Senate Select Committee on Business Retention and Economic Development to Host Meeting Tuesday; Committee to Examine Michelin’s Exit From Ardmore

Michelin Plant in Ardmore, Oklahoma.(photo: Pankaj Kapoor)

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate Select Committee on Business Retention and Economic Development will host its next meeting on Tuesday to hear from state and local leaders to discuss Michelin’s closure and what can be done in the future to keep businesses in the state.

The meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. in room 535.

“Michelin has been a pillar in Ardmore for decades,” said Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, who chairs the committee. “It is devastating for the community to lose these jobs and I am saddened for the individuals and families that are going to be impacted by this void being left. We called this meeting with Ardmore in mind to see how we can help these individuals in the near-term and what can be done differently in the future to keep major employers in the state. The purpose of this committee in part is to look at all aspects of business and commerce in Oklahoma. We must examine everything, including our shortcomings especially when we lose major employers.”

The committee will hear from Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell, representatives from the Ardmore Development Authority, the City of Ardmore and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

“My heart breaks for the Ardmore community,” said Senator Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, who serves as the vice chair of the committee. “Losing 1,400 jobs is devastating for the families who relied on them, and for our state. I know this was a challenging decision for Michelin. We appreciate them being in the state for 53 years and we are grateful for the positive impact they brought to the Ardmore area. As I have said from the beginning of my time in the legislature, it is critically important to focus on existing Oklahoma businesses and their well-being. While we always want to recruit new businesses to the state, we must find ways to further support companies that are already here. Now, we need to shift our focus into finding solutions for the benefit of Ardmore and our fellow Oklahomans who are being negatively affected by this move.”

To access Tuesday’s agenda, click here.