REI Oklahoma Receives Grant to Support Single Mother and Single Women Business Owners REI Oklahoma and its Women’s Business Center receives a $10,000 grant to launch a scholarship and microgrant initiative to help elevate single mother and single women businesses owners in Oklahoma.   (OKLAHOMA CITY, Dec. 27, 2022) – REI Oklahoma, an economic development nonprofit, was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the Women’s Foundation of Oklahoma. The purpose of this grant is to help propel the launch or growth of small businesses that are majority-owned by single mother or single women households through their Women’s Business Center. REI … Continue reading →

October 28, 2022 (DURANT) – REI Oklahoma, a nonprofit economic development organization, announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, REI Development Corp., has secured $55 million in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocations. The tax credits are provided by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and provide a 39 percent federal income tax credit for investments into qualifying businesses in low-income communities.   REI Oklahoma is one of 107 community development organizations in the U.S. to receive a combined $5 billion in NMTC allocation, which is designated to create economic development in distressed communities.  The New Markets Tax … Continue reading →

Wednesday August 24, 2022 – Wednesday August 24, 2022 Map and Directions | Register Description: In this webinar, learners will discover how to create a search-friendly website that drives user action and supports their goals. Whether launching a new website or sprucing up an old one, this workshop will help. All attendees will want to stay after the presentation for a bonus session where Maria Elena will show you marketing tips for building a powerful website. This session is a part of the August Local Business Bootcamp – Track 1 How will you finish out the year? Hoping for the … Continue reading →

Cherokee CRC, named “Construction Firm of the Year” during the 2013 Oklahoma Minority Enterprise Development Week hosted by REI Native American Business Centers (REI NABC) has been recognized for their success at the national level.   The company, which provides construction management services, was awarded “Minority Construction Firm of the Year” during the 2013 National Minority Enterprise Development Week, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce MBDA.   Cherokee CRC was nominated for the national award, which is designed to celebrate and recognize outstanding achievements of minority entrepreneurs, by James Ray, MBDA Business Center Project Director with REI NABC.   … Continue reading →

Billy Hamilton, NABRC Program Coordinator with REI Native American Business Centers, recently joined other minority business leaders to discover strategies for helping businesses grow.  The five-day program, entitled Building A High-Performing Minority Business, took place at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business in Hanover, New Hampshire.  During the program, participants examined three strategies to grow a company – organic growth, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic alliances.   The program included topics such as strategy and implementation, analysis of financial statements and refining the management structure.  Hamilton learned methods to assess business operations for the purpose of streamlining processes and improving … Continue reading →

REI Oklahoma recently completed construction on an eco-friendly complex in Durant. The building is part of a growing “green” movement in construction, and has received LEED® Silver Certification from U.S. Green Building Council Leadership (USGBC).  REI Oklahoma partnered with ECO Potential, Mid-Plains Construction and Kinslow, Keith & Todd in the development of the building.  All were recently recognized for their leadership in the green building movement at an open house event. “REI Oklahoma is pleased to be a part of the green building movement, which is an opportunity to create a healthy work environment in our area, reducing the need … Continue reading →

Lesa Steele, MBDA Business Center Assistant with REI Native American Business Centers, recently joined other minority business leaders to discover strategies for helping businesses grow. The five-day program, entitled Growing the Minority Business to Scale, took place at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business in Hanover, New Hampshire. During the program, participants examined three strategies to grow a company – organic growth, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic alliances. The program included topics such as business plan refinement, financing, marketing and operations, negotiations, leadership and innovation. Steele learned the foundations of innovation and how to apply them to Oklahoma’s minority-owned businesses. … Continue reading →

REI Oklahoma invites the public to the 5th Annual Cruisin for a Cure Charity Car Show, which will be held on Saturday September 14th to benefit the March of Dimes and Colton’s Main Street Run. The Car Show will be held at the Choctaw Event Center on Hwy 69/75 in Durant, Oklahoma. Automotive enthusiasts are invited to come out and enjoy a day of hot rods, food and music. Show hours are from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Car Show entry registration is 8am to noon. The first 50 registered cars, trucks and motorcycles receive a commemorative Car Show dash … Continue reading →

Showing her support for minority-owned enterprises within the state of Oklahoma, Governor Mary Fallin signed a proclamation supporting August 26th through 30th, 2013 as “Minority Enterprise Development Week” in Oklahoma. Minority Enterprise Development Week, hosted by REI Native American Business Centers, honors outstanding minority entrepreneurs in Oklahoma.  The week culminates with an annual event that celebrates the contributions made by minority business owners and recognizes advocates throughout Oklahoma.  Award winners are acknowledged for achievements such as construction firm of the year, technology firm of the year, advocate of the year and an innovation award, among others. “This is a wonderful … Continue reading →

Debbie Partin, REI Business Lending Director, has been selected as one of The Journal Record’s “50 Making a Difference” for 2013. The Journal Record Woman of the Year program recognizes Oklahoma’s leading women who epitomize leadership in both their professional endeavors and in the communities where they live. Partin, along with other honorees, will be recognized and the Woman of the Year will be announced at an event on October 3rd in Oklahoma City. Partin has been assisting Oklahoma entrepreneurs with their business lending needs since joining REI Oklahoma in 1992. She is responsible for providing access to needed capital … Continue reading →