April 26, 2024

4/26/2024

Friday | April 26, 2024

Leadership Class 2024

As you probably know, Ponca City has one of the top leadership programs in the state. Every year, PCDA gets the chance to spend some time with the class at the end of their program to go over the year to try and answer the question “Where do we go from here?” That happened on Wednesday and this session functions to some degree as a Town Hall of very well-informed people. Several issues were discussed, many of which you know about including housing, childcare, the continued need for more quality employment, restaurants and so forth. Please understand that they knew about most of these challenges when they started last summer.

The Leadership program, however, offered these emerging leaders an opportunity to really dig around in those sandboxes and get to the heart of several of these issues. Mind you, Wednesday was not a gripe session. Most of the comments related to their discoveries during the nine-month program were about the strengths and opportunities in Ponca City and how to build on those. But it is human nature for leaders to look at potential weaknesses and to try and fix them, and that took up some of Wednesday’s time together. Another hot topic was community involvement, and how to get more people engaged. This, they opined, is our collective community and simply being a keyboard warrior with strong opinions is not the same as making a difference.

A big part of the leadership program is meeting the people, that is to say the actual humans, who are in leadership positions of companies, government, non-profits, etc. One cannot “unmeet” people, nor did anyone in Leadership Ponca City want to do so. Once met, there is a much deeper understanding that the issues are more complicated than conveyed by the ever-vigilant digital commentators. Ponca City relies upon good people making good faith decisions about things that often look different on the inside than they appear to be on the outside. Building on Ponca City’s many strengths is the objective, and that starts with a new generation of informed leaders. PCDA met many of these on Wednesday…and it further bolstered our confidence in the future.

May 1 - Small Business Conference

You still have time to sign up for the dynamic Small Business Conference next Wednesday, May 1st. Attend the morning and/or afternoon sessions but definitely make time for the Keynote lunch speaker Stan Clark. Yes, Stan Clark of Eskimo Joe's fame.

Full flyer with all the information is below. Scan the QR code and get your name on the list. Pioneer Technology Business & Industry Services puts together a heck of lineup. See you next Wednesday.

Rural Survey - 10 Years in the Making

This survey is for rural people to share their challenges and assets. Your answers help us and other organizations like government agencies, university educators, regional utilities and chambers better serve their rural people.

Saveyour.Town has been asking for and listening to rural challenges since 2015. We've been conducting the Survey of Rural Challenges for 10 years, and this year there are 10 questions on the survey.

We use the results to create practical steps that help you shape a better future for your town. Because you tell us what topics rural people most want help with, your responses also get shared with others who work with rural communities and in articles and media stories.

Your answers to the Survey of Rural Challenges will:

Influence better services for rural communities by many agencies.
Help others to know what the real issues are in rural communities.
Assist those working in rural places to make changes that will matter.
Help other organizations address the needs of rural people.
Direct the conversation in important ways.

More than 1700 people answered the survey in previous years. Results from 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023 and links to media coverage are available here.

Still Time To Complete Housing Survey

Here is the link to the housing survey.

Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey. By completing the survey, you are impacting and defining future housing projects for the next 10 years in Ponca City. You are making a difference.

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact the PCDA office at 580.765.7070. Feel free to send the link to friends and coworkers.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PoncaCityHousingSurvey2024

Pioneer Technology Center

Pioneer Technology is well known as an educational facility: for high school students and adults seeking training or career enhancement opportunities. But it is so much more. Companies seeking onsite training assistance for their current employees will find assistance as well as access to specialized equipment in the Flex Lab.

Recently, when a key piece of machinery needed maintenance, Custom Mechanical Equipment was able to use the laser welder at Pioneer Tech in the Flex Lab. Working with their employee, supervised students were able to get some “hands on” time with a real project. Do you want to know more about the Flex Lab at Pioneer Tech or onsite training for employees? Give Johnny Thornburgh a call at 580.718.4328.