Tuesday, October 22, 2013
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today announced the appointment of Steve Turnbo and Gill Luton to the Judicial Nominating Commission. Each appointee will serve a six-year term. Senate confirmation is not required.
Members of the commission nominate candidates for appointment by the governor to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court of Appeals, district and associate district judgeships, and the Workers’ Compensation Court.
The commission has 15 members. Six members are to be lawyers elected by the Oklahoma Bar Association, one selected from each of the six Oklahoma congressional districts as they existed in 1967. Six non-lawyer members are appointed by the governor, also from the six congressional districts. The remaining three appointees, also non-lawyer members, are selected by the speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate president pro tempore and a majority vote of the Judicial Nominating Commission.
Steve Turnbo of Tulsa is chairman emeritus of the Tulsa-based Schnake Turnbo Frank public relations firm. He has served as chairman of the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce, the Oklahoma Academy and the Tulsa Regional Chamber. He has a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Tulsa. He is replacing Kimberly Fobbs and is serving as a Democrat from Congressional District One as required by statute.
Gill Luton of Muskogee worked for Georgia-Pacific’s mill in Muskogee for 28 years and now works for the mill as a contractor managing community relations and public affairs issues as well as other special projects. He is a former board member and past chairman of the Muskogee Development board and a past board member of the Muskogee Chamber of Commerce. He has a bachelor’s of science degree from Oklahoma State University. He is replacing Phillip Rhoades who resigned and is serving as a Democrat from Congressional District Two as required by statute.