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Gene Buinger, “Dr. B”, is in his 14th year as superintendent of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District (he joined the district in June 1999). Prior to HEB ISD, Dr. B served as superintendent in Macon, Georgia, the third largest city in the state. This will be his 33rd year as a superintendent of schools. |
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Dr. Buinger began his career in education in the suburbs of Kansas City where he grew up. During his early career, he was a social studies teacher, coach, and an assistant principal. At age 31, he was selected to be a high school principal and two years later appointed superintendent of schools in Halstead, Kansas, a small community north of Wichita, Kansas. |
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Dr. Buinger as
High School Principal
in 1976 |
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Dr. Buinger while serving in the
United States Marines |
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In June 1969, Dr. Buinger entered boot camp and became a United States Marine. He credits the training he received for much of the success he has experienced during his career. He said about his service, “The Marines instill the qualities of perseverance and mental toughness that come in very handy when leading a school district.” |
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He holds a B.A. in History from Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas, a M.A. in Educational Administration from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and a doctorate from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma. Dr. Buinger has also participated in post-doctoral educational opportunities at the University of Southern California and the Teacher’s College at Columbia University.
From 1989 to 1996, Dr. Buinger served as superintendent of schools in Odessa, Texas. He was in the community when the best selling book, Friday Night Lights, was published. As a result he got to meet Mike Wallace of Sixty Minutes when they came to Odessa to do a story about high school football in Texas. Prior to leaving Odessa, Dr. B encouraged the board of trustees to acquire the legal rights to school mascots in anticipation of the filming of a movie based on Friday Night Lights.
During his tenure in the HEB-ISD the school district has implemented Spanish Immersion, Suzuki Strings, and Core Knowledge. Dr. Buinger has expanded the “Schools of Choice” program at the secondary level by adding Asian languages, like Mandarin Chinese and Hindi, and Suzuki Strings and Spanish Immersion have been implemented in additional elementary schools.
Dr. Buinger has been married to Mary Kay for 41 years. Ms. Buinger is an instructor at the Northeast Campus of Tarrant County College. They have two grown children. 
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