Poll tabs Gov. Anoatubby top leader in Oklahoma

This article appeared in the August 2016 edition of the Chickasaw Times

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Bill Anoatubby has been named “2016 Most Powerful Oklahoman” in a statewide poll of business, civic and governmental leaders.

The honor was reported in the July 1 edition of OKC Friday newspaper, a weekly publication covering northern areas of Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills and The Village.

“The reason for Anoatubby’s rise to the top seems fairly obvious as he has provided leadership...to save virtually every worthwhile project in this state while others simply shrugged...” wrote OKC Friday publisher Vicki Clark.

Gov. Anoatubby topped the list in votes tabulated from 250 ballots distributed by the newspaper.

“Anoatubby’s vision for this state and his people was confirmed when he offered to partner with Oklahoma City to complete and open the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum, Clark wrote.

“Envisioned as a world-class tourism destination in the heart of America, the center is to showcase the history and culture of Oklahoma’s 39 federally recognized Indian tribes. No other state project had been derided with more false information by the Legislature because it didn’t want to pay for it.

“Fortunately for Oklahoma City and our state, Gov. Bill Anoatubby has the imagination and forethought to know that, one day, the American Indian Cultural Center will be as important to Oklahoma tourism as the OKC Thunder has been,” the news story said.

Fifty Oklahomans were included on the ballot, with Gov. Anoatubby finishing first. Second on the list was Clay Bennett, the Oklahoma City businessman responsible for the Thunder’s re-location to the metroplex from Seattle, Washington; Larry Nichols, executive chairman of Devon Energy; David Boren, president of the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett rounded out the top five.

Also making the list at No. 13 was Chickasaw citizen and U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, who serves in the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District.

The newspaper was founded in the early 1970s by J. Leland Gourley, an Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame inductee, former gubernatorial candidate and chief of staff to Gov. J. Howard Edmondson.