In the summer of 2003, Governor Brad Henry teamed the Commerce Department and the State System of Higher Education to combine the innovative technical strength of our colleges and universities with the practical experience of economic development professionals. The goal: to develop an integrated, innovative and focused action plan to provide Oklahoma a new competitive edge in the global economy.
Oklahoma's EDGE has built on current and previous work undertaken by state leaders to energize economic development efforts at the local, regional and statewide levels. The project was guided by a governor-appointed Steering Committee and 23 teams of statewide experts from both the public and private sectors, which provided leadership and strategic recommendations for directing Oklahoma's economic future.
Regional public forums were held on November 4, 2003, at 29 locations across the state. Nearly 2,400 business, education and community leaders met to share their reactions to the initial proposals. In addition, more than 12,200 visitor sessions have been recorded at www.okedge.org, where individuals have participated in online discussions or submitted comments via e-mail. The opinions expressed throughout the process have been considered in preparing these recommendations.