Saxum|PR

The Boomerang Effect

March 10th, 2010 by Chad Backus. Posted in Entertainment, Industry Expertise

“Billboard in Oklahoma says parking meter invented there. Reason #200 why I hate Oklahoma.”

This recent tweet from one of my former Dallas colleagues caught my eye. Having lived in Dallas for the past 10 years, I’d heard my fair share of Okie jokes, but this tweet really made me stop and think about my own home state pride. It’s something I never considered I had in my first 23 years of living in Oklahoma. I wasn’t ashamed of my home state; it was honestly just something I never thought about—until last year.

My wife and I were sitting outside Eskimo Joe’s during a trip back home for an Oklahoma State football game, and we decided right then and there that we wanted to be back in our home state. We noticed that we missed the little things we took for granted while living in Oklahoma, from the pace and quality of life to an overall appreciation for how Oklahomans treat each other. A five-year plan became a five-month plan, and in November we were officially Oklahoma residents again. What we didn’t truly realize was the dramatic changes and progress that both Oklahoma City and Tulsa had undergone during our 10-year absence.

From the opening of the Ford Center and bringing an NBA franchise to the city, to the continued growth and revitalization of Western Avenue and Midtown, Oklahoma City continues to re-invent itself. In the Tulsa metropolitan area, the Oklahoma River District has established itself as a major entertainment and shopping destination. The BOK Center continues to book major music acts on a weekly basis and the new ballpark, ONEOK Field (client), is part of the major revitalization of downtown Tulsa.

This progress can be attributed not only to outstanding leaders on the local and state level, but outstanding campaigns in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The Tulsa Vision 2025 and the Oklahoma City MAPS projects provided economic investment, improved education systems and created an overall better quality of life for Oklahomans. 

The state also developed great internal campaigns in an effort to keep talent in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City Chamber implemented Greater Grads, while the Tulsa Chamber’s Young Professionals Club works to keep talented Oklahomans here. Oklahoma Boomerang, which was instrumental in getting my family back home, works to bring talented Oklahoma natives back to their home state.

Oklahoma is a great place to work, a great place to live and a great place to raise a family. It took me 10 years to recognize what I was missing, but once I did, I got back as fast as I could.

I may not be from Muskogee, but I’m sure proud to be an Okie.