Gov. Fallin makes several new appointments

OKLAHOMA CITY Governor Mary Fallin recently made the following appointments to various boards, agencies and commissions. Confirmation from the Oklahoma Senate is not required for the following appointments.
 
Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing Claims
 
Judge L. Bradley Taylor, of Tulsa, is being reappointed as presiding judge and will serve a two-year term. He was previously appointed as presiding judge of the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court in December 2013. 

However, a state law that took effect Feb. 1 changed Oklahoma’s compensation system to an administrative system and the compensation court became the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing Claims, which deals only with cases filed before Feb. 1.
 
Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering
 
Tammy Graham, of Duncan, owns Posh Salon and Apparel. She previously served as president and chief executive officer of Eve’s College of Hairstyling. Graham is licensed as a master instructor and received cosmetology certifications from Chickasha Cosmetology College in Chickasha and Eve’s College of Hairstyling in Lawton. 

She will serve the remaining term of Matt Smith, who resigned.    
 
Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission
 
Richard “Vince” Howie, of Edmond, is the director of aerospace and defense at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. He also currently serves as a consultant to the South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce working on its Envision 240 project, which works to enhance the Interstate 240 corridor with economic development; and as a consultant at Frankfort Short & Bruza Architecture Firm and assists with business development with the U.S. Air Force (USAF). Howie previously served at Tinker Air Force Base, where his duties included item management specialist, director of staff, deputy system sustainment manager, vice director of the 76th Maintenance Wing and director of plans and programs. 

He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma and a master’s degree from Webster University in St. Louis. Howie will serve the remaining term of Bob Conner, who resigned. 
 
Scenic Rivers Commission
 
Gerald Hilsher, of Tulsa, is a trial and appellate attorney at McAfee and Taft, a private practice law firm handling business, commercial, real estate and environmental litigation. He is being reappointed to the commission and will serve a four-year term. 

Hilsher currently serves as chairman. He also serves as director for the Save the Illinois River group. 

Hilsher received a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University and a law degree from the University of Texas.
 
Michael Fuhr, of Tulsa, is the state director of The Nature Conservancy, a world-wide organization that works to conserve wildlife and natural habitats. He is being reappointed to the commission and will serve a four-year term. Fuhr received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Illinois.
 
Oklahoma Humanities Council
 
Mary Mélon, of Oklahoma City, is the president and publisher of The Journal Record newspaper. She is a member of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame and a member of the senior management corporate team for The Journal Record’s parent company, The Dolan Company, and serves as group publisher of daily group operations for five additional markets. Mélon received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. She is replacing Joan Gilmore, who resigned.