Mark Costello (Oklahoma politician)
| Mark Costello | |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma Labor Commissioner | |
| In office 2011–2015 |
|
| Preceded by | Lloyd Fields |
| Succeeded by | Melissa Houston |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 10, 1955 Bartlesville, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Cathy Cerkey Costello (1982–2015; his death) |
| Children | 5 |
| Residence | Edmond, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Oklahoma Department of Labor official website |
Mark Costello (November 10, 1955 – August 23, 2015) was the Commissioner of Labor of Oklahoma from 2011 to 2015. A Republican, he was elected in 2010, defeating the Democratic incumbent, Lloyd Fields. Before his election he was a businessman who founded several technology companies.[1]
After taking office, he established a non-profit advocacy group to oppose the positions of public employee unions,[2] and fought federal regulatory attacks on family farms.[3]
Election results
- July 27, 2010 Republican Primary[4]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Costello | 127,413 | 57.06% | |
| Jason Reese | 95,869 | 42.94% | |
- November 2, 2010 General Election[5]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Costello | 649,748 | 64.17% | |
| Lloyd Fields | 362,805 | 35.83% | |
- November 4, 2014 General Election[6]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Costello | 504,307 | 62.8% | |
| Mike Workman | 299,284 | 37.2% | |
Personal life
Costello was born in Bartlesville and graduated from College High School, then attended the University of Kansas while working summers on oil rigs in the North Sea. He married Cathy Cerkey in 1982; they had five children.[7]
Costello founded American Computer & Telephone (AMCAT) in 1991, a telephone software company based in Oklahoma City. AMCAT was sold in 2007. He founded another telecommunications company, USA Digital Communications, in 1997.[7] He identified as Catholic and pro-life, and was a member of the National Rifle Association.[8]
Death
Costello died from stab wounds suffered during a domestic incident on August 23, 2015, at a Braum's restaurant in Oklahoma City. His son, Christian Costello, was arrested following the incident.[9][10]
References
- ↑ Susan Simpson, "Oklahoma elections: Costello wins primary, will meet Fields for labor commission spot", The Oklahoman, July 28, 2013.
- ↑ Randy Krehbiel, "Labor commissioner takes aim at public employee unions", Tulsa World, September 13, 2011 (pay site).
- ↑ "Okla. Labor Comm. says US rules attack rural farms", boston.com, November 30, 2011.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Oklahoma Agencies, Boards, and Commissions: Elected Officers, Cabinet, Legislature, High Courts, and Institutions", Oklahoma Department of Libraries, September 1, 2012.
- ↑ "SW Oklahoma Republican Women to host Costello at Tuesday meeting", altustimes.com, April 2010.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
