Tulsa Regional Chamber inaugurates Kevin Gross as 2022 chair

At its Annual Meeting and Inauguration event on Wednesday, the Tulsa Regional Chamber inaugurated Kevin Gross, president and CEO of Hillcrest HealthCare System, as the 2022 chair of its Board of Directors. During the lunchtime event, which was held at the Cox Business Convention Center in downtown Tulsa, Gross outlined his focus for the organization in 2022 and his optimism for long-term regional growth.

"I am absolutely convinced that-as we speed toward 2030-an obsessive focus on diversifying our economy, expanding our tourism industry and building a diverse, equitable and inclusive community will ensure we arrive at a prosperous future for all," Gross said during his inaugural speech.

Gross succeeds outgoing Chair Rose Washington-Jones, who reflected on the Chamber's efforts in 2021 and emphasized there is much to be optimistic about as northeast Oklahoma continues its recovery from the pandemic.

"Despite the ongoing challenges our community and our world faced in 2021, the Tulsa region had much to celebrate this past year," said Washington-Jones. "You need look no further than the daily newspaper to see evidence of our region's forward momentum."

Also at Annual Meeting, awards were presented to the Chamber's most outstanding partners in 2021:

• Economic Development Partner of the Year: Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum
• Regional Tourism Partners of the Year: Chuck Hall and Rep. Scott Fetgatter
• Government Affairs Partner of the Year: David Stewart, MidAmerica Industrial Park
• Community Development Partner of the Year: Kevin Matthews
• Resource Development Partner of the Year: Ginger Kollmann, JPMorgan Chase Bank
• Regional Partner of the Year: Gary Akin, Owasso Chamber of Commerce
• Board of Directors Award of Excellence: GableGotwals
• Conscience of the Community Award: Phil Armstrong, Greenwood Rising
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Retired Tulsa County Commissioner Ron Peters

"The work of the Chamber simply could not happen without the tremendous commitment of time and resources by our partners across the region," says Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. "The annual Partner of the Year Awards give us a chance to publicly recognize those who have made the greatest contributions to further the Chamber's strategic initiatives during the previous year. We are indebted to each and every one of the honorees for their unwavering support and investment in the Chamber and in our region."