- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to honor Troy Wells with Distinguished Alumni Award

Janea Snyder — Thu, 03 May 2018 17:07:51 +0000

Baptist Health president and chief executive officer Troy Wells often gets asked for career advice. What he explains to young people is that his own career success started with a simple word: Yes. “My philosophy is say yes and see what happens,” he said. “There’s a lot of value for young people to realize when you say yes and want to be part of something, and don’t worry about the money, good things happen. You should want to add more value before you expect something in return. It may not work for everybody, but it has worked for me.” Wells will be honored during the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration at 11:30 a.m. May 11 in the Great Hall of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center. The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor presented by the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Wells also will deliver the keynote address at this year’s commencement ceremonies on May 12. Before heading to college, Wells was like many young people. He knew what he liked studying, but he didn’t have a definitive career plan. He went to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in microbiology. “I was oriented toward medicine, but two years in, it didn’t seem like something I wanted to do,” Wells said, “but I did love the sciences, and I was good at it.” After graduating in 1994, Wells took a year off. He traveled, built houses with his dad, and applied to graduate schools. He chose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Master’s Degree in Health Services Administration (now offered at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences). “I wanted to be in Arkansas, and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock had this program that was pretty unusual and rare at the time. I saw people being successful coming out of the program,” he said. “What made this very workable for me was it was designed so that you could work during the day and go to school at night. It was something I could manage financially and not walk away with a ton of debt.” Wells also remembers the faculty support he received. “I felt a sense that the faculty cared about us. They were interested in students being successful. I wasn’t a number. The faculty knew what I was good at and where I would be good in terms of employment,” he said. Years later, Wells recruited future employees from the graduate program he knew so well. “I stayed connected with John Baker, one of the original faculty founders of program, and I’m still in touch with him 26 years later,” Wells said. After completing his master’s degree in 1997, Wells entered a two-year fellowship at the former St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hot Springs, where he learned the administrative workings of a hospital. “At the end of the fellowship, I had a chance to stay on or go to Newport to run a small hospital,” Wells said. “I was 26 and single and in a place in life where I could take a risk, so I went to Newport and ran an 86-bed hospital for six or seven years.” When the hospital was sold, Wells was out of a job. He was interviewing all over the country when he got a call from Russ Harrington, former CEO and president of Baptist Health. “He said, ‘I want you to come to work for us. I can’t tell you exactly what the job is,’” Wells recalled. “I agreed to take a job, not knowing what it was or what I would be paid. It was a handshake. Russ asked me, ‘Do you want to be here?’ And I said yes. I was happy. I knew it was right.” Since joining in 2006, Wells has had many job duties, including vice president of clinical services, vice president of Practice Plus, chief executive officer of Arkansas Health Group, and senior vice president of Administrative Services. He became the chief executive in June 2014, becoming only the third person to hold this title since World War II. “What I enjoy most is working with people to serve people. That’s what gets me up in the morning,” he said. “Being in healthcare, you have to want to do things for other people. That’s why our organization exists. We are a faith-based, not-for-profit health system. I know there’s a mission we are here to fulfill, and I have the ability to affect that.” Wells is active. He serves on the Alumni Association Board of Directors of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as well as on the boards for Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, Parkway Village Inc., the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Rotary Club of Little Rock. He is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Arkansas Executives Forum, Young Presidents Organization, and Fifty for the Future. He and his wife Mary live in Little Rock and have two children – Catherine, 10, and Charles, 6. Baptist Health CEO Troy Wells is the recipient of the 2018 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Distinguished Alumni Award. Photo by Sara Reeves.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock announces 2018 Distinguished Alumni, Presidents Award honorees

Janea Snyder — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 15:48:04 +0000

The CEO of Arkansas’ largest healthcare system has been named the 2018 University of Arkansas at Little Rock Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. Troy Wells, who earned a master’s degree in health services administration in 1997 at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, joined Baptist Health in 2006, and became the CEO and president in 2014. Wells will be honored during the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration on Friday, May 11, at 11:30 a.m. in the Great Hall of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. Joining Wells is the 2018 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Presidents Award recipient, Mauri Douglass, a retired gifted and talented educator who serves on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association Board and has chaired Taste of Little Rock for four years. She also is the alumnae liaison for the Chi Omega chapter at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association, her Gamma Zeta chapter sisters, and the Little Rock Chi Omega Alumnae Club. “The contributions and dedication of Troy and Mauri bring credit to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and exemplify the heart of a Trojan,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “While their backgrounds vary, they are both united by outstanding accomplishments and service back to their alma mater.” The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor presented by the university while the Presidents Award is bestowed on individuals with career success and a profound dedication to the university.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni keep giving back to the university

Jenny Lambert — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 14:00:42 +0000

Alfred Williams and Elaine Eubank have a special place in their hearts for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. During their more than 30 years of marriage, they’ve witnessed the impact they could have on the university through their gifts of time, support and financial gifts. “I’m a firm believer that the city grows or fails based on how we support higher education,” said Williams, former chair of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Board and 2013 Presidents Award honoree. To further continue their support of higher education and the university, the couple has made ��Vlog��ý Little Rock a beneficiary of their life insurance policy. As lifetime members of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association, the couple understands that no matter the amount they contribute, what they choose to give is for the greater good of the university and the community. Because Williams was taught that giving was the right thing to do, he endowed two scholarships, the E. Grainger and Francis Williams scholarship and the Elaine Eubank scholarship, as gifts to honor his parents and his wife. Following suit, Eubank surprised Williams by establishing an endowed scholarship in his name, the Alfred Williams scholarship. “It’s an easy step to make,” Williams said. “When I became more involved with the Alumni Association, I found that even when we gave scholarships, students couldn’t afford the schooling because of books. It just seemed to me like we were just missing out, that I ought to be able to help in a way that gave them something that I didn’t have to struggle for.” Williams and Eubank are content in their decision to name the university the beneficiary of their life insurance policy, which makes them members of the Heritage Society. “It’s nice to know that in some small way, we can help someone else,” said Eubank, who received the university’s 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award. “There are a lot of different ways to make a planned gift. It doesn’t have to be an astronomical amount. Even a small scholarship helps.” As the first person in her family to have the opportunity to attend college, Eubank knows firsthand the importance of financial support in higher education. “I’m the student that I have heard Chancellor Rogerson talk so much about,” Eubank said. “It was a financial stretch for my family to try to send someone to college. The fact that it was an urban university, and I could live with my family while I attended school made it doable. Also, jobs were more readily available in Little Rock than in smaller college towns and I could work full time and go to school full time.” Because she was always shuttling between work and school, Eubank never had time to be socially engaged with the university as an undergraduate student, as opposed to her husband, who was involved in just about everything on campus. “It means a lot to me to be involved with the university now, because I really wasn’t when I was a student here, and that makes the present relationship even more important,” Eubank said. Eubank graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, and Williams in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. While Eubank serves as the president and chief executive officer of , a nonprofit organization that serves children and adults with disabilities, Williams serves as senior vice president and risk consultant for . He��continues to follow in the footsteps of his father, Grainger Williams, who was devoted to supporting Little Rock Junior College, Little Rock University, and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. For more information on giving, contact Jan Davis, director of gift planning for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association, at 501.683.7208 or at jpdavis@ualr.edu.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock announces 2017 Distinguished Alumna, Presidents Award recipients

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 14:15:48 +0000

One of the top female CEOs in the country has been named the 2017 University of Arkansas at Little Rock Distinguished Alumna Award winner.�� Candice Hunter Corby, a 1994 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock graduate, is the CEO and president of Cobra Legal Solutions in Austin. Corby will be honored during the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration, presented by Baptist Health, at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 12, in the Great Hall of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. Joining Corby is the 2017 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Presidents Award recipient, Rebecca Ward, a private social work practitioner in Little Rock and a former two-term president of the ��Vlog��ý��Little Rock Alumni Association board of directors. “While the backgrounds and contributions of Candice and Rebecca vary greatly, they are both united by an astounding level of service and accomplishment,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “Their contributions and dedication bring credit to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and embody the ‘Heart of a Trojan.’” The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor presented by the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association, while the Presidents Award is bestowed on individuals with career success and a profound dedication to the university. The event is sponsored by and hosted by the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Foundation Fund Board and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association. About the award recipients:

Candice Hunter Corby

Candice Hunter Corby is the CEO, president, and one of two female board members of Cobra Legal Solutions, LLC. Based in Austin, Texas, she leads an incredible staff of legal experts and technologists to consistently and cost-effectively help corporate legal departments and law firms with their information management needs. Corby was named one of the Top 10 Female CEOs of 2016 by dotCEO. Additionally, the Austin Business Journal recognized her as a 2015 Profiles in Power – Women of Influence in Central Texas finalist. She is a frequent speaker and mentor, having been interviewed by the Harvard Business School Executive MBA program on “How Key Women Succeed.” She also moderated panel discussions at The University of Texas McCombs Executive MBA Program on “Championing Women in the Workplace,” and she served on a panel for the Four Seasons Hotel – Austin’s program on “Women in Leadership.” Corby earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1994 and is a certified public accountant. After completing an internship at BKD CPAs and Advisors during her junior year, Corby began her career as a senior auditor at BKD. At 26, she became the youngest chief financial officer of the Times Record News, an E.W. Scripps Company. During her career, she has served as general accounting manager of the Neiman Marcus Group, founder and CEO of Gourmet Concepts, chief financial officer of Godwin Gruber, LLP, chief operating officer of Baker & McKenzie, LLP, and chief operating officer of Mayer Brown, LLP. Corby is an advocate for many causes near to her heart, including the arts, health, women’s initiatives, diversity, and eradicating homelessness. She serves on the boards of Zach Theatre, Austin Opera, University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music Directors’ Council, and Elevate Network. She was also co-chair of the 2016 “I Am Waters Supermodel Luncheon,” a national movement that provides water bottles and inspirational messages to the homeless. Corby is in an avid runner who has recently started competing in marathons. She also enjoys travel, skiing, wine and cheese, and spending time with her husband, Ken, and “furry child,” Tiberius.

Rebecca Ward

Ward graduated with a Master of Social Work from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1979. She also holds bachelor’s degrees in English and French from Ouachita Baptist University and a master’s degree in social agency counseling from Henderson State University. After completing her education, Ward began a highly successful career in social work that has included roles at Arkansas Children’s Colony, Greater Little Rock Community Mental Health Center, Ouachita Regional Mental Health Center, and several private practices. She has been in private practice with her partner, Howard Turney, for the past 10 years. After discovering a lack of scholarships for social work students at her alma mater, Ward served as chair of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Social Work Advisory Committee. Six years later, the group raised more than $100,000 for an endowed scholarship fund for social work students. Ward joined the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association board of directors and served as president from 2010 to 2014. She helped oversee hundreds of scholarships for potential and current ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students. She is a past chair of the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board, Arkansas Hospice, and Thea Foundation. She has also served on the Arkansas Association for Marital and Family Therapists. Ward is a therapist on Good Morning Arkansas, a contributor to AY Magazine, and the author of the 2000 book “How to Stay Married Without Going Crazy.” Ward resides in Little Rock with her husband, Don. She has one son, Dr. Dan Smith, a dermatologist in Little Rock, a step-daughter, Jessica Sigmon, in Oklahoma City, four granddaughters, and one grandson. In the upper right photos,��the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock��2017 Distinguished Alumna is Candice Corby (left), and the Presidents Award recipient is Rebecca Ward (right).��

College of Business to honor Mark Pollack, Thomas Dickinson

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 18:44:30 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business has selected Mark Pollack for this year’s Distinguished Alumni of the Year award. Pollack, president of , has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. He is a former member of the ��Vlog��ýLR College of Business Advisory Council, a current member of the ��Vlog��ýLR Foundation Fund Board and a longtime supporter of the university. Pollack received his Bachelor of Business Administration from ��Vlog��ýLR in 1988. The College of Business also announced that Thomas Dickinson, a 2007 graduate of the ��Vlog��ýLR Executive MBA program, will receive this year’s Dean’s Award for Excellence. Pollack and Dickinson will be honored during the 2016 College of Business from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 19 at the downtown Little Rock Marriott, 521 President Clinton Ave. Registration begins at 10:45 a.m. with lunch served at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $100, of which $75 is tax deductible, and must be purchased in advance. For more information, visit the ��registration site. Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Sheena Howell at 501.569.3208 or smhowell1@ualr.edu

Meet the honorees

Mark Pollack

Mark Pollack is the founder and president of Affirmative Risk Management. ARM currently handles claim-related matters in all 50 states as well as in 12 Canadian provinces and territories and in London, England.

Mark Pollack

A 1970 high school graduate of Ft. Eustis, Virginia, Pollack got his start working as an auto parts salesman in North Little Rock, Arkansas at Moore Ford. After serving in the United States Army, active duty, and in the National Guard, from 1969-75, Pollack joined HC Inc, a heavy equipment repair facility, where he worked his way up from parts procurement to senior vice president of the organization. While working, Pollack enrolled at ��Vlog��ýLR to pursue a business degree. ��He graduated magna cum laude in 1988 from the ��Vlog��ýLR College of Business. Pollack is now an accomplished entrepreneur, public speaker and expert in the insurance industry. Having started Affirmative Risk Management while still in school in 1987, Pollack helped the company grow into a renowned international business in the insurance field with more than 50 employees. Pollack has served on the ��Vlog��ýLR College of Business Advisory Council and has been active in the college as an adjunct professor. He is president of the Hunters Cove Property Owners Association and a member of the ��Vlog��ýLR Foundation Fund Board. Pollack and his wife of 45 years, Patti, have one daughter Chantal Roberts who is an equity partner with ARM.

Thomas Dickinson

Thomas Dickinson is a��general manager for ��

Thomas Dickinson

Dickinson was born in Little Rock. He graduated in 1996 from Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. A double major at Southern Methodist University, Dickinson received a Bachelor of Science in Economics and History in 2000. After graduation, Dickinson got his start with McGeorge Contracting as he developed a site in Bryant. During his time with McGeorge, he enrolled in the Executive MBA at ��Vlog��ýLR. Dickinson graduated with his Master of Business Administration from the ��Vlog��ýLR College of Business in 2007. Dickinson is a former member of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Alumni Board, a current member of Rotary Club 99, a board member of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Arkansas, the treasurer and vice president of the Arkansas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) and a board member of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Board of Visitors. Dickinson and his wife, Anna, have two daughters, Evelyn, 5, and Mary Harmon, 3.

Elaine Eubank honored as 2016 ��Vlog��ýLR Distinguished Alumni Award winner

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 19 May 2016 22:18:27 +0000

A woman who has spent nearly four decades working in the public health sector and with nonprofit organizations recently received the 2016 University of Arkansas at Little Rock Distinguished Alumni Award. Elaine Eubank, president and CEO of , received the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association’s highest honor during a May 13 luncheon at the Clinton Presidential Center. “The Distinguished Alumni Award is recognized as a way to really point out exceptional achievement for former students of the university,” said Christian O’Neal, ��Vlog��ýLR vice chancellor for advancement. “Elaine Eubank has achieved extraordinary distinction in her career and made extraordinary contributions to Little Rock, to the university, and to the citizens of the state.” Eubank was the first person in her family to attend college, an opportunity she attributes to the hard work of her dedicated parents. �� “Thank you to ��Vlog��ýLR for this wonderful honor,” Eubank said. “I was the first in my family to have the opportunity to attend college, and that makes this more meaningful to me. The education that I received at ��Vlog��ýLR opened doors that made it possible for me to follow my heart in the career choices that I made, and that’s been a wonderful gift.” Eubank said she appreciates the many resources ��Vlog��ýLR has provided that have aided her work. “For 40 years, ��Vlog��ýLR has been a resource and a source of lifelong learning for me,” she said. “I’ve had so many special friends, faculty members, consultants, board members, and mentors from ��Vlog��ýLR over the years, and that also makes this very special to me. It’s no wonder that ��Vlog��ýLR is such an important partner to so many nonprofits in central Arkansas. I’m so grateful for the difference ��Vlog��ýLR has made in my life.” The award is also special to Eubank because she gets to join the ranks of family members who received some of ��Vlog��ýLR’s highest honors. Her husband, Alfred Williams, is a 2013 recipient of the ��Vlog��ýLR Presidents Award, and his father, E. Grainger Williams, is a 1957 recipient of the ��Vlog��ýLR Distinguished Alumni Award.

�� Becoming an advocate for those without a voice

After graduating from ��Vlog��ýLR with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1975, Eubank served as the director of women’s health at the Arkansas Department of Health, where she supervised the operation of 10 public health programs with an annual budget of $25 million that served approximately 80,000 patients. She next served as assistant director of the Arkansas Division of Aging and Adult Services, where she oversaw 10 statewide programs operated by more than 50 nonprofit agencies. One of her favorite aspects of her work is being an advocate for underserved populations in Arkansas. �� “In Arkansas, it is amazing what one person can accomplish if they go to the Capitol and lobby,” Eubank said. “I am a fighter and love being an advocate for people who don’t have a voice.”

Finding her place in nonprofit work

In 1992, Eubank moved to the nonprofit sector to become the president of , which provides resources for older people and their families in central Arkansas. Beginning with a staff of 400 employees and an annual budget of $4.5 million, Eubank helped the agency grow to almost 800 employees with an annual budget of $17 million. After 22 years at CareLink, Eubank became the president and CEO of Easter Seals Arkansas, a nonprofit organization that aids more than 20,000 Arkansans with disabilities per year. �� Easter Seals provides life-changing services that help children and adults with disabilities reach their full potential. For children, services include two developmental preschools, outpatient therapy, a children’s rehabilitation center, and in-home services. ��Services for adults include a wellness center, job training, four apartment complexes, and in-home services. �� Arkansas Business named her one of the ��Top 100 Women in Arkansas in 1995, and she is a former board member of the Rotary Club of Little Rock. ��She is a member of Second Presbyterian Church and the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association. Eubank and her husband have been married for more than 30 years and have two children and three grandchildren. She enjoys reading, gardening, and watersports, especially stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking with her dogs Winston and Daisy. �� In the upper right photo, the 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Elaine Eubank, and her husband, Alfred Williams, are pictured at the Distinguished Alumni Luncheon. Photos by Lonnie Timmons III.

Chloe Deaton named Whitbeck Award winner

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 02 May 2016 17:38:48 +0000

A Donaghey Scholar who taught women in Nicaragua how to support themselves by making metal jewelry and selling their creations online is the recipient of the 2016 Edward L. Whitbeck Memorial Award. Chloe Deaton, 23, of Little Rock, has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average while double majoring in Spanish and fine arts with an emphasis in metals at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The Whitbeck Memorial Award is the single greatest distinction the university annually bestows on a graduating student. Deaton will receive the award during a luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 13, at the Clinton Presidential Center Great Hall in Little Rock. Elaine Eubank, who will receive the ��Vlog��ýLR Distinguished Alumni Award, and Paul Nolte, who will receive the ��Vlog��ýLR Presidents Award also will be honored during the event. Deaton’s final project for the Donaghey Scholars program included leading a metal jewelry making class for Nicaraguan women participating in Nueva Imagen, a program teaching new life skills to women previously trapped in prostitution. Before she left, Deaton raised more than $1,700 for tools and supplies during a two-week period via social media. When she returned home, she created a business plan to help participants sell their products online. “That opportunity was the most complete I have ever felt,” Deaton said. “I cannot fully express the joy that is found in seeing these marginalized women transform into confident, hammer-wielding craftspeople. I believe that work like this project embodies the idea of citizenship. “Utilizing the skills we have all acquired at ��Vlog��ýLR to make a positive impact is perhaps the best way to give back and fulfill our duties as privileged citizens of the world.” As someone who is not afraid to take on new challenges, Deaton also created a stop-motion animated film entirely on her own for her final fine arts major project. is about a cricket tailor who helps out the bullying dung beetle mayor, who has ripped his pants at an inopportune moment. “It has an underlying message of class and equality,” she said. “The mayor does something bad to the cricket, and the cricket still does something nice when the mayor needs help.” The film was accepted into seven film festivals and won several awards, including Best Student Film at the Indie Film Festival in Switzerland, Best College Film at the Austin Student Film Festival, and the Presidential Award at the North Carolina Film Awards. Coming from a family that believes strongly in giving back, Deaton has always been active in her community. She volunteered as a facilitator at World Services for the Blind, a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a translator for Community of Grace Health Center, and a tutor at Franklin Elementary School. After doctors diagnosed Type 1 diabetes in Deaton when she was a child, her parents helped found a local chapter of the in Little Rock, where Deaton still volunteers as an ambassador. Most people would not realize just how accomplished Deaton is because she “has the potential to fly under people’s radar,” said Simon Hawkins, interim director of the Donaghey Scholars Program. “She is friendly and personable, but her demeanor is quite modest,” Hawkins said. “Sometimes getting her to list accomplishments is like pulling teeth, but her work is impressive in its complexity, detail, thoughtfulness, and commitment to others.” Deaton has worked in leadership positions in several ��Vlog��ýLR organizations. She restarted ��Vlog��ýLR’s Spanish Club and has served as president for the past three years. She also served as personnel chair of Chi Omega Fraternity and was a founding member of Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society. She is also a member of Golden Key International Honor Society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Sigma Delta Pi. The ��Vlog��ýLR Faculty Senate Honors and Awards Committee makes the annual selection of the outstanding senior based on the criteria of citizenship, scholarship, and leadership. Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck established the award in memory of their son, Edward Lynn Whitbeck, who was a senior at Little Rock University, the predecessor of ��Vlog��ýLR, at the time of his death in 1965. Each scholar receives a personalized plaque and a monetary award and will lead the graduating students during the academic processional at spring graduation. Deaton is currently keeping busy by working as a cake decorator at Natalie Madison’s Artisan Cakes and as a radiology assistant at Radiology Associates, P.A. After graduation, Deaton is getting married May 21 to her fiancé, Mr. Kaley Crum. This summer, she plans to finish her second stop-motion animated film about two Florida retirees playing on the beach and the humorous situations that arise.

��Vlog��ýLR to honor Distinguished Alumni, Presidents award winners May 13

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 17:50:14 +0000

A woman who has dedicated her life to helping underserved populations in Arkansas gain access to better health care, education, food, and community-based services is the 2016 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Elaine Eubank is the president and chief executive officer of Easter Seals Arkansas, a nonprofit organization that helps more than 20,000 Arkansas children and adults with disabilities per year. �� She will receive the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association’s highest honor at a luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 13, at the Great Hall in the Clinton Presidential Center. Joining Eubank is the 2016 ��Vlog��ýLR Presidents Award recipient, Paul Nolte, a veteran entrepreneur of the election industry and a dedicated volunteer and member of the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association. This award is bestowed on individuals with career success and a profound dedication to the university. Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for advancement, hailed the award winners as two wonderful ��Vlog��ýLR alumni who are committed to their alma mater and dedicated to serving their community. “Elaine Eubank has achieved extraordinary distinction in her career and made extraordinary contributions to Little Rock, to the university, and to the citizens of the state,” O’Neal said. “The Presidents Award winner, Paul Nolte, has achieved remarkable success in his career and has donated hours upon hours of time and talent to the university and to Little Rock.” The event is hosted by the ��Vlog��ýLR Foundation Fund Board and the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association. Elaine Eubank Elaine Eubank has dedicated more than 35 years working in public health and nonprofit organizations. She was the first person in her family to attend college, an opportunity she says was possible because of her parents’ hard work. After graduating from ��Vlog��ýLR with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1975, Eubank served as the director of women’s health at the Arkansas Department of Health, where she supervised the operation of 10 public health programs serving approximately 80,000 patients and with an annual budget of $25 million. She next served as the assistant director of the Arkansas Division of Aging and Adult Services, where she oversaw 10 statewide programs operated by more than 50 nonprofit agencies. In 1992, Eubank moved to the nonprofit sector to become the president of CareLink, which provides resources for older people and their families in central Arkansas. Beginning with a staff of 400 employees and an annual budget of $4.5 million, Eubank helped the organization grow to almost 800 employees with an annual budget of $17 million. After 22 years at CareLink, Eubank became the president and CEO of Easter Seals Arkansas in 2015. Easter Seals provides life-changing services that help children and adults with disabilities reach their full potential. �� Arkansas Business named her one of the ��Top 100 Women in Arkansas in 1995, and she is a former board member of the Rotary Club of Little Rock. ��She is a member of Second Presbyterian Church and the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association. Eubank and her husband, Alfred Williams, have been married for more than 30 years and have two children and three grandchildren. She enjoys reading, gardening, and watersports, especially stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking with her dogs Winston and Daisy. Paul Nolte Paul Nolte is a veteran entrepreneur of the election industry and a dedicated volunteer and member of the ��Vlog��ýLR Alumni Association. He has modernized the association’s scholarship application process and investments, ensuring that the association will be able to provide scholarships for generations of future Trojans. Nolte graduated in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a minor in advertising. When he returned to ��Vlog��ýLR to pursue courses in technology, databases, and computer coding in 2009, Nolte began volunteering at the Alumni Association and was soon serving on the board of directors. He has since served two, three-year terms, and is the immediate past chair of the Scholarship Committee. In his role as chair, he completely automated the scholarship system for the association, modernizing the application and interview processes, as well as planning and budgeting the scholarships up until 2024. Previously, the association gave out one-time scholarships to students. Thanks to Nolte’s dedicated work, the association now awards an increasing amount of continuing scholarships that follow students through their entire academic career at ��Vlog��ýLR. Nolte is also a beekeeper as well as a Master Gardener, whose current project is the Governor’s Mansion Vegetable Garden. He and his wife, Diana, are avid travelers who love to spend time with their three daughters, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Speaker at ��Vlog��ýLR to give lecture on workplace flexibility

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 14:30:38 +0000

Pamela Culpepper, ��Vlog��ýLR’s 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, will give a lecture about workplace flexibility and productivity Thursday, March 17, at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The lecture, “The No. 1 Workplace Trend for 2016: Workplace Flexibility,” will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. March 17 in the Student Services Center Auditorium. Culpepper will share her experience in organizational leadership to discuss the construct of workplace flexibility and how it affects organizational and workplace productivity. Culpepper serves as chief people officer of, a global communications firm with about 700 employees and 34 offices around the world. She leads Golin’s human resources organization and oversees talent, development, performance, diversity and inclusion, recruitment and employee engagement initiatives. Prior to joining Golin, Culpepper worked in a variety of leadership roles at PepsiCo, Inc. for more than 13 years, most recently serving as senior vice president and global diversity and inclusion officer. Upon graduating from ��Vlog��ýLR with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1988, she moved to California, where she began a career in human resources working for Wells Fargo. While in California, Culpepper pursued graduate school at California State University-Hayward and received her master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis in organizational leadership. The lecture is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Department of Psychology’s Marie Wilson Howell’s Speaker Series. For more information, contact the Department of Psychology at 501.569.3171.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock to honor Troy Wells with Distinguished Alumni Award

����Vlog��ý Little Rock announces 2018 Distinguished Alumni, Presidents Award honorees

����Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni keep giving back to the university

����Vlog��ý Little Rock announces 2017 Distinguished Alumna, Presidents Award recipients

College of Business to honor Mark Pollack, Thomas Dickinson

Meet the honorees

Mark Pollack

Thomas Dickinson

Elaine Eubank honored as 2016 ����Vlog��ýLR Distinguished Alumni Award winner

Chloe Deaton named Whitbeck Award winner

����Vlog��ýLR to honor Distinguished Alumni, Presidents award winners May 13

Speaker at ����Vlog��ýLR to give lecture on workplace flexibility

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to honor Troy Wells with Distinguished Alumni Award

��Vlog��ý Little Rock announces 2018 Distinguished Alumni, Presidents Award honorees

��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni keep giving back to the university

��Vlog��ý Little Rock announces 2017 Distinguished Alumna, Presidents Award recipients

Elaine Eubank honored as 2016 ��Vlog��ýLR Distinguished Alumni Award winner

��Vlog��ýLR to honor Distinguished Alumni, Presidents award winners May 13

Speaker at ��Vlog��ýLR to give lecture on workplace flexibility