engatech

Clay Slaton loves being around product development and helping people take a new idea and make it a reality. Because of this passion, it is no surprise that he is actively involved with the entrepreneur efforts in Oklahoma. Slaton is the integration chairman of the Oklahoma chapter of the Entrepreneur’s Organization in addition to serving on the board of the Victory Marketplace Leadership Institute, where he chaired the successful “Launching your Witty Idea” seminar. Other recent entrepreneurial activities include the OSU School of Entrepreneurship, where he helped judge the business plan competition and participated in the veterans and intern programs.

An entrepreneur himself, Slaton is the owner and president of Tulsa-based EngATech Inc. and owner of New Horizons of Tulsa. He continues to pursue additional ventures in hopes to bring more jobs to the Oklahoma area.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1994, Slaton worked for MerCruiser, SKIL-Bosch Power Tool and LWA before starting his own company, EngATech, in 1999.

“Clay is never satisfied with the status quo of his company. He is always on the lookout for leading-edge talent and has been successful in his work to keep EngATech at the forefront of all the elements of mechanical engineering and the businesses that use advanced mechanical designs,” said Howard Phillips, a fellow engineer and owner of Phillips Co. in Sun City, Ariz.

In 2007, he bought New Horizons of Tulsa, a computer-based learning center.

“I personally enjoy training, as well as increasing and innovating the training offerings and techniques within EngATech, so when my partner approached me about New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, it seemed like a great fit,” Slaton said.

Slayton’s efforts have earned him and his company much recognition, including receiving two Best of Tulsa awards in the computer-aided design systems category and being named a nominee for the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Person of the Year. In addition, EngATech has been named among The Journal Record’s Innovator of the Year honorees for the past two years.

“A goal without an action plan is just a daydream,” he said. “This is why I work on creating and scheduling action items for my goals consistently.”

Slaton remembers his first major entrepreneurial accomplishment, hitting $1 million in revenue with EngATech, starting from nothing. His passion for helping others helped him accomplish this within six years and without loans or investors.

In his free time, the competitive and determined Slaton enjoys playing sand volleyball, basketball, racquetball; mountain biking; snow skiing; water skiing; snowboarding; and even running in a 5k now and then.