Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed telecom executive Dustin Hilliary today to the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, which governs OU, Cameron University and Rogers State University.
The appointment comes as Hilliary, who had been under consideration by Stitt to serve the remainder of U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s term owing to his pending appointment as secretary of Homeland Security, withdrew his name from consideration for that seat. Hilliary, who once was rumored as a potential 2026 gubernatorial candidate when Stitt named him senior advisor and chief negotiator in September, posted on Twitter that now is not the time for him to “step back from Hilliary Communications or to be away from my children,” given the frequent back-and-forth travel senators endure.
“I am honored by Gov. Stitt’s continued confidence in appointing me to the board of regents,” Hilliary wrote. “In this role, I will be rooted here at home while still helping shape the future of our state. There will be a time in the future when I am able to devote 100 percent of my attention to serving our state, and I look forward to that opportunity when the timing is right.”
In a press release that included their statements, Stitt called Hilliary one of the state’s “most dynamic business leaders.”
“As a regent, he will put students first, insist on excellence in the classroom and make sure OU is tightly aligned with the needs of Oklahoma employers across our state,” Stitt said. “Dustin is a proven leader in growing businesses and delivering results, and that is exactly the kind of leadership we need on the OU Board of Regents.”
In the same press release, Hilliary said OU must be a “powerhouse” for the state’s workforce.
“I have seen firsthand how talent and innovation drive growth, and I look forward to working with my fellow regents to keep OU affordable, competitive and laser-focused on preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow,” Hilliary said.
To accept his appointment to the OU Board of Regents, Hilliary must step down from the State Regents for Higher Education, to which Stitt appointed him for a nine-year term in 2022. At the time, Stitt’s decision drew criticism for Hilliary not holding a college degree because he left school to join his family’s business.
During his state regents tenure, however, Hilliary generally has been praised as an astute member of the board, something Chancellor Sean Burrage articulated in the governor’s press release.
“Dustin (has) pushed for accountability, for better alignment with workforce needs and for smart investments that deliver real value to students and taxpayers,” Burrage said. “I am confident he will bring the same energy and vision to OU.”
With his family and his Lawton-based company seen as strong supporters of Stitt and other state politicians, Hilliary is involved with various professional organizations throughout the state, such as the State Chamber of Oklahoma. Hilliary is set to become the chamber’s board chairman in June. In a statement, the State Chamber CEO Chad Warmington congratulated Hilliary on his new appointment and said he has “demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing higher education and strengthening Oklahoma’s future workforce.”
“We are excited to see Dustin continue that service in his new role with the University of Oklahoma, where his experience and vision will be invaluable during a pivotal time for higher education,” Warmington said.
Hilliary’s appointment to the OU Board of Regents is pending Senate confirmation. He would replace outgoing regent Eric Stevenson, who was Stitt’s first appointee to the board in 2019. His fellow regents and OU leaders honored Stevenson at their most recent meeting March 10.
“Regent Stevenson became a regent just a few weeks before I came in as interim (president) and the institution was in a very different place. It was the third president in 18 months,” OU President Joseph Harroz said at the meeting. “We had financial problems, we were in the news — not for great reasons — on a lot of fronts. (The) number of applicants was declining, and we saw a big nationwide trend on the horizon where 30 percent of institutions were losing money. (…) So, (it was) a tough landscape and a tough moment. And you came in and committed to that, and then you and I became acquainted. And last night you said something (…), you indicated that we would not have guessed that, seven years from where we started, we would be here right now. It is a profoundly different place.”
Meanwhile, at the state’s other major research university, Stitt reappointed Chris Franklin to the OSU A&M Board of Regents in January. Franklin was first appointed in March 2024, following the death of Jarold Callahan.
At its March meeting, the OSU A&M Board of Regents voted unanimously to hire Kristi Ice as the board’s new CEO. After a stint at the Attorney General’s Office, Ice has been the deputy director of the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, according to her LinkedIn. She will begin as CEO of the OSU A&M board April 1, replacing Jason Ramsey, who accepted a position as a senior vice president and chief operating officer of the OSU system.
