Listen to this article 3 min
Christopher Mammen had barely finished kindergarten when he first set foot into the business world.
“One of my first jobs was at the age of six when me and a sister set up a rubber band stand in our driveway,” Mammen said. “The operation lasted for about an hour and we had one rubber band sale, but it was the first business I owned.”
Decades later, Mammen still has a business mindset as he helps local residents grow by identifying educational resources, on-the-job training opportunities and other initiatives to help them build their careers.
As a workforce development director for greater:SATX, Mammen leads employer engagement to promote alignment across the region’s workforce ecosystem. He's credited with the ability to manage employer roundtables to develop strategies aimed at talent pipeline creation. He was just promoted to the role of Vice President, Workforce Development.
Mammen implements the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management framework for the San Antonio region.
He has engaged nearly 50 employers in collaboratives in sectors including manufacturing, health care and bioscience, and construction and skilled trades, with plans this year to expand to finance and IT/cybersecurity.
Though Mammen has accomplished much in his role with greater:SATX, the path wasn’t always so clear-cut.
Mammen said the biggest challenge he faced in his career was when his family’s education publishing company — a company he had helped operate — sold after 35 years.
“Following the sale of the company, I refocused my career goals to personally impactful and purposeful employment,” he said.
The most important thing Mammen said he did to develop his career was “listen and learn.”
“I reached out to community leaders and learned more about the issues affecting our community,” he said. “I found opportunities to dive deep into pressing issues and started my career knowing that the hard work would lead to the betterment of our community.”
Not only is Mammen focused on community betterment with his career, but also his personal life.
His volunteerism includes serving as a board/committee member for MOVE Texas, TX FAME, North East Independent School District — Citizens Board Advisory Committee, the Alexander Briseno Leadership Development Program Steering Committee and The Scholarship Foundation — Emerging Leaders Series in Comal County.
Mammen also fundraises and serves on the walk committee for the Lupus Foundation - Lone Star Chapter, volunteers extensively with the San Antonio Food Bank and has served as a Big for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
The San Antonio Business Journal is pleased to recognize Christopher Mammen as 2023 40 Under 40 Man of the Year.