Gala Leadership Awards
Leadership Oklahoma honors the outstanding contributions of Oklahoma’s corporate and individual leaders at an Excellence in Leadership Awards Dinner and Gala. Presentations are made in the following categories: Lifetime Achievement, Distinguished Graduate, Business Leadership and Statewide Community Leadership.
The 2008 Leadership Awards Gala was held on February 9, 2008 at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City. The honorees were:
- Mr. T. Boone Pickens received the Lifetime Achievement. View Video
- Lt. Governor Jari Askins (Class VI) received the Distinguished Graduate. View Video
- SemGroup, L.P. received the Business Leadership Award. View Video
- Cox Oklahoma received the Statewide Community Award. View Video
Lee (Class II) and Suzie Symcox (Class III) along with Clayton (Class III) and Marnie Taylor were the co-chairs for this year’s event. The evening began with a reception at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner and presentation of the awards. At the conclusion, there was a dessert reception, at which time our guests were able to visit with each other more and congratulate our honorees.
Statewide Community Award
The Statewide Community Award recognizes an organization or company that, through specific projects or efforts, has reached across our valued differences to develop among Oklahomans a keen sense of common purpose and a more profound sense of loyalty to our state. This award has been created to promote a heightened sense of appreciation for the possibilities available when Oklahomans work together as a single statewide community.
1999 American Fidelity Assurance Company, Oklahoma City
2000 The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore
2001 The CAMA Coalition, (The Oklahoma Child Abuse Multi-Disciplinary Account Coalition), Tulsa
2002 SBC, Oklahoma City
2003 The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, Oklahoma City
2004 Oklahoma Natural Gas, a division of ONEOK, Inc., Oklahoma City
2005 Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Oklahoma City
2006 Bank of Oklahoma N.A., Tulsa
2007 Oklahoma State Academy for State Goals, Oklahoma City
2008 Cox Oklahoma, Oklahoma City
Business Leadership Award
The Business Leadership Award was created to recognize a business entity for its impact in promoting leadership principles and practice, implementing programs worthy of example and fostering growth of quality leadership.
1999 Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Durant
2000 Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville
2001 Kimray, Inc., Oklahoma City
2002 The NORDAM Group, Tulsa
2003 CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Tulsa
2004 Sonic, America's Drive-In, Oklahoma City
2005 The Bama Pie Companies, Inc., Tulsa
2006 AT & T, Inc., Oklahoma City
2007 Devon Energy, Oklahoma City
2008 SemGroup, L.P., Tulsa
Distinguished Graduate Award
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
1990 Deborah Murphy Watson, Drumwright
1991 Howard G. Barnett, Jr., Tulsa
1992 Joe Williams, Edmond
1993 Nance Diamond, Shawnee
1995 James Miller, Tulsa
1996 James K. Howard, Tahlequah
1997 Robert D. James, Tulsa
1999 Drew Edmondson, Oklahoma City
2000 Larry Brummett, Tulsa
2001 Lindy Ritz, Norman
2002 Jess Nelson, Oklahoma
2003 Brad Henry, Oklahoma City
2004 Sue Hale, Oklahoma City
2005 J. Clifford Hudson, Oklahoma City
2006 Robert Butkin, Tulsa
2007 Sharon King Davis, Tulsa
2008 Jari Askins, Duncan
Lifetime Achievement Award
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.
1999 Ed Malzahn, Perry
2000 Hannah Diggs Atkins, Oklahoma City
2001 Ray Ackerman, Oklahoma City
2002 H.E. (Gene) Rainbolt, Oklahoma City
2003 Robert L. McCormick, Jr., Stillwater
2004 Edward C. Joullian, III, Oklahoma City
2005 George A. Singer, Tulsa
2006 Nancy Leonard, Oklahoma City
2007 David L. Boren, Norman
2008 - Boone Pickens, Dallas