Smith to lead OCI

By Jeff Shultz
Managing Editor

June 20, 2008 11:03 pm

— Pauls Valley community leader Tim Smith will be wearing a new hat this July as he has been selected to serve as the next chairman of the board of the Oklahoma Community Institute (OCI).
Smith, Training and Compliance Officer for the Wynnewood Refining Company, will assume the chairmanship of the OCI on July 1. He follows Dr. Donnie Nero, President of Connors College, in this position.
OCI was responsible for the Vision 2010 plan performed several years ago in Pauls Valley. Smith was heavily involved in that process and has worked with the OCI for several years since then.
He joined the OCI board in 2004 and has served the community of Pauls Valley in numerous roles, including President of the Pauls Valley Chamber of Commerce, Chair of Pauls Valley Vision, and Rotary District President.
He continues to be a champion for community visioning in Pauls Valley and several other communities in the area.
“I was so impressed with the new opportunities that had opened up in our own community, I wanted to help others share and develop through the same experience,” he said.
Joining Smith in leading the organization this year are Chair-elect, Sherry Harlin, Director of Business Development for Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Inc., in Durant, and Treasurer, Richard Clements, Manager of Economic Development at OG&E Electric Services, in Oklahoma City.
“Tim, Sherry and Richard bring years of leadership experience in community renewal and development to these positions,” commented Nero
“We are thrilled they have agreed to take on the leadership responsibilities for the coming year. They share a commitment to community renewal with the entire OCI Board of Directors, composed of individuals from across the state.”
As the incoming board chair, Smith will host the OCI board in Pauls Valley next week for their annual retreat.
“ I believe that the power of what OCI can bring to the state is linking communities together to share challenges and successes,” Smith said.
“I want to impact this communication network, increase the number of communities that contract for our services and then have our annual conference serve as a launching ground for the next decade of service to our state.”
The Oklahoma Community Institute motivates and equips Oklahoma citizens with the skills and information needed to improve their communities.
OCI offers a range of services and products that may be used to meet a community's needs. The services and products include:
•Strategic Community Planning
•Peer to Peer Networking Opportunities
•Conference and workshops to build capacity at the local level
•Connections with Local & National Resources
Since its creation in 1995, OCI has assisted fifty communities develop plans for a positive future.
For additional information on the Oklahoma Community Institute and its programs and services, please contact Jodi Lewis at 405/208-8883 or e-mail her at jlewis@ocionline.org. OCI is also available online at www.ocionline.org.