Most Powerful Oklahomans: Gov. Anoatubby returns to top of annual poll
By: Vicki Clark Gourley
Published: June 28, 2024
1. Gov. Bill Anoatubby leaped back to the top of the Most Powerful list after falling to No.6 last year. The excitement over the new OKANA resort and Indoor Waterpark is promoted as a world class destination by the Chickasaw Nation.2. David Holt, Oklahoma City mayor and dean of the Oklahoma City University School of Law, is the most visible of all the honorees, attending every ribbon cutting and constantly promoting OKC. He is a member of the Osage Nation.3. Clay Bennett owns the OKC Thunder NBA team. He is the CEO of Dorchester Capital, a diversified, private investment company.4. Tricia Everest is a fourth generation Oklahoman and a descendent of the powerful Gaylord family. She served as assistant attorney general of Oklahoma, is the founder of Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center and founding chair of ReMerge which diverts mothers from prison and empowers them to build healthy foundations for their families.5. Gentner Drummond is the attorney general of Oklahoma. The rancher, banker, politician and pilot flew in the Gulf War campaign.6. David Rainbolt, the executive chairman of BancFirst, tirelessly promotes OKC nationwide.7. Harold Hamm is known for pioneering fracking shale oil and estimated to be one of the wealthiest men in the world. He is the founder and chairman of Continental Oil.7. U.S. Senator James Lankford ranks 47th in the U.S. Senate. Lankford was camp director at Falls Creek Baptist Camp when he first ran for office. He currently serves on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.9. U.S. Representative Tom Cole currently serves on several powerful government committees.9. Larry Nichols is the co-founder of Devon Energy with his father, John Nichols. He is a former chairman of both the American Petroleum Institute and the American Exploration & Production Council.11. Judy Love and her late husband Tom Love co-founded Love’s Country Stores with one location. Today she is No. 2 on the list of America’s richest self—made women and donates her time to various charities.12. Gene Rainbolt founded BancFirst with one small bank. Today he devotes his time to charitable work.13. Sue Ann Arnall is focused on criminal justice reform and lower ing the incarceration rate impacting the poor and people of color.13. Gov. Kevin Stitt is serving his second term as Oklahoma’s chief executive.15. U.S. Representative Stephanie Bice is both the first Iranian American and Pakistani American to be elected to Congress.16. Bill Lance Jr. is responsible for the management of all commercial business enterprises of the Chickasaw Nation.17. Joseph Harroz Jr. has served OU for over 27 years in various leadership roles before being named the 15th president of OU.18. Robert Ross serves as chairman of the Inasmuch Foundation, founded by Edith Kinney Gaylord in 1982.19. George Kaiser is an American billionaire. He is ranked in the top 500 richest people in the world and a top 50 American Philanthropist. His foundation’s primary focus is equal opportunity for young children.20. Christy Gaylord Everest is a board member of Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and pledged a $7.5 million gift to benefit cancer care and research.
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