Chet Hitt, a local entrepreneur and business visionary, was appointed to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma’s board of regents by Governor Kevin Stitt. Hitt owns several buildings in Chickasha in addition to a California distillery and an Arizona resort.
“We are proud to welcome an esteemed businessman and friend in Chet Hitt to our board of regents,” said Dr. Kayla Hale, President of USAO. “Our university will benefit from adding his business expertise to enhance the experience of our students and strengthen our relationship to the city.”
Hitt’s 7-year term began on July 1, 2025. He replaced Chris Mosley, whose service to the university began in 2012 as an interim regent and continued with his 2018 reappointment by Gov. Mary Fallin. Mosley was pleased with Gov. Kevin Stitt’s appointment to the board and will continue to affect change for the community as an ally to USAO.
“Chet’s understanding of the dynamics of business development and community will be a great addition to the board,” Mosley said. “His knowledge will help USAO and Chickasha move forward together.”
Hitt graduated from Anadarko High School in 1982, after which he moved to California to start his career as a business developer. He founded Town’s End, a tourism-centric development company aimed to revitalize the profile of Chickasha’s historic downtown, in 2022. Hitt moved to Chickasha in 2023 to oversee the renovations of several historic buildings, including the Savoy Hotel and Chickasha Milling Company.
“I wanted to assist in the growth of the college,” Hitt said. “With a strong leader like Dr. Hale … it gives a rebirth to the college and breeds excitement. Seeing the college is the direction we want to go, and I would like to be able to assist in that as a regent. At the end of the day, education along with common sense, I think, is a great key to success as far as the world I live in.”
The Oklahoma State Legislature created USAO's seven-member Board of Regents to govern the institution as it carries out its distinct mission as the only public liberal arts institution within Oklahoma’s higher education system. The governor appoints each member to overlapping seven-year terms with the advice and consent of the Oklahoma Senate.