Monday, August 26, 2013
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today applauded the Oklahoma City School Board’s selection of Dave Lopez as interim school superintendent. Lopez currently serves as Fallin’s secretary of commerce. He has announced his resignation, effective on August 30.
Prior to serving as secretary of commerce (Jan 2011 – Aug. 2013) and director of the Department of Commerce (Jan 2011 – Nov. 2012) Lopez served as president of Oklahoma City-based American Fidelity Foundation, a charitable foundation that gives grants for economic development, education, human services and the arts. Lopez also served as president of SBC Communications (now AT&T) in Oklahoma and Texas.
“Dave Lopez is a successful businessman who understands the skills our children need to succeed in the workforce,” said Fallin. “He’s also a proven and capable leader who understands how to manage a budget and a large number of people.”
“While I am sad to see Dave leave his cabinet post, his appointment as interim superintendent is great news for Oklahoma’s school children. They will be well-served by his focus and his unwavering belief that the key to long term economic prosperity is a good education and high quality public schools. Whoever succeeds Dave can do so in the knowledge that Oklahoma City’s schools have been left in capable and caring hands.”
Lopez serves on the boards of BancFirst, Hall Capital, the Oklahoma City Chamber and SmartStart Central Oklahoma. He has previously served on the boards of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, American Fidelity Corporation, the Oklahoma City National Memorial, the City of Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust, and the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation. He also previously served as president of the Oklahoma Business Roundtable and was a co-chairman on the steering committee of Oklahoma’s EDGE Fund.
Lopez has received many honors and awards, including induction into the Oklahoma City University Commerce & Industry Hall of Honor, the Corporate Advocate Award from the Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Humanitarian of the Year award from Oklahoma City chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
Lopez received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education from New Mexico State University. He and his wife Lana live in Oklahoma City and have five children and eight grandchildren.