Hutchinson Joins REI as Incubator-Foreign Trade Zone
Program Manager
Will Hutchinson, a Southeastern Oklahoma State University alumni, has joined the staff of Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Inc. (REI) as Program Manager of the organizations business incubator and Foreign Trade Zone programs.
Hutchinson brings 9 years of experience from his previous position with Texas Instruments as a Product Development Engineer and Project Manager with an additional 8 years of industrial electronics experience with Pilkington automotive glass manufacturing. He has extensive experience in electronics and is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) as well as a practitioner in Lean Six-Sigma.
In his new position, Hutchinson will be responsible for overseeing REIs business incubators in the rural Oklahoma communities of Ada, Allen, Bennington, Coalgate, Durant, Warner, Wetumka and Wewoka. Business incubators are spaces designed to provide start-up or expanding businesses with incentives to ensure their success. Benefits include reduced rent, access to REI services, tax incentives and business assistance as they grow and develop into job-creating firms.
Foreign Trade Zone #227, a joint effort of REI and the City of Durant, provides Oklahoma businesses with global market opportunities. Through FTZ 227, sub zones and a zone extension have already been developed to serve Ardmore.
The diversified and extensive experience Will brings to the position will be a great asset to REI and the businesses we serve, said Sherry Harlin, business development director. REI is committed to providing comprehensive business assistance but with Will on board, we believe our services can even be expanded to help our small businesses reach their potential.
Hutchinson and his wife, Stefny, employed at the Durant Post Office, have two children, Kaylee, age 20 and 14-year old Cainan.