DUNCAN – The Duncan Chamber of Commerce’s former president and CEO will take on a different role as Duncan’s new city manager.
After discussing the position in a 50-minute closed session, the Duncan City Council voted 4-0 May 28 to hire longtime Duncan resident Chris Deal as the city’s top executive at a salary of $155,000 a year. His f irst day on the job will be June 6.
Deal is eager to begin collaborating with city staffers, he said following the meeting.
“I look forward to working with each of them and continuing the progress they’ve made to move our community forward,” he said. “We all live here, work here and play here, and we need to do everything we can to make sure our community gets the resources and takes care of our community in the way we need to just move forward and build the best Duncan we can.”
A lifelong resident of Duncan, Deal attended Duncan schools and graduated summa cum laude from the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri. He also graduated with honors from Cameron University in Lawton, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and political science.
A former business manager and consultant, Deal worked for his family business for several years, city officials said in a news release. He served as the Duncan chamber’s president and CEO from Jan. 3, 2011, until Jan. 31 of this year.
Deal has served on several boards over the years, including the Duncan Board of Education, Main Street Duncan board of directors and the city’s municipal planning commission. He was also a volunteer for the Duncan Rescue Mission, where he currently serves as the board president.
Deal will bring a wealth of experience, dedication to the community and a passion for collaborating to his new role, said Mayor Robert Armstrong.
“With City Council’s strategic vision and commitment to excellence, combined with Chris’ dedication to community engagement and transparent governance, I am certain he will excel in guiding our city forward to a bright future,” Armstrong said in the news release.
Deal replaces former City Manager Kimberly Meek, who stepped down in October 2023 to become Stillwater’s top executive. Meek served as Duncan’s city manager from 2016 until her resignation.
Duncan’s director of human resources, Kenzie Wheeler, served as interim city manager while the city searched for Meek’s successor. Now that Deal has been hired, Wheeler will return to her former position as HR director.