7-11-2023
Mayor David Holt & City Manager Craig Freeman
Mayor David Holt became Oklahoma City’s 38th mayor in 2018. He was elected in 2018 with 78.5 percent of the vote, the largest percentage achieved by a non-incumbent since 1947. In 2022, he was re-elected with more votes than any candidate for Mayor since 1959. Holt is the first Native American mayor of Oklahoma City. At the time he took office, Holt was the youngest mayor of Oklahoma City since 1923 and the youngest mayor of a U.S. city with more 500,000 residents.
Mayor Holt was born and raised in Oklahoma City. The son of a teacher and a social worker, Mayor Holt has had family in Oklahoma City for the better part of a century. He graduated from Putnam City Public Schools as a National Merit Scholar before receiving his B.A. from George Washington University and his law degree from Oklahoma City University.
Mayor Holt had already served a U.S. House Speaker, a U.S. President, a Lt. Governor and Members of the U.S. House and Senate when he became chief of staff to his predecessor, Mayor Mick Cornett, at age 26. He served five years in that position before being elected to the Oklahoma Senate, where he served almost eight years.
Mayor Holt is also the author of the 2012 book “Big League City: Oklahoma City’s Rise to the NBA,” which chronicles Oklahoma City’s renaissance leading up to that time.
In his professional life, Mayor Holt is the Dean-Designate of the Oklahoma City University School of Law. He and his wife Rachel, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs, have two children, George and Margaret. The Holts are members of St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church. Mayor Holt is also a member of the Osage Nation,
Craig Freeman was appointed City Manager of the City of Oklahoma City on Nov. 20, 2018, officially taking office Jan. 2, 2019.
Craig Freeman was the City Finance Director from 2011 until his appointment as City Manager in 2018. He started his career with the City of Oklahoma City in 1992 in the Budget Office. He served as Budget Director for 10 years and Finance Director for 7 years.
Since his appointment as City Manager, Freeman has directed the City’s COVID-19 response, American Rescue Plan Act funding, the launch of MAPS 4, the Law Enforcement Police Taskforce policy recommendations, Homelessness Task Force and Human Rights Task Force.
Freeman holds a master’s degree in urban affairs from the University of Central Oklahoma and bachelor’s degrees from Oklahoma Baptist College and UCO.
Freeman is a lifelong Oklahoma City metro resident. He and his wife, Rhonda have sons Chris and Nick, and daughter-in-law Haley; daughter Whitney and son-in-law Stephen; and grandsons Landon, Grayson, Carson and Rayland.
Chair of the Day
Meg Salyer
