Chamber Executive Oklahoma Digest - September 2014

Oklahoma State Chamber Welcomes New Board Members
 

Since its Annual Meeting in June, the State Chamber has added some new members to its Board of Directors. The board sets policies and issue positions through its committees and also chooses its leadership.

“We are very happy that these members with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise have taken the extra step to being involved,” said State Chamber President and CEO Fred Morgan. “We look forward to working together on an aggressive agenda for next year’s legislative session that will continue to move Oklahoma’s economy forward.”

The new Board members, along with their companies and location are:

• Joni Brooks, President & Publisher, The Journal Record (OKC) - replaces Mary Mélon
• Denise Johnson, President & CEO, Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma (OKC)
• LouAnn Smith, Business Development Officer, Nabholz Construction Services (Tulsa) - replaces Chris Burnett
• Phillip Teel, Manager, Clean Line Energy Partners, (OKC)
• Mike Terry, President, Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (OKC)
• Rickey Truelove, Market Unit Vice President, Great Plains Coca-Cola Bottling Co., (OKC) - replaces Jim Marvel 

Source: okchamber.com

Chamber future: Livable Tulsa: Competition for young professionals is intense

Talk to an out-of-state young professional or recent college graduate about where they want to live and work, and chances are Tulsa, like other Great Plains cities, won’t enter the discussion.

Tulsa, located in a landlocked state, doesn’t boast proximity to an ocean like Portland, Oregon, feature scenic mountain ranges like Denver or use a strong public transportation system like the Northeast corridor. But what young professionals — often defined as 20-to 39-year-olds — say Tulsa does have that sets it apart from more “popular” locales: A strong spirit of entrepreneurship, a high level of community engagement, lower rates of unemployment and, perhaps most importantly, affordability. Read more: Tulsa World

Enid Oklahoma Chamber collaboration: Participation is encouraged in regional consensus concept

Change is a constant of the universe.

In the northwest part of our state, one organization is dedicated to creating an opportunity for constructive change. The Northwest Oklahoma Alliance works to coordinate develop and promote our regional resources. NWOA is looking for visionary business and community leaders in Enid, Kingfisher, Guymon, Alva, Woodward and Fairview.

NWOA focuses on four industry sectors: Agriculture/Tourism, Business/Industry, Education/Health Care and Transportation/Utilities. Northwest Oklahoma faces its share of challenges. Out-migration, a below-average wage base and an overqualified workforce are three obstacles impeding our region's future economic development.A listening tour discussing key legislative principles is slated for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, in the Nick Benson Memorial Ballroom in Enid Convention Hall, 301 S. Independence. Co-chairs of the meeting are Brent Kisling, executive director at Enid Regional Development Alliance, and Jon Blankenship, president of the Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce. Read more: EnidNews.com

Chamber Meeting: OKC Schools Superintendent Challenges Business Leaders To Step Up
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce hosted its State of the Schools today, where Neu spoke candidly about the need to improve schools. And business leaders were listening.
“It's the last critical step for our city to be the best place for us to live and for our children to stay, to hire as business. So for businesses to be successful, we really and truly need businesses to step up and support our education reform now,” said Teresa Rose with the OKC Chamber of Commerce. Read more: News9.com

Chamber of Commerce speaker believes Sallisaw is on right track

From international offices to small business services, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODOC) works in many ways to develop business and industry in Oklahoma. Darla Heller, ODOC regional development specialist, spoke to about 50 people during the monthly Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce meeting at noon Wednesday. The meeting was held on the campus of the Indian Capital Technology Center (ICTC) and Heller spoke for about 20 minutes. Read more: Sequoyah County Times

 

U.S. Chamber affordability ranking: Students from around the world study in Oklahoma

Officials with Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma expect each campus will have about 2,000 students from other countries for the fall semester. A growing number of international students who arrived on the East and West Coasts are making their way inland to study in Oklahoma. Officials with Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma expect each campus will have about 2,000 students from other countries for the fall semester, which begins Monday.

Cost is a big factor, said Tim Huff, manager of international students and scholars at OSU.

“We’re extremely competitive,” Huff said. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce ranks Oklahoma higher education No. 7 in affordability. Read more: NewsOK.com

Chamber Executive Ongoing Education Weekly New Idea: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead - by Sheryl Sandberg, CEO Facebook

Thirty years after women became 50 percent of the college graduates in the United States, men still hold the vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry. This means that women’s voices are still not heard equally in the decisions that most affect our lives. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential.

Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook and is ranked on Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business and as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2010, she gave an electrifying TEDTalk in which she described how women unintentionally hold themselves back in their careers. Her talk, which became a phenomenon and has been viewed more than two million times, encouraged women to “sit at the table,” seek challenges, take risks, and pursue their goals with gusto.

In Lean In, Sandberg digs deeper into these issues, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to cut through the layers of ambiguity and bias surrounding the lives and choices of working women. She recounts her own decisions, mistakes, and daily struggles to make the right choices for herself, her career, and her family. She provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career, urging women to set boundaries and to abandon the myth of “having it all.”  She describes specific steps women can take to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment and demonstrates how men can benefit by supporting women in the workplace and at home.

Written with both humor and wisdom, Sandberg’s book is an inspiring call to action and a blueprint for individual growth. Lean In is destined to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what they can.

Chickasha Chamber State of Education breakfast discusses visions for future

Visionaries in the local education and business worlds met for breakfast on Monday morning to discuss education in Oklahoma.

The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce hosted a "State of Education" breakfast a the Canadian Valley Technology Center. The speakers were three leaders from the prominent schools of Chickasha: Dr. John H. Feaver, University of Science and Art Oklahoma President, David Cash, Superintendent of Chickasha Public Schools and Dr. Greg Z. Winters, Superintendent of Canadian Valley Technology Center. Read more: The Express-Star

Norman Chamber Event: Oklahoma needs women in leadership

Past and present elected officials set partisan politics aside and talked about the importance of women in leadership at the Norman Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Friday.

Former Lt. Governor Jari Askins, state representatives Lee Denney and Leslie Osborn, and Norman Mayor Cindy Rosenthal comprised a panel that responded to topics ranging from how they got involved in politics and public service, to the major issues facing them today. Read more: Norman Transcript

Altus, Oklahoma Chamber President: $400 million ‘retail leakage’

Approximately $400 million dollars per year is “leaking” from local retailers and is being spent in other towns, Altus Chamber of Commerce President Brian Bush said as the guest speaker at the Southwest Oklahoma Republican Women meeting on Thursday, Aug. 28. That is potentially $14 million annual that could go to City services and infrastructure based on the city tax of 3.5 percent, he explained. Read more: AltusTimes.com

Tweet of the day: Retweeted by Ok State Chamber

Governor Mary Fallin ‏@GovMaryFallin 15h

Glad to see small businesses and Oklahoma employers are paying over 20 percent less in work comp insurance. http://bit.ly/1q8L3tT

More information: For the second straight year, workers’ compensation loss costs used by insurers to determine rates for employers will show an overall decrease. The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) has filed an overall loss cost level decrease of 7.8 percent, bringing the total two-year decrease to 22.4 percent. “This is great news for Oklahoma’s economy,” said Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak. “When employers pay less for workers’ compensation insurance, they can more easily grow their business, hire additional workers and expand local economies. I’m extremely encouraged to see the continuation of this positive trend. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it all started with Oklahoma’s push for workers’ compensation reform.” Read more: OK.gov

Norman (Oklahoma) Chamber of Commerce announces Leadership Class

Thirty Norman residents have been chosen to participate in the Chamber’s 34th Leadership Norman class. The program is designed to identify and motivate emerging leaders through development of their potential for community leadership. During the next several months, participants will attend 15 interactive sessions covering a variety of topics including communication, education, personal leadership, quality of life issues, city and state government, health care and economic development. Class members will also be given the opportunity to serve area nonprofits. Read more: Norman Transcript

State Chamber of Oklahoma: Railroad Crossing Improvements Address Safety Concerns

Governor Fallin, ODOT to be commended for addressing transportation needs

Today’s announcement that the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) will be addressing a backlog of railroad crossing improvements around the state is welcome news to the business community. The plan will address more than 300 crossings in the state with an infrastructure investment of $100-million.

“For many years, Oklahoma faced a mountain of deficient bridges and dangerous rail crossings,” said State Chamber of Oklahoma President and CEO Fred Morgan. “Governor Fallin and Department of Transportation officials are to be commended for their work in addressing both of these areas to the benefit of all Oklahomans.” Read more: State Chamber of Oklahoma

Chamber business: Goldman Sachs is looking to help 10,000 small businesses with a $500 MILLION investment

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program is a $500 million investment to help small businesses create jobs and economic opportunity by providing them with greater access to business education, financial capital, and business support services. 10,000 Small Businesses is designed for business owners with limited resources who have a business poised for growth. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to growing their business and creating jobs within their community. Learn more about this program and eligibility requirements. Further information: 10,000 Small Businesses  

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation (Education)

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”--- Albert Einstein