Leadership Fort Smith welcomes new class

The 25 members of the 2012-13 Leadership Fort Smith class were welcomed into the program during a reception held Thursday (Aug. 9) at the Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House.

The event was hosted by the Leadership Fort Smith Alumni Association.

“The Alumni Association is happy to sponsor this event each year and welcome the new class into the program,” said Amanda Daniels, president of the association’s board of directors.

Now in its 26th year, Leadership Fort Smith is a program partially supported by the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. Participants are chosen through an extensive application and selection process, take part in sessions that focus on key community issues and leadership skills while engaging in dialogue with leaders in various fields.

LFS Director Barbara Harvel is looking forward to the months ahead and what it will mean to the participants.

“It’s always exciting to welcome a new class to Leadership Fort Smith because we know how much each individual will learn during the year of the program,” she said in a statement. “Even those who have grown up in Fort Smith and have stayed here their entire lives will walk away in amazement of the lessons learned about their community and region.”

New class members are:

Mark Arant of Muldrow, Okla., dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at UAFS.

Ben Carroll of Fort Smith, manager of human resources for USA Truck Inc.

Josh Carson of Fort Smith, attorney with Jones, Jackson & Moll PLC.

John Cooley of Fort Smith, chief financial officer for Propak Logistics Inc.

Joel Culberson of Fort Smith, senior account analyst for Data-Tronics Corp.

Rham Cunningham of Fort Smith, production and digital media coordinator for Williams/Crawford & Associates.

Michele Delawder of Fort Smith, cancer support house director at the Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House.

Robert Halliburton of Greenwood, senior vice president of commercial lending at Liberty Bank of Arkansas.

Jeff Harmon of Greenwood, director of marketing and communications at UAFS.

Susan Hinshaw of Fort Smith, branch manager for First National Bank.

Mike Jacimore of Fort Smith, senior vice president/sales manager at Arvest Bank.

Bo Loftis of Van Buren, attorney with Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus.

Lyndsee Lyons of Pocola, Okla., executive assistant, Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority.

Kelly McGruder of Fort Smith, director of membership and marketing with the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Chris Melton of Fort Smith, site director for Sykes Enterprises.

Darryl Presley of Fort Smith, technology manager for Saint-Gobain Proppants.

Tonya Rogers of Fort Smith, branch manager at United Federal Credit Union.

Barry Rowton of Fort Smith, vice president of information technology for Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corp.

Michelle Russell of Charleston, sales manager for TEC Staffing Services.

Anthony Sims of Fort Smith, assistant principal at Northside High School.

Abbie Taylor Cox of Alma, executive director of Project Compassion Inc. and owner of Cox Consulting.

Ginger Thompson of Pocola, Okla., family room program director for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma Inc.

Pattie West of Fort Smith, distribution services manager for Golden Living.

Dr. Josh Wilkinson of Fort Smith, internal medicine/pediatric physician at Mercy Clinic.

Karen Wuthrich of Fort Smith, vice president of commercial lending at BancorpSouth.