December 31, 2019 Issue, Page 8 of 17

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iy Serving By. Western Oklahoma aq 4 | Sinice1901 Weekday Editi By Don Munsch He built sets on sound stages. His family Editor was in the construction business for a few decades, and he just “jumped right in,” he A man approached Elias Flores one day said. He has been working in construction outside of a sound stage at the Culver Stu- for 20 years and worked during tha time for dios in California where Flores was work- the studios. ing and asked him to sign a document. Among the stars he met was Jack Nich- Flores, who now lives in Elk City, said he olson. refused to sign the paper, which stated the “Very, very cool gentleman, down to signee would promise to avoid looking at earth,” Elias said, describing the legendary actress and singer Jennifer Lopez while she actor. was in the studio facility. Elias said he was on the set of “Some- That’s showbiz, one might conclude. thing’s Gotta Give” and was standing out- Flores worked on construction crews cre- side a stage when Nicholson walked up and ating sets for television and movie produc- just started chatting with the crew. tions and he would often see or encounter “The next thing you know, he’s pulling entertainers during his time at work. He out a cigar and he had that laugh, that little worked on such productions as “Pirates of Joker laugh he had in ‘Batman,”” Elias said, the Caribbean,” “Bumblebee,” “Pearl Har- adding that Nicholson offered a cigar. bor,” “Captain Marvel” and the upcoming Elias Flores sits at his desk at his business, Homerun A lot of actors don’t chat with crew, Elias “Top Gun 2.” Construction, in Elk City. Staff photo by Don Munsch. said. Amanda Peet, who also starred in Flores moved to Elk City a few weeks grew up in Elk City and graduated from Elk but not really,” he said. “I worked for a co- “Something’s Gotta Give,” also conversed ago with wife Jessica, an Elk City native, City High School in 2005. Elias grew up ordinator, as they call them, and so basical- with the crew. and their son Emilio, 5 months. Elias has in Elk Grove, California, near Sacramento. ly whoever’s doing that movie, I work for Another actor Elias recalls was Kevin opened a construction business called Elias worked for multiple studios in Cali- that studio. Whether it be Paramount, Sony, Hart, who “was pretty nice,” as was “Cap- Homerun Construction LLC here and the fornia. ‘Warner [Bros.]. All the major studios, and tain Marvel” star Brie Larson, who also was family plans to build a home here. Jessica “Tt was kind of like we’re self-employed, the small ones.” “down to earth and super nice,” Elias said. See Business page 2. Local company receives recog- nition from national magazine By Don Munsch a downturn is that we’re Brock Kauk. Miller has Editor lean and bootstrapped and been in Elk City since he we don’t have a bunch of was a kid, while Kauk is A lubrication and filtra- upper management. We a third generation Elk Ci- tion distributor in Elk City just essentially just have tian. Laird, who hails from has received recognition me, and the cost of labor is Edna, Texas, in South Tex- from a national magazine way down.” as, has been in Elk City for its fastest-growing A news release from since 2005; his wife is company list. Inc. said the “list repre- from here. Camrock Oil & Supply sents a unique look at the “We cover wind turbines got word of the recognition most successful compa- — you wouldn’t think it but a little while back that it nies within the American they actually have a lot of was included on the annual economy’s most dynamic oil in them,” Laird said. list of America’s Fastest- segment — its independent “Agriculture is kind of big Growing Companies: Inc. small businesses.” Com- for us. We do some of the magazine’s 5,000. Cam- panies such as Domino’s oil and gas stuff, [but] we From left, Abel, Jameson, Nova, Jamie and William Dough- rock was number 1,069 on Pizza, Microsoft and Dell kind of stay away from it ty eat dinner at the LIFE Community Foundation Commu- the list. Companies that gained their first national just because of the cyclical nity Christmas Dinner Wednesday at the Elk City Conven- made the list were honored exposure when they made nature of it.” tion Center. Staff photo by Don Munsch at a ceremony in October the Inc. 5,000 list. The company has a in Phoenix. handful of employees and services cotton gins to Community organization feeds wind turbines to bull haul- ers. Camrock covers this area to Midland to San 200 in first Christmas dinner By Don Munsch “Our RV still isn’t fixed.” Antonio to all over Okla- homa to the Texas Pan- Editor The family is staying in the RV be- handle and part of Kansas. hind the shop of Jesse Griffith Repairs On the company’s pro- William and Jamie Doughty found in Elk City where the vehicle is being file on inc.com, Camrock people to help them and their family fixed. The family initially broke down is rated third in Top Okla- when they got stranded in Elk City. in Shamrock, and “the mechanic there homa companies and 27 And they, like the around 200 oth- didn’t do us every well, and they told us in top energy companies. ers on Wednesday evening, found a hot that we were good to go and we left and “We're really growing meal on Christmas Day. this is how far we made it. We’ve been as far as our bulk lubricant The Doughtys and five of their chil- here ever since,” Jamie said. division,” Laird said. “I dren ate a free meal at the first LIFE Mechanics here couldn’t figure out “It’s a really good hon- Camrock stated in the foresee that we will double Community Foundation Community what was wrong with the vehicle for a or,” said Matt Laird, man- release from Inc. that the our business in the next Christmas Dinner at the Elk City Con- while and they put a bunch of parts on aging partner of Camrock, company strives to be the four months in the lubri- vention Center. Sixty volunteers helped the vehicle, and the family didn’t have located at 2111 S. Main best in the business by us- cant side.” St. in Elk City. “They said ing its combined experi- The company doesn’t at the event, which included a toy give- the money to pay for all of the repairs, there were like 80,000 ence in agriculture, trans- have much much walk-in away, door prizes and a visit from Santa Jamie said. entrants in it and we got portation and the oil and business, but Laird wants Claus and Mrs. Claus. “But they’ve been really great and gra- 1,069, so it’s pretty good gas industry. Camrock to see that aspect of the The Doughtys, who hail from Oak cious,” Jamie said. “And now, they’re for a five-year business used to be in a building business grow. Grove, Missouri, about 30 miles east of just trying to get us home so they’re re- that essentially has no debt, across from Carl’s Jr. in “T think that’s one thing Kansas City, were on their way back to pairing things beyond what we paid for and I guess we’re not over- Elk City, said Laird. The we’re missing, because we Missouri from California, where they them for free. They’ve been amazing.” extended on debt like most company has been its cur- have a lot of items that a were working. Liberty McArthur, founder and exec- people would be. We just rent building for three lot of farmers and handy- “We actually broke down here two utive director of the LIFE Community bootstrap the whole thing. years. men would need, but they days before Thanksgiving and we’ve Foundation, helped the family with a Which is one good reason Laird started the busi- just don’t know where been stuck here ever since,” Jamie said. why we're still growing in ness with Casey Miller and we're at,” he said. See Christmas page 2. Weather = ¢ / 38 Vol. 117, No. 103 Mail delivery View online AML tomorrow se 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com