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October 2006
Capital One starts its engines
Capital One Auto Finance celebrated Thursday the grand opening of its Tulsa loan-servicing operation, which now employs 75 of the projected 600 who will work there within three years.
(...more)
Bartlesville City Council OKs housing additions
A new 38-lot housing addition with infrastructure funded by Bartlesville tax increment finance districts has moved forward, receiving final plat approval from the City Council.
(...more)
Sand Springs set to begin working on triangle project
A new 38-lot housing addition with infrastructure funded by Bartlesville tax increment finance districts has moved forward, receiving final plat approval from the City Council.
(...more)
Fundraising: Donations Break Record: OSU Foundation's efforts net $104.7 million
The Oklahoma State University Foundation broke its own record and raised more than $100 million last fiscal year, which officials attribute to marketing, the economy and a major donation from alumnus Boone Pickens that raised the bar.
(...more)
August 2006
Capital One: $30 million impact: Capital venture
Capital One Auto Finance's new Tulsa facility will add $30 million to Tulsa's economy each year and 300 indirect jobs in addition to the 600 soon to be employed by the auto lender, Mayor Kathy Taylor said Thursday.
(...more)
Port plan proposed
Revisions to the master blueprint address an array of issues at the transportation and manufacturing complex in Catoosa.
(...more)
Fast growth prompts FTS move
Rapid growth in employee numbers is prompting FTS Inspection and Engineering Services to move to a new site in Bartlesville, officials announced this week.
(...more)
Sand Springs takeoff
For a number of corporate and private pilots, congestion and delays at Jones Riverside Airport are becoming more common.
(...more)
Company, camera ready to soar in BA
Winnercomm unit provides overhead action shots at sporting events.
(...more)
April 2006
Precision Tube Headers Incorporated Ribbon Cutting
Northeast Technology Center and Rogers County Industrial Development Authority recently honored the newest manufacturer in Rogers County at a ceremony located in the Chelsea Industrial Park.
(...more)
March 2006
CIEDA, RSU bring Manufacturer’s Summit to town
In March, the Claremore Industrial Economic Development Authority is partnering with the Rogers State University Innovation Center to host the Claremore Area Manufacturer’s Summit.
(...more)
Feburary 2006
Tulsa, Oklahoma City Remain Hot Spots for Expansions and Relocations
For the third year in a row, prominent site selection consultants from across the nation put Tulsa and Oklahoma City among the top 50 cities for expanding or relocating a business. (...more)
January 2006
ClientLogic adds 100 jobs in Bartlesville
This week's good economic news continues in Bartlesville, where ClientLogic announced Thursday the addition of 100 jobs at its business process outsourcing office. (...more)
Companies expanding in area
Three corporations in the area have announced plans to add more than 1,000 jobs within the next three years, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce announced. (...more)
Mercury Plant in Stillwater Set to Expand
Citing a productive workforce, low transportation costs, and the commitment of local and state officials, Mercury MerCruiser plans to expand operations in Stillwater instead of beefing up other domestic or offshore operations in China and Mexico. (...more)
December 2005
State’s First Biodiesel Plant Opens in Chelsea
Visitors to the “official ribbon cutting” Tuesday for Oklahoma’s first biodiesel production plant located in Chelsea witnessed what experts and investors claim will be the future of oil and gas production in the state. (...more)
October 2005
McAlester
Company Plans Groundbreaking
to Celebrate Multi-Million
Dollar Expansion
The Pliant
Corporation announced
earlier this year that
it would be investing
$15 million into three
of its North American
plants. Company officials
said that as part of
the expansion efforts
nationwide, Pliant
is adding a new $5.2
million printing press
to its McAlester, Okla.
facility. (...more)
Metris,
FMS take jobs deal
Two
Tulsa companies have joined the
Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program,
and combined they hope to add more
than 700 jobs over the next few
years. (...more)
Webco to add area plent
Webco Industries Inc., a Sand Springs-based maker
of carbon and stainless steel tubing products, has announced plans to construct
a new plant north of Kellyville in Creek County. (...more)
September
2005
The Top Logistics Metros in the United States
Since the beginning of time, cities have come and gone based upon their proximity to a major transportation artery. In fact, nothing is quite so important to a region’s economy than the transportation infrastructure upon which it moves. (...more)
More jobs coming to B'ville
ABB Totalflow, which recently earned approval for the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program, will add 100 employees during the next 10 years as part of a planned expansion of the company...(...more)
500 Jobs Moving to Bartlesville
ConocoPhillips, a leading employer in Bartlesville, today announced plans to
move approximately 500 jobs to Bartlesville by the end of 2006 through continued
consolidation of its major internal support services.(...more)
July 2005
Skycam
lineup
Jim Wilburn, president
and CEO of Winnercomm Inc., talks
with reporters about the relocation
of subsidiary Skycam from Philadelphia
to Broken Arrow. He said about
50 people will work at the facility. (...more)
June
2005
Top news stories
for June, 05'
SemGroup to add 100 Tulsa jobs,
American Airlines lands contract,
BizJet gets engine job and Tulsa
area high on low-cost list. (...more)
May
2005
Simonton to add 40 workers
McALESTER - Simonton Windows plans
to add two extra production lines
at its factory here, part of a recent
wave on industrial expansions in the
eastern Oklahoma city. (...more)
Employment numbers are up
Unemployment has taken a sharp dive
in Ottawa County after a late-summer
hiring spree at Tracker MArine, a
boat building operation that now employs
more than 200 workers. (...more)
MAEDS wraps Love Box deal
Love Box Company announced Thursday
plans to begin a distribution and
warehousing operation in Miami's Progress
Industrial Park in about eight weeks.
The company's Miami site manager Joe
Kochendorfer (left), local sales and
marketing director Bob Johnston (center)
and General Manager Dave Bykowski
were in Miami Thursday looking at
a building the Wichita, Kan., company
has leased in the industrial park.
(...more)
Ready to 'Bring It In the
House'
Amid Native American pageantry, balloons,
streamers and enthusiastic cheers
from new employees, the world's largest
employer held a grand opening ceremony
for its newest facility on Tuesday.
(...more)
Bartlesville offers Siemens
incentives
BARTLESVILLE - City Council has approved
a $505,000 incentives package to help
with $1.9 million building renovation
and the retention of 130 jobs at Siemens
Energy and Automation Inc. (...more)
Big Name in Golf Coming to
Bartlesville
The Bartlesville City Council approved
an incentive package for DeLaCruz
Golf, a company currently headquartered
in Vista, California, and founded
by well-known golf club designer,
Dick DeLaCruz. (...more)
Pliant Corporation Announces
$15 Million Capital Expansion in Personal
Care and Food Product Businesses
SCHAUMBUR, IL - Harold Bevis, President
and CEO of Pliant Corporation, announced
today the investment of $15 million
to expand value-added production capacity
at 3 of the company's personal care
and food products manufacturing facilities
in North America. The facilities are
located in McAlester, OK; Macedon,
NY and Washington, GA. The capital
expansion will serve the company's
growing market segments and expanding
product lines for personal care and
food applications. (...more)
Sports Store Shoots Upward
BROKEN ARROW - Walls and hopes are
rising higher at the Bass Pro Shops
Outdoor World construction site along
the Broken Arrow Expressway. (...more)
New Hawk Facility to Land
at Tulsa Port of Catoosa
CATOOSA, OKLA. - Hawk Corporation
has today announced an expansion of
its domestic U.S. manufacturing capacity
with a planned addition of a new world-class
plant at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa.
The 240,000 square foot facility will
manufacture friction products as part
of the company's Wellman Products
Group and will incorporate production
currently housed in Ohio. (...more)
WilTel Provides Network Services
for National LambdaRail
Tulsa's WilTel Communications LLC
is providing National LambdaRail Inc.
(NLR) with services to help complete
its nationwide fiber optic network
infrastructure. NLR, a constortium
of leading U.S. research universities
and private sector technology companies,
is constructing the network to provide
the research commmunity with direct
control over a wide range of network
facilities, capabilities and services.
(...more)
IBM to Add 1,000 Jobs in
Tulsa
Officials from IBM recently announced
that the company intends to add 1,000
new jobs at its downtown Tulsa location.
Primarily finance and information
technology positions, the new jobs
will have an average compensation
of $40,000-$95,000, resulting in an
annual payroll increase of more than
$75 million when all of the jobs are
filled. (...more)
DirecTV Opens New Customer
Call Center in Tulsa
DirecTV, the nation's leading digital
multichannel television service provider
has opened its new, owned-and-operated
customer call center in Tulsa. The
93,000-square-foot facility can employ
up to 1,300 customer service professionals
and is dedicated to providing technical
support to the more than 13 million
DirecTV customers nationwide. (...more)
Oklahoma, Tulsa Making Strides
for Business
Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma made
the Forbes magazine list of "Best
Places for Business." In the
category of Cost of doing Business,
Tulsa ranked third among metropolitan
cities. The ranking were based on
cost of labor, energy, taxes and office
space. (...more)
Charles
Komar and Sons Inc. Announces Large
Expansion Plans for McAlester Area
A
multi-million-dollar expansion of
an existing 150,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art
distribution and logistics center
will bring about 70 new jobs to the
McAlester area according to Charles
Komar, President and CEO of New-York
based Charles Komar and Sons, Inc.
(...more}
DECEMBER
2004
Louisianans Settle In
One of the biggest questions on the local economic front about a year ago was
whether State Farm Insurance Cos. would close its operations center in Tulsa.
The company was conducting a regional efficiency study to determine how to consolidate
work in Louisiana, Missouri and Oklahoma. As the review neared completion, employees
and city officials at each location braced for the decision. {...more}
Funds to Help Deepen River
Shippers and port operators around Tulsa hope $7 million in federal funds will
be the seed money that jump-starts a dredging project along the Arkansas River
barge channel. The money will be used to deepen certain areas of the waterway
from 9 feet to 12 feet and allow for barges to carry heavier loads. Promoters
of the project say it will lower transportation costs, attract new business and
make Oklahoma more economically viable. {...more}
Ground Broken For OSU-Tulsa Research Site
When Karl Reid imagines a new red brick building with green metal roofing, he
thinks of scientists working in electronics, biomedicine and natural gas, and
inventing products that can spawn businesses and invig orate the Tulsa economy. {...more}
IBM Announces 1,000 New Jobs in Tulsa
Officials from IBM, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the Tulsa Metro Chamber
announced today 1,000 new jobs at IBM's location in downtown Tulsa. Primarily
finance and information technology, the IBM jobs will have an average compensation
of $40,000-$95,000, resulting in an annual payroll increase of more than $75
million if all the jobs are filled. These projected additions would bring IBM's
Tulsa office staffing, from over 900 in June 2004, to more than 2,000 by 2009.
Over a 10-year period, IBM would receive $35.2 million in Quality Jobs incentives
from the state if it grows as projected. {...more}
NOVEMBER
2004
Bama Gets The Blue Ribbon
A Tulsa company has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce and President
Bush for its business achievements and quality performance.
The Bama Cos. Inc. is one of four recipients of a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award for 2004. The prestigious award is presented annually in the categories
of manufacturing, service, small business, education and health care. {...more}
Big Name In Golf Coming To Bartlesville
The Bartlesville City Council approved an incentive package for DeLaCruz Golf,
a company currently headquartered in Vista, California, and founded by well-known
golf club designer, Dick DeLaCruz . The Council agreed to the package that includes
some cash payments for moving expenses and job creation in addition to two years
free rent on a 75,000 square foot building owned by the Bartlesville Development
Corporation and formerly occupied by Components Manufacturing Company. {...more}
Oklahoma Named A Top Ten Pro-Business State
CHICAGO (Monday, 29 November 2004) – While most U.S. state governments
are losing ground to global competition due to their poor efforts at keeping
jobs and attracting businesses, a new study praises the efforts of 10 states,
including Oklahoma, for their progressive pro-business policies that result in
job growth. {...more}
Tulsa Aerospace Manufacturer Expanding
Both Tulsa and Claremore stand to gain jobs when a local aerospace manufacturer
opens a second plant next summer. Tulsa-based Pryer Machine & Tool Co. Inc.
plans to build a $3 million facility in a Claremore business park, initially
bringing about 50 positions to the city. Scott Pryer, president of the company,
said employment at the new plant is expected to rise to about 150 in five years. {...more}
Firm Building Office In Bartlesville
A company that specializes in petrochemical inspections is constructing an office
in Bartlesville Industrial Park under a plan approved this week by the city.
FTS, which has offices in Ponca City and Dewey, will construct a 4,045-square-foot
building in the east Bartlesville location. {...more}
Business Climate In State Touted
Oklahoma once again has landed on a list of the top pro-business states.
Although the state's ranking fell from No. 3 a year ago to No. 10, it still remains
on the list -- "Top 10 Pro-Business States 2005: Keeping Jobs in America." The
rankings, from the second annual study on state and federal economic development
policies, were compiled by Chicago-based Pollina Corporate Real Estate Inc.,
a corporate site locator. The study examined 26 factors relative to states' efforts
to be pro-business. {...more}
Vanguard Rebirth Pleases Lobeck
Overhaul of car-rental firm is producing 600 new jobs in Tulsa.
Thirteen months after leading ANC Rental Corp. out of bankruptcy, changing its
name to Vanguard Car Rental USA Inc. and moving its corporate headquarters to
Tulsa, William Lobeck still has moments of disbelief. {...more}
Pryer Machine & Tool company Chooses City of Claremore for Manufacturing
Expansion
A sign of the growing attractiveness of Claremore and the Rogers County
Region as a business and corporate location, leading aerospace company Pryer
Machine announced today that it plans to open a major, multi-million dollar global
manufacturing center in the Claremore Business Park. {...more}
SEPTEMBER
2004
Vision 2025: Ground Broken For NSU-BA Expansion
The soil around Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow must be rich. Twenty-six
million dollars rich, that is. Higher-education leaders, locally and
statewide, joined city and Tulsa County officials and NSU-BA students Thursday
for a groundbreaking on the school's $26 million expansion project. The new construction
will add 300,000 square feet of library, science and classroom space in three
buildings.
{...more}
New Alcan Plant Serves 'Meat Corridor'
A million plastic bags a week are produced by the $16 million Alcan Packaging
operation that opened this year at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa.
"This is just the beginning," said plant manager Luis Bogran, walking
through a warehouse filled with rolls of the clear plastic.
Alcan officials plan to spend an additional $10 million on equipment to expand
the number of production lines from two to 12, drastically increasing the amount
of plastic bags made at the facility. (...more)
Whirlpool To Add 130 New Jobs
A rise in consumer demand
for freestanding kitchen ranges is boosting production at the Tulsa Whirlpool
plant, which manufactures several brands of that appliance. Whirlpool Corp. announced
that its Tulsa division is adding about 130 jobs at the plant. The majority of
the new positions are on the plant’s second
shift and Whirlpool plans to have all 130 added by mid-October. The Tulsa plant
currently employs 1,350 people
New Look For Airport
During the next six months, Tulsa International
Airport’s 44-year-old
passenger terminal will undergo a face-lift that will dramatically alter traffic
patterns for more than 3 million travelers a year. Building on $17 million in
new construction that was completed earlier this year, the new projects will
complete the overhaul of security and baggage screening systems, restaurants,
retail shops, pedestrian boulevards and associated public areas in the terminal.
Estimated cost for the current work is $13.6 million.
Project Advances To Widen I-44
The Transportation Commission approved a statewide transportation improvement
program that includes $67.3 million for widening Interstate 44 from Riverside
Drive to Yale Avenue. The bulk of the funds, $61.7 million, are for right-of-way
acquisition. The remainder is for utility relocation. Bids for the project will
be taken in November 2005. The project is expected to be completed in late 2007.
Officials have yet to identify a funding source for the actual $263 million widening
project, but may use funds derived from bonds backed by anticipated federal dollars.
Newest
Casino Wins Over Crowd
When the $80 million Cherokee Casino opened its
doors to the public, plenty of people were outside waiting for the first glimpse
of the newest casino in the Tulsa area. Officials said the casino packed in a
respectable crowd. By 4 p.m., the security force’s hourly count of visitors
topped 500. The main gaming area offers 839 electronic machines in addition to
the 1,038 machines that remain on the original casino floor. In addition to the
gaming area, the Cherokee Casino has more than 7,500 square feet of meeting space
and convention facilities in its 150-room hotel.
TU Rated Among Best For Women
The University of Tulsa was named
one of the 50 best colleges for women by CosmoGirl! Magazine. The guide, featuring
the best colleges will be featured in the October issue of the magazine. The
magazine used several factors to determine the best schools, including small
class size, the presence of prominent female faculty members, strong women’s
sports programs, leadership and club activities, a career center that offers
internship opportunities and an active alumni network.
Tulsa Jobless Rate Dips To 4 Percent
The Tulsa area was back
on track last month, gaining jobs and logging an employment total that topped
the level of August 2003. Tulsa’s unemployment rate fell
to 4 percent, down from a revised rate of 4.5 percent in July, according to the
Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. In August 2003, the area had a jobless
rate of 6.3 percent. The last time the rate was at or below 4 percent occurred
in November 2001, when it was 3.9 percent.
JULY
2004
CLEAR-TONE HEARING AID SALES RISE,
COMPANY PLANS TO EXPAND
Tulsa-based Clear-Tone Hearing Aid Labratories Inc. is experiencing increased
sales with its latest hearing aid product. The jump in sales related to the new
device is expected to create several hundreds Tulsa jobs during the next few
years.
In preparation of the expansion, the company moved its headquarters to the
top floor of the 20-story building at CityPlex Towers in south Tulsa. Clear-Tone
expects to occupy two more floors when its expansion is complete. The company
currently employs 100 people.
DirecTV PLANS TO DOUBLE TULSA
WORK FORCE DURING NEXT TWO YEARS
DirecTV Group Inc., based in El Segundo, California, announced plans to nearly
double its existing Tulsa work force of 700 during the next two years. The company
recently completed renovations to a 92,000 square-foot call center in Tulsa to
house its customer care and technical support employees.
DirecTV spent several million dollars retrofitting a retail structure, raising
the floor to accommodate approximately 50 miles of telecommunication wires. The
newly remodeled space features ergonomically work stations and fitness center
to facilitate a productive work force.
New Warehouse Nearly At Capacity
Open only six months, the $11 million, 336,000-square-foot United Warehouse
Co. facility is filled nearly to capacity with consumer items bound for various
points across Oklahoma and the country. About 80,000 square feet of the facility
is temperature-controlled for certain food products. Half of all the other products
in the warehouse are distributed within 150 to 200 miles, while the other half
are sent across the nation.
Lock And Dam Boost For Tulsa Port Of Catoosa
Located near the Mississippi River about 165 miles southeast of Little Rock,
the $262 million Army Corps of Engineers Montgomery Point Lock and Dam project
was dedicated by federal, Arkansas and Oklahoma officials. The Montgomery Point
project is designed to fix decades-old water level problems that slow traffic
on the 445-mile McClellan-Kerr Navigation System, which ends in Catoosa. When
the Mississippi runs shallow, water levels near the mouth of the White River
drop low enough to impede or stop traffic headed upstream for the Arkansas River.
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