Gov. Stitt replaces secretary of commerce, workforce development in third Cabinet move in 3 days

Gov. Kevin Stitt has nominated Scott Mueller to replace outgoing Secretary of Commerce and Workforce Development Sean Kouplen.

Pending Senate confirmation, Mueller would oversee 30 agencies, including the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development, according to a news release.

It’s the governor’s third Cabinet move in as many days, following the nominations of Jennifer Grigsby for economic administration and Susan Winchester for secretary of licensing and regulation.

“I am determined to work with the superb men and women of our Commerce team to continue to build on the leadership shown by Secretary Kouplen,” Mueller said in a statement.

“I look forward to telling employers across the nation what we, as Oklahomans, already know: that we have a very capable workforce willing and able to help companies grow and succeed, that we have a great environment for business and employers and have remained open for business throughout the pandemic, and that we champion job creators and will work hard to help new and existing employers maximize the opportunities in front of them.”

Serving on Stitt’s Cabinet “has truly been one of the greatest honors of my life,” said Kouplen, CEO of Regent Bank.

“I will always be proud of how we led Oklahoma businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic by keeping them open safely, distributing and assisting with hundreds of millions of dollars in relief funding and supporting industries and community leaders with weekly status calls during the height of our response.”

Mueller has served as a managing member of 313 Holdings since its inception in August 2016. He was chief financial officer of Arcadia Capital from March 2013 until 2019. From 1999 to 2008, Mueller worked for Goldman Sachs in New York and Dallas. He earned a bachelor’s from Michigan State University and an MBA from the University of Texas.

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