Pathways to Progress

Pathways to

ProgressBusiness

Commercial products that started with research atthe University of Oklahoma are pushing private sectorbusinesses on OU’s Research Park campus. From car-bon nanotubes to adding value and convenience toweather data, companies are growing in the shadowsof the campus.

—— RReeaadd aallll aabboouutt iitt,, PPaaggee 44--66

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

IndustryTechnology

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!Top photo: Tornado hits Chickashabefore threatening Norman. CNHI Photo

! Middle photo: A portion ofSWeNT. Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

! Bottom Photo: Movie propDorothy from the feature film “Twister.”

Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

! Background Photo: Ed NobleParkway business corridor. Kyle Phillips /The Transcript

On the coverAnimal Emergency Center ...............3Bob Moore Nissan...........................6Bob Moore of Norman.....................6Brockhaus Jewelry.........................15Desire Consignment......................14Dillard Group...................................7First American .................................8

Havenbrook Funeral Home ............16Honor Roll of 74 Businesses....12-13In Your Dreams .............................15Ladies Workout Express ..................7Le Visage.......................................14Moore Norman Technology ..........11Norman Chamber of Commerce ....10

Norman Radiology.........................15Primrose Funeral Home...................2The Norman Transcript..................11Thompson Pool.............................14United Way of Norman ....................7Yeaman Signature Health ................2

Advertiser index

The Norman Transcript

Pathways to Progress

By Randall TurkFor The Transcript

Imagine more powerful computersand touch screen TVs that handle

more functions and cost less to make.And consider better electronicdevices that can leave a smallerfootprint on the planet.

Technology to advance “nextgeneration electronics” is beingdeveloped by a research firm nowcompleting its 10th anniversary inNorman. SouthWest Nano Technolo-gies (SWeNT), a spinoff of research atthe University of Oklahoma, is ready toproduce its “single wall carbonnanotubes” designed for major hightech electronics manufacturers.

“We’re in a position to become aworld leader in carbon electronics,”SWeNT Chief Executive OfficerDave Arthur said.

The company was one of the firstto locate in the Norman BusinessPark on State Highway 9, east of 24thAvenue SE. The park was developedby the Norman Economic Develop-ment Coalition, a partnership formed bythe city, chamber of commerce, OU andthe Moore-Norman Technology Center.

In electronics, more and less can bothbe better. More capacity built intocomputer microchips (also known asintegrated circuits) can result in fasteraccess to data and more applications.Such improvement can reduce costs forelectronics manufacturers and shrink thesize of their products. But silicon chips,for years the backbone of electronicdevelopment, are reaching their “minia-turization” limits and another such work

horse is on the way. Carbon nanotubes,each measuring one billionth of onemeter, are expected to power a new age inelectronics.

SWeNT researchers say their productis the logical contender for the comingtransition. They maintain the companyoffers an alternative that can packtremendous punch into electronicequipment. “We’re at a critical point ofdevelopment,” Arthur said. “Our technolo-gy is set to outperform silicon chips in

Small is huge for growing high-tech firmElectronics

Carbon nanotubes,each measuringone billionth of onemeter, are expect-ed to power a newage in electronics.SWeNTresearchers saytheir product is thelogical contenderfor the comingtransition.


• See TECHNOLOGY, Page C2

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Pathways to ProgressFebruary Blizzard 2011 Beating the Heat 2011

Jerry Laizure / The Transcript Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Research & Development

By Mick HintonFor The Transcript

Space for the next building to rise atthe University of Oklahoma

Research Park already is 100 percentcommitted, although the first spade of dirtwas turned only last week.

“We’re fully pre-leased, in terms ofspace,” said Cameron McCoy, executivedirector of the university’s corporateengagement office. “People say that wehave exceeded expectations.”

The new structure to be named FourPartners Place is expected to houseentities similar to those already operatingin the other three partners place build-ings.

Tenants include international opera-tions such as Weather News Inc., aJapanese forecasting company thatprovides weather data to help theshipping industry pick best ocean routesfor the maritime industry. It was drawn toOU because the National Weather Centeris located here.

Another unusual company located onthe research campus is a firm thatprovides IT (information technology) forhedge funds.

A company called Weather DecisionsTechnology is marketing a specialweather app designed to send informationsuch as tornado warnings to individualswith smartphones, no matter where theyhappen to be at the time.

Less than a decade ago, the 277-acrecampus was nothing more than a hugebarren field south of the Norman maincampus. Today, buildings on the campuscontain nearly 1 million square feet ofspace for offices and research.

“Where we are now, nothing washere,” OU President David L. Boren saidin April, speaking at the dedication ofanother facility operating in the park.

The research campus is bordered onthe west by Jenkins Avenue and on thesouth by State Highway 9. It abuts theNorman main campus to the north.

The entire research campus represents acollaboration of three entities — academia,the private sector and the governmentincluding federal and state agencies.

The research campus employs about1,330 people, including 752 from OU, 234from the government and 350 from theprivate sector, McCoy said.

The research park is anchored by theNational Weather Center which hasthrust OU and the state into nationalprominence. Last year, about 40,000people toured the center. A third of thosewere school children.

Probably 99 percent of those visitingthe center have seen the 1996 movie“Twister,” said Kevin Kloesel, associatedean of the College of Atmospheric andGeographic Sciences.

Many visitors ask, “Where’s Dorothy?”Kloesel said. The Dorothy they arereferring to is the name of an actual movieprop of a mobile weather sensor used inthe 1996 movie “Twister.” Visitors can seethe prop at the National Weather Center.(The original “Dorothy” was played byJudy Garland in the 1938 movie, “TheWizard of Oz.”)

“Visualize this as a weather mall,’’Kloesel said. Nowhere else in the worldcan those interested in weather encountersuch a variety of activities housed in oneplace, he added.

The 244,000-square-foot center is hometo the National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration. NOAA includes fivefederal organizations involved in weatheractivities. Among those are the NationalSevere Storms Laboratory, a radaroperations center and a storm prediction

center.The Norman Forecast Office, which is

also part of the National Weather Servicedisseminates advisories, watches andwarnings for all types of hazardousweather conditions including threats offires affecting 48 counties in central,western and southern Oklahoma andeight counties in northwestern Texas.

Meteorologists are on duty 24 hours aday, seven days a week, said Keli PirtleTarp, public affairs specialist for NOAA.

Research information gathered overthe years is constantly improving formeteorologists throughout the countrywho are informing the public whentornadoes and severe storms areapproaching.

Oklahoma is located about in thecenter of what the media has labeled“tornado alley,” said Matthew Piette, chiefmarketing officer of Weather DecisionTechnologies, a private company.Tornado alley runs through the center ofthe United States, including the plainsstates.

In this part of the country, cold air fromCanada collides with warm air from theGulf of Mexico, increasing the chances oftornadoes striking especially the centralplains states.

A few years ago, meteorologists couldpredict tornadoes only nine or 10 minutesbefore they struck. Due to growingresearch data and new forecastingmethods, the warning time has beenincreased to an average of 14 minutes.

However, the warning time for the May26 tornado activity that struck centralOklahoma reached 24 minutes in someinstances.

Days before the horrific tornado hit theJoplin, Mo., on May 22, the StormPrediction Center issued forecastspredicting severe weather in southwest-ern Missouri. The center also was able toissue a tornado watch several hours

before the death toll climbed to 138.The federal weather organizations

occupy 51 percent of the space in theNational Weather Center. The rest of thespace is used by the university, its privatepartners and governmental agencies.

Another anchor in the university parkis the Stephenson Research & Technolo-gy Center, comprised of two facilitiesfunded primarily by Charles and PeggyStephenson of Tulsa. The first buildingwas completed in 2004. It houses 250faculty and student researchers workingin chemistry, zoology, microbiology,botany and engineering.

Another Stephenson facility, the LifeSciences Research Center, was dedicatedin April. It houses the research andadministrative functions of the Depart-ment of Chemistry and Biochemistry.Chemists, biochemists and other lifescience researchers have formed about30 research teams, including post-doctoral and visiting scientists, collaborat-ing with students on many projects.

Meanwhile, the research campusboasts a special group of students whowork as teams to create business plansand help set up viable companies that canoperate out of the research park.

“We take 12 very, very bright studentscapable of being critical thinkers,” McCoysaid.

Those selected are often science-minded but have included a student inpiano production and a student getting aliberal arts degree in letters. Sometimes,those studying the arts are the morecreative team members, McCoy said.

The students are assigned to three teamswho work with a mentor from industry and aperson called an inventor. Each of the teamsalso has a student who has worked on thesetypes of projects before.

These teams are part of what has beennamed the Center for the Creation ofEconomic Wealth.

Formation of CCEW was the brainchild of Boren, banker Gene Rainbolt andSkip Porter, the university’s first vicepresident for technology.

Daniel Pullin, who oversees OU’sstrategic planning is also chairman ofCCEW.

Paul Risser is chairman of the OUResearch Cabinet that strives to coordi-nate the interests of OU’s Normancampus with the Oklahoma City andTulsa campuses.

Board members are university presi-dents and vice presidents from the threecampuses.

Risser said odds are probably 10 to 1that a student applying for the CCEWproject will be selected because so manyapply for the projects.

Upon the urging of students workingwith the CCEW, a social component hasbeen added where students participate inprojects aimed at helping those in need.

A current social project team endeavors toprovide one million cataract surgeries by theyear 2020 for poor Chinese living in thewestern part of the country where medicalservices are scarce.

Inventor for the project is Dr. LloydHildebrand, an ophthalmologist who hastraveled to China several times and is wellversed in the lack of cataract surgeryneeded by the poor Chinese.

The student team is striving to puttogether a plan that would help form aviable business operation to bring aboutthe cataract surgeries.

In late May, the students on the teamvisited Chinese leaders including thoseworking with them on this project.

The project has been aptly named“EYEChina.

Meanwhile, Boren likes to tell peoplethat only at OU, can a student walk acrossthe stage and receive a diploma, then behanded a set of keys to an office in thevast research park.

Weather makes a splash at research parkUniversity of OklahomaResearch ParkEmployees

OU...................................... 752

Government ...................... 234

Private ................................350

TOTAL ........................1,336

Graduate students

NWC....................................110

Academic programs..............14

By the Numbers

No. of tenants........................42

No. of acres.........................277

No. of companies..................14

New buildings since ’03 .......10

Square footage

.............................750,000 built

.......................250,000 planned

Annual visitors............. 40,000

Still ahead

! The downtown Financial Center’srestoration is near completion with move

in expected in July, C10

! Auto dealerships are growing, spreading out and moving away from

Norman’s Mile of Cars, C12-13

! University North Park Tax IncrementFinance District is essentially on track,

mayor says, C14


Meteorologists meet in the National Weather Center. The center is part of the University ofOklahoma Research Park and was a key player in attracting some of the other tenants to theresearch complex.


Pathways to ProgressSpring Tornado 2011 Downburst Flooding 2011

Research & Development

Jerry Laizure / The Transcript Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

By Mick Hinton For The Transcript

Aprivate businessoperating in the

University of OklahomaResearch Park is on itsway to equipping hun-dreds of thousands ofpeople with their very own“weather app,” whetherthey are in Pawhuska orNew York City.

Short for application,the app developed byWeather Decision Tech-nologies adds a degree ofsafety by providing userswith on-the-spot informa-tion hopefully beforetornadoes strike, saidMike Eilts, president ofthe company.

“We decided about ayear ago that sinceiPhones can pinpointwhere you are at all times,why not go to an equiva-lent of a weather radio thatworks on your cell phone,”Eilts said.

Recent spring tornadoeskilling nearly 200 people inAlabama, Missouri,Oklahoma and one even inMassachusetts demon-strate the need for moreemphasis on weathersafety, Eilts said.

On April 22, WDTlaunched its new weatherapp by offering it free toanyone carrying either aniPhone or a mobileequipped with an Android,sometimes called smart-phones. The company hadspent a year developingthe software and workingout kinks to make sure itsweather app was working.

The spring launchingday resulted in 100,000signing up for the weatherapp by 5 p.m.

“We decided to keep theoffer open another threehours, and we signed upan additional 90,000

people,” Eilts said.Since then, another

10,000 clients have boughtthe service for a one-timefee of $9.99.

The give-away was ahuge nationwide success,organizers say.

“We had CNN and 49television stations helpingpromote these,” Eilts said.

“We hope this is theseed to the marketplace bygiving away a whole bunchof them, and everyonetelling their friends andfamily.”

“Honestly, we want tosave lives, though we’veabsolutely got to makemoney for the company tosurvive,” Eilts said.

An added feature is thatwhen a person’s phonegoes beep-beep-beep inthe middle of the night,the smart phone actuallytalks to the client.

“You always get a realvoice saying (things such

as) there is a tornadowarning,” Eilts said.

Clients also can supplydetailed information listingup to five other locationsthat they want to bemonitored for them, like achild’s school and grand-parents’ home.

A person can opt toreceive this weatherinformation either by text orby voice.

Matthew Piette, WDTchief marketing officer,said, “It literally wakes upin your pocket or yourpurse.”

Western Technologieshas worked out agreementsto transmit instantaneousinformation from theNational Weather Centerand other entities located onthe University of Oklahomaresearch campus.

Within a minute ofreceiving the information,it is processed and sent byWDT to these smart-

phones customers.Recently, WDT bought

a company calledChaserTV. It has about800 clients that pay to seelive streaming of tornadovideo.

There are about 250independent stormchasers that stream thevideo for users.

Until 2007, WDT waspurely a wholesalecompany.

WDT has about 1,000clients who are chargedhigher fees for an array ofinformation includingradar tracking. Clientsinclude primarily televi-sion, radio and newspa-pers.

The company suppliesthem with detailedinformation includingweather radar, dailyforecasts and hourlyforecasts, along withinformation about tornadowatches and warnings.

These clients likeOklahoma City’s threetelevision stations and alsoChanel 25 pay higher feesto receive what is calledIMap, which continuouslytransmits local andnational weather condi-tions.

In the last 10 years, theability to provide tornadowarnings has gone fromzero to an average of 14minutes, Eilts said.

Storm warning leadtimes continue to rise. TheApril 27 tornado thatravaged Tuscaloosa, Ala.,had a 24-minute warning.Even so, 41 people werekilled.

Lead time for the May22 tornadoes in Joplin,Mo., was about 20 min-utes, with 138 peoplebeing killed. Twentyminutes also was thewarning lead time May 24when tornadoes struckOklahoma, killing 10people.

“With our last storm,there was an amazingresponse that I’ve neverseen before,” Eilts said. “Ithink that because ofTuskaloosa and Joplin,Oklahomans were justscared.”

Eilts said his wife hadpeople, all of her friends,waiting two hours inadvance wanting to getinto Eilts’ storm shelter.

Matthew Piette, chiefmarketing officer forWDT, said when tornadowatches were given, heand his family got pre-pared hours before thetornado struck.

“I was simply waiting withapp in my hand for awarning,” Piette said. “Thatis the type of application wewould like to see across thecountry,” he said.

The spring tornadoes

still killed about 200people. This is promptingweather scientists,researchers and compa-nies like WDT to seek outinformation about howpeople responded totornado watches andwarnings, then what stepsthey took to be safe whenthe severe storms actuallyhit.

Paul Risser, chairman ofthe University of Okla-homa Research Cabinet,said WDT is a goodexample of how theresearch park is intendedto work.

Eilts graduated withbachelor’s and master’sdegrees in meteorology.Originally from Minneso-ta, Eilts said he was drawnto OU because it has thelargest meteorologydepartment in the UnitedStates.

After college, he worked18 years for the NationalSevere Storms Laboratory,based in Norman.

In 1998, the universityapproached Eilts andasked him to form acompany that could takeadvantage of two statequestions passed that year.

The new law allowedtechnologies coming outof university research tobe marketed, utilizingfaculty and other employ-ees who could becomefinancially involved inprojects.

Eilts said he “collectedfour or five other people,and we started meetingweekly for about 18months.”

They raised about $1million from friends andfamily. “So in 2000, we quitour very comfy govern-ment jobs and all jumpedout and started WDT,”Eilts said.

Smartphone app keeps people weather smartHow to get the weather app

! http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/imapweather-radio/id413511993?mt=8


Mile Eilts is president of Weather Decision Technologies. His company’sweather app has been well received by customers.

Photos by Kyle Phillips / The Transcript

Above: The University of Oklahoma Research Park is anchored by the National Weather Center which hasthrust OU and the state into national prominence. Last year, about 40,000 people toured the center. A third ofthose were school children. At right: Visitors often ask, “Where’s Dorothy?” The Dorothy they are referring tois the name of an actual movie prop of a mobile weather sensor used in the 1996 movie “Twister.” Visitors cansee the prop at the National Weather Center.

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Pathways to ProgressBusiness Park

By Meghan McCormickTranscript Staff Writer

Rob Standridge hopes by July that histhree companies will run their

operations from a 18,000 square-foot facilityon Technology Place.

Construction at 2600 Technology Placeis almost complete.

Last year, the building was framedwhen a tornado spun through the eastside of Norman on May 10, and heavilydamaged the structure.

Standridge said the project was delayedabout three months. Building efforts

resumed in August.When the building is ready, it will

house Health Engineering Systems, RSSoftware and Legend Care, he said.

Standridge’s companies involvepharmacy compounding, softwareprograms and health care.

“It’s all grown out of a pharmacy,”Standridge said about his businesses.

Standridge graduated from pharmacyschool in 1993.

Two years later, he and his wife, Lisa,purchased a pharmacy in Blanchard.

“Since then we have just grown andfound other things to supply the pharma-

cy,” he said.Standridge said HES’s main product is

the Unguator. It’s a German mixingmachine used for compounding medica-tions.

“It’s always been our mission to findneeds in pharmacy,” he said.

The Standridges want to help thepharmacy industry be successful. He saidthe next step is to expand pharmacyservices in the state.

Between 30 and 40 employees will work out of the new facility, Standridge said.

“We’re just really excited to get itopen,” he said.

Pharmacy grows into health system provider


Above: When completed, this building in Norman Business Park will house Health Engineering Systems, RS Software and Legend Care, companies involved pharma-cy compounding, software programs and health care. Below: Rob Standridge.

Technology PlaceTenantsThese companies are in the Industrial Park onTechnology Place:!Office Max!Health Engineering Systems! Immuno-Mycologics, Inc.! Albon Manufacturing LLC! SouthWest NanoTechnologies ! Xyant Technology Inc.! Sitel

Source: Norman Economic Development Coalition

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Pathways to ProgressGrowth & Expansion


Sysco Corporation this spring approved an expansion of its distribution facility at Tecumseh Road and 12th Avenue NW in Norman toaccommodate current and future foodservice business. The construction will add about 100,000 square feet of temperature-zonedwarehouse space and additional truck parking. Stellar Corp. of Jacksonville, Fla., began work on the project in April. The project is antici-pated to be completed within a year.

Construction continues on the new IBC Bankbeing built across 24th Avenue NW from Target inthe University North Park development. The bankwill replace the branch at 24th Avenue NW andMain Street.

Jerry Laizure / The Transcript

Here is a sampling of the eventcenters available for rent inNorman. This is not meant to bean exhaustive list.

• Embassy Suites Hoteland Conference Center: 2501Conference Drive, 364-8040,Large events and conferences

• Havenbrook EventCenter: 3401 Havenbrook St.,329-0101, Weddings and generalevent venue

• Joy’s Palace: 300 E. MainSt., 887-3474, General eventvenue

• NCED ConferenceCenter and Hotel: 2801 E.Highway 9, 447-9000, Largeevents, weddings and conferences

• Primrose FuneralService: 1109 North Porter Ave.,405-321-6000, general eventcenter

• Old Town Center: 102 W.Eufaula, 405-360-5753; generalevent venue

• Sam Noble Museum:2401 Chautauqua Ave., 325-4712, Large events, weddings andconferences

• Santa Fe Depot: 200 S.Jones Ave., 307-9320, Generalevent venue

• Sooner Legends Inn andSuites: 1200 24th Ave. SW, 701-8100, General event venue

• Sooner Theatre: 101 E.Main St., 321-9600, Generalevent venue

• StepBrothers: 423 S.Webster Ave., 329-1236, Generalevent venue

• The Red Room: 114 W.Main St., 579-2000, Generalevent venue

• Thunderbird Chapel:11395 E. Highway 9, 329-4848,Weddings and general events

• Whispering Pines Bedand Breakfast: 7820 E.Highway 9, 447-0202, Weddingsand general event venue.

Norman eventvenues grow



electronic devices. And we’veextended the range of lithiumion batteries – the future fuelfor cars and trucks.” Arthursaid OU research that led toSWeNT began years ago, asthose influencing the elec-tronics industry realized alongstanding principle wasbound to burn out.

SWeNT has operated onabout $15 million from privateinvestors and $5 million ingrants and project awards.The company now holdsmore than 30 patents.Another $15 million inventure capital is beingsought for commercialproduction. The goal is tomake carbon nanotubesmeeting highest qualitystandards required by theelectronics industry.

Arthur says success in thisventure can attract affiliatedhigh-tech manufacturers toNorman and the state, alongwith many upscale jobs.Raising capital, typically toughfor most companies, isparticularly challenging intoday’s economy, Arthur said,but SWeNT has sometempting advantages.“SWeNT is first in the worldto achieve this level ofnanotechnology,” Arthur said.“Right now, we have very littlecompetition.”

Last year SWeNT andBrewer Science, a Missouriresearch partner, shared a $6.5million project award from theNational Institute for Scienceand Technology.

The funds, along withsupport from the OklahomaCenter for Science andTechnology, financed additionalstaffing and specializedequipment.

Ten more personnel joined

SWeNT, which now employs29.

Arthur says the companyexpects to close on severalsignificant opportunities, detailsof them still confidential.

“In the near term, we’reworking with some of theworld’s largest electronicscompanies to incorporate ourcarbon materials into touchscreen and flat panel TVs,”Arthur said. “We’re alsoengaged with a very largeelectronics company topursue a technology partner-ship.”

He said SWeNT is workingtoward other alliances withthe National Aeronautics andSpace Administration and theU.S. Department of Defense.SWeNT also has drawnattention of the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency.

“We were granted an EPAconsent order, makingSWeNT the first manufactur-er to make and sell single wallcarbon nanotubes in commer-cial quantities,” Arthur said.

As carbon technologyprogresses, could California’svast research region knownas “Silicon Valley” becomethe Silicon Rustbelt?SWeNT’s CEO says that isn’tapparent just yet.

But Arthur said he believesSWeNT and other relatedcompanies eventually couldestablish Oklahoma as thenation’s “Carbon Corridor.”

SWeNT might spark suchdevelopment, but Arthur sayshis company must firstexpand.

He said the second stage ofSWeNT growth will bepromising but challenging.

“We’ve established a trueleadership position in thefuture of electronics withblood, sweat and tears,” hesaid. “We’ve paid our dues.”

• From Page C2

Technology


SWeNT is working toward alliances with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and theU.S. Department of Defense. SWeNT also has drawn attention of the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency. “We were granted an EPA consent order, making SWeNT the first manufacturer to make andsell single wall carbon nanotubes in commercial quantities,” SWeNT Chief Executive Officer DaveArthur said.

Pathways to

ProgressBusiness

Like restaurants, automobile dealerships tend to cluster andbuild synergy. They have moved from Porter Avenue, to 24thAvenue, West Main and Interstate Drive. Two dealerships havemoved farther north while others remain and are expandingon Norman’s Mile of Cars.

—— RReeaadd aallll aabboouutt iitt,, PPaaggee 1122--1133

C

IndustryCommerce






Above: Workerscontinue window

replacement at theFinancial Center in

downtown Nor-man. The state'sIndigent Defense

System officeplans to move intosome of the space

upon completionnext month. The

building wasclosed and officesrelocated after thebuilding’s owners

discovered andthen repaired a

structural problem.At right: A view ofMain Street from

the top floor of theFinancial Center at

Main and Petersstreets. Far right:

Final renovationsstill are under way.

Financial Center

By Andy RiegerTranscript Executive Editor

It’s been nearly 30 months since ownersof the downtown Financial Center

hurriedly vacated the landmark Normanbuilding. But the final weeks of thebuilding’s restoration are at hand withtenants planning July moves into the six-story structure at Main Street and PetersAvenue.

Jim Adair, one of the building’s owners,said his family’s investment and realestate company and attorney BarryRoberts are the only two displacedtenants moving back in.

The major building tenant will be theOklahoma Indigent Defense System andits team of lawyers, investigators andsupport personnel.

They will move about 75 people fromthe office building on the Griffin Hospitalgrounds and will occupy the second, thirdand fifth floor as well as use much of thebasement for storage.

“It’ll be the biggest law firm in thearea,” says Adair. “They are really anxiousto get in.”

The sixth floor, housing the VistaRestaurant, is for sale by the estate ofRichard Talley, a longtime Normanattorney and businessman. The city willallow another restaurant to occupy the

space, Adair said.The owners and their retained engi-

neers made the decision to save thebuilding shortly after tenants vacated inFebruary of 2009.

“The building never moved an inch,”Adair said. “There’s no question it neededstructural repair. It probably neededstructural repairs the day it was built.”

Crews installed beams and metal platesinside the existing building, an unusual fixthat has created some minor, internalspace dynamics and configurations oneach floor.

“The structural stuff was pretty muchdecided for us. After that, we decided todo the exterior of the building and otherimprovements,” Adair said.

Barbour & Short Construction Co. wasthe primary contractor on the building.LWPB Architecture worked with theproject.

Crews replaced windows, doors,mechanical systems, most of the electricaland installed a new roof.

“For all intents and purposes, we have abrand new building,” Adair said.

“It’s been a long job. You have no ideawhat you’re getting into. We had 13tenants. In four days, we figured outwhere everybody was going and in 10days they were all moved.”

Landmark poised to welcome tenants

@.com

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By Peggy LaizureTranscript Staff Writer

After retirement from civil service, BrendaRoberts was asked to fill in for the executivedirector at the Moore Chamber of Com-merce. She said she would, but only for sixmonths until they could find someone else.

That was in 2003 and Roberts is still at thechamber and loving every minute of it.

As executive director, Roberts said she is incharge of decision making and making surethat any program they have is profitable. Shemakes sure the chamber is financially secureand works with a 15 member board.

“I’m the overseer from picking up trash tothe daily business,” Roberts said.

There were about 200 members in thechamber in 2003, Roberts said. A member-ship drive in 2006 raised the number to 300but many members were lost.

“They left because Kathy wasn’t here toclose the back door,” Roberts said. “Therewere only two in the office and it was hard todo without a membership person.

Kathy Gillette is the director of member-ship services and sales with the chamberand there are now more than 700 members.

The Moore chamber is not an economicdevelopment center even though thechamber interacts with businesses and thecity, Roberts said.

“We (Moore) went out and did what we couldin retail,” she said. “We are a retail town.”

“We get someone who wants to know whythey should have a business in Moore, weimmediately shoot it to Diedre and let herwalk them through,” she said. Diedre Ebreyis the city of Moore economic director.

Once a new business gets set up, theowners know the chamber will be there totake care of them.

“They bring them in, we take care ofthem,” Roberts said. “We held a ribboncutting for Schlotzsky’s and they had a grandopening. David Jones, the owner, shot anemail to Diedre saying he was so impressedwith the people here.”

The chamber holds networking generalmembership lunches and workshops,Business Before Hours, Business AfterHours and encourages people to get involved.

“You can’t belong to every bank or shop at16 stores every day,” Roberts said. “That iswhy we encourage members to attend ourfunctions.”

Roberts and her husband, Vice MayorDavid Roberts, have lived in Moore 38 years.Brenda lived in Georgia and met Davidthrough a mutual friend at a churchconvention. David grew up in Capitol Hilland moved his bride back home.

“I’m very fortunate to be a part of thischamber,” Roberts said. “I value and respectour leadership both at the city and thechamber. I am very, very honored to behere and to serve and I mean thatsincerely.”

Moore Chamber director’s 6-monthgig turns into 8 happy years on job

By Jocelyn PedersenFor The Transcript

Dawn McNutt, executive director ofNoble Chamber of Commerce, is linkedin to the networking process.

McNutt earned her bachelor of sciencein management information systems fromColorado Technical University.

She was in the Air Force where sheserved in the military police and as aparalegal.

She later went on to become a leadnetwork administrator at Federal Expresswhere she put her skills as a MicrosoftCertified Professional to work. Shelaunched into small business ownershipthrough various direct sales opportunitiesallowing her to work from home whileraising a family.

She’s been involved with the Joy ofConnecting, a women’s business network-ing group for several years, and stillguides her team of Precision3 profession-als who share nutrition and weight losspatches. McNutt says she feels thatnetworking in multiple ways is essentialfor businesses growth.

Holding the executive director’sposition in the Noble Chamber of com-merce for six months now, she puts hernetworking skills to good use.

Since the beginning of her tenure, shehas already recruited more new chambermembers than in the entire previous year.

Her duties include more than recruiting.She helps organize the annual ChamberBanquet and the Rose Rock Festival,among other things.

“This year’s Rose Rock Festival was oneof the most successful thanks partly to thebeautiful weather and awesome bands, butalso thanks to a chamber organization thathas become a well-oiled machine —improving the festival time and again overthe past 30 years,” McNutt said.

The members of the chamber worktogether in many ways to promotebusinesses in their community andultimately, Noble itself. McNutt does herpart to facilitate this process.

“Our theme this year is MovingForward,” said Don Cretsinger, presidentof the Noble Chamber of Commerce andpresident of Sun Construction. “That’sexactly what we’re doing. We’re makingour meetings more valuable with our newformat.”

McNutt is incorporating her skills andboard members’ ideas to find ways formembers to network at meetings byoffering them the opportunity to featuretheir businesses and unique skillsexclusively in a monthly luncheon forum.The goal is to have members provideeach other with money saving businesstips and education through networking.

“It’s going really well. We’re having aprosperous year,” McNutt said.

Noble Chamber director looks to networking as key to growth

By Meghan McCormickTranscript Staff Writer

It’s been three months since John Woodswas named president and chief execu-

tive officer of the Norman Chamber ofCommerce.

Woods has spent his workdaysmeeting with business and communityleaders. He succeeded Anna-Mary Suggswho retired in December 2010.

“It’s been exciting and busy,” Woodssaid about his new job.

He said the Chamber of Commerceboard of directors presented Woods withideas the board wanted to see accom-plished.

Woods comes to the chamber afterspending the past 15 years in the politicalsector. He was most recently the policyadvisor for the speaker of the OklahomaHouse of Representatives.

“My background gives me a lot ofexpertise in that,” he said. “I think that isvery helpful.”

As part of his focus as director, Woodswants to help local businesses and letpeople know Norman is a great place todo business, he said. Woods said hebelieves it’s important to make sureNorman is successful now and 20 yearslater.

“People want to live in a communitythey will enjoy,” he said.

Woods said he has visited with civicgroups and associations as a way to sharehis message with as many as possible.

“I love Norman,” he said. “My desire isto play a part and make Norman a greatcommunity.”

The Chamber of Commerce has comeup with ways to help businesses commu-nicate with customers and hosts network-ing events, Woods said. The organizationalso shows how to save on energy andmoney costs.

Woods said the chamber came up witha video marketing program for localbusinesses.

Videos are produced and put onYouTube. http://www.youtube.com/Nor-manchamber.

It costs $199, he said. A subcontractorfilms the footage and puts the videostogether.

The program started in May, Woodssaid. So far, four videos have been posted.Another five are in production.

“It’s a good opportunity for a smallbusiness person,” he said.

The chamber also is in the early stagesof developing an iPhone App, he said.People will be able to use their iPhones tofind businesses in the Norman area.

Chamber of Commerce


John Woods was named president and chief executive officer of the NormanChamber of Commerce three months ago.

New director jumps in to ensureNorman is open for business



By Andrew KnittleTranscript Staff Writer

For decades, the Mile of Cars inNorman has been the center of the

car-buying world in Cleveland County.Dealerships tightly packed the prime

real estate east of the Interstate 35, fromRobinson Street south to Main Street, likesardines.

And that remains the same today,although some well-known Normandealers have pulled up and moved toother stretches along I-35.

Bob Moore Nissan and Marc HeitzChevrolet were among the first to breakaway from the pack.

Bob Moore Cadillac, which nowoperates along Main Street in Norman, isset to move six miles away from its oldlocation, north of Indian Hills Road off of I-35.

Fowler Toyota, which opened itsmodern new dealership in March 2009near I-35 and Tecumseh Road, movedfrom the Mile of Cars to give themselvesbreathing room — and space to grow inthe future.

Rick Burgess, general manager of

Fowler Toyota, said the move the dealer-ship made was a natural transition.

“The old dealership was built 30 yearsago,” Burgess said. “We pretty muchused it up and outgrew it. We just couldn’ttake care of our customers the way wewanted to anymore.”

Burgess said the new Fowler Toyotalocation is great for the extra room stock,but also because of the expanded servicedepartment, an important part of anydealership’s bottom line.

“I’ve got an acre underground,” he saidof the new service department. “We’vegone from 22 (service) bays to 34 bays, sothat’s huge for our customers.”

As for relocating to a larger, moreexpensive facility at the height of theGreat Recession, Burgess said it taughtthe dealership a lesson that’s payingdividends today.

“Things have been really good relativeto everything that’s going on,” he said.“When business is real fast-paced, youdon’t look at some of the small things welooked at during that time (the recession)

Dealerships outgrowing Mile of CarsAuto sales

Andrew Knittle / The Transcript

Fowler Toyota, which opened its state-of-the-art dealership in March 2009 nearInterstate 35 and Tecumseh Road, moved from the Mile of Cars to give them-selves breathing room — and space to grow in the future. • See AUTO DEALERS, Page C13

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Chad Baker, generalmanager of Marc HeitzChevrolet, said relocatingaway from the Mile of Carsis typically the lone optionsfor dealerships looking fora new space.

“There’s no other placesto buy except a few piecesof land,” Baker said. “Youcan’t go too far north orsouth because you’ll getinto other dealerships’territories.”

Baker said the newlocation also affords thedealership more than twiceas much space as the priorfacility.

“Over there we had six-and-a-half acres, while overhere we have 15-and-a-half,” he said. “We used tohave to park most of ourinventory at a holding lot ...

now we have plenty ofroom.”

Baker said distancingthe dealership from theothers crunched togetherto the north is a double-edged sword.

“It’s not really anadvantage because youdon’t steal your competi-tion’s customers, but Iguess that works bothways,” Baker said. “I guessthey don’t get to steal oursas much.”

Regardless, he saidmoving to the new locationhas been a boon for MarcHeitz Chevrolet, whichhad its “best year ever” in2010.

“Things have picked uptremendously since wemoved in here,” Bakersaid. “We moved in here in’08, when the industry wasreally down, but we’vemanaged to grow in allareas during that time.”

• From Page C12

Auto dealers

Photos by Andrew Knittle / The Transcript

Above: Marc Heitz general manager Chad Baker saidrelocating is typically the lone options for dealershipslooking for a new space. At left: Bob Moore Cadillac,which now operates along Main Street in Norman, isset to move north of Indian Hills Road off Interstate35.

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Pathways to ProgressEconomic Development: Norman

By Andrew KnittleTranscript Staff Writer

While development of the University NorthPark Tax Increment Finance District

hasn’t always been smooth sailing, Mayor CindyRosenthal says the massive project is essentiallyon track.

The UNP area came to be following years ofplanning by the Norman City Council and develop-ers, officially coming to life in 2006. It was envi-sioned to have high-end shopping, a lifestylecenter and park in the middle of all of it.

Since then, several issues have presentedthemselves and many residents feel like theyaren’t getting what was promised to them by cityofficials.

Development of Legacy Park, an 8- to 10-acreattraction planned on the west side of 24th AvenueNorthwest, is being held up because UNP develop-ers have yet to donate the land, something thatwas supposed to be done well over a year ago.

Rosenthal said Legacy Park “isn’t going to beyour typical park” and will likely require a “busi-ness improvement district” to collectively pay forits upkeep.

“Kind of like Bricktown (in Oklahoma City),”she said. “All the business in Bricktown cometogether to provide maintenance and we think wewould need something similar for Legacy Park.”

As for the donation of the land, the mayor believesthe situation will eventually work itself out.

“We are continuing to negotiate with thedeveloper,” she said. “We’ve had many importantdiscussions and I think we’re very close.”

Some city officials also have questioned wherethe “high-end shopping” is in UNP.

“I think the biggest challenge facing the UNP isit doesn’t meet some people’s expectations,”

Rosenthal said. “But I think that’s how it was soldand not necessarily how it was planned.”

She said the original plan was bring in big boxstores and other businesses to provide enoughrevenue to move forward with future UNPprojects.

“That is still the plan, but I think people expect-ed it to happen over night and that hasn’t hap-pened,” Rosenthal said.

Overall, the mayor says the UNP isn’t a failurewhen it comes to the bottom line.

“If you go back and look at original projectionsit’s performing, basically, as it was projected to ...in spite of the Great Recession,” Rosenthal said. “Alot of times, that’s the best barometer to use.”

Road improvements made (and planned) usingUNP tax dollars are another positive for the city.

Rosenthal said UNP funds will be used to payfor major interchange work at I-35 and RobinsonStreet and has already been used to build the RockCreek overpass, among other projects.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do any of those,really, without the (University North Park) TIF,”the mayor said. “And then you have the EmbassySuites ... what that facility has meant to the city ishuge.”

As for the UNP area’s future, Rosenthal saidthings should come together. She said developershave revealed alternate designs for what wassupposed to be a Lifestyle Center, on the east sideof 24th Avenue Northwest (just to the south ofEmbassy Suites).

“What they showed us really had very modestchanges to the original design,” she said. “Andthey are starting to get interest from retailers theywant ... and the economy’s getting better, so Ithink you’re going to start to see things start tomove out there.”

University North Park a work in progress


Pei Wei Asian Diner and Dress Barn were later tenants in theUNP area. Mayor Cindy Rosenthal says that these types ofbusiness, which generate sales tax revenue, are essential tofinancing the rest of the UNP development.


Kohl's was just the second tenant in the University North Park Tax Increment Finance District, which wasestablished in 2006 by the Norman City Council. The Super Target, on the south end of the UNP area, wasthe first business to open in the TIF district.


Construction of a strip mall and an IBC Bank on the sparsely populated east side of 24th Avenue Northwestis ongoing. The IBC Bank location is the first financial institution to open in the UNP area.


AWalmart Super-Center moved its

Moore store to 19th Streetand Interstate 35 in 1995and the boom was on.

A tornado blew throughtown in May 1999 and thebusiness growth slowedfor awhile.

“The growth becamemore apparent once Kohl’sopened on the Riverwalkarea in 2001,” said DeidreEbrey, Moore’s EconomicDirector.

Retail growth alsobegan to happen on theeast side of the interstate.But often it takes morethan two years to see abusiness or center open.

“I started with the citydoing business recruit-ment in 2002 and one ofmy first major tasks wasassisting with the develop-ment of the Shops atMoore,” Ebrey said.“Work on these projectsbegins long beforeanything comes out of theground. We’re working onprojects now that are atleast 12-24 months frombecoming reality. Someprojects make it all theway to opening; some donot.”

Moore is a goodlocation for business.

“There are 200,000people to the south withNorman, Noble and thePurcell area and thenthere are another 100,000in the Oklahoma CityMetro,” Ebrey said.

The city does not usetax breaks or otherincentives to convince abusiness to move intoMoore, she said. Incen-tives are talked about onlyafter a business ordeveloper has chosenMoore.

“Incentives can nevermake a bad site good andshould never be used inthat manner,” Ebrey said.“In our case, we haveincentivized only thoseconcepts we do notcurrently have and that weknow will add “newmoney” to our existing taxbase.”

The city of Moore hasexecuted three sales taxrebate programs. The firstwas for the Shops atMoore development.

“The developer couldfinance the developmentbut not the purchase ofand subsequent demoli-tion of the property as itwas,” Ebrey said. “Thatland had a motel, a vacant100,000 square foot bigbox (formerly a Sam’sWholesale) and a semi-vacant, aging, outlet mall.The city agreed to rebatesales taxes generated byany new retail the develop-er brought in to the newlydeveloped shoppingcenter. This protected thecity in that no money wasever paid out to thedeveloper until the newbusinesses were open forbusiness. This develop-ment has been extremelysuccessful and the rebates

to the developer will endthis year.

Ebrey is pleased withthe results.

“It worked exactly as itwas intended,” she said.

A similar but smallerprogram was used forTarget, which will openJuly 24 and the newWarren IMAX, which willopen in February, 2012.But Ebrey stressed thatthe projects will onlyreceive the agreed uponamount once they areopen and generatingbusiness.

The recent recessiondid affect the businessgrowth as did investmentin retail but it is slowlyreturning, Ebrey said.

“Obviously, discounters,fast casual dining andoperators of value-priceditems are moving faster totake advantage of poten-tially lower-priced, primereal estate as well as amore value-conscienceconsumer,” Ebrey said.

There are otherdevelopments on thehorizon. The Fritts Farmis currently underconstruction with aninline center on SW 19thStreet, west of TelephoneRoad. Royal Rock Devel-opment on the north sideof 19th Street is workingon additional lease spacedevelopment and someout-lot sales.

“Spaces continue tolease all over the Citywhich, in my world, is‘big’,” Ebrey said. “Most

cities would give anythingto have a fraction of thegrowth we’ve had andcontinue to have. We feelfortunate to be in thisposition and are not takingit for granted.”

Economic growth is notrestricted to the new areasbordering Interstate 35.The merchants of OldTown on BroadwayAvenue have pulledtogether to take advantageof what they have.

Moore didn’t have anhistoric downtown likemany towns, so they triedto recreate the look of anolder business district witheclectic shops with more ofan “artsy feel,” Elbrey said.

The city assisted OldTown in 2006 with the“street scape, which ispleasing to the eye,” Ebreysaid. The city schedulesmost of its events in OldTown, Ebrey said. The citypromotes Old Town toshow people what it has tooffer and the merchantsvolunteer to work theevent.

And the residents ofMoore are enjoying theboom.

“It is obvious thatMoore’s citizens arestaying close to home toshop because we finallyhave the opportunity to doso,” Ebrey said. “Peoplehave preferences as to

where they purchaseitems. The key for retailersand retail developers is torecruit the types ofbusinesses and servicesthat appeal to the mostpeople within a trade area.We, as the city, do notspecifically select theretailers that come here.We actively recruit certainretail and service but,ultimately, it’s up to theproperty owner, landlordand finance committee ofeach individual property orproject as to whom theysell or lease. We believe wehave a good mix of retailand that it provides a goodopportunity for shoppers inthe OKC metro.”

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Pathways to ProgressEconomic Development: Moore

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Shane Vice, born and raised in Western Oklahoma, graduated from Cordell High School in 1984. Shane then attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma before transferring to the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in Dallas, Texas earning his degree in Funeral Service in 1989.

Shane was united in marriage to Miss Deedra Stehr, a lifelong resident of Clinton, Oklahoma, in 1990. Shane returned to Southwestern Oklahoma State University completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management and Finance in 1993.

Shane and Deedra moved to Yukon, Oklahoma in 1997, where Shane operated one of Yukon’s funeral homes. While serving in Yukon,

Shane was instrumental in the local development of the “Every 15 Minutes” program, an educational program speci cally targeting high school students the dangers of drinking and driving. Shane also worked closely with the national program, “Safe Escape,” sponsored by renowned safety expert, Bob Stuber. This program educated children of all ages the dangers and warning signs of a child abductor and taught them safe escape techniques when held against their will. Shane was also involved with the Yukon Kiwanis program and participated in the Yukon Fire and Police Citizens’ Academy. In addition to his leadership role in Yukon, Shane also assumed operating responsibility of the Bill Merritt Funeral Home in Mustang, Oklahoma in 1998. While in Mustang, Shane was active in the Mustang Chamber of Commerce. Later in 1999, Shane had the opportunity to be the lead funeral director at Oklahoma City’s largest funeral home and cemetery operations, later assuming funeral home managerial responsibilities in 2006. While serving in this capacity, Shane worked closely with INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center in South Oklahoma City to provide leadership and educational support to the Jim Thorpe Youthful Drinking and Driving Program. This program was speci cally designed to assist young adults in their struggle to overcome chemical dependency. In the six years Shane was involved with this organization, hundreds of lives were changed and hearts were mended. Shane continued in his leadership role until April of 2010, at which time he, his wife, Deedra, and their two sons, Dalton and Brant moved to Norman, after the Vice Family assumed ownership of Havenbrook Funeral Home. Shane and Deedra’s oldest son, Dalton is a Junior at Norman North High School, where he is a member of the National Honor Society. Brant, their youngest, is a fth grader at Truman Elementary. Shane is a member of the Norman Business Association. He and his family are also members of Bethel Baptist Church of Norman. In his spare time, Shane enjoys spending time with his family, snow skiing, water skiing and especially Sooner Football!

Family Owned. Family Focused. Meet Our Staff

A life long Norman resident, Bruce Ingram graduated from Norman High School in 1979. He continued his education, graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science Degree in

Physical Education and Recreation in 1984. Bruce was united in marriage to Miss Valerie

Hill in 1982 in Norman. Bruce later enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas in 1984, graduating with a Master of

Arts Degree in Religious Education, with a focus on student ministry in 1987.

Serving Bethel Baptist Church in a part-time capacity for four years, Bruce became the full-time Minister

of Students and Recreation in 1987. He continued in this leadership role, serving until his retirement form

Bethel Baptist Church in 2010, ending a 27 year focus on Student Ministries.

Bruce and Valerie are the parents of two awesome children, Courtney Ingram, the Children’s Minister

at the First Baptist Church of Mulvane, Kansas, and Josh Ingram, a senior at the University of Oklahoma. Josh currently serves as the Assistant

J.V. Baseball Coach at Norman North High School. Bruce has served as a Chaplain to local companies in the Norman and Oklahoma City

Metropolitan area, including being the area Chaplain for BNSF Railroad Company, serving Oklahoma, North Texas and Southern Kansas.

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3401 Havenbrook St., Norman, OK 73072

405-329-0101www.Havenbrookfuneralhome.com

Deedra Jaye Vice was raised in Clinton, Oklahoma, graduating Clinton High School in 1985. She is the daughter of Darrell Lee and Judy (Cabaniss) Stehr. Deedra has a younger brother, Brennon. Deedra married Shane Vice on September 1, 1990 in Clinton, Oklahoma. Shane and Deedra have two sons, Dalton, a Junior at Norman North High School and Brant, a 5th grader at Truman Elementary. Deedra is a graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma Sate University in Weatherford, Oklahoma, where she obtained a Secretarial Science Degree. Deedra’s focus is in hospital administration, which encompasses Medical Staff Services and Quality Resource Management. Deedra has been on staff at Integris Clinton Regional Hospital, Deaconess Hospital in Oklahoma City, and in 2001 was on the development and start-up team to open the Integris Canadian Valley Hospital in Yukon, Oklahoma. In addition to her hospital administrative career, Deedra was appointed to lead a United States

Federal Program that prepared Senior Citizens to re-enter the workforce. This program equipped seniors with the necessary skills to begin a career that prepared them for healthy, longtime business careers. After the Vice Family assumed ownership of Havenbrook Funeral Home, Deedra retired from Integris Canadian Valley Hospital after 21 years of dedicated service to Oklahoma’a Health Care Industry. Deedra’s af liations include the Jaycees, Junior Service League, Yukon Community Education Council, and the Advisory Council of Yukon, Oklahoma.Deedra, Shane and their two sons worship at Bethel Baptist Church in Norman.Deedra is enjoying being a stay-at-home mom and providing administrative support to Havenbrook Funeral Home.


Pathways to ProgressVocational / Technical Education


Since the doors ofMoore Norman Technolo-gy Center opened in 1976,the center has providedtechnical training to highschool and adults stu-dents. A summer academyalso serves children, agesnine to 14.

The center is accreditedby the North CentralAssociation Commissionon Accreditation andSchool Improvement andprovides working adults,adult students, high schoolstudents from five partnerhigh schools, private andhome schools, businessowners and senior citizensa quality and affordablecareer and technicaleducation and alsoprovides assistance tobusinesses to help themachieve their goals, saidSusan Gladhill, director ofEducational Services.

John Hunter has beensuperintendent at MNTCnine years but will beretiring in January, 2012.He has been an instructorand administrator incareertechs for 37 years.MNTC has an economicimpact on the area, hesaid.

“I can see the valuableimpact this technologycenter makes each daywith high school and adultstudents, as well asbusiness and industry,”Hunter said. “The econom-ic impact, workforcedevelopment and qualityeducation is a worthwhileinvestment of local, stateand federal dollars.”

In fiscal year 2010, morethan 60,123 peopleattended classes, work-shops and conferences atMNTC. That includes anone-hour class to full-timecareer majors.

More than 1,100 careermajor students attendedMNTC in FY2010 with 651adults and 519 high schoolstudents. The 33 careermajors are in the areas ofbusiness informationtechnology, engineeringand technical, healthcareers and human serviceand humanities.

Hunter said informationtechnology and health arethe two largest programsat Moore Norman.

Other popular coursesinclude cosmetology,welding and graphicdesign.

The Franklin RoadCampus in Norman sits on75 acres at the corner of12th Avenue NW and

Franklin Road. Fivebuildings total 323,500square feet and featuresclassrooms, labs, industry-quality equipment andmeeting and conferencerooms.

In addition to the mainbuilding, the campusincludes a Health Educa-tion Center, a TechnicalTraining Center and aConstruction Tradesbuilding. A new 75,000-square-foot InformationTechnology Building isunder construction andshould be completed bythe fall.

Hunter said he isexcited that the buildingwill provide facilities,equipment and an environ-ment to students reflectingthose being used in theindustry.

“This will make stu-dents more productivewhen entering the workforce,” he said.

Programs in accounting,computer programming,database administration,digital video production,graphic design, legal officeservices, networking andcomputer repair and webdesign will be housed inthe new building.

Hunter said studentsare using 25-year-oldstudios in some of theprograms that don’t reflectindustry standards.

“The facility design andlayout will be a model thatother schools will want tolook at as they consideroffering similar classesacross the state andnation,” Hunter said.

“We need to be addingnew types of classes thatare important to ourcommunity and this willallow us to do that in thelong term,” Hunter said.

Hunter said one of thechallenges for all thecareertech schools is to be

current in what they offer.A digital transformation

has taken place in recentyears in every field andschools have to staycurrent with what theyoffer, he said.

He said companies lookat the labor force, educa-tion and support in an areawhen considering whereto locate.

The South PennCampus opened in thesummer of 2005 in aneffort to reach out to theentire district and effective-ly meet the business andcommunity needs withinsouth Oklahoma City.

The 65-acre tract of landlocated at SW 134th Streetand Pennsylvania Avenueis home to a main campusbuilding with 79,000square feet of meeting,classroom and conferencespace, and the BusinessDevelopment Center, a14,500 square foot busi-ness incubator.

The Business Develop-ment Center offersplanning and support tonew businesses and helpsentrepreneurs deal withmarketing plans to findingfinancial resources, tostrategic planning andtechnology integration.

The Business &Industry Services divisionassisted 528 businesseswith computer technology,customized industry,safety, environmental,management training andteam management.

The South PennCampus also has part-timeclasses in health, businessand industry training,

personal interest, comput-er technology, manage-ment development andsmall business manage-ment.

Students also are able toreceive college creditsthrough an agreementwith local colleges anduniversities. In FY10, 607students earned a total of4,300 hours of collegecredit, good towardassociate degree pro-grams.

MNTC has earned theOklahoma Association ofTechnology Center’s GoldStar School Award foreight years consecutively,from 2002-2010. Thisannual application-basedaward recognizes technol-ogy center districts thathave met rigid anddemanding criteriademonstrating a high levelof excellence. Thisvoluntary programprovides recognition todistricts with exemplaryprograms designed tomeet a broad spectrum ofcommunity needs.

Nine to 14 year-oldshave the opportunity toattend the Summer YouthAcademy. Established 15years ago, SYA coursesinclude health, computertechnology, sciencetechnology, humanservice, life skills or arts.More than 1,000 childrenenroll each year.

“We provide the bestpossible career andtechnology education inour state and nation,”Hunter said.Corespondent Amy Davidcontributed to the article.

MNTC changes to keep pace with trends


Moore Norman Technology Center offers 33 career majors in the areas of busi-ness information technology, engineering and technical, health careers andhuman service and humanities.

Pathways to Progress

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