Maxwell, Anderson and Walker Assume Roundtable Leadership Positions
Tom Maxwell
Tom Maxwell, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Flintco Companies, assumed chairmanship of the Oklahoma Business Roundtable on July 1.
Maxwell is joined in a 2009-2010 leadership role by Vice Chairman Mike Anderson, President, Presbyterian Health Foundation and Secretary-Treasurer Don Walker, President and CEO, Arvest Bank.
Maxwell said, “I look forward to working with the entire Roundtable membership during the next year. While Oklahoma has fared better than most states during the current economic downturn, it is critically important that we support and strengthen business development and global recruitment efforts targeted to wealth creating companies.”
- Don Walker
Mike Anderson
Exectutive Committee 2009-2010
| Chairman | Vice Chairman |
 Tom Maxwell The Flintco Companies |
 Michael Anderson Presbyterian Health Foundation |
| Secretary/Treasure | |
 Don Walker Arvest Bank |
| Executive Committee Members |
|
Dave Brenner Ken Lackey Robert A. Ridge Bill Burgess Bryan Gonterman Russ Harrison Nancy Koeper Ed Martin |
| Ex-Officio Members |
|
Mike Neal Roy Williams Dick Rush |
| Roundtable Staff Members |
|
J. Blake Wade Ann McVey |
Past Roundtable Chairmen Meet – Review Success
Fourteen past Chairmen of the Oklahoma Business Roundtable met Feb 18, 2009 in Oklahoma City to review the organization’s success and discuss the future.
The group felt the Roundtable had achieved significant results within its stated mission of serving as Oklahoma’s primary economic development “support” organization.
The group commended the work of Don Paulsen, president and Ann McVey, administrative secretary, who have served the organization for the past 18 years.
Attending the meeting were: Stanton Young (’92-’93), Jim Philion (’94), Bill Bell (’95), Gib Gibson (’96), Dave Lopez (’98), Hans Helmerich (’99), Jeanette Gamba (’00), Tom Love (’02), Ed Farrell (’05), Bill Burgess (’06), Ed Martin (’07), Steve Hendrickson (’08), Al Dearmon (’09), Tom Maxwell (’10), Mike Anderson (’11).
Oklahoma Business Roundtable Announces Retirement of Donald Paulsen as President – Board Names J. Blake Wade Successor
Donald Paulsen
The Oklahoma Business Roundtable has announced that Oklahoma business leader Donald D. Paulsen, is retiring as president, a position he has held since the organization’s founding in 1991.
The Roundtable’s executive committee has named J. Blake Wade, former executive director of the Oklahoma Centennial Commission as president. He will assume full-time duties July 1, 2009.
“Don Paulsen has been a dedicated leader of Oklahoma’s successful economic development efforts,” said Al Dearmon, Roundtable chairman.
Blake Wade
“During his career, he has worn many hats – serving as a very successful corporate executive, helping incubate the state’s science and technology program, serving as commerce secretary and leading the Roundtable, our state’s primary economic development support organization, said Al Dearmon, Roundtable chairman.
“We would like to thank Don for his many outstanding contributions to the Roundtable during the past 18 years and respect his decision to retire,” he added.
The 127-member Oklahoma Business Roundtable serves as the state’s primary economic development support organization.
Paulsen, former president of Oklahoma City-based Fife Corporation, has been active in Oklahoma’s public sector economic development efforts for three decades. He served as secretary of commerce and executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce secretary during Governor Henry Bellmon’s administration (1987-1991). He earlier chaired the state’s initial Council of Science and Technology, the forerunner to the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST). Paulsen is also past president of the Executive Service Corp of Oklahoma (ESCOO).
“The Oklahoma Business Roundtable is one of Oklahoma’s most important organizations and I am proud of our accomplishments over the years in building Oklahoma’s economy, Paulsen said.
Incoming Roundtable president J. Blake Wade is no stranger to the Oklahoma business community, having recently served as director of the Oklahoma Capitol Complex and Centennial Commemoration Commission, a position he held since 1999.