Tag Archives: awards

Partners in Progress

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On Tuesday evening, OkACTE held their 2024 Partners in Progress program at the Hilton Garden Inn in Edmond, honoring workforce partners from each technology center. This year, CKTC’s partner in progress was CHS Cooperative.

CKTC Superintendent Tony Hancock, Assistant Superintendent Jennie Nunn, Industrial/Truck Driver Training Coordinator Dale Lewis and Business & Industry Services Director John Noel attended along with Brandon Winters from CHS.

Caddo Kiowa Technology Center (CKTC) is pleased to honor CHS Cooperative in Frederick, Oklahoma as their 2023 Partner in Progress. CHS is a company-owned, locally-governed agricultural service center that is part of global CHS Inc., the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative. CHS helps farmers and customers grow their business, from harvesting and selling crops, to custom fertilization and crop protection solutions, to quality nutrition for livestock. CHS Frederick is the largest farmer-owned cooperative in southwest Oklahoma.
Caddo Kiowa Technology Center knows all too well the importance of the agricultural community. Located in Caddo County, the most diverse farming area in southwest Oklahoma, CKTC strives to support our number one industry through numerous services. Keeping with the mission of the institution, growing the workforce, CKTC knows all too well the challenges CHS faces in aiding our local farmers. CHS and CKTC are committed to providing a quality workforce for local agriculturalists. Due to the lack of trained workforce, area producers that grow seasonal crops such as wheat, cotton, watermelons, peanuts and potatoes have been employing CHS provided workers from South Africa who have their I-94 work Visas. One of the major road blocks CHS faces is providing enough Class A Certified Driver’s License (CDL) drivers to the producers in their network. International workers coming to work in the United States on I-94 work visas do not have US legal CDL’s, let alone a valid standard Class D license. Having the premier Truck Driver Training Program in southwest Oklahoma, it was only natural CHS and CKTC form this valuable partnership. 


For more than eight years, CKTC’s Truck Driver Training Program has been meeting CHS’s training needs. International farm workers attended CKTC on site, utilizing the proven curriculum and training currently established. Students are trained on state of the art truck driving simulators, outdoor truck training courses, and tractor trailers. This custom designed training for CHS allows participants to quickly and efficiently gain the skills needed to transition to the agriculture worksite. CKTC is proud to say we have met CHS’s needs with upwards of 100 certified drivers.

Those coming to the United States on I-94 Visas for season farm work return year after year. Some say it is what they look forward to most. As farm workers are desperately needed in our local community, this impacts the bottom line of our economy. The value added to our local agriculture industry allows CHS to retain CDL certified workers year after year. Long term problem, short term training program, long term partnership.

#CKTC | #OkACTE | #CHSCooperative

Apache Farmer’s Coop Receives Partners for Progress Award at 2021 OkACTE Awards Banquet

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Caddo Kiowa Technology Center is pleased to honor the Apache Farmer’s Coop as their Partner in Progress. Apache Farmer’s Coop is comprehensive service center handling a complete line of products for today’s farmers and ranchers. Headquartered in Apache, Oklahoma, it is the leading agricultural industry provider in the Caddo Kiowa district. Apache Farmer’s Coop is a progressive and dynamic business dedicated to agricultural sustainment, environmental care, client satisfaction, and employee stewardship. 

The long standing partnership between the Coop and Caddo Kiowa Technology Center provides extensive outreach in community education, short term trainings, client based services, ag business management, and safety training. 

Apache Farmer’s Coop sends numerous employees to the Caddo Kiowa Crop Care Professional program. The Crop Care program trains for the complexities of modern pesticide and fertilizer services. The program develops awareness of product safety, environmental oversight, and precision ag application. This Crop Care Professional program significantly impacts Apache Farmer’s Coop’s safeguard practices, job retention and customer relations. 

Above: L to R: CKTC Superintendent Tony Hancock, CKTC Ag Business Management Coordinator Keith Brownback, Apache Farmer’s Coop Agronomy Manager, Dennis Crow and CKTC Business & Industry Services Director John Noel at the 2021 OkACTE Awards Banquet.

Caddo Kiowa Tech Center’s Truck Driver Training Program is another proven relational partnership. Not only do graduates seeking CLD employment get hired by the Apache Farmer’s Coop, but the Coop sends select employees through the program for career advancement.

The Apache Farmer’s Coop believes in employee growth. The Washita Valley Leadership Program enriches local leaders through mentorship, team building, governance, youth and education, area agriculture, and economic development. The Apache Farmer’s Coop has been an avid supporter of the leadership program since inception 26 years ago, providing support through educational tours, informational sessions, and sponsoring employee attendance.

Apache Farmer’s Coop began in 1920 and have been in service for over 100 years. They have grown to service four sites in southwest Oklahoma, employing more than 40 full time employees. The Apache Farmer’s Coop is a strong supporter of the local FFA programs, and aim to provide for the community through providing revenue, jobs, and foundational support. 

CKTC Employees Win OkPACE Awards

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Above: Dale Lewis and Shawn Freie

Oklahoma Post-Secondary Career Education (OkPACE) announced its 2021 award winners at its annual conference in April. Caddo Kiowa Technology Center brought home two of the six awards presented.

Shawn Freie, Small Business Management Coordinator, was awarded the OkPace Economic Development Award for her work with TetherTech USA. This award recognizes the individual or collaborative team efforts who creatively provide assistance relating to business start-ups, entrepreneurship, expansion and retention, and job creation.

TetherTech Safety, USA is housed in CKTC’s Business Incubator, under the direction of Freie. With more than 16 years’ experience in small business management, and as the first in SW Oklahoma to be Incubator Certified, Freie was able to provide TTS with the direction, assistance, and facilities needed to launch their successful business. TetherTech Safety provides a product to protect against tractor trailer wheel-off incidents, using a thick steel cable running through the axle tube and tethered to a pair of wheel-end caps. This design prevents the wheel assembly from separating in the event of a bearing failure. Freie works diligently with her clients assisting in the expansion and advancement of this lifesaving product.

Dale Lewis, Director Truck Driver Training, received the OkPace Innovation Award for the creative training partnership with CHS Cooperative in Frederick, Oklahoma. This award recognizes the most unique and innovative individual or collaborative activity which took the nominee beyond the normal scope of business and industry service.

Lewis developed a one of a kind training for CHS Inc., the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative. CHS places workers from South Africa who have their I-94 work Visas with local farmers who need assistance during harvest. Lewis arranged for CKTC’s award winning truck driver training program to educate CHS workers to achieve a Certified Driver’s License (CDL). This training program put successful and highly qualified CDL drivers to work for numerous farmers in SW Oklahoma.

Freie and Lewis will represent Oklahoma Post-Secondary Career Education nationally at Vision in December. Vision is the annual conference of the national Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE).