Press Release
May 12, 2016
Contact: Melvena Heisch
State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-4484
mheisch@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/shpo
Preservation is Golden: Oklahoma’s 28th Annual Statewide Preservation Conference
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) announces that registration is open for Preservation is Golden: Oklahoma’s 28th Annual Statewide Preservation Conference, June 1–3, 2016, in downtown Enid. Conference registration and sessions will be held at the Enid Symphony Center, 301 West Broadway. Register online by May 20 at www.mainstreetenid.org/preservation. Interested parties also may request a conference program and registration brochure from Melvena Heisch at 405-522-4484 or mheisch@okhistory.org, or view it at www.okhistory.org/shpo/conference.htm. The basic registration fee is $40 per person through May 20 ($50 after that date or at the door). Optional ticketed events include tours, the SHPO’s annual awards banquet, and Preservation Oklahoma, Inc.’s annual meeting and luncheon.
The conference is one of the ways Oklahoma’s preservation partners are joining Preservation50, the national celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Conference sessions will highlight the many accomplishments in the preservation of the nation’s and Oklahoma’s heritage that are direct results of the NHPA. Also, we will look ahead to the challenges and opportunities for historic preservation in the coming decades. Two plenary speakers will share their national perspectives on these topics.
On Wednesday, June 1, Erik M. Hein will present “The NHPA at 50: Click Here to Save.” Hein is executive director of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, the national membership organization representing “SHPOs” before elected officials, federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and the public. He will discuss the many preservation successes that are linked to the NHPA and will talk about the national preservation community’s goals for the future.
The second plenary speaker is Norma Ramirez de Miess. She is Senior Program Officer and Director of Leadership Development for the National Main Street Center, located in Chicago. She will close the conference on Friday afternoon, June 3, with her presentation, “The Changing Face of Preservation and Main Street,” which explores the impacts of increasingly changing demographics on local economies and community revitalization efforts nationwide.
Additionally, three concurrent tracks of sessions will include:
Track A: Preservation50, focusing on the NHPA’s impacts on historic preservation in Oklahoma; Track B: Gold Medal Preservation Performances, featuring case studies on the identification, evaluation, restoration, rehabilitation, stabilization, and reconstruction of historic properties; and Track C: Golden Opportunities, highlighting the economic and social benefits of historic preservation, the need for a new generation of preservation leaders, and effective preservation organizations.
We must consider how to sustain the momentum of the statewide preservation movement into the future, and developing strong leaders is the key. Several conference sessions will explore the opportunities for individuals to assume leadership roles and strategies for building effective organizations. Among these sessions are three workshops presented by Ken Culp of the University of Kentucky.
On Thursday afternoon, Culp will present two workshops devoted to establishing an effective Board of Directors, and on Friday morning, he will focus on recruiting youth as volunteers for community service. Culp holds a Ph.D. in Educational Foundations and Administration from Purdue University. He has 27 years of experience in volunteer and nonprofit administration, volunteer development and service activities, and leadership development.
The conference provides a special opportunity for design professionals. Conference sessions qualify for HSW hours needed to fulfill requirements of the State of Oklahoma's Board of Governors of Licensed Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers.
Joining the Oklahoma Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office, as conference cosponsors are the Oklahoma Main Street Center, Oklahoma Department of Commerce; Preservation Oklahoma, Inc.; Main Street Enid, Inc.; City of Enid; and Visit Enid.
The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains 30 museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
