Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) with locations in Weatherford, Sayre and Yukon has announced its 2024 Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame honorees.
Known as “SWOSU’s highest honor,” the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame was established in 1976 by SWOSU to recognize outstanding former students and to celebrate their achievements. There are currently 121 SWOSU graduates who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The 2024 inductees include:
- Katrina Avers of Minco (Class of 2003)
- Mike Brown of Weatherford (Class of 1978)
- Bryan Evans of Edmond (Class of 1998)
- Basil Weatherly of Elk City (Class of 1975)
Katrina Avers currently holds the position of Flight Deck Human Factors Research Manager for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) where she leads the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute’s Safe Operations in Aerospace Research Labs, or SOAR Labs. SOAR labs is a nationally and internationally renowned laboratory group comprised of nine research labs focused on human performance and safety in aviation. Avers is a respected and sought-after expert working with new and evolving technologies to help enhance airspace systems safety and efficiency. She has been invited to present at hundreds of national and international events and is the youngest FAA flight deck research manager in the over half-century history of the FAA. She has led the FAA to establish partnerships with universities and manufacturers across the world, positioning Oklahoma for access and collaborative research in every new and evolving technology in aviation. She has also spearheaded the development of “one-of-a-kind” research simulators for all types of flight operations that enable timely and adaptive research with new technologies. Avers oversees the first laboratory group in the world to successfully integrate gaze control, touch control, voice control, and gesture control in a flight simulator. Avers leads with a focus on innovation, an interest that was developed and refined when she began her research career in the Psychology Department at SWOSU. Outside of aviation, she is an advocate for Oklahoma excellence and has served and led multiple executive boards for agriculture, education, and business including Black & Gold Beef Co, Minco Education Foundation, and True Sky Credit Union. She is the founder of Blackjack Legacy – an Oklahoma Community Excellence program. Avers holds a PhD and Master’s from the University of Oklahoma—both in Psychology. She is a recipient of multiple national aviation awards including “Outstanding Leadership”, “Outstanding Innovator”, “Outstanding Team”, and “People are Our Strength”. She is an Oklahoma Top 40 Under 40 Achievement winner. Avers has been instrumental in advancing SWOSU’s aerospace and defense workforce development initiatives and training programs.
Mike D. Brown was elected Mayor for the City of Weatherford, Oklahoma beginning January 1, 2004. Mike served as City Commissioner for three terms beginning in April 1996. In 2010, Mike was named large City “Mayor of the Year”, by the Oklahoma Municipal League. He represents Rich and Cartmill Insurance, specializing in employee benefits. He is a graduate of Weatherford High School and SWOSU where he studied Business Education and Administration. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, First Baptist Church, and Kiwanis Club. He was a Kiwanis Distinguished President and Lieutenant Governor. Mike currently sits on the Southwest Oklahoma Development Authority (SWODA) Board of Directors, serving as a Past President, the Oklahoma Municipal League Board, serving as Past President, Board member for the Mayors Council of Oklahoma, Board member for the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System, Advisory Board member for Midfirst Bank, and serves as chairman for the Municipal Health Solutions Insurance. Mike has been inducted to the 2014 Athletic Hall of Fame for Weatherford High School, the 2016 Oklahoma Hall of Fame for City and Town Officials, and the 2019 SWOSU Athletic Hall of Fame. Mike is a Past President of the SWOSU Athletic Association, a Lifetime Member of the SWOSU Alumni Association, and a major investor in the SWOSU Football Legacy Fund.
Bryan N. Evans is a Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Evans & Davis Attorneys which provides legal services via twenty-one offices in seventeen states. Evans graduated as Valedictorian at Weatherford High School and served as Student Body President at SWOSU where he studied Psychology. Before and after college, Bryan was active in various state and federal political campaigns and served on the personal staff of United States Congressman Frank D. Lucas. Evans served as a class president and graduated with honors from law school at the University of Oklahoma. He regularly teaches educational classes to lawyers, financial planners, and insurance professionals covering estate planning, business succession, and trust administration. Evans is an active member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO). He is a former long-term board member of the YMCA and various private boards. Evans is a Lifetime Member of the SWOSU Alumni Association and a Past Chairman of the SWOSU Foundation, Inc. Board of Trustees as well as a Founder-level investor in the SWOSU Bulldog Angels Fund.
Basil Weatherly graduated from Elk City High School in 1968 and from SWOSU in 1975. During his high school years, Weatherly helped form the first high school students group in Oklahoma to work in tandem with a local civil defense agency. A longtime businessman, Weatherly was part of the volunteer group that worked for the establishment of the Elk City Public Schools Foundation, Inc. He has served as President of the Elk City Chamber of Commerce and the Elk City Arts Council as well as the Elk City Rotary Club. Weatherly was elected to two terms on the City Commission of Elk City where he was Mayor Pro Tempore and Interim Mayor; additionally, he served on the Elk City Airport Commission and the Elk City Cemetery Commission as well as the Elk City Planning Commission. Weatherly is a Past President of the SWOSU Alumni Association and has served on the Association’s Board of Directors for over half a century.
The 2024 SWOSU Distinguished Alumni honorees will be recognized during the SWOSU Convocation activities planned for May 10-11 on the Weatherford campus.
For more information, please visit www.swosu.edu or call the SWOSU Office of Institutional Advancement at 580-774-3267.