Title of Concurrent Session: Producing Resourceful Informed Devoted Employees ( Oklahoma PRIDE)

Due October 4, 2013 Return to: Joyce Martin 139 Ag Hall ● Stillwater, OK 74078 Fax: 407-744-5339 Email: [email protected]

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Conference Concurrent Session Proposal January 22-24, 2014 Stillwater, OK

Area and State Specialists, as well as County/District Staff are invited to submit proposals for concurrent sessions at the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Conference on January 22-24, 2014. Please consider sharing subject matter topics or innovative programming for the concurrent sessions. You will be contacted about whether or not your proposal is selected by November 5.

Instructor(s) Name(s): Merritt Taylor, Suzette Barta, Dea Rash, Joseph Williams

Full Mailing Address: Bryan County Extension Office, 1901 South 9th, Durant OK 74702-0749 Email Address: [email protected] Daytime Phone: (580)-513-5555 Fax Number: 580-924-5342

Presentation Length: 1 hr X 2 hrs Number of Presentations (Would you be willing to present the session more than once?)

X Yes No Rooms – Please indicate your preference and take the room into consideration when planning the workshop

X Classroom Small Auditorium

Workshop Description (75 words or less) – Description will be used for conference publicity The Oklahoma PRIDE program is designed to train employees in customer service, as well as train them about activities, entertainment and events in their respective County for visitors and local citizens to enjoy. One of the lessons that PRIDE instructors stress is the importance of frontline workers to the economic development of the community. It is believed that employees of all businesses and government offices are on the frontlines of the battle for economic growth.

Computer Needs (please list) ______Due October 4, 2013

Biography for each instructor – Attach additional pages if needed Merritt Taylor Academic Training Ph.D. Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, 1982 M.S. Agricultural Economics, New Mexico State University, 1976 B.S. Animal Science, New Mexico State University, 1969 Professional Background Current - Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University – Focus on: Risk Management of Resources of Production; Production Management; Marketing Management; Transfer of Agricultural Businesses to Next Generation; Marketing to the Hispanic Community; Oklahoma PRIDE Program (Producing Responsible, Informed, Dedicated, Employees) for businesses and government offices.

1996-2012 - Director & Professor, Research and Extension Center (Alternative and Organic Crops) Oklahoma State University.

1987-1996 - Professor and Area Extension Economist-Management and Marketing, Texas A&M University.

Suzette Barta Suzette Barta has served as the Payne County Extension Educator for Community and Economic Development since October 2008. Suzette sees her primary audiences as community/civic groups, small businesses, and professionals in the field of economic development. Payne County is only one of three in the state to have an educator working specifically in the field of community and economic development.

Prior to working in the Payne County Extension office, Barta spent 8 years on the OSU campus as an Assistant State Extension Specialist for Rural Development for the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.

Suzette earned a PhD in Economics from Oklahoma State University in 1998. She spent a year serving as an economics professor at the University of Central Oklahoma before joining the state Extension staff in 1999.

Suzette lives in Perkins with her husband, Joe (the Perkins Fire Chief. She is a member of all the area chambers of commerce including: Cushing, Stillwater, Perkins, and Yale.

Computer Needs (please list) ______