Business & People Notes
Jim Fram was recently named senior vice president of economic development for the Tulsa Metro Chamber. Fram will lead the Tulsa’s Future program, with a five-year goal of creating 10,000 primary, high-value jobs with salaries of $45,500 or more. Fram currently serves as president and CEO of the Bartlesville Regional Chamber and the Bartlesville Development Corporation where he has facilitated the gain of more than 7,000 new jobs and more than $150 million in new capital investment during his 11 year tenure.
Professionally certified in economic development, Fram has more than 22 years experience in economic development and chamber of commerce management and has served in senior management and CEO roles in chambers including the Little Rock, Ark. Chamber and the Lincoln, Neb. Chamber.
The Tulsa Press Club & Benevolent Association has named its 2009 officers and board of directors. Dan Harrison, vice president of investor relations and public affairs of ONEOK, Inc. is president; Andrea Myers, communication specialist for Williams, is vice president; Mercedes Millberry, community relations director for Operation Aware, is secretary; and Jesse Boudiette, corporate communications manager of Bank of Oklahoma, is treasurer.
New directors joining the board are: Leah Harper of Tulsa Community College and Tim Jackson of Jackson Technical. Other directors currently serving on the board include: Nicole Burgin, KRMG Radio; Jake Dollarhide, Longbow Asset Management; Gina Godfrey, NORDAM; Wayne Greene, Tulsa World; Heather Ann Hope, Tulsa Opera; Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Enterprises; Ashley Parrish, Tulsa World; Stan Whiteford, AEP-PSO; and David Wulfers of James, Potts & Wulfers, Inc. Tami Anthamatten is manager of the Tulsa Press Club.
Builder and Developer Joe Robson was elected as the 2009 Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Home Builders. A leader in the Tulsa area home building and development industries for more than 25 years, he is the founder and president of The Robson Companies, Inc., developers of residential communities and commercial properties. Robson has held numerous leadership positions within NAHB. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma State Home Builders Association since 1990 and was the association’s president in 1993. Robson was honored as Oklahoma Builder of the Year in 1994. Locally, he has served on the Board of Directors of the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa since 1986 and was the Association’s president in 1991 and 1992. He was the Tulsa Home Builder of the Year in 1992.
Surgical Associates recently welcomed Brandon D. Varnell, M.D., and returning partner W. Christopher Sutterfield, M.D., to its practice at 6465 S. Yale.
Dr. Varnell joined Surgical Associates after completing a fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center that focused on minimally invasive surgery and advanced laparoscopy techniques.
A Surgical Associates partner from 2000 to 2003, Dr. Sutterfield spent the past six years practicing surgery in Dalton, Ga., where he most recently served as Hamilton Medical Center trauma director. He returned to Surgical Associates in January and specializes in laparoscopic, endocrine and breast surgery.
Varnell and Sutterfield are both Tulsa-area natives. Varnell received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1998 and his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in 2002. After medical school, Varnell completed his residency at the University
of Missouri – Kansas City Department of Surgery.
Tulsa-based eLynx Technologies, the leading provider of web-based monitoring and field automation services to the oil and gas industry, announced the addition of Mark Berry to eLynx Technologies as a SCADA Engineer. Berry brings more than 30 years of experience in the natural gas industry, having previously worked for Coastal Corporation and ETC Canyon Pipeline.
Jeff Kendall of Arvest Bank has been named the president of the Board of Directors for Operation Aware of Oklahoma for 2009. Tyrance Billingsly of Farmer’s Insurance is the chair elect and Susan Walker of McAfee & Tate is the past phair. Other officers include Kim Fairchild of Hogan Taylor, treasurer; Barb Osteen of Deloitte Consulting, secretary; and Kay Kittleman of SemGroup, assistant secretary.
The Greater Tulsa Association of REALTORS (GTAR) and Northeast Oklahoma Real Estate Services (NORES) 2009 Presidents’ Inaugural Banquet was held at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame recently. At the banquet, Harriett Dunham, broker owner of Century 21 Neokla in Pryor was installed as the 2009 GTAR President and Gloria Allred, a broker manager with Coldwell Banker Select was installed as the 2009 NORES President.
Also, awards were presented for the 2008 Sales Associate and REALTOR of the Year. Sales Associate of the Year went to Cindy Read of RE/MAX Executives. Sherry Lewis, broker owner of seven Keller Williams Realty locations in the greater Tulsa area, was named REALTOR of the year.
Read holds the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and Graduate REALTOR Institute designations. She has served on several GTAR Committees and is currently the REALTOR Political Action Committee Chairperson and is active in her community supporting various projects.
The Tulsa Chapter of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) announced the newly inducted Officers and Board of Directors at the chapter meeting on January 8, 2009. The Officers are as follows: President is Joy McCracken, RPA, TechRidge Properties; president elect is Clint Baranowski, Kanbar Properties; vice president is Tim McNulty, RPA, Warren Professional Building Corporation; secretary/treasurer is Johnny Onkst, Otis Elevator; principal 2008–09 is Lisa Brandes, RPA, Coury Properties; principal 2008–09 is Alynchia Reynolds, RPA, ONEOK Leasing Company; principal 2009–10 is Indrek Redard, CPM, RPA, Coldwell Banker Commercial; Principal 2009-10 is Bettie Roth, RPA, CBRE/Oklahoma; associates 2008–09 are Walter Pendleton, Trane Company; John Esposito, ESPO Fire & Water Restoration and Garold Beisley, Greenstar; associate 2009-10 is Janis Cohlmia, Tropical Plant Design.
Updated 02-23-2009
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