Tulsa Metro Chamber :: Newsletter Archive

12.06.10
IN THIS ISSUE Local legislators receive committee appointments Chamber and Union Public Schools partner to offer college preparation program Nominations now open for 2011 Small Business Awards Economic forecasts looking up Business travelers invited to take survey Oklahoma teams advance to bowl games Local high school football teams take championship titles Chamber Choice offers affordable insurance for members What we’re working on Chamber welcomes new businesses		PRESENTING SPONSORS

Local legislators receive committee appointments

Oklahoma House Speaker Kris Steele announced committee chairs for the 2011 and 2012 legislative sessions.

The committee chairs will be active in advancing legislation arising from the House Republican caucus agenda while also managing the thousands of bills filed each year.

Congratulations to the following Northeast Oklahoma legislators on their appointments.

Appropriations & Budget
Rep. Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville, Chair

Human Services
Rep. Pam Peterson, R-Tulsa, Chair

Energy & Utility Regulation
Rep. John Trebilcock, R-Broken Arrow, Chair

Public Health
Rep. David Derby, R-Owasso, Vice-Chair

Administrative Rules and Agency Oversight
Rep. George Faught, R-Muskogee, Chair

Judiciary
Rep. Fred Jordan, R-Jenks, Chair

Public Safety
Rep. Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa, Chair
Rep. Steve Martin, R-Bartlesville, Vice-Chair

Common Education
Rep. Jabar Shumate, D-Tulsa, Vice-Chair

Rules
Rep. Weldon Watson, R-Tulsa, Vice-Chair

Insurance
Rep. Dan Kirby, R-Tulsa, Vice-Chair

Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Health & Social Services
Rep. Doug Cox, R-Grove, Chair

Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services
Rep. Ron Peters, R-Tulsa, Chair

Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety
Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, Vice-Chair

Appropriations Subcommittee on Judiciary
Rep. Mark McCullough, R-Sapulpa, Vice-Chair

Chamber and Union Public Schools partner to offer college preparation program

In 2004, the Tulsa Metro Chamber launched an intensive education program in partnership with Tulsa Public Schools called Oklahoma Scholars, which encourages eighth grade students to enroll in more rigorous courses in high school to better prepare them for post-secondary education and training. The Chamber has partnered with Union Public Schools to offer the program to its eighth-grade students beginning January 2011.

“Students who enroll in the courses defined in the Oklahoma Scholars program are better prepared for college and careers upon graduation,” said Susan Harris, the Chamber’s senior vice president of education and workforce. “We are pleased to form this new partnership with Union to ensure their students are able to benefit from this valuable program.”

Oklahoma Scholars enlists area business leaders to volunteer as classroom presenters. With the addition of Union Public Schools, the Chamber is seeking new volunteers and will offer training sessions in January. For more information about Oklahoma Scholars or to become a presenter in Tulsa or Union Public Schools, contact Heather Johnson at 918.560.0218 or heatherjohnson@tulsachamber.com.

Nominations now open for 2011 Small Business Awards

The nomination process for the Chamber’s esteemed Crystal Star Small Business Awards has begun. Business members are invited to nominate rising stars of Tulsa’s small business community to receive recognition. The awards include 10 categories, including:

• Small Business Person
• Entrepreneurial Success
• Small Business Exporter
• Young Entrepreneur
• Family Owned Business
• Financial Services Champion
• Home-Based Business Champion
• Minority Small Business Champion
• Veteran Small Business Champion
• Women in Business Champion

Nominees must be Chamber members and in business a minimum of three years. Nominations will close Jan. 28, and awards will be presented at the Chamber’s annual awards luncheon Tuesday, May 17, 2011. For a complete list of categories and instructions, click here to visit the Chamber website.

Economic forecasts looking up

Tulsa Metro Chamber and the OSU Spears School of Business presented the 2010 Economic Outlook Conference last week featuring keynote speaker Stuart A. Schweitzer, managing director and global markets strategist for J.P. Morgan Private Bank and J.P. Morgan Asset Management, and Russell Evans, director of OSU’s Center of Applied Economic Research, who presented a 2011 Oklahoma forecast. Additionally, a panel included experts in three Tulsa target sectors: health care, aerospace and tourism.

The attitude among presenters and panelists was similar – things are picking up, gradually. Schweitzer said it will take two things to recover: fiscal responsibility and entrepreneurism.

“These are key to our success,” he said. “Fiscal responsibility and the triumph of entrepreneurism and innovation are the only answer to a sound economic future for us all.”

Evans said he believes Tulsa will close the performance gap with Oklahoma City next year.

“2011 will actually feel like recovery,” he said. “Good news will outweigh the bad news, and we see a strong 2011 for Tulsa employment.”

Presentations from each of the speakers are available for download on the Chamber’s website.

For additional articles about the event:
Tulsa World
Tulsa Business Journal
The Journal Record (login required)

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.

Oklahoma teams advance to bowl games
Local high school football teams take championship titles

The Tulsa Sports Commission extends its congratulations and well wishes to several Oklahoma football teams who will advance to bowl games this season.

The University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane will play Hawaii in the 9th Annual Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Friday, Dec. 24 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. EST/3 p.m. HST, and will air live on ESPN from Aloha Stadium. Tickets are available by calling 808-548-BOWL or online at www.sheratonhawaiibowl.com.

Oklahoma State University will play Arizona in the 18th annual Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 8:15 p.m. CST and will be televised live on ESPN. Tickets can be purchased online at www.alamobowl.com, through the university box offices, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

The University of Oklahoma will play the University of Connecticut in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 1 in Glendale, Ariz., at 6 p.m. MST and will air live on ESPN. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 480-350-0911.

Congratulations is also extended to several local high school football teams on their outstanding accomplishments this season. Union claimed their third straight 6A state football title in a very close game against Jenks, and Booker T Washington was crowned 5A state champion in their title win over East Central. All four teams should be commended for their strong finishes and championship titles.

Chamber Choice offers affordable insurance for members

The Tulsa Metro Chamber partners with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma to provide more affordable insurance to small businesses as a member benefit.

Chamber Choice is available to members with two to 50 employees.

Benefits include:
o No medical underwriting
o BlueOptions PPO
o Blue Optimize PPO (new this year)
o BlueLincs HMO
o Prescription drug coverage
o Network availability in all 50 states
o Dental coverage available
o Group Term Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment and disability coverage available
o Qualified Insure Oklahoma health plans

Today, nearly 700 employers are enrolled in the Chamber Choice plan covering more than 4,000 individuals.
Click here to download the 2010 Chamber Choice brochure.

To find out more about Chamber Choice, contact your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma representative or call (918) 551-3385 or visit http://www.bcbsok.com/employer/chamber_tulsa.html

What we’re working on

Executive
• Making Tulsa’s Future II CEO calls.
• Attending the Friends of the Fairgrounds board meeting.
• Attending monthly update meeting with Commissioner Karen Keith.
• Hosting a dinner for Rep. Kris Steele.
• Attending the State Chamber Board of Directors meeting.
• Hosting Past Chairman’s Luncheon.
• Attending monthly update meeting with Mike Bunney.
• Preparing for and attending the EDC meeting regarding CVB Best Practices.

Economic development
• Making Tulsa’s Future II fundraising calls.
• Business Retention and Expansion meetings with a number of companies.
• Facilitating Transmodal Facility planning meetings.
• Meeting with HQ companies and site consultants in Houston to share information about the Tulsa region and our state incentive programs.
• Planning events for site consultants.
• Planning meetings for Target Industry Task Forces.
• Submitting a manufacturing project RFP.
• Following up with a client from a recent site visit for additional information needs.
• Hosting the Oklahoma Business Incubator Association at The Forge for its quarterly meeting.
• Meeting with Mosaic leadership to finalize the rules of engagement for the committee.
• Working with Small Business Council leadership to plan strategy for 2011.
• Strategizing with Council of Smaller Enterprises in Cleveland on best practices for the rebranding of the Small Business Council.
• Finalizing an advertising buy for 2011.
• Working on year-end updates to website and collateral pieces.
• Attending the Pearl Harbor Day Observance and Legislative Recognition Breakfast at Tulsa Tech Riverside.
• Meeting with city and Chamber officials to discuss a potential aerospace project and planned response to RFI.
• Attend Strategic Aero Team Meeting at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to review proposed branding and tagline options.
• Attending the Tulsa Airport Authority Meeting.
• Beginning forecasting for 2011 Economic Profile.

VisitTulsa
• Attending the Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League dinner.
• Meeting with Oklahoma Student Government Association.
• Welcoming the Tulsa Farm Show to Expo Square 12/8-11.
• Updating the Tulsa Area Attractions Map for 2011.
• Preparing report for EDC meeting.

Tulsa Sports Commission
• Recap and review of BMX event.
• Hotel meetings regarding NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship in 2011.
• Hosting Executive Committee meeting.
• Brainstorming about inventory to submit for the Resource Campaign.

Education and workforce
• Meeting with TCC, Sustainable Tulsa, McLain and other community partners to map green initiatives.
• Workforce Tulsa Executive Committee meeting.
• Meeting with Cheri Lindle, a consultant/small business owner.
• Oklahoma Scholars kickoff for Union Public Schools.
• Completing the January edition of Partners In Education e-newsletter.
• Completing the winter edition of Partners In Education print newsletter.
• Making Oklahoma Scholars presentations at TPS.
• Presenting at theTexas Association of Partners In Education conference.
• Attending Partners In Education ceremonies at two high schools.
• Attending CACR Checkpoint meeting.
• Attending Tulsa interest group meeting for the National Black Child Development Institute.
• Working on school board elections and education PAC fundraising.
• Recruiting and training coaches for the College Access Career Readiness program.
• State of Education meetings.

Government Affairs
• Attending INCOG Transportation Policy meeting.
• Meeting with Oklahoma Legislative leadership.
• Finalizing endorsements for the 2011 OneVoice agenda.
• Participating in U.S. Chamber tax cuts update conference call.
• Preparing for Political Directory update.
• Monitoring legislative interim studies.
• Making preparations for the D.C. Fly-In.
• Attending State Chamber Public Affairs Forum.

Marketing and Communications
• Beginning copy for a relocation guide geared toward young professionals.
• Working on design of a number of annual publications.
• Working on marketing plans for 2011.
• Writing 2010 annual report content.
• Meeting with an area company to make plans for expansion announcement.
• Preparing report for EDC meeting.

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:
The Columns Estate
CW Electric Inc.
Farmers Insurance - Scott Baker
Gina & Guiseppe's Italian Ristorante
Henderson Plumbing Co., Inc.
Jatasco, Inc.
MacroSolve
Magnolia Homes
My Dentist
Revolution DJs
Schluter Chiropractic
TaskForce Staffing, LLC
Billie Walsh, O.D.
Brian D. Wiggs Homes, Inc.

IN THIS ISSUE

PRESENTING SPONSORS