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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2016
Governor Mary Fallin Appoints Amy Ford to the Regional University System of Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA
CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today announced the appointment of Amy Anne Ford,
of Durant, to serve as a member of the board of regents for the Regional University
System of Oklahoma (RUSO).
She
succeeds Terry Matlock, who resigned. Ford will serve the remainder of Matlock’s
term, which expires in June 2018. She can begin serving immediately. Her
appointment still must be confirmed by the Senate when it convenes next
session.
Ford,
a business developer and consultant, previously served on the Oklahoma State
Board of Education and the Oklahoma State Board of Career and Technology. She
also served as chairman of the Oklahoma Standards Setting Steering Committee.
“Amy
Ford has shown a keen interest in education in our state and has served our
state well during her tenure on the state Board of Education,” said Fallin.
“She is an accomplished businesswoman who is aware of what students need to be
successful during and after college. I look forward to working with her to
increase educational attainment and improve our workforce in Oklahoma.”
Ford
will fill the Position 7 seat on the RUSO board of regents. It covers Atoka,
Bryan, Carter, Choctaw, Latimer, LeFlore, Love, Marshall, McCurtain, Pittsburg,
and Pushmataha counties.
She
is a partner in RedAnt, LLC, which provides comprehensive business development,
management, messaging and strategic public relations consulting services. Ford
previously owned NEON, Inc., an emergency physician-staffing company, which
employed more than 100 physicians in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas. She and her
husband also own and operate a cow-calf operation in Bryan County.
“Living
in Durant, I’ve seen first-hand the valuable impact of our regional
universities, often providing the only opportunity for some who otherwise would
not be able to pursue a higher education,” said Ford. “Many of these students are
the first in their family to attend college. I sincerely appreciate Governor
Fallin asking me to serve on this board and I look to continuing my service to
the state.”
Ford
is deeply involved in community and civic activities as well as philanthropic
endeavors focused on economic development, education and sustainable water
policy. She has been a strong water policy advocate in Oklahoma for more than a
decade. In 2012, she was appointed to serve on the Oklahoma Public/Private
Water Task Force, which was formed to facilitate meaningful dialogue about
Oklahoma’s water management policies and challenges.
She
also serves on the boards of directors for the Southeastern Oklahoma State
University Foundation, The Oklahoma Academy for State Goals and the Citizens
for the Protection of the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer, as well as serving on the board
of advisers for Leadership Oklahoma.
She
and her husband, Dr. Jim Ford, have a daughter, Erin, a physician’s assistant
who lives in Oklahoma City with her husband, Tyson.
About
the Regional University System of Oklahoma:
The
Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO) is Oklahoma’s largest four-year
university system, which is made up of six universities containing more than
3,000 faculty and staff members and over 50,000 students.
The mission of the board is to provide higher education programs and
service to eligible students in the university service areas and generally to
ensure educational opportunities in the preparation of students to succeed in a
global society.
The Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges was created on July 6, 1948 to
govern the six regional universities. The board consists of nine members, eight
appointed by the governor with approval of the Senate for nine-year staggered
terms. The ninth member is the elected state superintendent of public
instruction.
For more information on the Regional University System of Oklahoma, click
here.
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