Additional activities PSO has been involved within Oklahoma:

PSO president Stuart Solomon (center) poses with Customer Services account manager Jim Thompson (left) and David Puzan, plant manager at the Lone Star Cement facility adjacent to Pryor's Mid-American Industrial Park. Solomon toured the facility recently and met with its management from Buzzi Unicem USA, the plant's owner. With ten cement plants, Buzzi serves the Midwest and Northeast regions of the U.S. and is one of PSO's largest industrial customers

PSO President and COO Stuart Solomon tours an American Airlines plant.

Economic development manager Janet Smith speaks at the session.

McAlester and eastern Oklahoma community leaders praised Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) for hosting a recent economic development conference that focused on how leaders can improve their pitch for businesses to relocate into their area.

The session was the third PSO has sponsored across the state.

Participants´ comments encouraged PSO to conduct similar sessions regularly; focus content on regional partnerships to attract new business; invite speakers from companies currently looking to relocate their operations, and include financial institutions in the mix of partners willing to discuss regional partnerships.

One attendee wrote, "Thank you so very much. Very worthwhile time spent." Another asked for help in developing a community marketing plan and community brochures.

The McAlester News Capitol covered the economic development session and wrote that McAlester Chamber of Commerce President Evans McBride called the event beneficial in further developing the community. "Hopefully we´ll be able to use some of their ideas in our region. It´s amazing how you can be eliminated as a prospect community with only a single flaw in your package."

PSO's Janet Smith accepts the gavel from Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry. She chairs the Governor’s Economic Development Team and was recently appointed to the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Economic Development.