THATS A WRAP....for the month of May. With summer on the horizon, the kids are officially out of school and what is that? Yes, the water is on at the splash pads and the lake is ready for all the visitors. This is the time of year where Ponca Citians go visiting and many people (including family and friends) come to visit Ponca City. Be an ambassador for Ponca CIty and talk to your friends and family about living, working or starting a business in our fantastic community. Summer is a great time to showcase that quality of life; work/life balance and of course the less than 10 minute commute time.

Enjoy Memorial Day and travel safe. Know that PCDA staff are diligently working on summer projects for you dear citizen with a new building breaking ground soon, Girl Power Camp in July, and Central Fare events happening every week. Keep on the lookout for food trucks all over Ponca City and while you are shopping downtown, don't forget to grab grub at our locally owned and operated cafes: Grand Cafe, Central Cafe and PC Provisions.

Business Retention & Expansion

Laurence Beliel

​There isn’t much I can’t figure out or engineer, so when I come knocking on an industries door – I'm there to help. PCDA offers a lot of neat programs to upgrade your lighting, help pay for industry needed certifications, trade show brigades, and business to business introduction and tours.

Find out more about PCDA Industry programs here.

WORKING THE TRADE SHOW..... is part of what PCDA staff do as business outreach. Whether it is at a manufacturing conference or a Clean Energy Show (see picture) Laurence is always Ponca City ready. LB (As we affectionately call him) was in Texas last week talking up wind energy and all other energy resources found in Oklahoma. This booth was sponsored by the State of Oklahoma and the OK Department of Commerce invites knowledgeable communities to participate in the booth activities.

TO BUILD..... a new building takes a lot of planning, money and a reason to build. Ponca CIty is currently experiencing a building shortage; An excellent reason to start the process of Speculation Building Duke. Mindset Media right here in Ponca City created a virtual tour of the building to help PCDA market to potential customers even before the first shovel goes in the ground. Check it out!

Friday, May 27 // Ponca Politics: The McGirt Ruling // City Hall

Panel will be Wilson Pipestem, Clayton Johnson and Brian Hermanson

in the Commission Chambers noon to 1 pm.

Monday, May 30 // Memorial Day // All Day

Be safe and enjoy the holiday

Wednesday, June 1 // Deadline for the Business Plan Pitch-off submission//

Get your business plan submitted to Pitch to three judges for

$5000 in small business incentives (cash, equipment & advertising)

Find out all the details here.

Saturday, June 4 // Ponca City Herb Festival // LA Cann Gardens

Make sure to drop by the award winning Herb Festival

8 to 4 pm. New Plant Vendors as well as workshops & wine!

Wednesday, June 8 // Workshop for Business // Pioneer Tech

Register for this informative program. 11:30 to 1:30 pm.

Call 580.718.4222 to sign up. $10 includes lunch

June 9-11 // 101 Rodeo // 101 Ranch Rodeo Grounds

"Let's Rodeo" Wear your best western wear all week!

Volunteer at the Rodeo. Call 765-4400 to get signed up.

Rental Property - Available Listings

GRADUATION WEEK....is here. Tonight, caps and gowns will be on and students will walk through Sullins Stadium for the last time as high schoolers. Tears, laughter, memories and all the happiness to this group of graduates. This is our next workforce; the next nurses, welders, engineers, plumbers and the list goes on and on. Congratulations to the grads; congrats to the parents. They grow up so fast!

As PCDA staff wrap up Economic Development Week, Small Business Month and get ready for summer activities (think Girl Power Camp, Business Plan Pitch-Off and construction projects), workforce is still at the top of list for Ponca City employers. Don't know where to find the jobs? Give Ponca Works a call. Looking for small business planning or questions, PCDA has you covered. Check out staff info below and maybe a video or two of some of our local businesses as we get ready to cheer on the new grads.

Ponca Works

Liz Leaming, CEcD

​Liz works with business and industry to find, recruit, and train quality workforce for the specific needs of primary employers in our community. More times than not, workforce is the number one need of employers, which is why PCDA decided to grow our own workforce locally. While meeting employers’ needs is our main focus, staff works to inspire the students and job seekers as well. Resume updating, interview skills, school programs and much more. Find out more about Ponca Works here.

A COOL TOOL..... Ponca Works uses during Girl Power Camp and when recruiting workforce at college Career Fairs, is an augmented reality app which was developed for PCDA by Trifecta Communications. Introduced to the Girl Power Camp back in 2020, this tool has been a great way to showcase local industries without having to visit the actual locations (very handy during COVID!).

Check out this cool video showing what participants see when using the augmented reality tour iPads.

ARE YOU READY? to start or grow your business right here in Ponca CIty? Do you know someone looking to start a business in our community? Ponca City has the resources to assist existing or start-up businesses. Check out the Entrepreneur Road Map here for all the small business resources. The Pitch-off happens twice a year. June 1st is fast approaching. Set your sights on the November, 2022 date. Check out the Pitch-off video to hear from actual Pitch-off participants on starting a business in Ponca City.



TO BUILD..... a new building takes a lot of planning, money and a reason to build. Ponca CIty is currently experiencing a building shortage; An excellent reason to start the process of Speculation Building Duke. Mindset Media right here in Ponca City created a virtual tour of the building to help PCDA market to potential customers even before the first shovel goes in the ground. Check it out!

Friday, May 20 // Ponca City High School Graduation // 8 pm

Livestream on the PoHi Website.

Friday, May 20 // Deadline for Girl Power! Camp // Sign Up Here

See information below to get your soon to be 8th Grade girl signed up.

Thursday, May 26 // Business After Hours // PC Country Club

First National Bank of Oklahoma is the host from 5 to 7 pm.

Friday, May 27 // Ponca Politics: The McGirt Ruling // City Hall

Panel will be Wilson Pipestem, Clayton Johnson and Brian Hermanson

in the Commission Chambers noon to 1 pm.

Monday, May 30 // Memorial Day // All Day

Be safe and enjoy the holiday

Wednesday, June 1 // Deadline for the Business Plan Pitch-off submission//

Get your business plan submitted to Pitch to three judges for

$5000 in small business incentives (cash, equipment & advertising)

Find out all the details here.

Saturday, June 4 // Ponca City Herb Festival // LA Cann Gardens

Make sure to drop by the award winning Herb Festival

8 to 4 pm. New Plant Vendors as well as workshops & wine!

Wednesday, June 8 // Workshop for Business // Pioneer Tech

Register for this informative program. 11:30 to 1:30 pm.

Call 580.718.4222 to sign up. $10 includes lunch

June 9-11 // 101 Rodeo // 101 Ranch Rodeo Grounds

"Let's Rodeo" Wear your best western wear all week!

Volunteer at the Rodeo. Call 765-4400 to get signed up.

Rental Property - Available Listings

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEEK....is this week; right in the middle of small business month. Coincidence? We think not. As the economic development office for our community, staff sees a major link with small business, industry and manufacturing. Quality of life, which includes accessibility to wants and needs (foods, services, etc….), is a huge part of the economic engine. So, let us celebrate our small businesses. All the small businesses. PCDA has showcased industry, retail and trades in our quest to promote Ponca City. Staff loves talking to everyone about our companies and how they collaborate, our unique and interesting retail and service sector and of course, our history.

Check out some of the videos below as we showcase small business in Ponca City. Don’t forget our partners at PIoneer Technology Business Services with the Manufacturing Incubator and their fabulous support staff for all your small business needs from start up to succession planning.

DID YOU SAY SMALL BUSINESS?.....

Staff is very proud to present a short video on entrepreneurship in Ponca City. We even have a really cool roadmap of what to find and where as you explore the entrepreneurial landscape. Are you creative, autonomous, self-directed, collaborative, brash, hardworking and committed to your product or service? Then you might be an entrepreneur.

Click here to see the Ponca City Entrepreneur video and check out the Entrepreneurial Roadmap here.

Splash Co Survival Swim was the 2021 Business Plan Pitch-off incentives champion. Owner Brittany Rector leases space at the Ponca City RecPlex for her classes. These swim lessons will save your child's life! Get on her waiting list now. She has classes all year long.

Check out her winning video here.

THE BUSINESS PLAN PITCH-OFF…. is just around the corner. Get your business plan together to submit for your start-up or home-based business by June 1st to klong@goponca.com and you can pitch your business to a group of judges on June 10th for $5000 in incentives. For youR business! Staff needs three businesses to pitch so call Kat at 580.761.3028 or Ben Evans at 580.718.4262 to get YOUR BUSINESS ready for The Pitch-off.

BOWERS TRUCKING....is finding success in Ponca City. Many items available for purchase in our wonderful community had a truck ride to get to the store, restaurant or manufacturer. Bowers Trucking does that! Find out how this family owned business is surviving and thriving here in Ponca City.

1 MILLION CUPS....gets your business story in front of the community. The first Wednesday of the month at Pioneer Technology Center 8:30 am, businesses tell their story. This month Dr. Nancy from Lotus Acupuncture share how their office came to be open in City Central. Owner Brandy Valentine is a Blackwell girl and has a thriving practice in Broken Arrow. Dr. Nancy takes care of the Ponca CIty patients on Mondays & Wednesdays.

Watch her 1MC presentation here.

Sat, May 14 // Farm Rescue Class // Frontier School

Learn how to respond to agricultural accidents and emergencies

at this day long class. Find out more & register here.

Friday, May 20 // Ponca City High School Graduation // 8 pm

Livestream on the PoHi Website.

Friday, May 20 // Deadline for Girl Power! Camp // Sign Up Here

See information below to get your soon to be 8th Grade girl signed up.

Monday, May 30 // Memorial Day // All Day

Be safe and enjoy the holiday

Wednesday, June 1 // Deadline for the Business Plan Pitch-off submission//

Get your business plan submitted to Pitch to three judges for

$5000 in small business incentives (cash, equipment & advertising)

Find out all the details here.

Saturday, June 4 // Ponca City Herb Festival // LA Cann Gardens

Make sure to drop by the award winning Herb Festival

8 to 4 pm. New Plant Vendors as well as workshops & wine!

Rental Property - Available Listings

CELEBRATING US.....economic developers to be specific. All of those who support growth and change for the Ponca City economy. Whether you are a volunteer or get paid or a little of both, we salute those actively engaged in developing a stronger, more robust, long lasting economy right here in Ponca City. PC is no longer a company town; we are a town of many companies. That is diversification. So sit back and take a look at some of our success stories right here in Ponca City. But first, a little background on this thing we call Economic Development Week and make sure to check out our latest"this is how we do it" video here.

Economic Development Week was created by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2016 to increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities, and improve the quality of life in communities everywhere. Over the span of five years, more than 450 campaigns have been created throughout the United States and Canada, creating millions of impressions, hundreds of news stories, blog entries, videos, events and other activities. Campaigns occurred in all 50 American states in 2019, with more than 40 communities officially proclaiming Economic Development Week. Though COVID slowed and in some cases, closed down all in person gatherings, technology has opened new doors for creativity, which economic development organizations such as PCDA have taken advantage of by creating and sharing videos, infographics, banners, and many other types of materials which were spread far and wide on social media, websites, and in print. Check out this very scientific video of PCDA's process of economic development.

BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION... is where PCDA shines. Just ask our companies like K&C Manufacturing, Precision Tool, Cookshack, CME, Source Fabrications, Health Country, Bliss Industries, and the list goes on and on. Some of the reasons are programs like the Industry Certification Assistance Program, or the Shared Equipment Space at Pioneer Tech or one of our favorite award winning programs, The Trade Show Brigade. This business to business networking and contracting opportunity for local contract manufacturers has brought several projects to Ponca City. Want more information? Check out the this article for more information or email lbeliel@goponca.com to ask your questions.

ECONOMIC GARDENING....is defined as growing your own business community. That includes entrepreneurs, workforce and industry. Business on the Balcony is a way to get people together to network and figure out next steps for business and employees. B on the B happens the second Tuesday of each month April through October. Make sure to attend next Tuesday, May 10th. It is come and go with a little bit of breakfast and whole lot of business. 7 to 8:30 am on the PCDA Balcony at City Central, 400 E. Central. Yes, we have a balcony. See you soon!

THE BIG GUYS....of economic development are the Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA). That's the numbers referred to on the right for the month of April. PCDA was the recipient of some of those funds back in 2017 for the City Central Project and the EDA continues to fund projects that can rejuvenate downtown areas or repurpose an abandoned manufacturing building all over the United States. You say you don't know about the City Central Project? Well, check out all the information here. And if you want a great article on what the EDA does, click here to read more.

MADE IN PONCA CITY......So many items are made in Ponca City. And thanks to programs like the Trade Show Brigade and Business Plan Pitch-Off, that number is growing. Whether it is food ag (thank you Head Country, Cookshack and Bliss Industries) or making a medical vacuum pump assembly that is 100% designed, manufactured, assembled and packaged right here in Ponca City, PCDA is proud to toot the horn and represent our industry folk. How about those garage doors or home vacuum systems? Staff could keep going, because it is Economic Development Week. We will continue these conversations next week when we dive into Small Business Month.

SEEKING CUSTOMERS..... Another area of economic development is identifying and finding new customers for our local companies. This keeps the economy churning and new money coming in from outside Ponca City. What if we told you that there is a HUGE amount of untapped customers (with funding) just waiting for you to reach out to them? And our partners at PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Centers) are going to show you how to access those contracts. Join Dawn Brakey, our local PTAC expert on Tuesday, May 17th here at City Central in Room 101 to find out how to get your company in front of these government buyers. Sign up now here for the May 17th Lunch & Learn from 11 to 1 pm.

Tuesday, May 10 // Business on the Balcony // City Central

PCDA office

Make sure to mark your calendar for this early morning

networking event. Begins at 7 am until 8:30 am

Thursday, May 12 // PCDA Board of Trustee Meeting // City Central

Regular PCDA Board Meeting - 7:30 am in The Summit.

Sat, May 14 // Farm Rescue Class // Frontier School

Learn how to respond to agricultural accidents and emergencies

at this day long class. Find out more & register here.

Tuesday, May 17 // Get Started with Gov't Contracting // City Central

Join Dawn Brakey, PTAC Guide in Room 101 from 11 to 1 pm to learn

how your company can take advantage of billions of

$$ in contracts with local, tribal and federal governments.

Friday, May 20 // Ponca City High School Graduation // 8 pm

Livestream on the PoHi Website.

Friday, May 20 // Deadline for Girl Power! Camp // Sign Up Here

See information below to get your soon to be 8th Grade girl signed up.

Rental Property - Available Listings