GODSPEED, PONCA CITY…Today is my last day at PCDA. I am so incredibly grateful to all of Ponca City for these past two decades. It’s almost a cliche to say that you can’t thank everyone…but I’m at least going to try.  Let’s start with you. You may not, and probably do not, fully recognize how important you are to this community.  People make Ponca City, and like the pebble in the lake, the ripples we all make spread far and wide.

We live in our own little worlds; However, there are people with whom we come into contact daily. I have been very fortunate to rub elbows with leaders who were and are focused on making Ponca City one of the finest examples of success in rural America.

Rather than name them all due to space limitations, the following are their initials. Some of these are three initials but most are two. To save space, some represent more than one person with the same initials. Sadly, some are no longer with us but, happily, the vast majority still are. All represent the finest of Ponca City. They may be in business, city or county government, education, health care, non-profits, the PCDA staff or private citizens. The one thing they all have in common is that they all call Kay County home, and I have been blessed to have the opportunity to stand by them all at one or more points over the last 21 years. The lift can be heavy, but the load is lighter with more hands lifting. 

My thanks to them all:

“jmsktlkjledsgnjlcvdmspjmdrlclmcrfbgmtbcbaumgcgsbbppplbhspdhchgpdcdhwbrhkwstttmbmkrkrscsbcklsvdmslpsawjnjschkrelchjkekmbdsjgdbdwdcntkcrmnfdwmslbjcscpbtrcclcmdjdcemehfpgigghrhbhcjpjrkalhlvmsmtmcmsrdnhncshpefepbpjpttsabwdppsjskllltstssjtbhmtrwkejdshjrbglcgbmbbltlnlmgmkmdkbltlwalbbjm”

You may have noticed that there is one set of initials, the first two and the last two, that do repeat: JM. When I walked into PCDA on September 8, 2003, my wife Janice was at my side. As I head into retirement today, I’ll be at her side. Words fail me. I tried to thank her in public recently for all she has meant not just to me but to Ponca City. No deal, however, is ever truly done until it’s in writing so here it is. No one could ask for a better life partner. Thank you, Sweetheart.

I leave PCDA under the guidance of a remarkable group of leaders, PCDA Trustees, city leadership and the most qualified economic development staff in the state of Oklahoma. I’m not just saying that; the data backs that up. 

Please never forget that economic development means different things to different people. At its core, it is about guiding and growing an ever-changing local economy, influenced far more by having what people and companies want than by other factors. There are different ideas about the how, the why and the which way. It can be a messy, time-consuming business where you give a little and get a little. Welcome to life. But having a tool such as PCDA in the toolbox to get us where we collectively want to go can make all of the difference. Disagree, sure. Disengage, never.

The next generation has begun.

David Myers

Mondays// Sunny Creek Trading Post // City Central

Sunny Creek will have a Monday Store

every week, 10 am to 6 pm. Pick up your

favorite local merchandise at this Farm Hub.

Tuesdays // Summer Movies // Poncan Theatre

Every Tuesday, 10 am and 2 pm.

If you have the kids or grandkids,

take advantage of these free movies.

Friday, June 28 // Fish Fry Blood Drive // 9 to 6 pm

Carolyn Renfro Event Center

Honoring Sean Anderson

Thursday, July 4 // City Central Building Closed

Happy Fourth of July Celebrations!

Friday, July 5 // DXDT // Veteran's Plaza

6 to 9 pm

Food trucks and live music

Tuesday, July 9 // Business on the Balcony // 7 to 9 am

Local Producers edition.

Local food, local agriculture

Thursday, July 18 // Workforce & Education Summit

Pioneer Technology Center 8:30 to 3:30

Sign up by calling the Chamber 765.4400

Rental Property - Available Listings

SIGN UP FOR SBDC PROGRAMS HERE

Many conversations (some lamenting, some extolling) are had on the youth of today. Many of these conversations are about future workforce; some are about current workforce. And then there are the conversations about where IS the workforce?

Staff believes all these conversations are valid. At an economic development conference in OKC, Mark Perna was the keynote speaker and the topic was generational divide and workforce engagement. Perna gave the example of his own son's lack of engagement with school. Until, that same son became motivated by the possibility of a profession: An end goal. Perna tells a heck of a story and he also gives his listeners practical techniques to overcome the lack of engagement and battle the generational divide happening all over the world.

Whether you are a business owner, educator or parent, the upcoming Workforce & Education Summit is a must attend event. Topics will include career awareness, Gen Z motivation, skills gaps, apprenticeships and local solutions. Call the Chamber now to get signed up. PCDA thanks our partners on this event including Northern Oklahoma College, Pioneer Tech, Ponca City Public School and the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce. Save the date: Thursday, July 18th.

Ponca City has some great businesses, projects and people who are finalists in the Oklahoma Main Street Awards for 2024. A big shout out to all, but especially to 2020 PCDA Business Plan PItch-off Champion Aesthetic State of Mind, our favorite grant writer Rhonda Skrapke, the very popular event Goblins on Grand (those kids are adorable!) and our very own staff person Lori Henderson.

Congratulations to all our Ponca City people, businesses and programs, and to our Ponca City Main Street Program for writing some fantastic nominations.

Work Ready Oklahoma (WRO), the Ponca City office, held their first community job fair at Pioneer Technology Center. WRO is powered by Pioneer Technology Center and is a program designed to assist individuals gain independence and provide financially through quality employment.

At the event yesterday, professional headshots were offered, local resources were highlighted, and several local employers were taking applications and doing interviews at the event. If you would like more information on the WRO program, please call 580.718.4237 or visit the WRO Ponca City office here at City Central, Suite #307.

Mondays// Sunny Creek Trading Post // City Central

Sunny Creek will have a Monday Store

every week, 10 am to 6 pm. Pick up your

favorite local merchandise at this Farm Hub.

Tuesdays // Summer Movies // Poncan Theatre

Every Tuesday, 10 am and 2 pm.

If you have the kids or grandkids,

take advantage of these free movies.

Friday, June 21 // Fish Fry for the Small Fry // 6 pm

Standing Bear Park - supports Dearing House

Tasting kits are $10.

Friday, June 28 // Fish Fry Blood Drive // 9 to 6 pm

Carolyn Renfro Event Center

Honoring Sean Anderson

Thursday, July 4 // City Central Building Closed

Happy Fourth of July Celebrations!

Tuesday, July 9 // Business on the Balcony // 7 to 9 am

Local Producers edition.

Local food, local agriculture

Rental Property - Available Listings

SIGN UP FOR SBDC PROGRAMS HERE

Big corporations get a lot of press when it comes to creating jobs, but small businesses employ more people and have an easier time pivoting when times get tough. And, if you think about it, all big businesses started small. No one ever opened their doors with thousands of employees. Staff may be repeating ourself, but it bears repeating: 99.9% of all U.S. businesses are made of businesses employing 500 employees or less (SBA's definition of small business).

Now, don't take that the wrong way. We love having Phillips 66 and Lopez Dorada Foods. If you know their origin stories, both of these over 500 employee companies began with a much smaller footprint. And our Ponca City economy applauds their growth. And the growth pattern of all small business in Ponca City.

The Ponca City Chamber does an excellent job celebrating our small businesses in the community. This week, Farm House Kids Co. was awarded June Business of the Month by the Chamber Business Council. Find out more on theirFacebook page or website. Farm House Kids Co ships items all over the United States and has a baby/mama registry online and in-store. Supporting these local companies keeps the Ponca City economy moving on down the road. Beep, beep.

Girl Power Camp is on its ninth year of encouraging Ponca City seventh and eighth-grade girls to explore non traditional careers (for women) at local manufacturing companies. The power of an onsite visit to see the machines, ask questions of the employees and to have the owner of a business like Century Products giving the tour: wow! Jay Fagen, Century Products CEO, showed off equipment by saying "when you work here" and "when you are working with this type of equipment". That is the power of industry right there.

A special thanks to CME, Phillips 66, Century Products, Log10, Cookshack, MakeKings, K&C Manufacturing and WT Architects for taking time to tour your next workforce through all the facilities.

This past week, along with all the other first weekend in June festivities and festivals, The Good Fix crew was back for a fourth time in Ponca City. The numbers for their four days of work are amazing! A big thank you to the Northern Oklahoma Humane Society for being the point person on bringing The Good Fix group to Ponca City.

Big shout out to Ponca City Schools for the use of the High School and to everyone who sponsored, donated or volunteered. PCDA cut loose our two favorite guys to help out one day and we got pictures to prove it. Thanks to everyone for these amazing numbers. Find out all the info on the NOKHS Facebook page.

Mondays// Sunny Creek Trading Post // City Central

Sunny Creek will have a Monday Store

every week, 10 am to 6 pm. Pick up your

favorite local merchandise at this Farm Hub.

Thurs-Sat June 7-9 // 101 Wild West Rodeo

Check out the website for tickets and info

101 Wild West Rodeo

Sat, June 8 // 101 Wild West Rodeo Parade // Downtown

Parade begins at 10 am and the library

will have after the Parade events happening.

Tuesday, June 11 // Business on the Balcony // City Central

Grab some breakfast and chat with local

business people t this once a month event

7 to 9 am. On the Balcony

Thursday, June 13 // PCDA Board of Trustee Meeting

Redbud Room, Lower Level

7:30 am

Thursday, June 13 // Celebrating David Myers // 4 to 6 pm

Retirement Reception for David Myers

John McNeese Gallery, City Central

Friday,

Rental Property - Available Listings

SIGN UP FOR SBDC PROGRAMS HERE