A veteran of Competitive Eating who has been competing since age 16, Coondog's approach to Competitive Eating is pure excitement.

Coondog is arguably Competitive Eating's most dramatic personality and never fails to catch the attention of the Media, spectators and competitors. Dave is one of America's fastest speed eaters and is known wear many hats; working as an event organizer, emcee and spokesperson for the sport of Competitive Eating. David was selected as Captain of Team USA that competed against the mighty Japanese in December of 2007.

"Coondog" is credited as one of the founders of the Independent Competitive Eating Movement and author of "Picnic Style Rules."

Dave is the current World Record Holder in donuts where he consumed an amazing 13 donuts in one minute on the Steve Harvey Show. Also, Coondog is the current World Record Holder in Corn-on-the-Cob with an amazing (4.9 lb.) in only ten Minutes at the Ortonville National Corn-on-the-Cob Eating Championship in 2006. Coondog nearly defeated the Great Kobayashi in a Pizza Eating Exhibition in July of 2005 losing to the "Great One" by only one-second. Dave can boast titles in Hot dogs, Chicken Wings and Pizza, Eggs and Pineapple. David's passion for food is not only limited to eating, he has won back to back titles for having the best Chicken Wing Sauce at the National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo New York.

David is one of Akron Ohio's most well known personalities and has appeared in CQ magazine, Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian, to name a few. O'Karma's competitive eating legacy goes back to the 1970's when he was only 16 years old and "Took-Down" a much older and undefeated City Pizza Eating Champion.

In addition to being a great Food Warrior, Dave is a father of three and a free lance Writer who is a five time recipient of the Cleveland Award for Excellence in Journalism. A Champion swimmer in High School, O'Karma volunteers much of his time to charitable causes and is truly a Food Warrior whose heart is as big as his stomach