Brad W. Burgess

Education:

Texas Tech and Cameron University, B.A. Magna Cum Laude, 1980
The University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., 1983

Professional Organizations:

• Comanche County Bar Association
• Oklahoma Bar Association
• American Bar Association

Additional Details

Phi Kappa Phi, Oklahoma State Banking Board (1994-2003), Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (2003- 2019), Board of Directors for Crime Stoppers (1999), Black Beaver District (Chairmen of Finance for Boy Scouts of America), Comanche County Bar Association, (Member, Business, Corporate Law Section) America Bar Association (ABA), Lawton Airport Authority Board Member, Cameron University Alumni Association Member, Wichita National Life Insurance Board Member.

Bio

Brad was the publisher and owner, along with his brother Bill, of the Lawton Constitution, (the state’s third largest newspaper), he is the managing partner of Burgess & Hightower Law Firm, and President of Vortex. He is also the President of Cardinal Real Estate, Inc.

Brad is the son of Sgt. Bill W. Burgess, Sr. And Betty Burgess. He graduated from Cameron University with a B.A degree and received his juris doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1983. Brad has been married to his wife, Karen, for 40 years and they have two children, Corbin and Taylor.

Brad was appointed by Governor David Walters in 1994 to serve on the Oklahoma State Banking Board and was later reappointed by Governor Frank Keating in 2000. He resigned from the Oklahoma State Banking Board in 2002 to accept appointment to the Oklahoma Transportation Commission by Governor Brad Henry. Mr. Burgess was later reappointed by Governor Mary Fallin to continue serving on the Oklahoma Transportation Commission. During his time on the Oklahoma Transportation Commission, Brad was the ODOT representative to the Lawton Transportation Policy Committee the Vice Chairman of the ODOT Commission.

Brad presently serves as Past- Chairman of the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of Directors for the Lawton Economic Development Corporation. He served on the Board of Directors of Wichita National Life Insurance Company. Brad served as President for the Crime Stoppers of Southwest Oklahoma organization for the year 2000 and has served on the Board of Directors for a number of years. Brad serves on the District Committee for the Last Frontier Council and Chairman of the Black Beaver District of the Boy Scouts of America. He has served as Chairman of the Finance Committee for a number of years for the Black Beaver District and served as Committee Member for Troop 175. Brad is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Last Frontier Council. Brad has also served on numerous community boards, including the United Way Board of Directors and Fit Kids of Southwest Oklahoma Coalition. He has been awarded the Saint Barbara Award by Fort Sill for his involvement with Fort Sill and the Troops stationed at Fort Sill.

Brad is also an active member of the American, Oklahoma and Comanche County Bar Association, a member of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association. He is also a Member of the Cameron University Alumni Association, and is licensed to practice in the federal courts for the Western and Eastern District of Oklahoma, and the Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1989-90 Burgess was selected as Outstanding Alumnus from the Communications Department of Cameron University 1990. He was selected as Cameron Outstanding Alumni in 2015.

Brad helps organize and bring in speakers for the annual Character Counts Boy Scout banquet, such as Lt. Governor Todd Lamb, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, Former President of OSU, Burns Hargis, U.S. Representative Tom Cole, and U.S. Senator James Lankford.

In 2007, Brad and his brother, Bill, created the Burgess Family endowed lectureship in business at Cameron University. Brad and his wife, Karen, have also established a scholarship, the Bill and Betty Burgess Memorial Endowed scholarship, at Cameron University which supports the ROTC program.

Mr. Burgess has also worked at the local level setting on numerous eagle boards, and helped to finance several local eagle projects for Troop 175 and other troops. He has worked with Troop 175 to teach the citizenship merit badge and attended dozens of campouts. He was a Life Scout with 23 merit badges. He particularly enjoys identifying Oklahoma trees, flowers, stubs, and animal signs. He has spent and continues to spend countless hours with local scouts helping them advance in rank and fulfilling merit badge requirements. His father was involved in scouting since 1969. The Burgess Family has been involved in scouting in Comanche County through three generations for over 57 years. Brad and Karen’s son, Corbin, is also an eagle scout.