Fayetteville Hall of Honor never runs out of top-notch inductees

FAYETTEVILLE — The Fayetteville Public Education Foundation Inc. announced its 2012 class of Hall of Honor inductees Wednesday (Aug. 15): Druggist Carl Collier; Treva Hamilton, first and longtime director of the foundation; and Jim McClelland, a staunch supporter and donor.

As it does every year, the 16th annual dinner and and induction ceremony will coincide with Fayetteville High’s annual homecoming festivities the next day and night.

Collier grew up working in the family drug store on Dickson Street. He graduating with a pharmacy degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1964, then joined his brother Morris and their father in the business. Since then, Collier Drug Stores has grown to eight stores in Washington and Benton Counties, employing 18 pharmacists and 70 staff. 

Hamilton began her career in education as a speech pathologist, working at the Hissom Memorial Center for Mentally Handicapped Children and the Union Public Schools in Tulsa before moving to Fayetteville in 1986. During her 12-year tenure as executive director of the foundation, it’s endowment grew from $400,000 to $2.4 million, and more than $3 million in grants were distributed to Fayetteville Public School teachers. She also initiated the Society and Decade Donor Giving Circles, which have generated over $700,000 for the foundation.

Jim McClelland worked for Mehlburger Engineers in Little Rock for 10 years before deciding to open his own office in Little Rock in 1977. Today, McClelland Consulting Engineers (MCE) has offices in Fayetteville and Little Rock and employs 25 engineers and 95 staff members. He currently serves as chairman emeritus of MCE.

With a long history of board experience for make-a difference organizations all over the state — the William Jefferson Clinton Library, Heifer Project International Headquarters, and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, to name a few — his input has been invaluable to the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation.

Since the private, nonprofit corporation’s Hall of Honor began in 1997, 54 individuals have been inducted.
The purpose of the Hall is threefold: Provide role models for students by honoring former students who have distinguished themselves; create excitement about education; honor those educators and friends who have made extraordinary contributions to public education in Fayetteville.
 
The Hall of Honor Induction ceremonies are set for Oct. 4 at the Fayetteville Town Center, beginning with a reception at 5:30 p.m., a meal prepared by Chef Miles James of James at the Mill at 6:30 p.m. and the ceremonies at 7:30 p.m.. Reservations are $75 each and may be purchased by calling the foundation office at (479) 527-3655.