Governor Mary Fallin
In 2014 we have celebrated many successes. Oklahoma’s economy continues to thrive, thousands of men and women have rejoined the workforce after a long national recession, and almost every day we hear of a new Oklahoma small business opening its doors and enriching its community. Pro-growth policies, a commitment to workforce development, a high quality of life and – of course – a strong work ethic have all contributed to our growth and are earning our state national and even international attention and kudos.
I’m glad to see what I call the Oklahoma Comeback pick up more steam this year. As a state we have many things to be thankful for this holiday season.
With Christmas just days away, everyone is in the holiday spirit, including myself. Since the “Twelve Days of Christmas” is one of my favorite carols, here’s a list of twelve great developments we can be thankful for this Holiday Season.
- At 4.4 percent, our state’s unemployment rate is at its lowest level in nearly six years, making Oklahoma one of the top 10 states for the lowest unemployment.
- We have now added 103,000 new jobs since January 2011, and Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of manufacturing job growth in the country.
- The Bureau of Economic Analysis recently named Oklahoma as the fourth fastest growing economy in the nation.
Because of our continued economic success, in 2014 we saw more businesses relocating and expanding within the state. This year we had great announcements from some of our largest employers.
- Boeing is relocating 900 employees to Oklahoma City.
- In Tulsa, NORDAM announced it was adding 300 new jobs to Tulsa and Macy’s has begun adding some of the 2500 Tulsa area jobs that its $170 million distribution center will require.
Another encouraging sign of our economic prosperity were the job announcements outside of our metro areas. Several other regions had major job announcements, including:
- International Paper restarting its idled operation in Valliant. The $90 million investment will create dozens of new jobs in southeast Oklahoma.
- Koch Nitrogen began a $1.3 billion expansion of its Enid facility, creating about 60 new jobs for families in northwest Oklahoma.
Strong economies mean more opportunities for Oklahomans, which leads to better communities. And I was encouraged over the last year by what I saw throughout the state from our local communities. I was able to attend several big announcements including:
- The ribbon-cutting ceremony for “A Gathering Place” for Tulsa, which will cover nearly 100 acres along the Arkansas River. The project is being funded through the generosity of the George Kaiser Family Foundation with assistance from dozens of private and corporate donations.
- Downtown Oklahoma City continues to see resurgence with additions along the Oklahoma River like the SkyZip. Construction is underway on a boathouse for the University of Central Oklahoma’s women’s rowing team and a whitewater course is being developed in the area. Overall, Oklahoma City is one of four locations in the United States to make it on National Geographic’s list of places to see in 2015.
- In Moore, I joined more than 200 volunteers, including the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant, to rebuild playgrounds that were destroyed in the 2013 tornado for Moore Public Schools.
- And recently I was able to join our local food banks as well as several other community leaders to announce a record breaking year for our Feeding Oklahoma Drive, which raised over four million meals for the food banks across the state. This took a statewide effort from companies, individuals, nonprofits and other organizations.
And last but certainly not least, we have a lot to look forward to in 2015.
- According to a new report by Standard & Poor’s, a national financial research firm, Oklahoma is predicted to be one of the four states to lead the nation in economic growth and prosperity.
As you can see, we have a lot to be thankful for in the state of Oklahoma and a bright future to look forward to. Our job now is to continue that forward momentum.
Best wishes for a happy and blessed holiday season.
