july 23, 2021

7/23/2021

SHARING IS CARING…PCDA spends a fair amount of digital ink in this weekly blog telling you how economic development is far more than just recruiting companies. Since you asked, the first priority is making sure that companies in Ponca City have a competitive edge by being here. Case in point was a June approval by the very impressive and always prescient PCDA Board of Trustees when they approved the purchase of a “Coordinated Measurement Machine” or CMM. This piece of equipment can measure manufactured parts and components to almost ridiculous extremes. In today’s changing and competitive economy, customers want exact, no nonsense parts that are certified as being exactly “X” (as opposed to “in the ballpark”).

The real kicker is that a lot of companies can use this but almost none need it enough to buy it, so they eat the time and money to send it to the big city. By making the equipment available to them through our buddies at Pioneer Tech (it lives in the PTC “Plan Room,” another PCDA, PTC collaboration) any manufacturer in town that is trained to use it can do so free of charge. Having this in town allows Ponca City manufacturing companies to do the measuring themselves, saving a lot of money and, vastly more important, a lot of time. This in turn allows companies to get more stuff done (see Wikipedia: “Productivity”) which allows them to get more work, employ more people and pay higher wages (aka “Economic Development”). For more information, call Laurence Beliel in the PCDA office (580.765.7070) and be prepared to have your questions answered and your opportunities multiplied.

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Is your company seeking new customers? New to the area? Maybe your business is ready to work with local, state, federal or Native American Tribal government entities. Have you seen the government forms and applications you need to fill out?

Never fear. Ponca City (and most of Northwest Oklahoma) has a dedicated resource located at Pioneer Technology Center. Her name is Dawn Brakey and all you need to do is #JustAskDawn. Dawn has all the information on local bids, and access to the contracts and specs in the local Plan Room. What is the cost for this service, you might ask? It is Free. That is right. A free service, or rather, services for you. The business owners. The Marketing person. The contractor seeking new projects. #JustAskDawn. And here is how. Dawn Brakey, 580.718.4261 or email at DawnB@pioneertech.edu. FREE.

Find out more information at the July 28th "Be Prepared to Meet Your Government Customer" training session at Pioneer Tech, Room D123. Call Dawn to sign up for this FREE session.

Are you a new company here in Ponca City? Looking for a way to network and find new clients? Word of mouth is a great way and we had a new testing lab reach out to PCDA this week. TSL is located at 519 N. First Street here in Ponca City and is ready to assist your company with DOT, non-DOT and Rapid drug screen as well as DNA collections and other screenings. Staff of course suggested joining the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce to take advantage of networking opportunities and invited them to Business on the Balcony August 10th. But we thought mentioning them here was a good idea. Find out more about TSL by clicking here.

Gravity Room has a large projector, built in speakers for presentations, breakout rooms and seats 50 at tables.

CITY CENTRAL has rooms for all types of training with all sizes of groups. This week the Ponca Tribal Victim Services were in the Gravity Room hosting and participating in Motivational Interviewing training. This intense training was taught by Bridgette Franklin and Cecile. PCDA Staff was on hand to make sure all the tech was working and witnessed some of the interactive training. Thank you to PTVS for pictures!

The Chamber will have a Lunch and Learn on Wednesday, September 8th from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chamber Board Room. Cost is $10 to attend. Our Ponca Works Manager Liz Leaming will explain how internships works, do you pay or not pay, what hours should they work, what does a business need to share in order to have the intern(s) be successful. Phone the Chamber Office at 765-4400 to RSVP or email Rich@poncacitychamber.com or tiffany@poncacitychamber.com.

Wednesday, July 28 // Be Prepared to Meet Your Gov't Customer // 11 to 1 pm

Pioneer Tech, Room D123

July 29-31 // Crazy Days Downtown // Thursday-Saturday

Street Party Friday, July 30th at the Vet Plaza - 5 pm

Tuesday, Aug 10 // Business on the Balcony // PCDA Balcony 7 am to 8:30 am

Mark your calendar for a little breakfast & a lot of networking. Meet business people; get connected and get your questions answered. City Central, Suite #200. On the B.

Thurs Aug 12 // New Teacher Luncheon // PC Country Club 11:30 am

Contact Rich at the Chamber office if your business/company would like to sponsor a New Teacher. This is a great way to get to know our new educators. 580.765.4400

Wed, Aug 18// Ponca City School Begins // Watch out for the kiddos

Yes, School is back in session. Be on the lookout for crossings, walkers & bikers.

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