Candidate’s Goal to Build Upon High Standards

Chris Whipkey has recently announced his candidacy for the Democratic slot in this fall’s election, the county assessor seat.

Chris Whipkey hopes to become the next county assessor for Rogers County.

With the retirement of incumbent Melissa Anderson this year, Rogers County will seek to fill its county assessor seat in November. Chris Whipkey has recently announced his candidacy for the Democratic slot in this fall’s election.

“My goal is to maintain and build upon the high standards Ms. Anderson set during her career at the courthouse,” says Whipkey. “I am running for this office because Rogers County needs an assessor who can maintain objectivity while staying true to the rules and regulations of state property assessment.”

Whipkey would like to continue what he considers to be Melissa Anderson’s legacy: the commitment to seeking out technology to help the county collect proper revenues so that those revenues can be in turn used to support a strong infrastructure, thus creating and supporting job growth for Rogers County residents. By upgrading technology, Whipkey would like to create an environment where information is readily available to real estate professionals, prospective business developers and local established land buyers who are interested in the growth of Rogers County. “If revenue is coming in as it should be,” explains Whipkey, “the infrastructure will be in place for Rogers County to grow communities and increase our job market.”

Whipkey would also like to make the office of county assessor more visible and accessible to residents, giving them more of a voice in regards to property taxes. “If people are educated and understand the role of public offices,” Whipkey states, “they are more likely to feel like they can have an impact and become involved in local government.”  

Whipkey is not a county employee; he currently works in Collinsville for Victory Energy Organization, where his career focuses on complicated organizational structure, efficient budget utilization, and project management —which he feels would bring a depth of experience to the office of county assessor and a fresh perspective. Whipkey plans to focus on both objectivity and accessibility concerning disputes about property value assessments. “The people of Rogers County deserve someone who is fair and balanced in this leadership role,” he says. “With my business background and familiarity with Rogers County, I believe I will be an asset to this branch of county government.”

Chris Whipkey is a fifth generation resident of Rogers County and has a rich history in Claremore, where he makes his home. In fact, his very first job was as an after school paper carrier for The Claremore Progress while he was an eighth grader at Will Rogers Junior High School. After graduation from Claremore High School in 1993, he worked for local companies while obtaining his education, first an Associate of Applied Science in Business from Rogers State University, then a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and a Master of Business Administration from Southern Nazarene University. He is married to Beth Whipkey, who is a licensed professional counselor in Rogers County, and both of their sons attend Claremore Public School.

Whipkey views the office of county assessor as more than just a job. To Whipkey, being county assessor would mean being a public servant. “I have been a citizen of Rogers County for most of my life, and this is another chance for me to give back to the community that has given me so much.”

For more information, contact

Chris Whipkey

(918) 906-9494