Pillar of the Plains 2011

Former Enid mayor and businessman Doug Frantz was named the 2011 Pillar of the Plains during an award reception Thursday at Enid Symphony Center.

“I have nothing much to say,” Frantz said accepting the award. “I’m very flattered tonight.”

Frantz was nominated for the award by past winner Jerry Blankenship, who called Frantz “someone you can always depend on to do a good job.”

Frantz was one of five finalists for the 2011 Pillar of the Plains award, which recognizes people who have had a major impact upon the Enid community. The other finalists are Sharon Trojan, Lavon McKnight, Tom Sailors Jr. and Clark Young.

Frantz was born in Enid in 1944 and received a degree in business administration from the University of Oklahoma. He served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, receiving a Purple Heart, then returned to Enid to enter into business.

Often involved in organizations throughout the community, Frantz has served as a member and past president for Rotary Club and Enid Noon AMBUCS. He twice served as drive chairman of United Way of Enid and Northwest Oklahoma. He is a past board member of  Oklahoma Easter Seals Board, Booker T. Washington Community Center Board, Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce and Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center. He is an elder at First Presbyterian Church.

In business, he is a past president of Northwest Oklahoma Association of Life Underwriters and a member of the board of directors of Central National Bank.

Frantz and his wife, Dianne, have been married 44 years and have three children.

Among his proudest accomplishments was being a co-chairman of the first Denny Price Family YMCA expansion project.

In 1968, as a 23-year-old Marine second lieutenant, Frantz commanded a rifle platoon that was sent to relieve another group surrounded by North Vietnamese soldiers. He was awarded a Purple Heart after he received wounds from a piece of shrapnel.

In 1970, Frantz returned to Enid and joined his family in the insurance business. The company sold mostly property and casualty insurance, but Frantz, as always, only sold life insurance.

Frantz said he chose Enid to return to because it is his home. He had a family here and a nice business.

Frantz also served two terms as may of the city of Enid beginning in 1999.

After accepting his award Thursday night, Frantz said Enid was a good place to live.

“You could give out an award like this every week and everyone would be deserving of it,” he said. “It’s a good place to be a volunteer because we’ve got a lot of people who help.”

By Staff Writer
Enid News and Eagle