OKLAHOMA CITY, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) President Dr. Mautra Staley Jones, a three-time Most Admired CEOs honoree, has been named the overall winner in the public company category for the second year by The Journal Record.
Dr. Jones was honored among 45 business, nonprofit and community leaders at The Journal Record’s Most Admired CEOs and Financial Stewardship awards event on April 28 at the Skirvin Hilton. OCCC Regent Dr. Christie Burgin and Chief Financial Officer Cynthia Gary also were honored with Financial Stewardship awards.
“Each year, The Journal Record’s Most Admired CEOs program highlights the kind of leadership that defines, and often redefines, what it means to do business in Oklahoma,” said Emily Gregg, digital productions editor at The Journal Record. “The 2025 honorees lead across industries, missions and business models, but they share one thing in common: They’ve earned the respect of their peers through vision, integrity and measurable impact.”
This is the third year Dr. Jones has been recognized as a Most Admired CEO — she previously was honored in 2023 and 2024 — and the second year she has been named an overall winner.
“I thank The Journal Record for bestowing on me this distinguished honor, and I congratulate and thank my fellow CEO and Financial Stewardship Award honorees for their collective contributions and commitment to making our state stronger,” said Dr. Jones. “I am equally grateful to my OCCC family — Regents, faculty, staff, and students — whose support and dedication to the advancement of our mission inspire me each day.”
Under Dr. Jones’ dynamic leadership, OCCC has gained national prominence for academic excellence, affordability and innovation. Newsweek recognized OCCC as one of America’s Top Online Colleges for 2025, while Forbes Advisor ranked its online associate degree in psychology among the nation’s top 10. The college’s award-winning nursing program, Gray Frederickson Digital Cinema Program, and cybersecurity offerings have garnered prestigious accolades and top-tier rankings.
As Oklahoma’s largest micro-credential provider, OCCC offers nearly 60 options and has awarded over 13,300 certifications in the past year. The college has held tuition flat for seven consecutive years and has received the Tree Campus Higher Education designation for 14 straight years.
About Oklahoma City Community College
Since its inception in 1972, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) has been the heartbeat of the Metro, dedicated to empowering learners and strengthening communities. Serving more than 18,000 students in credit-seeking courses and more than 5,000 students in non-credit-seeking programs, we are committed to producing leaders. “Student Success, Community Enrichment” is our mission, and we offer 87 degree and certificate programs plus more than 50 micro-credentials that provide a foundation for further education or immediate career readiness. We remain dedicated to providing accessible, affordable, high-quality education that equips students to achieve personal and professional goals. OCCC is more than an institution; we are a community catalyst, fostering growth and success in our city, our workforce, and the lives of our students. Discover your potential at OCCC, where your future is our purpose. Visit us at occc.edu.
Sarah Barrow
Executive Director of Communication
405-834-5406
sarah.barrow@occc.edu
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cbb6375e-0e30-494d-bb3e-f8a768b7d4a5
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