Chamber wins international honor for business retention and expansion program

6.20.2012
The Tulsa Metro Chamber’s Economic Development Division has garnered an international honor, earning recognition for its business retention and expansion program from Business Retention and Expansion International.

The award recognizes the Chamber’s BRE program as an outstanding program in a community of more than 100,000 people. In 2011 alone, the Chamber, through its BRE program, made 709 visits with Tulsa region companies, up from 603 in 2010, and assisted with 63 local expansions resulting in 7,924 new jobs.

Award winners were recognized at the BREI Awards Banquet at the annual conference and will be featured on the BREI web page. Kinnee Tilly, the Chamber’s vice president of business retention, expansion and small business, attended the BREI annual conference in Saskatchewan, Canada, where she received the award.

Tilly said: “Along with our many steadfast regional partners, we strive each day to enhance the economic success of northeast Oklahoma. This is a tremendous distinction for our business retention and expansion program, and it is a testament to the business-friendly environment of the Tulsa region.” 

Jim Fram, senior vice president of economic development for the Tulsa Metro Chamber, said: “I am very proud of this international recognition and of the Tulsa Metro Chamber staff who work each day to elevate our economic development program to a level competitive with any in the world.”

The Tulsa Metro Chamber’s economic development division also recently received one of the highest distinctions for a program of its kind, accreditation through the International Economic Development Council’s Accredited Economic Development Organization process. The Tulsa Metro Chamber’s economic development program is the 31st recipient worldwide of the honor.

IEDC reports that Accredited Economic Development Organization status denotes an organization is a leading authority on economic development-related issues. The awards ceremony for the Tulsa Metro Chamber took place during its annual meeting for the Tulsa’s Future regional economic development plan.



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