Such efforts have won Oklahoma many accolades and have assured it a spot on several site selectors' lists, including Mike Mullis of J. M. Mullis, a Memphis, Tenn.-based site-consulting firm. "The business climate in Oklahoma is very good," Mullis explains. "It's a very competitive state- and local-level environment. As a result, the level of business activity is very high, particularly for a non-right-to-work state west of the Mississippi River."

In fact, Oklahoma has maintained a top spot in all job growth categories, according to the May 1999 Blue Chip Job Growth Update, which is compiled by the College of Business at Arizona State University. The state ranked No. 10 in percent of job growth for manufacturing; No. 11 in finance, insurance and real estate; and No. 15 in services.

Qualified Labor Keeps Oklahoma on Top

Oklahoma has taken to heart another secret to success as well -- know the customers' needs. And today's corporate real estate clients' biggest need -- one that's growing more difficult to fulfill by the day -- is finding qualified labor. Oklahoma, however, has been at the forefront of upgrading labor skills.

"Oklahoma's greatest strength is its quality work force and the overall trainability of the work force," Mullis explains. The state has shot ahead of the pack in its education reform and work-force development, keeping it at the top of several nationwide rankings.

But perhaps more important than the state's efforts in education reform is its top-notch statewide training program. Oklahoma's Training for Industry Program (TIP) has been ranked the No. 1 training program in the country by the founder of the Kiplinger Letter and Kiplinger Magazine. TIP provides new or expanding companies free, customized training through a network of 54 state-of-the-art technology centers.

To see an example of how well the program works, one only needs to look at The Hartford's fast-paced Oklahoma City opening and rapid expansion. Between November of 1998 and the summer of 1999, Hartford needed to hire some 200 full- and part-time employees to provide customer service and sales support at its new facility. "Oklahoma's Training for Industry Program was a major incentive to The Hartford's decision to locate in Oklahoma," says Cecilia Smith, vice president, the Hartland Division of The Hartford's Personal Lines Insurance Center. "We needed a lot of people quickly and knew that we could not put anyone on the phone who was not licensed by the Oklahoma Insurance Commission. Hiring individuals that had not previously worked in the insurance industry and who must pass the extremely difficult Oklahoma Property and Casualty Licensure exam presented a true challenge."

But last summer those workers reported to duty, fully licensed and ready to work. And since that time, Hartford has announced further expansion plans at its Oklahoma City operations.

Training, however, is only part of what Oklahoma provides to new or expanding companies. The state also regularly surveys its communities to identify areas of unemployment and underemployment.