img0 = new Image();
img0.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/hp_project_boomerang.jpg";
img0alt = "Commerce Launches Project Boomerang To Bring Back Skilled Workers";
img1 = new Image();
img1.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/hp_sigma_opens.jpg";
img1alt = "Sigma Inaugurates Processed Meats Plant In The U.S.A";
img2 = new Image();
img2.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/hp_okc_recession_proof_city.jpg";
img2alt = "Forbes Ranks Oklahoma City Nation’s Most Recession Proof ";
img3 = new Image();
img3.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/hp_hyatt_service_center.jpg";
img3alt = "New Accounting Facility to Bring 300 Jobs to the Area";
img4 = new Image();
img4.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/govcup2008.jpg";
img4alt = "";
img5 = new Image();
img5.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/noblefoundardmore.jpg";
img5alt = "Noble Foundation Named Among The Best Places To Work For Postdocs";
img6 = new Image();
img6.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/worldtradeconference2007.jpg";
img6alt = "";
img7 = new Image();
img7.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/rx_ok_award.jpg";
img7alt = "RX for Oklahoma Receives Excellence Award";
img8 = new Image();
img8.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/okbio.jpg";
img8alt = "New Organization Formed to Promote and Advance Oklahoma's Bioscience Industry";
img9 = new Image();
img9.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/work_ready_communities.jpg";
img9alt = "Work Ready Communities";
img10 = new Image();
img10.src = "http://www.okcommerce.gov/images/stories/front_page/newsfeaturesiteready10_06.jpg";
img10alt = "Oklahoma Site Ready Program Adds Additional Sites";
var isIE;
function rotNews(myTime)
{
timeLimit = 13000;
thisID = new Number(document.getElementById("rotID").value);
if (thisID > 6) {
timeLimit = 30000;
thisID = 0;
}
if (thisID < 0) {
thisID = 7;
}
if (myTime == "play") {
fpID = new Number(thisID);
if (fpID == 0) {
document.getElementById("fpImageSrc").src = img0.src;
document.getElementById("fpImageSrc").alt = img0alt;
document.getElementById("fpContent").innerHTML = 'Commerce Launches Project Boomerang To Bring Back Skilled Workers
May 7, 2008 -- To attract highly skilled workers and bring expatriate talent back home, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce recently launched Project Boomerang.
"As the lead economic development agency in Oklahoma, Commerce is working to find ways to retain and attract a highly skilled workforce," says Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Natalie Shirley. "We came up with Project Boomerang as a way to capitalize on our greatest asset: our Oklahoma native talent."
Oklahoma\'s low unemployment rate of 3.2% has many employers seeking workers to fill high-paying jobs. By comparison, the national unemployment rate is 5.0%. In Oklahoma, every person who is willing to work and can work is working, which makes finding skilled talent even harder.
Project Boomerang seeks two distinct audiences. The first audience includes 25-35 year-old knowledge workers to fill high wage jobs in areas such as computing and aviation.
Target professions include engineers, nurses and various healthcare professionals, aviation mechanics, technology workers, and others deemed essential to helping advance the economy.
The second audience includes 50-65 year-old executives with management experience. Their skills can be used to help upstart companies get on track. While at the same time those executives will enjoy a more relaxed pace that is offered by living in Oklahoma.
Sigma Inaugurates Processed Meats Plant In The U.S.A
May 7, 2008 -- ALFA, S.A. de C.V. (ALFA) the Mexican industrial conglomerate, announced today that its subsidiary company, Sigma Alimentos, S. A. de C. V. (Sigma), the leading producer of refrigerated foods in Mexico, has opened a processed meats plant in Seminole, Oklahoma, U.S.A.
Governor Brad Henry, Natalie Shirley, Secretary of Commerce and Tourism, Chayne Fisher, Mayor of Seminole, and Mario H. Paez Gonzalez, President of Sigma, headed the inauguration ceremony.
In speaking about the new facility, Mario H. Paez commented: "We are very pleased to have built this plant, as it will allow us to reinforce our competitive position in a high growth market, such as the Hispanic one. This investment adds to prior investments done in Mexico to expand our production capacity and market coverage, and allow us to consolidate our leadership in the markets we serve.
"The location of this plant, in a state like Oklahoma, that enjoys strategic advantages in terms of accessing raw materials, and tapping qualified personnel, permits us to better serve the market with fresher and longer shelf life products. Furthermore, we will also achieve important savings in logistics and distribution expenses," he concluded.
"We appreciate Sigma\'s investment in Seminole and the state of Oklahoma and look forward to working with its leadership team," said Governor Brad Henry. "This is going to be a great partnership, one that pays dividends for both Sigma and our great state."
Forbes Ranks Oklahoma City Nation’s Most Recession Proof
May 1, 2008 -- Forbes Magazine recently ranked Oklahoma City as the most recession proof city in the United States.
The magazine cited Oklahoma City\'s falling unemployment, one of the country\'s strongest housing markets, and solid growth in manufacturing, energy, and agriculture.
Forbes says Oklahoma City looks best positioned among the nation\'s largest metropolitan areas to ride out the current crisis.
Forbes says key growth areas include leisure and hospitality which have seen a 6% increase from 2007, while construction is up 11.5%.
The magazine also says Oklahoma City has recently benefited from booming valuations of Devon Energy and Chesapeake Energy.
Forbes based its rankings on several key measures including data supplied from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The ranking was all based on data from the National Association of Realtors.
Click here to read the full article "America\'s Recession-Proof Cities"
Hyatt Opens Shared Service Center in Moore; New Accounting Facility to Bring 300 Jobs to the Area
April 29, 2008 - Hyatt Hotels & Resorts today celebrated the opening of its new finance and accounting Shared Service Center in Moore, Oklahoma. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place at the New City Center, which will now serve as the primary customer accounting and internal payroll services location for all 217 full service Hyatt hotels and resorts in North America.
According to Jim Melvin, Hyatt\'s vice president, financial shared service center, the new facility opens with 50 employees with plans to bring that total to 150 full-time associates by year-end. Eventually, the Company expects to employ 300 people in Moore, representing a total annual payroll of more than $6 million.
"We are pleased to locate our Shared Service Center in Moore," Melvin said. "Oklahoma has a skilled and available workforce and the state\'s incentives and workforce development programs were very attractive to our company. The working relationship among the State of Oklahoma, the City of Moore, CB Richard Ellis Labor Analytics Group and the Moore Norman Technology Center was very impressive. They all worked hard, and in tandem, to bring Hyatt to Oklahoma."
"As one of the bona fide giants in the hotel industry, Hyatt is a name synonymous with quality and service," said Governor Brad Henry. "It is fitting that Hyatt will be able to draw on Oklahoma\'s talented and dedicated workforce for this service center. I congratulate both Hyatt and Moore for what will be a win-win for both the company and the city."
Donald W. Reynolds Governor\'s Cup Award Winners Announced
April 25, 2008 -- Student teams from the University of Oklahoma swept the first-place awards in both graduate and undergraduate divisions in the 2008 Donald W. Reynolds Governor\'s Cup Collegiate Business Plan competition. The winners were announced Thursday evening during an awards banquet at the Bricktown Special Events Center.
First-Place Winners
First-place winner in the graduate division was Perpetual Phamaceuticals, which outlined a plan for an innovative drug delivery system such as an injectable insulin drug to effectively manage glucose levels in diabetes patients. Team members were Blaine Stansel, team leader, and Pauline Sein. Lowell Busenitz was faculty adviser to the team.
Undergraduate winner was Synthesized Nano Coatings LLC, which outlined a plan to commercialize a patented nanotechnology-based fabric enhancing treatment for use with cotton. Team members were Ben Ikard, team leader, Chas Gilmore, Tyler Ledlow and Brendon Quick. David Townsend was faculty adviser.
Noble Foundation Named Among The Best Places To Work For Postdocs
April 23, 2008 -- Ardmore, OK -- Internationally renowned for its plant science discoveries and agricultural programs, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation recently added another distinction with Scientist magazine ranking it among the Best Places to Work for Post Doctoral Fellows (postdocs).
According to the professional publication\'s annual survey, the Noble Foundation ranked No. 8 out of more than 80 institutions nationwide. This year marks the first time the Noble Foundation participated in the magazine\'s postdocs survey during its 62-year history. The Noble Foundation also ranked as the highest plant science research institute on the list.
The Noble Foundation, based in Ardmore, employs 57 postdocs from more than 20 different countries to conduct research in the Foundation\'s world-class facilities in Ardmore. Postdocs are typically defined as non-tenure scientists with a doctoral degree, many of whom have recently graduated. Postdocs typically spend three years at a research institution after graduation.
Oklahoma Companies Honored for Export Achievement
April 10, 2008 -- Four Oklahoma companies received recognition today for their exporting efforts during the 25th Annual Oklahoma World Trade Conference held at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center in Tulsa.
The Chairman of the Oklahoma District Export Council, Chuck Mills, presented the awards, which included the 2008 Governor\'s Award for Excellence in Exporting and the U.S. Commercial Service Export Achievement Certificate.
"The companies honored with these awards possess the global business savvy qualities that all Oklahoma businesses should embrace to prosper in today’s new economy," Mills says. "Our future economic success lies in delivering cutting edge innovation, value-added business solutions, world-class professional services, and technological advancement to the global marketplace."
Star Building Systems, a manufacturer of custom metal buildings based in Oklahoma City; and T.D. Williamson, a Tulsa-based company that provides equipment and services for oil and gas pipeline maintenance; received 2008 Governor\'s Award of Excellence in Exporting awards.
Star Building Systems also received a U.S. Commercial Service Export Achievement Certificate. Other certificate recipients were Ameristar Fence Products and Great Plains Stainless, both of Tulsa.
RX for Oklahoma Receives Excellence Award
April 3, 2008 -- RX for Oklahoma, a prescription drug program, recently received the Oklahoma Public Health Association\'s Special Business Award for Excellence in Public Health.
The Special Business Award goes to programs that make a significant achievement in public health activities and issues, demonstrate quality and initiatives in public health, and demonstrate leadership and skill in advancing public health.
"We are thrilled that RX for Oklahoma won this award from the OPHA," says Rhonda Harding-Hill, RX for Oklahoma Program Planner with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. "This program, while still relatively new, is making an impact across the state and making a difference in the lives of needy Oklahomans."
Rx for Oklahoma started in late 2005 to help Oklahomans access prescription assistance programs provided by pharmaceutical manufacturing companies.
Nearly 17% of the state\'s population, or more than 700,000 people, lack the health insurance coverage needed to purchase medicines. This program assists medically indigent (uninsured or underinsured) Oklahomans with receiving free- and low-cost medications.
New Organization Formed to Promote and Advance Oklahoma’s Bioscience Industry
March 19, 2008 -- It was announced Wednesday that a new association has been formed to promote the state\'s growing bioscience industry.
"The Oklahoma Bioscience Association was created to form a strong partnership between our bioscience companies, research institutions, scientists, economic development organizations, and the larger business community who are working to advance and expand the biosciences in our state ," said Carl Edwards, chairman of the Oklahoma Bioscience Association board of directors, and managing partner of Price Edwards & Company.
"This is a statewide association that\'s intended to be the voice of the bio industry
in Oklahoma," Edwards added. "Our mission is to promote the growth of biosciences in the state through partnership building, education and outreach, networking, and policy development."
The Oklahoma Bioscience Association (OKBio) will be focusing on six key areas of importance: fostering a bioscience-friendly business climate, promoting the image of Oklahoma as a bioscience leader, building productive networks and partnerships, encouraging commercialization, increasing access to investment capital and attracting and developing entrepreneurial talent and skilled workers.
Work Ready Communities: New Program To Certify the Workforces of Communities, Counties, Regions
March 10, 2007 -- Oklahomans are hard workers recognized nationally for their ability to get the job done. Yet, as valuable as this strong, unyielding work ethic is, it will not be enough to carry us successfully into our next 100 years.
To ensure that Oklahoma offers industry the innovative talent needed to compete in a knowledge-based economy, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce will soon launch the Certified Work Ready Communities program.
Work Ready Communities expands the state\'s skills assessment and certification effort currently offered to individual employees, job seekers, and employers through the WorkKeys and Career Readiness Certificate program.
How Businesses, Employees, Job Seekers, and Schools Use WorkKeys/Career Readiness Certificates
WorkKeys, a nationally recognized workplace skills assessment test, measures communication and problem-solving, which are valuable to any occupation. The Career Readiness Certificates (CRCs) are given based on WorkKeys scores and provide a portable credential documenting that the potential or incumbent employees possess certain fundamental skills required by employers here and across the country.
Businesses use this nationally recognized program to recruit and hire new employees and promote and train incumbent workers; job seekers use WorkKeys and CRCs to identify education or training gaps and to validate their qualifications; and school systems use this program to develop curriculum that bridges the gap between education and the working world and to help students plan their study paths and careers.
Oklahoma\'s Site Ready Program Adds Additional Sites
March 3, 2008 -- Sallisaw and Tahlequah recently added their industrial parks to the Oklahoma Site Ready Program, which is managed by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. These latest additions bring the total number of sites in the program to 28.
"The Site Ready Program is one of our greatest tools for businesses looking to relocate or expand in Oklahoma," said Natalie Shirley, Secretary of Commerce and Tourism. "When a community has a certified site, it lets business locators and site consultants know that they are ready for growth."
Site Ready seeks to make business relocation, expansion and development in Oklahoma as inviting as possible. In partnership with OG&E and PSO, Commerce works to capitalize on economic development opportunities through community efforts employing the program.
The Sallisaw site is the Roy Frye Jr. Industrial Park, and the Tahlequah Business and Industry Park has been certified in Tahlequah.
"The Sallisaw Improvement Corporation chose to apply for the Site Ready Program in an effort to increase the visibility and marketing ability of our Industrial Park," said Judy Martens, Executive Director of the Sallisaw Improvement Corporation. "We felt that the potential of filling our Park was much greater by being certified through Commerce. This type of certification gives Sallisaw and our Industrial Park much more validity to businesses and industries looking to locate in our region."
