Oklahoma
Oklahoma Gov. Stitt appoints familiar faces to top state roles: Here’s who they are
The Oklahoman top headlines of the week for Sept. 12, 2025
Here’s a one-minute recap of the all the news you may have missed this week.
Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has named a trio of new appointees to his administration, saying the private-sector picks will help him end his second term with a focus on business.
Stitt tapped consultant Donelle Harder as the next secretary of state, restaurant franchiser David Ostrowe as chief operating officer and communications executive Dustin Hilliary as his senior adviser.
All three are familiar faces around Stitt’s office. Harder and Ostrowe previously worked for the governor, and Stitt appointed Hilliary in 2022 to a nine-year term as a state regent.
Since Stitt was elected in 2018 as a political newcomer, he has styled himself as a business-friendly governor. Unlike most governors who rise up through the state Capitol, Stitt built his career in financial services as the founder of Gateway Mortgage, now known as Gateway First Bank.
“We successfully launched this administration by bringing a fresh set of eyes from Oklahoma’s business community, and we will finish the same way,” Stitt said in an announcement about his new appointees on Thursday, Sept. 11.
As governor, Stitt has championed tax cuts and the creation of new state courts to handle business lawsuits — a system that is being challenged as unconstitutional. In his State of the State address in February, Stitt declared he had made Oklahoma a Top 10 state for businesses.
He is term limited and will leave office in January 2027.
It is unclear when or if Stitt’s new appointees will be required to step away from controlling or managing their private-sector interests, a move Stitt made when he became governor.
Hilliary is a co-owner of Lawton-based Hilliary Communications, a telephone and broadband service provider that has more than 15,000 customers in Oklahoma, Texas and Iowa. Ostrowe is the president and CEO of O&M Restaurant Group, an Oklahoma City company that operates Taco Bell franchises. Harder has clients through her public relations and consulting work.
All three have donated to Stitt’s campaigns in the past, records show. Hilliary donated $9,000, and Ostrowe donated $8,300. Harder, who has also worked for Stitt’s campaign, donated $1,000.
Abegail Cave, the communications director for the governor’s office, would not say whether the appointees would be required to step away from their non-government work. She also would not say how much each of Stitt’s new appointees will be paid.
Cave also did not answer a question asking whether Ostrowe will oversee the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services in addition to his role as chief operating officer. His predecessor, Rick Rose, held both roles at the same time before he told Stitt on Sept. 3 that he would resign.
Harder will replace former legislator Josh Cockroft as the secretary of state, meaning her appointment is subject to approval by the Senate. Cockroft’s resignation will take effect Oct. 1.
In a news release, Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, expressed support for Harder’s appointment. As the chamber’s most powerful Republican, he has the power to block Stitt’s appointees from receiving a confirmation vote. Paxton also said he supported Hilliary’s hiring.
Harder, Ostrowe and Hilliary did not respond to requests for comment by publication. In statements issued by the governor’s office, all three said they were honored to join Stitt’s office.
David Ostrowe
Ostrowe will start immediately in his new role as chief operating officer, Stitt said.
He was Stitt’s secretary of digital transformation and administration from January 2019 to September 2021, when he oversaw 54 agencies, boards and commissions. Before that, Ostrowe chaired the Oklahoma Lottery board of trustees.
“In Gov. Stitt’s first administration, we worked with passion to deliver digital transformation and make government more efficient and transparent,” Ostrowe said in a statement. “I am honored to return as COO to help finish that mission and continue advancing good government for all Oklahomans.”
Minco Oklahoma bus crash: Hundreds gather to pray for softball team
“We just say God, please heal. We pray that you would heal physical wounds.We pray that you would heal emotional wounds.”
Donelle Harder
Harder will begin as secretary of state Oct. 1.
She has worked closely with Stitt throughout his political career. She began as a member of his campaign team and served as his spokeswoman. She went on to serve as a top adviser to the governor and deputy secretary of state during Stitt’s first term.
Harder is now a senior vice president at Pinkston, a public relations and marketing firm that she helped found. It has an office in Oklahoma City, where she leads accounts in financial services, higher education, energy and other sectors. Harder has also worked as a vice president of the Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association and a spokesperson for the late Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe.
“I look forward to sharpening our strategic approach and ensuring this administration remains effective and focused on delivering good government for the people of Oklahoma,” Harder said in a statement.
Dustin Hilliary
In his new role as senior adviser to Stitt, Hilliary will be the governor’s top negotiator with legislators and other elected officials. The governor’s office did not say when Hilliary would start.
The governor’s announcement described Hilliary as “a third-generation entrepreneur who helped grow his family’s broadband, media and telecommunications enterprise, bringing critical infrastructure and trusted journalism to rural Oklahoma.”
Hilliary publishes the weekly Southwest Ledger, which covers business news and other issues in Lawton and southwest Oklahoma. Hilliary Communications is also planning to buy the Lawton Constitution.
In a statement issued by the governor’s office, Hilliary said he would help Stitt “advance policies with the Legislature that put our state on a strong path today and for future generations.”
Crews responded to a fireworks stand after it caught fire in Broken Arrow Saturday night.
Authorities urged people to avoid E. Kanosha Street near S. 236th E. Avenue as the road is closed and fireworks could spread in the area due to the fire.
Broken Arrow Fire Department released a statement confirming no injuries were sustained as a result of the explosions or fire.
Fire crews quickly controlled the fire in about 20 minutes according to Broken Arrow Fire Department.
The initial cause of the fire is under investigation.
Viewer Leslie Maxey, who lives close to the fireworks stand, sent in video of the ongoing fire.
“We were putting our daughter to bed with a book when we heard an explosion that was gradually getting louder and louder,” Maxey said.
This is a developing story.
What you need to know about Oklahoma ahead of the College World Series
North Carolina will face a dangerous Oklahoma team that is on a roll.
Oklahoma (41-22) has been just as dominant. The Sooners, making their 13th College World Series appearance and first since 2022, surged through the postseason as road warriors. They won the Atlanta Regional by upsetting No. 2 seed and ACC champion Georgia Tech in the final, then swept Big 12 champion and No. 15 seed Kansas by a combined score of 21-3 in the Lawrence Regional.
The Sooners, who are 3-0 in Omaha after beating No. 7 seed Alabama and knocking off No. 3 seed and SEC champion Georgia twice, are seeking their third national championship. Oklahoma won titles in 1951 and 1994 and finished as runner-up to Ole Miss in 2022.
Here are a few things to know about Oklahoma:
Best player: Catcher Deiten LaChance
LaChance is Oklahoma’s most powerful hitter. He is batting .333 with 12 doubles, two triples and team highs of 16 home runs and 65 RBIs.
Throughout the postseason, he is hitting .326 with four home runs and 15 RBIs. In Omaha, he is 5-for-14 (.357) with one home run and five RBIs.
Strengths
Like North Carolina, Oklahoma is a balanced team that is good at a little bit of everything and is built to frustrate opponents.
Oklahoma is a balanced hitting team like UNC, but the Sooners have hit a few more homers with 91, compared to the Tar Heels’ 82. That is largely due to the Sooners smashing 26 home runs in their 10 postseason games. In Omaha, OU has homered eight times, including five homers in its win over Georgia in its previous game.
The Sooners have stolen 129 bases this season. That is good for 24th nationally and second in the SEC.
Pitching-wise, OU is 18th nationally in strikeouts per nine innings and leads the SEC in shutouts.
Weaknesses
The most glaring weakness is the pitching staff, despite its ability to strike out opposing batters and record shutouts.
The Sooners have a 4.98 ERA as a staff. Only one pitcher with 10 or more appearances has an ERA under 3.60.
They also allow 4.51 walks per nine innings, which ranks 138th nationally.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
It was a Friday Night Lights in June kind of moment for the Oklahoma State Cowboys as Israel “Izzy” Hammons made his commitment announcement.
The Choctaw, Okla., rising senior announced his decision to commit to Oklahoma State on Friday during an Instagram Live session. The Cowboys beat out a roster of schools vying for the linebacker, most notably Texas.
Hammons made just two official visits — one to OSU and one to Texas last week.
His commitment pushed the Cowboys’ 2027 recruiting class back to nine players after the defection of Mount Carmel (Chicago, IL) offensive lineman Chase Clark to Purdue.
Commitments are non-binding. The earliest that Hammons can sign with OSU is in December.
Izzy Hammons to OSU
Hammons is the first four-star player to commit to the Cowboys this cycle. Their previous commitments all came from three-star players. The 6-3, 225-pound linebacker was considered a Top 200 player in the country by both On3/Rivals and 247Sports. Both services had him ranked as a Top 10 player in the state of Oklahoma at any position. He’s also considered the No. 1 linebacker in the state.
He also runs track and field, competing in the high jump and the 100-meter days, with a personal best of 11.30 seconds in the latter.
The Longhorns came in hot at the end but already had linebackers committed to the program this cycle. For the Cowboys getting a pledge from a player like Hammons is key to shore up a position where they didn’t have a commitment and where they plan to use senior transfers as starters in 2026. That means OSU and head coach Eric Morris must start building a pipeline now.
OSU’s Class of 2027
After Clark’s decommitment the Cowboys were down to eight recruits for 2027 entering Friday, most of which were on the offensive side of the ball and starting with Iowa Colony (Texas) quarterback Carson White, who was the cycle’s first commitment in April.
Up front, OSU has two offensive line commitments Jake Baker of Ensworth High School in Nashville, Tenn., and Sonny Mullen of Troy, Texas. When it comes to skill positions players the Cowboys have three commitments as well, including two wide receivers — Cooper Hooker of Pryor (Quapaw, Okla.) High School and Ake O’Neal of Argyle, Texas. Oklahoma State also has a pledge from tight end Talan Scott of Queen City, Ariz.
Defensively, the Cowboys have commitments from safeties Chayce Davis of Euless (Texas) Trinity High School and Bryson Brown of Broken Bow, Okla.
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