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TulsaBizPac continues endorsement process post-primary
Last week, the months of work by TulsaBizPac was realized at the conclusion of the City of Tulsa primary elections on Tuesday. Leaders of the political action committee formally interviewed a total of 25 candidates and endorsed or financially supported 12 candidates. Those successful in advancing or winning a seat include:
Jack Henderson (D), District 1
Jeannie Cue (R), District 2
David Patrick (D), District 3
Blake Ewing (R), District 4
Ken Brune (D), District 4
Karen Gilbert (R), District 5
Byron “Skip” Steele (R), District 6
Tom Mansur (R), District 7
Phil Lakin (R), District 8
G.T. Bynum (R), District 9
“I’m encouraged candidates supported by TulsaBizPac were ultimately supported by voters,” said David Page, TulsaBizPac chair and market president of JP Morgan Chase. “We believe candidates TulsaBizPac endorsed or to whom financial support was provided are among the strongest candidates in his or her respective races.”
The selection and evaluation process is ongoing and the next step is to continue discussions with candidates post-primary about his or her top issues which may result in additional support or endorsements from TulsaBizPac for the general election.
Contribute to TulsaBizPac
Established by current and former leaders of the Tulsa Metro Chamber, TulsaBizPac was formed to actively support local candidates who display leadership, diplomacy and a focus on issues facing Tulsa. With this focus and success during the primary, interest is high in supporting TulsaBizPac through the individual contributions. A significant amount is needed in order to impact the elections for city office, leaders say.
TulsaBizPac is not affiliated with any political party and is non-partisan in its support of candidates. Contributions are only accepted from individuals and not businesses or corporations.
For more information or to contribute to the TulsaBizPac, please contact Tulsa Metro Chamber Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Chris Benge at (918) 560-0211 or email chrisbenge@tulsachamber.com.
Click here to download the form.
Elections to change City of Tulsa
This election is quite possibly the most significant in the city of Tulsa in recent years and one that will impact the direction of the city for many more,” said Mike Neal, president and CEO, Tulsa Metro Chamber.
Through the general election in November, it is the Chamber’s hope council candidates will retain a strong focus on growing the economy through the retention of existing business and the attraction of new industry and a focus on the progressive development of the city including working together with partners in the region.
“In addition to the republican and democratic candidates successful in Tuesday’s primary, congratulations to both incumbent Councilor Jack Henderson for retaining his seat and to Councilor-elect Karen Gilbert on securing her seat,” said Neal.
Mayor Bartlett addresses the business community in the annual Tulsa Metro Chamber State of the City address
The Tulsa Metro Chamber held its annual State of the City luncheon last week, presented by Saint Francis Health System, Spirit AeroSystems, T. D. Williamson, Inc. and Tulsa Tech. Mayor Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. addressed the business community regarding the current state of affairs within the city.
In his address to the crowd of over 800, Mayor Bartlett said he was encouraged by the progress Tulsa is making. He stated Tulsa is moving in the right direction and the city is seeing the benefits of planning and efforts to save money through better management.
Encouraging Tulsa’s citizens to take heed of the momentum, Mayor Bartlett issued a call to “keep calm and carry on,” echoing a 1939 British government motto. Mayor Bartlett urged the community to become active and engaged in working to make the city better. He described a new initiative being launched next month called Across the Generations, which proves the city will be committed to addressing all the issues of an aging work population, as well as creating the environment where young people want to stay, to live, work, play and raise families.
Dr. Gerry Clancy, chairman of the Tulsa Metro Chamber board and president of the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa, echoed the mayor’s sentiments by stating “Tulsa is doing many things right to promote economic development and the creation and retention of jobs despite very tough times across the rest of the nation. These successes reinforce the benefits of collaboration. Sharing resources will enable each of us to meet and exceed the potential for future growth.”
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Tulsa sees gains during economic recovery
Tulsa is among the 20 strongest-performing metros based on its economic performance during their recovery from the recession, according to a recent report by the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution.
The September MetroMonitor, which analyzed data through the second quarter, is the 10th in a series of interactive quarterly reports that track the recession and recovery in the nation's 100 largest metros.
The national report indicates that the recovery in the second quarter continued to be uneven among the nation's largest metro areas.
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Tulsa area hiring outlook among best in the nation
Tulsa area employers are expected to hire during the fourth quarter at a rate that's among the highest in the United States, according to a new survey.
The Tulsa area’s employment outlook is the third best, nationwide.
For the third quarter this year, the area was ninth in the nation in regard to the number of employers who planned to hire additional employees. 23 percent of area companies surveyed plan to hire employees this fall.
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Metro Tulsa Aerospace Job Fair a success for job seekers, employers
The Metro Tulsa Aerospace Job Fair held recently at Tulsa Tech’s Riverside Campus was a big success for job seekers and employers, with some employers extending job offers on the spot. American Airlines reported hiring 10 aircraft maintenance technicians the day of the event.
The Sept. 15 event featured 15 aerospace employers both large and small, representing a diverse range of employment opportunities. The event was hosted by the Tulsa Metro Chamber, Workforce Tulsa, Oklahoma Aerospace Alliance and Tulsa Tech.
The Chamber’s workforce program created this sector driven strategy in partnership with Workforce Tulsa to assist local employers with their recruiting needs. Future events will be based on target industry needs that may include advanced manufacturing, energy, transportation/logistics and IT/professional services.
The Chamber and Workforce Tulsa will collaborate with professional associations to create targeted reach to skilled professionals in industry as they did with the Oklahoma Aerospace Alliance and Tulsa Tech for the Metro Tulsa Aerospace Job Fair event.
Cam's Grocery announces downtown Tulsa location
Cam’s Grocery, owned by Tulsan Daniel Cameron, announced that it will open its first location in downtown Tulsa later this year. Cam’s is an independent natural foods grocery and café poised to do business in the downtown area.
The City of Tulsa and the Tulsa Metro Chamber have established that a full-service downtown grocery is needed to fuel further downtown Tulsa development. Cam’s is in position to open by the holidays and is currently in contract with Route 66 Development, LLC, a downtown Tulsa developer, to locate at 114 S. Detroit Ave. in the Blue Dome District.
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Chamber staff receive prominent appointments SEDC elects Fram, Neal to new posts
Jim Fram |
Mike Neal |
At the recent Southern Economic Development Council Annual Conference in Asheville, N.C., Jim Fram, senior vice president for economic development for the Tulsa Metro Chamber, was elected to be the new director representing Oklahoma.
Tulsa Metro Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal was elected to the associate director position.
Fram also was elected as regional director for the West Region of SEDC.
Tulsa Metro Chamber’s Jim Fram appointed to board for Heartland economic development course
Jim Fram, senior vice president for economic development for the Tulsa Metro Chamber, has been appointed to the board of directors of Heartland Basic Economic Development Course.
Fram was appointed as the board member representing Oklahoma in the multi-state course.
Heartland Economic Development Course is sanctioned by the International Economic Development Council. The course offers intensive training in the basic concepts, information, methods and strategies of local economic development.
In other news, Jim Fram also has been inducted into the 25 Year Club for American Chamber of Commerce Executives. American Chamber of Commerce Executives is a national association serving individuals involved in the management of chambers of all sizes.
ACCE currently has more than 7,000 professional members in 1,200 chambers of commerce. These professionals represent local, regional, and state chambers of commerce of all sizes across the United States and Canada.
Tulsa Metro Chamber staff member receives gubernatorial appointment
Dennis Altendorf |
Governor Mary Fallin appointed Dennis Altendorf, director of aerospace development and strategy for the Tulsa Metro Chamber, to the Unmanned Aerial Systems Council (UASC). The UASC will review all development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and related technologies in the state. The council will act as an advisor to the governor on all issues related to UAS, including education, economic development, job creation and investments.
Governor Fallin has expressed support for the program, stating Oklahoma has the potential to be first in the country for UAS research and development.
Altendorf was previously the director of aerospace development at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and earned a bachelor’s degree from OSU. His service on the council will be at the pleasure of the governor.
CACR: College Access Career Readiness kicks off 2011-2012 school yearThe College Access Career Readiness program kicked off Sept. 14 for the 2011-2012 school year. The program is designed to help middle and high school students develop and implement a plan for their careers and lives after graduating from high school.
The Tulsa Metro Chamber is currently recruiting business professionals to serve as coaches to help students understand the relevance of their education and how it translates to their future careers and higher education opportunities.
At the kickoff, potential coaches learned about the program's mission and Tulsa's students' need for consistent adult engagement. All interested coaches must attend the CACR training session before being assigned to a school.
CACR Training
Sept. 27 and 28
4:30-7 p.m.
OU-Tulsa Learning Center room 145
The program is a partnership with Tulsa Public Schools, the University of Oklahoma Community Engagement Center (OUCEC) and the Tulsa Metro Chamber. Potential coaches can learn more about the CACR program by accessing information on the Tulsa Metro Chamber website or by contacting Heather Johnson at heatherjohnson@tulsachamber.com or 918.560.0218.
Congress passes the six-month highway extension bill- President Obama will sign it into law
Last Thursday, the Senate passed H.R. 2887 by a vote of 92 to 6, which extends the authorization of existing surface transportation programs for six months at FY2011 levels. The bill now proceeds to President Obama for signature.
The next step is for Congress to appropriate the authorized funds. This will initially be done through a short-term continuing resolution. Both House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Boxer are pushing to make this the last extension before a comprehensive reauthorization bill is completed in early 2012.
"Transportation is a top priority for the Chamber and for our regional OneVoice partners," said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Metro Chamber. "It is always a top agenda item for discussion when we visit our federal delegation in Washington, D.C., and we hope to see a long-term funding plan put in place soon to support Oklahoma's eight-year transportation plan."
Last July, chambers across the nation joined to voice their support of a robust transportation reauthorization bill to allow the nation's infrastructure to continue its progress and growth. A joint letter was sent to Congress supporting the passage of a reauthorization bill. The effort was led by Mike Neal and partners Roy H. Williams, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber; Steve Falk, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce; and Gary Toebben, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Congressman Lankford supports the necessary extension, affirming “the latest Highway Authorization extension will prevent a disruption in highway operations and give Congress more time to complete a full authorization.”
While supportive of the extension, Congressman Lankford also stressed the urgency of a full authorization, stating “Congress must finalize a full authorization to provide predictability and long-term planning for our state and contractors. Having eight highway extensions bills is irrational and unacceptable. This authorization will continue funding through March 2012 using only existing Highway Trust Funds, which will not add to our nation’s skyrocketing debt. During this time of record high deficits, we must agree upon solutions that eliminate the red tape and high cost regulations that cause federal construction to be so expensive.”
For a recap of the Senate and House bills, click here.
This week's top prioritiesExecutive Office
Attending the Resource Campaign Trip
Attending the US Chamber, Committee of 100 Fall Meeting
Economic Development
Attending International Economic Development Council Annual Conference
Follow up with Lead Development Calls
Host site visit with Industrial Company
Downtown Development
Participating in ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) Oklahoma/Arkansas Deal Making meeting in OKC
Attending NAIOP breakfast (Trade association for developers, owners and investors in industrial, office and related commercial real estate.)
Participating in the Groundbreaking for Northwestern Mutual
Small Business
Making presentation to IEDC Annual Conference on Tulsa Metro Chamber BRE program
Meeting with entrepreneurs regarding growth opportunities
Attending monthly Tulsa Area Manufacturers Association meeting
Tulsa Sports Commission
Traveling to US Olympic Sportslink in Colorado Springs to speak with National Governing Bodies about potential event leads
Planning for Bill Connor’s Sports Dinner and TU Tailgates
Preparing marketing materials for TEAMS Conference at the beginning of October
VisitTulsa
EDC meeting
Passkey GroupMAX training
Media FAM and Media Showcase.
Education and Workforce
College Access Career Readiness coach recruiting
Talent Dividend match challenge funding/ creative package
Workforce Advisory panel strategic plan
Communications and Marketing
Intercity Visit planning
Attending travel writer’s convention
Chamber golf classic planning
Government Affairs
Attending the state legislative task force on economic incentives meeting
Attending the vision and education leadership awards event
Presenting at the City of Tulsa Economic Development Commission regular meeting
TYPros
Meeting to discuss new location for The Forge
Preparing for Leadership Team and Forge strategic planning sessions
Reviewing and finalizing Intern Guide
Chamber welcomes new businessesEach month the Tulsa Metro Chamber's Hospitality Club welcomes new businesses and new Chamber members to the community by assisting with ribbon cuttings and groundbreaking announcements.
New Members:
Autumn Leaves of Tulsa
Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project,
National Commercial Auctioneers, LLC
Perfect Smile Tulsa - Dr. Mark Davis
Ribbon Cuttings:
Holiday Inn Express and Suites
Jill Pratt, Director of Sales
8405 E. 102nd St. South
Tulsa, OK 74133
Phone: 918.970.6000
www.hiexpress.com/tulsabixby
Mentor Technologies Inc.
Kyle Hearn, President
4815 S. Harvard Ave. Ste. 630
Tulsa, OK
Phone: 918.724.9646
www.mentorok.com
The Skin Boutique
Bonnie Montgomery, owner
10031 S. Yale
Suite 102
Tulsa, OK 74137
918.528.3999
www.theskinboutique.biz
The Villages at Southern Hills
Mr. Will Otjen, Executive Director
5721 South Lewis Ave
Tulsa, OK 74105
Phone: 918.447-6447
www.villagesatsouthernhills.com
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