Governor Stitt visits local businesses receiving federal funding

TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt told local business leaders he would put a plan in place to address supply chain issues that local business owners have been experiencing since the COVID-19 pandemic began back in March.

Governor Stitt has been traveling the state, meeting with businesses who have benefited from the CARES Act, and other federal funding, including the Oklahoma Business Relief Program, the Oklahoma Manufacturing Reboot Program and the Oklahoma Bounce Back Assistance Program.

On Tuesday, Stitt traveled to Owasso and Broken Arrow to meet with two local business owners, taking a tour of Mingo Aerospace and Rise Manufacturing.

Stitt was also holding several roundtable discussions throughout the day, in between his meetings, during which he was told by several business owners a common problem for them was getting the supplies needed to do their jobs, especially at affordable prices.

A big concern was construction prices are skyrocketing and business owners are struggling to find things like lumber within their budget.

The State Department of Commerce says they are working on putting together a directory of businesses that manufacture supplies for various industries, similar to what they did for PPE supplies at the start of the pandemic.

Stitt says they plan to start with a directory for the aerospace and automobile industries.

Eventually, Stitt says a directory will be a place for Oklahoma businesses to get the word out on what supplies they have, and for businesses seeking supplies to know where to turn.

Cox Media Group