FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2016

Governor Mary Fallin Names Jordan Russell to Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today announced she has appointed Jordan Russell to the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission.

Russell, of Oklahoma City, will succeed Dr. LeRoy Young, whose resignation from the commission takes effect Oct. 3. Russell will serve the remainder of Young’s term, which expires in August 2019. He can begin serving immediately. His appointment still must be confirmed by the Senate when it convenes next session.

Russell, an attorney, is policy director and counsel to Oklahoma House Speaker Jeff Hickman. Before that, he worked as a practicing attorney with the Gungoll, Jackson,Box & Devoll law firm in its downtown Oklahoma City office, where he worked on the defense of many personal injury and employment law cases and assisted with workers’ compensation cases.

“Jordan is knowledgeable about workers’ compensation cases, both from his time as a practicing attorney and as policy director for Speaker Hickman,” said Fallin. “His experience will be very helpful on the commission, which is helping get injured employees back to work and the treatment they need as well as reducing costs for Oklahoma businesses.”

Russell earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences from Oklahoma State University and his law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

“I look forward to serving on the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission,” Russell said. “As a fourth-generation Oklahoman, I am proud of the bold reforms the governor has championed to make workers’ compensation reform a reality. Injured workers are getting medical care more efficiently and the cost to do business in Oklahoma is continuing to drop as the new administrative system expediently and equitably resolves workers’ compensation cases.”

He and his wife, Jessica, live in Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission was created in 2013 and started operations Feb. 1, 2014. The former state workers’ compensation court is now called the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing Claims, which deals with cases where the injury occurred before Feb. 1, 2014.

###