Over the past week, Gov. Kevin Stitt filed what could be his final two appointments to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
Stitt’s former general counsel, Trevor Pemberton of Norman, was appointed to the board March 26 to finish the unexpired term of Dustin Hilliary, who was appointed to a seven-year term on the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents earlier in March to succeed regent Eric Stevenson. Before serving as Stitt’s in-house attorney for three years, Pemberton was appointed by Stitt to the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals. He also served as an Oklahoma County District Court judge.
Reached by phone on Thursday afternoon, Pemberton said he had no comment on his appointment as a state regent at this time.
Today, Stitt appointed Brian Beller, a construction professional from Goldsby, to replace Jeff Hickman, a former speaker of the Oklahoma House who was appointed to the board by Gov. Mary Fallin in 2017. His full nine-year term would begin May 17 and run through May 16, 2035.
Both appointments will require confirmation from the Oklahoma State Senate prior to the adjournment of the 2026 legislative session.
According to his LinkedIn, Beller is currently a project manager for B&H Construction and director of government affairs. His background would appear to fit with Stitt’s goal of aligning higher education with Oklahoma’s workforce needs. From 2010 to 2022, Beller worked at Washington High School as a teacher, coach and administrator. In 2018, he was named the school’s athletic director and director of operations.
Stitt said in a statement that he was proud to appoint Beller and Pemberton.
“Their real-world experience in business, education and public service will help our campuses prepare students for theit future jobs,” Stitt said.
In a statement, Chancellor Sean Burrage said Pemberton and Beller were “proven leaders.”
“(Their) expertise and experiences will greatly benefit our state system and the students we serve. We look forward to their service as State Regents,” Burrage said.
If Pemberton and Beller are confirmed, all but one member of the board governing Oklahoma’s higher education system — Mike Turpen, who was appointed by Gov. Brad Henry in 2009 and reappointed by Fallin in 2018 — will have been appointed by Stitt.
A spokesperson for Stitt did not respond to a message requesting comment prior to the publication of this article.
(Update:Â This article was updated at 5:18 p.m. Thursday, April 2, to include a comment from Chancellor Sean Burrage. This article was also updated at 10:26 a.m. Monday, April 6, to include a comment from Gov. Kevin Stitt.)
