ENTIRE ISSUE

Transforming a City: Leveraging Public & Private Investment Collaborating for Creative Placemaking
By Roy Williams, CCE
Oklahoma City has a track record for working together to build quality of place and leveraging public investment along the way. This article details a case study around Oklahoma City's Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS), which have a 25-year history of public support and investment that transformed Oklahoma City and its citizens. MAPS are a coherent series of projects to revitalize Oklahoma City and create a new image of the city.

Strategic Collaborators: Tribal Nations Economic Impact of Native American Tribes
By Kyle D. Dean. Ph.D.
Native American tribes in Oklahoma are having a significant impact on the State of Oklahoma's economy. This article begins by laying out the economic impact of Tribal Nations and is followed by five case studies. With the increase in tribal economic impact, the economic fates of the State of Oklahoma and the tribes in Oklahoma are becoming more intertwined.

Turning Adversity into Opportunity How Oklahoma City Overcame the Loss of a Major Employer
By Jeff Seymour, CEcD
When GM decided to close their Oklahoma City operation, the community saw an opportunity. This article describes how Oklahoma City leaders converted this loss into creating the most modern manufacturing operation in the Department of Defense and Tinker Air Force Base the lead depot for aircraft maintenance and repair.

Overcoming the Talent Shortage Isn’t a One-Size-Fits-All Approach How Oklahoma’s Two Largest Metros Are Proactively Tackling Workforce Issues from Different Angles
By Ben Stewart and Cynthia Reid
For the United States, the talent shortage may be the biggest concern today on the minds of business leadership. This article details two approaches being taken in Oklahoma's largest cities: Tulsa Remote, the first-of-its-kind, successful initiative to attract skilled workers; and A Better Life OKC, a complete suite of talent recruitment and retention initiatives in Oklahoma City.

Leveraging Rural Strengths Rural Innovation in Oklahoma
By David Myers, CEcD
Rural communities need not run from who they are or pretend to be a smaller version metro area. A single industry sector or resource base provides an opportunity not just to pivot but to build upon that foundation. This article illustrates that rural communities are not just alive and well in Oklahoma but actively transforming their economies to adapt to global changes.

Workforce Success Is Bred from Collaboration Successful Talent Pipeline Infrastructure
By Cody Mosley, CEcD
Oklahoma companies benefit from a variety of partnership opportunities to meet workforce requirements. Oklahoma offers research alliances through the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, strong community college collaborators, and an innovative CareerTech system that supports high school students and adults in non-degree seeking programs.