OU regents say Stone resignation was a surprise
NORMAN — The resignation of Renzi Stone from the University of Oklahoma board of regents was unexpected, even to other board members.
“Like many of you, we were surprised he resigned yesterday,” current Board Chairman Leslie RainboltForbes said Wednesday. “As regents, we certainly understand the extraordinary time commitment required to serve on this board. So, we understand and respect Renzi' s decision to step down from his position as a member of this board.”
Rainbolt-Forbes addressed Stone's departure at the board's latest meeting on the OU campus.
Stone abruptly ended his tenure with the regents on Tuesday, citing “new opportunities.” Earlier that day, the board had reelected him as its vice chairman and selected Regent Gary Pierson as chairman.
Gov. Mary Fall in appointed Stone to a seven-year term in 2015. He submitted his resignation letter to Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday afternoon, saying it would be effective immediately.
“Since my appointment in 2015, I've spent between 10-30 hours a week on OU business,” Stone said in his resignation letter. “With a few new opportunities on my plate, and the University trending in the right direction, I decided it was a good time to make a change for me and my family.”
Stone was a four-year letterman for OU basketball from 1996 to 2000. He is the president and CEO of Saxum Strategic Communications in Oklahoma City.
“Renzi is a true Sooner and has represented our great university well in many capacities over the years,” Rainbolt-Forbes said. “For t hat we are grateful. We are pleased he has other opportunities, and all of us on the board wish him and his family the very best moving forward. He is a big part of the Sooner family, and we look forward to his continued presence across our campus.”
With four regents present Wednesday, the board had the minimum number of members needed to host a meeting. Pierson was unable to attend because of a work commitment. Regent Frank Keating, a former Oklahoma governor, also was unable to stay for the meeting.
Pierson, t he board's newest member, recently moved to Colorado, but that didn't discourage the board from electing him chairman on Tuesday.
Pier son joined the board in April after Stitt appointed him to finish the rest of Regent Bill Burgess's term. Burgess died in February and was next in line to become chairman.
Rainbolt-Forbes said it
“seems fitting” to honor Burgess by having hi s successor follow in his footsteps. She also said Pierson has been "invaluable in helping us bring resolution to some significant matters in the past several months."
Pierson isn't the only regent living out of state. St it tap pointed Eric Stevenson to the board in March despite the regent being based in Ohio.
“I don't consider it a burden at all,” Stevenson said after Wednesday's meeting.
Pierson is the president and CEO of The Oklahoma Publishing Co., which until October 2018 owned The Oklahoman newspaper. The two entities are no longer affiliated with each other.