Government » Enid Walk of Fame » 2011-2020
Dan Dillingham was born in Enid, Oklahoma where he attended public schools. He graduated from the University of Colorado with a BS degree in Finance and Economics. He served two years in the 3rd Armored Division in Frankfurt, Germany and has since been in private business. Mr. Dillingham is married to Kay Camp Dillingham. They have five children, thirteen grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Mr. Dillingham’s business background includes active management of three family owned businesses. Since 1956, he has been a partner or CEO of Dillingham Insurance, a multi-state insurance agency specializing in business insurance for the trucking, energy, construction & food processing industries. His company also established subsidiaries to perform claims adjusting services, administer third party administration of self-insured plans and an employee benefits sales and servicing company. In 1981, Mr. Dillingham and partners formed Suits Rig and Drilling Company that operated 10 drilling rigs in Oklahoma and Texas and four in Peru, SA. In addition, the company managed a consortium that owned 55 deep-drilling rigs that were purchased from banks during the 1980’s oil & gas slow-down. These rigs were later sold to companies in China, South America, the Middle East and the United States. Mr. Dillingham was managing partner of an 11,000 acre ranch and feedlot in eastern Oklahoma for 40 years and partner in a family owned 110,000 acre ranch in Colorado. The ranch properties eventually evolved into an entity owning oil & gas producing wells and various commercial real estate properties. For many years, Mr. Dillingham has maintained an active interest in education and for twelve years served as a trustee and vice-chair of the Phillips University Board. Several years after leaving the Phillips Board, he was Chair of a group advocating a sales tax for the City of Enid that led to the establishment of a branch campus for both Northern Oklahoma College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University on the former Phillips campus. Mr. Dillingham has always been active in many state and local non-profit organizations. These include the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, Chair of St. Mary’s Regional Hospital Board, director of the Oklahoma State Chamber and the Kerr Foundation Agricultural Board. He is a Trustee of The Dillingham Foundation.
