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HISTORY OF THE NORMAN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Presidents

John Dwyer - 1984
Kim Bollinger - 1985
Mike Hawley - 1986
Ed Copelin - May 1987 thru May 1988
Linda Lockett - May 1988 thru May 1989 (first woman President)
Ramey Foor - May 1989 thru May 1990
Ann Belknap - May 1990 (1 month and VP Henderson took over)
Ron Henderson - 1990 thru May 1991
Larry Pace - May 1991 thru May 1992
Marsha Ferrier - May 1992 thru May 1993
Jim Landrum - May 1993 thru May 1994
Adam Geurkink - May 1994 thru 1995
Randy Woods - May 1995 thru May 1996
Randy Kersey - May 1996 thru May 1997
Ron Henderson - May 1997 thru May 1998 (President twice)
Jonathan Leavey - May 1998 thru May 1999
Tom Sherman - May 1999 thru May 2000
Bill Pain - May 2000 thru May 2001
Ted Greb - May 2001 thru May 2002
Mike Turek - May 2002 thru May 2003
Dave Boeck - May 2003 thru May 2004
Scott Martin - May 2004 thru May 2005
Ed Thayer - May 2005

Founding & First Members

NBA formed in November 1983 - first meeting at Red Parrot now Tony’s Cantina
Kim Bollinger *
John Dwyer *
Steve Hoelscher
Fred Walden
Robert Wilkerson *
Randy Woods *
   * Founders according to John Dwyer

Actions

1980’s NBA logo designed by Don Beck
1986 First NBA By-Laws [Summer 1998 update by Bill Pain]
1997 Revised Mission Statement and new Principles of Relationship (Ron Henderson)
1998 Richard Love designed NBA website
1999 NBA Files first Digitized on a (1.44 Floppy) and passed from Leavey to Sherman
2005 NBA Files Digitized on a (CD) and passed from Martin to Thayer
2005 NBA History Jonathan Leavey

Ron Henderson - 1989 and 1990
Larry Pace - 1991 
Gary Clinton - 1993 

Ed Adwon - President of the OU Theatre Guild, Past President of Firehouse Arts
Dave Boeck - Past Chairman of Architour for the Firehouse Arts
Ed Copelin - Past President of the Norman Downtowners, Past President Norman Rotary, President of OEC Operation Roundup Board (12 years), Past President Norman Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Board, Past President Moore-Norman Vo Tech Board, Past President United Way of Norman, District Chair for Boy Scouts of America (2 years)
Gary Clinton - Chamber Of Commerce President May 2002 thru April 2003
Board Of Moore-Norman Technology Center, United Way Of Norman Board, Health For Friends Board
Marsha Ferrier - Past President Interfaith Council of Norman, Past President University Women’s Association, Charter Member of Assistance League
Ted Greb - Chamber Of Commerce President May 2004 thru April 2005, 2000 United Way Campaign Chairman
Robert Hamra - Past President of the Norman Tennis Association
Steve Hoelscher - President of the Cleveland and McClain County Dental Society 1990
Harry Holloway - President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Association of University Professors 1995
Jonathan Leavey - Chamber Of Commerce President May 2005 thru April 2006, President of the Norman Downtowners -1999
Bill Lockett - President of Norman Lions Club 1995-96, President South Canadian Amateur Radio Society (SCARS)
Bill Nations - Past President Norman Kiwanis Club, Past President Cleveland County Dental Society, Past President Higher Education Alumni Council of Oklahoma, Norman International Affairs Committee, Norman Envisioners Group, Leadership Norman Graduate, University of Oklahoma Dean’s Education Professions Division Advisory Council, OU Dental School Adjunct Professor – Endodonics (1972-1981)
Larry Pace - Past President of Norman Rotary, Past Associates Council Chairman for the Norman Builders Association, Past Norman Conventions and Visitors Bureau Board, Past Norman Chamber of Commerce Board
Scott Martin - Vice President of Community Development for the Norman Chamber of Commerce, District Chairman for the Boy Scouts of America, United Way Cabinet, 2004 Volunteer of the Year Award (Service to Youth and Education), 2004 Norman Chamber of Commerce Leadership Development Co-Chair, 2002 and 2003 Norman Tomorrow’s Leaders Co-Chair, Salvation Army Board, 1999-2000 President of the American-Heart Association Board for Cleveland County Board, 1994-1995 University of Oklahoma Student Body President
Bill Pain - Past President of Norman Rotary
Andy Rieger - Chamber of Commerce President in 2000, 2004 United Way Campaign Chairman, District Chairman Sooner District for the Boy Scouts of America
Tom Sherman - President of the Purcell Economic Development Foundation May 2000 through May 2002
Fred Walden - TIPS Club President 1994-1995

Ed Adwon - Norman Planning Commission
Dave Boeck - Historic District Commission
Laura Boyd - Former State Representative and Former Governor Candidate
Marsha Ferrier - Board of Parks Commissioners
Bob Gill - Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Board
Mike Goodman - Norman Cable Communications Commission
Dr. Harold Haralson - Mayor of Norman (2004 to present) and Former Norman Councilman
Ron Henderson - Former Mayor of Norman and Norman Councilman
Steven Jones - Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District (COMCD)
David Karr - Former Ward 3 Norman Councilmember
Jonathan Leavey - Ward 3 Norman Councilman 2003-2005
Bill Lockett - Environmental Control Advisory Board (ECAB)
Linda Lockett - Norman Enforcement Authority
Tony Nettey-Marbel - Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Board, Crimestoppers
Scott Martin - Assistant to the City Manager of Norman
Tully McCoy - Former Cleveland County District Attorney, Former Purcell Mayor & Councilman
Dr. Bill Nations Norman City Council (1986-1992), Mayor of Norman (1992-1998) & State Representative House District 44 (1998 to present) Chair Democratic Caucus Finance Committee, Democratic Caucus Leadership Team, Guest Lecturer OU – Politics and Local Government (2003-2005)
Andy Rieger - Editor of the Norman Transcript
Sherry Rogers - Director of the Norman Convention & Visitors Bureau
Joe Siano - Superintendent of Norman Public Schools
Merrill Snider - Norman Wastewater Oversite Committee, Kiwanis Board of Director
Hank Strategier - Norman Board of Appeals
Fred Walden - Norman Planning Commission
Don Wood - Norman Economic Development Coalition Director
Cal Wynn - Board of Parks Commissioners

Lifetime Achievement Award

Linda Lockett - 1990 
Ron Henderson - 1999

Ed Adwon -  U.S. Army
Gary Clinton - U.S. Army Captain, Chief of Pharmacy Services, Lyster Army Hospital
Larry Flannigan - U.S. Army
Jim Friedemann - U.S. Army National Guard
Mike Goodman - retired U.S. Army (30 years)
Dr Harold Haralson - U. S. Navy Reserve
Ron Henderson - U.S. Army Reserve
Harry Holloway - U.S. Marines Reserve
Joe Lies - U.S. Navy Reserve
Bill Lockett - U. S. Army Artillery
Dr Bill Nations - U.S. Navy Dental Corp Lt.
Larry Pace - U.S. Army
Bill Pain - U. S. Navy
Fred Walden - U.S. Navy
John Williams - retired (23 years) Captain (O6), U. S. Navy

Ambassador Edwin Corr, OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione, U.S. Senator Don Nickles, U.S. Congressman J.C. Watts, U.S. Congressman Tom Cole, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Marian Opala, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry, former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, State Finance Director Scott Meacham (now State Treasurer), Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, Oklahoma Lt. Governor Mary Fallin, the head of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Hal Stratton, U.S. Congressman Steve Largent, U.S. Congressman Brad Carson, U.S. Congressman Dave McCurdy, OU Men's Basketball Coach Billy Tubbs, OU Men's Basketball Coach Kelvin Sampson, OU Women's Basketball Coach Sherri Coale, OU Women's Softball Coach Patty Gasso.

First club meetings held approximately October through November 1983 at the “Red Parrot”, moved to Grandy’s on Main street, then briefly to the Ramada Inn (24th & Lindsey) , then for a very short time to The Trails in the early 90’s (ask Copelin about club members preparing their own food at the Trails – funny story), then to Holiday Inn (2600 W Main Street), Denny’s June 1993 and current location the Davenport on June 7, 1997.

John Dwyer, the NBA’s first President is an author and speaker. He is a former newspaper publisher and radio host. His books include the historical novels, Stonewall and Robert E. Lee from Broadman and Holman Publishers. He stated the reason for the club’s formation was, ‘Designed as a club with social and camaraderie benefits, like the Rotary, but with the more direct and effective effort to help one another build our businesses. It had a distinctly youthful feel as well, as we were all in our mid to late twenties. We also had a member of the month award, which went to the person that did the most in helping to refer business to club members that month.’

Memories of Freddy Walden – ‘When I first attended, we met in a little room on the west side of the old Holiday Inn on west main and I 35. I believe the room was called the "Bud Wilkinson" room. It was small and had only one table approx. 10 feet long and we sat in office chairs, the room could not of been over 8 feet wide and maybe 14 feet long. I believe Ramey Foor, John Dwyer , Robert Wilkerson ( he sponsored me) his wife, Vanetta Wilkerson, Kim Bollinger , Randy Woods and maybe the owner of BMI were everyone that attended my first meeting.’

July 1985 club celebrated 30 members.

Harry Holloway wrote the 1993 book Bad Times for Good Ol' Boys The Oklahoma County Commissioner Scandal.

Special thanks to John Dwyer NBA’s first President.

Thanks to: Marsha Ferrier, Fred Walden, Scott Martin, Mike Turek, Ted Greb, Mike Goodman, Ed Copelin, Ron Henderson, Mike Bergey, President Ed Thayer, Larry Pace, Representative Bill Nations, Bill Lockett, Linda Lockett, Steve Hoelscher, Ramey Foor, John Williams, Bill Pain, Tom Sherman and anyone else that I may have missed.

Email corrections, additions and fun stuff to Jonathan at:  jonathan@americanfirst.com

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