For Release on March 30^th, 2012

For additional information, email:

leaders@leadershipfortsmithalumni.com

FORT SMITH, AR (March 30, 2012) – The Leadership Fort Smith Alumni Association is pleased to announce the 2012 award recipients for the Jack White and Community Leadership Awards to be presented at their annual banquet on Thursday, May 10th.  The Jack White award is given to an individual whose leadership has positively changed a community, neighborhood, institution, organization, business or government entity.  They should demonstrate characteristics such as honesty, commitment, compassion and competence as well as having a progressive vision for moving the community forward.  This year, we couldn’t have chosen a more deserving individual in Sam M. Sicard.  Sam T. Sicard will be accepting the award on his Father’s behalf.  There are not enough good things you could say about Sam M., in fact this comment may say it best, “trying to define all of his wonderful attributes is like trying to pour the contents of Lake Ouachita into a Coca-cola bottle.”  Mr. Sicard was the Chairman of the Board & President CEO for First National Bank.   He was a graduate of the University of Arkansas where he received his BSBA in finance.  Mr. Sicard also served on the Boys & Girls Club board for over 37 years as well as serving on various other local boards, including:  United Way Endowment, University of Arkansas Fort Smith Foundation, US Marshal’s Museum and past chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.  There are countless other organizations he touched and supported.

The Community Leadership award recipients include Bennie Westphal in business/industry; Rick Foti, non-profit; Stacey Jones in education; Ed Saucier in religion; and Dr. Larry Pearce in healthcare.

Bennie Westphal is the Chief Executive Officer of The Westphal Group.  Prior to becoming CEO, Mr. Westphal managed the oil and gas companies for The Westphal Group under the direction of his father, Robbie Westphal.  Bennie Westphal sits on several company and community boards including BancorpSouth Advisory Board, Boys and Girls Club, Inc., U.S. Marshals Museum and Central Business Improvement District.  He and his family have been instrumental in the economic growth of Fort Smith, Arkansas and the surrounding area.  Bennie Westphal holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration and a Juris Doctor of Law Degree, both from the University of Arkansas where he also was a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks football team.

Rick Foti currently serves as the Executive Director of the Community Services Clearinghouse.   Previously, he taught and served as an administrator in the Fort Smith schools for 33 years.  He  received his BA from Hendrix College, MA from University of Missouri-Kansas City and Doctorate from University of Arkansas. He is a 1989 graduate of Leadership Fort Smith.  He also serves as Director of Music at Immaculate Conception Church.  He’s been married for 41 years and has two daughters and one granddaughter.

Stacey Jones is the associate vice chancellor for campus and community events at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith where he has made significant impacts in furthering the arts for University students and the region at large. He started Season of Entertainment in 1981 as a way to boost University programs with larger audiences and, at the same time, find a way to offer national touring shows to the community. Jones has given of his time and talent to a multitude of events in the Fort Smith area, including Festival on the Border, the Mayor’s Fourth of July Committee, Paint the Park Pink and the Walk for the Cure. He is a past member of the board of the Fountain of Youth Adult Day Care and the Fort Smith Chorale.

Edward A. Saucier, D.Min. is the Founding Pastor at Community Bible Church.  He received his Bachelor and Master degrees in Theology and in 1983 his Doctor of Ministry degree.   Community Bible, through Ed’s leadership, has grown from meeting in homes to 3 campuses, as well as the recent announcement of a Northside Fort Smith campus, partnering with another local Pastor.   In the past few years, Ed developed a Celebrate Recovery Ministry at Community Bible, which has helped countless individuals with “hurts, habits, and hangups.”  This is only one of many things he has done during his service at Community Bible as well as previous churches to help enrich the lives of the Fort Smith and surrounding area communities. 

Dr. Larry Pearce currently serves as Mercy’s Epic Accountable Executive and Inpatient Physician Champion for Meaningful Use, the federal government’s financial reward program for hospitals and providers who meet the government’s electronic health record goals. He also serves as the Physician Advisor for Meaningful Use for the entire Mercy Health System.  Dr. Pearce graduated from Hendrix College, Vanderbilt Divinity School, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he also completed his residency. A 1991 graduate of Leadership Fort Smith, Larry is serving his second term on the Board of Trustees for Hendrix College. In other community service he has been on the Boards of the Salvation Army and Good Samaritan Clinic and has been President of River Valley Chapter of the Arkansas Canoe Club.

            For information about Leadership Fort Smith or to purchase tickets visit www.leadershipfortsmithalumni.com or email us at leaders@leadershipfortsmithalumni.com. 

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