John Michael Williams became intrigued with the history of Capitol Hill and South Oklahoma City some 20 years ago and has been researching and speaking about its history ever since. He has been called the ‘unofficial historian of Capitol Hill.’
He is the president of the law firm of Williams, Box, Forshee & Bullard, concentrating in the areas of municipal, public finance and urban planning law, with an emphasis on downtown economic development projects. In 2012, he received the Dean A. McGee Award Life Time Achievement Award for advancement of Downtown Oklahoma City.
He served as chairman of the Board of Regents of Oklahoma City Community College for ten years, and was chosen as the outstanding community college regent for the Western Region of the United States and Canada by the Association of Community College Trustees. The foyer of the OCCC Capitol Hill campus is named in his honor.
Currently he serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the State Fair of Oklahoma, on the Board of the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation, is president of the Beacon Club and is City Attorney of Nichols Hills. He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma School of Law, is a 50-year member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church and lives in Heritage Hills with his wife, fellow Club 29 Rotarian Kathy L. Williams.
Devery Youngblood is the Founding CEO of Oklahoma Tomorrow, a statewide not-for-profit organization that supports decisions that produce more college graduates to power Oklahoma’s economy and communities. The organization has a Board of Directors made up of business leaders from all over the state, representing manufacturers, high tech, banking, research, insurance, energy, and other leading drivers of Oklahoma’s 21st Century economy.
Devery’s career includes nine years with the Chickasaw Nation, where he worked with Governor Bill Anoatubby and his leadership on economic and community issues. He served four years as District Director and Senior Advisor to U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook. Devery was the founding President of Downtown OKC Inc. where he spent eight years leading economic recovery efforts after the Murrah Bombing and directing private sector development associated with Oklahoma City’s visionary MAPS Program.
Devery has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from Southern Nazarene University; and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Devery has twice been appointed by Governor Mary Fallin to the Oklahoma City Community College Board of Regents, is a member of the OU College of Public Health Advisory Board, is a Life Member of the Urban League, and an active member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.
Devery is married to Karen Youngblood, who is Executive Director of Customized Education at the University of Central Oklahoma, a twice-elected member of the Yukon Public Schools Board of Education, and a gubernatorial appointee to the Board of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs. They have four children and five grandchildren along with their “Honduran son” who lives with them while going to college at Oklahoma City Community College.