Issue 7

2015 Issue 7

Develop, Innovate, Prosper

Small Business Award Winners for 2015 Honored FairWind, LLC Founders Named SBA Small Business Persons of the Year The 2015 SBA Small Business Award nominees and winners were honored at the Oklahoma State Capitol and at an awards luncheon held by The Journal Record on June 17, 2015.

Brett Bain and Brian Edwards, co-founders of FairWind, LLC, were named 2015 Small Business Persons of the Year.

Rana Steeds, Economic Development Specialist, ODOC and Incubator of the Year Award winner Don Wood President and CEO, eTec, NEDC.

Joni Brooks, President & Publisher, Journal Record with Charles Kimbrough, Director of Business Development, ODOC.

Silver-Line Plastics Annouces Plans to Double Plant Size p. 3

“Brett Bain and Brian Edwards exemplify Oklahoma’s can-do attitude at its best,” Dottie Overal, Oklahoma SBA District Director, said. “They are an example of entrepreneurs identifying a need and building a strong Oklahoma business to serve that need.

These young men have built an environmentally friendly company employing Oklahomans and growing to meet the needs of our nation and eventually the world in the wind and oil industries.”

Sawyer Manufacturing Company was named the 2015 National Exporter of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Success Stories: Profile on A1 Staffing’s Gale Parker p. 4

The Oklahoma District of SBA also has two Region 6 award winners in Lance Fuller Parkhill, owner of Parkhill’s Warehouse Liquors & Wine, in the Family-Owned Business category and Lori Dreiling, coowner of Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa as the Women in Business Champion.

SBA Region 6 includes Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and New Mexico.

Charles Kimbrough, Director of Business Development, Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODOC) spoke of the importance of “the willingness of business owners to make mistakes and persevere through rough patches to make it to this point of success.”

The Journal Record also presented the Incubator of the Year Award to Norman Economic Development Coalition’s Emerging Technology Entrepreneurial Center’s (eTec) Don Wood, President and CEO, Norman Economic Development Coalition (NEDC).

Continued on page 3

Community Development Block Grant Public Input Sessions Schedule p. 8

THE STATE OF LOCATIONS Find your business location at

LocateOK.com

Find Available Buildings & Industrial Sites with a Click.

Search properties including office, retail and industrial spaces along with available shovel-ready sites. Filter searches by property type, location and size, as well as view property photos, at LocateOK.com.

TX

Community Profiles

Businesses by Location

View labor force, demographic, consumer spending and wage data for cities and towns across the state.

Find your supply chain look at lists of companies by location and defined details.

Additional Site Layers Include: • Airports • Ports, Interstates, Rail Service • Incentives Maps • Military Bases

For more information contact: Lesli Crofford, Research Analyst, 405-815-5120, lesli.crofford@okcommerce.gov

Silver-Line Plastics Announces Plans to Double Local Lawton Plant Size Silver-Line Plastics announced a major expansion of its Lawton manufacturing facility located in the West Industrial Park. The industryleading manufacturer of plastic pipe products will start construction in the third quarter of 2015.

The company’s plan will double the size of the current facility and add more extrusion lines to increase production capacity and better serve its growing customer base.

“When we were first ready to expand outside our home state of North Carolina 15 years ago, we chose Lawton for its business friendly environment, strategic location, and people,” said Ricky Silver, president and CEO. “This expansion confirms that Silver-Line made the right decision. We look forward to growing our business in Lawton for many years to come.”

When we were first ready to expand ... we chose Lawton for its business friendly environment, strategic location, and people. ~ Ricky Silver, President and CEO The expansion will mean about 20 new jobs and result in capital investments of up to $10 million over the next five years.

“With the new jobs Silver-Line’s Lawton workforce will grow to about 80 employees over the next few years,” Keith O. Bridges, Director of Economic Development and Recruitment at Great Plains Technology Center said. He explained that each new manufacturing job will also create almost one additional job in the community to support the SilverLine expansion. “We anticipate the

company will increase its annual payroll to about three and one-half million dollars a year,” he said.

Mayor Fred Fitch said, “This economic development project is a great example on how a community can leverage its economic development resources like Comanche County Industrial Development Authority, Lawton Economic Development Corporation and Great Plains Technology Center.”

For more inforamtion visit: www.slpipe.com

Small Business Award Winners for 2015 Honored Continued from page 1 FairWind, LLC Founders Named SBA Small Business Persons of the Year 2015 Small Business Persons of the Year Brett Bain/Brian Edwards, Joint Owners, Fair Wind, LLC 2015 Exporter of the Year Sawyer MFG Company, Dave Hembry, Vice President 2015 Veteran Champion Larry Findeiss, Bid Assistance Coordinator, Tulsa Tech Family-Owned Business Parkhill’s Warehouse Liquors & Wine, Lance Fuller Parkhill, Owner Women in Business Champion Lori Dreiling, Co-Owner, Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa 2015 Incubator of the Year eTec, Norman Economic Development Council

The Oklahoma District Office of the SBA is responsible for providing businesses with tools for enhancing and growing their businesses. It also oversees the delivery of SBA’s programs throughout the state.

SBA offers free counseling, advice and information on starting a business through SCORE, the Oklahoma Small Business Development Centers, and the Women’s Business Center. These organizations also conduct training events throughout the district.

SBA also offers business development assistance, financial assistance and veteran assistance through dedicated programs.

For more information on any of these programs, contact the Oklahoma District office at 405-609-8000.

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Success Stories: Profile on A1 Staffing’s Gale Parker

A Certified Woman-Owned and Award Winning Minority Business

I realized that through my abilities and skill set, I could create a new staffing company that could provide services to a niche market. ~Gale Parker, President and CEO of A1 Staffing Gale Parker is a woman with determination and outof-the -box business thinking and is the President and CEO of A1 Staffing & Recruiting Agency Inc. Parker has more than 20 years of experience in the staffing industry. Prior to creating A1, Parker worked for another staffing company and also managed a call center in the Oklahoma City area. She has previously served in the positions of branch manager, sales manager and human resources and training manager.

The success of A1 is a combination of her past experience and unique attitude toward doing business.

“I realized that through my abilities and skill set, I could create a new staffing company that could provide services to a niche market,” stated Parker, A1’s President and CEO. “A1 not only provides a necessary income for me, but it also provides opportunities for the unemployed to become gainfully employed. Helping people is something that I enjoy doing, whether from my company’s staffing services or through friends and organizations.”

A1 specializes, particularly, in serving light industrial firms, as well as medical facilities, government agencies and emerging companies with administration needs. An important mission is to attract and maintain customers by providing outstanding staffing solutions.

In 2010, A1 was selected as Outstanding Minority Business of the Year by the Oklahoma Minority Supplier Development Council, from distinguishing itself and demonstrating excellence in service for a business producing 1 million to 10 million dollars in sales. In 2011, the company received an award from Oklahoma Small Business Development Center (OSBDC) for job retention.

A1 Staffing & Recruiting Agency is certified as a Woman-Owned Business through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. In addition, A1 is certified as a Minority-Owned Business through the Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council (SMSDC).

Parker is also a member of SMSDC’s Oklahoma Regional Task Force Committee. A1 is also certified both as a Small Disadvantaged Business and an 8(a) Development Program Business under the U.S. Small Business Administration. It has just recently been awarded its 4th federal 8(a) contract.

For more information on A1 Staffing visit: www.A1staffingok.com For more information on Women-Owned Business Certification visit: http://1.usa.gov/1INvnDI

“If we adhere to this maxim, everything else will fall into place,” said Parker. “Our services will exceed our customers’ expectation.”

Or contact: Rana Steeds, Oklahoma Department of Commerce rana.steeds@okcommerce.gov

Parker is from Clearview, Okla., and was raised by her mother, Wanda Lucas. She attended the University of Central Oklahoma, majoring in business. She is married to Kevin Parker Sr. and has a son Kevin Parker Jr., who both play a big part in A1’s success. The company has locations in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Shawnee, Okla. and Grand Prairie, Texas.

For Minority and Disadvantaged Business Certification information contact: Ken Talley, Oklahoma Department of Commerce ken.talley@okcommerce.gov

OMPA Dedicates New Power Plant in Ponca City The Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority’s (OMPA) dedicated its newest power plant on June 19, 2015.

The Charles D. Lamb Energy Center, located north of Ponca City, Okla., is fueled by natural gas and is capable of generating 103 megawatts.

The plant became commercially operational on May 16, 2015. Just one day later, it was called on to operate by the Southwest Power Pool which operates a power market and transmission for Oklahoma and seven other states. The plant currently utilizes about 20 acres, but is located on a 160-acre plot, allowing OMPA the opportunity to expand in the future, including the possible addition of a combined-cycle unit.

“Thank you for being progressive and spending the huge amount of money that’s necessary to build this facility and add production and generation capacity using Oklahoma resources,” said U.S. Representative Frank Lucas. “Whether you’re in Pawhuska on the northeast side, or Mangum in the southwest corner, or Laverne out on the edge of the Panhandle, when you flip the switch, because of the commitment OMPA has made, you know that power is going to be there.”

Oklahoma Secretary of Energy & Environment Michael Teague commended OMPA on its range of resources.

Whether you’re in Pawhuska on the northeast side, or Mangum in the southwest corner, or Laverne out on the edge of the Panhandle, when you flip the switch, because of the commitment OMPA has made, you know that power is going to be there. ~ Congressman Lucas “We’re here to celebrate what OMPA has been doing for more than 30 years, which is providing reliable power,” Teague Oklahoma Secretary of Energy & Environment said. “OMPA has the most diverse portfolio in the state. There’s no other organization that does Oklahoma coal, Oklahoma gas, Oklahoma wind and Oklahoma hydro.”

The Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) is a wholesale power company owned by 41 municipal electric utilities. OMPA provides economies of scale in power generation and related services to support community-owned electric utilities. The members of OMPA serve approximately 250,000 Oklahomans.

Food Processing Facility Underway in Durant, Okla.

BrucePac recently held a ground breaking ceremony for its new, state-of-the-art food processing facility in Durant, Okla. The 40,000 square foot plant is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015 and will ultimately employ 300 team members on two shifts.

The family-owned company has two food processing facilities in Oregon, employing more than 700. Owned by the Bruce family since 1949, BrucePac currently processes under USDA inspection in excess of 1 million pounds per week of “Ready-To-Eat” chicken, beef, pork, turkey and fish products.

Its products are sold nationwide to the retail, foodservice, military and industrial markets under various brand names including BrucePac, Urban Bruce and City Grillers.

“BrucePac’s acquisition of the former JC Potter Sausage facility in Durant will allow us to better serve our customers and remain competitive in the marketplace” said BrucePac Vice President Terry Buford. BrucePac plans to invest approximately $20 million in construction, renovation and equipment at its new Durant facility to extend existing Oregon capabilities and meet customer demand.

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Meet Our Staff Vicki A. Angell, Programs Coordinator for Business Customer Services Vicki Angell brings ‘authority of knowledge’ to her position as Programs Coordinator for the Business Development Group. Vicki responds to requests for business assistance from new and expanding companies exploring business incentives, information for Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODOC) associates and partner agencies, and event organizing and communication.

Recently, her responsibilities expanded to include planning and coordination for this year’s MRO Americas Exhibition, AUVSI Unmanned Systems and AWEA Windpower conferences and trade shows.

Vicki A. Angell, Programs Coordinator, Business Customer Services, Oklahoma Department of Commerce 405-815-5345 vicki.angell@okcommerce.gov

“Vicki’s planning, scheduling, and coordination skills were invaluable in making Paris Air Show, MRO, and AUVSI trade shows shows so extremely successful,” says ODOC Director of Aerospace, Vince Howie.

Her working life has explored banking and lending, investment, real estate, education, editing and publishing; she uses all of those skills in her current position with ODOC.

“’First things first’ is an important strategy for my work,” she says. “There are no second things. Each decision made, each project successfully completed rearranges everything and brings new priorities. I ask myself, ‘what needs to be done now?’ After that, action is the key.”

Vicki is a University of Oklahoma graduate and recently completed training in the second of three OU Economic Development Institute’s (OU EDI) program sessions in Nashville, Tenn.

“Vicki sits at the nerve center of our Regional Team,” says James Johnson, Regional Development Team Director, ODOC. “She is vital link to their day-to-day efforts of assisting communities, companies and clients throughout our state.”

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: Ken Talley, Stefanie Appleton, Bryan Boone

facebook.com/OKcommerce

PHOTO CREDITS:

@OKcommerce

Port of Catoosa, Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority

OKcommerce.gov issuu.com/newpioneerOK

Tulsa Manufacturing Company Earns OSHA Certification The Radford Company Commits to the Safety and Health of its Employees Tulsa-based The Radford Company earned the SHARP designation for its two subsidiary companies from the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in recognition of its exemplary safety and health program and proactive workplace hazard reduction efforts.

All of our worksites are committed to illness and injury prevention. We choose to make safety a minute-byminute priority and it means our entire employee-owned and -managed company is constantly seeking better, safer ways to do things. ~ Britt Radford, CEO

The SHARP, or Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, highlights small businesses with a proven commitment to injury and illness prevention.

Upon receiving SHARP recognition, OSHA exempts a company’s worksite from programmed inspections during the SHARP certification term.

Only a handful of companies are recognized by OSHA with the SHARP designation each year. In Oklahoma, OCV Control Valves/AMS Machining Specialists, Precision Coatings, LLC, and The Radford Company, join 10 other companies statewide to achieve this honor.

Craig Cox, Plant Manager for The Radford Company, said the current path to SHARP certification began more than three years ago and involved internal company efforts, consultants, assessments from state and federal agencies, and a strong company-wide culture shift prioritizing safety.

“We don’t want anyone to get hurt. It’s that simple.

We want our employees to be safe at work and to be healthy and able to enjoy their time away from work. It makes good business sense and it’s just the right thing to do,” Cox said.

The SHARP program recognizes companies with demonstrated excellence in several key areas, including:

The Radford Company receiving SHARP designation.

“All of our worksites are committed to illness and injury prevention. We choose to make safety a minute-byminute priority and it means our entire employeeowned and -managed company is constantly seeking better, safer ways to do things,” Britt Radford, CEO of The Radford Company, said. “Safety, like other critical business processes, is a journey, not a destination. We have to keep moving forward and improving.”

• • • •

Providing protection from illness and injury Creating a culture of safety Providing leadership in safety and health Saving money

The Radford Company is an employee-owned, -operated, and -managed company with approximately 80 employees, and a history dating back to 1942. The Radford Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries OCV Control Valves, AMS Machining Specialists and Precision Coatings, LLC are based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and serve international markets in a variety of industries and applications.

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900 N. Stiles Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73104-324

Upcoming Events &Important Dates CDBG PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS July 28, 2015 - Weatherford 10 AM - 12 PM, Classroom #2 Western Technology Center July 29, 2015 - Okmulgee 10 AM - 12 PM, Panter Building, Room 104 Green Country Technology Center July 30, 2015 - Oklahoma City 9 AM - 11 AM, Business Conference Center (BCC) Room I - Metro Tech, Springlake Campus

Register by emailing Steven Hoover, CDBG Planner – Community Development steven.hoover@okcommerce.gov The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program enables rural Oklahoma communities to finance a variety of public infrastructure and economic improvements and helps promote job growth as a result of these improvements.

(PRSRT STD) US POSTAGE PD OKLA. CITY, OK PERMIT NO.41

FRESH PAINT DAYS IN OKLAHOMA Applications Available Until July 31, 2015

Is there a building in your community in need of a little bit of TLC? Transform it with a 2015 Fresh Paint Days grant!

Fresh Paint Days is a Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB) project designed to encourage volunteers to identify unsightly community structures and renovate them with a creative use of resources.

Selected participants will restore the exterior of a structure during the month of September with the use of paint donated by H.I.S. Coatings of Oklahoma City, a stipend to purchase supplies funded by Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and a lot of elbow grease from willing volunteers.

KOB will deliver your paint within a reasonable driving distance from your location.

Applications will only be accepted online and the deadline is July 31, 2015.

To find the application, project requirements and a tentative program calendar visit: bit.ly/1G1YYcB