The Journal Record

Oklahomans On the Move: December 11, 2008

Intrust Bank Cliff Higgs was named vice president and commercial loan officer with the Edmond branch of Intrust Bank.

London-Based Rexam to Lay Off 80 Workers, Close Plant in Oklahoma City

Rexam plans to close its beverage can manufacturing plant at 3400 S. Council Rd. in Oklahoma City at the end of the first quarter of next year, company executives said Wednesday. The plant's 80 employees will receive severance packages and outplacement assistance, officials said.

Okc Events: December 11, 2008

With all the holiday parties coming up, we'd like to share a bit of advice from the noted American humorist, Will Rogers. It's about tilting. Ann Hoover approves this advice and has shared it frequently in her etiquette seminars. (Well, actually, she approves dipping your spoon away from you. I don't think she tilts. Back in 1924, Will Rogers wrote a column about tipping the soup plate, sort of dedicated to an old friend, Percy Hammond, a theatrical critic for The Chicago Tribune and the New ...

Officials Urge Holiday Shoppers to Buy Oklahoma Products

The spirit of holiday gift-giving can be amplified in the state's economy by buying products with the Made In Oklahoma label, state Agriculture Department officials said. "This year as we make our Christmas shopping lists I hope everyone will give consideration to where the gifts they are purchasing was made or packaged," state Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach said. "It is imperative that we renew our commitment to supporting Oklahoma producers, processors and retailers."

Tulsa-Based Dollar Thrifty Halts Kiosk Program

Forbes Ranks Oklahoma City Thunder 24th in Value

The Oklahoma City Thunder professional basketball team is ranked 24th in the NBA in overall value, Forbes magazine has reported. The Thunder had an estimated value of $300 million in the 2007- 08 season, an increase of $12 million from the previous year. Forbes said the figures in the rankings were based on current arena deals without deduction for debt. The Thunder's revenues were listed at $82 million with a drop in operating income of $9.4 million.

Chesapeake, Devon to Match Food Bank of Oklahoma Donations

Chesapeake Energy and Devon Energy will match donations to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma dollar for dollar up to $100,000 through the end of the year. "The weakening economy has resulted in even more Oklahomans struggling to purchase food during the holiday season," said Vince White, Devon's senior vice president of investor relations. "The Food Bank is exceptionally efficient and effective at meeting the critical needs of hungry Oklahomans."

Thomas Kinkade Art Gallery in Oklahoma City Closing

The Thomas Kinkade Quail Springs Signature Gallery is closing after 10 years of operations. "It has been a pleasure and joy to share our love of Thomas Kinkade artwork with our customers," said John Stanfield, gallery co- owner.

Epa Reports Oklahoma Enforcement Data

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency completed 274 enforcement actions in Oklahoma for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30. Penalties and environmental improvements from the enforcement actions in the state totaled $43 million. Enforcement actions for facilities in Oklahoma resulted in an estimated 49 million pounds of pollution reductions, according to the EPA.

Edmond Rib Crib Opens

Rib Crib BBQ & Grill has opened a new restaurant at 2601 S. Broadway in Edmond. Rib Crib closed its 10-year-old, 1,800-square-foot restaurant at 720 S. Broadway in Edmond almost two years ago. The new location more than triples the size of the previous store.

Sba Workshop Offered at Rose State College in Oklahoma

Tulsa's Urban Financial Group Targets $1b Plateau in 2009

At the height of the mortgage refinancing boom, Bryan Hendershot decided that trend could not sustain itself and took his year-old Tulsa mortgage brokerage into a new direction. Four years later, Hendershot's little-known Urban Financial Group has emerged a national leader in underwriting reverse mortgages, charting 401-percent loan volume growth this year to $400 million. He projects Urban Financial and its wholesale division Reverse It will surpass the $1 billion plateau in 2009.

Okla. Energy Companies Post Big Stock Gains Wednesday

Oklahoma-based energy companies recorded impressive common-stock gains on Wednesday, paced by increases exceeding 20 percent for the day by Chesapeake Energy, Ram Energy Resources and Continental Resources. Chesapeake gained $3.36, or 23.2 percent, on Wednesday, closing at $17.83 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange. After closing at $11.32 on Friday, Chesapeake's combined gain for the first three trading days this week totaled 57.5 percent.

Browser-Based Payroll Software a Breeze, Tulsa Company Says

Mistaking an eight for a six may not be the end of the world, but on payroll sheets it could result in a thousand-dollar mistake, said Kevin Malone, owner of ExecuTime Software. "So much time and money can be unnecessarily lost between manual data processing, time and attendance inaccuracies and simple human accounting errors," he said.

Bankruptcy Filings in Oklahoma Jump 18.6% Over Nov. 2007

November Oklahoma bankruptcy filings increased about 18.6 percent over the same month last year, data from the state's three bankruptcy courts show. The November rise was less than half that encountered nationwide. According to the American Bankruptcy Institute, U.S. consumer bankruptcy filings increased 39.2 percent in November, compared with November 2007.

Project Boomerang Stakes Out Oklahoma High Schools in Effort to Bring Workers Back

High school alumni lists and small-town homecoming events are a good place to look to grow Oklahoma's work force, said Rob Gragg, the state Commerce Department's rural development coordinator. "In rural Oklahoma, homecoming's a big deal. People actually come back home," he said. "They visit friends and family, attend a football game, meet up with old classmates again. ... Well, guess what? It's also a good time to talk about job opportunities in your area."