Meet the Team: John Tankard, Economic Incentives Manager

Meet John Tankard, PartnerTulsa’s new Economic Incentives Manager. With a passion for cities, urban planning and creating opportunities that strengthen communities, John brings a unique blend of experience and perspective to the team. Get to know more about his career journey, what motivates his work and why he’s excited to help shape Tulsa’s future in the Q&A below.

1.) What is your role at PartnerTulsa? How do you support PartnerTulsa’s mission to drive economic growth for the city?

My role is Economic Incentives Manager here at PartnerTulsa, so I work with the Incentives and Municipal Relations team to facilitate development financing to ensure great projects that benefit Tulsa are viable. I also bring GIS mapping and analysis to the team, increasing the visual coherence of our work and generating insights into the effects of our programs and to better plan how to move forward.

2.) Can you share a bit about your professional journey and what ultimately led you here?

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by cities and architecture. My dad immigrated to the US from the UK, and so I was exposed to European cities like London and Paris in my youth. I followed that passion through my undergraduate degree in Architecture at Georgia Tech and then broadened my scope to consider how cities work through my graduate degree in Urban Planning and Design at the University of Georgia.

In 2013, my wife and I moved from Georgia to Oklahoma City to start my career as an urban planner with the City of Oklahoma City, focusing on the intersection of planning and public health as well as planning for active transportation. After that, I took a job with the Tulsa Planning Office and led the development of the City of Tulsa’s comprehensive plan. After that, I spent several years working at INCOG, splitting my time between the Community and Economic Development division and the Transportation division.

I had collaborated with PartnerTulsa on past projects and had great experiences, so when an opportunity to join the team became available, I decided to apply!

3.) Which ongoing or upcoming project are you most excited to dive into, and why?

Our division works with all sorts of projects across the city, so there’s no single project; I’m just excited by the opportunity to contribute to the betterment of Tulsa’s economy.

4.) What motivates your work in community and economic development?

I believe that the role of government is to raise the floor of society, while the role of the private sector is to raise the ceiling. Working in economic development at the interface of government and the private sector is exciting because of the critical decision-making required to ensure the best outcome for the public and private sectors. This challenge keeps me motivated.

5.) What’s your favorite local spot in Tulsa, whether it’s for food, fun, or just a place that feels like home?

My favorite place in Tulsa is Mohawk Park. Whether visiting the Oxley Nature Center or one of the great disc golf courses, it’s amazing the natural resources we have available to us in Tulsa.