Pathways to Progress

Progress

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Pathways to

Business Industry Technology

Commercial products that started with research at the University of Oklahoma are pushing private sector businesses on OU’s Research Park campus. From carbon nanotubes to adding value and convenience to weather data, companies are growing in the shadows of the campus. — Read all about it, Page 4-6

The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 2

Electronics

Small is huge for growing high-tech firm

By Randall Turk For The Transcript

I

magine more powerful computers and touch screen TVs that handle more functions and cost less to make.

And consider better electronic devices that can leave a smaller footprint on the planet.

Technology to advance “next generation electronics” is being developed by a research firm now completing its 10th anniversary in Norman. SouthWest Nano Technologies (SWeNT), a spinoff of research at the University of Oklahoma, is ready to produce its “single wall carbon nanotubes” designed for major high tech electronics manufacturers.

“We’re in a position to become a world leader in carbon electronics,” SWeNT Chief Executive Officer Dave Arthur said.

The company was one of the first to locate in the Norman Business Park on State Highway 9, east of 24th Avenue SE. The park was developed by the Norman Economic Development Coalition, a partnership formed by the city, chamber of commerce, OU and the Moore-Norman Technology Center.

In electronics, more and less can both be better. More capacity built into computer microchips (also known as integrated circuits) can result in faster access to data and more applications.

Such improvement can reduce costs for electronics manufacturers and shrink the size of their products. But silicon chips, for years the backbone of electronic development, are reaching their “miniaturization” limits and another such work

Carbon nanotubes, each measuring one billionth of one meter, are expected to power a new age in electronics.

SWeNT researchers say their product is the logical contender for the coming transition.

horse is on the way. Carbon nanotubes, each measuring one billionth of one meter, are expected to power a new age in electronics.

SWeNT researchers say their product is the logical contender for the coming transition. They maintain the company offers an alternative that can pack tremendous punch into electronic equipment. “We’re at a critical point of development,” Arthur said. “Our technology is set to outperform silicon chips in

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

• See TECHNOLOGY, Page C2

Advertiser index

On the cover ! Top photo: Tornado hits Chickasha before threatening Norman. CNHI Photo

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

! Middle photo: A portion of SWeNT. Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

! Background Photo: Ed Noble Parkway business corridor. Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

! Bottom Photo: Movie prop Dorothy from the feature film “Twister.”

Animal Emergency Center ...............3 Bob Moore Nissan...........................6 Bob Moore of Norman.....................6 Brockhaus Jewelry.........................15 Desire Consignment......................14 Dillard Group...................................7 First American .................................8

Havenbrook Funeral Home ............16 Honor Roll of 74 Businesses....12-13 In Your Dreams .............................15 Ladies Workout Express ..................7 Le Visage.......................................14 Moore Norman Technology ..........11 Norman Chamber of Commerce ....10

Norman Radiology.........................15 Primrose Funeral Home...................2 The Norman Transcript..................11 Thompson Pool.............................14 United Way of Norman ....................7 Yeaman Signature Health ................2

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The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 3

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The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 4

February Blizzard 2011

Beating the Heat 2011

Jerry Laizure / The Transcript

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Research & Development

Weather makes a splash at research park University of Oklahoma Research Park

By Mick Hinton For The Transcript

S

pace for the next building to rise at the University of Oklahoma Research Park already is 100 percent committed, although the first spade of dirt was turned only last week.

“We’re fully pre-leased, in terms of space,” said Cameron McCoy, executive director of the university’s corporate engagement office. “People say that we have exceeded expectations.”

The new structure to be named Four Partners Place is expected to house entities similar to those already operating in the other three partners place buildings.

Tenants include international operations such as Weather News Inc., a Japanese forecasting company that provides weather data to help the shipping industry pick best ocean routes for the maritime industry. It was drawn to OU because the National Weather Center is located here.

Another unusual company located on the research campus is a firm that provides IT (information technology) for hedge funds.

A company called Weather Decisions Technology is marketing a special weather app designed to send information such as tornado warnings to individuals with smartphones, no matter where they happen to be at the time.

Less than a decade ago, the 277-acre campus was nothing more than a huge barren field south of the Norman main campus. Today, buildings on the campus contain nearly 1 million square feet of space for offices and research.

“Where we are now, nothing was here,” OU President David L. Boren said in April, speaking at the dedication of another facility operating in the park.

The research campus is bordered on the west by Jenkins Avenue and on the south by State Highway 9. It abuts the Norman main campus to the north.

The entire research campus represents a collaboration of three entities — academia, the private sector and the government including federal and state agencies.

The research campus employs about 1,330 people, including 752 from OU, 234 from the government and 350 from the private sector, McCoy said.

The research park is anchored by the National Weather Center which has thrust OU and the state into national prominence. Last year, about 40,000 people toured the center. A third of those were school children.

Probably 99 percent of those visiting the center have seen the 1996 movie “Twister,” said Kevin Kloesel, associate dean of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences.

Many visitors ask, “Where’s Dorothy?”

Kloesel said. The Dorothy they are referring to is the name of an actual movie prop of a mobile weather sensor used in the 1996 movie “Twister.” Visitors can see the prop at the National Weather Center.

(The original “Dorothy” was played by Judy Garland in the 1938 movie, “The Wizard of Oz.”) “Visualize this as a weather mall,’’ Kloesel said. Nowhere else in the world can those interested in weather encounter such a variety of activities housed in one place, he added.

The 244,000-square-foot center is home to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA includes five federal organizations involved in weather activities. Among those are the National Severe Storms Laboratory, a radar operations center and a storm prediction

Still ahead

Employees OU...................................... 752 Government ...................... 234 Private ................................350 TOTAL ........................1,336

Graduate students NWC....................................110 Academic programs..............14 By the Numbers No. of tenants........................42 No. of acres.........................277 No. of companies..................14 New buildings since ’03 .......10 Square footage .............................750,000 built .......................250,000 planned Annual visitors............. 40,000

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Meteorologists meet in the National Weather Center. The center is part of the University of Oklahoma Research Park and was a key player in attracting some of the other tenants to the research complex. center.

The Norman Forecast Office, which is also part of the National Weather Service disseminates advisories, watches and warnings for all types of hazardous weather conditions including threats of fires affecting 48 counties in central, western and southern Oklahoma and eight counties in northwestern Texas.

Meteorologists are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Keli Pirtle Tarp, public affairs specialist for NOAA. Research information gathered over the years is constantly improving for meteorologists throughout the country who are informing the public when tornadoes and severe storms are approaching.

Oklahoma is located about in the center of what the media has labeled “tornado alley,” said Matthew Piette, chief marketing officer of Weather Decision Technologies, a private company.

Tornado alley runs through the center of the United States, including the plains states.

In this part of the country, cold air from Canada collides with warm air from the Gulf of Mexico, increasing the chances of tornadoes striking especially the central plains states.

A few years ago, meteorologists could predict tornadoes only nine or 10 minutes before they struck. Due to growing research data and new forecasting methods, the warning time has been increased to an average of 14 minutes.

However, the warning time for the May 26 tornado activity that struck central Oklahoma reached 24 minutes in some instances.

Days before the horrific tornado hit the Joplin, Mo., on May 22, the Storm Prediction Center issued forecasts predicting severe weather in southwestern Missouri. The center also was able to issue a tornado watch several hours

The downtown Financial Center’s restoration is near completion with move in expected in July, C10 !

before the death toll climbed to 138.

The federal weather organizations occupy 51 percent of the space in the National Weather Center. The rest of the space is used by the university, its private partners and governmental agencies.

Another anchor in the university park is the Stephenson Research & Technology Center, comprised of two facilities funded primarily by Charles and Peggy Stephenson of Tulsa. The first building was completed in 2004. It houses 250 faculty and student researchers working in chemistry, zoology, microbiology, botany and engineering.

Another Stephenson facility, the Life Sciences Research Center, was dedicated in April. It houses the research and administrative functions of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Chemists, biochemists and other life science researchers have formed about 30 research teams, including postdoctoral and visiting scientists, collaborating with students on many projects.

Meanwhile, the research campus boasts a special group of students who work as teams to create business plans and help set up viable companies that can operate out of the research park.

“We take 12 very, very bright students capable of being critical thinkers,” McCoy said.

Those selected are often scienceminded but have included a student in piano production and a student getting a liberal arts degree in letters. Sometimes, those studying the arts are the more creative team members, McCoy said.

The students are assigned to three teams who work with a mentor from industry and a person called an inventor. Each of the teams also has a student who has worked on these types of projects before.

These teams are part of what has been named the Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth.

Auto dealerships are growing, spreading out and moving away from Norman’s Mile of Cars, C12-13 !

Formation of CCEW was the brain child of Boren, banker Gene Rainbolt and Skip Porter, the university’s first vice president for technology.

Daniel Pullin, who oversees OU’s strategic planning is also chairman of CCEW. Paul Risser is chairman of the OU Research Cabinet that strives to coordinate the interests of OU’s Norman campus with the Oklahoma City and Tulsa campuses.

Board members are university presidents and vice presidents from the three campuses.

Risser said odds are probably 10 to 1 that a student applying for the CCEW project will be selected because so many apply for the projects.

Upon the urging of students working with the CCEW, a social component has been added where students participate in projects aimed at helping those in need.

A current social project team endeavors to provide one million cataract surgeries by the year 2020 for poor Chinese living in the western part of the country where medical services are scarce.

Inventor for the project is Dr. Lloyd Hildebrand, an ophthalmologist who has traveled to China several times and is well versed in the lack of cataract surgery needed by the poor Chinese.

The student team is striving to put together a plan that would help form a viable business operation to bring about the cataract surgeries.

In late May, the students on the team visited Chinese leaders including those working with them on this project.

The project has been aptly named “EYEChina.

Meanwhile, Boren likes to tell people that only at OU, can a student walk across the stage and receive a diploma, then be handed a set of keys to an office in the vast research park.

University North Park Tax Increment Finance District is essentially on track, mayor says, C14

!

The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress Spring Tornado 2011

Page 5

Downburst Flooding 2011

Jerry Laizure / The Transcript

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Research & Development

Smartphone app keeps people weather smart

By Mick Hinton For The Transcript

A

private business operating in the University of Oklahoma Research Park is on its way to equipping hundreds of thousands of people with their very own “weather app,” whether they are in Pawhuska or New York City.

Short for application, the app developed by Weather Decision Technologies adds a degree of safety by providing users with on-the-spot information hopefully before tornadoes strike, said Mike Eilts, president of the company.

“We decided about a year ago that since iPhones can pinpoint where you are at all times, why not go to an equivalent of a weather radio that works on your cell phone,” Eilts said.

Recent spring tornadoes killing nearly 200 people in Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma and one even in Massachusetts demonstrate the need for more emphasis on weather safety, Eilts said.

On April 22, WDT launched its new weather app by offering it free to anyone carrying either an iPhone or a mobile equipped with an Android, sometimes called smartphones. The company had spent a year developing the software and working out kinks to make sure its weather app was working.

The spring launching day resulted in 100,000 signing up for the weather app by 5 p.m.

“We decided to keep the offer open another three hours, and we signed up an additional 90,000

How to get the weather app

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Mile Eilts is president of Weather Decision Technologies. His company’s weather app has been well received by customers. ! http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/imapweather-radio/id413511993?mt=8 people,” Eilts said.

Since then, another 10,000 clients have bought the service for a one-time fee of $9.99.

The give-away was a huge nationwide success, organizers say.

“We had CNN and 49 television stations helping promote these,” Eilts said.

“We hope this is the seed to the marketplace by giving away a whole bunch of them, and everyone telling their friends and family.”

“Honestly, we want to save lives, though we’ve absolutely got to make money for the company to survive,” Eilts said.

An added feature is that when a person’s phone goes beep-beep-beep in the middle of the night, the smart phone actually talks to the client.

“You always get a real voice saying (things such

as) there is a tornado warning,” Eilts said.

Clients also can supply detailed information listing up to five other locations that they want to be monitored for them, like a child’s school and grandparents’ home.

A person can opt to receive this weather information either by text or by voice.

Matthew Piette, WDT chief marketing officer, said, “It literally wakes up in your pocket or your purse.”

Western Technologies has worked out agreements to transmit instantaneous information from the National Weather Center and other entities located on the University of Oklahoma research campus.

Within a minute of receiving the information, it is processed and sent by WDT to these smart-

phones customers.

Recently, WDT bought a company called ChaserTV. It has about 800 clients that pay to see live streaming of tornado video.

There are about 250 independent storm chasers that stream the video for users.

Until 2007, WDT was purely a wholesale company.

WDT has about 1,000 clients who are charged higher fees for an array of information including radar tracking. Clients include primarily television, radio and newspapers.

The company supplies them with detailed information including weather radar, daily forecasts and hourly forecasts, along with information about tornado watches and warnings.

Photos by Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Above: The University of Oklahoma Research Park is anchored by the National Weather Center which has thrust OU and the state into national prominence. Last year, about 40,000 people toured the center. A third of those were school children. At right: Visitors often ask, “Where’s Dorothy?” The Dorothy they are referring to is the name of an actual movie prop of a mobile weather sensor used in the 1996 movie “Twister.” Visitors can see the prop at the National Weather Center.

These clients like Oklahoma City’s three television stations and also Chanel 25 pay higher fees to receive what is called IMap, which continuously transmits local and national weather conditions.

In the last 10 years, the ability to provide tornado warnings has gone from zero to an average of 14 minutes, Eilts said.

Storm warning lead times continue to rise. The April 27 tornado that ravaged Tuscaloosa, Ala., had a 24-minute warning.

Even so, 41 people were killed.

Lead time for the May 22 tornadoes in Joplin, Mo., was about 20 minutes, with 138 people being killed. Twenty minutes also was the warning lead time May 24 when tornadoes struck Oklahoma, killing 10 people.

“With our last storm, there was an amazing response that I’ve never seen before,” Eilts said. “I think that because of Tuskaloosa and Joplin, Oklahomans were just scared.”

Eilts said his wife had people, all of her friends, waiting two hours in advance wanting to get into Eilts’ storm shelter.

Matthew Piette, chief marketing officer for WDT, said when tornado watches were given, he and his family got prepared hours before the tornado struck.

“I was simply waiting with app in my hand for a warning,” Piette said. “That is the type of application we would like to see across the country,” he said.

The spring tornadoes

still killed about 200 people. This is prompting weather scientists, researchers and companies like WDT to seek out information about how people responded to tornado watches and warnings, then what steps they took to be safe when the severe storms actually hit.

Paul Risser, chairman of the University of Oklahoma Research Cabinet, said WDT is a good example of how the research park is intended to work.

Eilts graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in meteorology.

Originally from Minnesota, Eilts said he was drawn to OU because it has the largest meteorology department in the United States.

After college, he worked 18 years for the National Severe Storms Laboratory, based in Norman.

In 1998, the university approached Eilts and asked him to form a company that could take advantage of two state questions passed that year.

The new law allowed technologies coming out of university research to be marketed, utilizing faculty and other employees who could become financially involved in projects.

Eilts said he “collected four or five other people, and we started meeting weekly for about 18 months.”

They raised about $1 million from friends and family. “So in 2000, we quit our very comfy government jobs and all jumped out and started WDT,” Eilts said.

The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 6

Business Park

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Above: When completed, this building in Norman Business Park will house Health Engineering Systems, RS Software and Legend Care, companies involved pharmacy compounding, software programs and health care. Below: Rob Standridge.

Pharmacy grows into health system provider

By Meghan McCormick Transcript Staff Writer

R

ob Standridge hopes by July that his three companies will run their operations from a 18,000 square-foot facility on Technology Place.

Construction at 2600 Technology Place is almost complete.

Last year, the building was framed when a tornado spun through the east side of Norman on May 10, and heavily damaged the structure.

Standridge said the project was delayed about three months. Building efforts

resumed in August.

When the building is ready, it will house Health Engineering Systems, RS Software and Legend Care, he said.

Standridge’s companies involve pharmacy compounding, software programs and health care.

“It’s all grown out of a pharmacy,” Standridge said about his businesses.

Standridge graduated from pharmacy school in 1993.

Two years later, he and his wife, Lisa, purchased a pharmacy in Blanchard.

“Since then we have just grown and found other things to supply the pharma-

cy,” he said.

Standridge said HES’s main product is the Unguator. It’s a German mixing machine used for compounding medications.

“It’s always been our mission to find needs in pharmacy,” he said.

The Standridges want to help the pharmacy industry be successful. He said the next step is to expand pharmacy services in the state.

Between 30 and 40 employees will work out of the new facility, Standridge said.

“We’re just really excited to get it open,” he said.

Technology Place Tenants

These companies are in the Industrial Park on Technology Place: ! Office Max ! Health Engineering Systems ! Immuno-Mycologics, Inc. ! Albon Manufacturing LLC ! SouthWest NanoTechnologies ! Xyant Technology Inc. ! Sitel Source: Norman Economic Development Coalition

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The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 7

Norman event venues grow

Growth & Expansion

Here is a sampling of the event centers available for rent in Norman. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

• Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center: 2501 Conference Drive, 364-8040, Large events and conferences • Havenbrook Event Center: 3401 Havenbrook St., 329-0101, Weddings and general event venue • Joy’s Palace: 300 E. Main St., 887-3474, General event venue • NCED Conference Center and Hotel: 2801 E. Highway 9, 447-9000, Large events, weddings and conferences • Primrose Funeral Service: 1109 North Porter Ave., 405-321-6000, general event center • Old Town Center: 102 W. Eufaula, 405-360-5753; general event venue • Sam Noble Museum: 2401 Chautauqua Ave., 3254712, Large events, weddings and conferences • Santa Fe Depot: 200 S. Jones Ave., 307-9320, General event venue • Sooner Legends Inn and Suites: 1200 24th Ave. SW, 7018100, General event venue Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Sysco Corporation this spring approved an expansion of its distribution facility at Tecumseh Road and 12th Avenue NW in Norman to accommodate current and future foodservice business. The construction will add about 100,000 square feet of temperature-zoned warehouse space and additional truck parking. Stellar Corp. of Jacksonville, Fla., began work on the project in April. The project is anticipated to be completed within a year.

Construction continues on the new IBC Bank being built across 24th Avenue NW from Target in the University North Park development. The bank will replace the branch at 24th Avenue NW and Main Street.

Jerry Laizure / The Transcript

• Sooner Theatre: 101 E. Main St., 321-9600, General event venue • StepBrothers: 423 S. Webster Ave., 329-1236, General event venue • The Red Room: 114 W. Main St., 579-2000, General event venue • Thunderbird Chapel: 11395 E. Highway 9, 329-4848, Weddings and general events • Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast: 7820 E. Highway 9, 447-0202, Weddings and general event venue.

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The Norman Transcript Page 8

Pathways to Progress

Technology • From Page C2 electronic devices. And we’ve extended the range of lithium ion batteries – the future fuel for cars and trucks.” Arthur said OU research that led to SWeNT began years ago, as those influencing the electronics industry realized a longstanding principle was bound to burn out.

SWeNT has operated on about $15 million from private investors and $5 million in grants and project awards.

The company now holds more than 30 patents.

Another $15 million in venture capital is being sought for commercial production. The goal is to make carbon nanotubes meeting highest quality standards required by the electronics industry.

Arthur says success in this venture can attract affiliated high-tech manufacturers to Norman and the state, along with many upscale jobs.

Raising capital, typically tough for most companies, is particularly challenging in today’s economy, Arthur said, but SWeNT has some tempting advantages.

“SWeNT is first in the world to achieve this level of nanotechnology,” Arthur said.

“Right now, we have very little competition.”

Last year SWeNT and Brewer Science, a Missouri research partner, shared a $6.5 million project award from the National Institute for Science and Technology.

The funds, along with support from the Oklahoma Center for Science and Technology, financed additional staffing and specialized equipment.

Ten more personnel joined

SWeNT, which now employs 29.

Arthur says the company expects to close on several significant opportunities, details of them still confidential.

“In the near term, we’re working with some of the world’s largest electronics companies to incorporate our carbon materials into touch screen and flat panel TVs,” Arthur said. “We’re also engaged with a very large electronics company to pursue a technology partnership.”

He said SWeNT is working toward other alliances with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. Department of Defense.

SWeNT also has drawn attention of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“We were granted an EPA consent order, making SWeNT the first manufacturer to make and sell single wall carbon nanotubes in commercial quantities,” Arthur said.

As carbon technology progresses, could California’s vast research region known as “Silicon Valley” become the Silicon Rustbelt?

SWeNT’s CEO says that isn’t apparent just yet.

But Arthur said he believes SWeNT and other related companies eventually could establish Oklahoma as the nation’s “Carbon Corridor.”

SWeNT might spark such development, but Arthur says his company must first expand.

He said the second stage of SWeNT growth will be promising but challenging.

“We’ve established a true leadership position in the future of electronics with blood, sweat and tears,” he said. “We’ve paid our dues.”

Jerry Laizure / The Transcript

SWeNT is working toward alliances with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. Department of Defense. SWeNT also has drawn attention of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “We were granted an EPA consent order, making SWeNT the first manufacturer to make and sell single wall carbon nanotubes in commercial quantities,” SWeNT Chief Executive Officer Dave Arthur said.

Progress

Page 9C

Pathways to

Business Industry Commerce

Like restaurants, automobile dealerships tend to cluster and build synergy. They have moved from Porter Avenue, to 24th Avenue, West Main and Interstate Drive. Two dealerships have moved farther north while others remain and are expanding on Norman’s Mile of Cars. — Read all about it, Page 12-13

The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 10

Jerry Laizure / The Transcript

Above: Workers continue window replacement at the Financial Center in downtown Norman. The state's Indigent Defense System office plans to move into some of the space upon completion next month. The building was closed and offices relocated after the building’s owners discovered and then repaired a structural problem.

At right: A view of Main Street from the top floor of the Financial Center at Main and Peters streets. Far right: Final renovations still are under way.

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Financial Center

Landmark poised to welcome tenants

By Andy Rieger Transcript Executive Editor

I

t’s been nearly 30 months since owners of the downtown Financial Center hurriedly vacated the landmark Norman building. But the final weeks of the building’s restoration are at hand with tenants planning July moves into the sixstory structure at Main Street and Peters Avenue.

Jim Adair, one of the building’s owners, said his family’s investment and real estate company and attorney Barry Roberts are the only two displaced tenants moving back in.

The major building tenant will be the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System and its team of lawyers, investigators and support personnel.

They will move about 75 people from the office building on the Griffin Hospital grounds and will occupy the second, third and fifth floor as well as use much of the basement for storage.

“It’ll be the biggest law firm in the area,” says Adair. “They are really anxious to get in.”

The sixth floor, housing the Vista Restaurant, is for sale by the estate of Richard Talley, a longtime Norman attorney and businessman. The city will allow another restaurant to occupy the

@

.com

space, Adair said.

The owners and their retained engineers made the decision to save the building shortly after tenants vacated in February of 2009.

“The building never moved an inch,” Adair said. “There’s no question it needed structural repair. It probably needed structural repairs the day it was built.”

Crews installed beams and metal plates inside the existing building, an unusual fix that has created some minor, internal space dynamics and configurations on each floor.

“The structural stuff was pretty much decided for us. After that, we decided to do the exterior of the building and other improvements,” Adair said.

Barbour & Short Construction Co. was the primary contractor on the building.

LWPB Architecture worked with the project.

Crews replaced windows, doors, mechanical systems, most of the electrical and installed a new roof.

“For all intents and purposes, we have a brand new building,” Adair said.

“It’s been a long job. You have no idea what you’re getting into. We had 13 tenants. In four days, we figured out where everybody was going and in 10 days they were all moved.”

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The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 11

Moore Chamber director’s 6-month gig turns into 8 happy years on job

Chamber of Commerce

By Peggy Laizure Transcript Staff Writer

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

John Woods was named president and chief executive officer of the Norman Chamber of Commerce three months ago.

New director jumps in to ensure Norman is open for business

By Meghan McCormick Transcript Staff Writer

I

t’s been three months since John Woods was named president and chief executive officer of the Norman Chamber of Commerce.

Woods has spent his workdays meeting with business and community leaders. He succeeded Anna-Mary Suggs who retired in December 2010.

“It’s been exciting and busy,” Woods said about his new job.

He said the Chamber of Commerce board of directors presented Woods with ideas the board wanted to see accomplished.

Woods comes to the chamber after spending the past 15 years in the political sector. He was most recently the policy advisor for the speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

“My background gives me a lot of expertise in that,” he said. “I think that is very helpful.”

As part of his focus as director, Woods wants to help local businesses and let people know Norman is a great place to do business, he said. Woods said he believes it’s important to make sure Norman is successful now and 20 years later.

“People want to live in a community they will enjoy,” he said.

Woods said he has visited with civic groups and associations as a way to share his message with as many as possible.

“I love Norman,” he said. “My desire is to play a part and make Norman a great community.”

The Chamber of Commerce has come up with ways to help businesses communicate with customers and hosts networking events, Woods said. The organization also shows how to save on energy and money costs.

Woods said the chamber came up with a video marketing program for local businesses.

Videos are produced and put on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/Normanchamber.

It costs $199, he said. A subcontractor films the footage and puts the videos together.

The program started in May, Woods said. So far, four videos have been posted.

Another five are in production.

“It’s a good opportunity for a small business person,” he said.

The chamber also is in the early stages of developing an iPhone App, he said.

People will be able to use their iPhones to find businesses in the Norman area.

After retirement from civil service, Brenda Roberts was asked to fill in for the executive director at the Moore Chamber of Commerce. She said she would, but only for six months until they could find someone else.

That was in 2003 and Roberts is still at the chamber and loving every minute of it.

As executive director, Roberts said she is in charge of decision making and making sure that any program they have is profitable. She makes sure the chamber is financially secure and works with a 15 member board.

“I’m the overseer from picking up trash to the daily business,” Roberts said.

There were about 200 members in the chamber in 2003, Roberts said. A membership drive in 2006 raised the number to 300 but many members were lost.

“They left because Kathy wasn’t here to close the back door,” Roberts said. “There were only two in the office and it was hard to do without a membership person.

Kathy Gillette is the director of membership services and sales with the chamber and there are now more than 700 members.

The Moore chamber is not an economic development center even though the chamber interacts with businesses and the city, Roberts said.

“We (Moore) went out and did what we could in retail,” she said. “We are a retail town.”

“We get someone who wants to know why they should have a business in Moore, we immediately shoot it to Diedre and let her walk them through,” she said. Diedre Ebrey is the city of Moore economic director.

Once a new business gets set up, the owners know the chamber will be there to take care of them.

“They bring them in, we take care of them,” Roberts said. “We held a ribbon cutting for Schlotzsky’s and they had a grand opening. David Jones, the owner, shot an email to Diedre saying he was so impressed with the people here.”

The chamber holds networking general membership lunches and workshops, Business Before Hours, Business After Hours and encourages people to get involved.

“You can’t belong to every bank or shop at 16 stores every day,” Roberts said. “That is why we encourage members to attend our functions.”

Roberts and her husband, Vice Mayor David Roberts, have lived in Moore 38 years.

Brenda lived in Georgia and met David through a mutual friend at a church convention. David grew up in Capitol Hill and moved his bride back home.

“I’m very fortunate to be a part of this chamber,” Roberts said. “I value and respect our leadership both at the city and the chamber. I am very, very honored to be here and to serve and I mean that sincerely.”

Noble Chamber director looks to networking as key to growth

By Jocelyn Pedersen For The Transcript

Dawn McNutt, executive director of Noble Chamber of Commerce, is linked in to the networking process.

McNutt earned her bachelor of science in management information systems from Colorado Technical University.

She was in the Air Force where she served in the military police and as a paralegal.

She later went on to become a lead network administrator at Federal Express where she put her skills as a Microsoft Certified Professional to work. She launched into small business ownership through various direct sales opportunities allowing her to work from home while raising a family.

She’s been involved with the Joy of Connecting, a women’s business networking group for several years, and still guides her team of Precision3 professionals who share nutrition and weight loss patches. McNutt says she feels that networking in multiple ways is essential for businesses growth.

Holding the executive director’s position in the Noble Chamber of commerce for six months now, she puts her networking skills to good use.

Since the beginning of her tenure, she has already recruited more new chamber members than in the entire previous year.

Her duties include more than recruiting.

She helps organize the annual Chamber Banquet and the Rose Rock Festival, among other things.

“This year’s Rose Rock Festival was one of the most successful thanks partly to the beautiful weather and awesome bands, but also thanks to a chamber organization that has become a well-oiled machine — improving the festival time and again over the past 30 years,” McNutt said.

The members of the chamber work together in many ways to promote businesses in their community and ultimately, Noble itself. McNutt does her part to facilitate this process.

“Our theme this year is Moving Forward,” said Don Cretsinger, president of the Noble Chamber of Commerce and president of Sun Construction. “That’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re making our meetings more valuable with our new format.”

McNutt is incorporating her skills and board members’ ideas to find ways for members to network at meetings by offering them the opportunity to feature their businesses and unique skills exclusively in a monthly luncheon forum.

The goal is to have members provide each other with money saving business tips and education through networking.

“It’s going really well. We’re having a prosperous year,” McNutt said.

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Pathways to Progress

Page 12

Auto sales

Dealerships outgrowing Mile of Cars

By Andrew Knittle Transcript Staff Writer

F

Andrew Knittle / The Transcript

Fowler Toyota, which opened its state-of-the-art dealership in March 2009 near Interstate 35 and Tecumseh Road, moved from the Mile of Cars to give themselves breathing room — and space to grow in the future.

Your local information source since the Land Run of 1889

122 Years

or decades, the Mile of Cars in Norman has been the center of the car-buying world in Cleveland County.

Dealerships tightly packed the prime real estate east of the Interstate 35, from Robinson Street south to Main Street, like sardines.

And that remains the same today, although some well-known Norman dealers have pulled up and moved to other stretches along I-35.

Bob Moore Nissan and Marc Heitz Chevrolet were among the first to break away from the pack.

Bob Moore Cadillac, which now operates along Main Street in Norman, is set to move six miles away from its old location, north of Indian Hills Road off of I35.

Fowler Toyota, which opened its modern new dealership in March 2009 near I-35 and Tecumseh Road, moved from the Mile of Cars to give themselves breathing room — and space to grow in the future.

Rick Burgess, general manager of

Fowler Toyota, said the move the dealership made was a natural transition.

“The old dealership was built 30 years ago,” Burgess said. “We pretty much used it up and outgrew it. We just couldn’t take care of our customers the way we wanted to anymore.”

Burgess said the new Fowler Toyota location is great for the extra room stock, but also because of the expanded service department, an important part of any dealership’s bottom line.

“I’ve got an acre underground,” he said of the new service department. “We’ve gone from 22 (service) bays to 34 bays, so that’s huge for our customers.”

As for relocating to a larger, more expensive facility at the height of the Great Recession, Burgess said it taught the dealership a lesson that’s paying dividends today.

“Things have been really good relative to everything that’s going on,” he said.

“When business is real fast-paced, you don’t look at some of the small things we looked at during that time (the recession) • See AUTO DEALERS, Page C13

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The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 13

Auto dealers • From Page C12 ... you get better or you get out.”

Chad Baker, general manager of Marc Heitz Chevrolet, said relocating away from the Mile of Cars is typically the lone options for dealerships looking for a new space.

“There’s no other places to buy except a few pieces of land,” Baker said. “You can’t go too far north or south because you’ll get into other dealerships’ territories.”

Baker said the new location also affords the dealership more than twice as much space as the prior facility.

“Over there we had sixand-a-half acres, while over here we have 15-and-ahalf,” he said. “We used to have to park most of our inventory at a holding lot ...

now we have plenty of room.”

Baker said distancing the dealership from the others crunched together to the north is a doubleedged sword.

“It’s not really an advantage because you don’t steal your competition’s customers, but I guess that works both ways,” Baker said. “I guess they don’t get to steal ours as much.”

Regardless, he said moving to the new location has been a boon for Marc Heitz Chevrolet, which had its “best year ever” in 2010.

“Things have picked up tremendously since we moved in here,” Baker said. “We moved in here in ’08, when the industry was really down, but we’ve managed to grow in all areas during that time.”

Photos by Andrew Knittle / The Transcript

Above: Marc Heitz general manager Chad Baker said relocating is typically the lone options for dealerships looking for a new space. At left: Bob Moore Cadillac, which now operates along Main Street in Norman, is set to move north of Indian Hills Road off Interstate 35.

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The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 14

Economic Development: Norman

University North Park a work in progress

By Andrew Knittle

Rosenthal said. “But I think that’s how it was sold and not necessarily how it was planned.”

She said the original plan was bring in big box stores and other businesses to provide enough revenue to move forward with future UNP projects.

“That is still the plan, but I think people expected it to happen over night and that hasn’t happened,” Rosenthal said.

Overall, the mayor says the UNP isn’t a failure when it comes to the bottom line.

“If you go back and look at original projections it’s performing, basically, as it was projected to ... in spite of the Great Recession,” Rosenthal said. “A lot of times, that’s the best barometer to use.”

Road improvements made (and planned) using UNP tax dollars are another positive for the city.

Rosenthal said UNP funds will be used to pay for major interchange work at I-35 and Robinson Street and has already been used to build the Rock Creek overpass, among other projects.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do any of those, really, without the (University North Park) TIF,” the mayor said. “And then you have the Embassy Suites ... what that facility has meant to the city is huge.”

As for the UNP area’s future, Rosenthal said things should come together. She said developers have revealed alternate designs for what was supposed to be a Lifestyle Center, on the east side of 24th Avenue Northwest (just to the south of Embassy Suites).

“What they showed us really had very modest changes to the original design,” she said. “And they are starting to get interest from retailers they want ... and the economy’s getting better, so I think you’re going to start to see things start to move out there.”

Transcript Staff Writer

W

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Pei Wei Asian Diner and Dress Barn were later tenants in the UNP area. Mayor Cindy Rosenthal says that these types of business, which generate sales tax revenue, are essential to financing the rest of the UNP development.

hile development of the University North Park Tax Increment Finance District hasn’t always been smooth sailing, Mayor Cindy Rosenthal says the massive project is essentially on track.

The UNP area came to be following years of planning by the Norman City Council and developers, officially coming to life in 2006. It was envisioned to have high-end shopping, a lifestyle center and park in the middle of all of it.

Since then, several issues have presented themselves and many residents feel like they aren’t getting what was promised to them by city officials.

Development of Legacy Park, an 8- to 10-acre attraction planned on the west side of 24th Avenue Northwest, is being held up because UNP developers have yet to donate the land, something that was supposed to be done well over a year ago.

Rosenthal said Legacy Park “isn’t going to be your typical park” and will likely require a “business improvement district” to collectively pay for its upkeep.

“Kind of like Bricktown (in Oklahoma City),” she said. “All the business in Bricktown come together to provide maintenance and we think we would need something similar for Legacy Park.”

As for the donation of the land, the mayor believes the situation will eventually work itself out.

“We are continuing to negotiate with the developer,” she said. “We’ve had many important discussions and I think we’re very close.”

Some city officials also have questioned where the “high-end shopping” is in UNP. “I think the biggest challenge facing the UNP is it doesn’t meet some people’s expectations,”

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Kohl's was just the second tenant in the University North Park Tax Increment Finance District, which was established in 2006 by the Norman City Council. The Super Target, on the south end of the UNP area, was the first business to open in the TIF district.

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

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The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 15

Economic Development: Moore

Moore developing commerical interests flanking I-35

By Peggy Laizure Transcript Staff Writer

A

Walmart SuperCenter moved its Moore store to 19th Street and Interstate 35 in 1995 and the boom was on.

A tornado blew through town in May 1999 and the business growth slowed for awhile.

“The growth became more apparent once Kohl’s opened on the Riverwalk area in 2001,” said Deidre Ebrey, Moore’s Economic Director.

Retail growth also began to happen on the east side of the interstate.

But often it takes more than two years to see a business or center open.

“I started with the city doing business recruitment in 2002 and one of my first major tasks was assisting with the development of the Shops at Moore,” Ebrey said.

“Work on these projects begins long before anything comes out of the ground. We’re working on projects now that are at least 12-24 months from becoming reality. Some projects make it all the way to opening; some do not.”

Moore is a good location for business.

“There are 200,000 people to the south with Norman, Noble and the Purcell area and then there are another 100,000 in the Oklahoma City Metro,” Ebrey said.

The city does not use tax breaks or other incentives to convince a business to move into Moore, she said. Incentives are talked about only after a business or developer has chosen Moore.

“Incentives can never make a bad site good and should never be used in that manner,” Ebrey said.

“In our case, we have incentivized only those concepts we do not currently have and that we know will add “new money” to our existing tax base.”

The city of Moore has executed three sales tax rebate programs. The first was for the Shops at Moore development.

“The developer could finance the development but not the purchase of and subsequent demolition of the property as it was,” Ebrey said. “That land had a motel, a vacant 100,000 square foot big box (formerly a Sam’s Wholesale) and a semivacant, aging, outlet mall.

The city agreed to rebate sales taxes generated by any new retail the developer brought in to the newly developed shopping center. This protected the city in that no money was ever paid out to the developer until the new businesses were open for business. This development has been extremely successful and the rebates

to the developer will end this year.

Ebrey is pleased with the results.

“It worked exactly as it was intended,” she said.

A similar but smaller program was used for Target, which will open July 24 and the new Warren IMAX, which will open in February, 2012.

But Ebrey stressed that the projects will only receive the agreed upon amount once they are open and generating business.

The recent recession did affect the business growth as did investment in retail but it is slowly returning, Ebrey said.

“Obviously, discounters, fast casual dining and operators of value-priced items are moving faster to take advantage of potentially lower-priced, prime real estate as well as a more value-conscience consumer,” Ebrey said.

There are other developments on the horizon. The Fritts Farm is currently under construction with an inline center on SW 19th Street, west of Telephone Road. Royal Rock Development on the north side of 19th Street is working on additional lease space development and some out-lot sales.

“Spaces continue to lease all over the City which, in my world, is ‘big’,” Ebrey said. “Most

cities would give anything to have a fraction of the growth we’ve had and continue to have. We feel fortunate to be in this position and are not taking it for granted.”

Economic growth is not restricted to the new areas bordering Interstate 35.

The merchants of Old Town on Broadway Avenue have pulled together to take advantage of what they have.

Moore didn’t have an historic downtown like many towns, so they tried to recreate the look of an older business district with eclectic shops with more of an “artsy feel,” Elbrey said.

The city assisted Old Town in 2006 with the “street scape, which is pleasing to the eye,” Ebrey said. The city schedules most of its events in Old Town, Ebrey said. The city promotes Old Town to show people what it has to offer and the merchants volunteer to work the event.

And the residents of Moore are enjoying the boom.

“It is obvious that Moore’s citizens are staying close to home to shop because we finally have the opportunity to do so,” Ebrey said. “People have preferences as to

where they purchase items. The key for retailers and retail developers is to recruit the types of businesses and services that appeal to the most people within a trade area.

We, as the city, do not specifically select the retailers that come here.

We actively recruit certain retail and service but, ultimately, it’s up to the property owner, landlord and finance committee of each individual property or project as to whom they sell or lease. We believe we have a good mix of retail and that it provides a good opportunity for shoppers in the OKC metro.”

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The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

Page 16

Vocational / Technical Education

MNTC changes to keep pace with trends

By Peggy Laizure Transcript Staff Writer

Since the doors of Moore Norman Technology Center opened in 1976, the center has provided technical training to high school and adults students. A summer academy also serves children, ages nine to 14.

The center is accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement and provides working adults, adult students, high school students from five partner high schools, private and home schools, business owners and senior citizens a quality and affordable career and technical education and also provides assistance to businesses to help them achieve their goals, said Susan Gladhill, director of Educational Services.

John Hunter has been superintendent at MNTC nine years but will be retiring in January, 2012.

He has been an instructor and administrator in careertechs for 37 years.

MNTC has an economic impact on the area, he said.

“I can see the valuable impact this technology center makes each day with high school and adult students, as well as business and industry,” Hunter said. “The economic impact, workforce development and quality education is a worthwhile investment of local, state and federal dollars.”

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Moore Norman Technology Center offers 33 career majors in the areas of business information technology, engineering and technical, health careers and human service and humanities.

In fiscal year 2010, more than 60,123 people attended classes, workshops and conferences at MNTC. That includes an one-hour class to full-time career majors.

More than 1,100 career major students attended MNTC in FY2010 with 651 adults and 519 high school students. The 33 career majors are in the areas of business information technology, engineering and technical, health careers and human service and humanities.

Hunter said information technology and health are the two largest programs at Moore Norman.

Other popular courses include cosmetology, welding and graphic design.

The Franklin Road Campus in Norman sits on 75 acres at the corner of 12th Avenue NW and

Franklin Road. Five buildings total 323,500 square feet and features classrooms, labs, industryquality equipment and meeting and conference rooms.

In addition to the main building, the campus includes a Health Education Center, a Technical Training Center and a Construction Trades building. A new 75,000square-foot Information Technology Building is under construction and should be completed by the fall.

Hunter said he is excited that the building will provide facilities, equipment and an environment to students reflecting those being used in the industry.

“This will make students more productive when entering the work force,” he said.

Programs in accounting, computer programming, database administration, digital video production, graphic design, legal office services, networking and computer repair and web design will be housed in the new building.

Hunter said students are using 25-year-old studios in some of the programs that don’t reflect industry standards.

“The facility design and layout will be a model that other schools will want to look at as they consider offering similar classes across the state and nation,” Hunter said.

“We need to be adding new types of classes that are important to our community and this will allow us to do that in the long term,” Hunter said.

Hunter said one of the challenges for all the careertech schools is to be

current in what they offer.

A digital transformation has taken place in recent years in every field and schools have to stay current with what they offer, he said.

He said companies look at the labor force, education and support in an area when considering where to locate.

The South Penn Campus opened in the summer of 2005 in an effort to reach out to the entire district and effectively meet the business and community needs within south Oklahoma City.

The 65-acre tract of land located at SW 134th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue is home to a main campus building with 79,000 square feet of meeting, classroom and conference space, and the Business Development Center, a 14,500 square foot business incubator.

The Business Development Center offers planning and support to new businesses and helps entrepreneurs deal with marketing plans to finding financial resources, to strategic planning and technology integration.

The Business & Industry Services division assisted 528 businesses with computer technology, customized industry, safety, environmental, management training and team management.

The South Penn Campus also has part-time classes in health, business and industry training,

personal interest, computer technology, management development and small business management.

Students also are able to receive college credits through an agreement with local colleges and universities. In FY10, 607 students earned a total of 4,300 hours of college credit, good toward associate degree programs.

MNTC has earned the Oklahoma Association of Technology Center’s Gold Star School Award for eight years consecutively, from 2002-2010. This annual application-based award recognizes technology center districts that have met rigid and demanding criteria demonstrating a high level of excellence. This voluntary program provides recognition to districts with exemplary programs designed to meet a broad spectrum of community needs.

Nine to 14 year-olds have the opportunity to attend the Summer Youth Academy. Established 15 years ago, SYA courses include health, computer technology, science technology, human service, life skills or arts.

More than 1,000 children enroll each year.

“We provide the best possible career and technology education in our state and nation,” Hunter said.

Corespondent Amy David contributed to the article.

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Meet Our Staff

Shane Vice, born and raised in Western Oklahoma, graduated from Cordell High School in 1984.

Shane then attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma before transferring to the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in Dallas, Texas earning his degree in Funeral Service in 1989.

Shane was united in marriage to Miss Deedra Stehr, a lifelong resident of Clinton, Oklahoma, in 1990. Shane returned to Southwestern Oklahoma State University completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management and Finance in 1993.

Shane and Deedra moved to Yukon, Oklahoma in 1997, where Shane operated one of Yukon’s funeral homes. While serving in Yukon, Shane was instrumental in the local development of the “Every 15 Minutes” program, an educational program specically targeting high school students the dangers of drinking and driving.

Shane also worked closely with the national program, “Safe Escape,” sponsored by renowned safety expert, Bob Stuber. This program educated children of all ages the dangers and warning signs of a child abductor and taught them safe escape techniques when held against their will.

Shane was also involved with the Yukon Kiwanis program and participated in the Yukon Fire and Police Citizens’ Academy.

In addition to his leadership role in Yukon, Shane also assumed operating responsibility of the Bill Merritt Funeral Home in Mustang, Oklahoma in 1998. While in Mustang, Shane was active in the Mustang Chamber of Commerce.

Later in 1999, Shane had the opportunity to be the lead funeral director at Oklahoma City’s largest funeral home and cemetery operations, later assuming funeral home managerial responsibilities in 2006. While serving in this capacity, Shane worked closely with INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center in South Oklahoma City to provide leadership and educational support to the Jim Thorpe Youthful Drinking and Driving Program. This program was specically designed to assist young adults in their struggle to overcome chemical dependency. In the six years Shane was involved with this organization, hundreds of lives were changed and hearts were mended.

Shane continued in his leadership role until April of 2010, at which time he, his wife, Deedra, and their two sons, Dalton and Brant moved to Norman, after the Vice Family assumed ownership of Havenbrook Funeral Home.

Shane and Deedra’s oldest son, Dalton is a Junior at Norman North High School, where he is a member of the National Honor Society. Brant, their youngest, is a fth grader at Truman Elementary.

Shane is a member of the Norman Business Association. He and his family are also members of Bethel Baptist Church of Norman.

In his spare time, Shane enjoys spending time with his family, snow skiing, water skiing and especially Sooner Football!

SHANE VICE

3401 Havenbrook St., Norman, OK 73072 405-329-0101 www.Havenbrookfuneralhome.com

Deedra Jaye Vice was raised in Clinton, Oklahoma, graduating Clinton High School in 1985.

She is the daughter of Darrell Lee and Judy (Cabaniss) Stehr. Deedra has a younger brother, Brennon.

Deedra married Shane Vice on September 1, 1990 in Clinton, Oklahoma. Shane and Deedra have two sons, Dalton, a Junior at Norman North High School and Brant, a 5th grader at Truman Elementary.

Deedra is a graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma Sate University in Weatherford, Oklahoma, where she obtained a Secretarial Science Degree.

Deedra’s focus is in hospital administration, which encompasses Medical Staff Services and Quality Resource Management. Deedra has been on staff at Integris Clinton Regional Hospital, Deaconess Hospital in Oklahoma City, and in 2001 was on the development and start-up team to open the Integris Canadian Valley Hospital in Yukon, Oklahoma.

In addition to her hospital administrative career, Deedra was appointed to lead a United States Federal Program that prepared Senior Citizens to re-enter the workforce. This program equipped seniors with the necessary skills to begin a career that prepared them for healthy, longtime business careers.

After the Vice Family assumed ownership of Havenbrook Funeral Home, Deedra retired from Integris Canadian Valley Hospital after 21 years of dedicated service to Oklahoma’a Health Care Industry.

Deedra’s afliations include the Jaycees, Junior Service League, Yukon Community Education Council, and the Advisory Council of Yukon, Oklahoma.

Deedra, Shane and their two sons worship at Bethel Baptist Church in Norman.

Deedra is enjoying being a stay-at-home mom and providing administrative support to Havenbrook Funeral Home.

DEEDRA VICE

A life long Norman resident, Bruce Ingram graduated from Norman High School in 1979. He continued his education, graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education and Recreation in 1984.

Bruce was united in marriage to Miss Valerie Hill in 1982 in Norman. Bruce later enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas in 1984, graduating with a Master of Arts Degree in Religious Education, with a focus on student ministry in 1987.

Serving Bethel Baptist Church in a part-time capacity for four years, Bruce became the full-time Minister of Students and Recreation in 1987. He continued in this leadership role, serving until his retirement form Bethel Baptist Church in 2010, ending a 27 year focus on Student Ministries.

Bruce and Valerie are the parents of two awesome children, Courtney Ingram, the Children’s Minister at the First Baptist Church of Mulvane, Kansas, and Josh Ingram, a senior at the University of Oklahoma. Josh currently serves as the Assistant J.V. Baseball Coach at Norman North High School.

Bruce has served as a Chaplain to local companies in the Norman and Oklahoma City Metropolitan area, including being the area Chaplain for BNSF Railroad Company, serving Oklahoma, North Texas and Southern Kansas.

Bruce joined the Vice Family and Havenbrook Funeral Home in January of 2011, serving families in an ambassador and pastoral capacity. Bruce also serves as a pre-arrangement sspecialist, allowing families to detail their nal wishes. With a great sense of community and understanding, Bruce has a unique awareness of guiding people through the emotional and nancial responsibility of planning a funeral, cremation or cemetery arrangement.

Bruce enjoys serving his Lord through his work, spending time with his beautiful wife, their to awesome children and many friends in and around the Norman community.

Bruce and his family support numerous Norman sporting events, community activities, and attend the Emmaus Baptist Church in South Oklahoma City.

BRUCE INGRAM

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