Tulsa Entrepreneur Colleen Payne-Nabors

The Journal Record recently has a nice article on Colleen Payne-Nabors and her recent book I Did It My way and...It Worked.

Too bad they won't let us link to their article unless we are a subscriber -- boo, hiss, TJR!

Payne-Nabors is CEO and founder of MCI Diagnostic Center in Tulsa. Her firm was named to Inc. Magazine's 2007 list of America's fastest-growing companies. Read about her here.

Oklahoma Women's Coalition - 1st Intern

Left to right: Donna Lawrence, Jean Warner, OU Intern Gigi McCormick, and Pat Potts at Jean's kitchen table getting ready to launch the new Oklahoma Women's Coalition. Lots of other women have also been involved in this effort including BPW's Connie Douglas, Kathie Tanner and Sharon Baker; AKA's Jacqueline Achong; Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma Karen Morgan and Ingrid Williams, Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma Cathy Stackpole, Deborah Gooding, and Crystal Slater, AAUW's Faye Henson and Shelli Wasson, YWCA Tulsa, Felicia Collins-Correia, YWCA OKC's Jan Peery and Sherry Hatherley, Dana Murphy; League of Women Voters President Barbara Wilson and many, many others. Get ready to join! Membership form goes up on the website a week from today.

Linda Haneborg Honored for Lifetime Achievement

At The Journal Record's 2008 Woman of the Year Banquet this evening, JR Publisher Mary Melon (left) presented Linda Haneborg (right) with a Lifetime Achievement award.

Haneborg is only the third Oklahoma woman to receive this prestigious recognition (along with former OKC mayor Patience Latting and reporter Joan Gillmore).

LaRita Aragon Named 2008 Woman of the Year

I attended The Journal Record's 2008 Woman of the Year banquet at the Cox Center this evening. Keynote speaker was Prudence Bushnell; she was the US Ambassador to the Republic of Kenya when Al Qaeda blew up the American Embassy in Nairobi. I was very moved by her remarks. Linda Haneborg received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Four Oklahoma programs were honored for their contributions to Oklahoma women: N.E.W. Leadership [which I am co-founder along with Cindy Rosenthal], the Oklahoma Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" program, Dress for Success, and the YWCA of Oklahoma City. Jan Peery accepted for the YWCA and several of our NEW Leadership graduates got to receive their award. The highlight of the evening was announcement of the 2008 Woman of the Year. Fifty woman are honored each year but one get's the gold ring. This year the very deserving winner was (Ret.) Major General LaRita Aragon. I'm tired so I'll write more of LaRita tomorrow. But you can click here to read a bio on LaRita when she was still in the military. She now works for the University of Oklahoma. This is a fun evening filled with great women. I got to tell Lt Gov Jari Askins about the Oklahoma Women's Coalition. Visited with Jan Peery, Karen Morgan, Andrea Chancellor, Cynda Ottaway, Donna Lawrence, Dana Murphy, many many others, plus I got to meet the new director of NEW Leadership. Fun night!

Oklahoma Women's Coalition Coming Soon

I spent most of today at my computer revising an application to the Women's Foundation of Oklahoma. Hope it helps; the Oklahoma Women's Coalition is going to need start up funding.

Heather Sparks is Oklahoma's 2008 Teacher of the Year

Congratulations to Heather Sparks, Taft Middle School teacher who was just named 2008 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. Read full story by clicking HERE. In The Oklahoman article, there are congratulatory quotes from State Superintendent Sandy Garrett and District Superintendent Karl Springer. The one person who got left out but who deserves some recognition, too, is Taft Middle School's exceptional Principal, Lisa Johnson.

Book: Oklahoma's Historical Centennial Cookbook

Tecumseh author Ronnye Perry Sharp has co-authored with Bob Burke another Oklahoma treasure: Oklahoma's Historical Centennial Cookbook ($39.99). It includes recipes from Oklahomans including Barry Switzer, T Boone Pickens, Gov. Brad Henry, Toby Keith, Vince Gill and Amy Grant, etc. as well as vignettes on Oklahoma. There are also recipes from some of Oklahoma's best chefs including Kurt Fleischfesser (The Coach House in OKC), the late Clay Oden (now-closed Grand Boulevard Grill), and Avis Scaramucci (Nonna's). Might make a nice Christmas gift to someone who either loves to cook or just loves Oklahoma.

Tulsa Businesswoman Marsha Watkins

Here is a nice article in The Journal Record about Oklahoma businesswoman Marsha Watkins. She co-owns RainTech Gutter Solutions with her husband. In the article she notes that when customers call the store, most assume she is a receptionist.

“A lot of men don’t want to hear what I have to say because I feel they think I don’t know what I’m talking about,” she said. “Some people we deal with don’t take me as serious as they do my husband.”

Stacy Nyikos - Okie Author

The Journal Record has an article about Bristow children’s author Stacy Nyikos. She uses online resources to promote her work and connect with other writers. She especially likes Redroom.com (including the blog and podcasts). Stacy also has a weblog.

Louisiana Evacuees -- Welcome to Oklahoma!!

Some of the evacuees from Louisiana have arrived in Oklahoma. we are very glad to have them and hope their stay here is good. Read AP story here.