Economic Club of Oklahoma

For more than sixty years, The Economic Club of Oklahoma (ECoO) has been a cornerstone for meaningful dialogue and thought leadership within the business community. The ECoO is an assembly of Oklahoma’s top influencers meeting to discuss important economic and social issues. Members not only benefit from access to local experts, but national speakers purposefully selected for their industry knowledge, relevancy and timeliness.

Club objective: To aid in the creation and expression of an enlightened public opinion of the important economic and social questions of the day.

In the winter of 1955, at the suggestion of Hardin W. Masters, a group of businessmen met to discuss forming a club. The principle purpose was a forum for public discussion of current economic and social subjects.

Twelve notable businessmen were selected to form the organization modeled after the well-respected Chicago and New York clubs, and tentatively adopted a constitution and by-laws. Each member suggested five distinguished persons for the original charter membership and began building the organization now known as the Economic Club of Oklahoma.

The ECoO exceeded expectations in its first full year and grew in membership, stature and importance, just as its founders had anticipated.

October 23, 2023: Lieutenant General Stacey Hawkins, Commander, Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base

Lt. Gen. Stacey T. Hawkins is the Commander, Air Force Sustainment Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. AFSC is a global organization composed of more than 40,000 Total Force Airmen. The center delivers end-to-end life-cycle sustainment and logistics for aircraft, missiles, propulsion systems, aerospace commodities, and weapons system software to preserve Department of Defense warfighting readiness. AFSC also manages and executes the Air Force supply chain, delivers modern software solutions through Agile and Development, Security, and Operations methodologies, provides comprehensive installation management and projects expeditionary capabilities to the Joint Force, the nuclear enterprise, interagency operations, U.S. allies and coalition partners. The Art of the Possible mission culture underpins how AFSC optimizes its world-class people, facilities worth $27.2 billion across three installations, and a $26.8 billion spare parts inventory to generate $16.6 billion in annual revenue from maintenance and supply chain operations.

Lt. Gen. Hawkins is a native of Bastrop, Louisiana and commissioned from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1991. Previously, he led operational logistics in various assignments to include warfighting theaters of operation across southwest Asia, the Horn of Africa, and on the Korean Peninsula. He also commanded a squadron, expeditionary maintenance group, air base wing and air logistics complex. As a general officer, he directed logistics, installation support, force protection and nuclear integration activities in three Air Force major commands as well as the air component to U.S. Transportation Command and the U.S. Space Force. He served as a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Fellow, White House Fellow, the Maintenance Officer for the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Team, “The Thunderbirds,” and a U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Ceremonial Guardsman. Additionally, Lt. Gen. Hawkins served at the White House as special advisor for defense policy and intelligence programs in the Office of the Vice President of the United States.

Prior to his current assignment, Lt. Gen. Hawkins was Director of Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, serving as senior logistician in the lead MAJCOM for the Combat Air Forces.

November 27, 2023: Dr. Chad Moutray, Chief Economist, National Association of Manufacturers

Chad Moutray is chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers, where he serves as the NAM’s economic forecaster and spokesperson on economic issues. He frequently comments on current economic conditions for manufacturers through professional presentations and media interviews and has appeared on various news outlets. In addition, he is the director of the Center for Manufacturing Research at The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education partner of the NAM, where he leads efforts to produce thought leadership, data and analysis of relevance to business leaders in the sector.

Prior to joining the NAM, Dr. Moutray was the chief economist and director of economic research for the Office of Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration from 2002 to 2010. In that role, he was responsible for researching the importance of entrepreneurship to the U.S. economy and highlighting various issues of importance to small business owners, policymakers and academics. In addition to discussing economic and policy trends, his personal research focused on the importance of educational attainment to both self-employment and economic growth.

Prior to working at the SBA, Dr. Moutray was the dean of the School of Business Administration at Robert Morris College in Chicago (now part of Roosevelt University). Under his leadership, the business school had rapid growth, both adding new programs and new campuses. He began the development of an M.B.A. program that began accepting students after his departure and created a business institute for students to work with local businesses on classroom projects and internships.

Dr. Moutray is the chair of the Conference of Business Economists, and he is a former board member of the National Association for Business Economics, where he is the co-chair of the Manufacturing Roundtable. He is also the former president and chairman of the National Economists Club, the local NABE chapter for Washington, D.C.

He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Eastern Illinois University. He is a Certified Business Economist™, where he was part of the initial graduating class in 2015.

In 2014, he received the Outstanding Graduate Alumni Award from EIU, and in 2015, he accepted the Alumnus Achievement Award from Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois, where he earned his associate degree in business administration. He serves on the external economics advisory board for the SIUC’s School of Analytics, Finance and Economics.

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January 22, 2024: Dr. Kayse Shrum, President, Oklahoma State University

The 19th president of Oklahoma State University

On April 2, 2021, the OSU/A&M Board of Regents selected Dr. Kayse Shrum as the 19th president of Oklahoma State University. A native Oklahoman, President Shrum earned her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and has completed executive leadership and management training programs at Harvard University and Stanford University.

A landmark first year in office

Since taking office in July 2021, Dr. Shrum has forged a new chapter for OSU — boldly facing challenges like conference realignment and COVID-19 while positioning the university for future success by embarking on a strategic planning process. The systemwide strategy process will guide the future of OSU and secure its position as the nation’s premier land-grant university — with a focus on creating and discovering solutions to societal problems, providing students with a world-class education and sending them into the world after graduation well-equipped to handle the challenges before them.

During her first year as president of the OSU system, Shrum also launched key initiatives and partnerships, such as the Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University. Made possible by a combined $50 million gift from The Harold Hamm Foundation and Continental Resources, the Hamm Institute’s mission is to educate the next generation of energy pioneers, cementing Oklahoma’s legacy as a global energy leader.

Shrum also celebrated the creation of the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE), which will elevate OSU’s historic strength in aerospace engineering, flight training and aeronautics. This university-level institute brings the state’s aerospace innovation economy together under one umbrella. OAIRE will support ongoing and future partnerships between university, commercial, military and government agencies, becoming a valuable resource for developing Oklahoma’s aerospace ecosystem. That includes generating high-tech jobs and cutting-edge research that brings commercial enterprise and military sustainment support to the state.

YEAR IN REVIEW

A trailblazing journey

Before being selected to lead the OSU system, Dr. Shrum was named president of OSU Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) in 2013, becoming the youngest and first female president and dean of a medical school in the state of Oklahoma. Shrum held the George Kaiser Family Foundation Chair in Medical Excellence and Service and the Saint Francis Health System Endowed Chair of Pediatrics.

Under her leadership, OSU-CHS experienced unprecedented growth. Student enrollment more than doubled as new academic programs were established to meet the state’s health care workforce needs. She also led the construction of the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Medical Academic Building, a state-of-the-art learning facility that houses Oklahoma’s largest and most technologically advanced hospital simulation center.

A strong supporter of collaborative partnerships, Dr. Shrum worked with then Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker and his administration to establish the nation’s first tribally affiliated medical school — the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation — which opened in fall 2020. She also helped secure a landmark investment from Purdue Pharma in the amount of $197.5 million to create a center of excellence in addiction treatment and studies to address the opioid addiction epidemic — the National Center for Wellness and Recovery.

Dr. Shrum also launched award-winning high school recruiting programs like Operation Orange and Blue Coat to White Coat, established the Rural Medical Track curriculum and expanded the number of residency training programs in rural Oklahoma by securing support from the Oklahoma Legislature, Oklahoma Health Care Authority and Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust.

Paying it forward

President Shrum is active in a variety of charitable and professional organizations. She is a board member of the Children’s Hospital Foundation at Saint Francis, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, State Chamber of Oklahoma, PLICO, Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, Oklahoma State University Medical Authority and Trust, Texas A&M Center for Optimizing Rural Health, and Women for OSU Council. She holds committee positions in osteopathic professional organizations including the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicines, American Osteopathic Association, and American Osteopathic Board of Pediatrics.

Leading with excellence

Dr. Shrum's leadership, professional and civic contributions have led to notable recognition and awards. Her honors include:

2022 Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame induction
2022 Oklahoma Osteopathic Association DO of the Decade
2020 Journal Record Health Care Hero
2020 Osteopathic Founders Foundation Outstanding Physician Award
2020 Becker's Hospital Review “100 Academic Medical Center CEOs to Know”
2019 Connors State College Alumni Hall of Fame induction
2019 Tulsa Osteopathic Medical Society Osteopathic Impact Award
2019 Journal Record’s 2019 Woman of Year Award
2018 Newsmaker Award by the Association for Women in Communications Tulsa Chapter
2014 Oklahoma Osteopathic Association’s Outstanding & Distinguished Service Award
2013 Connors State College Athletics Hall of Fame induction
2012 Tulsa Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women’s Pinnacle Award for Health

February 26, 2024: Jeff Schmid, President & Chief Executive Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

Jeff Schmid is president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, where he leads a workforce of 2,000 people located in offices in Kansas City, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Omaha.

Schmid has more than 40 years of experience in banking and banking supervision. Prior to joining the Kansas City Fed in August 2023, he served as the president and CEO of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking Foundation at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business, where he led the Foundation’s efforts to provide career development and education for banking professionals.

Schmid began his career in 1981 as a field examiner in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Kansas City office. From 1989 to 2007, he served as president of American National Bank in Omaha, Nebraska, growing the bank from $500 million to $1.5 billion in assets. In 2007 he was selected by Mutual of Omaha to lead the 100-year-old insurance provider’s entry into the banking sector. As chairman and CEO of Mutual of Omaha Bank, Schmid led the institution’s growth from $700 million to nearly $9 billion in assets with nearly 2,000 employees before it was sold to CIT Bank in 2019.

As president of the Kansas City Fed, Schmid represents the Tenth Federal Reserve District on the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets monetary policy for the United States. Schmid participates in each FOMC meeting and will be a voting member in 2025, following the established rotation schedule for Federal Reserve Banks. He also hosts the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium, an annual event in Wyoming that brings together international central bankers, academics, policymakers, and others who convene to discuss economic and financial issues of mutual concern.

Jeff is a graduate of both the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU. He is a native of Nebraska.

The Kansas City Fed is responsible for conducting monetary policy, providing financial services to depository institutions and the U.S. Treasury, and supervising nearly 1,000 banking organizations within a seven-state region that includes western Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, and northern New Mexico. The Tenth District has a diverse economic profile that includes a mix of agriculture, energy, manufacturing, tourism, real estate, and small business, and has a large number of community banking organizations.

March 25, 2024: Marc Goldwein, Senior Vice President and Senior Policy Director, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

Marc Goldwein is the Senior Vice President and Senior Policy Director for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where he guides and conducts research on a wide array of topics related to fiscal policy and the federal budget. He is frequently quoted in a number of major media outlets and works regularly with Members of Congress and their staffs on budget-related issues.

Previously, Marc served as Associate Director of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (The Fiscal Commission) and senior budget analyst on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (The Super Committee). He also conducted research for the Government Accountability Office, the World Bank, the Historian's Office at the Social Security Administration, and the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley.

In addition to his work at the Committee, Marc serves on Martha's Tables' Business Advisory Council and teaches economics at Johns Hopkins University and the University of California DC. Marc is the recipient of the Johns Hopkins University Excellence in Teaching award and was featured in the Forbes "30 Under 30" list for Law & Policy. He holds a BA and MA from Johns Hopkins University.

April 22, 2024: Raul Anaya, President of Business Banking, Bank of America

Raul A. Anaya is president of Business Banking, one of Bank of America’s eight lines of business, and is a member of the company’s executive management team. He leads a nationwide team that serves mid-sized U.S.-based companies with annual revenues between $5 million and $50 million, by delivering strategic financial advice and solutions to help companies grow, improve cash flow and invest for the future.

In addition to his responsibilities as president of Business Banking, Anaya serves as president of Bank of America for Greater Los Angeles. In this capacity, he serves as the enterprise leader for Los Angeles, leading integration of Bank of America’s business lines to ensure delivery of the full breadth and depth of the bank’s global financial services to more individuals and businesses locally. He also oversees the bank’s local corporate and social responsibility activities, including philanthropic giving, community development lending and investing, environmental initiatives,

diversity efforts, arts and culture projects, and employee volunteerism for the bank’s 6,000 associates that work in the Greater Los Angeles region.

Anaya joined Bank of America in Houston in 1989. Most recently, he led Global Commercial Banking teams as Pacific Southwest region executive, and he was previously the market executive for the Greater Los Angeles, Arizona, and South Texas markets.

Anaya advises Bank of America's Hispanic-Latino Executive Council, which consists of the bank's 200 most senior Hispanic-Latino bank executives in the U.S. The council helps develop and advance the bank's Hispanic-Latino employee base and helps grow the bank's leading market share position within the U.S. Hispanic-Latino markets.

Anaya is also a member of Bank of America’s Global Diversity & Inclusion Council, which is chaired by the bank’s CEO and includes senior executives across the company to drive diversity initiatives and foster an inclusive environment at the company.

Active in the business community, Anaya serves on the boards of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce (past Chair), the AltaMed Health Services Foundation (current Chair), The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino in Washington D.C. Anaya is also a member of the Angeleno and Pasadena chapters of YPO Gold.

Anaya earned a bachelor’s of business administration in finance from the University of Texas at Brownsville.

PEER ENGAGEMENT

This non-competitive environment is a platform for discussing the economic and social health of the state, as well as the nation.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The ECoO provides, on an annual basis, scholarship awards based in the fields of economics and finance to graduating students from nine universities in and around central Oklahoma.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

The ECoO is an assembly of Oklahoma’s top influencers meeting to discuss important economic and social issues through a series of local and national speakers.