Gary Sherrer is an American
Democratic politician from
Oklahoma. Sherrer served two terms as
Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment under
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
Governors
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Frank Keating
Francis Anthony Keating II (initially born as David Rowland Keating) (born February 10, 1944) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 25th governor of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2003.
, Keating is one of only five governors in Okl ...
(1995-1997) and
Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin (; née Copeland; born December 9, 1954) is an American politician who served as the 27th governor of Oklahoma from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, she was elected in 2010 and reelected in 2014. She was the first and s ...
(2011-2013). Sherrer also served as
Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture
The Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serves as the chi ...
under
Democratic Governor
David Walters
David Lee Walters (born November 20, 1951) is an American politician who was the 24th governor of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995.
Born in Canute, Oklahoma, Walters was a project manager for Governor David Boren and the youngest executive officer ...
from 1989 to 1995.
Early life
Sherrer is a graduate of
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Southeastern, SE, or SOSU) is a public university in Durant, Oklahoma. It had an undergraduate enrollment of 4,824 in 2019.
History
On March 6, 1909, the Second Oklahoma State Legislature approved an ac ...
.
He was a
Democratic member of the
Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1981 to 1989. After leaving the Legislature, Sherrer served as Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for the
Oklahoma Farmers Union and then worked for the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives.
Cabinet secretary
Walters administration
Governor
David Walters
David Lee Walters (born November 20, 1951) is an American politician who was the 24th governor of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995.
Born in Canute, Oklahoma, Walters was a project manager for Governor David Boren and the youngest executive officer ...
appointed Sherrer to serve as the State's first
Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture
The Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serves as the chi ...
. Walters also appointed him to concurrently as the Commissioner of the
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry is a department of the government of Oklahoma under the Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture. It is responsible for providing services and expertise that promote and protect Oklahoma's food s ...
. He served in both of those positions from 1991 until the end of Walter's term in 1995.
Keating administration
In 1995, Walters choose not to seek re-election as governor.
Frank Keating
Francis Anthony Keating II (initially born as David Rowland Keating) (born February 10, 1944) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 25th governor of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2003.
, Keating is one of only five governors in Okl ...
was elected to succeed him in that position. Keating asked Sherrer to stay on in his Administration. However, instead of Agriculture Secretary, Keating appoint Sherrer to serve as his
Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment. In addition to his services as Secretary, the
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
The Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) is an agency in the government of Oklahoma under the Governor of Oklahoma. OWRB is responsible for managing and protection the water resources of Oklahoma as well as for planning for the state's long-ran ...
appointed him to serve as their Executive Director.
Sherrer served in both of those positions until he resigned to return to the private sector in 1997. Governor Keating appointed
Brian C. Griffin to succeed Sherrer as Secretary.
Fallin administration
Following the election of Republican
Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin (; née Copeland; born December 9, 1954) is an American politician who served as the 27th governor of Oklahoma from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, she was elected in 2010 and reelected in 2014. She was the first and s ...
as governor in 2010, Fallin appointed Sherrer to her Taskforce on Economic Development to advise her on matter related to the economy. He served in that position from the entire transition process between Fallin's election in November 2010 and her inauguration in January 2011. On January 14, 2011, Governor Fallin announced that she had selected Sherrer to serve as her
Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment in her
Cabinet.
While serving in the Fallin Administration, Sherrer led negotiations between Oklahoma and
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
to protect the quality of the scenic rivers running through both states. Sherrer oversaw the
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is an agency of the state of Oklahoma responsible for managing and protecting Oklahoma's wildlife population and their habitats. The Department is under the control of the Wildlife Conservation Com ...
's efforts to protect the
Lesser Prairie Chicken
The lesser prairie chicken (''Tympanuchus pallidicinctus'') is a species in the grouse family.
Description
It is a medium to large bird, striped white and brown, slightly smaller and paler than its near relative the greater prairie chicken (''T. ...
, which avoided the need to place the animal under the protections of the
Endangered Species Act by the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...
. Sherrer also oversaw the
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality as it returned to compliance with the federal
Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the principal federal law in the United States intended to ensure safe drinking water for the public. Pursuant to the act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to set standards for drinking wa ...
. The compliance measures allowed the state to regain control over water quality in the state rather than the
Environmental Protection Agency. After two and a half years as Environmental Secretary, Sherrer resigned his position to return to private life.
Private sector
Following his resignation, Sherrer went to work for KAMO, a
Vinita, Oklahoma
Vinita is a city and county seat of Craig County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,743, a decline of 11.22 percent from the figure of 6,469 recorded in 2000.
History
Vinita was founded in 1870 by Elias C ...
-based power provider for northeast Oklahoma and southeast Missouri. He served as that organization's chief administrative officer and assistance chief executive officer.
Sherrer currently serves as assistant vice president for external relations in
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. He also serves on the board of directors at Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Inc., a provider of
economic development
In the economics study of the public sector, economic and social development is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals and ...
services to rural Oklahomans.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherrer, Gary
State cabinet secretaries of Oklahoma
Living people
Democratic Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Heads of Oklahoma state agencies
People from Vinita, Oklahoma
Year of birth missing (living people)
20th-century members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives