State Regent Jay Helm was recognized as a state regent emeritus during today’s meeting of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Appointed to a nine-year term as a State Regent by Gov. Mary Fallin in May 2013, Helm will complete his nine-year term on the board May 16th.
“Regent Helm has passionately advocated the value of investing in public higher education,” said Chair Jeffrey W. Hickman. “His dedication to Oklahoma’s students, colleges and universities is reflected in his many contributions as a state regent. We sincerely thank him for his exceptional service to the Oklahoma state system of higher education.”
A graduate of Tulsa Edison High School, Helm earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Oklahoma State University. He is the President and CEO of American Residential Group, Ltd., a firm involved in the management and development of multifamily residential properties. Prior to forming American Residential Group in 1997, he served for 15 years as the Managing Partner for Lincoln Property Company in the Oklahoma and Arkansas region.
“The higher education landscape continues to evolve, and Regent Helm has provided steadfast leadership in the face of challenging times throughout his service on the board,” said Chancellor Allison D. Garrett. “His commitment to college access, academic quality and student success is evident to all who interact with him. He will be deeply missed.”
Helm serves on the University Center at Tulsa Board of Directors, the Board of Trustees for OSU Medical Center, the Board of Directors for MapleMark Bank, and the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He also served on the Board of Trustees for OSU-Tulsa from 1999 to May 2013 and on the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical Colleges from 2001 to May 2013.
Helm is active in a number of civic projects, including the Tulsa Area United Way.
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education is a nine-member constitutional board that coordinates all 25 public higher education institutions in Oklahoma. The board prescribes academic standards of higher education, determines functions and courses of study at state colleges and universities, grants degrees, makes budget requests to the Legislature, allocates funding for each college and university, sets tuition and fees within limits established by the Legislature, and manages numerous scholarships and special programs. State regents are appointed by the governor for nine-year terms.