Don Walker Leads Chamber
CHANGE OF GUARD: Don Walker, left, 2010 Tulsa Metro Chamber Chairman of the Board of Directors, is congratulated by outgoing Chairman David Page after the Chamber’s Annual Meeting at the Tulsa Renaissance Hotel Jan. 19.
DANIEL C. CAMERON for GTR Newspapers
Don Walker, president and of Arvest Bank, assumed the 2010 Chairmanship of the Board of Directors of the Tulsa Metro Chamber during the Chamber’s Annual Meeting, held recently at the Tulsa Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center.
Walker succeeds Chairman David Page, market president of organ Chase & Co. More than 1,200 area business leaders, local officials and citizens were in attendance at the Annual Meeting, which was presented by Oklahoma State University-Tulsa.
The meeting included a video presentation featuring a review of 2009 accomplishments, an awards presentation and Walker’s inauguration address, which unveiled the Chamber’s primary initiatives for 2010. Walker called for the expansion of regionalism and shared resources, the next phase of regional economic development, the funding of regional tourism marketing and the seeking and support of candidates for state office who are pro-business.
Walker began his 30-year career with Arvest as a loan officer upon graduation from the University of Arkansas. In 1984, he was appointed president and of First National, Siloam Springs, Ark., and served until 1991 when he was appointed president and of Bank of Bentonville, Ark. He remained president in Bentonville until his move to Tulsa in 1998.
In addition to serving as the chairman of the Tulsa Metro Chamber board, Walker is currently serving among several organizations, including: the board of directors for both River Parks and the Morningside Foundation of Tulsa; director emeritus of John Brown University’s Board of Directors; the Indian Nations Council-Boy Scouts of America, Board of Directors and Executive Committee; and treasurer of the Executive Committee for the Oklahoma Business Roundtable. Walker was co-chair of the Tulsa Committee for the Oklahoma Centennial, and more recently, chaired the Tulsa Area United Way’s 2009 campaign and currently serves as the United Way’s 2010 chairman of the board.
Walker has served on the Chamber’s executive committee for a record eight years, chairing the Chamber’s Arkansas River Master Study Plan, marketing and membership division as well as the annual Resource Campaign.
Annually, more than 3,100 businesses support the activities of the Tulsa Metro Chamber through membership investment. Chamber members include businesses and organizations from more than 70 communities throughout the 10-county metropolitan area and the state of Oklahoma and represent 175,000 area employees.
Updated 02-18-2010
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