March 10, 2023

3/10/2023

WE ARE SO POPULAR …this week. PCDA Board of Trustees met this week and were flooded with information on items that serve the Ponca City economy. From the City of Ponca City, PCDA's match of the Community Development Block Grant program providing first time Ponca City homebuyer assistance was approved. Detention basin options in the Airport Industrial Park (AIP) were discussed after staff began conversations on this subject with the City and other engineers. Staff reported on the Design 2 Part show, the Wildcat Internship program and construction projects to bring all the Trustees up to date.

Staff has been in contact with 44 new industries, 127 existing industries, 66 regional partners, 33 small businesses and had over 100 meetings with City Central existing or possible tenants in the month of February. Awards were mentioned (keep reading) and congratulations were given. If you are interested in attending a PCDA Board of Trustee meeting, mark your calendar now for Thursday, April 13th and set that alarm clock early. Meeting time is 7:30 am at City Central.

THE TRADE SHOW BRIGADE....was in Dallas last week for the Design 2 Part show and barely got out of there before the tornadoes hit. Their timing is pretty good as several of the companies attending the show, Moonlight Machine, Centerline, K&C Manufacturing and Century Products, have already had several Requests for Quotes (RFQ) and some (staff won't mention any names) may have already engineered a prototype for a contract or two.

PCDA does love it when local manufacturers collaborate, cooperate and compete for contract manufacturing jobs in the region. Knowing each others capabilities (notice all those C's) keeps Ponca City at the top of the industry list for contract manufacturing.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO......Pioneer Technology Center's choice for their Partner in Progress was K&C Manufacturing. This award was presented at the annual Partners in Progress celebration in February. K&C owner and President Kirk Brown is also a PCDA Board of Trustee member. Brown moved his business founded in 1999 from Newkirk to Ponca CIty in 2014. K&C is a legacy company, working closely with Pioneer Technology Center with workforce training. Read all about the award, K&C and how this company continues to be a great industry partner with Pioneer Tech here.

NEW CITY COMMISSIONERS..... were sworn in last week, and we know them. Garrett Bowers, owner and President of Bowers Trucking has been a Trustee for the PCDA Board for five years and has recently taken on a new role of City Commissioner. Lucky for PCDA staff, Bowers will continue to be a Trustee as the City Commission representative Trustee.

Kelsey Wagner, Owner and President of My Media Matters and Ponca City Monthly also has strong ties with PCDA having began her media business in the Link Co-work space in 2019. They grow up so fast! Join us in congratulating Ponca City newest City Commissioners. They join City Commissioner Paul Taylor, Rob Bodick and Mayor Nicholson.

CONGRATULATIONS......to all the Ponca Main Street winners who were announced at the Main Street Mardi Gras Celebration last week which took place right here at City Central. And a special congratulations to the Main Street Hero, PCDA's own Lori Henderson. Many of the projects and business and our Hero receiving awards locally are in the running for the Oklahoma Main Street State Awards. Congrats and good luck with the next round of award ceremonies!

TALKING ABOUT .... internships yesterday at the PCDA Board of Trustee Meeting was Jordan Jackson-Gross from Ponca High School and Liz Leaming, Ponca Works Director. Jordan is the boots on the ground at PoHi; coordinating internships and pairing students with businesses as well as follow-up and soft skills training. This program increases community partnership and engagement and brings awareness to soon-to-be grads that Ponca City has jobs and career paths for all of them. If your company is interested in hosting an intern (or two) next year, please contact Jordan at 580.718.4878 and get on her list for the 2023-24 school year.

Make plans to attend the Internship Career Fair on Thursday, March 23 from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at Ponca City High School. Sign your company up for this event here. Go Cats!

DEADLINE APPROACHES.....for the Spring 2023 Business Plan Pitch Off. Writing the business plan is the first step. And that is the big one. The business plan makes you really think about all the aspects of your business: financial, marketing, customers, employees and exit strategies. Business plans must be submitted on March 22 by 5 pm. Pitches will be heard on Monday, April 3rd at 9 am.

All the information on the PItch-off can be found here. Call Katherine at 580.761.3028 or email if you have more questions. Business must be located in or plan to relocate to Ponca City to receive incentives.