Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (OG&E) has announced James Eldridge has joined the electric company as an economic development manager, using his experience at previous positions in Ada and Oklahoma City.
“We work to increase economic prosperity and improve the quality of life in the communities we serve,” said Alba Weaver, OG&E senior manager of local and community affairs. “James has a proven track record in rural economic development, entrepreneurial ecosystem building, and urban redevelopment. We are excited for James to put his experience and expertise to work as we work to foster growth and investment in the communities we serve.”
OG&E offers a variety of services at no cost to the communities it serves, including data and information related to wages, workforce, site selection, energy capacity, and other information, that its partners and prospective customers can use to make decisions about where to invest.
Since 2021, OG&E has supported 81 new or expansion economic development projects that attracted an estimated 10,400 jobs and represented over $4.2 billion in investments across the company’s service area in Oklahoma and western Arkansas.
Previously, Eldridge served as president and CEO of the Ada Jobs Foundation. Prior to this, he was the executive director of the Uptown 23rd District Association in Oklahoma City. Eldridge currently serves as the vice-chair of the International Economic Development Council’s Accredited Economic Development Organization Committee.
He is also the incoming president for the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Planning Association. Eldridge is a certified economic developer (CEcD) and has a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma, where he also graduated from the OU Economic Development Institute.
Source: OGE Press release