Board of Visitors

One of the great strengths of the University of Oklahoma International Programs Center is its Board of Visitors, made up of many national and international foreign policy leaders and experts. The purpose of the Board is to advise and assist President Boren and Dr. Messitte with the "internationalization" of the University. Members of the Board include:

Chief Judge Robert H. Henry
Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

Judge Henry served as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and was twice elected Oklahoma’s Attorney General. He also was the Dean of Law at the Oklahoma City University School of Law until President Clinton appointed him to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in 1994. He became Chief Judge on January 1, 2008. He has served as the chair of the IPC Board of Visitors since October 2008.

Mr. Max N. Berry, Esquire
A graduate of OU, Mr. Berry is in private practice in Washington, D.C. specializing in international trade. He served under Presidents Carter and Reagan as Chairman and President of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation and has been particularly active in the arts, serving as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Smithsonian Institution. Mr. Berry and his late wife Heidi created the Max and Heidi Berry Chair, currently held by Associate Director of International Programs, Dr. Suzette Grillot.

Mr. Stephen M. Chazen, President, Unus Foundation
Mr. Chazen attended OU and is a long-time supporter of the University of Oklahoma. He is an active civic leader in Alabama and Oklahoma.

Ms. Nadia E. Comăneci, Olympian, TV Producer
As one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time, ABC News and Ladies Home Journal named Ms. Comăneci, one of the 100 Most Important Women of the 20th century.  Ms. Comăneci, along with her husband Bart Conner, owns numerous businesses including the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy in Norman.

Mr. Bart W. Conner, Olympian, Owner, Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy
A graduate from OU’s College of Journalism, Mr. Conner, is one of the most decorated gymnasts in U.S. history. Among his many accomplishments are two Olympic gold medals.

Ms. Rebecca Cooper, ABC 7 News Anchor, Washington Business Tonight
Ms. Cooper is a journalist based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining ABC News in Washington, she worked for CNN and NBC News. She also served as the Chief of Staff to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson and as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator David Boren. A native of Oklahoma City, she is the recipient of several journalism awards, including the Peabody, DuPont, Murrow, Cable Ace and Emmy awards.

Ms. Lee B. Cullum, Syndicated Columnist and Television Commentator

Ms. Cullum contributes columns to the Dallas Morning News and commentaries to the National Public Radio. She also is host of CEO, a series of interviews with leaders from the business world, produced by PBS in Dallas-Fort Worth.          
                                                        
Mr. James H. Everest, Managing Partner, Everest Brothers
Business and civic leader, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Mr. Everest established The Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, is a Board Member of the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation and President of The Jean I. Everest Foundation. He is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association.

Ms. Tricia L. Everest, Assistant Oklahoma Attorney General
The Chairman of the Advisory Board at the Inasmuch Foundation, Ms. Everest currently serves as an Assistant Oklahoma Attorney General. She is a graduate of OU Law School and an engaged civic leader and volunteer.

Mr. Jalal Farzaneh, President, Home Creations

Along with his brother, Mr. Farzaneh began residential building in 1981 after graduating from the University of Oklahoma's School of Architecture. Mr. Farzaneh is a leader in Oklahoma’s Iranian community.

Mr. Mohammad Farzaneh, Vice-President, Home Creations                        
Along with his brother, Mr. Farzaneh is a leader in the Iranian community in Oklahoma. In 1994, Mohammad and his brother, Jalal, combined their construction businesses to form Home Creations, one of the fastest growing businesses in the Oklahoma City metro area.

Mr. Cole Frates, Co-Founder, Renewable Resources Group & EndOil
Mr. Frates is an environmental entrepreneur and business owner. He has experience in the sustainable water and clean energy sectors. He serves on the Boards of Oil Change International, the Washington Foundation for European Studies and the Oklahoma Arts Institute.

Dr. Christopher B. Howard, President, Hampden-Sydney College

Prior to his appointment as President of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, Dr. Howard served as Vice President for Leadership & Strategic Initiatives at the University of Oklahoma.

Mr. Ronnie K. Irani, President and CEO, RKI Exploration and Production

Mr. Irani received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Engineering from the University of Oklahoma. He is a long-time supporter of international students at OU.

Mr. Stephen A. Janger, Former President, CEO, and Founder, Close Up Foundation
An OU graduate, Mr. Janger founded Close Up, a pioneering educational program that allows America’s youth to better understand and participate in the democratic process.

Ambassador James R. Jones, Esquire
A former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma, Ambassador Jones also served as Chairman and CEO of the American Stock Exchange. Ambassador Jones is an attorney at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Washington, D.C.

Mrs. Lou C. Kerr, President and Chairman of the Board, Kerr Foundation
Mrs. Kerr is an active supporter of OU, a civic leader and advocate of international education. Mrs. Kerr serves as an advisor on numerous OU boards and was a recipient of the Regents Alumni Award in 2005.

General Jack N. Merritt, Former Staff Officer on the National Security Council
A former Commanding General of the U.S. Army Field Artillery School of the U.S. Army War College at Fort Leavenworth, General Merritt served as the Director of the joint staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as the U.S. Representative to the NATO Military Command.

Mr. James J. Mulva, President and CEO, ConocoPhillips, Houston, Texas
Mr. Mulva has been with Phillips since 1990, becoming President and CEO of ConocoPhillips in 2004. He is also a member of the National Petroleum Council and has served as chairman of the American Petroleum Institute.

The Honorable William G. Nations, Oklahoma House of Representatives

An OU alum, Representative Nations serves Cleveland County in the Oklahoma House and is the former Mayor of Norman.

Mr. Harold J. Newman, Managing Director of Neuberger Berman
A graduate of OU, Mr. Newman has deep interest in Asia and a long involvement with the Asia Society and the East-West Institute. The Newmans created the Harold J. & Ruth Newman Chair in U.S.-China Issues currently held by SIAS associate professor, Dr. Peter Gries.

Marc Nuttle, Managing Partner of Oklahoma Sovereign Development, LLC (OSD)
An OU alum, Mr. Nuttle is an attorney living in Norman, Oklahoma. He specializes in international trade, international foreign policy and international political affairs. He has been an advisor to U.S. presidents, the leadership of Congress, and foreign nations. He has represented national business trade associations and states on a variety of political and economic issues.  

Mr. Roger P. Parkinson, Chairman, University of Toronto Press

Mr. Parkinson is the former Publisher, CEO and Chairman of the Toronto Globe and Mail. In addition he was President and Publisher of the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the Buffalo Courier-Press. He was President of the World Association of Newspapers and serves on the Advisory Council of the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at University of Minnesota.

Mr. W. DeVier Pierson, Esquire

Mr. Pierson received his undergraduate and law degrees from OU. A special counsel to President Lyndon Johnson, Mr. Pierson is a lawyer at Hunton and Williams in Washington, D.C. with a practice that focuses on the domestic and international energy fields and on international arbitration and litigation.

Mr. Michael F. Price, Former Chairman of the Board
A graduate of OU, Mr. Price is the former CEO Franklin Mutual Advisors and was Chairman of the Board of Franklin Mutual Series Fund, in New York. The Price College of Business honors his many contributions to OU.

Mr. H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt, Chairman of the Board, BancFirst  
A Norman native and OU alum, Mr. Rainbolt is one of the leading philanthropists in the state. The Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at OU is named in honor of his late wife.

The Honorable Rodger A. Randle, Director, Center for Studies in Democracy and Culture
Mr. Randle is a former Mayor of Tulsa a former President Pro Tempore of Oklahoma State Senate. He also serves as the Honorary British Consul for Oklahoma.  

Dr. Richard L. Sandor, Chairman and Founder of the Chicago Climate Exchange  
Dr. Sandor is the Chairman of the Chicago Climate Futures Exchange, and is Executive Chairman of Climate Exchange. He is a former Professor of Economics at the University of California at Berkeley and also served as the Chief Economist for the Chicago Board of Trade.

The Honorable M. Susan Savage, Oklahoma Secretary of State

Secretary Savage has served in the cabinet of Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry since 2003. She served as Mayor of Tulsa from 1992 to 2002.

Ms. Mary Angus Sherman, Former Director, Pioneer Library System

Ms. Sherman is a long-time civic leader and former Director of the Pioneer Library System. She has served as the President of the Norman Chamber of Commerce, the Norman Rotary Club, and the Women’s Resource Center.

Mr. C. Renzi Stone, President and CEO, Saxum Strategic Communications

An OU graduate, Mr. Stone leads one of the region’s largest independent public relations firms. Mr. Stone serves on a variety of boards and is a member of IPREX, one of the world’s largest international public relations networks.

The Honorable Kathy L. Taylor, Mayor of Tulsa

Elected the Mayor of Tulsa in 2006, she has also served in Governor Brad Henry’s cabinet as Secretary of Commerce and Tourism. In addition, she has been a member of various boards of directors, including Sonic Industries, Dollar Car Rental, National Car Rental and the Grand River Dam Authority as well as the OU Foundation.

Honorary Founding Board Members