Norman Economic Development Coalition

What a full start to the year! The The Wall Street Journal named OKC the 5th best job market in the United States and it’s easy to see why! Through only 5 months in 2024, we at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber have helped add and capture over 2,200 new jobs along with assisting and seeing over $350 million in capital investment across 100 different companies in our aviation/aerospace, manufacturing/distribution, shared service and other industries! A huge shoutout to our partners seeing large expansions at OMADA International, AAR, Locke Supply Co and our regional partners at Norman Economic Development Coalition with Advanced Call Center Technologies, LLC and many others across the metro. We even had the incredible opportunity to host Newmark’s Global Site Selection, Incentives, and Economic Development Consulting Team for a few days here in OKC. There was plenty of pickleball, downtown runs, and white water rafting done! All of this while also being able to support the state and Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics at MRO Americas in Chicago, teeing it up with our partners at the Spencer Chamber of Commerce for their parks development, and supporting our friends at the Oklahoma City Black Chamber of Commerce at their annual luncheon who continue to empower black and minority-owned businesses and economic interests across OKC. You can feel the THUNDERous energy here in OKC this year and we’re not even halfway!

Advanced Call Center Technologies, LLC Doubles Workforce Yesterday, Philadelphia-based Advanced Call Center Technologies (ACT) announced the expansion of its Oklahoma operations, leading to the creation of 800 additional jobs at its Norman technology center. “ACT’s substantial expansion in Norman is a testament to the work ethic of Oklahomans,” said Susan Parker, ACT’s chief operating officer. “When we converted to an employee-owned company two years ago, we couldn’t have anticipated the dramatic increase in productivity and growth that would occur. Solid wages, great culture, and personal growth opportunities obviously resonated well within Norman and Cleveland County.” The company established its operations in Norman only two years ago, promising to bring as many as 700 jobs to Cleveland County. However, the center’s remarkable success has allowed ACT to create two additional shifts and to soon increase the size of its Norman workforce to 1,500, making the company Norman’s new largest private-sector employer. “We could not be happier about the success that ACT has experienced in Norman,” said Lawrence McKinney, Norman Economic Development Coalition (NEDC) president and chief executive. “This is a testament to the collaborative efforts of business leaders and public officials, including Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Department of Commerce.” Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gArhDAzb

BOLD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES ANNOUNCED FOR CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA Last Thursday, business leaders and public officials, including Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, announced several new economic development initiatives, all meant to generate sustainable economic growth and prosperity by turning good ideas into thriving companies and generating significant jobs for Cleveland County citizens. These initiatives are the culmination of a new strategic alliance between the Norman Economic Development Coalition (NEDC) and Boyd Street Ventures (BSV), made possible by ARPA investments from the Cleveland County Commissioners and Norman City Council, as well as private-sector investments from the Sooner Centurions. Cleveland County and Norman officials unanimously approved $1 million each in 2023 ARPA dollars to purchase a new incubator facility for Startup 405, which is currently out of space. The 18,000 square facility, located at 425 West Main Street served as the Copelin’s Office Building for more than 40 years. The Sooner Centurions are the private sector investors in NEDC and are currently in a capital campaign to raise nearly $5 million for renovations to the facility. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gPwpsXnM https://lnkd.in/gq-FuhwR https://lnkd.in/gZhkUVcA https://lnkd.in/g9X-RtPf

On Monday- we had the opportunity to hear from James Lima as part of the ONE Norman CiviCon National Speaker series! Thank you, James for speaking to our community about the “Economics of Placemaking”! Thank you Norman Public Schools for being such a great community partner and hosting! “James Lima, active in real estate, economic development, and public policy since 1986, founded JLP+D in 2011. With extensive experience in urban planning and revitalization, he led redevelopment strategies for large-scale sites and served as Senior Director of Development at AvalonBay Communities, Inc. James was also appointed by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg as President of the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation. He has held key roles at the NYC Economic Development Corporation, Forest City Ratner Companies, and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. As Assistant Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, he teaches Public-Private Partnerships in Real Estate Development. James holds a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia College and completed the MSRED Program at Columbia. A Fannie Mae Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, he is a frequent speaker at conferences, served on advisory panels, and is involved with organizations such as the Design Trust for Public Space, American LGBTQ+ Museum, ArtBridge, and the Billion Oyster Project.”

Congratulations to President & CEO Lawrence McKinney, CEcD, CCE, IOM and the Norman Economic Development Coalition on an amazing 2023! Just click here to view a 5-minute video highlighting their many impressive achievements: https://hubs.la/Q02nyd830 #economicdevelopment #oklahoma #norman

Save the date: CiviCon National Speaker Series on “Economics of Placemaking ” with James Lima. “Great cities begin with great dialogue. The goal of CivicCon is to shape an informed community engaged in civic conversations that improve the quality of life for all its members.”

Join us this Wednesday at 9 am for our March session of 1 Million Cups! We're thrilled to have Raeed Zaunuddin, Founder of Chronologic, a cutting-edge SaaS company, as our guest speaker! Chronologic is developing an AI-enabled personal productivity tool that aims to drastically reduce the time users spend planning and scheduling through a simple, intuitive calendar. Chronologic aims to simplify the calendar scheduling process through the use of an adaptive chatbox tool that converts ordinary language into an integrated calendar output function. Chronologic’s software tool streamlines the calendar scheduling process by automating event input process and leveraging predictive scheduling mechanisms. This tool not only converts simple directions to calendar entries but also enables users to set and track long-term goals, adding a layer of functionality that has been missing in traditional calendars. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn, network, and be inspired! Invite your friends, colleagues, and anyone passionate about the future of productivity. #1MC #InnovationUnleashed #ProductivityRevolution #chronologicai

“A Hollywood producer with back-to-back Academy Awards for best picture says he’s fed up with Los Angeles, and he’s moving to Oklahoma where he plans to spend upwards of $250 million to make movies from a home base in Norman.” https://lnkd.in/e2xRRYuG

Norman’s natural beauty and welcoming community are just a few of the reasons why it ranks #9 in the greatest places to live in the Southwest, according to MarketWatch! Discover the hidden treasures of Norman, Oklahoma - where the past meets the future, and the possibilities are endless! The city’s rich history and vibrant culture make it a great place to live, work, and play! #SelectNorman

Our athletic teams have uniforms. And now, so do the students at the Oklahoma Aviation Academy! Thanks to the Norman Economic Development Coalition for the donation to provide every student with an OAA shirt! #NPSProud #NPSGoodThings