Business and People Notes
John M. O’Connor, shareholder and chairman of the board of directors of Newton, O’Connor, Turner & Ketchum law firm, has been appointed to the Oklahoma State University-Tulsa Board of Trustees.
O’Connor has concentrated his law practice for more than 30 years in corporate governance, business entities and transactions and commercial litigation. He regularly has been named to the Oklahoma’s Best Lawyers, Tulsa’s Top Lawyers and Super Lawyers lists and has been honored by Super Lawyers Business Edition’s national publication.
An active leader in the Tulsa community, O’Connor has served on the boards of directors of numerous businesses and charitable entities. He is past president of the Rotary Club of Tulsa and foundation chairman for Rotary International District 6110. He served two terms as president and member of the board of directors of Tulsa’s Ronald McDonald House. He also has been a member of the board of directors of the Alumni Association.
O’Connor earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from where he was elected student body president. He earned his law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law. He is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships and was awarded a graduate fellowship from the International Rotary Foundation that enabled him to study law at the Friedreich Wilhelm Rheinische Universitat in Bonn, Germany.
Oral Roberts University () has inducted five new members to the academic institution’s Board of Trustees: Robert W. Barron (‘84), Camella Barnhill Binkley (‘80), Dr. Michael Fletcher (‘85), Tim Lyons (‘82) and Brad Thomas (‘77 and ‘79).
Barron is a corporate and commercial real estate business attorney and partner with Berger Singerman , an 85-plus Florida-based business law firm with four offices in Florida. He is also a graduate of Louisiana State University Law Center.
Binkley graduated from with a degree in psychology. She is the owner and of Express Employment Professionals in Waxahachie, Texas. Binkley is also the vice president of the New Name Society International, a nonprofit organization that she and her husband, Bruce, founded to offer hope to disadvantaged people.
Fletcher is a 20-plus year private physician. He received a BS in biology with a minor in theology from and an MD from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. While practicing in Northern Kentucky, he also serves as a U.S. Air Force Flight Surgeon in the 123rd Airlift Wing, Kentucky Air National Guard and is a member of the Board for Teen Challenge Kentucky.
Lyons is president and of the Credit Union, the largest credit union in Oklahoma. He is the chairman for the Temple Foundation, which seeks to meet the health, welfare, and education needs of children in the Tulsa metropolitan area.
Thomas is president and of Inter-Chem, a trading, distribution and logistics company with its roots in the plant nutrient industry headquartered in Tulsa. He joined the company as manager of operations in 1985. Previously, Thomas was Hewlett Packard’s national account sales manager for Phillips Petroleum Co.
Catherine DeCamp has joined Oklahoma Innovation Institute as the business development director. DeCamp brings more than 20 years of business leadership, entrepreneurship, and sales experience to the organization. She is a former employee of Williams Energy, HILTI Latin America, and was the Chief Operating Officer of two local companies. She has been a business consultant and is a former small business owner.
The Oklahoma Innovation Institute () is a 501©(3) not-for-profit corporation committed to building an innovative economy in the Tulsa region. fosters collaborative research and development, entrepreneurship, education, company creation and retention, life-long learning and creative, future-oriented thinking. These objectives are driven by private sector, government and philanthropic partnerships. The includes the creation of several critical programs to substantially impact the economic development of the region. These core programs include the Tulsa Research Partners, the Entrepreneurship Center, the Community Innovation Fund, the Best Thinking Forum, the Tandy Supercomputing Center and the Tulsa Regional Alliance.
Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, announces the promotion of Dominic J. Spadafore, , AP BD+C, NCARB, , to associate in the firm’s Tulsa office.
With more than 16 years of experience, Spadafore has extensive experience in mixed-use architecture, as well as healthcare, retail, office and airport infrastructure building designs. He has managed projects in 19 states, and his professional involvement has extended to several special projects, leading to development of information-sharing systems for international clients. His Tulsa projects include the 17-acre River West Festival Park and the 100,000-gallon Helmerich Sea Lion Exhibit at the Tulsa Zoo. Currently he is assisting with the integration of the newly acquired Dewberry office in Houston, Texas.
Spadafore earned his Master of Architecture from Texas Technical University. He earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and theater performance from North Dakota State University. He is a registered architect and interior designer in Oklahoma, a accredited professional, and a part of the National Council of Architectural Registration Board. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, where he has served as treasurer of the Eastern Oklahoma Chapter since 2012.
The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa () announced that Jeffrey Smith, former residential builder, has been selected as the new executive vice president/chief executive officer. Smith will assume the new role immediately. The Tulsa is an affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders and serves nearly 1,000 members in the residential construction industry throughout the Tulsa metropolitan area.
Smith has been a builder for over 11 years and owned his business, CedarRock Homes, for nine years. In addition, he has been a member of the Tulsa for eight years, served on the board of directors for five years, and was president of the association in 2013.
“I can think of no one better to lead our association,” says Allen Jenkins, president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa.
The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa is a not-for-profit, professional trade organization that is an advocate for the residential housing and remodeling industry in communities in and around Tulsa and serves approximately 1,000 members. The association is a corporate channel through which builders contribute time, money and services to local community service projects and education initiatives. Professional members must meet stringent requirements, including customer and professional references, insurance certifications and adhere to a strict code of ethics. For more information, visit www.TulsaHBA.com, or call 918-663-5820.
Spears Travel is pleased to announce the hiring of Julie Christopherson as corporate travel consultant. Christopherson has a background of many years in the travel industry, including travel agency locations, corporate onsite locations, and in the hotel industry. She is an Oklahoma native from Catoosa but got her start in the travel business in Kansas City. She spent several years with Williams Travel Department and also worked for ProBuild, overseeing corporate travel. Most recently, she worked in the hotel industry. Her specialties, besides corporate travel, including working with groups and corporate meetings. Outside of work she is active with animal rescue organizations and resides in Tulsa with her husband, Robert.
Updated 12-21-2015
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