"Ultimately I think our success has been tied to the people we've been able to attract and retain," Teubner said. "And our ability to attract those people is, in no small part, related to our location."

Teubner & Associates has been so successful that it recently underwent a merger with France-based Esker, a European software company. Esker agreed to set up its new American headquarters in Stillwater.

"I've got people who have worked here seven or eight years, which is virtually unheard of on the West Coast," said Teubner. "We have people who want to be here."

Inland port
When you think of Oklahoma, you may not think of ports. Think again. Tulsa's inland Port of Catoosa has business sites that are ready to be occupied, including a 565-acre tract zoned for industrial use that is located on the west bank of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.

"Our land is about a mile south of Tulsa's Port of Catoosa," said Rene Henry, owner of the tract. "The land is undeveloped raw land with an oxbow on it, which is significant for port usage. Tenants can pull barges into this oxbow to load and unload. And, they're off the main river channel so they can store barges there until they make up a tow or have use for them.

"There's high capacity electricity nearby, a large water line nearby and you can extract water from the river for industrial purposes."

American Fiber opening plant
Sweet dreams are coming to Bartlesville, in northeast Oklahoma, by way of pillow manufacturer American Fiber Industries, LLC.

The company, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Springs Industries, Inc. announced in May that it would open a 100,000 square foot facility in Bartlesville Industrial Park.

The company's $3 million investment will create approximately 200 jobs which will consist of supervisory, production and technical positions.

Rachael Hedgcoth is a senior writer for Expansion Management Magazine.