The City of Checotah is pleased to announce the promotion of Laurie Burkhalter to the position of Finance Director.

Burkhalter has served as Asst. Deputy City Clerk for the past year and has quickly demonstrated her commitment, expertise and leadership within city operations.

In making the announcement, Mayor Daniel Tarkington praised Burkhalter’s contributions saying, “Though she’s only been with the city a short period of time, Laurie has stepped in and proven herself to be an invaluable asset to our city government. She has taken on many roles already and has met or exceeded our every expectation. Her diverse professional experience and her connection to the community make her an ideal fit for this important position.”

Burkhalter, a lifelong Checotah resident and graduate of Checotah High School’s Class of 1990, brings a wealth of professional and civic experience to her new role.

She worked for 12 years at First Family Federal Credit Union in Checotah, including 10 years as Branch Manager, and is a graduate of Southwest CUNA (Credit Union National Association) Management School.

Burkhalter served 7.5 years on the Checotah Board of Education, including four years as president, and has been a trustee of the Checotah Industrial Development Authority since 2019. Burkhalter has also been active in the Checotah Chamber of Commerce since 2014, serving three years as president and currently as secretary.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Northeastern State University.

Burkhalter’s service to the City of Checotah began on May 3, 2024. Since beginning her employment with the city, she was given the title of the city’s Investment Officer last fall and, most recently, assumed the role of HR Manager earlier this year.

She has also taken it upon herself to be trained in municipal court clerkship.

She recently completed the Oklahoma Municipal League’s Community Leadership Development Class 12 and will graduate on September 9, 2025 at the OML conference.

Laurie Burkhalter and her husband, Jerome, make their home in the Central High community southeast of Checotah. They have one daughter, Taylor Cone, who is a teacher in Checotah Public Schools.

“I truly appreciate the opportunity to continue serving my hometown and the trust placed in me by the mayor and city council,” Burkhalter said. “I love Checotah, and I pledge to take my fiduciary responsibilities extremely seriously. I’m proud to be a part of a wonderful team of committed public employees and officials.”