In August of 2023, Monte Walker was appointed interim City Administrator for the City of Howe as well as retaining duties as Chief Operating Officer for the Howe EDC. He was hired full-time City Administrator in January 2024.

He is a graduate of Howe High School and the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute.

Walker began work as the City of Howe’s Director of Economic Development in October of 2014. In that year, he started a revitalization program of the historic downtown district. Seventeen months later, every building had been refurbished mostly through private funding. Five of the historic buildings had new ownership and every possible space was filled with businesses. That same year, he spearheaded a group to restart the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce where they had 60 members in the first six months of reorganization.

In 2015, he helped initiate a “Shop Local” program for Howe which led to an 11 percent increase in sales tax revenue from 2014 to 2015. That same year he gathered a group of leaders to form a committee that set out to restore a dilapidated 1893 historic former church building. Through volunteer labor and fundraising dollars, the project was concluded in 2019. The city-owned historic renovated church now serves as the home of the EDC/Chamber, Keep Howe Beautiful, the new home to city council meetings, and as an event venue called Summit Gardens.

The Howe EDC sales tax revenue has jumped from $274,525 in 2014 to $626,522 in 2024 which equates to 128% growth during that period. So far in 2025, Howe is 18% ahead of the 2024 pace.

Walker also serves as president of the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce, where he helps coordinate the annual Howe Founders Day Festival, Howe Hall of Honor, Howe-lloween Festival, Annual Christmas Parade, and monthly networking breakfasts.

In early 2025, Walker was featured on The Halting Winter Podcast for Building stronger cities through stronger leaders.

He was a board member of the Strategy Committee for the Texoma Economic Development District and is the past president of Howe Ex-Students Association, Howe Youth Sports Association, Keep Howe Beautiful, and Howe Athletic Booster Club.

From Play-by-Play to Policy: How One City Administrator’s Unique Path Shapes His Leadership | HW