Jeff Dunn Supports Vision Renewal, Education
By EMILY RAMSEY
Managing Editor
CHAMBER CHAIRS: Jeff Dunn stands with his father, Jim Dunn, left, in the Mill Creek Lumber and Supply Company offices in Tulsa. Jeff succeeded Jim as Mill Creek president in 2004. In January, Jeff was sworn in as the 2016 Chair of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. Jim served as chamber chair in 2002.
EMILY RAMSEY for GTR Newspapers
Editor’s Note: Jeff Dunn is one of Greater Tulsa Reporter’s “10 People to Watch in 2016,” as announced in its January 2016 issue. GTR was the first news group in greater Tulsa to introduce “10 People to Watch,” beginning in January 2009.
Throughout the year, GTR will publish a series of articles featuring each of its “10 People to Watch.” Also featured in this issue is “person to watch” Tulsa Public Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Deborah Gist. Local restaurateur and former Glenpool Mayor Momodou Ceesay, who is opening a restaurant in downtown Tulsa, is planned to be featured in GTR’s April issue.
Jeff Dunn, the 2016 chair of the Tulsa Regional Chamber, has a long history in Tulsa, He is a Jenks High School graduate and the current president of local, long-time business Mill Creek Lumber and Supply Company.
After graduating from Jenks, Dunn earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from Baylor University and then his law degree at the University of Illinois. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia gave his law school graduation commencement speech.
However, although Dunn earned his law degree, his plan was not necessarily to ever practice law, he says. Yet, he did for 10 years, before selling the practice in 2001.
“I loved that I got to run my own business and learn the mechanics of owning a small business,” Dunn says.
He may not have realized it then, but he was laying the foundation for what was to come-taking over the family business.
“I had always resisted the family business,” says Dunn. “That was my dad’s thing. I wanted to do my own thing and do it successfully.”
Around 2001, Dunn’s father, Jim Dunn, who was at that time Mill Creek’s president, was becoming increasingly involved with the Tulsa Regional Chamber and was to serve as the 2002 chamber chair.
If Dunn was going to take over for his father, the time had come.
Dunn came to Mill Creek in late 2001 and was named president in March 2004.
“In family businesses, sometimes you see the children go directly into the business and struggle a little, trying to follow in their parent’s footsteps,” says Dunn.
“By the time I came to Mill Creek, I had already established myself. My business had given me some independence, and I felt that I brought some value to Mill Creek.”
While Dunn’s past business experiences aided him in certain portions of his new position, other areas, he admits, were in need of adjusting, namely his leadership style.
“I had to learn to listen to other ideas, delegate my authority, let people grow with my leadership,” he says. “I had to become a coach and cheerleader, not a dictator.”
Dunn also had to learn how to work with long-time employees who were not particularly pleased with the leadership change.
Another storm that Dunn and Mill Creek had to weather was the 2008 recession, which the company dealt with successfully by addressing its business structures and realigning strategically and organizationally.
Reflecting on his years thus far with Mill Creek, “I’ve learned to lead effectively by getting out of the way,” Dunn says.
Dunn has also taken note of qualities that have made his father successful: “Overall, I’ve learned from him to be a selfless leader, put employees’ needs and objectives above my own.”
Dunn’s emulation of his father continues with his current position as chair of the Tulsa Chamber.
Regarding Dunn’s areas of focus for the chamber in 2016, the combination of his high interest in education and the state’s current budget and education crisis puts education at the top of his list of important items, along with the April Vision 2025 renewal vote.
“Improving Tulsa’s education system is essential to economic development,” says Dunn, who serves on the RUSO (Regional University System of Oklahoma) Board of Regents. “It’s easier to attract economic development with a great public and higher education system.”
He then relates a story about a Mill Creek employee who was offered the choice of two different positions, one located in Tulsa and the other in a town in Kansas with a population of under 10,000 people.
“He chose the town in Kansas because of its high quality of education for his kids. He chose that over Tulsa!” Dunn says. “I think that totally illustrates the point.”
Dunn wishes to see Oklahoma’s legislature increase its investment in education, including through teacher raises. “Teachers are in charge of developing the minds of the future. We can’t pay them poverty-level wages and expect to receive quality teaching,” he says.
The other issue sitting noticeably in Dunn’s view is the upcoming Vision 2025 renewal vote, a package that includes economic development projects and funding for public transportation improvements and public safety.
“I think it speaks strongly to the package’s strength that we have a united city council with the Mayor, our county commissioners and surrounding city leaders who are all backing this proposal,” he says.
“This is what will propel us economically; it’s an investment in our future.”
As a lifelong Tulsan, Dunn’s greatest excitement in the package revolves around water.
“We’ve only been working on getting water in the river for five decades,” he laughs. “What we do with the river will determine if we attract millennials here in the future.”
A few weeks ago, Dunn, an avid runner, ran from downtown Tulsa to the pedestrian bridge near 25th Street and Riverside Drive.
“I was on the bridge and looked back at the Gathering Place; it’s mind boggling what that is going to do for Tulsa.”
Yet, due to the inclusion of public safety in the Vision package, Dunn has heard multiple objections from people, claiming that the package is not “visionary” enough.
His reply to that argument is twofold.
“There’s no perfect package, but it’s a solid package with projects that are all very good, and it’s a package that all city officials and surrounding city officials believe in and support,” he says.
Secondly, “it’s necessary that we address public safety.
“In terms of economic development, if our city doesn’t have public safety, that can take us out of the game.”
Updated 03-01-2016
Back to Top
READER COMMENTS
Back to Top
Contact GTR News
