Tony Pennington
The Norman Transcript

Decades ago Oklahoma’s economy surged with each levered-action of countless oil wells. Industry set backs in the 1980s and 1990s left a void not only in the abandoned fields but state coffers.

Immuno-Mycologics, Inc.’s president and chief executive officer Sean Bauman believes bio-technology can restore Oklahoma’s wildcatter spirit and lead to another economic boom.

Speaking Wednesday morning during a breakfast for the Cleveland County Business and Industry Council at the Franklin Road campus Moore Norman Technology Center, Bauman said with the proper funding, education and attitude Oklahoma could capture a large portion of the national bio-sciences market.

“There is a big potential,” Bauman said to about 20 Cleveland County bankers, realtors, attorneys and insurance agents as it has been reported Oklahoma City has had a $1.95 billion impact in direct jobs and an additional $806 million is planned in capital spending.

“That’s a big impact in Oklahoma.”

According to Bauman, Oklahoma City has more than 20 bio-technology firms while Norman has about four including the state’s largest Astellas Pharma, Inc. He described each firm as a “high-performance company creating high-performance jobs,” but the industry is suffering from a shallow talent pool.

“We are having a hard time finding the right people,” he said, “We don’t have the strength as an industry sector.”

Bauman elaborated on the state of local bio-techs after the morning’s event.
“I believe that the bioscience industry is poised for rapid expansion,” he said. “We have already seen a tremendous amount of growth over the last 5-10 years in the private sector bioscience industry in Oklahoma. Norman can attract new bioscience companies by two routes (1) growth of new companies and (2) recruit established companies. Norman, through the Norman Economic Development Coalition (NEDC), already nurtures emerging bioscience companies. Furthermore, NEDC could recruit established bioscience companies to relocate to Norman.”

If Oklahoma City and Norman is to compete with San Francisco, Boston, San Diego and Raleigh/Durham as a major player in bio-tech, it will begin with education and be fostered by entrepreneurs.

MNTC began a new bio-tech program this year in an effort to take advantage of industry opportunities and train a potential workforce.

“It’s such an emerging field in the nation and Oklahoma,” said Lynda Kouri, executive director of longterm programs for MNTC earlier this year. “We look at what is available and what will have longterm impact and growth.”
Oklahoma City Community College and Tulsa Community College also are working toward creating qualified applicants. But even with trained and skilled workers, Bauman said the effort will take a commitment from home grown businessmen.

“Entrepreneurs will play a vital role in the success of the Oklahoma bioscience industry,” he said. “The vast majority of Oklahoma bioscience companies are home grown (i.e. they were started by entrepreneurs). If we can find a way to engage interested parties from the Price College of Business Entrepreneurship Program and the newly created OU Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth (CCEW) with scientists from OU, OUHSC and OMRF to develop business plans and ultimately the creation of viable companies, then we will really begin to see the pace of new company formation increase.”

It might be a perfect time for those institutions and interested individuals to act. Gov. Brad Henry signed legislation in March 2005 that allocated a $475 million bond issue for several higher education projects with an emphasis on research and laboratory facilities. It has been estimated to have a potential economic impact of $737 million.
 
If Norman and Oklahoma is going to tap into that wealth, it will take a combination of labor, a stronger bio-tech climate and some old wildcatters.

“You have to have a market and the entrepreneur spirit,” Bauman said.