A. The Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall be appointed by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce Board created in Section 4 of this act. The Chief Executive Officer shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and shall continue to serve until a successor is duly appointed and qualified. The salary of the Chief Executive Officer shall be compensated in a manner that compares equally to similar positions in the private sector. The salary of the Chief Executive Officer shall not be set pursuant to the standards provided in Section 3601.2 of this title. B. The Chief Executive Officer shall be qualified for such position by character, personality, ability, education, training and successful administrative experience in the public or private sector. The Chief Executive Officer shall have experience that includes, but is not limited to: 1. Economic development program leadership; 2. Business development leadership; 3. Senior-level board management and leadership; 4. Senior-level business and political engagement; 5. Leading business development or business recruitment teams; 6. Creating and implementing sector development strategies; 7. Branding and marketing leadership experience; and 8. Experience in recruiting companies to a state or community. C. The Chief Executive Officer shall employ such persons as are necessary to implement the powers and duties of the Department. Because many of the powers and duties of the Department involve working closely with the private sector, certain employee positions of the Department shall be employed and compensated in a manner that compares equally to similar positions in the private sector and shall be exempt from the provisions of the Civil Service and Human Capital Modernization Act. All other employees and positions shall be subject to the provisions of the Civil Service and Human Capital Modernization Act. Provided, nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Legislature to specify the status of positions otherwise by law. Neither shall the Chief Executive Officer have the authority to circumvent, disregard or otherwise disobey specific provisions of law regarding positions in the Department. D. The Chief Executive Officer shall serve on the board of: 1. The Oklahoma Industrial Finance Authority; 2. The Oklahoma Development Finance Authority; and 3. The Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority. E. The Chief Executive Officer may serve as administrator of any interlocal agreement or compact to pursue economic development and to assign any employees of the Department or employee personnel to carry out duties or obligations pursuant to any interlocal agreement or compact for economic development. F. The Chief Executive Officer, at his or her discretion, may approve payment for affiliations or memberships of the Department or, if necessary, associate memberships for individual employees in international, national, or state economic development councils, professional organizations, or governmental associations. Added by Laws 1986, c. 207, § 10, operative July 1, 1986. Amended by Laws 1986, c. 276, § 22, operative July 1, 1986; Laws 1987, c. 222, § 12, operative July 1, 1987. Renumbered from § 5004 of this title by Laws 1987, c. 222, § 122, operative July 1, 1987. Amended by Laws 1990, c. 266, § 34, operative July 1, 1990; Laws 1998, c. 309, § 8, eff. July 1, 1998; Laws 2002, c. 484, § 14, eff. July 1, 2002; Laws 2022, c. 243, § 25, emerg. eff. May 11, 2022; Laws 2024, c. 377, § 4, emerg. eff. June 5, 2024; Laws 2025, c. 133, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.
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