SPEEDING TOWARD TULSA'S FUTURE - 2022 Chamber Chair Kevin Gross outlines priorities - Tulsa Regional ...
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SPEEDING TOWARD TULSA’S FUTURE 2022 Chamber Chair Kevin Gross outlines priorities
WITNESS
MAJOR MOMENTS
MAY 16-22, 2022
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PGACHAMPIONSHIP.COM
2 Q1 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 6 12
HEAD TABLE SPEEDING TOWARD ONE ON ONEVOICE
Recapping our recent activities, TULSA'S FUTURE Oklahoma Rep. Kyle Hilbert
events, projects and more 2022 Chamber Chair Kevin Gross
outlines priorities
14 18 22
TAKING FLIGHT TULSA MAKES WHO WE ARE
USA BMX opens new national head- NOISE AT SXSW
quarters and stadium in Tulsa
ON THE COVER:
2022 Chamber Chair
Kevin Gross outlined his
priorities for the year dur-
ing the Annual Meeting
& Inauguration held on
25 26
Jan. 26. See Cover Story
beginning on page 6.
SMALL BUSINESS NEW MEMBERS
SPOTLIGHT
Twenty Twenty Eyecare
THE CHAMBER REPORT IS PUBLISHED BY
THE TULSA REGIONAL CHAMBER
EDITOR PUBLICATION AND DESIGN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Jim Morgan Bryan Campbell Taylor Lippitt
Senior Vice President of Director of Creative Services Senior Director of Communications
Communications
The Chamber Report (ISSN 1532-5733) is published by the Tulsa Regional Chamber, Williams Center Tower I, One West Third Street, Suite 100, Tulsa, OK 74103, (918)
585-1201. Members receive a subscription for $12 paid from annual dues. Nonmembers can subscribe for $24 per year. Periodical postage is paid at Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Chamber Report, Williams Center Tower I, One West Third Street, Suite 100, Tulsa, OK 74103.
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 3
HEAD
TABLE
RECAPPING OUR RECENT ACTIVITIES,
EVENTS, PROJECTS AND MORE
BUILD SERIES
AIMS TO EDUCATE,
UPSKILL
If you have not already done so, be sure to check out the
BUILD professional development program from the Tulsa
Small Business Connection. BUILD is a webinar series aimed
at providing education and resources to small business own-
ers and their growing team of leaders. The goals of BUILD are
to educate and upskill the small business workforce in Tulsa,
to help owners and operators create future leaders at their or-
ganizations, and to support small business staff engagement
and retention.
Six segments of BUILD are available for you to watch or to
share with employees for professional development oppor-
tunities. Modules are led by fellow Chamber members who
share their insights and expertise on various business topics
such as hiring and firing, marketing and sales, and diversi-
ty, equity and inclusion. You can access the full series here:
https://tulsachamber.com/buildseries
4 Q1 2022
CLEARSIGN MOVES HQ FROM
SEATTLE TO TULSA
ClearSign Technologies recently announced it is and plans to hire additional jobs through the
relocating its headquarters from Seattle to Tul- Oklahoma 21st Century Quality Jobs Act in-
sa. ClearSign is an emerging leader in indus- centive program from the Oklahoma Dept. of
trial combustion and sensing technologies, Commerce. Thanks to the Chamber’s econom-
making northeast Oklahoma an ideal location ic development team, the Oklahoma Dept. of
for the company’s headquarters. Commerce, the City of Tulsa and Tulsa’s Future
investors for their support of projects such as
Originally headquartered in Seattle, the com- this.
pany has been growing its presence in Tulsa
BOK CENTER HOSTS BIG 12
WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP
The Big 12 Wrestling Championship returned spending on ticket sales and indirect spending
to Tulsa and the BOK Center in early March, from shopping, dining and hotel stays.
marking the tournament’s sixth consecutive
year in Tulsa. After limited attendance last The tournament will remain in Tulsa through
year due to COVID-19, the tournament saw 2024 thanks to a partnership between the Big
record-breaking ticket sales. Tulsa Regional 12 Conference and the Tulsa Sports Commis-
Tourism estimates an economic impact of $2 sion. Additionally, Tulsa will host the NCAA
million from the tournament, including direct Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center
in 2023.
TULSA’S NEXTGEN TALENT,
CAMPUS TULSA SEEK PARTNERS
Tulsa’s NextGEN Talent (TNT) and Campus Tulsa are two Chamber initiatives to develop, grow and
retain young talent in northeast Oklahoma. Tulsa’s NextGEN Talent provides externship opportuni-
ties to African American high school students at Tulsa-area schools, and the Chamber is currently
seeking businesses to host a student for a three-week externship in June. If your company can host
a student, please visit https://www.tulsasfuture.com/workforce-and-talent/tulsa's-nextgen-tal-
ent-externship for more information and to sign up.
Campus Tulsa is a joint initiative of the Chamber, City of Tulsa and George Kaiser Family Founda-
tion to increase college graduate retention through comprehensive summer programming. Cam-
pus Tulsa is currently seeking employer partners and Tulsa-area internship opportunities for its
online job board, which can be accessed by visiting https://www.campustulsa.com/join.
ONEVOICE DAY AT THE CAPITOL
COMBINES INFORMATION,
ADVOCACY
Thank you to the 100 attendees who joined Chamber staff members in Oklahoma City on March 1 and 2 for
the Chamber’s annual state advocacy trip, OneVoice Day at the Capitol, which was presented this year by
GableGotwals. Our trip included an evening welcome reception with legislators, followed the next morning
by a visit with the governor, plus panel discussions on transportation, American Rescue Plan Act funds use,
state tourism and more.
Thank you as well to all of our special speaker guests, including Gov. Kevin Stitt, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, Secre-
tary of State and Native American Affairs Brian Bingman, Rep. Kyle Hilbert, Deputy Director of the Oklahoma
Turnpike Authority Joe Echelle, the Oklahoma Dept. of Transportation's Director of Capital Programs Rick
Johnson, and Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority Executive Director Adria Berry. It was a fantastic visit,
and we appreciate the investments all of our guests and attendees are making in the future of our region.
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 5
SPEEDING TOWARD
TULSA’S FUTURE
2022 Chamber Chair Kevin Gross outlines priorities
As a young boy growing up in Philadelphia, Kevin Gross read stories of what the future would look
like. As he recalls, the future he read about was going to be full of self-driving cars, smart robots and
rapid space travel.
“Come to think of it, maybe the future is not that far off,” Gross “We heard a lot of great ideas at the retreat,” says Gross. “A
says with a smile. resounding message was the importance of not diminishing
Chamber support for small businesses, which create more
From his vantage points as both the president and CEO of Hill- than 80 percent of jobs and are so vital to continued economic
crest HealthCare System as well as the 2022 chair of the Tulsa strength. We also heard time and again the need to foster in-
Regional Chamber, Gross has spent a fair amount of time con- creased connectivity within our region, and with other regions,
templating the future. He has formed some opinions. such as through the designation of U.S. 412 as an interstate.”
“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is the value of plan-
ning, and of being as prepared as possible for a future that may “Since its inception 16 years ago, Tulsa’s
look a little different than we expect,” he says. “Politically, eco-
nomically and culturally, the future will increasingly belong to Future has supported the creation of
growing, highly interconnected regions such as ours.”
more than 72,000 jobs and more than
According to the 2020 census, the population of the Tulsa $4.2 billion in capital investment,” says
metropolitan area – meaning the City of Tulsa and its adjacent
communities – has surpassed 1 million people. As Gross sees it, Gross.
that’s a significant milestone.
“When companies and consultants look to expand or relocate, Amidst all the feedback, three key themes emerged: chances
they evaluate potential destinations based on a variety of fac- to diversify our economy, opportunities to expand our tourism
tors,” he explains. “But for workforce availability and other rea- industry, and the need to further strengthen our community.
sons, many of them won’t even consider communities of less Gross has decided to make these themes the basis for his work
than a million residents. So our region is now more eligible than as Chamber chair.
ever to be considered for the most attractive opportunities.”
ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION
The 2020 census results spurred Gross to think about what Tul- Tulsa is increasingly on the radars of companies and site selec-
sa will look like in 2030, the next time the census will be con- tors looking to expand or relocate. Companies including Ama-
ducted. zon, Sofidel, the Greenheck Group, and Milo’s Tea have moved
here, and companies such as Whirlpool and American Airlines
“I started asking, ‘What do we want our region to look like in 10 continue to expand. Gross credits this to very intentional out-
years?’ As the focus of my Chamber chairmanship, I will chal- reach and effort.
lenge the board and staff leadership to do some long-range
planning to envision what our region could be in 10 years. And “Tulsa’s Future—the Chamber-led public-private regional eco-
to answer the question, ‘What does the Chamber need to do to nomic development partnership—has played a major role in
help us achieve this vision for the next decade?’” each of these projects,” he says. “Tulsa’s Future is a collabora-
tive effort involving the City of Tulsa, Tulsa County, hundreds
Attempts to answer these questions began last October at the of private investors, and numerous regional and tribal partners
Chamber’s annual Leadership Retreat. More than 150 members to further economic prosperity in the Tulsa region. The work of
of the Chamber’s Board of Directors and Board of Advisors Tulsa’s Future benefits from the region’s robust and intercon-
took part in the retreat, and they heard from leaders such as nected ecosystem of economic development organizations, in-
Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and Tulsa County Commissioner Karen cluding the George Kaiser Family Foundation, which prioritizes
Keith, both of whom shared their insights about the importance economic development in its philanthropy.”
and impact of long-term planning.
6 Q1 2022
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 7
Since its inception 16 years ago, Tulsa’s opportunity for regions like ours to build ber of headquartered companies, we
Future has supported the creation of an automotive corridor,” Gross says. “A have more than 1.2 million square feet of
more than 72,000 jobs and more than regional automotive corridor would in- available class A office space, with new
$4.2 billion in capital investment. clude not only original equipment man- projects like the WPX and Santa Fe build-
ufacturer assembly plants, but also parts ings coming soon. Our lease rates are
“In the years ahead, Tulsa’s Future must suppliers and battery technology sites. also substantially lower than competing
continue to support our region’s core And we are not starting from zero. Au- cities such as Austin and Dallas, making
economic sectors of advanced manufac- tomotive technology companies already us a strong contender for companies in
turing, aerospace and defense, energy, in our region include Canoo, The Traton search of new or expanded headquarters
and transportation and logistics,” says Group / Navistar, and Francis Energy.” or tech facilities.”
Gross. “We must optimize our support
for these enterprises. But as we move for- Gross also believes our region should A third sector that appears to hold much
ward into 2022 and beyond, we will also focus additional energies on attracting promise is advanced aerial mobility,
focus significant effort on three sectors regional headquarters and technology which offers new opportunities in the de-
with the potential to become linchpin offices. He is quick to point out that the livery of goods, linking of rural and urban
contributors to our regional economy by Tulsa region is far from starting at zero in communities, and interurban transit. De-
2030.” this area. loitte estimates that, by 2035, advanced
aerial mobility could create 280,000 jobs
The first sector Gross believes we should “Companies already headquartered and generate $30 billion in worker wages
target is automotive technology. With in Tulsa include those in the economic and benefits. Gross sees this as a natural
nearly every major automaker rolling out sectors of energy, aerospace, finance, fit for our region.
electric vehicle lines, Deloitte forecasts a technology, telecommunications, high
compound annual growth rate of 29 per- tech, and manufacturing,” he says. “We “Building upon our region’s longstanding
cent during the next decade, with electric are home to two Fortune 500 company deep ties to the aerospace and aviation
vehicle sales expected to grow from 2.5 headquarters—ONEOK and Williams— industries, projected growth in advanced
million in 2020 to 31.1 million by 2030. and to QuikTrip, one of the largest pri- aerial mobility represents an excellent
vately-owned company headquarters. opportunity to more fully activate and
“Automotive technology presents a new Though our region already boasts a num- leverage regional talent,” says Gross. “We
8 Q1 2022
need look no further than local compa-
nies such as TAT Technologies & Limco,
Spirit AeroSystems, Omni Air, Flight Safe-
ty, L3 and American Airlines for inspira-
tion.”
In addition to pursuing growth in these
three sectors, Gross also believes we
should continue to build on the suc-
cess of Tulsa Remote, an initiative of the
George Kaiser Family Foundation, and
become a nationally recognized hub for
remote work. In many cases, those drawn
to plant roots in Tulsa first experience our
region as tourists.
TOURISM EXPANSION
“For decades, much of Oklahoma’s eco-
nomic identity has resided within the
energy and aviation industries,” Gross
notes. “Today, thanks to attractions such
as Route 66, big events at the BOK Cen-
ter, the Gathering Place riverfront park,
and major sporting events such as the
USA BMX Grand Nationals, IRONMAN
and PGA golf tournaments, tourism is the
third largest industry in Oklahoma, and
our region in particular is a huge attrac-
tion for many.”
Indeed, in 2020 alone, 7.2 million people
visited Tulsa and spent $845 million, gen-
erating a total economic impact of $1.2
billion, according to an annual study by
Oxford Economics. Marketable visits –
purely leisure trips rather than trips to vis-
it friends or relatives – accounted for 3.2
million visits to our region. Local tourism
supports more than 15,300 jobs in Tulsa,
and the state and local taxes sustained
by tourism offsets $590 in taxes for each
household in our city. More than 143,000
hotel room nights were booked for the
fiscal year from July 2020 to June 2021.
The total economic impact of the con-
ferences and events our city hosted was
$227 million.
“Numbers like that do not happen by ac-
cident,” says Gross. “They reflect the hard
work of Tulsa Regional Tourism—the Tulsa
Regional Chamber’s destination market-
ing organization—to attract visitors to our
city. People are choosing to visit Tulsa in
significantly greater numbers during the
last decade. And while the pandemic im-
pacted that momentum in 2021, we must
continue to sell the future of Tulsa as a
major tourism destination.”
That’s been made easier by the increase
of visit-worthy offerings within our region. Heroes in the house: Local health care professionals were
Destinations such as the Greenwood Ris- honored during the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s 2022 Annual
ing history center, the Woody Guthrie Meeting & Inauguration on Jan. 26.
Center, and the soon-to-open Bob Dylan
Center prompted travel experts From-
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 9
mer’s to name Tulsa among its best plac- new venues—perhaps a soccer stadium or to diversity, equity and inclusion—69 per-
es to visit in the United States this year. an outdoor performance stage.” cent of participating organizations have
programs in place to develop a pipeline
“Thanks to the work of our partners at COMMUNITY BUILDING of diverse leaders, and 85 percent spon-
Southern Hills, one of the highlights of Even as Tulsa diversifies its economy and sor training or offer access to programs
2022 will be the PGA Championship in expands its tourism offerings, Gross be- that focus on embracing differences and
May,” Gross says. “That event will have an lieves our region cannot lose sight of the overcoming bias.
economic impact to our region of more need to build community at every avail-
than $60 million. Together the PGA, the able opportunity. “Numbers like that tell me we are moving
IRONMAN triathlon and many other mar- in the right direction,” Gross says. “What’s
quee events will generate the largest “In 2021 we commemorated the centen- more, a full 83 percent of participating
economic impact from tourism in our nial of the Tulsa Race Massacre,” he says. organizations take employees’ religious
city’s history.” “In so doing, we were reminded that we beliefs into account when planning work
must do better, as individuals and as a or holiday-related events. And 87 percent
As Gross imagines it, the Tulsa of 2030 community. My Chamber chair predeces- offer floating time off for employees to
will have an even broader tourism port- sor, Rose Washington-Jones, made com- observe events of personal or religious
folio than it does today, thanks to the munity building a central tenet of her ten- significance.”
expansion of existing offerings and the ure as chair, and that work must not stop.
addition of new attractions. As a region, we must work even harder Nor do companies limit their DEI efforts
to make sure opportunity is available to to their own organizations. Of those tak-
“Arkansas River development will un- all, and that systemic barriers to equitable ing the 2021 index, 83 percent engage
doubtedly be a big part of that mix,” he advancement are removed.” employees in community DEI work by
says. “But we must also consider oppor- encouraging volunteerism with diverse
tunities to expand existing offerings, like Gross sees many reasons to be optimistic populations.
Turkey Mountain and our bike trails. The about the work ahead. For example, ac-
Turkey Mountain Master Plan trail renova- cording to the 2021 Inclusive Workplace “These statistics represent real progress,
tions are already luring outdoor adven- Index conducted by Mosaic—the Tulsa year over year and certainly century over
turers from neighboring states to check Regional Chamber’s coalition of compa- century,” says Gross. “But if we are truly
out the upgrades. We can also invest in nies and nonprofit partners committed to be the community of the future—the
community my three grandchildren will
choose to call home—we must not take
“Arkansas River development will undoubtedly be a our foot off the gas. We must continue to
develop and expand programs that fos-
big part of that mix,” Gross says. “But we must also ter inclusivity, in every possible form.”
consider opportunities to expand existing offerings, Gross notes that programs such as Tulsa’s
like Turkey Mountain and our bike trails.” NextGEN Talent—which provides extern-
ship experiences for Black students from
10 Q1 2022Tulsa-area schools—and Campus Tulsa—
which ensures local college interns are
engaged and included in area activities—
are tremendous catalysts.
“So are programs such as 918 Lead from
Tulsa’s Young Professionals,” says Gross.
“The 918 Lead program seeks to educate
young people on how to run for public
office in the hopes of attracting and sup-
porting the next generation of leaders.” PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
But as passionate as Gross is about chart- ROSE WASHINGTON-JONES
ing new paths to Tulsa’s future, he’s also Chairman's Award
very aware of the need for the Cham-
ber to keep doing the things that have
brought success in the past.
MAYOR G.T. BYNUM
Economic Development Partner of the Year
“Through the OneVoice Regional Legisla-
tive Agenda, the Chamber will continue OK SEN. CHUCK HALL
to advocate for critical business, health & OK REP. SCOTT FETGATTER
and infrastructure needs at both the Regional Tourism Partners of the Year
state and federal levels,” he says. “Criti-
cal elections take place this year, so time DAVID STEWART
and energy will go to helping ensure we
Government Affairs Partner of the Year
elect good leaders to public office. The
Chamber will continue to support busi-
nesses of all sizes—from small startups to OK SEN. KEVIN MATTHEWS
large corporations—through a variety of Community Development Partner of the Year
programs and services. And the Cham-
ber will continue to partner with organi- GINGER KOLLMANN
zations across our region to support the Resource Development Partner of the Year
continued economic prosperity of north-
east Oklahoma.” n GARY AKIN
Regional Partner of the Year
GABLEGOTWALS
Board of Directors Award of Excellence
GREENWOOD RISING
To watch the 2022 Annual Meeting & Conscience of the Community Award
Inauguration in its entirety, visit
tulsachamber.com/annualmeeting. RON PETERS
Lifetime Achievement Award
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 1112 Q1 2022
OKLAHOMA REP. KYLE HILBERT
Oklahoma Rep. Kyle Hilbert represents House District 29, which consists of rural Creek and Tulsa counties. Rep. Hilbert,
his wife Alexis, and daughter Addison live in Bristow.
Rep. Hilbert attended Oklahoma State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness. While at OSU,
he served as president of the Student Government Association. He has championed several major pieces of legislation
during his six years in the legislature, including Senate Bill 609, which overhauled our state’s ad valorem reimbursement
system, and House Bill 2234, which established an equitable tax structure for electric vehicles in the state of Oklahoma.
Earlier this session, Rep. Hilbert was elected by his colleagues to the position of Speaker Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma
House of Representatives. He also serves as the co-chair for the Health & Human Services Working Group on the Joint
Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding. Rep. Hilbert’s primary policy focus since joining the legislature has been on the
state budget and workforce development.
Earlier this session you were sworn in as expand our capacity to educate nursing stu- state government, it actually is. By having the
the new Speaker Pro Tempore, the sec- dents to address the critical nursing shortage. largest reserves in state history, Oklahoma is
ond ranking member of leadership in the Some of these projects have already been well-equipped for whatever the future holds.
House. How have your activities at the Cap- through the process with more to come short- With our state’s economy in great shape we
itol changed since taking on this new role? ly. Our next area to tackle will be behavioral should continue to have an eye to the future
health – which will be the part of the pandemic with adequate savings while also making
It’s truly an honor to be entrusted by my col-
that plagues us for the next 50+ years if we do one-time investments where necessary. One
leagues with one of the two positions elect-
not address it. of the most innovative tools was the brain-
ed by the full membership of the legislature.
child of our Health Subcommittee Chairman
For the previous three years, I served as Vice
Workforce issues—particularly in the fields Marcus McEntire, and that is the FMAP Rate
Chair of the House Appropriations and Bud-
of nursing, teaching and engineering—have Preservation Fund. FMAP is the Federal Med-
get Committee and was deeply involved in
become a critical concern, especially since ical Assistance Percentage and it fluctuates
the nuts and bolts of our state budget pro-
the pandemic. What do you envision the based on a state’s economic performance
cess. The mentorship of Chairman Kevin Wal-
legislature doing to help out here? in comparison to the rest of the states in the
lace over the past three years really helped
union. Because the data used to implement
prepare me for this role of serving alongside It is essential that the legislature provide more
the FMAP % is often several years old, it often
Speaker Charles McCall and members of the targeted funding for higher education to the
occurs that when times are bad in Oklahoma
Oklahoma House as we work to move the degrees that are workforce-critical. With the
our FMAP % is reflective of when our economy
needle for the people of Oklahoma. The past expense associated with nursing and engi-
was good, and vice versa for when times are
month in this new role has been a non-stop neering, institutions are disincentivized from
good. To address this, Rep. McEntire created
whirlwind of activities, but I frequently remind expanding these degree programs as they
the FMAP Preservation Fund to stow away ex-
myself of one of my favorite quotes by Presi- oftentimes lose money for our colleges and
cess Medicaid dollars to be better prepared
dent Teddy Roosevelt: “Do what you can, with universities. This has to change. On teaching,
for the inevitable shortfall in our federal match
what you have, where you are.” Individually as annually we are only graduating 50% as many
that will happen in the coming years. This fund
legislators we cannot fix every single problem teaching grads as we have retirees in the field.
will hopefully allow us to address the shortfall
that ails our state, but by focusing on making Simultaneously, 50% of teachers leave the pro-
without reducing rates to our health care pro-
things better tomorrow than they were yester- fession by year five. Taken together, this tells
viders.
day in our areas of expertise we will get there. us our colleges of education are only meeting
25% of the demand. Do we need to have more
The topic of tax incentives has been hotly
You serve on the House’s American Rescue students majoring in education? Absolutely.
debated of late. What should we do to po-
Plan Act (ARPA) funds committee. Can you But that alone won’t solve it. We have to ad-
sition Oklahoma to attract new businesses
give us an update on where the work of dress problems with our teacher career ladder
and further diversify our economy?
that group stands and what we might ex- to provide career-mobility to keep our best
pect to hear next? teachers in the classroom while also allowing With 7% inflation and $4+ gas prices (with the
them the ability to mentor our alternative and potential to climb even higher by the time this
We have divided the work for ARPA into four
emergency certified teachers. Our schools is published), our tax structure in Oklahoma
legislative working groups, each made up of
could not function today without non-tradi- not only for businesses but also for individuals
6-8 legislators. These working groups are:
tionally certified educators. HB 4387 and HB has to be discussed. Oklahomans are hurting
Health & Human Services, Infrastructure &
4388 are two bills Sen. Pugh and I are working in their personal pocketbooks and tax relief
Rural Economic Development, Government
on with Gov. Stitt to address this. in some form needs to continue. Our state’s
Collaboration & Innovation, and Workforce &
economy is more diverse today than ever be-
Economic Development. Over the fall/winter,
The state budget is getting some one-time fore, but we have to keep improving. The mea-
these working groups received public com-
cash infusions. What are we doing to not sures we took last year to decrease our cor-
ment on what the biggest needs for their areas
only fund core services but also set our porate income tax and individual income tax
were. Now, we are working to deliver on those
state up for long-term financial success? rates were a good step forward to help. These
top priorities. I can speak best on the Health
tax incentives are important, but this will be
& Human Services piece of the puzzle as I Over the past several years, the legislature has
moot if we do not also address the workforce
serve as Co-Chair of this working group with done a great job of spending less than we are
critical shortage areas discussed earlier. n
Sen. John Haste. In this area we are working to authorized to spend. A novel concept, right? In
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 13USA BMX OPENS NEW NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
AND STADIUM IN TULSA
Good things may come to those who wait, but they definitely come to those who work hard for years.
For USA BMX President Shane Fernandez, years of work culminated on February 15 with the grand opening of the organization’s new
national headquarters facility in Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District. The $23 million, 11-acre complex includes the BMX Hall of Fame,
Hardesty National BMX Stadium and the USA BMX Foundation.
“Today’s celebration has been a journey more than seven years in the making,” said Fernandez at the celebratory event. “It’s surreal
that we are finally cutting the ribbon on what is a dream come true for so many of us. I am grateful for our team and all of our partners
who helped make this a reality.”
14 Q1 2022Many of those partners were in attendance, including officials from USA
BMX, the Greenwood community, the City of Tulsa, the State of Okla-
homa and the Tulsa Regional Chamber, which led the campaign for
passage of the Vision Tulsa funding package in 2016. Vision funds
helped finance the new USA BMX facility, which began construc-
tion in 2019. As Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal sees
it, that investment will pay big dividends during the years
ahead.
“The facility programming and events alone will attract
thousands of new visitors to the area, which will generate
millions in economic impact,” said Neal. “We have worked
with USA BMX for so long now, it feels like they were a Tul-
sa-based organization before today. Watching the progression
of this facility become a reality has been such a labor of love for so
many at USA BMX and in Tulsa.”
During the next five years, officials project USA BMX will attract more
than 100,000 visitors and generate more than 100 local, state, national
and international events in the heart of downtown.
NEXT LEVEL
Founded in 1977 as the American Bicycle Association and origi-
nally headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, USA BMX organizes
bicycle motocross racing for boys, girls and adults throughout
the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
There are now four companies underneath the USA BMX um-
brella: BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle (for amateur riders), BMX
Foundation (educational programming) and ABA ETHOS
(bike park design and construction).
“Throughout the years, the sport of BMX has seen significant
growth,” said B.A. Anderson, CEO of USA BMX. “In fact, we are
the single largest promoter of action sports in the country, with over
70,000 active members and 370 racing facilities in 49 states. We’ve held
our Grand Nationals Event in Tulsa every year since 1998 and coming
here always feels like home. Because of our ties to Tulsa, we knew this
was the right place to move our headquarters to take USA BMX to the next
level.”
After 26 months of construction, the national headquarters is now finished and
ready to host races within the Hardesty National BMX Stadium, which includes both an
Olympic-level and amateur track and seating for 2,000 spectators within an outdoor
roofed arena.
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 15“Nabholz Construction, Todd Architecture, Wallace Engineer- As part of the BMX commitment to community outreach, the
ing and the City of Tulsa have worked together to design and headquarters building will be the site of the BMX Founda-
build the world’s most complete and advanced BMX facili- tion’s STEM programming and special programs for north Tul-
ty,” said Fernandez. “We cannot wait to show this incredible sa. Beginning later this year, the Foundation will launch a new
space to the public.” program in the Greenwood District focusing on the engage-
ment, empowerment and mentorship of at-risk youth.
SUCCESSFUL TRANSFORMATION The arena will host weekly local races and practices, coaching
The new USA BMX national headquarters occupies part of clinics, elite training camps and as many as five national or
the historic Evans-Fintube property in Greenwood. Of the World Cup events annually. The first national race, the Legacy
$23 million required for the project, $15 million was allocat- Nationals, will be held at the arena in May.
ed from Vision funds to relocate USA BMX headquarters from
Arizona. An additional $6.5 million came from the Tulsa Park- Suffice to say, Fernandez and his colleagues at USA BMX are
ing Authority and the City of Tulsa, and $1.5 million from the very optimistic about the future of not only the facility but the
Hardesty Family Foundation. entire sport.
“On behalf of the City of Tulsa, I am enthusiastic to welcome “Even before we opened the headquarters, 2021 will go
the USA BMX Headquarters with the Hardesty National BMX down as the largest and most successful year in the history
Stadium to our city and the Greenwood District,” Tulsa Mayor of BMX,” said Fernandez. “Racing hit the highest participation
G.T. Bynum said. “This project was made possible through Tul- levels with the highest membership base ever, our new free-
sa voters approving Vision Tulsa, and a partnership with the style program doubled in size in its second year, and we just
Hardesty Family Foundation and the Tulsa Sports Commis- added a diverse and dynamic team of 10 (including two pro
sion. This is a successful transformation of a former brownfield riders) to our new headquarters, all of whom share our vision
site to the national headquarters of an exciting and growing of continuing to grow this sport we all love. We could not be
sport.” more excited for this next chapter of USA BMX.” n
The two-story, 25,000-square-foot headquarters building in-
cludes the Hall of Fame on the ground floor. Office space,
training and conference rooms, a gym, locker rooms, conces-
sions and a catering kitchen are also included.
16 Q1 2022IT ALL COMES DOWN TO
PROVIDING THE BEST CARE.
Saint Francis Hospital Ranked #1 in Oklahoma.
Sure, recognition is nice. It’s a reflection of all the work we put in every day. It’s also
a way to let you know we’re always striving to do better. Because the real reward
comes in making sure our friends, families and neighbors receive the very best
medical care. Being named Oklahoma’s #1 hospital is just what happens when we
put our patients first.
Visit us at saintfrancis.com
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 17After taking two years off due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, the South by South-
west (SXSW) Conference & Festival returned
to Austin, Texas, this March. The 10-day event
combined conferences, festivals and exhi-
bitions and brought together professionals
across multiple creative industries.
A coalition, led by the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture (Tulsa FMAC) and
Tulsa Remote, represented Tulsa at the festival. Tulsa’s presence was unique at the
festival as one of only four city coalitions to attend, and more than 50 Tulsa partners
were involved. The Tulsa region highlighted local musicians, creative professionals,
technology companies and startups through music events, activations and booths.
Tulsa held several different music activations showcasing our rich music scene
throughout the week. The Tulsa Music x Fire in Little Africa Official SXSW Showcase
at the Tulsa House marked the fourth annual evening showcase for Tulsa. That show-
case featured local musicians John Moreland, Casii Stephan, Steph Simon, Cliffdiver,
Suarez Republic, M.C., and Dialtone. In addition to the Tulsa Music x Fire in Little Af-
rica showcase, Tulsa held its sixth annual official SXSW day party featuring musicians
Freakjuice, Ayilla, La Muñe, Tea Rush, Bandelier, K.O., CBG, the Get Ahead Band, and
DJ Dr. View.
18 Q1 2022TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 19
Abby Kurin, executive director of Tulsa FMAC spoke with CBS Austin about Tulsa’s unique presence
at SXSW and the importance of showcasing diverse local talent.
“We’re representing every genre of music,” said Kurin. “Because if you come to Tulsa, you can hear
every type of genre of music every night of the week.”
Building on the national recognition that Tulsa Remote has received since launching several years
ago, Tulsa Remote hosted its first official SXSW day party, offering the full Tulsa experience with live TULSA FMAC RELAUNCHES
music, food and drinks, plus information on how to qualify for the Tulsa Remote program. The Tulsa
Remote day party was an opportunity for attendees from all over the country and the world to get
PLAY TULSA MUSIC AND
a glimpse at Tulsa’s vibrant culture. FILM TULSA FUND
Marking another first was Tulsa’s presence at the Creative Industries Trade Show. During the trade Tulsa FMAC, in conjunction with Tulsa County,
show, local companies highlighted the wide range of opportunities available to creative and tech- recently relaunched two recovery funds to
nology professionals and startups in the Tulsa region. Thirteen local startups and companies like support the region’s music and film indus-
the Tulsa Regional Chamber, Tulsa Innovation Labs, Holberton School, Atento Capital, inTulsa, tries. Play Tulsa Music leverages a $350,000
Gathering Place, Build in Tulsa, 36 Degrees North, The Audio Planet, Fansub and Cadenzo attend- fund that enables Tulsa County venues to hire
ed. local musicians for live performances. Music
venues, attractions, restaurants, bars, hotels
“This year illustrated the unique collective, supportive, and all-in approach that Tulsa is quickly and festivals located within Tulsa County can
becoming known for,” said Kurin. “We had incubators, tech startups, nonprofits, capital investment apply to offset 50% of artist performance fees
firms and more, plus 18 bands running the whole spectrum of music.” incurred between April 1 and December 31,
2022.
More than 50 partners across multiple industries worked together for the activations, musical per-
formances and trade show appearances. Because of these efforts, all things Tulsa were highlighted The Film Tulsa Fund is designed to drive an
throughout the 10-day festival to creative professionals, musicians and startups across the globe. economic boost through film production
Kurin said Tulsa’s presence at SXSW is a huge marketing opportunity for not only the musicians but while growing the workforce. The $600,000
also the region. recovery program will assist productions
planning to film in Tulsa and encourage
“It’s one thing to advertise our city,” said Kurin. “What we did was immerse a targeted and engaged additional productions to film in Tulsa County
audience of creatives in Tulsa’s talent and camaraderie - and showcased Tulsa’s true potential.” from March to December 2022.
Tulsa’s presence at SXSW follows global recognition for the Music Cities Awards earlier this year. The first iteration of the Play Tulsa Music pro-
Tulsa FMAC was named a finalist for Best Global Music Office and was the only North American gram leveraged $190,000 that was distribut-
entity to be recognized. The Church Studio was named a finalist for Best Use of Music in Real Es- ed to 26 venues in Tulsa County, supporting
tate. These awards recognize the most outstanding applications of music for economic, social and more than 700 local performances between
cultural development in cities all around the world. n September and December of 2020. The
program relaunched in 2021 with $100,000
of private funding and supported 600 local
performances in 18 venues from July to Sep-
tember 2021.
The Film Tulsa Fund first launched in August
2020 with a $91,000 fund provided by Tulsa
County CARES funding and ran through June
#TULSAMUSIC ¥ÊTULSAFMAC.COM #TULSAMUSIC ¥ÊTULSAFMAC.COM #TULSAMUSIC ¥ÊTULSAFMAC.COM
2021. The fund supported five productions,
which created 542 jobs for local crew, gener-
ated 4,200 room nights and resulted in $17.2
million dollars directly spent in Tulsa.
These funds are made possible through Tulsa
County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
funding.
20 Q1 2022W
NO THE 2022-2023
SPONSORSHIP GUIDE
NE
IS AVAILABLE
LI
ON
The Chamber’s 2022-2023 Sponsorship
Guide, which outlines the upcoming spon-
sorships available to Chamber members, is
now online. Sponsorships of the Chamber’s
programs, events and services account for
more than 25% of the organization’s annual
operating budget. These sponsorship oppor-
tunities are a great way to gain visibility for
your business, as well as to align your com-
pany with the Chamber’s strategic initiatives.
To inquire about a sponsorship, please email
membership@tulsachamber.com.
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 21WHO WE ARE
Actionable steps to make diverse, equitable and inclusive integral to who we are
Pay Equity
Pay equity is an integral part of a community’s long-term resilience strategy to be able to survive economic downturns and
shocks. According to the city of Tulsa, women in Tulsa County still only earn 84 cents to every dollar earned by men, even
though they participate in the local workforce at a rate of 73.8% and make up 51.2% of the population.
The March meeting of Mosaic — the Chamber’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) coalition — featured a conversation around
pay equity. Krystal Reyes, chief resilience officer for the City of Tulsa; Dorie Ensinia, human resources analyst for the City of
Tulsa; and Anne-Marie Coughlin, director of people operations at Intelligent Demand, shared steps businesses can take to
implement an equitable pay structure for their employees.
1 2 3 4
COMPLETE A PAY DECIDE YOUR IMPLEMENT COMMUNICATE
EQUITY AUDIT. COMPENSATION POLICIES AND THESE EFFORTS TO
Having benchmark data is an PHILOSOPHY. STRUCTURES AND YOUR EMPLOYEES
important first step to track future Compensation philosophies MAKE SURE YOU AND POTENTIAL
progress. By completing a pay create a framework for FOLLOW THEM. EMPLOYEES.
equity audit, you can assess how consistency in regards to your
equitable your organization’s Implement policies that reflect Communicating these new
company’s pay practices. It’s
current salaries are for similar your organization’s commitment philosophies and policies with
important to make sure this
positions. It may be helpful to to pay equity. But just creating employees is a critical part
compensation philosophy
implement pay bands if you’ve the policies and structures of your efforts and will help
is equitable and fair to all
not already done so. isn’t enough — you must then create a culture of honesty
employees.
consistently follow them. and transparency for your
organization.
To address pay inequality in Tulsa, Mayor G.T. Bynum and the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women launched the
Mayor’s Pay Equity Pledge last year, a voluntary commitment by area companies and organizations to ensure equal pay for
equal work.
The pledge includes several practical steps, including diversity and inclusion training, agreeing not to ask job candidates
questions about their salary history, and regular reviews of employee pay to ensure compliance with the Equal Pay Act.
The Chamber is a proud signatory of the pledge, and we encourage our members to take it as well. You can find out more
information about pay equity and the pledge at cityoftulsa.org/payequity. n
22 Q1 2022Uploads to downloads, on site
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TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT
Visit coxbusiness.com for details. © 2022 Cox Communications Inc. All rights reserved. PAD107892-0019 23After almost 20 years
of working with top
Tulsa companies, our
clients trust us to
deliver exceptional results.
918-949-3399 • byerscreative.com
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24 Q1 2022%
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TWENTY
$ TWENTY
EYECARE
$
Twenty Twenty Eyecare is a Native American-owned
optometry practice providing full-scope eye care
in Tulsa since 2013. The practice is owned by Dr.
Lynsey Bigheart and Dr. Shannon Morgans. We
recently spoke with Dr. Bigheart to learn more
about her and her business.
What challenges did you face when growing the same mistake doesn’t happen in the future employer, and this is created by doing what you
your business? How did you overcome those are what is important. Also, don’t dwell on the say you are going to do. I continue to work on
challenges? mistake. Decide how you are going to correct this and remind myself it’s the small things that
The biggest challenge was making ourselves it, and find pride in the new systems you have count. Trust is lost when your team sees a leader
stand out in a sea of eye doctors. Tulsa has an created. who continues to make statements they do not
abundance of eye care clinics and opticals; there follow through on.
are more than 10 eye doctors within a two-mile Where do you hope to see your business in
radius of Twenty Twenty Eyecare. We knew if the next five years? What is the most rewarding part of owning
we were going to have a primary eye care clinic We are working toward being the number one your own business?
with optical, we needed to be exceptional. We quality eye care practice in Oklahoma. However, Developing people. Nothing makes me happier
decided to provide quality, high-end eye care I would also like to be the number one place to than seeing employees take pride in their job
services and products, and we’re not competing work in Oklahoma. If employees are happy in and themselves. Creating a team that is excited
with the online or commercial market. their job, the rest will take care of itself. about work and happy with their job makes me
want to come to work every day. It’s taken the
Our mission statement is to fervently campaign, It’s like the quote from Steve Jobs: “Your work time and past experiences to realize this is what
educate and motivate the citizens of our is going to fill a large part of your life, and the is rewarding and what truly makes me happy.
community to adopt a more conscientious only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you
approach to their eye health. By providing our believe is great work. And the only way to do What are some of your favorite local
patients with the knowledge, we empower them great work is to love what you do.” businesses to support?
to make proactive decisions that will result in a Ludger’s, Decopolis and Clinical Aesthetics
higher standard of living. We remind ourselves What is one thing you wish you had known of Tulsa. n
of the mission statement in everything we do. before starting a business?
Educating our patients and treating them as I wish I realized earlier I can’t do it all. A good
unique individuals have helped us rise above leader hires the right people and spends time
the competition. and energy developing them. Give them the PRESENTED BY:
what and let them figure out the how. This not
What is the most important lesson you have only builds pride in themselves but also creates
learned as a business owner? systems and processes they want to follow.
Mistakes are going to happen. There will be
upset patients because you or your team made What is the best piece of advice you’ve
a mistake. What’s important is how you correct received?
this mistake — not only with the patient but with Do what you say you are going to do. This
the team and business moving forward. The applies to not only clients or patients but also to
changes and systems put in place to ensure your employees. Employees need to trust their
TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 25NEW MEMBERS
November / December 2021
BOARD OF ADVISORS CVS Pharmacy ROCMND Area Youth Services
Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System 1275 Pennsylvania Ave. NW 1520 N. Industrial Rd
9322 S. Mingo Rd. Washington, D.C., 20004 Vinita, OK 74301
Tulsa, OK 74133 (920) 382-8708 (918) 256-7518
va.gov/eastern-oklahoma-health-care cvshealth.com rocmnd.org
Health care system serving more than 52,000 Pharmacy. Organization working closely with coalitions
veterans in 25 counties in eastern Oklahoma. and community partners to help them reduce
Josh Ulla, LLC substance abuse and misuse.
1206 Hazel Blvd.
Bloss Equipment Co. Tulsa, OK 74114 San Juan Pools Inc.
5883 S. Mingo Rd. (832) 628-7168 1518 E. 5th Ct.
Tulsa, OK 74146 joshulla.com Tulsa, OK 74120
(918) 252-5755 Business consultant helping clients develop (918) 582-8169
blosssales.com clear strategy and steps to achieve goals. sanjuanpoolsok.com
Professional-grade construction and outdoor Manufacturer of fiberglass pools.
power equipment rental, sales and service. Oklahoma Style Bar-B-Que
2225 N. Harvard Ave. Tulsa Men's Clinic
Century 21 First Choice Realty Tulsa, OK 74115 4415 S. Harvard Ave., Ste. 201
4004 E. 51st St. (918) 835-7077 Tulsa, OK 74135
Tulsa, OK 74135 okstylebbq.com (918) 710-7803
(918) 779-6899 Restaurant offering dine-in, carryout and tulsamen.com
c21tulsa.com catering. Oklahoma's oldest and largest men's sexual
Full-service residential and commercial real health clinic.
estate company serving Tulsa and northeast Progressus OK, LLC (Scooter's Coffee)
Oklahoma. 6906 S. Gary Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74103
(918) 860-0183
scooterscoffee.com
Drive-thru coffee shop.
26 Q1 2022EARN FREE PARKING.
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TULSACHAMBER.COM | THE CHAMBER REPORT 27THE WA
IT
IS OVE
R!
A CONVERSATION WITH
MARTHA STEWART
AMERICAN BUSINESSWOMAN,
FOUNDER OF MARTHA STEWART LIVING
OMNIMEDIA, CREATOR OF MARTHA
STEWART LIVING MAGAZINE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 | 9:30-11 AM
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Individual Tickets: $75
Live-streaming available
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS BY CLICKING HERE
PRESENTED BY PREMIER SPONSORS
ALONG WITH OUR SUPPORTING AND TABLE SPONSORS
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Center for Executive and Professional Development
405.744.5208 | business.okstate.edu/cepdONE WEST THIRD STREET, SUITE 100
TULSA, OK 74103
TulsaChamber.com
regional business advocacy
regional business advocacy
MAY 10-12, 2022
Join fellow Chamber members to advocate for northeast Oklahoma during
the annual OneVoice Washington D.C. Fly-In. This signature federal advo-
cacy trip provides business and community leaders with exclusive access to
members of Congress and their staff, and executive branch policymakers.
Register online at TulsaChamber.com/dcflyinYou can also read
