David Walters
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David Lee Walters (born November 20, 1951) was the Democratic governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995.
Walters was born near Canute, Oklahoma. He graduated as valedictorian from Canute High School in 1969. He later graduated from Oklahoma University in 1973 (with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering). Later he earned his masters degree in business administration from Harvard University in 1977.
He became the project manager for Gov. David Boren. Later Mr. Walters served as assistant and associate provost at the OU Health Sciences Center. There, at the age of 29, he became the youngest executive officer in the university’s history. He joined Burk’s Group (a real estate company) in 1982, and became president of American Fidelity Property Company in 1985. In 1984 he was appointed co-chairman of the Governor's 100-member Reform Commission.
On November 6, 1990 Walters was elected governor of Oklahoma carrying 75 of the state’s 77 counties. During his term education funding increased by approximately 30% and a $350 million bond issue for higher education brought construction and renovation to every state college campus. While in office he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor election violation. He did not run for re-election in 1994. In 2002, he was the Democratic nominee for US Senate, but was defeated by the incumbent, James Inhofe.
He and his wife, Rhonda, have three daughters; their son committed suicide in 1991.