5 Under 40 Winners

Story by Carey Head / Ponca City Monthly Contributing Writer

Photos by Jessah McIntosh

Ponca City Main Street’s inaugural “5 Under 40 Awards” recognizes young leaders from the Ponca City area who demonstrate significant contributions to this community through their role in their business, community involvement, volunteer work, leadership ability, advocacy and influence. PCMS board member Rhonda Skrapke suggested the award idea and the board agreed the young people deserve the ovation.

Main Street Director Chelsea McConnell explains, “It’s important to let people know the hard work they are doing each day is seen. We hope this award urges this group of amazing young people to continue to work hard for our community and for themselves.”

Nominations were promoted through the PCMS social media platforms with applications accepted through the organization’s website. Nominees were required to fill out the applications to be considered. McConnell loved reading the completed applications. “I was aware that we had some really outstanding young people in our community … we have many great leaders who have gone before us, but I loved … discovering that we certainly have several more growing into those roles.”

The applications were sent to judges from outside of Ponca City “so they would be scored without bias,” McConnell adds.

The five winners will receive a trophy and bottle of champagne from PCMS as well as being featured as the cover story for the October issue of Ponca City Monthly. McConnell laughs, “They’ll also probably receive a lot more requests to volunteer for their community now that everyone knows how amazing they are!”

You can take the girl out of banking, but you can’t take banking out of the girl.

After nearly two decades in the local banking industry, Erin Liberton is now the Community Relations Coordinator – the connection between community needs and Phillips 66 philanthropic purse strings, if you will.

“My role at Phillips 66 is very important for the community as a primary communicator, their public relations coordinator and the Philanthropic Outreach,” she explains. “Joining the team at Phillips 66, I brought fresh ideas and new perspectives as a ‘non-refiner.’ I am someone who loves Ponca City and the community in its entirety … and this has held true for me in both industries and roles.”

Already, Erin has been instrumental in awarding $50,000 in Phillips 66 grants benefiting Alliance Health Ponca City and New Emergency Resource Agency food assistance program. Both organizations are at the front line fighting the COVID-19 challenges including those brought about by business furloughs and closings.

It’s a good fit for this professional that loves a good challenge. “In my first 90 days, I made both professional and personal impacts to multiple nonprofits throughout the Ponca City area. I simply have figured out where I can make a difference and I’ve helped,” Erin explains.

Erin began making her mark while at City National Bank and Trust. In 2001, she joined CNB while a sophomore at Northern Oklahoma College. The Ponca City Walmart Supercenter was one of eight branches opened in 2001 by City National Bank. “I had the opportunity to start and build the Ponca City branch … and was part of literally building this in-store, which was one of the early in-store City National locations in the state.”

Her banking career took off: Erin became the youngest Bank Manager and Bank Officer that CNB had at the time. She focused on helping the Ponca City branch grow and “took every opportunity to get the bank and staff involved in the community.”

Results were noticed and Erin was promoted to Vice President and Regional Manager, working throughout Oklahoma and the Wichita, Kan., area, and being honored for Region of the Year. “I took the opportunity to coach and train bank managers very seriously to not only develop their teams and their people, but to also invest in their communities and to get involved,” she says. “I’m very proud of the employees I’ve helped to develop over the years.”

When Erin joined the leadership team at the former Eastman National Bank, now Equity Bank, she was the youngest and only female Senior Vice

President in Eastman’s history. “I was very proud of earning these titles as there had never been anyone in my family in banking. I had worked very hard to earn these positions and titles. Nothing came easy or automatic for me — I had to earn it and work for it.”

While at ENB, Erin twice-led online banking conversions and debit card conversions. The branding overhaul she captained brought modern day conveniences such as online and mobile banking solutions to Eastman customers. When Eastman aligned with Equity Bank, she completed the company’s Bank Simulation Training and the year-long Equity University training programs.

Erin sits on the board of directors of New Emergency Resource Agency, a Food and Resource Center associated with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. She is the current president of the agency that has dealt with record-breaking needs and requests during the pandemic.

Other boards currently benefiting from her experience include her appointment as Trustee to University Center-Ponca City Board of Trustees; director, City of Ponca City Board of Adjustment; former president and current board member, Habitat for Humanity; treasurer, Community Health Foundation; and director, Oklahoma State University Alumni Association— Kay County Chapter.

She is a graduate of Leadership Ponca City’s class of 2006. Erin also completed leadership terms with Professionals Today, Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Ponca City.

Erin completed Leadership Oklahoma’s year-long training program and graduated with 2019-2020 class. She also is the recipient of the 2009 Larry Hughes Leadership Award. This award honors a Leadership Ponca City class member and is chosen by a committee of past recipients. Erin was a charter member of Charity Angels AMBUCS chapter and remains a “friend” of the organization.

Erin is married to Eric Liberton and has two children, Brylen, 13; and Brynn, 10. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness from Oklahoma State University and an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration from Northern Oklahoma College.

Leaving the relative security of the corporate world to enter the nothingis-guaranteed life of an entrepreneur is a decision of courage, faith and optimism. In April 2019, Luke Garrison did just that. He left a long-standing banking career to devote his full attention to a fledgling business on the verge of becoming a soaring success.

When he left Equity Bank, Luke was Assistant Vice President, Commercial Lending. His career was built on making sound business finance decisions. Since then, his company’s growth and stability has been rewarded as Speak Now Productions was able to purchase the building at 204 E. Grand Ave. The decision not only showcases “our commitment to this community, we purchase a building on ‘Main street’ ... as a lasting place,” Luke says.

Speak Now Productions is a video production, advertising and, now, social media management company founded in partnership with his brother, Ben Garrison. (Yep, Speak Now’s other happy camera guy and PCPD’s Det. Sgt. Benjamin Garrison are one and the same.)

Founded in 2016, the partners originally planned to be an event videography team. “However, we quickly began to notice a direct need for social media commercial advertising in the Ponca City area,” Luke says.

After producing a lip-sync video featuring Ponca City Police Department personnel, Luke and Ben realized they could harness the power of social media. The video went viral with over 2.3 million views.

“People were calling the Police Department from all over the nation giving accolades, as we were making Top 10 Must-See lists, alongside larger populated cities like Dallas and Seattle,” Luke explains. (View the video here: https://tinyurl.com/yxgs4fy8)

Since then, Speak Now has produced hundreds of videos and advertisements “showcasing Ponca City in all its beauty and putting it on the forefront of the social media frontier,” he says. “Most of these advertisements were purchased and paid for, but we built several just to promote the city and community we love with hopes of driving more traffic here.”

Speak Now’s efforts for the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce has resulted in raising the world’s awareness of Ponca City as a destination. Luke and his team write monthly “webisodes” showcasing all monthly events happening in Ponca City. The June webisode received over 15,000 views “with an over 22,000 estimated reach and over 5,500 minutes viewed … on Facebook,” Luke says, noting the statistics for measuring social media performance. “These videos are viewed by locals and non-locals alike, presenting to the public what Ponca City, Oklahoma has to offer every day.

“These webisodes are now sponsored by local businesses and all one has to do to be featured is be sure to add their event to the VisitPoncaCity.com calendar.”

Since its beginning, Speak Now has grown from two part-time employees to three full-time and two part-time employees and a contract worker. Continued growth is expected over the next several years as the demand continues to increase for social media management and affordable advertising.

In addition to commercial production and social media management, Speak Now Productions teams with area non-profits to showcase agency work. “We have always made a way to be affordable to our non-profits, knowing they rely on a limited budget. I wish we were in a position to give our work away to these organizations, but we do offer our whole heart as we pour into their projects, wanting to assure their message shines through in a way no other will,” Luke says.

“Since Speak Now was started in 2016, we’ve increased year over year, doubling the previous year’s revenue. I’ve had the privilege of sitting at the helm as the Production Director and Manager. It’s been, and continues to be, by God’s grace, a priceless adventure,” he adds.

Luke is a graduate of Leadership Ponca City class of 2016. He gives back to the program by serving as Leadership Ponca City chairman, a position he’s held since 2018. Since 2017, Luke has served as an LPC Day Chair in producing the “Art and Culture Day” program including speakers, tours and discussions.

He also is a member of the Evans Children’s Academy Committee and directed an Evans show this spring. Luke continues to serve as Vice President of the Poncan Theatre Board and modernized the theatre’s website and ticket sales platform so tickets can be purchased online.

The social media management option allows companies to get professional help with their social media advertising. “We assist several local companies … who either lack the time or knowledge to do this kind of work,” Luke notes. “Social media marketing and management is a completely different animal than yesterday’s advertising. We have to remain innovative to assure that we stay on top of the curve and reflect our client base to the best of our ability.”

He cites the difference between the traditional television message and one that typically works best for social media play. “A general commercial is 30 seconds long on the TV screen. On Facebook, however, there is a preference for quality content that keeps the viewer engaged for at least three minutes. This demands excellence in storytelling, and I get to help tell these stories.”

Luke is father of three: Abigail, 13; Micah, 7 and Samual, 5. He holds an Associate of Arts degree in Music/Music Theatre from Northern Oklahoma College.

“I feel like I have lived a very long life in a very short time.”

This intriguing statement is how Kelsey Wagner summarizes the challenges overcome and triumphs engineered to get to where she stands today — at the helm of a growing company she bootstrapped into being.

After two layoffs in five years, Kelsey turned her back on the corporate world and vowed to never again work for somebody else. She took a hard look at her skills as a writer, graphic designer and web designer. With a $1,500 software investment, a spare bedroom-office, and a lot of gumption, what else was there to do but take that leap into the world of entrepreneurship?

“I’m an innovator. I find ways to do things better. My main scope of work is technology; but it applies to all areas of my life,” she shares. “So, I started a web and graphic design company that has morphed into a full-service marketing agency. I did what I always strive to do: under promise and over deliver.”

In a very short time, MyMediaMatters moved from the Wagner home to a downtown office suite. In January 2019, Kelsey purchased PoncaCity.net’s portfolio of 300 email clients and 40 website clients. In January of this year, she launched PoncaCity.com, a city-wide online directory and local travel guide. And, in April, the first issue of Ponca City Monthly was published.

The demands of putting together the free, full-color, hyper-local magazine necessitated the hiring of a full-time Advertising Director. Other full-time positions include website designer and office manager. Kelsey also relies on the skills of a part-time writer and part-time copy editor to produce Ponca City Monthly.

“Ponca City Monthly has surprised all of us and has been so celebrated and embraced by our community already, and it’s only been out for (six) months. This sounds like a lot — but I’ve been driven to have a diverse marketing agency that can adapt to anything that comes at us,” she says.

MyMediaMatters now offers a wide range of marketing solutions for its clients, including commercial drone services.

Kelsey also owns KB Enterprise, manufacturer of GateHands, a side-by-side tube gate latch system the keeps double gates straight and secure (www. gatehands.com). The five-year journey getting the product from concept to now being available at Tractor Supply online (and earning five-star reviews, thank you very much) has been a challenge. (www.tractorsupply.com/tsc. brand/gatehands)

“I’ve been to more farm shows than I care to admit and sat talking with farmers about their gates. We also talk about cows, kids, life, and how the farm folks come to the shows on Thursdays to avoid the city folks. But I enjoy

it. It’s fun, it’s enriching and it’s a project I get to do with my Dad who I have always shared a very strong connection.”

Kelsey admits her least time-consuming business is as owner and host of a “super cute” Airbnb called The Gray House Airbnb. She is achieved superhost status with Airbnb and loves the experience. When she and husband Jay opened it in July 2018, it was one of just two Ponca City Airbnbs. She has used this experience to help others who want to be a host. (https:// airbnb.com/h/ponca-city-gray-house)

Kelsey grew up on a wheat farm outside of Lamont. After graduating with 19 other Lamont High School seniors, Kelsey earned an Associate of Arts degree in mass communications from Northern Oklahoma College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administrative Leadership from University of Oklahoma.

She is a 2014 graduate of Leadership Ponca City, a 2016 graduate of Leadership Arts Oklahoma and was honored as Rotary Member of the Year in 2017.

The former Ponca City Main Street Board Member helped to form the downtown entertainment and arts district called the Grand Arts District. She wrote the successful $25,000 grant proposal to the Oklahoma Arts Council to fund the creation of the district. She also worked with Main Street to organize a $100,000 mega mural to be painted on the Robin Hood Grain Elevator. She marshaled community support to bring the proposal to the City of Ponca City Board of Commissioners. After winning the Commission’s approval, a $50,000 pledge in tourism funds completed the fund drive for Phase I of the double-mural project.

Kelsey continues to serve as a board member of the Ponca City Arts and Humanities Council and has been appointed to serve on the City of Ponca City Planning Commission.

“So, again, I am many things, but in my heart of hearts, I am an innovator, always looking for ways to make the world a little bit better, whether using technology, farm gate latches or using a peer-to-peer overnight stay app.”

She built her businesses from the ground up but admits her job(s) don’t feel like “work.”

“I come to work, and I do what I love every day, and I can’t believe this is my life and this is what I get to do for a living.”

Kelsey is married to Jay Wagner and has two children, Pierce, 13; and Noah, 11. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administrative Leadership from the University of Oklahoma and an Associate of Arts degree in Journalism from Northern Oklahoma College.

Know a struggling parent or family? Encourage them to reach out to Melanie Gartside, Northern Oklahoma Youth Services, or NOYS. Caring for Northern Oklahoma’s families is Melanie Gartside’s passion. She combines this passion with serious skills so she can be truly effective in helping families overcome virtually any challenge.

Backed by her Behavioral Health Case Management 2 certification, Melanie works one-on-one with clients to teach them new coping skills and techniques. She has completed over 100 hours of professional training. “The minimum requirement for our agency is 20 hours,” she says. “I have chosen to participate in the extra hours of training to better understand my community and the families we serve.”

As Supervisor of the Family Resource Program, Melanie oversees the parent educators and manages the contract between NOYS and Oklahoma State Department of Health, ensuring both agencies are delivering on mutual promises, so area families are strengthened.

“Our program provides families (with) developmental information, family well-being referrals and donations and parent-child interaction techniques,” Melanie explains.

In other words, if a family feels there are few solutions to their very real problems, Melanie steps in with an armful of helpful tools — the equivalent of a warm, supportive hug.

Her program serves families with prenatal through kindergarten agechildren living in Kay, Noble, Pawnee and Osage counties. The contract with OKDHS includes requirements the program needs to meet. The annual audit keeps score of how well the program is doing in meeting those requirements.

“Before I started, the program was only meeting two of the 20 essential requirements set by the state and national standards,” she said. “The program audit that occurred in May of this year showed us meeting all 20 essential requirements and exceeding requirements in five of them.”

One of those “exceeded expectations” proverbial gold stars is in the category of support groups. “We have 100 percent program capacity and 120 percent of program visits were successful,” Melanie says. “This has been a group effort from the program; but I am extremely proud of how far we have come under my leadership.”

She points to the relationships with Ponca City Public School’s Teen PEP Program and the Kay County Detention Center as two she also is proud to have developed.

Melanie is a veteran grant writer and puts her experience to work to bring

outside dollars to Ponca City’s NOYS so the agency can continue providing services free of charge. She also stepped up to take over the pinwheel fundraising project originated through the now-disbanded Oklahoma Child Abuse and Prevention Task Force. Through the month of April, pinwheels are sold with funds used to provide support groups.

The playroom Melanie designed and created provides a much-needed space for Family Resource Program visits, DHS- or third party-supervised family visits as well as a welcoming play space for younger shelter children. “Having the ability to use this room helps bring community members into our agency to experience all of the services NOYS has to offer.”

As chairman of the Kay County Systems of Care, Melanie guides the meeting of all services providers in Kay County. They plan their participation in community events and discuss new services available for clients.

She also is a member of the Infant and Early Childhood Coalition. “For this coalition, we are surveying the needs of the community and have been gathering ideas to begin implementing,” she says. The IEC Coalition will receive support from the Pinwheel Fundraiser.

Melanie is in her third year as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA, volunteer. The program provides a volunteer, when requested by the courts, to speak for children in foster care. “It is my job to speak for the children who cannot always speak for themselves,” Melanie says. “This has been a passion since I was in college and CASA was my sorority’s National Philanthropy.”

She has turned her participation in Kappa Alpha Theta’s local alumnae group into a fundraising arm to benefit CASA. As the group’s president, she introduced an online forum and expanded communications into social media. “We are able to provide a financial sponsorship to the local CASA office of Kay and Noble counties.”

While maintaining her full-time supervisory position, Melanie is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Wichita State University as well as certification in play therapy.

“Based upon my current experiences, I see a tremendous need for a registered play therapist in our community.”

Melanie and husband Shane Rourk have a 1-year-old son Asher. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Child Development from Oklahoma State University.

In the very first sentence of her “Five Under 40” nomination response, Stephanie Austin emphasized the importance of teamwork in creating success. And, if a group of associates is only as strong as its laziest member, then CEO Austin reminds her team of each individual’s importance.

“In the commercial construction industry, growth and innovation does not come from one single person, it comes from a team approach led by a coach,” she wrote. “Each team member must bring value. At Rick Scott Construction, each person is responsible for the profitability of the company.”

As work begins on the new Public Safety Center for the City of Ponca City, Stephanie can smile with satisfaction at her part in creating the unique, twocompany partnership. The partnership created a bigger bonding capacity that has enabled general contracting responsibilities to be awarded to a Ponca City-based business.

Stephanie explains, “The idea to form a joint venture with Kyler Construction could make possible the ability for RSC to pursue the work that individually would have potentially been out of our reach. I truly thought I would be shot down by all parties involved. What an outlandish thought – joining forces with our long-time competitor for a chance at our biggest project to date. But it worked! It might have been the scariest and at the same time, most proud moment of my career.”

Today, KSB Enterprises, LLC, is the Construction Manager at Risk for the $17.5 million Public Safety Center under construction one block east of the current PSC located at 200 E Oklahoma.

Stephanie shares her leadership talents with a number of local organizations including serving as secretary for the board of directors of The Opportunity Center Foundation, the Board of Directors, Community Health Foundation Board of Directors and as a member of the Community Health Foundation Finance Committee. She is a graduate of Leadership Ponca City’s 30th class.

Through her involvement with the Oklahoma chapter of the Association of General Contractors, (AGC-OK), Stephanie reviews proposed legislation and gives feedback to leadership at the State Capitol. “This is extremely important to a small business/small-mid size contractor as most legislation is geared toward mega contractors in our industry. Without the small industry voice, we leave ourselves open to being swallowed up by big industry and legislation that weeds us out of the competition,” she says.

Stephanie served as Project Manager for the Conoco Museum project, which received the 2008 AGC-OK’s “Build Oklahoma” award. She also received the Build Oklahoma award for her work overseeing the Ponca City High School Football Locker Room project. “Even though my name was listed as the project manager for this project, the honor and excitement in receiving the award didn’t come from my years of experience or knowledge

of the construction industry. It came from being able to stand by the young professionals whom I worked alongside to make this project a success,” she says. “Truth be told, Chelsi Hendrickson (assistant PM) and Hayden Scott (project superintendent) made my job easy as they worked and collaborated each day to make this job a success.”

“Coach” Stephanie’s turn at the recruiting helm has met with outside success. She explains, “In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world and into our state and backyard, I saw a need for providing PPE to folks that were on the front line fight to help save lives.”

Since managing projects is what she does for a living, Stephanie coordinated an outside project to produce masks. She says recruiting volunteers and donors for materials was the easy part. Fabricating the end product and distributing them was a bit trickier.

“Navigating questions from talented seamstresses on intricate details of the pattern, (such as) ‘bias,’ was totally outside my comfort zone, but we all managed. Contacting medical facilities and organizations who cared for patients and keeping up with demand was also a challenge and forced me to learn a new skill: sewing!”

She credits this project and the individuals both sewing and donating as being a true blessing. Over 1,800 masks have been distributed to Ponca City medical facilities. Mask production continues, albeit at a slower pace.

Since joining Rick Scott Construction in 2004, Stephanie has grown to become the buck-stops-here leader of a multi-million-dollar commercial construction company that has grown to three locations across the state as well as started a new joint venture. “We are on the cutting edge of industry standards and work diligently to mentor young professionals,” she says.

Her mantra, “you can accomplish anything, no matter who you are and where you come from,” is something she strives to live out each day. “I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world; I just wasn’t sure what that meant.”

When Rick Scott asked this accounting assistant if he wanted to move into an Assistant Project Manager’s role, Stephanie admits she didn’t know exactly what that meant and that she had a LOT to learn. “Never had ‘flying under the radar’ proven such a valuable life skill. I worked, learned, cried, got mad, wanted to quit, learned more, became invested, learned more, began to lead and fell in love with an industry in which I previously knew nothing. Never in my wildest dreams would I have envisioned myself where I am today, But I am so thankful and proud.”

Stephanie is wife to Ryan Austin and mother of Hunter, 14, and Blake, 12. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Communications from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Stephanie: It has taken many years of practice, however the ability to come together as a team and process any item for what it is, void of any emotion. Concentrating on the facts and dissecting, working through and accomplishing a task as a team is a great feat. The ability to do so and know that any discussion is based solely on the work in front of us and the facts that surround it proves extremely productive and efficient. Working any other way simply is not.

Luke: I’m a problem solver and a vision caster. I help to keep projects on track, work around client issues and team missteps. This leaves my team with the freedom to be creative. I look at the future projection of the company, and I assure we are staying relative in a world that changes constantly.

Melanie: I consider my personal strength to be knowing when I should lead and when I should follow. I believe this is important especially when working with ever-changing team dynamics. Every day I listen to the needs and concerns of members in my community. These conversations allow me to gain a clearer perspective of circumstances, becoming a better team member/community partner.

Erin: Good communication, integrity, determination, accountability, positivity, empathy, humility.

Kelsey: Teamwork is tough for many reasons – differing opinions, different methodologies, and different work ethics make teamwork challenging. So, my attitude when working with a team is this: I don’t care how we get to the end goal, just as long as we arrive together. No person left behind – because at the end of the day, people matter more than jobs, more than projects, and definitely more than money. Successful team projects are done by teams that truly value each other and the unique contributions they all bring to the table.

Stephanie: Acknowledging setbacks and/or failures is a great learning tool if you choose to determine the root cause and then act on changing it. I choose to categorize items as learning opportunities; and it is through those learning opportunities I have learned to not let others determine or convince me of my worth as doing so breeds self-doubt, and non-productivity. Knowing my worth and value serves as great strength and proves fruitful in any situation.

Luke: I’ve had many setbacks. I expect them. I think that is the life of an entrepreneur. If there is no grief, no sadness, no failure, there wouldn’t be any gain. I would think myself self-built and capable of doing it all on my own. Pride always has a way of punching me in the mouth, however I find I am strongest in my weakness. It is there that I look to God and to those he has placed around me for guidance – my team, my mentors, and my friends.

Melanie: I experienced a setback when I accepted my new position as a program supervisor at the age of 23. This position requires overseeing not only

the program outcomes but two staff members. This means that I was in charge of hiring and firing for the first time. Personally, I struggled with impacting the livelihoods of current and potential employees. By speaking with other program supervisors in the state they provided support and encouragement for these difficult situations, explaining how it is never easy; but it is my responsibility. By overcoming this obstacle, I gained better objectivity in separating personal life and professional life.

Erin: In April 2010, I was about nine months pregnant with my youngest daughter. I was working out of town when my husband called and summoned me home. Those details of the day I found out my Dad died have yet to fade. At 27 years old, I had lost a parent. My Dad had passed away overnight and didn’t wake up. I wasn’t sure exactly how to process that, how to tell my nearly 3-year-old that Papa was gone. And, my heart was breaking for the daughter that was just weeks from being born who now wasn’t going to meet her Papa. Losing a parent is one of the hardest things I’ve ever went through, particularly when there was no opportunity to say goodbye — he was just gone. My daughter was born one month later. The next several months grew increasingly difficult. A setback like the loss of a loved one is very hard to work through and recover from. (…Truthfully though, I don’t know that we ever really recover. Rather, I think we learn to live with the change and adjust accordingly.) Working through the grief process took time and attention. As time passed, I worked to allow this life setback to guide me and make me stronger. I often recall things my Dad had said or sayings that he was known for and sometimes I laugh about them and sometimes a tear is shed. I had always been a hard worker, but, at that point, I think I started working differently. I quit worrying about the really little, insignificant things because at that time, they really were just that. I tried to do the things that matter more. I tried to listen more. I had always believed that we should live each day like it was our last, but who really thinks it will be their last? Losing my Dad as a young adult prepared me to help friends who lost parents and that has provided me with some solace. The last time I saw my Dad was at my sister Ellen’s wedding celebrations, just a couple short weeks before his passing. What a happy final memory we shared though. My Dad wasn’t a perfect father, but he was an amazing Papa. As a father, my Dad was strict and stern. I don’t know if he was that way because of his military experience, but I can still tell you the things my siblings and I do not do because my Dad told us not to. My Dad was one of the smartest, hardest working people I knew; and he had very high expectations of his children. I constantly tried to prove myself so that my parents would be proud of me. He never demanded perfection or performance, but I wanted to strive for it. Even without him here, this hasn’t changed and I think going through this hardship has made me stronger. Over time, I think I have become a better person because I am better able to value time and I work harder focusing on what is truly important.

Kelsey: My husband was deployed to Iraq when I was five months pregnant with my second child. His deployment was very, very unexpected. It tested our marriage and it made me question who I was as a person. Caring for a toddler and a newborn by myself was difficult to say the least, but it helped me to develop an internal fortitude that I didn’t know I was possible. It also helped me learn that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength.

Stephanie: I am extremely fortunate to have met Linda Brown, of Evans and Associates, 15 years ago, and, at that time, could not have imagined the impact she has had on my life. Working in a male-dominated industry is tough and doing so as a 20-something woman was thought to almost be ridiculous. I love what I get to do every day — even the challenges — and, that is largely due to the guidance and mentoring of Linda. For those that know her, you understand; and, for those that don’t, I encourage you to. Linda entered the construction industry at an extremely young age and proved to be extremely successful not only within the company but also in our town and state. She has paved the way to help others, like me, learn and understand how to navigate in a very challenging and sometimes volatile industry.

Luke: Aside from the aforementioned, several people come to mind: my father and mother, Paul and Ellen Garrison; my mentor and friend, Steve Ballinger; my pastor, Michael Taylor; and other business leaders, Molly Kyler, Erin Liberton, Don Bohon, and Kelsey Wagner. However, the relationship that has shaped me, more than any other, is my twin brother, Ben. Ben is my best friend, my big brother, and the one that calls heads when I call tails. He has stood with me in solidarity through every trial, every conviction, and in every triumph. We have approached every conquest in life together. He challenges me to be better, cuts me deep, and builds me up. There is no greater influence on my decision making.

Melanie: When thinking about my greatest influences, my relationship with Cheryl Kinkaid immediately comes to mind. Over the years, I spent many hours with Cheryl and these hours certainly have shaped many of my beliefs and actions I have taken as an adult. Cheryl started as my cheer coach as a child. During these years she taught me respect and responsibility. She then became my first boss. This is where I gained my passion for helping people and animals. Also, I had a first-hand look at the work ethic and multitasking she performed every day. From then on, I strived to be like Cheryl. Next, she became my Theta sister. We shared a dedication towards vulnerable populations with our philanthropy, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), and the non-profit Positive Impact of Oklahoma. Cheryl has played various roles in my life and has been there during my successes and failures. Cheryl has inspired me to push past my abilities and strive for more. I now consider Cheryl to be my friend, someone I look up to and can always count on.

Erin: I’ve been blessed with many great influences in my life. Outside of the norms that often come to mind, I would have to say my Grandparents. All held very special places in my life and taught me many things. One Grandparent specifically would be my maternal Grandma. When I was in high school, my Grandma helped me purchase a vehicle that would end up lasting me several years. When I was in college, I lived with her for a while which was very special and gave us the opportunity for many discussions. As an adult, she was the very best “GG” to my daughters and their love was mutually special. Having a Type A personality that is often never satisfied, my Grandma reminded me it is okay to slow down and calm down. I was always on the go and striving for more; and while my Grandma encouraged me, she also reminded me that the value in rest is important too. From a personality standpoint, I really think my Grandma and I were nearly opposites, but it helped shape me to a better, more well-rounded person because I was challenged to see outside of my box. My Grandma was gentle, soft-spoken, and compassionate. She always encouraged me to take my time and think things through. My Grandma had a strong faith in Jesus Christ, and we had lots of faith-based discussions to make us both better understand where the other was coming from. I have always been a rule follower, but the ethics my Grandma exhibited were even more black and white than my own. It was during this time when I really learned and understood the importance of integrity and character because she was very strong in both.

Kelsey: Of all my relationships, my relationship with my father influenced me the most and shaped who I am as a person today. From a young age, my Dad never treated me like a “girl.” He never went easy on me or acted like there were things I wasn’t allowed to do. I drove combines, did farm work, and was his shadow for a better part of my young life. He was tough, he pushed me, and he was a hard critic. But he was also kind, nurturing and took time every step of the way to explain and teach. He was (and still is) up at 5 a.m. every day working hard, coming up with new ideas, trying new things. He would say, “better get a move on, we’re burning daylight,” and as a child, it made me value the daytime hours. That’s how I try to live my life, with that same drive and motivation every day.

Stephanie: When making decisions on how to act in a situation or which direction to take simply goes back to the basics of being a good Christian, living by the golden rule we were all taught in primary school, and acting ethically and honestly. Processing facts of a situation or decision, and only the facts, using the emotional intelligence mentioned above is the best way for me to sleep at night.

Luke: I am bound to a biblical worldview. In my mind and heart, all choices are filtered through the Word of God. When making a decision it’s easy to react based on emotions in the moment. Initial reactions are often overreactions. But, when grounded in principle and worked through in prayer, the right, and logical choice always seems to surface.

Melanie: When making a decision that needs to be based upon my own moral compass, I begin by identifying the facts. I determine how my choice will affect myself and others, then my mantra that I follow is “do no harm”. Next, I proceed with trying to make an informed decision that does not impose my viewpoints on others. Something else I keep in mind is a verse used in my sorority’s (Kappa Alpha Theta) moral code “now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” This is a reminder for me that if I cannot determine the exact path that should be taken, then I will love and care for the person or persons through the predicament. I do not think it’s reasonable to assume you will always agree on the best course of action in a situation; so, “do no harm” and “the greatest of these is love” are the phrases that help me keep my perspective and moral compass strong.

Erin: I want to live a good life and be a good person. To do this, I believe that being good or living well is all about balance. Balance between reason and emotion, and between my needs and those of others. (I often call this “head/heart balance”.) I believe everyone should be treated equally and that we should respect one another. We should strive to improve the lives of others, regardless of their differences, because by building others up we can build a moral society. I believe that we should be an example to others of what is good so that others can copy and they too can become good examples. At the end of the day, I believe our integrity and character are two of the most important things we have. We should place high value on them because if you don’t, you really don’t have much else.

Kelsey: Morality for me isn’t black and white. Right and wrong do not exist in a vacuum and I know that everyone is the hero of their own story. I don’t see people as good or bad, I see humans as tasks with making complex choices in a complex world. I believe empathy is the most useful emotion a person possesses and anger the least useful. So, I choose kindness, tolerance and patience. I’ve always believed wholeheartedly in the mantra “love thy neighbor as thyself,” with the keyword being love. Not like, not tolerate, not pretend to not see…but to love.

Stephanie: Concrete pours are my most favorite thing in our industry. I am still very much a tomboy at heart. Being clumsy is one of my specialties. I play piano for our church. Being with my husband and sons doing anything is my most favorite past time. I am just “me” and that in itself is pretty funny.

Luke: I am double-jointed in my index finger. Only one finger. On my left hand. I wait much too long between haircuts. I’m not a hipster, but my hair begs to differ. I have a beard, mostly because I look better with one than without one. If you are looking at my beard and thinking, “that can’t be,” I invite you to creep my Facebook profile and go back to 2013. That was a rough year for me… I was getting fat, but I didn’t realize I was getting fat. A docile work environment can do that to you. If I had a dragon, I would name it Saphira. If you know where I got the name, you shouldn’t admit it among friends; but you can tell me privately that we both enjoy a good fantasy. My first childhood memory is being spanked by my father. I don’t know what I did, but I was a brat, so I’m sure I deserved it. There is nothing better than a good cream cheese. I love the idea of being a dog owner. I want to have one of every breed. But I watch the sad dog commercials on TV, and know that I would be making those videos to support my own dogs so... I choose to let others own them and instead admire them as represented on the annual Purina Dog Show on Thanksgiving Day. (Go, Wolfhound!)

Melanie: I am a mom of an 18-month-old active, expressive, adventurous boy! Being a mom has given me a new outlook on our community and the need we have for infant and early childhood services.

Erin: I come from a large family and due to a blended family, I have a total of seven brothers and sisters. I am the oldest of the immediate family I grew up with but age-wise I am right in the middle of all of my siblings.

Kelsey: I have my core values hanging and framed in my office. Through my trials and tribulations, I’ve learned that in order to be effective, I needed to know what drives me. It was important to me to have something that guided me through all my decisions, personal, civic, business. If I ever have any doubts about whether or not to say yes to a new project, I just consult my core values and it helps guide me and keep me on track. My core values are to: Discover, Connect, Innovate, and Share. Every single project I do fits into my core values. My mission statement is “To use my gifts of insight and ideation to reveal issues, innovate solutions and solve problems. To use my empathy to see the world through the eyes of others, and to share my stories so that others may learn from my experiences.”