Oklahoma City – Southeastern Oklahoma State University alumni-owned local business CrainCo has been honored wit the 2026 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Regents Business Partnership Excellence Award (RBPEA) as announced Friday.
The RBPEA is designed to highlight successful partnerships between higher education institutions, businesses, and the community that create meaningful pathways between education and employment. Through these collaborations, institutions work directly with industry partners to align academic programs with employer needs, ensuring students gain relevant, in-demand skills.
Southeastern is proud to partner with CrainCo, a locally owned, Durant-based custom metal fabrication company serving commercial waste equipment and steel skid markets. CrainCo (formerly known as Texoma MFG) provides skilled manufacturing and fabrication jobs that strengthen Bryan County’s economy and support an essential workforce sector in southeastern Oklahoma.
The company’s leadership, including owner and Southeastern alumnus J. Scott Crain, sons Drew Crain (also a SE alumnus) and Chase Crain, maintain strong ties to the university through student support, scholarship funding via the SE Foundation, and engagement with campus events. This partnership helps expand educational access, promote workforce readiness, and retain skilled talent in the region.
“Partnerships between local businesses and our public colleges and universities strengthen our workforce, benefiting both our state and individual students,” said Chancellor Sean Burrage. “The State Regents are proud to recognize these collaborative efforts that drive economic growth, foster innovation, and expand career opportunities for Oklahomans.”
Information on all 16 of this year’s RBPEA winners can be found here.
For more information about RBPEA, visit https://okhighered.org/econ-dev/rbpea/.
About Southeastern
Founded in 1909, Southeastern Oklahoma State University provides an environment of academic excellence that enables students to reach their highest potential. By having personal access to excellent teaching, challenging academic programs, and extracurricular experiences, students will develop skills and habits that promote values for career preparation, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning. Our over 6,000 students include 50% first-generation students and 28% students of Native American descent, with 82% receiving financial aid. Southeastern ranks amongst the most affordable schools in the region thanks to out-of-state tuition waivers and is proud of its exceptional affordable accredited MBA program, stellar aerospace and teacher education programs, and outstanding national ranking in graduating Native American students.
