People & Places: Oklahoma Academy hosts salute Aug. 17
BY DANNA SUE WALKER World Staff Writer
Sunday, August 12, 2012
8/12/12 at 5:10 AM
"Movers, Shakers and Policy Makers" will be the theme when the Oklahoma Academy hosts its 19th annual Academy Salute on Friday at the Doubletree Hotel Warren Place in Tulsa.
Members of Oklahoma's congressional delegation, statewide elected and appointed officials and the legislative leadership will be recognized at the event.
"This event is an excellent opportunity to be among the state's elected leaders, business leaders and community leaders," said Oklahoma Academy chairwoman Susan Winchester, president of The Winchester Group. "It is an enjoyable evening of recognition and laughter, and the event to attend in August!"
Women in Recovery
The Women In Recovery program will receive the Academy's prestigious "Oklahoma Key Contributor" award.
Women in Recovery is an intensive outpatient alternative for eligible women facing long prison sentences for nonviolent, drug-related offenses. Operated in partnership with the George Kaiser Family Foundation, it works closely with the criminal justice system and various community partners to ensure program participants receive supervision, substance abuse and mental health treatment, education, workforce readiness training and family reunification services.
The Oklahoma Academy has pushed hard for changes in the criminal justice system. In 2008, it focused the Town Hall Conference on criminal justice. The recommendations included alternative sentencing, especially for women who have been charged with nonviolent crimes, and continued funding of drug courts and mental health courts. In the last two years, Speaker Kris Steele and Gov. Mary Fallin have thanked the Oklahoma Academy for providing research, the Town Hall conference focus and the initial push to get major criminal justice bills passed to improve the system.
The evening will also include the can't-stop-laughing, hilarious-as-ever Capitol Steps. The well-known Washington, D.C., musical troupe will entertain with parodies pointed at all aspects of government and politics everywhere.
Fallin will give opening remarks.
Michael Neal, president and CEO of the Metro Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, and his wife, Jana, are honorary chairmen. Mike Turpen will be the emcee.
Patrons
Major patrons include GKFF, The Robson Companies Inc., Chesapeake Energy, Cherokee Nation Businesses, PSO, Spirit AeroSystems, The Choctaw Nation, Tulsa Metro Chamber, OGE Energy, UCO Foundation, Sonic America's Drive-In, The University of Tulsa, INTEGRIS Health, American Fidelity Corporation, Pelco Structural LLC, AES Shady Point, Robson Properties, Rogers State University, The Chickasaw Nation, Tulsa Community College, UCO College of Business, AT&T, NORDAM, Riggs Abney Neal & Turpen, NSU, BancFirst Corp, Butkin Family Foundation, OSU-Tulsa/OSU-CHS, Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, St. Gregory's University, OSU CIED, Oklahoma Natural Gas - A Division of ONEOK, OAEC, Air Power Systems Co. Inc., i2E Inc., and Phillips Murrah.
Tickets
Ticket prices for Academy members are $150 per person and $275 per couple. Tickets for non-members are $175 per person and $300 per couple. The attire is business/cocktail.
The Oklahoma Academy is a private nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that addresses issues critical to Oklahoma's future by providing forums, summits and Town Hall Conferences focusing on nonpartisan recommendations and goals to improve public policy. The organization was founded by Gov. Henry L. Bellmon.
For more, call 405-232-5828; email jennifer@okacademy.org; or go to tulsaworld.com/2012academysalute
Original Print Headline: Oklahoma Academy hosts salute Friday
Dignitaries planning to attend Academy Salute
U.S. Reps. James Lankford, Frank Lucas and John Sullivan; Gov. Mary Fallin; Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb; State Treasurer Ken Miller; Attorney General Scott Pruitt; State Insurance Commissioner John Doak; Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi; Corporation Commissioners Dana Murphy, Bob Anthony and Patrice Douglas; Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese; Secretary of Transportation Gary Ridley; Secretary of Energy Mike Ming; Secretary of the Environment Gary Sherrer; Secretary of Finance and Revenue Preston Doerflinger; Secretary of Health and Human Services Terry Cline; Secretary of Safety and Security Michael C. Thompson; Secretary of Transportation Gary Ridley; Secretary of Science and Technology Stephen Mc-Keever; and Chancellor of Higher Education Glen D. Johnson.
Also attending will be State Sens. Brian Bingman, Clark Jolley, Kim David, Susan Paddack and Earl Garrison; Speaker-Designate T.W. Shannon; and State Reps. Doug Cox, Lee Denney, David Derby, Dan Kirby, Mark McCullough, Skye McNiel, Ron Peters, Earl Sears, Jabar Shumate, Purcy Walker, Weldon Watson and Marty Quinn.
Also: Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Bill John Baker, Governor of the Chickasaw Nation Bill Anoatubby and Chairman of the Ft. Sill Apache Jeff Houser.
Associated Images:
Jana Neal, Salute honorary event chair; Mike Neal, president and CEO of Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce and Salute honorary event chair; and Mimi Tarrasch, director of Women In Recovery, prepare for the Academy Salute to be held Friday at the Doubletree Hotel Warren Place. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World
|
