Gary Banz

After graduation from Southern Nazarene University and a two-year stint in the US Army, Gary had a 28-year career as a public educator. He was a teacher and coach at three large schools, retiring in 1998. He was president of the Oklahoma Boys Basketball Coaches Association in 1979-80. In 2024, the Small College Basketball organization selected Gary as the 2024 Larry Smith Award winner, presented to players who have used the game of basketball to learn and apply life lessons that have impacted their life while also giving back to impact the lives of others.

After his election in 2004, Gary served 12 years in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. As a legislator, he held several leadership positions including Majority Whip, Chairman of the Military and Veterans Affairs, House Rules, and House Ethics Committees. Gary was co-founder and executive director of Oklahoma Honor Flights (OHF) from 2009 to 2016. Serving as flight commander on 24 flights, he and volunteers of OHF took 2,055 veterans from 226 Oklahoma communities to Washington, DC to see their memorials.

As owner/operator of GLM3 Productions LLC, Gary markets products that promote a Constitutional Tree poster, Article V card game, patriotic and veteran challenge coins, and documentaries he has produced.