
January 9, 2023
Elk City Chamber of Commerce Press Release
The Elk City Leadership Hall of Fame 2023 Inductees are David Bank, MD and Rick Muncrief. They will officially be inducted Tuesday January 17, 2023 between the Elkettes and Elks Basketball Games at the Pioneer Center along with a reception honoring them 5-6 pm also at the Pioneer Center downstairs in the hospitality room. Family and Friends are welcome to come and congratulate them. Qualifications for honorees include…have been a resident or have worked in Elk City and ideally have attended Elk City Schools at some point. They must have brought positive pride and recognition to Elk City for exemplary leadership in their chosen occupation leading to city/state and/or national achievement.
David Bank, MD was Born in Chicago, Illinois on November 3, 1945 and then raised in Enid, Oklahoma. After Graduating from Northwestern Oklahoma State college, Alva, Oklahoma in 1967, he met the love of his life Kristine Johnson of Elk City, and they married November 8th, 1969.
Furthering his education, Dr. Bank graduated from Oklahoma University School of Medicine in 1971. They then moved to Santa Monica, California to complete a 3-year Family Practice Residency. After finishing his residency in 1974, he served 2 years Active Duty in the United States Air Force at USAF in Colorado Springs.
In June of 1976 Dr. Bank and Kristine moved to Elk City to open his Private Solo Family Practice. While working in his Family Practice he Delivered 2000 Babies between 1976 and 1993.
Dr. Bank has served in many local areas during the years which includes, Chief of Staff at Great Plains Regional Medical Center – 3 times; Volunteer Team Physician for the Elk City High School for 15 years – 1985 through 2000 and past Member of the Education Foundation.
He is presently serving as Medical Director for the Elk City Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center, Family Choice Home Health, Comforting Hands Hospice and Traditions Hospice.
Rick Muncrief was appointed to the board of directors and elected president and chief executive officer of the company in January 2021 following Devon’s merger with WPX Energy. Muncrief previously served as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of WPX Energy.
Rick’s 40 plus year career started in the Elk City area as a 17 yr. old teenager working on a pipe inspection crew and later as a roughneck. During his career, he had worked predominately for El Paso Exploration, Burlington Resources, Conoco Phillips, and Continental Resources before joining WPX.
Muncrief holds a Bachelor of Science in petroleum engineering technology from Oklahoma State University, where he has also been recognized as a distinguished alumnus and is a member of the College of Engineering, Architecture & Technology Hall of Fame.
Along with Devon Energy, he also currently serves on the board of directors of Williams Companies in Tulsa. Rick serves on the board of directors and the executive committee of the American Petroleum Institute and is a past chairman and currently serves on the board of directors and the executive committee of the American Exploration & Production Council. In addition, he also serves on the national advisory board of the Gilcrease Museum, National Western Heritage & Cowboy Museum board of directors, Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation board of directors, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, and United Way of Central Oklahoma board of directors.
Rick is married to Elk City native, Gail Webb Muncrief and they have two grown children and two grandsons. They have lived and worked in Elk City; Amarillo, Texas; Billings, Montana; Denver, Colorado and Farmington, New Mexico before moving back to Oklahoma in 2008.
Copyright 2023 Paragon Communications. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.

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