Ponca City Development Authority WEEKLY UPDATE     
February 20, 2015

LOOKING BACK...at this week, it was a typical February week....very busy. PCDA worked one lead and finally decided that it was not a fit for Ponca City. Hard as it is to imagine, not every business works here and when leads tell you that they want things including lax air quality regulations or cheap labor, it does not get PCDA too excited. There is one new business that literally picked up the keys this week. Another that moved out of the PCDA/PTC Accelerator and into their new building. Both companies represent start-ups that someday may become global behemoths. They may also be content to employ the collective 14 people they employ right now. The lease with Log10 was finalized and signed officially making the former Connie Lou spec building now the "Log10 Building." PCDA manned and womanned the METS truck at Po High on Wednesday, making sure that students knew about the occupational and career opportunities in Ponca City (long term; PCDA was not trying to get anyone to leave school). Today we went to company X with person Y to discuss issue Z. Person Y, we must advise, insisted upon anonymity . We get that a lot. So if you see Mrs. Person Y, that was not him at the bar. 

UPCOMING......

   

Tues, Feb 24: Business Loans 101 at Pioneer Tech.  11:30-1:30  w/lunch Call Diane to register, 718-4222

Tues, Feb 24: Business After Hours at Osage Casino
- All Ponca City Chamber Members Welcome

Fri, Feb 27: Ponca Politics in Commission Chambers Noon to 1:00  

Wed, Mar 4th: Managing Effective Meetings Workshop at PTech:  1:45 to 1:45 pm

Thur. Mar 5th: "Come and See" the Contractors Plan Room at Pioneer Tech; 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. More information next week or call 580.762.8336 now  

MARKETING...The PCDA Board of Trustees (may it always be Friday where they go) met yesterday, or at least some of them did, to discuss marketing strategies for Ponca City. It was a brainstorming session (and oh what big brains they have) so no decisions were made. The focus was about how marketing can enhance economic development, what marketing works, what does not, who the audience should be, what the message should be...oh will the insight and intelligence never stop? Before Trustees call the office and complain about the brown nosing (and they have such nice phone voices, even when they are yelling) we will tell you that the meeting resulted in specific direction to focus on a couple of industries, rather than, as one board member put it, "throwing money up into the wind and hope it blows in the right direction." There are a lot of communities that do marketing and standing out from the crowd can be difficult. As another Trustee put it, PCDA should be bold and different in our approach to selling Ponca City to the target audiences. The meeting was part of a much larger conversation and there was unfinished business including what exactly Ponca City's message should be?

CONTRACTOR'S PLAN ROOM OPEN HOUSE...In case you didn't know, there is something at Pioneer Tech called the "Plan Room." This room lets area contractors know about and get the plans for construction projects seeking bids. This allows them to compete for work which, in turn, leads to them getting more work and hiring more people. If you know this, you may also know that the Plan Room is getting a new printer to help print out those plans to bid the jobs to hire the people to bring more jobs....sounds like the makings of a great song. If you are not familiar with either of the earlier two points (recap: There is a plan Room and they have a new printer) then you can overcome both ob  stacles at an Open House on Thursday, March 5th. The Open House runs from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm in the Building and Industry Services Center at the back of Pioneer Tech. No RSVP is necessary but if you can't wait and must ask questions ahead of time, the number to call is 580.762.8336.

MEANWHILE, AT THE BUSINESS INCUBATOR....which was mentioned earlier, small businesses are moving and grooving.  The Business Incubator supports small business & manufacturing start-ups, providing a less-than-market cost manufacturing and office space for qualifying just out-of-the-gate companies.  Didn't know it existed? That is not unusual.  It is a "best kept secret" and the Incubator facilities are full at the current moment.  But do not stress.  If you are exploring opening a new business, writing a business plan, looking at government contracting or just want to know more about the incubator possibilities, check out the their webpage at Pioneer Tech.    These services are available to any business start-up, whether your business is currently in the Incubator or not.  There is even a video tour of the facilities as well as the floor plan.  The Incubation Model is a three year cycle and some of these companies are well into that time frame, so what are you waiting for?  Call Bonnie Cook at 718-4262 for help on that business plan; Visit the Plan Room for their open house on March 5th (see above story).  Take that opportunity to ask Dawn Brakey questions about government contracting and check out all the other topics of assistance in the Biz Services section. 

             
      AT PO-HI THIS WEEK
 

 

Any of you decide to get some Turtle's donuts on Wednesday?  If so, you might have seen the Manufacturing Education Training System- the METS trailer parked at Po-Hi!  Pioneer Technology Center was kind enough to partner with us to take the METS mobile lab, which has equipment including a laser, 3D printer, a lathe and mill, to the high school.  After some challenges with the cold equipment in the twenty degree weather, we got all the manufacturing equipment up and running, and brought 9 technology classes down to check it out.  We had some great conversations with students about technical jobs in our community, and hope to continue the conversation during future visits to the school!  If you haven't ever seen the METS lab, you should definitely check this out: http://pioneertech.edu/business/mets What a great way to bring manufacturing to our students and start the careers conversation! 

 

                            Ponca City has jobs.  Now we just need you.   
In Ponca City this week......

 
PCDA Staff this week.....
Speaking of New Businesses in Ponca City, we are pleased to welcome Falcom Solutions to the PCDA Accelerator Program. Stay tuned for more about this Ponca City company in the future.
PCDA Staff manned the METS truck at the High School and proceeded to meet, greet and show several dozen high schoolers the cool machines used at local manufacturing companies.