Entrepreneur Thomas ‘Tommy’ Boyer of Fayetteville dies

Businessman and philanthropist Thomas E. “Tommy” Boyer of Fayetteville died Wednesday (Feb. 19). He was 84. Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed Boyer to the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees in 2017. His term was set to expire in 2027.

Boyer, a Fort Smith native, graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1964 and was an All-American basketball player. He was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. Boyer’s career was part of this February 2013 story noting his induction into the Business Hall of Fame.

According to the UA, Boyer retired from Eastman Kodak Co. in 1989 and was the only sales manager to exceed corporate sales goals for 26 consecutive years. Shortly after retirement, he founded Micro Images in Amarillo, Texas. Within two years, Micro Images became the largest Kodak document imaging systems broker and reseller in the United States and remained so for eight consecutive years.

Boyer served on the UA Foundation Board of Directors, the Dean’s Executive Advisory Board at the Sam M. Walton College of Business and was co-chair of the UA’s Campaign for the 21st Century capital campaign from 2000-2002. He and his wife, Sylvia, served on the Campaign Steering Committee and were founding members and gold members of the Towers of Old Main.

They were honored by the university as Volunteers of the Year in 1992 and received the Arkansas Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award in 1999. Also that year, the couple established the Boyer Fellowship for Walton College honors students, and Boyer received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Walton College.

Following is a statement from UA System President Jay Silveria:
“I was just getting the opportunity to learn more about Trustee Boyer and the significance of his life and career in the state as an accomplished athlete, an incredibly astute and successful businessman, a dedicated family man, and a resolute trustee who cared deeply for his alma mater and community in Northwest Arkansas. I wish I could have had more time getting to know him, but I can tell that he was a highly respected man amongst the Board of Trustees and on campus at the U of A and across the UA System. On behalf of the leadership of the UA System and our campuses, divisions, and units across the state, I want to express our deepest condolences to Trustee Boyer’s wife, Sylvia, and his family, friends, and colleagues.”

Following is a statement from Kelly Eichler, chair of the UA System Board of Trustees:
“There was never a question about Tommy’s opinion on things that mattered most to him. He was passionate about the University of Arkansas, particularly the business school and athletics, both of which benefited handsomely from his experience and generosity. He quietly sponsored many students traversing the rigors of the business curriculum and student life. Most of all, he cared about providing opportunities to people and treating them fairly. If Tommy were your champion, you would be in capable and skillful hands. He adored his family, including his dogs, and was quick to share their latest accomplishments or to forward a solid dog joke. Tommy will be dearly missed as a mentor and friend.”