Tyson Foods said it will spend $8 million to install a new freezer and work stations creating 90 new jobs in its Robards, Ky., chicken processing facility.

“This investment will help us meet growing demand for our (retail) products,” said Noel White, president of poultry for Tyson Foods, in a news release.

The Robards plant makes individually quick-frozen chicken packaged under the Tyson brand for sale to retail customers throughout the region and nation.

Tyson CEO Donnie Smith recently told analysts that consumers eating more chicken amid the higher costs of beef which is why Tyson is investing in added processing capacity for frozen retail and fresh tray-pack chicken also sold at grocery outlets across the country.

Fort Smith Attorney Shannon Blatt will seek the Sebastian County Circuit Court Judge (Division III). She is a lifelong resident of Fort Smith and has practiced law in Sebastian County for more than 17 years.

“I’ve been blessed to have been practicing law in Sebastian County for over 17 years,” Blatt said in a statement. “I’m excited to run for Circuit Judge in Sebastian County. If elected, this position will allow me to continue helping families, the community, and the judiciary to move in a positive direction.”

Blatt graduated from Tulane University with a bachelor’s degree in management in 1995 and earned her Juris Doctorate from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1997. Since 1998, her practice has focused on domestic relations, personal injury, civil rights violations, juvenile cases, guardianships, adoptions, and criminal law. Blatt has also served as a Special Judge in Sebastian County District Court for several years.

Blatt is a member and past president of the Sebastian County Bar Association and a member of the Arkansas Bar Association. She was elected to the Board of Education for Fort Smith Public Schools in 2005 serving until 2012. During this time, she served as secretary, vice president, and president of the Fort Smith Public School Board.

Blatt volunteers her time as a board member of the Bonneville House, and is an active board member of the Southside Rotary Club. She is a member of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, Junior League of Fort Smith, P.E.O., and the Hardscrabble Garden Club. She is also a 2003 graduate of Leadership Fort Smith.

Gregory Banks has been named director of sales for Van Buren-based USA Truck. He fills the role vacated by Greg Goodner, who was promoted to director of dedicated dales for USA Truck.

Banks oversees USA Truck’s enterprise team, which primarily covers the western half of the U.S. He is based in the Dallas area.

“Greg brings extensive transportation industry experience, as well as an expertise in consultative sales and enterprise-wide solutions to USA Truck,” Jaimey Malone, vice president of sales for USA Truck, said in a statement. “Greg understands how to cultivate customer pipelines and maintain those relationships once they are on board, which makes him a great fit for our team as we continue to expand our footprint as a leading capacity solutions provider.”

Banks comes to USA Truck from NFI, where he spent two years as vice president of sales. His nearly 20 years of industry experience includes 12 years with J.B. Hunt as a regional sales manager and director of sales. He also spent five years with CFI as a regional sales manager.

Banks holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Missouri Southern State University. 

Pace Industries, an aluminum, zinc and magnesium die casting company based in Fayetteville, announces the merger with Port City Group in Muskegon, Mich. The merger will provide die casting, machining, manufacturing and finishing capabilities across diverse industries including automotive, lighting, electrical, recreational and others.

The combined company will consist of 12 divisions and 21 facilities with sales of approximately $600 million across the United States and Mexico.

“Blending the strengths of Pace and Port City Group will result in a formidable automotive supplier and preferred non-automotive supplier in the die casting industry and build our capabilities to deliver better quality, service and value to customers,” said Pace Industries President and CEO Scott Bull.

Port City Group will become a division of Pace Industries. John Essex will remain CEO of Port City Group, join the Pace Board of Directors, and become one of its largest shareholders while leading Pace’s automotive growth strategy.

“Over the last few years, it became apparent that we needed a platform for our growth that would provide us greater geographical reach than what we had with our Michigan-based facilities. This merger will provide needed capacity in closer proximity to some of our customers in North America while expanding our production capability,” Essex said in the release.

According to Bull, the companies will work together to take full advantage of best practices and synergies, which will provide both organizations the capabilities and resources to meet and exceed customer expectations.

Cargill appointed John Niemann as president of the company’s Turkey & Cooked Meats unit and Chris Roberts will take over its newly formed Value Added Protein unit. The management changes were announced by the meat giant on Tuesday (June 30).

Niemann will succeed Ruth Kimmelshue, who recently was promoted to a corporate role at the company’s Minneapolis headquarters. Roberts replaces Mary Thompson, who is now leading the company’s European poultry business, according to the release.

Tom Windish, a commercial business leader for Cargill Beef in Wichita, was named to fill the distribution business position being vacated by Niemann. Both positions are based in Wichita.

Sonya Roberts, head of sales and marketing for Cargill’s salt business, will become managing director of the egg portion of Cargill Value Added Protein, and she will be based in Monticello, Minn. 

Cargill said these management changes will be effective Aug. 1.

Suppliers will soon be asked by Wal-Mart to share their complete product catalogs with the retailer who aims to do a better job delivering accurate product content to its shoppers. The retail giant notes in a recent blog post that its new Product Content Collection System (PCCS) is being piloted with dozens of suppliers and will be launched across the Wal-Mart ecosystem later this year.

Blog writer Ram Rampalli said the crux of the PCCS program is a specification (a set of instructions including the list of attributes, requirement level, data transfer protocol) that will be provided to the supplier to use as a framework for sharing this data with Wal-Mart.

“We are encouraging suppliers to provide us with product content for their entire catalog, whether or not it is currently carried within the Wal-Mart retail eco-system. We also welcome content from suppliers who currently don’t sell on Wal-Mart,” Rampalli noted.

He said online product information is not always accurate and lacks consistency from site to site. He also said social product ratings are subjective based on the audience even though social media appears to be the new gatekeeper of influencing shopper behaviors. Rampalli said consumers who comparison shop often feel frustrated by the gaps in product content available which is why Wal-Mart aims to collect and standardize the content requirements among its diverse supplier base.

Rampalli said the pilot PCCS facilitates suppliers sending their entire product content catalogs directly to Wal-Mart.

“Our goal is to provide the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive product information to our customers – regardless of how they shop – to improve the shopping experience for our customers,” Rampalli notes.

He said many of Wal-Mart’s large suppliers are already part of the B2B centric Global Data Sync Network and that PCCS is not re-inventing the wheel.

“At the same time, the explosive growth of our Marketplace program has introduced smaller and mid-sized suppliers, sellers tot he Wal-Mart ecosystem that are not part of the Global Data Sync Network program. We want to make it as easy as possible for suppliers to upload their catalog to us — either through the GDSN, the PCCS or both,” Rampalli noted.

He said suppliers who work with third party content service providers can also use either of the two systems to upload their catalogs a long as it’s approved by the supplier.

He said having the full product catalog ensures the retailer will have great content for the customer experience, and also allows for rapid set up of items if and when Walmart decides to carry them.

Tony Crouch has been named vice president for business operations at Carl Albert State College in Poteau.
 
Crouch has been executive vice president of business services at Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kan., from October 2000 through June 2015, and before that was the school’s director of financial records for six years.

During his time at Cowley, he served two different time periods as their interim president; the first time from January 2013 to July 2013, and most recently from April 2014 through June 2015. Prior to his career in higher education, he worked for Conoco, Inc. in various accounting positions.

He is a graduate of Northwestern Oklahoma State University with a major in accounting and minor in business management. He holds a master’s degree in leadership from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan., and received his official recognition as a Certified Public Accountant in 1987 after passing the CPA exam.

“Mr. Crouch comes to us with a wonderful background in all aspects of higher education. He has a proven record of leadership and management, and we are delighted to have him join our team,” Carl Albert State College President Garry Ivey said in a statement. “Tony’s vast experience in business operations will help as he transitions to Carl Albert. Because the systems and processes at his previous college are similar to ours, he will be able to step in and keep us moving forward without delay.”

Global meat giant JBS, the parent of Pilgrim’s Pride Chicken, announced plans to buy Cargill’s U.S. pork business for $1.45 billion, subject to regulatory review and approval.

The deal includes a processing plant in Ottumwa, Iowa, and one in Beardstown, Ill. Last year the two plants processed a combined 9.3 million hogs. If the deal is approved JBS will own five live feed mills, including one in Arkansas, and four hog farms, two of those in Arkansas.

“This operation is in line with JBS’ strategy to grow its portfolio of prepared and value-added products, expanding the company’s customer base both in the domestic market and internationally,” according to a press release issued by JBS.

Cargill management said JBS’ pork business is complimentary to its own which should make for a smooth transition when the deal is approved.

The combined JBS and Cargill pork production will likely give JBS a slight lead over Tyson Foods’ 17% marketshare but would remain second to Smithfield’s 26%, according to the U.S. Pork Board.

Lt. Col. Charles Jason Carter, North Little Rock, as State Judge Advocate for the Arkansas National Guard.  Appointment expires at the Will of the Governor.
 
Steele Kelly, Plummerville, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expires June 4, 2019.
 
Tanya Phillips, North Little Rock, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expires June 4, 2019.
 
Cindi Blackwood, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expires June 4, 2019.
 
Angie Waliski, Sherwood, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expires June 4, 2019.
 
Jan Sims, El Dorado, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expires June 4, 2019.
 
Reverend David Gill, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expires June 4, 2019.
 
Steven Blackwood, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expiresJune 4, 2019.
 
Bruce Trimble, Sherwood, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expires June 4, 2019.
 
Daniel Oxford, Gravette, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expires June 4, 2019.
 
Christopher Epperson, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expires June 4, 2019.
 
Tabitha Breshears, Batesville, to the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council. Appointment expiresJune 4, 2019.
 
Jamie Burr, Fayetteville, to the Nutrient Water Quality Trading Advisory Panel. Appointment expires June 8, 2017.
 
Heath Ward, Springdale, to the Nutrient Water Quality Trading Advisory Panel. Appointment expires June 8, 2017.
 
Dr. Delia Haak, Gentry, to the Nutrient Water Quality Trading Advisory Panel. Appointment expires June 8, 2017.
 
Evan Teague, Little Rock, to the Nutrient Water Quality Trading Advisory Panel. Appointment expires June 8, 2017.
 
Rick Rodenroth, Fouke, to the Nutrient Water Quality Trading Advisory Panel. Appointment expires June 8, 2017.
 
Larry Lloyd, Fayetteville, to the Nutrient Water Quality Trading Advisory Panel. Appointment expires June 8, 2017.
 
Jimmy Mardis, Rogers, to the Nutrient Water Quality Trading Advisory Panel. Appointment expires June 8, 2017.
 
Roy Caldwell, Hartman, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 5. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces Joe Hoing.


Gerald Sturdevant, Texarkana, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 8 South. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces Frank Turk.
 
Billy Cotten, Dewitt, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 11 East. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Reappointment.
 
Matthew Soto, White Hall, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 11 West. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces William Webb.
 
Donna Watson, Fort Smith, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 12. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces Thomas Brock.
 
Daniel Heflin, Rison, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 13. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. 
 
Linda House, Ponca, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 14. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Reappointment.
 
Michael Hammonds, Magazine, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 15. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces Ronald Stell.
 
James Cureington, Viola, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 16. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces Jerry Smith.
 
Mack Hollis, Russellville, to the Arkansas Outdoor Recreation Grants Advisory Committee. Appointment expires Jan. 7, 2019. Replaces Alan Swaim.
 
Judge Jeffrey Arey, Haskell, to the Arkansas Outdoor Recreation Grants Advisory Committee. Appointment expires Jan. 7, 2019. Replaces Judge Keith Neely.
 
Josh Barger, Quitman, to the Arkansas Outdoor Recreation Grants Advisory Committee. Appointment expires Jan. 7, 2019. Replaces Danny Bone.

Stephen Arrison, Hot Springs, to the Arkansas Outdoor Recreation Grants Advisory Committee. Appointment expires Jan. 7, 2019. Replaces Joseph Dabney.
 
Warren Allen, Texarkana, to the Arkansas Alternative Energy Commission. Appointment expires at the Will of the Governor. Replaces Mickel Lolley.
 
Jim Holub, North Little Rock, to the Arkansas Fire Protection Licensing Board. Appointment expires April 1, 2020. Reappointment.
 
Ronald Rispoli, Russellville, to the Arkansas Fire Protection Licensing Board. Appointment expires April 1, 2020. Replaces Vernon McTeer.
 
Russell Carlisle, Fort Smith, to the Arkansas Fire Protection Licensing Board. Appointment expiresApril 1, 2020. Reappointment.
 
Thomas Jenkins, Rogers, to the Firefighter Benefit Review Panel. Appointment expires May 6, 2019.
 
Kevin Miller, Jonesboro, to the Firefighter Benefit Review Panel. Appointment expires June 8, 2019. 
 
Rusty McClain, Wynne, to the Firefighter Benefit Review Panel. Appointment expires May 6, 2019.
 
Joseph Cunningham, West Helena, to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board. Appointment expiresJan. 14, 2019. Reappointment.
 
Judge David Talley, Magnolia, to the Arkansas Public Defender Commission. Appointment expires July 1, 2016. Replaces Larry Chandler.
 
Brianna Fields, Springdale, to the Legislative Arkansas Blue Ribbon Committee on Local 911 Systems. Appointment expires Jan. 1, 2017.


Remica Gray, Texarkana, to the Arkansas Arts Advisory Council. Appointment expires June 30, 2016. Replaces Cindy Hale.
 
Rick Grace, Springdale, to the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling. Appointment expires Dec. 1, 2017. Replaces Mary Bradley.
 
Sharon Hoehn, Bella Vista, to the Arkansas Psychology Board. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2018. Replaces Harmon Seawel.
 
Dr. Robert Smalling, Warren, to the State Board of Optometry. Appointment expires April 26, 2020. Reappointment.
 
Brian Hester, Farmington, to the Arkansas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board. Appointment expires Jan. 15, 2018. Replaces Rick Mahan.
 
Bill Booker, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Cemetery Board.  Appointment expires Jan. 15, 2019. Reappointment.
 
Mark Oyler, Rogers, to the Arkansas Board of Hearing Instrument Dispensers.  Appointment expires July 31, 2017.  Replaces David Oyler.
 
Rick McClure, Malvern, to the College of the Ouachitas Board of Trustees.  Appointment expires July 1, 2017. Replaces Ron Holt.
 
Honorable David Greenbaum, Little Rock, as a Special Workers’ Compensation Commissioner. Replaces Dale Douthit.
 
Honorable Milton Fine II, Little Rock, as a Special Workers’ Compensation Commissioner. Replaces Dale Douthit.
 
Honorable Eric Wells, Paris, as a Special Workers’ Compensation Commissioner. Replaces Dale Douthit.
 
Curtis Ahrens, Stuttgart, as a Justice of the Peace of the Arkansas County Quorum Court District 9. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2016. Replaces Justice Kirk Meins.
 
Mary Lou Slinkard, Gravette, as a Justice of the Peace of the Benton County Quorum Court District 11. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2016. Replaces Justice Steve Curry.
 
Bryan Tilley, Heber Springs, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. CV-15-111; Shelter Mutual Insurance Company v. Michael Goodner. Replaces Justice Josephine Linker Hart.
 
Ronald A. Williams, Springdale, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas.CV-15-111; Shelter Mutual Insurance Company v. Michael Goodner. Replaces Justice Courtney Goodson.
 
Kevin R. Holmes, Van Buren, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas.CV-15-111; Shelter Mutual Insurance Company v. Michael Goodner. Replaces Justice Robin Wynne.
 
Emily Sneddon, Little Rock, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. CV-14-1018, Sheryl Sue Norris v. Ashley N. Davis. Replaces Justice Robin Wynne.
 
Robert Shafer, Little Rock, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. CV-15-156; George Brumley v. Arkansas Department of Human Services. Replaces Justice Robin Wynne.
 
Michael Ryburn, Little Rock, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas.CV-15-65; Desoto Gathering Company, LLC v. Faulkner County Circuit Court. Replaces Justice Paul Danielson.
 
Michael O’Quinn, Little Rock, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas.CR-14-818; John Chad Griffin v. State of Arkansas. Replaces Justice Paul Danielson.
 
Tommy Fowler Jr., Jonesboro, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas.CV-14-533; Don Davis v. Cheryl Davis. Replaces Justice Paul Danielson.

Northwest Health System’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center has received accreditation for ultrasound practice in obstetrics.
 
“We are very proud of this accreditation and of being the only center in NWA to be recognized for this level of service to our patients,” said Dr. BJ Canzoneri, maternal fetal medicine specialist said. “It is with great pride that we accept this acknowledgement of our dedication to quality care for the patients we serve.”
 
The Center achieved this recognition by meeting rigorous voluntary guidelines set by the diagnostic ultrasound profession. All facets of the practice were assessed, including the training and qualifications of physicians and sonographers; ultrasound equipment maintenance; documentation; storage, and record-keeping practices; policies and procedures to protect patients and staff; quality assurance methods; and the thoroughness, technical quality and interpretation of the sonograms the practice performs.
 

Kevin Thompson was appointed as the 2015-16 Emerging Leaders Section Council President at the Arkansas Bankers Association Leadership Conference in Fayetteville on Friday, June 26.

Thompson is a 1998 graduate of Greenland High School. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas in 2004. Thompson works as vice president of lending with Centennial Bank in Fayetteville.

Thompson is also active in the Fayetteville community where he serves as treasurer and board member of the Fayetteville Lions Club as well as is a Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class XX graduate. He volunteers with United Way Day of Caring volunteer. Kevin and his wife, Leigh, have two children, Bryce and Kayla.

Dr. Kristi Kindrick has joined Sparks Regional Medical Center’s geriatric-psychiatric unit, SeniorCare Behavioral Health. She will treat seniors who are admitted into the hospital.

Kindrick’s primary focus will be caring for patients suffering from dementia, but she also works with other psychiatric illnesses including management of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction psychiatry in the general population.



“I think there is a sort of grace that you see in our aging population,” she said. “Helping them in a very difficult time is so meaningful and fulfilling, not only because it can impact their lives, but it also impacts the lives of their loved ones.”

Sparks SeniorCare Behavioral Health is the area’s only geriatric psychiatry inpatient program. The program, which features a comfortable 23-bed inpatient unit, complete with open areas for group and individual activities, recreation and dining, specializes in the acute care of dementia, depression and other mental health concerns of adults age 55 and above.

Kindrick earned her degree from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine in Little Rock in 2009 and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Arkansas Tech University in 2004. She and her husband have three children.

Van Buren-based USA Truck is ranked No. 43 in the Journal Of Commerce’s Top 50 Trucking Companies for 2014.

The Journal of Commerce and SJ Consulting Group annually rank the top 50 trucking companies and track the group’s progress in the economic recovery. With $602 million in revenue — an 8.6% improvement over 2013 — USA Truck recorded its first annual operating profit since 2008.

“We are pleased that USA Truck is ranked in the top 50 by the Journal of Commerce,” said Tom Glaser, interim chief operations officer for USA Truck. “Our team members have shown a tremendous amount of perseverance over the past two years, facing and overcoming many challenges along the way. There are still many goals to reach as we strive to be even better in 2015 and beyond.”

Officials with the long-haul trucking and logistics company announced 2014 net income of $6.033 million, a more than $15 million swing from the $9.11 million loss in 2014, and a gain that ended five consecutive years of losses. Driving the gains are the non-asset side of USA Truck’s operation. The company’s Strategic Capacity Solutions (SCS) – logistics and freight brokerage – division posted operating income of $20.775 million, more than double the $9 million in 2013.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Monday (July 6) announced the members of the Career Education and Workforce Development Board, which replaced the State Board of Career Education at the Department of Career Education.

This board is composed of 13 representatives from industry sectors and nonvoting members from several state agencies. As part of the Governor’s workforce development and training package, this board is responsible for creating a comprehensive statewide program for career education and workforce development while supervising all vocational, technical and occupational education programs, including the newly created Office of Skills Development.

Members of this board will work with the recently created Arkansas Workforce Development Board at the Department of Workforce Services.

Career Education and Workforce Development Board:
Dan Serrano, Lowell, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2016.

Jeff Standridge, Conway, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2017.

Dr. Keith Vire, Fayetteville, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2016.

Burton Weis, Fort Smith, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2017.

Gina Radke, Sherwood, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2018.

Dr. Adam Arroyos, Fayetteville, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2017.

Dr. Steven Collier, Augusta, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2017.

Michael Garner, Hensley, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2018.

Stacy Gunderman, Batesville, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2018.

Troy Keeping, Marion, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2018.

Jenifer Price, Springdale, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2016.

Hugh McDonald, Little Rock, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2016.

Scott Copas, Little Rock, to the Career Education and Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires June 30, 2017.

Ex Officio Members:
Johnny Key, Commissioner, Arkansas Department of Education
Dr. Brett Powell, Director, Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Bill Stovall, Executive Director, Arkansas Community Colleges
Mike Preston, Director, Arkansas Economic Development Commission
Daryl Bassett, Director, Arkansas Department of Workforce Services
Dr. Paul Beran, Arkansas Association of Public Universities
Dr. Richard Abernathy, Executive Director, Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators

Dr. Amita Heaser is joining the Cooper Clinic department of Internal Medicine in Fort Smith.

An adult medicine specialist, Heaser completed her medical training at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and practiced in that area for the past four years. She is board dertified in Internal Medicine and trained to diagnose and treat conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, and weight issues, while focusing on preventative health.

Heaser’s practice will be located in the main Cooper Clinic location, 6801 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith, and she will begin seeing patients Aug. 3. New patients, including those with Medicare coverage, are now being accepted.

Other physicians in the department are Drs. Phil Agent, Mohsen Keyashian, Macon Landers, Sumer Phillips, Brent Reeves, and Becky Yarborough. Cooper Clinic is a physician-owned multi-specialty group with doctors in 25 specialties/subspecialties.

Fort Smith City Clerk Sherri Gard has been elected president of the Arkansas City Clerks, Recorders, Treasurers Association (ACCRTA).

City Administrator Ray Gosack said Gard’s leadership position is a reflection of her work on behalf of the citizens of Fort Smith.

“Sherri Gard sets a high standard for competence, professionalism, and citizen service that’s recognized by her peers across Arkansas. Her election as president of the association is a result of the many accomplishments she’s achieved in Fort Smith,” he said in a statement.

The ACCRTA elected new officers during the Arkansas Municipal League’s 81st Convention, June 24-26, in Little Rock for the 2015-2016 term. Clarksville City Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Blackard will serve as vice president, Paragould City Clerk Andrea Williams will serve as secretary and Fayetteville City Clerk/Treasurer Sondra Smith will serve as Treasurer.

Gard is a past recipient of the ACCRTA Municipal Clerk of the Year award. Gard has been employed in the Fort Smith City Clerk’s office since 1996, and was appointed city clerk in late 2010.

Home Bancshares and its subsidiary, Centennial Bank announced the election of Brian Davis as chief financial officer, treasurer and director of the holding company and bank by each respective board of directors, effective July 8. Davis will succeed Randy Mayor, who is retiring from banking after more than 16 years with the company.

Mayor is also retiring from his positions as a director of the Home Bancshares and Centennial. Davis previously served as chief accounting officer and investor relations officer for the company.

“I want to thank Randy (Mayor) for his many years of dedicated service to the company,” said John Allison, chairman of the board. “We are very grateful for his numerous contributions to the company’s success, his stewardship of our finance department, and his positive influences on our company culture and employees. I wish him the best of luck in retirement as he focuses his energy on pursuing his non-banking interests and spending time with his family.”

Davis has been with the bank for 11 years. Allison said his work during that time has been exemplary.

“He has been an integral part of our management team during the majority of our transformative events, including the company’s initial public offering in 2006, the company’s charter consolidation and 17 of our 18 acquisitions. This promotion is well deserved, and I look forward to working further with Brian as we execute our strategy to drive shareholder value,” Allison said.

Tracy French, CEO of Centennial Bank, said Davis is a “natural fit to lead our finance group.”

“It is an honor and privilege for me to succeed Randy as CFO and I congratulate him on his outstanding career,” Davis said. 

The banking group also announced Jennifer C. Floyd will succeed Davis as the chief accounting officer and investor relations officer for the holding company.  Floyd was also elected to the position of chief accounting officer of Centennial.

She recently joined the company after a 17-year career with Deloitte & Touche. While at Deloitte, Floyd served public and private financial institutions, as well as other financial service companies, as a senior manager in the audit practice.

Nathan LaFrance, who won 2% of the vote running for U.S. Senate as a Libertarian in 2014, announced on Facebook Wednesday that he is campaigning for the 3rd District congressional seat against U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers.

“My campaign for the U.S. Congress begins TODAY,” he wrote. “The major parties have all of the structural advantages, but we have one thing on our side – time. 490 days to be exact. Much can be accomplished over these next 16 months, and I am going to work hard each and every day toward our goal of winning the election on November 8th, 2016.”

LaFrance asked for volunteers and said he would be creating a campaign team with campaign infrastructure “over the next few weeks.”

LaFrance collected 17,210 votes, placing just ahead of the Green Party candidate, in the 2014 race that was won by now-U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton.

Libertarians as a party support significantly less government involvement in fiscal and social issues.

Because the party’s gubernatorial candidate did not win 3% of the vote in 2014, the party was required to collect 10,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot. It has already turned in its signatures and is awaiting certification by the Secretary of State’s office.

Lynda Lloyd, director of policy and leadership at NorthWest Arkansas Community College, has been elected to serve on the board of directors for the Association of College and University Policy Administrators.
 
The organization, known as ACUPA, is an association of professionals who formed a network to discuss college and university policy issues. The group of now 155 global members first originated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1998.
 
Lloyd is one of 11 board directors serving ACUPA. She first became a member of ACUPA in 2014, and she served on the planning committee for the association’s conference in Orlando. Lloyd also serves on the event planning committee as the host liaison for the 2016 ACUPA conference.
 
She is a resident of Rogers and has worked for the community college since 2004 in the areas of student services and in finance administration since 2009.

University of Arkansas alumnae and sisters Agnes Lytton, Mary Sue and Betty Lynn Reagan have designated an estate gift to the University Libraries valued at more than $1.2 million.

The three sisters were born and raised in Northwest Arkansas and had deep connections to history, education and library science throughout their lives. Their gift will be utilized for the purchase of library materials, such as books, periodicals and digital resources.

The University Libraries’ Special Collections Department began archiving the family’s papers in 1988. The Reagan Family Papers (MC 755) include essays, photographs, correspondence, clippings, a scrapbook, and the Mary Sue Reagan Political Collection. With this estate gift, Special Collections also received hundreds of books for the Arkansas and Rare Books collections, as well as an antique bookshelf once owned by famed Cherokee attorney E.C. Boudinot. The bookshelf currently houses an exhibit about Boudinot and is on display in the Special Collections Reading Room in Mullins Library.
Carolyn Henderson Allen, dean of University Libraries, knew the Reagan sisters well.

“The Reagan Sisters were some of my first friends when I moved to Arkansas in 2000,” Allen said. “I found them to be charming, interesting gentlewomen who could talk on everything from politics and history to gardening and food. They were fun to be around, and they were curious about everything in the world. They were voracious readers, wonderful conversationalists and they were interested in all aspects of the university, not just the Libraries.”

The oldest of the three siblings, Agnes Lytton Reagan was a 1935 graduate of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and received a degree in mathematics. She later earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Library Science from Emory University and a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in library science from the University of Illinois. She enjoyed a successful career as a librarian and professor, including working for the American Library Association in Chicago and the University of Texas at Austin, before passing away in December 2013 at the age of 99.

Her sisters, Mary Sue and Betty Lynn, both earned bachelor’s degrees in history from Fulbright College in 1942 and 1945, respectively. Mary Sue went on to earn a Master of Arts in history from the University of Missouri, and Betty Lynn completed her Master of Arts in history from Emory University. Betty Lynn was also a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Paris in the summer of 1962.

Both Mary Sue and Betty Lynn enjoyed careers as history and government teachers in the Rogers School District and accumulated 94 years of service between them. They were both honored as Teacher of the Year in Rogers, named by the Rogers Chamber of Commerce to the Educators’ Hall of Fame and received the Benton County Bar Association’s Liberty Bell Award for outstanding teaching of American history and government. They were known for being proponents of teaching Arkansas history in the curriculum and for being true teachers who carefully graded their students’ work. Their impact on the Rogers School District was so substantial that the Mary Sue Reagan and Betty Lynn Reagan Elementary School was dedicated in Rogers in 1989.