Smith Named Executive Director of Oklahoma Workers’ Comp Commission

Hopper Smith has been hired as executive director of the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC). Smith, a retired Brigadier General, will begin serving in the post on May 1.

Smith succeeds interim Executive Director Patricia Sommer who assumed the role after Kim Bailey left to become COO of the State Health Department. Hopper will report directly to commissioners Mark Liotta, Jordan Russell and Megan Tilly.

As executive director, Smith will manage and develop all operations and regulatory divisions of the WCC. Additionally, the executive director acts as a liaison between the three commissioners and can represent the commission to other state agencies.

Smith has worked in a variety of positions related to national security policy and public affairs. He was elected to multiple terms in the Oklahoma House of Representatives beginning in 1996, from south Tulsa. He resigned his seat in 2003 when his National Guard unit was mobilized for deployment to combat operations in Afghanistan.

Smith has served in a number of roles including director of Government Relations for Chesapeake Energy, president of OCPA and director of Public Affairs for Devon Energy.

The Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system was reformed in 2013, establishing the Administrative Workers’ Compensation Act (Act). The Act created the Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) which became fully operational effective Feb. 1, 2014.

Source: Oklahoma WCC

Topics Workers' Compensation Oklahoma