MAGNOLIA – The Southern Arkansas University Alumni Association will recognize nine alumni for outstanding accomplishments during its annual Distinguished Alumni Dinner at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 2. The event will be held in the Grand Hall of the Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center on the University’s campus. Tickets may be purchased through the Office of Alumni Relations by calling (870) 235-4079.
“I am so proud of the caliber of SAU Alumni and the positive influence they have on this University,” said Ceil Bridges, director of alumni relations, “The value of our degrees depends on the success of our alumni.”
The Distinguished Young Alumni are Tim Rogers ’92 and Cory D. Childs ’99. Distinguished Alumni honorees are Jerry Mayfield ’70, James Freeman ’71, Glen Perry ’72, and Katherine Fell ’76. The Distinguished Golden Rider Alumni are David Reynolds ’58 and the-late Vernon White ’52. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Ron Harrell ’56.
Cory D. Childs ’99 earned a bachelor of business administration degree in finance from SAU and a juris doctor degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 2008.
He now practices law at Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. in Little Rock where he advises business clients in all aspects of commercial transactions including real estate and securities law related matters. Before practicing at Mitchell Williams, he clerked for the Honorable Lavenski R. Smith of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In addition to practicing law, Childs is a mentor for Project O.K., secretary of the W. Harold Flowers Law Society, treasurer of Region VIII of the National Bar Association, and board member of Harmony Health Clinic.
While a student at SAU, Childs was actively involved in Alpha Phi Alpha (President), Student Government Association (secretary), Students in Free Enterprise (treasurer), and was a member of Phi Beta Lambda. He is married to Wendy (Mack) Childs, ’03, and they have one daughter, Channa Childs. The Childs family attends St. Mark Baptist Church in Little Rock.
Tim Rogers ’92 is CEO of Rogers Promotional Marketing, a company that provides services covering the full spectrum of promotions with clients nationwide. He also helps struggling companies get back on the path to profitability.
A native of El Dorado, Rogers was a member of the El Dorado Kiwanis Club, and a volunteer for Music Fest. He has emceed business conferences featuring former NFL standout Chris Spielman, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, and author/speaker Michael Q. Pink. He runs two marathons a year and several half marathons. Rogers and his wife, Rebecca, have two daughters, Rachael and Madelyn Grace. They attend the Silverdale Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tenn., and are former members of Immanuel Baptist Church in El Dorado.
Jerry Mayfield ’70 earned a bachelor of business administration degree from Southern State College (now SAU). Mayfield became a certified public accountant for the state of Louisiana in 1971 and became a partner with Arthur Anderson and Company in 1982. He served as executive chairman and CFO of Rainbow Chevron, Inc. (1984-1986), chairman, president and CEO of Satellink Communications, Inc. (1987-2005), president and CEO of Universal Ensco, Inc. (2005-2008), and up until his retirement in February 2011, Mayfield served as chairman, president and CEO of Universal Pegasus, Inc., one of the largest gas pipelines in the United States.
Mayfield has served on the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors for Lafayette, La., the Junior Achievement Board of Directors for Lafayette, La., and the Evangeline Area Boy Scouts for Lafayette, La. He is currently serving on the Universal Pegasus Board of Directors.
While a student at SSC, Mayfield was vice president of the Accounting Club. He graduated cum laude, received the Outstanding SSC Accounting Student Award. He received the Acadiana Arts Council Star Award in 1986, through Rainbow Chevron, in recognition of business support of the arts.
Jerry and his wife, Lynn, currently reside in Houston, Texas. They have three sons, J. Kelly, Matthew (deceased), and J. Luke Mayfield; one daughter, Ashley Mayfield; three granddaughters, Molly, Sadie, and Lucy; and one grandson, Chance Mayfield.
James Freeman ’71 is executive vice president and CFO Dillard’s Inc. He received the bachelor of business administration degree from SSC. A native of Magnolia, he graduated from Magnolia High School in 1967.
Freeman serves as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and formerly served as chairman of the Financial Executive Council of the National Retail Foundation as well as a board member for several charity organizations in central Arkansas.
In November 1971, Freeman received a Certificate of Distinction for earning the highest grade in the state on the CPA exam. In 1978, he joined BKD LLP – one of the nation’s largest accounting firms – as the youngest partner in the firm’s history. He became the partner in charge of the firm’s Little Rock office in 1982. He joined Dillard’s in 1988 as chief financial officer and was elected to the Dillard’s Board of Directors in 1990. He joined the Board’s Executive Committee in 1995. He is the second longest serving CFO of a Fortune 500 company.
Glen Perry ’72 is an attorney with Sloan, Bagley, Hatcher and Perry Law Firm in Longview, Texas. After receiving a bachelor of science degree from Southern State College (now SAU), he graduated from the University of Texas School of Law.
While a student at SSC, Perry was a three-year letterman on the SAU track team, president of Young Democrats, Mulerider sports editor, member of the Taurean Society, Alpha Chi, and chief judge of Student Court.
Perry is a director of the State Bar of Texas, a member of the Texas State Democratic Party Executive Committee, and was a 2000 Delegate for the Democratic National Committee. Perry has been named the Fellow American College of Trial Lawyers. He was also listed on the “Best Lawyers in America” and “Texas Super Lawyers” lists. He is a board certified in personal injury trial law and civil trial law. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, National Board of Trial Advocates, and American Board of Trial Advocates. Glen is married to Dr. Jan DeLipsey. They have one son, Marcus Perry, and one daughter, Chandler Woodfin.
Katherine Fell ’76 is president of The University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio. She earned a bachelor of science in education from SAU, a master’s of arts in English from Louisiana Tech, and a Ph.D. in English from Texas A&M. She has served with numerous organizations such as Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), English Speaking Union, Southeast Journalism Conference, South Central Modern Language Association, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and is an executive board member of Caddo Council of Teachers of English and for Journal of College Writing.
Fell’s work has been well published, including; “ACE-Kellogg Project on Leadership and Institutional Transformation,” “The Erosion of the English Language,” and “Why an English Professor at a Seminary?” for At Stake, a scholarly theological journal published by Cranmer Theological House. She won awards for her Case for the Fulfill the Vision Campaign for Centenary College and also is a technical writer and copy editor for Schumpert Medical Quarterly. Fell provided the keynote address to the Ohio State Convention of the American Association of University Women in 2011 and presented at the 10th anniversary of Shizuoka University of Art and Culture in Hamamatsu, Japan, in 2010.
She also has chaired professional forums and led several discussions, including “Transformation of Higher Education,” a project sponsored by the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C. Fell makes frequent presentations championing the value of liberal arts education and has done so since 1986.
Katherine (Rowe) is married to Roger Fell, ‘76. They have six children Robin (deceased), Elliott, William, Julia, Joseph and Samuel and a granddaughter, Lillian.
Vernon White ’52 (Posthumous) worked as director and in management at Griffin L.L.C. Agricultural Chemicals Group since 1989. A graduate of Strong High School, he attended SSC (SAU) until 1952 where he participated in the National Guard and Agriculture Club. Serving in the U.S. Army for 18 years, White was a first lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps. He received a bachelor of science in agriculture and biochemistry and earned master of science in plant pathology from the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Wisconsin. Prior to his career with Griffin, he was director of agricultural chemicals developmental affairs for Great Lakes Chemical Corp. in Indiana.
White was involved in many professional associations. He was chairman of three international pesticide technical panels, member of Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Technical Advisory Committee for Worker Protection and was a member of the Society of Nematologists, American Phytopathological Society, Organization of Tropical American Nematologists, as well as Alpha Zeta, Phi Sigma and Sigma Xi fraternities.
Married to Laverne, White was the father of three sons, Gary, Mark and John.
David Reynolds ’58 retired as senior vice president of human resources, security, infrastructure and administration for Georgia-Pacific, but also had a career as a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 1961-1966. He received approximately six letters of commendation from J. Edgar Hoover during that time. As an Army staff sergeant for the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment in the Korean War, he received the Army Commendation Medal (1951-1954).
Reynolds received his bachelor of science from SSC (SAU) in 1958 and his L.L.B degree in Oklahoma in 1960. As center and linebacker for the Mulerider football team under coaches Auburn Smith and Sam Bailey, Reynolds remained inspired by their example long after he graduated. Bailey left SSC to work under Paul “Bear” Bryant for a time.
Reynolds served as spokesman for the Pacific Coast Forest Wood Products in multiple industry-wide negotiations and was president of the Atlanta Private Industry Council and a member of the Pacific Coast Association of Pulp and Paper Manufacturers.
He is married to Patsy (Dickson) Reynolds ’57, and proudly proclaims himself the grandfather of seven – three boys and four girls.
Ron Harrell ’56, the Lifetime Achievement Award winner, was CEO and chairman of the board for Ryder Scott Company, where he worked from 1968-2006.
Enrolled at SSC (SAU) in 1954, Harrell pursued a bachelor of science degree in engineering and graduated magna cum laude with departmental honors. He was recognized as Outstanding Engineering Student, and graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 1957.
He now serves as chairman emeritus for Ryder Scott, but started his tenure as a reservoir engineer, working his way up the ranks managing engineering and geological studies. Pryor to Ryder Scott, Harrell was a district petroleum engineer for McAlester Fuel Co. in Magnolia and Laurel, Miss., and was an engineer for Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. in Shreveport, La.
He worked onshore and offshore across the United States, Canada, South America, Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East and provided expert testimony before the Federal Power Commission (FPC), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and for other state commissions and federal/district courts. He has delivered more than 100 presentations at national and international conferences.
Harrell has served on numerous boards and earned many professional recognitions. He was inducted into the Society of Petroleum Engineers Legion of Honor in 2007 and is a Distinguished Lecturer and recipient of numerous recognitions and awards, including the Distinguished Life Membership Award for Meritorious Service. He has also accomplished an impressive list of professional papers and publications.
