images stillwater, ok: 2008-09

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ON THE COVER Photo by Jeff Adkins Blue and Rust on the OSU Campus by Johanna Jordan

TM

OF STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA

2008-09 EDITION | VOLUME 1

DEPARTMENTS

6 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Stillwater culture

16 Portfolio: people, places and events that defi ne Stillwater

27 Arts & Culture

29 Education

30 Sports & Recreation

3 1 Health & Wellness

32 Community Profi le: facts, stats and important numbers to know

22 Energizing EntrepreneursThe business sector here thrives with help from Meridian Tech and OSU.

25 Biz Briefs

26 Chamber Report

CONTENTS

FEATURES

10 CULTURED SETTINGFrom live theater to multimedia arts classes, Stillwater’s got the arts covered.

12 SMART APPROACHStillwater is recognized for academic achievement in the state and region.

14 THE GREAT OUTDOORSStill waters run deep – and in Stillwater, they also run beautiful and massive.

16 FRIES WITH THAT?Stillwater’s “Jumpin’ Little Juke Joint” serves fries endorsed by a president.

27 IT’S ALL A BIG ACTThe Town and Gown Theatre has comea long way from its fi rst production.

14

Inside: OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY MARKETING SPECIAL SECTION

STILLWATER BUSINESS

This magazine is printed entirely or in part on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

STILLWATER IMAGESSTILLWATER .COM 3

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Famous for LuxuryWe indulge your taste buds ... and pamper you unmercifully

(405) 744-BEEF • www.theranchersclub.comBreakfast • Lunch • Dinner

(Reservations recommended)

(405) 744-6835www.athertonhotelatosu.com

All the luxuries a Cowboy deserves!

Located in the OSU student union

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“Find the good – and praise it.”– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINEImages of Stillwater is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Stillwater tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

TM

OF STILLWATER

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1MANAGING EDITOR KIM MADLOM

COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS

ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SARAH B. GILLIAM

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STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN

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JOE MORRIS, BETSY WILLIAMS

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CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

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V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS

MANAGING EDITORS/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS, BILL McMEEKIN

MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO

CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY

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HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE

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OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

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C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A

Images of Stillwater is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is

distributed through the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses.

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Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Stillwater Chamber of Commerce

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DINING IN THE SOONER STATEDid you know that Oklahoma is the only state in the Union to have an offi cial state meal? Find out what it is at imagesstillwater.com.

CHALLENGING THE DUST-BOWL REPUTATIONGardening and landscaping in Oklahoma are alive and well, despite the state’s popular image as a fl at, treeless dust bowl. Find out more at imagesstillwater.com.

VIDEO 1 INSIDE LOOK Join us on a virtual tour of Stillwater through the lenses of our award-winning photographers at imagesstillwater.com.

VIDEO 2 ESKIMO JOE’STake a seat in Eskimo Joe’s and learn the history from founder Stan Clark. Visit imagesstillwater.com.

VIDEO 3 IRVING TRAIL MUSEUMTake a tour of the Washington Irving Trail Museum with curator Dale Chlouber at imagesstillwater.com.

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EVEN MORE Read full-length versions of the magazine’s articles; fi nd related stories; or read new content exclusive to the Web. Look for the See More Online reference in this issue.

MOVING PICTURES PLUS


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Hey, Is That Garth Brooks?Country singer Garth Brooks attended Oklahoma State University

after high school, and lived in Stillwater for a few years. In fact, he

named his band Stillwater when he first started his music career.

Actor Gary Busey also attended Oklahoma State, dropping out

one class short of graduation. Other famous OSU alums include

NFL running backs Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders, as well

as Chester Gould, creator of the Dick Tracy comic strip.

As for Stillwater natives, they include actor James Marsden,

who was in the recent movie 27 Dresses; and all-star Major League

Baseball player Matt Holliday of the Colorado Rockies.

Fingerprints WelcomeWhat’s a kid to do for fun in Stillwater?

There are plenty of choices.

Children (and their parents) have

a variety of entertainment options

throughout the city. For example,

the Stillwater Parks, Events &

Recreation Department has plenty of

offerings for youngsters, while the Kid’s

Fitness Zone has indoor rock climbing,

in-ground trampolines, balance beams

and more for the physically active child.

Meanwhile, Pistol Pete’s Pursuit is a

self-guided scavenger hunt that takes

young people through Oklahoma State

University’s campus in a search for

small treasures.

No Holds BarredIf you can pin down a date in

your schedule, plan a visit to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum for something different to do.

The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and weekends by appointment. One of the most popular attractions is the Paul K. Scott Museum of Wrestling History, which houses a large collection of wrestling memorabilia that covers the entire history of the world’s oldest sport.

Another attraction is a Wall of Champions with names and information that cover NCAA, NJCAA, NAIA, FILA and USA Wrestling championships.


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SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT ANY RESEMBLANCE TO PLACES, EVENTS OR QUALITY OF LIFE IN STILLWATERIS PURELY INTENTIONAL!

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““IT KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY LAPTOP!IT KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY LAPTOP!””

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Fast Facts Oklahoma State

University is the largest employer, biggest landowner and considered the cultural center of Stillwater.

The population of Stillwater has been growing by about 800 residents each year since the 2000 U.S. Census.

Stillwater is home to the first Sonic Drive-In restaurant.

Major League Baseball All-Star left fielder Matt Holliday was born in Stillwater in January 1980. Holliday plays for the Colorado Rockies and is considered one of the best hitters in the game today.

Jimmy Johnson, former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, coached Oklahoma State’s football team from 1979-1983.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Stillwater, visit imagesstillwater.com.

Their World’s a StageIt’s all a big act at the Stillwater Community Center.

The center is home to several arts organizations, including the Stillwater Community Band, Stillwater Jazz and the Stillwater Community Singers. The facility has an on-site Winfrey D. Houston Theater that is ideal for live drama, dance performances, recitals and concerts.

Recent acts that have played the Stillwater Community Center include the Chinese Golden Acrobats, the Missoula Children’s Theatre and a stage performance of the classic play Cinderella.

To Your Arts Desire

Art enthusiasts, be sure to mark

your calendars for April 11-12, 2009.

That is when the 32nd annual

Stillwater Arts & Heritage Festival

descends upon Couch Park. The

Stillwater Convention and Visitors

Bureau sponsors the event.

The festival always occurs on

the second weekend in April, and

approximately 60 artists and

musicians participate in the

extravaganza. Artists are free to sell

their art, so the festival benefits the

participants as well as the overall

economy of Stillwater.


Almanac

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STILLWATER’S ARTS COMMUNITY SHINES AT FESTIVALS AND IN VARIOUS VENUES

F rom live theater to multimedia arts classes, Stillwater’s got the arts covered. And while many of those offerings currently fall into the “hidden gems” category, that’s about to change.

“The thing I heard time and time again before I came here is that this is Stillwater’s best-kept secret,” says Jessica Novak, program supervisor at the city’s Multi Arts Center. Built in 2001, the 14,000-square-foot arts center offers a dizzying, year-round calendar of events, including summer camps for children, parent-child classes, and artist-led classes and workshops in just about every medium imaginable.

“We’re trying to let the whole community know what we’ve got,

STORY BY JOE MORRISPHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

SettingCultured


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and to get them to come and take some classes here,” Novak says. “Because we’re a municipal operation, it’s really inexpensive – people are really pleased when they find out what a bargain we are.”

The Multi Arts Center also works closely with the city’s six public elementary schools, bringing children on site for the classes they need to pass the state’s standards for art education. This also allows the center to plug into the community’s families and enhance its youth and family classes.

“Our ceramics classes are very popular, and the children’s classes sell out very quickly,” Novak says. “But we’re always looking to expand our offerings, and so we tell people to check with us often – there’s usually something new.”

Stillwater doesn’t lack for live performance, either. The Town and Gown Theatre has been putting on community-performed theater for more than 50 years, and is one of the most popular volunteer-driven arts organizations in the area. And then there are the academic contributions from OSU’s theater department and the Stillwater High School Performing Arts Center.

For those who like their art in a social environment, the Stillwater Arts and Heritage Festival is the ticket. Begun more than 30 years ago as a local art show, the annual springtime event now encompasses entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors and more. It also has developed a historical side, offering exhibits on Oklahoma’s heritage.

The arts have also infiltrated the business community, as galleries and other art-related concerns have popped up in town. Take Exhibit One Gallery, which opened in November

2007 and has a yearlong waiting list for artists who wish to exhibit, according to Rachel Jenson, who co-owns the gallery with sister Michelle Himes-McCrory and mom Jewel Himes.

“We change exhibits every month, so we’ve already had a whole variety of art,” Jenson says. “We feature local artists, but have also had some from out of state.”

The gallery is booked through 2008, with artists jostling for position in 2009, she adds.

“We’ve had a really good response from the artists, and we have a reception every month for each show. The receptions draw a good turnout from the community,” she says. “Everyone has been telling us that they are really glad we’re here.”

Exhibit One joins such community mainstays as the Gardiner Art Gallery, which has been a big part of OSU’s art department since it opened in 1965. The gallery functions as part of the department’s teaching environment and as a community cultural resource. Gardiner hosts about 10 exhibits a year, four of which feature visiting artists, according to Teresa Holder, assistant director.

The Gardiner sees a steady stream of non-student visitors, and Holder says once the locals have been to an exhibit, they’re likely to return.

“It’s sometimes hard to get word out in the community about our exhibits and shows, but once they do come the reaction is always very positive,” she says.

Mechanical Observation I, by artist Aaron Peterman, can be viewed in the Gardiner Art Gallery at the Bartlett center for the Visual Arts on the campus of Oklahoma State University. Above left: Artwork is for sale in the gift shop at the Multi Arts Center. Above right: Mirror, by artist Katie Naas, is displayed at the Center.

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Watch as kids create art at the Multi Arts Center. Visit imagesstillwater.com.


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FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH COLLEGE, STILLWATER’S SCHOOLS EARN TOP MARKS

SmartApproach


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W ith a top-ranked public school system, as well as such not-able higher education

cen ters as Oklahoma State University, Meridian Technology Center and a campus of Northern Oklahoma College, small wonder that Stillwater is rec-ognized for academic achievement throughout the state and region.

It’s not just the schools and uni-versities, however, but the community’s loyal support of them, that sets Stillwater apart. The citizens are well educated, with more than 90 percent of residents holding a high school diploma, almost half with a college degree, and upwards of 25 percent also attaining a post-graduate degree.

“Everybody here is so supportive,” says Dr. Ann Caine, who became superintendent of the Stillwater Public Schools in May 2008. “It really struck me when my husband and I came to the Taste of Stillwater event at the high school, and found more than 30 res-taurant vendors and a packed gym. It raised almost $10,000 for the school district foundation, and when I saw that level of community support, I knew I’d made the right decision to come here.”

Caine inherits a district that’s just seen a $31 million bond measure approved – money that is being used to build a new high school football stadium and junior-high track. In the classroom, the district is a state leader in ACT and SAT scores, and consistently produces students who earn National Merit scholarships and other top honors. All told, Caine says she expects both the school system’s achievements and the support network to continue to expand and improve.

“Stillwater is a high-achieving, high-

expectations district, and it’s also a university community,” says Caine, herself an OSU grad. “There is a healthy and strong relationship between the district and the university, and a lot of collaborations are already in place. I’m new, and OSU has a new president, so this is a good time for us to look at new partnerships between the two groups. The bottom line for me is building relationships.”

That’s the goal on the OSU campus as well, where there’s anything but a town vs. gown mindset.

“OSU attracts students from many different communities in the state of Oklahoma, throughout the United States and nearly 120 other countries,” says Carrie Hulsey-Greene, associate director of communications. “This diverse mix of people creates a unique population for the community of Stillwater. OSU has various programs throughout the university that work with elementary and secondary students in Stillwater and surrounding communities to mentor and spark their interest in pursuing a higher education.”

The university’s faculty and staff also work with the Stillwater business community through the Center for Innovation and Economic Development. The center allows OSU to offer a wide range of services to help small businesses and entrepreneurs with business plans and investment opportunities, Hulsey-Greene says.

“CIED also works with the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce to bring new business and industry to the area,” she says. “OSU offers many opportunities for training and workforce development through the Center of Professional and Executive Development in the William S. Spears School of Business.”

Students play cricket on the campus of Oklahoma State University. Stillwater is known as Oklahoma’s Premier Education Community, thanks to excellent public schools and top-notch higher education institutions like OSU.

STORY BY JOE MORRIS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS


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GreatOutdoorsSPEND A DAY ON THE LAKE OR ON THE LINKS

The

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I f your image of Oklahoma is tied to John Steinbeck and the legendary dust bowl, think again. Here, still waters run deep and wide.

Lake McMurtry, a city-owned site, is 1,300 acres of water surrounded by 2,100 acres of land. Lake Carl Blackwell is 3,350 acres. Boomer Lake is three miles around.

“A large part of the state is heavily forested, with lots of lakes,” says John McClenny, director of parks and recreation for the city of Stillwater. “Three of ours are quite nice.”

The three are McMurtry, Blackwell and Boomer.Lake McMurtry, he says, is the crown jewel – shining

where sun and water meet and offering fishing, boating, skiing and other water sports geared toward the family. Some 27 miles of trails provide ample opportunity for hiking and biking. Camping is available at tent sites or in RV areas equipped with access to electricity and water.

The lake attracts people from throughout the region and brings in $80,000 in fees annually to the city, McClenny says.

“People come mainly on the weekends,” says Roger Bastion, lake supervisor. “Fishing is good in the spring.”

The Stillwater Rifle and Gun Club holds events here, and some cycling events are scheduled annually.

“We work with the local bike groups,” Bastion says, noting that McMurtry attracts cyclists, while Lake Carl Blackwell has a big equestrian component.

Lake Carl Blackwell, owned by Oklahoma State University, attracts people interested in swimming, fishing, boating, skiing and sailing. The surrounding 800 acres of land is ideal for horseback riding, camping, hiking and hunting.

Boomer, located in town, is also very popular, thanks to a major renovation in the 1990s when the city drained and deepened the lake, rebuilt the dam and added breakwater jetties to deal with heavy winds.

“We used to joke it was too thick to drink and too thin to plow,” McClenny says. “That’s not the case now. Boomer Lake is definitely premier. We put a lot of effort into it.”

The lake water is used to cool the city’s power plant as well as for recreation. Residents of Stillwater enjoy the Boomer Blast!, held July 4, and an annual boat race. The city also promotes biking and walking at the lake.

For those who prefer links to lakes, Karsten Creek Golf Club is a gem. Designed by the famed Tom Fazio, the club is named for Karsten Solheim of Ping Golf fame. Karsten Creek is used by the college golf teams and also hosts golf events, such as the NCAA championships and the Ping Invitational.

Karsten Creek regularly appears on lists of the best courses in the country. Opened in 1994, Golf Digest named it the Best New Course.

“It’s unique for this area,” says Scott Davies, general manager, golf pro and director of instruction. “This course is

one of the top-ranked courses in the country. People come to this part of the state and they want to play here.”

For instance, when the PGA Championship was at Southern Hills in Tulsa last year, some attendees drove 75 miles to play the Karsten Creek course.

Public play is allowed, but just a total of 10,000 rounds a year are played at Karsten Creek. That’s just fine, Davies says.

“We’re quietly tucked away,” he says. “We try and keep it a little exclusive.”

Other area courses include Lakeside Golf Club – 15 minutes from downtown – and White Barn Estates.

STORY BY PAUL HUGHES | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

Chuck Streit of the Red Dirt Peddlers bicycle club rides along the Red Trail at the city-owned Lake McMurtry. Left: The sun sets over the 1,300-acre lake, which is a favorite for swimming, boating and fishing.


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Not every restaurant can claim a presidential seal of approval on its

signature dish. Eskimo Joe’s can.When President George H.W. Bush

spoke at Oklahoma State University’s commencement ceremonies in 1990, he offered some words of praise for Eskimo Joe’s fresh-cut cheese fries, noting his wife Barbara, who was not present, was sorry she missed out.

Sharing the spotlight with the food at this popular self-described “Jumpin’ Little Juke Joint” is the fun.

Two college friends at Oklahoma State University founded Eskimo Joe’s in the summer of 1975. From there, the enthusiasm of the business’ young owners propelled the bar into popularity.

“The key to success in any field or endeavor is enthusiasm,” says

Fries With That?ESKIMO JOE’S SERVES FOOD WITH A FAMOUS SMILE

Cheese fries are the most popular item on the menu at Eskimo Joe’s.

co-founder and sole owner since 1978, Stan Clark.

Today, Clark is at the helm of a nationally renowned, full-service res-taurant, as well as two other restaurants located in Stillwater – Joseppi’s Italian Kitchen and Mexico Joe’s.

Eskimo Joe’s has evolved into a college sports bar mecca for OSU fans and Americana food enthusiasts alike. Located a block east of campus, the unique two-story stone building with its one-of-a-kind retractable glass atrium stands out in the Stillwater landscape.

Even more visible is the Eskimo Joe’s logo. Designed by an OSU art student, the logo features a grinning cartoon Eskimo Joe and his friendly dog, Buffy. Clark began selling the shirts from behind the bar and today the shirts are considered one of the most collectible in the country. Eskimo Joe’s offers a complete clothing line on-site and online.

It is no coincidence the iconic smile is central to Eskimo Joe’s logo. Clark says he’s in the “business of sharing smiles” through quality food and excellent customer service, and every time “you put on Joe’s Clothes, you’re puttin’ on a smile.”

Those commitments have created unprecedented customer loyalty. Each July the company’s week-long anni-versary celebration, which started in 1985, is one of the largest events in Stillwater, drawing thousands of visitors. The celebration includes live music, an OSU reunion of all ages and a collectible T-shirt.

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SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a seat at Eskimo Joe’s. Visit imagesstillwater.com.


Portfolio

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The setting sun lights one of the buildings on the property of the Dancing Deer Lodge, a bed-and-breakfast with an American Indian theme.

Just five minutes from downtown Stillwater is a chance to experience

something truly reminiscent of a slower-paced Oklahoma.

“Unique is a word that is overused in the bed-and-breakfast industry, but for some places it is the only word that does it,” says Doug Groesbeck, who with his wife, Carlene Slater, owns the Dancing Deer Lodge.

Three cozy, Prairie-style cottages are available to guests. Each is adorned with American Indian cultural artifacts. American Indian decor, including Kachina dolls, artwork, baskets and pottery are displayed throughout the property. An 8-foot buffalo hide hangs on the wall of the honeymoon cottage. Groesbeck also has a collection of signed prints from artist and Oklahoma State Senator Kelly Haney.

The items on display are interesting, but Groesbeck says people visit the lodge for the peace and quiet they can experience here. In 2006, Inn Traveler Magazine named the Dancing Deer Lodge as the best bed-and-breakfast

for rest and relaxation. The cottages are surrounded by five

wooded acres, featuring a secluded nature trail that shields guests from the city nearby.

“We’re not a game preserve but people who come here from bigger cities are amazed when they look out their back window and see a meadow and wildlife,” Groesbeck says.

Inside, the atmosphere is even cozier. Two private suites and the honey-

moon cottage sleep 8-10 adults and include covered parking and private entrances. Other amenities include a refrigerator stocked with complimentary beverages, TV/VCR, wireless Internet, fax and copier services, and a full kitchen.

Each morning, guests are treated to a fresh breakfast of home-baked breads and pastries.

In addition to the Dancing Deer Lodge, four other bed-and-breakfast venues also offer a relaxing visit to Stillwater. They are Butler’s Bed & Breakfast, The Cottage, Brush Creek Farm Bed & Breakfast and Country Chateau.

The Ticket to Relaxation



No matter what the occasion, the hot spot for special events in Stillwater

is the Payne County Expo Center. Each year, the facility plays host to a

range of local, state and national events, including everything from trade shows to family reunions. The major attraction at the venue is the Payne County Fair, a free, Expo Center-sponsored event that draws in large crowds every year.

The Expo Center is also ideal for cattle and horse shows. The facility is equipped with an outdoor arena and there are riding trails and courses for harness horse and dressage enthusiasts. Horse stalls and hog and sheep pens also help make the arena perfect for livestock events.

In 2007, the center even hosted a women’s roller derby tournament.

“We practically have everything,” Expo Center Director Michael Benson says.

Eleven buildings totaling around 300,000 square feet of arena space

house the myriad of activities.The grounds are also home to the

Pfeiffer Farm Collection, a unique collection of antique farm machinery and equipment. The museum even offers tours by appointment.

Rental rates include not only the use of the excellent facilities, but also specialized service and setup. The Expo Center provides guests with up to 250 tables and nearly 2,000 chairs, as well as cleanup and maintenance services after the events.

Even for those not looking for a place to host an event, the Expo Center is still a great resource for the community. Located just three miles east of Stillwater at the very last stoplight leaving town, the Expo Center has about 30 camping sites, all of which have water and electricity access. Benson says these well-equipped overnight camping sites are perfect for fans of Oklahoma State University who travel to games in RVs.

Expo Is Event Headquarters

Kelcea Cundiff, 15, stands behind her prize-winning York pig.


Portfolio


The Sheerar Museum allows visitors to learn about the 1889 Land Run in the Oklahoma Territory and the early history of Oklahoma State University.

The Sheerar and the Washington Irving Trail museums both offer

a detailed look at Oklahoma history with a focus on Payne County.

Located on South Duncan Street, The Sheerar Museum is named after an OSU engineering professor who decided to put his mother’s impressive button collection on display. The 3,450 buttons, dated from the 1740s to the 1930s, are still here, but the museum has expanded well beyond that initial idea.

In 1989, the museum became the official Stillwater History Museum, covering history from the 1889 Land Run that established Oklahoma settle-ments to Oklahoma State’s beginnings as an agriculture college.

Permanent exhibits are broken down into 10-year increments of history, ranging from archeological history to the establishment of the university. Much of the museum features donated materials.

“We are always accepting items from the local community,” says museum registrar Adelia Hanson.

The Washington Irving Trail

Museum is nationally recognized for its interactive exhibits and diverse collection of Americana.

“We emphasize the artifacts to tell the story,” curator Dale Chlouber says.

After researching undeveloped museum topics, Chlouber decided to produce a permanent exhibit on Washington Irving, the country’s first internationally acclaimed writer. Irving’s connection to Oklahoma is through his adventure into the west, which resulted in his book, A Tour on the Prairies.

The museum is filled with a varied collection of American artifacts, ranging from a 37-pound meteorite to the original 1692 death warrant for Salem Witch Trial defendant Rebecca Nurse.

Many of the nearly 200 artifacts, which Chlouber has collected for 50 years, could easily be at home in national museums. He says the American Indian artifacts on display in the Washington Irving Trail Museum are the envy of the Smithsonian.

A new American Indian wing is currently in development.

– Stories by Brandon Lowe

Museums Preserve the Past

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SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a tour of the Washington Irving Trail Museum at imagesstillwater.com.



744 business section.indd 20 8/7/08 9:29:35 AM

EnergizingEntrepreneurs

STILLWATER’S BUSINESS SECTOR THRIVES WITH HELP FROM MERIDIAN & OSU


Business


STORY BY LOUISE GACIOCH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

S teve Irby knows a thing or two about the entrepreneurial spirit.

He learned about sound as a young keyboardist in a rock

band, and today is the president and founder of Stillwater Designs & Audio Inc. – which produces the Kicker car-audio brand sold in all 50 states and more than 60 countries.

It’s no coincidence that he includes Stillwater in the name of his company.

“We have probably brought in 40 or more people to Stillwater to work at Stillwater Designs over the years. They come here to work for our company, however, they stay because of the quality of life in total – at work, in the community, the education system and the friendly, good-hearted people,” Irby says.

Irby’s wife and banker provided his support when starting his company decades ago. Today, he points to Meridian Technology Center and Oklahoma State University for initiatives that help emerging entrepreneurs.

Meridian Technology Center for Business and Development provides access to the latest technological and management advances through advising, mentoring, classes and training. A phenomenal success in Stillwater, Meridian vows to listen to the needs of entrepreneurs from the inception, says Ken Koch, chief communications and marketing officer.

Known as a “high tech/high touch” certified incubator for technology based start-up companies, the center facilitates entrepreneurs as they develop core products and discover effective marketing methods.

The business center has served 43 companies to date and graduated 28, according to Koch. As of July 2007, the center boasted more than $26 million in research grants and investment capital.

“Changing with demands is the name of the game for Meridian Technology Center,” Koch notes.

Pharmacy technician and health informatics technology programs were added in August 2007.

When area business leaders approached school administrators about the need for more pharmacy technicians, MTC responded. Also, the relatively new field of health informatics is much-

Meridian Technology Center is a breeding ground for business and offers support to entrepreneurs. Left: The new Kicker facility is evidence of Stillwater’s strong business base.

needed. “Many hospitals are making the change to digital record keeping, and this course offers training in making that a smooth transition,” says Rita Henderson, director of full-time programs.

The training center is now preparing to expand by 18,000 square feet to make room for more classrooms and a clinical simulation lab – which will incorporate computer-controlled man-nequin systems. The mannequins allow health-care students to gain authentic clinical experience.

Another new offering is the Ewing

Marion Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac® program. In the first seg-ment, par ticipants will research and prove a business concept, hone their entrepreneurial skills and develop a workable business plan.

Like Meridian, Oklahoma State University is also a strong machine for supporting and sustaining busi-nesses and entrepreneurs. OSU’s Center for Innovation and Economic Devel-opment assists businesses, economic development organizations and gov-ernmental agencies.



A pizza topped with pepperoni, tomatoes and spinach is served at Stillwater’s iconic eatery, The Hideaway, which has been serving customers since 1957.

LEGENDARY PIZZAThe pizza niche in Stillwater has

been pleasantly filled since 1957, thanks to the handmade, stone-baked pizzas served at The Hideaway.

Even though the restaurant is located near OSU’s campus, it is a far cry from your typical college pizza joint. In truth, it is a family restaurant.

“Growing up, we would hang out there after school,” Hideaway managing partner David Sanders says. “It just becomes a part of you.”

All Hideaway pizzas are cooked in a stone hearth at 600 degrees and by a team of line cooks trained in the art of perfect pizza making. On game days, the

team cranks out more than 2,000 pizzas in a single day.

The most popular menu item is the “The Pizza of the Gods,” a veggie pizza made with an olive oil and garlic infused sauce, and topped with artichokes and mushrooms. The restaurant also serves sandwiches, pasta and lasagna.

STILLWATER’S TOY STOREStrolling down Stillwater’s Main

Street, you may find yourself staring through a tall window at a fascinating display of toys. Inside, this one-of-a-kind children’s store offers an array of specialty items customers won’t find in department stores.

Since the Wiggles and Giggles opened in September 2007, owner Debbie Clemons has built a strong customer base of moms and grandmothers.

Her recipe for success?Keeping it fresh. Each week, Clemons

brings in a new shipment of toys and baby gadgets to make sure that no two visits are the same.

“The people of Stillwater have been craving a store like this because it keeps them from having to take a long drive to find a unique toy,” assistant manager Rhonda Brewer says.

ANTIQUE HISTORYLocated a block off Main Street, the

Stillwater Antique & Collectibles Mall has been a town fixture for 18 years. A recent change in ownership has people rediscovering this Stillwater staple all over again.

“I love to browse and find little hidden treasures,” owner Jinnings Burruss says. Burruss increased the store’s selection after jointly purchasing the store in March 2007 with two fel-low booth owners. Together they have revamped the business’ image as one of the best antique stores in Oklahoma.

The two-story building has 75 vendor booths and more than 20,000 feet of hard-to-find antiques. Popular items include oak furniture, collectible glassware, vintage jewelry and railroad memorabilia. The university’s yearbook is the mall’s biggest seller.

OKLAHOMA VINEYARDDown a country road on the edge of

Stillwater, a 66-acre farm is home to a myriad of treasures, including wine.

Woodland Park Vineyards and Winery is an elegant scenic destination, offering a relaxing experience featuring antiques, art, food and wine.

“People come here to enjoy the scenery and the quiet,” says Jeanette Hane, who owns the vineyard with her husband Ivol.

Long involved in farming, the couple began growing grapes seven years ago due to their interest in wines.

“Art, horticulture and making good food are part of my experiences of life and livelihood,” Hane says, noting that Woodland Park is part of her history. Her grandparents first settled there in the 1920s.

– Brandon Lowe

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Business | Biz Briefs


T he Stillwater Chamber of Commerce is creating a dynamic atmosphere for business.

“We work to create an environment that assures our members of monetary success,” says chamber president and CEO Larry Brown. “We work with our members so that at the end of the year they have increased their bottom line.”

That may sound like a tall order, but Brown and his chamber team have outlined an effective program of work that is doing just that, under an umbrella that includes the Stillwater Convention & Visitors Bureau and the com-munity’s economic development program, the Stillwater Industrial Foundation.

Through varied networking and business education opportunities, leadership development, the Forward Stillwater Incentives pool and small business assistance, the Stillwater chamber is a key partner and one of the primary reasons for the community’s recent inclusion in the Top 10 list of the best cities in which to operate a business and retire.

Tapping into the abundance of Oklahoma State University’s young graduates, the chamber has launched the Young Professionals of Stillwater, a program that seeks to keep Stillwater’s best and brightest in the community. “This is the fastest growing membership segment of the chamber,” Brown says. “Creating this new program under the chamber provides an opportunity for the young professionals in their 20s to their

40s, to get together on basically a social basis and talk about issues and ways to improve the community.”

Monitoring actions of local and state government to ensure that business-friendly legislation is passed is a primary focus of the chamber’s governmental affairs division, and “some issues are vigorously lobbied,” says Brown, a former Stillwater mayor and city commissioner.

On the economic development side, the chamber is working with education and business to create and maintain a viable workforce. “We have very low unemployment here,” Brown says. “While that is great for the workers, it can be tough for industry. We work with local industry to determine their needs and required skill levels, and then go to educational institutions to make sure they are developing training programs that meet those needs.”

The chamber has partnered with OSU to create the Center for Innovation and Economic Development, which works with entrepreneurs. A recent $45,000 donation to the chamber by OSU will be used to enhance the chamber’s recruitment efforts, particularly with entrepreneurs.

Another element of economic development is tourism, and the chamber-staffed CVB is taking advantage of the amenities OSU provides as a Big 12 Division One university. Four new hotels are coming online within the next 12 months, joining the dozen or so that currently operate. – Betsy Williams

The Right ClimateSTILLWATER OFFERS A STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESS

Larry Brown, president and CEO of the Stillwater chamber, is a fan of Harleys and the business community.

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Business | Chamber Report


Stillwater’s Town and Gown Theatre has come a long way from its first production in OSU’s ballroom, but it’s never ventured very far from its roots.

The 57-year-old community theater, whose name is a play on the old “locals vs. campus” cultural battleground, has become an entertainment mainstay not only because of its age, but because of its open-door policy when it comes to getting involved.

“We exist, basically, to educate people about theater by using not just the shows, but classes and other programs we do throughout the year,” says Shane O’Mealey, president. “We have hard-core volunteers, and they come from everywhere. And they don’t all want to act – some of them want to work with props, run the light board, things like that.”

Good, thing, too. Town and Gown puts on four plays and one musical every year, and offers season tickets. As a theater in the round it can hold anywhere from around 165 to 220 patrons, depending on the show and its stage configuration.

“We can literally move certain parts of the stage seating out, or put more in. We can be flexible according to what we need,” O’Mealey says. “If we go for full, in-the-round seating, they’re pretty close to the stage. You can see the faces of people in the front row, and trip over their feet if you’re not careful.”

Town and Gown has been in its current building since 1962, and is always working on the facility, making additions and renovations as needed. Upgrades of the parking lot and

theater lighting recently have been completed.Recent additions to Town and Gown also include the

Wagner Art Gallery, which was dedicated in 2006 and showcases local and regional artists at each performance, on a rotation basis throughout the season. The space was named for the late Jon and Betty Wagner, who were Town and Gown supporters from its early days through Betty Wagner’s star turn in Driving Miss Daisy in the early 1990s.

“We get things from different towns, everything from art to antiques and memorabilia,” O’Mealey says. “Sometimes it fits the show, sometimes it’s a new artist in the area.”

The theater company also continues to take advantage of its lifelong relationship with OSU, swapping everything from actors to costumes and props with the university. It’s been a fertile ground for nationally known talent, including actor James Marsden, who starred in the recent comedy 27 Dresses. The theater also has its own legion of dedicated followers who have never paraded before its footlights.

“We have a lot of alumni, famous and not,” O’Mealey says. “But as much as that, we have some continuing and very avid fans of our shows. They’re there every season, as long as a lot of people can remember. A lot of them performed in shows, and they come to everything. And that’s great, because we always need an audience, and we always need more volunteers. There’s plenty for people to do.”

– Joe Morris

It’s All a Big ActTHEATER HAS LONG HISTORY OF PROVIDING ENTERTAINMENT TO STILLWATER REGION

Cindy Sheets, Colton Clason and Shannon Hall perform Strange Times in Sacred Oaks, written by Shane O’Mealey.


Arts & Culture

744 arts.indd 27 8/7/08 9:29:32 AM

A Traditionof Excellence

Northern Oklahoma College

Flexible Schedulesfor Adult Students

STILLWATER(405) 744-2246

TONKAWA(580) 628-6220

ENID(580) 242-2275

www.north-ok.edu

Over 70 academic degrees with half focused to meet business and industry needs.

Day, evening and online classes for working adults.

Credits earned through the NOC/OSU Gateway Program apply toward OSU bachelor’s degrees.

A comprehensive nursing program that offers you hands-on, real-world opportunities.

Scholarships and financial aid available.

Where Tomorrow’s Nurses

Learn Today

744 education.indd 28 8/7/08 9:30:11 AM

Northern Oklahoma College is the oldest community college in the state – even before there was a state. NOC was chartered in 1901 and began prepping

Oklahoma Territory students for university, earning the moniker, Little Harvard on the Plains.

“They came from rural, one-room schoolhouses and we made up the difference,” says Debbie Quirey, NOC associate vice president and director of the Stillwater campus.

NOC still helps students attain college degrees.Quirey directs the Gateway Program, a joint effort between

NOC-Stillwater and Oklahoma State University.Gateway assists high school graduates who want to attend

OSU but don’t meet the admissions requirements. Those students attend classes on the NOC-Stillwater campus and then transfer to OSU after earning 24 hours of college credit with a 2.5 grade point average or above.

“We help students who aren’t academically eligible for OSU get to that point,” Quirey says.

The courses offered to Gateway students are general studies, including history, freshman composition, speech, psychology and college algebra. All courses are transferable to OSU, and a joint NOC-OSU board meets regularly to ensure the courses offered through Gateway have the same learning objectives as the courses offered to freshmen and sophomores on the OSU campus.

Gateway students have the same privileges given to regular OSU students, including meal plans, library access, housing and access to OSU facilities such as the student health center. These privileges are significant because the NOC-Stillwater campus is adjacent to OSU.

The Gateway program aside, NOC is the choice of many students who want to stay in the area to begin pursuing a college degree.

“Some students choose to go to school in a small-town environment,” Quirey says. “More and more of our freshmen are eligible for university, but they stay in Stillwater and go to Northern Oklahoma.”

Of 5,000 students at three NOC campuses around the state, 2,000 are in Stillwater – the fastest growing rural community college in the state.

Most NOC-Stillwater students are the conventional sort, with some 400 in the Gateway Program.

“The remedial role has become less prevalent,” Quirey says, and the school has become a major feeder into OSU, with 22,000 students, and the city of Stillwater itself.

“That is another part of the issue,” Quirey says. Namely: economic development.

“Students who might otherwise have left the area and not come back, stay in Stillwater, attend NOC, then graduate from OSU,” she says.

The next nearest community college is 60 miles away.Recent and future initiatives are expanding NOC-Stillwater

even more. “Many of our first teachers [in 1901] were Harvard grads

who came into the state to establish higher education in Oklahoma,” Quirey says.

Now they’re attracting non-traditional students, like adults who study at night or on weekends, as well as teaching accelerated courses and online classes.

– Paul Hughes

Gateway to SuccessNORTHERN OKLAHOMA COLLEGE PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS SUCCEED

JEFFREY S. OTTO


Education

744 education.indd 29 8/8/08 9:06:56 AM

Building a strong college sports tradition takes passion, experience, and sometimes, brick and mortar.

Oklahoma State University is deeply rooted in Stillwater. Its sports programs inspire excitement and loyalty. On game day, the town is a sea of orange and black.

“There’s a great partnership between the city of Stillwater and the university,” says Kyle Wray, OSU director of University Marketing.

A long-time fixture in the Big 12 Conference’s South Division, OSU’s 48 team national titles puts it behind only Stanford, USC and UCLA on the all-time title list. From football to soccer, baseball to golf, OSU sports represent a history of success that most collegiate programs can only dream about.

Boone Pickens Stadium is the physical centerpiece of the athletic program. The first grandstand of what was then called Lewis Field was laid in 1920 and held about 8,000 seats.

Since then, the stadium has been slowly expanded as interest in football has grown.

Eventually, after a few successful football campaigns that began with the 2001 season, a new name – Boone Pickens Stadium – was unveiled during a 2003 game against the University of Wyoming.

The name honors OSU alumnus and Texas oilman Boone

Pickens. His $165 million donation to the OSU athletic department instantly became the single largest contribution to an institution of higher education in American history.

Since then, OSU has literally built its program on the belief that champions deserve facilities. Every sport from soccer to equestrian has had facilities upgraded.

Boasting $185 million in upgrades, the football stadium renovation, which began in 2006, is no doubt the most visible transformation that has resulted from the donation. Now covered with a brick exterior to match the Georgian architecture of the OSU campus, the 1.1 million-square-foot stadium represents a f lagship effort for the Oklahoma State athletic department. The overhaul, called the “Next Level” project, will be completed in 2009 for the season opener against the University of Georgia. By then, the stadium will seat around 60,000.

“The renovation brings the football stadium into a situation where we’ll arguably have one of the nicest stadiums in the nation,” Wray says.

Wray says that even though the facility will not be huge, it will have all the modern amenities of an NFL stadium.

“I think it will revolutionize football at Oklahoma State,” Wray says. “The facilities have a direct impact on recruiting. People want to play to a packed house.” – Brandon Lowe

This Is Orange NationOSU BUILDS ON A STRONG TRADITION WITH RENOVATED BOONE PICKENS STADIUM

The renovated Boone Pickens Stadium is the centerpiece of Oklahoma State University’s athletic program.

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Sports & Recreation

744 sports.indd 30 8/7/08 9:31:12 AM

What began in 1939 as a two-story wooden structure to provide health care has

grown into Stillwater Medical Center, an award-winning regional care provider.

The original, 40-bed hospital was run by the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, and over the years it continued to grow and eventually moved from city ownership to the Stillwater Municipal Trust Authority. The authority issued revenue bonds in 1973, with the current, 128-bed hospital opening in 1976.

Over its history the hospital has garnered its share of recognition, including the 1979 Oklahoma Quality Award, 2004 and 2005 Top 100 Performance Improvement Leader Awards, and the 2006 Cleverly 5-Star Hospital Award.

With such a long history of service, the hospital takes its role in the community seriously and works to expand its offerings, says Jerry Moeller, president and chief executive officer.

“One of our major changes imple-mented recently has been the addition of interventional cardiology service,” Moeller says. “An experienced inter-ventionalist, Dr. Gaurav Kumar, was recruited to head the service. Kumar adds to the hospital the capabilities of performing both routine and primary angioplasties, balloon angioplasties and stents, which we had not had. In addition, we can also now perform peripheral angiography, angioplasties and stent placement.

“This program has really boosted our volume in the cath lab as well as the ICU,” Moeller adds. “Our outcomes have been excellent, and the service has been extremely well received by the com-munity and our medical staff.”

Patient comfort is also high on the hospital’s list of priorities, with pro-grams such as the new Room Service, which allows the patient at any time to call the cafeteria and order the meal of their choice and have it delivered within 20 minutes.

“This has been a very popular change to our nutrition program,” Moeller says.

Stillwater Medical also continues its

Healthy OutlookSTILLWATER MEDICAL CENTER KEEPS COMMUNITY FIT

Bed Mart Furniture Gallery

www.stillwaterbedmart.com

Beth Peterson

www.bethpetersonhomes.com

Chickasaw Telecommunications

Services Inc.

www.ctsiok.com

Community Escrow & Title Company

www.communityescrow.com

Fisher Provence Realtors

www.fprealtors.com

Grand River Dam Authority

www.grda.com

Lambert Construction Company

www.lambertconstructionco.com

MerCruiser

www.mercurymarine.com

Northern Oklahoma College

www.north-ok.edu

Oklahoma State University

www.okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University

Career Services

[email protected]

Quebecor World Stillwater

www.quebecorworld.com

Real Estate Professionals – Dolores

Lemon & Associates

www.stw-realestatepros.com

Spears School of Business

www.okstate.edu

Stillwater Medical Center

www.stillwater-medical.org

Stillwater National Bank

www.banksnb.com

Suddenlink

www.suddenlink.com

The Atherton Hotel at Oklahoma

State University

www.athertonhotelatosu.com

Visit Our Advertisers

Stillwater Medical Center has a long history of service. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

community outreach, most notably its drive-through flu shot program, which provides up to 6,000 shots annually, and its Eat Right for Life nutrition programs in the area’s schools.

The growth isn’t just within the hospital’s walls. Stillwater Medical has undergone several physical expansions, adding an ICU tower and medical office building in 1996. Around the same time, the Stillwater Cancer Center was added, offering radiation and chemotherapy services to the region. The hospital also has recently acquired 53 acres of land behind its current location for future expansion.

“This will allow the hospital to consolidate a lot of its off-campus departments into one location and provide for future expansion for years to come,” Moeller says.

– Joe Morris


Health & Wellness

744 health.indd 31 8/7/08 9:30:53 AM

COMMUNITY

THIS SECTION IS SPONSORED BY

SNAPSHOTThe quality of life in Stillwater is so delightful that it has been

touted as “Oklahoma’s Friendliest City” and “The No. 6 Best Small

City in America.” Residents enjoy excellent education and a

reasonable cost of living.

STILLWATER

CLIMATE

Avg. annual rainfall, 33 inches

Avg. winter low, 26 F

Avg. summer high, 92 F

EDUCATION

Public Schools

Stillwater Public Schools

533-6300

www.stillwater.k12.ok.us

Stillwater High School

grades 10-12, 533-6450

Stillwater Junior High

grades 8-9, 533-6420

Stillwater Middle High

grades 6-7, 533-6430

Lincoln Alternative Academy

grades 9-12, 533-6331

Highland Park Elementary

grades Pre-K-5, 533-6350

Richmond Elementary grades

Pre-K-5, 533-6410; Early

Childhood Center, 533-6505

Sangre Ridge Elementary

grades Pre-K-5, 533-6360

Skyline Elementarygrades Pre-K-5, 533-6390

Westwood Elementarygrades Pre-K-5, 533-6370

Will Rogers Elementarygrades Pre-K-5, 533-6329

Private SchoolsCovenant Community School707-7444, www.mycovenantcommunity.com

Sunnybrook Christian School377-3748

Sunrise Home School, 377-7633

Technical SchoolMeridian Technology Center, 377-3333www.meridian-technology.com

Colleges and UniversitiesOklahoma State University744-8899http://osu.okstate.edu

Northern Oklahoma College744-2246, www.north-ok.edu

UTILITIES

CableSuddenlink Communications

377-7785

ElectricityStillwater Power Co., 742-8230

Central Rural Electric

Cooperative (CREC),

372-2884; (800) 375-2884

Gas

Oklahoma Natural Gas

800-522-3608, 707-5600

Telephone

AT&T Oklahoma, 377-4944

Chickasaw

Telecommunications, 533-2111

Water

City of Stillwater, 742-8325

Sources:

www.stillwaterchamber.org,

www.stillwater.org,

www.visitstillwater.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Stillwater Chamber of Commerce409 S. Main St.

P.O. Box 1687

Stillwater, OK 74076-1687

Phone: (405) 372-5573

(800) 593-5573

Fax: (405) 372-4316

[email protected]

Community Profile

32 IMAGESSTILLWATER .COM The area code for St i l lwater is 405 .

744 community profile.indd 32 8/7/08 9:30:06 AM

National Impact

On the Cutting EdgeINNOVATIVE RESEARCH LEADS TO KEY DISCOVERIES

Taking the HeatOSU TECHNOLOGY REUSES EARTH’S ENERGY

Local Relationships,

S p e c i a l A d v e r t i s i n g S e c t i o n

744 Oklahoma University Mktg SSA.indd 1 8/7/08 10:41:59 AM

C reating meaningful solutions to real challenges through innovation and cutting-edge research is the hallmark of Oklahoma State University.

OSU faculty and students are leaders in addressing the nation’s need to find alternative sources of energy, collab-orating to capture information from biomedical signals and developing new technologies for aerospace engineering.

The strides being made at OSU in these and other areas are by design.

“I firmly believe in creating an environment that welcomes innovation and creativity, and I also anticipate it will make OSU the nation’s premier land grant university,” says Dr. Burns Hargis, OSU president.

“I am proud of the role OSU plays in the lives of the citizens of Oklahoma and the world,” he says. “Because of our land grant mission, OSU is more than a respected academic institution. Through our research and extension, OSU is making a real difference in Oklahoma.”

From its founding in 1890 as the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, the university has followed a strategic vision of study, research and the free exchange of ideas in a challenging and supportive academic environment – a vision that has resulted in key discoveries in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, new dental materials and agricultural biosecurity.

“We continue to position ourselves as an innovative and creative university,” says Director of University Marketing Kyle Wray. “Our faculty and students are solving problems and delivering solutions to the state and the nation as we continue to educate Oklahomans to be resourceful citizens.”

Global challenges such as hunger, safety and security,

environmental sustainability, and economic viability demand new answers and big solutions, Wray says. “And OSU is fully engaged in that process.”

The myriad of research programs and courses of study conducted by OSU’s outstanding faculty, partners and students are enriching the lives of Oklahomans while growing a stronger, more vital economy for the state.

Bricks and mortar play a role in furthering the university’s cause. An ambitious five-year master plan now under way includes more than $826 million in projects for academics, athletics and student life. The new Interdisciplinary Science Research Building, a $70 million building of laboratory spaces, will be completed in the fall of 2010. The three-story, 124,000-square-foot structure will be the site for research in biodiversity, biophysics, photonics, synthetic chemistry and advanced materials.

The school of architecture is undergoing a $16 million renovation and expansion. And the Boone Pickens Stadium expansion – funded by a portion of Boone Pickens’ $165 million donation to the school’s athletics – is being planned and constructed by OSU graduates. Pickens also donated $100 million to academic programs.

The best and brightest high school graduates are drawn to OSU by the caliber of its faculty and the quality of student life. These students continue their high academic achievement in the university’s stimulating learning environment.

OSU students have won Truman and Udall honors, and three OSU students were awarded Goldwater scholarships in 2008 – more than any other Oklahoma university this year, and the most in OSU’s history to win the prestigious scholarship.

Oklahoma State University is leading the way in research related to alternative energy sources, aerospace engineering and more.

On the Cutting Edge O S U ’ S I N N O V A T I V E R E S E A R C H A N D E D U C A T I O N

P R O G R A M S L E A D T O K E Y D I S C O V E R I E S

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Students in OSU’s aerospace engi-neering program do much more than read about airplanes. They

learn to take them apart, service them, put them back together – and design their own.

This premier program is offered through OSU’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Dr. Andy Arena – Maciula Professor of Engi-neering and the school’s senior faculty member – has headed it up since 1993.

From January to April each year, seniors in Arena’s capstone course design and build scale-sized air vehicles for entry in the International Student Design/Build/Fly competition, sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Office of Naval Research, and Cessna.

The popular contest challenges stu-dent teams to build an unmanned, remote-controlled airplane to satisfy a series of constraints and flying tasks.

In a contest that features 60 teams from many of the world’s top engi-neering schools, OSU students have achieved unparalleled success.

“We have a short amount of time that we’re working on this project each

year, and it is really a time-compressed, high-stress environment,” says Arena, who also serves as deputy director of the NASA Oklahoma State Grant Consortium, a financial supporter of the contest. “But seeing how hard the students work, how much heart they are putting in and the number of hours they work, it is really fun to be around.”

The achievements ref lect the pro-gram’s effectiveness.

Since 1999, at least one of the two teams and planes OSU sent to the contest each year finished in the top five, and the April 2008 competition yielded first- and third-place finishes for the OSU teams. In 2006 and 2007, OSU claimed three separate world records with unmanned aircraft vehi-cles designed and built by students advised by Arena.

Consistently ranking at the top takes hard work and years of preparation.

“It has to start with students who have a good work ethic, and I have found that the students at OSU have a very strong work ethic,” Arena says. “I think they are very well prepared throughout their entire curriculum, not just from being in my course. From the time they

walk in the door at OSU, there is a real hands-on commitment that goes back to the early years of the university. We’re not just studying about airplanes; we’re taking them apart, testing them, maintaining and servicing them, and putting them back together. Students see the whole design cycle, and they see there are consequences for any decisions they make. By the time they get to my class, they’re really well pre-pared and we can turn them loose.”

The rubber meets the tarmac for these aerospace cowboys after grad-uation. OSU’s reputation for turning out highly qualified aerospace engineers results in a competitive company-recruitment environment.

“We try to run this class as close to a company as possible,” Arena says. “We are producing well-trained engi-neers who can go out and work in the field. They are very highly recruited from coast to coast. It’s almost like I imagine it is in recruiting professional athletes. Companies come here, meet the students, take them out and offer them good positions that often include financial incentives. We are very proud of that fact.”

Aerospace Cowboys

This special section is published for Oklahoma State University by Journal Communications Inc.

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On the cover: Oklahoma State University Student Union Photo courtesy of Phil Shockley

T H E S K Y ’ S T H E L I M I T F O R O S U ’ S A E R O S P A C E E N G I N E E R I N G G R A D U A T E S

Students in OSU’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering are known for their skill building scale-sized, unmanned air vehicles for international competition.

O k l a h o m a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

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In Oklahoma, what’s green is gold, and it sports the name GRASSohol.

OSU’s biofuels research team is leading the way in demonstrating that switchgrass – a natural product familiar to most Oklahomans – can be converted to ethanol and other products through a commercially feasible gasification-fermentation process.

This perennial grass, as well as sorghums and other crop residues, fall under the broad category of biomass.

Dr. Ray Huhnke, a 28-year OSU professor, leads the GRASSohol research effort through the Division of Agri-cultural Sciences and Natural Resources. He has been involved in cellulosic research for more than 10 years at the university.

“We are converting grasses and residues and getting them ready for bioreactors,” Huhnke says. “In our particular process, we’re looking at the conversion of at least 70 gallons of ethanol per dry ton of biomass.”

That is good news for farmers, because switchgrass grows

easily and prolifically in the Sooner State. A typical acre of switchgrass can yield three tons of biomass.

“Some of the switchgrass we are working on can get as much as six tons per acre,” Huhnke says.

For every one unit of energy put into the GRASSohol process, as much as three units of energy are returned, which compares favorably to traditional corn-based ethanol production that provides 1.6 units of energy per one unit of energy output.

So what about production costs and delivering the finished product to the marketplace?

The original goal of the team was to produce ethanol at a cost of less than $1 per gallon, but because of increases in transportation costs, that figure has been revised to $1.50.

“We believe that cellulosic ethanol will be in the product stream in the next two years,” Huhnke says.

In fact, one of OSU’s partners, Coskata, broke ground in 2008 on a $25 million commercial demonstration plant in Pennsylvania, which will yield 40,000 gallons per year. And the OSU team continues to work on technology for commercial production.

“This is truly a team effort we have had for the last decade,” Huhnke says, noting that the Department of Energy and USDA are closely linked to the research. “Our team ranges from plant soil scientists to engineers to biologists working on how we can produce liquid fuel without negatively affecting the current demand for food, feed and fibers.”

Studies show that one conversion facility could provide as much as $40 million a year to the local economy, not including the construction of the facility. The fact that conversion facilities should be within 50 miles of the biomass source in order to be economical means that the state’s most rural areas will benefit.

“One of the reasons I got involved in the project was rural economic development,” Huhnke says. “We really need more opportunities for our farmers and ranchers to maintain the quality of life they deserve.”

In the process, it is a great opportunity for agriculture to partner in energy production in this country, he says.

“We need to focus on any and all energy and on energy conservation,” he says, “so that we can reduce our dependency on foreign oil.”

The Gas Is

O S U L E A D S I N S W I T C H G R A S S - T O - E T H A N O L C O N V E R S I O N

OSU researchers are converting switchgrass to ethanol.

Greener Here




W hat do the Oklahoma State Capitol, the Bush Texas ranch and the Beijing National

Stadium have in common?They’re all using geothermal tech-

nology developed by OSU’s Division of Engineering Technology.

“We say that OSU is the ‘silicon capital’ of ground source heat pumps,” says Dr. James Bose, who has directed the division for almost 35 years. “We’ve done about $10 million worth of research, and we’ve learned a few things. We have avoided the costs due to uncertainty because we have developed methods for measuring the thermal properties of the earth.”

Geothermal technology utilizes the earth’s own heat and – using electricity and vertically or horizontally installed pipe – cost-effectively moves that heat energy from the ground into buildings.

“It’s like a gift,” says Bose, who also serves as executive director of the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA), a technical organization based at the university.

The National Stadium, featured in the opening and closing ceremonies and

track/field events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is believed to be the world’s largest enclosed space.

It is cooled by 600 geothermal wells drilled down to 300 feet. Those wells also supply power for heating the water in the stadium.

Phil Schoen – chair of the IGSHPA Advisory Board and CEO of Geo-Enterprises Inc., a company he founded that specializes in the design and application of geothermal heating and cooling systems – was the contractor selected to install the stadium system.

That same OSU-developed technology was installed in the state capitol build-ing in Oklahoma City in 1990.

“It’s still humming right along,” Bose says.

The Bush home in Crawford, Texas, has been cooled using ground source heat pumps ever since President George W. Bush became familiar with the technology. “He recommended it to Tony Blair and Vladimir Putin, saying they both needed to do it in their country,” Bose says.

A full-time administrator and trainer, Bose became interested in geothermal

technology after he was contacted by someone who tried to put a water-source heat pump in his house and run it off the swimming pool.

“It got the swimming pool so hot, the kids couldn’t swim in it, and he called me,” Bose says. “I picked up an old textbook from 1951 and read some-thing about earth coils. I couldn’t believe somebody wasn’t doing this. Using this technology, we can recover more energy from the ground than we lose at the power plant, and that puts us way ahead.”

He brought his expertise to OSU’s engineering technology division in 1974 and has built a cutting-edge program concerned with the practical applica-tion of engineering achievements. The emphasis is on the end product rather than the conceptual process, and the results can deliver significant savings – financially and environmentally.

Geothermal technology developed at OSU has been used in the state capitol building in Oklahoma City since 1990.

Taking the

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Meeting

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OSU Center for Innovation and Economic Development supports local industry, including the radiation-safety sensors business.

Creating Jobs

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Book smarts and business savvy are a formidable combination, and the OSU Center for Innovation and Economic Development makes sure local industry

gets the best of both.“We support specif ic industry sectors and provide

assistance to small business,” says Dr. Glenn Freedman, CIED vice president of research and programs.

The organization also supports regional economic development initiatives across the state, conducts research in economic development policy and business-oriented areas, and supports state and federal relations for the university.

Business assistance is tailored to fit the need of each company, whether it be a low-interest loan, introduction to venture-capital sources, workforce training – or help with business-to-business relationships, where companies can work together and leverage skills and assets.

“It can be as mundane as teaching an entrepreneur who has a great idea how to keep track of petty cash,” says Tom Gray, CIED’s vice president for economic development.

And then there’s the broad area of creating a strong business climate.

“We work with business owners to identify their needs before a problem becomes too serious,” Gray says. “We want to create a business climate that will allow these businesses to develop and thrive, while also offering a quality of life that will keep the people we recruit here feeling confident they have made the right choice.”

Blending research and academic resources to support Oklahoma’s companies and communities in the traditional manufacturing sector and the emerging aerospace industry has led to a third and unique niche in Oklahoma job creation – the Sensor Corridor. This 30-mile stretch on Highway 177 between Stillwater and Ponca City is dotted with 24 sensor-related companies, and it’s attracting federal funding and new business to the region by providing comprehensive sensor testing and evaluation services.

Sensors are devices that measure a physical quantity and convert it into a signal that can be read by an observer or an instrument. Sensors are found in just about everything – from lamps and concrete to automobiles and machinery.

“Our vision is that our region in North Central Oklahoma be recognized as the global leader in sensor technology research, manufacturing and testing,” Freedman says. “The foundation is that we have a cadre of researchers at OSU who are working across the range – chemical, electrical, etc. – of sensors.”

The CIED anchors the Stillwater end of the corridor, while Ponca City has the University Multispectral Laboratories, which Freedman describes as a “complete life cycle support facility for research, evaluation, marketing and testing” of sensor development, aerospace technology and defense needs.

Freedman credits Dr. Stephen McKeever, OSU vice pres-

From left, Chaoqun Huang, Ph.D., and doctoral student Rajiv Balyan work in the laboratory at the OSU CIED.

ident for research and technology transfer, with the scientific mind behind the 2007 creation of the corridor. His achieve-ment in the research of radiation dosimetry [radiation and its effects on people] is a real success story.

“Dr. McKeever developed a badge about the size of a half-dollar that senses the amount of radiation a worker is exposed to,” Freedman says. “That technology has now been licensed to a company, Landauer, that makes over 15 million of these per year, or about 25 percent of the world market.”

Landauer, a Chicago-based company, expanded its oper-ations to include a new facility along the Sensor Corridor known as the Stillwater Crystal Growth Division. All radiation-sensitive detector material used by the company is produced there.

“All of this started from research that Dr. McKeever and his OSU team conducted,” Freedman says. “It created jobs, significant investment and met a challenge. That is what we all strive to do.”




Growing & Thriving

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater’s biggest tourist attraction, enjoys a mutually beneficial relationship with the city.

Welcoming 18,000-plus new residents year after year could be overwhelming for some places, but not Stillwater. This community thrives

along with its dynamic Big 12 resident, Oklahoma State University.

“Oklahoma State University is the biggest tourism attraction for the city of Stillwater,” says Cristy Morrison, executive director of the Stillwater Convention and Visitors Bureau. “That’s true because of the meetings of the colleges within the university, conferences, the alumni association and the school’s athletic events. They’re all contributors to the city of Stillwater. It’s a very good town-and-gown partnership.”

And a symbiotic one. The community provides the businesses and services that are supported by university’s students, faculty and visitors.

A recent study shows that OSU and its visitors, workers and students spend more than $160 million annually on taxable retail sales. That translates to more than $7 million in annual sales tax revenue to Stillwater and Payne County. Those revenues support the community’s recreation programs, law enforcement needs and infrastructure development.

The strong athletic program and university meetings also mean a demand for direct visitor services, including lodging and restaurants. Four additional hotels will come online within the next 15 months, adding to the 700 rooms already existing in Stillwater. New restau-

rants open every month and, along with other businesses, add to the tax base of Stillwater.

But it isn’t just money that rolls through Stillwater from OSU. It’s intellectual capital. Successful communities share common traits – a young, well-educated populace, a university presence, and research-and-development assets. Stillwater has those in spades. Fifty-five percent of the residents are between the ages of 15 and 34, with 48 percent of Stillwater’s population having bachelor’s degrees or higher. That compares to national averages of 28 percent and 26 percent, respectively.

The R&D component provides significant opportunity for a strong, sustainable future, as evidenced by such OSU-supported economic initiatives as the Sensor Corridor and the Center for Innovation and Economic Development.

Faculty members work in Stillwater, but they’re also contributors to the local civic organizations, churches and schools. Graduates find jobs here and settle down, contrib-uting to a vibrant, diverse and well-rounded community.

“We have had an ongoing partnership with the city for many years,” says Director of University Marketing

Kyle Wray. “It’s about the networking and the support the city of Stillwater provides for our students, our faculty and our visitors. They are greeted with a smile by the business owners in Stillwater. The city is meeting their needs, and there is a real sense of appreciation from OSU.”

– Stories by Betsy Williams

Together T O W N - A N D - G O W N P A R T N E R S H I P F O S T E R S D Y N A M I C C O M M U N I T Y

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Contact the OSU Center for Executive and Professional Development for your executive, professional and management development needs. We offer ...

Distance Learning Undergraduate Business Courses

Distance Learning Graduate Degree Programs and Certificates – including MBA

Professional Development Seminars in Stillwater, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and On-Site Retreat and Conference Planning

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For more information or to register, visit our Web site at www.cepd.okstate.edu or call: (405) 744-5208or Toll-free: (866) 678-3933.

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