Issue 7 2018

2018 Issue 7

D e ve l o p , I n n ov a t e , P r o s p e r

The New and Improved LocateOK.com

Data Tool Helps Communities Compete for Jobs and Investment

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OKcommerce.gov

THE STATE OF INFORMATION Research Services

Commerce’s Research Team provides community leaders and businesses with powerful data and analyses for economic development and business growth.

Business Analyst Reports

Free Online Products & Services

Increase revenue by attracting the right mix of retail to your community with our Business Analyst Reports powered by data from Esri.

Target new businesses based on our localized gap and surplus analysis and identify the optimal business expansion locations based off traffic count profiles.

We have several free online tools and data products that are useful for governments and businesses. Visit okcommerce.gov/data for these and other tools.

Economic Impact Reports

Employer Data Get employment data on Oklahoma’s top companies and regular updates on publicly announced new and expanding businesses.

Understand and demonstrate the economic impact of your project or program with a custom impact analysis report. We use the latest in economic software and tailor reports to the needs of businesses, communities, and nonprofit organizations.

Buildings & Sites Database LocateOK.com is Oklahoma’s statewide database of buildings and sites for sale or lease.

Search properties including office, retail, and industrial along with available shovel-ready sites.

Supply Chain Reports

Economic Data Download our Consumer Price Index Report with national and regional data on inflation and consumer prices.

Businesses need to know who their customers are and identify the most efficient and costeffective suppliers. Our team gets to know your business to identify new opportunities for you.

Reports are compiled from an industry analysis, surveys, Bloomberg Terminal review, and supply chain reviews of your peers and competitors.

Maps & GIS Data Interactive maps and geographic search tools for available buildings and sites, Opportunity Zones, Enterprise Zones, Quality Jobs 5% areas and more.

Surveys Businesses and non-profit organizations need to be aware of the public’s perceptions and market needs to make business decisions. We can design, conduct and tabulate community surveys based on your organization’s needs.

Reports include a detailed analysis of the results.

Get in Touch!

For more information contact the Research Team at 800-879-6552 or by e-mail at info@okcommerce.gov

The New and Improved LocateOK.com Data tool helps communities compete for jobs and investment A community could see their business sites and buildings on the LocateOK map, but they’d have to use other mapping resources to check for things like Opportunity Zones or Enterprise Zones.

With the update, all of those maps became layers they could view inside LocateOK”

Jon Chiappe, Director, Research & Economic Analysis Oklahoma Department of Commerce LocateOK.com is an online map and data tool provided by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce (Commerce).

Primarily designed to promote Oklahoma’s available buildings and sites to businesses looking for expansion locations, its suite of tools are also a free resource for local governments and organizations.

While LocateOK.com has been around for almost seven years, the tool has grown and improved to adapt to changes in the market and the needs of users. Advanced property listings continue to be the site’s main focus.

They make it easy for companies eyeing Oklahoma as a potential location for a new office or facility to find and analyze suitable locations. But some big recent changes have been implemented to address the needs of economic development professionals and local officials in the state.

The first big update beneficial to in-state users was just over three years ago when the mapping component received a major overhaul.

“A community could see their business sites and buildings on the LocateOK map, but they’d have to use other mapping resources to check for things like Opportunity Zones or Enterprise Zones. With the update, all of those maps became layers they could view inside LocateOK” explained Jon Chiappe, Director, Research & Economic Analysis Services for the Commerce.

Most recently, when Commerce staff were reevaluating the future of the tool, they prioritized adding business data and a more intuitive design.

“The new site is a lot easier to use now,” said Aldwyn Sappleton, Deputy Director of Research & Economic Analysis Services. “And calls coming in for help have dropped quite a bit. Division staff are now spending about half the time they were on those inquiries and devoting those hours to answering more nuanced questions that help communities maximize their resources and efforts.”

The new data available on the site has freed up resources for local officials, too. Before the upgrade, an Oklahoma community wanting basic information on population, businesses, spending patterns, or market potential for medical facilities within a particular drive-time or mile radius, had to buy their own data subscriptions. Now every community, non-profit and business in the state can access this customizable data free of charge through LocateOK.com.

“The Business Analyst data is valuable for our community partners. They can identify their strengths and weaknesses to look for new opportunities, especially at the regional level. Collaboration and thinking regionally is key, especially in rural parts of the state. If a town lands a factory all the surrounding areas benefit too. Employees will come from other nearby communities for the jobs and that manufacturer will look for local suppliers in the region” said Chiappe.

Visit LocateOK.com to use the tool and explore demographic and infrastructure data along with available buildings and sites. Learn more about research tools and services offered by Commerce at okcommerce.gov/data.

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Port Sees Business Expansion, Record Shipments When our shipping partners are successful, the Tulsa Port is successful. This is a strong indication of the agricultural economy, and its resources like the waterway that make it possible to efficiently transport this crop.”

Chip McElroy, Port Authority Chairman Gavilon to Renovate and Expand Operations at Tulsa Port Gavilon LLC has a growing commitment to its location at the Tulsa Port. They recently announced plans to renovate the 45-year-old warehouse and add two new truck loadout areas at the Tulsa Port location. They will also be adding new capabilities for specific fertilizer blends for customers.

These upgrades will increase production and shipping efficiency. Gavilon has been operating the Tulsa Port’s dry bulk facility since 2008.

Gavilon is a commodity management firm that covers three different industries – grain, ingredients (feed and food) and fertilizer. They serve customers such as food manufacturers, livestock producers, fertilizer wholesalers, oil refineries and power producers.

“We are proud to have such a dedicated partner located here at the Tulsa Port. Gavilon’s commitment to quality, efficiency and customer service helps carry out the Port’s mission to serve Northeast Oklahoma and the surrounding states,” said Port Authority Chairman Chip McElroy.

River transportation at the Tulsa Port allows Gavilon to help farmers reach broader markets with lower transportation costs. River transportation is also quicker and more efficient for these types of products. The fertilizer products sold to farmers by Gavilon are essential for crop production. The main ingredients of these products are not available economically in all regions.

Access to river transportation allows Gavilon to reach its wide customer base across the Central and Western United States. The Tulsa Port facility has served customers in more than 20 states.

Tulsa Port of Catoosa Ships Record Amount of Soybeans After decades of handling the shipping needs for manufacturers and farmers across the region, record cargo tonnage is something to celebrate.

In April, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa set a new record. The multimodal shipping facility moved almost 80,000 tons of soybeans, which is the largest volume of soybeans ever shipped through the Tulsa Port during any month of April.

In comparison, this time last year, just under 50,000 tons were shipped. The record soybean shipment reflects another strong month of total barge tonnage for the Tulsa Port. In April 2018, total barge tonnage for the Port was 245,778.

“When our shipping partners are successful, the Tulsa Port is successful,” said McElroy. “This is a strong indication of the agricultural economy, and its resources like the waterway that make it possible to efficiently transport this crop.”

Because it is Oklahoma’s premier inland river port, the Tulsa Port offers a “highway of water” for products to reach anywhere in the world. “It’s one thing to produce a crop,” said Rick Reimer, Oklahoma Soybean Board representative. “It’s another to get a great market price on shipping. Being able to ship using the Tulsa Port waterway opens up the opportunity for us to be able to reach markets throughout the country and beyond that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to reach.”

Amazon Announces Further Expansion in Oklahoma with Tulsa Fulfillment Center “We at the Tulsa Regional Chamber are absolutely thrilled that this Amazon fulfillment center brings with it 1,500 quality, full-time jobs with benefits and professional development, not to mention the significant capital investment in our region,” said Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal. “The fact that this fulfillment center will feature the latest in automation aligns perfectly with the goal of attracting more new economy, technology-based jobs to our region.

Amazon.com announced plans to open its second Oklahoma fulfillment center in Tulsa, which will create 1,500 full-time jobs with opportunities for employees to engage with robotics technology. The company recently announced an upcoming fulfillment center in South Oklahoma City. Amazon currently operates a sortation center in Oklahoma City, where it employs hundreds of associates.

“We are excited to bring a second fulfillment center to Oklahoma and work alongside the state’s incredible workforce,” said Mark Stewart, Amazon’s Vice President of North America Customer Fulfillment. “Support from local leaders has been instrumental in our ability to come to Oklahoma, and we are grateful for their collaboration to bring thousands of new jobs with benefits starting on day one.”

Amazon employees at the more than 600,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Tulsa fulfillment center will work alongside innovative technology created by Amazon Robotics.

Employees at the fulfillment center will pick, pack and ship small items to customers such as books, household items and toys.

“I am incredibly thankful for Amazon’s decision to build a world-class facility in our city and to employ so many Tulsans. Amazon is changing the world and in Tulsa we look forward to being part of their team,” said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum. “This is the largest new employer announcement in Tulsa history.”

“The Cherokee Nation is proud to be a part of a coalition that continues to locate quality jobs to northeast Oklahoma,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker.

I am incredibly thankful for Amazon’s decision to build a world-class facility in our city and to employ so many Tulsans. Amazon is changing the world and in Tulsa we look forward to being part of their team. This is the largest new employer announcement in Tulsa history.”

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum “Given its location near the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, this Amazon fulfillment center will undoubtedly have an historic impact on our tribal citizens and northeast Oklahoma at large,” said Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James R. Floyd. “A project like this is a rare opportunity, and we are honored to play a role in this partnership of state, local and tribal entities.”

Support from Oklahoma’s Department of Commerce was instrumental to bringing this project and the recently announced Oklahoma City fulfillment center to Oklahoma.

The Tulsa project is being developed by Seefried Industrial Properties.

To learn more about working at an Amazon fulfillment center, interested candidates can visit www.amazondelivers.jobs.

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Commerce Announces Realignment of the Business Group Moving forward, select duties and responsibilities will be shifted. However, the entire group will continue work as a team to remain focused on the Commerce mission, which is to create and deliver high impact solutions that lead to prosperous lives and communities for all Oklahomans.”

Charles Kimbrough Director of Business Development Oklahoma Dept. of Commerce The Oklahoma Department of Commerce (Commerce) is pleased to announce a realignment of the Business Development group. This team is responsible for providing service to in-state businesses, as well as recruiting domestic and international clients to the state.

“Moving forward, select duties and responsibilities will be shifted. However, the entire group will continue work as a team to remain focused on the Commerce mission, which is to create and deliver high impact solutions that lead to prosperous lives and communities for all Oklahomans,” said Charles Kimbrough, Director of the Business Group.

“With this restructuring we will leverage the experience and expertise of each of these leaders’ strengths and capabilities.”

Charles Kimbrough will continue to lead the group as Director of Business Development. The new structure will be as follows:

Director of National Recruiting—Christie Cooper Myers Christie Cooper Myers is a senior member of Commerce’s Business Development team and the newly appointed Director of National Recruiting. In this role, she is responsible for leading the outbound business development efforts to recruit new companies to Oklahoma as well as leading and directing the team of site selection project managers. She also directs many of the event planning endeavors for the business group.

Director of Foreign Direct Investment—Jennifer Springer Jennifer Springer has been at Commerce for more than five years, previously as an Economist in the Research division and then as Manager of International Trade and Foreign Investment. She was awarded a master’s in Economics from the University of Oklahoma, specializing in emerging economics. She leads the Foreign Direct Investment team at Commerce with a balance of international business knowledge and strategic research targeting. Jennifer is passionate about promoting the state’s image abroad and assisting local Oklahoma businesses with their global logistics needs.

Director of Aerospace Commerce Economic Services (ACES)—Vince Howie Vince Howie became the Aerospace & Defense Director for Commerce in November 2013. Vince also serves on the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission, the Governor’s Unmanned Aerospace Systems Council and the Oklahoma Careers Pathways sub-committee.

Vince Howie retired from the U.S. Air Force in April 2012 after 29 years of civil service. Vince is a former member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) working at the Pentagon, Air Mobility Command, and Tinker Air Force Base (AFB). His Air Force career began in August 1984 at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker AFB. Vince has a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from University of Central Oklahoma. He was a National Securities Study Management Fellow at the Maxwell

School of Business, Syracuse University, and earned his Senior Professional Military Education from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Director of Incentives/Project Specialist—Martin Roberts Martin Roberts has worked in community and economic development with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce for 17 years. He served 3 years in the Community Development Division and the past 14 years as an Economic Development Specialist in the Business Development Division. Martin’s expertise is in the area of state business and tax incentives, with extensive experience assisting companies participate in Oklahoma’s Quality Jobs Program and Business Expansion Incentive Program. He actively works with existing Oklahoma businesses’ expansion projects, as well as business recruitment and start up projects statewide.

Director of Rural Development Specialists—James Johnson James Johnson has served on Commerce’s Business Development team for more than 25 years. During that time, James has worked as the Minority Business Director and Projects Director. He has also worked to provide one-on-one assistance to innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs. He will continue to serve as Director of Rural Development Specialists, a role his previous experience uniquely prepared him for.

The Commerce business group also has several career opportunities available. To find out more, visit https://okcommerce.gov/career-opportunities

Connie Lake Joins Commerce Team as, Business Recruiter

Connie Lake is the newest member of the Business Recruiting team. She comes to Commerce from Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education where she served as assistant vice chancellor, a position she has held since 2004.

Lake joined the State Regents in 1993 and served in a number of key positions of increasing responsibility.

During that time, she made significant contributions to Oklahoma’s higher education system. She rose through the ranks by holding various positions from academic affairs, system research and at the Chancellor’s Council as the assistant vice chancellor of workforce and economic development. Connie earned her undergraduate degree in mathematics from Oklahoma State University and her master’s degree in adult education and training from the University of Central Oklahoma.

In 2010, she was appointed to the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council (ORC) where she held leadership including as the vice chair of the ORC and as the chair of the program and planning committee. As a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, she served as the Vice President of Workforce Readiness for the Oklahoma City Human Resource Society where she promoted workforce readiness awareness, action, and advocacy for the OKC region.

“Connie has extensive experience facilitating opportunities for Oklahoma’s colleges and universities to collaborate on workforce and economic development projects,” said Christie Cooper Myers, Director of National Recruiting. “This will serve her well in her new role working to recruit business for the State of Oklahoma.”

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Upcoming Events and Important Dates NEW PIONEER A PRODUCT OF THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE EDITOR: Kimberly Hickerson, Project Manager CONTRIBUTORS: Stefanie Appleton, Bryan Boone

FRESH PAINT DAYS IN OKLAHOMA Applications available until July 31, 2018

Fresh Paint Days encourages volunteers to seek out unsightly community structures and renovate them with the creative use of resources. Willing volunteers make use of paint donated by H.I.S. Coatings and a stipend for supplies provided by the Public Service Company of Oklahoma to transform that community blemish with the application of FRESH PAINT and a lot of elbow grease!

Applications will only be accepted online and the deadline is July 31, 2018. To find the online application, project requirements and a tentative program calendar visit: https://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/fresh-paint-days/

PHOTO CREDITS: Oklahoma Dept. of Commerce

FOR NEW PIONEER SUBMISSIONS AND STORY IDEAS CONTACT: 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

PROGRAM TIMELINE: June 1: FPD Applications Open July 1: Pressure Washer Applications Open July 31: All Applications Close Mid-August: Selected Participants Notified Late-August: Paint Delivered September 1-30: Projects Completed October 1: Wrap-Ups & “After” Photos Due Mid-October: Communities Primed for Change Contest

LABOR DAY Monday, September 3, 2018 State Offices Closed

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