TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - Leaders from the seven-county northeast Oklahoma area converged on Tahlequah Tuesday morning for the start of a two-day Regional Business Summit at Northeastern State University.
The conference's theme, "Giving Voice to Our Region: Leaders Crossing Borders to Build the Economy and our Communities," is intended to set the tone for regional asset and liability mapping, collaborative development and new strategic partnerships.
Meredith Fraley, the speaker of the Cherokee Nation's Tribal Council, helped kicked off the conference by saying that, among other things, the region should also not be afraid to reach across state boarders for common goals.
"It makes sense for [northeast Oklahoma] to tie into northwest Arkansas, the University of Arkansas, Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and others to increase mutually beneficial regional business development," Fraley said.
Fraley was filling in for Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith, who along with other Native American leaders is at the White House today meeting with President Barack Obama.
Via a taped address, Chief Smith urged summit participants to work together to prevent "a third Trail of Tears," in the form of the area's top students leaving for better jobs elsewhere. Northeast Oklahoma is combating the same kind of "brain drain" concerns that northwest Arkansas leaders have often mentioned in economic development forums.
"We have to work together on sound economic strategies based on intelligences and educational resources that take advantage of local skills and business resources," Smith said.
Fraley, who noted that the Cherokee Nation's budget has grown from $7 million to $500 million during the last 25 years, said the Cherokees are committed to being a collaborative partner to help promote a greater good for the entire region.
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