Aaron Kirkpatrick
Aaron Kirkpatrick | |
|---|---|
| Bartlesville City Council, Ward 4 | |
| Assumed office 2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 1, 1983 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Mary "Lauren" Kirkpatrick (m. 2005) |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence | Bartlesville, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Harding University (B.A. in Religion/Religious Studies) |
| Occupation | Politician, minister, entrepreneur |
Aaron Kirkpatrick (born November 1, 1983) is an American politician, minister, and entrepreneur serving as a member of the Bartlesville City Council representing Ward 4 since 2024. Prior to entering politics, Kirkpatrick worked in youth and preaching ministry and founded several small businesses in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Early life and education
Kirkpatrick was born in Dallas, Texas on November 1, 1983, to Larry and Elise Kirkpatrick. He grew up in the Dallas suburbs of Garland and Mesquite before his family moved to Bentonville, Arkansas in 1994, where his father began working for Walmart. According to his parents, Kirkpatrick was highly extroverted from a young age, describing him as someone whose "definition of a stranger is a friend I haven’t met yet."
While in junior high, he volunteered as a preschool teacher at the Bentonville Church of Christ. He graduated from Harding University with a bachelor’s degree in Religion and Religious Studies.
During high school, Kirkpatrick played basketball, baseball, and soccer, and later worked as a referee for those sports.
Personal life
Kirkpatrick married Mary (Lauren) Kirkpatrick on May 14, 2005. They have four children: Kai (born 2008), Ashlyn (born 2010), and twins Abel and Roman (born 2012). He is the brother of Leah Ecker.
Kirkpatrick is described as a coffee enthusiast and participates in an adult slow-pitch softball league. He also enjoys working out, sauna sessions, and spending time with his family.
Career
Ministry and early ventures
Kirkpatrick began his ministry career at the Chenal Valley Church of Christ in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 2014, he moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma to take a youth ministry position at Adams Blvd Church of Christ, following a recommendation from a former colleague. He served in youth ministry for approximately six years before transitioning into a preaching role.
In addition to his ministry work, Kirkpatrick founded and invested in several small businesses. Among them was the *Welcome Boxes* initiative, a local business that provided newcomers to Bartlesville with care packages containing gifts and coupons from area businesses. He also invested in a friend’s golf cart rental business in Destin, Florida, and later entered the real estate market, focusing on Airbnb rental properties.
Political career
Kirkpatrick ran for Bartlesville City Council Ward 4 in 2024, competing against incumbent Quinn Schipper and newcomer Christopher Latorraca. His campaign emphasized door-to-door engagement, social media outreach, and personal interaction with voters. Kirkpatrick’s platform focused on developing sustainable water systems, improving city infrastructure and roads, promoting local business growth, addressing housing and affordable childcare challenges, and responding to rising homelessness in Bartlesville.
He won the election with 60.4% of the vote (1,268 votes), defeating Schipper (32.4%, 680 votes) and Latorraca (7.2%, 151 votes).
Following his election, Kirkpatrick became known for his work on citywide issues beyond his ward. He helped organize *The Helping Org Summit Conference* and founded the *Homelessness Task Force*, which focuses on addressing homelessness and resource coordination in Bartlesville.
See also
References
https://www.aaronforward4.com/ https://www.examiner-enterprise.com/story/news/politics/elections/local/2024/10/11/ward-4-challenger-aaron-kirkpatrick-election-qa/75555168007/ https://www.cityofbartlesville.org/city-government/city-council/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-kirkpatrick-1349a4177 https://www.bartlesvilleradio.com/pages/news/43210824/aaron-fitzpatrick-for-ward-4 http://adamsblvd.org/about/our-leaders/member/1352865/ https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/going-to-accomplish-a-lot-bartlesville-launching-rental-assistance-program-for-the-homeless https://www.fox23.com/news/politics/election_results/bartlesville-city-council---ward/race_89c91890-eb36-5e42-b409-047a116e7a1e.html https://www.bartlesvilleoklahoma.gov/2024/11/05/aaron-kirkpatrick-unseats-schipper-in-bartlesville-city-council-race/
External links
Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:People from Bartlesville, Oklahoma Category:People from Dallas, Texas Category:American city council members Category:Harding University alumni Category:American Protestant ministers
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