Oklahoma commerce director focused on ‘quality’ jobs; supports regional alliance

Natalie Shirley believes the key economic development challenge for cities, states and regional alliances is responding to current economic challenges while at the same time preparing for future economic growth and reality changes.

Shirley, director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, believes an important goal of that economic growth is to increase the quality of jobs and not just the quantity.

More than 200 members of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce gathered Friday morning as part of the chamber’s First Friday Breakfast program to hear Shirley talk about economic development and hear her opinion of the newly formed Fort Smith Regional Economic Development Alliance.

The alliance was formed in early May and includes cities and chambers in LeFlore and Sequoyah counties in Oklahoma and Crawford, Franklin, Logan and Sebastian counties in Arkansas. Little Rock-based Boyette Strategic Advisors has been hired to conduct a strategic analysis and plan for the alliance. Del Boyette has conducted the targeted industries studies for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Boyette was the AEDC director between 1993-1997, and has also served as the deputy commissioner for economic development of the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism.

In introducing Shirley, Fort Smith Chamber President Paul Harvel said the Oklahoma Department of Commerce is “deeply involved” in supporting the new alliance.

Prior to her Commerce appointment in February 2007 by Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry, Shirley was the president and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based ICI Mutual Insurance Group. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and earned a juris doctorate at the University of Oklahoma.

Shirley said the economy has been tough on the state, with the “deal flow” of job prospects remaining high but with fewer new deals. Since February 2007, non-farm employment in Oklahoma has fallen just 0.79% (1.556 million jobs to 1.543 million in July 2010). The unemployment rate has moved from 4.1% in February 2007 to an estimated 6.9% in July.

And while the ODOC remains focused on business recruitment, support of existing business, site development, workforce development and other fundamentals of economic development, Shirley said the state is working to find “a job for every talent” that also helps boost the state’s average income.

Part of that includes pursuing advanced manufacturing companies, because the “grit and grime” type of manufacturing is “giving way” to the companies who manufacture in “clean rooms,” Shirley said. Another aspect of seeking more stable and higher-paying jobs is to move away from recruiting call centers and instead recruit “shared service centers,” where several companies will use to locate back office support, accountants, lawyers, information technology support and other professional services. Not only do those jobs pay more than call center jobs, but if one company moves or fails, there are several other companies still using the center.

“We see more and more companies going to this (shared service center),” Shirley said during an interview after her comments to the audience.

Pursuing niche manufacturers with minimal potential of outsourcing and providing special incentives for companies who locate or expand in Oklahoma with jobs that pay at least three times the state average are other ways the state seeks to add quality jobs to the overall mix, Shirley explained.

As to the regional alliance, Shirley is all for it. She said there are many practical reasons to “blur the boundaries and combine our assets to move this region forward.”

She said the shared workforce and transportation infrastructure of the Fort Smith region will be “elements of success” in the alliance effort. And while Arkansas and Oklahoma officials will continue to compete against each other for jobs, Shirley said state officials do recognize that in dual-border regions with a shared economy, a win for one community is a win for all of them.