2015 Issue 10
Develop, Innovate, Prosper
Manufacturing Day Celebrated Across Oklahoma In celebration of Manufacturing Day 2015, Oklahoma companies will host more than 40 events around the state as part of an effort to change people’s perceptions about today’s manufacturing environment and draw attention to the outstanding opportunities a career in manufacturing can provide. Students, educators and parents can participate at the events at various local businesses, as well as some of the state’s training and education facilities such as the OSU Institute of Technology (OSUIT) in Okmulgee, Autry Technology Center in Enid and Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma companies hosting events open to the public include Baker Hughes, Kimray Inc., Malarkey Roofing Products and others. Businesses face a shortage of skilled, educated workers to fill positions and many young people are unaware of the opportunities available to them in manufacturing. “One of the main challenges facing manufacturers today is a growing gap in skilled labor. To address this issue, more young
people must be inspired to pursue manufacturing careers,” said Mike Pierce, assistant dean of the OSUIT School of Engineering Technologies, which includes the Manufacturing Technologies program. “Having students participate in Manufacturing Day events is a wonderful opportunity to start this conversation and begin ensuring the future of manufacturing in the U.S.” One of the priorities of Governor Mary Fallin’s Oklahoma Works initiative is to close the skills gap, or difference between job requirements and the skills of available workers. Today’s manufacturing jobs increasingly depend on workers with an education beyond high school. In order for there to be a pipeline of talent available to Oklahoma’s manufacturing companies, it is important that young people who are
interested in pursuing manufacturing careers receive the necessary levels of education and training. Manufacturing Day is an annual national event executed at the local level supported by thousands of manufacturers as they host students, teachers, parents, job seekers and other local community members at open houses, plant tours and presentations designed to showcase modern manufacturing technology and careers. To see a list of all events this year visit mfgday.com and click the “Find an Event” tab. There you can also find information on how you can get involved in Manufacturing Day. Learn more about Oklahoma Works at: oklahomaworks.gov
Technology Company Selects Norman, Okla. for Expansion p. 3 Retail Spaces Begins to Fill at Cherokee Plaza in Tahlequah p. 5 The Oklahoma Road Show Program p. 5
THE STATE OF MANUFACTURING Making an Impact on Oklahoma’s Economy
Oklahoma’s strong economy, pro-business environment and skilled workforce give manufacturers the tools they need to succeed. Oklahoma has a significant history
in manufacturing and is the ideal location for manufacturing facilities and upstarts. Manufacturing makes a significant impact on Oklahoma’s economy and quality of life.
45.71% increase in manufactured goods exports (from Oklahoma locations TX in 2013.)
$15.76 billion the total manufacturing output in Oklahoma for 2014 (up from $15.05 billion in 2013) according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
4,339+ manufacturing establishments Oklahoma had a statewide total of approximately 4,339 establishments in 2014.
3% increase in manufacturing jobs from 2012-2014, significantly ahead of the national increase of 1.6%.
$6.3 billion in 2014 Oklahoma’s exports of manufactured goods in 2014.
One-quarter (24.6%) of Oklahoma’s total exports were generated by small and medium-sized firms in 2013. *sources the Bureau of Labor Statistic Office of Trade and Economic Analysis, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce Office o
139,299 manufacturing jobs in Oklahoma as of 2014 with an average pay of $53,621.
For more information, contact James Johnson, ODOC’s Regional Development Team Director, at 405-815-5227 or email james.johnson@okcommerce.gov
ODOC International Trade Representative Official Visit Interested in Doing Business in Mexico? Schedule an Appointment Today. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce International Trade representative from our office in Mexico, Luis Domenech, will be coming to Oklahoma to meet with companies that are interested in doing business (or who are currently doing business) in Mexico. Interested companies will have the opportunity to meet and talk with Luis one-on-one to discuss trade projects and how to open international markets for their business. Services Provided by Oklahoma’s International Trade Offices Are:
• Vetted International Trade Leads & Bidding Opportunities • International Trade Show Assistance • Comprehensive Market Research Reports • International Due Diligence Requests • Sourcing Assistance Oklahoma City meeting opportunities Monday and Tuesday, October 12-13, 2015
Tulsa meeting opportunities • International Trade Counseling/ Market Entry Strategy Wednesday and Thursday, October 15-16, 2015 Consulting • International Regulations/ Certifications/ Standards Schedule an appointment by contacting Liz Tran at 405-815-5111 or liz.tran@commerce.okcommerce.gov Assistance
• International Agent/ Distributor/ Partner Searches
Technology Company Selects Norman, Okla. for Expansion Bfac.com and the State of Oklahoma announced that bfac.com is expanding operations to the University Research Campus in Norman, Okla. The Norman location will house the company’s new Mobile App Development and Operations Center. Currently located in Ridgeland, Miss., bfac.com will join 15 private companies at the Research Campus. The company is planning to add up to 100 new jobs in its first year in Oklahoma, with a similar plan for year two. The jobs will include sales, graphic design, client services and marketing, and programming positions. Brad McMullan, President and CEO of bfac.com and an Oklahoma native, said, “Oklahoma is a very special place with a proven record of success for growing businesses around the globe. We hope bfac.com grows the state’s economy with mobile apps the way oil and gas companies have grown the state with energy.” Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said, “We are very excited to welcome bfac.com to the state of Oklahoma. Our pro-business policies, great quality of life and low costs of doing business make Oklahoma a prime location for technology companies. We are also glad to bring their CEO, Brad McMullan, back to his home state.”
We are very excited to welcome bfac.com to the state of Oklahoma. Our pro-business policies, great quality of life and low costs of doing business make Oklahoma a prime location for technology companies. ~ Mary Fallin, Oklahoma Governor
Bfac.com is an award-winning technology company that provides mobile marketing & communication solutions to businesses, organizations, state and local governments and political figures. Today, bfac.com is the #1 listed business texting company by Google and bfac.com is one of the fastest growing mobile app design companies in the world. Bfac.com has been featured by media outlets around North America including NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, Clear Channel Radio and Gannett Publishing. For more information visit bfac.com
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Retail Spaces Begin to Fill at Cherokee Plaza in Tahlequah Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB) has secured its first two tenants at Cherokee Springs Plaza, the Cherokee Nation’s new retail, dining and entertainment development in Tahlequah. National restaurant and bar chain Buffalo Wild Wings will take up residence in the plaza, and a new, larger Stuteville Ford of Tahlequah dealership will relocate to the development. CNB is currently negotiating with other companies to fill the remaining pad sites in the first phase of construction. “Tahlequah has long been a hidden gem, and attracting a national restaurant chain like Buffalo Wild Wings means people outside our area are starting to realize that,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker. “Enhancing tourism and economic development within the Cherokee Nation, especially our capital of Tahlequah, is important for our tribe, of course, but it’s also important for all of northeast Oklahoma. This shows we are increasing commerce in our community while also creating hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs here in the heart of the Cherokee Nation.” The tribe broke ground on the dining, retail and entertainment development earlier this year. The first phase of construction is focused on establishing the infrastructure that provides access and necessary utilities to support the 154-acre development, as well as the first retail operations. The 6,000-square-foot Buffalo Wild Wings will deliver on the brand’s motto, “Wings. Beer. Sports.” Franchisee Ed Lynn owns and operates other Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants in Oklahoma City, Enid, Claremore and Muskogee. The opening is slated for spring 2016 and will bring 50 new jobs to the area. “Tahlequah is a vibrant market, and we are excited to bring the B-Dubs experience to the community and to be part of Cherokee Springs,” said Lynn. “I applaud the Cherokee Nation for its visionary leadership in bringing first-class hospitality and entertainment to Tahlequah.” Stuteville Ford is also set to relocate its Tahlequah location to a 27,000-square-foot facility on 5 acres at Cherokee Springs Plaza, with plans of growing its operation by 30 percent. When the dealership opens in
Enhancing tourism and economic development within the Cherokee Nation, especially our capital of Tahlequah, is important for our tribe, of course, but it’s also important for all of northeast Oklahoma. This shows we are increasing commerce in our community while also creating hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs here in the heart of the Cherokee Nation.” ~ Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker late 2016, it will feature full-line Ford sales and services with expanded inventories and a new services. Construction and business recruitment continue as the first phase of the development is expected to wrap up next year. Phase two is the construction of a new Cherokee Casino Tahlequah, which will include a resort hotel and convention center. The third phase is the creation of a retail strip, centering along Grand Boulevard, which will enhance the pedestrian and shopper experience. Cherokee Springs Plaza is located along Muskogee Avenue, in the heart of Tahlequah’s primary retail corridor. Overall, the development is expected to reach 1.3 million square feet of mixed use space. “This land was the largest contiguous piece of undeveloped property in the capital of the Cherokee Nation,” said Shawn Slaton, CEO of CNB. “We are excited to build restaurants, retail shopping and entertainment that this community deserves. We are very appreciative of the support we are receiving from the city of Tahlequah, Cherokee County and the region, and we are grateful for their confidence in us to make this a premier destination.” The Cherokee Nation and its businesses currently employ more than 9,000 people and have a $1.55 billion economic impact on the state of Oklahoma. For more information, please visit www.cherokeespringsplaza.com.
The Oklahoma Road Show Program is a great way to introduce your employees to Oklahoma’s many diverse tourism attractions and destinations. Hosted onsite at your location by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, in collaboration with a wide variety of tourism partners, the Road Show gives people an opportunity to learn more about our great state.
The Oklahoma Road Show Program Is: •
Oklahoma Road Show Partners Include: TX
A mini travel show, featuring Oklahoma’s best dining, shopping, cultural, historical, outdoor and entertainment venues
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Museums
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State Parks, Lodges and Golf Courses
An opportunity for employers to provide an interactive learning experience to improve quality of life for relocated employees and their families
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Lakes & Outdoor Recreation Sites
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Wineries
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Casinos
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Hosted at your locations
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Hotels
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Available to businesses with 500-plus onsite employees
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Restaurants
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Chambers of Commerce
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Convention and Visitors Bureaus
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Boutiques
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And Many More!
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Is offered at no cost to you
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A partnership between Tourism and your corporation
I enjoyed learning about the many opportunities available in the great state of Oklahoma. Having moved from out of state, the event provided me an inside look at fun activities and events going on yearround. I even won a beach bag and two tickets to White Water Bay, which my husband and I used over the Fourth of July holiday. Nikki Weibel, Corporate Communication Specialist for Devon Energy
To schedule a Road Show at your office contact, Colin Murphy, Marketing Manager for OTRD, at 405-230-8465 or email Colin.Murphy@travelok.com
Oklahoma’s Little Dixie Community Action Agency Chosen for Rural Impact Program U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and U.S. Human Services Acting Deputy Secretary Mary Wakefield announced 10 sites to participate in the “Rural Integration Models for Parents and Children to Thrive” (Rural IMPACT) technical assistance demonstration. This project will work to make systems change in rural communities to implement a focused and intentional two generation approach to poverty. “We are thrilled that the Obama Administration is making this investment to address rural child poverty,” stated Denise Harlow, Community Action Partnership CEO. “There has been significant investment and knowledge gained about two generation approaches to poverty in recent years and we are excited that these approaches will be implemented in rural and tribal communities through this initiative. CAAs work to address needs in a comprehensive, coordinated way and have long worked along the generational spectrum within families to meet needs and help them move toward economic security. Having five Community Action Agencies
included in the final selection of lead, backbone organizations (and two CAAs engaged as active, critical partners) will promote the sharing of what is learned to the broader Community Action Network The Community Action Partnership looks forward to working with all 10 sites to ensure they have the support necessary to be successful during the demonstration project.” The five CAAs serving as leads in their communities include: • Little Dixie Community Action Agency, Inc., Oklahoma • Highland County Community Action Organization, Inc., Ohio • Garrett County Community Action Committee and the Allegany Human Resources Commission, Maryland • Mid-Iowa Community Action, Inc., Iowa • Mississippi County, Arkansas Economic Opportunity Commission, Inc., Arkansas View a copy of the fact sheet at: http://bit.ly/1KOr2iB For more informaiton on Little Dixie Community Action Agency visit: www.littledixie.org
FOR NEW PIONEER SUBMISSIONS AND STORY IDEAS CONTACT:
NEW PIONEER A PRODUCT OF THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE EDITOR:
Kimberly Hickerson Editor-in-Chief - New Pioneer Oklahoma Department of Commerce 900 N. Stiles Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73104 (405) 815-5240 kimberly.hickerson@OKcommerce.gov
Kimberly Hickerson, Project Manager
CONTRIBUTORS: Stefanie Appleton, Bryan Boone, Kristin Downes
PHOTO CREDITS: Oklahoma Department of Commerce Oklahoma Department of Tourism
facebook.com/OKcommerce @OKcommerce OKcommerce.gov issuu.com/newpioneerOK
Meet Our Staff
Director of Research and Economic Analysis Services for the Oklahoma Dept. of Commerce NP: What do you like about working for ODOC? I work on a diverse range of projects and I can learn something new with each of them, and being able to learn and problem solve is important to me and for my team. In addition to supporting existing expansion and attraction projects, some projects that we are working on include a market feasibility study and an impact study for a segment of highway. Coming in to work, it feels like every day provides a new opportunity to make a difference in a project or for a community. While I can be quite content working with data, nothing much can be achieved alone. So relationships matter, and the people with whom I interact at Commerce are all in the same boat – we all want to make a difference in the state. NP: What are your objectives as the Director of Research? That the Research team will provide data, analysis or business intelligence that makes a difference in a project. NP: What experiences from other positions do you take to this role? When I worked at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, I was fortunate to work with some great people. Then, as now, collaboration is important in economic development and regional economies are foundations upon which to build greater collaboration. NP: What does the Research division at ODOC do for Oklahoma Communities? Indirectly for the communities, we partner with our Business Services team to work on projects to provide information about incentives, cost of doing business or other data that is intended to facilitate new jobs or investment in the state. More directly for communities, we work to identify opportunities in the state. For example we are working with our Marketing and Business Services teams to identify companies associated with an industry in Oklahoma that has a supply chain gap.
Jon Chiappe Director of Research and Economic Analysis Services Oklahoma Dept. of Commerce jon.chiappe@okcommerce.gov 405-815-5210
NP: How does your team’s work help Oklahoma businesses? Businesses in the state make a decision to expand, contract, invest, etc. in Oklahoma, and we want to ensure that businesses have the opportunity to thrive in the state. Research partners with our Business Services teams on expansion or attraction projects. However, we can provide businesses with information that may help them thrive. For example, for some manufacturing businesses we can analyze their existing supply chain and/or customers and may be able to offer them possibilities to shorten their supply chain or identify potential customers that have similar characteristics as their existing customers. NP: What other kinds of programs does your team help with? The Building and Sites newsletter that includes newly added properties and community highlights of LocateOK.com, It is Oklahoma’s statewide database of buildings and sites for sale or lease. NP: What are the most common questions you receive from the public? Census related questions as well as questions about incentive zones are the most common questions. NP: Is there any other information you’d like to share with New Pioneer readers? We enjoy working with data, but we are much more effective when we develop the relationships that enable us to collaborate.
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Upcoming Events 2015 OKLAHOMA CONFERENCE ON MANUFACTURING Wednesday, Oct. 7 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Norman, OK Embassy Suites
The conference is sponsored by the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and features nationallyrecognized speakers along with educational workshops. This year, we’ve added a host of new educational opportunities from real-world best practices to employee recruitment and retention. You’ll discover how innovation and new technologies are available right here, right now for small and medium-sized companies. Most importantly, the event offers manufacturers the chance to learn from one another and set the agenda for economic growth and development in Oklahoma! For more information contact: conference@okalliance.com To register visit: http://bit.ly/1Oraqmf 2015 ENTREPRENEURIAL SUMMIT Thursday, November 19, 2015 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Midwest City, OK Reed Center
This annual entrepreneurial event features keynote speaker, Barry Moltz, who has founded and run small businesses with a great deal of success and failure for more than 15 years. The Entrepreneurial Summit will also include lessons learned from a panel of local entrepreneurs who will share their successes and failures and the strategies that worked and those that didn’t. The event concludes with a networking luncheon with entrepreneurial college students who will be participating simultaneously in the annual Who Wants to be an Entrepreneur workshop. To register visit: http://bit.ly/1LS1bq8
WEBINAR: OPPORTUNITIES FOR OKLAHOMA COMPANIES IN MEXICO Wednesday, November 4, 2015 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Join us at our FREE Webinar. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce International Trade representative from our office in Mexico, Luis Domenech,will be hosting a Webinar on November 4th. Topics include: International Trade Counseling/ Market Entry Strategy, Consulting, Certifications/ Standards Assistance for business looking to enter the Mexico international marketplace. To RSVP, send an e-mail with the subject “Mexico Webinar” by November 1, 2015 to liz.tran@okcommerce.gov For more information please visit: okcommerce.gov/webinar