10-4-2012 meeting of the Rotary Club of Chickasha

The Oct. 4, 2012 meeting of the Rotary Club of Chickasha opened with a prayer, pledge and song.

Guests included Joe Haney.

Prayer concerns include Bill & Janice McVey and the family of Steve Pool, former club president who passed away.

Remember to connect with Ann Manchester on items for the silent auction at the December Christmas Party.

Matt Metry was the Rotarian of the Day. He introduced the new Director of the Chickasha Economic Development Council Christy Elkins as our guest speaker.

Christy started work Monday. Previous economic development experience includes the State Department of Commerce and the Duncan Economic Development Foundation.

Christy said emphasis in ED is changing from chasing smokestacks to attracting retail and developing entrepreneurships.

She said her immediate goal is to establish relationships with local businesses to help them grow.

Some of the tools at her disposal are global markets and programs to help businesses innovate new products.

Christy said Chickasha will be participating in a workforce project to develop a community workforce attractive to business and industry.

She said three businesses currently are looking for sites in Chickasha.

Other things on her list of goals:

• Aim at incentives at local level for new business and expansion.

• Creating a new website, because, "if you are not on the internet these days, you don't exist.

Christy will be formally introduced to the business community at a meeting next week of the recently re-formed Industrial and Manufacturing Alliance.

The meeting adjourned after recitation of the Rotary 4-Way Test.