Monday Kudos: Humphrey Native To Lead Ducks Unlimited

Ducks Unlimited taps an Arkansan for leadership; the state bank commissioner is named to a high-profile board, St. Vincent’s adds a new heart surgeon; and changes at the Clinton School.

DUNKLIN NAMED DUCKS UNLIMITED PRESIDENT
George Dunklin Jr., of Humphrey, Ark., has been voted as Ducks Unlimited’s 42nd president. Dunklin succeeds John Newman, who now serves as chairman of the board.

“I am honored and humbled beyond words to become president of Ducks Unlimited,” Dunklin told convention attendees gathered in Portland, Ore. “So many great leaders helped bring me to this place in my conservation career, and I am determined to make them proud during my presidency. And far beyond that, I am committed to continuing to grow and shape this great organization, strengthen our bonds as Team DU and reach or exceed all our goals over the next two years.”

STATE BANK COMMISSIONER IS CHAIRMAN-ELECT
The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) announced its new officers and board members for 2013-2014. Arkansas’ State Bank Commissioner Candace Franks was chosen chairman-elect.

The full slate of newly-installed officers include:

Chairman: Kentucky Commissioner of Financial Institutions Charles A. Vice.
Chairman-Elect: Arkansas State Bank Commissioner Candace A. Franks.
Vice Chairman: Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks David J. Cotney.
Secretary: Arizona Superintendent of Financial Institutions Lauren Kingry.
Treasurer: Texas Banking Commissioner Charles G. Cooper.
Immediate Past Chairman: Tennessee Commissioner of Financial Institutions Greg Gonzales.

ST. VINCENT ADDS NEW HEART SURGEON, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
A fourth cardiovascular surgeon is joining The Jack Stephens Heart Institute at St. Vincent in Little Rock. S. Thomas Rayburn III began at the Institute June 3, 2013.

Rayburn has practiced thoracic and cardiovascular surgery since 1999 with professional interests in minimally invasive techniques for thoracic and cardiac surgery, valve reconstruction and replacement, coronary revascularization, lung cancer and endovascular surgery.

Rayburn is a graduate of the University of Mississippi at Oxford, where he earned an undergraduate degree; the University of Mississippi Medical Center at Jackson, where he completed an internship and residency in general surgery; and the University of Florida–Shands Hospital at Gainesville where he completed a residency in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery.

Also, St. Vincent announced that Tom Cummins, M.D. has accepted the new leadership position of Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for St. Vincent Health System.

Cummins comes from White River Medical Center in Batesville, Ark. where he served as the Chief Medical Officer and Director of hospital medicine since 2009. He has extensive clinical experience as a board certified internist and group practice partner from 1995 through 2008. He also has significant leadership experience having chaired and served on numerous hospital committees and as medical director for several hospital units.

Cummins completed his undergraduate degree at Baylor University and medical school & internal medicine residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). He also earned a master’s degree in medical management from Carnegie Mellon University.

BEAUMONT TO FOCUS ON UA SYSTEM DUTIES, LEAVING CLINTON SCHOOL POST
Beginning July 1, Ben Beaumont is leaving his day-to-day duties with the Clinton School of Public Service and will continue his full-time job as director of communications at the University of Arkansas System.

“I very much enjoyed my seven years with the Clinton School and will remain very involved with the school in my position with the UA System. But as the Clinton School has grown and my role has evolved at both the school and the UA System, it has become clear that both entities require the services of a full-time communications director,” Beaumont said.

COUCH NAMED VP AT DELTA DENTAL
Jim Couch has been named Vice President and General Counsel for Delta Dental of Arkansas. Couch has more than 20 years of experience providing legal counsel and compliance oversight to organizations within the health care industry.

Prior to joining Delta Dental of Arkansas, Couch served as the vice president of compliance and corporate counsel with QualChoice from 2007 to 2013. He also served as the senior vice president and corporate counsel for HealthScope Benefits, Inc., from 1993 to 2007.

Couch received his undergraduate degree in international business and foreign language from Auburn University in Alabama. He received his law degree from Emory University Law School in Atlanta, Ga., and he received a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Business.