LAWTON – Southwestern Oklahoma’s educational community is seeing dramatic change with the retirement of one long-time educational leader at Great Plains Technology Center and the announcement of a new president at Cameron University.
The changes follow a difficult year at the state Capitol, where education – common, career tech and higher education – were there centerpiece of the state’s $12.6 billion budget.
At Cameron, Shane Hunt of Idaho has been chosen by Cameron’s Board of Regents the Board of Regents for the University of Oklahoma, Cameron University and Rogers State University as Cameron’s 18th president. Hunt replaces the university’s interim President Jari Askins, a former lieutenant governor and member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Askins led the school while officials searched for a new leader.
“The board was exceptionally impressed with Dr. Hunt’s qualifications and enthusiasm,” Regent Chair Eric Stevenson said in a media statement. “His demonstrated leadership, along with a track record of fundraising success, indicates to us that he is a person with the drive and vision needed to lead Cameron University.”
Hunt was selected after an extensive search that attracted more than 65 applicants. A 15-member search committee comprised of Cameron students, faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders reviewed resumes and conducted interviews that first narrowed the field to a half-dozen prospects, and then to two candidates who were interviewed by regents.
After completing his MBA at the University of Oklahoma – where he met his wife of 25 years – Hunt began working for a Fortune 500 company in Tulsa and spent eight years as a pricing analyst, product manager and business development manager before completing his Ph.D. at Oklahoma State University.
His research was honored by the National Society of Collegiate Scholars Hunt with its National Inspire Integrity Award. Hunt received the Lt. Col. Barney Smith Award as Professor of theYear and the Honors Professor of theYear at Arkansas State University, and the National Teaching Innovation Award from the Association of Collegiate Marketing Educators.
Hunt’s academic work was published in The Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management and The Journal of Business Logistics. In addition, he co-authored four Principles of Marketing textbooks and two professional selling textbooks published by McGraw Hill that are used by students across the globe.
Prior to leading Cameron, Hunt served as the Dean of the College of Business, Michael C. Ruettgers Professor of Marketing, and Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship and Economic Innovation at Idaho State University.
During his time as dean, Hunt led the ISU College of Business through successful reaccreditation in business and accounting as well as the most significant improvements to the College of Business building in its history.
Hunt said he was thrilled to come to Cameron.
“As a first-generation college graduate who grew up in this state, I can speak firsthand about the transformative power of public higher education in Oklahoma,” he said. “Cameron University is filled with incredible faculty and staff, and I am so excited for the positive impact we are going to make together on the future of our students and community. My wife, Jenifer, and I, along with our two children, Andrew and Sarah, are thrilled to be part of Cameron, Lawton and southwest Oklahoma.'
While Cameron has added a new leader, the long-time superintendent of the Great Plains Technology Center announced his retirement earlier this year.
Superintendent Clarence Fortney stepped down from his post on June 30, after a 45-year career at the school.
Fortney was hired in 1979 to fill the position of short-term adult welding instructor. His educational and career journey advanced from welding instructor to coordinator of adult training and development from 1988 to 1994 and then director of adult training and development from 1994 until 2006.
From there he advanced to the director of secondary education and then director of instruction. In 2009, Fortney was named deputy superintendent. He held that post until 2016, when he was named the school’s leader. Fortney said he received his superintendent’s certificate after about 20 years of night and weekend classes.
Deputy Superintendent Joelle Jolly was tapped to succeed Fortney. Jolly will begin her new duties July 1. She was named deputy superintendent in March 2022.
A GPTC employee since 2005, Jolly previously served as director of student services and director of health sciences and STEM education. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.