Monday, April 1, 2024
Media Contact: Terry Tush | Director of Marketing and Communications | 405-744-2703 | terry.tush@okstate.edu
The Center for Law and Business Ethics (CLSBE) will hold its third annual “Ethical Leadership Conversation” on April 23 at 3 p.m. in the Student Union Theater on the Oklahoma State University Stillwater Campus.
Former Republican Governor Frank Keating and former Democratic Governor Brad Henry will speak with Speers School of Business Dean Jim Payne about what ethical leadership means to them. The event is free and open to students and the general public.
“CLSBE is pleased to have these two former governors on campus for this annual event this year, especially since this is a presidential election year,” said CLSBE Director Laurie Lucas. Stated. “This is an exciting opportunity for students to hear from two CEOs who may have different policy perspectives but who have demonstrated the ability to transcend political boundaries and move Oklahoma forward during their tenure.” “This is a great opportunity. We hope that this conversation with Dean Payne will make our students feel optimistic about the possibility of a positive future at Oklahoma State.”
Mr. Keating and Mr. Henry are two of only five former Oklahoma governors to serve two consecutive terms. Mr. Keating served as the state's 25th governor from 1995 to 2003, and Mr. Henry served as the state's 26th governor from 2003 to 2011.
“I look forward to insightful discussions about ethical leadership from former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating and Brad Henry,” Payne said. “Discussions like this will provide a forum for students to listen and learn, and hopefully understand the importance of ethical leadership in making effective decisions for the betterment of Oklahoma and its residents.” .”
After earning a law degree from the University of Oklahoma, Keating worked for the FBI. He also served in the Oklahoma State Legislature. President Ronald Reagan appointed Keating as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma, then Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and then Deputy Attorney General of the Department of Justice. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush promoted Keating to General Counsel and Acting Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Three months after he was elected governor, Oklahoma City suffered the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. His leadership is credited with helping the state of Oklahoma deal with its crisis, and he and his wife Kathy Keating worked tirelessly to support the victims and their families. Since stepping down as governor, Mr. Keating has served as chairman and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurance Companies and as chairman and CEO of the American Bankers Association.
Henry also earned a law degree from OU and practiced law in Shawnee while serving in the Oklahoma State Senate for 10 years before running for governor in 2002. He was recognized as one of the most popular governors in state history, and was reelected in 2006 with the largest margin of votes in modern times.
In 2020, Henry was appointed by President Barack Obama as a charter member of the six-member Governor's Council. Henry also served as chairman of the Council of State Governments, the Southern Growth Policy Commission, and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. He currently serves on numerous boards, including Chairman of the National Board of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Chairman of the Board of the Central Oklahoma Regional Transportation Authority. Henry is a member of the national business law firm of Spencer Fehn LLP and a founding member of Henry Adams Companies, LLC, a general and business development consulting firm.
Launched in 2019, CLSBE promotes business and professional ethics and regulatory compliance through research that explores the intersection of law and business.
