Former Farm Bureau leader dies in accident
by July 15, 2011 1:56 pm 71 views
Editor’s note: Roby Brock, with our content partner Talk Business, wrote this report. He can be reached at [email protected]
Stanley Reed, the former Arkansas Farm Bureau President, short-term U.S. Senate candidate, and finalist for the University of Arkansas System presidency, died in an automobile accident this morning around 9:45 am.
Reed, a farmer from Marianna, was heading to Augusta and ran off the road hitting a tree. Multiple sources close to the family have confirmed the death.
Reed, 59, led the state’s biggest farm advocacy group, the Arkansas Farm Bureau, for five years from 2003 to 2008. He also served on the University of Arkansas board of trustees, Baptist Health System board of trustees, Simmons First National Bank board of directors, and many other business and civic organizations.
Until Thursday (July 14), he was a final candidate for the UA System President’s post.
He also ran a short-lived campaign for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2010. His one-week campaign was cut short due to a health condition involving his blood pressure and heart. Reed ultimately was campaign finance chairman for U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., in his successful bid to unseat incumbent Blanche Lincoln.
Although he operated a large farm in Lee County, Reed was also a lawyer. He scored the highest grade on the Arkansas Bar Exam in 1976.
He is survived by his wife, Charlene, three children and three grandchildren.