The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) announces today the resignation of Commissioner Lance Frye, M.D. Frye began his time at the agency in May 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic response.
“It has been an honor to serve Oklahoma and advance public health for all Oklahomans,” Lance Frye, M.D. said. “I admire the dedication, resilience and tenacity of the OSDH team. They have worked tirelessly over the last two years to ensure Oklahomans had access to not only COVID-19 testing, vaccinations and critical information, but to other life-saving services.”
“Dr. Frye provided steady leadership during Oklahoma’s COVID response from his role in surge planning on the Governor’s Solution Task Force to guiding our vaccine rollout that was Top Ten in the nation as Commissioner of Health,” said Governor Kevin Stitt. “With cases and hospitalizations down 60% in recent weeks, Dr. Frye has positioned the Oklahoma State Department of Health well to continue managing COVID effectively and I am grateful for his service to our state during an unprecedented time.”
“I am grateful to Dr. Frye for stepping up during a very difficult time, to keep Oklahomans safe and develop a path for a future state of health in Oklahoma. It is an honor to be in public service, and the state owes him a debt of gratitude for giving his time. I would also like to thank current Deputy Commissioner Keith Reed for agreeing to serve as Interim Commissioner of Health while a search is underway,” Kevin Corbett, Secretary of Health and Mental Health, said.
The critical work of the continued response and hundreds of other programs and services OSDH provides will be carried on under the continued leadership of Interim Commissioner of Health Keith Reed.
“I’m grateful for the service Dr. Lance Frye provided during such a critical time in our state’s history,” Keith Reed, interim commissioner of health, said. “In my tenure with OSDH, I have always admired the resilience of our staff and their commitment to remaining focused on serving Oklahomans. I look forward to continue working side-by-side with them as we continue to move forward.”

The Chisholm Trail Museum in Kingfisher will hold a Cast-Iron Cooking class on Saturday, November 13, from noon to 4 p.m. In this casual, fun class, participants will learn to care for and cook in cast-iron cookware as they create a Dutch oven delight and enjoy a group meal. The class will explore historical and modern recipes while learning how to cook in the backyard. All materials needed for the class will be provided.
The cost for this workshop is $25 per person or $40 per pair. Preregistration is required, and payment must be received to secure registration. Registration is limited to 30 participants. The program is geared toward adults and children ages 10 and older with an adult. Contact the museum at 405-375-5176 to reserve your spot. The Chisholm Trail Museum is located at 605 Zellers Ave. in Kingfisher.
The Chisholm Trail Museum and Horizon Hill is an affiliate of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.