Tulsa World Outlook 2022: Business

Majorprojectspartofhuge investment in city’s future

G.T. BYNUM TulsaMayor

Tulsaisexperiencing the greatest period of investment in our city’shistory, and the year ahead of us will markthe culmination of yearsof planning and work by the citizens of Tulsawho approved the Vision Tulsaand ImproveOur Tulsacapital improvementspro grams

The Vision Tulsaeconomic development projectswere chosenina cooperative process,withTulsans coming to town hall meetingstotelltheir citygovernment what they would support. And in the 2016 election, thevoterssupported Vision Tulsabya nearly 2-to-1 margin.

In asimilar wayfor both ImproveOur Tulsapackages,citizens came to public meetings and gave their opinions about what theythought should be funded. Voters approved Improve Our Tulsaand ImproveOur Tulsa 2in2013and 2019, respectively, choosing to invest their public funds to maintain and improve Tulsa’sinfrastructureand services

It is this kind of collective action in Tulsathat brought us to mid-February2022, when we cut aribbon with Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell and officials from USA BMX, TulsaRegional Chamber and the Greenwood Chamber at the grand opening of the USA BMX National Headquarters and HardestyNational BMX Stadium in the Greenwood District.

This project wasmadepos sible through partnership,with $15million from Vision Tulsa, $6.5 millionfromthe Tulsa Parking Authority and other city funds,and $1.5 million from the HardestyFamily Foundation Vision Tulsaalsohas funded a$48 million project currently under construction at Zink Dam in the Arkansas River. To improvesafetyand functioning of the dam, the newdam will have increasedheight and length of

The project

project started in fall 2020,and we areexpecting to completeitin latesummer 2023

Along with our better Zink Dam, we arebuilding anew, iconic pedestrian bridgeacross the river, with Gathering Place managing itsconstruction alongside the dam.

This bridgereplaces the old Midland ValleyRailroadbridge from the early 20th century. City funding forthis project includes $15million from Vision Tulsaand $12.4million from other capital funds.Construction began in spring 2021, and completion is scheduled forspring 2023 AlsothankstoVision Tulsa, we arepreparing to breakground in early Maytobuild anew 91,340-square-foot Gilcrease Museum. Tulsaneeds this new, state-of-the-art facilitytohouse Gilcrease Museum’spriceless collection, including the world’s largest public holding of art of the American West.

In apublic-private partner ship,this project is funded with $65million from Vision Tulsa, and the A.R. and Marylouise TandyFoundation provided a lead gift of $10 million. Construction is expected to be completebythe end of 2024.

As forImprove Our Tulsa, this capital improvementspackage contains many elements, but among thedozens of street projects, one stands out —the largest road project in Tulsa’s history —widening South Yale Avenue between 81st Street and 91st Street from twolanes to six lanes.With aconstruction contracttotaling$29,257,000, this historic amountreflects the complexityofthe project, eliminating sharpcurvesand steep drop-offsand building awider roadbedsupported by retaining walls

Construction of this project began in November 2021, and completion is scheduled forfall 2023

As we areapproaching adecade of strengthening our infrastructurethrough ImproveOur Tulsa, we arebuilding forTulsa’s futurethrough Vision Tulsa. We Tulsans areworking together to makeour cityabetter placeto live and thrive

G.T. Bynum hasbeen mayorofTulsa since2016

largerand

IANMAULE,TULSA WORLD

USA BMX CEOB.A. Anderson speaks duringa ribbon-cuttingceremonyfor the USA BMX headquartersinTulsa in February.

IANMAULE,TULSA WORLD

ABMX cyclist jumps on aramp while spectatorswatch in Februaryduringthe ribbon-cuttingceremonyfor the newUSA BMXHall of Fame,headquarters, museum and track in Tulsa.

ICUexpansion toadd 36new beds

TIMSTANLEY TulsaWorld

Officials with Ascension St. John didn’tneed aglobal pandemic to tell them that their ICU needed to grow But COVID-19, which has continued to put astrain on hospital ICUs, definitelyunderscoredthe point.

“We’dbeen studying it forsome time and recognized that when youlook at the numbers, when youlook at the regional draw for our health system, we were alreadyshort ICUcapacity,”said Jeff Nowlin, St. John CEO.

“But certainly, the pandemic helped validateand shine alight on the need.”

To meet that need, officials re centlyannounced a$27 million plan to expand the adult ICUat Ascension St. John Medical Center, 1923 S. UticaAve

The project, which will getunderwaythis spring and be completed in 2024,will add 36 beds to the current 60

While it could help relieve the well-publicized strain on state ICUs, Nowlin emphasized the expansion is not primarilyabout the pandemic

“Eveniftomorrowthe pandemic disappeared, we don’tsee the need forICU capacitygoing away,” Nowlin said.

“What we seehereand in north east Oklahoma is ademographic whofight avarietyofillnesses, and (for whom) intensive care is aneed.”

The expansion, located in the hospital’sJ.A. Chapman Tower, will have twophases: The first will add 18 cardiovascular ICUbeds, the second 18 surgical ICUbeds

Oncethe project is finished, it will position the health system at the forefront of regional, critical care access,officials said.

As previouslyreported, to createthe space, St. John is closing, effective April 30,its pediatric ICU and general pediatric inpatient unit. Saint Francis Health System officials,who areworking with St. John to accommodateany needed transfers,have stated that theyare morethan capable of picking up the slack at The Children’sHos pital at Saint Francis

Adult ICU, Nowlin said, “was just abigger need forusand we have aprovider that does (pediatric intensive care)well in the market.”

He said the situation is similar to howthe twohealth systems workedtogether previouslyto addresskidneytransplants.

“A fewyears ago, we hadtwo kidneytransplant programs in the community.And when youlooked at the numbersand the needs,that reallyprobablywasn’tneeded,” Nowlin said.

“Saint Francis made the deci sion to getout of kidneytransplant service. So theyworkedwith us,

we workedwith them. Theysaid ‘you guys do it well, you’ve gotall the services.’So nowwe’ve gotone kidneytransplant programinour community.”

St. John currentlyhas seven pediatric ICUbeds compared to Saint Francis’ 20

While the numbersriseinthe winter with flu and RSVcases,the St. John’sunit on averageserves onlytwo patientsaday

Saint Francis “has the capacity, along with the depth and breadth of specialties that support the sickest of children,”Nowlin said, adding that the move forSt. John just made sense.

St. John’spediatric ambulatory and surgical services and neonatalintensive care will all continue uninterrupted.

“None of that changes,” Nowlin said.

The expansion complements the recentlyannounced bed expansions at St. John hospitals in Owasso and Broken Arrow,along with the establishment at the Tulsahospital of the Ascension St. John Women’sand Children’s Surgical Unit, which will offer 26 beds and focus on the post-oper ative care of women and children.

St. John officials will alsobreak ground in March on a40-bed in-

patient rehabilitation facilityin Owasso,a $24million joint venturewith EncompassHealth.

All told,the planned expansions reflect a$67 million capital invest ment, Nowlin said.

“It’s reallyexciting the investmentsthat we’remaking, both hereinTulsa and wherewe have hospitals on the ground in fast-growing communities like Owasso andBrokenArrow.These areall big investmentsincommu nities that need the services and we’rejust excited to be able to provide that.”

STEPHEN

TULSA WORLDFILE

Asculptureofthe Ascension logo sits in acourtyardatAscension St.John Medical Center in

expansion projectisset to begin this spring

be completed

STEPHEN PINGRY,TULSA WORLD

Nurse AssistantSelena Wakeman and RN Jennifer Wolf work at the nurses desk in the ICU at Ascension St.John Medical Center in Tulsa on March 3.

STEPHEN PINGRY,TULSA WORLD NursingmanagerRachel Shields talkswith acoworker in theICU at Ascension St.John Medical Center in Tulsa on March 3.

No matter what timeitisorwhere

access

can

Francisprovider

OUTLOOK

We all want to staysafeand healthy—but an illness,accidentorinjurycan happen to anyone,atany time.When theydo, youwant to be ready.Here’show to know whereyou shouldgofor care.

When to visit UrgentCare:

“Urgentcare fills agap forpeoplewho become ill or injured and their primarycarephysician is unavailable or cannot takeanimmediate appointment. At Warren Clinic UrgentCare, we have X-rayequipment, an on-sitelab and very experienced personnel,”says Dana Davis,M.D amember of the Warren Clinic UrgentCare team who is boardcertified in bothinternal medicine and pediatrics

If apatientneedsahigher level of care, urgent carephysicians coordinate carewith the receiving physician in the ER, saving youpain and discomfort, as well as time and money

“Urgentcarewait times aregenerally shorter on average,than the ER,”says Dr.Davis.“And

while insuranceplans vary,the urgentcare costs aregenerally in line with your primary careco-pay.

24/7 Virtual UrgentCare

Foradded convenience, there’salso careyou can access from the comfortofyour home.No matter whereyou areinOklahoma, Warren Clinic Virtual UrgentCarelets youschedule avideo visit with aSaintFrancis provider 24/7/365.

Simply visit saintfrancis.com/urgentcare to startyour video visit

When to visitthe EmergencyRoom:

If youare in alifeorlimb-threatening situation, do not delayortry to “tough it out”—get to the ER as soon as possible

SaintFrancis Health System offers emergencyservices 24/7/365 at several hospital locations,including SaintFrancis Hospital’s Trauma Emergency Center and

Pediatric EmergencyCenterand ER locations at SaintFrancis HospitalSouth, SaintFrancis Glenpool, SaintFrancis Hospital Muskogee and SaintFrancis Hospital Vinita

Don’t delayyour healthcare. During the past twoyears of the pandemic, some have delayedimportanthealthcare. Please do not wait to get the careyou or a lovedone needs

As Oklahoma’s largest health system, SaintFrancis offers state-of-the-art services,convenientlocations,24/7/365 availability and an expertteam of dedicated professionals committed to providing you and your lovedones the best possible health outcomes—anytime and anywhere.

Knowwhen youshould visit the urgentcareoremergencyroom, and develop aplan of action in advance.

Visit Urgent Care

SaintFrancis Trauma EmergencyCenter 6161 South Yale Avenue,Tulsa, OK (Southwest side of SaintFrancis Hospital main emergencyentrance)

SaintFrancis Pediatric EmergencyCenter 6161 South Yale Avenue,Tulsa, OK (Southwest side of SaintFrancis Hospital

SaintFrancis Hospital South

East 91st Street South (91st and Hwy169), Tulsa,

Visit the EmergencyRoom

youhaveany of the following:

•Brokenbones and dislocated joints

•Deep cuts thatrequirestitches

•Severefluorcold symptoms

•Severerespiratory symptoms

•Sudden change in mental state

•High fever

•Fever with rash

•Fever in infants

•Fainting or loss of consciousness

•Head or eyeinjuries

•Severepain (especially in the chest, abdomen or lowerback)

•Bleeding thatwon’t stop

•Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy

•Repeatedvomiting

•Serious burns

•Seizures without aprevious diagnosis of epilepsy

•Overdose

•Loss of vision

SaintFrancis Glenpool

West 151st Street South, Glenpool,OK SaintFrancis Hospital Muskogee

Rockefeller Drive, Muskogee,OK SaintFrancis Hospital Vinita

NorthForeman, Vinita, OK

Call 911

youexperience:

dizziness

of stroke, including:

speech

headache

numbness

of consciousness

other lifeor

Thebenefits of

CloudComputing for SmallBusiness

Agilityiskey forsmall businessownersand their employees, especiallyintoday’s ever-changing business climate. This means having information and resources exactlywhen needed, whether your employees areontheir laptops, tablets, and mobile phones ..inthe office,out in the field or on the road.

Added agilityisexactly wherecloud computing comes in. Cloud computing is amanaged digital service that allows userstoaccess important programs and dataanywheretheyhavean internet connection.

With itslow upfront costand benefitsthat can include increasedefficiency, anywhereaccess,improved cash flow, and reduced risk during acrisis,it’shardto imagine whyany business would not at least consider the advantages associated with making amovetothe cloud. Here arejust afew noteworthybenefits.

IncreasedFlexibilityand Collaboration

One of the biggest benefitsofpivoting to cloud computing is the increased flexibilityitoffersyour company. No matter what type of businessyou’re in, there’sacloud-based app that canhelp youget things done moreefficiently.

Apps likeShopify, for example, bring inventory management, point-of sale, order tracking, and e-commerce intoasingle application. Microsoft 365 is another cloud-based productivitysolution that letsemployees collaborate

on projects, download important files,and work directlyonspecialized computer programs

From payroll and accounting appstomarketing and management tools,the cloud canhelp solvebusiness problems quicklyand efficientlybyallowing youto add newtools to your toolkit as needs arise.

Scalability: Features that will Grow with Your Business

Most small businessesare looking forwaystogrowand expand.

But there’sadanger in growing toofast too quicklyand outpacing your infrastructure. This can lead to arangeofissues that canhaveanegative effect on thingslikebudget and finances,HRand payroll, product delivery,and customer engagement.

Thesetypes of problems onlybecome moredifficult if you’re using some sort of inhousesolution. Forexample, while a“do it yourself” solution fortracking calls canworkverywell when you’re dealing with alimited number of customers, you’re going to run intoproblems if yousuddenlyneed to rapidly scale your customer service.

The good news is that there arecloud-based solutions in placethat canhelp solve your needs today, as well as keep pace with your growth and help youget thingsdone tomorrow.That’s the power of the cloud—youhavethe flexibilitytoadd capacityas youneed it, without having to reinvent the wheel.

IncreasedResilienceand Reduced Risk

Most small businessesare thinking about managing

day-to-dayactivities,not about what they’re going to do if adisaster strikes.This is totallyunderstandable; there’ssomuch to worry about when you’re running a small businessthat planning foranything elsebeyond keeping the lightsonand the doorsopen feels likean unnecessary distraction.

Nevertheless, youstill need to makethe time to plan fora crisis

If you’re not prepared for acrisis,you aren’talone. Seventy-fivepercent of small businessownersdon’thavea plan in placefor what they’ll do if adisaster strikes

Fifty-twopercent of small businessownerssay that it would take at least three months to recoverfroma disaster.Overshadowing all of this is the simple fact that 40 percent of small businessesnever reopen after adisaster shutsthem down.

Businesscloud services enable your team to perform key jobfunctions,nomatter wherethey’re working from. Moving your key dataand businessprocessestothe cloud provides youwith the redundancies youneed to makesurethat youdon’t lose key dataorfunctionality when disaster strikes

In addition, ahostedvoice solution allows youtopick up the phone even if your office experiences aservice interruption. Cloud storage offsitemeans youcan still get at the information youneed even if youcan’tphysically access your ownequipment.

As Oklahomans,weknow that severe weather alone has become afour-season concern. And that doesn’t take intoconsideration things likefires, databreeches, cyberattacksand other natural disasters. Makesure

youhaveaplan forwhatever scenario might occur

Improved Resource Utilization

Beyond the worst-case scenario,moving to the cloud canlighten the load whoever manages your company’sIT functions.This is especially true if youtakeadvantageof amanaged serviceprovider to help with day-to-daytasks likenetwork monitoring and support.

In asmall business, it’s often astruggle to put out everyfire;that putsyou in a reactive mode, whereyou’re responding to problems as theyarise. The problem with areactive approach to managing your infrastructure is that it doesn’tleaveroom forinnovation. You’re not thinking ahead because you’re spending so much time figuring out howto deal with what has already happened.

Shifting intoaproactive mindset is imperative if you hope to bring innovation intoyour business. Taking advantageofcloud-based monitoring and IT solutions helpsmakethat possible by offloading the reactive work, which in turn frees-up your team to focus on growing and advancing your business.

Reduced Business Expenses

Formanybusinesses, the costsaving benefits of cloud computing is critical. Regardlessofthe sizeofyour business, you canfind significant savings through reduced spending on computer equipment, IT resources, software and more. The costofabusinessoriented cloud serviceisstill amonthlyexpense, but it’s a manageable and predictable

expense.

In addition, cloud computing canprovide a small businesswith access to tools,programs,and applications theyneed, but that might otherwisenot be affordable.

The lowupfront costs of moving to the cloud, combined with these other benefits, makeita worthwhile consideration for almost anysmall business.

IncreasedCapabilityand Capacity

Most IT professionals agree that cloud computing is the futurefor small businesses; what’s great is that it’s available today. Cloud computing puts“big company” capabilityand capacitywithin reach of a smaller business’ resources and budgets. And it provides access to state-of-the-art datacenters, with highly trained expertswho will keep youupand running 24-7

The competitive advantages of cloud computing, including the ease of moving dataand applications,makes it an opportunitythat’s too important to ignore. For the benefitsnoted here, and more, it’s worth investigating howacloud solution canhelp contributetoyour company’s performance, productivity and ROI.

TulsaTechlaunchesProject SEARCH

Anewinitiativewas recently launched by TulsaTech that helpsadultswith intellectualand developmental disabilities gain employabilityand lifeskills.Theseskills will help to further independencebyobtaining competitive employment in various servicecareer fields

This January, Project SEARCH launched foradults18 24 yearsold, while asecond programcalled CERT Culinarywill begin later this summer Project SEARCH is anine month,unpaid internship program that provides career training opportunities.Itwas developed in 1996 by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center,and nowhas grownrootshereinGreen Country.

The programisapartnership between TulsaTech, Saint Francis, Employment Resources, Inc Oklahoma Rehabilitation Services and the UniversityofOklahomaOutreach.

“Bringing Project SEARCH to Tulsawas my main goal. Aprogram likethis is special becauseofthe collaboration,”Elena Morales,Special Services Advisor at TulsaTech, said with asmile.“It trulytakes ateam forthe programand intern to be successful.”

“Weare the ninth programin Oklahoma but the onlyprogram in this sector of the state,”said Dr Teresa Berg,a coordinator in Tulsa Tech’sAdult Career Development department.Throughout the internship,studentsexplore personal lifeskills and employability skills,such as jobreadinessand independent living.

“Theyspend fivehourswithin their internship department and are encouraged to eatlunch with their co workers,” Morales said.“This really helpsthem build on social skills, confidence, and workplaceetiquette.”

According to the U.S. Department of Labor,the unemployment rate for people ages 16 64 with disabilities

was9.7 percent in January2022. The unemployment rate forpeople ages 16 64 without disabilities was4.3 percent.

“During the application process, we seek alot of information about the student to makesurethey’re going to be agood fit. Some studentsare coming straight from high school.

Some mayhavegraduated and been out of high school forthe last few years,”Bergsaid.

Through the Project SEARCH program, interns acquire competitive jobskills, gain increased independence, confidenceand self esteem. Theyreceive on site individualizedinstruction and support at the host businesssite, which is Saint Francis Hospital.

The interns aregiven three 10 week rotations, wheretheyreceive enhanced employment training support in different departments throughout the hospital such

as: culinary, housekeeping, the Children’shospital, labor and delivery,neurophysiology and other clinical areasaswell as supplyand distribution.

“Theyare trained to do specific systematic skillswithin each of those departments,”Bergsaid.

The design of Project SEARCH is that the skills will be transferable to other areasofemployment within the community.

“What’s greatabout the Project SEARCH model, is that it captures those kids whomight otherwisebe missed,”Morales said.“The other fantastic thing about Project SEARCH is that it has averysuccessful job placement record.”

Studentsworkdirectlywith staff from each of the internship sites,and theyare assignedamentor within their department whohelpstoguide and train them.The programtrainers customizethe learning experience

foreach intern. The trainerswill go within each departmenttodevelop task analysis to makethe on the job training successful foreach of the interns

“If astudenthas alower abilityto read, staff cantakethe assignedtask and breakitintoapictureschedule, so theycan followthe pictures versus the written language. We will meet the student wherethey’re at, so whatever supportsthat theyneed to be successful in that internship site, our teachersand skills trainerscreate task analysis forthem,”Bergsaid.

After the programiscompleted, Saint Francis canchoose to hirethe interns,however the skills gained during the internshipwill also translatewell to other jobs across our region.“Weare excited to provide the setting fortheseinterns to learn and grow.This programisa “win win” forSaint Francis,the interns and the community,”saysTeraLatta, Human

ResourcesManager forSaint Francis and the Project SEARCH program’s businessliaison.

Interns will receiveguidancewith applying forjobs, helping towards the goal of independent community employment, leading to aliving wage and independent living.

“Theyhavemoreopportunitythan they’ve ever had previously,”Berg added

With the independence gained through the program, studentsbuild and grow confidenceinthemselves and their abilities,which canleadto moreadvocacyfor themselves. If they go to the doctor,for example,they might be moreconfident to speak up.Project SEARCH alsoteaches fiscalresponsibility, providing new knowledgefor studentsnow able to affordahome or apartment and live independently.

Berg says that studentsgain skills in howtobuild relationshipswith employees,co workers and peers.

“We’re taking asector of Oklahoma’spopulationthat has not traditionallybeen included in the workforce, and cannow be included in amoreviable way,”Bergsaid.

To inquiremoreabout the Project SEARCH or CERTCulinary programs,call (918) 828 5000 for moreinformation or to request an application.

Let Grigsby’stake guess work out of remodeling Expertsencourage preplanningand navigating

Remodeling your home sounds like afun idea until you’re in the thick of it.

Suddenly those visions of a“wet room” bathroom with heated tile floors, new hardwoods throughout the living room, dining room and office, and the luxury vinyl plank floors in the family room downstairs seem distant.

Those grand ideas have been replaced with alayer of dust an eighth of an inch thick created by all of the tile that has been removed.

You’re eating takeout for the 23rd night in arow in the bedroom –the only livable room in the house –while you wait for the new tile or hardwood to show up, and you’re realizing that it’d be better to eat boxed mac and cheese now that unexpected costs have left you half-broke. If only you could use the kitchen.

That’sanightmare scenario, but it’srooted in reality,says Penny Carnino, director of operations at Grigsby’sCarpet, Tile and Hardwood in Tulsa. And reality is right where she wants her potential customers to be.

That’sbecause she knows that the experts at Grigsby’scan help customers turn potential remodeling nightmares into the homes of their dreams.

“When you watch HGTV, they’re not really good about showing the horrible mess that comes with any remodeling project,” Carnino said. “I think there are alot of people that don’t grasp that.”

“Wetry to manage it as best we can, but there’sgoing to be a mess,” she said.

“Also, in aperfect world, there are no back orders or delays,” she said. “Realistically,those things are happening right now,especially with the way things are in the ports, then there are no truck drivers, and then there are supply issues due to labor shortages.”

And lastly,costs are only increasing.

“More price increases are coming. That’safact,” Carnino said. “I would not delay one minute if you want something done for the holidays.”

Telling customers that their dreams will be messy,take time and cost money might not sound

like agreat business strategy,but Carnino wants clients to know that Grigsby’scan help them navigate the reality minefield and end up with the beautiful home they envisioned.

As far as the mess, know that there is going to be one, she says. The installers will keep it to a minimum, that the cleanup won’t take forever,and that it will be worth it.

Grigsby’shas atool on its website that allows visitors to try out new designs by uploading photos of their rooms and then choose flooring options so they can better visualize what the new floor looks like in their space.

“That really helps take part of the guesswork out of it,” Carnino said. “But first thing, once you have an idea of what you want, come in the store and start the looking process. Always check to see what’sinstock. We always have great values in style and design that customers are looking for.”

“Showrooms can be overwhelming, but if you’ve been online and at least know what you like, our experienced staff can guide you in

the right direction.”

If at all possible, “don’t start a project until all of your material is in hand,” she said.

Don’t put off the project too long.

“If it’sfeasible for you to do it, now’sagreat time. It’sgoing to be less expensive now than it will be later,” she said.

“Wejust really want people heading into that remodeling process to be aware of what they’re getting into and know in the end it’sworth it.”

PENNY CARNINO DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Grigsby’sCarpet, Tile & Hardwood

TheRiseofRelocation

recruitnewworkers

and states are

morethan ever,the competition for employees is

incentives forworkerstomove

census data shows workersare leavingcrowded urban areas to re-evaluate their core values andactively seek opportunities to become apartofa community.

Available jobs continue to grow at employers locatedatMidAmerica Industrial Park,but the population growth within MayesCounty has remainedstatic forthe last 10 years. MidAmerica seeks to reversethat trend “The futureofMayesCounty dependsnot only on our abilitytocreate newjobs, but also to create the lifestyle to retain our current workforceand to attractnew workers,” said MidAmerica CEODavid Stewart.“With more than 4,500 workersatMidAmerica, every town across all four cornersofMayesCounty, has citizens makingaliferighthereinour communities.”

In anticipation of substantial futuregrowth in jobs, MidAmerica has recently engaged Design Workshop,anaward-winning, landscape architectural and planningfirm to assist communityleaders in MayesCounty with creatingalong-term strategic plan for qualityoflifeimprovements.

“Asyoungworkersmakedecisions to relocate,weknowtheirprimaryreasons

areadesiretoown ahome,connect to acommunity, and startafamily.These goals areachievable and affordable within the communities of MayesCounty

MidAmerica’s initial investmentindeveloping a‘Placemaking Plan’will ensurethe communities areprepared to successfully meet these needs,” Stewart said.

In collaboration with communityleadersin MayesCounty,the strategic planningprocess will focus on building capacitybyattracting and incentivizingnew housingdevelopments; improvingtransportation and infrastructure, recruitinginvestmentsincommercial and mixed-use development,investinginparks, biketrails, natural resources, and community assets and contributingtoeducation resourcesfor highereducation,tech training and K-12 schools

Concurrently,this process will establish a regional economic development strategywith stakeholderssuch as Northeast Oklahoma Regional Alliance, Northwest Regional PlanningCommission, Oklahoma Works, Grand GatewayEconomic Development Association,Northeast Workforce DevelopmentBoard, Tulsa Regional

Chamber,the Cherokee Nation, and regional governments.

“This effortwill identifygaps in existing economic developmentplans to create a comprehensiveand compelling vision focused on growingour region,” Stewart said.

In recent months, MidAmerica launched“Life in Our Neck of the Woods,” an investmentin amarketingcampaign to recruit newworkers and citizens to the area. The campaign showcases the regional quality of lifeassets presented in a“weekends, weekdays and weeknights”theme

“Asnew workersconsider relocating, affordability is an importantdecisionfactor, but not the only one,” Stewart said. “Other factorssuch as access to concerts, museums, sports, biketrails, ballet, shopping, boating, and fishingare equally as importantto key factorssuch as housing, education, transportation,healthcare, and income.”

Forseveral yearsnow,MidAmerica has achievedgreat success in developingand executingaworkforcedevelopmentplan for Northeast Oklahoma. In fact, MidAmerica servesasthe “best practices”example for

Work at

the entirestate by bringingthe needs of industry together with educationand training resources.

“In 2022, approximately11,800 high school students in Northeast Oklahoma will graduate and move on to the next phase in life.

Whether that next phase includes studyinga trade or attendingatraditional university, we want to be surethat MidAmerica employers have the opportunitytoreach these students and recruit them to work here,”Stewart said.

With a$2.5millioninvestment in best-in-class STEM Labs in 18 school districts, MidAmerica’s high school programs engage with 3,000 students annually.Together with the on-site career and trainingcenter and the on-site RogersState Universitycampus, MidAmerica is providingadirectpath from high school to acareer withany of its currentand future employers

“Every day, our team is focused on helping our employers be successful,” Stewart said.

“However,for our employers to be successful, our surrounding communities must also be a partofthe equation forsuccess.”

Veteran-ownedOwassoLiquor& Winegivesbacktocommunity

Sponsored contentfor OWASSO LIQUOR

Years ago,aparticular American-made automobile manufacturer wanted us to know thatits carwentperfectly with baseball hot dogs and apple pie in the good ol’USA.

Advertising wasdifferentthen, buta lot of Americans even then probably would have added cold beer to those summertime-themed television commercials Andy O’Neal,who owns Owasso Liquor &Wine,would be one of them.

Thestore,justeastofU.S.169andnorth of 86th Street North, has been meeting Owasso’sretail liquor needs since 1991.

Owasso Liquor &Wine is open from 9 a.m. to 9p.m. Mondaythrough Saturday and from noon to 6p.m. on Sunday.

O’Neal said his father –who wasa wholesale beer supplier when O’Neal wasyoung –opened the liquor store when O’Neal wasinhigh school“because he couldn’t get the scotch he wanted in Owasso andhad to drivetoTulsa to getit.”

“Atone point, we were the only liquor storeinOwasso,andwe’vejustgrownwith the city,”hesaid

O’Neal eventually inherited the store from his father,but before that, he served another kind of tour of duty.

He wasinthe Navy –onactivedutyand in the Reserves–for eightyears,serving twoyears of thataboardthe USS America, aKittyHawk-class aircraftcarrier.He servedintwo theaters: Bosnia and Iraq

O’Neal later went to Oklahoma State University-Langston on the GI Bill and got a degree in accounting, not long after that is when his father told him he wanted his son to take over the store.

O’Neal said it’salways his goal to have the best inventory, to charge the best price, and to provide the best customer service.

The store’swebsite drives home the point, stating, “We provide our customers with personal attention and offer the largest and most diverse wine and spirit selection in Owasso.

But even beyond the inventory, price and customer service, O’Neal emphasizes what he thinks really makes Owasso Liquor &Wine ahot commodity –the cold.

Specifically, the store’smassive amount of refrigerated space, whichallows O’Neal to provide not only ahuge variety of beverages but ahuge variety of cold beverages.

“We have more refrigerationthan most liquor stores in the state because we want to compete against those big box stores,” he said.

“Wehaveitcold,and it’s ready to go.”

Owasso Liquor &Wine boasts 10,000 square feet of retail space that includes a27-door beer fridge, asix-door seltzer fridge and a14-door wine fridge, all of them chilled by more than half amillion dollars’worth of refrigerationequipment, O’Neal said.

He added that the store has 3,000 square feet of additional storage space across the parking lot.

“We have well over $1 million in inven-tory,”hesaid. “Our inventory average is about $1.4 million to $1.8 million,”de-pending on the season.

“I’ve done this for 20 years,”O’Neal said. “When it’scold outside, we sell whiskey. When it’swarm and the grass is growing, we sell beer.”

As aveteran, the holiday's are important to O’Neal, even though he likely won’t get to enjoy the entire holiday.

The store is closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving but open on all other major holidays with reduced hours because “my employees deserve to have the holiday off,”hesaid, adding that family members –his father, his twin brother and he -will be running the store that day.

alwayshad afull selec tion of the finest mix ers forcocktails ready to go.”

He added thatZatarain’s and Frank’s Hot Saucehaverecently come out with some interesting bloodyMary mixes,too Andfor veterans, the best prices canbe even better

“Wedodiscounts and also do fundraising events with veterans,” O’Neal said, pointing to the Oklahoma DAVGolf Classic on Aug. 30 at the Broken ArrowGolf& Athletic Club,for which Owasso Liquor &Wine is ahole sponsor “Wesupportour veterans and the people who protect our countryhereand abroad,” he said.“We liketogiveback.”

TheCOVID-19 pandemic gave the store yetanother opportunitytogivebacktothe people who needed it, O’Neal said

Perhaps going against expectations, “businesswas actually up during thepan demic,” he said.“It kind of dipped alittle bit oncethe vaccine came out,but then oncepeople went back to doing yard work,itpicked back up again.

He added: “Wedidn’t miss astride

We shut our lobbydownfor about two months last year and just did everything through the drive-through.

Still,O’Neal said his storedefinitely faced some challenging times

“It’sbeenhardtohirepeople,”hesaid.

“We’ve been understaffed and areoverworking ourselves.”

But thatquandarymade him think about all those other businesses out theretrying to surviveduring apandemic –manyofwhich were not deemedessential,likeliquorstoreswere– andhedecidedthere wassomething he coulddo.

“Sowegaveevery customer discounts to trytohelpthemmeettheir ownexpenses,” he said.“Forawhile there, we sold everything at cost.”

Eventually,O’Nealhad to thinkabout hisown bottom line

But“sometimesit’sbetternot to make money,”hesaid.“I like to give back.”

ers

recommendationsfor what beveragescus tomers should check out fortheir holiday

celebrations,saying that“tastes areall over the

he added: “Wehave thevariety.You canpickupyourcoldbeer

and get some seltzers or tryother things too. Andwehaveitcold.”

Although mixers areatinyportion of the store’sbusiness,O’Neal said customers canlikely find whatthey’re needing in thatarea, too.

“We’ve added Monsters,Coca-Cola products,differenttonics,”he

Left: Andy O’Neal, middle:Mike‘Booz Man’ O’Neal,right: ScottO’Neal

R

CB Bank wasformed out of aneed duringthe Great Depression when good people were struggling. Theyneeded ahand, and banks were not meeting their needs. RCB Bank’sfoundersstepped in to help local citizens keep their farms afloat and their businesses operating. RCB Bank made bold movestolend money, because it knewaperson’s character —not just their accountbalance—was worththe investment.

RCB Bank opened its doorsfor the first time in 1936with apromise to be friendly in serviceand progressivein spirit.Nearly 90 yearslater,that promise still directs its decisions today.

“RCB Bank strives to remain the communitybank in everymarket we serve,”

RCB Bank Presidentand CEORoger Mosier said. “Our shareholders, directorsand employees understand and expectour engagementwithin all our communities. With growth, we areconstantly reminded of this expectation while simultaneously using advancements in technologytomeet the evolvingneeds of all our customers. We’ve grownfromone bank in one town to morethan 60 locations across Oklahoma and Kansas while keepingour focus on communitybanking.”

RCB Bank attributes its legacyofgrowthand stabilitytoits customer service, alongwith its careful business practices and conservativebankingstyle

“Weinvest into the communities we serve by encouraging growth, providingexceptional service, and continuing the tradition of commitmentestablished 86 yearsago by our founders,” RCB Bank’sBrokenArrow,Union and Coweta Market PresidentRichardWillhour said. “We arecommunitybankerswith strength, commitmentand integritywho areeager to serve.”

That philosophyhas helped the bank expand from one location in Claremorein1936toa$4.1billion community bank with 65 locations in 36 cities across Oklahoma and Kansas with morethan 750 employees.

And thereisnosign of that growth slowingany time soon.

RCB Bank completed the purchase of Oklahoma State

Bancshares Inc.last year,acquiringits twobanks and five locations, and acquired twolocations from Arvest Bank this year

“The newcommunities and customerswewereintroduced to in 2021 areoutstandingfits forRCB Bank and our existingcustomer base,” Mosier said. “Our business model fits well within all those locations, makingthe transactions anatural fit.Welook forwardtobeingastrongpartof these communities foryearstocome while providingthem with the services and enhanced products theyhave grown to expect.”

RCB Bank believesinbuildingstronger communities by providingfinancial services to help citizens thriveand local businesses grow,RCB Bank ClaremoreMarket President MattMason said.

“Wedon’t just sponsor an event, we participate,” Mason said. “Weare sensitivetothe needs of our communities, and we respond accordingly.Wegiveback to our communities through our personal involvementand donations with area schools, local organizations and civic activities. We serve because we care, and we sharelife with our customers.”

Servingcommunityneeds also extends outside RCB Bank’s business walls. “Our employees have along-standing historyofvolunteeringtheir time and resourcestothe communities wherewe’re located,” RCB Bank Senior Vice Presidentand HR Director Kelli Sellerssaid. “Whether it is anon-profit board, alocal school activityorany other worthwhile endeavor, our employees arewillingtoserve forthe benefit of their communities.”

Home is wherethe heartis, and RCB Bank’sheartisin Green Country—and all the communities it serves.

“Wesupportcommunityenrichmentbecause we livehere, too,” RCB Bank’sCatoosa and Inola Market PresidentJeff Howell said. “Our employees and their families live, work and playevery dayinthe communities we serve.We’re proud to have akey role in the community, and we’re proud to call it home.”

RCB Bank has been in the lendingbusiness formorethan 85 years. With experiencecomes the knowledge and abilitytohelp people solveproblems and achieve their financial goals.

“You can countonusbeingherewhen youneed us,” RCB Bank Owasso Market PresidentSkip Meffordsaid. “Whether it is an auto loan, ahome loan or aloan foryour commercial business, chances arewhen youcome into the bank youwill see the same friendly lender.This experience is what allows us to build relationships and truly provide great personal service.

RCB Bank offersall the amenities of national banks, but because it is locally owned, it keeps ahometown, friendly feeling.

“Our customersare not anumber in the system to us,”

RCB Bank’sBartlesville and Skiatook Market President Geoff McGoffinsaid.

likefamily to us.

No.1 goal is to help maketheir lifeeasier.”

It’seasy to see whysomanyofits customerssay “RCB Bank,that’smybank!”

The 2020 census showedthat the population of the Tulsametropolitan area the CityofTulsaand its adjacent communities— nowexceeds one million people. That’s a significant milestone.

When companies look to expand or relocate, theyevaluatepotential destinations basedon avarietyoffactors, including workforce availability. The future will belong to growing, highlyinterconnected regions such as ours.

Companies including Amazon, Sofidel, the Greenheck Group, Milo’sTea and ClearSign Technologies have already movedhere, and companies such as Whirlpool and American Airlines continue to expand.

The 2020 census results spurred me to think about what Tulsawill look like in 2030,the next time the census will be conducted. What do we want our region to look likein10 years? And what must the TulsaRegional Chamber do to help us achieve this vision forthe next decade?

One thing is certain. The Chamber will not diminish itssupport forsmall businesses, which create morethan 80 percent of jobs and aresovital to continued economic strength. The Chamber will alsofoster increasedconnectivity

Speeding toward Tulsa’sfuture

within our region, and with other regions, such as through the designation of U.S. 412 as an interstate.

Through the OneVoice Regional Legislative Agenda, the Chamber will continue to advocate forcritical business, health and infrastructure needs at both the state and federal levels.Critical elections take placethis year,sotime and energy will go to helping ensure our region electsgood leaderstopublic office

But as we move through 2022 and beyond, Ibelieve our region’ssuccess will hingeonthree factors: economic diversification, tourism expansion and communitybuilding.

Economic diversification

Economic diversification will be drivenbyTulsa’s Future, the Chamber-led public-private regional economic development partnership.Tulsa’s Futureisacollaborative effort involving the CityofTulsa, Tulsa County, hundreds of private investors, and numerous regional and tribal partnersall looking to further economic prosperityinour region.

Sinceits inception 16 yearsago,Tulsa’s Futurehas supported the creation of morethan 72,000 jobs and more than $4.2 billion in capital investment. Tulsa’s Futuremust continue to support our region’s core economic sectorsof advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, energy,and transportation and logistics

But Tulsa’sFuture should alsofocus significant effort on sectorswith the potential to become linchpin contributorstoan

increasinglydiversified regional economyby 2030

Forexample, automotive technology givesusanopportunity to build an automotive corridor,which could include not onlyoriginal equipment manufacturer assemblyplants, but alsopartssuppliersand batterytechnology sites

Another growth opportunityisregional headquartersand technology offices. Though our region is already home to numerous headquartered companies,wehavemore than 1.2 million square feet of available classA office space, with new projectscoming soon. Plus,our leaserates are substantiallylower than competing cities such as Austin and Dallas,and our commutetimes are farbetter.

We canalsopursue advanced aerial mobility, which offers newopportunities in the delivery of goods, linking of rural and urbancommunities, and interurbantransit. With our region’sdeep ties to the aerospace and aviation industries, projected growth in aerial mobilityisan opportunitytomorefully leverage local talent.

Tourism expansion

Tourism expansion is the focus of Tulsa Regional Tourism, the Chamber’sdestination marketing organization. Fordecades,much of Oklahoma’seconomic identityhas resided within the energy and aviation industries But tourism is nowthe thirdlargest industryin Oklahoma, and our cityis abig part of that.

According to Oxford Economics,in2020 alone, 7.2million people

visited Tulsaand spent $845million, generating a totaleconomic impact of $1.2 billion. As we move toward 2030,wemust continue to sell Tulsaasa tourism destination.

We have much to offer. Destinations such as Route66, Gathering Place, the Greenwood Rising historycenter, the USA BMX complex, the WoodyGuthrie Center,and the soon-toopen BobDylan Center prompted travel experts

Frommer’stoname Tulsa among itsbest places to visit in the United States this year

Thankstoour partners at Southern Hills,one of the highlightsof 2022 will be the PGA Championship in May. That event will have a regional economic impact of morethan $60 million.

This year,the PGA, the IRONMAN triathlon and manyother marquee eventswill generatethe largest economic impact from tourism in our city’s history.

And we must continue to add to our tourism portfolio.Arkansas Riverdevelopment will undoubtedlybepart of that mix. But we must alsocontinue to expand existing offerings, such as Turkey Mountain and our biketrails.We canalsoinvest in new venues—perhapsasoccer stadium or an outdoor performancestage Community building

Communitybuilding has long been the focus of Mosaic,the Chamber’s coalition of companies and nonprofit partners committed to diversity, equityand inclusion.

Last year,our city commemorated the centennial of the Tulsa RaceMassacre. In so doing, we were reminded that we must work

even harder to remove systemic barriersto equitable advancement.

Thereisreasonfor optimism. According to the 2021 Mosaic Inclusive WorkplaceIndex, 69 percent of participating organizations have programs to develop apipeline of diverse leaders, and 85 percent provide access to programs focused on embracing differences and overcoming bias. Thesestatistics represent real progress,but if we aretobethe community of the future, we must continue to develop and expand programs that foster inclusivity.

Programs such as Tulsa’sNextGEN Talent—which provides externship experiences forBlack studentsfrom Tulsa-area schools—and Campus Tulsa—which ensures local college interns areengaged in area activities—are powerful catalysts.

So areprograms such as 918 Lead from Tulsa’s Young Professionals The 918 Lead program educates young people on howtorun forpublic office in order to attract and support the next generation of leaders.

Throughout 2022 and beyond, the Chamber will continue to support businessesofall sizes and partner with organizations across our region to drive the continued economic prosperityofnortheast Oklahoma. But Iam convinced that—as we speed toward 2030—a focus on diversifying our economy, expanding tourism, and building a diverse, equitable and inclusive community will ensurewearrive at a prosperous futurefor all.

KEVINGROSS

Energy sector continuespost-COVIDrebound

The stateand local oil and gas industrylookstocontinue abig rebound that began in 2021 following atough pandemic-affected year in 2020 “It’s alot morepositive.It’sa lot moreoptimistic,” said Dewey Bartlett Jr.,presidentofKeener Oil and Gas and chairman of the Okla homa Energy ProducersAlliance.

After adramatic dropwiththeonset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the prices of oil and gasmade aroaring comeback in 2021.

Producerssaid it wasdifficult to make aprofit with oil prices at $60 per barrel or lower, andmanyoil and gaswells were shuttered as aresult.

But in 2021, oil prices began a big rebound and reached $90per barrel or moreinthe latter half of the year —much faster than manyanalysiststhought during the depths of the pandemic

Manylocal and stateenergy companies sawbig profitsasa result.

Tulsa-based Williams,for example, reported 2021 earnings of $1.5billion, compared to $208 million in 2020.A Fortune 500 company, Williams specializes in natural gasprocessing and transportation.

Bartlett, aformer mayorof Tulsa, in Februaryattended the North American Prospect Expo sition in Houston, an event at tended, he said, by about 12,00014,000 people —including some “that arethe real movers and shakersofthe entireoil and gas industry.”

Bartlett said thereisa renewed interest in companies looking at drilling projectsthat areconven-

tional, or involvevertical drilling, rather than horizontal.

“Horizontal drilling has become overheated,”hesaid.

“Therewas alot of talk that maybewecan go back to the tried and true wayofdrilling vertical wells.”

Though usuallyinvolving a bigger financial investment, “it is amuch morestable production and not so flashy,”hesaid.

Williams and other companies, including Tulsa-based ONE Gas and ONEOK, intheir earnings reportshaveincluded comments from topcompanyexecutivesaddressing commitmentsfor carbon

emissions reductions and other measures —a nod to theenvironment and potential climate change.

Asked if such statementswere simply public relations movesor if companies were taking actual measures to trytoreduceadverse effectsonthe environment, Bartlett said, “I think it’s both.

“Public companies,especially the ones that have shareholders that care,are extremelyinterested inthe environment,”hesaid.

“And management is buying intoit. Theysee it as the right thing to do. We all live here and we all need to do what we canto

protect the environment.”

Meanwhile, forecastsfromJPMorgan and other investment firms suggest that crude oil —alreadymorethan $90abarrel could exceed $125 abarreldue to tight supplies,and Russia’sinvasion of Ukraine.

Developmentsregarding theinvasion and resulting fallout could alsohaveahugeimpact on the industryand consumers,depending on what happens,Bartlett said.

President JoeBiden in lateNovember ordered the releaseofarecord 50 million barrels of oil from the U.S.strategic reservetoreduce pricepressures

Locallab focusesonmedical marijuanasafety

Oklahoma is producing so much medical marijuana, it likelyexceeds the capacityofthe state’s patientstoconsume it, acannabis testing professional says

The glut of product likelyalso means onlyabout half of manufacturersare testing the cannabis per stateregulations,saysTony Brixey,president of Genesis Testing Labs.

Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authorityhas 29 labslicensed to test cannabis forthe state’s growers, which totalabout 8,100 JoeLantz, Genesis vicepresident, points out the numbers don’t add up,especiallyconsidering “the volume (ofcannabis)out there.”

“The labswould have to be open 24 hoursaday,seven days aweek, all through the weekend, and it’d be nuts.You’dhavetoactuallyadd morelabs,”Lantzsaysofa scenario whereall growersweretesting.

Until about ayearand ahalf ago, onlyabout 15%ofmedical mari juana manufacturerswerefound to be getting their productstested, Brixey said.

“Thereissuch an opportunity in this state. to have the best in the nation. The whole nation is watching to seehow this ‘Oklahoma experiment’isgoing, and it’s not going reallywell right now,” says James Rhudy, chief science officerfor Genesis Lee Rhoades is lab oversight director forOMMA. He says his team’sfocus is “heavilyongetting all of the labsonthe same page, having resultsthat the public can believeinand have confidencein.”

To do that, the statein2019 contracted aqualityassurance laboratory,Metis,to“kind of act as abackstopfor all the commercial labs,compareresultsand facilitate ideas we candevelop as best prac tices,”Rhoades says He touted aprogram, started early in 2021, in which Metis tests reservesamples of specimens alreadyanalyzed by privatelabsfor consistencyinresults.

“Weinvited all the labsinfor atechnical roundtable and presented that information to them to saywhere do we go from here,”

according to Rhoades,who said the group has come up with some action stepstofosterconsistency.

Brixey said beyond providing detailed feedback from Metis’ work,OMMA could do even more forlabsbyeducating patients. If fewershopped at dispensaries judging onlybyTHC potency, it could eliminateso-called “lab

shopping”for higher numbers.

“Reallyhaving your commodity(price) basedupon your (THC) content does provide forthat unethical behavior,” Rhudysays.

According to Rhoades,several private labshavereached out to OMMA forconsultation with technical staff at Metis

“In fact one lab wasreallystrug

gling with potency,and our QA lab visitedwith them, reviewedtheir processes, and nowthat lab has shown agreat deal of improvement in their THC values that they’re reporting,”Rhoades says “Sothat kind of consultation, not toounusually, will getalab asking about aresult ‘we’re not toosure, just want to check.’”

Gasoline prices did fall in the weeksafter the oil wasreleased, though prices have sinceeclipsed the levels at the time when Biden announced the drawdown.

Gas prices areupabout 40% from ayearago and morethan 6% from mid-Januarytomid-February, according to AAA.

However, adjusted forgeneral inflation,gasprices as of February were notnecessarilythathigh.Av erageprices were generallyhigher from 2011 to 2014 during Barack Obama’spresidencyand during George W. Bush’ssecond term, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Taxrevenue from medical marijuana

Statutorytax

$70,769

$24,156,269

$56,245,888

$66,173,758

State, local salestaxes

$171,116

$30,594,902

$71,593,772

$83,265,745

One issue OMMA and Genesis areworking together to help mitigate: Some potentiallyhazardous compounds in medical marijuana aren’tbeing tested for.At least not per regulations; some labsgothe extramile to find anything, even beyond the“illegal”list,that could endanger patients.

An example is the THC analogue that had OMMA sending out a wide warning earlier this year Rhoades said when THC-O-ac etateisadded to marijuana, it can “produceastronger effect, and if you’re not expecting it, then your side effectscould be alittle bit worse. If you’re not aseasoned user etc. and it’s not on the pack ageso youmight not even know it’s there.So that’s part of the puz zle we stillhavetofigureout (why it’s there) and again we do have the abilitytostart surveilling.”

MICHAELDEKKER

MIKE SIMONS,TULSA WORLD

The Holly EnergyPartnersrefinery is seen in west TulsaonFeb.22.The oil and gas industrylooksto continue to rebound this year

Bartlett

ANNA CODUTTI TulsaWorld

STEPHEN PINGRY PHOTOS,TULSA WORLD

Chad Dillard, amicrobiologistatGenesis Lab, which does marijuana testing, is pictured in Broken Arrow on Feb. 17

Genesis

marijuana

“There is such an opportunity in this state... to have the best in thenation. Thewhole nation is watchingtosee howthis‘Oklahoma experiment’isgoing, andit’snot goingreally well rightnow.”

James Rhudy, chief scienceofficerfor Genesis

Muscogee Nation Department of Health expandsfootprint in Tulsa

The Muscogee Nation has openedanumber of outpatient services at the newCouncil Oak Comprehensive Healthcare facility.

The campus is located at the former TulsaCancer Treatment CentersofAmerica(CTCA) facilityat10109 E. 79th St. in Tulsa.

In June 2021, the Muscogee National Council authorized the Muscogee Nation Department of Health to pursue the purchase of the former CTCAfacility. The Tribe began leasing the building that month,and apurchase agreement closedinSeptember 2021.

In September,the Muscogee Nation opened a65-suite, monoclonal antibodyinfusion center.The infusion center assistslocal health systems and providersinthe fight against COVID-19

Shawn Terry, Secretaryof Health forthe Muscogee Nation, says that to date, the hospital has infused morethan four thousand people at that location.

“Weapproached TulsaCounty with the ideaand asked whether theywould be interested in creating apartnership with the service. That waywecould treat not onlyNatives, but alsothe non-Native communityaswell,” said Terry. “Thehospitals were reallyoverwhelmed at the time, and our objective wastohelp ease some of the burden.” Council Oakalsohas a post-Covid outpatient clinic. Thisclinic sees individuals, commonlyreferred to as “longhaulers”,who continue to have issues and battle long-term effectsfromthe virus.The clinic is multi-disciplinaryand works to find apath forwardfor these patients.

The 20-acreCouncil Oak campus features 336,385 square feet of inpatient and outpatient accommodations,a medical office building and 153hotel rooms forfamilymembersand patients.

SecretaryTerrysaysthat if thingsgoasplanned, the hospitalwill begin inpatient services early this summer

“This is reallygoing to expand our capabilitysothat if another pandemic arises or if thereisa bed shortage, we’ll always have aplacetosend our patients,”he added.

The hotel rooms benefit those families whotravelfromout of town, especially those with an early morning surgery

“Now,thesepatientsare going to be able to come in the night before, getahotel room, and get some rest beforesurgery.”

Inside the main hospital areabout 40 outpatientexam rooms

“Wehaveopened up general X-Ray, MRI, pharmacyand some minor lab services,” he said.

Citizens spoke, and the Muscogee Nation Department of Health listened.

“Wehavethe responsibility fortreating Native American citizens of anyfederally recognized tribe,”said Terry.

Native citizens voiced that urgent care wasneeded, especially outside of normal

working hours. Muscogee Nation responded by opening an ExpressCareclinic inside Council OakMonday-Friday 7am-7pm and Saturdayand Sunday9am-5pm.

“ExpressCareprovides those services forpatientsafter hours, beforeworkand on the weekends,” Terryadded.

Afamilypracticephysician located at the Coweta clinic relocated to Council Oak. In additiontobeing afamily medicine physician, she also specializes in HIV and Hepatitis as well as substanceuse treatment.

“This adds to our vision of having aspecialty center at Council Oak,”hesaid.

In some instances,the Department of Health maynot offer aparticular specialty. If thatisthe case,patientsare referred to specialiststoreceive outside care

“Weprobablymakea$30 million impact to the Tulsa marketonjust the amount of care we refer.”

“Weare going to continue to analyzethe opportunities to build various specialty

clinics inside the facility. That maybecontinuing to expand our cardiology services,our urology services,general surgery services.”

Muscogee Nation Department of Health began discussions with Regional Brain Institute, which has provided hospitalcoverage to the Tribe’sOkmulgee and Okemah hospitals,about anew neurosciencecenter at Council Oak.

“Weopened up an outpatient, post-stokeclinic,a general neurology clinic and aheadache clinicfor those neurology patients,”Terryadded.

In the meantime, the Department of Health is going through the processof implementing anew electronic health record system.

“Epic is probablythe best-inclasselectronic record system anywhere. More than 250 hospitals and health care systems across the nation useEpic.”

The platform is the one that St. Francis, Hillcrest and OSU Medical use.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 set the opening dateback due to the slowsupplychain.

“We’re having to order equipment and all of the other materials that areneeded to get the facilityupand going.”

Headquartered in Okmulgee, the Muscogee Nationis the fourthlargest federally recognized tribe in the United States with morethan 90,000 citizens

The Muscogee Nation Department of Health operates communityhospitals,a longterm acutecarefacilityand physical rehabilitation center serving both tribal citizens and the general public

To ensurehealthygenerations of Native people, the Nation alsooperates Indianhealth clinics and provides dedicated services forcitizens of federally recognized tribes

“Not onlyare we aprovider of care,we’re alsoapayer of care.”

Council Oakwill generatean estimated 100 newjobswithin the first year

“Wehaveopened up generalX-Ray, MRI, pharmacy and minorlab services.”

SecretaryShawn Terry

GREG GIRARD Tulsa Men’sClinic

memory

depression, libido

weight gain sound like a recipe for an overall feeling of unwellness that many people would chalk up to too much stress.

But for many men, the answer might be much simpler: too little testosterone.

Greg Girard of Tulsa Men’sClinic said there are anumber of early indicators that aman’stestosterone might be lacking. They include alack of energy,waning mental alertness, falling asleep after dinner,alack of strength and endurance, little success from workouts, being unable to lose weight and little to no interest in sex.

“When you have no energy,you have no life,” Girard said. “Then you can fall into heavy depression and become obese because you’re not exercising or getting out.”

He described it as acascade effect that can worsen even further from there

–inactivity,obesity and depression can exacerbate cardiovascular issues and lead to diabetes, for example.

Testosterone benefits the body by helping convert fat to muscle mass at ahigher rate, increasing the libido, improving energy,assisting with memory and cognition, helping with endurance and focus, and promoting much better results at the gym.

And all of those things contribute to astronger,healthier person, including a more active love life.

Tulsa Men’sClinic can help.

With aboard-certified urologist and medical doctors on staff, Girard said, the clinic offers two treatment protocols: onceweekly injections or time-release pellets inserted into the fatty tissue that last for months.

The pellet therapy is agreat option for men who don’t like needles or who don’t have time to incorporate aweekly appointment into their schedules, he said.

It’salso beneficial for people who might live far from the clinic.

With the pellets, asmall incision is made, typically in the buttocks or “love handles,” and then apellet is inserted. The incision is closed, and the testosterone is released gradually and consistently over about four months.

The injections require aquick weekly visit to the clinic, but “with the injectables, you feel it every week,” Girard said. “You get aboost every week.”

“About day six you start to roll off a little bit, but then you’re aday away from the next injection,” he said.

It’sreally just about what fits best with your lifestyle.

“They’re equally effective, and they’re the same price,” Girard said.

Most insurance policies don’t cover testosterone therapy except in cases in which the hormone is at critically low levels, he said, but Tulsa Men’sClinic does offer payment plans.

Girard said the clinic offers several different packages but that testosterone therapy typically runs between $150 and $225 amonth.

How long treatment will be necessary depends on the client’sage and lifestyle.

“We’re getting alot of guys in their 20s now,” he said, pointing to high estrogen levels in food and even high cortisol levels from the stress of playing video games.

“And nothing will make you lose your testosterone quicker than smoking alot of cannabis,” he added.

Girard said most people older than 40 will likely need to continue therapy throughout their life.

“But Ican’t think of atime in history where we need our alpha males more than we do right now,and we need alot of energy,” he said. “Weneed all of our men out there to come in and get their testosterone right.”

For more information visit tulsamen.com