one of its most loyal supporters.
The Travis Middleton Memorial Connector of Excellence Award will be presented for the first time at the 13th annual Aberdeen-Houston Gateway at Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel, Aberdeen on Monday, March 24.
The new accolade will be presented in memory of Travis Middleton, a staunch supporter of host company Granite PR, and the Gateway event, for many years.
Houston-born Travis was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Aberdeen-Houston Gateway and he travelled to Aberdeen to participate in it on many occasions. As well as being the founder of the TradeMark Insurance Agency, Travis had an energy and passion for international business development which led to the creation of Texas Global Consulting.
This enabled Travis to help numerous international businesses start and grow in Houston, spurred on by his wealth of knowledge, deep connections, and unending optimism and good humour.
The new award will recognise an individual who embodies the spirit of the Aberdeen-Houston Gateway and has demonstrated exceptional skills in fostering relationships, creating opportunities and driving business through effective networking and connection building.
It will honour the ability to bring together people, ideas and resources, advancing not only the recipient’s own career but also the success of others. The award will be presented to Travis posthumously and received by his wife Jo who will travel to Aberdeen for the event.
Since its inception, the Aberdeen-Houston Gateway has forged a powerful reputation for quality transatlantic knowledge sharing and networking with this year’s series of live and remote presentations to be chaired by Mary McIntyre of Houston-based Merrimac with a market overview to be provided by Malcolm Forbes-Cable of Wood Mackenzie.
Commenting on the introduction of the Travis Middleton Memorial Connector of Excellence Award, Jo Middleton said: “Travis was deeply committed to creating new opportunities between businesses in the UK and Texas. Many have praised him as one of the most effective brand ambassadors for both Scotland and Wales. The Gateway event provided him with the ideal platform to nurture and strengthen the relationships and connections between Aberdeen and Houston.
“I hope this award, year after year, will shine a spotlight on individuals who truly understand the power of connection—those who inspire collaboration, forge lasting partnerships, and shape the future of business by bringing people together with purpose.”
Aberdeen-Houston Gateway creator Brett Jackson added: “I met Travis on my very first trip to Houston and since then, I have benefited from his experience, wisdom and wit in many ways. As well as helping Granite PR to put down roots in Texas, Travis was hugely generous with his time in supporting our efforts to build transatlantic connections and I will always be grateful to him for his contribution in helping me to create and nurture the Gateway series of events.”
Other speakers at the Aberdeen-Houston Gateway 2025 will include:
- Aberdeen City Council
- Andy Grieve (G Tech Innovation Centre)
- Justin Hoffman (Ex Industries)
- Caitlin and Jeremy Vorheier (Trademark Insurance)
- Frank Landreneau (PKF Texas)
- Wings Travel
- James Coggs (Scottish Development International)
- Sang Shin (Jackson Walker LLP)
- Gus Bourgeois (BoyarMiller)
The Aberdeen-Houston Gateway 2025 will take place at Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel on Monday, March 24 from 12noon until 3pm. To buy a delegate /networking place priced at £85 plus vat visit https://buy.stripe.com/6oE7vj46LcZ52Jy9Cb