Chamber banquet Jan. 26

U.S. Marshal Clayton Johnson will be the Master of Ceremony at the 123^rd annual Ponca City Chamber of Commerce Banquet on Jan. 26. Johnson is the former Chief of the Ponca City Police Department and was sworn in as U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Oklahoma in August of 2011. 

Pastor Mark Busch will give the invocation and Molly Kyler and Adam Leaming will speak.

During the banquet, the Chamber will recognize some incredible people and businesses.

The banquet starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Phillips 66 Atrium. RCB Bank at Second Street and Grand Avenue will host a reception prior to the banquet from 4 to 6 p.m. for chamber banquet ticket holders.

To order tickets, call (580) 765-4400 or visit the Chamber Office at Fifth Street and Grand Avenue.

Adam Leaming will be introduced as the 2017 Chair of the Chamber.

He is a 1999 graduate of Newkirk High School. He earned a B.S. in Mathe-

matics from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and a M.S. in Public School Administration from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

His life work has been in the field of public education. Beginning as a substitute teacher in 2002, then as a 6th grade math teacher in 2003, he later transitioned into leadership roles as an assistant principal, and then building principal for Ponca City Public Schools.

In 2010, Leaming was named Oklahoma’s Assistant Principal of the year by the Cooperative Council of Oklahoma School Administrators and represented Oklahoma in a national search for the nation’s top assistant principal.

Leaming holds Oklahoma State Department of Education credentials for Advanced Math, Secondary Principal Administration, and Superintendent Qualifications.

In January 2013, Leaming transitioned into higher education leadership when he was tabbed as the third CEO/President of the University Center at Ponca City by the UC regents.

Leaming quickly 

became involved with the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce and a number of other local entities. In 2014, he graduated from the 28th Ponca City Leadership class.

Immediately following, he was selected as one of the 2014 participants for Leadership Oklahoma’s 28th class. In 2015, upon graduating Leadership Oklahoma, Leaming was named by the Oklahoma Magazine as one of Oklahoma’s 40 under 40 top professionals. Later in 2015, the Journal Record named Leaming as one of their Top Achievers under 40 in Oklahoma.

Leaming serves on a multitude of Chamber committees. Leaming served as the 2015 Partners in Education chair, bridging businesses with every private and public educational institution in Ponca City and McCord.

He is involved in a number of organizations at the state, county and local level.

In addition, he has served on the Ponca City Rotary board, Newkirk First United Methodist Church trustees, and is currently serves on the University Center Foundation Board, Ponca City Business Council, and Community Development committee.

He also serves on Oklahoma’s Small Business Development Center Advisory board, Standing Bear Native American Foundation board, Marland Estate Foundation, and the Leadership Oklahoma board of directors.

Leaming moved to Ponca City from Newkirk and enjoys balancing a career and his commitment to his family, including his two children, Annie and Sam, and his girlfriend, Elizabeth Pershing. Together they enjoy being outdoors, exercising, and exploring Ponca City.