Kirk Slaughter President and CEO, OK State Fair
Kirk Slaughter’s background includes working with the Oklahoma State Fair, equestrian/ag venues, fairgrounds, arenas, convention centers, sports authorities, destination marketing organizations and hotels. He has extensive experience in leading, operating, marketing, master planning, developing, financing, and expanding first class convention centers, equestrian venues, arenas, and hotels. Kirk’s goal is to deliver outstanding customer experiences. Kirk is currently involved in the development of the new OG&E Coliseum and the upcoming Gateway of Champions Promenade, located at the OKC Fairgrounds. In Fort Worth, he participated in the development of a 614 room Omni Hotel, the Dickies Arena and improvements at the Will Rogers Memorial Center Equestrian Venue. He also participated in the expansion of the Fort Worth Convention Center, the Waco Convention Center, and the Plano Centre. Kirk is a native of Odessa, Texas and is a graduate of Texas Tech University. He is married to Holly who is an executive with the American Paint Horse Association. Kirk is blessed to be the father of two children. Jose Rojas, MS Senior Community Health Specialist, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital Billy Smith is the Commissioner of the National Reining Horse Association in Oklahoma City, a worldwide membership organization that celebrates the reining discipline. He has previously held executive positions with the American Paint Horse Association and the American Quarter Horse Association, prior to more than 10 years as a non-fiction writing professor at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. He has held board positions with the American Horse Council, United States Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. and Tarleton State University Equine Production Advisory Board. An undergraduate of the University of North Texas, he began his career as a general assignments reporter that included a stint covering the central American wars in the 1980s. He completed two master’s degrees and a doctorate from Texas Tech University. He was a finalist for the American Long-Form Newspaper Narratives writing award given at the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference for his work chronicling his orphaned grandfather’s rise from abject poverty in rough boomtowns of southern Arkansas in the early 1900s. NRHA represents 15,000 reining horse enthusiasts around the world who compete for more than $25 million in purse money. It’s premier Derby and Futurity are both held in Oklahoma City.
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