Idaho State U. dean with Oklahoma ties chosen to be new president at Cameron University
The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, which oversees Cameron, met on Monday at OU and voted to approve Hunt's hiring. Hunt will become the Lawton university's 18th president, as of July 1.
The board approved a one-year contract for Hunt, who will be paid $275,000. Cameron's interim president, former Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, will remain through June 30. She has served in that role since July 22, 2024, replacing former President John McArthur, who retired after 20 years at Cameron, the last 11 as president.
Hunt emerged from a field of 65 applicants. A 15-member search committee comprised of Cameron students, faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders reviewed resumes and conducted interviews that narrowed the field to a half-dozen prospects, and then to two candidates who were interviewed by regents.
'The board was exceptionally impressed with Dr. Hunt's qualifications and enthusiasm,' said regents' chair Eric Stevenson. '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 now works at Idaho State as the dean of the college of business, a professor of marketing and vice provost of entrepreneurship and economic innovation. In a news release, Cameron officials said Hunt led Idaho State's business college through a successful reaccreditation process and contributed to "unprecedented" fundraising success.
According to his LinkedIn page, Hunt has been at Idaho State since May 2020. Before that he spent more than 13 years at Arkansas State University as a professor and dean. He earned a bachelor's and master's degree from OU and a doctorate in marketing from Oklahoma State University.
"I am thrilled and honored to serve as the next president of Cameron University and become part of the Aggie family and the Lawton community,' Hunt said. '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.
'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.'
In addition to its main campus in Lawton, Cameron has a satellite campus in Duncan in southwestern Oklahoma.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Idaho State dean to be next president of Oklahoma's Cameron University
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
American Press
3 hours ago
- American Press
HUNT Tech: SW La. startup catches the eye of the governor
Southwest Louisiana startup HUNT Tech, the makers of scent- and DEET-free insect repellent sprays and lotions, is making a name for itself across the region and around the country — and the governor of Louisiana is taking notice. Gov. Jeff Landry declared Aug. 1 HUNT Day in Louisiana, honoring the company's contributions to 'entrepreneurial innovation and rural business expansion across the state.' The winners of last year's Gator Tank business pitch competition, HUNT c o-founders Gabriel Fontenot and his brother-in-law, Burns Mulhearn, said the initial idea behind the business was to help hunters stay protected without scent. That goal was met and then some. 'Growing up in Southwest Louisiana, being an outdoorsman is a way of life. It's part of the culture,' Fontenot said. 'But you're surrounded by mosquitoes and other insects. We thought, 'What can we do? How can we get innovative in this space?' That's what started the whole journey.' Over two years, Fontenot and Mulhearn developed a repellent that won't damage the equipment used by hunters while protecting them in Sportsman's Paradise. 'It will not damage any of your gear – including plastics, metals, leather. It's not going to corrode your rifle. It's not going to damage anything you have,' Fontenot said. 'Also, you're not going to notice you have it on.' Today, HUNT Refined Repellent is offered in a growing list of retail locations — including Nichols Dry Goods and Lake Charles Tackle and will soon be on shelves in eight Stine Home & Yard locations. It also has the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seal of approval and its endorsement of 14 hours of protection. 'It's been a long road,' Fontenot said. 'We won the competition back in October and we were anticipating launching in January but we had a long, uphill battle with the EPA and getting all of our licenses and manufacturing lined up and, more importantly, figuring out how we were going to keep a steady supply.' The company hit the ground running and began taking orders on the Fourth of July and already are sending shipments to customers in Pennsylvania and Montana. 'Our focus is building a very strong Louisiana brand,' Fontenot said. 'We're focusing very heavily on the I-10 corridor and then we'll eventually move up north, as well.' While the HUNT leadership team works out of the Henning SEED Center on the McNeese State University campus, they have been renovating a vacant Dollar General store in Elton — Fontenot's hometown — to set up a packaging and distribution facility. 'We bought the property in Elton to really invest a lot of money into the community there,' Fontenot said. 'We're a Louisiana company through and through.' Fontenot said the products are bottled in West Palm Beach, Fla. — the closest EPA-certified facility to Louisiana — and are packaged here in Southwest Louisiana. 'I think people underestimate the size and importance of this market,' Mulhearn said. 'What we started out trying to do was to help hunters but this also helps workers, families, anyone spending time outdoors. You can put it on every day and have protection all day.' Mulhearn said the repellent is made from a derivative of a black pepper plant. 'It's safer and it doesn't have the toxicity that other products have,' Mulhearn said. 'It's better all around.' Since January, the company has been developing its team and go-to-market strategy. Part of the team has included three McNeese interns — Jake Armand, Jagger Morvant and Kaden Marshall. 'From the jump I really liked the fact that this is a family owned company. Family has always been a huge part of my life,' said Armand, a business administration major. 'I really like that also from the jump they really have valued our opinions. They would ask us questions and we're involved in a lot of conversations — which I think not only helped the company but helped me learn a lot.' Armand said his internship has been hands-on with tasks such as marketing and sales. 'We got to see how hard it was to start a business in Louisiana but then we got to reap the rewards and launch the company and we're doing way better than we expected. It's only up from here.' His enthusiasm hasn't gone unnoticed. Armand, who graduates in December, was recently promoted to general manager. Morvant said his internship has given him the opportunity to dip his toe in marketing, cost accounting, package orders and sales meetings. 'It's been cool to see something from the very early beginning at a start-up level actually get going, launch products, make money,' Morvant, an accounting major, said. 'We've been able to go all across the state trying to spread the name and it's cool to see where it has gone in such a short amount of time.' Morvant said Fontenot and Mulhearn have 'put their money where their mouth is' by keeping the company local and hiring local people. 'We're right across the street from McNeese, working at the SEED Center, that's what it's there for,' Morvant said. 'It's a good opportunity for other businesses to learn and see that there are opportunities here and there's good students they can hire who are already here. You don't have to hire from out of state.' Fontenot and Mulhearn said the governor's proclamation came as a surprise to them. 'We opened the mailbox yesterday and we noticed it,' Fontenot said. 'We're not too sure how it happened, but we're thrilled to have the support of the governor and our community.' Fontenot said it's 'a powerful moment for our company and for rural innovation across Louisiana.' 'This recognition isn't just for us — it's for all the entrepreneurs and innovators in small towns doing big things,' Fontenot said.
Business Journals
3 days ago
- Business Journals
Amazon buys 120 acres for new distribution center east of Dallas
Big-name Dallas-based investment firm Hunt announced July 29 it sold a piece of its 2,400-acre property for the development of an international distribution center in the fast-growing community. According to deed records, e-commerce giant Amazon is the buyer. The sale of Hunt's land in Terrell marks a pivotal moment for the area, with the potential to create hundreds of jobs and attract further development to the region.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Yahoo
Steves & Sons to launch autonomous trucking pilot with Bot Auto
Autonomous trucking company Bot Auto and Steves & Sons, a leader in door manufacturing and millwork, have announced a strategic partnership to utilize autonomous trucks to haul freight. The collaboration was made possible through J.B. Hunt Transport, its managed logistics provider. Bot Auto is an autonomous trucking company focused on revolutionizing freight logistics through Level 4 (L4) autonomous driving technology. The partnership represents a major leap forward as shippers look to use technology solutions like autonomous trucks to modernize the millwork supply chain. The autonomous trucks are expected to enhance Steves & Sons' supply chain reliability and scalability as the company continues in its customer service and on-time delivery goals. 'We're proud to be working with J.B. Hunt and Bot Auto to drive innovation and stay at the forefront of technology,' said Scott Lovett, chief operating officer at Steves & Sons, in a press release. 'This collaboration is about more than improving logistics—it's about reimagining how our industry operates to meet the evolving needs of our customers and communities.' The pilot program will incorporate autonomous trucks into Steves & Sons' managed logistics around plant-to-customer transfers while improving its existing logistical planning and execution. J.B. Hunt will advise Steves & Sons in integrating the autonomous trucks into its existing transportation solution. The autonomous routes will initially be focused in Texas, to and from the cities of San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. J.B. Hunt is the leading provider of Steves & Sons' managed logistics service. What initially began as a private fleet conversion in 2019 grew into a managed transportation solution that incorporates brokerage, truckload, LTL, international and last-mile delivery services. 'This is not just a technical upgrade—it's a cultural shift,' Lovett added. 'We're investing in the future of American manufacturing by building smarter, safer, and more adaptive supply chain systems that support our employees, our partners, and the customers we serve.' The post Steves & Sons to launch autonomous trucking pilot with Bot Auto appeared first on FreightWaves. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
