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UA ��Ƶlogo announces 2018 Distinguished Alumni, Presidents Award honorees

Janea Snyder — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 15:48:04 +0000

The CEO of Arkansas’ largest healthcare system has been named the 2018 University of Arkansas at ��Ƶlogo Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. Troy Wells, who earned a master’s degree in health services administration in 1997 at UA ��Ƶlogo, joined Baptist Health in 2006, and became the CEO and president in 2014. Wells will be honored during the UA ��Ƶlogo Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration on Friday, May 11, at 11:30 a.m. in the Great Hall of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. Joining Wells is the 2018 UA ��Ƶlogo Presidents Award recipient, Mauri Douglass, a retired gifted and talented educator who serves on the UA ��Ƶlogo Alumni Association Board and has chaired Taste of ��Ƶlogo for four years. She also is the alumnae liaison for the Chi Omega chapter at the UA ��Ƶlogo Alumni Association, her Gamma Zeta chapter sisters, and the ��Ƶlogo Chi Omega Alumnae Club. “The contributions and dedication of Troy and Mauri bring credit to UA ��Ƶlogo and exemplify the heart of a Trojan,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “While their backgrounds vary, they are both united by outstanding accomplishments and service back to their alma mater.” The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor presented by the university while the Presidents Award is bestowed on individuals with career success and a profound dedication to the university.

Ward to receive 2017 UA ��Ƶlogo Presidents Award

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 10 May 2017 17:27:52 +0000

When Rebecca Ward discovered a need for social work student scholarships at the University of Arkansas at ��Ƶlogo, she quickly jumped into action. Ward, a 1979 graduate of UA ��Ƶlogo with a Master of Social Work degree, organized fellow social work alumni into a community advisory board with the goal of creating an endowed scholarship for social work students at the university. “I came to UA ��Ƶlogo, and the first week it snowed and I fell on the ice,” Ward said. “It was an awful beginning, but turned out to be a life-affirming experience after I had just been divorced. The professors were great, and I felt like I got a great education. I wanted to give something back. If you love your university, it’s natural.” Ward’s philanthropic spirit and desire to help UA ��Ƶlogo students are among the reasons she was named the UA ��Ƶlogo Alumni Association’s Presidents Award winner. The award is bestowed on individuals with career success and a profound dedication to the university. Ward will be honored during the UA ��Ƶlogo Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration, presented by Baptist Health, at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 12, in the Great Hall of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. Her foray into fundraising was a learning process. The advisory committee’s first fundraiser in 2010 earned about $1,500. After six years, the group raised more than $100,000 for social work scholarships. Ward arrived at UA ��Ƶlogo in 1977 at a time of great transition. Having recently divorced, she was the quintessential nontraditional student out to earn an advanced degree and a better career to provide for her young son, Dan Smith. She had to leave her home in Arkadelphia at 5 a.m. to make it to UA ��Ƶlogo for 7 a.m. classes. Although he kept it a secret for many years, her son, who was 9 at the time, used to stand at the window to watch his mother leave for school and ask God to please bring his mother back to him. “When your mom is a single parent, your mother is your whole world,” said Smith, who is now a dermatologist in ��Ƶlogo. Originally, Ward thought she would become a language teacher. She earned bachelor’s degrees in English and French and completed the educational requirements for teaching certification from Ouachita Baptist University in 1964. After reading “What Do You Say After You Say Hello” by Eric Berne, she became interested in psychology and social work as a way to help people. She was also inspired by her aunt, Dr. Virginia Boyle, who worked as a clinical psychologist in North Carolina. Ward studied psychology at the University of Central Arkansas before completing a master’s degree in social agency counseling at Henderson State University in 1977. During her career, Ward worked at Arkansas Children’s Colony, Greater ��Ƶlogo Community Mental Health Center, Ouachita Regional Mental Health Center, and several private practices. She has been in private practice with her partner, Howard Turney, the past 10 years. The two think of each other as family and “try to out-nice each other.” After serving as chair of the School of Social Work Advisory Committee, Ward joined the UA ��Ƶlogo Alumni Association board of directors as president from 2010 to 2014. Ward and her fellow board members help oversee hundreds of scholarships for potential and current UA ��Ƶlogo students. Additionally, Ward is a past chair of the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board, Arkansas Hospice, and Thea Foundation. She has also served on the Arkansas Association for Marital and Family Therapists. She spent 17 years as the therapist on the television show “Good Morning Arkansas,” is a contributor to AY Magazine, and is the author of the 2000 book “How to Stay Married Without Going Crazy.” Ward is currently writing a book for caregivers inspired by the person she admires most, her husband, Don, who had a stroke in 2015. “My husband has shown great dignity and perseverance. I look for people who persevere and show grace under pressure,” she said.

UA ��Ƶlogo announces 2017 Distinguished Alumna, Presidents Award recipients

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 14:15:48 +0000

One of the top female CEOs in the country has been named the 2017 University of Arkansas at ��Ƶlogo Distinguished Alumna Award winner. Candice Hunter Corby, a 1994 UA ��Ƶlogo graduate, is the CEO and president of Cobra Legal Solutions in Austin. Corby will be honored during the UA ��Ƶlogo Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration, presented by Baptist Health, at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 12, in the Great Hall of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. Joining Corby is the 2017 UA ��Ƶlogo Presidents Award recipient, Rebecca Ward, a private social work practitioner in ��Ƶlogo and a former two-term president of the UA ��Ƶlogo Alumni Association board of directors. “While the backgrounds and contributions of Candice and Rebecca vary greatly, they are both united by an astounding level of service and accomplishment,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “Their contributions and dedication bring credit to UA ��Ƶlogo and embody the ‘Heart of a Trojan.’” The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor presented by the UA ��Ƶlogo Alumni Association, while the Presidents Award is bestowed on individuals with career success and a profound dedication to the university. The event is sponsored by and hosted by the UA ��Ƶlogo Foundation Fund Board and the UA ��Ƶlogo Alumni Association. About the award recipients:

Candice Hunter Corby

Candice Hunter Corby is the CEO, president, and one of two female board members of Cobra Legal Solutions, LLC. Based in Austin, Texas, she leads an incredible staff of legal experts and technologists to consistently and cost-effectively help corporate legal departments and law firms with their information management needs. Corby was named one of the Top 10 Female CEOs of 2016 by dotCEO. Additionally, the Austin Business Journal recognized her as a 2015 Profiles in Power – Women of Influence in Central Texas finalist. She is a frequent speaker and mentor, having been interviewed by the Harvard Business School Executive MBA program on “How Key Women Succeed.” She also moderated panel discussions at The University of Texas McCombs Executive MBA Program on “Championing Women in the Workplace,” and she served on a panel for the Four Seasons Hotel – Austin’s program on “Women in Leadership.” Corby earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from UA ��Ƶlogo in 1994 and is a certified public accountant. After completing an internship at BKD CPAs and Advisors during her junior year, Corby began her career as a senior auditor at BKD. At 26, she became the youngest chief financial officer of the Times Record News, an E.W. Scripps Company. During her career, she has served as general accounting manager of the Neiman Marcus Group, founder and CEO of Gourmet Concepts, chief financial officer of Godwin Gruber, LLP, chief operating officer of Baker & McKenzie, LLP, and chief operating officer of Mayer Brown, LLP. Corby is an advocate for many causes near to her heart, including the arts, health, women’s initiatives, diversity, and eradicating homelessness. She serves on the boards of Zach Theatre, Austin Opera, University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music Directors’ Council, and Elevate Network. She was also co-chair of the 2016 “I Am Waters Supermodel Luncheon,” a national movement that provides water bottles and inspirational messages to the homeless. Corby is in an avid runner who has recently started competing in marathons. She also enjoys travel, skiing, wine and cheese, and spending time with her husband, Ken, and “furry child,” Tiberius.

Rebecca Ward

Ward graduated with a Master of Social Work from UA ��Ƶlogo in 1979. She also holds bachelor’s degrees in English and French from Ouachita Baptist University and a master’s degree in social agency counseling from Henderson State University. After completing her education, Ward began a highly successful career in social work that has included roles at Arkansas Children’s Colony, Greater ��Ƶlogo Community Mental Health Center, Ouachita Regional Mental Health Center, and several private practices. She has been in private practice with her partner, Howard Turney, for the past 10 years. After discovering a lack of scholarships for social work students at her alma mater, Ward served as chair of the UA ��Ƶlogo School of Social Work Advisory Committee. Six years later, the group raised more than $100,000 for an endowed scholarship fund for social work students. Ward joined the UA ��Ƶlogo Alumni Association board of directors and served as president from 2010 to 2014. She helped oversee hundreds of scholarships for potential and current UA ��Ƶlogo students. She is a past chair of the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board, Arkansas Hospice, and Thea Foundation. She has also served on the Arkansas Association for Marital and Family Therapists. Ward is a therapist on Good Morning Arkansas, a contributor to AY Magazine, and the author of the 2000 book “How to Stay Married Without Going Crazy.” Ward resides in ��Ƶlogo with her husband, Don. She has one son, Dr. Dan Smith, a dermatologist in ��Ƶlogo, a step-daughter, Jessica Sigmon, in Oklahoma City, four granddaughters, and one grandson. In the upper right photos, the UA ��Ƶlogo 2017 Distinguished Alumna is Candice Corby (left), and the Presidents Award recipient is Rebecca Ward (right).

Paul Nolte named 2016 UALR Presidents Award winner

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 17 May 2016 21:21:11 +0000

Paul Nolte, a veteran entrepreneur of the election industry and a dedicated volunteer of the UALR Alumni Association, recently received the University of Arkansas at ��Ƶlogo’s 2016 Presidents Award. “I am very honored to be this year’s Presidents Award recipient, but I was very surprised,” Nolte said. “There are probably a lot of people who went to school with me in the ’60s who would have been very surprised.” Nolte, a 1967 graduate of UALR, received the honor during a May 13 luncheon at the Great Hall in the Clinton Presidential Center. Nolte described himself as a “free spirit and not a serious student.” Nolte recalled how his fellow UALR Alumni Association volunteers heckled him about his time as a student. One committee member said she would have expected “the Paul Nolte I knew back in the ’60s” to be the one making the license plates, rather than selling them to raise money for the Alumni Association. The Presidents Award is bestowed on individuals with career success and a profound dedication to the university. Nolte has modernized the Alumni Association’s scholarship application process and investments, ensuring that the association will be able to provide scholarships for generations of future Trojans. “The Presidents Award winner, Paul Nolte, has achieved remarkable success in his career and has donated hours upon hours of time and talent to the university and to ��Ƶlogo,” said Christian O’Neal, UALR vice chancellor for advancement. “He has remained in touch with the university as one of our lead volunteers.” After coming from a background as a not so serious student, Nolte has been impressed by the hard work and dedication of the incoming UALR students who have received scholarships from the Alumni Association. “These young people know exactly what they want to do,” he said. “All of these students are very serious students who are involved in their community. They give their time to tutor kids, and they do other things. It’s just very impressive.” For anyone who is interested in donating toward UALR Alumni Association student scholarships, Nolte said people can purchase a Trojan license plate, become a lifetime member of the UALR Alumni Association, or participate in the annual Taste of ��Ƶlogo event. For more information, visit the UALR Alumni Association website.

The road to the election industry

Paul Nolte

Nolte graduated in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a minor in advertising. By 1971, Nolte had a growing interest in printing election materials. He met Margaret Erim, who was the secretary of the Pulaski County Election Commission at the time, and began printing election proclamations and absentee ballots. After the 1976 elections, Nolte wanted to find a way to break into the election printing business full time. Voters in Pulaski County used Automatic Voting Machines that required a large pack of carbonized paper. Nolte thought that there must be a better way, so he redesigned the paper pack using carbonless paper. “I got the bright idea that we could make this out of carbonless paper. I was out in the garage redesigning this voting form. My wife, Diana, was getting worried. She asked me if I should be out making some sales, which was my real job at the time,” he said. Nolte called this new business Election Forms and Systems Corporation, which he sold to Roberts & Son in 1980 after establishing customers in 22 states. After the sale, Nolte worked for Robert & Son until that business was purchased by Business Records Corporation (BRC) in 1987.

Forming a new business

Phil Foster, the former owner of Roberts & Son who worked with BRC, invited Nolte to work as a sales representative covering Florida, and that is when Nolte got his next great idea to design a touch screen voting system. The two went into business together, but later split. Foster took the rights to the touch screen voting system, while Nolte retained ownership of the election management/ballot printing system and formed Election Resources Corporation (ERC). After the split, ERC continued developing the ballot printing system, which was ultimately licensed to county election officials in 10 states and commercial printing companies in eight states. Nolte found success with the company, but the controversial Florida vote during the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore brought the media spotlight to his door. For a man who hardly had his name in newspapers prior to 2000, Nolte spent six weeks appearing in publications like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post to respond to allegations that the butterfly ballots used in Palm Beach County, Florida, produced an unexpectedly large number of votes for third-party candidate Patrick Buchanan. Nolte was even slated to make an appearance on The Today Show, but he got bumped for singer Ricky Martin. In 2003 Sequoia Voting Systems purchased Election Resources Corporation. Nolte spent the next four years with Sequoia as vice president of software development and certifications. Once Nolte retired from Sequoia, he focused his efforts on helping Saline County with its elections and is currently developing a website that handles candidate filing and other election-related services.

Giving back

To keep up to date with technology, Nolte returned to UALR in 2009 to pursue courses in technology, databases, and computer coding. The experience was far removed from his first time as a student. He recalled that the most advanced technology course he took as an undergrad involved learning how to use a 10-key calculator. After he re-enrolled, Nolte began volunteering at the Alumni Association and was soon serving on the board of directors. He has since served two three-year terms, and is the immediate past chair of the Scholarship Committee. In his role as chair, he completely automated the scholarship system for the association, modernizing the application and interview processes, as well as planning and budgeting the scholarships through 2024. Previously, the association gave out one-time scholarships to students. Thanks to Nolte’s dedicated work, the association now awards an increasing number of continuing scholarships that follow students through their entire academic career at UALR. “I really enjoy working with the students. These kids that come through UALR are so focused, goal-oriented, and know what they want to do and how to get there,” Nolte said. “If I had been as focused as these kids are back in the 1960s, there is no telling what I might have done. I am so impressed with these kids.” Nolte is also a beekeeper as well as a Master Gardener, whose current project is the Governor’s Mansion Vegetable Garden. He and his wife, Diana, are avid travelers who love to spend time with their three daughters, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. In the upper right photo, the Presidents Award recipient, Paul Nolte (center), is congratulated by UALR Alumni Association President Don Riggin (right) and the Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Elaine Eubank (left). Photos by Lonnie Timmons III.

UALR to honor Distinguished Alumni, Presidents award winners May 13

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 17:50:14 +0000

A woman who has dedicated her life to helping underserved populations in Arkansas gain access to better health care, education, food, and community-based services is the 2016 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award at the University of Arkansas at ��Ƶlogo. Elaine Eubank is the president and chief executive officer of Easter Seals Arkansas, a nonprofit organization that helps more than 20,000 Arkansas children and adults with disabilities per year. She will receive the UALR Alumni Association’s highest honor at a luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 13, at the Great Hall in the Clinton Presidential Center. Joining Eubank is the 2016 UALR Presidents Award recipient, Paul Nolte, a veteran entrepreneur of the election industry and a dedicated volunteer and member of the UALR Alumni Association. This award is bestowed on individuals with career success and a profound dedication to the university. Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for advancement, hailed the award winners as two wonderful UALR alumni who are committed to their alma mater and dedicated to serving their community. “Elaine Eubank has achieved extraordinary distinction in her career and made extraordinary contributions to ��Ƶlogo, to the university, and to the citizens of the state,” O’Neal said. “The Presidents Award winner, Paul Nolte, has achieved remarkable success in his career and has donated hours upon hours of time and talent to the university and to ��Ƶlogo.” The event is hosted by the UALR Foundation Fund Board and the UALR Alumni Association. Elaine Eubank Elaine Eubank has dedicated more than 35 years working in public health and nonprofit organizations. She was the first person in her family to attend college, an opportunity she says was possible because of her parents’ hard work. After graduating from UALR with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1975, Eubank served as the director of women’s health at the Arkansas Department of Health, where she supervised the operation of 10 public health programs serving approximately 80,000 patients and with an annual budget of $25 million. She next served as the assistant director of the Arkansas Division of Aging and Adult Services, where she oversaw 10 statewide programs operated by more than 50 nonprofit agencies. In 1992, Eubank moved to the nonprofit sector to become the president of CareLink, which provides resources for older people and their families in central Arkansas. Beginning with a staff of 400 employees and an annual budget of $4.5 million, Eubank helped the organization grow to almost 800 employees with an annual budget of $17 million. After 22 years at CareLink, Eubank became the president and CEO of Easter Seals Arkansas in 2015. Easter Seals provides life-changing services that help children and adults with disabilities reach their full potential. Arkansas Business named her one of the Top 100 Women in Arkansas in 1995, and she is a former board member of the Rotary Club of ��Ƶlogo. She is a member of Second Presbyterian Church and the UALR Alumni Association. Eubank and her husband, Alfred Williams, have been married for more than 30 years and have two children and three grandchildren. She enjoys reading, gardening, and watersports, especially stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking with her dogs Winston and Daisy. Paul Nolte Paul Nolte is a veteran entrepreneur of the election industry and a dedicated volunteer and member of the UALR Alumni Association. He has modernized the association’s scholarship application process and investments, ensuring that the association will be able to provide scholarships for generations of future Trojans. Nolte graduated in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a minor in advertising. When he returned to UALR to pursue courses in technology, databases, and computer coding in 2009, Nolte began volunteering at the Alumni Association and was soon serving on the board of directors. He has since served two, three-year terms, and is the immediate past chair of the Scholarship Committee. In his role as chair, he completely automated the scholarship system for the association, modernizing the application and interview processes, as well as planning and budgeting the scholarships up until 2024. Previously, the association gave out one-time scholarships to students. Thanks to Nolte’s dedicated work, the association now awards an increasing amount of continuing scholarships that follow students through their entire academic career at UALR. Nolte is also a beekeeper as well as a Master Gardener, whose current project is the Governor’s Mansion Vegetable Garden. He and his wife, Diana, are avid travelers who love to spend time with their three daughters, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

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UA ������Ƶlogo announces 2018 Distinguished Alumni, Presidents Award honorees