Richard P.
Rush,
President &
CEO of the
Oklahoma
State
Chamber
since 1986,
is a
certified
chamber
executive
with 32
years
experience
in chambers
of commerce,
having
served the
U.S.
Chamber,
California
State
Chamber, San
Francisco
and San
Rafael
chambers. A
Chicago
native, he
is a member
of many
Oklahoma
organizations
including
the
Governor’s
International
Team, the
International
Business
Forum of
Oklahoma,
the Oklahoma
Business
Roundtable,
the Oklahoma
District
Export
Council, the
Oklahoma
Technology
Commercialization
Center and
is a charter
member of
Leadership
Oklahoma. He
is a past
chairman of
the National
Council of
State
Chambers,
and in 1999
was named
the Oklahoma
Chamber of
Commerce
Executives “Executive
of the
Year.â€
Dick has long
been a supporter
and advocate for
the Aerospace
Industry in
Oklahoma. The
Aerospace
employment
sector is the
largest employer
in Oklahoma with
1 of every 13
workers employed
in the aerospace
industry. The
economic impact
of aerospace in
Oklahoma is
gigantic, with
significant
installations in
the military,
commercial and
private sectors
of our economy.
The State
Chamber's
Technology
Council includes
aerospace as one
of its key
areas. The State
Chamber has
assisted with
and lobbied for
aerospace
legislation and
funding at both
the state and
federal levels.
Dick is also an
advocate for
Oklahoma’s
international
trade. In that
capacity he has
led or
participated in
five delegations
to China,
addressed
members of the
Jamaican
Parliament in
2004 and has
traveled to
Japan, Rio de
Janeiro, Uruguay
and Chile
promoting trade
for Oklahoma
businesses. He
presented the
key-note address
at the VI
Hemispheric
Sister Cities
Forum in Iquique,
Chile in June
2004.
Rush was honored
by the George
Nigh Institute
when he was
awarded their
Global Trade
Award in
December 2004.
