Governor Hernry Appoints Scott Meacham as State Treasurer

State Finance Director Scott Meacham, Gov. Brad Henry's point man on top legislative issues, was picked by the Democratic governor on Tuesday to succeed Robert Butkin as state treasurer.

Butkin is leaving state government on May 31 to become dean of the law school at the University of Tulsa.

Henry also named Claudia San Pedro to succeed Meacham as finance director. San Pedro, the wife of gubernatorial spokesman Paul Sund, now heads up the budget division of the finance office.

Butkin, a Democrat, resigned in February after serving more than 10 years as treasurer. He was unopposed in his last two elections.

Meacham is an attorney and former Elk City banker whom Henry has known since they were in law school together at the University of Oklahoma.

The 42-year-old Meacham will continue in Henry's cabinet. In the last two years, Meacham has been Henry's lead negotiator on key legislative issues.

He was the architect of a plan to erase a huge deficit in Henry's first term and played a significant role in events that led to voter approval of a state lottery. He also led the negotiations on tobacco and gaming compacts with Indian tribes.

Meacham practiced law in Clinton for 11 years before joining the bank in Elk City that his ancestors started in 1901.