Biz Buzz

Hanging In. The oldest building in Oklahoma looks like it'll be growing a few more gray hairs as Cherokee Nation plans to open its first wholly owned and operated museum. "The historical significance of this event cannot be understated with this structure representing the oldest public building in Oklahoma and the site of the first sessions of the Cherokee National Supreme Court more than 165 years ago," said Chad Smith, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. "The Cherokee Nation's commitment to preserving Oklahoma history and the Cherokee Nation legacy is important to all Oklahomans and especially vital to the people of the Cherokee Nation." The Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum originally opened in 1844 and is one of several preservation projects that the Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism group is working on. For more information on the museum or the Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism group, visit cherokeetourismok.com.

New Color Scheme. Green is the thing that's in this season (and the past few seasons), that's certainly upheld when discussing environmental green. The Canebrake resort in Wagoner was recently recognized as the first in the state to obtain a green certification as a tourism destination. Encouraging Conservation in Oklahoma gave a gold-certification to Canebrake for its sustainable principles and meeting the criteria for the gold standard. "The ECO program fits with our mission to be good stewards of the Earth in what we build, how we hire employees, the food we prepare and the building materials we use," said Sam Bracken, owner of The Canebrake. For more information about the certification program, visit eco.oklatourism.org.

Look Who's Moving In. Ever since announcing their new branch office in Tulsa, Saxum Public Relations has been trucking right along. Not only have they completed filling two of their positions, but they've now opened their office location. The Oklahoma City-based firm has placed their new office in the bosom of Tulsa as it makes room in the Brady District. "While we are effectively a start-up in Tulsa, we wanted to be part of the Brady District, with its artistic roots and ongoing transformation. It is our plan for Saxum Tulsa to grow in tandem with the city's revitalization efforts," said Christopher Payne, vice president and general manager in Tulsa. For more information on what's happening with Tulsa's newest PR firm, visit saxumpr.com.

Reporter

Remembering the Past. This past week's ceremonial bill signing to add the Oklahoma City bombing history to school curriculum is just one of the 15 projects scheduled for the 15th Anniversary.

House Bill 2750 by Representative Lee Denney and Senator Ron Justice directs the State Board of Education to incorporate information about the bombing into the Oklahoma history social studies core curriculum.

"We are obviously thrilled with the Governor's support and appreciate the legislators' dedication to ensuring this significant part of our state's history is taught for many years to come," said Kari Watkins, Executive Director of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. "We look forward to working with the State Department of Education in providing the appropriate resources to history teachers, so they can teach the important lessons learned from the bombing."

Other projects listed to help commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City include:

• Leadership in a Time of Crisis: President Clinton and the Oklahoma City Bombing - The exhibit is now open through June 1, 2010, at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark. On April 19, 2010 at 9:02 a.m., the names of the 168 people who were killed will be read at the Clinton Presidential Park.

At noon that day, Outdoor Symbolic Memorial designers Hans and Torrey Butzer will share their vision and symbolism behind the Memorial in a special lecture at Sturgis Hall at the Clinton Presidential Complex. For more information, contact Joy Secuban, Clinton Foundation Communications Director at jsecuban@clintonfoundation.org

• Family Member, Survivor and Rescue Worker Open House -- Saturday, April 17 5-7pm -- those most affected by the bombing will gather for a special private time to see and experience the Memorial Museum.

• Annual Remembrance Ceremony, April 19, 2010, the ceremony will start shortly before 9am on the grounds of the Oklahoma City National Memorial. The final program was released on Monday, April 12, 2010. Retired State Trooper and current Noble County Sheriff Charlie Hanger will read the Memorial Mission Statement and begin the 168 seconds of silence. Ford Bell, President and CEO of the American Association of Museums, will be addressing the importance of remembering history through objects and focusing on the work of the Memorial Museum. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano will deliver remarks about the Department's efforts to combat and protect against evolving threats of home grown terrorism. The Mid-America Air Force Band will be performing on site during this special ceremony. The traditional reading of the 168 names will be read to conclude the ceremony.

• National Media Symposium -- April 19, 2010, 1:30 p.m. -- Featured moderator Mark Halperin, Editor-at-Large, TIME, will join Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and well known national correspondent and Gaylord Visiting Professional Professor at the University of Oklahoma, Mike Boettcher in discussing "The Public's Right to Know?" Seating is limited; don't miss this dynamic trio giving us this insight into how news is delivered.

Healthy and Wise. St. Gregory's University senior Graciela Rojas will host a health fair April 19 from 1:30pm to 3pm in the Rockwood Center's Great Room on the SGU campus. The fair, Rojas's senior project, will feature booths from several health-related organizations in the Shawnee area. The event is free and open to the public.

"The purpose of the health fair is to inform college students about the importance of taking care of themselves," said Rojas, who is majoring in fitness and health. "When you're a college student, it's easy to forget about your health, so hopefully this will create some awareness. This event will also give me experience with promoting health in the community."

Rojas said some organizations have donated their services for the event. Included in those services are sugar tests, blood pressure checks and body composition measurements. She said those attending the fair will have the opportunity to receive gift certificates from local vendors.

Further information regarding St. Gregory's University can be found at stgregorys.edu or by calling 1-888-STGREGS.