Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt was the focal point Thursday at the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s annual State of the State event at the Cox Business Convention Center. The event drew more than 1,000 attendees from across northeast Oklahoma.

Mixing in anecdotes while detailing his vision for the state, Stitt delivered roughly a 25-minute address before sitting down for a question-answer session with longtime 2 News Oklahoma anchor Karen Larsen.

“We are all Oklahomans, so let’s make our state top 10 in everything we do,” he said. “And that’s exactly what is happening. We’ve gone from billion-dollar deficits and no money in savings to budget surpluses and the largest savings account in state history.”

The governor referenced a Forbes story that said young people are flocking to Oklahoma. 

“Tulsa was number 11 in the entire country for young professionals moving in, and Oklahoma City ranked number 2, but we all know in this room Tulsa is way cooler,” he said.

Stitt stressed that “as the family goes, so goes our society,” and he listed six values that he teaches his children to abide by. They include boldness, eternal perspective and working hard.

“There is no such thing as equal outcomes,” he said. “But in Oklahoma, we believe in equal opportunities for everyone.

“…The hard work you all do is driving us to be a top 10 state. Oklahoma just achieved a 2.7% unemployment rate – the lowest unemployment rate in Oklahoma history.”

In his conversation with Larsen, he tackled questions about such subjects as local control of education, medical marijuana and energy.

Oklahoma is sixth nationally in oil production and fifth in natural gas, he said. 

“What blows people’s minds right now is that we’re also number 3 in wind energy production,” Stitt said.

The governor added that the state is working with the governors of Louisiana and Arkansas to develop a $2 billion commercial hydrogen hub.

“We need more of everything,” he said, talking about diversification of energy. But he added, “I don’t think we’re having an honest, intellectual conversation if you don’t include oil and gas in that conversation.”