June 3, 2022

6/3/2022

AND SO IT BEGINS.... Summer in Ponca City. Well, kinda. This weekend brings, for Ponca Citians, fairly cool temps for the usual kick off to summer: Cruisin' Grand and Herb Festival. If you are new to our fair city, welcome. And head downtown Friday night to experience small town America and some amazing vehicles. Get up early Saturday for the opening of the Farmer's Market at the Pioneer Woman Circle and then head over to Herb Festival at LA Cann Gardens. Still looking for something to do? Schooner's Car Show is out at Lake Ponca; Take your frisbees with you and run one or both of the Frisbee Golf Courses out there.

Why does PCDA staff wax ecstatic about all these goings on? Quality of life baby. Quality of life. Though Ponca is only 90 minutes from everywhere (golden triangle of Wichita, OKC and Tulsa), staying inside the city limits on weekends such as this, and with gas prices climbing, definitely has appeal. Staff didn't even mention Star Wars, The Fly-in or the Flea Market! If you want more information, click on this link for all the things and keep reading for the 411 on going fishing (PCDA style) , student employee pipelines, Rodeo Week and grant funding for Ponca City businesses and non-profits.

Launching

David Myers, CEcD

David has worked with countless companies to show them that Ponca City is a business-friendly, inclusive and fun town. For example, if your company makes a product or sells a non-trade service to customers outside of the local market, PCDA can often help with some of the most flexible and streamlined incentive programs in the nation, all with a single vote of the PCDA Board of Directors. Information, connections, workforce resources, and more.

Contact David here.

FISHING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT…The connection between fishing and economic development here is really metaphorical. PCDA has seen a number of leads with companies that want big, big things. Is it real or are some simply throwing a line into the water to see what’s there and/or what a community is willing to do to attract them? Companies often will contact economic development organizations like PCDA and say that they want, for example, 500 acres for a plant that will create 2,500 jobs and will pay big time bucks. Obviously, your friendly neighborhood PCDA is going to jump all over that if we have anything close to what they want. It is the “what they want” that is sometimes telling. We’re not talking about incentives: that conversation will happen down the road if it goes that far..... keep reading here.

PONCA WORKS IS HAPPY.....to announce that Ashlea Hagar, a Wildcat Intern, who interned with Hurst Construction for two semesters her senior year, is now an official employee! We are excited to see her pursuing her career with Hurst after graduation this year.

If you are not signed up to be a part of our joint internship program with Ponca City Public Schools, then your company is missing out on this pipeline of future employees.

Congratulations to both Ashlea and Hurst Construction!

RODEO WEEK......begins next week, so cowboy up. Brush off your jeans, boots and hats and support the 101 Rodeo in our community. Rodeo Week means horses, performers, music and parades and a nice economic boost from visitors! Come for the rodeo; stay for the dancing and live bands (Great Divide Friday Night). Again with the quality of life stuff, but it is important. And a great way to find your tribe.

Find out the complete 101 Rodeo Schedule here and make sure to mark your calendar for the Parade Saturday morning at 10 am. Great participation and so much fun for kids & adults.

SHOW ME THE MONEY.....to 32 small businesses and 18 non-profits in Ponca City. Notifications are going out this week to those receiving funds from the Ponca City Grant from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds the City of Ponca City requested. PCDA has been excited to partner with the City on this project.

More information about recipients and funding coming soon.