Jenks Chamber of Commerce president named to serve as director of Commerce Department

The state Department of Commerce will have new leadership after nearly a year under an interim director.

Gov. Kevin Stitt announced the appointment Tuesday of Heather Turner, president of the Jenks Chamber of Commerce. Jenks is a southern suburb of Tulsa.

“Her work advocating on behalf of businesses in Jenks has created an environment where companies can thrive,” Stitt said in a press release.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Turner has directed the chamber in Jenks since October 2022, after she graduated from Oklahoma State University with her Master of Business Administration. Before that, she taught music at several schools before starting her own in 2011, Anthem Road Academy (formerly known as Abbey Road Academy), which has four locations: Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks and Edmond/Oklahoma City.

Turner also lists experience in economic development consulting on her LinkedIn profile. She is also a public speaker and an author of Dream Trader.

“Throughout my time at Jenks Chamber of Commerce, I found creative ways to build up our business community and attract new businesses to our town,” Turner said in a press release. “I’m honored that Governor Stitt is appointing me to bring that same vision and creativity to the Department of Commerce.

She replaces Hopper Smith, the interim director who replaced Brent Kisling after he left in June 2023. Kisling had served in the role since 2019.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Stitt picks Jenks Chamber of Commerce president to lead Commerce Dept.