Edmond Life & Leisure • July 11, 2019 • Page 21

Nine Francis Tuttle students set precedent

Nine Francis Tuttle Technology Center students
are the first in the nation to earn a newly-defined,
industry-approved hospitality certification.
Francis Tuttle teamed with the Oklahoma
Restaurant Association (ORA) and the Oklahoma
Hotel and Lodging Association (OHLA) to develop
the HospitAbilities Oklahoma Hospitality Certifica-
tion.  for students of all abilities.”
In collaboration with hospitality industry ex-
perts, Francis Tuttle created a tailored curriculum
to teach industry-approved competencies and job-
site skills.
Students in the program received instruction in
many areas including culinary skills, use of com-
mercial kitchen equipment, sanitation and safety.
Francis Tuttle instructors led the classes.
“We know that not all students display their
gifts and talents in the same way,” said Kari Bailey,
Hospitality Certifications
Francis Tuttle service careers instructor. “Hos-
pitAbilities is a new program for students who
want to get started in the workforce and join the
industry. We offer a HospitAbilities Certification
Following completion of the required classes and
trainings, industry evaluators administered compe-
tencies tests to students enrolled in the program.
Ninety percent of students successfully completed
the tests to earn certification. As part of this inno-
vative partnership, the ORA will assist these stu-
dents in obtaining employment in the service
industry.
“The HospitAbilities program represents an em-
ployee population that wasn’t readily available to
us before,” said Chandy Rice, ORA’s director of ed-
ucation. “Together with Francis Tuttle Technology
Center, among other career centers, we are able to
train and certify students for today's workforce.
Rather than testing on paper, this certification in-
volves bringing in industry evaluators to score the
students individually. Because there are many dif-
ferent skills needed in the hospitality industry, our
students are able to play to their strengths and
open many doors for their future.”
“This certification is another instance where our
instructors collaborated with industry leaders to
create and implement a program that will benefit
our students and the industry,” said Denton
Blevins, Francis Tuttle instructional director. “We
are evaluating the program elements and require-
ments in anticipation of this becoming a national
certification in three to five years.”

How employees can benefit from time off

Vacations can be great ways to see the world, soak up
some culture and get away from the hustle and bustle of
everyday life. But traveling can have benefits that last
longer than a one- or two-week vacation.
Traveling can have a positive effect on personal health
and well-being, as various studies point to how travel
can boost one’s state of mind and overall mood. The fol-
lowing are five ways that traveling can positively affect
travelers’ mood and health.
n Increases happiness: People are happiest when they
have a trip coming up, according to researchers at the
University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. A 2014
study from researchers at Cornell University confirms the
findings, noting people get more happiness from antici-
pating a travel experience than from an object they can
acquire.
n Enhances creativity: The brain is influenced by new
environments and experiences, which is the hallmark of
travel. Researchers at the Columbia Business School
found that travel can encourage people to embrace dif-
ferent ways of living and influence their outlook on life.
n Stress relief: Travel is a great way to get away from
obligations at home and at work, allowing the mind to
reset without having to make decisions beyond figuring
out which activities to do during the day or which foods
to grab along the way. The mental wellness site Psych
Central adds that vacations take people away from the
places and activities that contribute to their stress levels.
n Fosters change: Remembering pleasurable experi-
ences from vacations when one returns home can be a
positive behavioral intervention. Dr. Tamara McClintock
Greenberg, a San Francisco-based clinical psychologist,
says you can incorporate those feelings into daily life by
recreating food or experiences at home.
n Encourages exercise: Vacations can be full of swim-
ming, walking, sightseeing, or participating in other fit-
ness pursuits. According to the World Heart Federation,
moderate exercise lowers risk of heart attack by 30 to
50 percent, suggesting that traveling is good for the
mind and the body. Exercise also has been shown to
combat depression and help reduce stress and anxiety.
Traveling can improve one’s mental health and overall
well-being. Making time to take vacations is an impor-
tant component of staying healthy.

Magazine honors Arvest Bank

Arvest Bank has been recognized
by Forbes magazine among its “Best-
In-State Banks” for the second con-
secutive year. Arvest received the
recognition for its banks in Arkansas,
Missouri and Oklahoma.
This is the second time Forbes and
its market research partner, Statista,
have produced the lists.
Arvest was recognized on the
Arkansas list in 2018. Additionally,
earlier this year, Forbes and Statista
named Arvest one of the “World’s
Best Banks.”
“We appreciate those who once
again rated Arvest so highly, and it is
especially rewarding to be recognized
in two additional states this year,” Ar-
vest President and CEO Kevin Sabin
said. “Our associates continue to
focus on serving our customers to
the best of their abilities, and we be-
lieve awards like these are a byprod-
uct of that commitment.”
The “Best-In-State Banks” lists were
selected based on an independent
survey of more than 25,000 U.S. citi-
zens across all 50 states. Participants
were asked to name and rate all
banks with which they have – or pre-
viously had – a checking account.
The ratings were based on five cate-
gories: Trust, Terms & Conditions,
Branch Services, Digital Services and
Financial Advice.
Each category contained a battery
of questions, and a bank’s total score
was based on a formula weighting
recommendation, general satisfaction
and the scoring of the battery of
questions. Across the entire United
States, a total of 149 unique banks
were awarded with the “Best-In-State
Banks” designation.
Arvest Bank, named by Forbes
magazine as one of the “World’s Best
Banks” for 2019, operates more than
270 bank branches in Arkansas, Okla-
homa, Missouri and Kansas through a
group of 14 locally managed banks,
each with its own board and manage-
ment team. 

Arledge & Associates sponsor upcoming

government accounting seminar July 25
Public sector finance and account-
ing professionals are invited to a July
25 training seminar focusing on is-
sues impacting governmental practi-
tioners.
Edmond-based accounting firm
Arledge & Associates will conduct its
annual Government Accounting Semi-
nar for municipal, county, state, higher
education and tribal government fi-
nance and accounting officials and em-
ployees. The seminar is set for 9 a.m.
July 25 at Francis Tuttle Technology
Center’s Business Innovation Center,
2824 Progressive Drive in Edmond.
The seminar will cover a wide
range of topics including payroll, sub-
recipient monitoring, bond reporting
changes, fraud prevention, data input
strategies, fiduciary activities, auditor
communication and leases. Account-
ing and auditing professionals from
Arledge and Associates, along with
other guest speakers, will lead the
sessions.
The cost to attend the seminar is
$50 and lunch will be provided. To
register, visit jmacpas.com/seminars.
For more information, contact
LaDonna Sinning, CPA, CFE, at
ladonna@jmacpas.com or (405) 348-
0615.
Arledge and Associates, PC is a rec-
ognized leader in the accounting in-
dustry offering practical solutions in
the areas of tax planning, auditing,
consulting, accounting advisory serv-
ices and client accounting. Through
its Gateway Executive Solutions divi-
sion, the firm offers outsourced CFO,
controller and cloud-based account-
ing solutions.

For more information, call 348-0615