2011 Accolades

Accolades are sorted by most recent.

Oklahoma City Great for Starting a Business
December 28, 2011 - Kiplinger
Renowned business forecaster Kiplinger named Oklahoma City one of its "10 Great Cities for Starting a Business". The write up goes on to say "Oklahoma City entrepreneurs have two big advantages over business owners elsewhere: midwestern start-up costs are low, and government support for business is strong." The article also highlights i2E's contributions to entrepreneurship in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City Named One of the "Most Secure Places to Live"
December 15, 2011 - Farmers Insurance
Oklahoma City is one of the safest large metros according to Farmers Insurance's eighth annual "Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S." report. The study, which ranked OKC No. 18, looks at crime rates, extreme weather, air quality and other factors.

Forbes Recognizes Oklahoma City's Manufacturing Economy
December 15, 2011 - Forbes
Oklahoma City is no stranger to Forbes as the metro made another of the publication's rankings. This time Forbes named Oklahoma City one of the "Best Cities for Manufacturing Jobs". The story cited Oklahoma City's 28-percent growth in manufacturing jobs over the past 10 years.

Oklahoma City Ranked No. 1 for Economic Security
December 14, 2011 - MetroTrends
MetroTrends released their annual Report Card on Economic Security and Oklahoma City was at the top of the class. The publication gave OKC an "A" and ranked it as the Best Metro in the U.S. for economic security. In the write up, the metro's area diverse economy was lauded, as well as the stable housing market.

Wall Street Journal Names OKC One of the Best Cities for Business
December 13, 2011 - Wall Street Journal Market Watch
The Wall Street Journal recently released their annual list of "Best Cities for Business" and Oklahoma City cracked the list for the first time. The metro came in sixth due to its personal income and job growth. The article also highlighted Project 180 and the relocation of Boeing and Continental Resources.

Oklahoma City Offers Best Value in Office Space
December 9, 2011 - Building Owners and Mangers Association
Oklahoma City offers one of the most competitive business climates in the country. One major factor in that is the affordability of the office market. Recently, the Building Owners and Managers Association ranked the metro area as the ninth most affordable office market in the U.S.

OG&E Named Best Electric Utility in North America
December 9, 2011 - Electric Light and Power
Oklahoma City-based OG&E Electric Services was named the best electric utility in North America by Electric Light and Power Magazine. The publication highlighted OG&E's rollout of their new smart grid technology and the fact that OG&E consistently produces lower rates for Oklahoma when compared with other states.

Oklahoma is One of the Best States for Business
December 8, 2011 - Forbes
Forbes recently released its sixth annual scorecard of "Best States for Business" and Oklahoma came in an impressive 13th. The publication highlighted Oklahoma as a state moving up due to our improved job and economic outlook. Oklahoma scored its highest ranking is business cost and economic climate ranking. Oklahoma City has routinely had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation the last couple of years.

Oklahoma City the Best Place for Military Retirement
November 9, 2011 - USAA
Oklahoma City offers a high number of jobs that require skill-sets learned in the military. That combined with a large number of veteran-owned businesses, numerous federal jobs and a local VA medical center led USAA to name the metro as the "Best Place for Military Retirement" in the U.S.

Eight Healthiest Housing Markets
November 7, 2011 - RealtorMag
The National Association of Realtors recently named Oklahoma City one of the "8 Healthiest Housing Markets" in the United States. Expected income increases and low unemployment continue to attract new businesses and households to the metro area according to the publication.

10 Cities Where Mortgages are Staying Afloat
November 3, 2011 - AOL Real Estate
Oklahoma City continues to receive national praise for its steady housing market. This time AOL Real Estate lauded the metro area at the No. 8 city "Where Mortgages are Staying Afloat". Low unemployment and steady home prices the past 12 months helped Oklahoma City land on the list.

Site Selection Tabs Oklahoma as Having One of the Best Business Climates
November 1, 2011 - Site Selection
Site Selection released their annual rankings of "Best Business Climates" and Oklahoma came in at 13th. Of all the factors used, Oklahoma showed best in the Executive Survey aspect of the rank.

Oklahoma City is the Fourth-Best for a Job Search
October 25, 2011 - BenefitsPro
A lot of factors go into a healthy job market and Oklahoma City offers most of them. Low cost of living, low unemployment and value in the housing market caught BenefitPro's eye as the site named the metro area as the "Fourth Best City for a Job Search."

Oklahoma City Named One of the Nation's 100 Best Communities for Young People
October 12, 2011 - America's Promise Alliance and ING
Oklahoma City achieved national recognition as one of America's Promise Alliance's 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING for its initiatives to help young people. This is Oklahoma City's fifth time on the 100 Best Communities for Young People list.

Oklahoma City among Top 20 Strongest Metros in the Nation For Tenth Consecutive Quarter
October 6, 2011 - Brookings
For the tenth quarter in a row, Oklahoma City was listed as one of the Top 20 Strongest Metros among America's 100 largest metropolitan areas, according to The Brookings Institute MetroMonitor report. Oklahoma City has been in the Top 20 in this report since the recession began. While the majority of the cities evaluated saw high unemployment rates, rising foreclosures and other negative economic indicators, Oklahoma City saw a positive trend in nearly all areas.

Best Sports Cities: OKC Makes the Cut
October 4, 2011 - Sporting News
Oklahoma City has always been known as a town crazy about sports, from our love for our local minor league franchises to our favorite colleges, the metro has always boasted passionate fans. However, since the Thunder came to town that passion has been taken to another level. The Sporting News has taken notice and named OKC the No. 26 "Best Sports City" in America.

Oklahoma City #5 on "Best Places to Start Over" List
September 31, 2011 - MSN Real Estate
Oklahoma City has done more than just OK in the jobs arena. It has consistently ranked as one of the nation's strongest economies over the past few years. Low unemployment, healthy economy and stable housing market landed OKC on the 10 "Best Places to Start Over" list.

Oklahoma Makes Top 10 in Two Categories of "Top States For Doing Business" Survey
September 22, 2011 - Area Development Magazine
Area Development recently surveyed highly-respected location consultants and Oklahoma City came up big in two critical areas. The state ranked fourth in both incentives and shovel-ready programs. Those surveyed work with a nationwide client base.

Oklahoma City #3 on "10 Metros with Greatest 5-Year Gain in Real Estate Values" List
September 2, 2011 - Inman News / Zillow
Housing bubble not inspiring any Lawrence Welk-esque merriment in your area? Check out Oklahoma City. Zillow "calculated the 10 U.S. metro areas that have experienced the largest gains in home values over the past five years, based on the company's home-value estimates and its Zillow Home Value Index" in order to find the best housing markets in the country. OKC clocked in at a 10.1% rate of appreciation over that period, in stark contrast to the many negative rates that continue to dominate the nation.

Chesapeake Energy Arena Ranked 6th on the NBA
August 24, 2011 - Orlando Sentinel
Chesapeake Energy Arena was ranked as the 6th-best arena in the NBA due to great location, the mascot Rumble and friendly and rowdy fans. The author expects the arena to jump into the top three after current renovations are complete.

Oklahoma City Makes Top 10 of "Best Places to Live" List
August 3, 2011 - RelocateAmerica via WSJ Marketwatch
Citing a "renovation of convention, cultural and educational sites" as well as all types of new downtown development projects, Oklahoma City lands at number 10 on another Top 10 list (this time from relocation specialist RelocateAmerica) for best places to live.

Kotkin: OKC a Top 20 Boom Town in the U.S.
July 6, 2011 - Forbes / New Geography
Past, present and future job growth and demographic factors like growth in educated migration and population increases help explain Oklahoma City's presence on Joel Kotkin's "Next Boom Towns in the U.S." top 20 list, published in Forbes and New Geography. What's behind the next boom? "...well-established patterns of job creation and vital demographics will drive future regional growth, not only in the next year, but over the coming decade. People create economies and they tend to vote with their feet when they choose to locate their families as well as their businesses," says Kotkin.

Oklahoma City Named 2nd-Best Place to Start a Small Business
July 1, 2011 - The Fiscal Times
Along with an affordable cost of living and a high concentration of local investors, The Fiscal Times explains OKC's exciting environment for emerging companies as easy-to-succeed for entrepreneurs with a bevy of groundbreaking incentives alongside a strong economy, an expanding population, great "quality of life, revitalized downtown, and cultural activities, along with a talented workforce."

Forbes Best Places for Business and Careers: OKC #28 of 200
June 29, 2011 - Forbes
Forbes looked at "12 metrics relating to job growth (past and projected), costs (business and living), income growth, educational attainment and projected economic growth," as well as a bevy of quality-of-life factors and proximity to highly-ranked colleges among the top 200 metros in the country. Oklahoma City's economic strength, cost of doing business, income growth and proximity to four universities on Forbes' "Best Colleges" ranking all helped OKC rise to the top 14% of all 200 metro areas studied.

Oklahoma Ranked 6th-Lowest Cost of Business State, 4th-Best Economy
June 28, 2011 - CNBC
In CNBC's "America's Top States for Business 2011" report, Oklahoma ranked 6th-best for cost of business due to low income, property and business taxes, "particularly as they apply to new investments." CNBC also factored in utility costs, cost of wages and rental rates for both office and industrial space to round out their cost-of-business rankings. In addition, Oklahoma also ranked as the 4th-best economy (due to economic diversity and fiscal health) and the 3rd-lowest cost of living in the CNBC study.

Brookings: Oklahoma City Among Top 20 Metros for Overall Performance
June 21, 2011 - The Brookings Institution MetroMonitor
Once again, Oklahoma City is singled out among the Top 20 Performing Metros according to The Brookings Institution. Brookings examines employment numbers, unemployment rates, home prices and gross metropolitan product levels to determine their star performers, once again showing OKC's resilience and economic strength and diversity, even during - as well as after - the recession.

Oklahoma City Boasts 5th-Best Retail Employment Growth Since Recession
June 20, 2011 - The Business Journals
In Bizjournals' analysis of new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Oklahoma City ranks fifth in raw retail employment growth since April 2008, "when the recession slammed the brakes on consumer spending." OKC is also one of only eight of the top 100 markets to add jobs since the recession began, another indication of how Oklahoma City's economic strength makes it one of the country's few prime growth spots for destination retail. With a strong economy, high-paying jobs, multiple Fortune 500 headquarters and a real estate market lauded for its investment potential, OKC is on every national retailer's radar.

Global Insight: Oklahoma City Expected to Show 2nd-Highest GMP Growth
June 20, 2011 - U.S. Conference of Mayors / Global Insight
With an estimated 7.5% increase in Gross Metropolitan Product, Oklahoma City ranked 2nd for GMP growth among the 100 largest U.S. metros in Global Insight's 2011 U.S. Metro Economies Report of GMP and employment forecasts. Highlighting a rosy future as well as a sunny recent past, the report also details OKC's actual 4.8% annual average GMP growth rate from 2007-2009, which ranks #1 among the 100 largest metros, as well as our lowest unemployment rate among metros with more than 1 million in population for Q1 of 2011.

Two OKC HQ'd Cos Among Computerworld's "Best Places To Work in IT"
June 20, 2011 - Computerworld
A healthy, highly-skilled, productive, cutting-edge workforce is the norm in Oklahoma City. For the 2nd year in a row, Chesapeake Energy (#7) and American Fidelity (#11) have been named to Computerworld's "Best Places to Work in IT" list - both headquartered in OKC.

OKC a Top 20 Fastest-Growing Area for 5-17 Year-Olds
June 16, 2011 - New Geography
In another sign of present and future growth, New Geography looked at new census data to determine the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. for kids, while noting that most cities at the top had a few things in common, including job growth, strong economies and affordable housing. Want a place that's attractive to families and where it's easy to find a workforce now and in the future? Try Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City Thunder Ranked 6th-Best Pro Sports Franchise by ESPN
June 15, 2011 - ESPN The Magazine
Ranked 6th overall and 2nd in the NBA by ESPN, the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder mirrors their hometown by excelling in areas crucial and easily recognizable to business that explain both on- and off-the-court success: Bang for the buck (ROI), overall affordability (low cost structures), fan relations (spirit of community partnership) and players (workforce).

Two OKC HQ'd Cos Named to Top 10 "Best Large Companies to Work for in America"
June 7, 2011 - Careerbuilder.com / AOL Jobs
Want a place where headquarter companies can thrive? Try Oklahoma City, with two companies, Chesapeake Energy and Devon Energy, in the Top 10, according to AOL Jobs and Careerbuilder.com.

OKC #3 on "Best Cities for Recent Grads" List
June 1, 2011 - Newsweek / The Daily Beast
After four years at college, which "cities offer the brightest future?" Oklahoma City ranks 3rd in Newsweek's "The Daily Beast" new "Best Cities for Recent Grads" list by virtue of our superior economy along with an outstanding quality of life. First-class housing, employment, affordability and livability rankings? We've got it all - along with more than 120,000 metro college students - in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma Boasts 6th-Greatest Increase in Financial Sector Employment
May 25, 2011 - The Business Journals
A product of a strong economy, a business-friendly environment and the lack of a financial sector unduly disturbed by unwelcome subprime lending practices, Oklahoma ranks an amazing 6th in raw change in financial sector job growth since 2010.

Oklahoma Ranks #12 in Raw Private Sector Job Growth
May 24, 2011 - The Business Journals
Adding more than 31,000 jobs from April 2010 to April 2011, Oklahoma's job numbers are a result of not simply avoiding the housing bubble, but of a strong economy and a workforce that is ready for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Forbes / New Geography: OKC #8 of "Top Big Cities for Manufacturing Jobs"
May 9, 2011 - Forbes
What city boasts an enviable CareerTech system offering free employee training, a solid tradition and experience in the MRO sector, and a business climate that just does it better for manufacturers with comprehensive tort and workers' comp reform just passed? Whether you're involved in traditional industrial activities or high-tech manufacturing, Oklahoma City shines, coming in at #8 on Joel Kotkin's "New Geographer" / Forbes' "Top Big Cities for Manufacturing Jobs" list

Forbes: OKC 4th-Best Place to Buy a Home Right Now
May 9, 2011 - Forbes
Housing bubble or high unemployment got you down? Come to OKC. Forbes looked at Zillow data for 125 metro areas, examining home price-to-income ratios, unemployment, foreclosures and price trends and found OKC to indeed be both a better living and a better life, putting us at #4 on their "Best Places to Buy a Home Right Now" list.

OKC #7 on "Best Cities to Find a (Great) Job" List
May 5, 2011 - CBS News BNET
Based on Indeed.com's latest job posting / unemployment analysis, BNET recognized Oklahoma City's strong economy, quality of jobs available and our nation's-best low unemployment rate, and put OKC at lucky #7 on their list of "Best Cities to Find a (Great) Job," which comes as no surprise to some of our new residents and companies. Read more on our ongoing renaissance at our new digital magazine, Velocity.

Chief Executive: OK is more than OK for Biz
May 3, 2011 - Chief Executive
Coming in at #11, Oklahoma makes the 4th-best one-year jump, and the biggest five-year gain of all, in Chief Executive's annual "Best and Worst States for Business" survey results - and all this before passing comprehensive workers' comp and tort reform this legislative session.

Oklahoma City #2 in The Business Journals' "Small Business Vitality" Ranking
April 11, 2011 - The Business Journals
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and County Business Patterns, The Business Journals' third annual Small Business Vitality index shows Oklahoma City 2nd on their list of most conducive places for the creation and development of small businesses. Bizjournals used a six-part formula to analyze the nation's 100 largest metros to find the best climates for businesses to grow and flourish -- and once again, Oklahoma City shows its low-cost, high-value combination is tough to beat.

OKC's OMRF Ranked #6 in National Survey
March 3, 2011 - The Scientist
In its annual ranking of the "Best Places to Work for Postdoctoral Fellows," The Scientist magazine ranked the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, headquartered in downtown Oklahoma City's burgeoning biotech corridor, 6th among U.S. institutions. The rankings, which appear in the March issue of The Scientist, were based on surveys that gathered thousands of responses from postdoctoral fellows-postdocs-at nearly 100 institutions.

Oklahoma City Earns Highest Possible Ratings from S&P, Moody's
February 28, 2011 - Standard & Poor's and Moody's / City of OKC
Standard & Poor's rating service has announced that they confirm Oklahoma City's General Obligation debt rating of AAA, while Moody's Investor Service has also confirmed the City's Aaa bond rating. Both ratings are the highest ratings offered by their respective services, putting Oklahoma City in an elite group of the best municipal credits in the marketplace. A few of the factors that contributed to Oklahoma City's continued high rating include: Oklahoma City's expanding regional economic base that serves as the State's economic engine; ongoing downtown redevelopment; consistently strong financial performance and position that includes strategic business planning; conservative financial management practices; low debt and an affordable capital improvement program; and political and management stability -- all factors that contribute to making OKC a great place for business.

BEA: Oklahoma City 1st in Real GDP Gains Among Top 50 Markets
February 23, 2011 - Bureau of Economic Analysis
With 80 of the top 100 U.S. markets suffering economic decline, Oklahoma City ranked #3 overall and #1 among large markets in percentage change in real GDP, registering a whopping 14.5% increase in metro output during the 2008-2009 study period. High value and a stable local economy mean companies in Oklahoma City find it easier to grow and prosper in any economic climate.

OKC Shows Strong Private-Sector Job Growth Over Past Year, Decade
February 3, 2011 - Bureau of Labor Statistics / Bizjournals
A new analysis by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Oklahoma City's recent success is not simply a passing fortuity, with OKC ranking in the top ten (#7) in percentage job growth over the past year, and in the top 25 (#21) in raw job growth over the past decade.

U.S. News: OKC is 4th Best City to Get a Job
February 1, 2011 - U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News analyzed stats from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and job aggregator site Juju.com to find the best places for the unemployed to seek "greener pastures." OKC's economy and quality of life continue to outperform the competition, and these results are just another indicator of Oklahoma City's ongoing success.

Citizens of Oklahoma City Named Southern Business & Development's "Person of the Year
February 1, 2011 - Southern Business & Development
Citizens of "The City that Keeps Investing in Itself" were recognized by respected economic development publication Southern Business & Development for their willingness to be a part of the larger vision that has put OKC on positive media lists all over the world, jump-started the city's renaissance made it such a great place for both citizens and business. As the article says, "In an age of marked skepticism... Oklahoma City stands out like no place in the country. It is a city that has continued to invest in itself over and over again and the results are nothing less than extraordinary."

ABC News: Oklahoma City Ranked 2nd on "Best Cities to Buy a Home" List
January 26, 2011 - ABC News / Zillow
With "a strong job market that's only getting better," improving home prices and almost unheard-of value, OKC is ranked 2nd on ABC News' "Good Morning America" / Zillow report on the Best Cities to Buy a Home in 2011.

Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts Achieves Elite National Ranking
January 21, 2011 - Art Fair Sourcebook
According to the latest edition of Greg Lawler's "Art Fair SourceBook," Oklahoma City's annual Festival of the Arts is ranked in the elite top 20 (#16) in the Fine Arts category. Lawler's publication is an industry standard for artists as well as art festival patrons from all over the country, and the ranking is further proof that OKC's cultural amenities continue to paint a pretty picture for prospective and current residents alike.

Oklahoma City Ranked Fifth on Forbes' "America's Best Job Markets" List
January 6, 2011 - Forbes
Boasting one of the lowest employment rates in the nation, Forbes reports that "retail and leisure jobs have been on the upswing, as well as professional services" - further proof that OKC is the place to be for business to grow.

Forbes: OKC Among Top Ten Best Bargain Cities
January 6, 2011 - Forbes
For this analysis, Forbes examined median home prices, salary data, cost-of-living factors and unemployment rates to "reflect the strength of local economies." Oklahoma City lands at number nine on their list due to our low unemployment, rising incomes and outstanding overall value for employees and businesses alike.

Oklahoma City Boasts Top Ten (#6) Private-Sector Job Growth Rate
January 6, 2011 - Business First / Bureau of Labor Statistics
Oklahoma City's value continues to drive business success. Analyzing new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business First found Oklahoma City to have the sixth-highest percentage growth in private-sector jobs from November 2009 to the same month a year later. The Oklahoma City MSA added 7,200 positions - enough to even rank OKC in the top 20 (#19) in raw job growth.