Business Times, August 2015

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ED M O N D, O K LAH O MA

AUGUST 2015

VOL. 7 | NO. 8

INSIDE

2015

PUBLISHER Karan Ediger 405-341-2121

LEADERSHIP STORIES

kediger@edmondsun.com SALES TEAM Terri Bohanan Maegan Newport

In this issue of The Business Times of Edmond we salute some great local leaders.

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CONTRIBUTING Mike Crandall WRITERS AND Patti Locklear PHOTOGRAPHERS Nick Massey Patty Miller Van Mitchell Karen Moore Tim Priebe

ONLINE MARKETING RISKS

18

There are many online marketing options out there. You may want to optimize your website for search engines. You can also invest in social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Terri Schlichenmeyer 4 KEYS TO SELECTING A SALES CONSULTANT

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Sales is important, actually critical to business success. To get better at it, like almost anything in life worth doing, you need outside help. For sales that means a sales consultant or sales coach. If you look at your top competitors they very likely have someone helping them get better – especially in the area of sales.

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The Business Times is a monthly publication of The Edmond Sun devoted to business in the Edmond area. All rights reserved.

Copyright © August 2015.

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If you’ve been anywhere near a sports complex of any kind recently, indoors or outdoors, you may have noticed no shortage of kids playing and dutiful parents watching. Much has been written about the size of the baby boom generation. Perhaps you’ve heard that there has been a “baby bust” of sorts after us.

Thankfully, that is changing in the U.S.

August 2015 | The Business Times

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from our Publisher

Leadership

T

o our Readers: In this issue of The Business Times of Edmond we salute some great local leaders. If you serve as a leader you already know that leadership often begins with pain and suffering. There is a tremendous difference between managing and leading. I have been both a manager and now a leader. I have had good role models and not so good role models. I have learned, taught and now mentored.

Finally as leaders it’s important we think about the legacy we leave behind after we’re gone. Each day provides countless opportunities to make a difference. Are we a blessing to our employees? Have we raised them up to be better leaders? By choosing to lead we choose everyday to serve.

When I went through Leadership Edmond years ago I was a sales manager. Manager being the key word. I did not know that there was a difference between management and leadership. During Leadership Edmond we read the book A Leader’s Legacy by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. I’m not sure the book impacted me at that time as I was “managing”. I recently reread the book and I do realize the difference and whether it be age, wisdom or good mentoring I believe I have now progressed to “leader.”

Everything leaders do is about providing service. Believing foremost in service means being more concerned about the welfare of others than you are about your own well-being. People should never take a leadership role if they’re unwilling to see beyond their own needs. When they do, they will fail.

Today’s leaders are forward thinking. As leaders we are hostage to the present. We are taking activities day by day. What has to happen is we have to be able to visualize not only our company, but employees as well into the future.

Another good point Kouzes and Posner make is grace in the workplace. It’s important to remember that we did not start out at the top. We got where we are through trial and error: victories and failure. We need to allow our employees that same grace. Failure is an option and we need to create a climate that fosters innovation.

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August 2015 | The Business Times

KARAN EDIGER is publisher of The Business Times of Edmond and The Edmond Sun.

By Van Mitchell

J

LEADERSHIP

ill Castilla, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond has overseen a number of changes at the 114-year-old bank including the closing of three branches and reinvesting that money into a variety of technology upgrades.

Now, the fourth-generation banker is overseeing another major change with Citizens Bank by painstakingly renovating the Parsons Jewelry building adjacent to its headquarters, including restoring metal ceilings and original tiles. This expansion will keep all employees at Citizens Bank on the ground floor while bringing a majority of staff together under one roof at its original intersection.

“Next door is all about staying relevant,” Castilla said. “We’re always trying to meet what our customers think a bank should be but also try to lead the way and redefine what banking is for our customers. Our new space is about that accessibility. When you walk into this new space it is going to feel like you are walking into Café Evoke and you want to hang out for a while.”

Castilla, 43, added the bank’s main lobby will be restored back to its original era.

“It will be renovated back into that “Mad Men” feel with a slant to the modern,” she said. “It will be fusing our 6

August 2015 | The Business Times

Jill Castilla

history with modern expectations.”

Citizens Bank of Edmond opened for business at 102 S. Broadway on April 18, 1901. In the beginning it was known as Citizens State Bank, and it served a population of just 1,000 residents in Edmond.

“Edmond was only 14 years old when the bank opened its doors,” Castilla said. “So, it’s no understatement to say we grew up with this city, and as we achieved success, so did Edmond.”

In 1914, Citizens State Bank merged with Farmers State Bank and built a new location at 1 E. First, a corner that has served as this community bank’s home turf ever since. The original location is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Castilla is the fourth generation of her family to hold leadership positions with the bank.

“My stepfather is part of the bloodline, so I get to join as part of this tradition,” Castilla said.

Randy Granzow’s grandfather, H.W. Granzow, came to Edmond from Iowa as a pioneering citizen of the town. To make himself feel at home, he brought his carpenter with him from Iowa to painstakingly recreate his old home.

His son, Gordon Granzow, was a true “people person” who sat in the lobby at Citizens Bank of Edmond and personally greeted customers.

Castilla said it is her stepgrandfather’s spirit that embodies Citizens Bank’s community-minded sensibility.

“First and foremost, we are here for Edmond,” Castilla said. “We do what we do for simple, straightforward reasons: we want to see our neighbors prosper, and we want to see local businesses succeed. This will never change.”

Castilla began her banking career

with Citizens Bank in 1998. Her progression then took her to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City where she managed multiple departments from check automation to HR for nine years.

She then joined the senior management team at a Minnesota community bank.

Prior to Castilla’s employment at Citizens, she served in the U.S. Army and Oklahoma Army National Guard.

In 2009, she rejoined Citizens and served in the positions of Chief Credit Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer until 2014 when she was appointed to her current position.

In the past year, Castilla received the Woman of the Year award by the Edmond Chamber of Commerce and was named by Independent Community Bankers Association as a top social media influencer. American Banker Magazine named her one of “25 Women to Watch” in October 2014.

She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Graduate School of Banking and has a Master’s in Economics from the University of Oklahoma. Castilla is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Hawaii Pacific University where she earned a BSBA in Finance.

Castilla serves on the boards of directors for Oklahoma Bankers Association and Community Bankers Association of Oklahoma as well as a trustee for UCO Foundation and Edmond Public Schools Foundation.

Today, Citizens Bank of Edmond is a $252 million-asset bank with a solid foundation, having weathered the 2009 financial crisis and moved strongly into its current state of solvency and prosperity.

In 2013, Castilla led an initiative to reinvest the bank’s capital that led to

the sale of three branch locations as part of a long-term strategic decision to enable the bank’s continued independence.

The capital from the sale was reinvested in lending and technology. Accessibility was maintained with the installation of ATMs in close proximity to these branch locations providing customers with the capability to make deposits, withdraw cash, transfer funds and check account balances.

Castilla said some of the technology changes include utilizing mobile banking via smartphone or tablet and interactive video through the bank’s drive-thru and ATMs. In February 2014 Citizens Bank was able to deliver dividend checks to customers for the first time during Castilla’s tenure.

Castilla said it has taken a team effort to ensure Citizen’s continued growth.

“I am surrounded by a team that pushes me and believes in what we are doing so it ends up becoming less about business and banking and more about a cause to really impact our community,” she said.

Castilla has continued to find innovative ways to serve customers and build community relationships.

Citizens Bank of Edmond introduced “Cash Mobs” leading up to Small Business Saturday in 2013 and have been doing them regularly since then. The bank provides its staff with cash-value certificates to shop at a particular small business on a given day and they use social media to promote that business.

“This helps support small businesses directly and lets them know that Citizens Bank of Edmond is not just a lender, they are customers too,” Castilla said.

In 2014, Castilla launched Heard On Hurd, a monthly street festival in downtown Edmond featuring local food, music and shopping. The festival draws thousands of people downtown each month and underscores Citizens Bank of Edmond’s commitment to its hometown.

“We really wanted to bring a special event to downtown Edmond that draws crowds and brings a lot of energy and provides a greater sense of community in downtown Edmond,” she said. “It is to make downtown Edmond a destination location where small businesses want to be. Our entire team puts on the Heard on Hurd event. They are all doing it on their own time. There aren’t very many small community banks anymore and we feel it is our duty to own it.”

In addition to Heard on Hurd and Cash Mobs, Citizens Bank of Edmond hosts fraud prevention seminars, donates turkeys to the Edmond Community Thanksgiving Dinner, supports the Edmond Public Schools Foundation and scholarship funds at UCO and more.

“Our duty is to do more than just check the box,” Castilla said.

“We need to have an impact on everything we do.”

Castilla said the renovation and expansion projects are the next step in the bank’s progression.

She said she is proud to be part of a team that is helping continue that Edmond legacy.

“This is the best job in the entire world,” she said. “My hope and dream is for Citizens Bank of Edmond to still be around, serving my great-grandchildren, 114 years from now.”

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By Van Mitchell

J

LEADERSHIP

im Denton had worked as a school teacher for a few years and decided that he wanted to do something different in life.

That life change transformed him from the classroom to becoming a Certified Public Accountant and later managing partner and CEO of Arledge and Associates, an accounting firm located at 309 N. Bryant in Edmond.

As the firm’s managing partner and CEO, Denton directs the firm’s wide range of audit and consulting engagements. The company has 20 employees.

“I was a teacher for two years, and I came to the end of those two years and realized that this wasn’t what I wanted to do the rest of my life,” Denton said.

“I felt if I was going to start over it needed to be something that was pretty rewarding.”

Denton said he started looking for jobs in the newspaper and came across an ad that intrigued him.

“I was looking in the paper and I saw this want ad and there was a job for an accountant,” he said. “My wife said be one of those.”

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Jim Denton

August 2015 | The Business Times

So, Denton went to school at the University of Central Oklahoma to study accounting.

Denton later became friends with John Arledge who had started his own CPA firm in Edmond. Denton joined Arledge & Associates in 1984 to manage audit, tax and other accounting projects.

He has also assisted numerous tribal entities through various audits, reviews and consulting projects.

“I was hired with the promise that ‘as long as we have work, you’ve got a job,’” Denton said.

Arledge retired in 2007 and Denton assumed the role as company CEO. The firm has four partners: Denton, Kelly Schwarz, Andy Cromer and LaDonna Sinning.

“It is kind of hard to follow the firm founder,” Denton said. “I kind of liken it to what Sam Presti is having to do with the (Oklahoma City) Thunder. It is a little bit of a stimulation process. You want people who have worked here a long time to be re-ignited in their careers and what they are doing with their clients. You try to make the firm different where you get people to buy in.”

Denton currently serves as a Special Review Committee Member for the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program. He is also a recipient of the AICPA’s Certificate of Educational Achievement in Governmental Accounting and Auditing.

Denton serves as an investigator for the Oklahoma Accountancy Board and authors a monthly column in The Business Times of Edmond that addresses tax, accounting and management topics.

Denton said giving back is something that Arledge instilled in him and other members of the company which volunteers at the Hope Center among other places.

“Whatever we can do to help is something John instilled in us from day one,” Denton said. “We try to live by those values. We were plugged in with the community from the get-go. John was an excellent mentor and I can’t say enough about him. He is a super guy.”

For more information call 348-0615 or visit www.jmacpas.com

By Van Mitchell

LEADERSHIP

C

arl Tipton’s career in engineering may have a taken a different path had he not lost his first job out of college due to a project contract elimination.

Instead that experience eventually led him through a 20-plus year career that includes serving as president of MIDCON Data Services, LLC in Edmond where he has been with the company for 14 years.

“My first job out of college was with McDonnell-Douglas in Tulsa doing project management for the re-engineering of the F-4 fighters and MD 80 passenger planes,” Tipton said.

“They hired four or five of us industrial engineers to work. They lost the F-4 contract after about a month of being there. We were all looking for jobs. I had a buddy working for Western Electric in Oklahoma City. He offered me job up here and thought I would be a good fit. It was a pretty neat experience for me.”

Prior to joining MIDCON in 2004, Tipton spent 20 years with Western Electric/AT&T/Lucent and Celestica in a variety of positions, including project engineer, engineering and logistics manager, production manager, purchasing director, CIO and director of engineering.

Additionally, Tipton was a champion for Celestica’s Six Sigma Black Belts, LEAN manufacturing director and a graduate

Carl Tipton

of AT&T’s Manufacturing Leadership Program.

Tipton was later recruited by MIDCON CEO Randy Allen to come to work for him in 2004.

MIDCON Inc. is a closely-held, private Oklahoma corporation with uniquely positioned divisions allowing the strength and experience of each business to support the growth of the others. By customizing solutions, MIDCON Inc. is a leader in the data-management and storage industry.

The divisions are: MIDCON Data Services, LLC, MIDCON Seismic Data Brokerage, MIDCON Recovery Solutions, LLC and MIDCON Property Manage ment, LLC. Tipton helps manage the largest records management company in Oklahoma with key facilities in Oklahoma City, Edmond, Broken Arrow and Tulsa.

“This company has continued to grow,” he said. “Our number of customers has continued to expand. Right now we have a brand new project with a company where we capture a lot of information, and it is a new start up so, in my new role, I have been heading that up.”

Tipton was raised in the Sand Springs and Tulsa areas. He received his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University’s College of Industrial Engineering and Management and later earned a master’s degree from Purdue’s College of Industrial Engineering.

Tipton and wife Cindy reside in Edmond and have two daughters.

He said he has enjoyed working in a leadership capacity.

“I try to be very honest with people and be loyal to them,” he said. “If you are loyal to them then they will be loyal back

to you. When I need them I know they will be there for me and vice versa. A lot of our employees are long-tenured here because it is a family environment.”

Tipton said he enjoys working on new projects both at work and at home.

“All my family are tinkerers and like to fix things,” he said. “I always tried to figure out how things operate and make them work and make them better.”

Tipton serves on the ITT Technical Institute Program advisory committee. He has served in various volunteer positions, including an advisory board member of the Oklahoma State University College of Industrial Engineering and Management and a board member of the OSU Engineering Alumni Association. He is a past member of the Oklahoma Corporate Crime Council and the Oklahoma City Peer Learning Network. Tipton also serves as a trustee for the Edmond Public Schools Foundation, member of the OU Medical Center Edmond - Community Council, Admissions Committee for the Francis Tuttle Launchpad and Committee member for Ducks Unlimited.

Tipton was the 2012 chairman of the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors and is a senior member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers.

He still remains active on several Chamber Committees and was part of Leadership Edmond Class XXII. Tipton said it is important to him to be able to give back to an industry and community that has given him so much.

“I go back to my parents’ and grandparents’ time,” he said. “It was friends helping neighbors and that is how you got by. My parents always volunteered and tried to help others. I am trying to do the same.”

August 2015 | The Business Times

9

Patrice Douglas

By Van Mitchell

P

LEADERSHIP

atrice Douglas had a good run in politics but says those days in office are behind her and is instead focusing on a career back in the private sector.

In April Tulsa-based Premier Consulting Partners named the former Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner as president of emerging markets. She is leading the firm’s expansion in the Oklahoma City market.

Premier Consulting Partners provides services in HR compliance, risk management, business and estate planning and wealth management. Last year the firm became independent of SpiritBank where it had operated since 2005.

“I am never going to be involved in running for office again,” Douglas said, “but I will be involved with helping people others. I had worked with these guys for years. I knew they had good ethics and I knew their belief system, and I felt really comfortable with them.

I knew that I wanted to be back in the private sector, and I wanted to be involved in financial services or banking somehow. It was a great choice for me.”

Douglas said being able to build a team of professionals was attractive to her.

“They (Premier) liked the Oklahoma City market and they needed somebody

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August 2015 | The Business Times

to lead it,” she said. “I love the idea of building up and starting a team. It is invigorating and it is challenging.”

Douglas served for more than three years on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission after being appointed by Gov. Mary Fallin in 2011. A fourthgeneration Oklahoman, she also is a former Edmond mayor.

In 2014, Douglas ran for the U.S. Congress but lost in the Republican primary to now-Rep. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, who serves Oklahoma’s 5th district.

Douglas said she got into politics because it was a calling.

“I didn’t run for an office just to be elected,” she said. “I ran for offices that I felt like my voice was really going to call for positive change.”

After graduating from Putnam City North High School, Douglas attended Oklahoma Christian University for her undergraduate degree and the University of Oklahoma, where she obtained her law degree.

Before serving in a public capacity, Douglas practiced law for 13 years until joining a family business, ACP Sheet Metal, as its vice president and general counsel. During her five years at ACP, she served as its vice president and general counsel.

Her financial experience includes

serving as president of SpiritBank, and as executive vice president of First Fidelity Bank. Douglas also served on the Arvest Bank Board of Directors.

She is married to her husband Brent Douglas, who is president of Giant Partners. They have two sons, Patrick and Phillip. She is involved with Life Church.

In 2009, Douglas was elected as Edmond’s mayor. In 2011, she was unopposed for a second term.

While serving as mayor she championed in the creation of the Small Business Task Force. She launched a youth volunteerism program and stood firm for Edmond’s senior citizens to reinstate the senior meal program.

“When I ran for mayor I was really seeing small businesses suffer,” Douglas said. “I was seeing business after business choose to locate elsewhere instead of Edmond. I felt like I could bring a voice to small business that they hadn’t had in a long time.”

Douglas led the effort to partner with private and public entities to build Oklahoma’s largest competition swimming pool complex. She was elected and served on the Oklahoma Municipal League Board of Directors and served on its Task Force on Government Efficiencies. She helped create the Mayors’ Council on

Economic Development and was elected as the chairperson.

In 2011, Douglas received the Kate Barnard Award for Outstanding Public Service in Oklahoma– the first municipal official to receive this honor. She is a three-time finalist for The Journal Record’s Woman of the Year, and has been named Oklahoma Christian’s Distinguished Alumni for the College of Business.

She was also the recipient of the Energy Visionary Policy Leadership Award in 2013.

Fallin appointed her to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to replace Commissioner Jeff Cloud upon his resignation. She filed for election to this position and was unopposed.

Douglas said politics provided an avenue to help others on a larger scale.

“I did it because I felt like I was going to bring something to the table,” she said.

“My attitude towards politics was that too many people were in to it for what it could do for them instead of what you can do for

your city or your state or country. It was never going to be the job that I made the most money at. It was going to be a job that allowed me a way to give back.”

Politics has also been a family affair for Douglas who credits her mother Claudette Dills and her grandmother Freda Patton for helping spark that interest.

“I think it is my dad who instilled my business brain,” Douglas said. “I got my love of community service from my mother and grandmother. My grandmother was politically involved in a time when it wasn’t politically correct for women to be involved with politics. She took me to my first political rally when I was 12 years old.

My mother was very community driven and started a program called Edmond UR Special. I was raised with people that had both of those elements.”

Community service is a passion for Douglas. She has served on many different statewide boards, task forces and non-profit organizations.

Serving two terms for the Edmond Economic Development Authority, she was elected its chairman and served in that capacity four years until 2008. She also served on the Oklahoma Bankers Association Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Edmond Chamber of Commerce.

“I love giving back,” Douglas said. “You are making a mark that lasts long beyond you. It has nothing to do with ego. When you see that (Edmond) Public Safety Center coming together I am so happy that I had a little part in getting that done. It is really fun to dig in and make something happen that you know is going to impact long beyond you and your kids.”

Douglas also has another passion with the game of baseball.

“I think I love it so much because my brothers played it and I learned so much about it,” she said.

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11

Lori Dickinson

By Van Mitchell

LEADERSHIP

L

ori Dickinson was working in Oklahoma City when she and her family moved to Edmond three years ago so her children could attend school here.

And when the opportunity arose to work in the city where she lived she jumped at it.

Dickinson serves as executive director of the Edmond Public Schools Foundation. She has been on the job for a little over a year.

“When this position opened up I saw it as a real opportunity to not only continue to do advocating for public education but also for the first time since I left (hometown) Noble to really put our roots down in a community,” she said.

Dickinson previously served as president and CEO for The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools.

She managed the process of creating a community task force in 2009 that completed the report, “Community, Consistency, Creativity,” which assessed the academic progress of the Oklahoma City Public School District since the passage of MAPS for Kids in 2001.

In addition Dickinson and her staff built stronger bonds with teachers and principals in Oklahoma City, started new initiatives to engage board members, updated the mission of

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August 2015 | The Business Times

the organization and refined services provided by The Foundation to improve effectiveness of its outreach.

Prior to leading The Foundation, Dickinson served as a senior development director at Oklahoma State University Foundation where she directed all fundraising efforts for the Alumni Association and was involved in the “silent phase” of the university’s historic $1 billion campaign.

Dickinson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural communications from OSU and received her certification in Nonprofit Management from Lily School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. She is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City, a member of the 2010 Class of Achievers Under 40 and was a 2010 finalist for Oklahoma Woman of the Year by The Journal Record.

Dickinson said one of her goals with EPS Foundation was to increase the level of giving from the community.

“I can’t ask people give to something that I am not willing to invest in myself,” she said. “It really puts me a good position when I am working specifically for a non-profit that I am passionate about. Over the past decade I have become very passionate about public education. I became an advocate for a public education system that is strong and well-funded and respected.”

In the short time Dickinson has been overseeing the Edmond Public Schools Foundation, she has increased donations through a workplace giving campaign called ONE Edmond, created a new logo and instituted a branding campaign, overhauled the web site and social media outreach, developed a fundraising plan to increase much

needed support in the schools and built productive relationships with Edmond Public Schools leadership.

The EPS Foundation is a recognized 501(c) 3 non-profit organization focused on the development and management of resources in support the Edmond Public School District. Originally founded as the Edmond Educational Endowment, the organization was created in the early 1980s as one of the first education foundations in the state of Oklahoma.

In 1999 the organization formally changed its name to the Edmond Public Schools Foundation. Since inception the EPS Foundation has provided over $2 million in direct support to the district. These resources have funded: new technology, classroom curriculum, software, hardware, teaching aids, teacher trainings, student scholarships, playground equipment, textbooks, supplies, musical instruments, artwork, equipment, teacher awards and numerous other educational aids.

“Overall our giving is up,” Dickinson said. “Our goal is raising the funds that fill the gaps of what the school district doesn’t have from their public or tax funds. And that is really a lot.”

Dickinson said EPS has seen an increase in enrollment the past five or six years while school budgets have shrunk.

“Over the last six or seven years the district has added 500 students every year on the average while the state has cut funding,” she said. “Basically, Edmond Public Schools is operating with less funds, but serving more students.”

Dickinson praised the leadership of former EPS Superintendent David Goin and his staff for helping make the school district the best it can be and is looking forward to continuing to work with new

Superintendent Bret Towne.

“Dr. Goin and the people he has surrounded himself with have done an outstanding job of being as efficient as possible with the limited dollars they have,” she said. “I think a lot of school districts could look at how they squeeze $5 out of a $1. They have done a really good job despite the cuts. However, Edmond is at the point that the quality of education simply cannot be maintained without an influx of funding.”

Dickinson said while at the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools, the foundation raised about $2 million. She said that might seem a lot of money, but with a school district of over 43,000 students, it doesn’t go that far.

“We raised $2 million in Oklahoma City but that is not a lot of money when there are 43,000 students,” she said. “Two million dollars isn’t a lot of money when you have 23,000 students in Edmond but it can go a lot further.”

Dickinson revamped the teacher grants process this past year to an online application and scoring system. As a result, EPSF received a record 124 requests for more than $400,000 in need. The board approved a record amount of $200,000 in funding and has committed to continuing to increase funds in the classroom.

Dickinson said how well a non-profit does often relies on the status of the economy and EPSF has been fortunate that Edmond’s economy has remained strong.

“The world of non-profits ebbs and flows on how the state of the economy is doing at the time,” she said. “Edmond has a rich history of seeing its schools as a source of pride - the lifeblood of our community is the quality of its’ schools. I believe there is tremendous potential to increase support to Edmond Public Schools that far exceeds $200,000 a year.”

Dickinson said her passion for public education and being an advocate for teachers has grown stronger through the years.

“My love (for Edmond) has grown into a passion as I get to go into the community and tell the community members of the awesome stories of things happening in the classrooms,” Dickinson said. “Teaching I think is the hardest profession around. I am a strong advocate for them.”

A lifelong Oklahoman, she has a daughter Grace at Edmond North and a son Samuel at Northern Hills Elementary.

Tragically, her husband Michael passed away in June after a 20-month fight with a brain cancer called Glioblastoma.

“For all that has transpired for my family in the past couple of years, I can’t imagine being in a better place with more compassionate support than Edmond,” Dickinson said. “People have not just embraced me professionally, they have personally gone above and beyond to help my family during a very difficult personal time. Edmond is home.”

August 2015 | The Business Times

13

Myron Pope

By Van Mitchell

LEADERSHIP

A

thletics has long been a part of Myron L. Pope’s life from grade school to college where he was a member of the 1992 national championship team for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.

And those leadership skills he learned along the way have helped him both on the gridiron and with his current position as vice-president for student affairs at the University of Central Oklahoma.

The Student Affairs division includes recruitment, admissions, enrollment, first-year experience, campus activities, student organizations, fraternity and sorority life, student counseling services, career services, global affairs, graduation support services and the Wellness Center, among other services.

“Athletics were certainly an important part of my life,” Pope said. “Walking-on at Alabama I had a chance to be part of a national championship. The thing about that team in 1992 was that we had people from 32 different states with different backgrounds, ethnicities and rural versus urban. Even with all those differences what I saw was that people came together for a common purpose and worked together to achieve that championship. That kind of thinking translates over to the work world where people have to come together with 14

August 2015 | The Business Times

different talents and abilities and values to work together to achieve our goals.”

Pope said former Crimson Tide coach Gene Stallings also instilled in his players self-sacrifice.

“The team is bigger than an individual and as such you to have sacrifice the little things to help the team to be successful,” Pope said.

Pope grew up in Sweet Water, Ala., and attended the University of Alabama where he received a bachelor’s degree in history/ English and a master’s and doctorate in higher education administration.

Pope said while growing up the importance of education was stressed by family members.

“My mom was a career educator for 48 years, and she really pushed me to consider working at that level,” Pope said. “I took some classes and felt that this was my niche, and I have been doing it for the last 25 years almost. Education is probably where I will be long-term professionally. I think it is important to continue to creative and innovative in our efforts to provide achievable and successful education across the board.”

During his career, he has worked in the community college system of Alabama as a Talent Search Counselor, at the University of Alabama as the Director of Recruitment for the College

of Education and at the University of Oklahoma as a faculty member in the Adult and Higher Education program.

He brought his broad range of experience to UCO in 2004, serving as Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs before being promoted to his current role in 2005. Pope continues to teach in the African and AfricanAmerican Studies and the Adult and Higher Education programs at the University of Oklahoma.

He has conducted a variety of research on higher education related issues, including community college student and administrative issues, minority student concerns, faculty governance issues and institutional trust. He has been published in scholarly journals and books and also has presented regionally, nationally and internationally on these topics. He has been active on the regional and national levels of the American College Personnel Association, the Association for the Study of Higher Education, the Council for the Study of Community Colleges and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, as well as serving as an evaluator with the Higher Learning Commission. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. Pope said has dealt with diversity

issues on the college campus throughout this career including UCO. He said the SAE fraternity video controversy at the University of Oklahoma earlier this year served as a teaching lesson.

“The OU situation was certainly a teachable moment,” he said. “It is something that we have talked about here for many years because we are one of the most diverse universities in the state. We have tried to create an environment where we have students from all backgrounds.

We try to expose our students to different people and different backgrounds and really embrace it because they are going out into a very diverse world. We believe it is a learning experience.”

Pope resides in Edmond with his wife, Shanna, and their three children, Michael, Allison and Isaiah. He is very active in the community as a coordinator of Leadership Edmond, a volunteer coach with the YMCA, a volunteer with

the Watch D.O.G.S. program at his children’s school, and board member for the Edmond Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA and the HOPE Center of Edmond.

Pope described his leadership style as someone that works collaborative with others without micromanaging.

“I believe in collaboration,” Pope said.

“We have to collaborate across different boards and work together for a common goal. Effective communication is also important as well as team building. You let people who are smarter than you do their jobs. I have some really talented people who are far more knowledgeable about topics than I will ever be. I am here to support and help garner the resources they need to help achieve their goals.”

Pope said his favorite point of the academic year is seeing students walk across the stage at graduation and receive their degree.

“When I get to see them walk across the stage and see them achieve their goals and that is the part of the year I enjoy the most,” Pope said.

Pope said giving back is something he learned early in life.

“I grew up in a very small community with an ownership of giving back and that is what really drives me,” Pope said. “I feel like I have an obligation to give back.”

Pope said he has been blessed to have been surrounded by great mentors at home and at work.

“I can’t say enough about the mentors that I have had in Roger Webb as well as Don Betz and my mother, grandmother and wife who have all been very supportive of my work and my life,” Pope said. “This is the place I was meant to be because I get a chance to help students with their education and achieve the degrees and be successful in their professional and community life.”

WE SHARE THE DOGWOOD. NOW WE SHARE A NAME. ONB Bank is now Central Bank of Oklahoma.

For more than 10 years, we have been a member of the Central Bancompany family of banks. Adopting the Central Bank name is a natural progression as our family continues to grow and thrive. Our new name strengthens our connection with more than 140 locations throughout the region, where you will now have access to your accounts. Though we share a name, our bank maintains local decision-making authority; a business model that has stood the test of time. Rest assured that our ownership and people will remain the same, and our commitment to quality service continues to be our highest priority.

Strong roots. New name. Endless possibilities.

Member FDIC

August 2015 | The Business Times

15

Bryan Evans

By Van Mitchell

LEADERSHIP

B

ryan Evans knew from an early age that he wanted to be an attorney, but the type of attorney he became wasn’t exactly what he originally envisioned.

“I wanted to be an attorney from a young age,” said Evans, a partner with the Evans & Davis law firm located at 211 N. Broadway in Edmond. “At that time I had a vision of being a litigator. I thought what an attorney did is exactly opposite of what I do now.”

Evans & Davis provides estate planning and corporate legal service to clients from their Edmond office as well as their Dallas office located in Highland Park and Tulsa office located near Utica Square.

“We are proactive in what we do, whereas most lawyers are handling a bad situation,” Evans said. “With estate planning or business planning we are going in before there is a problem and finding a solution and helping a client fix a problem before one is created.”

Evans was born and raised in Weatherford. He graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University where he received his undergraduate degrees.

He received the Presidential Leadership Award from President Bill Clinton for his community and public involvement.

Before and after college, he was active

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August 2015 | The Business Times

in various state and federal political campaigns before serving as the 1998 Organizational Director of Congressman Frank Lucas’ congressional campaign.

Evans attended the University of Oklahoma’s College of Law as a Comfort Fellow where he graduated with honors.

Evans is a member of the American Bar Association, the Oklahoma Bar Association, the Texas Bar Association and the Arizona Bar Association.

Evans has been married to his wife, Erika, since 1998. They have twin daughters, Elle and Emma, and a son, JD. He and his business partner Dustin Davis started their practice in 2002 in Nichols Hills Plaza before moving to Edmond in 2006.

“We started the firm in 2002 and now the firm has 22 (attorneys and staff),” Evans said. “We have had a lot of growth through the years.”

Evans said they wanted to start a firm that allowed them to practice law on their terms.

“Both of us worked at law firms in downtown (Oklahoma City) and had an idea that we could provide the same level of service but under the terms that we wanted,” he said. “We wanted to pull into the parking lot in the morning with a smile on our face and leave with a smile on our face. Our vision was to create the best estate planning firm in the state and surround ourselves with good folks that have that same idea.”

Evans said it has taken hard work and commitment by everyone to make the law firm successful.

“We hit our 20-year plan in 10 years in terms of financial and team growth,” Evans said. “In the business world satisfaction is only temporary and you have to be always looking at ways to improve and get better.”

Evans said he and the law firm are both members of various chambers and various business development groups.

Evans regularly teaches educational classes to lawyers, financial planners and insurance professionals in the areas of estate planning and trusts. He is also an executive board member for the Edmond Public Schools Foundation, donates regularly to the organization and recently served as its president.

“I love seeing the individual growth of the attorneys,” Evans said. “I think that lawyers could do a lot more in terms of training and mentoring and to do that you have to give younger attorneys access. You have to sit down with them and spend time with them.”

Evans is a member of the 2nd Century Donor Society with the University of Oklahoma’s College of Law. Evans is also very active in his local community where he has coached soccer and baseball at the YMCA, regularly volunteers with the local school, and serves as a Watch Dog Dad at his children’s school. In 2014, Evans was awarded The Tayo Fichtl Young Professional of the Year Award.

“Part of our giving back is our involvement with the community,” Evans said. “I grew up in a community service atmosphere. You have a responsibility to help and give back. I want our public schools to be greater than they already are. I push our team members to want to volunteer and give back.”

Evans said working at a growing law firm requires strong leadership and he tries to do that by example.

“I think leadership is about behavior and not position,” he said. “You lead by example and not by decree. If I make a mistake I am the first to tell everyone because I want them to see it and learn from it.”

By Van Mitchell

LEADERSHIP

R

on Decker is no stranger to working hard having logged long hours in the office and on the road trying to make his business Innovative Healthcare Systems Inc. headquartered in Edmond, the best it can be.

And that hard work has paid off with Innovative satellite offices now open in St. Louis, Chicago, Dallas and Austin, Texas.

“I’ve been blessed to be in this role,” said Decker, founder and CEO. “It has been challenging. When I was younger I had a lot of energy and tried to outwork the competition. Over the years we have been fortunate to find a great group of people and have built a strong (work ethic) culture here. I have evolved and I do less because I truly believe in the group we have put together in this organization.”

Decker, 54, has over 25 years of experience in practice management and medical billing.

He founded Innovative in 1996.

Innovative has served clients in over 14 states, providing billing, coding, consulting and IT services to physicians and hospital groups.

He has been involved in the start-up of three other companies since starting Innovative.

He has served on both local and

Ron Decker

national boards including the Edmond Chamber of Commerce, currently as the chairman, and Healthcare Business and Management Association (HBMA), currently on the Board of Directors.

He is a Leadership Edmond alumnae and mentors young professionals in Edmond Young Professional’s leadership development programs.

Decker is certified by HBMA as a Certified Healthcare Billing and Management Executive (CHBME) and achieved this certification in 2009. He has won many awards including the Edmond Chamber of Commerce – Chairman’s Award in 2012 and Small Business of the Year in 2003.

Decker said the healthcare industry is constantly changing, and he has led the organization through the changes with innovative processes and technology.

He said Innovative is recognized as a leader in the healthcare business management and IT industry.

“So much was happening in healthcare when we started,” he said.

“I am shocked at how slow technology moves from the business perspective within healthcare. Technology adoption is very pervasive on the clinical side of healthcare but it is really slow on the business side. I feel some of the changes on the horizon will help move the needle to reduce costs and improve the patient experience.”

Decker said he has been blessed to continue finding the right people to add to the Innovative team.

“We need quality leaders in healthcare,” he said. “We have to find the right people that understand the vision and that can buy in with what we are trying to do.”

Decker said there are three fundamentals to leadership.

“Character is foundational,” he said.

“We try to find the right potential leaders and put them in the right environment where they can learn and develop.”

Decker said skill sets or knowledge is number two and third is behavior or actions. He said putting those three together is essential for effective leadership.

“A potential leader must bring these three different elements together and interact with the company to be successful” he said.

Decker said he is often asked why he chose Edmond for his corporate headquarters.

“We have great people in Edmond,” he said. “We have such a diverse community that lives here and has a lot of talent to draw from.”

Decker said he has evolved in his leadership style.

“I am a sort of an enigma as a CEO,” he said. “I am more of an open the door, encourage a direction and then watch how people navigate a challenge.”

Decker said the company has grown at a steady pace and has done so without a lot of advertising.

“Most of the growth is through word of mouth,” he said. “It’s not constantly putting the pedal to the metal. We are constantly adjusting marketing efforts to manage the growth.”

Decker enjoys spending time with his wife Beth and four sons and their partners. He also enjoys golf, fly fishing, photography and cycling.

“It’s hard for me to slow down,” he said, “but I have started playing more golf and riding my bike more.”

August 2015 | The Business Times

17

BUSINESS MATTERS

TIM PRIEBE Webifiable

here are many online marketing options out there. You may want to optimize your website for search engines. You can also invest in social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The risk in most of those options? You don’t own your audience, also known as your list.

What does it mean to own your list, and why is it important?

If you own your list, you control when and how you have access to your audience. If you don’t, you risk losing access to them.

Let’s take a look at an example that happens too often.

A business owner has a Facebook Page and gives access to key staff. Suddenly, shady looking links start appearing on the page.

Next thing you know, the staff and the business owner no longer have administrative access any longer.

What happened?

Although “hacker” may be a strong word, someone gained access to a single employee’s Facebook account. Maybe he used a virus, maybe an official-looking email asking for his login info.

Regardless, that hacker logged into the employee’s account, added his own account as an administrator, then logged out. Then he logged back in as himself, deleted all the other administrators and started spamming.

Of course Facebook isn’t the only place you risk losing access to your audience. Google could (and will) change their ranking algorithm. Twitter could become less popular or the social media flavor of the week may disappear altogether!

So what can you do?

Get an email newsletter. With an email newsletter, you actually own your list. You can back up and download your list of email

Business

“If you own your list, you control when and how you have access to your audience. If you don’t, you risk losing access to them.”

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August 2015 | The Business Times

addresses, then connect with that audience on any platform you’d like.

For most businesses and nonprofits, an email newsletter makes a lot of sense. Then you can invest your time, resources and money on those other platforms getting people to sign up for your email newsletter.

TIM PRIEBE is a public speaker, the author of the books “102 Tweets” and “Blog a Week” and the owner of T&S Online Marketing in Edmond.

He can be reached by email at tim@tandsgo.com, by phone at 285-0348, or online at www.tandsgo.com.

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Apply Today...

The City of Edmond is now accepting applications for full-time, part-time and seasonal positions.

Visit us on the web today at

edmondok.com/careers

359-4648 City of Edmond Jobline

The City of Edmond is an Equal Opportunity Employer August 2015 | The Business Times

19

BUSINESS MATTERS

MIKE CRANDALL P rofessional Growth S olutions

4 Keys to Selecting a Sales Consultant “

N

othing happens until somebody sells something” – likely you have heard this phrase or some version of it. Sales is important, actually critical to business success. To get better at it, like almost anything in life worth doing, you need outside help. For sales that means a sales consultant or sales coach. If you look at your top competitors they very likely have someone helping them get better – especially in the area of sales.

If you never waste any time, energy or money in pursuing sales or growing your revenue you can stop reading right now.

However, if you are like the vast majority of people in the business world – and you are honest enough to admit it you do waste time, energy and money in growing sales / revenue. That is where a sales consultant comes in. If you hire a good one, they become the outside voice of reason to help you eliminate the waste.

Once you decide to select a sales consultant, the task of selecting the best one for you can be overwhelming. Since the barrier to entry for consulting / coaching is low the number of people in the market place claiming to be experts can be mind-numbing.

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August 2015 | The Business Times

To sort through the masses you should make sure the sales consultant has: 1. The ability to assess if and how the problem can be fixed. Often people think they just need sales training – when they really have hiring, onboarding, coaching issues, etc. Maybe or they are missing structural components like sales templates, sales cookbooks, sales playbooks, etc. A good consultant will help identify and fix any or all of these issues.

2. The ability to assess your people before you start. You should truly be able to understand the individual strengths, gaps and barriers to closing the gaps each person has in growing – especially your leaders and managers. Things to look at include ego, empathy, listening, learning and goal orientation. Without this you will waste more time, energy and money.

3. The ability to offer ongoing reinforcement. Not just a couple of hours, or couple of days but truly ongoing. It takes a very long time to eliminate bad habits and change them to new ones. In sales it often takes a couple of years to develop and build truly sustainable change.

4. The ability to help management / leadership understand, embrace and (most

importantly) reinforce the development. If your management team does not change their habits and behaviors the team will not either. Also, they must be well equipped to help the team implement, customize, and refine things to fit into the specific roles and situations.

Unfortunately, most consultants offer generic solutions without proper diagnosis. Think of it this way would you allow a surgeon to operate on you without bloodwork, X-Rays, etc.? Then you should not allow a consultant to operate on your company, processes, or people either.

Once you are ready to truly grow your sales you will need a good sales consultant.

Use these things to help select the best one to help your company and you grow.

MIKE CRANDALL lives in Edmond, OK. He is a consultant, coach, trainer and speaker focused on sales, management and leadership development for proactive business growth.

He can be reached via email at mike.crandall@sandler.com or by phone at 844-1700. For more information, go online to www.customgrowth.sandler.com

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LWSL is proud to announce an upcoming expansion of its legal services with the opening of a new office in Oklahoma City; and to welcome Patrice Douglas, former Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner, who will lead the new office.

It’s an exciting time of growth at LWSL, but what won’t change is the level of expert legal counsel and personal attention we provide for every client, every case.

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BUSINESS MATTERS

NICK MASSEY Astute Investor

Starting the Next Baby Boom I

f you’ve been anywhere near a sports complex of any kind recently, indoors or outdoors, you may have noticed no shortage of kids playing and dutiful parents watching. Much has been written about the size of the baby boom generation. Perhaps you’ve heard that there has been a “baby bust” of sorts after us. Thankfully, that is changing in the U.S. It seems we’re now seeing another baby boom among current millennials.

According to the CDC, the number of annual U.S. births increased by 1.4 percent last year, moving up from 3.93 million to 3.99 million, or some 60,000 more kids.

This is the first increase in six years.

Sixty thousand is cause for celebration.

We need more babies. Beyond causing sleep deprivation in parents, they also require 18 years of spending (at a minimum), and that’s what drives the economy. As children age, families spend more money on clothes, shelter, sports, music lessons, vacations, car insurance — you name it. Kids cost a lot!

Once the kids leave home, the empty nesters then focus on retirement by saving and paying down debt. We reached the peak year for baby boomer spending in 2008. Since then, the generation has been firmly in the empty nester category, and has moved from spending more to saving more.

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August 2015 | The Business Times

Behind them are the members of Generation X, who are still raising their kids, but there are fewer people in this generation. Since there are not as many of them, they can’t buy as much stuff, and therefore, can’t drive our economy as the boomers did.

This is where the millennials come in.

They are generally between 10 and 35 years old now. As the rising young generation, which happens to be bigger than the boomers but more spread out, we need this group to hop on the spending train by having children. So far, they’ve refused to board. We all know why — the economy.

Young people have had a difficult time finding jobs in general. More specifically, good-paying, secure jobs. Without financial stability, millennials have been slower to wed and slower to start families. The

“According to the CDC, the number of annual U.S. births increased by 1.4 percent last year, moving up from 3.93 million to 3.99 million, or some 60,000 more kids.”

recent data from the CDC suggests this might be changing, and the good news doesn’t stop there.

Other research notes that women who are older and more educated are the most likely to have children in the years ahead.

Birth rates rose 3 percent in 2014 for women in their 30s, while remaining flat for women 25 to 29. At the same time, according to The Wall Street Journal, teenage births keep falling and reached a record low last year.

Putting all the pieces together, it appears that older millennials are either finally stable enough to have children, or simply think they’re running out of time. Either way, our economy will be the big winner as this large generation starts spending in earnest to support their kids. While higher birth rates will take a few years to start driving the economy, eventually the trend will show up in the demand for more housing, more family cars, and of course, more soccer balls. Thanks for reading.

NICK MASSEY is a financial advisor and president of Householder Group Financial Advisors in Edmond, OK. Nick can be reached at www.nickmassey.com. Investment advice offered through Householder Group Estate and Retirement Specialists, a registered investment advisor.

GROWING EDMOND

PHOTOS PROVIDED | EDMOND AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Ribbon Cuttings PRECISION VISION UNVEILS NEW NAME Precision Vision of Edmond recently held a ribbon cutting to unveil its new name and the new look of its facility at 501 E. 15th St. in Edmond. Formerly known as Olsen Vision Care, the practice has been a long time member of the Edmond Chamber, and the doctors have been serving the Edmond area since 1976.

Dr. Larry Olsen founded Olsen Vision Care in 1976 and has been building relationships with patients by taking care of their visual needs ever since. Dr. Selina McGee, a 13-year veteran in eye care, purchased the practice in 2014, and Dr. Kyle Henderson, a recent graduate of NSUOCO, joined the practice in June of 2015.

Dr. McGee believes that vision is everything. She and her team are committed to protecting and preserving vision for a lifetime. Precision Vision is blessed to take care of Edmond area residents and looks forward to building lasting relationships in the community.

Precision Vision of Edmond provides comprehensive vision exams and customized glasses and contact lenses that fit their patient’s lifestyle. For more information, call 341-2062 or visit www.drlarryolsen.com.

KOBE SUSHI & HIBACHI STEAKHOUSE CELEBRATE GRAND OPENING Kobe Sushi & Hibachi Steakhouse recently held a ribbon cutting to celebrate its grand opening at 1333 N. Santa Fe Ave. in Edmond. Kobe Sushi & Hibachi Steakhouse is dedicated to offering its customers a memorable dining experience. They are committed to providing their customers with nutritious menu options by using fresh and natural ingredients in all of their dishes. The team at Kobe Sushi & Hibachi Steakhouse also takes special care to ensure that all customers are greeted with a warm welcome and can enjoy their meal in an inviting and authentic atmosphere. Kobe Sushi & Hibachi Steakhouse is open daily for lunch and dinner.

For more information, call 285-1808.

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August 2015 | The Business Times

PHOTOS PROVIDED | EDMOND AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

GROWING EDMOND

CITIZENS BANK OF EDMOND CELEBRATES NEW PARKING LOT Citizens Bank of Edmond recently held a ribbon cutting to celebrate its new parking lot that will add 20 parking spaces in the heart of Downtown Edmond. In a nod to the city’s early history, contractors preserved bricks from the Interurban trolley stop that stood on the site and used them in construction of a fence along First Street.

The new lot, east of the bank’s location at 1 E. First St., will be reserved for Citizens Bank of Edmond customers during the business hours and will be available to the public at other times.

Citizens Bank of Edmond is currently open 7 a.m. to 7 pm, Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

As downtown Edmond continues to thrive with unique shops, restaurants, cafes and other businesses, the need for parking has increased. This new lot will offer prime parking spaces for customers of Citizens Bank of Edmond when they are downtown and will be available to anyone visiting restaurants, shops or Heard on Hurd outside of banking hours.

Citizens Bank of Edmond continues to operate on the same Downtown Edmond intersection where it was founded in April 1901. The fiercely independent $250 million community bank’s unique ownership structure is comprised of fourth-generation family ownership, an Employee Stock Ownership Program and community stockholders. As an innovative leader in community banking, Citizens Bank of Edmond provides commercial and consumer financial services, mortgage origination, cash management and mobile banking solutions, as well as accessibility through nontraditional avenues. Citizens Bank of Edmond is consistently recognized for outstanding achievements in banking, customer service, community service and social media by local and national organizations.

For more information about Citizens Bank of Edmond, call 341-6650 or visitwww.citizensedmond.com.

August 2015 | The Business Times

25

BUSINESS BRIEFS F&M Bank adds Maribeth Wayne Maribeth Wayne of F&M Bank has been named Internal Control/ Compliance Officer, according to Barry Anderson, F&M Chief Operations Officer.

“Maribeth has impressive experience and credentials and will be a welcomed addition to our staff,” said Anderson.

Wayne obtained a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Gwynedd-Mercy University (Gwynedd Valley, Pa.) and is a Certified Risk Professional.

Prior to joining F&M Bank in 2015, Wayne served at the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Bank Regulation under the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations and worked in Regulatory Compliance as a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) in several large banks, including Washington Mutual and Downey Savings.

F&M Bank was founded in 1902 as Farmers and Merchants Bank and has grown to eight locations in Oklahoma City, Edmond, Guthrie, Piedmont, Crescent and Kingfisher. With assets of over $330 million, F&M provides complete banking services for central Oklahoma. It also owns and operates F&M Mortgage, which serves customers throughout the state with mortgage services.

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INTEGRIS Medical Group welcomes 2 new physicians Ryan Wicks, M.D., is a general surgeon with INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine where he graduated with distinction in 2010. He completed his residency in general surgery at the University of Oklahoma in 2015. Wicks received the Outstanding General Surgery Resident in Trauma award in 2014 and received the Aesculapian Award for teaching excellence from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in 2015. He was elected into the Gold Humanism Honor Society in 2010. He is a certified instructor in advanced trauma life support and is also certified in the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery. Wicks is a member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. He officially joined the INTEGRIS General Surgery team July 29 and will office at 3400 N.W. Expressway, Bldg. C, Suite 420. For more information, or to make an appointment call 713-9935.

Courtney Seacat, M.D., is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and practices at INTEGRIS Health Edmond where her focus is on women’s health. Seacat received her medical degree from the University of Kansas, School of Medicine in Kansas City and completed her residency at the University of Oklahoma. She is very passionate about her work and enjoys taking care of women throughout all stages of life. Her special interests include: prenatal care, birth plans, preventative healthcare, general gynecology, teen health and contraception counseling. Seacat joined the INTEGRIS Family Care Edmond East medical team July 31. That office is located at 4833 INTEGRIS Parkway, Suite 200. For more information or to make an appointment call 657-3955.

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August 2015 | The Business Times

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BUSINESS CALENDAR Centennial Kiwanis Club 6 p.m. Aug. 3 (Club meets every Monday) Ken’s Pizza 628 W. Danforth Boulevard Rotary Club 6-7 p.m. Aug. 3 (Club meets every Monday) Louie’s Bar and Grill 1201 N.W. 178th St., Suite 101 For more information, http://facebook.com/BoulevardRotary.

Edmond Summit Rotary Club 7 a.m. Aug. 4 (Meets every Tuesday) Mercy I-35 2017 W. I-35 Frontage Road For more information, call 405-CUEARLY. Planning Commission 5:30 p.m. Aug. 4 (First and third Tuesday) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda.

Edmond Kiwanis Club Noon Aug. 5 (Club meets every Wednesday) Cherokee Room in Nigh University Center 100 N. University Drive Edmond Rotary Club Noon Aug. 5 (Club meets every Wednesday) Mercy at I-35 20147 W. I-35 Frontage Road For more information, facebook.com/ rotaryclubofedmond.

Edmond Exchange Club 7 a.m. Aug. 6 (Club meets every Thursday) Room 213 in the Nigh University Center 100 N. University Drive For more information about the club, visit www.facebook.com/ EdmondMorningExchangeClub.

Edmond AMBUCS Noon Aug. 7 (Club meets every Friday) Cherokee Room in Nigh University Center 100 N. University Drive Call June Cartwright at 405-820-9667 for more information.

City Council 5:30 p.m. Aug. 10 (Second and fourth Mondays) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda.

Edmond Evening Lions Club 6 p.m. Aug. 11 (Club meets second and fourth Tuesday) Johnnie’s 33 E. 33rd St. For more information, call Bob Austin at 285-4980.

Planning Commission 5:30 p.m. Aug. 17 (First and third Tuesday) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda.

City Council 5:30 p.m. Aug. 24 (Second and fourth Monday) City Council Chambers 20 S. Littler Ave. Visit www.edmondok.com to find the agenda.

TO ADD your business event to this free calendar, email the details to kediger@edmondsun.com.

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27

BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER | THE BOOKWORM SEZ

“Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, and Never Get Stuck”

by Jon Acuff c.2015, Penguin Portfolio $26.95 / $31.00 Canada 277 pages

Jon Acuff Photo by Jeremy Cowart

T

here’s no way you were ever the Rotten Egg. No, you’d do anything to avoid that moniker: first in the pool or front seat, first to complete tasks or touch the finish line. You never dawdled or tarried, never lagged, and you were never, ever last. Boy, was that fun.

If only adulthood was like that. These days, instead of an afternoon of play, you have to work, but says author Jon Acuff in his new book “Do Over,” there are still ways to get olly-olly-oxen free.

The economy stinks. Your coworkers are insufferable. Work is a drudge and you haven’t even looked for another job because you know what it’s like out there. There are all kinds of things to blame when singing the work blues, and you’re not alone: 70 percent of American workers say they hate their jobs. Here’s the surprise, though; you feel stuck, but you’re not as stuck as you believe you are.

“You control more than you think,” says Acuff. Complacency, he points out, is your enemy when searching for a new job but his “Career Savings Account™” could be your best friend.

A “CSA,” he explains, is who you know (relationships) plus what you can do (skills) plus who you are (character) multiplied by how you work (hustle). Put them together, and they’ll “help you rescue, reinvent and reenergize your work.”

“First,” says Acuff, “choose your attitude and adjust your expectations.” None of your attitudes or expectations are wrong – but right now, they may be inappropriate for your workplace.

Next, focus on relationships because they “will be the safety 28

August 2015 | The Business Times

net that catches you.” Think about the people who can help with your “Do Over” and learn to understand where they fit within your career. Also understand that some of them are foes, and foes should be ignored.

Know what skills you possess and how to parlay them into your desired career (hint: “Everything is a skill.”) Know which workrelated character traits to hone, and eliminate those which are universally undesirable. Be generous and cultivate empathy. Don’t wait to carpe diem; instead, “hustle until you feel brave.” And remember that “Making sure you enjoy work isn’t your company’s job. It’s your job.”

So your enthusiasm for work has been playing hide-and-seek.

There are things you’ll find in “Do Over” that will help, but it’s going to take some real work.

With a great sense of humor and plenty of first-hand anecdotes, author Jon Acuff gives readers something fresh to try, that might be fun. It’s not exactly step-by-step, however, which is one of the issues I had with it; the information scattered some and tended to feel frenetic to me, even a little breathless. That could be offputting if you’re not in a mood for a bit of frivolousness.

And yet, with focus and time, this book will help unstick anyone who’s hopelessly mired, benefitting both employee and employer. If you’re either of those and you wonder if you’re the right reader for this book, get “Do Over”… because you’re “it.”

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER is a book reviewer in Wisconsin.

She may be reached via email at bookwormsez@yahoo.com.

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LAST LOOK

Second Natural Grocers opens

By Patty Miller | Special to The Business Times

N

atural Grocers opened its fifth natural food store in Oklahoma and its second store in Edmond June 30.

The store offers new, healthy food choices and nutrition guidance that improve the overall health and well-being of the Edmond community.

Whether looking for a nutritional supplement to fill a specific need or wanting to purchase one of five different types of kale offered in the produce department, everything healthy can be found at Natural Grocers.

“The founders have five principles that are still followed today including meeting the nutritional needs and educating the community and a commitment to their employees,” said Michael Kraemer, store manager.

The store, a family business, first opened in 1955 when owners Margaret and Phillip Isely went door-to-door selling vitamins. It later expanded to a grocery store providing resources that people need to live a life of optimum health and vitality even when facing health challenges.

High quality natural and organic groceries are offered, and natural body care and dietary supplements may also be found on the shelves at affordable prices.

Natural Grocers will not sell any grocery product that contains artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives or harmful trans fats. Yet their shelves are full of food and products, including worry-free foods for families and their pets.

Whether it is nutritional supplements or produce, Kraemer said they work to keep their products at a price that is affordable for everyone.

“We sell only first pick Grade A USDA Certified Organic produce,” Kraemer said. “No more guessing whether the produce you are buying is possibly treated with pesticides and preservatives or even if it has been mixed with something that has been treated.

At Natural Grocers it’s all organic, and we work hard to make organic affordable.”

The meats come from animals that were raised without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.

“All of our meat is grass-fed with no hormones, cage-free and free range,” Kraemer said.

Each Natural Grocers store has at least one credentialed Nutritional Health Coach whose services are provided free of charge. The coach can answer questions on special diet needs, help design a personalized supplement and eating program or point the shopper toward the products that supports individual health and fitness goals.

30

August 2015 | The Business Times

Natural Grocers Vitamin Manager Donald Guy discusses nutrition supplements with Memorial cross country runner Clara O'Connor.

O'Connor's sisters from left, seventh grader Ella and Addie, who will be in the ninth grade at Memorial will be joining their sister Tess, a junior who is also a runner.

“Individual coaching sessions or nutrition classes or cooking demonstrations are held in the teaching kitchen within the store,” Kraemer said. “All of our services are provided free of charge.

Whether on a special diet such as gluten-free, Paleo, vegetarian/ vegan and low-glycemic or wanting information about specific supplements or products, shoppers are invited to come in and talk to a NHC for help and a better understanding of products.

Tangela Bacon H. Sanders was checking out the cookie aisle and said she already has her favorite brand of gluten-free cookies, but she is willing to experience new brands and flavors.

Edmond shoppers can come in to get yummy cooking demos, hear speakers or attend seminars to enhance the depth of their nutrition knowledge.

The kitchen can be used for cooking classes at no charge for chefs or organizations wanting to provide food specific recipes.

“We support local products and local farmers when we open a store,” Kraemer said. To make it easier for the shopper, shelves are specifically marked for Foodies looking for gluten-free or Made in Oklahoma products.

Plastic or paper shopping bags won’t be found at the registers, so plan on bringing a reusable tote from home. Free recycled boxes are available at the check out stands. Inexpensive reusable shopping bags may be purchased, and each time a shopper uses his or her own reusable totes, a donation is made to the local food bank.

The Edmond Natural Grocers will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9:04 p.m. On Sunday the store will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:06 p.m.

Natural Grocers is at 3325 S. Boulevard, Suite 169. For more information about Natural Grocers, go to www.naturalgrocers. com, call visit NaturalGrocers.com.

To attend a seminar, go to: http://www.naturalgrocers.com/ store-locations/oklahoma-city-edmond/OK/events.

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