George Fina

Acceptance Speech

George Fina’s municipal career began in 1962 with the Oklahoma City Fire Department and lasted for twenty-two years during which he earned the rank of Captain.

George was also a racing professional. In 1969 he won the NHRA World Championship for dragster racing and was recognized as one of Oklahoma’s Sportsman of the Month in 1969.

As a city councilman and later mayor for Piedmont, he is recognized as the longest-serving councilman in Piedmont’s history after serving in some capacity for more than twenty-one years. After his retirement, the city council renamed City Hall after him.

While Mayor, George was a fixture on the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG}. He worked with all the metro communities to help develop better roads and water infrastructure for the metro area.

George was appointed by the Oklahoma Municipal League as their representative to the Oklahoma Firefighter Pension and Retirement Board.

George has served on the Board of Education for the Canadian Valley Technology Center. During his time on the board, the center was struck by an F5 tornado that destroyed most of the campus. George along with other board members found alternative housing for the classes in surrounding communities to ensure that all the programs were offered while the center was rebuilt. Now standing on the former footprint is one of the state's most advanced technology centers.

Throughout his career, George never lost sight of his municipal firefighting roots and assumed leadership roles with not only the retired Oklahoma City Firefighters but also serves as an executive with the statewide retired firefighter’s organization.

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