James Grimsley, of Calera, was appointed as District 2 Commissioner in May 2019 by the Speaker of the House. He represents nine counties in southeastern Oklahoma.

Grimsley is the Executive Director of Advanced Technology Initiatives for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.  Grimsley is also a founder of successful technology company startups and is a former associate vice president for research at the University of Oklahoma, Norman Campus. He was founding director of the OU Center for Applied Research and Development. He was appointed by Gov. Mary Fallin to the Governor’s UAS Advisory Council from 2011 through 2015 and by the Federal Aviation Administration to the agency’s Drone Advisory Committee Subcommittee.

Grimsley has a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma.