The Select Oklahoma Conference on Economic Development, held on Aug. 26-27, brought together economic development professionals from across the state to focus on increasing capital investment in Oklahoma through business creation and talent attainment.

The conference featured keynote speakers Brian Byrnes with OKC Thunder, Jim Tull on Negotiations, and Lt Governor Matt Pinnell.

The event also honored retiring economic developers inducted into the Roll of Honor. Roll of Honor is awarded to retiring economic developers who have significantly contributed to the State’s economic development efforts. In addition to the award, they are given a “Roll of Honor” membership in Select Oklahoma, which is a way to keep them looped in and not lose this historical knowledge, even in retirement.

This year’s honorees are as follows.

• David Myers, Ponca City Development Authority • Court Newkirk, Okmulgee Area Development Corporation

• John Reid, Oklahoma Business Roundtable

• Janet Smith, Public Service Company of Oklahoma “The Select Oklahoma Conference on Economic Development is a valuable opportunity for economic development professionals to learn from each other and share best practices,” said Charlene Flanery, 2024 Select Oklahoma Board Chair. “This year’s conference focused on providing attendees with the tools they need to succeed in today’s competitive economic development landscape.”

The conference included breakout sessions on a variety of topics, including:

• Business creation: These sessions explored strategies for attracting and retaining businesses in Oklahoma.

• Talent attainment: These sessions focused on helping communities develop the workforce they need to compete in the global economy.

• Best practices: These sessions shared successful economic development strategies from communities across the state.

For more information about Select Oklahoma visit selectoklahoma.us.