Charles Flurry

First Financial is a $1.5 Billion community bank headquartered in El Dorado, AR. First Financial operates in eleven states and lends in all 50 states.

Charles attended SAU from 1998-2002 and obtained a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Computer Information Systems. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Seminary and a Master of Public Accountancy from Stephen F. Austin State University. He’s a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Texas and Arkansas and a Certified Information Systems Auditor.

He began his career in public accounting at Alexander, Lankford, & Hiers, a small public accounting firm in East Texas. For the past ten years, he has worked as the Assistant Internal Audit Manager, Internal Audit Manager, Director of Internal Audit, and now Chief Innovation Officer at First Financial Bank.

He’s married to the former Ashley Waller (SAU Grad ’04). They have four daughters: Karis, Kyra, Kalista, and Kadence.

Shanna Singleton-Deitsch is originally from Georgia and has worked throughout the United States in various capacities in Finance, Accounting, and Procurement. She currently works on Entergy’s Procurement Operations (PROPS) team supporting power generation sites as a Contract Specialist.  Areas of experience include strategic planning, inventory analytics, direct negotiations, and cost savings initiatives.

Shanna is a member of the American Society of Quality, Institute for Supply Management, and Association for Supply Chain Management.

Mulerider MBA-Supply Chain Management 2018

John Hillhouse

John is a Director in PwC’s Houston office where he serves publicly traded companies in the energy sector. He began his career in North Carolina before moving to Houston in 2013. In 2015, John accepted a tour in PwC’s National Office which led to him moving to New York from 2015 to 2017.

While on tour, he was responsible for reviewing SEC filings in the energy, power and utilities, and mining sectors for large domestic and international companies.  John supported engagement teams responsible for clients performing IPOs, debt and equity offerings, spin-offs, MLP transactions as well as other Securities and Exchange act filings.

Before his tour at the National Office, John served clients included upstream, downstream and oilfield services companies. John has served several multi-national audit clients with presence across multiple countries including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Kuwait, United Kingdom, Belgium, and Dubai. He is also a certified public accountant licensed in North Carolina & Texas.

Luke Clary

Luke is a partner in PwC’s New Orleans office. He serves private and public companies in the renewable energy, chemicals, energy, oil field services, nutritional products, consumer markets and telecommunication industries. Luke has extensive experience in the planning and execution of global audits and other reporting matters including IFRS conversions, SPACs, IPOs, reverse mergers, large international and domestic acquisitions, equity and debt offerings, bankruptcy and consulting with clients on various other complex accounting and business issues.

Luke has presented at Tulane University where he co-developed and instructed a course covering energy valuations, at the University of New Orleans Energy Accounting & Technology Conference, as an instructor at the University of Texas at Dallas Advanced International Program in Oil & Gas Financial Management and PwC’s Petroleum Academy. He is also a certified public accountant and a member of the Accounting Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants.

Luke serves on the Board of Directors as Treasurer at Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana and is a former board member, Vice Chair and Treasurer at Lycée Francais, a charter school in New Orleans. He resides in New Orleans with his wife and three children.

Brent Foster

Brent graduated from SAU in 2005 with a BBA in Accounting and Finance.  He has over 15 years of combined financial services experience from banking, investing, financial planning and believes in a holistic wealth design. He leverages his knowledge of constructing and managing portfolios to help his clients achieve financial freedom.

Brent enjoys spending time with his family, friends and clients.  He loves travel, the outdoors, sports, and serving in the community.  Brent believes that life is short, that we can’t take worldly possessions with us when we go.  Therefore, like many others have said, the essence of life is to love God and love others.

Ken Kelley

Ken Kelley is President and CEO of ProMed Ambulance and is a well-known member of the Arkansas EMS community having enjoyed a more than three-decade career as a paramedic, educator, and emergency manager. Ken earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, obtained his paramedic education at Texarkana College, and completed the EMS Management program at Rural/Metro University in Scottsdale, Arizona. His entire career has centered on EMS and emergency services. Ken is a National Registry Paramedic, an EMS educator, and holds advanced instructor credentials in numerous related courses. Outside of clinical care, Ken is a Certified Ambulance Compliance Officer, Certified Ambulance Coder, and will soon obtain his Certified Ambulance Privacy Officer credentials.

In addition to leading his own team, Ken is well known as an EMS educator. He recently retired as Professor of Emergency Medical Technology and served as the EMS Program Director at South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado for 28 years. He was twice named the Arkansas Instructor of the Year in 1996 and most recently in 2018, and was recognized on the national stage as the Finalist for the Mary Ann Talley National EMT Instructor of the Year Award in 1997. That same year, Ken was named Outstanding Faculty by South Arkansas Community College and received the Outstanding Allied Health Faculty Award presented by the Arkansas Association of Two Year Colleges. Ken is an honored inductee at the National Institute of Strategic and Organizational Development (NISOD) at the University of Texas – Austin.

Ken serves on many industry boards and committees, and he holds memberships in State and National Associations. He is a past president of the Arkansas Ambulance Association and currently serves as the Association’s Secretary and Government Affairs Committee chair. He was a charter member of the Arkansas Trauma System Governor’s Advisory Council, having been appointed by both Governors Mike Huckabee and Mike Beebe, and currently serves at the pleasure of Governor Asa Hutchinson on the Arkansas EMS Advisory Council.

In May 2019, Ken was named as an Arkansas EMS Hall of Fame inductee. His dedication, experience and strong advocacy for the industry has earned him this honor. When he is not taking care of others, he enjoys spending time playing golf and tennis, traveling, and reading. Most importantly, he enjoys his time with his family.