Mayor Bill Fanning (photo: komitv)

Read full Woodward News article.

On National Public Radio's daily Morning Addition program, Judy Woodruff traveled to Woodward to report on one young man who chose a future in wind energy over his previous trade - oil and gas. The report's subject, Quentin Johnson, is studying wind training at the High Plains Technology Center.

Johnson was one of the first students to enroll in the new training program in Woodward, Okla.

But when most people think about energy in Oklahoma, they think of the fuel that comes from the ground. Oil and natural gas helped build this state, and there are oil derricks all around Woodward. There's even one at Johnson's school; in fact, he uses it to practice climbing, because you need to climb 300 feet high to fix a wind turbine.

Listen to the entire NPR report

Read the NPR story

On May 21st, Woodward Industrial Foundation President Lavern Phillips testified in Washington D.C. in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works. The topic hearing titled “Oversight of the Economic Development Administration" was led by Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and James Inhofe (R-OK).

Read full transcripts of Phillips' opening statement (pdf)

Watch video of entire hearing

Via okhorizon.com:

Boone Pickens on Wind Energy: Billionaire Boone Pickens may have made his fortune in the oil patch, but believes our energy future lies with alternative energy and that’s why he wants to invest billions in wind farms.

Wind Tech Program: A recent slow-down in the energy sector has led to some job layoffs for wind turbine manufacturers, yet, industry watchers believe the construction and maintenance of these huge energy generators has nowhere to go but up. That's why High Plains Tech Center in Woodward has created a wind tech program.

Download a new brochure promoting wind energy in NW Oklahoma (PDF):

City, county and Terra Industries officials broke ground during a ceremony Tuesday, marking the start of a $180 million expansion project to Terra’s facilities west of Woodward.

Before the groundbreaking, Hugh Jones, chairman of the Woodward Industrial Foundation spoke, providing figures that demonstrated the value of the company to Woodward.

“Terra is the fourth largest taxpayer in the county,” Jones said. “As a result of this expansion project, their ad valorem tax will increase by approximately $1.8 million. As you are aware, these taxes go to support county government, EMS, the county health department, High Plains Technology Center and the Woodward public schools.

Read full article here.

photo: Woodward News.

Local community leaders continue to receive rave reviews on the completion of the Woodward Campus of Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The Woodward Industrial Foundation takes pride in the fantastic effort by all parties to make the dream of higher education a reality in Northwestern Oklahoma. 

“The 12-year effort to build the campus has truly been a community and state partnership,”
- NWOSU President Dr. Janet Cunningham
Read full Woodward News article

Recently, the city received a $1 million grant for a conference center planned as part of a Community Campus Project in conjunction with the Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Woodward campus along 34th Street in Woodward.

“These are the things we have to do to become a community that will attract young people and professional people. To have people move into our community for growth and development we’ve got to continue to build facilities like this.”
- Lavern Phillips, Woodward Industrial Foundation President
Read full Woodward News article

• Driven by high energy prices, the Woodward regional economy has outperformed nearly every area of the state since 2004. The natural gas driven surge has transformed the local economy, pushing oil and gas employment to nearly 25% of the total county workforce and incomes to near par with the national average.


• Because of the local energy boom, the region has largely ignored much of the early stages of the national recession but is now showing clear signs of a slowdown in both the energy sector and the overall economy. The sharp reversal in energy prices is acting as a drag on local activity and is currently a much bigger hurdle for Woodward than the deepening national recession. However, both forces will continue to exert a drag on the Woodward area economy in 2009.


• Signs of a slowdown. Job growth in Woodward County remains well above the state and nation and will total an estimated 3.0% (300 new jobs) for all of 2008. Hiring growth has nevertheless slowed well below the 5.2% gain in 2007 and the 10.4% gain in 2006. City retail sales growth remains strong but has slowed in lock-step with employment and income. Despite pulling back from peak growth rates, the Woodward economy still has a tremendous amount of momentum and appears well positioned to weather the current economic slowdown as long as energy prices remain near current levels.

> Download complete 2009 Economic Outlook Report (Word)

From a recent Woodward News article:

Mutual of Omaha has been operating in Woodward since 1991 and announced in 2007 the office would be closing due to the company getting out of the employer-based health insurance business.

Since then, the company has decided the Woodward office will transition from a claims and customer service center to a short-term disability claims management center. Mutual of Omaha officials said in a news release he company has experienced strong growth in short and long term disability areas and other employer-based products.

“It’s a very positive statement for Woodward and its future,” said LaVern Phillips, President of the Woodward Industrial Foundation. “Mutual of Omaha is an exceptional company. We’ve had a long positive relationship with this company.”

 visit Mutual of Omaha website

In a recent Woodward News article, resident Lahoma Grunewald said she is glad she made the recent move to Providence Place.

“It’s fabulous here,” said Grunewald. “I love it. Everybody is so nice and the food is great.”

Northwest Oklahoma wind farms continue to expand.  A third wind farm, North of Woodward, will be completed in early 2007. 

Learn more about this exciting technology at the Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative website.