Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt hires new chief of staff, policy adviser

Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Thursday the hiring of two top advisers to replace his chief of staff that resigned last month.

Oklahoma City businessman Bond Payne will serve as Stitt's chief of staff and former state senator Brian Bingman will serve as chief policy adviser.

Payne is the co-founder and chairman of Heritage Trust Company and vice chairman of Argent Financial Group.

“It is an honor to be able to serve Governor Stitt and my home state during this challenging time for Oklahoma,” Payne said in a statement. “I wholeheartedly embrace the Governor’s goal of Oklahoma becoming a Top Ten state and look forward to working with leaders across the state to make it happen.”

Payne will no longer be involved in the day-to-day duties of Heritage Trust, but he remains chairman of the company's board and will stay involved with the business in an advisory role.

A former Republican legislator from Sapulpa, Bingman served in the Legislature from 2004 to 2016. He served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate from 2011 to 2016 and was the first Republican in state history to serve three terms in that position.

“I am excited to use Senator Bingman’s vast experience to partner with the Legislature to make our state a better place to live and work for all 4 million Oklahomans,” Stitt said. “He understands the process to get things accomplished at the Capitol and will be a great resource for my administration and our state.”

Bingman also served as the mayor of Sapulpa for more than a decade.

Both new hires will officially join the Stitt's office by Sept. 1.

Stitt's former chief of staff, Michael Junk, resigned last month, citing personal reasons. Junk had worked for Stitt since the governor took office in 2019.

Junk was the latest in a series of cabinet secretaries and staffers to depart the Stitt administration.