TulsaPeople November 2017 by TulsaPeople

LOBECK TAYLOR FAMILY FOUNDATION SUPPORTS ENTREPRENEURS November 2017

THE DOLLARS AND SENSE OF IT ALL

80 years of Bama Pies

Essay: Art helps veterans heal

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Gracelynn & Kylee S.

bonded at birth. Kylee has had brain surgery, so when she learned she was pregnant, her excitement quickly turned to caution. After speaking with her doctor, she learned a c-section would be the safest option for delivery. Although disappointed she couldn’t have a natural childbirth, she understood it was for the best. Fortunately, the Peggy V. Helmerich Women’s Health Center at Hillcrest Medical Center offers gentle c-sections, allowing Kylee and daughter, Gracelynn, to bond immediately after birth. She remembers the moment Gracelynn was laid on her chest; it is a memory she will never forget. To learn more about Kylee’s life-changing experience at the Peggy V. Helmerich Women’s Health Center, visit Hillcrest.com.

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NOVEMBER 2017 | VOLUME 32 ISSUE 1 FEATURED Lilah and Paul Marshall of Bama Pies. The Tulsa company is celebrating 80 years.

34 Marathon man Chris Lieberman’s strides in recovery

BY ANNE BROCKMAN

36 At war Excerpt from “How We Served” — ﬁrst-hand accounts from the battleﬁelds

BY LINDA HIGHT

38 Essay Glassblowing program offers veterans camaraderie and recovery.

44 American pie

BY BOB WARTERFIELD

For 20 years, the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation has supported entrepreneurial efforts.

BY TIM LANDES

Through its 80 years, Bama Pies has gone from upstart to worldwide success, all from Tulsa.

BY SCOTT WIGTON

9 CITYGUIDE

63 LIFESTYLE

Where to satisfy your inner scientist. New pageturners. Morgan Ganem is the ultimate musician.

Set the table with style. Perry, Tonkawa and Ponca City are charm-ﬁlled destinations. Save yourself from ﬁnancial stress.

17 TABLE TALK

49 Shop local The dollars and sense of shopping at locally owned businesses

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

A second helping of charm and down-home cooking. Oklahoma-style comfort food for all. Getting nutty with Bob Knight.

89 GIVING BACK

25 COMMUNITY

SPECIAL SECTION

A local paint company takes us behind the scenes. A conversation with Nehemiah Frank of the Black Wall Street Times. Magic is in the air.

LOBECK TAYLOR FAMILY FOUNDATION SUPPORTS ENTREPRENEURS November 2017

THE DOLLARS AND SENSE OF IT ALL

Caring for refugees. Flight Night, Day of Caring and other recent events. A veteran memorial orchestra.

Design and Architecture Proﬁles

80 years of Bama Pies

Essay: Art helps veterans heal

ON THE COVER Tom Brown of Tom’s Bicycles

COURTESY BAMA COS.

40 The evolution of a foundation

#mostwonderfultime #musicalmemories #lightson #holidaymagic

LIGHTS ON THANKSGIVING DAY Nov 23rd | 6:30 pm

Capture, Share #uticasquare

uticasquare.com

Put the perfect fi nishing touch on your Thanksgiving celebration and join us (and Santa!) for a magical evening at â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lights Onâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Utica Square. Enjoy live local music under the illumination of 700,000 lights as the holiday season officially fl ickers to life.

WHAT’S ONLINE TULSAPEOPLE.COM Follow us on Twitter @TULSAPEOPLE

THE 2017 TULSA GUEST GUIDE IS AVAILABLE AT TULSAPEOPLE.COM/GUESTGUIDE

Find us on Facebook FACEBOOK.COM/TULSAPEOPLEMAG

Follow us. Use #MyTulsaPeople to tag your Instagram and Twitter photos of the people who make this city great. WE’LL FEATURE OUR FAVES!

The Guest Guide is a great resource for both Tulsans and visitors!

@philosphytulsa Squad. #mytulsapeople

THE 2017 A-LIST DIRECTORY IS NOW ONLINE

AT TULSAPEOPLE.COM//A-LIST

@abby.pup

The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been and the memories we’ve made along the way. #mytulsapeople

Behind the magic (p. 15)

Watch our website for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Magic City Books as it prepares for its debut.

PLUS Where to eat, shop, get fit and more can be found on our exclusive directories: TULSAPEOPLE.COM/A-LIST

PLANNING A WEDDING OR EVENT? The 2017 Venue Guide is available at TulsaPeople.com/venueguide. 6

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

@mskathy1

Thank you @tulsapeople for The Bodyguard tickets! Enjoying the evening with my daughter! #tulsapac #tulsapeoplemagazine #mytulsapeople

Use #MYTULSAPEOPLE on social media to get featured here. Giveaways are back, and bigger than ever! Visit TULSAPEOPLE.COM/GIVEAWAYS to enter.

#mostwonderfultime #musicalmemories #lightson #holidaymagic

LIGHTS ON THANKSGIVING DAY Nov 24th | 6:30 pm

Capture, Share #uticasquare

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FROM THE EDITOR

“What are you thankful for?”

1603 South Boulder Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119-4407 918-585-9924 918-585-9926 Fax

PUBLISHER Jim Langdon PRESIDENT Juley Roffers VP COMMUNITY RELATIONS Susie Miller

It was my childhood Thanksgiving tradition to go

of. Plus, getting to run into these small business

to each person in attendance. My parents insist it

the weekend creates this amazing sense of con-

around the table and ask this question pointedly

was endearing. I suspect I was just honing my talkshow host skills.

owners at the farmers’ market or out and about on nectivity.

We even find out what some Tulsans are grate-

Flash forward a few decades, and “gratitude”

ful for this season. For Chris Lieberman (p. 34),

bloggers and gurus of all stripes touting its pow-

and laughing are reasons to celebrate. Nehemiah

seems to be the zeitgeist-y cure-all of the day, with ers to heal mind and body and attract good fortune. (#blessed #gratitude #affirmation #selflove

#lawofattraction) I’m sure little miss “what are you

thankful for?” would be into it, but I’m too busy with this Liz Lemon-level eye roll to give it much consideration.

Let’s face it — it’s been a rough year. Every day

we wake up wondering what fresh hell is awaiting

us on our newsfeeds. It’s really hard to feel like

self-affirming sticky notes in any way combat cli-

mate change, income inequality, police brutality,

even seemingly small achievements like standing

EDITOR CITY EDITOR DIGITAL EDITOR ARTS & BENEFITS EDITOR ONLINE CALENDAR EDITOR

EDITORIAL CONSULTING Missy Kruse, The Write Company CREATIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER MANAGING PHOTOGRAPHER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER VIDEOGRAPHER ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Frank shares his gratitude for the overnight suc-

cess of the Black Wall Street Times on p. 30. Documentarian Wendy Garrett (p. 15) appreciates the fresh perspectives her new city offers. And the

folks behind Magic City Books (p. 15) are most

Anne Brockman Morgan Phillips Anna Bennett Judy Langdon John Langdon

CONTROLLER SUBSCRIPTIONS DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR INTERNS

Madeline Crawford Georgia Brooks Morgan Welch Michelle Pollard Valerie Grant Greg Bollinger Andrea Canada Steve Hopkins Betsy Slagle Mary McKisick Gloria Brooks Amanda Hall Mason Beasler Ashley Riggs

certainly relieved that the long-awaited concept will come to fruition this month.

MEMBER

Wait, did I just #practicegratitude? I do actually

feel a little better. Now, I have to ask ... What are you thankful for? TP

TulsaPeople’s distribution is audited annually by

rampant misogyny, systematic racism ... but hey, “You Are Enough” is a nice reminder, I guess.

But, the November issue gave even this “bah

Langdon Publishing Company sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This issue of Tulsa People was printed on recycled fibers containing 20 percent post-consumer waste with inks containing a soy base blend. Our printer is a certified member of the Forestry Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and additionally, meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards. When you are finished with this issue, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it. We can have a better world if we choose it together.

humbug” pause. This month was a welcome reminder of the many reasons I am thankful to be

a Tulsan. This city isn’t perfect by any means, but

we constantly strive to do better for our citizens, whether veterans with post-traumatic stress disor-

Disregard any TulsaPeople subscription solicitation that is not directly mailed from the Langdon Publishing ofﬁce at 1603 S. Boulder Ave. Contact Langdon Publishing directly if you are interested in subscribing or renewing your TulsaPeople subscription.

der (p. 38), refugees seeking safety (p. 92) or fledgling entrepreneurs (p. 40).

Our local shopping feature (p. 49) makes me

grateful to live in a city with so much energy, and so many unique places to shop. We’re no cookie-

cutter town, and that’s something to be proud 8

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Anna Bennett DIGITAL EDITOR

C A L E N D A R + E N T E R TA I N M E N T + C U LT U R E

11/4

VALERIE GRANT

FROM TURKEY TO TULSA

uests of the Turkish Food and Art Festival will be immersed in Turkish culture Nov. 4 at the Raindrop Turkish House. The star of the show will be Turkish foods, such as gyro kebab, manti (Turkish ravioli), baklava, kofte (balls of seasoned ground meat or vegetables), pastries and Turkish tea and coffee. But Tulsans also will have the unique opportunity to watch demonstrations of calligraphy and Ebru (a Turkish form of water marbling) and to hear traditional

Turkish music, says Muhammet Ali Sezer, director of the Raindrop Turkish House since August 2016. The festival exempliﬁes the purpose of the center, which Sezer says is “to promote friendship, shared understanding and increased dialogue among diverse people.” TP The free festival is from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at 4444 W. Houston St., Broken Arrow.

TulsaPeople.com

NOVEMBER C OM PIL ED BY MA S ON BE A SL ER

USA BMX Grand Nationals at Expo Square

Tulsa Ballet presents “Don Quixote” for the ﬁrst time in a decade at the Tulsa PAC.

Earn some dough(nuts) at the ﬁnish line in the Hurts Donut Run, which supports the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Prepare to laugh out loud as comedian Tim Hawkins takes the Brady Theater stage.

From the court to the canvas: Former NBA star Desmond Mason will present his art at Holland Hall’s Holliman Gallery.

Get a bird’s-eye view of historic Route 66 at “East Meets West,” a beneﬁt for Tulsa Route 66 Main Street at the OSU Center for Health Sciences.

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Ride a custom-made tram through the wintery Christmas Town and Santa’s workshop at Kringle’s Christmas Land, which opens today inside Promenade Mall. Through Dec. 31.

Enjoy good food and music at the Horton Records’ Rock N’ Folk N’ Chili Cook-off at Cain’s Ballroom.

11-12

Experience the magic of the yellow brick road as the Broken Arrow PAC hosts “The Wizard of Oz.”

The cyclocross event Cyntergy Hurtland: a Tulsa Tough Production rolls into Owen Park.

Guns N’ Roses performs its thrilling “Not in This Lifetime” World Tour at the BOK Center.

See over 700,000 holiday lights illuminated at Lights On, a Thanksgiving night tradition at Utica Square.

BOK Center also welcomes the Foo Fighters and their “Concrete and Gold” World Tour.

Marvel at the beauty and skill of the Moscow Ballet as it performs “The Nutcracker” at the Mabee Center.

17-19

Embrace your artsy side at An Affair of the Heart shopping event at Expo Square.

24-26

Witness a magical musical masterpiece as Tulsa Symphony Orchestra performs the entire soundtrack from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” at the Tulsa PAC.

Lace ‘em up for the iconic Williams Route 66 Marathon through the heart of downtown Tulsa.

Gear up for the 20th annual USA BMX Grand Nationals at Expo Square. Gather at Cain’s Ballroom for a concert by The Revivalists, performing their indie alternative rock. Katy Perry performs at the BOK Center on her new “Witness” tour. VISIT TULSAPEOPLE.COM FOR MORE LOCAL EVENTS.

USA BMX AND DESMOND MASON: COURTESY

3-5

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WHERE TO …

SATISFY YOUR INNER SCIENTIST BY JARROD GOLLIHARE

STEMcell Science Shop

Astronomy Club of Tulsa

Tulsa GeoScience Center

For all your home science experimentation needs ... or just a chance to gawk at some cool stuff, make your way to the STEMcell Science Shop. It offers everything an aspiring scientist might need, from microscopes and telescopes to a few artifacts like a wooly mammoth tooth and some actual space debris. “It’s one thing to see a meteorite crash on TV,” says owner Terry Mudge, “but to actually hold a chunk of it makes it that much more tangible.”

One night a month, the Astronomy Club of Tulsa opens its observatory near Mounds to the public. Guests can look through various telescopes at fantastic celestial objects, including the Butterfly Cluster, a cluster of stars in the constellation Scorpius that is approximately 1,600 light years away. “If we get an interested group of individuals who wants to stay around, we’ll stay out there as long as they want to,” says Owen Green, ACT’s public relations director. A Nov. 11 public viewing night will begin at 4:45 p.m. at the Mounds observatory. ACT also will host a “Sidewalk Astronomy” event at 5 p.m., Nov. 25, just east of Bass Pro Shop, 101 Bass Pro Drive in Broken Arrow.

Head downtown and dig into the geological history of the earth with a visit to the Tulsa GeoScience Center. This hands-on experience features a plethora of minerals and fossils to examine, including T-Rex and Megalodon remains, as well as an earthquake simulation room. “At the end of the tour the kids get to dig for minerals and fossils and get a little kit to take home,” says Tulsa GeoScience Center director Broc Randall. “That’s definitely the most popular thing.” TP

11 A.M.-6 P.M., MONDAY-THURSDAY AND SUNDAY; 10 A.M.-7 P.M., FRIDAY-SATURDAY 502 E. THIRD ST., THE BOXYARD | 918-708-5480 STEMCELLTULSA.COM

$2 SUGGESTED EVENT DONATION PER PERSON FOR DIRECTIONS, REACH OUT TO THE OBSERVATORY AT ASTROTULSA.COM/CONTACT.

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

TOURS MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE. $8 PER PERSON 610 S. MAIN ST., SUITE 200 | 918-392-4556 GEOTOURSTULSA@YAHOO.COM

STEMCELL: VALERIE GRANT; GEOSCIENCE CENTER: BROC RANDALL

Who says learning can’t be a fun family activity? Think outside the box a bit. For some quick, easy ways to cram a little more science into your kids’ noggins — and maybe even yours, too — the following local outings are just the ticket.

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

IN ‘PARADISE’

Kaylee Morrison, pictured, and her grandmother, Nancy Smith, co-wrote “Joshua and the Biggest Fish.” The book is named for Smith’s grandfather.

Young musician is doing what he loves. BY GAIL BANZET-ELLIS

Morgan Ganem entertains the crowd at River Spirit Casino.

and Springs native Morgan Ganem is the ultimate musician. A DJ, vocalist, drummer, guitarist, songwriter and producer all in one, he played in his first band at age 10. The son of Branson, Missouri, headliner I.J. Ganem, Morgan — who is now 31 — is blazing his own trail in music. A hybrid of instruments and vocals, Morgan’s carefree, electronic pop and hip-hop style is influenced by legends such as The Beatles and modern artists like Drake. In May, Morgan released his debut album, “Paradise,” which he produced in his home studio. There, he also records vocals for other artists. “The support here has been really overwhelming,” he says. “A lot of great music has come out of Tulsa, and that’s inspiring.” With a corporate sponsorship from Arby’s, Morgan completed a fun season of outdoor festivals and concerts this year, including performing a summer series at Safari Joe’s H2O. This fall, he is on the road from Sand Springs to Las Vegas. “I tailor my shows to whatever is called for,” Morgan says. “My music is family oriented and works well for corporate events.”

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Fifty years after I.J. Ganem made headlines as a member of the band Rogues Five and later as star of the show Branson City Lights, his son continues the family tradition of an innovative sound and approach to the music business. “My favorite part of music is seeing people react to it,” Morgan says. “It’s euphoric to express your art and have others like it.” TP VISIT MORGANGANEM.COM.

O f all the memories Kaylee Morrison, 22, has with her grandmother, Nancy Smith, writing a book together is among the most significant. The pair, who are members of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, co-wrote “Joshua and the Biggest Fish,” a coming-of-age tale about a young Creek boy. Published in August, the children’s book incorporates Creek vocabulary. Smith says tribal culture was downplayed growing up as a result of societal pressures on Native Americans. “I was not raised in the tribe, so neither were my kids,” Smith says. “When I started having grandkids, I wanted to share the culture with them. I looked around for books, and almost none exist.” Though fictional, “Joshua” centers on a 1920s fish kill, once a common Creek practice for gathering food. Smith says fish kills were outlawed in the early 1900s because Creek traditions were misunderstood. To write the book, Morrison and Smith interviewed elders and conducted research at the tribal headquarters in Okmulgee. There, they discovered historical photos that guided the book’s illustrations by Dorothy Shaw. Morrison, who will earn her surgical technology degree in December, says working on the book brought her and Smith closer. “Especially with me getting older and being really busy (in college) it was definitely something we could focus on together,” she says. Smith is pleased her granddaughter wanted to better understand Creek history and that she wants to share that knowledge with the next generation. “The project never would have happened if Kaylee had not wanted to find out about her heritage and been willing to put the time into it,” Smith says. “Joshua and the Biggest Fish” is available starting at $11 at doodleandpeck.com/shop. — MORGAN PHILLIPS

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: VALERIE GRANT; SHARED HERTIAGE: GREG BOLLINGER

SHARED HERITAGE

LOCAL TALENT

Cindy Hulsey, general manager of Magic City Books, and Jeff Martin, board president of the Tulsa Literary Coalition, at the future site of Magic City Books in mid-October

KEEPING IT REAL

Tulsa-based documentary filmmaker tells important stories. BY TIM LANDES

OUT OF THIN AIR

LOCAL TALENT: VALERIE GRANT; STARSTRUCK: JONNY RICE; MAGIC CITY BOOKS: GREG BOLLINGER

endy Garrett’s slate is full for the foreseeable future. The former Broadway performer and member of Disney’s creative team of Imagineers is developing one documentary and starting production on another. Earlier this year, the team of Garrett, Christopher Hunt and Dave Tester began fundraising for a documentary on legendary Oklahoma State University basketball coach Eddie Sutton. They raised half the money, which means they can start production. It has yet to be determined who will distribute “Eddie” when it’s completed in 2018. Garrett also is directing a second documentary, “Breaking Chain,” in partnership with Tulsa-based Kirkpatrick and Kinslow Productions, which is producing the feature-length film. They will soon start fundraising and plan to kick off production in 2018. Garrett says the documentary is about incarceration globally, with a specific focus on the U.S. and Oklahoma’s dubious distinction for incarcerating more women per capita than anywhere in the

world. “This subject has many layers,” Garrett says, “and our hope is to show an intimate look into the lives of women in the system, as well as their families, as they navigate through the complex criminal justice system.” Garrett, a Nebraska native, moved to Tulsa in 2013 when her husband, Chuck Garrett, was hired as executive vice president for Cherokee Nation Businesses. Even with a hectic schedule, Garrett still finds time to work on her newest venture: writing two fiction film scripts with partners in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. She says she has been pleasantly surprised by the creative talent in both cities. “I feel like there are new stories to tell and explore here,” Garrett says. “One of the problems with L.A. or New York is there are many, many folks there competing to tell those stories — but the stories here are rich, full of great potential and ideal for film. “So I am looking forward to being one of the filmmakers getting these great stories told.” TP

STARSTRUCK When a familiar face came into Coffee House on Cherry Street one

Sunday morning, barista Jonny Rice assumed the man was a returning customer. “When he approached the register I gave him a look and said, ‘I know you from somewhere,’” Rice says. “He smiled and introduced himself and told me he does a lot of TV. He mentioned ‘American Horror Story’ and ‘True Blood,’ and it clicked.” Fans might recognize Denis O’Hare from his many memorable roles on “AHS,” or for playing Judge Charles Abernathy on “The Good Wife” and Russell Edgington on “True Blood.” The proliﬁc actor was in Tulsa for the Walker Stalker Con in August. — ANNA BENNETT

If you had a celebrity run-in, we want to hear about it. Send pictures and stories to contactus@langdonpublishing.com.

his month, the wait will finally be over for local bibliophiles when Magic City Books opens its doors at the corner of East Archer Street and South Detroit Avenue. There will be a cafe that serves light bites, espresso drinks, wine and local beer. There will be the Algonquin Room, an elegant meeting and event space. There will be tin ceilings, an abundance of natural light and upscale furnishings. Then there will, of course, be the books: 18,000 to be exact. The main focus is on adult literary, mainstream fiction and narrative nonfiction, plus books for all ages. “Our customers can expect to walk into an environment where the acts of reading and discussing books are valued,” says General Manager Cindy Hulsey. “They will receive a high level of personalized service, access to a carefully curated book selection and an array of interesting and enlightening programs and events. We will be ... the place you want to spend your free time with fellow book lovers.” Magic City Books isn’t just a hip indie bookstore in downtown Tulsa. It’s also owned by the nonprofit Tulsa Literary Coalition. “When you shop with us, you are not only supporting the local economy, you are giving back to your community,” Hulsey says. “The profits from Magic City Books will fund literary programming both in the store and out in the community. We are working with other nonprofit organizations to bring book discussions and other programs to the clients they already serve.” — TIM LANDES TulsaPeople.com

We really weighed the cost. We’re a middle-class family. We live by a budget. And we take care of our money so we can take care of our child. But as our daughter grew older and wiser, taking care of her meant giving her challenging classes and an ambitious curriculum, an engaged learning community, AND exceptional extracurricular opportunities.

Holland Hall was worth it— as the one school in Tulsa o≠ering all she needs for ALL she’s becoming.

The possibilities of and. The assurance of all.

Benny

Upper School parent

Tulsa’s PreK through Grade 12 Independent Episcopal School hollandhall.org

DINING + FOOD + DRINKS

LOCAL HERO

ince 2013, Trenchers Delicatessen has wowed diners with sandwiches piled high with house-made ingredients served on freshly baked bread. A longtime favorite is the Dutch Crunch ($10), a sandwich that gets its name from the bread upon which it is served. Turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, tomato, arugula and a smear of avocado mayo is nestled between the fresh bread. All sandwiches come with a helping of house-made chips made from potatoes, sweet potatoes and beets. TP 2602 S. HARVARD AVE. | 918-949-3788 | TRENCHERSDELI.COM

TulsaPeople.com

DINING OUT

Measure of success MAMADOU’S DOWNTOWN IS A SECOND HELPING OF GOOD FOOD AND CHARM.

Mamadou’s Cajun chicken

BY NATALIE MIKLES

o one believes Momodou Ceesay when he tells them he’s an Okie from Glenpool. They hear his west African accent or look at his name and say, “Nah.” But Ceesay smiles even bigger and tells them it’s true. He loves telling the story of how he came from Gambia to Oklahoma 34 years ago. As a kid in Gambia, Ceesay loved watching American movies, especially Westerns or anything with a New York City skyline. Coming to America was every Gambian kid’s dream, he says, but not one he ever thought would actually happen for him. That’s until his cousin moved to Claremore to start a soccer program at what was then Rogers State College. The newly formed team needed players, so Ceesay was recruited and, like a dream come true, was given a one-way ticket to the United States. Today, Ceesay is a successful restaurant owner and the vice-mayor of Glenpool. His steakhouse, Mamadou’s (spelled so customers pronounce it phonetically) has been a destination restaurant in Glenpool for 21 years. And, a second location opened just over a year ago at the Aloft Hotel downtown, where it’s attracting diners looking for good food before and after shows and events. Ceesay is a success by any measure. But, he says, if that ticket would have been roundtrip rather than one-way, he would have been back in Gambia within weeks of coming to the U.S. “I thought I was on my way to the land of milk and honey,” he says. “When I got to Claremore, I said to myself, ‘Where is the America I was looking for?’” Ceesay had many hard days of loneliness, isolation and regrets about leaving the home he loved. He missed his family. He missed the food. But it was in taking a job in the cafeteria at Rogers State College that he began to find the America of his dreams. He found himself looking forward to coming to work each day to catch up and laugh with friends, as well as to learn about the restaurant business. Eventually, Ceesay moved to Stillwater and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in restaurant management. While there, he outworked everyone. He took classes, was the 18

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

supervisor of the Kerr-Drummond cafeteria and then worked at both Steak and Ale and a hotel restaurant in Tulsa on the weekends. Ceesay worked at Steak and Ale for 12 years before opening Mamadou’s. By that time, he was confident he could make a steak as good as anyone. He envisioned a family-style restaurant where people could dress casually but eat royally. “People told me Glenpool was a bedroom community and a steakhouse wouldn’t work there,” he says, noticing a lack of steaks and comfort food in the Tulsa suburb. That was in 1996, and Mamadou’s remains popular in Glenpool both with locals and customers who make the drive for his prime rib, burgers and fried catfish. The Mamadou’s downtown menu is the same as the original location. Ceesay says the downtown restaurant has been attracting a lunch crowd that loves his burgers and sandwiches, steaks and pasta specials. Catfish dinners, either cornmeal-breaded or Cajun-seasoned, also are a customer favorite. The downtown location has a sports bar vibe, with big screen TVs, a large bar and room to hang out. Some customers come just for the drinks and appetizers, of which the Burgundy mushrooms, spinach-artichoke dip and fried green beans are good picks for sharing with friends. “Mamadou’s is so unique that everyone has their favorites,” Ceesay says. “But the most popular thing is the prime rib.” Prime rib can be ordered as a meal with mashed potatoes or a baked potato and au jus for dinner or, for lunch, open-faced and sliced as a prime rib sandwich. Customers also like the Philly, which features shaved prime rib and sautéed peppers and onions with Swiss cheese. Mamadou’s is a family restaurant and a family business. Ceesay and his wife, Mamie, have four daughters who have all worked at the restaurant. “They all started out working in the restaurant when they were young girls, 10 or 11,” Ceesay says. “We paid them $20 a day to work on the weekends. By Sunday, they had $60. So when their friends asked if they wanted to do something, they said, ‘No, I’ve got to work.’” Ceesay says he couldn’t imagine living in Gambia today, although he would like to visit his family there more often. The last time he visited, he came away feeling more like a stranger in Gambia than he ever does in Oklahoma — a place where he has held the title of mayor, restaurateur, Okie, dad and now grandpa. TP

The Mamadou’s downtown location boasts a sports bar vibe. Cheeseburger and fries

Prime rib

Gambia native Momodou Ceesay has called the Tulsa area home for 34 years. The Glenpool vice-mayor and restaurateur opened his original location in 1996 and brought his comfort food to downtown a year ago.

Mamadou’s 200 CIVIC CENTER | INSIDE THE ALOFT HOTEL 918-933-4302 Restaurant hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday

14751 S. CASPER ST., GLENPOOL | 918-322-1014

Restaurant hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday

MAMADOUS.COM TulsaPeople.com

CHEERS!

A LA CARTE

Oklahoma-style comfort food is its own category of deliciousness. Whether it’s fried chicken, mashed potatoes and cream gravy, barbecued brisket or chocolate meringue pie, Tulsa has plenty of options for these foods that can instantly improve your mood. — NATALIE MIKLES (PRICES: $: LESS THAN $10 $$: $10-$15 $$$: $16-$25 $$$$: OVER $25)

Brothers Houligan

Maxxwell’s

It’s hard to ﬁnd better deep-fried chicken tenders than those at Brothers Houligan. A basket of tenders comes with crisp wafﬂe fries perfect for dipping in creamy, peppery gravy. You’ll also get a big bowl of green beans, cooked with onions and bacon, just like country-style green beans should be.

Meatloaf at Maxxwell’s isn’t a chef’s version or a spin on the classic. On the menu, it’s called Mom’s Meatloaf for a reason. This is classic meatloaf topped with brown gravy. It’s served with garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable of the day. If you’ve saved room for dessert, check out the apple pie.

2508 E. 15TH ST. | 918-747-1086 4848 S. YALE AVE. | 918-254-1086 $$

2626 E. 11TH ST. | 918-748-5550 $$

Mulling it over THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US, and soon our homes will be ﬁlled with family, friends and the aromas of the season. Nothing captures the holiday essence like the spicy scents of mulled cider, and a “spiked” warm cider is a crowd-pleaser. Putting together this festive concoction is as easy as throwing a few items together in a Crockpot and letting guests ladle their own cups of coziness. As an added bonus, your home will smell incredible as the cider simmers throughout the day. Makes 16 servings 1 gallon fresh apple cider 1 medium orange, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds 1 (1 ½-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced ¼-inch thick 5 small cinnamon sticks 1 tablespoon whole cloves 5 star anise pods 1 ½ cups bourbon, brandy or dark rum In a Crockpot, add everything except the liquor. Simmer on low for 4 hours. Add booze, stir, let ﬂavors combine for 10 minutes and enjoy. (Leftover cider can be stored and rewarmed up to 3 days.) — ANGELA EVANS

Freeway Cafe

Evelyn’s

When it comes to fried chicken, Evelyn’s reigns. Evelyn’s chicken meets all the marks of excellence. It is tender inside and crisp outside with just the right amount of simple seasoning. Eat it right off the bone, then wipe your messy ﬁngers to dig in to sides like candied yams, greens, macaroni and cheese, and okra and tomatoes. This is a place to go when you need to treat yourself.

If you’re looking for hard-to-ﬁnd classic food, this is the place. You’ll ﬁnd liver and onions, ham and beans, smothered steak and roast beef on the menu. Turkey and dressing is served yearround, but it’s a special favorite in November. At Freeway, a turkey breast is slow roasted and served with dressing, turkey gravy and a yeast roll.

3014 N. 74TH E. AVE. | 918-835-1212 $$

1547 E. THIRD ST. | 918-836-6726 465 S. SHERIDAN ROAD | 918-836-8150 5849 S. 49TH W. AVE. | 918-292-8678 $

Brookside by Day 3313 S. Peoria Ave. | 918-745-9989 | brooksidebyday.com

Dilly Diner 402 E. Second St. | 918-938-6382 | dillydiner.com

First Watch 8178 S. Lewis Ave., Suite A, 918-296-9960 8104 E. 68th St., 918-610-3447 ﬁrstwatch.com

Savoy 6033 S. Sheridan Road | 918-494-5621 | savoyrestaurant.com

Blue Moon 3512 S. Peoria Ave. | 918-749-7800 | bluemoontulsa.com

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Breakfast It’s the most important meal of the day, so choose the best with these winners from TulsaPeople’s annual A-List Readers’ Choice Awards.

Announcing the LATEST ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY from the

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W H AT’S COOK ING? The buzz on Tulsa’s tastiest products, restaurants and events BY NATALIE MIKLES

love that almost everyone heads to the kitchen on Thanksgiving. Some of us are making the entire dinner — pulling out the china and carving the turkey Norman Rockwell-style at the dinner table. Others are making mashed potatoes to bring to a potluck with friends. Maybe you’re keeping it super low-key with appetizers, drinks and a turkey breast for two. No matter your plans or your cooking style, Thanksgiving is a time to get in the kitchen and cook. If you don’t consider yourself much of a chef, stick with an easy or tried-and-true recipe. A chocolate pecan pie will be a favorite wherever you take it. A splash of bourbon makes it even better, and it might just make you the most popular person at your Thanksgiving feast.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BOURBON PIE 1 1½ 3 ½ ½ 1 1 1

uncooked pie crust cups chopped pecans eggs cup sugar cup brown sugar cup light corn syrup tablespoon bourbon cup chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate bars

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust into 9-inch pie pan. In a saute pan, toast pecans for 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs. With a spoon, add sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup and bourbon, stirring to combine. Add toasted pecans and chocolate chunks. Pour pecan mixture into pie shell. Bake 50-55 minutes or until the crust is lightly brown and the center is set. Cool at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

It’s the ﬁrst Thanksgiving for the Cherry Street Kitchen, and owners Jen Lindsay and Beth Bias have been gearing up for weeks. Customers already count on this charming restaurant and take-out spot for family dinners, so Lindsay says they knew they would be swamped in the days leading up to the ultimate family dinner: Thanksgiving. Cherry Street Kitchen will have a special Thanksgiving menu with items to pick up before the holiday. For side dishes, look for a green bean and mushroom casserole,

CHERRY STREET KITCHEN

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Chocolate pecan bourbon pie

mashed potatoes, smoked gouda scalloped potatoes, savory sausage and dried cherry stufﬁng, and roasted Brussels sprouts. Desserts are a specialty here, so we can’t wait to try the Thanksgiving pie selection, which will include pumpkin, pecan, sour cream apple and a sweet potato walnut crunch pie. “A few of these are family recipes, like the sweet potato walnut crunch,” Lindsay says. “We have been making that as a family for a really long time.” Cherry Street Kitchen is located at 1441 S. Quaker Ave. Call 918-884-3408 or visit cherrystkitchen.com.

f you’re thinking about making the chocolate pecan bourbon pie, why not do so with the very best pecans? One place to find great local pecans is Knight Creek Farms, which has an orchard in Creek County and a shop near Tulsa Hills. Owner Bob Knight is a source for everything you’d ever want to know about pecans. We talked to him about this year’s harvest.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOCAL PECANS AND PECANS YOU FIND AT THE GROCERY STORE? Pecans are two-thirds oil. When stored properly in the freezer they keep fairly well. The nuts in the store that are frequently dark brown in color are such because the oil is becoming rancid. These pecans have been at room temperature too long. For the nuts we sell in the summer at the Cherry Street Farmers’ Market, we store the nuts below zero and recommend they be put back in the freezer when they are purchased. For some reason, the grocery stores will keep dog food in the freezer but not pecans.

PICKLING IS A FAMILY BUSINESS FOR THE WISSENS. Beverly and Dale Wissen were visiting their daughter, Lacey, who was running the pickling program at Manhattan’s Gramercy Tavern, when they witnessed Brooklyn’s renaissance with its small-batch, food-centric specialty shops. Dale, who has always loved to cook and concoct recipes, decided it was time he try his hand at fermentation. Since 2014, Scissortail Provisions has created an array of pickled and fermented products — everything from pickles and chutney to sauerkraut and hot sauces. At any given time, Scissortail has at least 14 different kinds of kraut, five kinds of pickles and an array of kimchi, chutneys and tonics. After earning her master’s in nutrition in 2007, Lacey developed her culinary skills in fine dining and craft bakeries in Tulsa, New York City and Asheville, North Carolina, before joining the family business in 2016. Fermented products are touted for their health benefits to digestion, immunity and brain function. The Wissens use lacto-fermentation, which preserves fruits and vegetables in a process similar to that used for sourdough and charcuterie, Lacey says. Cultures from the air and microbes on the produce combine in a salt brine that starts to digest sugars, releasing carbon dioxide and lactic acid. The Wissens use as much as they can from local growers and sources. “We have good relationships with other farm merchants,” Dale says. “It’s great working with family and having the freedom to be creative.” That creativity is put to use when it comes to flavor profiles, product names and new concoctions. This season, Lacey is excited about their new apple pie sauerkraut, which features shredded apples, fresh ginger and warming spices. Plus, she’s sure root vegetables and butternut squash will be fermented just in time for Thanksgiving. Scissortail Provisions is a regular at the Tulsa Farmers’ Market and First Street Flea. Or stop by Thursday or Friday (or by appointment) at their shop, located at 702-A N. Main St., Owasso. Visit scissortailprovisions.com. — ANNE BROCKMAN

When in season, pickles are a Scissortail Provisions customer favorite. Kimchi and other fermented goods change based on seasonal ﬂavors and availability.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO EAT PECANS? I have pecans every day in oatmeal for breakfast. During the harvest we eat a lot of fresh pecans. CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE IN TASTE BETWEEN PECAN VARIETIES? One variety may be good one year and not as good the next. From what I can tell of this year’s crop, our Pawnee and Kanza pecans are going to be nice. We also harvest a lot of native pecans. The varieties do taste a little different, but I don’t really have the vocabulary to describe the difference. The big difference has to do with freshness. WHERE CAN WE FIND YOUR PECANS? We bring our freshly harvested pecans from our orchard every day to our shop at 8408 S. Elwood Ave. (Knight Creek Farms also is at the Cherry Street Farmers’ Market during market season.) TulsaPeople.com

harscoAXC.com

This guy helped make Tulsa one of the planetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooler manufacturing centers. Murray Carr founded our company in 1954. And he helped a global industry get its start in Tulsa. Today, our hometown is a world-leading center in the manufacture of cooling solutions for oil, gas and other industries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with a total economic impact on our community of well over a billion dollars a year. To which we proudly say: Cool. Thank you, Tulsa!

PEOPLE + PLACES + HISTORY

COLORS IN MOTION “W

atching paint dry”: It’s a clichéd joke often tossed around at Anchor Paint. But the true story is that the third generation family-owned, Tulsa-based paint company is in a continuous state of improvement. The company opened in 1962 near East Third Street and South Wheeling Avenue before moving to 6707 E. 14th St. There, Anchor makes 600,000-800,000 gallons of paint a year for everyone from homeowners and contractors to international industrial clients. A recent dip in oil and gas sales caused Anchor Paint to rethink their business model, says Chief Operating Ofﬁcer Justin Meade. “We thought, ‘How else can we do this? What are we passionate about, and what can we make money at?’”TP

VALERIE GRANT

FOR MORE ON ANCHOR PAINT, SEE P. 28.

TulsaPeople.com

NOTEBOOK BY MORGA N PHILLIP S

Tulsan Beth Wallis was a contestant on the NPR show “Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me” on Sept. 16. Wallis called into the comedic news quiz “Bluff the Listener” and correctly identiﬁed the single real news story from three stories about falafel. Her prize? Wallis gets to use the voice of NPR personality Carl Kasell on her voicemail.

“Immigrants are a significant portion of our workforce and a growing segment of our population. It is key that we as a community work to remove barriers to integration for immigrants and their families, particularly in areas of education, development and entrepreneurship.” Christina Starzl Mendoza, community development and policy assistant in the office of Mayor G.T. Bynum. Starzl Mendoza will spearhead the office’s recently launched New Tulsans Initiative, a partnership with community organizations and businesses to develop a strategic plan to promote socially responsible immigrant integration.

DOWNTOWN HAS A NEW DISTRICT Tulsa business leaders announced the creation of the newest downtown district, the Cathedral District, in late September. Located at the south end of the inner-dispersal loop, the new district is Tulsa’s largest. It connects 42 downtown blocks that are home to six historic churches, including Boston Avenue United Methodist, First United Methodist and First Presbyterian (pictured). A Sept. 20 district launch emphasized the area’s diversity and walkability, and future opportunities to promote organizations in the district, which collectively offers “a holistic living, learning and working experience to thousands of Tulsans each week.” Visit tulsacathedraldistrict.com. 26

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

FOR MORE TULSANS WORKING TO HELP REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS, SEE P. 92.

An Affair of the Heart at Expo Square

TULSA CRAFT SHOW NAMED NO. 1 For the ﬁrst time, An Affair of the Heart, which comes to Tulsa’s Expo Square twice annually, was voted the top contemporary craft show in the country by vendor ballots cast in Sunshine Artist magazine, the craft show industry’s leading publication. Vendors who sell their products at hundreds of arts and craft shows vote on the 200 top shows each August. In 2016, An Affair of the Heart’s four Oklahoma shows — two in Tulsa and two in Oklahoma City — ranked No. 1, 2, 9 and 12. AAOTH is the largest and longestrunning show of its kind in the state. The 36th AAOTH Tulsa show is Nov. 1719 at Expo Square, 4145 E. 21st St. Visit heartoftulsa.com for show details.

Voices of Oklahoma “Never underestimate the power of kindness. Because I’ve seen it in my life. Kindness comes back to you many times over. And, you know, the way we treat each other, in many ways, will determine the future of our society and the real strength of our society.” DAVID BOREN, former Oklahoma governor and U.S. senator and current president of the University of Oklahoma. Boren, 77, recently announced he will retire from the post June 30 unless his successor has not been found by then. Upon his retirement, he will have served as OU’s president for over 23 years. “Voices of Oklahoma” is an oral history project supported by the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities at the University of Tulsa. John Erling founded the project in 2009.

CATHEDRAL DISTRICT: FORSYTHE CREATIVE; AN AFFAIR OF THE HEART: EVAN TAYLOR; VOICES: COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

FALAFEL AND FAKE NEWS

Thank you for thinking BIG by shopping SMALL. How much is a dollar worth? Quite a lot - depending on where you invest or spend it. When you choose to ‘shop local’ at locally owned businesses, your dollar has greater impact. Not only does buying locally help strengthen the local economy, but you are helping create jobs and opportunities, giving back to your community, and increasing the income of families. That’s because each dollar you spend at an independent business has a multiplier effect as it recirculates through the community. Studies show that each dollar spent at an independent business returns an average of three times more money to your community than one spent at a chain, and almost 50 times more than buying from a large online retailer. Quite simply, buying local creates more local income and jobs. Small businesses are the backbone of Oklahoma’s economy, accounting for 97 percent of all employers in the state. They support local printers, accountants, restaurants, attorneys, repairmen, landscapers, suppliers, and many other small businesses. Small, independent businesses donate more than twice as much per sales dollar to local non-profits, events and teams compared to big businesses. Communities also depend upon taxes paid by local independent businesses and sales taxes. In essence, you get what you pay for. So, when you buy from a small, independent business, you can see your dollars at work as you drive on better streets, help create better schools, and help improve safety and reduce crime. As a small business and community bank, First Oklahoma Bank takes seriously the call to serve and support its customers and community. Because we have been blessed with amazing opportunities, we want to share those blessings with others. Our relationships with customers are paramount. We strive to treat everyone the way we want to be treated. We believe the way to make customers happy is to ask them what they want and then provide it. This approach has led to free ATM service at any ATM anywhere in the world and the best CD rates in the market. When you choose to invest in CDs through First Oklahoma Bank or any other local community bank, your deposits are used to fund loans that can help entrepreneurs create new local businesses and expand current ones, and help individuals become homeowners. If you buy from local merchants or you bank with a local bank, the money stays in our community. For example, if you make a deposit in a local bank, it turns around to make loans to more local businesses and individuals. Whereas, if you make deposits at an international bank, you don’t know where it’s going to go. Likewise, when you buy from local businesses, there is the advantage that they tend to do more for the community in which they reside. That’s not to disparage companies headquartered in Indianapolis or Duluth or anywhere else. The reality is that we tend to take better care of things where we live and work. We are proud to be a locally owned business. Established on Nov. 4, 2009 in Tulsa, First Oklahoma Bank has become the fastest-growing new bank in Oklahoma history and the fastest-growing community bank in Tulsa County, based on assets. We invite you to move up to better banking and support your local community in the process. Make your dollar go further. Help us help you create a better financial life and a better community. Thank you for thinking ‘local’ when you shop.

Tom Bennett, Jr. Chairman and Co-CEO

SOUTH - 100 S. Riverfront Dr. Jenks, OK MIDTOWN - 4110 S. Rockford Ave. Tulsa, OK FirstOklahomaBank.com

HOW IT’S MADE

PAINTING THE TOWN Justin Meade, chief operating ofﬁcer of Anchor Paint

Inside the manufacturing and retail headquarters of Anchor Paint, ‘Tulsa’s paint store’ BY MORGAN PHILLIPS

• As oil and gas clients have tightened their belts, Anchor Paint has grown its B2B line. It makes oil-based paints for several companies on the coasts, which have more stringent environmental requirements than Oklahoma, according to Chief Operating Ofﬁcer Justin Meade. Several of the company’s products are sold internationally.

• The majority of Kelly-Moore’s oil-based paints are made by Anchor in Tulsa. “They’re made here, they have to be shipped to a distribution center and then some of them end up being sold at (Kelly-Moore’s store at) 41st and Sheridan,” Meade laughs.

• Meade describes the paint-making process like baking a cake. “Chemists create the recipe, and chefs make the cake,” he says. “At the end, you have to ‘taste test’ it, right? So we have quality control.”

• Most of the company’s manufacturing process is done manually. For example, once formulated, paint is typically hand-poured into metal buckets. Sixty-ﬁve percent of Anchor’s paint is solvent based.

• Meade says some national companies are touting new small-batch “luxury” paints that sell for more than $100 a gallon. Other companies won’t make custom formulas in a quantity smaller than 5,000 gallons. He says Anchor regularly makes small, custom batches with turnaround times ranging from four hours to seven days.

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Tulsans recall accompanying their parents to buy paint at Anchor and playing on the company’s loading dock. “Before Lowe’s and Home Depot, we were Tulsa’s paint store,” she says. The company still has a retail store at its headquarters at East 14th Street and South Sheridan Road. TP

VALERIE GRANT

• Marketing Specialist Jen Jones says many

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TulsaPeople.com

CONVERSATIONS

BLACK EXCELLENCE Nehemiah Frank’s online media company gives a voice to Tulsa’s African-American community. BY ANNA BENNETT

As a kid, did you ever imagine you’d be in this position? Never. Not in a million years. I wanted to be a singer. I graduated from high school when I was 19. I almost did not make it. I think my GPA was like a 1.9. I went from a 1.9 GPA to becoming the president of Phi Beta Kappa in college.

TULSAPEOPLE.COM Read the rest of the conversation. 30

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

You mentioned the incredible impact of finally having a black teacher in high school. What else shaped your educational journey? I went to college in Chicago, and I attended Trinity United Church of Christ, which is the same church that the Obamas went to for 20 years. It was a life-changing experience. And I’m not a real religious person, but ... it was the first time in my life where I had seen this huge body of African Americans — people who looked just like me, who were aiming for the stars. It was the first time where I actually felt affirmed. I felt like it was OK to be black. I spent a good amount of time in that church and around the people. They were doctors, they were lawyers, they were teachers. And it was the first time in my life I heard about Black Wall Street.

And it was at a church in Chicago? I’m grown, I’m in college. And I hear about my hometown (in a sermon). I told myself I would never go back to Tulsa, ever. Because I hear, “Oh, it’s such a racist town, you’ll never get a job. You’ll never be successful.” But the way Rev. (Jeremiah) Wright spoke about that place ... I was like, “Why am I here?” My grandmother, my grandfather, my family, my cousins ... everybody was home. I’m just sitting in this church, and I’m like, I need to go home. When I came back here after graduation, it was just terrible. North Tulsa is so unrecognizable from when I was a kid. It’s like a third-world country up there, it really is. Do you see any movement to change that? I do. There are a lot of young African-American professionals and Millennials, period. My friend Erica just bought a house up north, and she’s white, and she teaches at a majority black school. That’s what we need. We need people to really invest. And live in the communities they work in. Yeah, that’s huge. Don’t just teach there, then go back to Jenks. You’re not helping. If the kids don’t see you at Sweet Lisa’s or at the library or at a community meeting, they know that you’re disconnected. That’s powerful when you have people who are really invested in the community. Has BWST changed from the original vision you had? For me, the vision was just to have a small-town little paper for the north side. Like, “There’s a PTA meeting. You should go! There’s a rally for equality. Make sure you get there! There’s a city council meeting coming up. Make sure your voice is heard!” Just really trying to get my community civically engaged. That was the No. 1 goal. And it’s done that, and then some. TP

VALERIE GRANT

ulsan Nehemiah Frank never anticipated that Black Wall Street Times, the digital news media company he founded in April, would go from 1,000 to 10,000 hits online in a matter of months. A middle school teacher, Frank fronts the BWST by night with the help of Managing Editor Orisabiyi Williams and contributor Liz Frank. He acknowledges the weight of owning a growing online media company that speaks for the underrepresented — in a political climate that seems increasingly hostile to both the press and to minorities.

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1/26/17 4:45 PM

MUSINGS

ODE TO A MOP

et others search for the Holy Grail, Truth and Beauty, and the Meaning of Life. I am on a quest for the perfect mop. Also, the perfect vacuum. If I had kept all the vacuums and mops I have owned, I would have an expansive museum. There would be a smaller display of dust mops and brooms. I have bought vacuums in every style: canister, upright, hand-held, sweeper, electrical, battery, with disposable bags and with reusable bags, and styles designed especially for pet hair. I have owned mops made of sponge and mop heads of thick cotton, mops to be squeezed and mops to be wrung. My lowest moments involve spending $1,000 on a high-end vacuum cleaner and buying myself a new mop for Valentine’s Day. That holiday I went home and ate an entire box of heartshaped chocolates I had bought for myself. My floors and I have been locked in fierce combat for decades, and that was even before I got not one, but two, dogs. I am a cat person. Give me two quiet indoor cats, and I purr contentedly. But somehow, I have ended up with two big indoor dogs. Plus, a couple of cats. As if the floors weren’t a challenge before, now they have me in a headlock so tight I couldn’t yell “Uncle” if I wanted to. And I want to.

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Of all the looming household tasks, cleaning floors is the one I despise above all others. I especially hate vacuum cleaners; they are noisy, heavy, hard to maneuver and have a cord I trip over. If I don’t move the furniture assiduously when I vacuum — and I don’t — dog hair hiding underneath pops out the minute I leave the room. Vacuuming makes my back ache and my bad shoulder hurt. Cleaning floors brings out character flaws and vile language. I had to get a new computer recently. A very patient professional came to install it and to walk me through the exercises of logging on and off, navigating among documents and programs, changing passwords and all the rest of the tedious details required by a smirking, new machine. The technician sat beside me, watching me hack away at the keyboard and then asked, “Do you swear like this in public?” And this was me on my good behavior; he ought to hear me with the vacuum. At the change of seasons, when the earth tilts and the sunlight shifts, I see deposits of grime that astonish me. How long have the baseboards looked like that? I thought those were shadows in the corners. I just cleaned the floor; how can it be that dirty? Determined to close the year on a high note — and with clean floors — I consulted the hot

new book “Clean My Space” and, doubling down, visited a local cleaning supply shop. If one expert is good, two will be better, is my thinking. The magic elixir I came up with consists of (1) a new flat-head mop, (2) new microfiber cloths and (3) a new stick vacuum with a special affinity for pet hair. The stick vacuum and I are still on a honeymoon, but I have such high hopes. It’s so fleet and maneuverable, it is the Fred Astaire of vacuums. I concede that this is still a labor-intensive chore. First sweeping, then vacuuming, optional dusting with the flat-head and microfiber dry pads and finally washing with the flat-head and microfiber wet pads. Important accessory: a spray bottle with floor cleaner to spray the floor and/or the flat-head pad. The less water on the floor the better, according to the cleaning book author and the local expert. I cannot write an ode. That’s too hard. So I have composed a heart-felt verse: O, flat-head mop, I love you true. And microfiber pads, I love you, too. You are the best helpmates I ever knew. Promise me you will love me forever and for all time and across all of our floors and that you will never desert me or break my heart in two. TP

GEORGIA BROOKS

BY CONNIE CRONLEY

Kim Hann and Chris Lieberman lead the Williams Route 66 Marathon, which Lieberman founded in 2005. The couple fell in love through their passion for running and started dating after working on the marathon together. In March 2016, an accident left Lieberman with severe brain trauma, causing Hann to step up her responsibiliies with the event.

MARATHON MAN WILLIAMS ROUTE 66 MARATHON FOUNDER CHRIS LIEBERMAN DEFIES THE ODDS. BY ANNE BROCKMAN 34

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n Nov. 19, Chris Lieberman hopes to cheer on Corral D — the final group of runners to start the Williams Route 66 Marathon — as he has every year since he began the race in 2005. “They’re my people,” he says, smiling, of the “slowest runners.” Last year was the first time Lieberman missed seeing the marathon in person. Instead, he watched and listened to it on TV from a hospital room. He was still recovering, as he is today, from a traumatic brain injury he suffered in March 2016. “That day he stood up for the first time in I don’t know how long,” says Kim Hann, Lieberman’s girlfriend and the marathon’s coexecutive director. “He waited for everyone to start — from Corral A to D — and then finally sat back down.” The past 20 months have been a rollercoaster for the couple. In March 2016, Lieberman was working in the marathon warehouse when he fell about 10 feet from a ladder, hitting his head and causing serious brain trauma. Extensive surgeries

and care proceeded, all with Hann by his side. Lieberman has spent time in Atlanta, Houston and Dallas for intensive speech, occupational and physical therapy. “Chris told me one day, ‘I’m not training for the Olympics,’” Hann says. “I said, ‘No, but you’re training for life.” As he recovered, Hann stepped up to not only take care of Lieberman, but also fulfill marathon responsibilities. When Lieberman became injured, it was a pretty significant blow to the organization, says Tim Dreiling, co-owner of Fleet Feet Sports and longtime Route 66 Marathon race director. Questions arose about who would step into Lieberman’s role because of his countless responsibilities. “Kim was really there for Chris, and Chris was always there for the marathon, so Kim plugged herself into that role,” Dreiling says. “Kim is amazing in the strength she has exhibited.” While Hann’s priority remained her boyfriend, the marathon provided a needed outlet. “Living in a hospital isn’t easy,” she says. “Luckily I had the marathon and the board to support me … I love running, and I love the event. It really was, I hate to say it, a distraction. It kept me motivated and kept me going, having that to focus on every day.”

WILLIAMS ROUTE 66 MARATHON

Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma NOV. 17 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Health and Fitness Expo at the Cox Business Center NOV. 18 8 a.m., 5K Run and Walk at Guthrie Green 9 a.m., 1-mile Fun Run at Guthrie Green 9:30 a.m., Mascot Dash at Guthrie Green 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Health and Fitness Expo at the Cox Business Center

QUITE THE UNDERTAKING

Dreiling is one of 30 volunteer directors who work year-round with Lieberman and Hann to make the Route 66 Marathon happen. The event includes a health and fitness exhibition and five races: a 1-mile fun run, a 5K, a marathon relay, a half-marathon and the marathon. The event is now in its 12th year, and organizers expect 12,00015,000 runners from every state and nine countries to participate Nov. 18-19. Community support is key to an event like this, Hann says, and Tulsa turns out every year. Race weekend calls for nearly 2,000 volunteers. More than 30 bands dot the course, which winds through iconic Tulsa neighborhoods and districts and brings out spectators who cheer on the runners. “That’s exactly what we want it to be: a big party for everyone who comes to town,” Hann says. “(The participants) have already done all the hard work. They’ve done the training. The training is what takes so much time. Race day is just a celebration of the training.” But it’s not just the Tulsa community that steps up. Race directors from across the country have come to Tulsa — and will again this year — to work the weekend and help out with operations and logistics. “They know how hard it is to put on a race, especially of this caliber,” Hann says. “They understand what it takes. They want to see the Route 66 Marathon succeed and carry out Chris’ vision. (Their support) has been overwhelming.” For 12 years, Lieberman and the Route 66 Marathon have put Tulsa on the map when it comes to running. He was first inspired to create the marathon as he was running his first — the

NOV. 19 8 a.m., Marathon, Half-Marathon and Marathon Relay start at East Seventh and South Main streets and ﬁnish at Guthrie Green route66marathon.com

Dallas Marathon — in 2004. “As I ran I thought, you know, we could do this in Tulsa,” he says. Over the years, the Route 66 Marathon has garnered several local and national awards, including Best Overall Marathon in the U.S. by the 100 Half Marathon Club.

DEFYING THE ODDS

First-time marathoners hold a special place in Lieberman’s heart. “For them, they’ve made so many changes,” he says. “And, they are so excited when they finish.” The finish line is an emotional place for Hann, who can’t be at the finish line without getting teary. “To see someone set goals and achieve them, and that one moment has changed their life,” she says. “It’s pretty amazing.” As Lieberman has traversed recovery, he has had setbacks. Fittingly, doctors told him and Hann that brain injury recoveries are more of a marathon than a sprint. His inpatient benefits maxed out in Dallas, so four months ago he returned home to Tulsa where he goes to post-acute rehabilitation once a week. He continues to make significant strides.

“It’s great to see him recovering, have him back around,” Dreiling says. “He comes to board meetings; chimes in; tries to tell Kim what to do, which is humorous.” Just like any competitive runner, Lieberman has set goals for himself. First up, walking his daughters Ashton and Aldyn down the aisle at their 2018 weddings. He currently walks at therapy with assistance, and running isn’t out of the question either. “I had to open my big mouth and tell Kim I would do a half marathon for her,” Lieberman says. But no one questions the possibilities after how far Lieberman has come in less than two years. “At one point, they told us Chris would never speak, never laugh, all these nevers,” Hann says. “Of course, they were full of it,” Lieberman chimes in, exuding confidence and the charm Tulsans have come to know. “They didn’t know Chris would prove everybody wrong,” Hann adds. “That’s what it’s all about: proving everybody wrong. It’s the same thing with endurance running. You’re setting a goal, you’re achieving a goal, and you put that time and effort in, and then it happens. You defy the odds, and you realize you can do things you didn’t think you could do.” TP TulsaPeople.com

ER O

MB EME

RAN E T E V

AT WAR World War II veteran was a prisoner of war to the German Army.

EXCERPTED FROM “HOW WE SERVED” BY LINDA HIGHT

Editor’s note: Jack Leyh was one of thousands of U.S. soldiers to serve in World War II. At 19, he was untested, untried and naive, but he and his peers underwent suffering more extreme than most will ever experience. While serving in the U.S. Army 84th Infantry, F Company, 333rd Regiment, Leyh was captured by the Germans but miraculously survived. Now 94, Leyh lives in Coweta. In 2015, he was interviewed by Tulsan Linda Hight for her book, “How We Served.” Here is his story.

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“I

felt it was my duty to defend my country — even though I was only 19 years old. Patriotism was always a big part of my life. I volunteered to join the U.S. Army and qualified as an expert marksman.” After enlistment, Leyh spent one day at Fort Sill in Lawton before heading to Camp House, Texas, and eventually Camp Clayborn in Alexandria, Louisiana, for basic training. “I remember getting packages from home while I was in basic training. My mother and sister sent packages to us all the time. When the guys heard the news that ‘Jack had a package,’ they all knew it was cookies or something good to eat. We always shared all our packages from home, and packages I received were big favorites.” Leyh suffered from seasickness on his troop ship ride to Europe. It made for an unpleasant voyage. “We entered the war on Omaha Beach after the invasion and traveled across France before we saw any combat. The 84th Infantry liberated (cities and regions) Geilenkirchen, Pommern, Lindern, Marche, Laroche, Houffalize, Baal, Wegberg, Dulken, Krefeld, Bielefeld, Hanover and Gartow. “I didn’t know what to expect in the military. I was very much a kid at 19 years old. … I was the youngest one in my outfit. I was so young and naive that I don’t even remember being scared. I learned to take it one day at a time, to do what was asked of me and to do exactly as I was told. “There were several weeks of duty in various locations in Europe. We were in Belgium when we went into our fi rst battle. As my regiment moved forward during this battle, we encountered heavy gunfi re, mortar shells and heavy artillery fi re. “We went from foxhole to foxhole. I jumped into one and was surprised to see that someone was already in the foxhole. It was a wounded lieutenant. When removing my helmet in the foxhole, I noticed that it had a 2-inch gash in it. I realized just how close I had come to losing my life. Leyh’s unit suffered severe losses. Surrounded by German troops, only five eluded capture. The next day that all changed. Out of nowhere, Leyh, nestled in his foxhole, heard a voice: “‘Comrade, surrender or die!’ He forcefully placed his bayonet in my rib cage. I dropped my rifle and slowly raised my hands. I had just become a prisoner of war to the German Army. “Make no mistake, I was thankful my life had been spared. However, what I was about to encounter for the next seven months continues to be the worst time of my life, possibly even worse than dying.” After interrogation by German forces, he was told to remove his winter gear. Next, Leyh was put in a cage with other POWs. The straw-lined floor provided little protection from the harsh Belgian winter. With only a light blanket, many did not survive, succumbing to pneumonia or freezing to death. One

Leyh’s time at Stalag VI-G only lasted about three days. He was sent by railcar to Stalag III-B via Berlin, where his train was bombed. Eventually he wound up at Stalag III-A, where conditions deteriorated. Eventually, U.S. and Russian forces surrounded the Germans, leading to the Russian liberation of Leyh’s camp. The Russians requested a ransom on the U.S. soldiers: $1,500 each. “Sometimes I feel that I’m not worth 2 cents. You know how everyone has a bad day now and then. I have to remember that I am actually worth $1,500!” After seven months as a POW, Staff Sergeant Leyh was discharged in November 1945. Back in the U.S., Leyh met a Women’s Army Corps member, who drove him from Seattle to his military base nearby for processing. She would become his wife of 30 years. The couple made their home in Coweta, where he got his pre-war job back as a roofing contractor before joining American Airlines for a 27-year career. TP

COURTESY LINDA HIGHT/SHELLEY STOCKTON-WYNN

Jack Leyh was interned at several German prison camps (circled in above map) during his seven months in captivity.

bowl of pea soup a day sustained Leyh, who ate snow to stay hydrated. During his captivity, Leyh and others endured a 45mile trip to a new camp, Stalag VI-G, near Cologne. “We walked through 3 feet of snow with temperatures falling to 5 degrees. … We all encouraged each other and helped our brothers as we trudged through the snow. As we were making this agonizing journey, I saw my fellow soldiers who became too weak to continue either killed with bayonets or shot. Many of them died from frostbite. It was a miracle I survived this journey and did not die at the hands of the Germans as was the fate of many of my friends.” The new camp was an improvement, with two blankets and wooden floors, but the same menu — pea soup — twice a day. “Early one morning, the Germans singled out 25 of us and marched us to a remote area of the compound. We were then lined against a wall and faced a fi ring squad of German soldiers. “The German colonel told us he wanted more information. We had been trained that the only information we were allowed to give was our names, ranks and serial numbers. We stood there for about 15 minutes, which seemed like an eternity while looking at the fi ring squad. “A German officer started down the line. He checked all of our dog tags, which we were still wearing around our necks. One young man with black hair was singled out and was abruptly and roughly taken away. We never saw him again. We thought it was possible that the Germans singled him out because he had a Jewish-sounding name.

“Then the German officer started down the line again. He came to me, read my dog tags. For some unknown reason, I was sent back to the barracks. My relief was indescribable. I wondered if it was because my last name, Leyh, is German sounding. For whatever reason, I continue to be thankful. It saved my life. “I never heard any gunfi re after I returned to the barracks and assume to this day that the lives of the others had been spared. However, I never knew for sure. “That night, after it had all quieted down, I prayed to God as I had done many times before. I thought of my black-haired friend with the Jewish-sounding name. I had watched him help several men and survive our 45-mile journey to this location. We called it the ‘Death March.’ At one point, my black-haired friend, who himself was suffering from frostbite, actually carried another soldier on his back. We all suffered malnutrition, dehydration, dysentery, diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, weakness and fainting spells. I asked God to help me understand. Why now? Why was this man tortured and killed because of his name? I knew if God wanted me to know, someday I would get my answer. “Th rough the years I have often been asked how I did it — how could I endure standing there staring at a fi ring squad, knowing that any second could be my last, that this might actually be the last 15 minutes of my short life? I don’t have an answer. I just know that I realized there was nothing I could do about it. So I did what I was told and waited it out.”

“How We Served” chronicles 21 first-hand accounts from the men and women of the Zoal Stringer American Legion Post 226 of Coweta. The accounts detail conflicts from World War II to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The book is available for a donation by emailing author Linda Hight at lhight@cox.net. Proceeds benefit Post 226, its scholarships and community efforts. TulsaPeople.com

ESSAY VETri participant Jeff Craycraft

BROKEN TO BEAUTIFUL GLASSBLOWING PROGRAM OFFERS CAMARADERIE AND RECOVERY.

ne recent Sunday afternoon, I visited the Tulsa Glassblowing School at 19 E. M. B. Brady St. Entering the lobby, I admired some remarkable examples of the glassblown art. I was halted in my tracks several times by pieces so immaculately crafted, I had no idea how a person working with molten glass could create something so perfect by hand. Standing at the front counter, I could look into the workshop. I observed men and women moving around the workspace, interacting with technicians and assisting each other with their individual projects. They were totally immersed. There were expressions of concern when their glowing mass of glass wasn’t behaving quite the way they wanted it to. There were smiles and backslaps when a little teamwork resulted in that magic moment when everything came together in a finished piece of work.

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You would think that this group was a collection of longtime friends. They obviously enjoyed each other’s company. Conversation came easily. At the end of their session, they were tired but enthusiastic about the day’s learning experience and looked forward to next week’s session. What I had been observing was a group of military veterans. They also shared another commonality. Many of their lives had recently been as shattered as the broken glass swept off the main floor. Unfortunately, it is an all-too-common situation that befalls veterans as a result of their service in dangerous and life-threatening situations. Many of our veterans return from their time of service with broken bodies. Others with broken souls. Far too many can no longer relate to normal civilian life and struggle to re-establish themselves in society. Many are haunted incessantly by what they have seen and experienced. As a result, they

withdraw into a paralyzing cloud of apprehension and confusion, or adopt lifestyles that allow them to mask their pain and anxieties. In support of all veterans, it is important to reflect that there is no more noble role a person can assume than to step forward, take an oath to defend America — possibly with their life — and then honor that commitment no matter the location or circumstance. Our nation owes its very existence to our active military members and veterans. Our responsibility as citizens of this great nation is to honor the service and the sacrifices of our past and present members of the military. A vital aspect of that code of honor is to make sure we don’t forget about our vets once they are home. Being “home” doesn’t always mean they are out of harm’s way. The Tulsa Glassblowing School offers a glassblowing program called VETri, one of only two

VETRI: VALERIE GRANT

BY BOB WARTERFIELD

ART HEALS THREE VETRI PARTICIPANTS DISCUSS THE PROGRAM’S MERITS IN THEIR OWN WORDS.

PETE (Marines) Instructor Dan Cohen lends a hand to VETri participant Russ Schafer.

such veterans’ programs in the U.S. The other is the Tacoma Museum of Glass in Washington, which collaborates with Warrior Transition Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The Tulsa program is open to any and all vets at no cost to them. Each session lasts six months. Vetri is Italian for glass; VETri adds a deeper meaning. According to TGS program director Susan Teeters, “Most in the program are combat vets. They’re younger. They served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some have physical injuries. Most are dealing with the silent injuries of war such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. One day a week, the vets come to the studio to receive instruction, observe how our technicians and guest artists work with the glass and then take their turn with molten glass (2,100 degrees) under technical supervision.” Because the classes are exclusively comprised of vets, participants can take comfort in not having to interact with civilians who, innocently, might ask questions or bring up subjects the vets find uncomfortable. A person who has never been in the military can never really know what that experience

is like, especially the emotions generated from being in combat environments. In the vet classes, there is no pressure, and no one is required to talk about their lives or experiences unless they feel comfortable enough to do so. Everyone in the class is familiar with, and respectful of, what their classmates have experienced. Relationships that develop are based on mutual support. Additionally, glassblowing is not a singleperson art form. Success requires teamwork, which is something all vets are familiar with from their military days. For some who enter the program after suffering through a period of withdrawal, eroded self-confidence, deflated self-esteem and increased anxiety, working with others becomes an opportunity to reconnect with society and reintegrate back into the community. Confidence evolves with each class. The classes are a doorway vets can pass through to get away from their troubles, free their minds and actually relax. Retention rate is high. Some of the vets I talked with expressed a desire to keep learning and take the art of glassblowing as far as they can. The veterans’ glassblowing program is a step to recovery. On the surface, each veteran learns a new, interesting skill. However, to achieve their goal, they must assist each other. Ultimately there is a realization that they do, in fact, have a legitimate and proven value to themselves and to others. It is a level of confidence that can be built upon and channeled. The glassblowing program brings veterans together in a way that allows them to develop a special camaraderie, renew levels of trust, escape their troubles for a while and lift each other out of the shadows of their personal setbacks and into the light of a better day. TP

Bob Warterﬁeld served four years in the Navy aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise with two tours to Vietnam. He is an original board member of the Coffee Bunker, which supports service members and veterans for successful reintegration with their families and communities. Warterﬁeld was invited by VETri program director Susan Teeters to visit the glassblowing studio and observe the program in action.

Very proud of his service and his Sicilian heritage, he is enjoying his second session. Talk with him for a minute and you can feel the energy of his enthusiasm. “I love it. It’s very calming and relaxing. There is tension from working with something as hot as lava, but the heat has a calming effect. I’ll stay with it until they kick me out.”

ROB, AKA PAPA BEAR

(Air Force)

Dealing with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, he was exposed to the glassblowing program through Veterans Court. “This is so enjoyable. When you’re working with hot glass, you have to pay attention. Because you have to stay focused, it occupies the brain for a while. It’s quite rewarding. The joy is in the journey.”

RAYMOND (Air Force) “This program lets me get out of the house. I ﬁnd it rewarding because when I’m here, I get to make something. The kids love what I bring home. I brought my daughter, who has artistic talent, to watch once. She thought it was very cool. I’m going to ﬁnish the program and then study computer science at Northeastern State University on the G.I. Bill.”

For more information about VETri, the veteran glassblowing program, contact Susan Teeters at 918-582-4527 or susanteeters@tulsaglassblowing.org. Visit tulsaglassblowing.org for information about the Tulsa Glassblowing School, located at 19 E. M. B. Brady St.

TulsaPeople.com

Kathy Taylor, Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation co-founder and board member, and foundation CEO Elizabeth Frame Ellison inside the current Kitchen 66 space at 907 S. Detroit Ave. In its 20 years, the LTFF has committed $20 million in grants to more than 100 grantees.

THE EVOLUTION OF A FOUNDATION For 20 years, the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation has supported entrepreneurial efforts. As the LTFF celebrates two decades, it brings two new opportunities to Tulsaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entrepreneurs. BY TIM LANDES 40

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The Mother Road Market is a $5.5 million project by the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation. The Market will include 17 shops, a bar, seating areas, children’s activities and a demonstration kitchen at 1124 S. Lewis Ave.

SELSER SCHAEFER ARCHITECTS

he stretch of the famed Route 66 that runs from the University of Tulsa to Peoria Avenue is undergoing a rebirth. Hotels, restaurants and coffee houses dot the central Tulsa thoroughfare. And another major addition is on the horizon. In late July, the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation announced the development of Mother Road Market. It’s a $5.5 million project with 17 small shops, a bar, indoor/outdoor seating areas, children’s activities and a demonstration kitchen. The shops will include tenants of Kitchen 66, a kick-start kitchen incubator program of the LTFF that helps aspiring food businesses by providing affordable commercial kitchen space, business development programs, tailored advice and sales support. Along with Kitchen 66 tenants, the Market will include a new concept by Andolini’s and a diverse assortment of international food options. More restaurants will be announced in the months leading up to the late spring opening. The Market also will hold offices for the Kitchen 66 program as a whole and the LTFF offices. Mother Road Market is the latest endeavor for the foundation that is celebrating 20 years of making a difference in Tulsa. To date, the LTFF has committed more than $20 million in grants to

more than 100 grantees. To date, Kitchen 66 has graduated more than 60 food entrepreneurs. More than 50 percent of those are women-owned. According to CEO Elizabeth Frame Ellison, Mother Road Market is the next evolutionary step in what began with the foundation’s development of 36 Degrees North and Kitchen 66. “In our view, Tulsa is so lucky to have entrepreneurs who are musicians and artists and makers and chefs,” Ellison says. “We thought, ‘Can we serve all entrepreneurs in one space?’ “What I wanted to see was something that was an entrepreneurial research center like 36 Degrees North that also included commercial cooking space and a Fab-Lab type space where people could get everything done. That’s a huge project for Tulsa, so what we did is separate them.” For nearly two years, 36 Degrees North, which also was founded by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the Tulsa Regional Chamber and Tulsa Tech, has provided entrepreneurs a workspace that offers meaningful resources and allows people to mingle and share ideas. It’s also the current home of the LTFF. The past two and a half years have been spent in proof-of-concept/pilot testing for Mother Road Market through Kitchen 66, says Meredith Peebles, COO of the LTFF.

“We’ve learned firsthand the pain points and the biggest challenges for starting a food business in Tulsa,” Peebles says. “Really it was a great test and proof-of-concept for saying there really is a need for food businesses in Tulsa to have something like this.”

RISKY BUSINESS Some might question the LTFF’s investment in a major food operation like Mother Road Market. There’s the widespread belief that restaurants are a risky venture, often closing within the first few years of opening. According to a 2014 study, 17 percent of restaurants fail in the first year. The same study states the median lifespan for a restaurant startup with five or fewer employees is 3.75 years. Ellison has seen the numbers, and the foundation has done its research, visiting similar food markets across the country. Based on its success with Kitchen 66, the LTFF is taking a risk to help more restauranteurs minimize theirs. “Data shows that people who go through a kitchen incubator program have a drastically reduced risk of failure,” Ellison says. “We will lease the space at a shorter term and lower cost than most brick-and-mortar leases. We have the benefit to give the people a lower-risk opportunity to test TulsaPeople.com

their ideas. Since we’re a nonprofit, we have the ability to help the businesses with the marketing and programming side that will bring people into the space.” Shanese Slaton, the project manager overseeing the development of Mother Road Market, is excited about the endless opportunities for dining options that will allow Tulsans to choose from a wide variety of styles, even if it’s to grab food to prepare a meal at home. It’s another thing that sets the market apart from most restaurant startups. “Food brings people together. Food is a center point for so many families and communities,” Slaton says. “Kids can get pizza, and the parents can try pho or empanadas. It brings a lot of value to people. “People may not have the time to stop at the farmers’ market, but they can stop by and get local produce (since it will have more accessible hours). It makes people more aware of where the food comes from and the sourcing. Farm-to-table adds another part to the formula. Bringing all that together creates a lot of magic. It will be fun to see what happens.” It’s a natural fit for the market to open along the nation’s most famous highway. LTFF co-founder and board member Bill Lobeck spent decades working in the auto industry and continues to be a car enthusiast. “Mother Road Market marries all of our family passions: food, entrepreneurship, Route 66 and, of course, cars,” says former Tulsa mayor Kathy Taylor, LTFF co-founder and board member, who is married to Lobeck. From a logistical standpoint, Peebles says the market will be in a prime location for consumers of all types. “The location from my perspective isn’t as much Route 66, but where it’s positioned in our community,” she says. “That intersection is bridging TU to downtown. It’s bridging Kendall Whittier to Utica. “It’s such a melting pot in Tulsa that I think it’s going to be really interesting to see the people from the communities converging over food at this location. There will be college students and people who work at Hillcrest. Artists from Kendall Whittier or people who’ve been shopping at Utica Square.” Slaton says she’s already looking forward to the future, when she can reminisce about opening the market and then see its lasting legacy. “Ten to 15 years from now, when we look back at what 11th Street has become, and when we are able to say we as the foundation and we as a team have been able to make a difference — that will be so rewarding,” Slaton says.

BREAKING DOWN FINANCIAL BARRIERS Mother Road Market is not the only new venture for the LTFF. In November the foundation will launch a partnership with Kiva, an international nonprofit that lends up to $10,000 to entrepreneurs through crowfunding loans. People can lend to a business of their choice, starting at $25. 42

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

The past two and a half years have been spent in proof-of-concept/pilot testing for Mother Road Market through Kitchen 66, says LTFF COO Meredith Peebles, pictured here with CEO Elizabeth Frame Ellison.

Since launching in 2005, Kiva has funded $1 billion in loans to 2.5 million borrowers. Its loans have a 97 percent repayment rate. As part of the partnership, a Kiva representative will be based in Tulsa for three years to help educate potential users on both sides. For the past four years, the LTFF has released “The State of Entrepreneurship in Tulsa,” which indicates the strengths and the challenges facing Tulsa entrepreneurs. “What we’ve heard year after year is that equal access to capital is really challenging for people,” Peebles says. “Not everyone comes from a background where they’re creditworthy. Banks often deem individuals with poor credit too risky for financing, but, “we don’t think that should be an obstacle for people to have an opportunity,” Peebles says. “We felt strongly we should help fill the gap, and with Kiva we’re able to do just that.” Peebles foresees Kiva not only increasing financing opportunities for entrepreneurs, but also helping them build a strong relationship with local donors, who will likely become even more invested in their businesses. “I think there’s something really powerful about the opportunity for someone in Owasso to learn about a business in north Tulsa and say, ‘I’m going to back you financially, even if it’s $25 or $50. Because I’ve invested in you financially on the front end, now I have a vested interest in the success of your business over the long term,’” Peebles says. “They’re more likely to become a customer or patron. They’ll likely follow you and share what you’re doing on social media. There’s more likely to be a relationship. It’s an interesting opportunity for Tulsans.” Peebles says both Mother Road Market and

Kiva will help create many opportunities for small business owners, which are vitally important to the economic success of Tulsa. “We know 85 percent of Tulsa’s economy is actually rooted in small businesses,” she says. “It’s not the Williamses or the BOKs that are sustaining Tulsa, it’s the small businesses,” Peebles says. “I’m excited that (the partnership between the market and Kiva) will help that 85 percent sustain our economy.”

FOCUSING IN The mission of the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation has evolved and grown over the past two decades. When Taylor and Lobeck started the foundation originally, it was simply a vehicle for them to give back to their community, primarily through gifts to their alma mater, Taylor says. Then the foundation began working with entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurship has always been a passion of ours, and, frankly, a way of life for our family,” Taylor says. “Our business ventures have always been high-risk and entrepreneurial in nature, so we feel like we intimately understand the journey and challenges of an entrepreneur.” Taylor later expanded the foundation to include the Mayor’s Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award, which morphed into the Tulsa StartUp Cup and later the Tulsa StartUp Series. “Seeing the success of that program was really an inspiration for Elizabeth to then take the helm and expand our mission and offerings,” Taylor says. Ellison, who joined the LTFF eight years ago, says she had no hesitations going to work for her parents. She shares their passion for creating more opportunities for the city and its citizens, and Taylor says her daughter has helped morph the

KITCHEN 66 is Tulsa’s kick-start kitchen incubator program that helps aspiring food businesses by providing affordable commercial kitchen space, business development programs, tailored advice and sales support. More than 60 food entrepreneurs have graduated from the program, including Que Gusto’s Carla Meneses, who started her traditional South American food business to serve her passion for cooking. “I always enjoyed cooking, and that was my way to indulge my loved ones,” Meneses says. “And this is ‘que gusto’: what a pleasure.” After hearing about Kitchen 66 through a friend, she quickly recognized it was the opportunity she was looking for. Kitchen 66 launched her brand and as a result, Que Gusto will open in its own downtown space soon. Meneses says customers rave about her empanadas, a stuffed pastry with a variety of ﬁlling options, as well as the sweet alfajor, a cookie stuffed with dulce de leche. Carla Meneses and Fernando Serrano of Que Gusto, a 2016 Kitchen 66 graduate

LTFF into the effective, data-driven organization it is today. “Prior to Elizabeth’s dedicated time and leadership, we had simply been sponsoring events and providing donations, but had no clear course of action to improve the community,” Taylor says. “Elizabeth brought our board concrete data, a focused vision and plan for action. … I think it’s safe to say we would not have had the impact or scaled to this size without Elizabeth’s dedicated vision.” The foundation has its hands full with projects, which is how they like it. “Tulsa is such a special place, and I love our moniker as the most generous city in the United States, and I think it’s so true,” Ellison says. “One of the things I love about Tulsa is how well philanthropists and nonprofits work together. “Now it’s about Tulsa showcasing what we have to offer to the rest of the region and the rest of the world. We’ve been humble and just stayed the course long enough. Now it’s time to talk about the great things we’re doing for entrepreneurs and community development.” Adds Taylor, “Big ideas, ranging from food to tech, will continue to grow strong roots in our strong community. I hope our work continues to plant the seeds of a thriving and effective entrepreneurial ecosystem in Tulsa. I believe Tulsa can be and should be the Silicon Valley of the Midwest.” TP

The Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation will give the 2017 State of Entrepreneurship in Tulsa address from 4-6 p.m. on Nov. 9 at 36 Degrees North, 36 E. Cameron St. The event is free and open to the public.

Items from

KITCHEN 66 GRADUATES QUE GUSTO South American food includes the brand’s popular empanadas.

ELEPANTRY Small-batch artisan bakery whose products include Rusks, a twicebaked cookie.

BABY D’S BEE STING All-natural hot sauces made in small batches.

PAXTON’S COTTON CANDY Uses all-natural ingredients and provides opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. TulsaPeople.com

American pie Through its 80 years, Bama Pies has gone from upstart to worldwide success. BY SCOTT WIGTON

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

production line. One can imagine seeing in Paula Marshall what one likely would have seen in her grandmother: a spunky, energetic woman, determined to succeed in business the right way, with a focus that puts quality and people at the top. “Our philosophy is to make high-quality products, sell them to our customers and to treat people right,” Marshall says. In case anyone should forget, this uncompromising conviction is enshrined on a plaque on the stone façade of Bama’s famous Route 66 factory (Pie Land USA) located on the corner of East

Bama in 2016 ◉ Had more than $350 million in sales ◉ Used 225 million pounds of ﬂour and 15 million pounds of apples ◉ Produced 445 million pies and 550 million biscuits

11th Street and South Delaware Avenue. The effect of this philosophy is seen in the fact that the Bama Cos. employ over 900 people and operate factories worldwide. Bama also counts among its clientele two of the world’s biggest fast food entities: the No. 1 hamburger restaurant chain and the No. 1 pizza restaurant chain. Bama supplies handheld pies, biscuits and pizza dough to these food giants.

Building a company; not as easy as pie

From its early days, the company was a family enterprise that grew organically as Grandma Bama’s husband, Henry, worked hard to sell his wife’s pies as far and wide as possible. “My parents used to joke that my granddad had two left hands and two left feet and was a complete klutz in the kitchen, but he never met a stranger and he had a knack for sales,” Marshall says. “He could sell dirt to farmers.” It was good pies, pure grit and a little bit of luck that kept Bama going through the difficult years of the Great Depression in the 1930s. And, as her children grew older, they took their mother’s recipes and their father’s sales moxie and fanned out to different cities in the Midwest, starting Bama Pie outlets in each. One of those cities happened to be an oil boomtown called

COURTESY BAMA COS.

Decades ago, a scrappy Texas woman named Cornelia Alabama Marshall began baking pies to support her struggling family. Word got out, and lines formed down the street outside the small Dallas store where she worked. People loved her pies. And they still love them today, even if they don’t always realize they’re eating a Bama Pie (or one of the company’s other products). Eighty years later, Cornelia’s granddaughter, Paula Marshall, is running the company, which under her leadership has grown from a respectable $30 million in sales in 1984 to a pie powerhouse with over $350 million in sales last year. Marshall traces the company’s success back to her grandmother, whom she calls “Grandma Bama,” the great matriarch who not only enabled the whole business with her pie-making proficiency, but also infused an ethos that is baked into the company’s formula for success to this day. “She was absolutely the heart and soul of the company,” Marshall says. “The recipes for the pies, and the desire to make only high-quality, good products came from her. She insisted on good ingredients and always making things the right way and training people how to do it. These were the tenets of her business.” Turns out, the apple pie doesn’t fall far from the

Paula Marshall continues

her family’s storied Tulsa, where Marshall’s tradition in the Bama Cos. parents settled. The family-run business is Marshall’s father, Paul, based in Tulsa, but has an had dropped out of school international reach that after eighth grade to work touches millions each year. in the family business. The company has garnered According to Marshall, several awards over the he was nothing if not deyears, including the recent B Corp certiﬁcation by termined to sell as many the independent B Lab, of the big, round pies to a nonproﬁ t focused on as many customers as he bettering society through could find. During World businesses that meet War II, he learned to fly rigorous standards of and would deliver pies social and environmental to air bases around the performance, country. However, the pie accountability and transparancy. business was a grind, with long hours spent overnight in the factory, on the road or in the air. “My dad, he hated get“He kept saying he had to find a customer that ting up at midnight, working through the night would sell a million pies,” Marshall recalls. “And and delivering products the next day,” Marshall that’s when he started playing around with the says. “He wanted to find a better way. He was alconcept of a handheld pie product and began to ways looking for the next thing.” One of those “next things” was freezing the move away from the big, round, frozen pies. My pies overnight, which allowed Bama to switch mom would look at him like he was crazy, not beto more normal business hours. The frozen pies lieving there would be customer that would sell a million of them.” became extremely popular with women working in factories during the war who didn’t have time to do baking themselves. Paul also landed some Pie-in-the-sky innovation lands huge customer Nevertheless, Paul went to work to develop a malarge accounts, including Safeway and Bob’s Big Boy. Still, it wasn’t enough. Marshall remembers chine that could produce a small, handheld pie. “I’ll never forget — he woke up the entire her father being gone most of the time, his car crammed with frozen pies as he set out to find family in the middle of the night to come see this contraption he had made,” Marshall recalls. “I even more customers.

was complaining because I was tired and it was so early, but he had this machine where you put the pastry in, added fruit in the middle and then you turned the crank and pie came out. He only had an eighth-grade education, but he was a brilliant guy.” It was a huge moment in Bama’s history. Now all that was needed for this pie-oneering invention was a customer. As fortune would have it, another up-and-coming business at the time was catering to America’s growing demand for tasty food on the go. That company was McDonald’s, and Paul Marshall saw a huge opportunity. “My dad made a cold call on Ray Kroc (McDonald’s co-founder), and that was defi nitely the turning point for us,” Marshall says. Kroc agreed that a 10-cent handheld pie was the perfect complement to McDonald’s food-onthe-go model of burgers, fries and shakes. The result was the formation of a longstanding relationship with Bama that has resulted in the sale of countless millions of apple and cherry pies. By 1969, the Bama bakeries run by other family members had closed, and only the Tulsa factory remained. “Out of five sisters and two brothers, my

Bama history 2017

1992

1927

1967

Bama founded in Texas.

McDonald’s adds Bama’s fried apple pies.

Company employs over 900 people.

Bama opens plant in Beijing to produce pies, including pineapple and bean curd pies.

1920

2020 1937

Bama opens in Tulsa.

1984

Paula Marshall takes over as vice president; named CEO in 1990.

2004

Bama wins the prestigious Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. TulsaPeople.com

Wanda Denton Paula Marshall and her son, Jacob Chapman

Cornelia Alabama “Bama” and Henry “Big Dad” Marshall

Bama Pies at East 11th Street and South Delaware Avenue in 1943 46

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Bama Pie has been a fixture in Tulsa for 80 years now. Wanda Denton has been a fixture at Bama for over half that time. She has worked at Bama for 42 years, each day donning her apron, putting on a hairnet and helping churn out millions of pies and other baked goods destined for pastry lovers near and far. “Working at Bama has become like a second home to me,” Denton says. After decades of dedicated labor, she is now a production supervisor, overseeing the manufacture of signature Bama products, including biscuits, cookies, dough and, of course, pies. On March 17, 1975, just as shag carpet and polyester bell-bottoms were peaking, Denton walked into the famous Pie Land USA factory at East 11th Street and South Delaware Avenue and went to work on the pie production line. “My husband didn’t want me to work, but I thought I’d try it and maybe give it six or seven months — and here I am, all these years later,” Denton says. She would box and stack freshly made apple and cherry pies made for Bama’s biggest customer, McDonald’s. Back in those days, the pies were fried. Today, they’re baked. What’s her most striking memory? Heavenly aromas. “Oh my! The smells,” Denton gasps. “They are amazing! The fresh pies right off the line or out of the oven, you can’t beat them. I tell every new employee, ‘You’ll put on 20 pounds just because of the smells.’” The Tulsa native and Central High School graduate has seen millions of pies fly off the line and out Bama’s doors over the decades. During that time, she has seen her share of change at Bama for the better. “They’ve always taken good care of us, but through the years there’s been a lot more focus on human safety, food safety and quality,” she explains. She adds that production processes have become much more efficient as productivity and quality has increased. Production waste and scrap, which erode profits and customer confidence, have been cut drastically from decades ago. Bama also added a Caring Center for employees that provides counseling and training to help workers overcome any obstacles or problems on the job. The goal is to minimize employee loss in the early stages of employment when turnover can be high. What has kept Denton at Bama? “The people,” she says. “They care about you here. They treat you right and respect you. They focus on quality training and safety and have good benefits. They take good care of their people.”

COURTESY BERYL FORD COLLECTION/ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA, TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY AND TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND BAMA COS.

42 years of Wanda’s Bama Pie

DEMING: COURTESY THE W. EDWARDS DEMING INSTITUTE

A Deming disciple Probably no single person outside her immediate family has had a greater influence on Paula Marshall’s business management style than W. Edwards Deming. You might call her a Deming disciple. Deming, a statistician, engineer and professor, had a profound impact on the way business management is conducted today around the world, and he is often credited with transforming Japan’s post-war economy, turning the defeated nation into an economic powerhouse. Under Deming’s tutelage, Marshall transformed Bama’s management style and production processes, growing the company, reducing costs and waste, and increasing profitability. Marshall was first introduced to Deming and his methods during a seminar in the 1980s as she struggled to fix Bama’s problems after taking the helm of the company. Through the years, she continued to absorb his teachings, and, more importantly, to implement them at Bama. “With Dr. Deming, I wanted to bring in his quality management tools and to really revolutionize the company by putting processes in place that would bring us up to a standard of which we could be proud and our customers, like McDonald’s, could be proud,” Marshall says. The key to Deming’s business philosophy is that it focuses a business on improving quality rather than focusing on reducing costs. He found that when companies did focus on quality, that products improved and costs came down. Shortly after taking over at Bama in the mid1980s, Marshall realized the company needed to focus on quality. When they did so, the improvement was dramatic. Instead of losing up to $4 million annually in scrap (12 to 17 tons a week) from poor quality, waste was cut to negligible levels. “It was a great leap forward in quality,” Marshall comments. With that focus, Bama went on to expand, building new plants in China and Europe to service a growing list of customers. Deming’s teachings have allowed Bama to become a company that now sets quality standards, evidenced by its prestigious Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award in 2004. “We’ve come up from the bottom, and now we’re a company that our customers consider a strategic partner that they want their other suppliers to emulate,” Marshall says.

dad was the only one left,” Marshall says. “He was the one who had the big vision and saw the future in fast food. He moved away from doing business the old way by getting a great customer who would buy in volume and pay the bills.”

Proving herself and doing it her way

Although landing McDonald’s was a transformative event for Bama, rough times lay ahead as the elder Marshall suffered a heart attack. Suddenly, company succession became an issue. However, none of the sons appeared willing or ready to take over. Paula, who had been working in the factory for years and was a college student at the time, ultimately got the nod, if somewhat reluctantly, from her father. “My dad always said he wanted a boy, a son, running the company, but the problem was that he and my brothers disagreed a lot and my dad kept defaulting to me for things,” she explains. In her early 20s, Marshall was thrown into the fray, understanding the weight of her tasks at hand. “I knew the seriousness of getting it right, but I also realized I had to do it my way,” Marshall says. “I guess I didn’t manage to screw too many things up,” she says with a laugh. By the skin of her teeth, Marshall proved her worth and then progressively set about restructuring the company under the auspices of her business mentor, W. Edwards Deming (see sidebar). “I’m such a big Deming zealot, you can’t believe it,” she says. “I love his philosophy.” When Marshall took the reins in 1984, she began an unrelenting effort to improve the company by doing what her Grandma Bama had always done: focus on quality products. Bama gradually began diversifying its customer portfolio and building new factories in overseas markets. The corporate culture also began to change. “My dad, as much as I loved him, he did things differently; it was more fear-based and militaristic,” Marshall says. “He did build a great company, but some things needed to be fi xed. For example, when he got sick and was in the hospital, no one knew what to do. I had no idea where W. Edwards Deming the formulas were; he used to keep key company information on napkins or paper towels with these little tickmarks on them. “He didn’t really trust that people wouldn’t steal his stuff,” she explains. “I think it came from that Depression mindset that he had lived through.”

Today his daughter’s mindset, shaped by Deming, is helping position the company for continued success in the future.

Passionate about keeping it in the Bama family

That future, it appears, is one in which Bama will remain a family-held business. Marshall’s adult children are actively engaged with company decision-making. “I believe the one who works and has sweat equity in the business should have voting power,” she comments. “You see too many families that give everyone power, but they’re not invested in the business and so they’re not passionate about the company. “We’re going to keep the business going with family members who have a passion for what we’re doing here,” she continues. Her son, Jacob Chapman, has spent time on the factory floor and analyzing the efficiency of some of Bama’s manufacturing processes. “I’m very passionate about it,” says Chapman, who also is a college student working on a business degree. “My own perspective is that the business has to stay in the family. We (family members) all have our own perspectives, but it’s great we can be in business together.” Bama has hit a few rough patches over the decades, but today the private company — which does not disclose its financials — appears to be in its best shape ever. Marshall seems confident that when she is ready to hand over the reins to a successor, the company will continue to flourish. “It’s about the business prospering and going forward, and that takes passion for the work and passion for the people, and if you have those, you’ll be successful,” Marshall says. “Then everyone around you will have that same goal, and that will keep the business alive and thriving.” That’s a recipe Grandma Bama certainly would be proud of. TP TulsaPeople.com

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SHOP LOCAL THE DOLLARS AND SENSE OF SHOPPING AT LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

ost Tulsans realize that shopping locally keeps their sales tax dollars in the city, county and state — funding everything from local police and fire services to public education — but it’s likely that few understand the huge impact their daily shopping decisions have on their overall quality of life. Like ripples from a rock tossed in a lake, choosing to shop locally has myriad impacts, both tangible and intangible, that go well beyond basic government services. In Tulsa, sales tax accounts for nearly one third of the city’s revenue: an estimated $274 million in the 2018 budget. However, many online retailers without a physical presence in Oklahoma are not required by law to collect sales tax. Residents are supposed to report their online purchases when filing state income taxes, but in the past most have not, meaning local government continued to lose millions from out-of-state sales. Fortunately, the Oklahoma Retail Protection Act of 2016 was a step in the right direction. The law allows Oklahoma to collect sales tax from out-of-state-retailers that have various affiliations with Oklahoma businesses. It also requires out-of-state retailers to notify customers by Feb. 1 of each year of how much they spent and remind them how much sales tax they should self-report. Another bright spot: Starting March 1, online retail giant Amazon voluntarily began collecting local and statewide taxes on purchases. According to Mike Kier, the City of Tulsa’s director of finance, online sales still translate into millions of dollars in lost sales tax revenue. “This significant growth in online retail sales has happened over a period of time when there has been very modest growth in overall retail sales,” Kier says. “That puts more and more pressure on the brick-and-mortar side of things. And that loss in revenue can make running a government very challenging.” Not only is it challenging for the government, it’s also challenging for Tulsa’s small business owners.

Why shop local?

Tom Brown has owned and operated Tom’s Bicycles in Tulsa since 1994. Over the years, his business has suffered from the consumer shift to online retail. “It’s getting harder and harder all the time to have a brick-and-mortar store,” Brown says. Tom’s has two locations: 6861 S. Peoria Ave. and 1506 E. 15th St. While Brown has lost plenty of local sales to online merchants, he has also lost business from surrounding, smaller communities. “People used to come to Tulsa from surrounding cities and towns and drive around to do all of their shopping,” he says. “They’d stop in at the bike shop and buy a pair of socks or a pair of gloves or whatever they needed. That’s just not happening anymore, or it’s happening on a much smaller scale.” According to Brown, local businesses are much more than just a source of sales tax revenue. They provide expertise, create community and advocate for local causes. “You can’t get your bike fixed over the internet,” he says. Brown and his employees “pre-filter” the merchandise they sell, testing and researching all of the products, from tubes to socks, in order to offer the best quality to their customers. The business also employs six people, most of them full-time with health care and retirement benefits. Most TulsaPeople.com

“You can’t get your bike ﬁxed over the internet.” — TOM BROWN, TOM’S BICYCLES Every dollar spent at independent businesses returns three times more money to the local economy than one spent at a chain. SOURCE: AMERICAN INDEPENDENT BUSINESS ALLIANCE

Did you know? The typical American family spends over $800 on Christmas, with one-third of that spent on clothing and accessories for women, men and children. According to the Tulsa Regional Chamber, that totals $73 million in the holiday season in Tulsa. “Both large stores (department or discount stores) and smaller stores (franchises and proprietorships) employ salespeople, buy resources locally and pay sales and property taxes,” says Bob Ball, director of economic research for the Tulsa Regional Chamber in its “The Chamber Report.” Ball says smaller specialty stores require 930 employees to accommodate the holiday shopping rush. Those 930 store employees support the employment of 181 in local supplier operations. “In the specialty store, each dollar earned by a direct retail employee supports the earning of 48 cents by workers in supplier operations,” Ball says. “In the large department store, each dollar earned supports the earning of 20 cents by suppliers’ workers,” because many rely on corporate arrangements with suppliers for goods and services.

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

have worked at the shop for at least 15 years. Each employee owns a house or rents, buys groceries and generally contributes to the local economy. “We’re really trying to make it a profession, rather than a job,” Brown says. “So it really helps when you come into the store and buy anything. It helps those people that work for me. It helps me, too. It helps me pay them. It helps me provide all of the things they really need. I try to make sure they’re getting as much as I can possibly give.” Brown and his staff frequently volunteer outside the shop, too. “I’m going to two different large bike rides this weekend to offer mechanical support,” he says. “We spend a lot of time and money supporting local endeavors that not only promote cycling, but also help out the community. We have a pretty strong feeling that this is what we should be doing — giving back to the community.” Their efforts provide secondary economic benefits. Brown and other local bike stores have long been champions of Tulsa’s trail system, working and communicating with relevant government officials and organizations to create, maintain and expand the city’s miles and miles of recreational trails. Their efforts have enhanced Tulsa’s livability for its inhabitants and added to its tourism appeal, benefiting the economy. “There are people who come here just for … Tulsa Tough and the Tour de Tulsa,” Brown says. “They come to ride on River Parks. They come from all over the place.”

Community connection

According to Kathy Duck, executive director of the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s Small Business Connection, it’s their connection to the community that makes small businesses so important. “Working with local companies means your money is staying in this community to help it grow,” she says. “Tulsa’s small businesses really take pride in their city, and they work with community-based programs and charities and advocate for local efforts. This really just improves the overall quality of life in Tulsa.” Marshall Brewing Co., 618 S. Wheeling Ave., is just a short ride from Brown’s midtown bike shop. Much like Brown, President and Brewmaster Eric Marshall strongly believes in giving back to the community and supporting other local businesses. The brewery’s bottles and cardboard boxes are locally sourced, and the company uses local people for its T-shirts, hats and other merchandise. “We do a lot to support local organizations,” Marshall says. “We donate a lot of time, beer, tours and merchandise. It costs us money, but we feel it’s the right thing to do. We want to do our fair share to help grow the community, be a good partner, and help make Tulsa and Oklahoma better in general.” Marshall chose to locate his business in the Kendall Whittier District, and he serves on the board of the Kendall Whittier Main Street Association.

Libby at Elote buys tomatoes from Eden Veggies Cole at The Philosophy Tree eats at Elote

Jodie at The Vault works out at The Philosophy Tree

HOW DOES SHOPPING LOCAL WORK?

Eric at Marshall’s orders catering from The Vault

“I see the business owners and their employees dining at my restaurants all the time. They all know I can choose to purchase from a big online company or out-of-state providers, but I choose them and they show me support by choosing me, too.”

John at Eden Veggies buys computer from Mega Watts

Doug at Mega Watts gets bread from Farrell Family Bakery

Rick at Farrell Family Bakery buys a beer from Marshall’s

estaurateur Libby Billings strives to think local when it comes to sourcing product for her three downtown restaurants. Sure, things like avocados and agave can’t be grown locally, but at Elote, Billings averages about 28 percent locally purchased items. “When you buy food locally it actually tastes better,” Billings says, citing ﬂavorless Mexican-grown tomatoes picked weeks before they arrive on Tulsa tables. “I purchase all my tomatoes from Eden Veggies out of Broken Arrow. They are harvested the day before they are delivered to my restaurants to be served. They just taste better.” While ﬂavor has a lot to do with Billings’ choices, there are other reasons she does business with local and Oklahoma-based businesses, too. “I see the business owners and their employees dining at my restaurants all the time,” she says. “They all know I can choose to purchase from a big online company or out-of-state providers, but I choose them and they show me support by choosing me, too.” Billings reiterates her feelings of shopping at local businesses with a big diagram at Elote.

– LIBBY BILLINGS EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank you to Libby Billings and Elote for allowing us to recreate the in-store diagram here. TulsaPeople.com

Eric Marshall is the president and brewmaster of Marshall Brewing Co. As a small business owner, he strongly believes in giving back to the community and supporting other local businesses. The taproom serves as a regular community gathering spot in the Kendall Whittier district.

Small businesses donate two times as much to local charities as chains. Independent restaurants return two times more to local economies than chains. SOURCE: INDEPENDENTWESTAND.COM

Retro Den’s Ashley Daly

There are some hard dollars and cents behind the local brewing industry, as well. In 2014, when there were half as many craft breweries as there are now, the Oklahoma Craft Brewing Industry had a $415.7 million economic impact in Oklahoma, according to a study published last year by University of Central Oklahoma economics professor Travis Roach. Broken down into drinking terms, that’s a $65.94 economic impact per 12-ounce serving — a pretty good return on your local drinking dollars.

Keeping it local

The brewery is an anchor in this transitional neighborhood. “It’s been positive for us, and that’s part of our advocacy — continuing to promote this area,” Marshall says. The brewery’s investment in community also means knowing and understanding its clients, often on a personal level. The taproom is open three days a week and serves as a regular community gathering spot. Patrons can sample beers, ask questions and give feedback. “People want to know the story,” Marshall says. “When people can come in and meet and know the people who make the product, it contributes to their quality of life. They spend their time here and get fresh beer and then go out and support the people who support us in terms of where they make decisions to go have dinner or a beer.” 52

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Bryce Bandy, co-founder of Keep It Local OK, started his company seven years ago to support and publicize local businesses. Keep It Local sells annual membership cards for $15, and local merchants, businesses and restaurants offer discounts and promotions to the cardholders. The company releases the cards Nov. 24 — Black Friday — and they’re good for the next 13 months. In Oklahoma, 257 businesses in 357 locations participate in the program. In Tulsa, 43 businesses participate in 49 locations. Bandy, an Oklahoma City resident, sees it as a great way to discover a city. “There are a ton of places you can easily miss, great places in the Pearl District or Kendall Whittier that are just a little out of the way that you might not just stumble on,” Bandy says. Ashley Daly has owned Retro Den with Ashley Palmer for nearly ﬁve years. The store joined the Keep It Local OK campaign after talking to Bandy and seeing the other like-minded businesses participating in the program.

“As a shop owner, I love seeing our customers at the grocery store or at my daughter’s school,” Daly says. “Our customers become our friends. I think there’s a special energy that’s created when you have people around you that are fully engaged in their lives — we’re all doing what we’re passionate about and making our community a better place.” Bandy suggests customers should shift their thinking into seeing shopping local as an investment in the community. “(By spending money with local business owners) you’re rewarding these people for taking a chance on opening a business,” he says. “Spend some money with them. It may be a little more, or it may not be, but look at it as investing in your community and your family.” Taking advantage of this opportunity might have a welcome side effect for all Tulsans. “Usually those entrepreneurial people are also the ones who want to get involved in the community,” Bandy says. “They’re more likely to help push the city forward and make it a cooler place.” TP

Nov. 25 is Small Business Saturday. American Express started the concept in 2010. It’s a good opportunity to get to know local merchants, many of whom will offer discounts and promotions, and a good chance to get a jump on your holiday shopping. Locally, more information can be found at facebook. com/tulsasmallbusinessconnection.

THANK YOU!

generates 70% more economic activity and causes more dollars to circulate in our local economy. Our annual Holiday Hints Giving Guide is loaded with gift-giving ideas from locally owned shops and restaurants to help you BUY LOCAL this year! HAPPY HOLIDAYS from TulsaPeople and our advertisers!

Let the shopping begin.

TulsaPeople.com

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TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

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TulsaPeople.com

Truman welcomes you to the Ranch during the Holidays.

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Thank you for shopping and supporting our business since 1959. Wine Capital of Tulsa for Over 40 Years East of Harvard on 31st St.

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TULSAPEOPLE.COM

GIVEAWAYS Visit TulsaPeople.com to register for our HOLIDAY DECORATING & SHOPPING Giveaway!

Deck the halls and under the tree with a $250 package which includes gift cards for Travers Mahan, Ida Red and Mary Murray’s Flowers! Register by November 30.

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Beyond the Blindness

6068 S. Sheridan Rd. • 918.493.1136 TheSilverNeedle.com

My Story of Losing Sight and Living Life

Now Carrying UGG! Slippers, Robes, Pj's and Outerwear for Men and Women

Come see our fantastic collections of FLAX Apparel and Cross Stitch Supplies

by TED HINSON

Copies of Ted Hinson’s memoir available at Dog Dish. $14.95

THANK YOU! 1778 Utica Square 918-624-2600

Let the shopping begin. We Invite You To Come Celebrate

The Holiday Season At Our New Store Opening November 3rd! You will love browsing through our room vignettes filled with hundreds of holiday treasures, including furniture, art, antiques and decorative pieces. Come visit our wonderland!

2616 E. 11th St. • 918-810-2662

TulsaPeople.com

Alison Anthony (middle), the 2017 Vision in Education Leadership Award honoree poses with the Vision honorary co-chairs Michael and Libby Johnson; Alana R. Hughes, Chair of the TCC Foundation; Leigh B. Goodson, TCC President & CEO; and Vision Dinner co-chairs Jim Langdon and Steve Turnbo.

2017 Vision in Education Leadership Award Dinner Chairs & Committee Vision Dinner Co-Chairs

Jim Langdon and Steve Turnbo

Vision Dinner Honorary Co-Chairs

Michael and Libby Johnson

Vision Dinner Committee

Carlin Conner, Andy Kinslow, Henry Primeaux III, Mina Lotti, Roger Ramseyer & Paul Samuels

2017 Vision in Education Leadership Award Dinner Sponsors Visionary Sponsors

Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, TTCU Federal Credit Union George Kaiser Family Foundation, ONE Gas, ONEOK & Williams

T R AV E L + H O M E + T R E N D S

NOSTALGIA IN A GLASS

trip to downtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ida Red General Store can make you feel like a kid again. Grab a stool and belly up to the bar for a gulp down memory lane. Soda jerks sling beverages of the past and new versions of classics, with a menu that rotates by season. Egg creams, like the one pictured here, root beer ďŹ&#x201A;oats and acid phosphates are on the menu, along with house-made sodas, shakes and malts, coffees and espresso drinks. For more on Ida Red, its new downtown location and the soda fountain, see p. 66. TP

TulsaPeople.com

TRENDING

FIT TO FEAST BY KENDALL BARROW

Stunning settings for your holiday table

Pictured clockwise from top left: Juliska salad bowl and tongs, $188 and $98, respectively, On A Whim; faux topiary, $120, On A Whim; scented candle in gold-lidded container, $40, Pardon My French; raw-edge wood tray, $92, Pardon My French; Juliska “Carine” highball and wine glasses, $29 and $25, respectively, On A Whim; Juliska “Berry and Thread” bright satin with gold accents ﬂatware, $145 for a ﬁve-piece place setting, On A Whim; Juliska “Pewter Stoneware” charger, $75, “Forest Walk” dinner plate, $49, “Pewter Stoneware” side plate, $22, “Forest Walk” berry bowl, $38, and Juliska napkin, $15; all from On A Whim. TP 64

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Rare Green Garnet Ring with Multi-colored Sapphires

1335 E. 11th St. Suite E., Tulsa, OK 74120 located on historic Route 66 jenkinsandcotulsa

Consortium | 3509 S. Peoria Ave., #180 Tulsa, OK 74105 | 918.748.8700

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STOREFRONT

Golden Driller mug

Ida Red is the ofﬁcial Golden Driller retailer. $12.95.

Snow Globe

Hand-sculpted and hand-painted snow globe by Queen of Snow Globes featuring a view of downtown Tulsa. $69.95.

TUL Hat

Available in black, blue and red. $31.95.

Okie Candle Shop

Handmade soy-blend candles made in Oklahoma. Vanilla pound cake is one of the most popular scents. $13.95 (8 ounce); $26.95 (16 ounce).

TULSA TREASURE TROVE IDA RED’S TWO LOCATIONS FOCUS ON TULSA AND FUN. BY RACHEL WEAVER SMITH

Tulsa staple since 2008, Ida Red General Store is one of the area’s go-to places for souvenirs, gifts and a treat for yourself. Ida Red has two locations: on Brookside and its newest location, Ida Red General Store and Soda Fountain in the Tulsa Arts District. Angelene Wright has been with the Brookside store since it opened, first as manager and now as owner. When previous owner Alice Rodgers decided to sell in 2016, Wright says it was a natural fit to buy. 66

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

“I just fell in love with the store and the customers,” Wright says. “I’ve always had a real heart and passion for Oklahoma and Tulsa.” The family-friendly stores’ inventory includes a variety of local products that make staff smile. Many of the items that line its shelves are requested by customers or imagined by employees. The Ida Red brand now includes T-shirts, mugs, stickers, pint glasses and key chains. One recent item Wright is proudest of is the Tulsa snow globe, which is hand painted and sculpted — a complicated process to create — but worth the results. A second edition snow globe featuring the Golden Driller will debut this holiday season. “We try to put a little bit of every kind of gift in the stores so whatever you need you can come and get,” Wright says. Many patrons might recognize Ida Red for its candy and soda selections, which have increased at the downtown store. Ida Red General Store and Soda Fountain sells a similar mix of merchandise but also sells bulk candy, milkshakes and espresso beverages from Topeca Coffee. “Ida Red is really about having fun and also celebrating Oklahoma,” Wright says. “Sometimes those things converge into one awesome item. Those are really the heart of Ida Red.” TP

Funny socks

Socks with humorous messages like “I got this,” “I’m not bossy. I’m the boss,” and “I have mood swings.” $12.95.

Oklahoma Christmas ornament A classic ornament in the shape of Oklahoma. $14.95.

Leon Russell T-shirts

Features ﬁve styles; Ida Red is the only place licensed to get them in Tulsa. $32.95.

Ida Red 3336 S. PEORIA AVE. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday-Wednesday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 208-A N. MAIN ST. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Wednesday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Thursday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday IDAREDGENERALSTORE.COM

VALERIE GREANT

Jonny and Angelene Wright at Ida Red General Store’s downtown soda fountain. The name Ida Red comes from a Bob Wills song.

SWEET TOOTH MAKES YOUR

Holi

day y p Hap

HOLIDAY PARTY Sunday, November 12, 1pm to 4pm

FREE PHOTO WITH SANTA Sunday, November 26, 1pm to 4pm NEW LOCATION

3541 S. Harvard Ave Tulsa, OK 74135

Bavarian Forest Stags Come see our selection of these handsome holiday accent pieces. Each stag is a natural fiber form clothed in vintage sari fabric, each one unique and available in a variety of sizes. You’ll find one perfect for your home!

www.TraversMahanApparel.com South Lewis at 81st • The Plaza • 918-296-4100

TULSA SYMPHONY

2017-2018 S E A S O N T W E LV E

2058 Utica Square • 918-747-8780

Pops Series

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS featuring Jeff Shadley, Trumpet

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2017 | 7:30 PM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2017 | 2:30 PM LORTON P E RFORMANCE CE NT E R, U NIV E RS IT Y OF T U LSA

d Custom Picture Framing d Fine Art d Home Accessories

An intimate evening including performances by Harmony Project Tulsa, Tulsa Oratorio Chorus and more. Ron Spigelman, Guest Conductor Jeff Shadley, Trumpet

“Into the Blue” by Derek Penix Giclee on Watercolor paper

6 N. LEWIS d 918.584.2217 d ZIEGLERART.COM

For tickets, call 918.596.7111 or www.tulsasymphony.org

TulsaPeople.com

BEYOND CITY LIMITS

Perry's Kumback Cafe

VENTURE WEST PERRY, TONKAWA AND PONCA CITY ARE CHARM-FILLED DESTINATIONS. STORY AND PHOTOS BY RHYS MARTIN Ponca City's Marland Mansion

ne of my favorite ways to spend time with those I love is sharing a road trip. Add in some good food and Oklahoma history, and you have the ingredients for making wonderful memories.

PERRY West of Tulsa on Highway 412 (not far past Stillwater) you’ll find the seat of Noble County: Perry. A large courthouse dominates the downtown area. On the north side of the square sits the Kumback Cafe. It’s the oldest cafe in the state with its original name and location. The vintage diner has served breakfast, lunch and dinner since 1926. The walls are lined with photos of loyal customers and various local newspaper stories over the years, including one about the time the notorious outlaw Pretty Boy Floyd visited the establishment. All the food is fresh, homemade and delicious … though it’s hard for me not to order the chicken-fried steak every time. Definitely save room for a piece of pie, too.

Tonkawa's light display

TONKAWA A half-hour to the north, the town of Tonkawa has some sights worth enjoying. Near the old railroad depot, the only heart-shaped labyrinth in the world makes for a fun activity for the kids as well as an educational opportunity. The Heart in the Park, Grand Avenue and Sixth Street, is the centerpiece of a small plaza dedicated to the history of the city, and its title as the “Wheatheart of Oklahoma.” It’s also a great place to sit for a spell, especially if you find yourself drawn into the shops that line the downtown district. You can learn more about the Tonkawa tribe, too, by visiting the Tonkawa Tribal Museum, 1 Rush Buffalo Road, and its showcase of artifacts and photographs. Tonkawa has a local Christmas display with a big tree right on Grand Avenue and garland strung across the thoroughfare. This year, the tree lighting is Dec. 7. Follow Grand Avenue east and tour the campus of Northern Oklahoma College. PONCA CITY Ponca City is only 20 minutes east of Tonkawa and well worth a visit. It, too, has several great museums to see and a lot of history to learn. Standing Bear Museum, 601 Standing Bear Parkway, is part of a 63-acre park dedicated to Native American history. The Pioneer Woman Museum, 701 Monument Road, has been around since the 1950s and shares the legacy of women important to the development of Oklahoma. It’s also worthwhile to tour the Marland Mansion, 901 Monument Road, the palatial home of frontier oilman E.W. Marland. The best-selling barbecue brand Head Country was founded in Ponca City. In addition to making and bottling their sauce, the Head family has operated a restaurant, 1217 E. Prospect Ave., in town since 1985. It’s a delicious detour before heading home for the day. TP

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Kay WalkingStick, New Mexico Desert, 2011, oil on wood panel, 40” x 80” x 2”, Purchased through a special gift from the Louise Ann Williams Endowment, 2013. National Museum of the American Indian 26/9250, Courtesy American Federation of Arts

Kay WalkingStick An American Artist October 6, 2017 – January 7, 2018 The exhibition is organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.

TU is an EEO/AA Institution.

Exhibition season title sponsor is the Sherman E. Smith Family Charitable Foundation. Support also provided by Mervin Bovaird Foundation, C.W. Titus Foundation and M.V. Mayo Charitable Foundation.

GILCREASE.ORG

TulsaPeople.com

HEALTH

Holiday Luminaries Thursday evenings: November 30 and December 7, 14, & 21

Join us for Breakfast with Saint Nick Saturday, December 9 Register online or by phone

3900 Tulsa Botanic Drive | tulsabotanic.org | 918.289.0330

MONEY MIND FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS TO HELP REDUCE STRESS, ANXIETY BY KRISTI EATON

etting one’s finances in order can help relieve stress, anxiety and potential arguments in the home. However, household debt is making a comeback, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. It says combined household debt in the U.S. peaked at $12.7 trillion in the first three months of 2017. The primary way to alleviate financial stress is to create a budget and stick to it, says Heather Van Hooser, president of private banking at Mabrey Bank. “The budget is a roadmap for our financial future, for where we are and where we are going,” she says. “It’s vital we live within our means.” Van Hooser says it’s important to create the budget with your spouse or significant other so both people can be on the same roadmap. The budget allows individuals to look at expenses and see where they can be reduced and how to plan for emergencies. Although a budget also helps plan for future goals, Van Hooser says it is incredibly helpful for checking in a quarter or halfway into the year to ensure you’re on the right path. Communication also is key to alleviating stress, Van Hooser says. Oftentimes, she sees one spouse feeling as if they need to carry the financial burden. If one spouse is living under a different spending philosophy, “it can be a train wreck,” she says. The miscommunication can lead to short- and long-term effects such as anxiety, lack of sleep and even divorce. Lifestyle inflation is another red flag. Many think an increase in salary is an opportunity to spend more, but it should be an opportunity to save more. “Say you get a raise of $50,000, it’s not uncommon for people to think they can spend all that,” she says. “What they are avoiding is planning for their future.” What they need to focus on is creating an emergency fund with enough money to cover expenses for six months. “Developing an emergency fund is crucial in reducing stress,” she says. TP

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

ARE YOU ON OUR LIST?

KICK OFF A

NEW

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We are proud to introduce our FREE Tuesday e-newsletter featuring spotlighted articles from the magazine, exclusive content, blogs, quizzes, guides and more!

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QA &

From Tulsa Professionals

For information about participating in Q&A, please contact adservices@langdonpublishing.com.

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

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INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Why does my non-owner spouse have to sign a deed?

I’m concerned about the Equifax data breach. What should I do?

A deed that involves homestead is void unless signed by both spouses. While commercial property may be sold without joinder of a non-owner spouse, title is not considered marketable due to the impossibility of ascertaining from the record whether the property was or was not homestead (for example, a downtown office building may be used primarily for commercial purposes but have a penthouse suite in which the owner lives). Consequently, signature of both spouses is required for deeds in Oklahoma.

The most proactive, recommended step is to do a credit freeze with three bureaus: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. A credit freeze allows you to lock your credit so that no one, not even you, can open a new credit account. However, you can temporarily “thaw” your credit when legitimate applications for credit and services need to be processed. The added layer of security prevents thieves from establishing new credit in your name. There is no impact on your existing lines of credit.

Rebecca Sherwood

J. Harvie Roe, CFP, President

Bluestem Escrow & Title 1924 S. Utica, Suite 802 • Tulsa, OK 74104 918-921-3478 • www.bluestemok.com

AmeriTrust Investment Advisors, Inc. 4506 S. Harvard Ave. • Tulsa, OK 74135 918-610-8080 • hroe@amerad.com

VETERINARIAN

BEAUTY & WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

WILL AND TRUSTS

My cat won’t always use the litter box. What can be done?

Why does my deed require a probate?

There can be several reasons why cats won’t use the litter box on a consistent basis. Sometimes they don’t like the litter, either the way it smells or the way it feels to their paws. Many times the box is too exposed, giving little privacy. One rule of thumb is to have one litter box per cat, plus one for a multiple cat household.

Just because the deed to your house says “husband and wife” after your names doesn’t mean that probate is avoided. There must be certain language within the deed to allow the surviving spouse to receive the land upon the other spouse’s death. Have your estate-planning attorney review your deeds to ensure the deed is proper.

Cristen Thomas, DVM

Karen L. Carmichael

15th Street Veterinary Group 6231 E. 15th St. • Tulsa, OK 74112 918-835-2336 • www.15thstreetvet.com

The Law Office of Karen L. Carmichael 2727 E. 21st St., Ste. 402 • Tulsa, OK 74114 918-493-4939 • www.tulsawillsandtrusts.com

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

ARCHITECTS DESIGN

With the stroke of a pencil or the click of a mouse, an architect can transform dreams into reality. Whether it is a reimagined space in your family home or a custom-built masterpiece, qualiﬁed and accomplished architects create a space that meets today’s design standards while incorporating your personal wants and needs. The architects presented in the following pages represent Tulsa’s talent when it comes to residential and commercial design. We hope this starts your research in ﬁnding your design team.

Designing to Put Clients’ Needs First Since its beginnings in 1973, GH2 Architects has focused on delivering excellent design with exceptional customer service. After 44 years, the mission remains the same. “Clients look to us to turn their project goals into reality,” says Michael Hall, AIA, CCS, Principal at GH2 Architects. “At GH2, we’ve built our business by transforming client visions into well-functioning, beautiful buildings or spaces. In delivering upon that promise, we’ve built a reputation clients depend on time after time.” At GH2, design team members work closely with clients from start to finish. Clients benefit from the continuity as well as the accountability from the GH2 design team through the design process. GH2’s wide range of technical and professional capabilities, as well as its commitment to ongoing communication and service create the strong foundation essential to building effective tailor-made solutions. Clients from around the world depend on GH2, yet GH2 remains

proud to serve its headquarters town of Tulsa, Okla. GH2 projects accentuate the Tulsa skyline and include several downtown hotels, the updated Tandy Family YMCA, multiple new elementary schools, the Crushed Red Restaurant on Cherry Street, the Holland Hall A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Wellness Center, multiple projects at Expo Square and the new Crosstown Learning Center facility, to name a few. “Turning ideas into reality is what we do best,” says Hall, “but our greatest reward comes when we see a school or nonprofit facility that we’ve helped to create help children and those in our community. In these situations, our client’s projects are GH2 Architects, LLC serving others’ needs— 320 S. Boston Ave., and knowing we’ve conSuite 100 ARCHITECTS tributed is very reward918-587-6158 ing for our team.” www.GH2.com

The McIntosh Group

1850 S. Boulder Ave. 918-585-8555 McIntoshTransforms.com

We Are The Architects of Transformation The McIntosh Group is a national full-service architecture firm and accessibility consultancy specializing in the banking, retail, restaurant and hospitality sectors. Nestled between Veteran’s Park and the 23rd Street Bridge, they office in the historic “Boulder on the Park” building, which was the first home of Holland Hall private school in 1923 and then became KTUL Radio station in 1947. The McIntosh Group is licensed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Although most of its clients are national companies, The McIntosh Group is proud of its Tulsa roots.

The firm’s CEO, Lanny McIntosh, co-founded the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture in 1995, helping preserve Tulsa’s unique Art Deco architectural heritage. In 2015 McIntosh was recognized by Tulsa’s Small Business Connection as the Small Business Person of the Year, and in 2016 he received a Dream Big Blue Ribbon award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. With local projects like the Blue Rose Café, Boulder on the Park, Triad Bank, Pipeliner’s Union Training Center, Jackson Technical, and the new restaurant concept, Sushi Fork, The McIntosh Group is proud to be part of Tulsa’s transformation.

James Boswell Architect Revitalizing Oklahoma one project at a time.

THE JONES ASSEMBLY - OKLAHOMA’S NEWEST DINING AND MUSIC DESTINATION

THE JONES ASSEMBLY - OKLAHOMA’S NEWEST MUSIC AND EVENT VENUE

Revitalizing Oklahoma one project at a time.

Since 1996, we’ve built our architectural firm on one simple goal: to give clients a finished product they are immensely proud of. Our process starts with understanding and embracing your vision. And because we know you need more than a good listener to play back your ideas, we design to your dreams without limiting the possibilities. This is where great architecture comes to life – in the mix of inspiration and expertise. The result is everything you want from your new space and more.

Every client has a vision. Tell us yours, and let’s create something to be proud of together.

1400 South Trenton Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120 918.599.7570 BoswellArchitect.com

Thank You, Interior Designers for making the 2017 Designer Showcase House so spectacular, and the event a great success for the Tulsa Public Schools Foundation!

Gina Miller & Brenda Rice

Beth Zarbano

Greg Hosterman

Emma Sitton

Susan Eddings Perez

Pam Scott

Audrey Lackner & Kristin Yannaccone

Royce Myers

Erin Harp

Cheri Sitton

Lisa Wakefield

Francie Winchester

Laura Ellis Barnes, Mel Bean, Bailey Austin Bird & Erin Hardwick

Sasha Malchi

Susan Eddings Perez, Showcase designer liason; Paula Dellavedova, Showcase coordinator; Brian Paschal, Foundation For Tulsa Schools president; SueAnn Blair, Showcase chairwoman

Joseph Gilbert

G.K. Griffin

Kay Worley & JaAnn Beffer

Leslie Story

Roger Wilson

Heather Miller & Lindsay Clyma

Darcie Blackerby & Judy Littrell

Michael Beard

Dee Siegenthaler, Ronda DeLaughter & Rachel DeLaughter

Tania Cartwright

SAVE THE DATE for the 2018 Designer Showcase:

April 28-May 21st, 2018!

Paula Wood

Dixie Moseley

Lynn Knight Jessee, Hillary Holt & Hannah Harrington

Michelle Nall

Natalie Nirk

Lindsay Bedell

Amity Edwards

SMALL BUSINESS IS A

BIG DEAL TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY 85%

SMALL BUSINESSES ACCOUNT FOR ROUGHLY 85 PERCENT OF COMPANIES IN THE TULSA REGION

OKLAHOMA HAS 333,552 SMALL BUSINESSES THAT EMPLOY 693,732 INDIVIDUALS

IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA, SMALL BUSINESSES CREATE TWO OUT OF EVERY THREE JOBS

Shopping locally puts money back into the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy, ensuring valuable tax dollars help fund core services in our communities.

The Tulsa Regional Chamber and the Tulsa Small Business Connection encourage you to shop local Saturday, Nov. 25.

BUSINESS NEWS FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

MCGRAW NAMES BILL MCCOLLOUGH NEW COMPANY PRESIDENT Tulsa-based McGraw Realtors will celebrate 80 years in 2018 and shows no signs of slowing down. When asked about taking over as president, recently appointed Bill McCollough said he is honored to have this opportunity. “McGraw Realtors has been a Tulsa ﬁxture for 80 years,” McCollough says. “I am excited that I will see it hit 100 years in my career. It is rare to see any company stay true to who it is for 80 years. It is a testament to McGraw’s ability to adapt to the marketplace. My biggest priority is to Bill McCollough and John Woolman provide the best-in-class tools and support for our associates.” McGraw’s outgoing president, Chairman John Woolman, made it clear how proud he was to name McCollough the company’s new CEO. “We are all very excited that Bill has accepted this position, and I am absolutely conﬁdent he is going to take us to even greater heights,” Woolman says. “I could not be more pleased to pass the reins of leadership to my friend and business partner, Bill.” McCollough has been a McGraw shareholder since 2010 and brings more than a decade of real estate experience to his new position. He also is an accomplished land developer and awardwinning home builder. The McGraw Realtors board of directors elected Woolman chairman of the board, and he will go on to be an integral part of the company. In its 80 years, McGraw has become Oklahoma’s largest independent real estate company with over 500 agents in northeastern Oklahoma. Visit mcgrawrealtors.com for more information.

DAWNN LEWIS AND LAFORTUNES: COURTESY

DINNER OF RECONCILIATION SET FOR NOV. 16 Actor, producer and Grammy Award-winner Dawnn Lewis will be the keynote speaker at the 2017 John Hope Franklin Dinner of Reconciliation on Nov. 16. Lewis is a member of the national advisory board for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Melody and Dr. Preston Phillips are the honorary dinner chairs for the event, now in its eighth year. The annual Dinner of Reconciliation provides an opportunity for constructive community engagement for Tulsans of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions and languages. “Held each November, this ﬂagship program with the motto ‘Sit with someone you don’t know,’ encourages positive relationship-building among diverse individuals,” says Jean Neal, director of programs for the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the dinner and program at 7 p.m., at the Greenwood Cultural Center, 322 N. Greenwood Ave. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children in grades kindergarten through 12th. The John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation promotes reconciliation and generates trust through scholarly work and constructive community engagement. For more information about the center, visit jhfcenter.org.

TULSA PRESS CLUB NAMES 2017 HEADLINERS Bill and Kathy LaFortune will be honored by the Tulsa Press Club as its 2017 Headliners for the couple’s embodiment of service to the community. “This is a first for the Tulsa Press Club: honoring a husband and wife as Headliners,” say Melani Hamilton and Nicole Burgin, event co-chairs. “Bill and Kathy LaFortune are exceptional individuals in their own right, and each has made a lasting impact on our community. They have worked to create a vibrant and healthier community for all Tulsans.” Bill LaFortune served Tulsa as its 37th mayor and ushered in the redevelopment of Tulsa’s downtown and the revival of its central business core. During his tenure, he worked with elected officials, local governments, business leaders and neighborhood advocates to create a capital investment campaign known as Vision 2025, which voters approved in 2003. Those projects, including the BOK Center, served as a catalyst for Tulsa’s renaissance, spurring more than $1 billion in private investment in downtown Tulsa. Kathy LaFortune is a nationally recognized forensic psychologist, and has given a voice to our community’s at-risk populations, including juveniles and individuals with mental illnesses. She is the clinical director of the Tulsa County Juvenile Bureau and has served as chief of forensic psychological services for the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System. She has published articles on topics ranging from competency to stand trial to child custody evaluations and has taught and spoken across the country as a noted expert in her field. Since 1956, the Tulsa Press Club has honored Headliners: a group of outstanding Tulsa-area civic, business, professional and industrial leaders whose contributions to the growth, prosperity and culture of Tulsa have made headlines. This year’s dinner will be Dec. 5 at the BOK Center. A reception begins at 6 p.m. with dinner to follow at 7 p.m. In addition to honoring this year’s Headliners, the Tulsa Press Club will use a portion of the event’s proceeds to fund scholarships for college students studying journalism and communications. For more information about the 2017 Headliners event, sponsorships and tickets, email Kelly Nash at kelly@tulsapressclub.org, call 918-583-7737 or visit shop.tulsapressclub.org.

DRILLERS NAMED ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR For the third time in five years, the Tulsa Drillers franchise has been named the Texas League’s Organization of the Year. The team previously received the honor after the 2013 and 2014 seasons. The award is presented annually to recognize a franchise for its successful operation, an honor determined by a vote from the directors of the league’s eight teams. “This award is presented to our staff, but it is really a recognition for all our great Drillers fans and corporate sponsors who support our team so passionately,” says Drillers President Mike Melega. Highlights of the 2017 season include: • 11 home sellouts • 393,631 total paid attendance for regular season and playoff games • More than 6,000 attendees at Game 3 of the Texas League Championship Series • Fifth-highest regular season attendance among all Double-A teams • 29th in season attendance out of 160 affiliated Minor League Baseball franchises in U.S. and Canada • 15-game winning streak at home • 168 homeruns (a franchise record) The Los Angeles Dodgers are the Drillers’ major league affiliate. The Drillers’ 2018 home opener is April 12. Visit tulsadrillers.com for more information. TulsaPeople.com

McGraw Realtors

HARWELDEN MANSION

2210 S MAIN STREET, TULSA

Located on over 3 acres just off Riverside Drive, nestled between Downtown, River West Park and the future home of A Gathering Place for Tulsa, Harwelden reflects the elegance of the early 1920s with its unique detail and timeless style. It was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and is the only example of Collegiate English Gothic Tudor in Tulsa. Originally a private home, the house was built for oilman Earl Palmer Harwell and his wife Mary. It has been the home of the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa since 1967, used for weddings, seminars, parties, concerts and many other events. Each room is designed and furnished for comfort and function. Up to 150 guests can enjoy the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indoor and outdoor spaces. The sun room, sun porch, library, living room, dining room, and kitchen comprise the main floor. The bridal suite and spacious restrooms are located on the lower level. From the entrance hall, a grand staircase sets off to a 2nd floor landing with beautiful stainedglass windows. The outside grounds include a slated terrace almost reaching the full length of the main level with stately stairs leading down to a romantic water garden. Let your imagination run wild! 80

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

Rodger Erker 918-740-4663

McGraw Realtors

Luxury Property Group at McGraw Realtors tim hayes

918-231-5637 thayes@mcgrawok.com

sherri sanders

GOrdOn sheLtOn

918-724-5008 918-697-2742 ssanders@mcgrawok.com gshelton@mcgrawok.com

diana PattersOn

918-629-3717 dpatterson@mcgrawok.com

Grand Like

GreenhiLL

Price reduced! Sawmill Hollow Point custom home built for large family gatherings, 6 BR, 5.5 BA, 3 living areas, huge open living space on main floor w/floor to ceiling windows overlooking Grand Lake, leading out to large outdoor living space on 2 levels to a 2-slip dock. Nothing was left behind on the design of this lake home including a 3 car oversized garage. $1,200,000

4410 S. Lewis - Gorgeous newer construction in Midtown. Transitional Mediterranean style in Gated Greenhill. Upscale finishes and extensive hardwoods throughout. Luxurious master suite, media room, exercise room, study and 2nd suite down. Upstairs with two spacious bedroom suites and garme room. Safe room. $1, 375,000

WOOdmere

aVaLOn PLaCe

12205 S. 68th E. Ave., Bixby Stunning home located on a greenbelt. Open floor plan with living, dining, kitchen flowing together. Master suite on 1st level w/guest bedroom used as office. 3 more bedrooms + gameroom up. Covered patio overlooks pool & spa. 3 car garage. $925,000

3020 S. Trenton Ave. - One owner custom built smart house. Architect Rachel Zebrowski calls it â&#x20AC;&#x153;Desert Mediterraneanâ&#x20AC;?. Large Master suite downstairs and guest apartment with living area and kitchenette. Pool overlooks greenbelt & Crow Creek. $950,000

siGnaL hiLL

Grand Lake

5127 E 84th Place - Gorgeous full Stone/brick home on 1 acre. Stunning hardscaping park-like yard. Formal living & dining. Study. Granite/SS Kitchen with garden views. Master suite with spa bath on level one. Media room up with 3 beds & library. Extensive hardwoods throughout. 4 Fireplaces. Outdoor living, Pool with spill over spa & greenhouse. Gated. $850,000

Oak COuntry estates iii 5230 Oak Leaf Drive - Enjoy this beautiful home in Oak Country Estates. Sits on over 1 acre with pool, cabana & outdoor kitchen. Granite kitchen opens to family room. Large master suite, theater room and game room. $849,000

Call any of the Luxury Property Group Realtors about one of these homes, or any property that you have an interest in. They will provide you with superior personal service with the highest integrity.

Fishtail Cove waterfront new home, 4,900 SF, stucco, hardie plank, circle drive, 4 BR, 4 full BA, 2 half BA, hardwoods, tile, stainless, theater room, full basement, and truly decorated with fine taste. $850,000

L SO

ViLLaGe On utiCa 1630 E 31st Street - Drastic price reduction on this Tuscany inspired stucco home! Master with Luxury bath plus bedroom/office suite on first floor. Large open kitchen/ dining/living area. 2 bedrooms + game room on 2nd floor. Beautiful courtyard with splash pool. $698,000

Enjoy the Luxury Lifestyle you desire TulsaPeople.com

McGraw Realtors

Introducing F A R M S 27 1-1.5 Acre Home Sites Available

BrookWood Farms III features 1.0 - 1.5 acre premium home sites located in Wagoner County, just southeast of Tulsa and Broken Arrow. This small, privatized, upscale neighborhood consists of 27 home sites. It is situated among mature trees, open spaces and nature. Purchasers are welcome to choose their own builder. Lot prices start at $85,000.

A Retreat From the Ordinary

Directions to BrookWood Farms: From Creek Turnpike. Exit on South 193rd East Avenue (County Line Road). Turn south and travel to East 141st Street South. Turn east and travel approximately 3 miles to 14100 S. 246th E. Ave.

Visit our website at www.BrookWoodFarms-Land.com or call/text Brian at 918-231-7519 or Sherri Sanders McGraw Realtors 918-724-5008.

Private Gated Estate on 26 Acres

www.brookwoodfarms-land.com 918-231-7519 Brian@BrookWoodFarms-Land.com Impeccably maintained private gated Estate on 26+ acres. Breathtaking golf course-like grounds 5412 E Princeton Street, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

with manicured gardens. Grand curved staircase, palatial rooms with soaring ceilings throughout. Two master suites on first floor. Two additional bedrooms up. Kitchen opens to great room & over looks Infinity pool and spa. Sprawling pond with water feature. 9 bay outbuilding has heat & air, tack room, 5 horse stalls, wash bay & office. Additional outbuilding & greenhouse. Fully fenced property with secured gated entrances with paved winding drive. Truly a one of a kind property with easy access to major highways & shopping. Offered at $5,000,000.

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

SherriSanders 918.724.5008 Sherri@SherriSanders.net sherrisanders.net

McGraw Realtors TulsaPeople.com

McGraw Realtors 84

2480 E 27 t h P l a c E

4354 S v i c t o r a v E n u E

Gated Estate home. Newer construction with marble floors and walls! Enormous fireplaces. Open floor plan with tall ceilings. Master suite with sitting area and fireplace. Outdoor living. Guest House to be finished out. $2,150,000

Spectacular newer custom stone home. Master or guest suite down, second master up. Utility up and down. Large game room with kitchen. Outdoor kitchen / living. Pool with waterfalls. Playhouse! Gated driveway. $2,495,000

2411 E 27th PlacE

2690 t E r w i l l E g E r B o u l E v a r d

13911 S K i n g S t o n a v E n u E

Fabulous stone home in Woody Crest. Kitchen opens to family living. Large beautiful formals. Wine room off of formal dining. Huge his and hers closets. Outdoor living with pool, hot tub, fireplace and built in heaters. $1,499,000

1.75 spectaculor acres backing up to the Philbrook museum. Fully equipped pool house. Pool and pond with waterfall. Kitchen opens to family room. Large study with fireplace. Master his and hers closets & balcony overlooking spa & pool. $1,995,000

One of a kind view! Home sits on three lots in its own private culde-sac. Elegant 9 ft iron & glass doors open into the Grand Foyer with Scabas travertine floors with cut stone medallion inlay. 22 ft ceiling in Great room. Outdoor kitchen. $2,700,000

19122 E K n i g h t S B r i d g E a v E

3803 S t r E n t o n a v E n u E

1226 E 26 t h S t r E E t

Unbelievable views! House sits high above pond. Gorgeous formal area with loads of crown molding. Beams throughout. Comfortable log cabin room. Full home theater. Most of the house was built in 2005. Lot square ft is incorrect. House sits on 2 lots. $1,999,000

Great Brookside location on a corner lot. Newer appliances. Granite kitchen counters. Three living areas. Wood burning FP in formal. Slate and wood floors. Lots of storage. Very cute! $359,000

Classic center hall plan remodeled to perfection. Custom built kitchen cabinets, stainless appliances, gorgeous granite. Formals & study on first floor,gameroom & theater room in finished basement. Huge master suite. Pool, pool house and fireplace. $1,190,000

9450 E J a m E S t o w n a v E n u E

1315 E 27 t h P l a c E

6709 E 109 t h P l a c E

Exquisite custom built home on a private cul-de-sac. Exceptional amenities inside and out. Custom carved wood floors. whole house sound system, chef grade appliances. Outdoor living and kitchen area complete the spa like area of this home. $850,000

Stunning contemporary home a stones throw from Philbrook. Bright, open floor plan w/tall ceilings & large rooms. Chef level kitchen appliances including dbl dishwashers & Travisen refrigerator. Study w/fp. Attached guest house w/full kitchen. $1,300,000

Spectacular Estate Villa. First floor master plus guest suite down. Guest apartment up. Stunning 2 story library. Outdoor cabana with kitchen and fireplace. Gorgeous pool with fountain and spa. Motor court with 5 car garage. $2,399,000

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

McGraw Realtors

1554 S Yorktown Place Enjoy the character and charm found in this historically significant, 1930 Gillette District home! Stunning details and numerous original features. Impeccable condition! Library, formals, gameroom, exercise room with sauna, two laundry areas and rentable garage apartment. Remodeled kitchen with subzero fridge. Expansive bedrooms. Gorgeous landscaping with backyard large enough for pool. Travel the treelined boulevard on your way to Cherry Street! $649,000

3622 Yorktown Ave | $475,000

Amazing street located in the heart of Midtown is on almost a Â˝ acre of ground. The house is all one-level with lots of windows. Formal living and dining. Kitchen has newer appliances and granite. 3 bedrooms and 3 full baths. The master bath has been updated with double sinks and whirlpool tub. Deck runs the length of the house overlooking the yard. Bonus quarters off the garage has its own entrence.

232 Hazel Blvd | $899,000

Amazing contemporary with warm touches throughout. Double wall of windows in the great room open to two different private patio areas. Maple cabinetry in the kitchen and Ceaserstone counters. Master suite on first floor with large walkin closet. Upstairs features a spacious game room, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths plus a library.

TulsaPeople.com

McGraw Realtors

Specializing in Fine Quality Homes 260-1800

3610 South Orange Circle, Broken Arrow

11706 South Erie Avenue, Tulsa

Forest Hills Estates, Granite kitchen, huge center Island. 5 beds, 7 full & 1 half baths. Office, sun room & Sun Room living quarters in walk out basement. Master with double bathrooms. Hardwood, deep crown mouldings, built-ins vaulted/beamed ceilings. Corner lot. Pond. Bixby schools. $875,000

Cedar Ridge North! 3610 South Orange Circle in Broken Arrow. Great neighborhood! Four bedrooms, three baths and three-car garage. Formal living and dining rooms. Master down with three closets and lots of storage. Kitchen opens to family room. Updates include new paint, wood floors, and appliances. Grand entry staircase leads to game room, bonus area and two bedrooms on second level. Must see!

Scott coffman 918-640-1073 - scoffman@mcgrawok.com

2404 E 27TH PLACE

$795,000 - 5 BED - 4 FULL, 2 HALF BATH Stunning fully remodeled Midtown Estate Home with top-of-the-line touches and amenities throughout. Enormous kitchen opens to casual living and breakfast nook. Original moldings and trim. Charming study, multiple living rooms, two indoor fireplaces, wine/cigar room, and basement with granite counters, 3 car garage, beautiful yard and landscaping. 86

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

918-695-4945

Debbie.Adamek@gmail.com

Bovasso

& Beal Team

McGraw Realtors

Debra Adamek

Sharna Bovasso (918) 605-2995 | sbovasso@mcgrawok.com Dee Ann Beal (918) 688-5467 | dbeal@mcgrawok.com

Crown Jewel Collection & S! ED OU T E GARG GO

5720 East 118th Street - Shadow Wood

English Country Mansion on private gated cul-de-sac. Designed & built by Mike Dankbar & featured in John Brooks Walton’s “Tomorrow’s Historic Tulsa Homes”. Three bedrooms, four full and one half baths, three-car garage. Travertine and hardwood floors throughout. Solid core doors. Fabulous fixtures. Unique wood inlaid ceilings. Fabulous grounds have pool, paths, veranda and sun deck. Cul-de-sac lot backs to reserve with pond & valley views. $ 974,900

3107 E. 88th Street Gorgeous custom dream home w/chef’s kitchen & new high end appliances. 2 masters down & all bedrooms have private baths! Recording studio and 14 seat theater room. Backyard oasis w/ pool, spa, waterfall, Koi pond & outdoor kitchen. Located in beautiful gated Wellington South. Reduced price! $895,900

RAY NASH, GRI

Professional, Caring, Compassion in your Home Transaction

1212 E. 18th St. Maple Heights One Of The Original Historic Tulsa Homes on 18th Street in Maple Heights Subdivision.Featuring 3/1.5/2,Formal Dining. Large Kitchen,2 Living Areas,All Bedrooms Up.Garage Apartment Quarters Plus Bonus Room.This Property Is Ready For Your Personal Updates. $299,000

918.760.9113

rnash@mcgrawok.com

15218 Scenic Cir. Skiatook Crystal Bay Estates Fabulous Deal on Lake Skiatook, Crystal Bay Estates! Lake views, all levels. Granite kitchen & Baths. 3 car garage with custom workshop. Huge media/game room. Beautiful formal entry with fireplace! Appraised at over $660,000. Must see at this price! $475,000 TulsaPeople.com

20%Off

t hose

200+ STORES

IN N EED

October 27 - November 5, 2017

things

20%off

YOU need

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PRESENTING SPONSOR

7h 2 OBER g

OCT

E R B NOV E M

Ca reC ard Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma W George Kaiser Family Foundation W William K. Warren Foundation W The Private Bank at Bank of Oklahoma W Bruce G. Weber Precious Jewels W Carpet One W Chris Siemens, M.D., Eastern Oklahoma Ear, Nose and Throat W Elephant Trunk Co. W Lamar Outdoor W MetroShoe Warehouse W Silver Needle W Amber Marie & Co. W B-Sew Inn W Boxworks W The Farm Shopping Center W Hicks Brunson Eyewear W Island Nation W Pardon My French W SR Hughes W Susan Sadler, Fine Jewelry Design W The Zero Card W Nielsens Gifts W TulsaPeople W Utica Square 20% discount unless otherwise noted in shopping directory. 10% discount for food, art, antiques and furniture.

www.CareCardOK.com

CELEBRATING

20 YEARS OF CARING

BENEFITS + CAUSES + VOLUNTEERS

Day of Caring volunteers Nancy Austin, Sherra Breshears and Pennie Stong from Matrix Service Co. work on a landscaping project at the Global Gardens location at Eugene Field Elementary.

COURTESY TULSA AREA UNITED WAY

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

ore than 5,000 volunteers worked on 400 community service projects at the Tulsa Area United Way’s annual Day of Caring on Sept. 8. The Tulsa Day of Caring is one of the nation’s largest single days of community service, according to the TAUW. The morning kicked off with a free breakfast and program at Central Library. There, the TAUW Trailblazers — companies and organizations that conduct their United Way fundraising campaigns during the sum-

mer — revealed their results: $3,411,188. That’s more than 10 percent of the $25 million goal for the 2017 TAUW campaign. Next, volunteer teams deployed to area nonprofits, schools, municipalities and senior citizen organizations to help where they were needed. Some of Tulsa’s largest employers participated in Day of Caring, including the Williams Cos., which provided 425 volunteers, the most from a single company. TP TulsaPeople.com

Tulsa Flight Night More than 800 guests gathered at Tulsa Flight Night on Sept. 14 at the Tulsa Community College Aviation Center. Highlights included an outdoor air show with full-scale and radio-controlled aircraft, as well as dinner and a live auction. Patrons also were treated to an entertaining indoor drone show from Dronisos. The Tulsa Flight Night event is operated by Tulsa Charity Fight Night Inc., a nonproﬁt supporting STEM education programs and projects that inspire curiosity and learning in tomorrow’s leaders. The charity was founded by the late Ray H. Siegfried II. Funds raised at the event for the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance and Fab Lab Tulsa will be announced at a special check presentation later in the year.

JOHN BIVENS IMAGES

1. Full-scale aircraft entertained guests for an outdoor air show. 2. TPC Studios planned the event, which was catered by PARTYServe. 3. Patrons gathered outside to watch the air show before dinner and the live auction. 4. The 2017 Flight Night co-chairs: Terrell Siegfried, Milannie Siegfried, Meredith Siegfried, Bailey J. Siegfried, Hastings Siegfried and Raegen Siegfried 5. Bailey J. Siegfried and the STEM Innovator award winners: Tom Powers of Bixby Intermediate; Jennifer Farley of the Owasso Seventh Grade Center; Andrew Smith of Central High School; and Ryan Glaze of Jenks East Elementary. Each educator received $2,500 toward professional development or classroom needs. Smith also received the Overall Innovator award and received an additional $5,000.

Vision in Education Leadership Award Dinner

Presented by the Tulsa Community College Foundation, the 2017 Vision in Education Leadership Award Dinner on Sept. 14 raised more than $370,000 to fund academic and leadership opportunities for TCC students. The evening’s purpose was two-fold. First, it honored Alison Anthony, the newly named chief operating ofﬁcer of the Tulsa Area United Way, for her support of education and her commitment to diversity and inclusion. The dinner also marked the 10th anniversary of Tulsa Achieves, a program that has served as a nationwide model for public higher education. Tulsa Achieves has helped 17,722 students attend college and covers tuition and fees after federal student aid is exhausted.

3 90

4 TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

COURTESY TCC

1. The Cox Business Center hosted the dinner and program. The event raised the most money in its 18-year history. 2. The 2017 Vision in Education Leadership Award is presented to Alison Anthony (second from right) by Leigh Goodson, TCC President and CEO (far right); and Alana R. Hughes, chief operating ofﬁcer for the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation (second from left). Libby Johnson, Vision honorary co-chair, applauds. 3. Vision honorary co-chairs Michael and Libby Johnson; Keondra Doyle Hampton, TCC graduate and Tulsa Achieves 2007 student; and Lauren F. Brookey, TCC vice president for external affairs and president of the TCC Foundation 4. Steve Malcolm, former Williams CEO, was master of ceremonies.

NOVEMBER COMPILED BY JUDY LANGDON

Take a Seat Birthday Celebration Bill Lobeck and Kathy Taylor invited 55 of their friends to their home Sept. 24 to celebrate former Mayor Taylor’s birthday. The dinner was part of the Take a Seat initiative of the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma to raise awareness about the issues of hunger in our community. Taylor was honorary chairwoman for the Take a Seat initiative, which asked Tulsans to gather their friends, family and/or co-workers between Sept. 22 and Oct. 1 to share information and raise money to feed people struggling with hunger. More than 30 Take a Seat events, including the Lobeck-Taylor event, occurred across the city, raising more than $40,000 for food bank programs. 1. Joey Wignarajah, Kathy Taylor, Ben Stewart and Chris Murphy 2. City Councilor Anna America and Monique Hilaire 3. Roy Peters, Keith Ballard and Wes Mitchell

Through Nov. 5 Care Card Beneﬁts Family and Children’s Services. CARECARDOK .COM

8 Paragon Awards Beneﬁts Leadership Tulsa. LEADERSHIPTULSA .ORG

1 AWARE: Alliance of Women for Alzheimer’s Research and Education Luncheon Beneﬁts the Alzheimer’s Association, Oklahoma Chapter. AWAREOK .COM

9 Unite! Beneﬁts Tulsa Area United Way. TAUW.ORG / UNITE

1 Crafting Conservation in our Community Benefits Conservation Coalition of Oklahoma. OKLAHOMACONSERVATION.ORG / CC 1 “Fleeting Light” Documentary Screening Benefits NewView Oklahoma. NEWVIEWOKLAHOMA .ORG 2 Uncorking the Cure for MS Benefits National Multiple Sclerosis Society. UNCORKINGTHECUREFORMSOK .ORG 2 Wild Turkey Benefits River Parks. RIVERPARKS.ORG 2 Wonderland: Through a Child’s Eye Benefits Tulsa Girls Art School. TULSAGIRLSARTSCHOOL .ORG 3 National Philanthropy Day Awards Conference and Luncheon Benefits the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Eastern Oklahoma Chapter. AFPEASTOK . AFPNET.ORG

11 Big Band Hangar Dance Benefits Spirit of Tulsa Commemorative Air Force Squadron. CAFTULSA .ORG 11 Paint the Town Red Benefits Tulsa Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Sorority scholarships. DSTULSAALUMNAE.ORG 13 10th annual Old Bags Luncheon Benefits Crosstown Learning Center. CROSSTOWNTULSA .ORG / OBL 2017 14-16 2017 Stories of Light: KRMG Radio-thon Benefits Make-A-Wish Oklahoma. OKLAHOMA .WISH.ORG 15 Portraits of Hope Benefits Stand in the Gap. STANDINTHEGAP.ORG / PORTRAITS 16 Dinner of Reconciliation Benefits the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. JHFCENTER .ORG

3 Tails from the Cabaret Beneﬁts Oklahoma Alliance for Animals. ANIMALALLIANCEOK .ORG

17 Special Dinner Gala with Pam Tebow Beneﬁts YouthWorks. TULSAYOUTHWORKS.ORG

4 DAV 5K Beneﬁts Disabled American Veterans. DAV 5 K .ORG

18 Champagne and Chocolate Beneﬁts Living Arts of Tulsa. LIVINGARTS.ORG / CHAMPAGNE- CHOCOLATE

7 Pathways Lip Sync Battle Beneﬁts Pathways Oklahoma. PATHWAYSOK .COM

18 Holiday Mart Beneﬁts the Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges. TULSACENTER .ORG

7 Patriot Cares Charity Golf Scramble Beneﬁts Parent Child Center of Tulsa. PARENTCHILDCENTER .ORG

10 First Draft Beneﬁts Tulsa Press Club. FIRSTDRAFTTULSA .COM

Nov. 27-Dec. 1 Pathways Christmas Showcase Beneﬁts Pathways Oklahoma. PATHWAYSOK .COM

EDITOR’S NOTE : TULSAPEOPLE IS A SPONSOR OF THE HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS. TulsaPeople.com

DREAM TEAM

WELCOMING REFUGEES Three Tulsans help others establish “home” in the U.S. BY BRIA BOLTON MOORE AND MORGAN PHILLIPS

Elissa Stiles

Lindiwe Chaza Jangira

Rockie Naser

Stiles, a University of Tulsa College of Law student, says she has learned to be “borderless” in the way she sees people. As an undergraduate student at TU, Stiles studied abroad in Africa and South America. She found she loved working with people from different backgrounds, which sparked her interest in immigration law. In addition to co-founding the Immigration Law Society at TU, Stiles spent a week in May volunteering at a detention center in Texas. There, she met with asylum seekers to prepare them for interviews with asylum ofﬁcers. “There’s not a speciﬁc reason that I was born in the United States and they weren’t,” Stiles says of the asylum seekers. “That’s just the luck of the draw. How silly of me to think I deserve to be in this country but the people who weren’t born here don’t deserve that. People who want to come to this country ... I want to help them get here.”

Originally from Zimbabwe, Chaza Jangira has worked all over the world, advocating for the rights of women, children, people with disabilities and others affected by conﬂict and HIV/AIDS. Chaza Jangira immigrated to the U.S. in 2016. Earlier this year, she became the refugee services program manager at YWCA Tulsa’s Immigrant and Refugee Center, which helps refugees integrate into American society in Tulsa. Refugees served by the center are primarily from Burma, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, though federal policies have drastically reduced intake numbers. Chaza Jangira says refugees are reliable, hard-working employees and are frequently requested by some of Tulsa’s major employers. “They are just like you and me, but they were forced to ﬂee from their own countries at the threat of religious and ethnic persecution,” she says. “All the values we uphold, they uphold also.”

Originally from Palestine, Naser was 8 years old when her family came to the U.S. from Jordan. She says they experienced a lot of misconceptions about themselves and other refugees. Young classmates joked that her family owned camels, but little did they know, Naser saw a camel for the ﬁrst time at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Naser is now the women’s ministry director at First Baptist Broken Arrow and trains churches on how to reach and help refugees. She has served as an Arabic translator and has worked with refugees from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria and African countries. “A pastor once said, ‘You can serve refugees with empty hands, but you can’t serve with an empty heart,’” Naser says. “I know refugees need physical things, but most of the time their greatest needs are love, care, concern, compassion, and you don’t have to have a deep wallet for that.” TP

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

THE JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN CENTER FOR RECONCILIATION'S 2017 DINNER OF RECONCILIATION RECONCILIATION THROUGH THE LENS OF ART & CULTURE

2017 Dinner of Reconciliation Keynote Speaker

Dawnn Lewis

Grammy Award Winning Singer Award Winning Songwriter Actor, Series TV Creator, & Producer National Advisory Board - National Center for Civil & Human Rights

Honorary Dinner Chairs - Dr. & Mrs. Preston J. Phillips Contact Mrs. Jean Neal at 918-295-5009 or jneal@jhfcenter.org

16 NOV

Reception

Greenwood Cultural Center 322 N. Greenwood Ave. Tulsa, OK 74120

6:30 PM

Tickets: Adults - $25 & K-12 - $15

7:00 PM

www.jhfcenter.org

Dinner/Program

A PARK GROWS IN TULSA A GATHERING PLACE – PART 24

‘BIG REVEAL’ DRAWS NEAR Portions of the park will be finished by Dec. 31. BY MORGAN PHILLIPS

ONEOK BOATHOUSE Construction on the boathouse continues, according to Jeff Stava, executive director and trustee of Tulsa Gathering Place LLC. The steel has been erected, and purple sandstone will soon be installed on the community deck. (The reddish-purple hue of the stone comes from the mineral manganese.) In the coming months, installation will begin on the windows and the pavilion roof.

“Shotcrete,” or liquidized concrete, is being used to create the skate bowls and runs at the skatepark. Designed by California Skateparks, “This will be a one-of-a-kind design never before seen in Oklahoma,” Stava says.

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

CHAPMAN FOUNDATIONS’ ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND Playground construction will be completed by the end of the year so the park can host scheduled school visits for elementary-age students. The rest of the park’s ﬁrst phase will open in late spring or summer 2018. Smaller play pieces and accessories also are being installed on the playground’s larger towers; once complete, workers will ﬁnish pathways and play surfaces.

PATHWAYS “Nearly 8 miles of pathways and trails are being constructed within the park,” Stava says. Those pathways are lined with either a stone curb or cobbled edges, pictured. Plant rails line pathways to protect the park’s wildﬂower and planting beds. TP SHANE BEVEL

SKATE BOWLS

CHARITABLE CAUSES SUPPORTED BY

Help Make a Foster Childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas Wishes Come True This Year!

Join businesses, congregations and families in providing gift to more than 1,500 foster children in Tulsa County. These children are the victims of abuse and neglect who have been placed out of their homes and are in DHS custody. While the state provides for the daily needs of these children, no state funds are used to purchase Christmas gifts.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Fill a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wish list Make a financial donation Sponsor a toy drive

Make a difference in the life a child by participating in

Christmas for Kids Contact Maura Browne, Christmas for Kids Coordinator at 918-706-1608 or Maura.Browne@okdhs.org.

Unwrapped toys and gifts may be dropped off at the Christmas for Kids distribution site: 2740 E. 21st St. (former Borders) December 11-16th, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tax form provided upon request

TulsaPeople.com

TAKE ME BACK

THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE BY JUDY LANGDON

ess than three months before the U.S. government declared victory against Germany, hundreds of Tulsans stood in the rain to attend the Boulder Park War Memorial Services on Feb. 25, 1945. The services honored Tulsa County men and women killed in World War II. In total, Tulsa County saw 618 casualties, according to the National Archives. Technical Sgt. Robert C. Peters led the Eighth Service Command War Show Orchestra. Also participating in the services were Purple Heart recipients Lt. Lila A. Woodruff, Lt. David Devanald, Lt. Charles F. Sorge, Corp. Robert L. Wright and Lt. William G. Fox. Boulder Park, located at 1875 S. Boulder Park Drive, was renamed Veterans Park in 1990. TP

TulsaPeople NOVEMBER 2017

COURTESY TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM CIVIL DEFENSE COLLECTION

Members of the Eighth Service Command War Show Orchestra on Feb. 25, 1945, in what is now Veterans Park

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