Leadership Oklahoma class visits

Leadership Oklahoma Class XXI will be in town Nov. 8-10 to tour various areas, businesses and schools, followed by discussions on education and energy. The Tulsa visit is part of a statewide tour of communities to learn about the critical issues facing Oklahoma.

The group will stop at Kendall Whittier Elementary, Thoreau Demonstration Academy, Tulsa Technology Center, SemGroup, and the OSU Advanced Technology Research Center, as well as Gilcrease and Philbrook museums. Optional tours include Boston Avenue Methodist Church and the BOK Center.

Local members of the Class XXI include Ziva Branstetter, Mickey Coats, Ted Cundiff, Robyn Ewing, Pageant Ferriabough, Cheryl Hill, Liz Hunt, Caron Lawhorn, Joe Moran, Mike Neal, Mary Ogle, Mac Rosser and Karen Wicker.

They will meet with Ken Levit, executive director of the George Kaiser Family Foundation; Judy Feary, principal of Kendall Whittier; Tom Kivisto, president and CEO of SemGroup; Tom Padalino, principal of Thoreau Demonstration Academy; and Al Shasteen, director of business and career development for TTC.

The state of education in Oklahoma will be addressed by panelists Sandy Garrett, state superintendent of public instruction; Bruce DeMuth, chief of staff at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education; and Glen Johnson, chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.

Saturday, Nov. 10, is Energy Day, which is sponsored by Williams Cos., and will include presentations by Norman Hyne, University of Tulsa professor of geology; Lex Holmes, chairman of economics at the University of Oklahoma; and James Bose, profes sor and director of engineering technology at Oklahoma State University and the executive director of the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association.

A special night called "The Arts and All That Jazz" is planned for Nov. 9, and will include dinner and music at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. Music will be provided by Chuck Cissel and friends. Cissel is the CEO of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame.

Sponsors for the events include the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa, EMSA and Paramedics Plus, Randy Foutch, the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Oneok Inc., AEP-PSO, QuikTrip Kitchens, Rogers & Bell, SemGroup, Tulsa World and the University of Tulsa.

The Tulsa Planning Committee includes Linda Gunnells, Chris Guglielmo, Mark Barcus, Karen Keith, Teresa Burkett, Mark Osborn, Ken Busby, Craig Rainey, Andrea Chancellor, Steve Williamson, Curtis Dinan, Steve Wright, Larry Findeiss, Dan Zaloudek and Wayne Greene.