King Kulture Beyond Our Walls
May 2, 2022
We talk a lot about our King Kulture and how it’s fueled our success for 30 years now, but I don’t know that we share enough about how our servant-leader philosophy spreads out from our team and into the communities we serve.
A good case in point: education. We believe in – and support – it. Our culture requires constant education and nurturing to stay healthy and strong. That training extends from our home office to front-line workers around the world. Our efforts go beyond our own company. A good pipeline of critical-skills team members demands investment in tomorrow’s workforce.
For instance, we’re involved in the efforts of Southern Oklahoma Technology Center (Southern Tech) to bring an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic program to this region. Program graduates will provide a needed source for hard-to-find talent. Ground broke in February on a 18,775-square-foot training facility that will have a shop area, classrooms and lab spaces that enable hands-on training with real equipment and aircraft. When the program launches here in Ardmore, it is expected to graduate 16 students a year. They will be positioned for high-wage, high-demand careers.
We like to start young, too. That’s why we’re the presenting sponsor for the University of Oklahoma Sooner Flight Academy summer camp hosted by Southern Tech from June 7-10. Registration went public in April and filled up in less than 12 hours. Thirty incoming 5th and 6th graders will attend the four-day camp. Sponsorships enable kids from all backgrounds, income levels and ethnicities to attend. They will get Young Eagles flying experience while learning about aircraft design, aerodynamics and more. Hands-on activities range from kite building and flying to model rocket and space station creation.
I’ve had the great advantage of growing up in this business. I was 3 years old when my dad, Jerry, founded King Aerospace. From Day One, I learned the importance of building value in everything we do and making a difference in the lives of those we serve and employ. My colleagues and I are committed to sharing our lessons learned and helping others through the life-changing, community-enhancing, industry-elevating power of education. We hope you are, too, and that when you see an opportunity to support education, you seize it. Nothing we do has the potential for making a greater difference.