Governor Fallin and a delegation of state officials from her cabinet, including OKGIT member and Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Deby Snodgrass, went wheels up on Friday for a visit to the 2015 Paris Air Show.
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase Oklahoma as a top destination for the global aerospace industry,” Fallin told the Tulsa World. “We believe Oklahoma’s business climate, strong economy, educated workforce and high quality of life make it an obvious choice for both commercial and military aerospace companies considering expansion into North America.”
Also attending will be cabinet member Stephen McKeever, the secretary of Science and Technology.
Oklahoma’s aerospace industry is known worldwide, and Governor Fallin has become a regular at events like the Paris Air Show as a spokeswoman selling potential investors on the Sooner State.
According to an article on www.newsok.com, Choctaw Defense (McAlester), Frankfurt Short Bruza (Oklahoma City), Janeway Machine (Sapulpa), M&M Manufacturing (Tulsa) and Rise Manufacturing (Broken Arrow) also will be part of the delegation.
Despite criticism in the past about the need and costs associated with the governor’s personal attendance at such international events, the delegation’s cost will be paid for by the Oklahoma Business Roundtable.
Yet the trips by high-ranking officials like the governor indicate that the state is serious in attracting investment. Governor Fallin cited the results of her previous attendance at similar air shows overseas in a statement to the Associated Press, touting the investments by Belgium-based ASCO Aerospace, Ferra Engineering of Australia and Swiss-based Oerlikon Balzers.
Once finished in Paris, the governor will continue on to a business recruiting mission in Italy and Germany.