Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell addresses the Oklahoma GAC

Yesterday, newly elected Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell kicked off the 2019 Oklahoma Governmental Affairs Conference in Oklahoma City. As the team leader of the Governor's Economic Growth and Tourism committees, Pinnell talked about his strategies to help Oklahoma rise to the top 10 in the country for growth.

"We were delighted to have Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell join us for this year's Oklahoma GAC, and we want to extend our deepest thanks," said Oklahoma Credit Union Association Executive Director Nate Webb. "Cultivating good relationships with our elected officials is one of the most important actions we can take as credit union advocates."

Pinnell is working to ensure Oklahoma's 4 million residents prosper with good-paying jobs and small business opportunities. Workforce development is key, he said. He pointed to a new workforce plan that will be released by the Department of Commerce in the next few weeks that will put the state on the road to be in the top 10.

Pinnell said his plan is to play to the state's strengths in career tech infrastructure and rebrand in a variety of ways that will attract business from other states to relocate to Oklahoma.

Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell talks to CUNA's Richard Gose and Cornerstone's Jim Phelps at Oklahoma GAC.

He discussed the state's 117 opportunity zones, located in economically depressed areas around the state, and how angel investors and other financial services providers can assist with economic growth and tourism. Agritourism is the fastest-growing area in these opportunity zones, he said.

"Tourism is the front door to economic development," Pinnell said. "Tourism is the third largest industry in Oklahoma, and tourism is the gateway to people relocating to Oklahoma."

Pinnell noted that since this year's session began, Republicans and Democrats alike are working together in a collaborative way that hasn't been seen before.