Gary Sewell earned his B.B.A. from Southern Arkansas University (then Southern State College) in 1971. Gary has spent his career working in and serving south Arkansas. After graduation, he worked at Shuler Drilling Company where he served as Vice-President from 1973 until 1983. In 1983 Gary and a partner purchased Hammond Oil Company, a wholesale petroleum distributor in El Dorado, Arkansas. In 1990 Gary became the sole owner and changed the name to Sewell Oil Company. When originally purchased, the company had an annual revenue of $2.5 million dollars. Through growth and acquisition, Sewell Oil Company, led by Gary and his son Justin, now has an annual revenue of $165 million dollars.
An interest in oil and gas, along with his entrepreneurial spirit, resulted in the inception of two other companies. In 1984 Gary started Sewell Operating Company, Inc., an exploration and production company, which has over 500 producing properties from the Bakken Shale in North Dakota to the Frio Sand in South Texas. In 1990 Gary organized and became President of Sewell Drilling Company, LLC, an oil well drilling company which services Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. The company has four drilling rigs and forty employees.
Branching out from oil-related businesses, Gary turned his attention to banking. In 1984 he became a director of First Federal Savings and Loan, a small bank in El Dorado, which is now First Financial Bank. First Financial Bank has offices in ten states and assets of $1.6 billion. Gary, a major stockholder in the bank, continues to work on the Board of Directors, as well as the Loan Committee; and over the years, has served on the Audit Committee, Executive Committee and as the Chair of the Budget Committee.
Gary’s business expertise has benefited his community and the state. Gary is the current Chairman of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, a commission on which he has served since being appointed by Governor Asa Hutchinson in 2016. Gary supports Southern Arkansas University by serving on the Rankin College Business Advisory Council. His latest community project is one that is close to his heart since it involves promoting equestrian sports. In June 2023, a group of twenty-five supporters led by Gary obtained funding from the El Dorado City Council to build a $3.7 million multipurpose equine complex known as the South Arkansas Expo Center. The Expo Center, being built on land donated by Gary, will bring approximately $500,000 in tax revenue to the city of El Dorado.
Of all the things which Gary has accomplished, nothing gives him more pleasure than his ranch. It is there, on the 800-acre ranch near El Dorado, where he pursues his passion, a working ranch where he raises genetically superior Brangus cattle and athletic quarter horses. On the ranch, his dream has become a reality.
Gary has been married to his wife Kristi for 23 years and has two sons and four grandchildren.
Dr. Gayle White, Turner Professor of Management and SAU Distinguished Professor, taught for 43 years in the Rankin College of Business at Southern Arkansas University. She graduated from Southern State College in 1963, then earned an M.B.E. in 1966 and an Ed.D. in 1972 from the University of Mississippi. Postgraduate studies from the University of Illinois in 1984 and Harvard University in 1989 followed.
Dr. White’s leadership on the state and national levels included President of the National Council of Alpha Chi, 1987-1991 (National Council Member 197902005); State President of Kappa State Delta Kappa Gamma, 1979-1981 (served on two international committees); President of the Arkansas Dean’s Association, 1984-1985; and President of the Arkansas College Teachers of Economics and Business, 1989.
Her major contributions to SAU included chairmanship of four major institutional studies: North Central Association Self Study, Arkansas Department of Higher Education Evaluation of Business Programs Self Study, Title IX Self Study, and Arkansas Department of Higher Education Evaluation of Computer Information Systems Programs. Additional contributions to students included sponsor of Alpha Chi, national college honor scholarship society, for over 20 years and sponsor of Sigma Beta Delta, national business honor society, for ten years.
Dr. White’s research has been published in such journals as the Journal of Business and Economic Research, American Journal of Business Education, Journal of Management and Marketing Research, Journal of Instructional Pedagogies, Ethics, and Critical Thinking Journal, Review of Business Research, Journal of the Academy of Business and Economics, and the International Journal of Business Disciplines as well as numerous other journals. She received the SAU Faculty Excellence Award for Research in 2003. In addition, Dr. White was selected SAU Honor Professor, 1997-1998. Early in her career, she was selected by the Arkansas Business Education Association as the 1980 Arkansas Business Educator of the Year. Dr. White served as Dean of the School of Business from 1980-1994.
Dr. White and her husband have one daughter and two grandchildren. After her retirement from SAU, Dr. White and her husband moved to North Carolina to be near them.
Ed Choate is the retired president & CEO of Delta Dental of Arkansas after having served in that position for 21 years, from July 2000 – January 2022. During his time there, Delta Dental more than quadrupled in membership, revenue and net assets. Prior to joining DDAR, he worked for 20 years in the managed healthcare industry in leadership roles at Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, NovaSys Health and HealthScope Benefits.
In 2006, Choate was named Arkansas Business Executive of the Year. In 2007, he was selected as a Distinguished Alumni of Southern Arkansas University (SAU). In 2010, he was named the Rotarian of the Year by the Rotary Club of Little Rock and was inducted into the SAU Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2013, Delta Dental was chosen as the Arkansas Business of the Year and has been selected as one of the Best Places to Work in Arkansas for ten consecutive years (2013-2022). In 2022, Choate was named the Business & Professional of the Year by the Rotary Club of Little Rock.
Choate is currently a trustee and past chairman of the Baptist Health Board of Trustees, a former chairman of Fifty for the Future and the Delta Dental Plans Association Boards of Directors. He attended board governance programs at Harvard University and Stanford Law School Director’s College. Choate is recognized as a Board Leadership Fellow and earned Directorship Certification from the National Association of Corporate Directors. Choate obtained a B.B.A. from Southern Arkansas University (SAU) in 1975 and a B.S.E. from SAU in 1977.
He and his wife, Marilyn, live in Conway, AR and have been married 45 years, have two married children and five grandchildren. They are charter members of Woodland Heights Baptist Church in Conway.
Allison Schultz ’85 earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems at SAU and returned in the 1990s to gain additional credits to sit for the CPA exam. Earning her CPA in 1994, she worked for several years in the oil and gas industry before joining Southern Aluminum in 1997.
Allison has a proven executive management record of over 25 years of experience with Southern Aluminum, a leading manufacturer and seller of meeting, banquet, and event furniture primarily serving the hospitality industry. She has managed all facets of the company’s operations including accounting and finance, sales and marketing, new business development, operations, and human resources. A devout believer in relationships, Allison is dedicated to the people, products, and partnerships of the company. She currently leads Southern Aluminum as President and Chief Executive Officer. She continues the company’s legacy and pledge of world class customer experience, product, and service. Under Allison’s leadership, Southern Aluminum developed a vision to “elevate our Team Members, Customers, Community, Suppliers and Shareholders to their very best life.” A lofty vision to benefit everyone with a connection to the company.
She also owned and operated several small businesses and served on the board of many non-profit organizations in her native Magnolia, including Magnolia Specialized Services, Junior Charity League of Magnolia, Columbia County Community Foundation and currently, the Southern Arkansas University Foundation Board of Governors. Her “new” connection to Southern Arkansas University through the Foundation is incredibly meaningful and powerful to Allison and she looks forward to a lifelong relationship with SAU.
Dr. Daniel Kyle graduated from SAU in 1959 with a bachelor of science degree. He later earned his M.B.A. and Ph.D. in business administration, both from the University of Arkansas.
Kyle, originally from Norphlet, served as the Louisiana Legislative Auditor from 1989 until 2003. During that time, Kyle initiated joint audits and investigations between the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office and federal agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Justice.
Kyle has served on numerous boards and has received multiple awards, including the Frank Greathouse Distinguished Leadership Award from the Governmental Finance Officers Association in 1996, the Special Recognition Award from the Louisiana Society of CPAs in 1996, and the Communication and Leadership Award by Toastmasters International in 1993.
Kyle and his wife, Connie, live in Baton Rouge. They have two sons and three grandchildren.
Mr. John Turner ’55 currently residing in Arlington, Virginia, is a native of Camden, Arkansas. A retired vice president at Georgia-Pacific, John is a Southern Arkansas University Distinguished Alumnus and a charter member of the original Business Advisory Council for the SAU School of Business Administration.
John had a distinguished career at Georgia-Pacific. He was public affairs officer in Crossett, Arkansas, and then moved to Georgia-Pacific’s Washington, D. C. headquarters. During his time in Washington, D.C., his roles included director for regional affairs, legislative liason, and manager for governmental affairs.
John and his wife Jeannie McFadden Turner ’55 were the first couple to fully endow a professorship through the SAU Foundation, the Jean McFadden Turner Professorship dedicated to supporting the Business College.
Mr. Ronald LeMay ’67 is a successful corporate executive, serial entrepreneur and early-stage investor with over 50 years of experience.
Ron serves as Managing Director and Co-Founder of OpenAir Equity Partners and CEO of one of its portfolio companies, Main Street Data, and Chairman of many of its other portfolio companies.
Previously, Ron served as President – COO of Sprint. As Sprint PCS’s first employee and CEO, Ron guided it from start-up to $10B in annual revenues faster than any company in U.S. history. Growing it to 35,000 employees in slightly more than 4 years. Upon retiring from Sprint in 2003, he served as CEO of Japan Telecom. He orchestrated a turn-around and successful sale to SoftBank, producing the highest Internal Rate of Return of any multi-billion dollar private equity exit. Ron is a co-Founder of GoGo Inflight Internet Services, Hyla Mobile, and Conexon Connect. He has served on 8 public company boards and numerous private company boards.
A native of Arkansas, Ron attended Southern Arkansas University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree and was named Tri C Outstanding Business Student. He also graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas School of Law.
Ron is a strong supporter of the Rankin College of Business and SAU, endowing the Ronald T. LeMay Professorship in Business Management.
Ron and his wife reside in Kansas City and spend time enjoying their seven grandchildren.
Dr. David F. Rankin earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas, an MBA from Louisiana Tech University, and a PhD in Finance from the University of Mississippi. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. He retired as President of SAU on June 30, 2015 after holding the role for 13 years. Other university roles included Dean of the College of Business, Professor of Finance and Economics, Puterbaugh Professor, Chair of the Department of Economics and Finance, and SAU Honor Professor in 1986. As President, his “Blue and Gold Vision” campaign produced more than $100 million for numerous campus buildings, projects, and initiatives. With the addition of The Laney Farm and the 400-acre Ted Monroe Farm, the University more than doubled in size to 1,892 acres. He served in various roles including Economic Advisor to three Arkansas Governors, Chairman of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors, Chairman of the Golden Triangle Economic Development Council, and pilot Chairman of the Magnolia Airport Commission. He is a George Washington Honor Medal recipient from the Freedoms Foundation for Excellence in Economic Education in Valley Forge. In 2018, he authored What Every American Needs to Know About Economics.
As an independent exploration and production company, Murphy Oil Corporation’s footprint reaches far beyond its southern Arkansas roots where it began operations in the early 1900s. Over multiple decades, Murphy Oil has provided strong support for Southern Arkansas University and the Rankin College of Business. Until 2020, its corporate headquarters were located in El Dorado when global offices were then consolidated to Houston.
Murphy Oil Corporation believes in providing energy that empowers people by doing right always, staying with it and thinking beyond possible. Murphy challenges the norm, taps into its strong legacy and uses its foresight and financial discipline to deliver inspired energy solutions. The company sees a future where it is an industry leader who is positively impacting lives for the next 100 years and beyond.
For many years Murphy Oil has supported Southern Arkansas University through numerous initiatives, including the Murphy Lecture Series. The Company has employed many Southern Arkansas University graduates and to this day continues to support education in the El Dorado community by providing scholarships through the El Dorado Promise.
Mr. Louis J. Blanchard came to SAU (then Southern State College) in 1956 as a professor of accounting. An outstanding and memorable teacher, he was selected as Honor Professor by his SAU peers and named Professor Emeritus. The Arkansas Society of CPAs named Mr. Blanchard as the Educator of the Year in 1998 and also awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award in Accounting. Mr. Blanchard retired in 1998 after teaching for 42 years in the School of Business and serving as chair of the Accounting department. After retirement Louis continued to be active at the University, serving on the SAU Board of Trustees, the SAU Foundation Board of Governors, and the Mulerider Club Advisory Board. In 2017, SAU and the SAU Foundation honored Louis and Martha Blanchard by naming the SAU business building Blanchard Hall.
Dr. Ron J. Ponder graduated from SAU in 1965 with his BBA in Industrial Management. He subsequently earned his MBA from Louisiana Tech and PhD from Mississippi State University. During his career, Dr. Ponder served as a senior information technology executive in several Fortune 100 companies across a variety of industries. He held senior leadership positions at Federal Express, Sprint, AT&T, and WellPoint. He helped Federal Express introduce its worldwide package tracking and tracing systems; oversaw the modernization of Sprint and AT&T’s voice and data networks; and during his tenure as executive vice president and CIO helped WellPoint become the nation’s largest medical insurance carrier in the U.S. In 2006 Ron founded an Information Technology consulting firm that specializes in managing large-scale business and government technology program implementations, information technology group transformations, and providing leadership on troubled projects.
Peoples Bank is a locally owned community bank founded in 1910. The bank and its owners, including DJ and the late Harold Fincher, maintain a strong commitment to the Magnolia community and SAU. The bank and its staff participate in the Relay for Life, Magnolia Blossom Festival, Circle of Friends, Leadership Magnolia, and the Magnolia Junior Charity League, among other community activities. Peoples Bank provides support for SAU and Rankin College of Business in a variety of ways. These include projects that help students in the form of scholarships for tuition and travel and faculty through a professorship and most recently the University’s first Endowed Dean’s Chair. The bank employs many SAU graduates and provides internship opportunities for students.
