ENID, OK - A reception honoring Commissioners Ben Ezzell, Jonathan Waddell, David Mason, and Jeff Funk is slated for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 29th at the Stride Bank Center, Grand Ballroom.
The come-and-go event is free to the public, beginning with social hour at 5:30 p.m. and continuing with recognition, presentations, and remarks at 6 p.m.
Ezzell, an Enid native, served eight years as commissioner for Ward 3. Ezzell is a partner at Ezzell & Shepherd, PLLC, which focuses on banking, bankruptcy, and commercial litigation. He has served on the board of directors for the Enid Farmers Market, Gaslight Theatre, Greater Enid Arts and Humanities Council, Enid Regional Development Alliance, Enid Park Board, Main Street Enid, Enid Beautiful, Inc., Oklahoma A+ Schools, and the Garfield County Election Board.
Waddell, originally from Tacoma, Washington, settled in Enid in 2013 after retiring from the U.S. Air Force. He has served four years on the commission and is an accomplished team builder and leader that has been recognized numerous times for his ability to assemble and train teams to accomplish complicated goals. He has served on the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, Kaw Lake Funding Oversite Committee, Community Block Grant Committee, Enid Regional Development Authority Board, and Public Access Television Advisory Board.
Mason moved to Enid in 2007 from the Southwest Oklahoma area. He taught school for 12 years before entering the insurance industry. David has worked to raise money for the March of Dimes, served on the CASA board, Grand National Quail Club Board, and Enid Rotary Board. He has also served on the Enid Metropolitan Area Planning Commission.
Funk was appointed to the Enid City Commission in January 2021 to fill a Ward 6 vacancy. He is a native of Manhattan, Kansas, and graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in journalism and mass communications. He moved to Enid in 2001 and joined the Enid News & Eagle as executive editor. He was promoted to general manager and then publisher in 2002, where he supervised operations of the daily newspaper, EnidNews.com, the Vance Airscoop, Etown magazine, Eagle Marketing and commercial printing operations. He retired at the end of 2020 after a 45-year career in daily newspapers.
The Ward 3, 4, and 6 commission seat terms all expire in May 2021.
