Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Governor Mary Fallin and the Commissioners of the Land Office today appointed Harry W. Birdwell as the new Secretary of the Land Office.
“Harry Birdwell brings strengths to the agency including a strong background in education, rural development, investments and economic development” Fallin said.
Birdwell’s background includes work the Oklahoma State University, The Rural Electric Co-op and the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.
Talking about the opportunity, Birdwell said,” It is a great time to link the Commissioners of the Land Office to the perspectives of the newly elected state leadership to continue the trend of accountability and to think outside the box to maximize the yield from the state’s land resources and to leverage and stimulate economic development”.
The Commissioners of the Land Office have, to date, provided just under $113 million dollars to schools and colleges across the state. Established at statehood the Land Office oversees approximately 750,000 land acres and 1.3 million dollars mineral acres for the benefit of education.