Fallin names GRDA board member, May and April appointments sketched


Governor Mary Fallin yesterday (Wednesday, May 25) announced the appointment of Greg Grodhaus to the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) Board of Directors. The news came to CapitolBeatOK in a release from Fallin’s office. 

Grodhaus is retired from an Internet technology company, Taciet Networks. According to Fallin’s office, “He spent 37 years in the information technology industry, including serving as chief executive officer of several public and private companies. He also was responsible for more than 20 corporate acquisitions and divestitures during his career.”

Fallin spoke highly of her latest executive appointment, saying,  “Greg Grodhaus has proven himself as a business leader who can manage large corporate entities and ventures. His success and experience in the private sector will make him an asset to the GRDA Board as they work towards bringing new leadership and direction to the agency.”

Grodhaus will replace Terry Frost, who has resigned from the GRDA board. He will serve the rest of Frost’s term (through August 29, 2013). Senate confirmation will not be required for this nomination.

CapitolBeatOK is catching up with reporting on the diverse range of executive appointments the governor has made since winning the 2010 election. On May 23, we reported on her flurry of nominations and confirmations (where required) in the last week of the 2011 legislative session. 

Earlier, on May 12, Fallin made appointments to the Board of Career and Technology Education and the Regents for Tulsa Community College (TCC).

Karl L. Meyers of Warner was her choice to the CareerTech board, while Masoud Moazami of Tulsa was elevated to the TCC regents. 

Meyers owns Tissue Converting Services, and a cattle ranch. In addition to varied serice on boards or councils in education, he has served on a executive committee of the State Chamber. Meyers earned an M.B.A. from Northeastern State, and now joins the board for a six-year term. He replaces Nevyle Cable.

Moazami founded Effective Teaching Learning Institute, Inc., a firm that specializes in training and development for the developmentally disabled. He was a psychology instructor at Northeastern State, where he also earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Moazami takes on a seven-year term, replacing Talia Shall. 

In early May, the governor named four men to the state Horse Racing Commission: Phillip Kirk of Tulsa, Melvin Bollenbach of Oklahoma City, Joe Lucas of Goldsby and Ran Leonard of Oklahoma City.  Each takes on a six-year term. 

Kirk, a part-time charter pilot, retired as owner and chairman of a highway contracting firm, and also served in other significant roles in business. A former racehorse owner and breeder, he has been active in many charitable causes in the state’s second largest city. He takes the place of Cassie Barkett.

Bollenbach begin his second term on the commission having first been appointed in 2006. He is a financial advisor, owns a Kingfisher ranch, and is advisor for the Bollenbach Chair (wildlife ecology) at Oklahoma State University. Bollenbach was a Naval aviator, 1960-69. 

Lucas owns the Red Earth Training Center, and is past president of the state Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma and is a past board member of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. He replaces Patrick Grimmett.

Leonard is president of two horse racing management facilities, and a director of the state Thoroughbred Association. He replaces John Smicklas.

In late April Governor Fallin named regents for Carl Albert State College and for Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC). Lavon Williams got the nod for Carl Albert; Devery Youngblood and Tony Tyler were her choices for OCCC.  

Williams owns a financial investment firm, and is active in several leadership roles in Poteau. His degree in animal health science is from the University of Arizona. Williams is replacing Eddie Freeman and will have a seven-year term.

Youngblood is the Chickasaw Nation’s community affairs manager, and hails from Yukon. Past service includes work for former U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook. He is on the advisory board for both OU’s college of public health and the State Chamber. His bachelor’s was earned at Southern Nazarene. Youngblood replaces Dave Lopez (now Commerce Secretary), and has a term that ends in 2015.

OCCC’s Tyler is general manager of Tyler Media, a local radio, TV and outdoor advertising firm. He is president-elect of the Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma and serves on the boards of several local civic groups. He replaces Robert Jenkins in a post with a seven-year term (ending in 2018).

On April 18, Governor Fallin reappointed Ed Keller of Tulsa as a member of the Trustees for Oklahoma State University-Tulsa. The president of Summit Bank, his past executive service in banking includes J.P.Morgan Chase, Bank IV Oklahoma, and Bank One Oklahoma. 

A graduate of Oklahoma State, he assumes a seven-year hitch that ends on June 30, 2018.

Earlier in April, Gov. Fallin announced she was reappointing Joe Hall to the Board of Regents for Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges (OSU/A&M).

Hall lives in Elk City, runs a land and cattle operation, a construction firm, and is a bank chairman. He first joined the board in 2003 as an appointee of then-Governor Brad Henry. An OSU graduate, his degree was in Civil Engineering. He will serve an eight-year term.

Also in April, Fallin named Ricky Joe Davis of Guthrie to the OSU/A&M Regents, to replace Fred Boettcher of Ponca City, who resigned earlier this month. Davis will complete a term that ends in 2016.

An OSU “AgEcon” graduate, he manages Davis Farms (a wheat, beef and dairy operation), and is a former president of the Guthrie public schools board. 

The governor named several nominees to the Oklahoma Transportation in April. Their names, and summaries given by Fallin’s staff at the time, follow:

 
· District 1: John Fidler of Okmulgee, current executive vice president at Citizens Security Bank; replaces Carlisle Mabrey III.

· District 2: J. David Burrage of Atoka, current president and CEO of FirstBank; replaces James H. Dunegan.

· District 3: Danny Blaine Overland of Shawnee, currently a senior vice president of the Pottawatomie Telephone Corporation; re-appointed.

· District 4: Greg M. Love of Oklahoma City, currently the president of the Loves Development Company; replaces Jackie R. Cooper.

· District 5: C. Todd Huckabay of Snyder, currently the president and CEO of Bank of the Wichitas; replaces Loyd Benson.

· District 6: Bobby J. Alexander of Woodward, owner and operator of Power Rig; replaces Bruce Benbrook.

·District 7: Bradley Warren Burgess of Lawton, currently the managing partner at the Burgess and Hightower law firm; re-appointed.

· District 8: Peter J. Regan of Tulsa, currently an attorney at Devonshire Investments and former ODOT commissioner; re-appointed.