Chamber Endorses Weather Enterprise Fund

By: Randall Turk
The Norman Transcript

The Norman Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has endorsed the idea of a "Weather Enterprise Development Fund" to aid startup weather-related businesses locating in Norman.

The "weather community" in Norman seeks a $500,000 fund that would subsidize rent and other overhead costs during the formative stages of new businesses that sell weather data.

The concept of the development fund was approved last month by the Norman Chamber Weather Committee. The proposal will be forwarded to State Chancellor for Higher Education Paul Risser and Secretary of Commerce Kathy Taylor.

OU meteorology professor Kelvin Droegemeier, who chairs the Weather Committee, said most weather-related companies are small businesses, but "about 80 percent of the state's growth comes from small companies." He said the weather industry, including private enterprises and OU weather research organizations, already spends about $60 million a year in Norman. "Weather companies may be small, but bit by bit they will grow to hundreds of jobs in Norman," he said.

If state funds are approved for the development fund, the money would be used to provide temporary operations grants for fledgling companies. The fund would enable other opportunities such as the use of OU weather research data to develop proprietary weather service products.

The source of funding for the weather development fund has not been determined, "but Kathy Taylor is on board with this idea," Droegemeier said.

Attorney Harold Heiple, a member of the Chamber Board, urged the group to get proactive in shepherding the progress of the development fund. He also called for the city to get involved.

"I urge the city council to take companion steps to encourage opportunities like this," Heiple said. "We can't just run this up the flagpole. It needs support."