Dr. Roy Peters, Jr.
Roy Peters was born June 3, 1942, the son of lifelong educators Mr. and Mrs. Roy Peters, Sr. After graduation from Alex High School, Peters went to the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Business Education. He later earned a master's degree in Technical Education from Oklahoma State University and a doctorate in Occupational and Adult Education from OSU.
Peters contributions to career and technology education began at U.S. Grant High School in 1964, where he was a teacher and coordinator of Distributive Education and Business Education. He sponsored DECA and FBLA at the school until his departure in 1971. From 1970-72, Peters was also part of the University of Central Oklahoma faculty, teaching Cooperative Vocational Education for prospective teachers and administrators around Oklahoma.
From 1971 to 1973, Peters served as Adult Education Specialist for the Oklahoma Department of Vocational and Technical Education (now CareerTech.) He was responsible for planning, organizing and conducting specialized adult education programs. From 1973 to 1979, Peters was assistant superintendent for Instruction at Moore Norman Area Vocational-Technical School and later became superintendent of Canadian Valley Area Vocational Technical School from 1979 to 1984.
Peters continued to climb the Career and Technology Education ladder, serving as associate state director at the state department from 1984—1985 and finally taking over as State Director in January 1986. While in this position, the Oklahoma Department of Vocational and Technical Education became the ninth largest state agency and served 300,000 students a year.
By the end of Peters' term in February 1999, 1,200 comprehensive high school programs were being operated in more than 500 comprehensive high schools in Oklahoma. The system also had 54 technology center campuses.
Today, Peters has retired from the position he held following CareerTech in which he served as president and chief executive officer of the Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence. The Alliance is designed to help small and medium sized Oklahoma manufacturers succeed in national and international markets. He has also stayed involved with the CareerTech system by leading the effort to raise money for the Francis Tuttle Endowed Chair at OSU and serves as chair of the CareerTech Foundation. Dr. Peters was inducted into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame in 2012.
Dr. Peters was inducted to the CareerTech Hall of Fame in 2001.
