State Chamber Names New Chair and Board Members
OKLAHOMA CITY (July 2, 2025) – Workforce development, political engagement, and competing on the national and international stage will be key focuses for new leadership of the state’s leading business voice. The State Chamber is proud to announce three new members of the Board of Directors and Rick Nagel as its new chairman.
Nagel is the managing partner and CEO for Acorn Capital Management, the Oklahoma-based middle-market private equity investment firm specializing in aerospace, defense, intelligence, and space. Nagel also serves as vice chair on the OU Board of Regents and is the founder of the Oklahoma Aviation Academy in Norman. Rick has served on The State Chamber board since 2018.
“Rick Nagel has been one of the strongest, most influential voices in leadership at The State Chamber for years,” said Chad Warmington, president and CEO of The State Chamber. “His work in education and workforce innovation is groundbreaking and transformative. We are lucky to have a strong, respected leader as our chair.”
Nagel has also been an integral part of The State Chamber for over a decade. Acorn Capital has been a member since 2002. Rick has served on The State Chamber Executive Committee since 2022 and replaces Dana Weber, CEO of Webco Industries, as chair.
“We already have one of the best chambers in the nation, but I know Chad and the staff are just like me,” said Nagel. “We don’t want to rest on our laurels; we are ready to get even better. I am ready to compete to make the Chamber and the state’s business community more competitive, more of a player on the national and international stages.”
The State Chamber is also proud to announce the following three new members of its Board of Directors: Jonathan Curtwright, Chief Operations Officer, OU Health; John Estus, Head of State & Local Policy, Oklahoma for Amazon; and Jonathan Fowler, President, Fowler Holding Company.
“We are excited about the new faces,” said Warmington. “We continue to diversify the industries holding spots on our board to better represent the entire evolving Oklahoma business community. It allows us to make better informed decisions as we continue to push to grow our state’s economy. The Chamber’s future is bright.”
Media Contact – Brent Skarky – 405-818-1939 – Brent@okstatechamber.com
