Inspiring Accomplishments

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas will hold its 14th annual awards banquet on Thursday, April 19, at the Center for Continuing Education in Fayetteville.

The Walton College will honor three distinctive alumni:

• J. Thomas “Tommy” May, Chairman and CEO, Simmons First National Corporation, Pine Bluff, Ark. - Lifetime Achievement Award;

• Padgett Mangan, CEO, Normandy & Monroe, Little Rock, Ark. - Entrepreneur of the Year Award; and

• Rosemary Fairhead, Senior Portfolio Manager, Managing Director Private Asset Management, U.S. Bank, St. Louis, Mo. - Outstanding Service Award.

Walton College Dean Dan Worrell said: “We have chosen these business leaders because they exemplify the very essence of what we are trying to teach our students. Their accomplishments provide inspiration to the students as well as to our faculty and staff.”

May began his banking career at the First National Bank of Commerce in New Orleans.  He returned to El Dorado as vice president of Exchange Bank in 1976 and graduated from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking in 1979.  He has served as CEO of Exchange Bancshares, Inc. and was elected chairman of Citizens Bank in 1985. In 1987, he became president and CEO of Simmons First National Bank — a financial holding company, which owns eight Arkansas community banks, which operate through 86 offices located in 48 communities. May currently serves on the Walton College Dean’s Executive Advisory Board and will receive the University of Arkansas Chancellor’s Medal on April 27. 

Mangan co-founded his company, Normandy & Monroe, in 2000, after working for Merrill Lynch. The company has become one of the premier names in men’s clothing, with menswear items favored by President George W. Bush, Robert DeNiro and Ashton Kutcher.  Mangan has recently spun off two new businesses that feature trendy, youthful men’s sportswear and women’s handbags. The new lines are sold in 75 Dillard’s stores across the U.S. and will be carried in Neiman Marcus this fall. The company is active in philanthropy for Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the American Heart Association. 

Fairhead credits Walton College professor John Dominick with helping her land her first job at Mercantile Trust Co. (now U.S. Bancorp). She worked at Mercantile Trust for 19 years where she became vice president and senior portfolio manager. In 1999, Fairhead co-founded Scudder Private Investment Counsel’s St. Louis office and grew the company’s Midwest portfolio to more than $1 billion in assets under management. In 2001, Fairhead was nominated as one of the most influential business women in St. Louis.  She is an A+Life member of the Arkansas Alumni Association, serving on the board of directors and as past president of the St. Louis chapter. She lectures frequently for the American Institute of Banking and other financial services symposiums. 

Walton College Outstanding Student Awards

The Walton College’s outstanding undergraduate senior awards include:

Accounting — Jamie A. Curtis, Rebecca Diana Nevin, Sarah E. Topham

Finance — Caleb J. Baucom, Cleveland Matthew Heath, Christopher Serven, John David Tamas, Joseph Tran  

Marketing and Logistics —Robert Blake Area, Brandon Barr, Brittany Callich, Amanda Chandler, Chase Feltner, Megan C. Harris

Management — Jessica Bridges, Kyle Friesen, Emily F. Kilgore

Ralph Treat Outstanding Cooperative Student Award — Scott N. Eckert

Graduate student awards include:

Master of Business Administration — Trisha N. McRoberts

Master of Information Systems — Phillip D. Kindy (Professional MIS), Bradley Burgess (Full-time MIS)

Master of Transportation and Logistics — Stacey Crouch

The Sam M. Walton Student Leadership award will be given to Emily F. Kilgore. The Doyle Z. Williams Student Leadership Award will go to Emily F. Kilgore. The Helping and Nurturing Diverse Scholars Award will go to Whitney Boyd. The University of Arkansas and Walton College student awards, include: First-ranked Senior Scholars — Miranda Brown, Allen Curtis Hall, Megan C. Harris, Katie Hoard, Patrick Kyle Story, Andrew Hudson Westbrook, and Nikki Wilson. These students completed all of their course work at the U of A with a grade point average of 4.0. The Senior Scholars are Aaron Ablondi, Ashley Anderson, Brittany Callich, Jamie A. Curtis, Sean DeWitt, and Sarah Topham. They have been enrolled at the university for at least four semesters and had the highest grade point in the college. The Brandon Burlsworth Scholar-Athlete Award will go to Kristen Thibideaux. Lauren Slabaugh will receive the Beta Gamma Sigma award, and Andrew M. Endicott will receive the Presidential Scholar award. The Walton College’s Outstanding Graduating Senior is Megan C. Harris.

OUTSTANDING WALTON COLLEGE FACULTY AND STAFF

Dean Worrell will recognize the outstanding Walton College faculty and staff for the 2006-2007 academic year. He said: “It takes the combined efforts of all of our faculty and our staff to provide these students with the best business education possible. We are grateful for all of their work this year to produce a top graduating class.”

Dan Ganster, professor of management and holder of the Charles C. Fichtner Chair, will receive the “Outstanding All-Around Faculty” award for excelling in teaching, research and service. The “Excellence in Teaching” award will be given to Bill Greenhaw, adjunct instructor of accounting. The “Excellence in Research” award will be presented to Viswanath Venkatesh, professor and holder of the George & Boyce Billingsley Endowed Chair in Information Systems. Susan Bristow, instructor in information systems, will receive the “Excellence in Advising” award. The “Excellence in Service” award will be presented to Molly Rapert, associate professor of marketing and logistics. Jeff Jones, doctoral student in finance, will receive the “Outstanding Graduate Assistant Teaching” award. The “Faculty Diversity Award” will be given to Anne O’Leary-Kelly, professor of management and holder of the William R. & Cacilia Howard Chair in Management.

Worrell will recognize ten faculty and staff members for their length of service to the Walton College and the University of Arkansas: 10 years of service —Renee Clay, Sandy Kizer, Cindy Riemenschneider, Rita Littrell, Anne O’Leary-Kelly, Scott O’Leary-Kelly, and Nelson Driver; 20 years of service — John Cole; and 30 years of service — Susan Yell and Tom Jones. 

The Walton College “Major Contribution” award will go to Rosa Ainley, DP network tech in the technology center. The “Superior Service” award will go to Kenley Haley, administrative assistant in the management department. The “Rookie” award goes to Melynda Grantham, secretary in the marketing and logistics department, and the “Staff Diversity” award goes to Bill Ragan, academic advisor in Undergraduate Programs.

The Walton College “Outstanding Team” award will go to the Center for Retailing Excellence.  Members include: Pam Styles, Sarah Godfrey, Don Bland, and Claudia Mobley. The “High Performance Team” award will go to the Enterprise Systems Program. Members include: Paul Cronan, David Douglas, Christine Davis, Fred Davis, Jeff Mullins, Susan Bristow, Eddie Mahar, Rhys Dixion, and Sandy Kizer.