Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed the head of state parks as interim director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department on Thursday.
Sterling Zearley will step into the role Oct. 14, replacing former director Shelley Zumwalt who announced her retirement last month following the release of a critical audit.
With over 23 years of experience at the tourism department, Zearley most recently served as director of state parks.
“I look forward to the opportunity to lead Tourism and continue to serve my state in an agency I love,” he said in a statement. “With the upcoming Route 66 Centennial and the opportunity to host Olympic softball and canoeing, all eyes will be on Oklahoma. We are ready for the challenge.”
A department spokesperson said Zearley’s salary as interim director had not been determined yet. Zumwalt, the former director, will help with the transition until she departs Oct. 11, according to a news release.
The spokesperson did not know Thursday if a severance agreement was involved in Zumwalt’s resignation. Her retirement announcement last Friday followed calls from Attorney General Gentner Drummond to resign and cooperate with an investigation seeking to determine if any laws had been broken.
An April state audit found that Zumwalt, the former head of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, had approved contracts and change orders totaling $8.5 million to a company where her husband served as vice president.
Zumwalt has denied wrongdoing and said she disclosed the connection, but had been told it wasn’t an issue because her husband wasn’t involved in the contract. She refused to resign.
According to the audit, Zumwalt was required to complete annual forms attesting that no related party transactions existed and she checked “no” on the forms.
Stitt thanked Zearley for his willingness to step into the role of interim director.
“He has a long track record of service to Oklahoma, and I’m grateful for the work he’s done to make our parks a great place to be,” he said in a statement.
The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department is tasked with overseeing maintenance and conservation of Oklahoma parks, promoting tourism, educating the public on Oklahoma history, and advising the governor and Legislature on tourism and recreation.
Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence.
