Uncrowned Community Builders

Mayor Marilyn Murrell was born and raised in Arcadia, Oklahoma. After leading a successful 4-year legal battle to re-establish the identity of Arcadia as an official town, Marilyn Murrell was elected Arcadia's first mayor in May of 1988. She has been re-elected to the post 4 times.

She was instrumental in creating town ordinances, establishing the police and fire departments, a municipal court system, and other required governmental entities for town management.

Mayor Murrell has been a member of the Oklahoma Conference of Black Mayors and the National Conference of Black Mayors (NCBM) since 1988. She has served in numerous positions with both organizations. She served as President of the NCBM during the 2002-2003 year, the second woman to hold the position of president.

She serves as Chairman of the National Small Town Alliance, a non-profit organization with a mission of assisting small and rural communities throughout the country to improve growth and development through technology, education and advocacy.

Ms. Murrell serves on the Advisory Board for N.E.W. Leadership, a special project of the Can Albert Center at the University of Oklahoma. N.E.W. Leadership encourages and mentors young women to enter the world of politics and public service. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Women's Foundation of Oklahoma, an organization with a mission of providing funding, advocacy and supports to organizations that improve the status of women and girls in Oklahoma. Other memberships include Board of Directors-Youth Services for Oklahoma County, Inc.; NAACP, and the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs.

Mayor Murrell has served on many local and state boards and commissions representing her community. Those organizations include the Oklahoma Municipal League, Oklahoma Conference of Mayors, Central Oklahoma Regional Economic Development Task Force, ACOG 911 Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Oklahoma Rural Development Council.

Ms. Murrell's professional career spans over 30 years as an advocate for small businesses and as a business consultant providing management and technical assistance to small and minority businesses. She is the chairman of the Oklahoma Consortium for Minority Business Development, Inc. She was an Oklahoma delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business in 1995.

A lifelong member of St. James AME Church in Arcadia, she serves as a steward, stewardess and church school teacher.

Marilyn Murrell has three adult children, Monica, Alfred and Cypreanna, and one grandson, Taylor.