2021 Tulsa World Outlook Business Special Section

SPECIAL SECTION

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SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2021

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TULSAWORLD.COM

OUTLOOK2021

A city of

RESILIENCE TULSA PERSEVERES THROUGH CHALLENGES OF PAST YEAR INSIDE Casinos ready to return as entertainment destinations. 3

Legal cannabis flourishes in Oklahoma. 12

Successful 2020 bodes well for housing industry. 14

Tulsa professionals share insights on 2021 economy. 14

‘Fortuitous’ timing has state prepared for COVID fallout. 15

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OUTLOOK 2021

TULSA WORLD

Tulsa shows resilience through challenging year.

TOM GILBERT, TULSA WORLD FILE

Tulsans shine through toughest times BERNIE HELLER

President, Director of Local Sales and Marketing

L

ike so many of my generation, I first discovered Tulsa through the warm embrace of literature.

Close to 40 years ago, S.E. Hinton exploded into my teen universe with her book “The Outsiders,” expanding my young mind in such a way that when I ultimately uncovered her Tulsa roots, a boyhood crush was born. One that could never quite be shaken.

Through the years, as my horizons broadened in adulthood, Tulsa would again and again place herself in my line of sight, from hearing the legend of Cain’s Ballroom to discovering the gut-wrenching tragedy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, Tulsa was somehow always with me.

Despite this, I never truly imagined that I would one day have the honor of calling Tulsa home, let alone the distinct privilege of being named president and director of sales and marketing for the Tulsa World.

But fate smiled upon me and Tulsa welcomed me like a longlost family member.

When I arrived here in June 2019, Tulsa was just beginning to rebound from a 100-year flood. While I was immediately enthralled by the vast opportunities our magnificent community offers, it was the people, Tulsans, who quickly converted my once boyhood crush into a deeply rooted respect and, dare I say, love.

It seems a bit cliché to say

From the people who chose to wear masks, socially distance and often times put their lives on hold to ensure the safety of those around them to the health care workers and first responders who quietly, diligently and without reservation put their own lives in harm’s way to protect and aid the community — Tulsans were helping Tulsans at every turn.

Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, a toughness, if you will.

Tulsa’s resilience was outpaced only by its tenacity and deep compassion of its citizens.

As I sit and write this column, I am reminded of how quickly things can change. A year ago, March 6 to be exact, Oklahoma’s first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced and our lives were profoundly and forever altered.

The acknowledgement of our IAN MAULE, TULSA WORLD FILE own inability to truly predict the future is oftentimes shadowed by Bernie Heller, president and director of sales and marketing for the Tulsa World, speaks before the Tulsa pure determination and the courSymphony performance Sept. 5 at ONEOK Field. age to dream.

What I do know is that OklaDespite economic uncertainty klets” that cropped up around 2020 was a year like no other homa, and specifically Tulsa, is downtown for social-distanced and challenge, Tulsans stepped and, frankly, the likes of which dining fill with people eager to do the home of legends, perfectly up to help fellow Tulsans.

I hope we never see again, but While initiatives like the Tulsa their part to ensure that the live- appointed in a uniform of grit, the reality remains: More than determination and unwavering lihood of friends and neighbors 4,000 Oklahomans, nearly 700 of Area United Way raising more compassion. Whatever the future could go on as best it could. whom called Tulsa County home, than $24 million through its anholds, we will meet it as we alI was wildly impressed by the nual campaign and the Salvation lost their lives to COVID-19. ways have: head on and with our Army’s Project Santa partnership Tulsa Symphony Orchestra and While it is clear that with the heads held high. the innovative approach it took development and deployment of with the Tulsa World generating Not, however, in a gesture to the start of its season with vaccinations we are beginning to close to $265,000 to assist famof pride, but rather so that we an open-air concert at ONEOK ilies should be highlighted and recover, we are still far from the Field, filling a much-needed pan- may identify our neighbors in celebrated, I am most struck by finish line. need and lend a helping hand as demic-induced void in live muthe overwhelming number of The year was scarred by not quickly as possible. sic. But I was truly humbled by grassroots efforts of friends and only the pandemic, but also reThat, in and of itself, makes my the number of Tulsans who chose colleagues choosing to buy local cession, job furloughs, protests and support Tulsa-owned estab- to donate their tickets back to the outlook for our future so very opand riots. organization, rather than request timistic and I am eternally gratelishments.

But through it all, the resila refund, when remaining shows ful to finally be able to call Tulsa My heart filled with joy as I ience, compassion and tenacity my home. were forced to be canceled. watched so many of the “Parof Tulsans shined through.

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OUTLOOK 2021

TULSA WORLD

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CASINOS

MIKE SIMONS, TULSA WORLD

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in Catoosa is among the largest in the state. Cherokee Nation Entertainment was first to implement industry-leading safety standards in response to COVID-19 with its Responsible Hospitality plan, it said.

Entertainment destinations

LOOK FOR A COMEBACK

Like many businesses, area casinos forced to adapt in pandemic

Tulsa-area casinos

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa 777 W. Cherokee St., Catoosa hardrockcasinotulsa.com

MICHAEL DEKKER

Tulsa World

L

ike many businesses that were forced to shut down or curtail activities for months last year, Tulsa’s and northeast Oklahoma’s casinos are looking to rebound in 2021.

“I think it has been one of our more challenging years,” said Matthew Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association.

“We’re trying to make sure we are going above and beyond to make our customers feel secure.”

Three of the largest casino/hotels in the state are in the Tulsa metro — the River Spirit Casino Resort, Osage Casino Tulsa and Cherokee Nation’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in Catoosa.

Among them are thousands of gaming machines, hundreds of hotel rooms and hundreds of thousands of square feet of space.

All three, along with many other gaming facilities in northeast Oklahoma — and many restaurants and bars — had to shut down at the onset of the pandemic and the end of most gatherings last March.

Most casinos were able to reopen about two months later, albeit with limited capacity and, in some cases, limited hours.

Morgan said, however, the challenges presented opportunities for many establishments.

Many were able to keep paying their employees even when employees could not work because of the shutdowns. Some were even able to give bonuses to help financially strapped employees.

Many casinos also adopted safety protocols when they reopened, such as temperature checks for patrons, mask mandates for employees and patrons, plastic separators between machines, keyless entry technology for hotel rooms and even new air-ventilation systems, such as ones that were installed at all Muscogee (Creek) Nation casinos, including River Spirit.

The installation of AtmosAir’s bipolar ionization technology neutralizes nearly all traces of COVID-19 in the air and on surfaces, the tribe said in December.

“The state-of-the art technology is proven to neutralize coronavirus in the air and on surfaces by 99.92%,” the tribe said in a release.

River Spirit experienced “unprecedented situations in back-

Osage Casinos 951 W. 36th St. North osagecasino.com River Spirit Casino Resort

8330 Riverside Parkway riverspirittulsa.com

STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD FILE

River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa was among many businesses forced to shut down at the onset of the pandemic.

TULSA WORLD FILE

Ron Meyer plays a slot machine at Osage Casino in Tulsa.

to-back years,” with historic flooding in 2019 and the pandemic, said Pat Crofts, CEO of River Spirit Casino Resort and Muscogee (Creek) Nation Casinos.

“In both instances, we maintained payroll and full benefits for all employees while closed. Additionally, we committed to continued pay of employees during necessary absences due to the pandemic or if a high-risk health issue prevented an employee from working,” he said in an email.

Recently, the Associated Press reported that commercial gaming revenue was down 31% nationally in 2020, compared to the previous year, according to the American Gaming Association.

But casinos in Oklahoma are not considered “commercial” because they operate on tribal trust land.

Commercial gaming is operated by private sector for-profit companies under applicable state laws. Tribal governmental gaming is operated by federally recognized tribal governments under the federal law known as the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and applicable tribal laws for programs and services.

Morgan said he did not have specific figures of how much tribal casinos were down in 2020 but said it may not have been as bad as commercial casinos.

“I can tell you we are trending

down based on exclusivity figures we are paying to the state,” he said.

“I think we fared better than some of the other commercial properties. When you think of commercial properties, you think of places like Las Vegas and the Gulf area in Mississippi. A lot of the commercial properties rely on folks flying in.

“We’re more of a local and regional destination here in Oklahoma.”

Morgan said casinos are doing everything they can to “get back to normal” this year, not only to provide entertainment for patrons, but also to benefit tribal citizens and local governments.

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“All of our revenues we make go back to the tribes,” he said. Those funds include money for health, education and infrastructure — such as roads, water and sewer lines, and other needs.

“We also provide mutual aid for local governments. That money is all going toward those efforts.

“The quicker we can get back to normal, the better off the entire community is,” he said.

“I think we remain hopeful that we remain trending to where we were in the past,” Morgan said.

“As an entertainment offering, we will always look to what our competition is offering ... and also at surrounding states, also.

“That to me always highlights why there needs to be a robust and respectful relationship with the state.”

Gaming in Oklahoma, he said, is the “third largest in the country.”

“We want to stay there. We want to get better.”

He said individual tribes will be trying to find their own ways of increasing capacity and safety for patrons.

Morgan said some staples, such as concerts and conferences, could return.

“In 2021, the most highly anticipated return is lighting up the stage and again holding concerts in our Paradise Cove theater,” Crofts said.

“Over the next few months, we will begin to hold a limited number of smaller concerts and private VIP events with the seating at one-half capacity. Currently, we have a full schedule of concerts and events to begin in June and continue throughout the remaining months of 2021.”

Crofts added, “Based on the improved data in the Tulsa region, major meetings and conferences will return to River Spirit in the coming months and we have substantial bookings for the third and fourth quarters of 2021.”

“Everybody is working to make sure we can get back to normal as quickly as possible,” Morgan said.

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TULSA WORLD

Cox Business Cloud Solutions

The ABCs of Cloud Computing T

he adoption of cloud computing by more and more businesses today continues to soar in popularity, and it’s easy to understand why. With its low upfront cost and benefits that can include increased efficiency, anywhere access, improved cash flow and reduced risk during a disaster or cyber breach, it’s hard to imagine why any company would not consider making a move to the cloud.

Cloud computing is a technology that uses a network of remote servers to store, manage and process data, rather than using the traditional local servers your business might have on-site today.

JASON LUDWIG

Tulsa Sales Director Cox Business

Cloud computing is not some future technology that’s still being developed; it’s a highly versatile IT solution that’s here now, and it’s bringing greater flexibility, enhanced security, increased agility, and unlimited potential to businesses of all sizes.

Think of it as internet computing. With the cloud, your company’s critical data and computing resources are securely stored offsite in a remote location and delivered to authorized users through the internet. The “cloud” really means the same thing as the internet.

Why are so many businesses implementing a cloud solution?

Cloud computing is becoming the “go-to” solution for businesses of all sizes because it provides IT growth opportunities, reliable quality, affordable pricing, easy collaboration and simple data access.

It also goes without saying that COVID-19 was an unexpected wake-up call for companies and organizations everywhere.

The pandemic continues to be a weighty reminder of the importance of IT system resilience, agility, adaptability and scalability, and moving to the cloud is, without a doubt, one of the most efficient and effective ways to innovate and grow.

Cox Business is helping companies define their cloud strategies through a myriad of solutions. Here’s a look at just a few of the benefits that can be gained through a cloudsmart approach to business.

Work anytime, anywhere

With the virtual desktop infrastructure a cloud solution provides, employees can work anytime, anywhere, as opposed to depending on a literal physical desktop. Cloud offers employees the capability to have all their files on hand and accessible from any device. The world has gone mobile, and with virtual desktops in the cloud, users can take their desktop environment with them on their tablets, smartphones, laptops and other devices.

Along with this, add a highly productive application like Microsoft 365, and your team can communicate and collaborate seamlessly and virtually from anywhere. Cox Business can help build out a company’s

Microsoft 365 environment in a custom manner, as well as provide a level of support that includes features like email back-up, digital enablement, Rapid Response support and 24/7 monitoring.

Manage costs with virtual servers

Virtual servers based in the cloud eliminate the maintenance requirements of in-house servers. This includes hardware, cabling, cooling devices, backup generators and more. Virtual servers provide flexible, standardized and seamless operating environments; this allows applications to perform at their peak without downtime. And most managed cloud resources can be delivered at a “pay-as-you-go” cost, which allows you to operate like an enterprise-level company, no matter what your business size.

Ensure business continuity

Losing critical data is detrimental to any business, and housing data in-house poses the highest risk of complete loss in the event of a disaster. This risk can be avoided with the cloud. Cloud disaster recovery and business continuity solutions will secure business data and ensure minimal downtime in the event of a disaster. With the cloud, a company’s business applications and data are always safe and accessible.

Reduce business expense

The time and money that go into traditional IT operations are essentially eliminated with the cloud. Given that the cloud provider manages the hardware and software for you, it’s virtually a capital-expenditure free solution. Cox Business Cloud Solutions allow a business to pay for what it uses, so you don’t spend money on unneeded services.

Scale up or down as needed

Scalability essentially means the ability to manage network needs and IT resources — for example, more or less computing power, storage and bandwidth — when and where it’s needed in a highly flexible manner.

In the cloud, businesses can scale easily, drive operational efficiency and manage shifting computing needs with the cloud’s flexible resources. Having the ability to scale is essential for most organizations, big and small. Infrastructure is expensive, and cloud computing helps businesses avoid these costs while maintaining the ability to scale up or down in any situation.

A simplified IT solution

With the constant advancement of technology and applications, businesses want solutions that are easy to use, no matter

Cox Business Cloud Solutions 11811 E. 51st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74146 coxbusiness.com/cloud

what device employees are working from.

Not only is the cloud a simple environment to use and navigate, it’s also reliable, convenient and constant.

The cloud’s virtual environment provides a familiar interface that’s universal across all devices. Cox Business Cloud Solutions is a managed service, which means we handle the design, testing, migrations and implementations ongoing upgrades. This lets you and your team focus more on running your business, and less on managing your IT infrastructure.

Functional and practical mobility

Having multiple devices — laptop, tablet, phone and more — is now a normal occurrence for employees. Having different data on each one is not only impractical and inefficient, it’s also massively insecure.

Cloud computing removes this burden by providing an all-in-one business solution.

With the cloud, you and your employees can access information from any device through a Web browser or application. Everything is stored in an accessible, safe and secure cloud environment, so users won’t ever be without access to their files.

A trustworthy and secure platform

All companies want and need high levels of security, especially those that have highly confidential or delicate information. Cloud computing assures the highest security because it uses enterprise-class solutions for all physical and network security measures.

Many of our Cox Business Cloud Solutions meet and exceed standards like HIPAA and PCI. In addition to protecting a business from things like viruses, malware, hackers and rogue employees, most cloud security measures include full redundancy, encryption, 24/7 surveillance and monitoring, firewalls and more.

Any one of the fundamental benefits presented here should be enough to convince many business owners about the importance of a cloud migration strategy. But when you look at all the potential benefits the cloud has to offer, it’s really a nobrainer. That’s why more and more companies are using the cloud to help push their business to higher levels of performance, profitability and sustainability.

For more information about Cox Business Cloud Solutions, reach out to your Tulsa Cox Business account executive, or visit coxbusiness.com/cloud.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2021 |

TULSA WORLD

Upgrading to cloud-based IT, nearly invisibly It’s not fantasy. It’s Cox Business Cloud Solutions.

Nearly seamless migration and onboarding. Management finally green-lighted those cloud services. Now all eyes are on you. No worries. With Cox Business Cloud Solutions, you’ll team with experienced professionals who lead implementations full time. We’ll evaluate your current environment and get you up and running with virtually no disruption to productivity.

Then we’ll stick around to help train IT staff and users. So let them stare. You/we got this.

Let’s Talk Reality coxbusiness.com/cloud | 866-961-1075

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Tulsa Tech

HireTulsaTechGrads.com is a one-stop shop for career seekers, employers T

he search for the perfect-fit position or a highly qualified employee often requires career-seekers and prospective employers to jump through several hoops before they’re matched, but educational institutions such as Tulsa Tech aim to streamline that process with the help of specialized career services programs.

HireTulsaTech Grads.com connects local employers to students with the skills to succeed.

Established in 2018, Tulsa Tech’s HireTulsaTechGrads.com job board offers students, graduates and alumni the opportunity to connect with employers in an environment tailored specifically to their training and expertise.

The job board is a one-stop shop for both career seekers and employers, said Karen Johnson, director of Tulsa Tech Career Services.

Rather than requiring prospective employers to sift through resumes of job-seekers who may not possess the necessary skills for a particular position, HireTulsaTechGrads.com allows them to zero in on highly trained students and graduates.

“It’s customized to Tulsa Tech in that employers come to us knowing that the students have specialized skills,” Johnson said. “Participation (in the job board) for employers gives them access to students and their resumés and an opportunity to create an online profile for their company.”

Students also benefit from registering at HireTulsaTechGrads.com through networking opportunities, but also through a variety of informational and educational tools and programs provided by the career services department.

“There is a wealth of information on the site,” Johnson said, adding that access is free to all Tulsa Tech students, graduates and participating employers.

In addition to reaching potential employers and job listings, students and graduates can access items such as salary calculators and career exploration tools, as well as connect with career services coordinators for resumé assistance and interview practice.

“Students are automatically registered with an account and we visit with them in the classroom about it, “ Johnson said. “Our career services coordinators are always available to them.”

And though the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about some changes in day-today operations at many educational institutions, including Tulsa Tech, it hasn’t stopped Tulsa Tech Career Services from preparing students to join the workforce after graduation.

engagements for students to engage oneon-one with them.”

HireTulsaTechGrads.com and the opportunities it affords students and graduates are key tools in helping prepare them for success in the workplace, and that success is evidenced by the school’s high placement rate. Tulsa Tech graduates have found placement in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, health care, hospitality, aviation, transportation, information technology, culinary, the military and construction. Some students have chosen to continue their education.

“We have a 96% positive placement rate for our programs,” Johnson said.

The number of businesses participating in HireTulsaTechGrads.com is continuing to grow, and that has been a boon to both employers and students, Johnson said.

The Career Services department also connects students to employers through classroom visits and field trips. All services to help connect students to the world of work.

Due to the pandemic, some activities have been temporarily modified or scaled back, and the job board is helping to virtually fill in some of those gaps.

“Employment needs had taken a turn last spring and fall due to the pandemic and now we are seeing a return (to normal business),” she said, adding that employers participating in HireTulsaTechGrads.com range from small family businesses to Fortune 500 companies. “We’re continuing to look for new partners and we want to post any opportunities our local employers have and assist them with candidate needs.”

“We are still doing a lot of career-readiness activities,” Johnson said, adding that large gatherings such as in-person career fairs are temporarily on hold due to the pandemic. “We have hosted virtual career fairs and Q-and-A sessions with employers, and we are able to host individual employer

Businesses looking for motivated students can create an account at hire.tulsatechgrads.com, For more information, contact Tulsa Tech Career Services at careerplacement@tulsatech.edu or call 918-828-5000 and ask to speak with the career services department.

Tulsa Tech P.O. Box 477200, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74147 918-828-5000 • tulsatech.edu

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TULSA WORLD

IMPROVING YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS Customized training to meet your needs. Enhancing your training and professional development is more affordable than you think. We meet with your team and offer training and consulting in our facility or yours, in less time and for less money.

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» Full-time Careers Broken Arrow Campus 4000 W. Florence St.

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(918) 828-5000 I NFO@ TUL S ATE CH . E DU

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Lemley Memorial Campus 3420 S. Memorial Dr. » Health Sciences Center » Industry Training Center

Owasso Campus 10800 N. 137th E. Ave.

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Riverside Campus 801 E. 91st St.

Sand Springs Campus 924 E. Charles Page Blvd.

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ONE Gas

ONE Gas technician Kevin Nestelroad fills a company vehicle with compressed natural gas.

Tulsa recycling fueled by clean energy S

ometimes when a company goes green, they save green, too. This was the case when Northeast Waste Solutions LLC, also known as NeWSolutions, converted its fleet of 60 refuse and recycling trucks to operate using compressed natural gas, or CNG.

Are natural gas vehicles a good fit for your business?

If you answer “yes” to the questions below, then natural gas vehicles could be a good fit for your business: Do you own fleets of vehicles?

Is your current transportation

fuel gasoline or diesel?

Do you have plans to purchase additional vehicles in the next 1-5 years?

Do you have onsite fueling at your site?

Do you currently fuel onsite?

Does your fleet vehicle travel more than 25,000 miles each year?

Does your fleet vehicle use more than 2,000 gallons of gasoline or diesel each year?

Do your fleet vehicles have a regular route centralized around a specific location?

Does your organization have a sustainability goal?

How green can your fleet be?

Calculate the emissions reduction potential of your fleet at www.cleanenergyfuels.com/ emissions-calculator

Since 2012, NeWSolutions has collected residential refuse and recycling for the city of Tulsa. The company’s services unified the city’s collection system, offering curbside recycling collection and the use of wheeled polycarts for nearly 120,000 homes. On average, the company transports 22,000 loads of refuse and recycling to processing facilities in Tulsa each year resulting in less waste in city landfills.

“Driving vehicles powered by CNG not only reduced our vehicle emissions, but it also reduced engine noise and saved the company money,” explained NeWsolutions President Jason Kannady.

“We provide environmentally friendly solid waste disposal solutions to our customers,” Kannady said. “So it made sense to ensure our company was doing all we could to limit our impact on the environment, too.”

CNG is a fuel source that is made from compressing natural gas to high pressures. It can be used in place of gasoline, diesel fuel and propane in light, medium and heavyduty natural gas vehicles (NGV). CNG is also one of the cleanest-burning alternative fuels today, producing the fewest emissions of any motor fuel.

can be reduced even more — up to 125%.

“NGVs are great for every vehicle class, but especially for medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles,” Reh said. “High-mileage, centrally fueled fleets that operate within a regional area can see the most benefits of using natural gas vehicles.”

Some examples of businesses that often benefit from natural gas vehicles include school districts with buses, large manufacturers with fleet and forklifts, distribution companies with delivery trucks and municipal services with multiple vehicles — to name a few.

In 2020, ONE Gas customer programs for natural gas vehicles resulted in an estimated 47,292 metric tons of CO2e displaced, which is equivalent to removing 10,215 cars from the road.

Reducing emissions, saving money

In addition to being a cleaner fuel, the affordability of CNG has many benefits that have made it an increasingly attractive alternative to conventional fuels.

Historically, CNG pricing is less sensitive to changes in the world oil market and provides significant fuel savings year after year.

On average, CNG has been priced consistently lower compared to alternative fuels like gasoline and diesel.

“Over the past decade, natural gas prices

have remained relatively stable while diesel fuel prices have fluctuated,” Kannady said.

“Along with environmental benefits to air quality and noise reduction, we know we have had substantial fuel cost savings using CNG.” Each NeWSolutions refuse truck is driven about 13,000 miles per year, which adds up over time. After the initial vehicle purchase or conversion, the cost-savings are realized within months.

“Natural Gas Vehicles can have a payback period as short as 18- to 24-months for heavy-duty, high-mileage fleets,” Reh said.

“Converting large trucking fleets to natural gas can save millions of dollars each year in reduced operating and maintenance costs.”

Additionally, many states have incentives and tax credits available for NGV purchases, conversions or refueling station infrastructure. Oklahoma Natural Gas offers rebates to commercial, industrial and individuals.

More than 200 NGV rebates were provided in the past two years.

“At ONE Gas, we’re actively looking at all aspects of our business to assess how we can be part of addressing climate change and help our residential, commercial, industrial and transportation customers meet their sustainability goals,” Reh said. “CNG vehicles are just one of the many ways we can help our customers reduce their business carbon footprint.”

“A desire for cleaner, cost-effective energy solutions is increasingly on the mind of companies in all sectors,” said Emily Reh, manager of market development for ONE Gas. “Every business has unique goals, and more businesses are including sustainability goals, which is why listening and understanding those goals comes first when we discuss a company’s energy needs,” Reh said. “For companies with a fleet of vehicles, we recommend looking at CNG as a way to cut fuel costs and reduce emissions.”

Powered by clean energy

As a company, ONE Gas has seen its own benefits to using CNG in its service vehicles.

In 2019, ONE Gas displaced 50,519 metric tons of CO2e with its fleet of NGVs, which equated to removing more than 10,914 passenger vehicles from the road.

Vehicles fueled by natural gas are 90% cleaner than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s current Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) standard and emit up to 21% fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than comparable gasoline and diesel vehicles. When fueling with renewable natural gas, GHG emissions

NeWSolutions converted its fleet of 60 refuse and recycling trucks to operate using compressed natural gas.

ONE Gas 15 E. Fifth St., Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 918-947-7000 | onegas.com

TULSA WORLD

SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2021 |

Thank You

from all of us to all of you, for helping make natural gas part of Tulsa’s sustainable energy future.

ONEGas.com

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Collinsville Industrial Park

A great place to establish a business F

or many area business owners, the Collinsville Industrial Park provides the perfect location to build, grow and maintain a business.

Having other manufacturing companies nearby also makes the industrial park a great place to run a business, Moss said.

Not only do they provide opportunities to trade services ... but they also look out for one another.

City of Collinsville 106 N. 12th St. Collinsville, Ok 74021 918-371-1010 cityofcollinsville.com

Located off 126th Street North between North Mingo and North Garnett roads, the industrial park is home to such companies as Victory Energy, Baskins Machined Products (BMP), Stress Tech Thermal Processing, American Bus Sales, Shelton Redi-Mix Inc. and H & H Muffler & Manufacturing, all of which have established headquarters or branch facilities there.

With 30 years’ experience working in the heat treating industry for corporations such as Hinderliter and Precision Heat Treating, Stress Tech Thermal Processing owner Jim Moss knew the industrial park was a solid choice for locating his own company, which he established in 2018 on a 4½-acre lot there.

Heat treating is a process by which metal parts and equipment are heated and cooled according to precise specifications, improving their strength, durability and performance.

These metal parts are used in a variety of applications and industries, such as automotive, heavy equipment and the oil and gas industry.

Moss cites proximity to suppliers, growth potential and a shorter commute as benefits to having an operations base in Collinsville. A longtime Collinsville resident, Moss formerly commuted 32 miles one-way to work prior to establishing Stress Tech’s headquarters, which he said is just five minutes from home.

“We wanted to be close to home,” he said, adding that oilfield equipment and refinery parts comprise a significant amount of the products that are serviced by Stress Tech’s heat treating process.

Stress Tech currently maintains a client base in Collinsville, Owasso and other Tulsa-area communities, and plans are in the works to eventually expand operations to include clients in other states.

“We are slowly but surely growing,” Moss said, citing a downturn in the oil and gas industry as a reason for the current slower growth rate. “We want to expand but grow slowly.”

Collinsville’s sense of community also factors into making the industrial park a great place

Baskins Machined Products is part of the Collinsville Industrial Park. to run a business, Moss said. A growing population, booming housing industry, top-notch school system and multiple opportunities for businesses to set down roots and expand make the Collinsville area an ideal business setting.

Having other manufacturing companies nearby also makes the industrial park a great place to run a business, Moss said. Not only do they provide opportunities to trade services — another company may require Stress Tech’s heat-treating for its products, for example — but they also look out for one another.

Often working late at night or up in the predawn hours to make deliveries to clients across the Tulsa metro area, Moss said he appreciates his nearby neighbors keeping an eye on his shop, some of whom have noticed activity during those off-hours and checked to make sure everything is all right.

Also maintaining a large presence in the Collinsville Industrial Park is Victory Energy, an established 22-year manufacturer of industrial boilers and heat recovery systems.

The company’s products, which are shipped to clients all over the world, are used to produce steam that powers multiple industries, including oil and gas, ethanol production, paper and plastics manufacturing, as well as in institutional settings, such as hospitals and schools, said Bill Field, Victory Energy’s public relations director.

cityofcollinsville.com

PA RT N E R S I N P RO G R E S S

“Victory manufactures the majority of their products in-house — they’ll do everything from concept to completion,” Field said, adding that the company employs the latest in IoT technology, using internet-based technology to map and understand the performance of their products on a daily basis.

Victory also maintains extensive aftermarket services with a team of specialized technicians who help with upkeep and and repair of Victory products for clients, helping keep costs down.

“A lot of these boiler units will take anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks to build — that’s a big capital investiture for a company,” he said.

Creating and delivering quality products and services to clients is key to running a business, but having the support of the community also is essential to helping that business grow, according to Field and Moss.

“Victory Energy has a great relationship with everyone in Collinsville,” Field said, noting the addition of an 80,000-square-foot addition to Victory’s Collinsville facility in 2017 and the community support the company has received. “There’s a real partnership that’s been with the city.”

Moss agrees. Opportunities are available in Collinsville for anyone who wants to establish a business.

“Come to Collinsville and help us grow,” he said.

TULSA WORLD

SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2021 |

S11

MidAmerica Industrial Park

A home to growing companies MidAmerica is on a trajectory to be one of the most innovative and pro-business environments in the nation for corporate growth — organic and new business.

MidAmerica Industrial Park Located between Tulsa, Oklahoma and Fayetteville/ Bentonville, Arkansas Toll-free 1-888-627-3500 | 918-825-3500 | maip.com

“I

looked at some property here in Oklahoma at the Industrial Park and we moved out here. It’s the best move we ever made.”

These are the words of HE&M Saw founder, the late Gerald R. Harris. Harris shares the sentiments of many MidAmerica Industrial Park companies. Whether they were founded in the park or moved to it, many would agree, it was the “best move they ever made.”

HE&M Saw is one of the 80 companies located within MidAmerica Industrial Park, the third-largest industrial park in the United States and in the top 10 globally. The park and its companies have seen unparalleled growth in the past eight years — not just “new business” growth, but specifically organic growth.

Companies such as HE&M Saw, which has grown from 20 to 200 employees and one to three facilities since 1976. Or RAE Corporation, the family-owned HVAC and refrigeration equipment manufacturer that has seen continuous growth in sales and employment nearly every year since it was founded in 1971.

G.A.P. Roofing, Inc. is another example — the company was founded in 1990, and its organic growth has led to two expansions in its 30 years of business. TACK Designs, one of Oklahoma’s largest screen-printing companies, has seen a 350% employee growth rate and has expanded from 9,000 square feet of manufacturing space to 26,000 square feet

since it was founded 2015. Or Brent Electric, an industrial, commercial and residential electrical company founded in 1996 and located in the park since 2001, has grown to 18 employees and a building expansion is currently in process.

Each of these companies is among the many MidAmerica-based companies that have experienced growth and expansion created by their leadership’s dedication to success and the resources MidAmerica has made available to help its companies succeed.

“MidAmerica-based companies benefit from our ongoing investment in infrastructure, roads and safety, but also our work to recruit and train the skilled labor needed to make their expansion a reality,” said David Stewart, chief administrative officer of MidAmerica.

“We strive to deliver the whole package onsite, which is why our investments in regional education, new housing options and quality of life initiatives support the growth of our current and future employers.”

Todd Fannin, owner of TACK Designs, reflects on his personal experience of working with the MidAmerica staff. He said, “MidAmerica Industrial Park has a special way of helping its current businesses. I know the MidAmerica staff puts a lot of time and energy into recruiting new businesses, but they put just as much time, if not more, into helping the businesses that are already here. The MAIP staff are tremendous to work with. Here at TACK, they helped process growth and expansion decisions, allowed us to buy additional

land for our second expansion and have bent over backwards to help us be successful.”

MidAmerica’s growth directly benefits the companies currently located in the park, not just companies considering MidAmerica. The park offers career force training through the onsite Center of Excellence and helps develop the next generation of workforce with more than $3 million invested in career centers and state-of-the-art STEM labs in 18 area school districts.

The park is continuously improving infrastructure, such as land, water systems and wastewater treatment; has shovel-ready sites available for expansions and offers abundant power generation. Finally, MidAmerica has heavily focused on the quality of life of its businesses’ employees and in their families.

The District — the 162-acre development that incorporates retail and restaurants, a 100-unit multistory living complex, 100 residential homes, 10 acres of parks and outdoor spaces, and trails — is set to open this year.

With these priorities in mind — workforce development, resources and quality of life — Stewart believes MidAmerica is on a trajectory to be one of the most innovative and pro-business environments in the nation for corporate growth — organic and new business.

“Whether you are our largest employer or the smallest, every day, our team at MidAmerica begins the day thinking about our companies.

Their success is our success,” Stewart said.

North, South, East or West.

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2020

S12

OUTLOOK 2021

| SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2021

TULSA WORLD

CANNABIS

Business flourishing in Oklahoma Legal cannabis shops see successful third year, even in pandemic

Tax revenue Excise tax 2018: $70,769 2019: $24,156,269 2020: $56,245,888 2021 YTD: $10,691,873

SAMANTHA VICENT

Tulsa World

I

n less than three years, Tulsa County went from having zero legal cannabis businesses to being populated with more than 1,000, including more than 230 dispensaries.

Even while the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in economic woes for industries across the world, legal cannabis brought in more than $800 million in sales last year to Oklahoma, where about 12% of the eligible population has a cannabis patient license. So far in 2021, tax revenue for medical marijuana is up 161% from the first two months of 2020.

“My grandmother, she actually died of cancer,” said Eric Peeson, manager at The Strain Station Dispensary on Route 66, where he’s worked since it opened in summer 2019. “I thought if there was something like an oil or tinctures or something she could have tried in lieu of her having to take aggressive cancer treatments, would it have subsided and would she have had a better quality of life?

“So it was something that got deep in my heart to help people,” Peeson said. “And in an industrial area like west Tulsa, where it’s mostly working folks and people getting out and grinding every day, we get a lot of traffic on this road.”

But before The Strain Station was able to open at 4117 Southwest Blvd., owners had to formally attest to the Tulsa County Board of Adjustment that the dispensary would be at least 1,000 feet away from another similar business.

The initially simple criteria — The Strain Station was at least 3,000 feet away from another

State, local sales taxes 2018: $171,116 2019: $30,594,902 2020: $71,593,772 2021 YTD: $13,272,446 From Tulsa County 2018: $19,603 2019: $10,449,176 2020: $24,441,008 Source: Oklahoma Tax Commission

By the numbers

MIKE SIMONS, TULSA WORLD

Karissa Aytch packages product at The Strain Station Dispensary on Feb. 24 in Tulsa. dispensary when it opened — has been more difficult to fulfill as the industry expands. Tulsa County had more than 230 dispensaries listed on the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority’s public database as of Feb. 17.

“I do think Oklahoma is one of the top states in the nation in terms of what is provided to patients,” Peeson said. “Now, the learning curve (for new businesses) is very short. But I call it Boomtown because you can come to Oklahoma and get a $2,500 license versus going to Arkansas and spending ($32,500 for dispensaries to $115,000 for commercial growers) just to get started.”

OMMA spokeswoman Terri Watkins said as of Feb. 24 that Tulsa County has 1,101 licensed cannabis businesses, 727 of which are within the city of Tulsa. The

numbers include dispensaries, growers and processors helping bring Oklahoma’s cannabis industry into the top 10 nationally, due in part to being deemed “essential” amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a jobs report from Leafly.

Leafly also reported Oklahoma added more than 6,000 new jobs in 2020, with 16,759 Oklahomans employed in the legal cannabis industry, though the e-commerce cannabis marketplace pointed at federal barriers to tracking those figures accurately.

Citing the economy in part, Peeson said he sees his job as an opportunity to contribute positively to the community, particularly because the dispensary is locally and veteran-owned. He said it also became apparent the region was in need of a dispensary

that sold high-quality products without being cost-prohibitive for area residents.

“In essence, we have everything this industry calls for,” Peeson said. “In my eyes, medical marijuana is a health industry. We are here for those who are actually in need of help, and we’re trying to get them off the pharmaceutical kick and help them find something they can afford.”

The Strain Station also helped distribute toys to 1,000 children in the area over the holiday season and has joined up with local veterans’ groups, as well as Meals On Wheels, to help provide essentials to Tulsans.

Peeson said the bulk of patients who visit are older than 40 and have families and that store workers want to do “whatever we can” to ensure patients have their

370,591: Patients 2,530: Caregivers 6,769: Growers 2,090: Dispensaries 1,290: Processors 23: Laboratories

Source: Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority licensing report dated Feb. 7

cannabis without sacrificing other needs. The Strain Station offers regular product discounts and specials, including for veterans and those with cancer, to help reduce costs.

“Say you’re spending half your income on medications to try and live your life and feel good versus being able to medicate with something that’s now medicine. And in this COVID era, with so many people losing jobs and on set incomes now, you want to make sure that when you go somewhere, the quality is actually there,” Peeson said.

“We’re a mom-and-pop, and people are just trying to make it.

And I would hate to go to bed at night and have someone not eat over $2, $3, $5, you know?” samantha.vicent@tulsaworld.com

BANKING

Community banks rise to occasion FROM STAFF REPORTS

As the coronavirus ravaged the economy in 2020, propping up small businesses was a way of life for people in the lending business.

And nobody did it better than community banks, said Tom Bennett III, president and co-CEO of First Oklahoma Bank.

“If you think of the banking system and who responds to customers and who takes care of small businesses, it’s the smaller banks,” he said. “Sixty percent of PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans were processed by banks with less than $10 billion in assets.

“If you think of the banking universe, that’s probably 6% or 7% of the total assets of the banking universe.

Smaller banks that are less than a billion dollars did 20% of all PPP loans.”

Tom’s father is Tom Bennett Jr., chairman and coCEO of First Oklahoma Bank.

“There are a lot of people in America that are good at technology, but there are a lot of people who are not. To help people work through technological systems, whether it’s getting an appointment to get a vaccine or getting a PPP loan approved, it’s really good to be able to have someone to talk to to say, ‘This is how you do that.’”

That personal interaction set community banks apart during the public health crisis, Bennett III said.

“What that tells you is just how vitally important those community banks are to their communities,” he

said. “If small businesses fail, where do these people go? Well, they go to the unemployment line. So keeping small businesses alive makes a lot of sense.”

Profit margins for businesses this year likely will remain thin.

In a 2021 small business credit survey issued by the 12 Federal Reserve Banks, sales for 88% of the firms had not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The majority of firms, 64%, said they would apply for another round of government aid if it were offered. Of those firms, 39% expected they would be unlikely to survive until sales returned to normal without further government assistance.

“Small businesses are not built for a pandemic,” Bennett III said. “A momand-pop doesn’t have the resources that ONEOK and Williams have. It just doesn’t work that way.

“Small businesses are not recession-proof. And for the broader community, it tells us how much we need to frequent whatever their establishment is. If Tulsa hurts, community banks hurt. So we have to be in tune to our community. We all rise together, and we all hurt together.”

A total of 37% of firms expect that the most important challenge stemming from the pandemic in the next 12 months will be weak demand, followed by government-mandated restrictions or closures (53%) and supply chain disruptions (37%).

“This is a great time with low interest rates for small businesses that are renting

to buy their building,” Bennett Jr. said. “Or if they’ve thought about expanding because they can get longterm SBA (Small Business Administration) loans at fixed rates.”

According to the SBA, banks were responsible for 89% of PPP loans, 95% of PPP dollars and 94% of the jobs supported.

“If folks have thought about how they are going to structure their balance sheet and their debt, the SBA and the history of the SBA, they have not had better offers,” Bennett III said. “Once everybody gets on their front foot again, these programs will not be here.”

The number of banks in Oklahoma dropped from 248 in 2010 to 190 last year, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The net interest margin, banks’ primary source of income, slipped from 3.61% in 2019 to 3.44% in 2020.

But Bennett Jr. remains optimistic.

“The industry is really in good shape at this point going into 2021,” he said.

It will be some time, however, before the financial dust settles.

“We won’t see the tail of the tape for another year or two,” Bennett III said.“With vaccines being distributed, we think we have the upper hand on the circumstances.

We’re getting back.

“But there’s still a lot of repair that has to be done.

It’s going to be interesting to see how long it takes small businesses to get back where they are on their front foot again. At the moment, it doesn’t feel like we’re there.”

TEXAS 2021

UAL IS GOING VIRT

SATURDAY, MARCH 27,2021 REGISTER TODAY!

Online Registration: www.LLS.org/TXBCC21 TX.BCC@LLS.org | 972.996.5905

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TO REGISTER, POINT YOUR PHONE’S CAMERA AT THE QR CODE!

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OUTLOOK 2021

| SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2021

TULSA WORLD

HOUSING

Horizon bright for housing industry Highly successful 2020 bodes well for future

FROM STAFF REPORTS

J

eff Starkweather can explain part of the reason the home building industry was so shipshape in 2020.

But the president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa doesn’t know the entire reason.

“Overall, the industry is booming,” he said. “We are at really low interest rates, rent is a little up. A person can get into a house with pretty much what they are paying for rent.

“That was a main factor. But I’m a little nervous about it. It feels like it’s lopsided. You have problems with unemployment, but you have a booming housing industry at the same time. That sounds a little bit odd to me. I’m slightly bewildered why we’re growing.”

Housing starts for the Tulsa area grew 22.8%, going from 3,080 in 2019 to 3,783 in 2020, according to Tulsa-based New Orders Weekly.

That total is the highest since 4,303 starts were recorded in 2007.

“It does seem to be segmented a little bit,” Starkweather said.“System (large-scale) builders had record numbers. But a lot of custom builders had the brakes put on by clients.”

As for home construction in area cities, Broken Arrow led 2020 with 839 starts. Second was Tulsa (472), followed by unincorporated Wagoner County (446) and Bixby (330).

“Broken Arrow has plenty of land left to develop and plenty of developments going on,” Jeffrey Smith, CEO of the HBA, told the Tulsa World earlier this year.

“Tulsa, obviously, is landlocked.

Open, available land is becoming somewhat limited, and most of the new construction in Tulsa is tear down and rebuild.

“But when you get into Broken Arrow, especially the south and east sides, you have a lot of developments going on and a lot of affordable developments going on.

Most of the construction in 2020 was related to the more affordable housing, which I would say is $250,000 and below.”

Robert Dietz is chief economist and senior vice president for economics and policy for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). He told Florida real estate agents during a February virtual summit that “with a 50% (COVID-19) vaccination rate by the end of April and a 75%

MIKE SIMONS PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD

Workers build a concrete pool deck and patio in the Homestead housing development Feb. 25 in Owasso. rate by the end of October, we anticipate accelerating economic growth later in 2021. The newhome construction industry will grow in 2021, but at a lower rate, especially as interest rates trend higher with the recovery, thanks to aggressive action by the Federal Reserve.”

Raw materials will play a role in the market, Dietz said.

“The limiting factor for builders has been the roller-coaster ride for lumber prices,” he said during the virtual event. “In talking to builders, rising lumber costs for a newly built home could be pushing prices up $15,000 or more.

“And about 24% of the cost of a new home comes from the cost of regulatory requirements, during both the development and construction. We need to see what can be done in regulatory costs to keep down what we call ‘death by a thousand cuts’ in the new-home market.”

Late last year, Forbes magazine ranked Tulsa’s housing market fourth-best in a survey of 100 U.S.

Completed homes and homes under construction are seen in the Homestead housing development Feb. 25 in Owasso. metro areas.

The city’s housing market has experienced the greatest increase in home prices over the past two years, going from a median list price of $219,833 in September 2018 to $292,300 in September 2020, a jump of 33%, the magazine said.

Tulsa’s available inventory has

dipped significantly, too, in recent years. From having more than 4,400 homes for sale in September 2018, Tulsa’s available inventory now stands at 1,863, according to the magazine.

In addition, average days on the market for Tulsa has dropped from 36 in September 2018 to 11 days in September 2020, Forbes wrote.

“Despite the economic crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to see positive trends indicative of the Tulsa region’s resilience,” Mike Neal, the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s president and CEO, wrote in an email to the Tulsa World.

Starkweather is confident the area can sustain that momentum.

“Every indication is that 2021 will continue to be a good year,” he said. “We’re seeing a rise in cost of homes. There are two sides to the home building business. We’re seeing a lot of permits, which is great. We do have a labor shortage that we’re dealing with, so homes are taking longer.

“And we’re dealing with a lot of back orders due to COVID and suppliers not manufacturing for a period. So the houses are taking a little longer and the expenses are higher. but the interest is so low that it is very competitive with renting. As long as those factors stay the same, you’re going to see home building continue to move forward.”

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Local experts offer insight on what 2021 may hold

KEVIN CANFIELD

Tulsa World

T

here are millions of Americans nationwide and thousands locally whose employment status has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are just hanging on or looking for a little help.

And it’s out there.

Here are local economic development professionals offering their perspectives on what to expect from the economy in 2021 and what their organizations are doing to help Tulsa-area residents bounce back from what was for many a devastating 2020:

Kian Kamas

Chief of economic development, city of Tulsa

Even before the pandemic hit, the city’s approach to economic development was all about inclusive growth. Reaching that goal, like nearly every other aspect of economic development, has gotten harder since the pandemic set in.

Kamas said Tulsa was hit from all sides last year, with retail, hospitality, tourism, energy and aerospace all seeing declines.

“Figuring out how we recover

from that and continue to position ourselves for jobs that are more resilient, help people transition to jobs that provide living wages, that help them to build up the economic base that they need to withstand shocks and stresses like this I think is critical,” Kamas said.

Just a few of the city programs aimed at accomplishing this are the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Retrain Tulsa and the Workforce Express Network.

The trust fund provides financial assistance to eligible landlords and tenants. Retrain Tulsa is a partnership between the city and Tulsa Community WorkAdvance designed to help Tulsans find jobs in high-wage sectors of the economy. The Workforce Express Network is a fixed-route bus service (Route 969) linking residents of north Tulsa and Turley to employers along the U.S. 169 corridor.

Kamas said it was low-income earners who could not build up savings who were hardest hit by the pandemic.

“I think it is imperative on us to help people move into new careers that provide more sustainable wages for their families,” she said.

For more information on Retrain Tulsa, go to workadvance. org or call 918-442-2200. For

more information on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, email Kristin Maun at kmaun@cityoftulsa.org. Call 9180-582-2100 or visit tulsatransit.org for more information on Workforce Express Network.

Rose Washington

Executive director, Tulsa Economic Development Corp.

they choose to pursue that dream.

The Sky’s The Limit is an online mentoring platform that connects small businesses with companies across the country.

TEDC will soon offer the Mortar program, which originated in Cincinnati, Ohio, to help provide Black entrepreneurs with the resources they need to start a business and sustain it.

TEDC also offers self-employment workshops for sole proprietors and a Small Business University curriculum through the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri.

“I am hopeful,” Washington said of 2021. “I just want us to work together to stabilize our local economies in different communities. …

We need to keep people employed, and we need to keep sales taxes flowing, and one way to do that is to make sure that we are shopping local.”

For more information about TEDC offerings, go online to tedcnet.com or call 918-585-8332.

TEDC is charged with supporting and promoting small businesses, and as the local economy emerges from the pandemic, Washington has definite ideas about how to help them.

“That will be in systems improvements, in process improvements, in really fine-tuning product offerings and service offerings and using the power of the web to help them really elevate their business and sustain it and hopefully even grow it,” she said.

TEDC’s Entrepreneurial Development and Education division offers programs designed to assist sole proprietors, small businesses owners and start-ups.

Mike Neal The FORWARD program helps President and CEO of Tulsa Regional entrepreneurs determine whether Chamber their business models can be turned into franchises and assists Arthur Jackson in navigating the process should Senior vice president of economic

PA RT N E R S I N P RO G R E S S

development for TRC

Neal’s job is to look at the big picture, and that means paying attention to the details. So as the Chamber prepared for 2021, it conducted an analysis for workers dislocated by the pandemic.

“It’s imperative we find ways to support this segment of our workforce and get them placed in high-demand jobs,” Neal said.

Toward that end, Jackson said, the Chamber has created a oneyear economic development work plan called “Tulsa’s Future: Road to Recovery.” The plan zeros in on the needs of businesses and workers.

“Economic development by nature is a long play, but through Road to Recovery, we’ve established target metrics for how many companies we will work with — both in terms of retention and attraction — during 2021,” Jackson said. “Strengthening relationships with existing businesses and growing the region’s visibility are key in our success.”

For more information about Tulsa Regional Chamber’s offerings, call 918-585-1201 or go to tulsachamber.com. kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.com

OUTLOOK 2021

TULSA WORLD

SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2021 |

S15

HEALTH CARE

State prepared for COVID-19 fallout OSU Center for Health Sciences makes addiction medicine priority

TIM STANLEY

Tulsa World

W

ith last year’s big story in health care still such a major factor, the outlook for Tulsa in 2021 is a little unclear.

But one thing seems certain, at least.

Because of the ongoing investment in addiction medicine at the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, the city and state are much better positioned to deal with the expected COVID19-related increase in addiction.

“The timing was very fortuitous for Oklahoma that the sequence of events occurred the way it did,” said Dr. Jason Beaman, executive director of training and education for OSU-CHS’ National Center for Wellness and Recovery.

Long before the pandemic and the surge in some addictions it likely will trigger, OSU-CHS had made addiction medicine a priority in response to the state’s opioid crisis. Moreover, in 2019, it was tapped to receive nearly $200 million from the state’s opioid lawsuit settlement to fight addiction.

“We have been able to dramatically scale up the resources in the last five years, and we definitely had a much, much stronger infrastructure set up and in place by the time the pandemic hit,” Beaman said. “It was very, very fortuitous.”

So much has been accomplished, in fact, 2021 is expected to be a monumental year for addiction medicine in the state.

“We believe this will be the year that for the first time every Oklahoman suffering from addiction, regardless of their location or ability to pay, will have access to treatment,” Beaman said.

Helping make that possible, he added, are NCWR’s many partners, including the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health, federally qualified health centers and community mental health centers around the state.

“We’ll be able to provide this service to every nook and cranny of the state,” he said. “We really think that’s going to make a dramatic difference.

“And once we add to it the free medication we got as part of the

ficials said, is the consolidation under one roof of most NCWR operations and services.

Thanks to support from the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, all addiction medicine, psychiatry and counseling services, along with virtual addiction treatment and support, are now in the Legacy Plaza complex at 31st Street and Yale Avenue.

“It’s really going to supercharge all of our activities,” Beaman said, adding that the move will allow for better collaboration between NCWR teams.

Critical for 2021, with the ongoing pandemic, are treatment options that were introduced last year.

They include virtual treatment for addiction patients throughout Oklahoma and in-person treatment that has been made safer.

NCWR’s Addiction Recovery Clinic at Legacy Plaza offers an on-site virtual room. The room is for patients who may have limited technology at home and allows them to see a clinician on site via an iPad. MICHAEL NOBLE JR. PHOTOS, TULSA WORLD The research side of addiction Dr. Kelly Dunn shows the treatment room at OSU-CHS National Center for Wellness & Recovery Addiction in Tulsa. medicine at NCWR will also advance in 2021.

The new Hardesty Center for settlement, we expect a huge uptick in people entering recovery in Clinical Research and NeurosciOklahoma.” ence will open this year at RiverHow many people that could side Drive and East 66th Place, potentially be is hard to say. The where it is moving into the former Shadow Mountain Behavioral pandemic’s impact on the overall addiction picture is complicated.

Health facilities.

But while alcohol, opioids and Aided by a $2 million gift from methamphetamine will remain the Hardesty Family Foundaproblems in Oklahoma, COVIDtion, the center will house addiction-related brain science 19’s effect on at least one of them research efforts, with space for is clear-cut.

“We pay a lot of attention to clinical trials.

The new center features the opioids,” said Beaman, chair of psychiatry and behavioral scimost advanced MRI system in the ences at OSU-CHS. “But I’ve got state, Beaman said. to stress that alcohol has always “We have people coming from been Oklahoma’s No. 1 problem all over the country to look at it and always will continue to be. because it’s one of the only ones And the pandemic has been detlike it,” he said.

“But there’s also a lot of other rimental for that.”

The OSU-CHS National Center for Wellness & Recovery Addiction provides He said a “dramatic increase” all addiction medicine, psychiatry and counseling services, along with stuff that we’re doing to look at the brain and then really trying to in new alcohol addiction is likely. virtual addiction treatment and support. focus on clinical trials, so that we “And we’re going to see — and are seeing — dramatic increases lation, have been cut off from the after losing their jobs. can find solutions to help people in relapse from people who have social support they need in recovthat are suffering from addicbeen battling alcohol addiction,” ery, such as 12-step meetings or The year ahead tion.” just being with friends and family.

One recent development that he said.

Many patients, forced into iso- Many patients have also relapsed will pay dividends in 2021, of- tim.stanley@tulsaworld.com

ENERGY

Oil and gas recovering after dark 2020 MICHAEL DEKKER

Tulsa World

A

t the onset of 2020, state officials and oil and gas company leaders were cautiously optimistic about the coming year for the industry.

Then the pandemic hit.

As lockdowns began and people started working from home and ending daily commutes in the collective millions of miles, the demand for oil and gas plummeted.

Oil prices, which had already been declining at the start of the year, dropped to unprecedented lows — falling to a staggering minus $37 per barrel April 20 — the first time prices had actually gone below zero and the worst day for the industry, perhaps in history.

But since then, prices have steadily risen to more than $60 per barrel.

The recovery, however, has just begun.

“I’ve experienced some bad years, and I’d say each one of the experiences has been precipitated by an outside problem. Certainly, COVID took the place of the outside problem,” said Dewey Bartlett Jr., former mayor of Tulsa, president of Keener Oil and Gas and head of the Oklahoma Energy Producers Alliance.

“Due to the incredible success the industry had through the drilling of horizontal wells ... putting this country in a position to sell oil

TULSA WORLD FILE

The Cushing tank farm is one of the largest oil storage sites in the world.

and natural gas — a position we had not been in in many many decades — when the COVID hit, it couldn’t have been at a worse time.

“It’s something that has never happened before, and it certainly was never anticipated, and hopefully, it will never happen again.

“We’ve now seen tens of thousands of people lose their jobs. The horizontal (drilling) industry has stopped. Smaller companies have declared bankruptcy and have had to shut down. Even some of the large companies have had to declare bankruptcy. There’s been all kinds of terrible problems,” Bartlett said.

He said that even though the price of oil has come back up, policies by the new Biden ad-

ministration — including halting construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and putting a moratorium on drilling on federal lands and offshore areas — could hamper recovery efforts.

“By simply getting rid of the supply, that does not mean you’re getting rid of demand,” Bartlett said.

“You have to buy from somewhere if we want to maintain our lifestyle. Driving cars, driving trucks ... and making plastics, clothes ... drugs — all of those things come from oil and natural gas in a processed way.”

However, Bartlett said that with other oil and gas drilling areas becoming off limits, it could actually

benefit Oklahoma’s producers.

“It could be that there could be an increased demand for Oklahoma crude oil. Some places will be off limits for new drilling, so ... Oklahoma’s a great place to continue that opportunity,” he said.

Bartlett said three things have to happen for the industry to fully recover: “People need to start driving” like they were before the pandemic; the transportation industry, particularly trucking, needs to return to normal; and airline flights will need to approach returning to normal to allow the airline industry to recover.

“All three of those activities are going to have to have very significant improvement,” he said.“It will be a while.”

“We’re now beginning to see the market reflect the optimism that we are seeing a recovery,” Bartlett said.

He said $60 per barrel for oil is “not a price that is going to make everybody extremely happy. But at least it’s at a level where oil and gas companies can operate their wells somewhat profitably.”

Bartlett said that even if oil continues to climb to say, $80 per barrel, it will depend on how long prices remain at that level to have a significant effect on the industry and the return of many jobs that were lost.

“It depends on how long it stays there,” he said. “But if it drops into

PA RT N E R S I N P RO G R E S S

the $40s again, it’s stagnant city.

Here we go again.”

According to a U.S. Energy Information Administration report in February, a return to 2019 levels of U.S. energy consumption will take years.

“The ups and downs — it’s not necessarily a new experience,” Bartlett said. “It’s not a fun experience. But it’s something the older companies are prepared for.

“I think it will get back eventually.”

Tom Seng is professor of energy business and director of the School of Energy Economics, Policy & Commerce at the University of Tulsa.

He said Tulsa is in a relatively stable position because most energy companies here specialize in transporting and storing oil and gas and that many companies who produce it have relocated years ago.

Exploration and production companies, he said, “they have 100% commodity exposure. With all of the midstream and downstream (storage and transportation) companies here, it’s much more stable in the long run.”

While 2020 was an unprecedented year for the industry, it still remains a significant part of the local and regional economy, Seng said.

“You’re still talking about thousands of employees. These have always been very good-paying jobs.”

S16

| SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2021

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