Leadership

Chad Mariska
Secretary of Commerce and Workforce Development
Chad Mariska is Oklahoma’s 12th Secretary of Commerce and Workforce Development and the president of Mariska Family Holdings, a diversified investment company, and trustee of Mariska Family Foundation, a private charitable trust. As Secretary, Chad oversees the economic, community and workforce development efforts for our state.

Brent Kisling
Executive Director of Commerce
Brent Kisling is the Executive Director of Commerce. He has an extensive background in economic development. Before taking on his leadership role at Commerce, Brent was Executive Director of the Enid Regional Development Alliance for nearly 10 years.
Site Selection + Business Expansion


Business Recruitment






Jay Shidler
Advanced Technology and High Growth Start-Ups Project Manager

Sarah Short
International Relations and Foreign Direct Investment Coordinator





Aerospace + Defense and ACES Program

Hopper Smith, Brigadier General, ARNG (Ret.)
State Director of Aerospace and Defense


Brent Wright, Brigadier General, USAF (Ret.)
Strategic Advisor for Aerospace & Defense



Brent Wright, Brigadier General, USAF (Ret.)
Strategic Advisor for Aerospace & Defense
Oklahoma Film + Music Office


Regional Development Team

Jared Cooper
Director of Rural Services/ Northeast Region & Central Region



Ray Little
Director, Business Retention & Expansion/ Central Region


Legislative

Marketing + Media Relations

Chief of Staff & General Counsel

Thomas Grossnicklaus
Chief of Staff & General Counsel
Marketing + Media Relations

Your Small Business + Startup Team


Cathy Curtis
Small Business Incubators / Women-owned Business Certifications
International Trade + Exporting

Nicole Boyles
State Director, International Trade and Exports

Sarah Short
International Relations and Foreign Direct Investment Coordinator


Main Street

Research

Community Development

International Relations
