On Wednesday, March 26, 2025, Governor Kevin Stitt announced his appointment of Tracy Poole to the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges (OSU A&M).

“Tracy’s business expertise and passion for entrepreneurship are going to make him a great addition to the Regents,” said Governor Stitt. “As a first-generation college graduate, a successful venture capitalist, and active member of the Oklahoma State community, he understands how higher ed changes lives. He will serve our students and our institutions well.”

Poole is the founder and managing partner of FortySix Venture Capital, where he leads investments in scalable early-stage ventures. Prior to founding FortySix, he practiced law at McAfee & Taft, Oklahoma’s largest commercial law firm, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, corporate and securities transactions, and startup representation. An experienced Energy professional, Poole was the founder and president of an upstream oil and gas producer that achieved multiple successful exits and also served as General Counsel to a large Chicago-based energy hedge fund.  During his tenure at the Williams Companies in Tulsa, he played a key role in structuring and negotiating some of the largest wholesale natural gas and power transactions in the energy markets.

“I am honored to be appointed by Governor Stitt to serve on the OSU A&M Board of Regents,” said Poole. “Oklahoma State University played a crucial role in shaping my career, and I look forward to giving back and contributing to its continued success by helping foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and academic excellence.”

A proud Oklahoma State University alumnus, Poole earned a Bachelor of Science before obtaining his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma. He remains engaged with OSU, serving as an advisory board member for both the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship and the Spears College of Business School of Entrepreneurship. He is also a frequent guest lecturer and a member of the OSU Foundation Board of Governors.

Tracy Poole’s headshot is available here.