2007 - 2008 Plan of Action

2007 – 2008 Executive Committee

2007 – 2008 Board of Directors

The Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce

2007-2008 Plan of Action

Mission Statement: To serve the community through the enhancement of the economic climate and quality of life in Enid and the surrounding area.

Education / Community Development Council
Chaired by Dr. Cheryl Evans

Major Objectives:

1.      Increase awareness across the state about the quality of Enid area schools to aid in attracting and retaining families to the community.  Identify examples of excellence for Enid area schools in academics, extracurricular, and character building activities and continue to communicate these strengths and successes to the public.  

2.      Identify areas for improvement in educational institutions and assist in addressing issues that can be enhanced such as the need for increased services for the growing Hispanic population.

3.      Promote the availability of seamless post-secondary education opportunities in Enid offered by Autry, Northern Oklahoma College , and Northwestern Oklahoma State University .

4.      Explore the feasibility of developing additional partnerships between educational institutions, businesses, and non-profit organizations to sustain and enhance important services such as public access television.

5.      Support efforts of Enid Public Schools to obtain bond issue funding.  Encourage communication and cooperation between Enid Public Schools and the City of Enid to help meet the overall funding needs of the community.

6.      Encourage the development of new businesses and training for additional childcare providers to ensure the availability of quality care services for children of all ages.

7.      Assist in recruiting more volunteers for the “Partners in Education” program for Enid Public Schools to help in classrooms with reading, mentoring, tutoring, and other educational activities.

Local Economic Development / Gov’t Affairs Council
Chaired by Marcie Mack

Workforce / Quality of Life Sub-Committee (Chaired by Brian Hayden )

Major Objectives:

1.      Housing

·             Short term - Determine housing demands and promote practical solutions.

·             Long term – Support policies and programs that help meet long-term housing demand (TIF, CDSA Land Bank, etc.)

2.      Workforce

·             Develop proactive measures to attract and increase available workforce including promoting state incentives and other state programs and initiatives.

3.      Community Clean-Up
Encourage and promote continued community clean-up.   

Marketing Sub-Committee (Chaired by Jeff Funk )

Major Objectives:

1. Develop, in cooperation with other organizations, an overall marketing plan to encourage prospective employers and employees to locate in the Enid area.

• Solicit opinions on Enid ’s strengths and what best sells the Enid area to new residents (focus groups).
• Develop community branding materials for multiple marketing efforts.
• Using a direct mail campaign and available mailing lists, encourage former Enid residents to renew their connection with the community. Update the “gateway signs” welcoming people to Enid .

2. Promote awareness of local business development and job development efforts and success stories.

Energy Sub-Committee (Chaired by Marcie Mack )

Major Objectives:

1. Brand Enid as a national center for growing energy companies
2. Support efforts to bring Orion ethanol plant to fruition
3. Pursue biodiesel opportunities
4. Capitalize on western Oklahoma wind energy opportunities (wind energy component manufacturing and maintenance)
5. Attract businesses to the region that complement various energy industries

Funding Sub-Committee (Chaired by Jon Blankenship )

Major Objective:

Help coordinate efforts to meet community funding challenges.

Wastewater treatment facility ($25 - $42 million estimated cost)

• Possible funding sources include G/O bonds, utility rate increases, state bond money for military bases, federal grants
• School bond for Enid Public Schools (estimated cost $8.9 million)
  • G/O bond

Economic development funding needs (incentives for jobs)

• No sales tax capacity until 2017 when county jail sales tax and Enid           Public Schools sales tax expire (both entities will probably try to extend)
• Underscores the importance of utilizing tax increment financing (TIF          districts) for projects involving major capital investment and job growth

State Economic Development / Gov’t Affairs Council
Chaired by Jennifer Kisling

Major Objectives:

1. Work with Joint Industrial Foundation (JIF) to establish ’08 state legislative priorities for the Enid area
2. Support meaningful lawsuit reform and worker’s comp reform
3. Support legislation to provide state funding for rural airports
4. Support highway funding and highway improvements that benefit Enid and the region
5. Identify and promote local individuals to serve on state boards and committees
6. Sponsor state legislative “Day at the Capital”
7. Coordinate legislative forums to keep Enid area residents informed about local and state issues

Federal Economic Development / Gov’t Affairs Council
Chaired by Jimmy Stallings

Major Objective:

Organize a federal legislative trip to highlight Enid/Vance successes, promote military construction projects at Vance, and discuss other federal issues that impact the Enid area.

Aerospace Sub-Committee (Chaired by Jimmy Stallings )

1. Vance

• Capitalize on mission growth opportunities at Vance Air Force Base
• Explore private sector outsourcing opportunities relating to Vance

2. Airport

• Work with the Airport Board to develop a large shell building and/or hangar
• Improve access to high-speed internet at the airport
• Investigate privatization of hangars and private FBO

Membership Development Council
Chaired by David Craig

1. Enhance candy cane cash membership development package.

2. Reexamine all membership communication material.

• Web site
• New member packets
  
• Newsletter
  
• Business intelligence report

3.      Establish small business sub-committee to examine how the chamber interfaces with small business.

4.      Improve Blue Cross partnership.

5.      Improve relationship with ambassadors.

6.      Improve membership retention.

7.      Plan and carryout a fall membership drive.

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Executive Committee

April Danahy, Security National Bank, Chairman of the Board
Keith Schwandt, Rose Rock Bank, Immediate Past Chair
Marcie Mack, Autry Technology Center , Local Econ. Dev./Gov’t Affairs & Chair-elect
Jennifer Kisling, Maple Place Bed & Breakfast, State Econ. Dev./Gov’t Affairs
Jimmy Stallings, Envirotech, Federal Econ. Dev./Gov’t Affairs
Dr. Cheryl Evans, NWOSU, Education/Community Development
David Craig , Tops & Stripes, Membership Development
Steve Glasser, Moore, Lovell, and Glasser Inc., Treasurer

 

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2007-2008 Board of Directors

Directors Retiring in 2008
Lance Atkinson, A.G. Edwards
David Craig, Tops & Stripes
Frank Merritt, Advance Food Company
Sandra Robinett, SBC
Rick Wallace, St. Mary's Regional Medical Center

Directors Retiring in 2009
Aaron Harmon, GEFCO
Dawn Muncy, Muncy Photography
Brooke Potter, NBanC
Drew Ritchie, Chisholm Creek Development
Chad Lareau, Central National Bank

Directors Retiring in 2010
Frank Baker, Eagle Marketing
Shaun Cummings, Brown-Cummings Funeral Home
Dr. Cheryl Evans, NWOSU
Jennifer Kisling, Maple Place Bed & Breakfast
Jimmy Stallings , Envirotech

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