In front of local, county and state leaders, Greenheck Group CEO Rich Totzke recalled wondering about 10 years ago how Tulsa would fit into Greenheck’s future.
“We thought this could be a pretty cool place,” Totzke said of Greenheck, a manufacturer of commercial air movement, control and conditioning equipment. “At that point, we had a belief in Tulsa and a belief in Oklahoma. We had met some incredible people, but we weren’t sure how it was going to turn out.”
It has turned out magnificently.
At a news conference Friday, Greenheck officials talked about the company’s recent announcement that it was purchasing the former Macy’s distribution facility in Tulsa County as part of an Oklahoma expansion.
The 1.3 million-square-foot building represents nearly a $300 million investment that will result in more than 700 new jobs over the next five years, more than doubling the Wisconsin-based company’s manufacturing footprint in Oklahoma.
Greenheck first announced plans to build a Tulsa campus in 2017 at Apache and 129th East Avenue.
That location has since grown to eight buildings, 850,000 square feet of manufacturing space and more than 950 workers.
“Much like a house, it isn’t a home until you have people,” Totzke said. “... We decided to commit hundreds of millions of dollars in this community in seven weeks this last time because of the people in this room. So, from the bottom of our heart, we say thank you for allowing us to be a part of this community.”
The Macy’s Fulfillment Center near Owasso opened in 2015 and ceased operations in March of this year, citing a corporate strategy to modernize supply chains and streamline operations.
Located fewer than 15 minutes from Greenheck’s existing Tulsa campus, the new Owasso building sits on 72 acres and will provide significant manufacturing and office space to support the company’s continued growth. Greenheck expects to finalize initial building improvements by the spring of 2027, with production beginning shortly thereafter.
“This company has made Tulsa a home away from home, investing in our people, immersing itself in the community and creating a culture that has become a magnet for talent,” said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber.
“This is no accident. It’s a direct reflection of how this company operates, how it treats its employees, how it engages with the community and how it approaches its business.”
Totzke thanked Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt for embracing Greenheck and presented him with a package of Spotted Cow beer, which is made in Wisconsin.
“We’re so pumped to have you guys here in Oklahoma,” Stitt said. “Their values fit our values.”
Greenheck was close to expanding in Knoxville, Tenn., instead of Tulsa until a meeting with Stitt resulted in his awarding Greenheck money from the state’s Quick Action Closing Fund, Tulsa County Commissioner Stan Sallee said.
“The success (Greenheck’s) had, what they have done for the region, how they have grown the company and not wanting to leave this market says a tremendous amount about our workforce, about our region and the state of Oklahoma,” Sallee said. “They had a place to go, and they paused because this is where they wanted to be.”
