Lewis Excels as Fayetteville Rainmaker

You can look far and wide and not find a twin city for Fayetteville. Its uniqueness is something that has not been lost on John Lewis.

But Lewis’ efforts to both preserve Fayetteville’s history while helping the town continue to move forward have not been lost on the community.

In a poll of dozens of prominent businessmen and businesswomen conducted by the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, Lewis was selected the man who most makes things happen, a.k.a. The Rainmaker, in Fayetteville.

Fayetteville’s selection had perhaps the largest variety of choices of any town we’ve polled — something that proved Lewis’ point that no one individual has overwhelming power in his hometown.

“I can remember when there were four or five people in Springdale that would meet for coffee and make the decisions there and that was it,” said one businessman. “Fayetteville has never been like that. The top person is not as clear as in some other towns. There’s so much diverse interest in this community.”

Lewis is president of The Bank of Fayetteville but was chosen The Rainmaker perhaps more for his work with numerous projects benefiting Fayetteville both economically and cosmetically.

“John Lewis really does care about Fayetteville and will give his time for this city,” said another businesswoman.

Jim Lindsey, president and CEO of Lindsey & Associates, finished a close second to Lewis. University of Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles; UA Chancellor John White; lawyer Woody Bassett; Charles Scharlau, retired Arkansas Western Gas president and CEO; Fred Vorsanger, former mayor and current Walton Arena manager; and Clark McClinton, former owner of McClinton-Anchor, also were mentioned prominently as possible Fayetteville Rainmakers.

“Clark McClinton used to be it,” said one businessman. “He was known as the Godfather of the Community. It used to be that you didn’t do anything until you talked to Clark. Politicians still want to get Clark’s name on their side. There is so much respect for the man. If you had to pick an emeritus Rainmaker, it would be Clark.”

Lewis said, however, that the attitude of the city “transcends” any one individual.

“I like the preservation aspect of Fayetteville because of the friendliness we have here, the care, the helpfulness of the people,” Lewis said.

Lewis said he works for the betterment of Fayetteville for selfish reasons.

“I want Fayetteville to be large enough so if my grandchildren want to stay here and find a job someday they can,” he said.

The largest town in the Washington/Benton County metropolitan area of Northwest Arkansas, Fayetteville will perhaps always be the focal point for the area because of the University of Arkansas.

“We have a deep, rich history here,” Lewis said. “We’ve got a reverence for education, and educated people respect people with ideas and values instead of money and power.”

Lewis proved to be the most revered individual we found in Fayetteville. Even those who did not put him atop their list of Fayetteville Rainmakers nevertheless had him on the list.

Lewis and Arvest McIlroy Bank President Gary Head were chosen co-Banking Rainmakers; Bassett was the town’s Political Rainmaker; Lindsey was the Real Estate Rainmaker; Roy Clinton, chairman of the board of directors for Washington Regional Medical Center, was the Health Care Rainmaker; and the Walton Family Foundation was tabbed as our Philanthropy & Fund-raising Rainmaker.

“John Lewis has the conscience of the city,” said one of our categories’ Rainmakers. “I value his wisdom.”

Lindsey is the long-running real estate giant in a market in which real estate is at a premium, with the continuing upscale residential and commercial growth. And the former UA and NFL football player has influence in Fayetteville outside of his real estate business.

“We all work for him, don’t we?” laughed one businessman. “He’s the biggest giver to his church and one of the largest givers to the university. What else can you ask him to do for his community that he hasn’t already done? And he’s the most honest person I’ve ever known.”

Lindsey is known as being very tough in his business dealings, but always good for his word.

His development practices are not always appreciated by certain parties, but, as one individual said, that again points out the diversity of Fayetteville.

“Jim Lindsey tends to attract lovers and haters,” said one businessman. “A lot of developers are not liked in this city that are loved in Springdale.”

Lindsey’s foresight with the land he purchased where the Northwest Arkansas Mall now sits may well have been the most important real estate transaction since the UA found its home in Fayetteville in 1871.

Broyles, who coached Lindsey during his college football career, has been long considered one of the most powerful individuals in Arkansas. He may actually carry less weight in Fayetteville, where his decisions are related more directly to the university’s athletic programs than to the city itself. Some of our local figures argued that very point, noting that the UA is in Fayetteville, and, therefore, Broyles affects Fayetteville.

It’s hard to argue that his leadership has helped put together strong football, basketball and baseball programs, all of which bring money to Fayetteville when they bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors to town over the course of a year.

“If you get Frank Broyles’ endorsement, with whatever you’re doing, it will probably happen,” one local figure said.

While White has been chancellor at the UA only since 1997, he has made several decisions that have both pleased and angered many in the community. In fact, those surveyed admitted his power in the same breath as they questioned his moves.

“John White may be more of a thunderstorm than a Rainmaker,” said one businesswoman.

“He’s like a bull in a china shop,” said another person we talked to. “But he has done some dynamic things at the university.”

Philanthropy & Fund-Raising Rainmaker
Walton Family Foundation

One area businessman suggested we make our decision on the Fayetteville Philanthropy and Fund-raising Rainmaker by driving around town to some of its proudest spots.

We got the picture.

Walton Arena is considered one of the finest basketball arenas in the country, and the Walton Arts Center not only takes center stage on Dickson Street, but it is also credited with saving Fayetteville’s most famous stretch of pavement.

The Walton Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization derived from retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc., has given Fayetteville facilities even some big cities can’t match.

“Who else can even touch [the Walton family],” asked one businessman. “Their philanthropic measures for this town are unmatched anywhere on this planet.”

Another said the Waltons had “given money I can’t even dream of.”

Other Major Players
Bill Ackerman,tTax Concepts Inc.,towner
Bootsie Ackerman,tDowntown/Dickson, texecutive director, Enhancement Project
Jack Butt,tDavis Cox and Wrighttlawyer
Dan Ferritor,tJones Charitable Trustttrustee
Uvalde Lindsey,tOzark International Consultants,tpresident
Clark McClinton,tMcClinton-Anchor,tretired
Ross Pendergraft,tReynolds Foundation,tboard member
Billie Jo Starr,ttvolunteer
Willard & Pat Walker,tWal-Mart Stores Inc.,tretired

Real Estate Rainmaker
Jim Lindsey

Fayetteville’s growth can in many ways be attributed to former Razorback football player Jim Lindsey’s returning to town after a career in the NFL.

Ever since Lindsey purchased acreage where the Northwest Arkansas Mall now sits, north Fayetteville has never been the same. And it’s almost impossible to drive through town without seeing one of Lindsey’s numerous apartment complexes.

A runaway choice as the Fayetteville Real Estate Rainmaker, Lindsey has made Lindsey & Associates the premier real estate firm in Northwest Arkansas.

“Nobody has done what [Lindsey has] done for this city,” said one businessman. “He has probably had as much impact on the growth and development of Fayetteville as Sam Walton did for Bentonville and John Tyson did for Springdale.”

Another one of the people we talked to said Lindsey is often misperceived with his developments, stating that every time trees are removed for construction, he plants more in their place.

Developer Rob Merry-Ship was praised for his “innovative” designs in the Fayetteville’s downtown area.

Other Major Players
Richard Alexander,tNorth College Development,tco-owner
Gary Combs,tBasic Construction,towner
George Faucette Jr.,tColdwell-Banker Faucette,tpresident
Dave Fulton,tFulton Enterprises,towner
Greg House,tHouses Inc.,towner
Bill Lazenby,tLazenby Construction,towner
Mark Marquess,tBMP Development Inc.,towner
Rob Merry-Ship,tMerry-Ship Properties/North College Development, towner/co-owner
David MixtDykes Bassett Mix,tco-owner
Bob Nickle,tNickle-Hill Group,tco-owner
Tom Pearson,tprivate practicetlawyer
Jerry Sweetser,tSweetser Construction,towner

Health Care Rainmaker
Roy Clinton

While Washington Regional Medical Center has had its share of turnover the last few years, Roy Clinton has remained a steadying force.

Clinton, chairman of the board of directors at WRMC, the only locally owned, nonprofit hospital in Northwest Arkansas, was selected Health Care Rainmaker for Fayetteville.

WRMC at this time is enjoying perhaps its most shining moment in years. It will move into a new, $53.8 million, 280,000-SF building at North Hills Medical Park, targeting spring 2002 for its grand opening.

Clinton, who several times has been chairman of the WRMC board, credits the hospital staff for moving foward in the health care field.

He is perhaps most proud of the hospital’s Kids for Health program, which he said is “world class.”

“We’ve got great people all way across the spectrum,” Clinton said. “We are on the right path, but it’s a work in process. And we’ve been the leaders in this game all along. Now we’ll have a great medical complex. There will be nothing else like it in the state.”

Other Major Players
Jessie Bryant,tFree Health Clinic,tretired
George Cole,tPark Hill Clinic,tphysician
Steve Lampkin,tWRMC,tpresident/CEO
Bill Rogers,tWashington Regional Medical Foundation,tsenior vice president
James Romine,tPark Hill Clinic,tphysician
Larry Shackleford,tMedical Services of NWA, administrator

Banking Rainmakers
Gary Head & John Lewis

One businessman said it was too bad we couldn’t have co-Banking Rainmakers in Fayetteville, but after talking to several dozen prominent figures in the business community, that was precisely what we did.

It was simply too close to call.

Gary Head, president of the state’s oldest bank, Arvest McIlroy Bank, and John Lewis, president of The Bank of Fayetteville, share the honor.

“John Lewis is kind of the old standby for banking in Fayetteville,” said one pollster. “But Gary Head is quickly ascending to that position.”

Head was named president of McIlroy in 1999.

“Gary’s got his fingers in a lot of pies,” said another businessman.

Lewis is both president and chairman at his bank.

“John has done so much for Fayetteville,” said one businessman. “And he has more authority to hand out loans around Fayetteville. The nationwide banks don’t care about the little man around here. He loves Fayetteville and the people of Fayetteville. He wants to help better their lives.”

Many of the other banks are lost in the shuffle, said one woman. “We’re overbanked in Northwest Arkansas,” she said. “It takes some muscle to survive.”

Other Major Players
Don Gibson,tBank of America, president

Political Rainmaker
Woody Bassett

Born and schooled through college in Fayetteville, Woody Bassett saw no reason to leave.

The Fayetteville lawyer was an overwhelming choice by area business people as the city’s most powerful man in politics.

“I don’t know of anyone who works harder than Woody,” said one pollster. “He has about as much influence in this town as anyone.”

Of Bassett’s many victories in the courtroom, one of his most memorable came when he successfully got former Razorback basketball player Sunday Adebayo an extra season of eligibility. Rarely does the NCAA get defeated once it’s delivered a ruling.

Bassett enjoys working for the family’s law firm, but has never ruled out running for public office, something his supporters have often encouraged.

“Woody Bassett is so connected,” another pollster said.

Indeed. Bassett is a close friend of President Bill Clinton, having run Clinton’s Arkansas gubernatorial comeback campaign in Washington County. He also toured the country with the “Friends of Bill” during the 1992 presidential campaign.

But Bassett has his feet planted firmly in Fayetteville.

“I love Fayetteville,” he said. “I love Arkansas. I love Northwest Arkansas. It’s one of the best places to be anywhere in this country.”

Other Major Players
Jim Blair,tprivate practicetlawyer*
Fred Hanna,tCity of Fayetteville,tmayor
Richard Hudson,tUniversity of Arkansas,tvice-chancellor
Sen. David Malone,tstate legislature (Democrat)
Steve Ward,tFayetteville Chamber,tpresident/CEO

*Retired as Tyson Foods Inc.’s general council but still practicing privately.