Rogers State University has appointed a Bartlesville resident to serve as the university’s principal liaison with the community.
Connie Beair of Bartlesville will start on August 16 as the Director of University Relations for the Bartlesville campus. The university recently created this position to strengthen the university’s presence in the community and advance public higher education opportunities in the Bartlesville area.
Beair will focus on establishing relationships with key partners in the greater Bartlesville area, including individuals, civic leaders, the education community, business and industry. She will report directly to the university president.
“This new position is a major step in the advancement of the RSU Bartlesville campus,” RSU President Dr. Joe Wiley said. “As a longtime Bartlesville resident with many years of corporate management experience, Connie Beair is in an ideal position to establish and maintain important relationships within the community.”
RSU is presently developing a needs assessment, fundraising plan and long-range growth strategy to better meet the educational needs of the Bartlesville area with the assistance of Stroman and associates of Bartlesville.
In addition to community relations, Beair will focus on identifying the educational needs of Bartlesville area residents, regional employers and economic development initiatives with the goal of expanding educational programs at the RSU Bartlesville campus. She also will work to communicate and promote the vision and mission of the Bartlesville campus and will maintain a visible leadership presence in the community, Wiley said.
Another major role for Beair will be to assist in raising private funds in support of the Bartlesville campus. She will work with the university’s development office and RSU Foundation to coordinate annual fundraising programs, establish personal contacts for the purpose of annual and major gift fundraising, and prepare various grant proposals.
She also will work to strengthen the university’s recruitment and retention initiatives for the Bartlesville campus and to ensure that proper services, activities and educational facilities are provided for students.
“I’m looking forward to helping to foster the expansion of public higher education opportunities for Bartlesville area residents,” Beair said. “The Bartlesville campus has so much potential for growth in terms of enrollment and campus facilities.”
Beair has more than 25 years of management experience, working for several divisions and subsidiaries of ONEOK, Inc., a diversified energy company serving Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. At ONEOK, she most recently worked as a revenue analyst in the accounting department of Kansas Gas Service in Overland Park, Kan. She previously served as a transportation services representative for Oklahoma Natural Gas in Tulsa and as a microcomputer specialist and trainer for ONEOK, developing and implementing quality control and training programs for the payroll and benefits department.
She has been extensively involved in community service, serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission, Community Chest and Junior Achievement in Independence, Kan., while working as an office manager for Western Resources, Inc.
In addition, she was a member of the Independence Chamber of Commerce, serving as chairperson of several committees. She was one of 10 community leaders to be selected for the Independence Leadership Program in 1990. She also served as treasurer, secretary and vice president of the Soroptimist Club of Independence, and served on the school board in Oswego, Kan.
She received a bachelor’s degree in human resources management from Friends University in Wichita, Kan.
She is married to Denney Beair, who is retired from Farmland Industries of Coffeyville, Kan. They have lived in Bartlesville since 1997. Their family includes two daughters, Alyson Novorr and her husband Craig Novorr of Overland Park, Kan., and Bethany Buller and her husband Lt. Tim Buller of Corpus Christi, Texas, and one grandchild, Tyler Novorr.
For more information on the RSU Bartlesville campus, call (918) 335-3500.