Kappa Kappa Gamma - Oklahoma State University

page 5 K athy Payne Brown '81 was born a Kappa Kappa Gamma legacy and followed in the footsteps of her grandmother and namesake by pledging Delta Sigma. A little over 20 years later, Sarah Brown Bolding '08 became a third-generation member. "I had a great recruitment and visited a lot of good houses but ended up choosing Kappa and making a lot of people happy!" As a student, Kathy became Delta Sigma's No. 1 cheerleader as recruitment chairman and especially enjoyed sharing her passion for Kappa with both members and pledges. "Then I became pledge trainer and was involved in helping train new sisters," Kathy said. "I loved showing younger women the importance of sisterhood and the value their energy brought to campus." In 1984, she graduated with a degree in special education. While she didn't serve as an officer, Sarah's favorite part of her Delta experience was Homecoming. "I was super involved in organizing the activities every year," she recalled. As a sports management and marketing double major, she worked as the facility and game day coordinator for all Oklahoma State sports from equestrian to football. Kathy and Sarah began a new professional chapter when they joined forces earlier this year to purchase CK & Company, a women's clothing retail store in Oklahoma City. "The store is 41 years old, and I've been a customer for more than 30 years," Kathy explained. "When the previous owner decided to sell, she asked if I would consider buying it." The owner believed the store would be a good venture for Kathy to share with one of her daughters, and Sarah agreed. The two women took ownership in January 2024. Kathy and Sarah have endeavored to keep their legacy customers in mind while also making the store their own. "We've brought in 40 new product lines ranging from contemporary to home décor," Sarah said. "We've adjusted our buys, price points, and the store's overall vibe to appeal to a younger demographic—people in their 30s and 40s—while staying true to its identity as a high-end women's store." Since becoming business partners, the mother- daughter relationship has evolved in some ways. "She calls me 'Kathy' at the store now instead of 'Mom!'" Kathy laughed. "We're still trying to find that balance between being co- workers and being family," Sarah added. "It's a challenge, especially as we prioritize separating work from family time." Working closely together has also helped to highlight all the things the two women have in common, including their drive to provide for loyal customers and a passion for being a good community partner. "We value philanthropy, especially with organizations that support women and children," Kathy said. "We have a style show coming up for Project Women, which focuses on early-detection breast screenings. It's important to us to be visible and give back to the community." The sense of sisterhood Kathy and Sarah found in Delta Sigma has found new life at CK & Company. "We're in the business of providing for women and Delta Sigma helped shape our understanding of collaboration," Kathy said. "Our employees are women from three generations, and we genuinely care for each other." Kathy, Hal, Sarah, and her husband, Aaron, live in Oklahoma City, along with Sarah's two young children. "We're a big sports family," she said. "Whether it's OSU football, baseball, basketball, or college softball, we love it all!" Kathy enjoys pickleball and reading, is involved in her church, and serves on several local boards. If you'd like to contact them, you can reach Kathy at kbrown@ckandcompany.net and Sarah at sbolding@ckandcompany.net. Dressed for Success Mother-Daughter Duo Buy OKC Clothing Store A s a collegian, Kappa Kappa Gamma felt like home to Leslie Haygood Osborn '82. To this day, she treasures the friendships and connections she made through Kappa. As an active, Leslie was encouraged to get involved on campus, which led her to serve in student government—an opportunity that helped in her future career. In Delta Sigma, Leslie served as second vice president of the house and Homecoming chairman, which provided training and opportunities for relationship building that helped her become who she is today. With a degree in business administration, Leslie started an agricultural sales business, Osborn Pick-Up Accessories, in Tuttle, which she owned for 22 years before switching career paths. "I was always very interested in government at the different levels but never pursued anything until I was encouraged to run for an open spot in the House of Representatives when I was 45." Leslie served for 10 years in the House of Representatives in Oklahoma. In recent years, she was the first female to chair the House Judiciary Committee. "I was able to steer through legislation to change our outdated Workers' Compensation System; due to those changes, the rate of insurance for workers compensation coverage for businesses in our state is down about 60%." Leslie also chaired the Appropriations and Budget Committee. "There was a budget crisis when I was in that role, so you quickly learn ways to prioritize the core services and work on ways to get revenue to the right places." After her service in the House, Leslie ran for a statewide office and is serving in her second and final term as Oklahoma Labor Commissioner, one of only three women serving in 11 statewide elected offices. "I am not your traditional politician. I have never voted straight party and long for the days when we used to put good policy over politics and drama," Leslie shared. "Our polarization politically is affecting our state and country to a huge degree. I give a lot of speeches, and I end all of them with a call for civility, empathy, kindness, and working for common goals across party lines. I truly believe my years in the Kappa house shaped so much of who I am today, including these principles through the sisterhood, looking for the good in others, and seeing commonalities instead of differences. I will always be grateful for that foundation in my life." Leslie's mother was a Delta Sigma Kappa, and her daughter was a Chi Omega at OSU (the fourth generation of Leslie's family to attend OSU). In her free time, Leslie enjoys reading, gardening, traveling, and seeing her grandson, Cooper, as often as possible. You can connect with her at 981lesliekathryn@gmail.com. Not Your Traditional Politician Leslie Haygood Osborn '82 Shares Her Career Journey "Our store's 20 employees are like a mini sisterhood."

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