James Couch
While other Oklahoma City officials have been recognized for establishing “The Oklahoma Standard” for emergency response after the Murrah Building Bombing, Jim Couch is widely recognized for setting “The Oklahoma Standard” for community partnerships and redevelopment. This new standard is based on his ability to bring together for common goals the governmental, business, and residential communities throughout the greater metropolitan area. As one support letter noted:
“When OKC embarked on a renaissance called MAPS, the politics of accomplishing the construction efficiently and competently was a major challenge for gaining and maintaining the confidence of a skeptical and sometimes critical public. The logic and discipline of his engineering background soon revealed Jim’s talents - as the projects were completed on time and almost within budget - and the public was pleased with the outcome. So much so that in 2002 voters approved a sales tax of approximately 500 million dollars to benefit the MAPS for Kids initiative.”
And, Jim was then named General Manager of the MAPS for Kids Trust in addition to his numerous other responsibilities.
Born in Yankton, South Dakota, Jim earned his Bachelors’ Degree in Civil Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Prior to coming to Oklahoma, he began to hone his managerial skills as Office Director for an engineering firm with offices in three states; and then in 1982, as Public Works Director for the City of Casper, Wyoming. Four and a half years later he moved his family to Oklahoma in 1986 to become Assistant City Manager at the City of Edmond.
In 1987 Jim was selected to be the Water and Wastewater Utilities Director for the City of Oklahoma City, a position he held for 11 years before being named as Assistant City Manager/MAPS Director in 1998 and then as City Manager in 2000. Close associates note that while it is rare for a public works engineer to become city manager in a city with the size and complexity of Oklahoma City, it is even more uncommon for a city manager to guide and direct a diverse city council to reach the kind of consensus that has been a hallmark of his tenure.
In 1996 Jim was recognized by the American Water Works Association with their highest honor, the Fuller Award. In that year he also began a three-year term on the AWWA National Board of Directors. While his position as city manager includes service as manager or board member on a long, long litany of organizations, he has also has set aside time to be on the board of the Oklahoma Municipal League as well as being a member of the International City-County Management Association, the AWWA, and the American Public Works Association.