JIMMIE TRAMEL TulsaWorld
Songwriters have crafted dozens of songswith Tulsainthe title.
Among the best known:
“24HoursFromTulsa”
“Tell Me Something Bad AboutTulsa”
“TakeMeBack to Tulsa”
“TulsaTime”
Songwriting legend Burt Bacharach wasaco-writeron“24 HoursfromTulsa,”which became ahit forGene Pitney60years ago.
DannyFlowers wasa member of DonWilliams’ band when he wrote“TulsaTime” 45 yearsago in aTulsahotel room. The song became ahit fora CountryMusic Hall of Famer (Williams)and aRock &Roll Hall of Famer (Eric Clapton).
It’s Tulsatime all over again from amusic standpoint.
The city’spreviouslyestablished music attractions were joined by high-profile newcomers—the BobDylan Center and newly refurbished Church Studio —in2022.
Located down the street from asisterattraction,the Woody Guthrie Center,the BobDylan Center is the official home of the BobDylan Archives, atreasuretrove of morethan 100,000 Dylan-related objects. The George Kaiser FamilyFoundation purchased the BobDylan Archivesin2016.
In its firstsix monthsof operation, the BobDylan Center attracted 23,000-plus visitors hailing from all 50 states and 17 countries. Among them: John Mulaney (comedian, actor), Chris Hillman (The Byrds, The Flying BurritoBrothers), HenryRollins (Black Flag, RollinsBand), Bonnie Raitt(musician), Mavis Staples (musician),Elvis Costello (musician),Patti Smith (musician), George Saunders(Booker Prize-winning author), Penn Jillette (magician), Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), John Doe(theband X) and DeniseCrosby(actress)
The ChurchStudio is aformer church that Tulsa-raised Rock &Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russell purchasedinMarch 1972. The church wasconverted into Church Studio,which became a
hangout and workshopfor artists in Russell’s Shelter Recordsstable and forothermusiciansfromall over the world.
Restored to betterthan past glory by Russell admirer and current owner Teresa Knox,Church Studio wasopenedtothe public in March 2022. She’snot the onlyone whodigsRussell and the historic recording studio By the time November arrived, morethan11guestshad come to checkout the place—including an overwhelming 4,000 during a grand opening week.
Tulsaisblessedwith performancevenues formusic acts of all levels,but Church Studio provided another.Bill Champlin, KennyLoggins,George Thorogood, TajMahal, JimmyWebb, Air Supply, John Ford Coleyand othershaveperformed in an intimatesettingthere.
Tulsa’sworld-famous music venue is Cain’sBallroom,the home of BobWills and the Texas Playboyswhen, decades ago, they helped Cain’searnareputation as the Carnegie HallofWestern
swing. In 2018,Jack Whitesaid Cain’sisone of his favorite places to playinthe world—and maybe “the” favorite.
“The firstday Icame intotown, just lookingatit, Iwas reallyupsetthat nobodyhad ever told me aboutTulsa,”hesaid. “I walked intoCain’sBallroom, and Ibasicallyalmost firedmybooking agent the moment Iwalked into that room. WhydoInot know aboutthis place? WhyhaveI never been booked here? Why have younever even mentioned this?It wasone of the most beautifulplaces Ihad ever seen. And the vibewhen we played the show, it was just incredible.”
Forarosterofupcomingperformers, go to cainsballroom. com.
TulsaTheater,morethan a centuryyears old, is another drenched-in-historylocal music venue. Fora list of upcoming shows,gototulsatheater.com.
Tulsa’sbiggest music “room” is BOKCenter,anaward-winning downtownarena celebrating a15thanniversaryin2023.
The TurnpikeTroubadourssold out an upcoming showatBOK Center so quicklytherethat a second showwas added. The shows willbebeforeand after a March 31 tour stop from Journey and Toto.
Other upcoming BOKCenterperformersare KoeWetzel (April 14), Shinedown (April 24), Kane Brown(May12), Lizzo(May 20), Shania Twain (June 3), Billy Strings(June 7), The Chicks(July 21), Madonna (July27), Paramore (July29), surging Oologahcountrymusic artistZach Bryan(Aug. 11-12) and LukeBryan (Sept. 30). Fortickets, go to bokcenter.com.
Area casinoshavebecome destinations forgamingand music
The Cove,the concert venue of the RiverSpirit Casino,will welcome Ice Cube (March 16), NittyGrittyDirt Band (March 18), Three Dog Night (March 23), Darius Rucker (April 21), Lady A (June 1) and Earth, Wind &Fire (June24) in the next four months Fortickets, go to riverspirittulsa. com.
HardRock Live is the concert
venue of the HardRock Casino, which alsoboastsacountry dancehall (Track 5) that hosts music artists. Upcoming Hard Rock Live performersare Louis PrimaJr. (March18), TracyLawrence(March 24), Asleep at the Wheel(April 6), Foreigner (April 13), TracyByrd(April 20), Cheap Trick (April 28), Everclear(May 6) and Clint Black (June 9). For tickets, go to hardrockcasinotulsa.com.
Osage Casino’sconcert venue is Skyline Event Center.Comedians and music artists scheduled to perform therethroughearly June include Deon Cole (March 25), the Cadillac Three (April 7), LilyRose (April 20), Chelcie Lynn (May 13)and the GuessWho (June 2). Fortickets, go to osagecasino com.
Tulsatime alloveragain?
In February, aPBR event in Tulsaset PBR-in-BOK Center attendancerecords.Eli Vastbinder wonthe event while riding abull namedTulsaTime.
jimmie.tramel@tulsaworld.com
LENZYKREHBIEL-BURTON
TulsaWorld
Tape measures and table saws areshowing back up in local classrooms thankstothe growth of trade-focused programs at high schoolsaround the Tulsaarea.
“Our goal is to find relevant opportunities forour kids to motivate them to want to stay in school,” Union AssociateSuperintendent Charlie Bushyheadsaid. “Just like fine artsorathletics puts ahook in them, ourconstruction programisanother waytodothat. It goes back to howwecan provide ourkids with arelevant education and something theyenjoy.”
When Union officials initially pitchedthe ideaofanintroduction to construction course to studentsthree yearsago,theywere hoping to getenough to fill asingle classof25students.
Instead, about 150students pre-enrolled forthe firstyear. Made possible in large part through partnershipswith the Home Builders Association and other local businesses, Union’s construction programhas now growntoinclude morethan 300 students—enough to justify needing three instructorsplus
afull-time Spanish-speaking teacher assistant.
Bushyheadsaidthat although thereisalittle duplication with some of the programs available through TulsaTechnologyCenter, notevery Union student interested in aconstructionclass is necessarilyable to go the Tulsa Tech routedue to classschedule conflictsor other factors, hence the need foranon-campus option.
“Wehavealot of kids whoaren’table to getintoTulsa Tech or aren’table to adjust their schedule to go,” he said, noting that Union’s programisdesigned to be accessiblefor all high school grades “Our goal is just to provide that alternative.”
To thewest, the construction programatNathan HaleHigh School is alsogrowing. Hale’s construction teacher,Kent Harris,has almost 130studentsthis year with each section at capacity.
Designed to potentiallyfeed intomorespecialized classesat TulsaTech, studentswho completeboth yearsofHale’sprogram will have the opportunitytosit forthe Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s10-hour
certification exam.
Alongwithworkplacesafety fundamentals,Harris’ students areintroduced to carpentry, roofing, molding, flooring and electricalwork. Inaddition to providing areal-lifeapplication forfractions,angles and other concepts coveredintheir math classes, for severalstudents, it is alsoachance to getinsome extrapractice on skills learned while working with familymembersinthe industry.
“I’ve been working construction as long as Ican remember and I’ve reallyliked it,”Hale sophomoreJoaquin Gonzalezsaid,
noting thatheisplanning to take electrical classesatTulsa Tech in part becauseofhis classroom experience.
The increased interest from studentsinhands-onclasseshas notjust been limited to constructionprograms East Central High School began offering afour-course sequencein August that covers the material needed to coverthe Federal AviationAdministration’s mechanic certification exam East Central’sprogram uses a curriculumdeveloped through apartnership among Clemson
University, ARCS Aviation, the Aviation Technician Education Council and Choose Aerospace, a trade association of aviation and aerospace companies.
Sinceits launch in August,no studentshavetransferred out of the aerospace program, prompting officials at East Central to start lookingatthe school’smasterschedule for2023-2024 school year to seeifanadditional section canbeadded to better accommodatestudent interest.
EchoingBushyhead, both Harris and officials at East Central said their schools’ programs would not be successful without outside help.Along withhelping facilitate access to materials and tools,Harris, East Central aerospace teacherDwight Long and East Central PrincipalGina Wilson alsospecificallypointed to sitevisitsand guest speakers from industryprofessionals as critical componentstoreinforcing the material and keeping the studentsengaged.
“Somanypartnershavepushed in to help,” Wilson said. “Aswe finish asection, we go on a field trip and do the hands-on portion of what we just coveredin the book. That is the key pieceto keeping the studentsinterested and making suretheyknowexactlywhat they’re getting into.”
lenzy.krehbiel-burton @tulsaworld.com
Topchefs draw moreattention to theimpressivevariety Tulsahas to offer
JAMES D. WATTSJR.TulsaWorld
This year marks an auspicious milestone in Tulsa’srestaurant history. It isthe 50th anniversary of the city’s firstchefdriven, fine-dining establishment: The Razor Clam.
Located in asmall building at 2777 S. Memorial Drive,The Razor Clam was co-owned by chef Rick Kamp,who said in a2016interviewwith the TulsaWorld: “Everyone whowas anyone in Tulsa came through that restaurant, and Iwas allowedtodoanything Iwanted. Iwas doing thingspeople hadn’tseen before, likesweetbreads and whole artichokes Sometimestheartichokescamebackwith the whole leaves eaten.”
Thesedays, Tulsahas manyexcellent fine-dining options,which aredesigned toshowcasetheculinarycreationsof talented and inventive local chefs. And the
city’sfoodscenehasinrecentyearsearned nationalattention,thankstothechefsand restaurantsinconsiderationfortheannual James BeardAwards, considered the Oscars of the American culinaryworld
Thisyear,threeTulsachefswerenamed finalistsintheBestChefSouthwestcategory:LisaBecklund,co-ownerandchefof FarmBar,which specializes in 10-course tasting menus featuring locallysourced ingredients; BenAlexander,whose Mr Kim’sis auniquelypersonal twist on the traditional Korean barbecue and steakhouse; and Paul Wilson, formerly with Boston Title &Abstract,whoinFebruary launchedanewconcept,SansMurs,atthe Silo Event Center
Another unique concept, the chef collective known as Et al., createsthemed eveningsrangingfromJapanesebreakfasts to dessertsfor dinner.Etal. is among finalistsbeing considered fornomination inthemostprestigiousoftheJamesBeard
The
is apopular choiceatFreya Nordic Kitchen in Tulsa, acitythat offersnot only Scandinavian cuisine but also French, German, Chinese,Burmese,British, South American, Caribbean, Cajun-Creole,Middle Eastern, Japanese,Italian, Mexican, Thai, Mediterranean, East Indian,Basque,Indigenous, CentralAmerican, Peruvian, Korean, soul
Awards categories: Best New Restaurant. And the 3Sirens Group,which owns Bird &Bottle along with the three locations of The Bramble, wasnamed a finalist in the Outstanding Restaurateur category James BeardAwardsnominees will be announced March 29
But while high-end dining tends to get agooddealofattention, Tulsaishome to excellent eateries that will satisfyjust about anypalate.
Onecan followHistoricRoute66 down 11th Street to find traditional, vegan and gluten-free doughnuts and pastriesat BigBabyRolls andDoughnut; Nashville-stylehot chicken at Chicken and the Wolf;hamburgercreations at
Flo’sBurgerDiner and HowdyBurger; European dishesatJane’sDelicatessen; superbbreakfast and lunch dishes at Wildflower Cafe; andatrue tasteofTulsa’s historyatthe 115-years-young Ike’s Chili House Steak-and-potatoconnoisseurscango alloutatTheHemingway,Tulsa’snewest high-end steakhouse,ventureout to The Bullinthe Alley, check out the menu at Prhyme DowntownSteakhouse, or head south to Mahogany Steakhouse.
Thosewhofollowavegetarianorvegan dietarefindingmoreoptions,withrestaurantssuch as Chimera, SandosRockin’ Deli,theLocalBisonandCopanezi’sPizza offeringawealthoftastychoicesthateven carnivorescan love
To experiencethe worldfromadining roomtable,onecantraveltoSandSprings forauthentic Italian food at Little Venice,find German and Polish specialties at Margaret’sGermanRestaurant,getatrue tasteofHonduran food at Sin Fronteras, discoverthewealthofThaiandMalaysian foodsatZogamCafe,explorethebuffetat India Palace, enjoy the familyrecipesat the heart of Kai VietnameseCuisine, or tour the Caribbean at Sisserou’s.
OronecansamplethecuisineofScandinavia at FreyaNordicKitchen, which wastheTulsaWorld’stopnewrestaurant of2022,trytheuniquefoodsoftheBasque regions of Spain at Basque,or head out to BrokenArrowtoenjoytheIndigenous-inspired cuisine of Natv
This really just scratches the surfaceof Tulsa’srestaurantscene,whichboastsestablishmentsthat offer French, German, Chinese, Burmese, British, South American, Caribbean, Cajun-Creole, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Thai,Mediterranean,EastIndian,Central American, Peruvian, and Korean cuisine —not to mention the diners, burgerand barbecue joints, sandwich shops, delis, pizzaparlors, coffee houses,soul food, and seafood, just to name afew Inotherwords,whenitcomestofoodin Tulsa,thereismuchtoexploreandenjoy Just be suretobring your appetite.
james.watts@tulsaworld.com
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With the cloud, businesses can overcome physical boundaries by enabling an infrastructure that can be accessed anywhere, anytime. This fosters better collaboration among remote work teams and contributes to business growth.
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By moving to the cloud, you virtually eliminate the investment that’s required for on-site redundant infrastructure. Although cloud computing does have some initial setup costs and training, you can achieve economies of scale at a much faster rate compared to on-site equipment. Cost-effectiveness is one of the major reasons why businesses across Oklahoma –and around the globe--choose the cloud over traditional systems.
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The adoption of cloud computing by small businesses is continuing to soar in popularity. With its low upfront cost and benefits that can include increased efficiency, anywhere access, improved cash flow, improved redundancy and back-up, and enhanced data security it’s easy to understand why.
In terms of aCox Business cloud solution, we offer acomplete portfolio of services designed to make the management of IT simple and easy, so you can maximize ROI and stay focused on growing your business. Best of all, the local Cox Business account team that Northeast Oklahoma companies have relied on to support their traditional technology needs is the same team that’s qualified to create custom managed cloud solutions for your business.
There are many productive reasons why businesses are choosing the cloud over traditional ways of computing and data storage. What follows are a few everyday examples that illustrate why cloud migration is agood choice for businesses of all sizes.
The Cloud is Flexible and Scalable Akey benefit of using the cloud is its scalability. With an on-site data solution, you need to invest in physical servers, networking equipment, and software licenses to scale up your business. And once that investment is made, it’s hard to scale back. Many businesses leverage the cloud to manage their bandwidth requirements, because services can easily scale up or down based on user requirements.
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The cloud offers many advanced security features that ensure your data is securely stored and managed. Features like permission-only access and specified log-on protocols can restrict sensitive data to specific employees, which reduces the chance of abreach by malicious actors.
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Cloud computing technology has been around nearly 20 years, and it’s estimated that over 60% of all corporate data is currently stored in the cloud. By 2025, it’s estimated half of all business IT spending will be for cloud computing. Clearly, both big and small businesses recognize the benefits of cloud computing, and how it positively impacts production, collaboration, security, and revenue.
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Cloud computing has been proven effective for any size business, but small companies can especially benefit from the way it boosts productivity, improves data security, enables automation, and improves workflow. With asolid-yet-flexible cloud strategy, you can create asustainable road map that will help grow and future-proof your business.
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PennyCarnino walked about 27 milesrecentlyinLas Vegas.
Carnino,director of operations at Grigsby’s Carpet, Tile &Hardwood, didn’t getall those stepsinonthe LasVegas Strip.She just returned from SURFACES,the largestNorth American floor covering, stone and tile industry event. Carnino is a regular at the annual summit and brings the industry’slatestideas, technologyand knowledgeback home to Tulsa.
“Wejust gotbackfrom market, so we’veseenall the new introductions of hardwood, vinyl plank,carpet, tile and stone,” Carnino said.
Flooring, just likeany other product, is subject to trends. Carnino’s trip to LasVegas helps keep her in the loop with what is popular.She said rightnow, everything is stilltrending toward neutral colorsliketans and browns. Thenatural color trend has been around afew consecutive years.
“There are always wonderful new introductions thathighlight style and design, but the trend where most people live are the neutral tones,”she said. “Stillthe grays, tan to lighter brown color familyisthe most popular.Wedid noticemore bluetonesthis time around.
“Itseems to be thatpeople are stillgoing to things thatare lighter and brighter,” Carnino said. “And the natural colorsall trend thatway, so it makes sense thatluxury vinyl and wood would allcontinueto trend thatway.”
Grigsby’s has beeninbusiness since1959. Almost every kind of flooring type imaginable has trended and at one point sold at the store.
“In the early‘80smauve was big,”Carnino said. “You don’t see toomuchmauve anymore. At times, the colorshave beenalot darker. Thewoodcolorsgoing to allthe naturals is pretty different rightnow.It’sbeentrending that
wayfor the last couple of years, but in the past, it certainlyhasn’t been thatway.Woodfloorshave allbeen darkerand the luxury vinylplank original trend wasmuchdarker than it is now. ”
It isn’t toodifficult forlocal business managerslikeCarnino to stay ahead of the constantly changing flooring trends. She said Grigsby’s manages by staying in the neutral zone to matchdesiresof local customers.
Geography has something to do with it.
“The coasts seem to color-wise trend alittle different,”Carnino said. “The East Coast tends to be a little darkerand the West Coast and Florida seems to be alittle more pastel. And we’vealwaysbeenthe beige Midwest, Ihatetosay.”
Carnino added the Midwest trends canbecolorful in some areas, but mostlystick with earthier flooring tones.
“It’snot thatwedon’t add our pop of color in other areas, we certainly do,” Carnino said. “But wood colors and other flooring products have beendarkerinthe past, knownas
an old worldstyle, and nowthey’ve alltended to be lighter.We’re stillin amore beige,gray, greigetone. So, as farasthe things thatwestock we stay in thatcolor palette.”
Technological advances are another reason flooring options can become trendy. Carnino usedthe example of polyester, asynthetic fiber thathas beenimprovedinthe last decade “Years and yearsago polyester wasnot agoodfiber,”Carnino said. “They’ve madehugeimprovements in thatareaand so whereas nylon is stillthe most resilient or certainly more resilient, there are lots of polyesterfibers…thatare really great now, but yearsago theywere terrible, back in the ‘70s and ‘80s.”
Some flooring options available at Grigsby’s are created with sustainabilityinmind.
“Wehave alot of companiesthat produce products rightnow with recycledplastic bottlesand there’s some of them thatdothatwith carpet,”Carnino said. “It’sstill an evolution of product moving in that environmentally friendlyway.”
Cork and bamboo are some of
the more environmentally friendly materials shopperscan elect to purchase.
“Asour landfills continuetofill up with products thatwechange and getrid of,those are just some things thatpeople want to think about,”Carnino said. “I think our industry strives to getbetterabout thatall the time, but it’s an ongoing processand that’ssomething where the mills and our vendorscontinue to do research and continueto move forwardinsome of those directions.
Customersinteresting in siding with the latest trends in flooring and tile willhave options as soon as theywalk through the Grigsby’s doors. Samplesare everywhere.
Allthe hardsurface products likeporcelain, ceramic and natural stone is on the rightsideofthe store’s showroom. Theleft side housesthe softsurface products, mainlycarpet, while the back of the store contains the luxury vinylplank and hardwood.
“So, youjust go through those elements and seewhatitisyou really like,”Carnino said. “You can talk with asalesperson and share what type of floor you’re interested in, your lifestyle, if you’ve gotkids and pets because youwant to get something that’sgoing to perform.”
Carnino said Grigsby’s triesto take the guessworkout of making alarge investment in afloor.All products are installedonthe floor to give customersachancetosee what products look likeinreallife.
In addition to the physical displays, Grigsby’s utilizesa digital tool called Roomvo to help customerssee what aflooring option willlook likeintheir homes.
“Lots and lots of the vendors offer tools likethatand Roomvo has alot of the vendorsinthe program thatonceyou scan the QR code, youcan upload apicture of your room. Then youcan download any of those products in your room to seewhatitlookslike,”Carnino said. “Ittakes the guessworkout of what the flooring might look like. Some people canenvision that, some people can’t.For thatreason, it’s a really helpful tool.”
Forthose customerswho want to show their ownpersonal style, Grigsby’s has alot of options to help them completetheir design dreams.
Arecent collegegraduate came to RussellParkerwitha problem.
Parker,DirectorofAdult Career Developmentand Certifications at TulsaTech,said the graduate’s sculpture artdegree wasn’t helping them find ajob. TulsaTech’s Adult part-timeclasses help people in all kindsofsituationsimprove theirjob or find anew one.
“A lotofour students whocome backare youngpeoplewho have gone through college, gottentheir degree,can’t find ajob,and they come backtousand say, ‘Whatcan Ido?
Parker said TulsaTechfacilitates five core learning divisionsacross sixTulsaarea campuses andthe web. It hosts coursesthatcan improve the working livesofpeoplenew to theworkforce or veterans of a field. Students can enroll in cost-friendly courses taughtbyIndustryexpertfaculty to switchcareers or become equipped with new skillstorisethe corporate ladder.
“That’sone of thereasons Ilove this department so much,” Parker
said.“Iget to know people in all differentkinds of circumstances and situationswho just want abetter life forthemselvesand theirfamily andwecan providethattothemata reasonablecost.”
TulsaTech’s course diversityis astonishing.
Theart,education andenrichment program helpsfacilitate careers workingwithpreschoolstudentsand childdevelopment.The business computersand technology umbrella covers everything in the information technology world. Acertification andlicense canhelpstudentsbegin careerssuchassecurityguardsand homeinspectors.The healthcare and wellnesssectorcoversnursing and medicalassisting.Manufacturing, construction andtransportation teachesheavy trades like welding, plumbing andHVAC.
Employersdesirethe skillstaught at TulsaTech. Parker attested to
thestrength of the manufacturing, construction andtransportation field when it comestothe jobsearch
“I cantellyou if anyone wantsto go through plumbing, Icould almost 100% guaranteethattheywould haveajob before they finish with us becausethe construction industryis in such desperateneed of plumbers,” Parker said.“They gethired up usually before they even finish our programand starttoworkbeforethe finish,that’sthe wayitisinalot of ourconstruction areas.”
Theseadult classesare availableto students acrossthe Tulsaarea.
“You just havetobe16toattend oneofour classes,”Parkersaid.“So we havestudentswho come outof high schoolwho aren’t able to come to afull-time program, theycan come in the evening. Or youngpeoplewho havegoneout andgotten ajob that’s alower-payingjob,but they still need to work andhavetocomebackand
gettrained forsomething better.”
TulsaTech employsabout 150 adjunctinstructors,experts in the fieldwho teachtheircrafttoothers.
“All of ourinstructors areprimarily industryexperts whoenjoyteaching what theydo, andwehireonaparttime basis, andtheycomeand teach what theirtrade is in the evening, Parker said
“They areall people whoare either workingorteaching in that area Youaren’tgoing to getsomeone teaching youHVACwho doesn’t work or trainlikeafull-time instructor in that area.” Parker acknowledged the sacrificesofenrolling in classesbut said the benefits canbeevengreater
“You havetobeself-motivated becauseyou’repayingonyourown, you’re giving up your eveningtime,” Parker said.“We just havealot of people whowantanopportunity to improvetheirlifesituation and continue to grow.”
Originally amunitions plant duringWWII, Oklahoma’s MidAmerica Industrial Park has arich historyofre-invention and transformation.
Morethan 60 yearsago,the Oklahoma Legislatureformed a public trust authoritytopurchase the land and capitalizeon Oklahoma’s resourcestoattract jobs and investmenttothe state
Today, MidAmerica Industrial Park is the eighth largest of its kind in the world, the thirdlargest in the United States and the number one largest megasite available in Oklahoma.
“Decades of visionaryleaders at the State Capitol and on MidAmerica’s BoardofTrustees have all contributed to its 60 years of success,” said MidAmerica CEO David Stewart.“The continuity of leadership and conservative, strategic investments have laid the groundwork forthe growth we are experiencing.”
With aconsiderable critical mass of morethan 80 companies and an employmentbase of more
than 4,500 people in differentand diverse industrysegments, the park generates morethan $732 million in wages and salaries each year.Itishome to five Fortune 500 companies, includingthe secondlargest Google Data Center in the world.
MidAmerica is centrally located between Tulsa and Northwest Arkansas, which is home to the largest concentration of corporate wealth in the United States. It is within 300 miles of 10 major metropolitan cities and has a next-dayservicecapabilityto23% of the U.S.population. MidAmerica’s transportation, distribution and logistics boasts access to four interstates, on-site Union Pacific rail and switchyard,the nation’s most inland water port, and two
international airports
“Likeany business, an organization must continuously evolve, not only to remain relevant, but also to surpass the competition,” Stewart said. “For the last 10 years, we have methodically positioned MidAmerica as amegasite fora megaemployer.”
MidAmerica’s considerable competitiveadvantages arealso responsible forexplosiveprospect interest
On-site partner,the Grand River DamAuthorityprovides reliable and cost-effectiveelectricity from adiverse portfolio of powergeneration. MidAmerica’s investmenttoexpand its ownwater and wastewater treatmentplants ensures the Park can be nimble and responsivetoanew employers
growth and infrastructureneeds.
The evolution of MidAmerica Industrial Park into amulti-faceted employmentcenter is even more evidentasitprepares forpopulation growth in anticipation of anew, major employer. MidAmerica is attractingand incentivizingnew housingdevelopments, recruiting newretail and entertainmentand investinginparks, biketrails and natural resources.
“In recent years, our focus has been on turninginnovation into implementation and reducing barrierstoour region’s economic advancement,”Stewart said. “Weare at atippingpointwhere amajor projectwill complete the transformation of not only MidAmerica, but positively impactall of Oklahoma.”
RCB Bankwas formed in 1936duringthe Great Depression whenpeople were strugglinginGreen Country. People needed help becauseotherbanks were notmeeting their needs. RCB Bank’s founders stepped in to helplocal citizenskeep their farms afloat and their businessesoperating. RCB Bank madebold movestolendmoney, becauseitknewaperson’s character —not just their accountbalance—was worththe investment RCB Bank is aboutrelationships, community and boldness.Itbelievesinbuildingrelationships withcustomerstohelp better understand and serve their needs, anditbelieves in building stronger communities by providing financial servicestohelp citizens thriveand local businesses grow.Ittakes boldsteps to meetthe needs of its communities, even in tough times.
“AtRCB Bank, we understand that thesuccess of our communities aredirectly tied to the success of all businesses withinthem,” RCB Bank President and CEORogerMosier said.“That’s whyweare deeply invested in and connected to the community.Wetakeprideinthe fact that we areapartofthe local community andnot just a financial institution operating within it.”
RCB Bank regularly participates in community events and sponsors local schools, organizations and charities.
“Webelieve in the powerofeducationto
empowerindividuals and families to takecontrol of their financial futures,”said Skiatook and Bartlesville MarketPresidentGeoff McGoffin.
“Wealso understand the importantrolethat smallbusinesses playinthe community,and we arecommitted to supporting their growth and success. We areproud to be atrusted financial partnerfor manyofthe small businessesand organizationsinour communities.
In addition to its community involvement,RCB Bank also prides itself on providingpersonalized and responsiveservice to its customers.
Thebank’s customer service is drivenbyits community-based approach.
“AtRCB Bank,webelieve thatbanking shouldbeapersonal and relationship-driven experience,”said Broken Arrow,Coweta and Union Market President RichardWillhour.“We work closelywith our customerstounderstand their unique needsand provide financial solutions that aretailored to meet those needs.Weknow
ourcustomers by name, notjustbyaccount number, and we arealwaysavailabletohelp them with any financialneed theymay have.
“Small businesses arethe backboneofour economyand we areproud to supportthem through ourlendingprograms,” VP Loan Officer Robin BrownofClaremoresaid. “Weunderstand that startingand running abusinesscan be challenging, andweare committed to providing the resources and supportneeded to help these businesses succeed.”
Because of RCB Bank’s progressivespirit to loan in tough times, it hasbuilt loyalcustomers and servedthe needs of multi-generation families.
“Withoutthe dedication of principled leaders andemployees, RCB Bank could notserve as a responsible citizen of thecommunityorprovide high-quality customer service,” Mosier said. “Aswegrow, we makeitagoal nottolose the personal connection while simultaneously taking
advantageoftechnologyadvancementstomeet the evolving needsofour customers. We are proud of ourpersonal, individualizedapproach to customerservice.”
RCB Bank offersawide rangeof financial servicestoits customers, including personal and business banking, mortgage lending andwealth management.
“Weare committed to providing our customers with afull rangeof financial servicesthatwill help them achieve their financial goals,” said OwassoMarketPresidentSkip Mefford. “We areaone-stop-shopfor all of our customers’ financialneeds.”
It’seasy to seewhy so manyofits customers say“RCB Bank, that’smybank!” RCBBankisa$3.8billioncommunitybankwith64locationsin 35citiesacrossOklahomaandKansas.Foundedin1936,RCB Bankiscommittedtoservingitscommunitieswithconservative bankingpracticesandprogressivebankingproducts.Learnmore atRCBbank.comorgiveusacallat855.226.5722.Lendingservices availablewithapprovedcredit.MemberFDIC,EqualHousing Lender,NMLS#798151.
Aninstitutionis onlyasstrongonthe foundationonwhich itrests.AndatRCB Bank,itsrootsrun nearly90years deep,anchoringan extremelysound foundation.
The delicious food produced by Tulsa’sthriving restaurant scene, the comfortable nights at home watching your favorite shows, and the peace of mind that businesses can stay open during winter weather.All these things have asurprising common denominator: natural gas. Natural gas is the heartbeat of many Tulsans’ dayto-day lives. That’swhy Oklahoma Natural Gas takes pride in delivering natural gas to 905,000 Oklahomans each day
What makes natural gas so crucial to the lives of Tulsans? Here are five reasons:
1. Natural gas is reliable –always there when you need it the most.
What does reliability mean to you? Is it the dependable blue flame always there when you’re ready to cook dinner after a long day? Or is it the comfort in knowing your family will stay warm during chilly Oklahoma winters? Snow,rain or shine, you can count on natural gas flowing to your home or businesses. That’swhy over 71 million American households use natural gas, according to the American Gas Association.
2. Natural gas is versatile –offering warmth, comfort and convenience.
Natural gas is commonly used for stoves, furnaces and clothes dryers, but that is only afraction of the possibility of its use. Natural gas fuels many of our day-to-day activities. It’sthe power behind manufacturing plants that drive our local economy.Itroasts delicious coffee beans at your favorite cafe. It heats swimming pools when you’re ready for adip at night. It’sakey component of fertilizers used by Oklahoma ranchers and farmers. It can even be used as afuel for fleet vehicles like buses and trash trucks.
3. Natural gas is affordable –allowing customers to do more and use less energy
The last year has been challenging with higher prices on avariety of everyday items. While most things have become more expensive, natural gas is still one of the most affordable residential energy sources. In fact, it’sestimated that households that use natural gas for heating, cooking and clothes drying save an average
of $1,068 per year compared to homes using electricity for those applications. In Oklahoma, natural gas is three times more affordable than other energy sources.
4. Natural gas fuels innovation –an essential part of aclean energy future. Agrowing number of Oklahomans are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and natural gas can play acritical role. Oklahoma Natural Gas actively evaluates our operational practices for emission reduction opportunities and invests in the research and development of new technologies to pave the way for amore sustainable future. In combination with renewable energy,natural gas has already contributed to the decline of U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to the lowest levels in nearly 25 years. By focusing on emissions reduction and clean energy now,natural gas will be
part of abright future for Tulsans for generations to come.
5. Natural gas supports other energy sources –providing stability to the energy system.
Around the clock, seven days aweek, natural gas works well with renewable energy sources like wind and solar.Our modern way of life requires alot of energy –all the time. Natural gas ensures there is asteady supply of power 24 hours aday This reliability is acritical backup for other energy sources to deliver power to your home when you need it regardless of the weather
Natural gas is reliable and affordable, supporting your life and the community’s future.
Want to learn more about how natural gas helps your life? Visit oklahomanaturalgas.com/choose-gas.
