About Patrice

Since I am asking for your vote, it’s important you know about my qualifications and background.  I believe that I am the job applicant and that you are the interviewer. I very much want the opportunity to serve you.

As a conservative Republican, I bring common sense and private sector experience to the Corporation Commission.

I was born in Oklahoma, and this has been my home for most of my life.  I attended Putnam City North High School, and Oklahoma Christian University.  I then went to the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where I received my law degree in 1987.   After working as a lawyer, I helped run my family’s company.  This path led me to banking, where I served as both a President and Executive Vice President.

I married Brent shortly after graduating from law school, and we have been married for 23 years.  Brent has two engineering degrees and an MBA, and is currently the President of Giant Partners.  Together, we have two great sons, Patrick (a high school junior) and Phillip (8th grade).   Family and faith come first, and we are active in LifeChurch.

I am a firm believer that being a Mom is my best qualification. The real-life experience, of parenting two teen-age sons, simply cannot be replaced by any professional resume’.

Luckily, most of my family – dad, brother, aunts, uncles, and cousins –  live in Oklahoma.  As you can tell, family is very important to me. My wonderful mom is deceased, but left a legacy of servant leadership by founding an organization that has clothed more than 25,000 at-risk kids in Edmond and Oklahoma City.

In 2009, I ran for mayor of Edmond, Oklahoma – and won.  Two years later, I was unopposed and elected to a second term.   While I was mayor, Edmond was able to complete two significant projects on its “wish list” for years – a competitive swimming arena, and a critical public safety center.

I had the great privilege of working for our senior citizens to bring back our senior meal program, and to work with our young people to create volunteer opportunities so they could make a difference in our great state.   While I was mayor, Edmond was named by Family Circle Magazine as one of the top places in our nation to raise a family, and as the Top Suburb in America.

My background has served me well as Oklahoma’s newest corporation commissioner.  Coming from a highly-regulated industry in banking, I understand firsthand how regulation can strangle jobs, and cripple business.  I frankly never want to be known as a regulator, but as a job creator. While regulation has a purpose – to protect our natural and economic resources – I believe it should be applied in a common-sense manner and only when necessary.

The Obama administration has over-regulated using extremists as decision-makers, and frankly, Oklahomans have to fight hard to reverse the damage being done at the federal level. As a former business owner and manager, and as a lawyer, I understand the plight of job-creators and the challenges they face every day.

Oklahoma can lead this nation by demonstrating why and how the energy industry is critical to our national security, and it can be both safe, and economically sound.  Oklahoma can lead this nation in protecting our borders with efficient and sound regulation for the trucking industry.  The Corporation Commission can help preserve rural Oklahoma by insuring access to electricity, gas and telephone services.  We can protect ratepayers by working to make sound investment in our utility companies, and by keeping rates competitive.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you, and Oklahoma.  I urge you to vote in upcoming elections and humbly ask you for your vote.

Thank you,

Patrice Douglas