Generations of Vision: How the OADC and Okmulgee Business Complex are Building Tomorrow Today

Patrick Ford, Okmulgee Times Editor

Drive north along U.S. Highway 75 in Okmulgee and you will pass familiar landmarks - Harlan Ford, Tractor Supply, the Holiday Inn Express. For many residents, it is simply another busy corridor of daily life.

But just behind that traffic corridor, largely out of sight and still quietly taking shape, sits one

of the most consequential investments in Okmulgee County’s future.

The Okmulgee Business Complex (OBC) is more than land prepared for development. It is a vision - decades in the making - representing strategy, patience, infrastructure and belief in a community that refuses to stand still.

And at the heart of that effort stands the Okmulgee Area Development Corporation (OADC)

and Executive Director Deb Marshall, whose work reflects the magazine theme perfectly:

Preparing now for the generations yet to come.

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A Mission Rooted in Community Growth

Since 1997, the OADC has operated as a private nonprofit organization focused on economic growth across Okmulgee County. Its mission is clear and deliberate: attract industry, support existing businesses and build a workforce capable of sustaining long-term prosperity.

The approach is not flashy. It is not immediate. And often, much of the work happens quietly

behind closed doors. But its impact touches every resident. New industry means capital investment and primary jobs, which are based on pay levels as opposed to retail jobs.

Well-paying Primary Jobs mean income.

Income means stronger local businesses, improved infrastructure and better schools.

Economic development, Marshall explains, is ultimately about opportunity - not only for

businesses, but for families. It is about creating conditions where young people can stay, workers can advance and communities can thrive.

The Long Game of Economic Development

One of the most misunderstood realities about economic development is time.

Projects unfold over years, sometimes decades. Confidential negotiations, funding cycles,

infrastructure planning and market conditions all influence outcomes. Marshall describes the process as “a long game,” where progress may appear slow but is intentionally building momentum beneath the surface.

Companies considering relocation often conduct extensive research before ever publicly

acknowledging interest. Confidentiality is critical - and communities must demonstrate

readiness long before announcements occur.

This means economic development professionals frequently prepare sites without knowing

exactly who will ultimately use them.

The Okmulgee Business Complex is a textbook example of that strategy.

From Refinery Past to Opportunity Future

The land that now forms the Okmulgee Business Complex carries a history familiar to many

residents - once part of a refinery footprint, later remediated and returned to productive use.

Transforming that property into a modern industrial park required extensive environmental

review, engineering studies and regulatory coordination.

Wetlands delineations, cultural resource surveys, geotechnical analysis and environmental

clearance all became necessary steps.

These efforts may not capture headlines, but they represent a crucial advantage.

Companies evaluating new locations want certainty. They want to know that environmental issues are resolved, utilities are available and development can begin quickly. By completing that due diligence in advance, OADC has effectively shortened the timeline for

future investment.

The groundwork - literally and figuratively - has been laid.

Infrastructure: The Foundation of Possibility

Laying the groundwork for future investment, in 2019, the City of Okmulgee originally

launched infrastructure development at the Okmulgee Business Complex through a Tax

Increment Financing (TIF) initiative.

Infrastructure investment at the Okmulgee Business Complex has occurred through multiple

funding partnerships, including federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) support and state PREP program resources.

These investments enabled:

• Interior industrial access roads

• Stormwater management and detention systems

• Water and sewer utility installation

• Site grading and preparation

• Rail infrastructure planning and development

While such improvements may not be visually dramatic, Marshall emphasizes they are

essential. Companies searching for new locations favor communities where roads, utilities and site readiness already exist.

Prepared sites compete.

Unprepared sites wait.

The OBC now stands firmly in the first category.

Rail Access: A Strategic Advantage

Perhaps the most distinctive element of the Okmulgee Business Complex is its proximity to

Class I BNSF rail infrastructure.

Rail-served industrial property is increasingly rare - and highly desirable for manufacturing

and logistics operations. Through state PREP funding, OADC completed the first phase of a rail spur project, creating set-out track infrastructure that positions the complex to accommodate rail-dependent industry.

While full spur development will occur once specific tenants are identified, the presence of

initial rail infrastructure signals readiness and commitment.

For site selectors evaluating multiple communities, that readiness can be decisive.

It is, Marshall notes, a strategic investment designed to make Okmulgee competitive for

projects involving significant job creation and capital investment.

The Workforce Equation

Infrastructure alone does not attract industry. Workforce matters equally.

OADC’s strategy emphasizes collaboration with education and training partners across the

region, including Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Green Country

Technology Center and workforce development organizations.

The goal is alignment - ensuring training pathways match industry needs. Marshall points to a growing ecosystem of manufacturing employers in Okmulgee County, from aerospace to advanced manufacturing and food science.

Expansions at facilities such as Tate & Lyle, Anchor Glass and others highlight the region’s

industrial base and employment potential. Importantly, companies evaluate workforce availability across regional labor sheds, not just municipal boundaries.

Okmulgee’s location within the Tulsa metropolitan statistical area provides access to a

workforce pool approaching one million people.

This regional advantage strengthens recruitment efforts while reinforcing the importance of

local training pipelines.

Video Series: Manufacturing Matters - And So Do Stories

Part of OADC’s work involves storytelling - helping residents understand the industries

already operating locally. Through initiatives such as the video series “Manufacturing Matters,” Marshall has highlighted businesses often overlooked despite their economic significance. Those videos are highlighted on the Okmulgee Area Development Corporation website, and their Facebook page.

Lots of work and time goes into the preparation and production of the series and much thanks goes to Tyler Roberds of Roberds Studio for his excellent work of capturing what happens at these manufacturers and businesses.

Visits to operations like Anchor Glass in Henryetta or Clubhouse Leathers in Beggs reveal a

reality many residents rarely see: facilities operating around the clock, producing goods

shipped nationwide and supporting hundreds of families.

These stories reinforce a central message:

Economic development is not theoretical.

It is already happening.

And telling those stories helps communities appreciate the foundation on which future growth will build.

Commercial Potential Along Highway 75

While industrial recruitment remains the primary focus, the Okmulgee Business Complex also includes commercial frontage along Highway 75. This area holds potential for retail, dining and service development that could complement nearby employers and hospitality facilities.

Marshall envisions future possibilities ranging from workforce-serving restaurants to small

business incubator concepts blending retail and light industrial space. However, such development often follows - rather than precedes - industrial growth.

Population density, income levels and rooftops ultimately drive retail decisions.

The OBC strategy reflects that sequence.

Build industry first.

Jobs follow.

Housing expands.

Retail arrives.

It is a cycle observed repeatedly in growing communities nationwide.

Transportation Improvements Supporting Growth

Infrastructure improvements extend beyond the OBC boundary.

The Muscogee Nation’s Fairgrounds Road project - improving access near the Claude Cox

Omniplex and industrial corridor - represents another collaborative investment supporting

future development and traffic flow.

Such partnerships illustrate how multiple entities contribute to a shared economic future.

Growth is rarely the result of a single organization’s effort.

It emerges through collaboration.

The Quiet Work of Readiness

One of the defining characteristics of economic development is invisibility. Community members may not see negotiations, site tours or planning discussions.

They may not witness grant applications, engineering reviews or marketing outreach to site

selectors.

But these activities occur continuously.

Marshall describes the current period as one of preparation - positioning Okmulgee to respond when economic conditions shift and development opportunities accelerate.

Rather than waiting, OADC has chosen readiness.

Infrastructure is in place.

Marketing is underway.

Partnerships are active.

Land is prepared.

When opportunity arrives, response time matters.

Okmulgee intends to be ready.

Generations Thinking Forward

The Okmulgee Business Complex represents more than an economic project.

It symbolizes continuity.

Previous generations built industry, infrastructure and institutions that sustain today’s community.

Current leaders are extending that legacy.

Future residents will benefit from decisions made now.

Marshall often reflects on this generational perspective - that development paths unfolding

today may not fully mature within a single career or administration.

But they matter.

Communities willing to invest in long-term readiness shape their destiny.

A Vision Larger Than a Single Project

The OBC is one component of a broader economic vision encompassing:

• Workforce development

• Housing expansion

• Business retention

• Regional collaboration

• Infrastructure modernization

• Community readiness

Each element reinforces the others.

Economic development is not a project. It is an ecosystem.

And that ecosystem depends on sustained commitment across generations.

The Future Behind Highway 75

Today, motorists traveling Highway 75 may see open land where buildings could someday rise. They may not notice detention systems beneath the surface, rail infrastructure quietly waiting or utility networks prepared for connection.

But those unseen elements represent possibility.

The Okmulgee Business Complex is not empty space.

• It is prepared space.

• It is opportunity in waiting.

• It is a statement that Okmulgee County believes in its future.

If one phrase captures OADC’s posture, it is the organization’s own declaration:

All in - for jobs, for growth, for Okmulgee’s future.

That commitment reflects a community determined to compete, collaborate and create opportunity for the next generation.

Behind Highway 75, beyond daily traffic and familiar landmarks, work continues - steady,

intentional and forward-looking.

Because preparing for tomorrow does not happen overnight.

It happens through planning.

Through partnership.

Through persistence.

And through people willing to invest their time and vision so future generations can build their own stories on a stronger foundation.