Gene is presently serving as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Technology Association. This organization of almost 300 public and private
school districts and higher education institutions is the leading educational technology organization in the state and provides professional
development to the teachers of Oklahoma in all areas of technology. In addition, as executive director, Benson coordinates an annual two day
conference attended by 800 members of the organization. Gene also serves about 60 public school districts in the northwest part of the state as
Executive Director of the Northwest Oklahoma School Officials Association. In this capacity he provides professional development opportunities for
superintendents and other central office personnel and works with the legislature on rural education issues.Gene Benson has extensive experience with Perkins legislation and was co-author of the 81 sample programs of study for the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education. He has worked with local districts, community colleges and state agencies with the implementation of career clusters. In addition, he was a facilitator and presenter at the regional conferences in Chicago and Washington D.C. for the roll out of Career Clusters to state agencies. His experience as a classroom teacher, administrator, superintendent of schools and his role in development and implementation of career clusters, career pathways and programs of study on the national level give him a great perspective for presentations and workshops for educators.
Gene retired as the Superintendent of Schools at Dover, Oklahoma after serving in that capacity for ten years. During that time, he became well known for his pioneering efforts to work with other schools to implement distance education in order to enhance the curricula offerings in Oklahoma’s rural schools. As president of the Wheatlands Distance Learning Consortium, he provided leadership for 20 school districts to secure funds, install equipment and implement the new course offerings. This leadership made him a popular national speaker on distance learning technology.
During this time, Gene also served on statewide committees for the implementation of Oklahoma’s School-to-Work System, served on the state advisory committee for the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, and was a member of the board of directors for the Oklahoma Cooperative Council of School Administrators.
Prior to his position as Superintendent, he served as a high school principal for eight years and as an agricultural education instructor. He also owned and operated his own custom harvesting and trucking operation for 12 years.
In addition to his work with career clusters, career pathways and the programs of study, Gene serves as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Technology Association, the Oklahoma Distance Learning Association, and the Northwest Oklahoma School Officials. Much of his work with these three organizations is to serve as liaison to the state legislature and to lead organizational activities.
Gene has served as President of the Oklahoma Technology Association as well as the Oklahoma Distance Learning Association. Among his honors is the Lifetime Achievement Award awarded by the Oklahoma Cooperative Council of School Administrators. He was also named Oklahoma district administrator of the year five times.