Report - Ardmore Chamber of Commerce

Presenting Sponsor
May 2008
Report
A Monthly Publication by the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce
SPORTING EVENTS ATTRACT VISITORS TO ARDMORE
The arrival of Spring also signals the beginning of a busy season for state, regional and
national sporting events in Ardmore. Regional Park was the site for the annual
“Oklahoma-Texas Baseball Shootout” youth baseball tournament in April. Fifty two
teams participated in the 3 day event and local hotels reported maximum occupancy.
The Oklahoma State 5A High School Golf Championship will be held at Dornick Hills
May 5th and 6th. This event will attract the best individual and team golfers from
across Oklahoma. The 17th Annual Maxwell Collegiate Golf Tournament will follow on
the 10th and 11th of May at Dornick Hills. This annual event will feature ten collegiate
teams from across the country. This tournament is an excellent opportunity for the
individuals and teams to prepare for the regional competition that follows the next
week. In addition to the participants and their families, many alumni will attend to
support their teams.
Ardmore City Schools will host the Oklahoma State 5A & 6A High School Track
Championships at Noble Stadium on Friday, May 9, 2008 and Saturday, May 10, 2008.
This event will attract over 3000 participants, parents and spectators. This is the sixth
time Ardmore has hosted the event. The facilities at Noble Stadium along with the
community hospitality make Ardmore a preferred venue for the Championships.
According to a survey of local lodging, no rooms were available for any of these
weekend and callers to the Chamber indicated they are seeking lodging as far away as
Davis and Gainesville. Mita Bates, Vice President of the Ardmore Chamber of
Commerce and Ardmore Tourism Authority is pleased to see the popularity of our city
as the site for the State Championships. “Ardmore has always been a popular location
for golf with both Dornick Hills and Lakeview hosting State Championships in recent
years. Team selection for the Maxwell Intercollegiate is always very competitive and
the addition of new teams brings new visitors to the area. The importance of these
events is the economic impact they have with bringing visitors to our City. According
to data provided in the most recent study published by the Oklahoma Tourism and
Recreation Department and compiled by the Research Department of the Travel
Industry Association, overnight hotel travelers spent nearly $422.00 per trip on average
with those just visiting for the day spending close to $122.00 per trip”, states Bates. “The
successful recruitment of events that attract large numbers of visitors is part of the
on-going mission of the Chamber and Tourism Authority and those efforts continue
throughout the year.”
Ardmore, with its location on Interstate 35 and proximity to Lake Murray is always a
popular destination and occupancy at area lodging is expected to be strong again this
summer as individuals and families take trips that are shorter in distance and duration.
Information for visitors and guests to our area is provided at the Ardmore Chamber of
Commerce Office located at 410 W Main or via the website at www.ardmore.org.
What’s Inside
Business Spotlight
2
Chamber Ambassadors
2
Online Job Listings
3
Business After Hours
3
Economic Indicators
4
Economic Indicators Show
Mixed Results
5
Regionalizing Your Website
5
Chamber Website Statistics
5
2008 Chamber Classic
6
Upcoming Events
6
Member News
7
Airpark Progress
7
Unsung Heroes
8
AYPO
9
Leadership Arts
10
Teacher Appreciation
10
Ribbon Cuttings
11
Personnel Roundtable
11
New Members
12
business
spotlight
The Benham Companies, founded 99 years ago in Oklahoma City, is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Science Applications International Corp. [NYSE: SAI].
The firm provides integrated architectural design, engineering, procurement
and construction services for a broad spectrum of industries and facilities,
delivering end-to-end solutions for state, local, and federal government(s)
and commercial clients.
Benham has been an integral part of the Ardmore/Carter County community
for many years, having designed the last major water treatment plant
improvements in 1975 and maintains an office at 333 West Main Street.
Benham has been providing upgrades to the Ardmore’s current infrastructure
assets. Benham has completed the design of the wastewater treatment plant
and co-compost facility and is currently engaged in the preparation of a
water systems master plan and the design of major water systems
improvements for Ardmore; including upgrading and expanding the existing
water treatment facility to a 16.5 million-gallon-per-day plant; designing an
elevated two-million gallon water storage tank, and a raw water transmission
line. Benham also recently completed engineering to relocate a portion of
the main 36-inch waterline through the Ardmore Airpark for the Ardmore
Development Authority.
2
Chamber
Ambassadors
Ardmore Convention
Center
KXII-TV
Jennifer Bell
First National Bank &
Sheila Bell
Trust
IMTEC
Tisha Belt
Angela Bradsher Angela Bradsher, CPA
Pickens, IT, Title &
Debbie Brewer
Closing Co.
DeeAnn Chatham Aflac
Sunshine Industries
Jamie Crane
B & N Carpet Cleaning
Nick Danker
Harvey-Douglas
Brian Douglas
Funeral Home
United Way of South
tobi Ervin
Central Oklahoma
Kelly Murphy-Fryer Advanced Care
Medical Equipment
Cable One
Jeremy Ham
Harn Custom Siding &
Pam Harn
Windows
Shiloh Morning Inn
Bob Humphrey
Lake Murray Resort
Janet Logan
Dobson Realty Group
Jerry Landrum
Engineering Services
Shane Long
& Testing
Mazzio’s Italian Eatery
Monte Meier
New York Life
Bill Parker
Insurance
Parker Family Vision
Ryan Parker
Center
Southern Oklahoma
Win Patton
Radio - KKAJ
Lowe’s
Vance Porter
Landmark Bank
Vicki Quinby
Edward Jones
Al Schneider
Gene Scrugham, Jr. Ray’s Hallmark Gifts &
Office Supplies
Dianne Shepard Oasis Staffing
Randy Simmons OG & E
Express Employment
Kim Smith
Professionals
Southern Oklahoma
Jody Westervelt
Radio
AT&T
Jason Winborn
So. Ok. Blood Institute
Teresa Woehst
Marty Auten
Getting the Most
From Your Online
Job Listings
Business After Hours
In order to take full advantage of your online
recruitment efforts you’ll need to be sure you’re set
up electronically for receiving resumes and giving
job-seekers more information about you.
Business After Hours for April was held
at the Gene Autry Oklahoma Museum.
Networkers were treated to a ride to
the event aboard the trolley. At the
museum guests were wowed by the
exhibits and the true spirit of “B”
Western Movies.
Polish Your Web: How are your employment and
“About Us” sections? If your company has a Web site,
you may want to include links to the site in your ad.
(A few online job services work by linking
jobseekers back to your site, while with other
services the choice is yours as to whether to include
a link in your ad.) Considering that job seekers may
research your company or be linked directly to your
site, you will want to make sure your site tells them
what you want them to know: the mission of the
company, the benefits of working there, the talent of
the current staff, and the positions that are open.
Cowboy Ed and his wife Elizabeth were
on hand to welcome attendees as they
arrived and entertainment was
provided by Mary and Tex Schutz and
the “yodeling cowboy” Paul. Founders
of the museum, Elvin and Flo Sweeten
have done a terrific job in paying
tribute to a film and entertainment
venue that deserves it’s place in
American History. If you have never
been to the Gene Autry Oklahoma
Museum, you are missing a national
treasure.
You don’t have to have a web site in order to use
most of the online job services. You will, however,
need to be ready to receive e-responses from your
ad.
Get your e-mail ready: Your ad on just about any job
board will provide an email address to which
applicants can send their resumes; a couple of the
job-search engines are set up to direct applicants to
your company’s Web site. You may be able to
provide a fax number or even a mailing address in
your ad – but chances are you’ll want to at least have
a ready email account if you’re going to search
and/or advertise for people online.
Depending on the capacity and technical
limitations of your e-mail system, you may want to
specify a format for receiving resumes from
candidates. Email with attached documents poses a
security risk for PCs, so if you don’t want to test the
strength of your virus-checking system, you can tell
candidates to send plain-text resumes in the body
of their email. Attached documents also choke
slower Internet connections and strain the capacity
of some inboxes — another reason to accept only
plain-text resumes.
Don’t even have time for the posting, sorting,
re-posting and general trial-and-error rigmarole
involved with the big job boards? Vertical sites and
industry groups can be good sources for more
specialized candidate pools. The membership fee
that will allow you to post jobs with these
associations could be well worth it. It’s another way
to get your company name out to a relevant
audience, as well as to keep tabs on the industry.
Once you're up and running on the recruiting front,
you need to make sure you're prepared for the
actual process of screening applicants, interviewing,
and hiring the right people for the right jobs.
Upcoming
Hidden Lake Rv
4661 Hedges Road
May 19th
Hidden Lake RV invites all Chamber members to attend
Business After Hours on May 19th. The park is located off Exit
29 on Interstate 35, there are highway signs to direct you to
the park. A detailed map is located on their website at
www.hiddenlakerv.com.
You will have the opportunity to tour the RV Park, walk
through the RV's for sale, and see the units offered for rent. A
hay ride is also planned for you to view the hiking trails and
Hidden Lake. The park will also have a drawing for two nights
free rental in a Flagstaff travel trailer. Hot dogs, home-made
ice cream and beverages will be served during the event.
“The successful networkers I know, the ones receiving tons of
referrals and feeling truly happy about themselves, continually put
the other person's needs ahead of their own.”
Bob Burg guest speaker on CNN’s Your $$$
3
March Economic Indicators
4
Economic Indicators Show Mixed Results for March
2008 Executive Committee
Economic indicators for March 2008 show mixed results for the Ardmore business
environment. According to figures released by the Oklahoma Tax Commission, retail sales
through March 2008 show an 10.7% increase compared to sales through March 2007.
In residential real estate, The Southern Oklahoma Board of Realtors, report a 28 % decrease
in the number of home sales for March 2008 (26 home sales) compared to March 2007 (36
home sales).
The City of Ardmore reports a substantial increase in the number of building permits issued
through March 2008 from 128 in 2007 to 163 in 2008. The value of building permits
increased from $20.6 million in March 2007 to $79 million in $2008. The expansion of Mercy
Memorial Health Center represents most of the increase in building permits (Approximately
65 million).
Regionalizing Your Website
Search engines open information to the entire world. You're a small business
owner who merely wants to effectively market to your local audience what
should you do? If this is the case, your site probably only shows up in search
engine results after a long list of national sites with big names that pose no
competitive threat to your business. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop them from
sapping your site traffic.
Providing information about your location and market sphere that search
engines understand can help you reach only people in your business area.
First, be sure to optimize your site for local keywords. That means using your town
or city name abundantly in your Web site copy, as well as in the keyword section
of your site code. And if you can, register a URL that uses keywords, such as
www.ardmorepizzashop.com. Be careful when you optimize your site not to
destroy its credibility by cramming it full of keywords.
The second step is to submit your site to local business directories. Look for the
sites of local newspapers, weeklies, and chambers of commerce. Also try URLs
based on the region you want to target, such as smallville.com or
manhattan.com.
Next, take off your small business owner's hat
and try to think like someone who might be
searching for your site. Where would you go if
you were them? What searches would you run?
What URLs would you type in? What keywords?
Bear in mind that some cityname.com sites are
little more than link farms, with no real content.
Search engines give them little weight. When it
comes to manipulating search engine results,
content and quality are king, so exercise caution
if you're thinking of submitting to sites that are
simply huge lists of, for example, hotels. Basically,
the more places and ways that your site is
associated with a particular set of local
keywords, the more likely it will be that your
business name and site will come up in the right
searches.
Jessica Pfau, Chairman
Ardmore Village
Nathan Verner, Chairman Elect
IMTEC
Pam Plesher, Treasurer
Main Street Coffee
Shane Long, Membership Services
Engineering Services & Testing
Jay Johnson, Governmental Affairs
Mercy Memorial Health Center
Keith King, Past Chairman / Education
First National Bank and Trust Co.
Board of Directors
Kim Benedict
Daily Ardmoreite
Kevin Butler
American National Bank
Dr. Ruth Ann Carr
Ardmore City Schools
Tom Dunlap
Ardmore Oil and Gas Professionals
Gene Fryar
OG & E
Jay Johnson
Mercy Memorial Health Center
Darcy Jordan
Valero - Ardmore Refinery
Chuck Jones
Oklahoma Natural Gas
Letha Khaladj
Khaladj-Ayers Team
Re/Max Master Associates, Inc.
Jerry Landrum
Dobson Realty Group
Dr. Bill Parsons
Mercy Memorial Health Center
Pam Plesher
Main Street Coffee
T.J. Riley
Bramlett Agency
Barbara Simon
Barklee Collection
Trey Whatley
V.E. Enterprises, Inc.
Chamber Website Statistics
Percent of Visitors by Location to Chamber Website
Oklahoma
Texas
Arkansas
Nationwide
Worldwide
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
April 4th - 24th, 2008
5
1
May
1
2008 Chamber Golf Classic
The 2008 Ardmore Chamber Golf Classic will be held Friday, May
23rd at the Dornick Hills Golf & Country Club. The tournament is
sponsored by the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce and First
National Bank & Trust Company of Ardmore. Gold Sponsor:
Engineering Services & Testing. Silver Sponsor: Toyota of Ardmore.
Chatham Dozer Service will sponsor the “Longest Drive” contest.
After the tournament, an awards presentation and reception will
be held in the Dining Room at Dornick Hills Country Club.
This event provides a wonderful opportunity to casually meet
other Chamber members, network with area businesses or
promote your own business through sponsorship. The
tournament is open to all Chamber members and it is our hope to
advance the goals of the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce by
providing this entertaining activity. There are many ways you can
participate in the tournament; playing golf, sponsoring the event
or donating items for team goodie bags. The tournament always
attracts a large number of participants and members are always
welcome to bring guests.
Golfers at all skill levels are encouraged to play in the featured
4-person scramble format. Two shotgun starts begin the play with
the first tee-off at 8 a.m. and the second tee-off at 1:00 p.m.
Registration for the 2008 Golf Tournament will begin at 7:15 a.m.
for the morning tee time and at 11:15 a.m. for the afternoon tee
time. The cost for 18 holes of golf, lunch at the Dornick Hills
Country Club, refreshments throughout the day and hors
d’oeuvres at the reception is $650 per team. If you would like to
be a sponsor for the Chamber Golf Classic several opportunities
are available.
For additional information regarding the
tournament and sponsorship or to receive a faxed registration
form, contact the Ardmore Chamber at 580-223-7765.
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13
19
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June
10
16
18
26
Upcoming Events
5/1
Leadership Graduation
6:30 pm Convention Center, 2401 N. Rockford
5/6
Teacher Apperciation
4:00 pm Convention Center, 2401 N. Rockford
5/9
Legislative Luncheon
11:30 am Convention Center, 2401 N. Rockford
5/13
Personnel Roundtable
12:00 pm SOTC, 2610 Sam Noble Parkway
5/19
ADA Board Meeting
3:00 pm Chamber of Commerce, 410 W. Main
5/19
BAH Hidden Lake RV
5:00 pm 4661 Hedges Rd.
5/21
Chamber Board Meeting
4:00 pm Chamber of Comemrce, 410 W. Main
5/22
ATA Board Meeting
8:00 am Chamber of Commerce, 410 W. Main
5/23
Chamber Golf Classic
8:00 am Dornick Hills, 519 Country Club
6/10
Personnel Roundtable
12:00 pm SOTC, 2610 Sam Noble
6/16
ADA Board Meeting
3:00 pm Chamber of Commerce, 410 W. Main
6/16
BAH Elks Lodge
5:00 pm 2526 S. Commerce
6/18
Chamber Board Meeting
4:00 pm Chamber of Commerce, 410 W. Main
6/26
ATA Board Meeting
8:00 am Chamber of Commerce, 410 W. Main
6
Member News
Yellow Book USA: Is the #1 independent publisher of print and online yellow pages directories nationwide. Founded in 1930,
Yellow Book published nearly 1,000 printed directory editions in its 2007 fiscal year with a circulation of approximately 123 million.
Locally our office oversees the Ardmore, Ada Area, Garvin County & South Central Oklahoma directories with a combined
distribution of 215,500. The company’s online directory has 13.5 million unique visitors per month. Yellow Book has approximately
6,000 sales employees, one of the largest media sales forces in the U.S. and here locally we have 12 media consultants ready to help
you meet your advertising needs. Please give us a call, at 580-319-4600.
Suzy's: Open Monday thru Friday 3 p.m to 2 a.m. and Saturday 12 p.m to 2 a.m. For the first time at this location, Suzy’s will feature
a full service adult beverage bar. Suzy’s is developing a “turn your keys in” security measure offering patrons a ride home or paid
taxi service for those who may have indulged heavily. In addition, Suzy’s has employed a security staff to ensure the safety of all
guests. May 3rd will feature the first Comedian night. Comedians are coming from across the United States to perform at our venue.
Suzy’s will feature local bands every other weekend to promote new talent to the community. Suzy’s also serves $1.00 Margaritas
any time, all the time! For more information call 580-226-(SUZY) or visit, our MySpace page www.myspace.com/suzyslounge.
CoCo & Vine: Is Ardmore’s newest flower and gift store located at 401 N. Commerce. CoCo & Vine is a full service store with tons
of fresh plants and french wrapped roses. Mother’s Day is right around the corner and they have everything for your Mother or
Wife. CoCo & Vine offers a large selection of hand crafted turquoise, shell, wood inlay and shiva eye jewelery, sterling Silver rings,
necklaces, bracelets and earrings, Gurkee Rope Sandals and body products. If you’re looking for that exotic or just perfect gift, make
CoCo & Vine your first stop.
Progress Continues at Airpark
Construction has begun on the runway extension at the Ardmore
Industrial Airpark. According to Airpark Manager Roy Givens,
“Construction to increase the length of the runway from 7200 feet to
9000 feet began in March. This is approximately a $15 million project,
and will give the Airpark the potential to land, large cargo planes. The
runway extension project is expected to be completed in December
2008.”
The runway extension is one phase of a project to turn the Ardmore
Industrial Airpark into the Ardmore International Trade Center. In
connection to the runway extension, the Airpark is currently under
application to become a Foreign Trade Zone, and has received
conditional approval from the US Customs Service to become a User Fee
Airport (customs port of entry).
In addition, infrastructure
improvements are being added at the park to open an additional 1100
acres for industrial prospects. These improvements include building an
access road and rail spur to the east side of the park, and bringing water,
sewer, electricity and natural gas to the area.
Wes Stucky, Ardmore Development Authority President adds, “The
Ardmore Airpark is uniquely situated to meet the challenges in the
global logistics industry. This is because of Ardmore’s location adjacent
to Interstate 35, and the fact that a population of over 12 million people
live in a 350 mile radius of Ardmore. The International Trade Center will
give Ardmore a competitive advantage in recruiting transportation
sensitive industry to the area.”
Ardmore Chamber of Commerce
Wes Stucky, President & CEO
Mita Bates, Vice President - Operations
Todd Larkin, Events Coordinator/Public
Relations Assistant
Annilisa Peevy, Administrative & Foundation
Assistant
Lisa Cowan, Administrative Assistant
Ardmore Development Authority
Wes Stucky, President & CEO
Mita Bates, Vice President - Operations
Brien Thorstenberg, Vice-President, Ardmore
Development Authority
Elizabeth Crowley, Research & Development
Roy Givens, Industrial Parks Manager
Ashley Cox, Adm. Assist. Ardmore Airpark
Gary Ross, Airpark Maintenance
Rick Lewis, Airpark Maintenance
Ardmore Convention Center/Tourism
Wes Stucky, President & CEO
Mita Bates, Vice President - Operations
Janet Bateman, Marketing Coordinator
Marty Auten, Convention Center Manager
Angel Martin, Administrative Assistant
Cameron Jackson, Maintenance Personnel
Misty Duncan, Operations Assistant
7
Small Business: America’s Unsung Heroes
By Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
April 22, 2008
Small business owners are America's unsung heroes. The nation's 27 million small businesses represent more
than 99% of all employers, account for about half of all private sector workers, and create 60%-80% of the
nation's net new jobs.
These dreamers and risk takers embody the entrepreneurial spirit that makes this country so great. They bring
dynamic ideas, innovative services, and new products to the marketplace. They prove day after day that the
American Dream is attainable if you have a good idea, work hard, and provide outstanding customer service.
That's why the U.S. Chamber is proud to fight for these businesses every day in Washington, D.C., and why
we're always the first to sing their praises before the nation. We are among the loudest cheerleaders for
entrepreneurs who work to make life better for their families, their employees, and their communities.
This week is National Small Business Week, and the U.S. Chamber celebrated early by holding its annual Small
Business Summit in Washington, D.C. last week. Hundreds of small businesses came from across the country to
hear from President Bush and other outstanding speakers and to rally for small business priorities on Capitol
Hill.
A special part of the Summit is the Small Business of the Year Award, which recognizes a business for
demonstrating excellence in financial performance, business planning, staff training and motivation,
community involvement, and customer service.
This year's winner-from hundreds of entrants across the country-was Permac Industries of Burnsville,
Minnesota. Permac manufactures precision machine parts for a wide range of industries. Led by Darlene Miller,
owner and president, Permac has grown from a simple screw machine shop into a state-of-the-art precision
machining company. The company doubled the size of its plant in 2007 and increased profits by 15%.
Permac is a shining example of today's small businesses-politically active, generous to their employees, and
making a difference in their communities. Permac took part in a trade mission to India with Minnesota Gov.
Tim Pawlenty in 2007, offers a profit-sharing plan for all eligible employees, and established Hope for
Tomorrow, a mentoring program for at-risk girls.
Whenever someone has doubts about the future of our country, they should stop and think about the millions
of entrepreneurs who risk it all to make their dreams come true. When you think of their optimism, hard work,
and sense of possibilities, you can't help but conclude that America will continue to be the greatest nation on
earth.
8
Ardmore Young Professionals Organization
The Ardmore Young Professional Organization (AYPO) held the 2nd Annual Poker Tournament/Blackjack Fundraiser on Friday, April
11th at the Ardmore Convention Center. This is the only fundraiser AYPO holds to support other functions throughout the year.
The Convention Center quickly filled with people from the Ardmore area and surrounding counties! Once seated, the pit boss
explained the rules and Texas Hold ‘Em was on! Those that came to just watch the tournament were pleased to find that Blackjack
tables were also available with wonderful prizes for the top three winners as well! Also new this year, slot machines were provided
for extra fun!
As the players of the Hold ‘Em tournament dwindled down from 10 tables to just one, it was an intense moment as a crowd gathered
around the last table to watch the final three players. In the end, Ryan Parker finished third winning a Smith and Wesson .38 Pistol
from Jerry’s Gun Shop, Lance Windel took home the $1,000 Travel Voucher from Dorries Travel for second place and Kenny Dobbins
won first receiving the Grand Prize of a 46” LCD Mitsubishi Television from Theater Concepts.
Meanwhile at the Blackjack tables, players would sigh or clap depending on the hand the dealer dealt! As the night came to an end,
players were boldly playing their chips to cash in on the prizes. First place winner received a pair of Revo Sunglasses from Parker
Family Vision Center; second place won $200 in Gift Certificates ($50 each from Café Alley, Interurban, Polo’s and Two Frogs) and third
place won tickets to Arena Football courtesy of KTRX, GTO107 and KKAJ.
Nobody went hungry thanks to many Ardmore local caterers! Budro’s Rib Joint, Mayfield’s Catering, Sweet! and Wints Catering
donated snacks and goodies for guests to enjoy throughout the night!
The night ended with many questioning, will we have this again next year? The answer is YES! This is our annual fundraiser and as
long as our wonderful community continues to support us we will have a poker tournament!
The AYPO is proud of our accomplishments that are too long to list in this newsletter, but keep your eye on the newspaper and you’ll
see us. We might be picking up trash by Wal-Mart or donating our time to spend with the vets at the Veterans Center. Maybe you’ll
see us at the Legislative Luncheons or see a lot of us at your own fundraisers. We are out there and if you look close enough you’ll
see us doing what this organization was formed to do. We are bringing Young Professionals together through volunteer
opportunities, promoting community awareness and providing social interaction. Ask anyone involved in AYPO how many people
they’ve met in the past year through this organization, we promise it’s a long list of great contacts. We are friends, co-workers,
volunteers and committed community leaders, we may be young but we are professional.
Thanks again to the following community sponsors!!!
PRESENTING SPONSOR: CARTER COUNTY DODGE
SUPPORTING SPONSORS: Michelin North America, Johnnie Crutchfield, VE Enterprises
TABLE SPONSORS: The Bramlett Agency, CableONE, Farmers Insurance-Jeff Roberts Agency, Gerken Orthodontics
Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Scott Chapman Mineral Management, Ruth Young Travel, Theater Concepts, Wells Vision & Laser Eye
Center
In Kind Sponsors: OK One Stop, Storts & Sudberry, Scuba J’s Dive Shop, Wisian Construction, Sprekelmeyer Printing and Poker
Emporium
The following businesses donated Door Prizes and Silent Auction Items: American National Bank, Arbonne International, Imperial
Lanes Bowling Alley, Broadlawn Beauty Salon, Calvery Candles, Carter County Animal Hospital, Casa Romo, City of Ardmore,
Courtyard Salon, Danielle & Company, Dr. Laura Clay, Due Sorella Salon, Firstdownphil's, GNC, Hamburger Inn, Jones Quail and
Pheasant Hunts, Lowe's, Maria's Garden, Master Massage, Michelle Douglas, On The Spot Full Service Car Wash, Parker Family Vision
Center, Paws 4 Fun Pet Boutique, Peace Yoga, Pettit Machinery, Sally's Beauty Supply, The Rage, The Skin Clinic, The Therapy Center,
Tribal Bikes, Wine Etc., Wookies and Yellow Rose Floral. Thank you to KTRX, KKAJ and GTO for all of their ADVERTISING and on air
interviews they gave us!
-Natalie Graham, AYPO Social Chair 2008
9
Leadership Class Experiences the Arts
The April session of Leadership Greater Ardmore featured an “up close and personal” experience with a variety of artistic
mediums. The class met at the Charles B Goddard Center for Performing Arts and was greeted by Regina Turrentine, the Day
Chairman for the session. Maria Parrott, Director of the Center provided a history of the Center and the programs currently
offered. The class was then divided into 3 groups and each group spent 45 minutes with art instruction by Beverly Montgomery,
pottery by Steve Phillips and a visit to the stage coordinated by Ardmore Little Theatre stars Penni Wilson and Lisa Cowan. This
offered the class an opportunity to step “outside their comfort zone” and experience the arts in a personal manner. Lunch for the
class was held at the Brass Ring Studio where Vicki Gelona provided participants with information on the Studio and the
productions planned for this summer. Following her presentation the class was treated to a “dance class” where they experienced
the finer points of dance to the song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from the popular musical “Mary Poppins”.
April is the final session for the 2007-2008 Leadership Class. This year, as in the past, the Class has the opportunity to receive
information on local community agencies and volunteer opportunities available. A panel format was used this year to provide
information to the Class. Three class members presented information on their organization including Sissy Burge from C/SARA
Foundation, tobi Ervin from the United Way of South Central Oklahoma and Jean Hattensty from the Southern Oklahoma
Memorial Foundation. In addition, Tom Dunlap and Captain Wilson presented information about the Salvation Army and Regina
Turrentine, Day Chair provided information on the Ardmore Beautification Council.
Graduation for the year’s Greater Ardmore Leadership Class is scheduled for Thursday, May 1, 2008 at the Ardmore Convention
Center. This is the sixteenth class of Leadership Greater Ardmore. The Leadership Greater Ardmore program is designed to take
community leaders and provide information on a variety of aspects of our community, offering the opportunity to determine in
what area they would consider volunteering their time and talents.
Teacher Appreciation Reception
Scheduled for May 6th
The Ardmore Chamber of Commerce along with Presenting Sponsor: Southern Financial Group; Gold Sponsors: The Daube
Company and The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation; Silver Sponsors: Best Buy, The Bramlett Agency, CableONE and
Valero-Ardmore Refinery are hosting a reception on Tuesday, May 6th from 4:00-5:30pm at the Ardmore Convention Center. The
Ardmore Chamber and Teacher Apprecitation Sponsors want to extend a sincere thank you to all teachers in the Ardmore area for
their dedication and commitment. Invitations are extended to teachers from Ardmore City Schools, Plainview Public Schools, Oak
Hall Episcopal School, Ardmore Christian School and Southern Oklahoma Technology Center.
The Teacher Appreciation Reception is the Chamber’s way of saying thank you to teachers for their invaluable contributions to
children throughout our community. We support their efforts to promote achievement in the students, our future leaders, and for
their dedication and commitment to education.
Many Chamber members work together to help sponsor the event, donating prizes for teachers and schools. In addition a student
art exhibit will be featured for teachers to enjoy during the reception. For more information on how you can show your
appreciation to local teachers please contact the Ardmore Chamber at 580-223-7765.
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Ribbon Cuttings
The Chamber Ambassadors welcomed Suzy’s (115
E. Main) to the Chamber with a ribbon cutting
ceremony on Friday, April 18, 2008.
On Saturday, April 5, 2008, The City of Ardmore held a
grand opening for the Sk8park in Regional Park.
Mayor Bob Geurin cut the ribbon “officially” opening
the park for public use.
PERSONNEL ROUNDTABLE INITIATES ARDMORE SHRM CHAPTER
The 2008 Personnel Roundtable hosted by the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce, Ardmore Development Authority and the
Southern Oklahoma Technology Center was pleased to host Mr. Steve Hendrickson and Ms. Pat Beck on April 23, 2008.
This meeting offered over 40 Human Resource Managers the opportunity to become members of Ardmore Society of Human
Resource Management Chapter. With guidance from Mr. Steve Hendrickson and Ms. Pat Beck, the HR managers present were able
to discover the benefits of Ardmore creating its own SHRM Chapter. Currently Ardmore Personnel Roundtable teams with the
Moore-Norman SHRM Chapter and teleconference speakers on a monthly basis. By Ardmore creating their own Chapter, they will
have the opportunity to schedule speakers on topics most interesting to Ardmore plus all other advantages National SHRM
Members receive.
With Twenty Five National Members available, Ardmore will become a Chapter with the following officers Joline Martin (SOTC)
serving as President, Joann Simon (Joe Brown Company) as President-Elect, Arlita Hummelke (Johnston Memorial Hospital) as
Vice-President for Membership, Elizabeth Crowley (Ardmore Development Authority) as Secretary, Shenita Jones (Integris Health)
as Treasurer and Teal Pemberton (Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation) as Certification Chairman.
Currently this event is free to all Chamber member HR personnel and held in Room E2 of the Southern Oklahoma Technology
Center at 12:00 noon. Personnel rountable is held every 3rd week of the month and the next event will be on May 20th. A
complimentary lunch prepared by Rhonda’s Catering is provided courtesy of event sponsors: Gold Sponsor – 1-800-FLOWERS;
Silver Sponsors-Hampton Inn, Best Buy, EJIW and Dollar General.
To R.S.V.P. or for more information on Personnel Roundtable, please contact Elizabeth Crowley at 223-6162.
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