Norman business owner and conservationist Susan Bergen was recently appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt to the OSU/A&M Board of Trustees, which oversees Oklahoma State University and four other state institutions of higher education.
Mr. Bergen was appointed Thursday to replace Mr. Guthrie's Rick Davis. Mr. Davis had served on the nine-person board since being appointed in May 2011 by then-Gov. Mary Fallin. Davis' current eight-year term ended Thursday. Bergen's appointment requires approval by the Oklahoma State Senate.
Bergen is originally from Boston, but has lived in Oklahoma for 40 years. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Bergen Enterprises, a multi-generational family-owned company. Some of the company's businesses include Prairie She Dirt Solutions and Eco She Wood Solutions, Oklahoma City companies that provide services that create sustainable conservation opportunities.
At Bergen Enterprises, her responsibilities include financial and operational oversight, leading a diverse portfolio of businesses spanning agriculture, energy, land management, investments and restaurants. She says she is passionate about regenerative agriculture and soil health, and in 2023, her family's 22,000-acre ranch in Johnston and Pontoc Counties was named Landowner Conservation of the Year by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. He said he won the award.
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“Susan has tremendous experience in Oklahoma's agricultural and business communities, which makes her a perfect fit to serve as regent on our board,” Stitt said. “We are grateful to Susan for stepping up and look forward to how her business acumen will improve students across Oklahoma.”
Bergen serves on the boards of LoveWorks Leadership, OKIE (Oklahoma Israel Exchange), and the Oklahoma Public Affairs Council, a conservative policy organization. She has worked with the community service program OKC SHINE to help develop community gardens in the Oklahoma City area.
“I am honored to receive Governor Stitt's appointment,” Bergen said. “These universities have had a tremendous impact on our state. I am committed to ensuring that future generations benefit from the same opportunities that have shaped the future of education, fostered innovation, and enriched the lives of countless people. I look forward to receiving it.”
In addition to OSU, the nine-member OSU/A&M board oversees Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, and Conners State University in Warner. ing.
