Project Boomerang aims to bring former Oklahomans back to state
Journal Record
July 28, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY – In an effort to bring former Oklahomans back to the state to bolster key industries, the Commerce Department has developed Project Boomerang, one of the first four projects recognized under the Oklahoma Creativity Project.

Finding a way to connect employers with potential returnees – college graduates, working professionals and senior entrepreneurs – is the heart of Boomerang, Commerce Department Strategic Initiatives Deputy Director Sheri Stickley said.

The nonprofit Oklahoma Creativity Project was established shortly after the state celebrated its centennial, as Gov. Brad Henry designated 2008 as the Year of Creativity. Project Executive Director Phil Moss said the agency’s goal is to promote a culture of positive change and innovation in the state for the next 100 years. Partners such as the Commerce Department are working toward those goals through ideas such as Boomerang.

The other officially certified Creative Oklahoma Inc. projects so far, dubbed “Great Inspirations,” are the Oklahoma Cultural Heritage Trust, which aims to protect many of the state’s historic collections; the Documentary Twelve, a DVD movie exploration of teenage addictions; and the second annual Oklahoma City Halloween Parade through Bricktown.

In the case of Boomerang, Stickley said, part of the department’s purpose is to attract and develop a highly skilled work force. With a tightening national economy and Oklahoma’s aging pool of workers, the department must approach that task with a new attitude appropriate for the Oklahoma Creativity Project.“We’re looking to attract highly skilled professionals with Oklahoma ties back to Oklahoma to fill high-quality, knowledge-based jobs,” she said. “We’re going to have to use a variety of tools to find these folks.”Almost anyone with any former connection to the Sooner State is a potential target, she said, because research has shown that they are the most likely to be lured even if their experience was as simple as a few years at college, a corporate relocation or a family member in the area.

Boomerang will seek out people in two groups, defined by age: 25- to 45-year-olds, young professionals often referred to as Millennials and Gen-Xers; and 46- to 60-year-olds, baby boomers who are likely to have extensive executive experience and are now looking at second careers as entrepreneurs.

Stickley said Boomerang will find those people through higher education alumni lists and online social networking sites such as Facebook. Stickley’s division will establish a Web portal of its own to provide links to potential employers. She said success benchmarks are still being decided, but will involve corporate feedback from job placements.

Boomerang has a small budget within the Commerce Department, she said, and will likely be supplemented with additional resources as the program develops.“One of the things that looks like it’s going to work very well here is the concept of partnering, with universities and their alumni associations, with employers who have positions open, with recruiting firms who are looking for folks. … We can kind of leverage our resources because everybody is pitching in and figuring out what they can do to help.”

Very interesting and I think a fantastic idea!


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Project Boomerang aims to bring former Oklahomans back to state

by Brian Brus
The Journal Record July 28, 2008


OKLAHOMA CITY – In an effort to bring former Oklahomans back to the state to bolster key industries, the Commerce Department has developed Project Boomerang, one of the first four projects recognized under the Oklahoma Creativity Project.

Sheri Stickley, deputy director for strategic planning and initiatives for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, stands in her office Friday holding an object symbolic of her new project. (Photo by Chris Albers)

Finding a way to connect employers with potential returnees – college graduates, working professionals and senior entrepreneurs – is the heart of Boomerang, Commerce Department Strategic Initiatives Deputy Director Sheri Stickley said.

The nonprofit Oklahoma Creativity Project was established shortly after the state celebrated its centennial, as Gov. Brad Henry designated 2008 as the Year of Creativity. Project Executive Director Phil Moss said the agency’s goal is to promote a culture of positive change and innovation in the state for the next 100 years. Partners such as the Commerce Department are working toward those goals through ideas such as Boomerang.

The other officially certified Creative Oklahoma Inc. projects so far, dubbed “Great Inspirations,” are the Oklahoma Cultural Heritage Trust, which aims to protect many of the state’s historic collections; the Documentary Twelve, a DVD movie exploration of teenage addictions; and the second annual Oklahoma City Halloween Parade through Bricktown.

In the case of Boomerang, Stickley said, part of the department’s purpose is to attract and develop a highly skilled work force. With a tightening national economy and Oklahoma’s aging pool of workers, the department must approach that task with a new attitude appropriate for the Oklahoma Creativity Project.

“We’re looking to attract highly skilled professionals with Oklahoma ties back to Oklahoma to fill high-quality, knowledge-based jobs,” she said.

“We’re going to have to use a variety of tools to find these folks.”

Almost anyone with any former connection to the Sooner State is a potential target, she said, because research has shown that they are the most likely to be lured even if their experience was as simple as a few years at college, a corporate relocation or a family member in the area.

Boomerang will seek out people in two groups, defined by age: 25- to 45-year-olds, young professionals often referred to as Millennials and Gen-Xers; and 46- to 60-year-olds, baby boomers who are likely to have extensive executive experience and are now looking at second careers as entrepreneurs.

Stickley said Boomerang will find those people through higher education alumni lists and online social networking sites such as Facebook. Stickley’s division will establish a Web portal of its own to provide links to potential employers.

She said success benchmarks are still being decided, but will involve corporate feedback from job placements. Boomerang has a small budget within the Commerce Department, she said, and will likely be supplemented with additional resources as the program develops.

“One of the things that looks like it’s going to work very well here is the concept of partnering, with universities and their alumni associations, with employers who have positions open, with recruiting firms who are looking for folks. … We can kind of leverage our resources because everybody is pitching in and figuring out what they can do to help.”

http://www.okctalk.com/talk-across-s...mans-back.html

I like the idea. They could get tons of teachers back from Texas (like me) if they did more with education. Texas gives teachers a pay raise EVERY YEAR. In six years here my pay has increased $10,000 for teaching alone. If you include the coaching responsibilities I'm making 20 grand more now than I did when I started.

Oklahoma has lost way to many teachers to Texas because of pay. I hope they finally do something about that.

I would boomerang for the right opportunity.
However a major stumbling block for me in my current situation is Will Rogers flight availability.
I could fly corp jet, it is very easy and convenient for Corp. Jets in Oklahoma. Location and 1300 to 1500 nautical miles range from most conus locations.
Problem was not enough executive traffic to launch more private jet businesses.
I thought of it.
Maybe the NBA and Boomerang will change that.
I for one would love to have my children in Ok. over California.

I think this project sounds great. I would like to move back to the OKC area however, living in the Dallas Fort Worth area, I have more choices where I want to work since Dallas is home to some 30 Fortune 500 companies alone. I think Oklahoma has made some progress in diversifing the economy. I think what will bring back former Oklahomans are better quality jobs meaning attracting more Fortune 500 companies as their headquarters. Devon and Chesapeake are great corporate citizens but what will happen when oil and gas prices plummet? Also, the state needs to stop taxing food, groceries, get rid of your archaic liquor laws (such an embarrasment). I think the average Oklahoman will agree but what keeps Oklahoma from truly progressing and prosper is your inept legislators. They do not care about the "will of the people", they only care about their own agendas. How sad but true

Amen. Progress...
The state income tax is another area. Texas does not have one if my memory is correct.

Yes this is correct there is no State Income Tax in Texas, however, in Oklahoma's defense, the property taxes in Texas are quite high. My house in a suburb of Dallas, accessed at about $199,000 the taxes run about approx $7-8 thousand a year.

Yeah, you gotta pay for those kiddoes to go to school in the poor hillbilly districts south of you somehow. Rick Perry and Robin Hood say "thank you" for your contribution.

Really now, I doubt if most average Oklahomans want to be as fancy and up to date as more civilized states, such as Texas, so they will elect and reelect legislators to see to it that is done. So if you don't like your legislators, then GET RID OF THEM BY VOTING THEM OUT!!!

Of course, plenty of Oklahomans will be thinking that the advancing homosexual agenda is the real issue of the day, certainly not archaic liquor laws, and will be voting for Sally Kern, or wishing they could.

Yeah if the elections were not FIXED. Many here think they are.

The program looks good but people do not want to 'come back' to the only place in the nation that is all red on the map.

In fact any sane normal family that would rather be around thoughtful, kind non bigoted, non racist, non fear-monging people are looking at moving out of here now.

Gen X gets looked over and always has in Oklahoma. Baby-boomers almost lock them out of jobs here... and give the jobs to baby-boomers, unless you 'know' someone.

So where are the jobs?