Oklahoma business briefs

Williams Cos. completes move

TULSA — The Williams Cos. Inc. has completed its investment in Access Midstream Partners LP and its general partner. Williams acquired its stake in Access Midstream for $2.25 billion. Williams had been prepared to spend up to $2.4 billion, but its investment was reduced due to closing adjustments and Access Midstream's efforts to raise capital for its acquisition of pipeline assets from Chesapeake Energy Corp.

Paycom makes record donation

Paycom on Friday made the largest employee and company combined donation The Salvation Army of Central Oklahoma has received this year. The payroll company donated nearly $32,000 raised through a raffle where the company matched $1.50 for every $1 provided by employees.

Boeing engineers use potatoes

CHICAGO — Engineers at aircraft maker Boeing Co. are using an odd mix of high and low-tech tools as they strive to iron out weak spots in onboard wireless Internet signals. The Chicago-based company's researchers needed full planes to get accurate results during signal testing, but they couldn't ask people to sit motionless for days while data was gathered. Boeing spokesman Adam Tischler says that's where potatoes come into the picture. It turns out that because of their water content and chemistry, potatoes absorb and reflect radio wave signals much the same way as the human body. So, Boeing engineers put sacks of potatoes in seats to stand in for passengers. The company says the work has greatly improved Internet connectivity on its planes.