Tulsa Metro Chamber :: Newsletter Archive

11.22.10
IN THIS ISSUE Chamber congratulates Bingman, local legislators Umbrella organization launched to foster entrepreneurs NCAA tickets make great holiday gift Chamber seeking member and partner input Community, business and education leaders are asked to take a brief survey related to workforce attraction and recruitment. Business travelers invited to take survey BMX Pro Spectacular is this Friday at QuikTrip Center Chamber offices closed for Thanksgiving What we’re working on Chamber welcomes new businesses		PRESENTING SPONSORS

Chamber congratulates Bingman, local legislators

The Tulsa Metro Chamber would like to congratulate Sen. Brian Bingman on his election as Senate president pro tempore-designate and his selection of Sen. Mike Schulz of Altus as floor leader.

Bingman selected Sen. Mike Schulz of Altus as floor leader.

"We have significant challenges facing us in the 2011 legislative session," Bingman said in a press release, "but with this outstanding new group of senators with which I'll be working, I'm ready for the challenge. Our caucus brings a diverse array of experience but a united sense of mission and passion in facing the challenges ahead of us. We're ready to go to work."

Bingman, an assistant majority floor leader in the previous Senate, will be officially elected to the position in January.

Other local legislative appointments include:

• Rep. Dale DeWitt, R-Braman, as House majority leader, a new position created to facilitate leadership meetings, assist in communication with the state Senate and Governor’s Office, and help guide the majority agenda through the legislative process.

• Rep. Dan Sullivan, R-Tulsa, as the majority floor leader to oversee the daily floor activity of the House and assign bills to appropriate committees.

• Rep. Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville, as chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee to oversee the formation of the state’s budget for various agencies and departments.

• Rep. Skye McNiel, R-Bristow, as majority whip to head a team of assistant whips who will establish effective communication for the Republican caucus on a wide arrange of issues and work to advance legislation on the House floor.

• Sen. John Ford, R-Bartlesville, as assistant majority floor leader to sit on the president pro tempore’s leadership team and assist in the promotion and strategy for the Republican caucus agenda.

• Sen. Dan Newberry, R-Sand Springs, as Senate majority whip to be a member of the Oklahoma Senate Republican leadership team and assist in strategizing and communicating the agenda with the caucus.

• Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, Senate majority whip to be a member of the Oklahoma Senate Republican leadership team and to assist in strategizing and communicating the agenda with the caucus.

Umbrella organization launched to foster entrepreneurs

Tulsa Metro Chamber recently formed the Entrepreneurial Venture Oversight Committee (EVOC) to serve as a catalyst for the creation of new and innovative services for the Tulsa regional entrepreneurial community. It is a partnership of entities involved in forming, promoting, funding, advising, awarding and otherwise working with entrepreneurs.

EVOC was created in response to comments that many entrepreneurial activities were sprouting in the Tulsa region, and a clearinghouse group is necessary to ensure services are not duplicated. The response to the committee has been tremendous, said Jim Fram, the Chamber’s senior vice president of economic development.

“We are reaching out to anyone involved in providing start-up services – from venture capitalists, to higher ed institutions to organizations that assist entrepreneurs,” Fram said. “And with the Kauffman Foundation recently ranking Oklahoma as the No. 1 state for entrepreneurship, it is evident we’re seeing more and more growth in the number of start-ups here. The purpose of EVOC is to make sure we are using resources as effectively as possible and they are the resources needed to assist Tulsa-area entrepreneurs.”

About 35 people attended EVOC's first meeting in October, and the group plans to meet three to four times annually. For more information about the committee, contact Warren Unsicker at warrenunsicker@tulsachamber.com or 918.560.0235.

For an article about EVOC in the Tulsa World, click here.

NCAA tickets make great holiday gift

For the sports fan in your life, consider a gift of tickets to the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, 2nd & 3rd Rounds at the BOK Center being played Friday, March 18 and Sunday, March 20, 2011.

Tickets are $237 each and are good for a reserved seat for six games played in three sessions. Each ticket is an all-session ticket. No single-session tickets are being offered for sale at this time and it is anticipated that this event could sell out on the basis of the all-session ticket.

Tickets are available for purchase online at NCAA.com/mbbtickets.

“Tulsa’s selection as a host site for the NCAA tournament and March Madness is a huge win for our community and rare opportunity for local citizens and those from the surrounding areas to see the action live and in person," said Ray Hoyt, executive director of the Tulsa Sports Commission. "The event will showcase Tulsa and the BOK Center to a national audience and brings Tulsa another step closer to attracting more events of this caliber."

Chamber seeking member and partner input
Community, business and education leaders are asked to take a brief survey related to workforce attraction and recruitment.

As part of the Tulsa Metro Chamber’s participation in the National Talent Dividend Network, through CEOs for Cities, the Chamber is working to increase the college attainment rate by one percentage point for the Tulsa region. These 5,900 additional college graduates would create an additional $646 million dollars annually for the region’s economy.

Your input is needed. A targeted survey was created to identify existing resources and programs; gaps in the education pipeline, student services and employee training; successful programs or models that may be replicable; and potential partners with like-minded programs or efforts.

Take the survey
To participate, click on the link below that most accurately describes you or your industry.

Business and industry (executives, management, HR, recruiters, supervisors, hiring manager)
Community partner / agency
Educational institution

Business travelers invited to take survey

The Tulsa Metro Chamber is assisting the Tulsa International Airport with a survey to determine direct flights most used by business and visitor travelers in the region. Tulsa currently has non-stop service to 16 cities, with another destination to be added in spring 2011. These cities include: Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis, Newark, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.

Additional direct flights to and from Tulsa assist the Chamber’s economic development division with business recruitment efforts and VisitTulsa, the Chamber’s convention and visitors program, in selling Tulsa.

Please take a two-question survey to provide valuable information to the Tulsa Metro Chamber. Click here to start.

BMX Pro Spectacular is this Friday at QuikTrip Center

The Tulsa Sports Commission will host BMX Olympians in the American Bicycle Association's Grand National Championships over Thanksgiving weekend with the main event, the Pro Spectacular, happening Friday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. at the QuikTrip Center at Expo Square.

The Pro Spectacular features professional racers in the Grand Nationals performing astonishing stunts across a 100-square-foot track. This year's exciting competition is attracting competitors from Italy, France, The Netherlands and the UK to Tulsa.

The excitement will unfold at the QuikTrip Center Thursday, Nov. 25 - Sunday, Nov. 28 and is expected to have an estimated $7.2 million economic impact for the city of Tulsa.

General admission tickets are $10 for the Pro Spectacular on Friday night, but $1 off coupons can be picked up at local QuikTrip convenience stores. Gates open at 6:15 p.m. and the race begins at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at exposquare.com, through Expo Ticket Xpress by calling 918.376.6000 or onsite the day of the show. All other races, which extend throughout the weekend, are free to attend. A complete schedule of events can be found here.

Chamber offices closed for Thanksgiving

The Tulsa Metro Chamber offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 25 and Friday, Nov. 26 in observance of Thanksgiving.

We will resume our regular office hours of 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 29.

For more information about the Chamber's program of work visit www.TulsaChamber.com.

What we’re working on

Executive
• Making Tulsa’s Future II CEO calls.
• Hosting Tulsa/OKC Joint Executive Committee meeting to approve One Voice Agenda.
• Hosting 2010/2011 Joint Executive Committee meeting.
• Attending the OSU Center for Health Sciences new building dedication.

VisitTulsa
• Welcoming American Bicycle Association’s BMX Championships to Tulsa’s Expo Square.
• Hosting Team Tulsa at Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino Tulsa.
• Meeting with Cherokee and Creek Nation’s cultural tourism division.
Tulsa Sports Commission
• Prepping for Olympic BMX racers arrival next week.
• BMX pre-event operations.
• BMX pre-event marketing.
• BMX collateral distribution into bike stores and community to create awareness for Friday night’s Pro-Spectacular event on Nov. 26.

Government Affairs
• Securing endorsements for the 2011 OneVoice agenda.
• Preparing for Political Directory update.
• Meeting with Greater OKC Chamber to finalize 2011 Tulsa/OKC Joint Legislative Agenda.
• Monitoring legislative interim studies.
• Making D.C. Fly-In preparations.

Economic development
• Participating in Tulsa’s Future II fundraising calls.
• Judging the Tulsa Business Journal’s EDI Awards.
• Updating the Strategic Plan for economic development.
• Presenting to the City of Grove EDC regarding economic development.
• Working on incentive/property proposals.
• Working with the publisher of Area Development on details for the 2011 Energy Consultant’s Forum in Tulsa.
• Presenting to the City of Tulsa economic development commission on the Tulsa’s Future economic development program.
• Working with Cleveland Council of Smaller Enterprises on rebranding the Small Business Council.
• Working on a grant application for funding of The Forge and entrepreneurial programming and support.
• Meeting with the Oklahoma Business Roundtable regarding the upcoming Tech Ventures Summit in Tulsa.
• Working on a strategy for a headquarters visit to Houston regarding Tulsa locations.
• Recruiting new SourceLink resource partners.
• Meeting with the Oklahoma Nanotechnology Initiative.

Education and workforce
• Completing updates to the 2011 Education Guide.
• Completing content for the December Partners In Education newsletter.
• Completing content for the Partners In Education fall/winter print newsletter.
• Recruiting coaches for the College Access Career Readiness program.
• Recruiting and updating the presentation for the Oklahoma Scholars program.
• Attending the Tulsa Area Community Schools Initiative (TASCI) Partner meeting.
• Participating in the TASCI Middle School Task Force.
• Meeting with INCOG and Tulsa Community College to discuss sustainability training development/programs.
• Meeting with the executive director of the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center (OHCWC) to discuss partnership and collaboration.
• Launching the Talent Dividend survey to identify needs, resources and potential partners.
• Meeting with Saint Francis to discuss partnering on ChooseTulsaJobs.com website.
• Meeting with TYPros leadership to share info about CEO for Cities work/summit.
• Meeting with the Langston University president and local CEOs.

Tulsa’s Young Professionals
• Applying for an EDA Grant for The Forge.
• Meeting with a local nonprofit to discuss a 2011 partnership.
• Meeting with Leadership Tulsa to discuss the Boards Program partnership.

Marketing and communications
• Completing articles for the Chamber Report newsletter.
• Preparing for an upcoming news conference to assist a company in making an announcement.
• Updating annual publications and the Entrepreneurs Guide.
• Coordinating photo shoot for new Chamber spot.
• Distributing information about BMX event to local media outlets.

Chamber welcomes new businesses

Each 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.

Welcome new members:
Complete Nutrition
Energizing Faith Ministries
Giana Consulting, LLC
Hammerstone, LLC
Henderson Investments Co., Inc.
Oklahoma Methodist Manor
PGS Paragon LLC
Quality Management Perspectives, LLC
Red Oak Business Planning, LLC
Robert's Security
Small Wonders Academy
Wilson Insurance Group

Ribbon Cuttings:

Body Shapers by Ardyss
Veronica Leichnitz, Owner
Phone: 527.8533
www.bodyshapersbyardyss.com

Stop Child Trafficking Now
Jason Weiss, National Community Director
Phone: 346.2168
www.sctnow.org

State Farm Insurance – Shannon Morris
Shannon Morris, Owner/Agent
1709 S. Baltimore
Tulsa, OK 74119
Phone: 938.6100
www.mytulsaagent.com

IN THIS ISSUE

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