Annie Funke Picked for Actors Program

Edmond, Oklahoma native Annie Funke has been participating in the renowned 10-week summer residency program at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. Expect involvement in this intensive learning experience to boost this 26 year old graduate of the University of Oklahoma to new professional heights.

Funke holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater performance. Her regional work experienceincludes Hairspray (Tracy), Charlie Brown (Lucy), Grease (Jan and Cha-Cha!), Godspell (Gilmer) and Once Upon a Mattress (Winnifred). She performed in Hairspray on Broadway.


Source. Rick Rogers. Actor participates in prestigious program. The Oklahoman. 8-21-2011

Tulsa Community Women's Reentry Project

Created by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Division of Female Offender Operations in partnership with Resonance Center for Women, Inc., the Tulsa Community Women's Reentry Project has been in operation since April 2011. The project's goal is to help female offenders find jobs within 30 days of prison release. To qualify, one must be a non-violent female offender with children, who will be returning to Tulsa upon release and who has a parole officer.  Project leaders begin meeting with these women 3 to 6 months prior to their release.  Upon release, they receive a reentry basket filled with necessities. They enter work readiness classes, get help finding child care and, if necessary, receive substance abuse  treatment. On graduation after 6 months, the women receive a professional mentor. The project is took 100 women during the first year. This effort is funded by a federal grant with additional funding from the George Kaiser Family Foundation of Tulsa. 

Meredith Siegfried Named CEO of Nordam

Meredith Siegfried is the new President and CEO of Nordam, the aerospace manufacturer. Nordam's corporate offices are in Tulsa, OK. They specialize in the manufacture, repair, and overhaul of aircraft bonded-honeycomb and composite components. The Tulsa World reports that:

"Siegfried, the daughter of NORDAM founder Ray Siegfried II, who died in 2005, joined the company in 1999. She has a degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago. Siegfried also is chairwoman of the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust and the Tulsa Airport Authority."

You can read more about Siegfried in a Tulsa World article at http://goo.gl/xLKXk and learn more about Nordam at www.nordam.com.

Rebecca Manzer Honored by Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce

Rebecca Manzer and her husband run Certified Carpet Cleaning and Restoration in Skiatook, Oklahoma. Rebecca was recently named "Small Business Person of 2011" by the Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce. Her 10-year old business saw sales increase 84% over the past year. Manzer also supports schools and organizations that assist women and children. Congratulations, Rebecca! You can read more about the award ceremony on the Chambers website by clicking here.

Image is from the Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce website

Liz Hunt Named 2011 Women in Business Champion by Tulsa Chamber

Liz Hunt is Chief Executive of Hunt Media and Marketing, a 10-year old full-service public relations firm in Tulsa. She developed and executed a project that connects small business owners in all 77 Oklahoma counties -- many of which are women-owned -- and is developing leadership opportunities  for these women. She has been named by The Journal Record one of the "50 Women Making A Difference in Oklahoma" and one of Oklahoma's outstanding "Achievers Under 40."  Last month, the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce named Hunt their 2011 Women in Business Champion. You can read the article on the Tulsa Chamber's website HERE.

Margo Gray-Proctor Named Minority Small Business Champion

The Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce recently named Margo Gray-Proctor their 2011 Minority Small Business Champion.

An Osage business woman, Gray-Proctor is President of Horizon Engineering Service Company. She is the only woman to have served as Chair of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.

You can read about the awards presentation by clicking HERE.

Gilcrease Museum Exhibit Celebrates Women

"A major exhibition celebrating the enduring spirit of Western women" is how The Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa describes a temporary exhibIt underway entitled "Home Lands: How Women Made the West."

On display until May 15, 2011, this visiting exhibit focuses on New Mexico, Colorado and the Puget Sound and reflects the West's diversity as well as how women responded to and shaped their environment. To read more about the exhibit, CLICK HERE.

Image from http://www.legendsofamerica.com

Nancy Day Named Tulsa Press Club 2011 Headliner

Club President Ashley Parrish has announced that Nancy Day, executive director of the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice, is one of the Tulsa Press Club's 2011 Headliners. Read more here.

Betty Boyd Remembered

Tulsa native Betty Boyd, one of Oklahoma's pioneer TV personalities and former a state legislator, died today at the age of 86. Boyd served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1990 to 2000 (Democrat - District 23/east Tulsa County). Boyd co-authored the bill creating the Oklahoma State University-Tulsa campus, advocated reading programs in early grades and expanded school teacher and administrator training. As a breast cancer survivor, her legislative agenda also included health issues. According to the Tulsa World, "While serving in the House, Betty Boyd was the oldest member, the only great-grandmother and one of only a few women to chair more than one committee." You can read the full Tulsa World article about Betty Boyd by clicking here.

Breast Impressions, Others Kick Off Breast Cancer Month in Tulsa

Breast Impressions, Inc. over in Tulsa is busy this month. Their Woodland Hills Mall Kick Off to Breast Cancer Awareness Month was a great success. They gave out 3,000 pink ribbons at the 4 entrances to the mall (they were all gone by 12:30!) with help from the Green Country Roller Girls, The Tulsa Oiler Hockey Ice Girls, Tulsa Craft Mafia and the Girl Scouts for making sure everyone knew it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Lots of wonderful Oklahoma groups had booths while Sparkles the dog kissed her heart out and raised $165 dollars!

Their Breast Impressions Survivors 2010 Calendar is now taking pre-orders. You can order them for $10 each plus $1.50 for shipping. They should arrive by October 25th. To view, click on the hotlink above; you can also order them there or send a check to Breast Impressions at 4645 S Vandalia Ave., Tulsa, OK 74135.

On October 25th at 3 p.m. get over to Woodland Hills Mall for the Breast Cancer Survivor Fashion Show. It's going to be one of the most moving shows the runway will ever host. Thanks to Linda Layman Modeling Agency for coordinating the show, and to all the wonderful stores who are participating!

Then on October 25th at 7 p.m. the Mall will be transformed into a wonderland of black and pink (Breast Impressions colors) and for just $25 you can be fed, entertained and bid on your favorite cast with all proceeds from the auction going to Tulsa Project Woman! You won't BELIEVE the fabulous gifts the merchants have donated to the $10 raffle! Even a $500 Coach Purse! The men won't be left out either.. some great gifts they might win too, if their number is drawn!

Kudos to Breast Impressions founder and director, Judi Grove, and her team working hard to meet the needs of women who are facing breast cancer now and educate those who may face it in the future.

Oklahoma Magazine Interviews Tulsa YWCA's Felicia Collins Correia

The February edition of Oklahoma Magazine is out and it includes a nice interview with Felicia Collins-Correia, CEO of YWCA Tulsa. The Y's mission is "Ending Racism and Empowering A Women." In an article entitled "Moving Beyond Color Lines," Corria, who is on the board of directors of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition, talks about the Tulsa race riots and, as an African American, reflects on the significance of President Barack Obama's election. You can view the digital version of the magazine by clicking here (Felicia's article is on pages 7-8).

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.

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.”

Kara Gae Neal To Head Tulsa Technology Center

Tulsan Kara Gae Neal is slated to become superintendent of the Tulsa Technology Center when Gene Callahan retires July 1, 2008. Neal currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Oklahoma State University. She has served as superintendent of Glenpool Schools, Tulsa County School Superintendent and superintendent of Metro Technology Center in Oklahoma City. Congratulations, Kara Gae.

Tulsan Maria De Leon Honored

Tulsa's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce recently presented the Hispanic Business of the Year to La Que Buena 1530 AM's owner and general manager Maria De Leon. La Que Buena has broadcast in Tulsa for nearly 11 years, and employs four full-time employees and three part-time workers. Read more here>>

Tulsan Darla Hall Dies

Darla Hall, a longtime Tulsa city councilor and westside community advocate, died Thursday. She was 69. Read the Tulsa World story here.