(TULSA, OK) – The Tulsa Regional Chamber has received two 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), a silver in the Special Event category and bronze in the Paid Media Campaign category.

The Tulsa Regional Chamber accepted the awards this week at the IEDC 2024 Annual Conference in Denver, CO.

“We are absolutely thrilled to announce this year's award winners. These exceptional projects showcase remarkable dedication and ingenuity within the field," said Kevin Kramer, chair of the IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development Awards Advisory Committee. “The Tulsa Regional Chamber’s contributions will leave a lasting impact and demonstrate its commitment to creating positive change for its residents.”

IEDC’s annual Excellence Awards honor the economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives and programs that have demonstrated consistent, exemplary performance in the profession.

The Chamber won in the Special Event category for a project called “The Outsiders.”

In the spring of 2024, it assembled a delegation of 150 people to coincide with the premiere of The Outsiders, a musical based on the book by Tulsa Author S.E. Hinton. The trip sought to capitalize on Tulsa’s attributes as a destination for economic development and tourism.

Assisted by national consultant Development Counsellors International (DCI), “Tulsa Takes on NYC” met with 13 site selectors and nine media outlets, including Newsweek, People and the New York Post. The exposure led to multiple stories in the national media.

“We are delighted to receive this pair of awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC),” said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “Taking a 150-member delegation to New York to see the “The Outsiders” was something we conceived after learning the Tulsa-based book was headed to Broadway, and the trip paid off in a big way, generating headlines from national media and getting us face-to-face with site selectors. We owe a debt of gratitude to Development Counsellors International, Tulsa Regional Tourism and Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts and Culture for collaborating with us on the New York project and to DCI for spearheading the ‘Elevating the Tulsa Region’ campaign.”

The Chamber’s Paid Media award was for its “Elevating the Tulsa Region” campaign that it has developed through DCI. The initiative is designed to raise the city’s national profile to drive investment to the region.

“We are thrilled to be recognized twice by the International Economic Development Council,” said Justin McLaughlin, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Chamber. “The Outsiders trip was ingenious in concept and large in scale, but it was carried out flawlessly by the Chamber team, with an assist from DCI. Tulsa’s Future, our regional economic development partnership, is a success because of its many public and private investors, alongside regional and tribal partners. For that collaboration to grow, we will continue to seek ways to enhance Tulsa’s national profile through innovative storytelling and marketing strategies.”