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Baker Hughes announces large expansion in Tulsa region
Baker Hughes, a global provider of products and services to the oil and gas industry, announced last week at a press conference hosted by the Tulsa Metro Chamber it has been accepted into the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program and could create as many as 667 jobs over the next 10 years. The firm has already added approximately 91 qualified jobs since its acceptance into the program.
“When a successful, long-established company like Baker Hughes chooses to expand and grow a vital portion of its business in Oklahoma, it shows the world the value of doing business in our state and in the Tulsa region,” said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Metro Chamber. “Every company expansion in our region and every new job created improves our economic prosperity. We congratulate Baker Hughes for its participation in the Quality Jobs Program, and we look forward to assisting the company with further growth and workforce recruitment.”
When filled, the Baker Hughes’ total 667 new jobs support an additional 1,292 indirect or induced jobs and an annual economic impact of $164 million in Oklahoma.
The application for the Quality Jobs Program includes manufacturing facilities for Baker Hughes’ artificial lift, completions, oilfield chemicals and drilling systems product lines – primarily located in northeastern Oklahoma. Baker Hughes has been a long-time employer in Oklahoma, dating back to the early days of the Oklahoma oil and gas industry. Today the company employs 2,400 people in Oklahoma, including more than 1,300 employees at major manufacturing locations in Claremore, Broken Arrow, Sand Springs and Barnsdall.
“The Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program shows the commitment of Oklahoma to creating a business environment that fosters job growth, and we are pleased to be part of the program,” said Art Soucy, vice president of supply chain for Baker Hughes. “We are committed to Oklahoma— and to the Tulsa region in particular—as a core area for our manufacturing and supply chain organization. The skilled workforce, our long-time investment in major manufacturing plants, and the local distribution channels to global markets make the Tulsa area a good choice for our operations. Our affiliation with the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program ensures Baker Hughes’ continued economic contribution to the state.”
Baker Hughes has been a long-time employer in Oklahoma. Today the company employs 2,400 people in Oklahoma, including more than 1,300 employees at major manufacturing locations in Claremore, Broken Arrow, Sand Springs and Barnsdall.
Tulsa ranked No. 4 city for jobs in 2011
Next year will be a good one for Tulsa, according to Forbes. The publication named Tulsa the fourth best city in the nation for jobs. Forbes.com recently released the list of best and worst cities for jobs in 2011 based on a survey of 18,000 employers by employment services firm Manpower.
"Everything we hear points to a very positive upcoming year for job growth in Tulsa,” said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Metro Chamber. “Despite the national recession, the Chamber has remained optimistic the Tulsa region would be one of the last areas to enter the economic downturn and one of the first areas to emerge. Rankings like this one from Forbes prove the Tulsa region has a diverse, resilient economy and it remains a great place to work."
Forbes reports Tulsa tied with Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz., with a net employment outlook of 12 percent.
“I have been talking for months about the potential this city has to create jobs and move jobs to Tulsa,” said Tulsa Mayor Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. “Now Forbes Magazine sees exactly what we’ve been saying.”
To view the full list of best and worst cities for jobs, click here.
Regional partners endorsing OneVoice Agenda, prepare for D.C.
A process that began this summer to identify the region’s needs and par them down to the top legislative issues agreed upon by regional partners is close to receiving its final endorsements before being put into action for the 2011 legislative session.
In all, 37 partners have endorsed the agenda showing a strong commitment to presenting a unified voice at the state Capitol as well as in Washington when the Chamber leads a group of regional and community business leaders to the Capitol to discuss federal issues on the OneVoice Agenda.
The annual D.C. Fly-In trip will take place Tuesday, Feb. 8 - Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011.
The Fly-In's three-day agenda provides attendees with a direct connection to Oklahoma's federal delegation through several private meetings, which play a crucial role in developing a positive business climate for the Tulsa region and Northeast Oklahoma. In addition to face-time with federal delegates, attendees spend three days with fellow business and political leaders from the Tulsa region providing an opportunity for strengthening relationships and encouraging future partnerships.
Among top priorities to be addressed include the timely reauthorization of the federal surface transportation programs including measures to permanently and adequately fund the Highway Trust Fund as well as efforts to end Oklahoma's status as a donor state; the adoption of a more reasonable time frame for the implementation of the new more stringent ozone emission standard; and the right of workers to voluntarily join unions under fair and democratic rules.
Attendees will be supplied a complete agenda with scheduled meetings and provided materials on legislative agenda issues and priorities. Cost to attend is $500 and includes meals. To register, contact LToya Knighten at 918.560.0278 or ltoyaknighten@tulsachamber.com , or register online at TulsaChamber.com.
Chamber staff briefs new legislators on OneVoice AgendaMembers of the government affairs division of the Tulsa Metro Chamber are meeting with the new leaders of the House and Senate to brief them on the Tulsa region’s OneVoice Agenda to ensure Tulsa’s needs are not forgotten once the session begins.
The staff has met with top officials included the new Speaker of the House Kris Steele, House Majority Floor Leader Dan Sullivan and First Assistant Majority Floor Leader Ron Peters as well as the new President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, Assistant Majority Leader John Ford and Appropriations Chair David Myers. The meetings have included discussion of OneVoice agenda items and other legislative issues important to Tulsans along with issues of primary concern for legislators in the upcoming session.
Chamber leaders and the organization’s contract lobbyist have also met personally with several of the region’s newly elected members of both the House and Senate.
“It is important for us to build relationships and explain the OneVoice process and need for it in our region to our elected officials,” said Mike Neal, Tulsa Metro Chamber president and CEO. “We have been received with great enthusiasm and our newly elected members seem excited and ready to work for the Tulsa region.”
Tulsa recognized for strong economy
Brookings Institution and MetroMonitor included Tulsa among the top 20 strongest-performing metro areas in the U.S. MetroMonitor, an interactive barometer of the health of America's metropolitan economies, tracks the economic recession and recovery in the nation’s 100 largest metro areas. It looks at indicators including changes in employment, unemployment rate, gross metropolitan product and housing prices.
“This ranking, as have the many accolades Tulsa has received in 2009 and 2010, validate the strength of our regional economy," said Mike Neal, the Chamber's president and CEO. "Tulsa’s low cost of doing business, low cost of living, development projects and announcements including Baker Hughes, Borets Weatherford, Spartan Engineering and others combine to make the Tulsa region thrive.”
Recognitions from national publications give Tulsa a competitive edge for recruiting new businesses and workforce talent to the region.
Click here to read a Tulsa World story about the Brookings analysis.
Chamber HR manager receives certification
The Tulsa Metro Chamber’s human resources manager, Kris Grace, was recently certified as a human resources professional.
The HR certification is a career-long commitment that shows peers, employees and organizations that the certified individual has mastered the core HR principles and is dedicated to staying current in the profession.
Certification requires meeting strict professional experience and educational requirements before taking the exam. To remain certified, an individual must recertify every three years to make sure they are current in the HR profession.
Grace joined the Tulsa Metro Chamber in 2010 and is responsible for HR activities and duties associated with the 50-plus employee organization.
Happy New Year
The Tulsa Metro Chamber would like to wish all our members a happy and prosperous New Year.
Our offices will be closed on Friday, Dec. 31 in observance of New Year’s Eve. We will resume our regular office hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday on Monday, Jan. 3, 2011.
We look forward to your continued partnership in helping us grow the Tulsa metro region in 2011 to improve the quality of life, prosperity and overall health of our community.
What we’re working on: Executive
• Preparing for January Annual Meeting and Inauguration.
• Preparing for Tulsa's Future II CEO calls in January.
• Updating 2011 schedules and meetings calendars.
Visit Tulsa
• Revising the marketing plan.
• Preparing for the end-of-year Visitor Information switch to 2011 materials.
• Wrapping up the redesign of the 2011 Tulsa Attractions Map.
• Site visit.
Economic Development
• Following up on Tulsa’s Future II fundraising activity.
• Developing a marketing plan for headquarter leads provided by KPMG.
• Monitoring and facilitating plans for Tulsa’s trans-modal facility.
• Preparing to host Oklahoma Governor’s Economic Development Team and Oklahoma Economic Development Council meetings in January 2011.
• Strategic planning for 2011 and setting calendar schedule of publications, events, programs and goals for the year.
• Finishing annual updates for printed publications and GrowMetroTulsa.com website.
• Preparing for a site visit tentatively set for the first week of January.
Education and workforce
• Working to gain more survey participants for the Talent Dividend surveys.
• Coordinating transition of leadership/facilitation of quarterly meetings for the Health Care Roundtable.
• Assisting with review and selection process of candidates for the Workforce Tulsa executive director.
• Working on the Partners In Education January 2011 e-newsletter.
• Working on the Partners In Education fall/winter newsletter.
• Oklahoma Scholars Kickoff for Union Public Schools.
• Oklahoma Scholars Kickoff for Tulsa Public Schools.
• Recruiting volunteers for OK Scholars presentations at Union and Tulsa Public Schools.
• Updating OK Scholars presentation for Tulsa Public Schools and Union Public Schools.
• Presentation for Texas Association of Partners In Education conference.
• Continuing recruiting for CACR (College Access Career Readiness) coaches.
• Prepping for Mayor’s Mentoring Breakfast.
Membership
• Recruiting team captains and volunteers for the Resource Campaign.
• Updating Member Involvement brochure.
Tulsa Sports Commission
• NCAA Men’s Basketball marketing and continued hotel plans.
• Planning site visit and meetings for USA Fencing.
• Press conference planning for upcoming 2011 Chili Bowl races.
Government Affairs
• D.C. Fly-In Preparations
• Finalizing 2011 Political Directory
• Preparations for 2011 Spring legislative events
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