Oklahoma has positioned itself as one of the nation’s most active aerospace and defense hubs. The state blends long-standing capabilities with a climate that supports innovation, workforce development and business growth.
As part of its ongoing workforce development efforts, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber launched OKC FAME in fall 2024 to support the region’s growing manufacturing sector.
Business and civic leaders recently gathered for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s State of the Region event, which offered a clear, data-focused look at where Central Oklahoma stands—and where it needs to improve. The event featured a regional economic overview presented by Chamber President and CEO Christy Gillenwater.
City and Chickasaw Nation leaders gathered last month to celebrate the opening of two major projects along the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City’s Horizons District—the MAPS 4 pedestrian bridge and EMBARK’s First Americans Museum (FAM) Landing.
Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) and Metro Technology Centers marked the opening of the new Aviation Center at Southeast High School with a ribbon cutting earlier this month. The center is among the first “flex spaces” funded through the $1 billion OKCPS bond package approved by voters in 2022.
Oklahoma’s biotech sector took center stage when the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) brought its national Roadshow tour to Oklahoma City. This event, in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and Life Sciences Oklahoma highlighted the dynamic and growing bioeconomy in the region.
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber will host its next Chamber Forum on Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Petroleum Club in downtown OKC. The discussion will focus on OKC Bond 25, a $2.7 billion general obligation bond proposal that OKC voters will consider on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Life Science Oklahoma (LSOK) will host its inaugural Catalyst event, Rethinking Healthcare with Microsoft’s Kathy VanEnkevort, on Friday, Oct. 3, at Innovation Hall in Oklahoma City. The program is designed to bring national thought leadership to Oklahoma’s life sciences community by highlighting the intersection of innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of healthcare.
