CEO Guide to Site Selection

Oklahoma

FLYING HIGH IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The aerospace industry is flying high in Oklahoma. In conjunction with Tulsa Innovation Labs and the Osage Nation, Oklahoma State University recently opened the LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility at the OSU-Tulsa Helmerirch Research Center. It will promote the development of new technologies in advanced air mobility and help solicit projects from industry, engineers and researchers to commercialize new technologies. Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education recently signed a contract with Choose Aerospace to provide curriculums to place students on the path to FAA mechanic certification. Oklahoma represented itself at the 2023 Paris Airshow in June 2023, promoting its pro-business environment, workforce programs and aerospace initiatives. Oklahoma State University now produces nearly 5,000 aerospace and engineering graduates annually, while K-12 schools use the state curriculum to expose younger students to opportunities.

“For Oklahoma to keep up with the jobs of tomorrow, we must transform our state economy into an innovation economy. Because in Oklahoma we are not afraid of the future. We lean into it, and we embrace it.”
Kevin Stitt
Governor

TAXES

0 %

top corporate income tax

# 0

on the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index ranking

EDUCATION

0 %

of adults 25 years of age and older graduated high school

0 %

of adults age 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

0 %

RIGHT TO WORK STATE

Yes

QUALITY OF LIFE

# 0

POPULATION GROWTH

0 %

increase between 2010 and 2020

KEY INCENTIVES

21st Century Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program: Offers a cash grant of up to 10% on taxable payroll for businesses that create at least 10 jobs with an annual wage that is the lesser of $101,650 or 300% of the aver- age county wage.

Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program: Offers cash grants of up to 5% of new employee payroll for businesses that create at least $2.5 million in new annual payroll in three years with jobs that meet the average county wage.

Insurance Premium Tax Credit: Offers an annual tax credit to insurance companies that locate or expand a regional home office in the state and maintain at least 200 employees.

Investment/New Jobs Income Tax Credit: Offers a five-year tax credit on the greater of 1% per year of capital improvement investment or a credit of $500 for each new job created.

EDCs

Oklahoma Department of Commerce Economic Development Services

okcommerce.gov

Oklahoma City Economic Development

okc.gov/departments/economic-development

Greater Oklahoma City

greateroklahomacity.com

Tulsa’s Future

tulsasfuture.com

HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAM OR INITIATIVE

In January 2023, Gov. Kevin Stitt created the Workforce Transformation Task Force. It will focus on designing a new workforce delivery system in the state by consolidating some workforce resources through a single entity. The taskforce will evaluate needs, determine the best structure and chain of command to achieve goals, guide the transition of workforce programs and recommend a reporting structure.

BIG DEALS

  • Pratt & Whitney announced in March 2023 a $225 million facility in Oklahoma City.
  • Enel North America, through its affiliate 3Sun USA, announced in May 2023 a $1 billion manufacturing facility and 1,000 new jobs in Inola.
  • Latham Group opened in June 2023 a fiberglass pool manufacturing facility in Seminole.
  • Pratt & Whitney broke ground on a new $255 million facility in Oklahoma City in June 2023.
  • Blue Whale Materials announced in September 2023 a new facility and up to 90 new jobs in Bartlesville Industrial Park.
  • Expleo signed an agreement in October 2023 with Spirit AeroSystems to deliver aerospace engineering services out of a new location in Tulsa.

BIG COMPANIES

  • Oneok (Fortune 500 headquarters)
  • Devon Energy (Fortune 500 headquarters)
  • Williams (Fortune 500 headquarters)
  • Chesapeake Energy
  • Continental Resources
  • NGL Energy Partners
  • OGE Energy
  • Magellan Midstream Partners

No 11: Oklahoma

No. 11

Oklahoma

Taxation and Regulations
Workforce Quality
Living Environment

Based on CEO Survey by ChiefExecutive.net

Key Metrics
Taxation and Regulations

  • State Corporate Income Tax Rate: 6%
  • Highest Personal Income Tax Rate: 5.50%

Workforce Quality

  • % with High School diploma or more: 85.5
  • % with Bachelor’s degree or more: 22.2
  • % with Advanced degree or more: 7.2
  • Patents per 100K: 14
  • % of Employed Represented by Unions: 6.90

Quality of Life

  • Hopsitals per 10K: 0.304
  • Elementary/Secondary Schools per 1000 people: 0.503
  • Violent Crimes per 100K: 482.86
Key Companies
  • Chesapeake Energy
  • The Williams Companies
  • Devon Energy
  • Williams Partners
Other Highlights
  • Oklahoma rose to #11 from #19 in 2010 — the state took #22 in 2009
  • Oklahoma ranks 32nd in state debt per capita with $2689

Sources:
TaxFoundation.org
Statemaster.com
Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education


Roundtable

Strategic Planning Workshop

1:00 - 5:00 pm

Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

  1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
  2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
  3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

 

Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

2:00 - 5:00 pm

Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

Limited space available.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

Golf Outing

10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS

General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.