Oklahoma City – Shelley Zumwalt, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation, announced her retirement on Thursday, effective October 11.
Her departure comes months after she faced calls to resign following a critical state audit concerning the use of pandemic relief funds.
Zumwalt has held her position since October 2022 and plans to transition to a career in the private sector.
A spokesperson for the tourism agency was unable to confirm whether any severance agreement was in place, stating they would have more information next week.
In a press release detailing her accomplishments, Zumwalt did not address the audit findings.
I will always look back on my time in service with deep appreciation and admiration for the dedicated employees I have had the privilege to work alongside, she said.
Governor Kevin Stitt appointed Zumwalt to lead the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission OESC before her role in tourism.
The audit released in April by State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd raised serious concerns about the awarding of contracts related to pandemic relief.
Zumwalt’s husband had a position with a company that received contracts from OESC, leading Attorney General Gentner Drummond to label her actions as wholly inappropriate and potentially unlawful.
Drummond had urged Zumwalt to resign immediately and cooperate with the investigation to determine any potential legal violations. Zumwalt denied any wrongdoing and refused to resign.
Drummond commented, Ms. Zumwalt’s resignation was the proper thing to do, even if it took six months after my initial call for her to step down from her position.
Self-dealing is an unacceptable breach of the public trust and must be a disqualification from public office.
Zumwalt had previously claimed she disclosed her husband’s connection and was informed that it was not an issue since he did not work on the specific contract awarded before her employment with OESC in May 2020.
However, the audit revealed that by April 2022, she had approved contracts and changes totaling $8.5 million to the company associated with her husband.
According to the audit, Zumwalt was required to certify annually that no related party transactions existed, which she did, checking no on the forms.
As of recent reports, Zumwalt’s salary was approximately $265,000, although the tourism department did not provide information on her current salary or age.
Governor Stitt expressed gratitude for Zumwalt’s service, stating, She was a fighter for Oklahoma Tourism and worked hard to promote our state. I wish her the best in her future endeavors.