Former Lawmaker To Lead Will Rogers Memorial Museums

Tad Jones is the new Will Rogers Memorial Museums director.

Tad Jones takes over Steve Gragert’s position as director of Will Rogers Memorial Museums when he retires.

Tad Jones, former Rogers County legislator, will take the reins as Will Rogers Memorial Museums director, replacing retiring Steve Gragert. Jones will join the staff August 1, and Gragert  will retire September 1.

“This is a very monumental day for the Will Rogers Memorial Museum,” said Phil Albert, Will Rogers Memorial Commission chairman, after a unanimous board decision on Friday to offer Jones the job. “Tad Jones brings great passion to the job.”

“We continue to celebrate the service of Steve Gragert and look forward to the direction of Tad Jones,” he added.

It was also a special day for Jones, whose sons have considered the Will Rogers Memorial, especially the Children’s Museum, as a favorite destination. Some of the toys in the Children’s Museum were donated by the Joneses. Albert, Jack Spinks, Bill Biard and Phillip Hixon attended the special meeting. Jim Hartz, who headed up the search committee, and Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry were unable to be in Claremore for the meeting.

Jones, 41, who grew up in Rogers County and graduated from Oologah High School, entered the Oklahoma Legislature in 1998, representing House District 9. Due to term limits, his final term ended in November 2010. He served as House Majority Leader his final term. He was chair of the House education committee the four years prior.

He played football at Oologah and went to the University of Mississippi in 1991 as a walk-on quarterback. In 1993, he transferred to the University of Tulsa, where he later earned a Golden Hurricane football scholarship.

He graduated from TU in 1996 with a degree in marketing. He was in the insurance business and formed Pemberley Enterprises LLC, a consulting firm, before his present post as executive director of Grand Lake Association.

The son of Ted and the late Corky Jones, he was associated with his parents in Green Country Oil and Gas, headquartered in Chelsea. His father is a former Will Rogers Memorial Commissioner.

He is married to the former Samantha Hamilton. They have four sons, Logan Benjamin, Blake Alexander, Connor Daniel and Pierce Thomas. The children are home-schooled. They have been living in the Grand Lake area, but will be moving to Claremore.

For more information, contact

Will Rogers Memorial Museums

www.willrogers.com