CENTURY-OLD FLINTCO ON TRACK TO $1.2 BILLION REVENUE
Few organizations demonstrate a chameleon's ability to adapt better than 100-year-old Flintco Companies Inc. Now ranked the nation's 40th-largest contractor by Building Design and Construction, Chief Executive Tom Maxwell said the privately held Native American company stands on track to hit $1.2 billion revenue for the fiscal year ended May 31 - 33 percent ahead of last year. - Kirby Lee Davis

EXPRESS CHANGES NAME, PREPARES NEW BUILDING
Express Services Inc., an Oklahoma City-based employment staffing company, has changed its name and plans to expand into new space soon, having outgrown its current headquarters. - Kelley Chambers

WIDER 4Q LOSS SENDS DOLLAR THRIFTY SHARES INTO TAILSPIN
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group stock plunged more than 9 percent Thursday after the embattled Tulsa rental car company posted a fourth-quarter net loss more than 10 times its year-ago shortfall. - Kirby Lee Davis

OGE ENERGY ICE STORM COSTS DEFERRED; 4Q PROFITS UP 70%
OGE Energy, which is deferring expenses incurred during the December ice storm, reported a net profit increase of about 70 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2006, officials said Thursday. - Jerry Shottenkirk

TULSA-BASED PR FIRM TO ENTER OKLAHOMA CITY MARKET MONDAY
The Tulsa-based Schnake Turnbo Frank public relations firm will formally enter the Oklahoma City market Monday with a new office downtown, Chief Executive Becky J. Frank said. - Brian Brus

ED SECRETARY: VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS INEFFECTIVE NATIONWIDE
The nation's top education official told Oklahoma legislators on Thursday that vocational training programs nationwide are ineffective. U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings defended the Bush administration's plan to slash funding for vocational education. - Janice Francis-Smith

ALL SIDES TAKE AIM IN FIGHT OVER BANNING GUNS AT WORK
A Tulsa federal judge's ruling that held Oklahoma's law restricting employers' right to ban guns in the workplace should be upheld, challengers to the law have told the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. - Marie Price

OKC CHAMBER GUEST SPEAKER: 'NBA TAX' GIVES CITY VERY RARE OPPORTUNITY
Grab the brass ring. Now. That was the message Thursday from sports business analyst Rick Horrow, who encouraged Oklahoma City residents to vote in favor of a temporary 1-cent sales tax on March 4. - Ted Streuli

FED UPBEAT ABOUT DISTRICT MANUFACTURING
The manufacturing industry didn't have a great February, but officials polled in the latest 10th District monthly survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Oklahoma City branch are looking for good things to come. - Jerry Shottenkirk

WORKERS SCORE EARLY WINS IN HIGH COURT
There's little argument that business ruled the day during last year's U.S. Supreme Court term, but workers have scored some wins this year, says a University of Oklahoma College of Law professor. - Marie Price