Mr. Ejike Okpa, a public commentator and blogger. He would make an honorable entry in the archives of Texas as he would be commissioned by Texas Governor Perry as an Admiral in Texas Navy based on recognition of his Texas/Dallas community service. He is the first Black to be so recognized. By Fall 2012, a scholarship in his name would also be endowed by a group of Dallas business men at the University of North Texas, Denton, in recognition of his service.
Okpa is a native Nigerian but a naturalized US citizen. He is a self-employed business owner and Real Estate practitioner, with experience in commercial appraisals, land development, zoning, broker and property tax consultant. He has been actively engaged in advocacies on worthy causes and community services where he renders selfless service to humanity. He is the founder and principal of The OKPA Company, LLC, which has appraising and brokering commercial real estate and consulting on international trade and handling portfolio property tax consulting service for many years.
His company formerly known as Integrated Valuation which was formed in 1990 has diverse clients include individuals, banks, corporations, cities, counties, state and federal governments. The company appraises several types of real estate throughout the United States of America. Other Major engagements of the firm includes review appraisal for the DFW Airport Board on the East Runway Mitigation Project and Flood Recovery Appraisal for State of Minnesota/Federal Emergency Management Agency. This, the Economic Confidential learnt, is an on-going contract involving appraisals, negotiating and acquiring approximately 500 homes damaged by flood in East Grand Fork area. The Okpa company has also performed appraisal and other related assignments for TX DOT, HUD, City of Dallas, Trinity River Authority of Texas, DART, MnDOT among others.
In addition to his business experience, for his community service he is a recipient of Samuel G. Winstead Award for raising more than $1 million for Park South YMCA in 1998. A member of Dallas County Appraisal Review Board, he is also Vice Chairman of one of Dallas ‘ oldest chambers of commerce. As a Founding Sponsor of Martin Luther King Jr National Memorial in DC, he was once Chair of Martin Luther King Jr Community Center in Dallas by the Mayor of Dallas and Chair, International Trade and Relations and Chair, Business and Economic Development Committee.
The Economic Confidential gathered that he was the first person to head appraisal function for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver for its central region, which includes eight states, from the late 1980s to Mid-1990.
Until March 2003, he was Mayor Kirk’s appointee to the City of Dallas Permit and License Appeal Board and served on the Census 2000 Complete Count Committee. A unique politician, he was a candidate for City of Dallas Mayor in May 2003 and 2007 General Election. He has also traveled to several countries with Mayor Kirk on trade mission. In November 2004, Okpa was appointed to serve on City of Dallas Comprehensive Planning Advisory Committee as a representative of the chamber of commerce.
He is a Permanent Board member of US Selective Service and Next Generation Fellow of The American Assembly – Columbia University. Presently, he is a representative of Oman Center for Investment Promotion and Export Development (OCIPED) of the Sultanate of Oman. He was a leader and member of several trade and Leadership missions to some countries including South Africa, Zimbabwe , Congo , Nigeria , Costa Rica and Oman.
Ejike Okpa obtained his college and post college education from University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; University of North Texas, and Harvard University, in Estate Management and Real Estate respectively. He is also a graduate of Dallas Police Citizen’s Academy Class 17 in 1999 and Alumni of Dallas FBI Citizens Academy 2003.
