The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), Oklahoma’s premier free-market think tank, announced today that Dave Bond has joined the organization as director of external relations.
Bond will direct legislative relations for the organization and will also focus on strategic membership growth and grassroots coalition development statewide.
“At OCPA, we are continually putting new pieces together to expand our efforts and increase our outreach across Oklahoma,” said Michael Carnuccio, president of OCPA.
“For the concepts of free markets, limited government and individual liberty to be at the forefront of the discussion at our state Capitol, it is critical that OCPA members in all corners of the state be engaged at every level of the policymaking process so they can hold their elected policymakers accountable and impact the process in a substantive way.”
Bond comes to OCPA from its 501(c)4 partner organization, Oklahoma Policy Solutions, where he served as director and advocated at the Capitol and to citizen groups on behalf of several policy issues, including broadening school choice for students and parents and reducing the state income tax.
“Oklahoma has a window of opportunity to become a national leader,” Bond said. “We’re uniquely positioned to become one of the very best states in America in which to do business, raise a family and retire.
“Compared with many states, we have fewer restrictions to take off job creators and families before they’re able to realize their full potential and achieve greater personal prosperity without depending on government. And we have a majority of state lawmakers in office who understand this and have the ability to act on it.”
Along with tax relief and educational choice, Bond said reforming the state workers’ compensation system and identifying state-based solutions to Medicaid, public-employee pensions and other unsustainable fiscal burdens are among the key issues facing Oklahoma.
Bond will continue to be active with Oklahoma Policy Solutions as a member of its board.
Prior to his time at Oklahoma Policy Solutions, Bond worked in Oklahoma campaigns for five consecutive election cycles, focusing primarily on state legislative races. In the 2008 elections, he served as director of the Republican State House Committee, the chief political arm of the Republican caucus of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He also previously worked at the state House of Representatives in media and communications.
Bond is a graduate of Oklahoma State University. He lives in Yukon with his wife Marsha and their two young sons, Owen and Mason
Dave is one of the good guys. He will do this job well.