Business Times, Jan 2015

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ED M O N D, O K LAH O MA

JANUARY 2015

VOL. 7 | NO. 1

INSIDE

2014

PUBLISHER Karan Ediger 405-341-2121 kediger@edmondsun.com MANAGING Lisa Shearer EDITOR 405-341-2121 lshearer@edmondsun.com

CEO Q&A: Michael Carolina OCAST Invests in Scientists Statewide

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SALES TEAM Terri Bohanan Kaycee Wagner Maegan Newport

Survey Shows Upbeat Consumers but Reserved Business Forecast for 2015

CONTRIBUTING Mike Crandall WRITERS Jim Denton Cyndy Hoenig Nick Massey Patty Miller

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Van Mitchell Tim Priebe Terri Schlichenmeyer

According to a new survey, a majority of Oklahoma consumers continue to believe their personal financial situations will improve or remain the same during the next year. However, Oklahomans are less optimistic in regards to current and future business conditions.

Health Care Fee Starts in 2015 for Those Without Insurance

Mark Schlachtenhaufen James Coburn

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The Affordable Care Act won’t have many changes for individuals in 2015 but the most significant change will have an increased financial impact on those who don’t sign up for healthcare insurance.

SmartAsset names Edmond No. 6 boomtown in nation

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The Business Times is a monthly publication of The Edmond Sun devoted to business in the Edmond area. All rights reserved.

Copyright © January 2015.

Michael Carolina says Oklahoma is gaining a national reputation as a landing spot for researchers and research companies in part due to the state’s commitment to making research and technology a top priority for its present and future.

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Edmond’s reputation as a vibrant community continues to spread beyond its borders, according to a new study by SmartAsset.

The group lists Edmond among the biggest boomtowns of 2014, and ranking sixth in the nation out of the 550 cities examined.

January 2015 | The Business Times

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from our Publisher

Many Changes in Motion for 2015

T

o our Readers: As I write this letter I think to myself what a busy year 2014 was. The Edmond Sun celebrated 125 years of publishing. We’ve written about the history and all of the changes our industry has seen over the years. 2015 will see changes as well.

Plans are well under way to revamp Community Connection. The February issue will relaunch as The Edmond Sun Extra. A close replica to a monthly Edmond Sun, non-subscribers will have an opportunity to get caught up on local news, entertainment, school information, upcoming events and more.

We also will change the way our current E-edition is delivered.

Beginning in January The Edmond Sun E-edition will publish two days a week and appear as a replica of The Edmond Sun on Tuesdays and Saturdays. This allows our journalists more opportunity to update all of our digital platforms and keep everyone informed on what’s happening in our community.

Probably the biggest change for 2015 will be saying good-bye to our beloved managing editor Lisa Shearer. Lisa just celebrated 14 years at The Edmond Sun. She is in huge part responsible for the majority of our projects especially The Business Times of Edmond. She is moving on to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to pursue a new career as a project manager and public information officer. Lisa will be missed, but never forgotten. The Business Times of Edmond will continue in it’s current form and flair. You can look forward to our annual healthcare issue next month and many, many more exciting issues.

We look forward to continuing to bring you the information you need to know about in 2015. We also wish you peace and prosperity.

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January 2015 | The Business Times

KARAN EDIGER is publisher of The Business Times of Edmond, The Edmond Sun and Community Connection.

Q&A with Michael Carolina

Photo by Karen Moore Special to the Business Times

Invests in Scientists Statewide

By Van Mitchell | Special to The Business Times

M

ichael Carolina says Oklahoma is gaining a national reputation as a landing spot for researchers and research companies in part due to the state’s commitment to making research and technology a top priority for its present and future.

And, Carolina says the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology at 755 Research Parkway, Suite 110, in Oklahoma City is helping lead the way.

OCAST works with entrepreneurs, researchers and companies that are early in the process by helping them fund research to prove their ideas, linking them to larger funding sources and introducing them to other researchers and resources to strengthen their ideas.

In its 26-year history, OCAST has funded more than 2,500 research projects and provided support to hundreds of Oklahomabased companies.

“OCAST is the state agency for science and technology,” said Carolina, OCAST’s executive director. “We do technology development, technology transfer and technology commercialization. The state wanted to be a partner in innovation and technology. So in 1987 OCAST was born. The investment we make in those businesses yields a high return to the state — from increasing tax revenue to improving the quality of life of people around the world.”

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January 2015 | The Business Times

Carolina said the state’s main wealth-generating businesses are energy, aerospace and defense, agriculture, biosciences, information technology, finance and transportation and distribution.

He said the common thread that ties those entities together is STEM, which is the acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“It’s a core element in the continued growth and progression of the economy of Oklahoma and the nation,” Carolina said. “Yet, we’re lagging behind in STEM education.”

He said the average STEM job growth for Oklahoma is expected to be 6,712 positions per year for the next 10 years. During the same period, Oklahoma is expected to replace 54 percent of its existing STEM workforce due to retirement and other factors.

Carolina said the issue is that in 2011, only 5,297 students graduated from Oklahoma public colleges from STEM degree programs.

“This is a huge shortfall — and not all of them stayed for jobs in the state,” he said. “If Oklahoma businesses are to remain competitive, we must ensure that we have an educated and technically certified workforce to fill the jobs pipeline. Gov. Mary Fallin took a significant step toward addressing this issue when she signed into law a bill that provides a framework for ‘STEM Communities’ across the state.”

Carolina said he applied for the executive director’s position at OCAST at the urging of friends.

“It came open and some friends of mine asked me if I would be interested,” Carolina said. “I have been here almost 10 years. It is a great organization.”

Carolina, 70, came to OCAST in August 2005 and is the agency’s third executive director. He has held management and executive positions (operating, strategic and business planning, new product development and technology transfer) with the Western Electric Company, AT&T and Lucent Technologies. He served in several of AT&T’s New Jersey-based operations, including technology transfer of Bell Laboratoriesdesigned telecommunications products to AT&T’s and Lucent Technologies’ joint ventures in Korea, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Spain and Brazil. He was also engineering director for Lucent Technologies’ manufacturing operation in Oklahoma City. In this position, he led an engineering force of more than 200 engineers.

As business planning director (AT&T Network Systems) and as engineering director (Lucent Technologies), his responsibilities included product and process engineering, new product introduction and global engineering support for switching and transmission equipment used in the telecommunications industry.

In this role, he worked closely with the Bell Laboratories in introducing leading-edge communications products.

After his retirement from Lucent in 2001, Carolina became an industry consultant with the Oklahoma State University Center for Innovation and Economic Development Foundation. He was also an adjunct professor for the Engineering and Technology Management program in OSU’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology.

Carolina received his Bachelor of Science degree in biological science from OSU in 1967 and his Master’s of Science degree in environmental science from the University of Oklahoma in 1971.

He was selected by AT&T to attend its Executive Development Program in Princeton, N.J., and completed the program in 1986.

Carolina serves on the board of directors for the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, i2E, the Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence, Edmond Economic Development Authority and Creative Oklahoma Advisory Board.

He also serves on the Governor’s Science and Technology Council, the Governor’s International Team (GIT) and has served on the Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Advisory Committee, and engineering advisory boards at Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma.

He and his wife Sharon reside in Edmond.

Q: What does it take to be a STEM community?

A: To be designated as a STEM Community or STEM Region, educators, business leaders, parents, government officials and industry groups must form partnerships to develop and implement a STEM plan that will improve STEM education and training,

identify community resources and collect community data toward achieving the desired outcomes. Shawnee, Lawton, Tulsa, Duncan and Stillwater are already organizing and have reached out to local businesses and community leaders to strengthen their focus on STEM. Q: What are some examples of STEM communities?

A: Many shining examples of creative STEM projects can be found across the state. At Tulsa’s Darnaby Elementary School, first-graders recently created robots as a part of a school project.

This year, nearly 50 Oklahoma teams from Agra to Cheyenne and Clinton to Vici competed in Botball, an educational robotics program for middle school and high school students. Recently, Oklahoma hosted its seventh consecutive FIRST Robotics Regional Competition; 46 Oklahoma teams (a record) competed, with five of them moving on to a national competition.

Q: Last year more than 36,500 students graduated from Oklahoma colleges and 6,016 were STEM graduates. How has the STEM communities helped with this?

A: To be competitive in technology we need STEM graduates. We have four or five STEM communities in our state and more are interested so it will grow. We have the genesis set for the next set of STEM communities. I think it will be contagious. People are excited about it because they see the results. In the next five years we need to move those numbers up 5 percent to 10 percent a year.

We will grow technology jobs by 10 percent by the end of this decade. We have to be competitive as a state and a nation.

Q: Why is important to get students involved with STEM early on?

A: It is critical to involve kids at an early age. You have to make math and science fun. It’s a step function. Starting students early not only teaches them technical skills but also sparks their imagination and interest in science and mathematics. What many Oklahomans may not realize is that there are world-renowned researchers in this state inventing new products, developing treatments to cure diseases and building next-generation technologies. The most critical challenges facing the world today are likely to be addressed by people in STEM fields.

Q: Describe the importance of those public-private partnerships for OCAST? A: With the STEM the public-private partnerships is important.

The investment we make locally improves the quality of life globally. Over the years investments by the state into OCAST typically led to a high return on investment. We just completed our 2014 ROI and it is 20 to 1. For every dollar put into OCAST we return $20. The way we create our ROI is we invest in a researcher or a research company and that company will in turn get federal research dollars.

January 2015 | The Business Times

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Survey Shows Upbeat Consumers but Reserved Business Forecast for 2015

By Van Mitchell | Special to The Business Times

A

ccording to a new survey, a majority of Oklahoma consumers continue to believe their personal financial situations will improve or remain the same during the next year. However, Oklahomans are less optimistic in regards to current and future business conditions.

These results are based on the second phase of the Fall 2014 Arvest Consumer Sentiment Survey, conducted in October. This phase includes a study of consumers’ outlook on personal finances, buying conditions through the next six months, and business conditions during the next year, and the next five years.

A summary of findings from the reports was submitted by the Center for Business and Economic Research at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville; the Steven C. Agee Economic Research and Policy Institute at 8

January 2015 | The Business Times

Oklahoma City University; and the Bureau of Economic Research at Missouri State University.

According to the survey, 48 percent of Oklahoma consumers expect their personal financial situation to remain the same during the next year, while 33 percent expect it to improve. In June’s inaugural survey, 48 percent expected their situation to remain the same and 34 percent expected it to improve. Across the region, in Arkansas and Missouri, 51 percent expect their personal financial situation to stay the same, while 29 percent expect it to improve.

When reviewing expectations of business conditions, Oklahomans were not as optimistic. Only 22 percent expect business conditions to remain positive through the next year, down 10 percent from the inaugural survey. Region-wide, 25 percent believe business conditions will remain positive during that same period.

Oklahoma consumers also revealed a decrease in confidence as it relates to business conditions during the next five years.

While 41 percent expected continuous good times in June, only 32 percent felt that way in October. The regional number was 36 percent.

Mickey Hepner, dean of the University of Central Oklahoma’s Business School, said the survey reflects a less than optimistic attitude by Oklahomans toward the national economy even though the state’s economy has fared well.

“It indicates that Oklahomans are a little less optimistic about the overall economy and there are probably a couple of reasons for that,” Hepner said. “We have been a little bit more oppositional to the current administration and the economic policies of the White House. Also, we are a state much more reliant on energy prices and with falling energy prices it is going to make people here a little bit more cautious. We add those on to some of the concerns and challenges being faced by some of our leading companies like Chesapeake and SandRidge in recent years all that combines to a place where things are a little less optimistic about the overall national economy even though the state has performed admirably well.”

Russell Evans, director of the Steven C. Agee Economic Research & Policy Institute at Oklahoma City University, concurred.

“Oklahomans expressed considerably more pessimism about the trajectory of the national economy than did their peers,” Evans said. “The responses seem to reflect a growing consensus in the state that Oklahoma does not need — and does not expect — robust national economic activity to support state economic growth. Concern for future conditions is likely attributed to falling commodity prices and a reliance on the oil and natural gas sector to maintain economic health.”

The survey was conducted before oil prices began to plummet in recent weeks where oil was less than $68 a barrel, which represents a drop of more than 30 percent since June, when crude sold for more than $100 a barrel.

Dan Rickman, an Oklahoma State University regents professor of economics, said at a recent economic conference at OSU that the oil drop could translate into savings at the pump and in the wallets of average consumers, but the state’s overall economy likely will suffer the reversal in oil fortunes.

Rickman said in a previously published report that he forecast a “kind of slight decline in jobs,” or about 1,000 from the energy sector. The state’s economy tends to be above-average when the energy sector thrives, he said, but drops near the national average during downturns.

According to the report, in a recent Fed survey, energy firms said they needed an average price of $79 a barrel to be profitable.

A study earlier this year by Oklahoma City University found nearly 1 in 5 jobs created in the state is connected to the oil and gas industries. The industries generate nearly $1 of $3 of Oklahoma’s gross state product and nearly $1 of $2 in non-farm earnings.

According to the report, last year, Oklahoma ranked fifth in the nation in crude oil production.

Greg Womack, president of Womack Investment Advisors, an investment advisory firm from Edmond, said despite the energy price drop, Oklahomans continue to remain optimistic about the state economy.

“This survey was done before the oil drop when oil was still in that $90 range,” Womack said. “We didn’t have that gray cloud hanging over the oil market industry. In Oklahoma I think our economy is generally better than most of the United States due to a strong energy market and we have more economic activity.”

According to the Arvest survey, the majority of Oklahomans, 51 percent, believe that the next six months will be a decent time to buy household items such as furniture, televisions and refrigerators. That number is up from 49 percent in June, while the regional number increased from 47 percent to 50 percent.

“It is a buyer’s market for most items that people need or want,” Womack said. “It is a buyer’s market because the demand is not as strong now.”

This round of survey results also includes a Current Conditions Index and a Consumer Expectations Index, which follows the model of the national Thomson/Reuters Michigan Surveys of Consumers.

These indexes are meaningful in comparison to national indexes or to previous values of Arvest Consumer Sentiment indexes. Higher numbers indicate some combination of consumer satisfaction with their current and expected personal finances, current and expected economic performance, and the purchasing environment. Larger increases indicate more confidence across the three areas.

The Current Conditions Index is tabulated from the answers to two questions on the survey: “How is your current financial situation compared with a year ago?” and “What do you think of buying conditions over the next six months?” The Current Conditions Index for Oklahoma in October is 85.8, up from June’s 82.2, while the regional index is 82.0.

The Arvest Consumer Sentiment Survey is conducted by the CBER, with the University of Oklahoma’s Public Opinion Learning Laboratory conducting 1,200 phone surveys.

The survey will be conducted twice a year, with the next survey expected to be completed May 2015. With each study, the index score will be released first, followed by a second release on consumer outlook including the Current Conditions Index and the Consumer Expectations Index and a third release on savings and spending expectations.

Evans said surveys like this help economists better predict their economic forecasts especially with the holiday season and the sales tax revenue it generates.

“The survey is used to help predict economic outcomes,” Evans said. “It can be an important piece of information to tell how things are going. One of the things we are watching closely is where do these holiday sales numbers come in at? The survey would have us believe we are going to have an above average holiday sales season.”

January 2015 | The Business Times

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Health Care Fee Starts in 2015 for Those Without Insurance

T

he Affordable Care Act won’t have many changes for individuals in 2015 but the most significant change will have an increased financial impact on those who don’t sign up for healthcare insurance.

Tim McFall, vice president, employee benefits with INSURICA Insurance Management Network, made those comments during the latest Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce Business Development luncheon.

INSURICA Insurance Management Network is made up of independent insurance agencies that specialize in core industries and business disciplines, and share their expertise with the entire group.

“The law isn’t finished,” McFall said. “It will likely change. It is a very imperfect law.”

McFall said the ACA created a market place or exchange which either states or the federal government operate and offer healthcare insurance. He said 17 states currently operate exchanges while the rest are run by the federal government.

McFall said 7 million Americans signed up for healthcare through the exchanges in 2014 and 73,000 Oklahomans were enrolled.

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January 2015 | The Business Times

By Van Mitchell | Special to The Business Times

He said the open enrollment period for 2015 runs through Feb. 15 and is the only time a person can change plans outside of qualifying for a special enrollment period. All 2014 plans end Dec. 31 and new 2015 plans start as early as Jan. 1.

McFall said the market place has a variety of insurance plans available and are categorized in color levels that match premiums and deductibles.

Coverage levels and values include Platinum with 90 percent coverage (after deductible met); Gold at 80 percent; Silver 70 percent and Bronze at 60 percent.

McFall said Oklahoma exchange carriers include Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Coventry, Community Care, Global Health and Time Insurance.

He said the Silver level seems to be the most popular with users.

“I haven’t seen a platinum plan in a long time,” McFall said. “It is too expensive.”

McFall said some individuals can qualify for a federal subsidy tax credit based on their income to help pay for their insurance premiums. He said the subsidies also are available if there is no employer-sponsored plan.

“That is why people are interested in the exchange,” he said. “It can help them pay part of their premium.”

McFall said individuals will have to estimate what they think their income will be in 2015.

He said if a person’s income changed or living situation changed during the year they would need to verify it with the marketplace. He added a new job that offers full-time coverage or a change in income can affect your cost assistance.

McFall said tax credits may be applied up front based off what is projected to happen, but they will be adjusted on the end of the year based off what actually did.

He said to verify your information so you don’t end up owing money by taking too much up front, or by not getting the full amount of assistance you qualify for.

McFall said if a person declined to have health insurance, those individuals may have to pay a penalty.

The fee for not having coverage (officially called a shared responsibility fee) increases each year by set increments until 2017.

In 2017 it adjusts for inflation.

“It starts out low and gets higher,” McFall said.

In 2014 fees were $95 per person or 1 percent of income (whichever is higher). In 2015 it goes to $325 per person or 2 percent of income and in 2016 it is $695 or 2.5 percent of income.

McFall said even if a person got insurance in July they would still have to pay a penalty tax for the prior six months they didn’t have coverage.

McFall said some individuals may qualify for exemptions from the mandate including those below the federal poverty line, incarcerated individuals, members of federally recognized Indian tribes, religious conscience objectors, individuals not lawfully

present in the U.S., individuals with a short gap in coverage, individuals who meet hardship guidelines and members of health care sharing ministry.

McFall said hardship cases could include those who lost homes due to tornadoes, medical hardship or job loss.

January 2015 | The Business Times

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SmartAsset names Edmond No. 6 boomtown in nation

By Van Mitchell | Special to The Business Times

E

dmond’s reputation as a vibrant community continues to spread beyond its borders, according to a new study by SmartAsset.

The group lists Edmond among the biggest boomtowns of 2014, and ranking sixth in the nation out of the 550 cities examined.

The city rated in the top 50 for both GDP and housing growth, and its net-migration rate was 56th overall.

SmartAsset noted that Edmond has an 8 percent housing growth rate and 5.8 percent GDP growth. The city’s unemployment rate is 4.6 percent with a net migration rate of 0.9 percent, according to SmartAsset.

The top two cities listed are Midland, Texas, and Bismark, N.D. “Having looked at this list, the first couple of cities have to do with oil. So we can understand why their growth has been really strong and fast,” said Janet Yowell, executive director of the Edmond Economic Development Authority.

Edmond enjoys consistent and steady growth in real estate, which results from Edmond’s system of schools, Yowell said.

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January 2015 | The Business Times

The city is also influenced by the overall economy of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, she said. The metroplex has weathered the economic downturn of 2008.

“We all know that’s been one of the best economies probably over five years now,” Yowell said.

Edmond is bound to capture a lot of the upward momentum of Oklahoma City because of Edmond’s own identity with quality housing and schools, she continued. People who are interested in their children’s education tend to be more educated themselves, Yowell added.

“Benefiting Edmond is we’ve got a high-quality, well-educated workforce,” Yowell said.

What is good for Oklahoma City is good for Edmond, but sometimes Edmond captures the cream of the crop, Yowell said.

Education produces citizens who make sharper choices in life, she said.

The population is growing throughout the metro area. That opens up the Interstate 35 north metro corridor, she said.

Edmond will see increasing development and economic activity.

“We’ve got land sites that are attractive,” Yowell said.

Retailers will follow the medical investment in Edmond that has been made along the interstate, she said.

Many Edmond leaders say that education plays a key role in the city’s forward momentum.

Corporation Commissioner Patrice Douglas said the news is terrific but not surprising.

“Edmond is well-positioned because of its amazing schools, attention to public safety, and willingness to invest in itself through roads and infrastructure,” said Douglas, former mayor. “High standards show us Edmond is indeed a top place for investment and a top place to raise your family.”

Former University of Central Oklahoma President

W. Roger Webb said residents have an immense amount of pride in their community.

“You’ve got an education element that is so strong,” Webb said. “Strong religious ties contribute to the community. You’ve got history here and a sense of place.”

Residents are proud say they’re from Edmond, he said. The community cares for its children and senior citizens, Webb added. People have smiles on their faces, say they’re from Edmond and are proud to live here, Webb said.

Anyone who enjoys life in Edmond can’t be surprised that Edmond ranks among the top 10 cities for expansion, former Mayor Saundra Naifeh said.

“We stand out for the quality of how we look and the experiences that are available here. I hope we never lower our expectations,” Naifeh said.

January 2015 | The Business Times

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business matters

Nick Massey Astute Investor

Did the Next Secular Bull Market Already Start?

A

fter an interesting year, we still seem to be in a bull market — for now. But how about the long-term?

Did the “secular” (long-term) bear market end with the beginning of the current cyclical bull market in 2009? Are we already in the next “secular” bull market where buy and hold is a credible approach to investing?

Secular bear markets last an average of 17 years. In warning of a secular bear market being imminent in 1999, Warren Buffett spoke of “the next 17 years.” Dr. Med Jones, economist at the International Institute of Management (IIM), was not talking about secular bear markets, but had this to say in his 2006 academic study “U.S. Economic Risks 2007-2017”: “The economy behaves in cycles; for every up cycle there is a down cycle. It is only a question of how long and how steep the curve is. The next decade is probably the most critical for U.S. socioeconomic prosperity.”

The secular bear market of 1965-1981 was typical of the average 17-year secular bear. Every time a cyclical bull market carried the market up to the previous high or above it, encouraging investors to believe all was well again, another cyclical bear would hit and take the gains back.

It usually ended about the time investors could not stand it any longer.

It took 17 years of periodic cyclical bear 14

January 2015 | The Business Times

markets to correct all the problems of the late 1960s and 1970s to get the economic and debt conditions back to normal to support the next secular bull market of 1982-2000. The secular bear market that began in 2000 has had two cyclical bull markets so far, after two cyclical bear markets took care of some of the excesses and problems.

In its current bull market, it has broken out to higher highs. Does that indicate this secular bear market ended in 2009, only nine years after it began in 2000? Maybe, but that would make it one of the shortest secular bear markets in history.

In order for us to believe that, we probably would have to think that the two recessions and cyclical bear markets since 2000 took care of all the excesses and there are no serious economic problems left.

“In order for us to believe that, we probably would have to think that the two recessions and cyclical bear markets since 2000 took care of all the excesses and there are no serious economic problems left.”

Yeah right! If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge I want to show you.

If we look at the market trend line going back to 1870, we can see how the market acts at secular bear market tops and bottoms, and how the extremes in both directions have been followed by equal and opposite reactions to the opposite extreme. As is typical in ongoing secular bear markets, the two “cyclical” bear markets since 2000 did not complete an opposite extreme before the two “cyclical” bull markets cycled in. Combined with the serious excesses or bubbles that remain in place, the implication here is that there will be another downturn at some point. It appears we likely have more work to do in this secular bear before it’s off to the races again. Thanks for reading.

NICK MASSEY is a financial adviser and president of Householder Group Financial Advisors in Edmond. Massey can be reached at www.nickmassey.com. Investment advice offered through Householder Group Estate and Retirement Specialists, a registered investment adviser.

Business matters

Mike Crandall Growth S olutions

More, Better, Different are 3 Questions for Improving 2015 Performance

F

requently people ask me how do I get better? How do I grow? How do I improve? Which are all good questions and if you don’t ask yourself these questions then you should!

The first step in getting better, growing and/or improving is to figure out where you are starting. Without knowing the starting point it is impossible to know how to get to where you want to go. As an example, think about driving. If you do not have a starting point it is impossible to know how to get to the end point. Not only how to get there, but also how long it will take, how difficult it will be, etc.

So how do we evaluate the starting point? The best way is to use three simple questions. Let’s use a sales call as an example. After the sales call is over ask yourself these three simple questions: What went well? What went OK, but not really well? What did not go well?

Now asking yourself the questions is not the key to growth and improvement.

The true benefit comes in answering them.

However you must ask them to be able to answer them. Let’s go deeper.

• What went well? When we ask ourselves this question it allows us to understand what worked, and why.

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January 2015 | The Business Times

Understanding this helps us identify what we need to do more of.

• What went OK, but not really well?

When we ask ourselves this question it allows us to understand what kind of worked, however, did not work as well as we would like. Understanding this helps us identify what we need to do better.

• What did not go well? When we ask ourselves this question it allows us to understand what did not work and why.

Understanding this helps us identify what we need to do differently.

Think of this as More, Better, Different.

When we understand this about the sales call it allows us to understand our starting point. Once we know this we can chart a course to work on getting better.

“The first step in getting better, growing and/or improving is to figure out where you are starting.

Without knowing the starting point it is impossible to know how to get to where you want to go.”

This three question concept works wonderfully for many things in life and not just sales calls. Our clients find ways to use it for many things in their professional worlds as well as many things in their personal worlds. Not only for yourself, but for your employees, team members, friends, family, etc.

So let me ask: What do you need to do MORE of, what do you need to do BETTER, and/or what do you need to do DIFFERENTLY? If you are not 100 percent sure or if your answers bother you then you are not alone. Many people struggle with this. You may want to find a business growth consultant who can help.

MIKE CRANDALL lives in Edmond.

He is a consultant, coach, trainer and speaker focused on sales, management and leadership development for proactive business growth.

He can be reached via email at mike.crandall@sandler.com or by phone at 405-844-1700. For more information, go online to www.customgrowth.sandler.com.

» C OME JU DGE

for Yourself.

GOLFERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO CHALLENGE THE JUDGE and the two other golf courses in Prattville at RTJ Capitol Hill. Bring your clubs and come take on Judge hole number 1, voted the favorite hole on the Trail. Complete your day in luxury at the Marriott and enjoy dining, firepits and guest rooms overlooking the Senator golf course. With the Marriott’s 20,000 square feet of meeting space, 96 guest rooms and luxurious Presidential Cottage combined with three world-class golf courses, business and pleasure can definitely interact in Prattville.

THE ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL AT CAPITOL HILL is home of the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic on the Senator Course September 18 to 24, 2014. The Marriott Prattville is part of the Resort Collection on Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Visit www.rtjgolf.com or call 800.949.4444 to learn more.

Business matters

Tim Priebe Webifiable

10 Tips for Online Marketing in 2015

F

ew industries change more rapidly than the world of online marketing.

So if it’s not your full-time job, it’s easy to keep doing things the way you’ve been doing, while those methods decline in effectiveness. So let’s take a look at 10 tips for online marketing in 2015.

1. Have a Plan — Of course, this is what you’re starting on by reading this. But don’t just dive in because everyone else is doing it. Have business goals, and make sure your online marketing ties back into those business goals.

2. Invest Ongoing — Years ago, you could just launch your website and arguably not have to touch it for years. Now, online marketing requires a continual, regular investment of time and/or money.

3. Create Content — So what should you be doing with that regular effort? Creating content, whether it’s blogs, social media updates, videos, ebooks or any number of things.

4. Get on Social — Almost every organization would benefit from some sort of social media presence. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, but be on the social media platforms that make sense for your organization.

5. Gather Information — Websites used to be little more than online brochures.

Now, however, you can gather information about potential customers. Provide valuable 18

January 2015 | The Business Times

content, and they’ll often be willing to share their contact information.

6. Have Conversations — Social media has made marketing a two-way conversation.

Take advantage of that by not just pushing out content, but having actual conversations with your target market.

7. Be Mobile Friendly — In early 2014, mobile web browsing surpassed desktop web browsing. Make sure that all your online marketing is mobile friendly, from your website to your email newsletter.

8. Email Regularly — Speaking of email newsletter, various changes in social media in 2014 made reaching people through email even more of a good idea.

Be consistent with your email newsletter schedule, and be sure to provide value.

9. Be Easy — If your website or any component of your online marketing is difficult to use, people won’t take action.

“There are so many options for online marketing, it’s easy to get caught up in it all.

Remember, the whole point is to get your target market to know, like, trust and value you.”

It doesn’t matter how much they wanted to contact you, if it’s not easy to find your contact info, they’ll move on to your competitor.

10. Remember the Whole Point — There are so many options for online marketing, it’s easy to get caught up in it all.

Remember, the whole point is to get your target market to know, like, trust and value you. Don’t get distracted by the latest and greatest platforms.

Bonus: Hire a Professional — It’s a challenge to keep up with it all! And if you’re like most people, your time would be better spent elsewhere in your business. Consider outsourcing your online marketing to a reputable firm so you don’t have to stress out over it.

TIM PRIEBE is a public speaker, the author of the books “102 Tweets: Social Media Update Ideas for Businesses & Nonprofits” and “The Beginner’s Guide To Facebook Timeline for Business” and the owner of T&S Online Marketing in Edmond. He can be reached by email at tim@tandsgo.com, by phone at 405-285-0348 or online at www.tandsgo.com.

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19

business matters

JIM Denton L edger Lines

Harsh Realities of New Health Care Law R eality can be harsh. Reality hits all of us in the face at one time or another. I’m thinking about simple realities like death and taxes.

I think about the reality of losing a beloved grandmother when I was 12-yearsold. That was a harsh reality. I also recall my first job and getting my first paycheck. I had it in my mind that I would be getting paid more and I saw that money had been taken out through withholding. Ouch!

That reality was harsh to a young boy.

Will Rogers once quipped: “The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn’t get worse every time Congress meets.” Congress met in 2010 and, believe me, things got worse for our businesses. Now it’s our reality and it is harsh.

One harsh reality of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 — commonly referred to as “Obamacare” — is that it is loaded with taxes. The most famous one is the so-called tax — which is actually a penalty — on the uninsured starting in 2014. It’s also known as the “individual mandate.” This is a flat dollar penalty that starts at the greater of $95 or 1 percent of income in 2014, goes to the greater of $325 or 2 percent of income

20

January 2015 | The Business Times

in 2015, and then goes to the greater of $695 or 2.5 percent of income in 2016.

Obviously for lower incomes, paying this penalty is much cheaper than insurance.

Another harsh reality of Obamacare now will be seen through the eyes of employers in 2015. Especially significant are those employers with more than 50 fulltime employees. It’s called the “employer mandate.” Here are the basics of the law: 1. Employers with more than 50 full-time people must provide minimum essential coverage for substantially all of its full-time employees. There are a bundle of rules to define virtually every term in that last sentence. Not providing this coverage subjects the employer to a $2,000 per person penalty.

2. The coverage provided must be affordable. There are rules that define what “affordable” means. Not providing affordable coverage subjects the employer to a $3,000 penalty per employee that goes to an exchange and obtains a governmentpaid credit on their insurance.

There are many exceptions, transitional rules and some safe harbors for larger employers to navigate.

As a result of the rules, some large

employers are abandoning health care coverage altogether and opting to pay the taxes as employees buy insurance on the government-run exchanges.

A harsh reality was realized in 2013, when taxpayers with income of more than $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for joint filers paid a 3.8-percent tax on their net investment income and that included rental income and S-Corporation income that was passive in nature.

In 2013, payroll taxes were increased by 0.9 percent for wages more than $200,000.

In the case of married taxpayers, the wage totals are combined and the amount exceeding $250,000 is taxed at 0.9 percent.

Will Rogers was right. Death is harsh.

When Congress met in 2010, taxes got worse.

JIM DENTON is a CPA and a managing partner with Arledge & Associates P.C. in Edmond. He may be reached via email at jim@jmacpas.com.

NEW BUSINESS LISTINGS Following is a listing of newly filed businesses in the Edmond area with the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s office:

3409 Marla LLC, 700 N.W. 193 Road, filed Nov. 19 by Kenneth Bryan of the same address.

Affirmed Holdings LLC, 2720 S. Randolph Road, filed Nov. 21 by Larry E. Hatley of the same address.

AIDI’s LLC, 733 W. Danforth Road, filed Nov. 20 for trade name.

AIDI’s LLC, 733 W. Danforth Road, filed Nov. 20 by Mansour Aidinejad of the same address.

Behind the Dish LLC, 15708 Pennsylvania Ave., filed Nov. 20 by GPHG Service Company LLC of Oklahoma City.

Bella Terra Assisted Living LLC, 16524 N. Pennsylvania, filed Nov. 20 by Ryan Ford of the same address.

Chavez Pool Construction LLC, 900 N. Fretz Lot #102, filed Nov. 17 by Felipe Chavez of the same address.

Circle A Ranch and Rodeo Limited Partnership, 1561 E. Charter Oak Road, Guthrie, filed Nov. 17 by Circle A Ranch and Rodeo Limited Partnership of the same address.

CK Brigan Services LLC, 401 W. Covell Apt. 426 filed Nov. 18 by Christopher Brigan of the same address.

DanJan Enterprises LLC, 427 E. Third St., filed Nov. 18 by Daniel Sparks of the same address.

DB Swagger LLC, 4235 Native Dancer Drive, filed Nov. 18 by Charles Crouse of the same address.

DOOBZ LLC, 1504 Apollo Road, filed Nov. 18 by Brandon Jourdan of the same address.

EO Enterprises LLC, 2008 Newbrook Drive, filed Nov. 19 by Daniel Hansen of the same address.

G Sons investments LLC, 2716 N.W. 159th St., filed Nov. 20 by Rafeh Waheed of the same address.

Guthrie Builders LLC, 421 S. Ash St., Guthrie, filed Nov. 19 by Kenneth G. Ewer of the same address.

Happy Planning LLC, 6909 N.W. 161st St., filed Nov. 17 by Allyson Vinzant of the same address.

Hayli’s Herbs LLC, 3508 Lytal Terrace, filed Nov. 20 by Hayli Hartman of the same address.

High Mesa Outfitters by Sleeker LLC, 1746 Cross Creek Road, filed Nov. 16 by Andrew Sleeker of the same address.

Holly Baum, 1109 Chimney Hill Road, filed Nov. 19 for trade name.

Home and Property Remedies LLC, 201 W. Oklahoma Ave., Suite 855, Guthrie, filed Nov. 19 by Incorp Services Inc. of Oklahoma City.

Industry Grill LLC, 4616 Lakefront Drive, filed Nov. 17 for trade name.

Industry Grill LLC, 4616 Lakefront Drive, filed Nov. 17 William H. Whitehill of Oklahoma City.

JER Land LLC, 400 Julies Trail Drive, filed Nov. 21 by JER Land LLC of the same address.

Jeremy Cole, MD, PLLC, 105 S. Bryant Ave., Ste. 2048, filed Nov. 20 by Jeremy Cole of the same address.

Kimberly Dean, M.A., L.M.F.T., PLLC, 14709 Moon Daisy Drive, filed Nov. 20 by Kimberly Dean of the same address.

Kimberly Edgmon, MD, PLLC, 2820 N. Kelly Ave., Ste. 200, filed Nov. 19 by Kimberly Edgmon.

Kinney Enterprises 21 LLC, 1801 Woodland Road, filed Nov. 18 by Kinney Enterprises LLC of the same address.

Kinney Enterprises 22 LLC, 1801 Woodland Road, filed Nov. 18 by Kinney Enterprises LLC of the same address.

Lora Aulbach, 1316 Brookwood Drive, filed Nov. 17 for trade name.

Lynn and Co. Property Management LLC, 2000 W. Danforth Road, Suite 130 #128, filed Nov. 16 by Shawn Steele of the same address.

Metamorphic Transformations LLC, 424 N.W. 143rd St., filed Nov. 21 by Toni Scales of the same address.

Naifeh Brothers LLC, 2940 N.W. 156th St., filed Nov. 17 by Frank Naifeh of the same address.

Nasrra Homes LLC, 432 N.W. 148th Terrace, filed Nov. 21 by Adel Nasrra of the same address.

OK Heartland Properties LLC, 3424 Billy Place, filed Nov. 20 by Michel Harris of the same address.

Pegasus LLC, 4402 Pine Circle, filed Nov. 19 by Stefanie Decker of the same address.

Relentless LLC, 2804 N.W. 168th St., filed Nov. 17 by Brandon Nichols of Oklahoma City.

Richards Technology Services LLC, 5601 N.W. 163rd Terrace, filed Nov. 17 by Brian Richards of the same address.

Sales Zoom Consulting LLC, 444 Butterfield Trail, filed Nov. 19 by Business Filings Incorporated of Oklahoma City.

Silhoutte Salon LLC, 6017 N.W. 153rd St., filed Nov. 18 by Kimberly Rasmussen of the same address.

Snow Erasers Winter Maintenance LLC, 5904 N.W. 160th St., filed Nov. 19 by Justin Billinger of the same address.

State of the Marriage LLC, 16412 Everglade Lane, filed Nov. 17 by Chance Reynolds of the same address.

Synlawn Oklahoma LLC, 12000 N. Ecker Drive, filed Nov. 17 by Joseph McNeil of the same address.

TA Investment Holdings 1 LLC, 1429 N.W. 168th St., filed Nov. 17 by Tariq Sattar of the same address.

TA Investment Holdings 2 LLC, 1429 N.W. 168th St., filed Nov. 17 by Tariq Sattar of the same address.

Think Tanknology LLC, 509 N.W. 157th St., filed Nov. 19 by Robert Miller of the same address.

Three Y’s LLC, 3208 Lakeshire Ridge Way, filed Nov. 17 by GPHG Service Company LLC of Oklahoma City.

Tirana Investments LLC, 1420 N.W. 141st St., filed Nov. 19 by Olsi Qerama of the same address.

Trans State Commercial Contracting LLC, 2101 Lazy Brook Trail, filed Nov. 19 by Troy Mitchell of the same address.

Truitt Family LLC, 2017 Rockport Road, filed Nov. 21 by Linda Jo Truitt of the same address.

Xpanshn Medical LLC, 1817 Hunters Ridge Road, filed Nov. 17 by Kenneth James Burrell of the same address.

Zacharias Properties LLC, 7120 N.E. 121st St., filed Nov. 18 by Soni Zacharias of the same address.

Zipper Offices LLC, 201 Bent Twig Road, filed Nov. 20 by Adam Kover of the same address.

January 2015 | The Business Times

21

GROWING EDMOND

Ribbon Cuttings NOAH’s celebrates new location with ribbon cutting NOAH’s recently had a ribbon cutting to celebrate the grand opening of its new location at 14017 Quail Springs Parkway in Oklahoma City. You’ll find the perfect space for any event at NOAH’S. Each room is tastefully designed as a contemporary and inviting backdrop, putting your event in the spotlight. With competitive pricing and flexible hours, all the event essentials are included with no hidden fees.

NOAH’s provides tables, chairs, audio/ visual, complimentary wedding décor, on-site event specialists, setup and tear down and more. Their open-vendor policy allows you to bring in the catering options that fit your event’s needs. For more information, visit www.mynoahs.com or call 405-568-2444.

22

January 2015 | The Business Times

Photos PROVIDED | EDMOND AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ND . -AY s /KLAHOMA #ITY s

Do you have what It takeS? Do you have sales experience and have what it takes to lead a team? Do you work well with others and believe in teamwork? The Edmond Sun is looking for a

New BusiNess DevelopmeNt CoorDiNator aND sales team leaDer. Individual must have sales experience, can do attitude, work well with others, and respect authority.

Base salary plus commission and full benefits package apply for right candidate.

Send resume to kediger@edmondsun.com.

January 2015 | The Business Times

23

BUSINESS CALENDAR Centennial Kiwanis Club 6 p.m. Jan. 5 (Club meets every Monday) Ken’s Pizza 628 W. Danforth Boulevard Rotary Club 6-7 p.m. Jan. 5 (Club meets every Monday) Louie’s Bar and Grill 1201 N.W. 178th St., Suite 101 For more information, http://facebook. com/BoulevardRotary Edmond Summit Rotary Club 7 a.m. Jan. 6 (Meets every Tuesday) Mercy I-35 2017 W. I-35 Frontage Road For more information, call 405-CUEARLY. Planning Commission 5:30 p.m. Jan. 6 (First and third Tuesday) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda.

Edmond Kiwanis Club Noon Jan. 7 (Club meets every Wednesday) Cherokee Room in Nigh University Center 100 N. University Drive Edmond Rotary Club Noon Jan. 7 (Club meets every Wednesday) Mercy at I-35 20147 W. I-35 Frontage Road For more information, facebook.com/ rotaryclubofedmond Edmond Exchange Club 7 a.m. Jan. 8 (Club meets every Thursday) Room 213 in the Nigh University Center 100 N. University Drive For more information about the club, visit www.facebook.com/ EdmondMorningExchangeClub Oklahoma City American Marketing Association 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 8 (Second Thursday of the month) Will Rogers Theatre 4322 N. Western Ave., Oklahoma City, 73118 For more information, www.amaokc.org.

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January 2015 | The Business Times

Edmond AMBUCS Noon Jan. 9 (Club meets every Friday) Cherokee Room in Nigh University Center 100 N. University Drive Call June Cartwright at 405-820-9667 for more information.

REI Women’s Business Center Women’s Business Breakfast 8:15-10 a.m. Dec. 4 Kamp’s 1910 Café 10 N.E. 10th St., Oklahoma City Free parking at Kamp’s and also on Ninth Street.

To register, go online to www.reiwbc.org.

Edmond Young Professionals 7th Anniversary Party 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 12 UCO Jazz Lab 100 E. Fifth St. RSVP to www.edmondchamber.com; Cost is free City Council 5:30 p.m. Jan. 12 (Second and fourth Mondays) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda.

Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce Business Development Luncheon 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 13 Edmond Chamber 825 E. Second St. Speaker: Fred Green Topic: Marketing Part 1: Planning to Make Your Business More Profitable RSVP required at www.edmondchamber.com; Cost: $15 per person or $20 for non-members Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours 5:30-7 p.m. Jan. 13 MIDCON Data Services 13431 N. Broadway Extension No RSVP required for chamber members; cost free

Edmond Evening Lions Club 6 p.m. Jan. 13 (Club meets second and fourth Tuesday) Johnnie’s 33 E. 33rd St. For more information, call Bob Austin at 285-4980.

Edmond Young Professionals EYP Leadership Latte Speaker: Steve Goo of Boeing Oklahoma City 7:30 a.m. Jan. 15 Coffee Commission 309 S. Bryant, Suite 230 Register at www.edmondchamber.com; Cost free for EYP members. Seating is limited.

Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Jan. 16 Oklahoma Christian University 2501 E. Memorial Road RSVP required at www.edmondchamber.com; Cost is $25 for members and $30 for non-members Planning Commission 5:30 p.m. Jan. 20 (First and third Tuesday) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda.

Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce Morning Mingle 8-9:30 a.m. Jan. 21 BancFirst 1264 S. Bryant Ave. No RSVP required and event is free for chamber members.

Launch Pad FT Leadership Symposium 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 22 Topic: Workshop for new managers, soon-to-be supervisors and business owners Francis Tuttle Business Innovation Center 2824 Progressive Drive, Room B1120 Registration required, call Connie Hamett at 405-717-7730; Cost: $149 per person.

Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet 6:30-9 p.m. Jan. 23 UCO Nigh University Center 100 University Drive RSVP at www.edmondchamber.com; Cost: $100 per individual; $125 for non-members or $750 for corporate table of eight.

City Council 5:30 p.m. Jan. 26 (Second and fourth Monday) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda.

Leadership Edmond Alumni Lessons in Leadership 9-11:30 a.m. Jan. 28 Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce 825 E. Second St. RSVP to www.edmondchamber.com; Cost free for Leadership Edmond alumni members.

Edmond Economic Development Authority 4o’clock 4cast: Economic Preview 3:30-5:30 p.m. Jan. 29 Nigh University Center 100 N. University Drive Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce To register, visit www.eeda.com or call Women’s Network Breakfast 340-0116. Cost: $40 until Jan. 23.

7:30-9 a.m. Jan. 22 Speaker: Kathy Wallis TO ADD your business event to this Topic: Negotiating: What’s the free calendar, email the details to lshearer@edmondsun.com.

Big Deal?

Oklahoma Christian University 2501 E. Memorial Road RSVP to www.edmondchamber.com; Cost $20 for members; $25 for non-members and late registrants.

Business Briefs Register now for 4 o’clock 4Cast in January

U.S. Cellular announces 4G LTE service now available in Edmond

The Edmond Economic Development Authority will present a 4o’clock 4cast event, sponsored by First Fidelity Bank, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in the Nigh University Center at the University of Central Oklahoma. The event will feature drinks, hors d’oeuvres and networking.

Janet Yowell, executive director of the EEDA, will kick off the event with an Edmond update, including insight into the latest Edmond developments.

Then, Lacy Beasley, vice president of business development for Retail Strategies, will present “New Normal in Retail Development”, discussing retailers to watch, steps to retail expansion and more.

Attendees will receive access to reports that discuss trends and projections in the retail, office, residential and multi-family real estate markets; an Edmond demographic overview; City of Edmond information; and profiles from the Edmond Public School District, University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma Christian University and Francis Tuttle Technology Center.

Cost to attend is $40 until Jan. 23. To register, visit www.eeda. com or call 340-0116.

U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM), in conjunction with its partner, King Street Wireless, announced that Edmond residents now have 4G LTE available. The company is updating more than 1,200 4G LTE cell sites across the country, and by the end of the year more than 93 percent of U.S. Cellular customers will have access to 4G LTE speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G. Along with Edmond, a total of 238 cities in Oklahoma are gaining access to 4G LTE speeds. These cities include El Reno, Guthrie, Moore, Norman, Oklahoma City and Shawnee.

In addition to Edmond, this latest U.S. Cellular network expansion adds vast 4G LTE coverage in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and North Carolina and also brings additional 4G LTE service to areas in Iowa, Illinois, Maine, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

“Helping communities stay connected through fast 4G LTE speeds is our way of helping customers simplify their lives,” said Joe Cabrera, director of sales, corporate-owned channel for U.S. Cellular in Oklahoma. “We’re proud to provide cutting-edge phones and devices, like the latest iPhone 6, and a high-speed network.”

4G LTE speeds provide an enhanced wireless experience with fast web browsing, smooth video streaming, video chatting and speedy app downloads. U.S. Cellular keeps customers connected with devices for a variety of needs, from 4G LTE smartphones, tablets, and hotspots to vehicle monitoring and home phone and router solutions as well as M2M devices.

U.S. Cellular customers get more compared to other wireless carriers, including a rewards program that recognizes loyalty, great customer service and a network that covers you wherever you want to go. For more information about the 4G LTE experience, visit uscellular.com/4G. 4G LTE not available in all areas. See uscellular.com/4G for detailed coverage info. 4G LTE service is provided in partnership with King Street Wireless. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.

Edmond banker graduates from OBA Operations School Jason Jameson, assistant vice president/manager at Citizens Bank of Edmond, recently completed the Oklahoma Bankers Association Operations School in Oklahoma City.

Jameson was among 31 graduates of the school, which was Nov. 17-21 at the OBA Harris Event Center.

The OBA Operations School, conducted annually, prepares junior-level operations managers to manage effectively and efficiently operations functions within a bank. Students develop a thorough understanding of key operations areas, develop and apply analytical skills, strengthen management skills in relations to human resource planning and motivational techniques, study regulatory and competitive factors that affect banking and learn about state-of-theart banking technologies.

The OBA conducts more than 70 educational programs and seminars each year, which reach more than 5,000 bankers across the state. The association represents about 230 banks across the state and serves as the primary advocate for the banking industry. It’s also heavily involved in fraud training and prevention as well as legal and compliance services and communications for its member banks.

Paycom recognized among Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in U.S. A leading provider of comprehensive, cloud-based technology for human capital management — landed at No. 16 on Glassdoor’s 2015 list of the nation’s 50 Best Places to Work, announced recently.

Paycom was one of only two Oklahoma-based companies to be recognized on the national list. The other notable Oklahoma company was Tulsa-based QuickTrip.

The list is part of Glassdoor’s national Employees’ Choice Awards. Now in its seventh year, the program relies solely on the input of employees who elect to provide feedback on their jobs and companies through the site’s anonymous, online survey.

The Glassdoor company-review survey includes both quantitative and qualitative questions designed to capture a genuine and authentic inside look at what it’s like to work at particular jobs and companies. The survey asks employees to rate their satisfaction with the company overall and key workplace factors like career opportunities, compensation, benefits, work-life balance, senior management, culture and values.

Paycom is at 7501 W. Memorial Road, Oklahoma City, OK 73142.

January 2015 | The Business Times

25

Business Book Review

by Terri Schlichenmeyer | The bookworm sez

“Spent: Exposing Our Complicated Relationship with Shopping,” edited by Kerry Cohen

c.2014, Seal Press $17/$21.50 Canada 264 pages

T

hat thing in the store … it was perfect.

It was just the right size and color, a good fit, a decent price. It spoke to you the minute you saw it, whispering promises of confidence and prestige. Surely, it would make someone happy — that someone, of course, being you.

You already own lots of things, so why buy more? In “Spent: Exposing Our Complicated Relationship with Shopping,” edited

by Kerry Cohen, you’ll read essays about shopping and the possible reasons behind it.

Popular culture says that women + malls = bliss.

We shop ’til we drop. We drop a wad on shoes, clothes and things we already have too many of, happily maxing out credit cards only to sweat the day when the bills are due and the checkbook’s lean.

Or so everyone’s led to believe. The truth is, though, that women generally have individual, personal, mixed relationships with buying.

Shopping, it’s true, can be part of a dream. The woman in an ad for a sweater, for instance, looks mighty happy; ownership of that sweater seems like a portal to living that life. Shopping for it can be a matter of hope for the future — or for health, the chance to wear the item purchased, and a dream of buying time.

Conversely, shopping might make one believe that money is meaningless, that it only matters what you do with it. Buying things can be a great equalizer. It can be a sign that you deserve the finer things — or, at least, something a little better than what life and circumstances handed you.

Some women shop for their children and ignore their own 26

January 2015 | The Business Times

needs when tracking down deals, while others put themselves first.

Shopping can be a bonding experience between mother, daughter, grandmother — or son. Some may see it as a coping mechanism or as relaxation. Items bought could complete a collection, a closet, or a soul, while some purchases can definitely be viewed as acts of defiance.

Shopping can be fun, but it has a flipside. It can be irritating, exasperating, sad, desperate, and avoided whenever possible. It doesn’t always include a physical purchase. And it doesn’t always mean bringing home the goods by paying for them.

Let’s start here: I don’t think you’re going to learn anything from “Spent.” The stories presented by editor Kerry Cohen might surprise you. They might shock you a little, anger you some, and one or two might ping your Awwwww Meter, but I don’t think you’ll learn anything.

I don’t think that matters, though. The 31 women who contributed to this book each likewise offer different viewpoints on their feelings toward money and what it buys. Their stories come from various walks of life, economic realities, and long-held attitudes, which is entertaining enough without having to be instructional. Sometimes, a book is just a book.

And this book is worth reading — especially if you, too, have a relationship with money and want insight to that of others. In that case, then, “Spent” is worth every penny.

Terri Schlichenmeyer is a book reviewer in Wisconsin.

She may be reached via email at bookwormsez@yahoo.com.

HI, I’M JOE TAYLOR. Overton, Texas. What keeps me coming back to the Trail? It’s just absolutely sensational.

I have people tell me what they’ve spent playing one round at Pebble Beach and a night at the hotel, or going to Pinehurst for a couple rounds. We do the entire week, travel, hotel, green fees, good meals and everything for the price of one day at these places. And it’s absolutely a sensational place to come.

TO PLAN YOUR VISIT to Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, visit rtjresorts.com or call 1.800.949.4444 today. facebook.com/rtjgolf twitter.com/rtjgolf

LAST LOOK

Eat, bowl, play: Main Event has it all A

Written & Photographed By Patty Miller The Business Times

n open concept that flows throughout the building, games, dining and libations are all available in one 58,000-squarefoot, multi-million-dollar venue at Oklahoma’s newest place to have fun.

Whether bowling, playing laser tag, billiards or arcade games, defying gravity on the gravity ropes course, the choices are seemingly endless to find a way to entertain yourself and family at Main Event on Memorial Road.

With a Texas legacy and 14 facilities in the Lone Star state, Main Event has two facilities in Georgia, one in Arizona and one in Illinois in addition to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma’s second facility in Tulsa will be opening soon.

Main Event opened its doors on Black Friday with its interactive games ranging from more than 125 arcade games to 27 bowling alleys, each equipped with a television and interactive board for scoring. The children can play in a multi-level laser tag arena while parents bowl.

Not for the faint of heart, a ropes obstacle course suspends more than 25 feet above the floor. Below, regulation-sized billiard tables are available.

There is a 48-inch height regulation for laser tag and the gravity ropes course.

Arcade players can redeem points for prizes or have photos taken in the interactive photo booth where a choice of backgrounds are available.

Personal, private meeting rooms are available for birthday parties to corporate outings.

At Main Event, entertainment bowling is just the beginning.

With their unique “eat, bowl, play” experience, Main Event

Cameron Smock tries his agility 25 feet off the ground on the gravity ropes course at the Main Event. Certified workers help get the ropes on the customers.

Twenty-seven interactive bowling alleys are available for group bowling.

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January 2015 | The Business Times

LAST LOOK

Mia Carson reaches for a ball to be used for a game of bowling on one of the 27 lanes at Main Event on Memorial Road. The 58,000 square foot facility also offers billiards and a multi-story laser tag arena.

Charlie Green aims, throws and makes his basket at the Thunder basketball toss while his dad, Jim Green, looks on. They were at the Main Event on Memorial Road.

Sam Crouch reaches for a ball from his mother at the Multi-Jug toss at the Main Event on Memorial Road. The interactive game center opened its doors on Black Friday.

organizers have something for everyone. A variety of quality food options with choices ranging from margarita pizza and baby back ribs to southwest egg rolls and more. Their full bar and big-screen TVs are the perfect combination for game days or watching the big fight.

Mark Allen Green, former general manager and food service director for the State Fair Park, is Main Event’s manager, and Shalaina Jackson is the sales manager in charge of bookings.

“We are a safe and fun environment where families can come and create family memories,” Green said. “Our dining room opens each and every day at 11 a.m.”

Main Event has three exciting ways to “Roll into the New Year!” Start on New Year’s Eve where All-You-Can-Play FUN starts at $17.95 until 4 p.m. and then after 4 p.m. it is only $21.95 per person. As much bowling, billiards, laser tag and more are available. Main Event will be staying open until 1 a.m. so partiers can watch the ball drop while rolling a strike in style. On New Year’s Day, the Winter FUNpass is back starting at only $15.95.

“Make 2015 great and start the year off with friends, family and fun at Main Event,” Green said.

For corporate events, team building, group events, youth events, anniversaries, graduation or just to reward a job well done, FUNcards can be used at any Main Event entertainment center for attractions such as bowling, billiards and more, video games, play and food.

For every $25 in gift cards purchased between now and Dec. 31, an extra $10 card is given. Bonus cards are valid in arcades only from Jan. 2-Feb. 28.

If purchased through the website, you will receive an e-gift card certificate via email redeemable in all Main Event locations.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Monday and 9 a.m. to midnight on all other days.

For questions or comments, email feedback@mainevent.com or call 972-406-2620.

January 2015 | The Business Times

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January 2015 | The Business Times

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