If you were starting your career today, what would you do differently?  

What is your formula for testing out new business ideas?  

What separates people who advance into leadership from those who plateau? 

These were just a few of the many insightful questions posed by the nearly 100 young professionals who attended Wednesday’s TYPROS All Access, which grouped established community leaders with emerging leaders. 

Young professionals rotated among 12 tables throughout the vertical networking experience, allowing them to hear from the perspectives of small business owners, CEOs and other area leaders. 

Among the leaders was Tracy Copeland, founder and CEO of TGI Enterprises, Inc. She said she was very impressed with the participants and enjoyed speaking about her experience as a woman entrepreneur. 

“I thought it was fantastic,” Copeland said. “Everyone came with such great questions. They articulated themselves so well. I just really appreciated that and felt like it was really engaging to hear what they were interested in.”  

In addition to the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s Community Development staff, TYPROS Business Development co-crew leaders Isaiah Wright and Linda Lewis helped lead the event, and fellow TYPROS leadership team members served as table hosts to help keep discussions flowing. 

Lewis noted that these opportunities for young professionals and established leaders are a “rare opportunity to have” what TYPROS provides, which has led to connections afterward. 

“All Access is my favorite event that TYPROS puts on,” said Lewis, who is also a Bank of Oklahoma mortgage banker. “It truly is a beneficial event for young professionals in Tulsa.” 

Wright, who is also a ProRecruiters workforce solutions advisor, said he was impressed with both the event’s turnout and participating in table discussions with Robert Biffle, Williams vice president of the Susquehanna River supply hub. 

“It was really insightful as a leader of 300 people,” Wright said. “One of the things he mentioned was the importance of having psychological safety as a leader, ensuring that the people that report to you and work with you feel comfortable bringing up things so they can be addressed. If it’s an issue, handle it. If it’s good news, bad news, just making sure it’s incorporated and acted on.” 

At Lewis’ table was Josiah Sutton, president and CEO of CommunityCare. Sutton joined the company as vice president of marketing and business development in 2018 before eventually becoming chief operating officer, interim CEO, then president and CEO. 

“He grew within his company,” she said. “That’s inspiring to young professionals, because to grow within your company and go all the way to CEO, that makes the impression that, ‘Oh my gosh. I can do that when I work at my company.’ He gave some really great advice.” 

Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber, said established leaders get a lot from the event, as well. 

“TYPROS All Access is one of my favorite events of the year,” he said. “We have such an amazing Tulsa young professionals organization. These TYPROS members are so smart, they’re so articulate, they’re so eloquent and they have so many ideas. It is wonderful to get a chance to have a face-to-face dialogue with them, to answer their questions, to give them suggestions, feedback and ideas. 

“The most important thing to me is to hear from them and to hear their ideas and their suggestions as to what they really want Tulsa to become in years to come that will enable them to maintain their career in Tulsa and grow their career in Tulsa and ultimately, grow and develop a family in Tulsa and raise that family here. That’s the thing that energizes me the most to hear what they have to say and to hear their excitement and enthusiasm.” 

TYPROS executive director Reagan Gowens extended a special thank you to all the participating leaders, which also included Derrick Alexander, owner and lead financial advisor of Greater Works Wealth; Patsy Evans, manager of human resources of CF Industries; John “Chip” Gaberino, CEO of Topeca Coffee Roasters; Bill Knight, president and CEO of Bill Knight Automotive Group and past Chamber chair; Tim Roberts, chief strategy officer of Cherokee Nation Businesses; Michael Scheferhoff, president and CEO of Lufthansa Technik North America; Whitney Stauffer, partner at Narrate Design; and Dana Weber, CEO of Webco Industries and 2027 Chamber chair-elect. 

The event was hosted by The Summit Club and sponsored by CF Industries, CommunityCare and TGI Enterprises.