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How Do We Measure Progress?
One of the questions I often ask when people talk about economic development is, "How do you measure progress?" It's easy to point to a ribbon cutting or a major announcement, but those moments are really the result of years of planning, investment, and partnership. Perhaps the best way to measure a community's progress is by the momentum that begins to build across every sector.
Today, I see that momentum all around Shawnee. Our manufacturers continue to invest in their facilities and report growth. Oklahoma Baptist University is welcoming more students and expanding opportunities for the next generation, while Gordon Cooper Technology Center continues to grow programs that prepare a skilled workforce for our region's employers. Across our community, dirt is turning, buildings are rising from the ground, and infrastructure improvements are underway that will support future growth for years to come. Businesses are choosing to reinvest, educators are preparing tomorrow's workforce, and our public partners are making investments that strengthen our foundation. That kind of activity doesn't happen by chance. It reflects confidence in our community and confidence in where we're headed.
As you travel around Shawnee and Pottawatomie County over the coming weeks, I encourage you to look a little closer. Notice the construction sites, the expanding businesses, the improvements taking shape, and the investments being made with tomorrow in mind. They may seem like individual projects, but together they tell a much bigger story. They are the visible signs of a community building its future, one investment at a time.
~ Crystal
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