August 21, 2022

STORIES OF ADA AREA ENTREPRENEURS & INNOVATORS

Naresh Juneja: Innovating with a Breath of Fresh Air

Naresh Juneja never intended to make Ada, Oklahoma his home. In fact, until his wife, Hursh, took a job with the Chickasaw Nation as Head of Enterprise Architecture and Innovation, IT, they had never even heard of Ada. However, it was a decision that would have long lasting implications in his life as he would discover more about himself, the value of community, and begin his own journey into technological entrepreneurship.

Read Naresh's Story

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT (B.I.G.) COMMITTEE UPDATE

Amy Kaiser is the new Committee Chair for the fiscal year running form 2022 through 2023. Amy currently serves as the Chair-Elect of the Ada Jobs Foundation’s board and she is a founding committee member and a former Executive Director of Ada Main Street.

Amy Childers Elliott is a new committee member and will represent the Ada Jobs Foundation.

The Committee is working to set the dates for two rounds of projects: one this Fall and another this Spring. Details will be provided by the committee soon.

DANIEL CASTAÑEDA GRADUATES FROM LEADERSHIP ADA

Daniel Castañeda was recognized as part of the Leadership Ada Class of 2021. Leadership Ada is a long-running program offered by the Ada Area Chamber of Commerce. Daniel dedicated time each month to learn the details of many different parts of the Ada community, helped organize a fundraiser, and increased his ability to serve Ada as an economic developer. We’re thrilled to celebrate his graduation!

TARGETED OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM:

SITE SELECTION GROUP SITE VISIT

Chris Schwinden and Ceci Grover, with Site Selection Group, visited Ada on August 8^th as part of a site tour for the Targeted Opportunities Program.

The Ada Jobs Foundation was named as one of the recipients of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s Targeted Opportunities Program, an EDA-funded grant that is designed to help increase economic opportunities in the state by helping communities evaluate and assess industrial sites. Through this program, the Ada Jobs Foundation is able to work with Site Selection Group to evaluate industrial sites and workforce capabilities.

ADA MANUFACTURING

EXECUTIVE ROUNDTABLE

On August 10^th, Pontotoc Technology Center hosted a quarterly meeting of the Ada Manufacturing Executive Roundtable. This meeting provides an opportunity for Ada’s manufacturing plant managers, owners, and executives an opportunity to network, address critical issues, and work with each other as a community.

At this quarterly meeting, the Ada Jobs Foundation facilitated a workshop with our local manufacturing executives and workforce development partners to address key findings from our Talent Demand Study. There was discuss about how to best connect our local graduates to open jobs and a follow up conversation in how to best ensure graduates are ready to work.

This information is being incorporated into a formal Talent Demand Study report currently being prepared by the Ada Jobs Foundation, which will be used to help direct new programs, grant applications, and advocacy efforts.

INCUBATOR FEASIBILITY WORKSHOP

SEPTEMBER 7, 1-5 P.M.

This is an initiative by the Ada Jobs Foundation to broaden our vision of supporting startup companies in our community by creating both an incubator program and facility. We are working with Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc. as a consultant to help us assess the potential demand, strategy, and sustainability of an incubator initiative. This will help us better understand the costs and opportunities of this kind of program and ensure we are well positioned to apply to grants to support this effort.

This feasibility study is heavily driven through community input from our entrepreneurs and partners. As part of this initiative, we are hosting an Incubator Feasibility Workshop on the afternoon of September 7^th. This workshop will be facilitated by Molly Pyle and Rose Vieland, with Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc., and will provide an opportunity for Ada’s entrepreneurs and economic development partners to participate in this work.

Those interested in attending can contact Jim Eldridge directly for more information via email or by phone (580-235-0070x1)

Ada Jobs Foundation

580-235-0070

www.growada.com

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