'A Boss Has The Title, A Leader Has The People': Food Bank Of Eastern Oklahoma Appoints New CEO

At the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, 82-year-old Flora Burris can be found volunteering.

“When I wake up in the morning and it’s my day to come, I never miss it because I love this place,” she said.

She’s helping out in the new volunteer center that Jeff Marlow helped bring to life.

“I traveled around the U.S., and I designed the kitchen here,” he said. 

And he wants to do even more for the food bank as its newly appointed CEO.

“To me, a boss has the title, a leader has the people,” said Marlow. 

The news was announced to staff yesterday. 

Marlow's worked at the food bank for 14 years and was previously its Chief Culinary Officer and Executive Vice President. Now as CEO, he says he wants to uphold the organization's already stellar reputation.

“I’m looking forward just to continue that,” he said. 

And to continue building relationships. But Marlow’s main goal is to make sure no Oklahoman goes hungry. And he says it's a problem with a solution.

“It's gonna take us all walking together to really move the needle in the fight against hunger,” he said. 

Today, he walks with Flora, and they hope others follow along.  

“If everybody had the attitude and the will and the heart for the mission and the effort that you give every day, we could eradicate hunger overnight,” Marlow said to Burris. 

Meals on Wheels also appointed a new CEO back in August. Jay Betz has a business and finance background, but he shares the same goals as Marlow. He says he wants to make sure no elderly or homebound Tulsan is hungry or isolated.