The Tulsa Regional Chamber, Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett and regional partners in economic development reported at a Feb. 4 news conference that a near-record 907 primary jobs were added in January 2013. The announcement follows a trend of strong job creation catalyzed by a regional partnership dedicated to bringing high-paying employment and capital investment to the Tulsa region.
January job announcements through the Chamber-led Tulsa’s Future regional economic development plan totaled 907. Since 2011, nearly 13,000 jobs and more than $550 million in capital investment have been created through the Tulsa’s Future plan. More than 7,300 of the jobs created produced an average salary of at least $50,000, meaning the Tulsa’s Future initiative is more than 70 percent complete with its goal of creating 10,000 primary jobs at an annual salary of $50,000 or greater.
Jobs announcements in January 2013 included:
- Verizon announced 500 jobs for a new financial services hub.
- SWEP, a heat exchanger manufacturer, announced it will add up to 75 jobs by 2015 at a new North American headquarters.
- Energy sector manufacturing firm Borets-Weatherford announced plans for a news Tulsa region R&D center that will bring at least 30 employees.
Tulsa’s Future is building a high-performance regional economy by mobilizing private-sector leadership and public partnerships.
“Tulsa’s Future has demonstrated a commitment to bringing together public and private partners with a stake in our region’s economic prosperity, and 140 public and private sector partners support regional economic development efforts through the Tulsa’s Future initiative,” said Mike Neal, Tulsa Regional Chamber president and CEO. “The tremendous job creation our region has experienced is attributable to strong partnerships our region has forged and the unified approach we take to creating a stronger Northeast Oklahoma.”
Tulsa’s Future includes nearly 30 regional partner organizations representing communities throughout northeast Oklahoma.
“The city of Tulsa and our many steadfast partners in economic development are thrilled at the success we’ve been able to attain through strong partnerships throughout the region,” Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett said. “Tulsa continues to establish itself as a national leader for job creation, and we are earning recognition on a national scale for our economic development efforts.”
Tulsa County Commission Chair Karen Keith agreed that regionalism and attracting high-quality jobs paves the way for economic success.
“Good paying, primary jobs are integral to the success of our community, and the Commission is proud to partner in regional economic development efforts,” Keith said.