DRUMRIGHT — Ron Vandever, a longtime Central Technology Center administrator who helped shape several programs at the school, will be inducted posthumously into the Oklahoma Career and Technology Education Hall of Fame this fall.
Vandever is one of seven members of the Hall of Fame’s 2026 class. The Oklahoma CareerTech Foundation will honor the inductees during a Nov. 5 banquet at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center in Stillwater.
Vandever began his CareerTech career teaching industrial arts welding at Bristow High School, where he worked for six years and received the Outstanding Young Educator Award in 1965.
When Central Technology Center opened in 1968, Vandever joined the school as director of student services.
He later became assistant superintendent in 1970 and associate superintendent in 1980 before serving as Central Tech superintendent from 1992 until his retirement in 1998.
During his career, Vandever helped develop several programs aimed at expanding educational opportunities for area students.
He helped create Oklahoma’s first Advanced School of Math and Science at Central Tech and developed a comprehensive career guidance system for high school sophomores.
Vandever also helped establish the first twoweek summer camps for junior high students, giving younger students an opportunity to explore career and technology education before entering high school.
He received the Francis Tuttle Award in 1997 in recognition of his contributions to Oklahoma CareerTech.
Vandever will be inducted alongside Athena Frank, Donna Metcalf, Virginia Sasser, Billy Scott, Fred Shultz and Eddie Smith.
Frank also has strong ties to the area. She began her career in 1993 as a business and computer technology teacher and district technology coordinator at Ripley High School before joining Central Technology Center in Drumright in 2005. She remained there until her retirement in 2024.
Frank became Central Tech’s first National Board Certified Career and Technical Education teacher and helped design and implement accredited asynchronous distance education.
“We are proud to honor these seven Oklahomans who helped make the Oklahoma CareerTech system what it is today,” CareerTech State Director Brent Haken said. “Each of them played a vital role in making Oklahoma a leader in career and technology education.”
The remaining inductees represent careers spanning agricultural education, family and consumer sciences, technology center administration, business education and CareerTech leadership.
The 2026 class will bring total membership in the Oklahoma Career and Technology Education Hall of Fame to 99.
The Hall of Fame was founded in 1990 and is sponsored by the Oklahoma Foundation for Career and Technology Education. Previous inductees include governors, educators, college faculty, business and industry leaders and CareerTech employees.
Tickets and sponsorships for the Nov. 5 banquet are now available. The deadline to make reservations is Sept. 25.