ion Oklahoma Magazine April/May 2017

ionok.com

APRIL/MAY 2017

Legacy of an Oklahoma Oil Man: J. Steve Anderson, Co-founder of Anderson Prichard Oil Corporation

Creative Oklahoma honors 2017 Ambassadors Star Spangled Air Show as Tinker celebrates 75th Anniversary 2017 Festival of the Arts OKC’s Rite of Spring Leadership Oklahoma Annual Awards Ceremony

Lifestyle … Culture … Entertainment

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publisher : Don Swift assistant : Joni Yeager editor : Tim Farley editiorial assistant : Darian Woolbright videographer : Jeremy Gossett director of photography : Michael Downes web site developer : Patrick Moore with Set Sail Media web site developer : Nina Jones, Data Design Inc. illustration : Rosemary Burke graphic design : Wendy Mills Advertising Sales Tina Layman Photographers Jeremy Gossett Hugh Scott, Jr. Tracy Reece Jerry Hymer

Advertising Consultants Peter Preksto Contributors fashion : Linda Miller art : Joy Reed Belt people : Peggy Gandy entertainment : Heide Brandes social issues : Robbie Robertson community : Lauren Wright contributing writer : Greg Horton contributing writer : M.A. Smith contributing writer : Mindy Wood contributing writer : Julie York

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COVER STORY

12

Legacy of an Oil Man: J Steve Anderson

by Don Swift

ARTS

18

Arts! Arts! Arts! A celebration of the seasons of change

by Anna Waggoner

35

Altered Barbie

GIFT IDEAS

by Sandi Davis

42

2017 Festival of the Arts: OKC’s Rite of Spring

Scents for a Woman

by Linda Miller

FASHION

COMMUNITY

20

28

Star Spangled Salute Air Show: Tinker Base to celebrate 75th Anniversary

30

Make a Splash: Swimwear beckons with interesting details

by Linda Miller

PEOPLE

20

38

Just call him ‘H’: Harold Holden inducted into Hall of Great Westerners

by M.J.Van Deventer

52

Ethics champion, Shannon Warren, promotes higher standard

by Garland McWatters

64

Leadership Oklahoma Awards Ceremony

by Allyson Carson

82

8 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Director Will Breathe New Life Into Indian Museum

AWARDS

36

Honorees Star at Western Heritage Awards

68

Oklahoma Creativity: Ambassador Awards 2017

46

VETERANS

78

Just call him ‘H’: Harold Holden inducted into Hall of Great Westerners

by Stephanie D. Moore

SPORTS

46

Fighting for success: Western Avenue Boxing Gym owners welcome everyone

by Peter Preksto

58

DINING

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Small Plates, Big Success:The Pritchard Wine Bar offers unique dining experience in The Plaza District

by Sandi Davis

FUNDRAISER

61

Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma: Champions of Youth honorees

by Sandi Davis

THEATRE

SPEAKERS SERIES

55

73

City Rep: One-Man Star Wars Trilogy®

Thomas L. Friedman: Signature Lecture Series Speaker at OCCC

by Sandi Davis

MUSIC

70

Saints in the Plaza District

75

Former Governor Frank Keating scheduled to speak at OCCC’s Public Affairs Forum

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 9

Publisher’s Note Welcome to ion Oklahoma Magazine. We are all about Oklahoma’s quality lifestyle,

“Like” us on facebook facebook.com/pages/ IonOklahoma-Online

follow us on twitter @IonOklahoma

culture, events, and community leaders.

Are you one of those people who get much of their daily information and news over the internet?

Have you identified many of your favorite websites and sources you enjoy as a loyal follower and visit on a regular basis?

Ion Oklahoma www.ionok.com can become one of those favorite websites for you too, if you enjoy reading many wonderful success stories all involving the progress Oklahoma and its people are making as one of the leading states in the nation.

Oklahoma like many other states are experiencing a variety of issues, but Oklahomans most often have found creative ways to resolve these issues especially during difficult economic down times.

Also you must visit the “Photo Galleries” section and pages on the ion Oklahoma website that has become the most popular. Our photographers are invited to many different social events happening throughout the year and offer free digital download images for our subscribers to share on social media, email friends or download to digital photo albums on their computers or mobile phones.

At ion Okahoma Online we publish six printed editions annually and make them available for our subscribers to download each printed edition at no charge or purchase a printed copy on demand at our publishers hosting website. www.magcloud.com Ion Oklahoma Online is totality integrated into the world of social media (facebook, twitter, Instagram) which means our subscribers can easily share all our editorial content with their facebook and twitter friends. We are very user friendly and want to hear from you.

We are always open to your wonderful Oklahoma stories, so please let us know by emailing swiftdon2@cox.net.

Sincerely, Don Swift Publisher ion Oklahoma Magazine

10 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

COVER Legacy of an

Oklahoma Oil Man Successful Wildcatter Discovered the Largest Pool of Oil in Oklahoma, Co-founded Anderson Prichard Oil Corporation

BY DON SWIFT

A

s many people know Oklahoma is where certain successful oil producers and companies have flourished all through the years, men who have had the vision of oil riches deep below the state’s wheat fields and courage to invest millions of dollars to find it.

This is the story about one of Oklahoma’s most successful oil producers and oil companies, Anderson Prichard Oil Corporation.

James Stephen Anderson was born on September 9, 1885 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the son of Alexander and Jane Barron Anderson, both of whom were natives of Scotland. His father was a general contractor in Chicago. J. Steve Anderson as he preferred to be called was a graduate of Oak Park High School and then attained a law degree while in Chicago.

In 1906, J. Steve Anderson, 21, read one of many news stories being published across the nation about the Oklahoma territory becoming a state. With the discovery of oil, thousands of individuals were lured J Steve Anderson, co-founder Anderson Prichard Oil Corporation

12 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Col-tex Refining Company, Colorado City Texas, 1930.

by promises of fame and fortune beyond their wildest dreams.

Anderson left Chicago and never looked back, it was said that he was one of those instrumental in moving the state seal from Guthrie to Oklahoma City. Bright, ambitious, and imaginative, he spent the next fifty years building an oil company, a fortune, a family, a community, and a legacy.

Anderson first ventured into real estate in 1906 at a boom time in Oklahoma.

In May, 1909, he married Maud Stone Nay of Chillicothe, Missouri, and two years later, the couple welcomed their son, James Stephen “Jack” Anderson , Jr. into the world.

Real estate didn’t compare in

potential or excitement to the regional oil business. In 1914, at the age of 29, Anderson invested in a variety of wildcat and other oil and gas operations in Oklahoma and west Texas. He met Lev H. Prichard, resulting in the 1919 formation of the Anderson-Prichard Oil Company, a partnership that became the Anderson-Prichard Oil Corporation in 1922. The public came to know the brand as APCO. APCO grew the firm to be one of the top 500 oil companies in the nation, operating also in Canada with two refineries and 787 miles of pipeline.

Anderson directed very successfully all land, lease, and production operations for the company, which

Lev H. Prichard, co-founder Anderson Prichard Oil Corporation

APRIL/MAY ionOklahoma 13

The Anderson-Prichard Company’s first offices were located in the Colcord building in downtown Oklahoma City (above). In 1942 they purchased along with CR Anthony the Ramsey tower at 200 Park Avenue. and renamed it the APCO Tower.

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Above: Cyril Refining Company, Cyril Oklahoma.

Right: New and old signage of the Anderson-Prichard Company

held land leases forover 100,000 acres in Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma.

From their headquarters in the Colcord Building in downtown Oklahoma City, which was the first office tower in the city boasting central air conditioning, APCO started acquiring other oil companies and other refineries.

The Cyril Refining Company located in Cyril, Oklahoma was purchased by the partners who formed the APCO Refining Company, which later was acquired

by APCO. Also in 1925-1926 Anderson Prichard and its subsidiary Col-Tex Refining Company located in Colorado City, Texas partnered with John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil of California.

For more than 50 years APCO played an important role in the development of the Oklahoma oil industry before the company was

sold in 1977.

Anderson was a Scottish Rite Mason, a Shriner, and a member of the Kiwanis Club, the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, and the American Petroleum Institute. He was a staunch supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, and an Eagle Scout. He was given a bronze statue of a Boy Scout in uniform that he displayed on his desk in his office as a reminder to himself and friends of the importance of supporting the Boy Scouts of America.

Anderson’s commitment to Oklahoma lives on with an active family, some of whom still live in the “Big” house, as they call it, built during the depression 19291932 by J. Steve Anderson located on Drury Lane in Nichols Hills, Oklahoma. n

From the left: Lev H. Prichard, Jr., Lev H. Prichard, Sr., J. Steve Anderson, Sr., J. Steve Anderson, Jr. (Jack) and R. Olsen. Anderson-Prichard purchased Twin Hills Golf and Country Club in 1939 and sold it in 1945.

The Anderson-Prichard station on North Walker Avenue.

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Today the same location is occupied by Stella Modern Italian Cuisine. The main entry of the original structure is easy to recognize.

The Anderson-Prichard station at 1201 North Walker Avenue in Oklahoma City, ca. 1950.

ARTS

BY ANNA WAGGONER

18 ion Oklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Emcee Shelby Hays (KOCO 5 News) and Madison Pugh.

The 26th Annual Arts! Arts! Arts! Gala was held Sunday, March 5, 2017 in the beautiful National Weather Center on the University of Oklahoma campus, in Norman, Oklahoma.

The proceeds from this annual fundraiser support the creative activities of our students and faculty, driving forward their artistic projects while in college at the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts.

The event was titled “A Celebration of THE SEASONS OF CHANGE.�

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 19

Stewart and Sandy Meyers, 2017 Honorary Chairs

Dean Mary Margaret Holt, SHelby Hays and DEan Berrien Moore

Mary Margaret Holt, Dean of the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts has said many times, “ Our students’ educational journey would be far less rich and complete if it were not for so many wonderful and loyal patrons who attend and support this event.”

2017 HONORARY CHAIRS Stewart and Sandy Meyers

EVENT CHAIRS Beverly Funke, Becky Heeney, Chuck Thompson GUEST EMCEE Shelby Hays, meteorologist for KOCO 5 News The event program included special greetings from the OU Fine Arts Student Ambassadors Choir and one of kind Performances by the School of Dance, Music, and Musical Theatre.

Chancellor Glen Johnson, Melinda Johnson and friends.

20 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Stewart and Sandy Myers and friends

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 21

The Bestselling Book by Kent Frates

Oklahoma’s Most Notorious Cases Six cases that remain the talk of the courtroom Oklahoma has had more than its share of sensational legal battles with national ramifications, but for the first time in one volume, attorney/historian Kent Frates reveals the facts behind six cases that helped shape the history of the state—and the nation.

From bloody murders, to political scandal, to the horrific act of domestic terrorism known as the Oklahoma City Bombing, OKLAHOMA’S MOST NOTORIOUS CASES captures the stories, the times, and the import of these landmark trials.

Read the book that inspired the serial podcast We Will Always Remember (RealMysteries.us | weekly Feb. 12 to April 23) www.

Order now by visiting

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$24 Includes 16 pages of historic photos!

available at Full Circle Bookstore, OKC Best of Books, Edmond The Bookseller, Ardmore The Book Place, Broken Arrow and Barnes & Noble

COMMUNITY

FOR THE PAST 75 YEARS, TINKER AIR FORCE BASE HAS BEEN PROVIDING COMBAT AIR POWER FOR AMERICA. The public will have a front-row seat to see that power in action when the base opens its gates May 20-21 for the 2017 Star Spangled Salute Air Show. The United States Air Force Thunderbirds will be headlining the show that not only celebrates the base’s 75th anniversary but also the U.S. Air Force’s 70th birthday.

Gates will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The air show is a free event and is co-hosted by Team Tinker, the Eastern Oklahoma Tourism Council and the City of Midwest City.

Event organizers have planned an exciting air show, but that wouldn’t be possible without financial support of the private sector and community partners.

APRIL/MAY 2017 ion Oklahoma 23

“Air shows aren’t cheap, so the Air Force welcomes the backing to make this a successful air show, especially in this fiscally-challenged climate,” said Lt. Col. Scott Denny, Tinker’s air show director and 72nd Operations Support Squadron commander. “We simply couldn’t pull off an air show without the support of our community partners.”

The Thunderbirds are the official air demonstration team of the Air Force. Created in 1953, they are the third oldest formal flying aerobatic team in the world. Consequently, the Thunderbirds squadron is one of the oldest squadrons in the Air Force, its origins dating to the organization of the 30th Aero Squadron, formed at Kelly Field, Texas, on June 13, 1917.

Along with the Thunderbirds, this year’s air show is filled with military flybys, formations and demonstrations from current and historical military aircraft like the E-3 Sentry, KC135 Stratotanker, E-6B Mercury, F-35A Lightning, P-51 Heritage Flight, and F-18 Hornet. Wings of Blue, the Air Force jump team will kick off the show. As an extra bonus, on Saturday only, there will be a B-2 fly over.

Additional air acts include the DH-100 Vampire, A-26 Lady Liberty and a Vietnam reenactment and pyrotechnics show featuring the largest collection of flying Vietnam era aircraft.

Children will enjoy seeing Jelly Belly, a jelly bean decorated

24 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

plane that can execute three storied acts that leave spectators mesmerized. A Twin Beech 18 (C-45) will also be one of the most unusual acts in the air show as it executes moves it was never designed to do.

This year’s show will also feature a large collection of static (ground) displays including the B-1B Lancer, B-52 Stratofortress, C-17 Globemaster, E-6B, KC-135, H/MC-130J, T-6, T-38, GA-8, C-172, C-182 and many more.

Those who have always wanted to experience the thrill of flying a fighter jet will want to check out the Air Force Performance Lab. The Lab includes an Oculus Rift flight simulator, which will give participants a true Thunderbird virtual reality experience using cutting edge technology to test their skills in various challenges and learn what it takes to become an Airman.

For the young visitors, there will be a “kid zone” with several activities and attractions from bouncy rides to games and face painting. Parents will be able to purchase a wristband for a nominal fee that will be good all day. Organizers have worked to ensure the Star Spangled Salute is a wonderful event for the entire family.

Food and drink concessions will be available at various locations throughout the show area. Free water will be

The air show is filled with military flybys, formations and demonstrations from current and historical military aircraft, plus a large collection of static (ground) displays.

available to the public at clearly marked stations.

Those planning to attend the air show can park at Bldg.

9001 (the old General Motors Plant off of S.E. 74th Street) and ride a shuttle to the event site. Shuttles will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. On the east side of base, Hruskocy and Lancer Gates will be open for public entry into parking lots north and east of Bldg. 3001.

Authorized personnel can enter through the Tinker, Vance and Gott Gates, park at the 72nd Medical Group, Bldg. 1094, and take the free shuttle to the event area.

More information can be found online at www.tinker.af.mil and on the Tinker AFB Facebook page.

It’s a celebration 2017 is the year to celebrate. The Star Spangled Salute Air Show is just one part of Tinker Air Force Base’s year-long 75th anniversary celebration. The air show is also an official U.S. Air Force 70th birthday event. Two major mission partners are also celebrating anniversaries of their arrivals at Tinker: 40 years for the E-3 Sentry and 25 for Strategic Communications Wing One. Since 1947, courageous Airmen have refined the Air Force mission to Fly Fight and Win through their blood and sacrifice, ensuring the unique contributions of Airpower will endure long

into the future. As a service with joint origins, the Air Force is the foundation for multi-service, interagency and coalition operations. It provides the joint team the ability and freedom to fight in the air, on the ground and at sea.

However, prior to 1947, Tinker Field was already up and running as a maintenance depot. The Oklahoma City Air Depot was established in March 1942 and hiring new workers accelerated as the depot competed with the Douglas Aircraft Plant next to it.

During the war years, thousands of Oklahomans and military personnel from across the U.S. laid the foundation of Tinker’s reputation for excellence in depot repair and maintenance. At the employment high point in late 1943, more than 13,000 people worked at the air depot, while another 23,000 worked for Douglas Aircraft.

The Douglas plant produced 5,354 C-47s from March 1943 until August 1945. The plant built 13 plane per day during peak performance and fabricated spare parts for 500 more “Gooney Birds.” The plant also assembled parts for 400 C-54 Skymaster Big Brother military transport planes and 900 A-26 Invader “attack” bombers.

Throughout the Korean conflict, Tinker continued its output — keeping planes flying and funneling supplies to the Far

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 25

Above, Vietnam reenactment with pyro – sponsored by OG&E. Right, USAF Cadets Wings of Blue Sky Diving Team.

East. The base also played an important role in the Berlin Airlift and the Cuban crises. During the Vietnam War, Tinker provided logistics and communications support to Air Force units in Southeast Asia.

Tinker and OC-ALC began the decade of the 1990s providing front-line support to the forces engaged in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

In 1999, Tinker was awarded the largest engine repair contract in the history of the Air Force valued at $10.2 billion over 15 years.

Tinker began work on the F135 engine in October 2012. The F135 engine powers the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail yard was acquired in February 2015 for conversion into the KC-46A maintenance campus. On July 26, 2016, leaders officially broke ground on the new campus.

March 23, 2017, marked a major milestone in the history of 26 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Tinker Air Force Base, the 552nd Air Control Wing and the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System. Forty years ago to that day, the first operational E-3A landed at here. This was the first combat-coded aircraft at Tinker AFB at that time, operated by the 552nd Airborne Warning and Control Wing, the only active-duty combat unit in Oklahoma.

Today, the 552nd ACW continues to deploy around the world, operating in support of U.S. and allied forces in and around Syria, U.S. interests in the Middle East, as well as Counter-

USAF Thunderbirds.

Left, Matt Youkin performs aerobatics in a Twin Beech.

Drug Operations in South America. Affectionately called “America’s Wing,” the 552nd ACW provides world-class Command and Control and Battle Management to combatant commanders whenever and wherever needed, ensuring U.S. air power dominates the sky and effectively supports friendly ground forces.

Navy’s Strategic Communications Wing ONE celebrates 25 years of partnership with Tinker Air Force Base on May 29.

SCW-1 provides a vital, secure communications link to the submerged fleet of ballistic missile submarines. Strategic Communications Wing ONE is also Task Force 124. SCW-1 is

an administrative command, responsible to Commander Naval Air Forces for manning, training and equipping the Navy squadrons responsible for Nuclear Command and Control Communications to the nation’s nuclear triad. TF 124 is an operational command, responsible to Commander U.S. Strategic Command, to provide the airborne platform and aircrew for the U.S. Strategic Command Airborne Command Post, the Airborne Launch Control System, and the TACAMO EAM Relay missions. SCW-1/TF 124 has direct responsibility over Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 3, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 4, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 7, VQ-3 Detachment Travis AFB, Calif., SCW-1 Detachment Offutt AFB, Neb., and VQ-4 Detachment NAS Patuxent River, Md. Tinker AFB has a long and fascinating history of providing air combat power to protect America, and it is an honor to bring a little of that history to life at the Star Spangled Salute Air Show. Throughout the years, one thing remains the same — everyone loves an air show! n APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 27

GIFT IDEAS

SCENTS for a WOMAN

BY LINDA MILLER Photos provided

TS

Mother’s Day is fast approaching.

Decisions, decisions. What should you give this year? If you’ve gone the flower route too many times, think about one of this year’s new fragrances or a universal best-seller.

There’s no shortage of wonderful scents from romantic to fresh and floral to sexy. The downfall is you’ve got to head to the fragrance counter and that can be an overwhelming place. Save yourself some time and try to learn what kind

Left: Escada Fiesta Carioca, $62, at Kohl’s. It’s like an island vacation in a bottle with passion fruit, red raspberry, violet leaf, orange blossom, jasmine and musk.

Right: Chloe Love Story Eau Sensuelle, $75, at Ulta. Floral, fresh and sexy.

28 ion Oklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Left: Miu Miu L’eau Bleue, $90, at Sephora.

Lily of the valley is still undeniable, but it’s lighter than the original.

Bond No. 9 Queens, $220, at The MakeUp Bar and Balliets.

Named after the borough of Queens in New York, known as the most ethnically diverse place on Earth.

Trish McEvoy Sexy No. 9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk, $98.50, at Balliets. Combines blackberry buds, rich vanilla and velvet musk with patchouli and sandalwood.

of fragrance she enjoys. Sneak in and check out her vanity or ask one of her friends.

If she favors a clean smell, a bold Oriental might not be the best choice. If she has a stash of several different perfume bottles, she may be adventurous and up for anything new.

To help, we’ve rounded up a few new scents as well as perennial favorites. n

Creed Royal Princess Oud, $280, at Balliets. Features notes of floral iris and oud, a historical ingredient that’s expensive and rare. A combination that’s captivating.

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 29

FASHION

A E K MA

H S A SPL Swimwear beckons with interesting details

BY LINDA MILLER Photos provided

Can you hear it?

The beach, the lake and the pool are calling – or at least they will be soon.

And that means it’s time to think about a new swimsuit. Or two. That’s how

Vitamin A olive bikini with wrap-top and sleeves from LA Sun & Sport.

30 ion Oklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

MICHAEL Michael Kors Angelina plunge neck, lace-up paisley suit from Dillard’s.

tempting this season’s choices are.

Gianni Bini off-the-shoulder floral top with bikini bottom from Dillard’s.

Tassels and side cut-outs.

High-neck halters and plunging necklines. Straps, side lacing and strings. One shoulder and off the shoulder. Stark white.

Pretty ruffles and lingerie details. High-cut bottoms.

Nude colors. Bold prints.

Sheer accents.

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 31

A.ChĂŠ black stretchy crochet string bikini from LA Sun & Sport.

32 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

A.ChĂŠ white high-neck bikini from LA Sun & Sport.

More coverage or less, you decide.

If you’re not ready to face the glaring lights of a dressing room just yet, sit back in the comfort of your living room and picture yourself in one of these suits. On the beach. At the lake. By the pool. n

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 33

Altered Barbie

BY SANDI DAVIS

MOST GIRLS GREW UP owning at least one Barbie doll with the clothes and the funky high heels only she could pull off with a tennis outfit or a bathing suit.

Many of those girls grew up to be artists, and found their childhood dolls could serve a higher purpose — as part of a Barbie art exhibit.

That’s exactly what patrons saw in “Altered Barbie: Nobody’s Fool,” April fool’s Day (April 1) at Kasum Contemporary Fine Art in the Plaza District.

The event was both an invited artist exhibit and a fundraiser organized by, and supporting Women Lead Oklahoma.

The ticketed event featured a bar and hor d’oeuvres, a silent auction and more than 30 female artists living and working in Oklahoma. Each woman will offer her interpenetration of Barbie.

All proceeds from this event benefitted Women Lead Oklahoma. n

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 35

AWARDS Honorees Star at Western Heritage Awards

BY M. J. VAN DEVENTER

M

ovie stars and western notables were abundant when the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosted its annual Western Heritage Awards program during the weekend of April 21-22.

Bruce Boxleitner, a notable actor and writer, who is no stranger to the Museum stage, served as master of ceremonies this year. The event celebrates the legacy of those whose works in film, music, television and literature reflect the significant stories of the Western genre.

The black tie ceremony takes its celebratory cues from the annual Oscar Awards in Hollywood. The event is often called “The Oscars of the West.” The winners of five different categories represent the highest echelon for Western songwriters, authors, entertainers, artists and promoters.

Gary Moore, the Museum’s chief financial officer and interim president/CEO said, “Each honoree embraces elements that embody the Western character, helping to make the region vastly dynamic and part of our national and, in fact, continental character.”

Each award winner receives The Wrangler, an impressive bronze sculpture of a cowboy on horseback. That notable work of art was created by Harold T. Holden who was among the 2017 winners, with his induction into the Hall of Great Westerners. (See related story in this issue.)

Award Recipients Hall of Great Westerners Inductees — Harold T. Holden and the late Raymond E. Adams Jr. Hall of Great Western Performers — Patrick Wayne and the late Alan Ladd.

Chester A Reynolds Award — Johnny Trotter. The award honors the Museum’s founder.

36 ion Oklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Susan Hallsten McGarry

Film & Television Awards Theatrical Motion Picture — Hell or High Water, produced by Film, 44, OddLot Entertainment and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment.

Fictional Drama — Chrysalis, Longmore, produced by Two Boomerang, The Shephard/Robin Company and Warner Horizon Television.

Documentary — What Was Ours, produced by Alpheus Media, Inc.

Western Lifestyle Program — Red Steagall is Somewhere West of Wall Street, produced by West of Wall Street Company

Literary Awards Magazine Article — “Warriors to Ride the River With” — by Gabriella Schiavino, published by American Cowboy Magazine.

Poetry Book — The Woman Who Married A Bear: Poems by Tiffany Midge, published by the University of New Mexico Press.

Western Novel — Robert B. Parker’s Blackjack by Robert Knott, published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

The Pure Quill book award was particularly special for Barbara Van Cleve.

“My father would be proud,” she said.

Her father, Paul “Spike” Van Cleve won a Wrangler Award and a video documentary award for his book, 40 Years Gatherin’s in the mid 1970s.

She and her co-author, McGarry, have another reason to be proud of this beautiful coffee table book. In addition to the Wrangler Award, it was named Best Adult Book and Best Art Book in November 2016 by the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards program.

In April, the Independent Book Publishers gave Pure Quill the Bronze Medal in the Photography Book category.

Music Awards New Horizons — Trinity Seely.

Original Western Composition — “Keeper of the West” by Ryan Fritz, produced by Eli Barsi and John Cunningham.

Traditional Western Album — “The Cowboy Way” produced by Mariam Funke.

Nonfiction Book — American Serengeti: The Last Big Animals of the Great Plains by Dan Flores, published by the University Press of Kansas.

Art/Photography Book — Pure Quill: Photography by Barbara Van Cleve by Susan Hallsten McGarry, published by SF Design, LLC/Fresco Books.

Juvenile Book — The Green Colt by S. J. Dahlstrom, published

by Paul Dry Books.

New this year was the Western Heritage Awards Workshop featuring Amy Shepherd, vice president of John Wayne Enterprises and executive director of the John R. Hamilton Archives and Laurie Kratochvil, photograph dealer and appraiser.

Sponsors for the event were Ann and David Brown, Wrangler, Museum Partners and the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau. n

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 37

PEOPLE Just call him

‘H’ Cowboy Artist Inducted Into Hall of Great Westerners

BY M.J. VAN DEVENTER

Y

ou might call Harold Holden “The Quiet Man” of Western art. He doesn’t talk much, although when he does, folks listen. He’s just never been a chatty type of guy.

That’s probably because he’s a great listener and an astute observer of life ~ especially the western way of life.

Those observations and experiences involving the cowboy lifestyle have been the foundation for an impressive art career that now spans half a century.

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum honored Holden for his legendary achievements April 22 during its annual Western Heritage Awards program. The event is a glitzy, glamorous gala that draws a wide spectrum of western enthusiasts, celebrities and movie stars, like Bruce Boxleitner, who was this year’s Master of Ceremonies.

Holden was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners, along with the late Raymond E. Adams Jr. This is the highest honor the Museum bestows on an individual whose life reflects the best of western American values.

Typically, Holden’s acceptance speech was marked with brevity, just as his speech was when he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in

38 ion Oklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

H working on Will Rogers.

2014, sharing the stage with such notables as Blake Shelton and Wanda Jackson.

Chuck Schroeder, former president of the National Cowboy Museum and a good friend of Holden’s, presented the prestigious Hall of Fame medallion to Holden. Holden delivered his acceptance speech with his slow, Oklahoma drawl, laced with his gentle wit.

Holden, or “H” as he is affectionately known to his family and close friends, graduated from Enid High School and attended Oklahoma State University for a while, then moved to Texas, graduating from the Texas Academy of Art in Houston.

He served with the U. S. Navy aboard the USS Rainier, then began his art career in the commercial art field, eventually serving as the art director for Horseman Magazine.

After six years, he tired of “the rat race,” packed up and went home to Enid. Honoring a child-hood dream to be an artist, he began to devote his life to painting western art themes.

“There weren’t many people making a living painting cowboys then,” Holden recalled in a western publication article. “I was pretty poor there for a while. I got one monument done and then I started getting some commission work and some bigger artwork and finally had some money coming in.”

THE DIMES TURNED TO DOLLARS. Today “H” and his wife, Edna Mae, an attorney, live on a ranch in Kremlin, eight miles north of Enid.

Edna Mae’s office is also a public art gallery, filled with Holden’s paintings and sculptures.

Holden’s inspiration has always been the historical and contemporary west.

“All I ever wanted to do was cowboy art,” Holden says.

Even in elementary school, he was sketching horses and cowboys in his textbooks.

“I had horses growing up and that was kind of why I became an artist.

The bulk of my work is cowboy; that’s what I know,” he says.

He credits his father, a horseman, for his love of the West and his great grandfather, George E. Failing, inventor of the bottle cap, for encouraging his fine art career. He also was inspired by his grandfather, oil pioneer George Failing, who APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 39

H working on Will Rogers.

invented the first portable drilling rig, and also urged him to become an artist.

Holden’s artistic inspiration has always been the historical and contemporary west.

“All I ever wanted to do was cowboy art,” Holden says.

He surpassed his childhood dream, several decades ago.

His art is noted for its authenticity, whether he’s painting the Gloss Mountains of Oklahoma or capturing

the essence of an early day western lawman on horseback. His work reflects his attention to detail and his vast knowledge of western lifestyles and traditions.

His paintings and sculptures also reflect his personal knowledge of his experiences as a roper and an astute observer of the ever-changing American West.

VISITORS TO THE OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITOL enjoy studying his oil painting of western Oklahoma.

Additional works are featured at the Will Rogers World Airport, University of Central Oklahoma, United States Postal Service, the Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds and the Oklahoma History Center. A total of 22 monumental Holden sculptures are on view in public places throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Arkansas.

His life-size sculptures now embellish prominent venues on college campuses and main streets in those four states. His art also has been commissioned to serve as a memorial to tragic events, such as the emotionally moving sculpture at OSU, “We Will Remember,”

Rope for Hire.

40 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Edna Mae and H Holden with Mike and Martha Larsen at the 2015 Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

honoring the 10 deceased members of its basketball team who were killed in a tragic plane crash in Colorado.

Equally as poignant is the life-size sculpture of a cowboy thanking God for the gift of extended life. That sculpture, located at the entrances to Emanuel Baptist Church in Enid and the Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Center in Oklahoma City, was Holden’s public thank you for the gift of a new lung from a deceased 48-year-old man. The transplant, performed

seven years ago, was a life-saving procedure for this prolific artist.

Presenting Holden’s Hall of Great Westerners Award were Wyatt McCrea and R. W. Hampton. Gary Moore, interim president of the National Cowboy Museum, said, “It’s an honor to recognize such a remarkable Oklahoman and pioneer of the West at the Western Heritage Awards.

Harold’s tremendous contributions to our Western heritage will leave a legacy for generations to come.”

The symbol of this award is quite meaningful to Holden. It is an iconic bronze sculpture of an authentic cowboy on horseback — a sculpture he designed.

Named “The Wrangler,” this award went home that night with all 18 recipients of various top honors at this year’s version of the Western Heritage Awards. The memories of the 2017 gala might fade.

Those heavy Wranglers — the “Oscar” of the Western lifestyle — will continue to grace many mantles across the West. n

Swallowing His Head.

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 41

ARTS

FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS 2017 Oklahoma City’s Annual “Rite of Spring”!

April 25-April 30th in Bicentennial Park

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THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS returns to Oklahoma City April 25 to 30 with more than 140 of the nation’s finest artists, an expanded children’s art field, returning food favorites, culinary demonstrations and three performing arts stages featuring over 250 performances.

The 2017 festival in Bicentennial Park marks the 51st annual event for the Oklahoma City Arts Council. Event cochairs for this year’s festival are Debbie Forshee and Steve Bolton. Festival of the Arts is made possible with the support of MidFirst Bank, Devon Energy Corporation, OGE Energy Corporation, Ozarka Water & Coffee Service, Sonic America’s Drive-in, ICG, The Oklahoman and NewsOK.com, Toucan Production and Tyler Media.

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 43

Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, and the festival is expected to attract more than 700,000 visitors.

More than 500 artists submitted visual art for the Festival jury process and 144 were selected with media including oils, water, drawing and printmaking, photography, ceramics, glass, sculpture, fiber, jewelry, wood and two and threedimensional works.

Continuing its celebration of the culinary arts, the Festival will feature 31 vendors in International Food Row with proceeds benefitting local nonprofit organizations.

This year’s event features an expanded children’s art field where participants can complete three art projects – handprint butterflies, Oklahoma sky pomp and a sun catcher for $3. The face painting area also will include more extensive options in addition to the traditional $1 designs.

All proceeds from Festival of the Arts support Arts Council Oklahoma City’s year-round, free and low-cost programming.

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Festival of the Arts 2017 is produced by Arts Council Oklahoma City. Co-chairs are Debbie Forshee and Steve Bolton.

Arts Council Oklahoma City is a non-profit 501 ©(3) organization dedicated to bringing the arts and the community together through free or low-cost cultural events and a variety of arts outreach activities that impact underserved populations. Each year, Arts Council events, programs and services reach nearly one million Oklahoma City residents and visitors. Arts Council Oklahoma City is sponsored by MidFirst Bank, Devon Energy Corporation, OGE Energy Corporation, Ozarka Water & Coffee Service, Sonic America’s Drive-in, ICG, The Oklahoman and NewsOK.com, Toucan Production and Tyler Media. Arts Council Oklahoma City receives funding from the Oklahoma Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts, and is an Allied Arts member agency. For more information, call 405-270-4848 or visit www.ArtsCouncilOKC.com. n

SPORTS

Fighting for

success

Western Avenue Boxing Gym owners welcome everyone

BY PETER PREKSTO

R

eporting on the growth of interest in boxing, a national news outlet recently wrote that the motivation to learn includes increased aerobic and anaerobic capacity and an overall strengthening of the athlete, both mental and physical.

Most who join a boxing gym have no intention of ever entering the ring, facing a punch to the head of 1,420 pounds, 53 times the force of gravity. They’re seeking a tough workout, agreeable company and being a part of a tradition dating back to the first Olympic Games in 688 B.C. Boxing classes are always packed at the Western Avenue Boxing Gym and Systema, a large, rambling two-story facility located within the Ketch Design Centre at 4408 North Western Avenue, a block from the Will Rogers Theatre.

The experience is a sweaty blend of physical conditioning and violent blows to the sides of heavy bags, all experienced under the direction of owners

Owners Travis and Rebecca Hoffman with visiting Venezuelan amateur boxer, Gustavo Potenza.

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Boxing conditioning students develop increased mental and physical strength in the gym’s intense workouts.

Rebecca and Travis Hoffman. The Hoffmans are professional boxers, who are retired from the sport and devoting themselves full-time to growing their gym.

Rebecca, a transplant from London, regards each new student with patient, focused personal attention, never mind that she has demonstrated postures and techniques thousands of times before. Tough and with a ready laugh—and with hair that changes its style and bright color often—she joins Travis in shouting instructions and motivation to the class members.

As anyone who has spent a few minutes at their clean,

airy gym knows, Rebecca must struggle to out-shout her husband, Travis, who has the build and the voice of a classic drill sergeant. His booming voice and laughter is his trademark—along with his shaved head—and so much so that he has his own side business, with a web site called iwillshoutatyou.com for “Motivational Yelling Services.” Profane, insulting, hilarious by turns, he whips up the intensity of their classes, striding up and down the rows, encouraging the best from the students.

A boxing gym is not a yoga class. No fancy outfits, no green smoothies, very little chit-chat. Students show up, APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 47

Professional boxer, Cande Rochin, with son, Diego.

content to lose weight and build stamina from the training, one or two may want to go further. Travis and Rebecca act as talent spotters, suggesting that a person with potential might want to show up in the evening at the first-floor gym and watch Billy Smith’s serious amateur and professional boxers work out and spar, maybe learn the ropes and get involved in learning how it’s done.

A boxing gym is not a yoga class. Students show up, line up and get their heart beating and sweat flowing, then leave.

line up and get their heart beating and sweat flowing, then leave. Gym members may train as often as they like, and many show up daily.

The traditional boxing exercise classes are held in a large gymnasium upstairs. While most individuals are 48 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Billy Smith, 75, was born in Elk City, OK, and as a teenager moved to California with his family. He trained as a boxer in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, but that career was halted by an injury. He became a professional coach and spent decades training amateurs and professionals, traveling around the world as coach and cut-man, the individual who stops the blood during a fight. He and his wife raised a family in California, including two sons, Beau and Casey, who also became fighters, and one daughter.

Casey had a promising boxing career that was ended abruptly owing to his generous spirit. Stopping as a Good Samaritan to help the victims of a car accident on the

notorious I-10 in Los Angeles County, he was struck by a car.

Casey lost a leg and was in a coma for months. Billy and his wife

decided to move back to Oklahoma so Casey, who miraculously recovered from the coma, could be treated at the INTEGRIS Jim Thorpe

Rehabilitation facility in Oklahoma City.

Now, Billy and Casey spend each evening at the Hoffman’s boxing gym. Billy is a soft-spoken man who is infinitely patient with those who listen and learn. Drawing them close he whispers instructions to his boxers, who pay close attention and obviously have the highest respect for him. His specialty is training fighters in the art of defensive boxing, a strategy that serves professionals well, one that is intended to help a boxer survive and end a fight as fast as possible. This style contrasts with today’s amateur boxing methodology, a rule-based activity more interested in accumulating points than knockouts. Billy encourages his serious boxers to take some amateur fights before going professional so they have experience in the ring. But he discourages them from taking on the bad habits of today’s amateur boxing, which will not help them win as pros.

Boxing is the oldest sport. It is elemental. It is not a team sport, even though a team may back an individual fighter. Essentially, two men or two women get into a ring— and then it’s all about one of them winning and one losing. The sport is highly technical, despite what would appear to be a brawl to a casual observer. Even while suffering 53-gforce punches, a boxer is constantly evaluating his or her opponent, looking for weaknesses, repetition, and technical flaws that can be exploited to deliver a blow. Fights, Casey C. Smith, Scarlett Hoffman, and Austin Lee Goodwin.

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 49

Serious amateur and professional boxers train each evening. Among them, from left, Cande Rochin, Raquel Vidal, Austin Lee Goodwin, coach Billy Smith and his son, Casey C. Smith, Moragen Ferrell, Josh Porcher, and Mistery D. Neal.

even sparring, which is an exercise fight held in a gym where the boxer wears a certain amount of protective gear, are two or three minutes of extreme exertion and concentration, with 30-second breaks. Even the toughest fighters are glazed at the end of a session. In a fight, practically naked and unprotected, there is a lot at stake, including the real threat of serious injury or death.

Travis Hoffman ended his boxing career with a brain injury.

“If I get hit now, I could die,” he said.

After his career ended, he discovered and took up the Russian martial arts discipline called Systema, which is a method of overcoming an opponent in a spirit of great calm. He applied this 50 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

discipline to his life and was changed forever. Despite his imposing physique and deafening shout, Travis is known for his kindness and unassuming generosity to those who walk through the gym doors.

In some cases, boxing has been the sport of those seeking to escape poverty, abuse, discrimination, and hopelessness, turning their innate intelligence and physical prowess into a sport where they would be admired for their achievements as individuals.

The financial success of fighters such as Floyd Mayweather has inspired thousands of youth to pull themselves out of lives where they may have in the past made mistakes and start to achieve the sincere respect of their trainers, peers, and

fans. In many cases, they gain a new family comprised of the other athletes, coaches, and staff who find the life in a boxing gym to be warm, supportive and judgmental only when it comes to a boxer’s selfdiscipline and steadily improving technique.

A visitor to the gym will be astonished, in this casual age, that as every fighter arrives at the gym, he or she shakes the hand or embraces every other person there, fighter or not. The same ritual happens upon departure.

Rebecca and Travis recognize this family aspect of a boxing gym. They have opened their doors to students from Positive Tomorrows, Oklahoma’s only elementary school for homeless children. There, they join other visiting children, including sons and daughters of the boxers and, especially, young Scarlett Hoffman, “a girl being raised in a boxing gym,” as Rebecca puts it. The gym has a swing, lots of punching bags, a roomful of toys, and a safe, friendly atmosphere where the children make friends with adults from all walks of life. n

PEOPLE Ethics champion, Shannon Warren, promotes higher standard

BY GARLAND MCWATTERS

T

wice a month you will find the petite Shannon Warren darting among the tables crowded into packed ballrooms in either Oklahoma City or Tulsa, greeting and chatting with members of the Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium at their monthly meetings.

passionate about it… (my professor) said, ‘you ought to get together with some other people who are interested in that.’ And I said, ‘Oh, that sounds good. Do we have something in Oklahoma City?’ And he goes, ‘No, I think there’s one in Texas.’ Well that was all I needed to know.”

That conversation led to a small meeting with six other interested friends including the professor. The word spread and the audiences ballooned to 75. Warren contacted Lynn Flinn, a friend in Tulsa, who

A giant in the ethics movement, Warren agrees that current events in Shannon Warren, founder/CEO OK Ethics national politics have ramped up the resolution on the boundaries of ethical practices. The discussion invited her up to speak. over truth, facts, alternate truth, fake news, and the ethical “So the next thing I know, we’re up in Tulsa–standing room boundaries surrounding public service and conflicts of interest only–front page of the Tulsa World. I had no idea this would seem murkier than ever. catch on with so many people,” Warren said.

The business ethics failures of the Enron and Worldcom Soon after, in 2003, Warren and Flinn decided to form a scandals piqued Warren’s interest while a student at statewide association. Today, it boasts more than 200 Oklahoma City University. Enron cost shareholders $74 billion. corporate members and an individual membership hovering Tens of thousands of investors lost their retirement accounts. around 800. Flinn leads the Tulsa chapter. They meet monthly At Worldcom, CEO Bernie Ebbers cooked the books. The result, in Oklahoma City and Tulsa to shed light on ethical practices 30,000 lost their jobs and investors lost $180 billion. Warren and to hear experts on the topic. was dumbfounded about how all that could happen, and she “It shows what our values are in Oklahoma. We had no wrote a college ethics paper about the scandals. national group to go to for guidance at all; so, this was all Warren recalls. “I submitted my paper. I was very seat of our pants,” she said.

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Lisle Todd, OK Ethics board chair

Lynn Flinn, Tulsa ethics chapter leader

Colin Schoonover, SEED Foundation co-president Left: OK Ethics award winners 2016

Warren says an effort like the Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium needs a lot of champions to keep it going.

“We thrive on volunteers. Every meeting you see about 20 or 25 volunteers who are running those

programs,” she said.

Warren believes people are surprised to learn OK Ethics does it all without either permanent facilities or a paid staff.

“Our purpose is to inspire and to provide practical advice. We have our

own YouTube channel now.”

Viewers can see programs that date back to 2015.

Warren says ethics rises above what’s legal. She said that which is legal is the core or the foundation, the least of what you can get away with. Ethical behavior holds individuals and organizations to higher standards and speaks to their character.

She explained that no one is going to pat you on the back when you stand alone and raise ethical questions, but in the long run that’s what really counts.

Warren cautions young people, who are building their personal and professional reputations, to avoid, what she calls, relativistic thinking. She challenges them to get outside their usual groups and comfort zones to test their ideas against others who are not APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 53

DOVE Science academy ethics team.

like them, but who are of other age groups, ethnicities or faith.

Annually, OK Ethics recognizes business for their ethical practices and for supporting ethics initiatives in Oklahoma and in their respective industries. The community impact awards attract nominations throughout the state.

The Student Education and Ethics Development Foundation (SEED), is a companion organization. It promotes Shannon Hiebert, SEED Foundation co-president ethical practices and integrity in decision making in high schools, six individuals in that original Oklahoma colleges, and universities. Collin City meeting.

Schoonover and Shannon Hiebert serve SEED puts on student ethics bowls for as co-presidents. Hiebert was one of the high school and colleges. The University

54 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

of Central Oklahoma represented the state at the 2017 national collegiate ethics bowl in Dallas, Texas. The Oklahoma City DOVE Science Academy ethics bowl team won the ďŹ rst high school competition in Oklahoma and represented the state at the national completion in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Listen to Warren’s full interview on The Spirit of Leading podcast at http://www.inpoweredtolead.com/036shannon-warren-podcast/ Garland McWatters is an author, podcaster, and founder of INPowered2 Lead.

THEATRE

ONE-MAN STAR WARS ® TRILOGY written and performed by Charles Ross

CityRep presents the return of the funny-guy-Jedi Charles Ross in the smash hit show,

ONE-MAN STAR WARS TRILOGY®.

In honor of this year's 40th anniversary of the release of the original STAR WARS (on May 25, 1977), CityRep, Oklahoma's award-winning professional theatre, is bringing back an audience family fun favorite from a long, long time ago....

Charles Ross will amaze you with his fun energetic and extremely entertaining performance of

ONE-MAN STAR WARS TRILOGY®.

Officially endorsed by Lucasfilm,

ONE-MAN STAR WARS TRILOGY® has been performed for over 1 million Star Wars fans around the globe, including London's West End, Off-Broadway, Dubai and the Sydney Opera House!

The unique result of Charles Ross’s “misspent” youth is the creation of his hilarious

ONE-MAN STAR WARS TRILOGY® show, where Ross single-handedly plays all the characters with spot on voice impressions, sings the music, fly's the ships, fights the battles and condenses the plots of the three of the most beloved films of all time into one 60 minute hilarious production.

One Man. 3 Movies. 60 minutes.

May the FARCE be with you!

Suitable for Star Wars fans from ages ten to Yoda!

ONE-MAN STAR WARS TRILOGY® presented in the Freede Little Theatre at The Civic Center Music Hall located at 201 N Walker Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102.

56 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

ONE-MAN STAR WARS TRILOGYÂŽ

TICKETS: $8 for Students, Teachers and Military Personnel (with ID), $25 (groups of eight or more), $35 (matinees) and $40 (evening performances), and may be purchased by calling the Civic Center Box Office at (405) 297-2264 or online at www.cityrep.com.

CityRep, The Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre, under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director Donald Jordan, is Oklahoma's award winning Equity small professional theatre.

CityRep is the first theatre in Oklahoma City history to earn membership in the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national association of leading professional regional theatres.

CityRep has been recognized for artistic excellence, leadership and community service by the American Theatre Wing, Actors' Equity Association, The Oklahoma State Arts Council, Governor Mary Fallin and Mayor Mick Cornett.

CityRep's mission is to serve Oklahoma's diverse artistic, educational and civic needs by providing dynamic professional theatre.

CityRep Season Sponsors include the Oklahoma Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Richard P. Dulaney Foundation, the Chickasaw Nation, The Grandison Inn, The Oklahoman, Cox Media, KWTV

We entertain, enlighten and inspire!

For more information please visit cityrep.com or call (405) 848-3761.

NEWS9 and The City Sentinel.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: Wednesday June 14 at 7:30pm Opening Night Performance Thursday June 15 at 7:30pm Friday June 16 at 7:30pm Saturday June 17 at 1:30pm & 7:30pm Sunday June 18 at 1:30pm & 7:00pm* Closing Performance *Special Early Twilight Curtain

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 57

DINING

THE PRITCHARD WINE BAR OFFERS UNIQUE DINING EXPERIENCE IN THE PLAZA DISTRICT

BY SANDI DAVIS

R

ight in the middle of the art galleries, boutique stores, and Lyric Theatre that make up The Plaza District on NW 16th sits The Pritchard Wine Bar, which specializes in a wide variety of wines from around the world, specially made cocktails and small plates of delicious food, made with as many locally-sourced ingredients as possible.

The shared brainchild of General Manager Mindy Magers and Executive Chef Shelby Seig, the pair brings together just the right wine with just the right food, made in smaller sizes so a patron can order more than one plate or glass of wine and not find their pockets empty at the end of the evening.

Though everything on the menu is made from scratch, from as many local products as available, each small plate is one Seig wanted to do.

And though there is a 450 bottle wine cellar, there also are six wines on tap at the bar. If wine isn’t your thing, try a bartender-crafted cocktail. Magers will be happy to come to your table and discuss wine selections with visitors.

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All the wines, cocktails and dishes may change some with the seasons, but Magers and Seig want The Pritchard Wine Bar to be a locally relaxed place that fits into the vibe of the Plaza District. They encourage table sharing, and selecting small plates to try during a meal.

The duo each has Oklahoma ties and came together with an idea for a different kind of wine bar.

Magers, originally from Oklahoma, traveled the United States. She came back to Oklahoma for a visit and stayed.

Seig’s parents are from Oklahoma, and were an Air Force Family, which Seig did a lot of traveling too. She went to the University of Oklahoma and worked at The George, where she served as pastry chef and then jumped into what she calls the “savory side.”

Magers was the manager at The George when Seig arrived.

They discovered their interests meshed and decided to open a wine bar.

“I made out a chart graph of all the great wine regions with correct varietals – grapes from specific regions,” Magers explained. “We use the smaller vineries.”

Photo by Sandi Davis

General Manager Mindy Magers and Executive Chef Shelby Seig welcome you to The Pritchard Wine Bar in The Plaza District. t

and its very popular Crispy Fingerlings with raclette and house pickle, all ranging in price in $7 to $9.

Charcuterie includes Pheasant Pate with candied pecans, Prosciutto with fig caramel or Salame Toscano with house pickle, priced from $6 to $8.

Proteins range from Grilled Skirt Steak, Chicken Breast, Basted Scallop, Seared Duck, Roasted Marrow Bones and Fried Chicken Thighs, all with delectable sides and ranging in price from $9 to $16.

Indulge in a lovely selection of cheeses, each paired with fruit or nuts for either $6 or $7.

Dessert is Lemon Crème with rhubarb compote and elderflower meringue, Dark Chocolate Pot de Crème with passionfruit and cocoa nib, the restaurant favorite Homemade Doughnuts with salted caramel ganache or a selected of Housemade Cookies, prices from $5 to $6.

Photo by Sandi Davis

The two women got investors for their wine bar and started work. They knew they didn’t want the place to be snobby, they wanted to complement their neighbors in the Plaza District, with a relaxed, light, feel.

In January, the staff at Eater.com ranked The Pritchard Wine Bar as fifth in its top 15 eateries to open in Oklahoma City in 2016.

Its review suggested Seig’s dishes worked as tapas, entrees and side dishes, but the star is the wine, which offers new discoveries on each trip back.

With the coming of spring and summer, expect new, lighter food and wine on the menu, with a few dishes staying on the s The Pritchard Wine Bar use small plates for their food, making it menu year-round. easier to order several different selections for the price of one regular entrée.

Though the small plate idea isn’t a new one, Magers and Seig hope, that instead of people coming in to order dinner, The restaurant is also open for a luscious brunch, all with then leaving, they will try something different. moderate prices.

Each season features picks available by the glass, bottle Happy Hour is Tuesdays through Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m. and carafe. They serve beer, ranging from $3-7. Their “Long with half-priced small plate Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower and Hard Day Combo Packs” are custom made cocktails like “The Beets. The plates can be paired with wine, and Magers will be Princess” for $10, “The Bartender” also for $10, “The happy to talk about what goes best or what you might like.

Pedestrian” for $8 and “The Sunbather” for $10. There also An original idea is $20 Twosday. Magers will select a wine are Pritchard Favorites from $8 to $10. from her list and that bottle will sell for $22 until they run out.

The Pritchard’s kitchen bring out small plates full of big “I think the idea is unique but approachable,” Magers said. flavors. Bar snacks run from $3 for Cerignola Olives; a The Pritchard Wine Bar Hours are Tuesdays through Homemade Cracker for $4; Candied, Salted Pecans for $5; Thursdays, 4 to 11 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. until midnight, Pickled Okra for $5; Toasted Crostini for $3; Pritchard Pickles Saturdays 10 a.m. until midnight and Sundays 10 a.m. to 8 for $4, or Baked Gruyere Dip with caramelized onion and p.m. Brunch is served from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. They are pancetta for $9. closed Sundays.

Small plates range from salad to Brussels Sprouts with For more information, contact The Pritchard Wine Bar at Spanish chorizo to Asparagus with snap peas, ramps, lemon (405) 601-4067. The street address is 1749 NW 16th Street. and slow cook egg, to roasted beets with chevre and walnut Visit their website is www.pritchardokc.com. n APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 59

FUNDRAISER

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CHAMPIONS OF YOUTH HONOREES

T

he family of the late Aubrey K. McClendon, known for his philanthropy, business acumen and involvement and investment in the city, has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County.

Presented during the annual Champions of Youth Celebration, the award is being renamed to honor McClendon, an avid and longtime Boys & Girls Clubs supporter. His association with the organization began as a mentor while attending Duke University.

With his wife, they made the most signiďŹ cant contribution to the Top: Rick Nagel, BGCOKC Board Member and 1991 National Youth of the Year Runner Up with Alexis Smith, BGCOKC 2017 Youth of the Year.

Left: Event Signage, Aubrey K. McClendon (center).

APRIL/MAY 2017 ion Oklahoma 61

Left: Jack McClendon holds the award honoring his father.

Center: Teena Belcik, BGCOKC CFO and Collin Miller-Nasalroad (Lowe’s).

Right: Collin and Tanner Miller-Nasalroad (Lowe’s) 2017 Champion of Youth.

Bottom left: Jane Sulter, president and CEO of BGCOKC, Debby Hampton, and Teresa Rose.

Bottom Right: James Pickel, emcee.

construction of the Boys & Girls Clubs Memorial Park location near NW 36th and Western.

“Aubrey, his family and Chesapeake supported numerous nonprofits in the community all doing great work, so we were very touched and honored when the family named the Boys & Girls Clubs to receive memorial gifts,” said Jane Sutter, president and chief executive officer. “We are dedicated to

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keeping his passion and generosity alive through this award.”

Other honorees were Lowe’s home improvement stores and high school student Alexis Smith.

Lowe’s received the 2017 Corporate Champion of Youth Award for its significant contribution to Memorial Park.

Improvements were recently unveiled as part of Lowe’s Renovation Across the Nation initiative, which awards

Above: Kelsi Georgia, BGCOKC choir / singing and signing.

Right: the BGCOKC Youth Choir.

$50,000 grants for critical refurbishments and necessary updates to one club in each state.

The Memorial Park Club was the grant recipient for 2016.

Volunteers from Lowe’s stores across the metro completed the work.

Smith, a senior at Harding Fine Arts Academy, was honored as the 2017 Youth of the Year for her outstanding academic achievements and exemplary leadership. A member of the Boys & Girls Clubs for 12 years, she serves as a junior staff member and treasurer to the Keystone Club, the organization’s

flagship teen group.

Smith will attend Oklahoma State University in the fall.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County help youth of all backgrounds, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, develop the qualities they need to become responsible citizens and leaders. About 800 young people are served daily.

For more information about the Boys & Girls Club or to volunteer, go to bgcokc.org.

Champions of Youth 2017 Celebration, Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club.

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 63

PEOPLE

Tom McDaniel, Danny Morgan, Russell Perry, and Steve Turnbo

LEADERSHIP OKLAHOMA

BY ALLYSON CARSON

LEADERSHIP OKLAHOMA honored two individuals, a leading state business and a statewide energy organization at its annual Excellence in Leadership Gala at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa on April 1, 2017.

64 ion Oklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

“Each year, Leadership Oklahoma recognizes the outstanding contributions of Oklahoma corporate and individual leaders for their commitment and service to elevating the quality of life and empowering our state for greater prosperity,” said Marion Paden, President and CEO of Leadership Oklahoma.

“This year’s Excellence in Leadership award recipients are truly deserving based upon the remarkable and meaningful differences they have made in Oklahoma. It is our privilege to honor them.”

There are four awards designed to honor state leaders and entities that make a meaningful difference in Oklahoma.

The honorees for the night were Tom J. McDaniel, Lifetime Achievement; Steve Turnbo, Distinguished Graduate; Perry Publishing and Broadcasting Company, Business Leadership, and Oklahoma Energy Resources Board, Statewide Community.

Over 230 Leadership Oklahoma members and guests from across the state attended the event. Co-chairs of the gala were Rita and Sam Combs of Tulsa and Chery and Tom Evans of Tonkawa.

Leadershipoklahoma.com n

Above: Danny Morgan,OERB honoree; Mindy Stitt, Executive Director of OERB, and Tim Munson presenter.

Below: Gala Co-chairs Tom Evans, Cheryl Evans, Rita Combs, and Sam Combs.

AWARDS CEREMONY

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THE AWARDS are inspired by the philosophy of taking young and talented leaders, recognizing them and training them to become more effective and powerful as leaders.

The upright shapes represent the individuals reaching out and up ro benefit neighborhoods, cities, state and nation. The background with flowing horizontal lines represents the many different levels of society that can benefit.

Each award is slightly different, each individual, and yet, all a part of the greater whole.

Right: The three stages receiving their awards.

66 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Steve Turnbo, honoree, and Becky J Frank, presenter.

Tom McDaniel, honoree and Lee Allan Smith, presenter.

The purpose of the Leadership Oklahoma Distinguished Graduate Award is to recognize a Leadership Oklahoma graduate whose recent leadership activities have exemplified the highest standards of Leadership Oklahoma and whose activities achieved results or set an example of statewide significance.

The purpose of the Leadership Oklahoma Lifetime Achievement Award is to recognize an individual who has used his or her leadership abilities over a lifetime to improve the quality of life for Oklahoma’s citizens and its future generations.

1990 1991 1992 1993 1995 1996 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Deborah Murphy Watson, Class II, Drumwright Howard G. Barnett, Jr., Class II, Tulsa Joe Williams, Class III, Edmond Nance Diamond, Class I, Shawnee James Miller, Class IV, Tulsa James K. Howard, Class II, Tahlequah Robert D. James, Class IV, Tulsa Drew Edmondson, Class IV, Oklahoma City Larry Brummett, Class II, Tulsa Lindy Ritz, Class I, Norman Jess Nelson, Class X, Oklahoma Brad Henry, Class IX, Shawnee Sue Hale, Class III, Oklahoma City J. Clifford Hudson, Class III, Oklahoma City Robert Butkin, Class IV, Tulsa Sharon King Davis, Class XV, Tulsa Jari Askins, Class VI, Duncan Bill Anoatubby, Class III, Ada Anne Roberts, Class XII, Norman Randy Foutch, Class XV, Tulsa Bill Burgess, Jr., Class IX, Lawton Mike Neal, Class XXI, Tulsa Stan Clark, Class IX, Stillwater Ken Busby, Class XVII, Tulsa Don Betz, Class III, Edmond

Ed Malzahn, Perry Hannah Diggs Atkins, Oklahoma City Ray Ackerman, Oklahoma City H.E. (Gene) Rainbolt, Oklahoma City Robert L. McCormick, Jr., Stillwater Edward C. Joullian, III, Oklahoma City George A. Singer, Tulsa Nancy Leonard, Oklahoma City David L. Boren, Norman Boone Pickens, Dallas, TX (Holdenville, OK) Henry Zarrow, Tulsa John Massey, Durant Barry Switzer, Norman Melvin Moran, Seminole Charles Hollar, Ponca City George Nigh, Oklahoma City Robert H. Henry, Oklahoma City Burns Hargis, Stillwater

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AWARDS OKLAHOMA CREATIVITY Ambassador Awards 2017 April 3, 2017 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Oklahoma City CREATIVE OKLAHOMA WAS FORMED IN 2006 as the first non-profit organization in the United States with a statewide strategy to advance Oklahoma’s economy through creativity and innovation based initiatives in education, commerce, and culture.

The organization exists to empower individuals and institutions to be more innovative.

The mission of Creative Oklahoma is to develop, promote and celebrate Oklahoma’s creativity and innovation.

Oklahoma Creativity Ambassadors have been recognized by the Governor of Oklahoma as Oklahomans who have made a significant national and international contributions during their careers.

The 2017 Inductees from left: Susan McCalmont, Sam Presti, Rick Bayless, Blake Shelton, Governor Mary Fallon, Annie Funke, Harvey Pratt, Chris Harrison, Robert Hefner III, Mary Pointer Blankenship, and Chief Gary Batton.

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2017 Oklahoma Creativity Ambassador Inductees Annie Funke Broadway and Televison Actress Chief Gary Batton Chief of the Choctaw Nation Robert Hefner III Petroleum Geologist, Author, & Philanthropist Harvey Pratt Forensic Artist Rick Bayless Restaurateur & Author

Chris Harrison Television Host Sam Presti General Manager NBA Thunder Blake Shelton Country Music Singer Master of Ceremonies Alex Cameron News Anchor KWTV Presenter Governor Mary Fallin

Clockwise from left: Chief Gary Burton and family.

Chris Harrison and family with Alex Cameron.

Annie Funke and family.

Blake Shelton

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MUSIC

SAINTS in the Plaza District

T

he Plaza District is flourishing due to an influx of great art and business, attracting some of the city’s top talent.

The ambition and energy emanating from Saints Pub permeates the streets of the Plaza District every first Thursday.

Saints Session is the newest hotspot for professional musicians and up-and-comers trying to take their art to the next level. It’s an OKC jazz session with an NYC influence, driven by Oklahoma musicians who have played all over the 70 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

world. The Session is relatively new – it started in January of this year – but has grown immensely in the past four months.

When some people think of jazz, they think Michael Buble, or gentle background music, but there are as many genres of jazz as there are of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and a rock concert could be anything from Fleetwood Mac to Metallica. The jazz at Saints is a continuation of the jazz tradition born in America’s streets, bars, and clubs. It’s energetic, raw, highly-improvisational, but with a very modern edge. It is an art form that rewards hours of study and honors risk taking, and most the

Saints Pub features Saints Session every Thursday, the newest hotspot for professional musicians and up-and-comers trying to take their art to the next level.

music played is spontaneously created.

The format of Saints Session is, much like the music itself, structured, despite the organic and seemingly impromptu presentation. Each session highlights a highly accomplished Featured Artist. The most recent featured artist was Dr. Jay Wilkinson, who runs the jazz department at the University of Oklahoma, performs with the OKC Philharmonic, and has a PhD from University of North Texas, one of the premier jazz schools in the nation. Grant Goldstein, the Featured Artist in January, just returned to Oklahoma after getting a Master’s Degree at the highly competitive Manhattan School of Music; Grant has played at Carnegie Hall and the legendary Small’s Jazz Club in Lower Manhattan. Saint is a small room. The intimacy creates a unique connection between the artist and the audience, and the Featured Artists are encouraged to perform their original compositions and arrangements.

OKC has long had a strong core group of accomplished musicians. Among this community, word has traveled quickly and Saints Session has become a hub for the best players in town. As the night progresses, the Featured Artist moves from his originals to standards, and the emcee calls to the stage the individuals who dropped in unannounced to play a few tunes. Later in the night, the 20-somethings with instrument cases slung over their shoulders keep an eye on the stage for a good chance to approach and call the tune they’ve been practicing for the past month. This is how jazz has traditionally been passed down: the young hungry cats listening to and absorbing the ideas of their mentors, and then preparing the courage (and the practicing the tune) that they want to take to the bandstand. As an audience member,

it’s as entertaining to watch the newcomers shake off their nerves and risk failure as it is to watch the veterans show off their decades of effort.

Saints Session is a concert, but it’s more a community.

Seating is tight, and groups of people often share tables European-style. For promotion, Saints Session depends heavily on Social Media (namely Instagram and Facebook). Noticeably, photographers and videographers are present at every session; less noticeably, so are web developers, business people, lawyers, and graphic designers. All these people are collaborating, sharing their skills to make OKC’s music scene bigger and better.

Saints Session has great momentum, it’s new, fresh, growing, and changing each month, and the diverse minds behind Saints Session have many plans for the next few years.

The promoters want to bring in big names from outside Oklahoma to make Saints Session relevant in the jazz community on a National and International level. With an idea of the effort it takes to build a dynamic, captivating experience with a dedicated team and community, the individuals involved in the session is looking into launching other sessions in the city with different venues, different genres, different vibes – but for now, Saints Session is the place to be, and the people are hungry for it. n

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SPEAKERS SERIES Thomas L. Friedman Signature Lecture Series Speaker at OCCC

BY SANDI DAVIS

T

he Paul Sechrist Signature Lecture Series at Oklahoma City Community College welcomes three-time Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 27 at the school’s Visual and Performing Arts Center, 7777 S. May.

Friedman, an expert in Middle East relations, globalization, and climate change is currently the foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times.

He is author of seven books, the most recent, “Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Acceleration,” was published in December, 2016.

He will speak about trends shaping the world today, global forces guiding change in the Middle East as well as his latest book.

OCCC Performing Arts Center

“We are thrilled to have such a renowned author and journalist join the lecture series,” said OCCC President Jerry Steward. “Having decades of experience, particularly in the Middle East, Mr. Friedman offers a unique perspective on the world and its affairs, and we look forward to the opportunity to learn from him.”

Known for his reporting style and sophisticated analysis of complex issues, Friedman won Pulitzer Prizes in 1983 for his coverage of the Israeli invasion of Beirut; in 1988 for continued coverage on Israel, and in 2002 for his views of the worldwide impact of the

terrorist threat.

He has appeared in numerous documentaries on a number of subjects, including “Straddling the Fence,” “Searching for the Roots of 9/11.” “The Other Side of Outsourcing,” “Does Europe Hate Us?” “Addicted to Oil,” and “Green: The New Red, White and Blue.”

Friedman is from St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis, MN, and while he discovered his love for writing and for the Middle East in the late 1960s and early 1970s, his father tried to make him a professional golfer by taking him to play golf.

Since he did succeed at two out of

Thomas L. Friedman

three (Friedman’s current golf handicap is a 5.9), he did write the afterward for “Classic Shots” a collection of photographs published by the United States Golf Association, published by National Geographic Society.

Currently, Friedman and his wife Ann live in Bethesda, Md. Friedman’s lecture is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.occc.edu/friedman.

To read his columns, visit his website, thomasfriedman.com or The New York Times at www.nytimescom. n

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SPEAKERS SERIES Former Governor Frank Keating scheduled to speak at OCCC’s Public Affairs Forum

Oklahoma City – Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) hosted former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating in the return of its Public Affairs Forum March 29, 2017, at 1 p.m. in the Sarkeys Foundation Atrium located in the college’s Visual and Performing Arts Center.

Previous Public Affairs Forums have included former Oklahoma Governors David Hall and George Nigh. Keating is the third governor to speak at the event. The forum is free and open to the public.

Discussing current legislative issues and increasing voter engagement is a dynamic facet of OCCC, and with the Public Affairs Forum series, students and community members both gain insight into past and present Oklahoma politics each semester.

Born in St. Louis, Keating grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from the University of Oklahoma. His 30-year career in law enforcement and public service included service as an FBI agent; U.S. Attorney and state prosecutor; and Oklahoma House and Senate member, including service as a Republican senate leader.

He served Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Former Governor Frank Keating

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Students and community members attending the forum both gain insight into past and present Oklahoma politics.

H.W. Bush in the Treasury, Justice and Housing departments.

His Justice and Treasury service gave him responsibility for all federal criminal prosecutions in the nation and oversight over

Keating has a question and answer session with audience members.

agencies such as the Secret Service, U.S. Customs, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, U.S. Marshals, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Immigration and Naturalization

Keating with OCCC President Dr. Steward and ion Oklahoma publisher Don Swift. Keating speaking with an unidentified student.

76 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Increasing voter engagement is a dynamic facet of OCCC’s Public Affairs Forum.

Service and all 94 U.S. Attorneys. As assistant secretary of Treasury and general counsel and acting deputy secretary of HUD, Keating worked on banking issues that are demanding attention today—including housing finance, lending practices, securitization and Bank Secrecy Act issues.

In 1993, Keating returned to Oklahoma to run for governor.

He won a three-way race by a landslide and was easily reelected in 1998, becoming only the second governor in Oklahoma history to serve two consecutive terms.

As the governor of Oklahoma, Keating won national acclaim in 1995 for his compassionate and professional handling of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City. In the aftermath of the tragedy, he raised more than 6 million dollars to fund scholarships for the nearly 200 children left with only one or no parents. His accomplishments as governor include winning a successful public vote on rightto-work, tort reform, tax cuts, and major road building and education reform.

Keating is the chairman of the Board of the Washingtonbased Bipartisan Policy Center and recently served on the Policy Center’s Debt Reduction Task Force, a group of former

cabinet members, elected officials and key stakeholders of both parties that recommended a series of tough measures to address the nation’s fiscal challenges. He also served on the BPC’s Housing Commission. He was previously chairman of the Advisory Board of Mount Vernon and president of the Federal City Council. He also served on the boards of the National Archives, the Jamestown Foundation and as chair of the National Catholic Review Board.

He and his wife Cathy live in Oklahoma City. They have three children and 10 grandchildren.

OCCC enrolls more than 20,000 students and has more than 90,000 participants in its various community programs annually. OCCC offers a full range of associate degree programs that prepare students to transfer to baccalaureate institutions while other degree and certificate programs prepare students for immediate employment. At OCCC, students receive a quality education with small class sizes, dedicated professors and leadership opportunities. Students can choose from more than 80 major fields of study and participate in any of the 40+ clubs and organizations. For more information about OCCC, visit www.occc.edu. n

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VETERANS The Strongest Among Us An Evening of Honor & Distinction for Local Heroes

BY STEPHANIE D. MOORE

D

evyn Denton slows to show off a pair of uniquely created Bizy Kickz tennis shoes, complete with red sparkly words of encouragement, especially designed for the leading lady of the evening by local artist, William Charles Johnson.

“I need these for tonight,” she whispers pointing at the tennis shoes before smiling widely and greeting the first honoree to arrive, Retired Oklahoma City Police Officer, Lt. Bruce Davis.

Devyn, a fast-thinking national first responder, RN and founder of Operation Nurses Helping Nurses, Inc. can’t wait to begin.

This was an evening she has spent the latter half of 2016 planning. From sifting through excellent and heartwarming nominations with her board members to finding talented artists that could create auction items live during the event to offering an evening of guilt free gambling to most importantly, giving homage to Oklahoma City’s Frontline Heroes, Devyn was excited to share all her hard work with the community.

On the evening of March 10th, inside the Meinders Hall of Mirrors at the Civic Center Music Hall, guests are filing in. They are conversing among each other, eyeing their

Devyn Denton, RN and Founder of Operation Nurses Helping Nurses, Inc.

78 ion Oklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Left to right: Clancy Upshaw, Captain Andy Willrath, Devyn Denton, Lt. Bruce Davis, Ron Herendeen

Bombing. While many were running from the building, he was running into it. Finally, we honor a local community leader.... a retired Veteran that dresses up each year as Santa to encourage local children to have hope. We are here standing with the strongest among us.”

Operation Nurses Helping Nurses, Inc.’s mission is to provide a global nurse-to-nurse support system in times of disasters, traumas or crises by delivering both material and emotional succor. Founder, Devyn Denton, RN shares, “There is a unique experience every first responder has with traumatic events. Our goal is to meet their need, whatever that is or however that is defined in a way that is supportive and transformative. These heroes sacrifice a piece of themselves they never get back every time they save a life. They may have to block a bullet, give a child CPR, run into a burning building or simply console the surviving friend, partner or loved one of someone that has just been lost. We are here to support those that mend together the brokenness of our communities in times of emergency.”

desired winnings at the silent auction table, grabbing additional door prize tickets, taking selfies, going live on social media, anticipating the night of guilt-free gambling and congratulating all of the first responders that will be honored during the event. The 2 AM Band takes center stage and prepares to share a collection of great hits with the audience.

“Honoring a Hero,” Devyn states through a voice that seems to fight tears, “doesn’t reflect the power or the strength these individuals have exhibited. My organization really had a tough time choosing this group of honorees, but I know we made the correct choices. We have selected an Air EVAC Paramedic that has fought breast cancer WHILE saving lives. A Mustang Fire Captain and Paramedic that has served for years in excellence, leading his crew with honor. A retired police Lieutenant that saved lives during the Oklahoma City Clancy Upshaw humbly accepts her award as a Frontline Hero.

APRIL/MAY 2017 ionOklahoma 79

Lt. Bruce Davis serenades the guests

As each of the honorees were introduced to collect their awards, they shared a little of their story. Clancy Upshaw, a feisty and beautiful woman that survived breast cancer stood with spiked hair and a rock star smile as she spoke bravely of one of her toughest battles in life: the will to live during breast cancer. “I survived each day knowing that even if I couldn’t save my life, I could help save someone else,” she shares. Retired Police Officer and Lieutenant Bruce Davis dedicated his award to a fellow officer and first responder at the Oklahoma City Bombing, Terrance Yeakey, an officer expected to receive the Medal of Valor for saving four

Guests gather around the game tables for Guilt-Free Gambling.

80 ionOklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

people, who later committed suicide. “I still have yet to visit the Oklahoma City Memorial because there is so much pain in the memory of that day,” he stated.

Captain Andy Willrath of the Mustang Fire Department spoke of the humility and strength his job requires and that he is honored to serve in such a way. Community leader and retired Veteran, Ron Herendeen found it ironic that this honor would be bestowed on his father’s special day, as if it were a sign that his father was proud.

After the awards were given, the 2 AM rocked the night away with a collection of rock and roll hits. In a special treat, Lt. Bruce Davis took the stage and serenaded the audience winning many hearts. The guests gambled at the guilt-free Blackjack, Roulette and Poker tables all night with small breaks to take up a dance or two when their favorite song came on. With more than 100 guests in attendance, the event was a striking success.

Several local artist and companies donated outstanding raffle and auction items including a special edition JL Woodworkx Warrior Shield, I-35 Flags (a veteran owned company) offered a 4 x 5 Hand Carved Firefighter Flag, Bizy Kickz created a special pair of Heroes Edition Shoes and so many more. A beautiful cupcake tower stood at the end of the buffet table provided by GiGi’s cupcakes along with a special certificate for each Hero.

Local companies, Heroes Vodka, NVED Consulting, Dream Push Music Group and The Bizy Show will sponsor.

All in all, it was an outstanding evening to celebrate the strongest among us. n

RECOGNITION = RETENTION und under er

oklahoma oklahoma Nominate a yyoung oung professional you know that is deser ving recognition. Just go to

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The next generation of leaders in Oklahoma will be recognized at the Sixth Annual NextGen Under 30 Oklahoma awards. Nominate innovative, creative-thinking and inspiring ng young individuals who push the boundaries a beyond their years. ars. To To nominate a candidate, candid go to nextgenunder30.com

A state-wide event, with talented, high-achieving Millennials nominated in 15 categories ories as Oklahoma’’ss best and brightest hope for the future These high achievers are nominated by members of their communities.

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on O OK magazine i

PEOPLE DIRECTOR WILL BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO INDIAN MUSEUM OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -Spring is a time of rebirth and the Summer season in Indian Country aligns with renewal ceremonies, so it is ďŹ tting that James Pepper Henry will become the Museum Director of The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum on June 19, 2017, breathing new life into this world- class vision at this special time of year. Pepper Henry is an enrolled citizen of the Kaw Nation and also Muscogee (Creek).

82 ion Oklahoma APRIL/MAY 2017

Pepper Henry has been involved in The American Indian Center’s development since 2004 when he helped inform the conceptual design. In 2007, as associate director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, he signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions, which created the possibility of a longterm loan, as well as collaborative programming opportunities. “I’m honored and excited to lead this newly established institution that will serve Indian Country and enlighten the citizens of Oklahoma and our great nation about the diverse heritages and cultural life-ways of America’s first peoples. When open, the Center will be a vital part of Oklahoma’s burgeoning tourism economy, attracting visitors from around the world,” says James Pepper Henry.

Most recently. Pepper Henry served as Executive Director of the Gilcrease Museum, where he helped lead the successful $65 million Vision Tax extension campaign for the museum expansion and helped raise $27 million in additional support through the museum’s partnership with The University of Tulsa. Prior to the Gilcrease Museum he served as Director and CEO of the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ, increasing museum attendance by 58 percent and memberships by 150 percent.

Pepper Henry served as Executive Director/CEO for a six-year tenure at the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, Alaska’s premier art, history and science institution, where he oversaw the completion of the museum’s $110 million,

80,000-square-foot expansion. His wealth of experience will greatly benefit the American Indian Center as construction resumes in the fall In 2010, Pepper Henry oversaw development of The Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center, establishing a long-term loan of materials similar to what will be accomplished between The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum and The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, including working with Ralph Appelbaum Associates on both projects.

Bill Anoatubby, Chairman of the Native American Cultural and Educational Authority says, “Today is an exciting day for the future of The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum. Bringing James Pepper Henry on board at this critical stage of development is a key step in ensuring the successful completion of this very important project.” Gregg Wadley, President of the American Indian Cultural Center Foundation says, “As an American Indian, James Pepper Henry recognizes and appreciates the complexities of presenting a collective story and experience comprised of so many distinctive Nations. His extensive professional background matches the vision to create a world-class museum destination and new cultural institution with long lasting impacts into the future.”

Pepper Henry is a graduate of the University of Oregon and a graduate of the Getty Leadership Institute in Los Angeles, CA. He is a board member of the American Alliance of Museums, a national organization overseeing museum accreditation, and a board member of the Western Museums Association. He serves on the Oklahoma Art in Public Places Oversight Committee and serves as a commissioner on the Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission. Pepper Henry is also a board member for the Mvskoke Arts Association, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Mvskoke Arts and Artists. n

APRIL/MAY 2017 ion Oklahoma 83

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