Agricultural News
The Road to Rural Prosperity- Ron Hays Talks with Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce Brent Kisling
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:16:32 CDT
The Road to Rural Prosperity podcast features stories about rural Oklahoma and rural America, focusing on the state's journey to Top Ten status and the people and organizations driving us toward that goal. In Episode 2, this week, Ron Hays visits with Brent Kisling, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, about his role within the Stitt Administration and how he is leading a cultural change at the department to foster innovation and prosperity within our state's economy and throughout our local communities.
Episode two of the Road to Rural Prosperity is sponsored by BancFirst, BancFirst is Loyal to Oklahoma and Loyal to YOU- and by the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center, envisioning a quality public education for every child in Oklahoma.
During the interview with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays, Kisling shares his insight into how each local economy is unique and how they each grow differently. The common thread they all share, though, is that in every community the charge is being led by a few dedicated leaders. The same is true at Oklahoma's Department of Commerce, where Kisling says he has taken up that mantle to advance Oklahoma's economic agenda. He shared the strategy that he, Commerce Secretary Sean Kouplen and the Stitt Administration have developed to make Oklahoma a more economically competitive state.
"The Governor has tasked us with trying to make sure we have a Top Ten growing economy," Kisling said. "And, we have a pathway that we have put together for economic growth and prosperity."
That pathway, according to Kisling, starts with building and implementing a strong brand for Oklahoma. With this, he says the Administration will elevate Oklahoma's perception to stakeholders outside the state. In addition, Kisling asserts that growing Oklahoma's legacy companies is imperative, while at the same time using a targeted approach to bring new industries into the state. The final piece of the puzzle, Kisling says, is to foster a culture of innovation and maximize our state's existing resources.
"I truly believe our rural areas are the most innovative areas we have," he remarked. "We need to figure out ways to amplify that. Those (rural communities) are our biggest assets and that's our road to making sure we are Top Ten."
Using this strategy, Kisling believes rural Oklahoma is uniquely positioned to help lift the state out of the peak and valley cycle of its commodity-based economic structure by integrating value-added components that will help expand the capitalization of products produced here in the state.
Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear the full conversation that Hays and Kisling had about where Oklahoma is headed in the journey to become Top Ten.
Ron Hays talks Top Ten Efforts with Brent Kisling of the Okla Dept of Commerce
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