Clemens to lead state Chamber executives

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Dec 19, 2001

Jay Clemens, president and chief executive of the Tulsa Metro Chamber, has been elected to serve as the 2002 president of the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Clemens has served as the organization's secretary/treasurer and president-elect, and has helped strengthen the group's professional development courses.

Pam Dunlap, Bartlesville Chamber, will serve as president-elect. Cindy Keaton-Morris, Grove Area Chamber, will serve as secretary/ treasurer. The group's board members include Gary Akin, Owasso Chamber of Commerce; Marilyn Feaver, Lawton/Fort Sill Chamber; Nicole Boyles, Clinton Chamber; Wes Stucky, Ardmore Chamber; Rich Cantillon, Blackwell Chamber and Jan Jarrett, Ponca City Chamber.

Ex-officio members of the board include Jack Wesenberg, Metro- Tulsa Chamber; Brett Hamm, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; and Dick Rush, The State Chamber. Danna Fowble will serve as the organization's executive vice president.

Jan Jarrett, president and chief executive officer of the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce, has been named Executive of the Year by the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce Executives. Jarrett was recognized for his 20 years experience, which include his achievements at the Ponca City Chamber.

Meet the new chief

Deputy Chief Alan B. Benson has been named the Oklahoma City fire chief. Benson, 45, has served as deputy fire chief since 1994 and has been a firefighter for 22 years.

The city considered five internal applicants for the position. Benson will replace Assistant Chief Kenneth Bunch, who served as interim chief during the selection process.

Newly recognized

Systems Engineer Herb Sanders of Edmond-based UpTime, a regional provider of computer security, networking and storage solutions, has earned recognition as a NetScreen Certified Security Associate. Uptime is a systems integrator and value-added reseller of hardware and software made by NetScreen Technologies, among other firms.

Sanders, an UpTime employee since 2000, has achieved A , Microsoft Certified Professional Internet (MCP I), Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) and Cisco Wireless certifications.

Retail sales rise

Same-store retail sales by check in Oklahoma were up 2.6 percent in the first 24 days after Thanksgiving.

Nationwide retail sales grew a modest 1.8 percent over the same period last year, according to TeleCheck Services, a Houston-based check acceptance company. The TeleCheck Retail Index is based on a year-over-year, same-store comparison of the dollar volume of checks written by consumers at more than 27,000 of TeleCheck's 272,000 subscribing locations.

"Despite rising unemployment and a shrinking GDP, retail spending - - although moderate -- continues to hold steady," said William Ford, TeleCheck's senior economic adviser. "Falling energy, gasoline and home-heating oil prices, and the government's $750 billion stimulus package continue to help the economy's recovery and contributes to consumers' confidence. With a last-minute shopping surge still to come, TeleCheck estimates at least a 2 percent increase in same- store retail sales for the entire 32-day holiday season."

During the first 24 days of the holiday shopping season, sales in the Southeast region climbed 2.6 percent. Sales in the Southwest, which includes Oklahoma, jumped 2.3 percent. The Northeast region's sales increased 2.1 percent and sales in the Midwest region grew 1.8 percent. Sales grew 1.5 percent in the Mid-Atlantic and 1.3 percent in the West.

Tennis anyone?

Oklahoma residents will get the chance to cheer on world-class tennis when the first round of the Davis Cup is played in Oklahoma City this winter.

The American team, captained by Patrick McEnroe, will meet a four- member team from the Slovak Republic Feb. 8-10.

"This is an event we get goose bumps about," said Gary Dejardin, general manager of the Myriad Convention Center. "The Davis Cup is all about the red, white and blue. It's about the United States."

The Davis Cup is a best-of-five series with two singles matches Friday, Feb. 8, a doubles match Saturday, Feb. 9, and two singles matches Sunday, Feb. 10. Matches are best-of-five until a team clinches, then remaining matches are best-of-three. The matches will start in the afternoon and continue through the evening each day.

"The Davis Cup is a team format with national flavor," said Jeff Ryan, the director of special events for the United States Tennis Association.

Ryan said Oklahoma City's enthusiasm for tennis and this event was one of the deciding factors in choosing the city as the host over Columbus, Ohio, and Naples, Fla. He said the event will generate $2 million for the Oklahoma City economy.

American players for the Davis Cup will be chosen by McEnroe before the Feb. 7 draw for match play. They could include Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick, Todd Martin, Jan-Michael Gambill or James Blake.

Tickets, which range from $60 to $270, go on sale Thursday at the Myriad Center Box Office.