Board Leadership

The SAU Foundation Board of Governors steward and support Southern Arkansas University’s fundraising goals while serving as the governing body for SAU Foundation.  They oversee the foundation and its investments on behalf of donors and SAU. 

These experienced leaders dedicate their time and talents to secure a strong future for SAU.  Our board governors come from a variety of backgrounds, with one common thread: sincere dedication to the success of SAU.  Members meet quarterly and are led by four officers and six committees, which include Audit, Development, Governance, Investment Management, Membership, and Scholarship.  

2025-2026 Officers

  • Chair – Steve Card
  • Vice Chair – John Dews
  • Secretary – Allison Schultz
  • Treasurer – Mike Dumas

Board of Governors 2025-2026

Governing Members

Joey

Baker ’77

Little Rock, AR

UAMS Adjunct Faculty

Linda Barnes ’72

Hot Springs National Park, AR

Rex
Burks ’83

 

Simms, TX
School Superintendent

Shelby Blair ’13

Magnolia, Arkansas
Chief Financial Officer
Southern Aluminum

Steve Card ’83

Magnolia, Arkansas
Land Manager at Albemarle Corporation

Ken Carroll ’80

Fayetteville, Arkansas
Retired Army Officer and Federal Government Senior Executive Service member.

Cory Childs ’99

Dallas, Texas
Attorney at Santander Consumer

John Dews ’77

Hot Springs, Arkansas
Retired Bank President
Vice-Chair; Investment Management

Mike Dumas ’79

Houston, Texas
Pelham Investments, LLC

Melissa Frey ’99

Zachary, LA
Administrative Law Judge
Louisiana Public Service Commission
Governance Committee

Greg Harrison ’08

El Dorado, Arkansas
Financial Advisor/Owner of Harrison Financial Management
Investment Committee

Daniel Herrin ’94

Katy, Texas
Investor and Consultant
Investment Committee

Mohammed Islam ’95

Sugar Land, Texas
Senior Manager Global Systems/Technology at PepsiCo Foundation
Scholarship Committee

Allen Loe ’78

Columbia, Louisiana
Business Owner
Donor Relations Committee, Membership Committee

Evan McCrary ’13

Little Rock, Arkansas
Finance Manager at Amazon
Donor Relations Committee, Membership Committee

Dr. William McHenry ’72

Madison, Mississippi
Executive Director, Mississippi e-Center and Professor of Organic Chemistry
Donor Relations Committee

Pam Martin ’85

Shreveport, Louisiana
Development Committee, Scholarship Committee

Melissa
Frey ’99

 

Zachary, LA
Administrative Law Judge
Louisiana Public Service Commission
Governance Committee

David Rankin, Ph. D. (Emeritus)

Magnolia, Arkansas
Retired SAU President
Investment Committee

Allison Schultz ’85

Magnolia, Arkansas
COO & President — Southern Aluminum
Secretary; Audit Chair and Membership Committees

Edelma Simes ’71

West Helena, Arkansas
Retired, Dean — Phillips Community College
Governance and Scholarship Committees

Betty Stringfellow ’62 (Emeritus)

Little Rock, Arkansas
Retired, Insurance VP

Denise Sweat ’00

McCaskill, Arkansas
SVP Loan Support Services at Farm Credit Services of Western Arkansas
Donor Relations Committee

Patsy Taylor ’71

Glenn Heights, Texas
Real Estate Investor
Scholarship Committee

Orlando Todd ’80

Prosper, Texas
Retired Director of Finance — Entergy Services, Inc.
Membership, and Strategic Planning Committees

Chris Walker ’91

McKinney, Texas
Chief Operating Officer at VitalCaring Group
Audit, Strategic Planning Committee

Stephen Weaver ’93

Prosper, Texas
Business Owner
Donor Relations Committee

Ethan White ’17

Glenwood, Arkansas
Vice President/Branch Manager — First State Bank of Glenwood
Scholarship Committee

Laura Winning

Little Rock, AR
Agricultural Real Estate Development
SAU Board of Trustees Chair

Ex-Officio Members

Roger Giles

Magnolia, Arkansas
VP for Administration — Southern Arkansas University

Dr. Bruno Hicks

President — Southern Arkansas University

Shawana Reed

Magnolia, Arkansas
VP for Finance — Southern Arkansas University

Former SAU Foundation Board Members

These individuals have previously demonstrated their commitment and dedication to our board of governors through their service and support.

These individuals have previously demonstrated their commitment and dedication to our board of governors through their service and support.

  • Dr. Betty Blue (80-87)
  • Dr. Harold Brinson (80-91, 92-18, Emeritus)
  • Dr. Imon Bruce (80)
  • Gregg Buchanan (80-83)
  • Dr. Dolph Camp (80-85)
  • Cameron Dodson (80, 81-86)
  • Dr. Robert Pearce (80-88)
  • Gille Schene (80-82, 83-85)
  • D.O. Talbot (80)
  • Mack Taylor (80-83, 87-90, 95-01)
  • Col. Charlie Wilkins (80)
  • Dr. John H. Wilson (80)
  • Sanford Beshear, Jr. (80-82, 83-85)
  • Orval Childs (81-83)
  • Harold Fincher (81-87, 88-91, 93-99, Emeritus)
  • Archie Monroe (81-87)
  • Mickey Pittman (81-87, 88-94)
  • Ronnie Ribble (81-87, 13)
  • Herbert Russell (81-83)
  • Dr. Albert Stecker (81-82)
  • Emmie Gamble (82-83, 90-93)
  • James Cook (83-85)
  • H. J. Crowell (83-84)
  • Charles Downs (83-85)
  • Dr. Larry Embree (83-89)
  • Paul Hime (83-86)
  • Marion Jones (83-89, 94-97)
  • Jack Marshall (83-88)
  • Charles Wade (83-84)
  • W. T. Watson (83-88, 01-05)
  • Ralph Weiser (83-88)
  • Lee Davis (84-90)
  • Perrin Jones (84-85, 89-90)
  • Lamar Smith (84-90)
  • Mary Anna Whitehead (84-90)
  • Joe Woodward (84-90, 91-94)
  • William Handy (85-86, 90-91)
  • Sarah Newton (85-88)
  • Alan White (85-86)
  • Dr. Bob Burns (86-87)
  • James Haynes (86-92, 93-96)
  • Lois Gean Kelly (86-92)
  • Emily Klob (86-88)
  • Arthur Souter (86)
  • Shirley Combs (87-91)
  • Dr. Ron Ponder (87-93)
  • Don Ragar (87-90)
  • Virginia Todd (87-88, 93-99)
  • Ken Williams (87-93)
  • Kelvin Wyrick (87-93)
  • Bob Hendrix (88-94, 95-01, 02-06)
  • Josephine Davis (88-90)
  • Roy Ledbetter (88-89)
  • Dr. Dorothy McGarity (88-89)
  • Roger Smith (88-91)
  • Felix Fabian (89-92)
  • Bob Gantt (89-95)
  • John Gardner (89-95)
  • Joel Reeves (89-95)
  • Mary Faye Black (90-91)
  • LaVerne Burton (90-92)
  • Ken Koen (90-96)
  • Gene McPherson (90-96)
  • Carl Teague (90-92)
  • Roger Bell (90-93, 16-18)
  • Roy Fish (90-96)
  • Charles Black (91-94)
  • Richard Clark (91-97, Emeritus)
  • Betty Moore Wortham (91-94)
  • Dr. John Coppett (92-95)
  • Dr. Steven G. Gamble (92)
  • Jerry Horne (92-95)
  • Denny Smith (92-95)
  • Harry Thomason (92-98)
  • Alan Duncan (93-99)
  • Lance Larey (93-99, 01-07, 14-16)
  • Clyde Sasser (93)
  • Jean Turner (93-99)
  • Jeanie Bismark (94-00)
  • Donald Brown (94-00)
  • Sess Hensley (94-97)
  • Don Stemple (94)
  • Partee Tuberville (94-97)
  • Dr. James Whitmore (93-96)
  • Quintus Crews (95-98)
  • J. D. Garrett, Jr. (95-98)
  • Mike Hunnicutt (95)
  • Don Johnson (95-98)
  • Mike Kinard (95-01)
  • Terry Roberts (95-98)
  • John Clary (96-02)
  • Chris Claybaker (96-99)
  • O. A. (Buddy) Franks (96-98, 11)
  • Robert McWilliams (96-99)
  • Darline Shepherd (96-97)
  • Larry Singleton (96)
  • Gisele Souter (96-02)
  • Herschell Teague (96)
  • William Carlisle (97-00)
  • Nate Evers (97-01, 05-06, 10-11)
  • Alan Ribble (97-00, 18-)
  • Wayne Taylor (97-98)
  • George Wheatley (97-01, 04)
  • Nancy Williams (97-03)
  • Jack Harrington (98-99)
  • Ralph Holiman (98-04)
  • Della Jordan (98-02)
  • Arthur Miner (98-02)
  • Homer Stout (98-04)
  • Louis Blanchard (99-01, 02-07, 08-11, 12-14, 15,  Emeritus)
  • Charles Colquitt (99-05)
  • Ben Eiler (99-05)
  • Dr. Ricky Hughes (99-01, 09-12, 13-15)
  • Clara Jones (99-00)
  • Daisy Gillaspie Kohn (99-02)
  • Saundra Lewis (99-05)
  • Daisy Kohn Uhrich (99-02)
  • Mark Wiley (99-05)
  • Paul Brewster (00-03)
  • Ken Crain (00-06)
  • Todd Griffin (00-01)
  • Lane Jean (00-01)
  • Dr. Bill Scurlock (00-06, 07-14)
  • Dr. Vernon White (00-06)
  • Jim Baker (01-06) 
  • Lawrence Bearden (01-07, 08-11, 12-14)
  • Mason Cozart (01-06)
  • Milton Hambrice (01)
  • J. W. Rowe (01-14)
  • Jim Andrews, Jr. (02-05)
    • Jack Daugherty (02- 05)
    • Chris Gilliam (02-03)
    • Gerane McWilliams (02-04)
    • Charles Tripp (02-05)
    • Dr. Jerry Guess (03-04)
    • Dr. Bonnie Whitmore (03-04)
    • Stephen Bright (04-07)
    • Ben Eiler, Jr. (04-07)
    • Twyla Pruden (04-05)
    • Alex Sheshunoff (04-07)
    • Bill Stringfellow (04-07, 09-12, 15-16)
    • Dr. Mark Dixon (05-11, 13-16)
    • Jeanne Bowman Franks (05-08, 08-11)
    • Mary Harsh (05-11, 13-15)
    • Bill Anderson (06-10)
    • Shirley Bailey (06-09)
    • Bill O’Brien (06-12)
    • J. David Reynolds III (06-12)
    • Laura Shurdownitz (08-11)
    • Phil Brooks (07-13, 15-17, 18-20)
    • Tim Daniels (07-13, 18-23)
    • Dr. Kathleen Mallory (07-13)
    • Debbie Arnold (08-11,12-14, 17-19)
    • Thomas Beasley (08-09)
    • Paul Gean (08-14, 17-19)
    • Travis Buchanan (09-12, 13-15, 17-19)
    • Dr. D. Bud Dickson (09-12)
    • Julia Laney Machen (09-12, 13-15, 17-19)
    • Teddy Reynolds (09-12, 13-15)
    • Dr. Willis Beene (10-13, 14-16)
    • Sharon Eichenberger (10-13, 14-16)
    • Beth Galway (10-14, 15-17)
    • Rosie Matlock-Muldrew (10-14, 15-17)
    • Jerry Mayfield (10-14, 15-17, 21-23)
    • Joe Pieratt (10-13, 14-16, 18-23)
    • Claude Ramey (10-14)
    • Stephen Weaver (10)
    • James Freeman (13)
    • Edgar Lee (13-14)
    • Sherry Phillips (13-15)
    • Jan Story (14-16)
    • Robin Story (14-16, 17-19)
    • Dr. Claude Baker (15-17)
    • Molly Burns (15-17, 18-20)
    • Mike Dumas (15-18)
    • Kent Hendrix (15-17, 18-20)
    • Boyd Rosser (15-17)
    • Tom Watson (15-17. 18)
    • Charlotte Baine (16-18, 19-21)
    • Dr. David Rankin (16-18)
    • Terry “Bo” Ray (16-18)
    • Betty Stringfellow (16-18)
    • Beth Weldon (16-18)
    • John Dumas (17-?)
    • Charley Jackson (18-20)
    • Iverson Jackson (18-23)
    • Roger Giles (ex officio)
    • Jennifer Pierce (2018-2024)