Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday appointed three officials to his administration, all of whom he has previously named to other positions in Oklahoma state government.
Stitt appointed Donelle Harder as Oklahoma Secretary of State, David Ostrowe as chief operating officer and Dustin Hilliary as his senior advisor.
“We successfully launched this administration by bringing a fresh set of eyes from Oklahoma’s business community, and we will finish the same way,” Stitt said in a statement. “These three outstanding Oklahomans bring diverse strengths: Dustin’s trusted leadership and negotiation prowess, David’s operational acumen, and Donelle’s strategic vision.”
The appointments follow the resignations of Josh Cockroft, who serves as secretary of state and Stitt’s chief policy advisor, and Rick Rose, the head of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and Oklahoma’s chief operating officer. Cockcroft’s resignation is effective Oct. 2 while Rose plans to depart Sept. 26.
Harder previously served as Stitt’s senior advisor and deputy Secretary of State and worked as his spokesperson and campaign manager. She also previously worked as former U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe’s spokesperson.
In the private sector, she sold her regional public relations and marketing firm to Pinkston in 2022, and she became one of the company’s senior vice presidents.
“I’m honored to serve as Secretary of State and support Governor Stitt’s administration again,” Harder said in a statement. “I look forward to sharpening our strategic approach and ensuring this administration remains effective and focused on delivering good government for the people of Oklahoma.”
Her appointment is effective Oct. 1.
Ostrowe will return to Stitt’s administration as the chief operating officer and secretary to “drive cabinet coordination and support agency directors.”
He currently serves as president and CEO of O&M Restaurant Group leading brand expansions across states.
During Stitt’s first term, Ostrowe served as Oklahoma’s first Secretary of Digital Transformation and Administration. He was indicted by former Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter in late 2020 for allegedly bribing a state official. Ostrowe was accused of threatening to cut funding from the state Tax Commission if commissioners didn’t waive penalties and interests on a tax debt.
Current Attorney General Gentner Drummond dismissed the charges with prejudice, meaning they can’t be refiled, and apologized to Ostrowe on behalf of the state after he took office. He said Ostrowe should not have been indicted and did nothing wrong.
“In Governor Stitt’s first administration, we worked with passion to deliver digital transformation and make government more efficient and transparent,” Ostrowe said in a statement. “I am honored to return as COO to help finish that mission and continue advancing good government for all Oklahomans.”
Hilliary, Stitt’s new senior advisor and chief negotiator, also serves as the vice chair of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. It was not immediately clear if he would continue serving in both roles.
He is co-CEO of Hilliary Communications, which provides telephone and broadband service to customers in Oklahoma, Texas and Iowa. Hilliary is also co-publisher of the Hilliary Media Group, a media holding company, and operates a real estate development company.
“It is an honor to serve Oklahoma and to work alongside Governor Stitt in his final term to advance policies with the Legislature that put our state on a strong path today and for future generations,” Hilliary said in a statement.
The salaries of all three appointees were not immediately provided by the Governor’s Office.
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