April 2020 Oklahoma Magazine

APRIL 2020

OKLAHOMA’S YOUNG PIONEERS TRANSFORMING THE STATE

BY THE DISTRICT

Explore Tulsa's and OKC’s colorful boroughs

EASY WAYS TO SUSTAIN Small steps to help Mother Nature

REMODELING AND RENOVATION

Room-by-room modifications

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APRIL 2020

FEATURES O K L A H O M A M AG A Z I N E

V O L . X X I V, N O . 4

43

40 Under 40

Influential young leaders drive the state forward, and the 40 professionals cataloged exemplify the best of what Oklahoma has to offer. Through a graceful balancing act of hard work, pioneering and volunteerism, those honored set precedents for aspiring leaders around the state. This group has a collective willingness to go the extra mile, and by putting in time and effort to help others in addition to their professional duties, they are leaders in many fields.

73

By the District From live music and great eats to shopping, drinking and community events, distinct areas in Oklahoma’s two biggest cities offer unique experiences right around the corner. Enjoy a breakdown of Tulsa’s and OKC’s neighborhood gems so you can become a tourist in your own town.

66

Transforming Your Home

APRIL 2020

MORE PHOTOS

78

Easy Ways to Sustain

You may not save the entire world from pollution and climate change, but you can make individual decisions with Mother Earth in mind. We look at how to incorporate sustainability into your daily lifestyle.

2

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Visit us online.

MORE ARTICLES

Read expanded articles and stories that don’t appear in the print edition.

APRIL 2020

Whether you plan on remodeling one room or renovating the entire house, the daunting first question remains: Where do you start? A quintet of experts represents more than a century of combined experience and can help with problems, big or small.

WANT SOME MORE?

View expanded Scene, Style, Taste and Entertainment galleries.

OKLAHOMA’S YOUNG PIONEERS TRANSFORMING THE STATE

ON THE COVER:

BY THE DISTRICT

Explore Tulsa's and OKC’s colorful boroughs

EASY WAYS TO SUSTAIN Small steps to help Mother Nature

REMODELING AND RENOVATION

Room-by-room modifications

Meet the 40 Under 40 Class of 2020 in the April issue. Those profiled work in a variety of fields, from health care and construction to law and mental health advocacy.

MORE EVENTS

The online calendar includes more Oklahoma events.

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! While we practice social distancing, you can still enjoy a slice of the good stuff!

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DEPARTMENTS

ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

11 helping State Nonprofits homeless people provide more than just beds and meals.

Outreach programs enrich the lives of volunteers and clients alike.

14 15 16 18 20 22 24 26

Education People Remembrance Energy Community Sports Business Insider

29 Life and Style 30

Interiors A Tulsa home gets a complete makeover and expansion but retains unique design elements and an aweworthy bathroom.

34 36 37 38 40

Destinations Health Outside the Metro FYI Scene

83 moving Taste A decade after to Oklahoma and

starting a farm outside Depew, Lisa Becklund expands her reach with a Tulsa restaurant.

84 86 87

Local Flavor Chef Chat Tasty Tidbits

89 Where

11 89

30

and When

Muskogee’s annual Azalea Festival brings in hundreds of thousands of tourists for a monthlong, citywide celebration.

90 94

In Tulsa/In OKC Film and Cinema

96 Closing

Thoughts

4

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

83

THEM

US

WhereMondaysDontSuck.com

CONGRATULATIONS Monica Ybarra Corporate Counsel We join Oklahoma Magazine in congratulating all of the young leaders recognized as this year’s “40 Under 40” recipients.

OKLAHOMA

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

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Welcome to one of the most anticipated issues of the year: the debut of the 40 Under 40 class of 2020! The young professionals honored are pushing the state forward with their ingenuity, volunteerism and desire to go the extra mile. We profile leaders in a spectrum of professions, from health care and law to art and mental heath advocacy. Read about these phenomenal individuals starting on page 43.

April also welcomes the remodeling and renovation feature (page 66). Learn from experts in the field about the pros and cons of DIY projects and the best way to go about a transformation for each room of your home.

Entertainment hubs in Tulsa and OKC are rapidly expanding, and we explore many of those boroughs in the By the District feature (page 73). You might find your next favorite community event, restaurant, museum or bar in a district you’ve never visited before.

If you’ve made it a goal to team up with Mother Nature this year, the sustainability feature on page 78 can help. None of us can save the world alone, but small changes to your everyday routine can make a big difference.

Don’t miss other gems this month. 2020 marks 25 years since the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building – we talk to the OKC National Memorial and Museum about plans for a special commemoration (page 16). Enjoy a sit-down with one of the nation’s only brewery incubators on page 24, and stick around for a story on different nonprofits helping the homeless (page 11) and your first look at Lisa Becklund’s new Tulsa restaurant, FarmBar (page 83).

Shoot me a line at editor@okmag.com, and stay healthy out there.

S TAY CONNECTED

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

OK WHAT’S HOT AT

OKMAG.COM

Coming in April

Get to know the 40 Under 40 Class of 2020 a bit better with bonus video content, only available at okmag.com. See honorees answer questions not in the print edition.

Mary Willa Allen Managing Editor

THE VOTES ARE IN! CHECK OUT THE JULY ISSUE TO SEE THE BEST OF THE BEST F0R 2020.

Don’t miss this opportunity to advertise in the biggest issue of the year!

Contact advertising@okmag.com or call 918.744.6205.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

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THE STATE

ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

OFF THE STREETS THROUGH OPEN DOORS Every Thursday, Night Light Tulsa meets under the bridge at Maybelle and Brady to offer the homeless food, resources and comfort.

Photo by Kelly Kerr courtesy City Lights Foundation

Nonprofits helping homeless people provide more than just beds and meals. Outreach programs enrich the lives of volunteers and clients alike.

A

gencies across Oklahoma offer warm meals and clean beds to homeless people. A few go beyond the basics with programs that touch the hearts and souls of volunteers and their clients.

“People need life-enriching opportunities whether they are housed or not,” says Kinsey Crocker, director of com-

munications for the Oklahoma City Homeless Alliance.

About 1,200 people volunteer every year with the nonprofit, she says. Some help with a dog kennel that serves pets of homeless clients, and others teach classes ranging from yoga to computer literacy. Volunteers also interact with clients through an Alcoholics Anonymous group and a book club.

Fresh Start, one of the Homeless Alliance’s programs, offers art classes and a place for clients to “come in, relax, take their mind off their stress and build their confidence,” Crocker says. The program hosts art shows several times a year, and clients receive money if their pieces sell.

“We offer a dignified way to earn an income for people transitioning out of homelessness,” says Ranya Forgotson, director of Curbside Chronicle, a monthly publication that Homeless Alliance clients sell on the streets.

“Our second main mission is to amplify people’s voices through the articles that we share. Vendors share their personal stories and experiences.”

Lauren McCaffrey, 38, an acrylic artist with Fresh Start, sells her works in northwest Oklahoma City … and

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

11

T H E S TAT E | S TA R T I N G O F F usually has her service dog with her.

“I turn my radio on and it’s my happy place,” she says. “I’m dancing, playing with my pup, and smiling and waving at people going by. I love to see them smile back.”

With the help of a case manager and the Homeless Alliance, McCaffrey and her partner got approved for their own apartment. They were homeless after living several years with friends and relatives.

The Homeless Alliance “opened doors that I didn’t even know existed,” McCaf-

frey says. “It’s not just about food and shelter. They deal with the mental and the emotional, and the support is invaluable. If I am feeling overwhelmed, they are always available.”

Curbside Chronicle vendors also sell flowers for special occasions. A yearround shop should open this month.

“This will help our vendors who have excelled at the magazine to continue building skills and be in a more traditional working atmosphere,” Forgotson says.

In Tulsa, Sarah Grounds says she creates “the connection of human to human and heart to heart” at the City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma. The nonprofit helps homeless people and brings them together as a community with neighborhood cookouts, summer camps for children and female empowerment seminars.

Night Light Tulsa, a City Lights outreach program, meets beneath a bridge in downtown Tulsa every Thursday night and serves about 300 people a week, Grounds says.

“We serve a hot meal. We provide clothing, books and haircuts. We paint fingernails. We play with the kids and do crafts and games,” Grounds says.

The goal is to build relationships and connect people to services. First-time volunteers might think their jobs are to hand out hygiene supplies or help serve food, Grounds says, “but they leave realizing their purpose was much larger. It’s a place of healing for the guest they are sitting with

and the volunteer.”

Johnathan Campbell, who used to live near the building that houses City Lights, approached the nonprofit for help after he lost his job.

“I didn’t know where else to turn,” Campbell says. “They are the most awesome people.”

Campbell says Grounds and her staff helped him get transportation to work after he found a job. They also helped him and his wife, Amanda, get Social Security cards for their children.

“They were always very respectful, very polite,” he says. “They helped me with anything I needed.”

Campbell works as a foundation repair specialist. Although he and his family still need assistance sometimes, he’s spent a few Thursday nights volunteering at Night Light to let clients know that their situations will improve.

Grounds and her husband launched Night Light in 2013. She says the idea came about after she became seriously ill and ended up traveling to Boston for surgery.

“A ton of people” helped her family with babysitting, meals and finances, she says.

As she and her husband reflected on that experience, they “felt that we were good people but weren’t really doing anything for anybody else.”

Night Light Tulsa earned its nonprofit status in 2015 and became the City Lights Foundation, which has a building in west Tulsa near low-income housing.

It also offers a stand-alone food pantry and an eviction-prevention program that helps ward off homelessness.

“We believe in the power of meaningful relationships to restore community,” Grounds says. “I feel lucky to get to do what I get to do.”

KIMBERLY BURK

TOP TO BOTTOM: The Curbside Chronicle is a monthly publication Homeless Alliance that clients sell on the street.

Vendors also sell flowers on special occasions.

The OKC Homeless Alliance offers a variety of programs for those experiencing homelessness.

Photos courtesy the Homeless Alliance Night Light Tulsa helps people experiencing homelessness and enriches the lives of volunteers.

Photo by Noah Mitchell courtesy City Lights Foundation

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Congratulations to City of Jenks Mayor Robert Lee for being recognized as one of Oklahoma’s top professionals under 40.

Thank you for your dedication, inspiration and years of service to our community!

With thanks, City of Jenks and

the The Jenks Public Works Authority

www.jenks.com

T H E S TAT E | E D U C AT I O N

BUILDING A COHESIVE COMMUNITY Charter schools in Oklahoma cite parental involvement as a key part of their successes.

W

Tulsa Honor Academy has a collaborative community between students, parents and teachers.

Photo courtesy Tulsa Honor Academy

14

hether it’s moving into a new building, maintaining the school grounds or just nurturing strong student-teacher-parent relationships, the story is the same for two highly ranked Oklahoma charter schools: Success comes from mutual involvement by the entire school community.

Charter schools have been part of Oklahoma public education since 1999. Amendments to the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act in 2015 brought additional oversight by giving authorizing institutions, such as a school district, the tools to hold charter schools accountable, according to the Oklahoma Department of Education.

Oklahoma’s 30-plus charter schools are no-tuition public schools that operate under state educational guidelines but with more autonomy than conventional public schools. They are not allowed to issue bonds, and receive 75 percent of the state aid that public schools receive.

In return, says Steven Stefanick, principal of Harding Charter Preparatory High School in Oklahoma City, charter schools have more freedom than their traditional counterparts to find innovative ways to teach.

Stefanick says his school, which received an A rating from the Oklahoma Department of Education, compensates for the funding deficit “with creativity, more autonomy and parental involvement.” He cites Harding’s move this school year from its original home north of downtown OKC into a high school that was abandoned as part of an Oklahoma City Public Schools reorganization.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

“We had one month to move in,” Stefanick says. “We had 100 parents, teachers and students [helping]. It cost us virtually no money to move.”

Harding now sits on a 50-acre campus, and Stefanick says parents have kept the grounds mowed during growing seasons.

About 460 students attend Harding, but “our capacity is 600, so we can grow,” he says.

Elsie Urueta Pollock, founder and executive director of Tulsa Honor Academy, says the east Tulsa middle school has benefited from the commitments of parents and faculty. In August, the school began a ninth grade class and will add an additional grade each of the next three years to form a complete high school, she says.

“When we decided to add the high school, we got over 5,000 signatures of support in just 10 days,” says Pollack, whose school also received an A from the state education department.

Pollock says research shows only 6.5% of adults in the school’s target area for students have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

“It was not because they weren’t smart enough,” she says. “They were not being properly prepared for college. The school’s goal is to get all students into college.”

Tulsa Honor Academy’s enrollment is bilingual, with about 70 percent of its 520 students speaking Spanish at home, says Pollock, adding that the school has families volunteering to serve as translators at the school.

“This is a very special community,” she says.

Before this school year began, more than 200 volunteers contributed more than 1,000 hours of labor to get the academy moved into an unused Tulsa Public Schools elementary school.

“It shows the passion they have for this school,” Pollack says, adding that Tulsa Honor Academy is at capacity this school year with 520 students but is poised to grow with the addition of the high school grades.

“We have a long wait list,” she says.

HENRY DOLIVE

T H E S TAT E | P E O P L E

TUNING IN ETHICAL RADIO Krista Tippett, originally from Shawnee, discusses spiritual and faith issues on her national program, On Being.

T

he creator of a popular, national, faith-based radio program appealing to believers and non-believers alike says being raised in Oklahoma has helped to legitimize the nearly 20-year-old show.

Krista Tippett, host of On Being and director of the On Being and Civil Conversations projects,

my own experiences in the Bible credits her upbringing in Shawnee Belt and my grandfather, who was with providing a voice about faith, a preacher in Kingfisher. He was a philosophy and religion that’s often formative person for me. tuned out by media catering to the “When I was looking at the nation’s east and west coasts. country and asking about what The show began as Speaking on religion means and how it shapes Faith with Minnesota Public Radio our culture, it was important that … before aligning with American I had a perspecPublic Media tive formed in in 2003 and the middle of the becoming On country, not the Being. It went I wanted to cover edges, where most independent in of the journalism 2013. religion as part of life has a skewed view “We were in and part of us and of reality.” this moment part of the human KWGS in when [with enterprise.

Tulsa, KGOU in media outlets] Norman and 415 there hadn’t other public radio been much stations nationawareness wide carry On of religion in Being, which has won a Peabody people’s lives,” Tippett says. “We had Award (the radio equivalent of an an evangelical president, George W. Emmy or Oscar). The show, with Bush, and there was an awakening its affiliated projects, addresses in newsrooms that religion is sometangled topics that don’t have easy thing that needs to be covered. answers. Guests have ranged from “I wanted to Amy Ray and Emily Saliers of the cover religion as folk band Indigo Girls to the Dalai part of life and Lama and acclaimed poet Richard part of us and Blanco. part of the human Tippett, whose interview style is enterprise – where personable, curious and academiwe find our values. cally astute (with degrees from There had never Brown University and the Yale Unibeen a public radio versity Divinity School), embraces program that did and celebrates complexity. this. I was so glad “I deal with realities … and the I grew up in Oklaworld is strange and complicated,” homa because it she says. “It’s odd how we structure was important that our lives around unreality. How in starting such a do we live with that dissonance? show I was not a No wonder we feel a little crazy. It New York liberal. goes with growing up in Shawnee I was planted in and trying to find myself at an Ivy League college in Rhode Island.

“I had these dramatic experiShawnee native Krista ences in my 20s [as a journalist Tippett has hosted the On in West Germany toward the end Being radio program for nearly 20 years. of the Cold War] about many Photo by Chris Daniels worlds within the world, and that’s Photography the same with a room of human beings. We’re having completely ONLINE different experiences. That shaped FOR MORE ON me and I assumed that complexity.

KRISTA TIPPETT We don’t get to live in the world AND OKC’S BETTER we want to create until we work CONVERSATIONS with what we’re given, not what we PROJECT, VISIT hope it to be.” okmag.com/tippett BRIAN WILSON

“

”

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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T H E S TAT E | R E M E M B R A N C E

T

his month marks the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum wants this year’s commemoration to acknowledge the past while looking toward a different future.

Nearly everyone living in Oklahoma a quarter-century ago recalls that tragic moment, 9:02 a.m. April 19, when 168 people died. Reverberations from the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in recent history are felt today.

The outdoor memorial, on the bombing site in downtown OKC, embraces symbolism: 168 empty chairs, the 9:01 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. gates, a reflecting pool, a plaza and overlook, a rescuer’s orchard, a survivor wall and the Survivor Tree. The adjacent museum provides an extensive history of the tragedy, its aftermath and a series of lessons learned since then.

“It’s not a happy story; it’s a hard story, but there’s so much good that came out of it,” says Kari Watkins, executive director of the memorial and museum. “And when you’re in the museum, you realize that people did the very best they could and they figured out how to come out of it stronger and better.”

The memorial opened on the fifth anniversary in 2000; the museum followed in February 2001. At the time, there was little precedent for how to respectfully memorialize

AN EYE TOWARDS THE FUTURE

April 19 marks the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing – ‘a hard story’ that, over time, had ‘so much good that came out of it.’

such tragedies. A task force appointed by the mayor and governor decided what should happen.

“We didn’t have a lot of help because it hadn’t been done,” Watkins says, “so a lot of people have turned to Oklahoma City to ask for help on how to memorialize, how to remember.”

During the 168 days leading up to the 25th anniversary, statewide media donated space for a remembrance countdown honoring those who died, those who survived, and first responders. Visitors also can take eyewitness tours led by survivors, family members and first responders. Just before this year’s anniversary, the museum unveils an augmented reality app that can be used to enhance a visit.

During anniversary week, panel discussions include investigators, prosecutors, journalists, family members, survivors and presenters talking about forgiveness – all with a remembrance of the past. With a focus on the future, discussions center on education and how Oklahoma City has helped other communities with their memorials.

Anniversary week was set to culminate with the Memorial Marathon, but it has been postponed to Oct. 4 due to COVID-19. The marathon began in 2001 with 5,000 participants but is expected to see over 25,000 this year.

The museum has grown, too, especially in the number of evidentiary artifacts that have been acquired. But the difficult storyline hasn’t changed.

Watkins says the easiest choice for the community would have been to rebuild on the site and put up a plaque. Instead, the entire 3½ acres were dedicated to remembering the tragedy.

“It’s a symbol of strength of our people and courage of our people, and [visitors] realize that,” Watkins says.

BONNIE RUCKER

April 19 marks the 25th anniversary of the OKC bombing. Several commemoration events are scheduled.

Photo courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

16

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Congratulations, Kristen Thomas & Brad Barnhart.

Cherokee Nation Businesses celebrates each of you being named one of Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40.

777 W. Cherokee St. l Catoosa, OK 74015 918.384.7474 l cherokeenationbusinesses.com

Businesses

T H E S TAT E | E N E R G Y

FINANCIAL SEEDS YIELD ‘GREEN’ FRUIT

S

Among the economic and research byproducts of a National Science Foundation award is a low-emissions system at OSU that converts grasses and plants into electricity.

witchgrass – a native species throughout Oklahoma – is an apt symbol for the state’s green-energy movement.

Just as switchgrass takes hold and multiplies, federal seed money planted years ago has produced cutting-edge technology in the biofuels industry.

An example is a mobile generator that converts biomasses – from the ubiquitous switchgrass to everyday yard waste – into electricity. A prototype of this down-draft gasifier, patented by Oklahoma State University, awaits commercialization through OSU’s New Product Development Center.

Ray Huhnke, Ph.D., regents professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering at OSU, says the gasifier is one of many educational, research and commercial projects deriving from $15 million awarded by the National Science Foundation between 2008 and 2013.

Huhnke is also project director and principal investigator for Oklahoma’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (commonly called EPSCoR), which the National Science Foundation established in 1985. He says the group used the award money to “provide energy security for the country and spur rural economic development by utilizing the biomass in those settings.”

The gasifier is marketed by OSU junior Cody Vinyard, a mechanical engineering major who works for Robert Taylor, Ph.D., director of the New Product Development Center. Vinyard’s startup, Provin Technologies, has pursued state and federal funding and recently received a $200,000 commitment from the city of Stillwater, which intends to convert lawn clippings, leaves and tree limbs into electricity. That electricity will go into the grid with Stillwater receiving monetary credits.

“The city has had a problem with yard waste and paying to have it hauled off and dumped,” says Vinyard, a 28-year-old Air Force veteran from Stillwater. “We got this system and offered

18

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Ajay Kumar, professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering at Oklahoma State University, works with the biofuels gasifier being developed at OSU. Photo by Todd Johnson, courtesy OSU

them a chance to jump in.”

Huhnke, an OSU faculty member for nearly 40 years, says the venture reflects “the overall mission of EPSCoR – providing opportunities for researchers, educators, undergraduates, graduate students and K-12 students to make the state competitive in science and technology. We always seek ways of getting licenses with companies to utilize our technologies and patents in a commercial setting.”

Huhnke says the gasifier, designed to fit in a shipping container, can also provide electricity to areas with power outages or places off the grid, such as war zones.

Huhnke says other non-food plants, besides switchgrass, are potential biofuels, especially various types of sorghum.

“The research we do on these crops can be translatable to other crops as far as converting them into energy,” he says.

Taylor, the product center director for nine years, says a grant from the Oklahoma Center for Advancement of Science and Technology should come through around Aug. 1 “and, 18 months after that, we should fire up the yard waste-processing system.”

Taylor says OSU’s gasifier meets California specifications for emissions and wastes little energy because it converts biomasses into electricity at relatively low temperatures. He and Vinyard say another byproduct of the conversion process is biochar, a substance rich in carbon that enhances soil’s nutrients.

“The syngas [hydrogen, carbon monoxide and some carbon dioxide] produced by our system is very clean,” says Taylor, adding that after the Stillwater system has been online for six months, “we’ll go to market [possibly with] some companies we’ve engaged in the past.”

Vinyard concludes, “It’s a win-win-win – for the buyer of the system because it saves money, for the seller because it makes money, and for the environment because it’s all clean.”

BRIAN WILSON

T H E S TAT E | C O M M U N I T Y

PAWSITIVE SUPPORT Certified therapy animals provide emotional help for those going through difficult times or facing long-term challenges.

P

et owners already know that a loving animal can make a bad day better.

There are also organizations that foster this type of bond and help people deal with life’s ups and downs.

In 2001, special education teacher Terri Smith founded the Human Animal Link of Oklahoma Foundation because she saw that students diagnosed with a variety of emotional disturbances and

Human Animal Link of Oklahoma, which certifies therapy dogs, was founded in 2001.

Photos courtesy Human Animal Link of Oklahoma

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

oppositional disorders needed to learn alternative ways to function in society.

The Norman-based group, which uses the acronym HALO, certifies therapy dogs, and its website provides the state of Oklahoma’s classification of a therapy animal – one trained to provide affection and comfort to people with learning disabilities as well as those in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices and disaster areas.

Smith, the group’s president and CEO, began her journey of animal-assisted therapy with Shana, her German shepherd, who was on staff at Yukon Public Schools as a student behavioral assistance therapy dog until her retirement in 2005. Shana spent 15 years with Smith as an emotional and physical resource for special education students.

Smith says therapy animals, which can come in all shapes, sizes, breeds and species, also contribute to therapeutic and rehabilitative therapies.

“Visiting dogs bring comfort without words, which, in and of the act itself, speaks volumes,” she says. “A sweet interaction takes place between the human and the animal. Visiting animals can demonstrate healthy actions, responding appropriately to stimulus rather than quick [and] damaging reactive behaviors.”

Whether visiting schools, nursing homes or other institutions,

therapy animals offer “moments of simple joy and peace, reaching into the minds and hearts to communicate with people who just may have shut out the human factor,” Smith says. “Promoting literacy and cognition, social interaction, diffusing states of anxiety and depression – all are made better with a well-trained animal and a stable, compassionate and empathetic handler. Our young, our teens, our adults and our elderly are all served.”

She adds that almost any organization or institution can benefit from such therapy.

“Any profession that deals with individuals undergoing trauma or crisis, no matter the form it may take, should take the responsibility to research and be open to any viable resource,” Smith says. “Animals have been of great assistance in aiding those wishing to join, rather than retreat from, society.”

For instance, a fluffy dog named Capt. Boo has helped children get through their testimony regarding abuse cases at the Tulsa County Courthouse.

The bichon frise, the courthouse’s first therapy dog, retired in January after 10 years of service; three other dogs remain part of its “family” of helpers.

For information about becoming a volunteer with HALO or certifying a therapy animal, go to yourhalofoundation.org.

DEBI TURLEY

Fueling Your Life Chesapeake Energy is proud to join Oklahoma Magazine in celebrating the 2020 40 under 40 honorees.

We congratulate Morgan Hager, Chesapeake’s Vice President of Health, Safety, Environment and Regulatory. Morgan embodies the work ethic and vision that drives our industry forward and fuels the lives of Oklahomans.

T H E S TAT E | S P O R T S

PART OF NBA ROYALTY, SOONER THAN MOST Trae Young, who graduated from Norman North High and played a year at OU, is an All-Star starter in his second NBA season.

I

Trae Young, who played one season at the University of Oklahoma, leads the Atlanta Hawks.

Photo by Scott Cunningham courtesy NBAE/Getty Images

22

n three years, sharp-shooting Trae Young has gone from lighting up the gym at Norman North High School to being one of the National Basketball Association’s best players.

The 6-foot-1 point guard, a starter in February’s NBA All-Star Game, has averaged around 30 points and 9 assists per game in his second season with the Atlanta Hawks. That’s up from 19.1 points and 8.1 assists per game last year, when he landed on the NBA’s All-Rookie team and played in the Rising Stars game during All-Star weekend.

In 2017-18, Young played his only season at the University of Oklahoma, where he averaged 27.4 points, 8.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Those numbers resulted in his being named the top freshman in the Big 12 Conference and the nation.

The Dallas Mavericks picked Young fifth overall in the 2018 NBA draft, then quickly traded him to Atlanta.

Young, 21, says he “was super excited” about being named an NBA All-Star starter.

“I had a lot of emotions,” he says. “I was nervous,

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

anxious. I was really … blessed to be in this position.”

Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce says it’s a privilege to coach a talent like Young and isn’t surprised at his accomplishments at this age.

“It’s like the first step, the first go-round,” Pierce says. “Now he’s there and he’s going to feel like, ‘I want to be here every year.’”

The coach expects Young to increase his responsibilities with the team.

“I told him, ‘You need to be different – accountability, leadership, ownership of what [it means to be] an All-Star,’” says Pierce, adding that Young must see the Hawks “as his team and [understand] what he means and what kind of value he brings to our team. This is the first step towards that.”

Atlanta plays in the Eastern Conference, so the Hawks visit Dallas and Oklahoma City just once a season. Each city is where Young went to watch NBA games as a kid.

“It’s super cool,” he says. “I remember coming to games [in Dallas]. I was in Oklahoma City growing up, but Dallas is [a few] hours from Norman and just coming down here for certain games, just loving coming to the games and having two teams close to where I grew up, was nice.”

Any time he returns to Norman, he says he feels at ease because “you just know where everything’s at, how to get places – that’s the easiest thing and the most comfort about being home. If there’s traffic on a street, I know how to take the back ways. I know where my favorite restaurants are. I think that’s the best part I miss about Norman – just knowing where to go and how to move.”

STEPHEN HUNT

Congratulations City of Jenks Mayor Robert Lee for being honored in Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2020! Thank you for your service and dedication to the Oklahoma Aquarium!

T H E S TAT E | B U S I N E S S

A LAUNCHPAD FOR SUDS With his Brewers Union, OSU graduate Brad Stumph helps fledgling beer makers by providing facilities, tools and expertise.

B

rad Stumph, proprietor of a unique business in Oklahoma City, has a mantra that fits what he does for budding brewmasters – Here For Beer.

In September, Stumph celebrates his third anniversary as founder-owner of Brewers Union, a craft beer incubator that is the first of its kind in the state and just one of a few in the country.

“Craft beers are hip because the buy-local movement is big,” he says. “Consumers want connection to a local brand. I’ve created a workspace and tools for aspiring commercial brewers, shortening the learning curve, helping them scale up.

“Signing on with Brewers Union gives early-stage breweries exposure to the industry as an alternative to building a brewery before selling beer, at only a fraction of the cost. They can learn it, produce it here, and sell it through our taproom and event venue.”

The Oklahoma State University alumnus gives interested brewers a checklist to complete before signing on with him.

“They need a highquality product, know what their core beers are, be able to tell a good story, invest in branding, do market testing, know where their beers fit in the marketplace, be aware of national and state trends, and have capital,” Stumph says. “There’s plenty of beer out there, so they need the time and desire to sell their beer, or hire a salesperson.

“I have a head brewer teaching the process, all the equipment, plus a taproom and operaCross Timbers Brewing tion specialist. Brewers Co. got its start at the Brewers Union. create their own recipes, Photo by Carol Mowdy and we help them scale Bond to a commercial-size

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

batch. I have three alumni who built their own full-production breweries and OKC taprooms: Elk Valley Brewing Co. in Midtown; Vanessa House Beer Co. in Automobile Alley; and Angry Scotsman Brewing on Reno Avenue. A fourth, Crossed Cannons Brewery, is opening in Norman. Plus, I have three working here toward their own goals.”

Ioway tribal member Jake Keyes, named last year as one of Native Business Magazine’s top 50 entrepreneurs, founded Skydance Brewing, OKC’s first Native American-owned brewery. Distributing in numerous locations, Keyes gives his beers cultural names and released his newest label, Sovereign Nation Imperial Stout, in the Brewers Union taproom DSM Global Insights Dec. 21. He’s Series surveyed working toward 3,300 craft beer leaving the Brewdrinkers in seven ers Union nest. countries and Matt Starbuck found that taste, and Brenton price, a beer’s oriJohnson are pergin story, its label fecting their Cross and a brewery’s Timbers Brewing sustainability drive Co. at Brewers consumer purUnion. What bechases. Eighteengan as relaxation to-30-year-olds in the garage has account for the become a microlargest increase brewery producin the number of ing 360 barrels anconsumers in the nually. Greenage, past few years. their cilantro-lime Other studies show gose, makes waves consumers have as a tart wheat become weary of beer with hints of mass-produced salt and corianbeer made from der and is sold cheap ingredients, in more than 100 and the global locations statecraft beer market wide. Starbuck will reach $502.9 and Johnson also billion by 2025. In plan to branch 2017, it contributed out on their own $76.2 billion to the this year.

U.S. economy and The taproom accounted for more at Brewers Union, than 500,000 jobs.

520 N. Meridian Ave. in the WesTen District, has 18 rotating brews and is open 4-9 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, noon-9 p.m.

Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

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T H E S TAT E | I N S I D E R

THE TULSA SOUND’S ETERNAL INSPIRATION Casey Van Beek and Walt Richmond channel the late J.J. Cale in making the Dutch native’s first solo disc, Heaven Forever.

F

Casey Van Beek (far left) and the Tulsa Groove recently released the album Heaven Forever.

Photo by Mike Kappus

26

or Tulsa rock ’n’ rollers, the mid-’70s were nothing less than pure gold. Hometown hero Leon Russell was back and firing off projects and ideas and recording sessions from his Church Studio base.

The clubs were chock-full of great musicians – some drawn to town by Russell and his entourage, and others who were homegrown, lucky and blessed enough to possess the talent needed to compete in a scene that might find Eric Clapton or George Harrison dropping by to take in the sounds.

This month’s column deals primarily with two of those artists and their brand-new collaboration, whose seeds were planted ’way back then. The newcomer, Casey Van Beek, arrived in T-Town around 1975 from his Southern California base; the other, Walt Richmond, was a Tulsa boy finding plenty of work then as a piano player and organist in several Tulsa-based groups. In one of his gig books from the time, Richmond wrote, simply, “K.C.” and “Magician’s,” indicating that he’d played with a guy named K.C. at the Magician’s Theater, one of the

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

top local rock venues of the day.

“Yeah,” says Richmond with a chuckle, “I didn’t spell Casey’s name right. But I didn’t know him then.”

He also couldn’t have known that 45 years later, he would record and produce Van Beek’s first-ever solo disc, Heaven Forever, available online on Amazon and at other outlets. The official party for the CD, released by the Little Village Foundation, is set for April 23 at Tulsa’s Harwelden Mansion.

Ticket information is available at thechurchstudio.com.

While Heaven Forever, credited to Van Beek and the Tulsa Groove, is Van Beek’s first solo release, it’s built atop a career that began some six decades ago. At age 5, Van Beek moved with his family from the Netherlands to the Los Angeles area, where he began studying classical piano. By the time he got to high school, he was playing bass in a “car-club band,” a group affiliated with young hotrod enthusiasts.

“They used to have a lot of those out in California,” Van Beek says.

“We started out doing instrumentals. It finally evolved into five of

us, and we didn’t have any singer, so just by necessity I started singing.”

The breakthrough for that quintet, called the Vibrants, came when they got a steady job with a group of teen-oriented nightspots owned by Bob Eubanks, who later found national fame as a gameshow host. Then, Van Beek says, “he was the No. 1 deejay in LA, and he had these clubs, with different partners, at different locations.”

The franchise was called the Cinnamon Cinder, and for the next five years, the Vibrants played for Eubanks at those clubs, primarily the Long Beach location.

“They didn’t have concerts in the ’60s hardly at all, so all of the [rock ’n’ roll] recording acts had to play clubs,” Van Beek says. “It was part of our job to back ’em, and it was quite a training ground for us. We backed Roger Miller, Jerry Lee Lewis, Glen Campbell, Larry Williams, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, the Coasters, the Rivingtons, Kitty Lester, Dee Dee Sharp, Little Stevie Wonder – who was like 12 years old.

“We’d go in the back room and run over a bunch of songs with these guys for 20 minutes or a half hour or whatever, and then go out and do the show.”

Another band playing the Cinnamon Cinder circuit was Don and the Deacons, which included a guitarist, singer and songwriter named Don Preston. Ultimately, the Vibrants and Don and the Deacons merged into a group called Cotton Candy, and, when that project ended, Preston and Van Beek continued playing other engagements together.

Van Beek also spent considerable time working with former Righteous Brother Bill Medley on the Nevada club circuit, and even played several gigs with Linda Ronstadt and shared the stage with future Eagles members Don Henley and Glenn Frey. He was also in a group called Moccasin, signed to MGM Records. But, he

says, the label “had the Iron Butterfly [band], and they went that way. So we were just kind of on our own on that record.”

Van Beek came to Tulsa to work on a record Preston was doing for Shelter Records (Preston and Russell had worked together since the early ’70s) and admits to being “kind of surprised” at what he found.

“I’d been playing country-rock in Moccasin, and I thought when I got out here I’d be doing some real country music and stuff,” he says. “And then I ran into the boys at places like Magician’s Theater, and they were playing everything but.”

He laughs.

“That was fine with me. It was great,” he says.

What he found instead was what many have labeled the Tulsa Sound, a now-classic style made famous by Tulsa’s J.J. Cale and played by, among others, Richmond and guitarist Steve Hickerson, who were then in a top-drawer Tulsa band fronted by Rockin’ Jimmy Byfield.

“To me, Byfield exemplifies the Tulsa groove,” Van Beek says.

“That real low-key, cool-groove stuff. That’s the only difference I could tell between Tulsa and LA [music].”

As the years wore on, Van Beek and Richmond found plenty of work, both separately and together, with Richmond accompanying Rick Danko for three years and Bonnie Raitt for six. In the ’90s, Van Beek finally recorded some more country-rock when he and Richmond became founding members of the Tractors, the multiplatinum-selling group famous for the single “Baby Likes to Rock It” (co-written by Richmond and the Tractors’ Steve Ripley).

Richmond went on to play with the likes of Cale and Clapton.

According to Richmond, Heaven Forever came about almost by accident.

“We didn’t know we were starting a record for Casey,” Richmond says. “I record every day anyway, and Casey was coming over, and we were just messing around. So we cut a couple of tunes and we thought, ‘Well, wait a minute – that’s pretty good.’ And we just kept doing it. It took 14 months.”

The turning point, he adds, was when he sent a couple of their songs to Mike Kappus, the well-known music figure who had managed Cale for three decades. (Richmond says of Kappus: “He’s just the nicest guy in the world.”)

Kappus not only liked what he heard but was in a position to do something about it. He’s a consultant for the Little Village Foundation, a California-based nonprofit record label, fueled by donations, that gives 100 percent of its proceeds to the artists. The foundation, headed by Grammy Award-winning musician Jim Pugh, funded the creation of 1,000 CDs, and Heaven Forever became a reality.

In addition to the participation of Richmond and Van Beek, the disc includes work by Byfield and Hickerson; guitarists Charles Tuberville, Ron Getman and Seth Lee Jones; multi-instrumentalist Jared Tyler; steel-guitarist Steve Bagsby; and saxophonist Steve Wilkerson.

Van Beek, Richmond, and Tuberville, together and separately, are responsible for writing seven of the 12 tracks, including the wry title cut, Richmond’s low-key meditation on the notion of an eternal afterlife. There’s also one called “Since You Said Goodbye,” written by the late Cale, whose spirit hovers benignly over the whole disc. That’s intentional.

“In everything I do, I’m always thinking about Cale,” Richmond says. “His records sounded the way I like things to sound. Not that I achieved it, but that’s my aim. That’s the reason I named the band the Tulsa Groove. That’s what the record is about. Every song on it is about the groove.”

JOHN WOOLEY

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LIFE & STYLE

A M A P TO L I V I N G W E L L

BIGGER FAMILY, BIGGER RENOVATION A Tulsa home gets a complete makeover and expansion but retains unique design elements and an awe-worthy bathroom.

By M.J. Van Deventer Photography by Nathan Harmon

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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L I F E & S T Y L E | I NT ER I O R S

A

well-known architect has taken a traditional Tulsa house built in the 1930s and transformed it into a picture perfect residence fit for a family.

Mark Nelson adapted this two-story home in the Bren-Rose neighborhood by increasing its size from 3,400 square feet to 3,900 square feet and creating subtle alterations that make a big impact.

Renovations seem as easy for Nelson as creating a structure from the ground up. Every project has a unique character, and he includes special features in anything new. His expert blend of traditional and contemporary themes makes this home pop.

Nelson, who listens to clients to understand how they live and what make their homes special, has moved to Palm Springs, California, but continues to maintain his Tulsa clientele.

For the Bren-Rose project – a complete makeover from the front door to the master suite – Nelson wanted to keep the exterior of the gable-roofed house so it would fit the neighborhood’s upscale character and architectural features. The home, remodeled a decade ago, needed a fresh look.

To update that all-important first impression of the home while maintaining its traditional character, he dressed the exterior with contemporary siding and enlarged the windows in the main living area for a better view of the expansive front lawn, which has numerous trees on an inviting corner lot.

Nelson increased the sizes of other windows, too, because one of his goals was to open the home to

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Large windows changed the look of the formal living area.

Upholstered furnishings in a neutral shade surround the center coee table.

The homey living area is the perfect spot to curl up by the fire, read or watch a film.

In the dining room, a harvest table is flanked with large armchairs at the ends, with a bench and sofa for the other sides of the table.

The homeowner chose pendant lighting for the center island in this sleek, redesigned kitchen.

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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L I F E & S T Y L E | I NT ER I O R S Abundant plant life in the master bath creates an oasis in this area of the home.

natural light – a goal that fell in line with the female homeowner’s vision.

“She had a lot of great design ideas on her dream list,” he says. “She wanted to brighten the home’s color palette, too. I just helped give her direction to bring her ideas to reality.”

A major change was adding a second story to an existing, flat-roof addition on the ground floor. That upper-level space enlarged the master suite with the creation of a luxurious bathroom, which has a large, walk-in shower and grand views of the large back lawn.

Nelson, who went with a vaulted ceiling in the updated, modern suite, gabled the roof of that upper addition to match the rest of the house.

An outdoor balcony and pergola, both upstairs off the master suite, provide shade and include comfortable furnishings, a small fireplace and even a hammock – perfect for morning coffee or an evening drink.

Nelson made good use of the old master bath by connecting it to one daughter’s bedroom, so each sister can enjoy the privacy of her own bathroom.

The kitchen got a brand new personality, too.

“We just started over in the kitchen,” says Nelson, who made it streamlined and functional. “By eliminating some needless closets, we were able to enlarge the kitchen and create a full-size, walk-in pantry.”

The work spaces are U-shaped – one of the easiest design styles for any kitchen.

He gave the space an unusual flair with a half-oval opening into the formal dining area. The kitchen’s canned ceiling lighting enhances the space, which makes for easy food preparation and casual dining at the center island.

“It’s a great house. It was an easy, seamless transition,” says Nelson, who also enlarged a window in the dining area to add to its ambiance.

Nelson wanted the major living areas to flow together. This welcome, open feeling is evident when guests step across the front door’s new, modern, threshold.

The master bedroom offers a muted color palette and unique lighting fixtures.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

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L I F E & S T Y L E | D E S T I NAT I O NS

NO HURRY, NO WORRIES IN FIJI This archipelago in the South Pacific is a visually stunning sanctuary.

A The Sawa-i-Lau island, with its bevy of caves and outdoor activities, is a major tourism draw.

Photos courtesy Tourism Fiji

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h, an island paradise that checks every box on your list – with 330 idyllic islands, Fiji is bound to have one or two you like.

This South Pacific archipelago, defined by aquamarine waters, palm tree-infused white sand beaches, amazing coral reefs, crystal clear lagoons and lush rainforests, also touts a cuisine,

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

featuring curries and seafood, like none other.

The indigenous culture is bewitchingly rich in tradition and ritual, from the fire-walkers at Mariamma Temple to Kava ceremonies featuring a root-based plant crushed into a drink known to make you feel quite mellow.

Movie-goers might know Fiji from The Blue Lagoon (the

marooned Brooke Shields rising out of the sparkling surf after being shipwrecked) and Cast Away (Tom Hanks surviving for years on a deserted island with his volleyball/buddy, Wilson).

East of Australia and north of New Zealand, the islands are renowned for swimming, windsurfing, whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking, sailing, ocean surfing

Below, L-R: Snorkeling on Treasure Island is ideal to see marine wildlife in natural habitats.

The Nausori Highlands offer offroading adventures.

The Nabalasere Waterfall in Rakiraki can be reached on a day trip.

… and golf. Despite having limited territory, the sport is enormously popular in Fiji. Natadola, home of the Fiji Open, is an exquisite course designed by native Vijay Singh, once a regular on the PGA Tour. Other significant 18 holes are the Pacific Harbour’s tough Pearl Champion course and the Denarau Golf and Racquet Club.

Fiji also attracts skin and scuba divers. Known as the Soft Coral Capital of the World, Fiji has abundant, colorful specimens that are largely undisturbed. The Great Astrolabe Reef, surrounding the islands and atolls, affords divers up-close encounters with hundreds of varieties of fish and coral. Snorkeling fans can also explore the Great Sea Reef, the 24217 Travers Mahan.indd world’s third-longest barrier reef.

Bouma National Heritage Park is home to the three Tavoro Falls (the first one is nearly 80 feet high), which are near the visitor center. Picturesque pools lie beneath each of the falls and offer cool respites for hikers before or after they hit the Vidawa Rainforest Trail.

Before unlacing your hiking boots, head to Koroyanitu National Heritage Park. Natives from six villages within the park oversee the trails and overlooks. It’s about a four-hour hike to the summit of Castle Rock but intrepid souls are rewarded with spectacular, panoramic views of the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands.

Human-made fun is plentiful as well. Zip-liners catch thrills at the Orchid Falls and Jungle Safari, nestled at the base of Fiji’s famous Sleeping Giant Mountain in Sabeto Valley. The adventure park offers 10 zip tours; one is 525 feet and produces speeds of up to 25 mph.

Shopping is fantastic, particularly in Nadi, Suva and Lautoka. Best buys are silks, coconut-palmwood furniture and native crafts.

Fans of fruit should note that Fiji is home to pineapples, watermelons, coconuts, cantaloupe, bananas, mangoes and papaya. Also native to Fiji, sugar cane is the country’s No. 1 export; sugar was first produced on the islands in 1862.

Recounting the country’s history, the Fiji Museum in the famed Victorian-era Thurston Gardens in the port city of Suva has an extensive collection of artifacts, some dating to 3,700 years ago. Objects that once belonged to indigenous people offer clues to the early culture of Fiji.

Two major islands, Viti Levu (the nation’s capital) and Vanua Levu, contain most of the population. Resorts are many and varied, from the high-end Wakaya Club and Spa on Wakaya Island and the exclusive Matamanoa Island Resort Fiji (adults only) to the Blue Lagoon Beach and the Outrigger Fiji Beach resorts, which cater to families.

Fiji has two seasons: warm and warmer. You can’t go wrong. As the natives say, “Bula” – hello and good health. Welcome to paradise.

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L I F E & S T Y L E | H E A LT H

EXAMINING REPETITIVE BRAIN INJURIES Athletes and others who suffer multiple blows to their heads over many years are at risk for developing chronic traumatic ecephalopathy, or CTE.

R

eports in the past few years on the devastating effects of head injuries among football players have raised awareness of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. This neuro-degenerative disease is believed to be caused by repetitive, severe brain injuries. In such cases, a protein called tau forms clumps that slowly spread throughout the brain and eventually kill brain cells. There is no cure.

“It was colloquially known as being ‘punch drunk,’ and was previously, more formally known as dementia pugilistica,” says Daryl W. Thompson, a neurologist and medical director of Ascension St. John Heyman Stroke Center in Tulsa. “The onset is typically insidious and it may have behav

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

ioral and psychological manifestations, like memory deficits and paranoia, as well as difficulty with speaking and coordination.

“The two groups … at risk are professional athletes in contact sports as well as individuals in the military.”

Thompson notes that people with the genetic risk factor of the APOE gene (apolipoprotein e4 allele) are also particularly vulnerable.

Zohny S. Zohny, a neurosurgeon with Saint Francis Health System’s Warren Clinic in Tulsa, says several risk factors are associated with CTE, but determining who will develop the disease isn’t possible.

“At this time, there is no blood test or neuro-imaging test, such as a CT scan or MRI of the brain, that can diagnose CTE,” Zohny says.

“CTE can only be diagnosed … after death with an autopsy.”

Many people experience concussions during their lifetimes, but the consistency of trauma has been found to be the main cause of the disease.

“CTE occurs as a result of repetitive head injuries over a number of years from contact sports such as football or soccer, or activities that expose an individual to repetitive head injuries (such

as military service or domestic violence), not after just one or two concussions in life,” Zohny says.

At the forefront of research is Boston University’s CTE Center, which examines long-term consequences of repetitive brain trauma in athletes and military personnel. The CTE Center, which has garnered national attention for investigating the prevalence of CTE in football players, recently reported that the risk and severity of developing CTE increases with the number of years playing football.

“For every year of absorbing the pounding and repeated head collisions that come with playing American tackle football, a person’s risk of developing CTE … increases by 30 percent,” the CTE Center states. “And for every 2.6 years of play, the risk of developing CTE doubles. These new findings from an analysis of the brains of 266 deceased amateur and professional football players – reported in Annals of Neurology by a team of researchers from the CTE Center – are the first to quantify the strength of the link between playing tackle football and developing CTE.” In 2017, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported the CTE Center’s study on the brains of 202 deceased football players, 111 of whom played in the National Football League. All but one of those NFL players had CTE. Jesse Mez, a lead author of the CTE Center study and director of Boston University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, says these findings can help players, family members and physicians to make informed decisions about certain sports.

The study also moves doctors a step closer to diagnosing CTE while a patient is alive, which Mez says is “critical for testing potential therapies and for guiding clinical care.”

REBECCA FAST

L I F E & S T Y L E | O U T SI D E T H E M E T R O

IF ONLY ANCIENT ROCKS COULD TALK With competing theories about its origins, the Heavener runestone makes visitors consider the idea of Vikings in Oklahoma.

T

ABOVE: Visitors have to walk down a hillside to see the Heavener runestone.

BELOW: Gloria Farley, lower-left, and family members visit the runestone in the 1950s.

Photos courtesy Heavener Runestone Park

ucked in the woods, tucked in the Ouachita foothills, tucked just inside Oklahoma’s stateline with Arkansas stands a sandstone slab that untucks plenty of debate.

The Heavener runestone, about 12 feet tall, 10 feet wide and 16 inches thick, with eight carved letters on it, has made historians, archaeologists and runologists wonder just what the futhark is going on.

Those letters, from 6 inches to 9.5 inches tall, form a rune – a message in a Germanic alphabet predating the use of Latin letters in northern Europe.

Some argue that

the letters are from Elder futhark, the oldest known runic alphabet; others claim Younger futhark or a mixture of the two.

“We go with the theory put forth

by Gloria Farley,” says Amanda Garcia, manager of the Heavener Runestone Park. “She’s the reason the park got started years ago and that’s how it was presented.”

Farley, a Heavener native, researched the stone, once called Indian Rock by locals, in the 1950s and ‘60s. She concluded that the rune dates to about 600 and was a boundary marker, with the letters translating to “Glome dal,” or land belonging to a person named Glome.

Farley, who died in 2006, first saw the stone when she was a girl. Her work ultimately led to the site being turned into a state park from 1970 to 2011, when severe budget cuts led to its decommissioning. A volunteerled nonprofit, Friends of the Heavener Runestone, has run the park since then.

Farley’s theories are contradicted by archaeologist Richard Nielsen and renowned runologist Henrik Williams. They have examined the Heavener rune and say the most likely explanation is that a 19th-century traveler who knew something about futhark inscribed the message, which they classify as contradictory in styles and logic.

They also point to no other Viking-era or seventh-century ruins near the runestone or Heavener. There’s no method to scientifically date the rune itself.

Williams said in 2015 that the letters roughly translate to gnome valley or little valley. He added that there’s no evidence of Europeans from those ancient times in Oklahoma.

The Heavener Runestone Park, which draws about 1,500 visitors monthly, does not have a manager in charge of interpretation, like at most national parks, so competing theories are not presented.

The park is financed through contributions and events, such as the Heavener Runestone Festival, April 18-19. Replacing the longtime Heavener Viking Festival, the fundraiser expands its offerings with medieval and Renaissance activities.

BRIAN WILSON

FUN FACTS Population 3,292 TALIMENA TWIN The Mountain Gateway Scenic Byway, which cuts through the

Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area, begins in Heavener and ends 22 miles later in Arkansas. Many travelers of the well-known Talimena National Scenic Byway wind up in Heavener and take this alternate route back through the Ouachitas.

RAILROAD RESTAURANT The Southern Belle, just north of downtown, is a 1905 chair car (as opposed to a coach) that seats about 50 diners, with a kitchen and restrooms added to the back. Debra Crabtree, who has owned and run the business

since 2000, says her sister and brother-in-law converted the car, abandoned by the old Kansas City Southern railway near Potts Mountain, into a restaurant after having it hauled into town by a house-moving company.

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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LIFE & ST YLE | F YI

PREPARING FOR TORNADO SEASON Having a designated safe place stocked with necessities requires planning but lets you get through a storm’s aftermath.

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he good news about living in Tornado Alley, where most twisters occur in April, May and June, is that you can have safety plans and necessities in place before the weather gets dicey.

Preparations range from storing supplies in a designated area to installing a storm shelter.

Last year was one of the worst in state history with 149 recorded tornadoes. Rick Smith, the warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oklahoma, says that while there’s no way to know how this season will end up, “it’s a guarantee that we will have tornadoes in Oklahoma this spring. The exact number doesn’t matter that much because it only takes one to make it a bad year for tornadoes for you.”

Smith says that the time to get ready for a tornado is right now, not when storms approach.

“Just a little bit of planning and preparation on a sunny day will help you and your family be ready when storms threaten,” he says.

It’s important to know where to go during a tornado warning, says Smith, who advises practicing going there with your family quickly.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Have several different means to hear the warnings, and plan for ways to receive those warnings if you’re sleeping or the power is out.

Atlas Safe Rooms builds and installs modular, above-ground storm shelters and safe rooms with locations in Joplin, Tulsa and Norman. Office manager Lauren Bush says every household should already have the following items collected in a safe area prior to storms:

• • • • • • • • •

a first-aid kid and medications; flashlights with batteries or battery-powered lamps; shoes for everyone; water and non-perishable food; mobile phones with portable chargers; a multi-purpose tool; gloves; emergency blankets; cash and copies of personal documents.

“Being based in Joplin, Missouri, we know firsthand how critical it is to have a safe and trusted place to go for shelter during a tornado or

other severe weather,” says Bush.

When a storm is upon you and you are at home, go to your storm shelter or basement. If you don’t have either, go to a small, windowless interior room, such as a closet, inner hallway or bathroom.

Go to the center of that room. If there is a heavy piece of furniture there, get under it.

If you are at school, work or another facility, go to a basement (if there is one) or an inner hallway.

Try to get under a sturdy piece of furniture.

If you are outside when a storm hits, get inside the nearest building. If there are no buildings, try to find a ditch or low area; get in it and protect your head with your arms. Never try to outrun a tornado when you are in a vehicle.

“We have a lot of storms here in Oklahoma, but we also have the very best weather information system in the country,” Smith says.

“Meteorologists … work hard to let you know when tornadoes might happen. It’s up to you to pay attention to that information, to be ready and to take action to keep you and your family safe.”

DEBI TURLEY

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L I F E & S T Y L E | SCENE

Gene Rainbolt, Charlotte Lankard, Glenna & Dick Tannenbaum; Take a Seat donor reception, OKC Museum of Art Keith Jemison, Anita Hill, Kimberly Johnson, Alicia Latimer; Sankofa Freedom Award event, Tulsa City-County Library

Kirk Hayes, Brooke Hostetler, Tom Bennett III, Tom Bennett II; Live United Awards, Tulsa Area United Way

Frank & Cathy Keating; 25th Anniversary of the Murrah bombing symphony event, OKC Philharmonic

Steve & Debbie Smith-Berlin; CASA Casino Shaken Not Stirred, Tulsa CASA

Becky Taylor, Emmi Kobs, Miki Farris; Boots & Ball Gowns gala, Infant Crisis Services, OKC

Dave Hentschel, Monica Martin, Susie Hentschel; Heart of Henry, Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless

Gene Rainbolt, Erin Engelke, Charlotte Lankard; Charlotte Lankard Giving Society reception, Calm Waters, OKC

Robin Krieger, Judy Hatfield, Jim Young, Cathy Keating; Women’s Leadership Society gathering, United Way of Central Oklahoma, OKC

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Terry Payne, Henry Winkler, Denise Payne; Henry Winkler and Marlee Matlin speaking event, Tulsa Town Hall

Diana Rogers Jaeger, Cathy Guiswite, Shannon Evers; Juliette Low Leadership Society Luncheon, Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma, OKC

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Scott Cyrus, Kayse Shrum; Winterset, Osteopathic Founders Foundation, Tulsa

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APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

41

Congratulations, Dominic!

You energize us.

- Your OG&E Family

DOMINIC WILLIAMS Attorney

Dominic Williams of OG&E believes that constantly challenging ourselves is essential to growth and development. He energizes OG&E through his unwavering commitment to excellence.

OGE.COM Š 2020 OGE Energy Corp.

Influential young leaders drive the state forward, and the 40 professionals cataloged here exemplify the best of what Oklahoma has to offer. Through a graceful balancing act of hard work, pioneering and volunteerism, those honored set precedents for aspiring leaders around the state.

This group has a collective willingness to go the extra mile. By putting in time and effort to help others in addition to their professional duties, they have become leaders in many fields, from engineering and medicine to art and law.

Mary Benedicta Maier

38

Tulsa Coordinator of the department of religion, Saint Francis Health System Sister Mary Benedicta Maier, RSM, dedicates her life to helping those in need and serves both clinical and non-clinical staff at Saint Francis Health System “through promotion of the mission, vision and values, and medical ethics education and consultation.”

In recent years, she has worked to establish Saint Francis Hospital Muskogee. “I am privileged to provide spiritual support to patients, families and staff,” she says. “Bringing Christ’s joy to the most wounded and making them laugh is a gift.” She often interacts with those who are sick and suffering “at the most vulnerable moments of their lives” and says the most rewarding moments occur when “helping a terminal patient come to reconciliation and peace with Christ and the church after holding onto 50 years of regrets.” She desires to make her life “perpetual volunteerism and service” and enacts that goal by being available to help others at any time. Before entering the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan, she was a Gold Award Girl Scout and a member of Rotaract. She has participated in beach and creek clean-ups and served HIV/AIDS patients at a Mother Teresa home in Washington, D.C. Off the clock, she enjoys spending time with her religious community, playing games and enjoying all that Tulsa has to offer.

By Mary Willa Allen

Here are the stories of the

2020 Class of 40 Under 40.

All photos courtesy honorees or their companies.

40 Under 40 honorees are unranked and presented in no particular order.

FOR BONUS VIDEOS of our 40 Under 40 honorees, visit okmag.com/40under402020 APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

43

David Chen

Nick Jones

35

Tulsa Attorney and shareholder, Barrow and Grimm Nick Jones provides legal services and counsel to individuals, entrepreneurs and business owners on estate planning and business law. The favorite parts of his job are “bringing a business plan to fruition and putting to rest concerns about unknowns.” Apart from helping his clients, Jones got into the profession to create consensus. “I wanted to be at the center of deal-making,” he says. Oklahoma’s legalization of medical marijuana has added another group to his client portfolio.

“When I started practicing business law and estate planning 10 years ago, I never thought I would be representing the cannabis industry,” he says, “but with Oklahoma’s adoption of its medical marijuana program, my clients, old and new, have been excited to be a part of the action. It has been fulfilling to have a front row seat to witness the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels this industry.” Outside work, Jones serves as an associate justice for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Supreme Court. “It has been culturally meaningful to have an impact on my tribe’s governance and history,” he says.

Jones also enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis and fly fishing.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

38

Tulsa Owner/operator, Chick-fil-A at Southroads Shopping Center One might wonder how a man with a degree in chemical engineering became a franchiser for Chick-fil-A. David Chen says that while his story is unique, it’s “one that I believe only God could orchestrate.” After graduating from college, Chen moved to China for two years as a missionary.

When he returned, he says he felt called to the service industry and worked at Chick-fil-A headquarters before moving to Oklahoma in 2015. Now, Chen and his team are “in charge of engaging, motivating and developing a team of over 120 team members to deliver thousands of moments of care to our guests.” His franchise saw great success in 2019; it was the largest volume franchise in Tulsa and the second largest in Oklahoma. The team also won the company’s Symbol of Success award for growing sales over 25 percent. At the core of Chen’s leadership are care and compassion – for customers and for his staff. “Cared-for team members will care for our guests and our community,” he says. Chen, along with his family, is active at church and with Junior Achievement of Oklahoma. His franchise also donated more than $200,000 in 2019 to community efforts.

Monica McKee

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Oklahoma City Director of patient services, Oklahoma City Indian Clinic Changing the heath-care delivery system for Native Americans for generations to come is Monica McKee’s goal. Her day-to-day duties consist of ensuring access to care, policy compliance and clinical efficiency, along with overseeing the dental, optometry and physical therapy departments and serving as patient advocate and infection control officer. Her ability to positively affect a large number of lives drove her to this role. “As a clinician for over a decade, everything I did made an impact on the individual patient I worked with,” she says. “As a health-care administrator, my reach is much further.”

McKee believes her keys to success are “kindness, loyalty, fortitude and treating everyone as equal,” which are shown in her greatest achievement at work: helping the clinic to become the first Native American facility in the nation to be recognized as a leader in LGBTQ health-care equality by the national nonprofit Human Rights Campaign. McKee volunteers with March of Dimes and the Care Center and enjoys kickboxing and spending time with her family.

Camille Nassar Owens Tulsa Business development officer, Nabholz

30

A high school career test led Camille Nassar Owens onto her career path. “At the time, I had no idea what public relations was,” she says, “but after the research project, I knew it was for me.” At Nabholz, Owens works to generate new business and focuses on client and community relations around the state. “The chief goal of my job is to create new opportunities,” she says. “For us at Nabholz, creating opportunities is synonymous with creating relationships. I feel lucky that my job consists of meeting incredible people all over the state to learn more about their story.” She finds that the culture of caring at Nabholz sets the company apart. “Each and every individual in our office has a heart of gold, and that’s truly what has generated our success,” she says. Owens is passionate about eradicating social injustice and child abuse, as shown in her volunteer work with the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice and the Child Abuse Network. When not volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, going to spin class and attending live music events.

Joe Giordano Jr.

30

Tulsa Assistant general manager, BOK Center Despite his relatively young age, Joe Giordano Jr. is in charge of operations at BOK Center, Tulsa’s largest event venue. The job requires him to multitask each day by supporting BOK’s initiatives, working with senior management teams to uphold standards of excellence and bringing some of the biggest acts in the world to Tulsa. Giordano cites 2018’s 10-year anniversary concert series as his career highlight because he helped to book acts like Metallica, P!nk, U2 and the Eagles. He credits Tulsans for continuing to propel the city forward. “Tulsa is truly a collaborative city that recognizes we have something special, and we’re all very passionate about seeing our city continue its legacy as a top music destination in the United States,” he says. While the job is stressful, Giordano finds success through his passion. “I absolutely love what I do, and it doesn’t feel like work to me at all,” he says. Giordano is involved in the ASM Rocks committee at work, which helps charities like Habitat for Humanity and United Way. Off work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and Siberian husky, Rocky, and looks forward to his five-year wedding anniversary trip to Hawaii.

Dominic D. Williams

34

Oklahoma City Attorney, OG&E Energy Dominic Williams covers a wide array of the law with OG&E, including cybersecurity, intellectual property, energy law and information technology. “In addition to the amazing co-workers and members who make up OGE, I love the diversity of areas of law that I have an opportunity to practice,” he says. “It is intellectually challenging and personally fulfilling to be able to advise and represent Oklahoma’s oldest and largest investor-owned electric utility.” While problem-solving is a key part of the job, Williams also likes the person-to-person connections and the company’s focus on community outreach. “I am proudest of working for a company that not only delivers energy that gives people comfort, safety and security, but is also diligent in its service and support of the diverse communities where we all live and work,” he says. Sports play a large role in Williams’ off-the-clock activities; he enjoys playing golf, watching college football and supporting the Oklahoma Thunder City. He volunteers with inter-city youth organizations and Oklahoma City Community College, which gives him immense perspective. “One of the best nuggets of advice I have tried to incorporate in my life comes from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby: ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.’”

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

45

Paul Jones

39

Norman Clinical director of patient care services, Norman Regional Health System Paul Jones works every day to ensure the health of his community in his role at Norman Regional.

He oversees a variety of areas within the network, including intensive care, progressive care, inpatient wound care, and stroke, bariatric and dialysis programs. “I love that I get to make a difference in other people’s lives,” says Jones, who is also a registered nurse. “We save lives in many different ways. There is always something special about watching others learn and grow, and that is exactly what happens to our healers every day. I love to watch others grow and achieve greatness during times of adversity.” Off the clock, Jones volunteers at his church and the Wilson Foundation and is working to coordinate a partnership with Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity and Norman Regional by “setting up opportunities for our healers at the hospital to also serve their local community.” In 2017, Jones and his wife, a labor and delivery nurse, adopted three siblings, making them a family of seven. Together, they enjoy “being outside, working in the yard and riding four-wheelers.”

Mark W. Zitzow

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Oklahoma City Director of urban planning, Johnson and Associates As an urban planner, Mark Zitzow works on a variety of projects for private developers and municipalities.

Every day is different, whether he’s working on site planning, entitlements processes or master plans. Many of Zitzow’s responsibilities revolve around reaching consensus between clients and community needs, which he finds as a rewarding part of the job, along with being on the ground floor of infrastructure development in his home city. “I became interested in what was happening in downtown Oklahoma City and wanted to be a part of the new development and activity that was taking place,” he says.

“I felt the best way to stay engaged and work on these projects was to better understand our built environment. That led me to the University of Oklahoma and the City Planning program.” In his spare time, Zitzow volunteers with the Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association and the Sunbeam Beacons Program, which he believes has made him “a more patient and compassionate person.” Along with spending time with his wife and two dogs, he also works as an adjunct faculty member at OU.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Mackenzie Jochim

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Broken Arrow Associate veterinarian, VCA Woodland South Animal Hospital Being a veterinarian is much more than interacting with cute animals, and Mackenzie Jochim knows that firsthand. “While I would love to say I spend my days cuddling puppies and kittens, the majority of the time I am treating very ill or injured animals,” she says. Whether she’s diagnosing illnesses, emotionally supporting families or performing emergency surgery, Jochim has a love for animals and counts on her ability to think critically to keep the job rewarding. “Medicine still amazes me at times with how effective it can be,” she says. “The fact that I don’t have a ‘rinse and repeat’ job keeps me on my toes.”

Jochim is proudest of the perseverance and compassion those in her profession have; an example of her own perseverance came through a harrowing experience as a teenager.

“I had a mystery illness in my freshman year of high school that no one was ever able to diagnose,” she says. “It was really hard on my mom and me in various ways.” Jochim is active off the clock through outdoor activities, traveling, ballroom dancing and volunteering her expertise with local shelters and Leadership Broken Arrow.

Trista Shomo

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Oklahoma City Senior safety manager, Manhattan Construction Co. Keeping her Manhattan co-workers safe is Trista Shomo’s primary goal. While overseeing and enforcing safe work practices and eliminating conditions that could lead to injury or property damage, Shomo is “building and coaching a safety culture that is educational and interactive and allows me to connect and engage with people on a personal level based on trust.”

She enjoys that she can “bring empathy and compassion in an industry that has a reputation for being rough and tough.” One of her greatest achievements is overseeing the safety for the state Capitol’s interior restoration project. Outside work, Shomo volunteers for Junior Achievement, Toys for Tots, the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank, the University of Oklahoma’s Construction Science-Mentorship for Women in Construction, and Bags for Veterans. “I love that I can be a mentor and a role model for all kids, and especially my daughter, Layla, who is actively involved in volunteering with me,” she says. “I want her to know the importance of giving back when you can and the impact one can make in doing so – personally and professionally.”

CONGRATULATIONS, SISTER MARY BENEDICTA MAIER.

Saint Francis Health System is proud to congratulate Sister Mary Benedicta Maier, RSM, Coordinator of the Department of Religion, on being named among Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40.

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Congrats to Jackie Price Johannsen for being part of Oklahoma Magazine ’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2020!

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APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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2/28/20 1:50 PM

Jasmine Willis-Wallace

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Tulsa Program operations manager, Tulsa Public Schools Jasmine Willis-Wallace works zealously to evolve and improve public education in Tulsa Public Schools, where she oversees the Tulsa Teacher Corps, the new-teacher training and development program. Her job requires a lot of out-of-the-box thinking and big picture ideas, which are right up her alley. “I work with individuals who think big and have the desire to be change agents in the field of public education,” she says. “My job allows for me to develop lifelong educators who always put students first and care deeply about the education of all students.” Willis-Wallace’s search for true meaning in her professional life led her to achieving a doctorate in education. “I want to be in a profession where I can make a difference and have a lasting impact on future generations,” she says. Willis-Wallace believes in sharing her knowledge through volunteerism with tutoring, school board appointments and presenting workshops for career readiness. Along with being a new mom to her son, she enjoys exercise and is a fitness instructor for Zumba and toning classes.

Eric Lopp

Monica Ybarra

38

Oklahoma City Attorney/corporate counsel, TBS Factoring Service A love for investigating and solving problems led Monica Ybarra to become an attorney. At TBS, a freight factoring company, Ybarra advises the business on a variety of legal issues and works with leadership to identify risks, assist the company and meet business goals. “I love collaborating with colleagues whose professional backgrounds are so diverse and helping them bring their visions to life,” she says. “I am proud to be a part of helping businesses achieve growth.” In her day-to-day professional life, Ybarra holds onto a particular piece of advice that steers her in the right direction. “Assume positive intent,” she says.

“Giving others the benefit of the doubt affects how you respond to every situation and opens up opportunities to learn.” Off the clock, Ybarra volunteers her time with the National Exchange Club and the Oklahoma County Bar Association’s Family Junction Youth Shelter, and acts as a Salvation Army bell ringer. She enjoys reading and going on road trips, with her favorite spot being Santa Fe, New Mexico. She also works on a unique endeavor in her off time – “a long-term project of documenting my family’s story through oral history,” she says.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

38

Broken Arrow Senior project manager, Crossland Construction Co. Eric Lopp manages a variety of construction projects in his daily routine and enjoys his impact on the Oklahoma skyline. His favorite part of the job is the “ability to change a community by adding something new or bringing something that was old back to life,” he says. “The world of construction is ever changing and evolving. You get to bring ideas to life.” Creating community spaces is the joy of his job – citing the completion of Tulsa’s Gathering Place as his career highlight. Doing everything correctly and treating others with respect are at the core of Lopp’s leadership style. “At the end of the day, it’s important to do what is right – right for your clients, right by your company and, most importantly, right by you,” he says. In his off time, Lopp enjoys visiting and working on his family farm in Kansas, traveling, hunting, riding his bike and doing yoga.

He also volunteers with the local food bank because “knowing that you are helping ensure everyone is getting access to food is something that is important.”

Congratulations, Paul Jones, RN! Congratulations to Paul on his nomination to the 40 Under 40!

Paul is the Director of Medical/ Surgical and Critical Care nursing services at Norman Regional Health System. He has been a nurse for more than 13 years and says he values working in a profession that serves others in times of need.

We call our employees healers, and Paul exemplifies that term!

Congratulations To Eastern Oklahoma ENT’s Evan Moore, MD for being named one of Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40.

918.492.3636 eoent.com 68th & Yale 93rd & s. Mingo Rd. NormanRegional.com

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Counsel FOR THE Business of Life

2/18/20 11:01 AM

Congratulations on Your Selection

Nicholas M. Jones Shareholder

Committed to Providing Quality Legal Services for Your Important Matters Established in 1976, Barrow & Grimm, PC is a commercial practice law firm serving a wide variety of corporate, partnership, and individual clients.

110 W. 7th St., Ste. 900 | Tulsa, OK 74119 | 918.584.1600 | www.barrowgrimm.com 23172 Barrow & Grimm.indd 1

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Kasra Ahmadinia

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Tulsa Spine surgeon, Advanced Orthopedics of Oklahoma As a spine surgeon, Kasra Ahmadinia focuses on minimally invasive ways to correct pathologies in both adults and children. “The best part of my job is getting people back to the functional levels that they are accustomed to,” he says. “Patients often [have] debilitating back pain and nerve pain, and the greatest feeling is being able to relieve them of that pain.” Apart from healing patients, Ahmadinia also advances medicine as an author. “My greatest achievement in the field of spine surgery is having my research published in medical journals and writing book chapters for multiple spine textbooks,” he says. Ahmadinia is passionate about improving health-care efficiency through lowered costs and easier access.

“I have been very active through the political action arm of our National Spine Association,” he says. “I have been to Washington the last several years to meet with representatives and senators and discuss ideas for improving health care, particularly in the field of spine surgery.” Outside the hospital, he enjoys playing soccer and spending time with his wife and two sons.

Paige Masters

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Edmond Attorney, Crowe and Dunlevy Paige Masters is an expert in the fast-paced world of trial law, where she focuses primarily on complex civil disputes between commercial entities while advocating for her clients in everything from bad faith to trade secrets and fraud.

Masters loves the “people with whom I work and the clients we represent,” she says. “I have had the pleasure of working alongside and learning from some of the smartest, most talented and thoughtful attorneys and legal professionals in the nation. I am likewise lucky to work with amazing clients.” In college, Masters was inspired to go to law school by volunteering with a domestic violence shelter and Court Appointed Special Advocates. While she went to law school planning to focus on child abuse and neglect, she fell in love with all spheres of law and was offered a full-time job with Crowe and Dunlevy upon her graduation in 2012. Crediting her hard work ethic to her parents, Masters always aims to be the most prepared lawyer in the courtroom. Masters is a certified aerobics instructor, serves as a volunteer at Oklahoma Lawyers for Children and her church, and enjoys spending time with her family.

Katie Sommer Lee

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Edmond Attorney, Pierce Couch Hendrickson Baysinger and Green As a new partner at one of the oldest insurance defense litigation/corporate law firms in Oklahoma, Katie Sommer Lee focuses on workers compensation defense litigation and a slew of other legal needs. “I love being presented with challenging issues and coming up with creative solutions to obtain quality results,” she says. Although she excels as an attorney, she was hesitant to join the sector. “Both of my parents were attorneys, so I grew up wanting to do anything other than practice law for a living,” she says. “Fast forward a few years and here I am. It must be in the genes.” When it comes to her career, she takes one piece of counsel seriously. “The best advice I have ever received is that your reputation is paramount,” she says. “It is a constant reminder to lead life with integrity and to do the right thing, even when doing the right thing is hard.” Sommer Lee volunteers her time with child advocacy groups, including the Care Center and Positive Tomorrows. She also enjoys spending time with her husband, 3-year-old daughter and French bulldogs, along with experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

INTEGRIS Health System’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel isn’t just one of the youngest individuals to hold such a demanding career position anywhere, Allison Petersen is also profoundly generous with her time, finding numerous hours to serve as a mayor-appointed EMSA trustee on top of being a devoted wife and mother.

Congratulations, Allison, for being named one of Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40!

Under 40.

And a Cut Above.

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DELIVERING SUCCESS DELIVERING SUCCESS LAND THROUGH PRECISION THROUGH PRECISION LAND SERVICES AND UNRIVALED SERVICES AND UNRIVALED PRODUCTIVITY PRODUCTIVITY

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M I D - C O N T I N E N T | T E X A S | R O C K I E S | A P PA L A C H I A M ID-CONTIN NT | TEXAS | ROCK E S | A P PA L A C H I A 1.918.582.5404 • E info@paladinlandgroup.com • Iwww.paladinlandgroup.com 1.918.582.5404 • info@paladinlandgroup.com • www.paladinlandgroup.com

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to Katherine Sommer on being selected for the 40 Under 40 Class of 2020! We are extremely proud of you!

W.H. “Wink” Kopczynski, III on being named one of Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40

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Kate Cofer

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Gianny Romero

Tulsa Principal architect, KKT Architects Kate Cofer balances a variety of duties at KKT Architects. As the business engagement lead, she works to elevate the firm’s design acumen, explore marketing initiatives and develop client engagement activities. She also works on multiple architectural projects. “I don’t necessarily fit into a typical one-size-fits-all category,” she says. “At my core, I just want to do good and reliable work that helps our business and community to grow and advance.”

The diversity of the job keeps it exciting, says Cofer, who credits “lots of Starbucks and the willingness to speak up” as her keys to success. She has known her career calling since a fourth grade architecture project. “I immediately jumped in,” she says. “I love solving puzzles, space planning and having diverse things to work on.” Apart from creating spaces that improve people’s lives, Cofer has also been an adjunct professor at Oklahoma State University. In her spare time, she donates her talents to the American Institute of Architects and the National Architecture Accreditation Board. She also enjoys yoga and volunteering at YWCA, and she and her husband are expecting a second child in August.

Edmond Project manager, Flintco

27

Gianny Romero provides management supervision to project personnel on construction projects while ensuring that projects are completed in compliance with safety standards, within budget and on schedule. She is also responsible for “overall management direction for all the functions required to successfully deliver projects, including assuring sufficient resource allocation and client satisfaction,” she says. Her favorite part of the job is the “active and ever-changing nature that keeps every day interesting.” Romero was born into a construction family – and she found the same passion. “My grandfather was a residential builder and my father is in the glazing business,” she says. “It was clear early on that we shared a mutual interest in the construction industry.” In her off time, Romero enjoys going on cruises at the lake and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. “There’s nothing better than helping build a home for a family in need and then actually meeting them, learning their story and watching them move in,” she says.

Allison Petersen

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Oklahoma City General counsel, INTEGRIS Health Allison Petersen always knew she would help others but wanted to find a different way to do so than entering into health care itself. “My chosen career path did not allow me to directly care for patients – I hated chemistry – but I have a tremendous amount of respect for people who devote their lives to healing others,” she says. “I love that I get to be a part of the INTEGRIS team, even if it is up in an office clearing up the confusion of a burdensome regulation or behind a computer providing a path for fair compensation.” As part of the general counsel for the largest health system in the state, Petersen is responsible for ensuring INTEGRIS complies with all federal and state regulations while protecting business operations. And she’s got the expertise to lead – with both a master’s degree in health administration and a law degree from the University of Oklahoma. “I enjoy problem-solving and love learning from others, so becoming a corporate attorney is a natural fit for me,” she says. “I see what INTEGRIS means to our patients and the role we want to play in improving the health of our state. I’m proud to play a small part in those achievements.” Off the clock, Petersen enjoys spending time with her husband and son and volunteering with the Emergency Medical Service Authority trust and the American Health Lawyers Association.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

congratulates Operator David Chen

Congratulations to TRISTA SHOMO

(Southroads Shopping Center FSU)

on being selected for the 40 Under 40 Class of 2020.

SR. SAFETY MANAGER and all of the 2020 40 Under 40 Honorees.

Tulsa | Oklahoma City Atlanta | Fort Myers | Houston Mid-Atlantic | Naples | North Texas Springdale | Tampa www.manhattanconstruction.com

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CONGRATULATIONS

to Dr. Heath Evans on being named one of Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40.

Broken Arrow

4716 W. Urbana St. 918.449.5800 24198 Eastern Oklahoma Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.indd 1

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Owasso

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David Stiles

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Evan Moore

39

Glenpool Senior assurance manager, HoganTaylor As a certified public accountant, David Stiles helps clients through complicated financial issues with his audit and advisory services. “I love working in an environment that challenges me to think both strategically and technically,” he says. “Every day presents itself with a new opportunity to serve my clients, community and peers.”

Like putting pieces together in a puzzle, problem-solving and strategic thinking drew Stiles to accounting. “When faced with a complex situation, I enjoy managing all the variables until they are arranged in the most productive configuration possible,” he says. Stiles is proud of his contributions to a new software program called myPortal, which simplifies client requests. “This achievement not only distinguishes our firm from the competition but makes the lives of our teams and clients better,” he says. Stiles uses his talents for a variety of charitable efforts; he serves on the leadership team of the Nonprofit Practice Group at HoganTaylor, volunteers at church and acts as treasurer on the board at Clarehouse, which provides a home for terminally ill people. He also enjoys outdoor activities, exploring new technology and spending time with his wife and 1-year-old daughter.

Matthew Youngblood

36

Jenks Engineer, Garver At Garver, Matthew Youngblood acts as a project manager and engineer with specific expertise in construction and rehabilitation for highway projects. “I love making an impact on the community in which we work and live,” he says. “Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work on some of the largest and most complicated engineering projects – not only in Oklahoma but throughout the country, but I’m just as proud of the local community project down the street.”

In high school, Youngblood says he was a poor student, but, after experiencing a devastating car accident, he changed his mindset. “After recovering, even at that young of an age, I asked myself that if I would have died then and there, what value would my life have had,” he says. “I asked myself, ‘What did you do? Would your own parents even have been proud of you?’ In those moments, I decided I was going to do something with my life.” The highlight of Youngblood’s job is chairing GarverGives, the firm’s corporate giving arm. Along with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics initiatives, GarverGives also works with organizations fighting homelessness, developmental disabilities and pediatric cancer. Youngblood, an avid camper, looks forward to the outdoor season with his wife and daughter every year.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Tulsa Physician, Eastern Oklahoma Ear, Nose and Throat Otolaryngologist Evan Moore sees patients of all ages with diseases of the head and neck.

Splitting his time between the office and the operating room, he handles anything from a “simple ear tube placement or tonsillectomy to extensive cancer surgeries of the mouth, throat or neck region,” he says. Moore enjoys working for an independent, physician-owned practice and his ability to give control back to those he serves.

“Spending time with patients and educating them on ways to try to cure or manage disease processes often helps them – not only with their ailment but the stress of this loss of control,” he says. Moore became inspired to go into health care after volunteering at a hospital in college.

“At first, it seemed so busy and random, but I soon realized this place was full of people caring for the sick and the needy,” he says. “Everyone had a different but critical role.”

Moore enjoys spending time with his family, fishing and volunteering at his church, the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa School of Community Medicine and the Bedlam Clinic, which supports working people who are uninsured. “It is a great way to provide care for those who often fall through the cracks in our current medical system,” he says.

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Congratulations!

eric lopp

Sr. Project Manager

Thank you to Eric and all the leaders for your impact on the Tulsa community!

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Crowe & Dunlevy Congratulates Oklahoma Magazine 40 Under 40 Honoree Paige A. Masters

CONGRATULATIONS

A role model to the next generation of attorneys and community leaders, Paige embodies the advocacy, work ethic and values worthy of this esteemed recognition. We applaud Paige on this well-deserved honor and look forward to her continued success and bright future.

AMY SUMMERS, CEO, ON BEING SELECTED AS ONE OF OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE’S 40 UNDER 40!

crowedunlevy.com

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Doug Wichman

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Coweta Director of manufacturing, AAON Doug Wichman has a big job – overseeing all manufacturing operations for AAON, a Fortune 500 heating, ventilation and air conditioning manufacturer. “It is my job to define and execute a sound production strategy to ensure we meet the customers’ expectations,” he says. “This involves thorough planning and coordination between internal and external resources.” A team player, Wichman credits his co-workers for making AAON a great place to come to work, and he strives to return that favor.

“As a leader at AAON, I want to make a positive impact for the company and our customers, but I will never overlook the opportunity to make a positive impact for all 2,000-plus team members I work with,” he says. Wichman is passionate about children in the foster care system because he grew up in a family of 15 children in an adoptive/foster family. “Seeing many of my siblings come in and out of the system in search for their forever homes has definitely played a major role in who I am today,” he says. “It is because of my upbringing that I am involved directly and indirectly with many youth-oriented activities,” including time spent at United Way and Junior Achievement.

Patrick G. Colvin

32

Lisa Mogelnicki

37

Tulsa Attorney, Jones, Gotcher and Bogan As a civil litigator, Patrick Colvin represents clients in a variety of cases, including torts, contract claims, fraud and consumer protection. “Every day is different,” he says. “One day I might be interviewing witnesses. The next I might be arguing a motion to a judge.” Colvin, who has several lawyers in his family, felt his abilities fell in line with the same line of work.

“The skill sets that I have – being inquisitive, organized and driven – are a good fit for this profession,” he says. One of the highlights of his job is mentoring prospective attorneys. “Our firm frequently hosts externs from the University of Tulsa law school,” he says. “We have the privilege of helping to shape these young persons to become competent, diligent lawyers.”

A partner in the firm at 30, Colvin uses his expertise for the fundraising team at Tulsa Legal Aid. “We solicit donations from law firms and other persons,” he says.

“Tulsa Legal Aid provides legal work for the underserved, including people at risk of eviction.” Colvin is an avid runner and has participated in five marathons. He enjoys visiting local breweries with his friends and playing with his new puppy, Gracie.

Tulsa Foot and ankle surgeon, The Orthopaedic Center Her high school and college job of being an athletic trainer led Lisa Mogelnicki to a career as a foot and ankle surgeon. “I enjoyed treating those injuries the most,” she says. “As an athletic trainer, we tended to the injuries acutely and then performed the rehab post-operatively or after the physician’s evaluation. I wanted to be a part of the whole process.” Now, Mogelnicki evaluates and treats foot and ankle conditions, operates on patients and works in a wound care clinic. A favorite part of her job is “making people feel better physically, which ultimately improves their overall disposition,” she says. Curating strong relationships with her patients makes her proud and she views the healing process as a team effort.

“We work together,” she says. “I am able to educate [patients] on proper foot care and they have to follow through with my instructions.” Mogelnicki volunteers with Court Appointed Special Advocates, Domestic Violence Intervention Services and the Day Center for the Homeless, enjoys spending time with loved ones and owns a rescue pitbull and lizard.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

CONGRATULATIONS

DAVID STILES We join Oklahoma Magazine in saluting our colleague David Stiles and all of the other young leaders recognized as 2020 “40 Under 40” honorees.

®

TULSA 918.745.2333

|

OKLAHOMA CITY 405.848.2020

FAYETTEVILLE 479.521.9191

|

LITTLE ROCK 501.227.5800

hogantaylor.com

David Stiles, CPA HoganTaylor Assurance Senior Manager

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Congratulations

Bridget Goodacre on your nomination to Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40.

918.582.2220

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Brad Barnhart

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Claremore Operations general manager, Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs – Cherokee Nation Businesses In his role with Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs, Brad Barnhart oversees more than 600 employees nationwide and executes contracts with the U.S. government. “I love that every day brings new challenges and new opportunities to support the Cherokee Nation,” he says. “I always wanted to lead a company, and the opportunity presented itself with Cherokee Nation Businesses five years ago.”

More than an excellent leader, Barnhart enjoys that his job gives others the opportunity to thrive. “Every day, our company is striving to create opportunities for the Cherokee Nation,” he says. “Through the efforts of our company, we create employment opportunities for hundreds of people and fulfill our financial commitments to the Cherokee Nation [by] supporting their education services, hospital construction and community infrastructure improvements.” As general manager, Barnhart takes a “we, not me” approach. “I have found success in my career because I surrounded myself with smart, successful people who are all focused on achieving the same goals,” he says. Barnhart spends time outside of work with his family and is also an avid woodworker.

Jackie Price Johannsen

32

Tulsa President, Price Family Properties Jackie Price Johannsen works doggedly to breathe new life into downtown Tulsa through her work at Price Family Properties. The company owns and operates more than 2.5 million square feet of commercial and residential properties – many of which are historic Art Deco structures – and restores them. “I love seeing our visions come to life,” she says. “A lot of time and energy goes into the details of building out an office space, building a parking garage or converting an old office building into residential unit, and to see the final project is so rewarding.” Johannsen was a corporate lawyer in New York before returning to Tulsa to work with her family. “I had never imagined being in real estate, but it has been such an interesting career change,” she says. “To hear how much people love living and working downtown, or to overhear visitors say that Tulsa is so much cooler than they expected, makes me so proud to know that we are doing our small part in making downtown Tulsa better.” Johannsen volunteers her time with Tulsa Community WorkAdvance, which provides postsecondary education and other resources to underserved Tulsans. She and her husband are expecting a second son in August.

Andrew R. Davis

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Edmond Lawyer, Calvert Law Firm Andrew Davis represents clients in a variety of legal matters, from breach of contract and business disputes to complex commercial litigation, fraud and oil and gas issues. “I love having the opportunity to help and counsel people throughout the legal process, which is often confusing and stressful,” he says. “I am proud to be an advocate for my clients and help them level the playing field against money, power and influence.” Davis’ proudest moments are helping his clients achieve successful jury verdicts and donating his time to low-income people through Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma. “It is a blessing to be able to represent someone who might not otherwise have access to legal representation,” he says. If he weren’t a lawyer, he might be a professional athlete. “I played basketball at Texas A&M University-Commerce,” he says. “I may have tried to play professional basketball in another country, perhaps Spain or Australia.” Outside work, Davis enjoys time with his wife and daughter, who have seen lots of positive change in the last year.

“We bought a new house and found out my wife is pregnant with our second daughter,” he says.

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We’re invested in Oklahoma.

Garver has been helping Oklahomans for nearly 30 years.

And we couldn’t do it without those who know our state best, like Transportation Project Manager and Broken Arrow native Matthew Youngblood. He’s designed bridges over the Arkansas River, and uplifted communities through various GarverGives initiatives. Congratulations on being named one of Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40, Matthew!

GarverUSA.com

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W.H. ‘Wink’ Kopczynski III

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Tulsa Acquisitions project manager, Paladin Land Group As a Paladin landman, W.H. “Wink” Kopczynski III manages and directs a variety of oil and gas professionals and acquires oil and gas interests for his clients, who range from startups to established companies. “Each day brings new challenges and rewards,” says Kopczynski, a third-generation oil and gas worker. “Landmen are often the ‘boots on the ground’ for this industry, so to be able to represent multiple companies in front of many different communities and families throughout this great state is very rewarding.” Outside work, Kopczynski volunteers his time with the Tulsa Area United Way, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and various industry groups, like the Tulsa Association of Petroleum Landmen. “My involvement with [those charities] has truly been incredibly rewarding, but also a very real dose of reality in recognizing the many blessings in my life,” he says. Kopczynski enjoys golfing, University of Oklahoma football and traveling with his wife, “usually to a beach where our phones get little to no signal – or at least where we can pretend to not get a signal.”

Kassi Roselius

35

Choctaw Physician, medical professional director and public health coordinator, Citizen Potawatomi Nation Health Services To say Kassi Roselius wears many hats would be an understatement. First, she is a family physician who sees patients of all ages for preventive medical needs; performs well-child checks; offers prenatal care; handles procedures for contraception; and manages patients’ chronic diseases, like diabetes and hypertension. Second, she is a medical professional director who “assists in the direct leadership of colleagues, including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.” In that role, she is a voting member of the governing body of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Third, she is the Nation’s public health coordinator, providing access to immunizations and promoting healthy lifestyles with outreach programs.

The favorite part of her job is “getting to know my patients and their families,” says Roselius, adding that she is proud when “patients can find some relief or satisfaction in a diagnosis or treatment.” Her multi-faceted job with the Nation combines all that she seeks as a professional: the ability to be her own boss; science; and serving others. Roselius is a self-described “foodie” and in her spare time enjoys running, reading, dancing and live music.

Heath Evans

37

Tulsa Surgeon, Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery As an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Heath Evans treats a variety of issues, diseases and disorders of the face and jaw. These include everything from dental implants and tooth removals to treating tumors, bone grafting and corrective jaw surgery. A favorite part of his job is the collection of people he interacts with – both co-workers and patients. “I have the opportunity to meet so many different people and try and impact their lives and health in a positive way,” says Evans, adding that he especially enjoys “taking great care of someone who is terrified to be there and giving him or her a positive outcome.” His father and brother are both dentists, so Evans felt a pull to enter the same sector. Active in philanthropic efforts around Tulsa, Evans spends time with the Eastern Oklahoma Donated Dental Services, Little Light House and YWCA. He also has a special love for the Mental Health Association. “Substance abuse has touched [ family members’] lives, and opioid abuse is a big issue in my profession, so the Mental Health Association is a natural fit,” he says. Outside work, Evans enjoys spending time with his family on skiing trips or at Grand Lake.

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Amy Summers

31

Noble Chief executive officer, Red River Youth Academy Amy Summers leads the charge at the Red River Youth Academy, an inpatient mental health facility for children and adolescents with behavioral disorders.

She coordinates all interdisciplinary care, oversees the staff and ensures the facility is prepared for any situation.

Summers loves the hands-on part of her leadership role, which allows her to be directly involved with all programs. While the job seems daunting, Summers has prepared for it her entire life. “Growing up, I was always the ‘good girl’ who gave advice and direction to my peers,” she says. “This led me to wanting to work with troubled youth and, in turn, to the counseling profession.” After she became a licensed counselor, her ambition led her to administration. In her spare time, Summers volunteers with the Batten Disease Support and Research Association; her daughter was diagnosed with the nervous system disease at just 22 months old. “I attended Rare Disease Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill in February and spoke to legislators about various issues facing the children and families affected by rare diseases,” she says.

Joel Daniel Phillips

30

Tulsa Artist San Francisco transplant Joel Daniel Phillips moved to Tulsa in 2017, when he was selected for the Tulsa Artist Fellowship. He anticipated Tulsa as a place to enjoy a transformative – but brief – experience; instead, it has become his permanent home. Phillips says working for himself is a major benefit – and what took him out of the graphic design business more than seven years ago. “I get to decide on a moment-by-moment basis what is important or interesting to me and then respond to that,” he says. Phillips’ work has been showcased around the country, including the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. He has a solo exhibition in New York this fall.

He often uses his art as social commentary and cites a series of life-size portraits of his disenfranchised neighbors in San Francisco as an example.

“What started as a way to get to know my neighbors very quickly became using portraiture to celebrate the value of folks whom larger society had chosen to overlook,” he says.

Phillips is recently engaged and enjoys woodworking, outdoor activities and a sandlot baseball club.

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Congratulations MARK Director

of

ZITZOW Urban

Planning

2020 40

1

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UNDER

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HONOREE

OKC

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Bridget Goodacre

Morgan Hager

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Edmond Vice president of health, safety, environmental and regulatory, Chesapeake Energy Operational integrity is the goal for Morgan Hager, who supports a team of oil and gas professionals and maintains a focus on health, safety, and environmental and regulatory excellence at Chesapeake. “Our values, ‘the who we are,’ is a commitment to enabling safe and environmentally responsible operations and incorporates our societal and governance programs and initiatives,” she says.

Hager enjoys her co-workers and the collaborative environment at Chesapeake.

“Every day we work through challenges and do it together,” she says. “We have a clear vision, which allows us to collaborate, create work/life harmony for each other, have variety in our work, be autonomous, and still come out at the end of a challenge with an innovative solution to make us better each day.” Hager’s interest in math, science and engineering, combined with her love for people and making the world a better place, landed her in this role. “I wanted the world to be safer, cleaner and healthier,” she says. Hager is on the executive leadership team at the Central Oklahoma American Heart Association; the involvement was inspired by her husband, Dustin, who was born with a congenital heart defect. Off the clock, Hager spends time with her family and supports the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Robert Lee

33

Broken Arrow Construction manager, Cowen Construction Bridget Goodacre is a fan of variety, so she’s found the perfect job as a construction manager. “I love that my job is so dynamic; no two days are the same,” she says. “I oversee construction projects from start to finish with accountability for the budget and schedule. Some of my other day-to-day responsibilities include supporting my project team, interacting with project owners and local jurisdictions, contract management and conflict resolution.”

Other highlights of the job include the finished projects – “every day you can see something was accomplished” – and showing her children the buildings she’s completed. The project she considers her greatest achievement, the Rose District mixed-use building, is underway. “It is a landmark development for downtown Broken Arrow and I’m very proud to be a part of it,” says Goodacre, who believes success comes from devotion.

“I feel personally vested in my projects and I love to dive into the details.” Off the clock, she loves the outdoors and spends time on the water, coaching her son’s soccer team and camping – and she even has a cul-de-sac Wiffle ball tournament planned for this summer.

36

Jenks Mayor, City of Jenks; art director, University of Oklahoma National Resource Center for Youth Services Robert Lee juggles two important jobs – one as the mayor of Jenks and the other as a graphic designer. The former is a volunteer role, the latter his profession. “As mayor, I work with the city council, city staff, residents and regional partners to make the city a better place to live,” he says. “The people I get to work with are my favorite part of serving the city. I’m incredibly proud of our residents, my colleagues on the council, the Jenks Chamber of Commerce and local business owners, city staff, the Oklahoma Aquarium, and our police, fire and public works departments.” His job as a graphic designer is rewarding because “I love helping organizations with the great work they’re doing,” he says. “Visual elements can make a huge impact on the success of any project, and I consider it an honor to assist with that extra push.” In both jobs, Lee finds joy in tangible accomplishments that improve people’s lives. His greatest achievement is bringing curbside recycling to Jenks. “Because of this program, thousands of pounds of recyclables are diverted from landfills each week and are put to better use by the folks at American Waste Control.” Lee, who is married to a previous 40 Under 40 honoree, enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and playing music.

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Congratulations, Jeannine! your Philbrook family

Congratulations Patrick Colvin on being chosen for Oklahoma Magazine’s 40 Under 40 class of 2020!

3800 First Place Tower • 15 East 5th Street • 918.581.8200

Jeannine Irwin, longtime Philbrook Wine Experience supporter

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Ben J. Harvey

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Oklahoma City Ophthalmologist and glaucoma specialist, Dean McGee Eye Institute; clinical assistant professor, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Helping patients maintain their vision and improve their quality of life makes the long hours and hard work worth it for Ben Harvey.

As an ophthalmologist, he treats a variety of eye conditions with a focus on glaucoma and has recently added teaching at the University of Oklahoma to his professional duties. The favorite parts of his job are the relationships, where he can “get to know my patients and their families through continuity of care, as glaucoma is an incurable, lifelong disease requiring perpetual monitoring.” Harvey works closely with the Oklahoma Academy of Ophthalmology, a nonprofit devoted to protecting Oklahomans’ vision. There, he’s worked on legislation for early access to eye drop refills.

He is also involved in the Novitas Contractor Advisor Committee and is passionate about providing eye protection for young athletes in Oklahoma. “There should be no educational or monetary barriers prohibiting our population from preventable and potentially blinding eye injuries, especially when it comes to our pediatric population,” he says. In his off time, Harvey spends time with his wife and children, reading and working on his yard.

Jeannine Renault Irwin

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Tulsa District agency business consultant and office manager, Farmers Insurance – Robert Irwin and Associates Jeannine Renault Irwin works closely with her team to create strategic planning and management for agents at Farmers Insurance. “Much of my expertise is centered on marketing strategies, community engagement and technology training,” she says. “Our job is never boring.

Any given day brings in its own set of tasks and challenges, but the people that we surround ourselves with is the biggest perk.” Irwin’s husband, Rob, has been with Farmers for more than 30 years, and she chose to build and strengthen its agent base in Tulsa. “I moved around a lot as a child, and it was important to both of us that our children get to be brought up in a city where both parents are strongly rooted,” she says.

Irwin has been involved with the Philbrook Museum for nearly a decade by serving on its board of trustees and helping to plan the Philbrook Wine Experience. She is also involved with Tulsa Ballet and volunteers with the National Charity League.

When she’s not sitting courtside at her daughters’ tennis matches, she enjoys spending time with friends over dinner. “So many great meals and stories happen when you share wine with friends,” she says.

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Kristen Thomas

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Tahlequah Instructional design specialist, Cherokee Nation “Every two weeks, a language dies,” Kristen Thomas says. “There are about 2,300 native speakers of the Cherokee language. Without significant intervention, the Cherokee language could face extinction in less than 40 years.” Thomas works diligently to prevent that from happening with the Cherokee language master/apprentice program, a two-year adult language immersion program whose goal is to “create new, proficient Cherokee speakers and teachers,” Thomas says. “My job is to facilitate a natural, progressive learning environment for Cherokee language learners.” While mastering a new language can be frustrating at times, Thomas’ favorite parts of the job are watching students “gain the confidence to speak the language and go on to teach Cherokee to others,” along with seeing native Cherokee speakers talk with second language learners for the first time. “To see their eyes light up with hope fills my heart,” she says. Recently, Thomas helped organize the first celebration of Cherokee speakers in U.S. history, with more than 600 native speakers in attendance. “That day is one that I will remember as one of the most rewarding days of my life,” she says. She also spends her spare time volunteering with youth leadership programs, relaxing with her family and learning new art forms.

If you know someone who fits the bill as a 40 Under 40 honoree, tell us about them. Vist okmag.com/ nominate40under40 to get started.

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Architect Brian Freese says homeowners today ask for open space and natural light. Those requests are shown in this remodeled Tulsa home, which transformed a dark kitchen and living room into an open, airy dwelling with views of the outdoors. ”After” photo by Nathan Harmon; “before” photos courtesy Brian Freese

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

TRANSFORMING

YOUR HOME

By M.J. Van Deventer

Whether you plan on remodeling one room or renovating the entire house, the daunting first question remains: Where do you start?

A quintet of experts – Brian Freese, David Trebilcock and Kurt Barron from Tulsa, Paul Little and Kent Hoffman from OKC – represent more than a century of combined experience and can help with problems, big or small.

TURNING ideas and desires into a reality requires taking the renovation plunge … either by yourself or with the help of an expert in the field. Planning keeps goals in mind throughout the process.

Sometimes you want to do just a little … a small project here or there. At other times, especially if you don’t have to worry about budget considerations, you can go overboard with a renovation. The late Charles Faudree, a nationally known interior designer, often espoused decorating excess by saying, “Too much is never enough.”

Don’t let fear guide a remodeling project. Embrace this rewarding opportunity to try new colors, see a room in a different way and experiment with popular design themes.

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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AFTER Paul Little completely revamped the inside and outside of this OKC home. From cosmetic changes like paint and landscaping to an overhaul of the interiors, like in the below guest bathroom, this renovation was made easy with expert help.

Photos courtesy Paul Little Construction

BEFORE

DIY vs. Ask an Expert BEFORE

AFTER

Maybe you’re a hands-on homeowner who prefers a good do-it-yourself project – more power to you. But it’s important to know when it’s time to hang up your construction hat and call in the experts.

“Any project that’s a simple remodel – that doesn’t really affect the overall flow and function of the home – a homeowner can do themselves,” says Brian Freese of Freese Architecture. “If a project requires some deeper analysis of the function, flow, aesthetics or structure of the home, then it definitely requires a qualified architect.”

In other words – if the project is basic, like painting a room, hanging some shelves or adding accents to furniture, go it alone.

You need a few supplies, like a ladder, good brushes, paint rollers and basic carpentry equipment.

But maybe you want to remove a wall to give the room more space. Questions abound: Do you know what’s inside or behind the wall? Are there potential hazards you don’t know about?

The main question when deciding on completing a project solo should be: What’s the worst possible outcome if I do this alone? If the project involves plumbing, wiring, lighting or moving walls, it’s best to play it safe and call an expert. This choice usually saves time, money and stress along the way.

Tools of the Trade If you want to expand your personal tool

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

belt, Paul Little of Paul Little Construction says “a sawzall [reciprocating saw] is a great tool that will cut anything. You also need a cordless screwdriver, an impact screw gun, a drill, a hammer, a pry bar, safety glasses, gloves, a miter box and ear plugs to curb loud noises.”

Freese adds that for many DIY projects, “a homeowner would need more tools that he or she thinks. Even a modest remodeling project requires a lot of tools to do it right – not just one hammer, a variety of hammers, a variety of drill bits for a cordless drill, more than one kind of saw,” he says.

With a specific renovation in mind, you might need a building permit, especially if the areas you plan to change involve heating, air conditioning, water or plumbing.

Insurance is also a must; most contractors and architects carry project insurance.

Organization You’ve likely spent hours looking at magazines, interior design books or videos for ideas. To consolidate that inspiration, “make a simple scrapbook of favorite ideas” for the professionals you hire, says David Trebilcock of Trebilcock Construction.

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A transformation by Paul Little makes this kitchen shine. An expanded window adds extra light, while new cabinets, appliances and lighting fixtures create a streamlined, modern look.

Photos courtesy Paul Little Construction

color or unusual fabrics for upholstery, draperies and pillows to brighten up your home. It’s fun to have pleasant surprises in your decor. This type of planning is a valuable reference for your contractor or architect because it’s your wish list. Detailed discussions before a project begins can save you dollars and time in the process.

Renovation by Room For most projects this year, Freese sees a few common requests: “Simple open space.

Long-lasting, durable materials. Lots of natural light.” Read on for other tips and trends for different areas of the home.

BEFORE AFTER

KITCHEN Kent Hoffman of Kent Hoffman Construction suggests using certified designers in overhauling this space.

“They will know if you need to have water or gas lines disconnected or capped before they begin working,” he says.

The center island is more than a work space today. It’s the heartbeat of the modern home – a place for family and friends to enjoy informal dinners, holiday events or casual gatherings. Pendant lighting over the center island is popular.

The center island demands a durable, easyto-clean counter top; a small sink for food preparation is helpful. These additions don’t have to be new; antique pieces, like an old farm table with new, tall legs, can add bits of history and personality to your kitchen story.

BATHROOM Luxury and personal indulgence should reign here.

Soft, muted colors are calming in this environment. New faucets, his and her sinks and toilets, ample cabinets for storage, luxury showers with multiple water heads, and tile or marble floors are popular this year.

Chandeliers can light up master baths by adding elegance to a once purely functional space.

MASTER SUITE More than just a place to sleep, master suites are havens of relaxation. This room is as important as the kitchen or living area.

A fireplace, plush carpeting, subdued lighting and a seating area for reading, conversation or watching television are popular options. Opt for soothing fabrics, elegant draperies, luxurious bed coverings and complementary pillows.

Some experts create patios adjacent to the master suite that are perfect for morning coffee … or a nightcap before bedtime.

Stargazing before slipping into bed under high thread-count sheets is a soothing, endof-the-day experience.

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HIS AND HER CLOSETS These parts of the home are particularly important for Kurt Barron, president and CEO of Barron and McClary General Contractors.

“I ask clients to count their shoes, handbags, long dresses and seasonal clothes when designing this space. This is sometimes a forgotten area,” says Barron, adding that the more a contractor knows about a client’s lifestyle and fashion tastes, the fewer the design errors.

After all, this is where you start and end your day, so function is a necessity.

Closets and dressing areas can be expanded with luxurious touches, such as extensive center islands for lingerie, pajamas and jewelry. If it’s a shared closet, two center islands might come in handy. Other amenities include chandeliers, shoe racks for easy access, pull out racks for storage and other accessories, comfortable chairs and a TV. Barron says a closet needs to be organized and designed to make getting dressed a pleasure and never a chore.

LIVING AREA The open living room, with views of the kitchen and formal dining area, is in vogue.

With this seamless look, traffic flows from one room to another and gives the living room a grand feeling – perfect for entertaining.

Most living areas feature fireplaces with comfortable seating for conversation. Eliminating walls is also a trend.

Most contemporary homes have wooden beams to accent vaulted ceilings, which add drama to any room. Nature plays a role here, too, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing lush views of exterior landscaping.

OUTDOOR LIVING Forget dragging old lawn chairs from the garage. Today’s outdoor living area is as well-appointed as the rest of the home, with durable furnishings, night lighting, a television, a fireplace, ample seating, a full-service kitchen and a dining area.

It can become an inviting, year-round, second living and entertaining area for friends and family – a perfect incentive for a renovation.

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Tulsa by Tracy LeGrand OKC by Kimberly Burk

American Solera, Tulsa

Andolini’s Pizzeria, Tulsa

Myriad Botanical Gardens, OKC

Plenty Mercantile, OKC Photo by Shevaun Williams

All photos courtesy the company/district/event unless otherwise marked.

Midtown, OKC Photo by Shevaun Williams

Hodges Bend, Tulsa Photo by Jessica Karin Photography

Dust Bowl Lanes and Lounge, Tulsa and OKC Photo courtesy McNellie’s Group

Osteria, OKC

From live music and great eats to shopping,, drinking and community events,, distinct areas in Oklahoma’s two biggest cities offer unique experiences right around the corner. Enjoy a breakdown of Tulsa’s and OKC’s neighborhood gems so you can become a tourist in your town.

APRIL 2020| WWW.OKMAG.COM

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TULSA

Guthrie Green Photo by Jonnu Singleton

The Church Studio Rendering by Lilly Architects

John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation Photo by Damon’s Droneography

Saturn Room Photo by Jessica Karin Photography

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Tulsa Arts One of the oldest downtown hubs, the Tulsa Arts District is rich with iconic spots, like Cain’s Ballroom and the Tulsa Theater (formerly known as the Old Lady on Brady and the Tulsa Municipal Theater).

Culturally diverse and hopping, this district is where you can attend musical performances or just hang out on Guthrie Green, and participate in the monthly First Friday Art Crawl.

The Woody Guthrie Center, as a museum and event facility, memorializes one of Oklahoma’s most influential natives. In the same block on Reconciliation Way is the Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education. The Arts District is also home, for the second year, to Tulsa International Mayfest, which has joined forces with Ahha. 108 Contemporary is another unique arts destination.

Dining and nightlife abound with Valkyrie or Welltown Brewing. Get a classic tiki cocktail at the Saturn Room. Eateries include Chimera, Amelia’s, Duet and Glacier Bean to Bar. “Downtown in itself is a neighborhood of districts,” says Brian Kurtz, executive director of Downtown Tulsa Coordinating Council, referring to the Arts, Greenwood, Blue Dome, Art Deco and East Village areas. “You can find dining, retail and entertaining options within each district and still it’s all part of downtown.”

Greenwood With a storied past as Black Wall Street, Greenwood has cultural touchstones providing both entertainment and historic context.

Along with the Greenwood Cultural Center, John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park provides eye-opening and educational experiences.

“The John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation offers programs that: challenge our civic courage to connect with and … understand others [with different] experiences and beliefs; stimulate dialogue on pressing social issues; promote

justice and universal cultures of human rights of diverse communities; and bring people together [by using] history to take on challenges to democracy and human rights,” executive director Reuben Gant says.

For entertainment, the district features Living Arts, the She Theatre and Lounge, and ONEOK Field, home of Tulsa Drillers baseball and FC Tulsa soccer. Dining opportunities include Wanda J’s Next Generation, Lefty’s and Fat Guys.

Blue Dome Before or after shows, the down-toearth vibe of the Blue Dome District lures concert goers with dining and cocktails.

El Guapo’s and Roof Sixty-Six boast bird’s eye views while you sip or sup. You can get a pint at McNellie’s, knock down pins at Dust Bowl Lanes and Lounge or travel back in time at Max Retropub.

Other choices include the elegance of Juniper or the broth-and-noodle allure of Jinya Ramen.

“Fifteen years ago, the Blue Dome District was one of the first downtown districts coming to life, and McNellie’s Group was among our first sponsors,” says Malcolm McCollam, executive director of the Saint Francis Tulsa Tough bicycle races. “Saint Francis Tulsa Tough will once again begin three days of races with the McNellie’s Group Blue Dome Criterium on June 12, and we’re just as excited as ever.”

Deco Tulsa is among the most Art Deco-bedecked cities on earth and nowhere is that more evident than in the Deco District, which has the Mayo Hotel and the Tulsa Geoscience Center.

The Art Deco Museum has Tulsa-centric gifts and many forms of fun at Decopolis. Dining options include Billy’s on the Square, Lassalle’s, Elote and Ti Amo. “The Deco District has continued to have significant development and investment with new hotels, retail, public arts

and investments in the public realm, making it a desirable part of downtown,” Kurtz says. “There’s Tulsa Club Hotel and another hotel coming along with luxury housing [and] workforce housing.

Excitement is building with lots happening.”

East Village A quick glance at the East Village Facebook page shows an up-andcoming Tulsa presence called “the sunny side of downtown.”

Drink and dining options include: East Village Bohemian Pizzeria, with happy hours and lunch specials from brother-sister duo Pat Johnson and Amy McMillin; the Goat Bar and Kitchen; Lowood; Hodges Bend coffeehouse and cocktail bar; and Whiskey 918.

You can catch a play at American Theatre Company or satisfy your sweet tooth at Rose Rock Microcreamery while checking out who’s playing at the Boxyard.

Pearl District The Pearl District’s history is filled with musical legend because it’s home to the Church Studio, Leon Russell’s church-turned-recording studio, where the famous Tulsa Sound was born in the 1970s. In recent years, the Pearl has experienced a renaissance with entertainment and cultural opportunities developing alongside longtime mainstays like Centennial Park and the Nightingale Theater.

The Mother Road Market is Tulsa’s first food hall, a community space with retail and food concepts. The Vault is a pop-up retail space for entrepreneurs. Classic eateries include El Rancho Grande and Ike’s Chili House. For Cajun grub and live blues, Swamp House delivers. Stand out bars include the Dead Armadillo, Blackbird on Pearl and Pearl Beach Brew Club.

Brookside

for mid-20th century Tulsa. These days, it’s a hip, happening spot with boutique shopping, like the Ida Red general store and Richard Neel Home, along with fine dining at Doc’s and seafood and sushi at In the Raw. Check out Bricktown Brewery or Elmer’s for burgers and brews.

Brookside has some of the most popular bars in Tulsa: R Bar, Warehouse and Another Round. The district is also known for its farmers market, strolls in Woodward Park and celebrations of spring with Herb Day on Brookside.

East Village District

Cherry Street

Cain’s Ballroom

Cherry Street is Tulsa’s only shopping district in a recognized historic district with boutiques at Nest, Slade and Ascent and one of the largest new age bookstores in the country, Peace of Mind.

Enjoy a cup of joe at Coffee House on Cherry Street or find your Irish at Kilkenny’s. Brother’s Houligan, Society Burger and Main Street Tavern are also handy for a burger and brew.

Cherry Street, the original name for 15th Street, is partially closed on Saturday mornings throughout the spring and summer for one of the biggest farmers markets in the region.

Metropolis at Mother Road Market Photo courtesy Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation

KendallWhittier Kendall-Whittier is a vibrant community with Circle Cinema, unique brew experiences at American Solera, food truck festivals and shopping. Fellowship among residents and visitors has flourished in recent years, says Lori Decter Wright, executive director of Kendall Whittier Inc., a nonprofit growing food for low-income people. “Those who don’t need our services are also welcome to engage in events or help garden,” she says. “Nourishment isn’t just food; it’s connecting with your neighbors.”

Cabin Boys Brewery

Prairie Fire Pie Photo by Adam Murphy Photography

Brookside Photo courtesy Brookside Business Association Woody Guthrie Center

Once upon a time, Brookside was the car-cruising strip of choice APRIL 2020| WWW.OKMAG.COM

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OKC

City Center

Oklahoma City streetcar Photo courtesy Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership The Collective Photo courtesy Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership

Oklahoma City’s offerings of food, drink, entertainment and retail are increasingly grouped in districts, six of which are connected by the Oklahoma City streetcar.

“The streetcar has really transformed the way people move about,” says Danielle Dodson, communications manager for the Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership. “It allows them to go to a favorite spot in Midtown, then come back downtown for a concert. The small-business owners stuck it out through the construction process, and now they are really benefiting.”

City Center’s biggest draw is the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, Dodson says.

Sporting events and conventions also bring people downtown, as do music and theater offerings at the Civic Center.

Popular night-time dining spots include Vast, Kitchen 324 and The Manhattan.

Scissortail Park, which opened last year, also brings customers to downtown restaurants. Social Capital, a stop on the streetcar route, has more than 100 beers on tap and offers a view of the park from its rooftop patio.

Midtown

Prairie Artisan Ales

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Midtown connects downtown with the historic neighborhoods to the north. Barrios Mexican Kitchen, The Hall’s Pizza Kitchen, Café Do Brazil and the Bleu Garten food truck park pack in the diners.

Dust Bowl Lanes and Lounge is a bowling alley with 12 lanes, a full bar and a fun menu with items such as Xtreme Tots, which come topped with bacon, chili, onions, cheese, jalapenos and ranch dressing.

Retail includes Mode and The Black Scintilla for trendy women’s wear, the stationery shop Chirps and Cheers, and Commonplace Books, which features poetry readings, lectures and children’s story time.

Automobile Alley The stunning home of the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center is at Northwest 11th Street and Broadway Avenue on the northern boundary of Automobile Alley.

“Broadway is a huge corridor for retail,” Dodson says. “You can park and walk and go into 10 shops.”

For home décor, offerings include Plenty Mercantile, Tin Lizzie’s and Urbane. The Cargo Room, Hans Herman’s Tailors and the Oklahoma Shirt Company are among the clothiers.

Automobile Alley is also a place to wet one’s whistle; favorites include Prairie Artisan Ales, Sidebar Barley, the Wine Bar and Coffee Slingers. Eateries include Cultivar, Hatch, Iguana Mexican Grill and the Parlor, a food hall with seven restaurants and two bars.

Bricktown Bricktown’s Criterion, a concert venue, has a partnership with a booking agent, Dodson says, “and they are getting some great new acts.”

The Bricktown water taxi is a perennial favorite, along with the American Banjo Museum, Bricktown Comedy Club, Jim Thorpe Museum and the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, home of the OKC Dodgers. Brickopolis boasts laser tag, an arcade, miniature golf and a bungee trampoline.

Food and drink options include Toby Keith’s, Micky Mantle’s, Henry Hudson’s Pub and Tapwerks.

Plaza The rebirth of this district “started off really small,” just over 20 years ago, says Selena Skorman, executive director of the Plaza District Association and Plaza Business Alliance.

“They were pulling weeds and picking up trash – groundlevel grassroots stuff,” Skorman says of residents who formed a nonprofit to tackle blight and

attract a variety of businesses. “In the 1980s, artists moved in and lived in the back of the stores and had shops out front. That made our district culturally rich and vibrant.”

Skorman says the district has something for everybody, including the Lyric Theater, boutiques and salons. The Pie Junkie, Empire Slice House, Saints Pub and The Mule are big draws, she says of Plaza eateries.

Live on the Plaza, a block party and art walk, is the second Friday of every month.

Paseo Arts The Paseo Arts District, with its Spanish revival architecture, was developed in 1929 as the first shopping center north of downtown, says Amanda Bleakley, executive director of the Paseo Arts Association.

The Paseo “has a real welcoming feel, with the way the street is curved, and the buildings are painted different colors,” Bleakley says. “Quite often when you shop at the studios and galleries, the artist will be there.”

Restaurants include Picasso Café, Paseo Grill and Gun Izakaya, which Bleakley says is “Japanese street food with really good cocktails.”

For shopping, Bleakley’s favorites include Eden Boutique and Betsy King: A Shoe Boutique.

ReModernOk has mid-century modern furniture and accessories.

Crowds gather for the Paseo Arts Festival on Memorial Day weekend and the monthly First Friday Gallery Walk.

Western

Osteria

Plaza District Festival

Perhaps the city’s most eclectic district within a district is Western Avenue, home to everything from the high-end shops on Classen Curve to antiques stores and Guestroom Records, a haven for vinyl lovers.

Flip’s Wine Bar and Stella Nova anchor the drinking scene, and restaurants include Osteria, Iron Star Urban Barbecue, The Drum Room and Sushi Neko.

Stockyard City Lest anyone forget Oklahoma City’s origins, Stockyard City is just southwest of downtown and the place to find cowboy hats and boots, a juicy steak, live country and western music, Native American jewelry and Mexican baked goods. Places to hang your hat include the Rodeo Opry, the OKC Rattlesnake Museum and Rodeo Cinema.

And yes, people still buy and sell cattle every week at the Oklahoma National Stockyards.

Social Capital

The Pump Bar Photo courtesy Uptown 23rd District

Scissortail Park

Nonesuch Photo by Rachel Maucieri – Maucieri Visuals Paseo Arts Festival Photo by Josh Vaughn

Uptown 23rd The Tower Theatre is a concert venue and movie house that was brought back to life recently in the Uptown 23rd district.

Food stars include The Drake and Cheevers. Craig’s Curious Emporium offers unconventional gifts. Wet your whistle at Pump Bar, Ponyboy or the Bunker Club.

APRIL 2020| WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Easy

Ways

to

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ENTIRE WORLD from POLLUTION and CLIMATE

CHANGE,

but you can make

INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS with MOTHER

EARTH in mind.

We look at how to incorporate

SUSTAINABILITY into your DAILY

LIFESTYLE.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

By Matt Patterson

Pollution and humanity’s impact on the planet are continuously in the news, and, for some, the big picture may seem overwhelming. However, rather than saving the whole world individually, anyone can take baby steps toward sustainability to ease burdens on local facilities and save consumers a bit of money.

“The goal when people talk about moving into a more sustainable lifestyle is always to start where it’s the easiest,” says Corey Wren Williams of Sustainable Tulsa, a nonprofit promoting social responsibility, economic vitality and environmental stewardship.

“Where is your passion point?

Because if it’s something you’re interested in, you’re going to be more vested. Making those changes are easier. And it starts with just one, and then you can move on to other things rather than trying to do everything at once.”

A good place to start is the kitchen. To reduce plastic waste,

one can use reusable shopping bags, switch to glass containers to store leftovers, and eliminate single-use plastic bottles.

“My family recently switched because we saw that we were using a lot of plastic wrap and that was a way to reduce it,” Williams says. “It’s just a matter of taking a look around your kitchen and taking stock of what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.”

Reducing organic waste, which winds up in landfills, through composting is another simple step that might seem like a mountain to some. As with the kitchen, people can start small, Williams says.

That requires

an outdoor space dedicated to composting, which can be as easy as placing organic waste into a neat pile. Williams says composting containers can be used for those who don’t want mounds in their backyards or have neighbors who object.

“Composting is so simple,” she says.

“There are some [composting containers] that are picky and don’t want cooked foods in there, but, as long as you’re mixing it with leaves and turning it, you can pretty much put anything in there but meat and dairy.”

Williams says growing vegetables is another option because it eliminates trucking food from farms to stores.

“Herbs are easy to grow for even the most inexperienced gardeners,” she says.

Making sure a home operates efficiently also reduces carbon footprints and saves money. Programmable thermostats and energy-efficient windows lower energy use, says T.O. Bowman, the City of Oklahoma City’s sustainability manager.

“When you look at your home’s thermal envelope, are there things you can do to improve it? In most cases, there is room for improvement, and those sort of baby steps can add up to saving money,” he says.

Bowman says low-flow faucets, reduced shower times and xeriscaping (which requires little or no water) are other methods of sustainability and cost savings.

“If you have an irrigation system in your yard, make sure it’s functioning properly,” he says.

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Recycling

Recycling often requires sorting plastic and other items from regular trash. In 2018, Oklahoma City made large carts available to all residents to recycle paper, plastics, glass, aluminum, steel and cardboard. Tulsa has had a similar system for many years.

The programs keep recyclable materials out of landfills and other disposal systems.

See those cities’ websites for restrictions on what can go into the recycling carts.

OKC residents can drop off hazardous household waste at a dedicated facility for items like used batteries, motor oil and paint. A person dropping off 10 items can choose some usable items as part of the city’s exchange program.

“We definitely don’t want people putting things like used motor oil in a creek or storm drain, so we’re extending the life of our landfill, and it’s free,” says Raymond Melton, OKC’s superintendent of environmental protection. “You don’t even have to get out of your car when you bring items in.”

For those wanting to compost, the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service has offices in all 77 counties and provides tips and advice in person and online.

The Oklahoma Department of Central Services also has recycling tips online. In most counties, those items can be turned in at recycling centers. In Tulsa County, the MET Recycling Center has 12 locations and takes plastic, aluminum and hazardous waste. Most locations also offer compost bins and worms.

Oklahoma utilities offer energy audits for homes and rebates for high-efficiency appliances. ONG, OG&E and PSO have details on their websites.

“Those companies have received national recognition for their programs,” says Montelle Clark, energy director for the Oklahoma Sustainability Network. “For some low- and moderate-income customers, some of these things can be done for free.”

Diet

While committing to a plant-based diet might be too much for some people, those who want to reduce the impact that food has on the environment can buy locally grown or raised products.

“Think about how many miles the food you eat has to travel to get to you,” Williams says. “When you buy local, you cut down on that [carbon] footprint.”

Reducing meat consumption may help the environment. A 2019 study by Oxford University and the University of Minnesota found that eating plant-based meals twice a day could reduce food-related carbon emissions by 60 percent.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

TOP TO BOTTOM: LitterBlitz, a program of OKC Beautiful, encourages volunteers to clean up litter across town.

Photo courtesy OKC Beautiful Community events through Sustainable Tulsa offer citizens a chance to make the city a little greener.

Photo courtesy Sustainable Tulsa In 2019, through Sprouts’ Healthy Community Grant, OKC Harvest – created by OKC Beautiful – allowed educators at two Oklahoma City public schools to carry out regular gardening lessons and take care of the weekly garden maintenance.

Photo courtesy OKC Beautiful

Growing your own food is another easy way to shrink your carbon footprint.

“You can save a lot of money and you know where it comes from,” Williams says.

“Start small and stick to it. Once you get used to it, you realize that you won’t want to do it any other way.”

Transportation

With low gas prices and high levels of car ownership, carpooling is not as prevalent as it was during the energy crises of the late 1970s and early 1980s. But it remains an option for eco-friendly commuters.

Those looking to carpool can find partners on several apps, including rideshare. com. Oklahoma State University runs a carpooling program through erideshare.com, which pairs students who want to cut transportation costs. The University of Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma have similar programs.

Tulsa and Oklahoma City have citywide bus routes. Last year, Oklahoma City added Sunday bus service and a $140 million electric streetcar system linking areas adjacent to the city’s core.

Community Service

Taking the ecology fight to the community is another option in making your immediate environment sustainable. Many cities have community cleanup events.

In Edmond, the Arcadia Lake Sweep brings people together for food, fun and picking up trash every spring to help keep that area beautiful.

Since 2001, OKC Beautiful has hosted the Litter Blitz; volunteers collected more than 180,000 pounds of trash from city streets in 2018.

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful holds cleanups across the state; they can be found at the organization’s website. The nonprofit also offers a recycling directory for drop-off points.

Keeping trash off the streets can begin at the grocery store by purchasing items with less plastic and using reusable bags to prevent the cashier from asking, “Paper or plastic?”

“A lot of trash comes from products and packaging commonly found at grocery stores,” Williams says. “By reducing your purchases of those types of food and limiting your food waste, that helps keep landfills less full and less plastic waste that finds its way onto streets and into waterways.”

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GO RED FOR WOMEN® INVITES YOU TO

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE PROFESSIONALS FINANCIAL ADVISOR What does the inverted yield curve mean to me?

The inverted yield curve is a point on a chart where short-term investments in U.S. Treasury bonds pay more than long-term ones. When it occurs, it’s regarded as a warning sign for the economy. Here are some ways to understand it. 1. How the bond market works: DAVID KARIMIAN CFP®, CRPC®, APMA® We’re focused on government-issued bonds, or U.S. Treasury securities. Investors who purchase treasury bonds are lending money to the government. In return, they earn interest, or a yield, on that security. Investors earn lower yields on shorter-term bonds and higher yields on longer-term bonds. 2. The slope change: Recently, the slope has flattened out, with little differentiation in rates between shorter-term and longer-term treasury securities. 3. Raising investor concerns: Yields on treasury bonds are driven primarily by demand. When yields on longer-term securities drop low enough to result in an inverted curve, it indicates that investors are seeking to buy those securities. 4.

Is it a reliable recession indicator? While a recession has often followed a yield curve inversion, it is not set in stone, nor is it a reliable indicator of the exact timing of a recession.

David Karimian, CFP®, CRPC®, APMA® Prime Wealth Management A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial 7712 S. Yale Ave. Suite 240 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.388.2009 • David.x.Karimian@ampf.com www.primewealthmgmt.com

HOSPICE CARE My father has Parkinson’s disease and his prognosis is not good. His physician has suggested hospice care, but we have no idea how we will pay for it. The world seems upside down right now and we don’t know what to do. Can you help?

I’m very sorry to hear of your father’s diagnosis. In the midst of hopelessness, hospice can be a tremendous comfort to you and your family. Everything that Grace Hospice offers is paid for by Medicare, insurance or private contribution. Please call us as soon as possible, so we can begin our work and help everyone involved enjoy each moment of every day to the fullest extent possible. You can reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 918-744-7223 or at www.gracehospice.com.

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At BA Med Spa, we see women every day facing this problem, which is why we offer Ultherapy®, which is considered to be the MALISSA SPACEK industry’s “gold standard” for treating laxity in the skin of the face, neck and chest. Why? Because Ultherapy® is the only non-invasive procedure to have the FDA-indication to tone, tighten and lift skin. No other procedure can do what Ultherapy® does. To find out if this procedure can help you feel more confident in your clothes this summer, call the BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center at 918-872-9999 to schedule your complimentary consultation.

Dr. James R. Campbell D.O. and Malissa Spacek, Founder BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center 510 N. Elm Place Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012 918.872.9999 www.baweightspa.com

PERSONAL TRAINER How can I get in shape?

Getting in shape involves a plan of medical prescription, nutritional guidance and physical training.

You must be consistent in all areas and use a wide variety of exercises and rep schemes during workouts.

Furthermore, integrating recovery concepts such as massage, JOHN JACKSON whirlpool, gentle stretching and sleep will enhance your efforts as you continue to achieve your goals. Normally if you can stick to an exercise regimen for 60 days, it will become habit and results will follow. Keep the faith and make it happen.

LEGAL SERVICES What is a partition action?

A partition action is a legal proceeding to divide up ownership of real property. When two or more owners of real property no longer wish to be joint tenants or tenants in common, an action for partition may be filed. The court will first determine the interests of each BRAD BEASLEY person in the property. The court will then appoint three commissioners to partition the property – physically divide it up between the owners. If the property cannot be partitioned in kind, the commissioners will appraise the property. Any of the owners may elect to purchase the property at the appraised value. If none of the owners elect to purchase or if more than one owner elects to purchase, then the property will be sold at public auction by the sheriff with the proceeds ultimately divided according to the interests of each party.

Bradley K. Beasley Boesche McDermott LLP 110 W. 7th St., Suite 900 Tulsa, OK 74119 918.858.1735 (Direct Dial) 918.583.1777 telephone 918.592.5809 facsimile

ed t a c u Ed Your opinion here.

Help Oklahoma Magazine readers with your expertise.

OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA

Caitlin Eversole Admissions Supervisor Grace Hospice of Oklahoma 6218 South Lewis, Suite 1000 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.744.7223 www.gracehospice.com

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

John Jackson, Personal Trainer St. John Siegfried Health Club 1819 E. 19th St., Tulsa, OK 74104 918.902.4028 jljackson70@hotmail.com

OKLAHOMA advertising@okmag.com • 918.744.6205 Views expressed in the Professionals do not necessarily represent the views of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Co. or its affiliates.

TASTE

FOOD, DRINK AND OTHER PLEASURES

‘THE EXOTIC IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD’ A decade after moving to Oklahoma and starting a farm outside Depew, Lisa Becklund expands her reach with a Tulsa restaurant.

I

Lisa Becklund, in the running for a James Beard award, is set to open her newest restaurant, FarmBar, on Tulsa’s Boston Avenue.

Photos by Josh New

f you saw gritty, wiry Lisa Becklund all muddy and dusty while picking green beans on her farm in rural Oklahoma, you’d swear she was born and raised in the American heartland.

But she grew up in big-city Seattle “and there’s no romantic story of baby me learning to cook next to my mom,” she says. “My parents never cooked; they worked all day and I learned to cook to feed myself.”

The journey to her Living Kitchen Farm and Dairy, just off Route 66 outside Depew, is as curvy as some parts of the historic highway.

“I’d come home from school and watch cooking shows on PBS,” Becklund says. “One day when I was 10, I cooked beef Bourguignon from a recipe I got from the Galloping Gourmet. My parents loved that food.

“And that was what hooked me. I realized that my cooking could make people happy. And that’s what I’ve done all my life.”

She went through cooking school, put in her time as a line cook, became executive chef at the Pink Door (a Seattle treasure) and finally started a restaurant of her own, La Medusa. Her cozy, elegant Italian trattoria soon became an Emerald City landmark on its own.

Then, something happened.

While revered as a culinary pioneer, Becklund became discouraged by the apparent failure of a second restaurant and decided to go far away. She’d always loved farming, and Oklahoma seemed like a new beginning.

The year 2010 found her on a farm near Depew.

The early years were rough.

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TA S T E | FIR S T BI T E “But one thing you learn – there’s always next season,” she says. “If the spring crops fail, well, the summer might be better. And I learned a lot those first years. I learned how to help goats birth their kids – muddy and alone at 3 a.m. I learned a lot about repairing fences, how to fix my own plumbing and electric, and the many uses of duct tape.”

Becklund and Linda Ford, her best friend and business partner, decided to increase their almost-zero cash flow by holding a farm dinner. The tide turned.

Today, they serve 40 meals a year – two each week during spring and summer. They take reservations for each season’s dinner at 7 a.m. on a Saturday; by 7:20, the season is sold out.

So here you are after traveling on snaky roads for about an hour, following handwritten directions because even the GPS can’t find this place. You head down an unmarked dirt road to the 400-acre farm.

In a tiny kitchen, Becklund stirs soup, which has a whole bunch of herbs you don’t recognize. This is the Field Forest and Farm dinner. You taste the soup and it’s full of life and greenery, and, just like oysters are tasting the sea, this is like tasting the forest. Your eyes open wide.

And that’s just one course from one dinner. Each week’s dinner has a different, carefully planned theme.

Recently, something happened ... again.

“I was driving by 18th and Boston,” Becklund says about a trip to Tulsa, “and there was a restaurant space for lease. I remember thinking, ‘Someone should take this; someone should open a restaurant serving only local food;

TA S T E | L O C A L F L AV O R someone should make it so beautiful that when you walk in, you feel like you’re being hugged.’ And the next thing I knew, I was phoning the real estate agent.”

FarmBar, the new venture, hadn’t opened by the time of this writing, but it should soon.

“We’ll have an eating counter right around the kitchen so we can cook, talk to customers, have a great time,” Becklund says. “I’ll grow some vegetables myself, but most will come from farmers I know. Prairie Creek [Farms] will get us pigs and I’ll get beef from Rae Blakley. We’ll get some veggies from Mark [Appel] and Emily [Oakley] at 3 Springs Farm; they’ve been my friends forever.

“And we won’t serve a la carte; we’ll have tasting menus, prix fixe, based on what those farms have available that week. And best of all, Trey Winkle will cook with me. I’ve been admiring his work at Levain for years.

“At our dinners on the farm, I see people from all walks of life, all political views, sit down together. They eat the food, and they find a common ground in the food, and they talk and have fun.

It’s a privilege to help facilitate that and I hope the same thing happens [with the Tulsa eatery]. There will be individual tables, but we’ll have a common table, too.”

Whatever happens, Oklahoma has changed Becklund forever.

“I’ve dropped out of the Seattle dining scene, even the Tulsa dining scene,” Becklund said two years ago, “but my God it’s worth that or any price to wake up every morning surrounded by such life and beauty. In Seattle, I tried to find the most exotic spices from the remotest corners of the globe. But one day I was slammed by a revelation: You can find the exotic right outside in your own backyard.”

OKC’S NEW VEGAN HOTSPOT

Nurturing the seed of “food that loves you back” in the Midtown district, Plant is the latest vegan restaurant to quickly cultivate a wide following in Oklahoma City.

Plant touts a flavorful menu that is “100 percent gluten, dairy, soy, corn and peanut free,” says owner Emma Ryan, who, with her team, vigorously sources, prepares and develops ingredients and items. The restaurant, which offers everything from house-made almond milk to delicious bread, wants you to feel better about what goes into your body by teaching about healthful choices.

Smoothies and bowls utilizing fresh fruits and vegetables are highlights, but some not-so-familiar ingredients enhance and expand the plant-based experience. Maca and hemp seed, pineapple and coconut water, pine pollen and ashwagandha … these are just a few of the ingredients you encounter at Plant.

Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Plant offers popular items, such as avocado toast and acai bowls, along with quinoa pesto, tikka masala and to-go goji-chip protein bars. To find out how it’s done, pop into Plant and start thriving.

SCOTTY IRANI

One of many culinary delights at FarmBar is the seed and nut tart with smoked butternut, spinach broth, charred and dehydrated carrots, fried kale and sprouted wheat.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Photo by the Dwelling Table

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TA S T E | CHEF CHAT

ON HEARTBREAK AND ENDURING LOVE Shermin Khazaeli, thrust into an unplanned career, has kept Ray’s Café as ‘the gem of the neighborhood’ on OKC’s north side.

R

Shermin Khazaeli took the helm of Ray’s Cafe after her husband, Reza, died in 2015.

Photo by Scotty Irani

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eza “Ray” Moeeni landed in Kansas more than 40 years ago with a thousand dollars in his pocket, hopes for a great education, and a prosperous new life in the United States.

When the Iranian Revolution occurred in 1978-79, Moeeni had to leave his university because his family had no money to pick up the tuition. Working odd jobs from Kansas to California, Reza did what he needed to survive.

In Texas, Reza found permanent work in the restaurant business. He began as a dishwasher in the Kettle restaurant chain and worked into management, where he learned how to run his own establishment … and that’s exactly what he did.

This time, Oklahoma City welcomed him.

Moeeni’s widow, Shermin Khazaeli, remembers asking him why he chose OKC. “He told me, ‘Because there was more opportunity and affordable living,’” she says with a smile.

Moeeni began Ray’s Café on the south side in 1996, then moved to its present location on Northwest 50th Street in 2001.

“I was in Tehran and had a wonderful life as a professor in a university teaching English as a Second Language,” Khazaeli says. “A friend said she had a relative who was living in Oklahoma and that she thought we would be a good match.

“I was not really looking to be in a relationship, but agreed and said yes … then immediately wished I had not. I was secretly hoping Reza wouldn’t call me.”

Khazaeli laughs. From that long, initial phone call, Moeeni, a man who had never owned a computer, bought a laptop so he and Khazaeli could chat face-to-face as

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

often as possible at the café’s register at lunch and during breaks.

“That’s how I got introduced to a lot of Ray’s regular customers,” Khazaeli says.

“Reza even asked me to marry him over Skype, and I couldn’t say yes fast enough.”

After marrying in Iran in 2010, then waiting a year for her green card, Khazaeli settled into her new life.

“I had never been to the United States before, let alone Oklahoma City,” Khazaeli says.

Khazaeli was hired to teach ESL at Putnam City High School and had “the best years of my life,” she says. But in 2015, a month before their five-year anniversary, Moeeni died of a sudden heart attack.

“I was devastated,” Khazaeli says with what only one can imagine was the same lost expression that she had then.

“What was I going to do? This place that Reza literally put his heart and soul into … what was going to happen to it?”

One booth over from where Khazaeli sits, a customer answers the question.

“Ray’s Café is the gem of the neighborhood,” says Dana Spence, having a meal with her brother, Donnie Spence Jr. “A lot of the regulars are older.

This is where they socialize and get a great meal.

“A lot of folks need Ray’s. It’s a gem, and so is she.”

With help from her husband’s friends and fellow restaurateurs, Khazaeli took a crash course in the restaurant business and got to work. She expanded the café’s offerings to include the now-popular Persian Night on Thursdays.

“I made some cosmetic changes to the interior, bought a lot of new kitchen equipment, and started incorporating more fresh ingredients,” Khazaeli says. “All the Persian food, I have more of a hand in; otherwise, I am in good hands with the people who work here. They’re really great – like family.”

In Khazaeli’s eyes, her husband remains the café’s heart.

“Every morning, the first thing I say is, ‘I love you, Reza,’” she says.

SCOTTY IRANI

TA S T E | TA S T Y T ID BIT S

CASTLE FALLS

Photo by Brent Fuchs courtesy Castle Falls

World War II hero Bill Blecha turned memories of a Normandy castle into a family home in Oklahoma City. Today, Castle Falls is owned by Amy and Ralph Rollins as a storybook setting with two dining options.

The Cellar at Castle Falls has an old-world, informal ambiance and outdoor garden seating.

Entrées include a house-cut, 14-ounce ribeye over fivecheese au gratin potatoes with grilled portabello mushrooms and red wine sauce. Or you can try the lobster-bacon macaroni and cheese. Dessert splurges include a dark chocolate mousse.

The Primrose at Castle Falls features a five-course menu in romantic settings like the Primrose Library and the Turret Room for special occasions. 820 N. MacArthur Blvd., Oklahoma City; castlefalls.com

For fresh and memorable seafood with a view of the Arkansas River, Waterfront Grill has delighted guests since opening in 2011. Showcasing prime steak from Chicago’s Allen Brothers, Waterfront exudes big-city sophistication with selections like an award-winning cucumber martini. House specialties are vast and include the salmon club or rainbow trout cooked over hickory. Other favorites include the Tillamook cheddar burger, falling-off-the-bone baby back ribs and an abundance of sushi. Owned by the Blacketer family, the same Oklahomans behind Los Cabos Mexican Grill and Cantina, Waterfront Grill also has a can’t-miss brunch.

120 Aquarium Drive, Jenks; waterfrontgrilljenks.com

Photo courtesy Cryder Marketing and Advertising

WATERFRONT GRILL

Photo courtesy Waterfront Grill

TRAPPER’S FISHCAMP AND GRILL

A 12-foot-tall Kodiak bear greets visitors to Trapper’s Fishcamp and Grill, which offers a backwoods lodge experience complete with game trophies and authentic Native American canoes. The prime rib is considered among the best in the state; other favorites include anything mesquite-grilled on the menu. For an appetizer, try the flash-fried “buffalo oysters” with Louisiana buffalo sauce and homemade blue cheese dressing. For an entrée, perhaps go raw with oysters on the half shell, hand harvested from federally inspected beds in the Gulf of Mexico. Other entrée choices include crispy fried crawdad tails with black cherry mustard sauce, and, when available, alligator fried or blackened, a Trapper’s favorite. 4300 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City; pearlsokc.com/restaurants/trappers-fishcamp-grill TRACY LEGRAND

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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COMING THIS SUMMER

O N LY O N

WHERE & WHEN G R E AT T H I N G S TO D O I N O K L A H O M A

PETALING ALONG FOR 52 YEARS Muskogee’s annual Azalea Festival brings in hundreds of thousands of tourists for a monthlong, citywide celebration.

O

f the 150,000 visitors to Muskogee during April, some just drive through Honor Heights Park to take in the view of millions of blooming flowers. However, the annual Azalea Festival offers more than just its namesake blossom – it’s a monthlong, communitywide celebration with events, music, food and vendors.

“It’s a great time to be here in Muskogee,” says assistant parks director Rick Ewing, entering his 29th year of helping with the 52-year-old festival. “There’s a lot to choose from.”

Some of the events are the Azalea Festival Parade, the Exchange Club Chili Cook-Off and Barbecue, car shows, craft shows and concerts around town.

“A big favorite are the food trucks, tours, and events with the local winery and regional distillery and Party In The Park, when wineries and other breweries from around the country show up for the last Saturday,” Ewing says. “There are master garden-

ers, plant sales and … the stunning display of 15,000 tulips.”

The question of how many azalea plants are in the park makes Ewing chuckle.

“Older promotions loved to say 30,000, but I’ve been here 30 years and never found corroboration of that, especially over the past 10 years,” he says. “We just keep adding plants. The historic genesis of ‘Why azaleas?’ is interesting. Years ago, it was said azaleas couldn’t grow this far west, so my predecessors presented something that had people coming from everywhere to look at them. As with anything in nature, side activities spring up. The festival month is always a great time to be here in Muskogee.”

Ewing points visitors to the City of Muskogee and the Muskogee Chamber of Commerce websites and community calendars for details. Events run through April 30.

TRACY LEGRAND

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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W H E R E & W H E N | ENT ER TAI NMENT

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BLOCH AND BRAHMS

ROMANCE, CLASSICS AND A STOMPIN’ GOOD TIME

From ballet and musicals to symphonic concerts, classical performances abound this month.

Signature Symphony presents You’re Doin’ Fine, Oklahoma on April 3-4 and Mahler: The Song of the Earth on April 25, both at Tulsa Community College’s VanTrease PACE. Chamber Music Tulsa brings back the Miro Quartet to premiere a work by Pulitzer Prize-winner Kevin Puts on April 4-5. The Akropolis Quintet performs April 23. Venues vary, so visit chambermusictulsa.org.

Tulsa’s Performing Arts Center features Celebrity Attractions’ romantic musical Anastasia on April 7-12 and Tulsa Symphony’s Bloch and Brahms on April 18.

Check out up-and-coming dancers with Tulsa Ballet’s second company at TBII: Next Generation on April 24-26; venues vary, so check tulsaballet.org.

The Oklahoma City Philharmonic gets gritty, sweet and hypnotic with its Stravinsky classics concert April 4 at the Civic Center Music Hall. Also at the music hall are OKC Ballet’s Emotions: A Triple Bill on April 17-19 and the percussive thrills of Stomp, presented by OKC Broadway, on April 23-26.

Take a musical journey around the world April 23 with the male vocal ensemble Chanticleer at Edmond’s Armstrong Auditorium.

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Photo courtesy Tulsa Symphony

READY FOR AN EXCITING APRIL? READ ON FOR OUR TOP CHOICES THIS MONTH.

ART Art by Diane Savona

PERFORMANCE

IN MANY FORMS

108 Contemporary debuts its Art and Archeology exhibition this month. Fiber artist Diane Savona transforms objects found at garage and estate sales into breathtaking pieces crafted into unique silhouettes. The exhibition runs April 3-June 14.

Tulsa PAC Andrew Lloyd

Webber and Tim Rice reimagine the biblical story of Joseph, his father, Jacob, his 11 brothers and the coat of many colors.

tulsapac.com

TULSA SYMPHONY PRESENTS: BLOCH AND BRAHMS April 18 Tulsa PAC Principal guest

conductor Daniel Hege leads the orchestra through an energetic, passionate program. tulsasymphony.org

OK WORLD STAGE THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: THE REVOLUTIONISTS April

23-26 Tulsa PAC Four

beautiful, brave women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. tulsapac.com

TULSA BALLET PRESENTS: TBII – NEXT GENERATION April 24-26 Tulsa Ballet/Zarrow Performance Studio

IN TULSA

PERFORMANCES

SIGNATURE SYMPHONY PRESENTS: POPS – YOU’RE DOIN’ FINE, OKLAHOMA! April 3 TCC

Van Trease PACE Oklahoma!

is the place to be for an evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein musical favorites performed by a group of

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Broadway’s top vocalists.

Prize-winner Kevin Puts.

OKLAHOMA PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS: THE RITE, THE GIFT April 4

CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS PRESENTS: ANASTASIA

signaturesymphony.org

Tulsa PAC Allenato, the all-

youth company of Oklahoma Performing Arts, presents four complete works.

tulsapac.com

CHAMBER MUSIC TULSA PRESENTS: MIRO QUARTET April 4-5 Tulsa

PAC Enjoy the premiere

of a work by Pulitzer

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

chambermusictulsa.org

April 7-12 Tulsa PAC

Inspired by a beloved film, this romantic and adventure-filled musical arrives in Tulsa.

celebrityattractions.com

TULSA PROJECT THEATRE PRESENTS: JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT April 10-19

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ART AND ARCHEOLOGY

Experience the next generation of dance. tulsaballet.org

SIGNATURE SYMPHONY PRESENTS: CLASSICS – MAHLER, THE SONG OF THE EARTH April 25 TCC

Van Trease PACE The season closes with the fourth installment of the Mahler Project, featuring Gustav Mahler’s The Song of the Earth.

signaturesymphony.org

THEATRE TULSA PRESENTS: MATILDA

THE MUSICAL April 25-May 10 Tulsa PAC The

beloved book that has inspired generations comes to life. theatretulsa.org

CONCERTS

ART FIRST FRIDAY ART CRAWL April 3 Arts

District This year-round,

monthly event features works from galleries, artists, studios and museums.

WHISKEY MYERS April 2

thetulsaartsdistrict.org

Joint with Whiskey Myers.

April 3-June 14 108 Contemporary East-coast

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa Enjoy a night at the

hardrockcasinotulsa.com

SMOKEY ROBINSON April 11 Osage Casino

Motown legend Smokey Robinson performs. osagecasino.com

GROUPLOVE April 15

Cain’s Ballroom See this

electro-pop band with guest Le Shiv. cainsballroom.com

JASON BOLAND AND THE STRAGGLERS April 17

Cain’s Ballroom One of

country music’s hottest groups performs.

cainsballroom.com

STURGILL SIMPSON

April 23 BOK Center With

the release of his album and Netflix original anime movie, Sound & Fury, Sturgill Simpson is on A Good Look’n Tour with guest Tyler Childers. bokcenter.com

WYNONNA AND THE BIG NOISE April 25 Osage Casino Don’t miss this

exciting rock show with Wynonna Judd at the Skyline Event Center.

osagecasino.com

LENNY KRAVITZ April 26 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa Rocker Lenny Kravitz performs.

hardrockcasinotulsa.com

ART AND ARCHEOLOGY fiber artist Diane Savona uses her artwork as a means of historic preservation.

108contemporary.org

AHHA TULSA PRESENTS: NOT A NUMBER – ARTISTS FROM THE MABEL BASSETT CORRECTIONAL CENTER Through April 5 Ahha Tulsa

In collaboration with Poetic Justice, Ahha presents art by women imprisoned at the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center. ahhatulsa.org

THE CURRENT: ERIC SALL Through April 12

Philbrook This exhibit explores the colorful abstractions of Tulsa-based Eric Sall and how a transformative event augmented his risk-taking in abstract painting. philbrook.org

I-WITNESS CULTURE: FRANK BUFFALO HYDE

Through May 10 Gilcrease

Artist Frank Buffalo Hyde, from the Onondaga and Nez Perce tribes, says artists are responsible to represent the times in which they live. gilcrease.org

IN CONCERT discusses his life and career. tulsatownhall.com

TULSA AUTO SHOW

April 17-19 Expo Square

Vehicles of all makes and models are on display.

thetulsaautoshow.com

TULSA EARTH DAY

STURGILL SIMPSON

For red dirt music, check out Whiskey Myers at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Catoosa on April 2. Join the celebration of global and local music April 10-11 at the OK Roots Global Bash at Tulsa’s Guthrie Green, with food and novelty vendors, performance art, circus acts, drumming and family-friendly activities.

Smokey Robinson presents decades of soulful hits at Tulsa’s Osage Casino on April 11. Sturgill Simpson performs April 23 at the BOK Center.

Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy Arena welcomes singer, songwriter and actor Michael Bublé on April 3 and Latin trap singer Ozuna on April 11.

Thackerville’s Winstar Casino presents country music singer Tracy Lawrence on April 3, crooner Tony Bennett on April 18, country singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson on April 19, and comedian Ken Jeong on April 25.

Hit-makers Three Dog Night perform April 11 and Vince Neil rocks April 18 at the Choctaw Casino in Durant.

Philbrook This exhibition unveils some of the most fascinating privately owned objects in the

guthriegreen.com

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A PLETHORA OF GENRES

TULSA TREASURES: PRIVATE COLLECTIONS IN PUBLIC Through May 24

Earth Day-themed art show, listen to live music and browse handmade crafts.

community and sheds light on why people collect art. philbrook.org

MEMORIES AND INSPIRATION: THE KERRY AND C. BETTY DAVIS COLLECTION OF

OK ROOTS GLOBAL BASH

KENDALL WHITTIER ARTS FESTIVAL April 1819 Kendall Whittier District

Celebrate warm weather and the great outdoors.

visitkendallwhittier.com/ artsfestival

SPRING HOME AND OUTDOOR LIVING EXPO April 24-26 Expo Square

Get ready for warm weather at this exciting expo.

Photo courtesy Chesapeake Energy Arena

Photo courtesy BOK Center

Photo courtesy OK Roots Global Bash

CELEBRATION April 18 Guthrie Green Enjoy an

exposquare.com

TULSA BOTANIC BLOOMS Through April 26 Tulsa Botanic Garden Enjoy the

OZUNA

AFRICAN AMERICAN ART Through July 26 Gilcrease

Inspired by previous African-American art collectors, Kerry and Betty Davis began gathering a wide variety of works by African-American artists.

Firefighters take on police officers in this seventh annual charity event featuring MMA and boxing. bokcenter.com

NEOKLA SCCA AUTOCROSS April 18-19

gilcrease.org

Expo Square See exciting

MEXICAN MODERNISM: REVOLUTION AND RECKONING Through

OKLAHOMA BUCKSKIN SHOW April 24-25 Expo

Aug. 30 Gilcrease This

exhibit features a rotation of works representing a pivotal time in Mexico’s history. gilcrease.org

AETHER AND EARTH

Ongoing Gilcrease Aether

and Earth is how Mazen Abufadil describes his feelings behind the innovative process he developed – combining the ancient art of fresco with 21st-century digital photography. gilcrease.org

SPORTS TULSA OILERS HOCKEY

April 4 BOK Center See the

city’s hockey team in its last home game of the regular season. bokcenter.com

AQUARIUM RUN April 4 Oklahoma Aquarium, Jenks

This event features a half-marathon, 10K, 5K and 1-mile fun run for all skill levels. okaquarium.org

TULSA FC SOCCER April

4, 18 ONEOK Field Tulsa FC, formerly known as the Tulsa Roughnecks, continues regular-season play.

autocross events. exposquare.com

Square Dubbed the

Bloomin’ Blowout, this show is a can’t-miss event for the equestrian community.

oklahomabuckskin.org

COMMUNITY OSU-TULSA BUSINESS FORUMS PRESENTS: A CONVERSATION WITH MARTHA STEWART April 1

Tulsa PAC Martha Stewart

shares her experiences, wisdom and stories.

business.okstate.edu

OKLAHOMA DRESSAGE SOCIETY SPRING SYMPOSIUM April 4 Expo Square Enjoy this

event which promotes and supports the sport and art of dressage to the equestrian community.

okds.clubexpress.com

THE COLOR RUN April 4

River West Festival Park

Spend the day racing in this exciting version of the national Color Run.

thecolorrun.com/locations/ tulsa/

OK ROOTS GLOBAL BASH April 10-11 Guthrie

fctulsa.com

Green This event celebrates

TULSA DRILLERS BASEBALL April 9-14,

okrootsmusic.org

23-26, 28-30 ONEOK Field

The Drillers continue their regular season. milb.com/tulsa

SMOKE AND GUNS VII April 11 BOK Center

global and local music.

TULSA TOWN HALL PRESENTS: STEVE FORBES April 17 Tulsa PAC

Steve Forbes, whose family name is synonymous with the world of economics,

start of spring with more than 100,000 budding flowers. tulsabotanic.org

CHARITABLE EVENTS HEALING HEARTS GALA

including a tribute to the music of Prince, a rock star memorabilia raffle, a live auction and dancing at Tulsa Habitat for Humanity’s signature event. rockthehousetulsa.org

JULIETTE LOW LEADERSHIP SOCIETY LUNCHEON April 16

Southern Hills Country Club Patty Walker, chief

geoscientist at Exxon Mobil, speaks at this event to support Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma.

gseok.org/jlls

CELEBRATE CASCIA April

17 Cascia Hall This evening of dinner, auctions and dancing is sponsored by the Cascia Parent Faculty Association. casciahall.com

TULSA HEART WALK

April 18 ONEOK Field Walk

to raise awareness about heart disease and support the American Heart Association.

tulsaheartwalk.org

EQUALITY GALA April 18 Cox Business Center

Celebrate diversity at this Oklahomans for Equality annual event.

coxcentertulsa.com

ST. PHILIP NERI SOCIETY GALA April 23 Reynolds

April 2 Southern Hills Country Club This year’s

Center This fundraiser honors community leaders and celebrates the achievements of University of Tulsa students.

thegriefcenter.org

NINTH ANNUAL OYSTERS AND ALE April 2

OKLAHOMA NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE (ONE) AWARDS April 24

Hospice of Green Country and hospice care for patients who do not have the ability to pay for end-of-life care or do not have insurance.

This gala honors the work of Oklahoma nonprofits, with proceeds enabling the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits to serve communities throughout the state.

gala includes cocktails, dinner, live music, and silent and live auctions to support the Tristesse Grief Center.

Greenwood Cultural Center This event supports

hospiceofgreencountry.org/ oystersandale

BATTLE OF THE BANDS April 3 Cain’s Ballroom

tu-newman.org

Southern Hills Country Club

okcnp.org/one-awards

PHILBROOK WINE

EXPERIENCE April 24-25 Philbrook Museum

Presented by the Community Food Bank’s Junior Ambassadors, Battle of the Bands is a concert where high school musicians vie for the titles of best band and singersongwriter. okfoodbank.org

Renowned vintners and regional restaurants create an unparalleled wine tasting experience with a multi-course dinner and a live auction. philbrook.org

SIP FOR SIGHT: TASTE OF THE FUTURE April 4

This family-friendly event features food, inflatables, a fun run and an obstacle course to benefit the Child Abuse Network.

Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center This

business-casual event offers beer, wine, liquor and food tastings with a silent auction and liquor pull to support Vizavance.

sipforsight.com

GEM GALA April 4 The

Mayo Hotel As one of Junior Achievement’s signature fundraisers, the gala honors two of Tulsa’s most radiant “gems” and features live and silent auctions to benefit the organization’s focus on women and children in transition. jltulsa.org

ROCK THE HOUSE: PRINCE April 4 Cox

Business Center Enjoy

live entertainment,

SUPERHERO CHALLENGE April 26 Postoak Lodge

cansuperherochallenge.org

IN OKC

PERFORMANCES

OKC PHIL PRESENTS: STRAVINSKY – RITE OF SPRING April 4 Civic

Center Music Hall Enjoy works from composers Jonny Greenwood, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Igor Stravinsky. okcphil.org

LYRIC THEATRE PRESENTS: DISTANT THUNDER Through April 11 Lyric at the Plaza Darrell Waters, a successful young

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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W H E R E & W H E N | ENT ER TAI NMENT SPORTS

SOCCER, THUNDER AND HORSES GALORE Tulsa FC, formerly the Tulsa Roughnecks, host soccer matches at ONEOK Field on April 4 and 18. Home soccer matches for the Oklahoma Energy FC are April 4, 11 and 18 at OKC’s Taft Stadium.

Oklahoma first responders battle April 11 when police officers take on firefighters at the Smoke and Guns Charity Boxing Match at BOK Center; the match benefits Special Olympics of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Firefighters Burn Camp.

Tulsa’s Expo Square hosts NeOkla SCCA Autocross races April 18-19.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have home games April 1, 7, 10 and 13 at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

For equine fun, visit the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Spring Show at OKC’s State Fair Park from April 1 to 5 and the Oklahoma Buckskin Show on April 24-25 at Tulsa’s Expo Square.

lyrictheatreokc.com

TOMMY EMMANUEL WITH GUEST JOE ROBINSON April 15 Civic

Center Music Hall Tommy

Emmanuel has achieved enough musical milestones to satisfy several lifetimes. okcciviccenter.com

OKLAHOMA CITY REP PRESENTS: THE OKLAHOMA CITY PROJECT April 17-18 Civic Center Music Hall The

Oklahoma City Project gives voice to those whose lives were changed forever by the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

okcciviccenter.com

OKC BALLET PRESENTS: EMOTIONS – A TRIPLE BILL April 17-19 Civic

Center Music Hall Enjoy

three exciting pieces of choreography at this showcase. okcballet.org

CHANTICLEER April 23

Armstrong Auditorium,

Edmond The program includes folk and contemporary works from Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Samoan cultures. armstrongauditorium.org

OKC BROADWAY PRESENTS: STOMP April

24-26 Civic Center Music Hall Stomp is explosive,

inventive, provocative, witty, and unique – an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages. okcbroadway.com

CONCERTS MICHAEL BUBLÉ April 3 Chesapeake Energy Arena

Michael Bublé has sold more than 60 million records worldwide during his career. chesapeakearena.com

PATTI LABELLE April 10 Riverwind Casino, Norman

Beautiful does not describe the incomparable force

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known as Patti LaBelle. riverwind.com

OZUNA April 11

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Ozuna, one of Latin music’s most influential artists, returns to the touring stage. chesapeakearena.com

FOO FIGHTERS April 16

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Celebrate the band’s 25th anniversary at this exciting show. chesapeakearena.com

BOYZ II MEN April 17

Riverwind Casino, Norman

Boyz II Men is one of the best R&B groups in history.

exhibition explores the physical and social landscape of the United States during the Great Depression through paintings, prints, photographs and other media. okcmoa.com

ONE MUST SEE MANY THINGS: SELECTIONS FROM BEN SHAHN’S RILKE PORTFOLIO

Through May 3 OKCMOA

Known for his linear and abstracted images of the human body, Ben Shahn became one of the leading American social-realist artists in the 1930s.

riverwind.com

okcmoa.com

BABY SHARK LIVE April 17

O. GAIL POOLE’S SIDESHOW Through May

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Baby Shark Live, an immersive experience, makes a splash.

chesapeakearena.com

FOREIGNER April 24

Riverwind Casino, Norman

With 10 multi-platinum albums, Foreigner is one of the world’s the most popular rock acts. riverwind.com

ART FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK April 3 Paseo

Arts District More than

10 Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Norman Sideshow

surveys the satirical, often irreverent imagery of O. Gail Poole. ou.edu/fjjma

WARHOL AND THE WEST Through May 10 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum This

is the first museum exhibition to explore Andy Warhol’s love of the West, represented in his art, movies, attire, travel and collecting.

nationalcowboymuseum.org

80 artists and more than 25 businesses, all within walking distance, stay open late the first Friday of each month. thepaseo.org

DOROTHEA LANGE: POLITICS OF SEEING

RENEGADES: BRUCE GOFF AND THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE Through

her camera lens, Dorothea Lange documented American life with riveting, intimate photographs reflecting some of the most powerful moments of the 20th century.

April 5 Fred Jones Jr.

Museum of Art, Norman The exhibition includes more than 150 drawings, documents and objects, many of which are drawn from the American School Archive in the OU Libraries’ Western History Collection. ou.edu/fjjma

RENEWING THE AMERICAN SPIRIT: THE ART OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION Through

April 26 OKCMOA This

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

Through May 10 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Through

COMMUNIT Y

A SMATTERING OF EVERYTHING Community events are vast – from public forums to festivals and symposiums.

On April 1, the Oklahoma State University Spears School of Business Forums presents A Conversation with Martha Stewart at 9:30 a.m. at the Tulsa PAC and at 4 p.m. at the OKC National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

Tulsa Town Hall presents global economics expert Steve Forbes on April 17 at the Tulsa PAC. The Stillwater Balloon

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nationalcowboymuseum.org

COLORS OF CLAY Through May 10 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Colors of Clay

explores the cultural and regional diversity of indigenous ceramic vessel traditions in North America.

nationalcowboymuseum.org

FIND YOUR WESTERN

Through May 10 National

NORMAN MUSIC FESTIVAL

Festival and Taco Fiesta, on April 3-4 at Payne County Expo Center, includes live music, a car show, tacocentric grub and kid-friendly contests.

The next generation of indie rockers performs April 23-25 at the Norman Music Festival downtown.

The 48th annual Symposium of the American Indian returns April 13-18 at Northeastern State Univeristy in Tahlequah with the theme Visionaries of Indian Country.

Photo courtesy Norman Music Festival

attorney, returns to his childhood home in Montana to broker a deal that can benefit the impoverished Blackfeet Nation.

OKLAHOMA ENERGY FC

Photo by Steven Christy

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FA M I LY / K I D S Photo courtesy USAO

GREENGROW EXPO

April 4-5 State Fair Park

GreenGrow Expo is excited to partner with Regina Nelson from eCSTherapy to bring all three Cannacian Certification Levels to one place. greengrowexpo.com

BOTANICAL BALANCE

April 18 Meinders Hall of Mirrors This event, held

myriadgardens.org

ywcaokc.org/ reduce-the-odds

SUNNY DAYS CRAFT FAIR April 18-19 State Fair

Park Enjoy free admission and a plethora of crafts.

MONTMARTE CHALK FESTIVAL

statefairparkokc.com

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION April 18, 22

Science Museum Oklahoma

FLOWERS, CHALK AND LIVING HISTORY The annual Montmarte Chalk Festival on April 2 draws both participants and admirers of chalk art to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha with food, vendors and live music.

Join Baby Shark and his friends in singing sea adventures at Baby Shark Live at OKC’s Chesapeake Energy Arena on April 17.

Observe living history as pioneer life re-creationists from all over the country come to the Woolaroc Spring Mountain Man Encampment on April 17-18 at Woolaroc Museum in Bartlesville.

When you purchase a ticket to the April 18 Water Lantern Festival at the Route 66 Park Amphitheater in Yukon, you receive a floating lantern kit to enjoy with friends and family.

This event in the gardens and throughout the museum has science-based, hands-on activities and creative craft projects from repurposed materials.

sciencemuseumok.org/ gardens

NORMAN MUSIC FESTIVAL April 23-25

Main Street This event has more than 100 bands on multiple stages, featuring everything from indie pop to classic folk rock.

normanmusicfestival.com

CHARITABLE EVENTS CARE PACKS AND

COCKTAILS April 3 The Criterion A night

celebrating survivorship and raising money to spread love to cancer fighters includes dancing, drinks and an empowering show of survivors hosted by Tenaciously Teal. tteal.org

Perceptions of the West through popular media have been a mainstay of culture. nationalcowboymuseum.org

NARWHAL: REVEALING AN ARCTIC LEGEND

Through June 14 Sam Noble Museum of Natural History, Norman The

elusive narwhal with its magnificent spiral tooth has inspired art, legend and cultural practices for centuries.

samnoblemuseum.ou.edu

OKC THUNDER BASKETBALL April 1, 7,

10, 13 Chesapeake Energy Arena The state’s only

major professional team hosts regular-season NBA games.

chesapeakearena.com

ENERGY FC SOCCER

April 4, 11, 18 Taft Stadium

The Energy take on other teams in the United Soccer League. energyfc.com

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA BASEBALL

April 7, 14, 24-26 L. Dale Mitchell Park, Norman

Enjoy OU games as the regular season progresses. soonersports.com

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA SOFTBALL

April 10-11, 17-19, 24-26, 30 Marita Hynes Field Enjoy

stellar softball players in action. soonersports.com

20TH ANNUAL OKLAHOMA CITY MEMORIAL MARATHON

April 26 Scissortail Park A

celebration of life, this run honors those changed forever by the Oklahoma City bombing.

okcmarathon.com

COMMUNITY

OKC DODGERS BASEBALL April 14-20,

NORMAN MEDIEVAL FAIR

brings regular season baseball back to OKC.

magic of the past as you meet kings, queens and knights in shining armor.

29-30 Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark The warm weather

milb.com/oklahoma-city

April 3-5 Reaves Park, Norman Discover the

medievalfair.org

Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

Oklahomans look back and think ahead during the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing.

Remember and honor those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever.

memorialmuseum.com

YOM HASHOAH/ HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE PROGRAM April 23

Oklahoma City Community College’s Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater This annual Jewish

Federation of Greater Oklahoma City event commemorates victims of the Holocaust. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

jfedokc.org

SAFARI SOIREE April 24 Oklahoma City Zoo and

DSACO CUP April 13

AROUND THE STATE

Greens Country Club This

SPORTS

25TH ANNIVERSARY REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY April 19

Suites by Hilton This event,

set in 1960s Palm Springs, benefits the Oklahoma City Ballet. okcballet.org

Photo courtesy Water Lantern Festival

Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, raises support for survivors to reduce the odds of this crime.

Botanical Gardens Join the Oklahoma Zoological Society for a starlit stroll through the Oklahoma City Zoo. Begin the evening in Sanctuary Asia, indulging with cocktails, a silent auction and live entertainment.

BALLET BALL: PLIÉ SPRINGS April 3 Embassy

WATER LANTERN FESTIVAL

cancer.org

YWCA’S REDUCE THE ODDS CASINO NIGHT

FREE YOGA April 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28 Myriad Botanical Gardens

Practicing yoga in the gardens has the benefit of connecting with nature and offers a beautiful, tranquil space to help relieve stress and quiet the mind.

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Norman Volunteers come together every year at more than 2,500 American Cancer Association relay events around the country to support and celebrate survivors and caregivers.

charity tournament, hosted by the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma, includes a day of golf, lunch and raffles.

dsaco.org/gol

13TH ANNUAL WISH LUNCHEON April 14

Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club This Make-

A-Wish luncheon features silent and live auctions and heartwarming stories told by wish children and their families.

oklahoma.wish.org/luncheon

ART IN BLOOM April 16-19 Oklahoma City Museum of Art This festival of flowers

zoofriends.org

PERFORMANCES

POLLARD THEATRE PRESENTS: YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN April 10-May 2

Pollard Theatre, Guthrie This show is a fresh approach to the 1967 classic, based on the beloved comic strip by Charles Schulz. thepollard.org

MIAMI LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS: CURTAINS

April 23-26 Miami Little Theatre Enjoy a musical

comedy whodunit from the creators of Cabaret and Chicago.

miamilittletheatre.com

features interpretations of artworks from the museum’s collection crafted by locals, as well as some special programs. okcmoa.com

KEN JEONG April 25 Winstar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville Don’t

RELAY FOR LIFE April 17

winstar.com

University of Oklahoma,

miss the Laugh Doctor, better known as Ken Jeong.

APRIL 2020 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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W H E R E & W H E N | ENTER TAINMENT THREE DOG NIGHT April

COMMUNITY AZALEA FESTIVAL April

11 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant Rockers

1-30 Honor Heights Park, Muskogee Visit this

choctawcasinos.com

visitmuskogee.com

TONY BENNETT April 18

MONTMARTRE CHALK ART FESTIVAL April 2

extraordinaire Three Dog Night come to the Grand Theater.

Winstar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville One

of the world’s most lauded crooners visits the Global Event Center. winstar.com

VINCE NEIL AND STEVE ADLER April 18 Choctaw

Casino and Resort, Durant

See the frontmen of Motley Crue and Guns N’ Roses perform together.

choctawcasinos.com

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON AND THE STRANGERS

April 19 Winstar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville Kristofferson’s

success as a songwriter triggered his career as a performer and brought him to the attention of Hollywood. winstar.com

ART FINAL FRIDAY ART CRAWL April 24

Downtown Stillwater

Inspired by First Friday events in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, this lively art crawl is on the final Friday of every month and celebrates the art culture of the community. museum.okstate.edu

STATE OF THE ART 2020

Through May 24 Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Ark. A team of curators at

Crystal Bridges traveled across the country to select a diverse group of 61 artists from varied backgrounds and at different points in their careers.

crystalbridges.org

TEMPERA Ongoing Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Ark. Tempera painting (also known as egg tempera) has a rich history as a medium for artists from ancient times to today, and is an older form of painting than oil. crystalbridges.org

SPORTS OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY BASEBALL

April 3-5, 14, 18-21 Allie P. Reynolds Stadium, Stillwater

See the Cowboys take on Big 12 Conference foes. okstate.com

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY SOFTBALL April 9-11, 15 Cowgirl Stadium, Stillwater Enjoy

the spring weather by watching the Cowgirls.

okstate.com

stunning park throughout April for one of the top events in the south.

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Chickasha The annual

Montmartre Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival features hundreds of artists of all ages creating colorful works of art in chalk. usao.edu

SCISSORTAIL CREATIVE

APRIL’S A MIXED BAG

decade, this bookish blowout has brought together award-winning writers, academics and the public for readings.

A haunting documentary, a Wes Anderson revamp and a slew of horror films round out this month.

WRITING FESTIVAL April 2-4 East Central University, Ada For more than a

ecuscissortail.blogspot.com

BISON BISON FILM FESTIVAL April 3-4

City Central, Ponca City

Watch everything from thought-provoking and entertaining short films to horror features and dramas. bisonbisonfilmfestival.org

SYMPOSIUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN April 8-13 Northeastern State

University, Tahlequah The 48th annual Symposium on the American Indian is a mix of scholarly and cultural presentations that are open to the public free of charge. nsuok.edu

89ER DAYS CELEBRATION April 14-18

Downtown Guthrie The

annual 89er Days Celebration commemorates the Land Run of 1889 and the birth of Guthrie.

89erdays.com

WATER LANTERN FESTIVAL April 18 Route

66 Park Amphitheater, Yukon Enjoy a day near

the water, along with food trucks and fun.

waterlanternfestival.com

OKLAHOMA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL April 25-26 Castle of Muskogee Step back in

time to the 16th century with Queen Elizabeth I of England, King James of Scotland and more than 600 costumed performers and artisans as they create the boisterous village of Castleton. okcastle.com

TUMBLEWOOD CALF FRY April 30-May 2 Tumbleweed Dancehall and Concert Venue, Stillwater This

popular, unique outdoor gathering features multiple entertainment acts on various stages at the famed Tumbleweed Dance Hall.

calffry.com

FOR MORE EVENTS IN TULSA, OKC AND AROUND THE STATE, HEAD TO OKMAG.COM.

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Around Town

If you can’t get enough of Oklahoma City’s DeadCenter Film Festival and eagerly await its return in June, festival organizers have a little something to help you scratch that itch – a series of free screenings of documentaries that have played at previous festivals.

This month’s screening is especially intriguing, the 2016 documentary Tower, which chronicles the 1966 shooting spree at the University of Texas at Austin. Far from a typical historical documentary, the film tells its story through the memories of several survivors and reenacts these scenes through animation. This process is done with rotoscoping, where animators trace over live-action footage and give the whole film an otherworldly feel appropriate to its chilling story. Tower screens at 2:30 p.m. April 24 at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

At Home

It seems like every time Wes Anderson releases a film, critics hold a referendum on whether he is an incredible director or a shallow stylist with no emotional depth. This writer falls firmly into the first camp, and one of his best films, The Grand Budapest Hotel, receives a deluxe re-issue from the Criterion Collection this month.

The film blends Anderson’s whimsical fussiness with a bittersweet undercurrent, featuring heartbreak and comedy in equal measure.

Aside from the usual Criterion goodies (a digital transfer for sharper images; new commentary by Anderson and co-star Jeff Goldblum; a making-of documentary), the

special features shine with critical works.

Video talks by film scholar David Bordwell and critic Matt Zoller Seitz – who literally wrote the book on Anderson – are accompanied by two essays by The New Yorker’s Richard Brody, who understands Anderson as a director on a primal level.

Make sure to splurge for the Blu-ray version, which includes a two-sided poster that (likely) features drawings done in Anderson’s signature dollhouse style.

In Theaters

Though I’m far from a big fan of horror films, I find myself intrigued by a trio of entries in the genre this month, all with a different feel. First up, The New Mutants, an X-Men spin-off that seems to lean into the surveillance and body horror aspects that franchise has always dabbled in.

With superhero films feeling increasingly by-the-book, the creeping terror vibe of the film is promising – as is the cast, which includes Maisie Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy. Antlers features a similarly strong pair of leads in Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons, and the presence of solid director Scott Cooper should elevate its classic sci-fi/ horror premise, where a supernatural creature terrorizes a small town.

Finally, Antebellum looks to be another entry in the recent spate of horror films about racial issues (its producer also produced Jordan Peele’s films Get Out and Us). Singer Janelle Monae stars as an author transported back to a time before the Civil War – with both scares and social commentary emerging along the way.

ASHER GELZER-GOVATOS

Photo courtesy Fox Searchlight Pictures. © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, all rights reserved.

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CLOSI N G T H O U G H T S

WENDELL FRANKLIN

A

fter 23 years as a Tulsa police officer, detective and supervisor, Wendell Franklin became the department’s chief in February. The first African-American to hold that position in the city’s history, he is a born-andraised Tulsan who is optimistic about positive change. We caught up with Franklin and got his thoughts on …

… his background.

Photo by Josh New

I bring a historical perspective to the job.

I know how Tulsa used to be and I know how Tulsa is now and where it’s trying to go. I’ve risen through the ranks and had the opportunity to go through notable leadership trainings. I bring a business perspective to the police department.

In the private sector, if businesses don’t change and adapt to their markets, they will be mothballed. Police departments are no different. The American society is in a state of constant change and law enforcement should be no different.

… community policing.

Community policing came natural to me as I attained higher ranks. It was the easiest way to solve neighborhood-business problems. The concept is not difficult and involves both sides working together to solve crime and, even more so, qualityof-life issues. Many Tulsa police officers do it; it’s just not formalized, which is what we’re working on implementing.

As a child, I lived in a community in which we all survived by relying on one another and working together. We would go next door to our neighbor and ask for whatever we needed. We looked out for one another. It’s a concept rarely in play today. This concept shows we, as humans, can’t do things alone and we as police officers can’t police a community alone. Look at the great success of our homicide detectives – their clearance rate is not just because they’re outstanding detectives, but also because the community gets involved when a life has been taken. The tips we receive from Crimestoppers point us in the right direction to solve homicides and other serious crime issues.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | APRIL 2020

... self-reflection as an asset.

I constantly re-evaluate myself and question my purpose. I never want to commit to something and fall short. I attempt to examine everything in intricate detail. This is both good and bad because sometimes it causes hesitation and/or moving at a slower pace than others may desire. With that, I’m also careful with what I say because I know how things can be misinterpreted and taken out of context. This has already occurred in my short time as chief. Every assignment I’ve had at TPD I’ve approached the same. I, like most everyone, am tough on myself and that self-examination keeps a person grounded and focused appropriately.

… a hidden passion.

I’m a huge fan of history. I listen to podcasts and read. I particularly love the World War II generation and view it as the greatest generation. If you step back and look at the insurmountable odds the

United States overcame to defeat Axis forces, there would be little argument with my view. I sometimes find myself contemplating if today’s society has the same fortitude.

… avoiding cynicism.

I pray and I have a lot of close friends outside the police department who nurture me. I have a very supportive wife and family who have stood beside me my entire career. While in patrol and working investigations, I saw a lot of death and violence our society inflicts upon one another. It’s a struggle to ensure I have the proper work-life balance; every officer struggles with it. From a physical perspective, having an opportunity to work out ONLINE allows me to FOR MORE WITH decompress. It’s FRANKLIN, VISIT a big part of my okmag.com/franklin normal routine.