Business and People Notes
The University of Tulsa has selected former University of Alabama Art Professor W. Lowell Baker to serve as director of TU’s School of Art.
Baker’s move to Tulsa marks the third art program he has directed: Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Miss., and most recently at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Baker’s institutional teaching experience also includes North Arkansas College and the University of Arkansas.
The Oklahoma native received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Phillips University in Enid and his Master of Fine Arts degree from Wichita State University.
“I am pleased and honored to join the faculty at The University of Tulsa,” he says. “I am thrilled to be a part of the School of Art and the university’s new Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education.”
Stillwater National Bank and Trust Company () and Bank of Kansas, subsidiaries of Southwest Bancorp, Inc., announce that Mark W. Funke has been named president and chief executive officer. Funke previously served as market president for Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City.
“We are pleased to have a highly respected individual such as Mark join our organization,” says Bob Rodgers, chairman of the board of , Bank of Kansas and Southwest Bancorp. “Mark brings a deeply rooted knowledge of the industry and a pioneering vision for the company that uniquely fits our heritage and core beliefs.”
Funke joined Bank of Oklahoma in 1984 and has been in his current position since 1997. He is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City Class and Leadership Oklahoma Class . He was awarded the Paragon Award in 2002 by Leadership Oklahoma City, the Urban Pioneer Award in 2008 from Oklahoma City’s Plaza District Association and the John Kirkpatrick Award from Lyric Theatre in 2009.
Littlefield Brand Development announces the hiring of Laura Richardson as a project manager. Richardson will assist with the management of the Financial account, along with other agency clients.
“We’re incredibly excited to add Laura to our team,” said Stephanie Godwin, a brand strategist with Littlefield. “Her ease and experience in dealing directly with clients, managing projects and meeting deadlines will make her a great asset to our team.”
As project manager, Richardson will act as a liaison between her clients and the rest of the agency staff, keeping tabs on project statuses, as well as communicating the wants and needs of the client to the team.
Richardson joins Littlefield from the Tulsa World, where she was an account executive in the advertising sales department. In 2010, she earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Northeastern State University, and has previously interned with Oklahoma Magazine.
Integrated Bus-iness Technolo-gies () an-nounces the expansion of the company to include in-house marketing services with the addition of Heather Smith.
As IBT’s marketing representative, Smith will manage the company’s website, ibtsupport.com, in addition to maintaining its social media outlets, client relations and general marketing efforts.
Smith earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing.
Allan Cich has joined the Chamber as the program coordinator for communications.
Cich is a 15-year Army veteran, where he served as a traffic management coordinator, working on small teams to accomplish various tasks around the world. He also worked for several years as a command post driver/protocal assistant for numerous s, including two U.S. secretaries of defense, William Cohen and Donald Rumsfield.
Cich received his bachelor’s degree in operations management and analysis from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Michelle A. Place has been named the new executive director of the Tulsa Historical Society ().
Place served as the business manager for from 2001 to spring 2012, when she assumed the role of executive director.
“I was fortunate enough to observe Clayton Vaughn and Sharon Terry in their roles as executive director,” Place says. “Their dedication built into what we are today, which will serve as the foundation of our future.”
Place has been a resident of Tulsa for 25 years. Before working at , she was the wedding coordinator at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church and the placement director at the Tulsa County Bar Association.
Hall Estill law firm announces the addition of Dustin Perry as an associate to the firm. Perry will primarily practice in the litigation area in Tulsa.
Perry attended the University of Tulsa College of Law and graduated with honors in 2012. While in law school, he was a member of the Tulsa Law Review and Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity.
“As Hall Estill continues to expand in the Tulsa area, we are excited to have Dustin join our team,” says Mike Cooke, Hall Estill managing partner. “We are confident that his knowledge and professionalism will represent Hall Estill well.”
Perry’s previous legal experience includes federal judicial internships with U.S. Magistrate Judges Paul J. Cleary and T. Lane Wilson in 2010 and serving as a summer associate for Hall Estill in 2011.
Explorer Pipeline has named Terry Biehl, as new chief financial officer. Biehl joins Explorer Pipeline from Mazzio’s Corporation where he served as senior director, accounting and finance and controller.
“Terry has a diverse financial and leadership background that will add great value to our team,” Explorer Pipeline President & Chief Executive Officer David Ysebaert says. “During this dynamic time in our industry, we look forward to the addition of Terry’s expertise and experience.”
Biehl previously worked for Truck, Inc. in Van Buren, Ark., and served in other management roles for companies in Kansas and Arkansas. He has his Bachelor of Science from Southwest Missouri State University and is a certified public accountant.
Saxum, an integrated marketing communications agency offering public relations, advertising and digital services, recently an-nounced the hiring of Melanie Christian as account director in the agency’s Tulsa office.
“With more than 17 years of experience in the industry, Melanie has diverse expertise in marketing, public relations and advertising, which will benefit Saxum and our clients,” says Jesse Boudiette, senior vice president at Saxum.
Christian comes to Saxum from the Tulsa Health Department, where she served as marketing director since 2002. In that role, she was responsible for marketing, media relations, crisis communication, brand strategy development and community relations for the department. She also served as a brand planning manager for Littlefield, Inc. for several years, where she developed marketing communications plans, led research projects and developed brand strategy.
Her previous experience includes working with clients such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma, , the Tulsa Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Tulsa Metro Chamber and Tulsa Transit.
Christian has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, from Oklahoma State University.
Dewberry professional services firm announces that D. Bruce Henley, , , AP, has been promoted to principal. Henley has an extensive portfolio of civic and higher education projects.
Henley currently serves as office director for architecture and manages the design of many projects including work for Eastern Oklahoma State College, Oklahoma State University, and Northeastern State University. Recent projects under his management also include the new Sea Lion Cove at the Tulsa Zoo as well as current work on the Route 66 Xperience and Tulsa West Festival Park renovations along the river for the City of Tulsa.
Henley holds a degree in architecture from Texas Tech University. He is also a member of the American Institute of Architects and Design Build Institute of America and serves locally on the Tulsa Habitat for Humanity Board.
Updated 09-24-2012
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