UA WALTON COLLEGE HONORS OUTSTANDING ALUMNI, STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. —The Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, will hold its tenth annual honors banquet tonight at the Holiday Inn in Springdale.

Walton College will honor three distinctive alumni: Joe T. Ford, chairman, ALLTEL Corporation, Little Rock, for the Lifetime Achievement Award; William G. Underwood, president and founder, Underwood’s Jewelers Inc., Fayetteville, as the Entrepreneur of the Year; and Larry T.Wilson, president and CEO, First Arkansas Bank & Trust, Jacksonville, for the Outstanding Service Award.

Walton College Dean Doyle Z. Williams said, "We have chosen these alumni because they exemplify the very essence of what we are trying to teach our students. Their accomplishments provide inspiration to the students as well as to our faculty and staff."

Ford graduated from the Walton College in 1959 with a BSBA in business administration. He has led ALLTEL Corporation through one of the most intense eras of change in the telecommunications, including deregulation of the telephone industry and the growth of wireless communications. In 2002, ALLTEL’s net income totaled $1 billion on revenue of nearly $8 billion. The company recently received Wireless Week’s 2002 Excellence Award in the carrier category. Today, ALLTEL is the sixth largest U.S. wireless operation with more than 7.6 million customers and a total of 12 million communications customers in 26 states. Ford was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame in 2000. Over the past several decades, Ford has executed more than 250 mergers and acquisitions. During his business career, Ford has also been active in government and civic affairs. From 1967 to 1982, he was a member of the Arkansas State Senate.

Underwood is an internationally known expert in the field of jewelry. He has been a success in the business for over fifty years. He is a registered jeweler, a certified gemologist and a certified gemologist appraiser. He has served as president of the American Gem Society (AGS), founding chairman of the AGS Gemological Laboratory, and director of AGS’s International Board. He was inducted into the National Jeweler Hall of Fame in 1991, and Underwood’s was named "Best Single Jewelry Store in the U.S." in 1991. He has published many articles jewelry and gems in national publications.

Wilson has led the Walton College’s Campaign for the Twenty-First Century committee since it was officially launched in October 2001. During that time, the College has raised almost $12 million for faculty, scholarships and programs. He has been a member of the College’s Dean’s Executive Advisory Board since 1997. He serves on the University of Arkansas’ 2010 Commission. He is in the Arkansas Alumni House Hall of Honor and in the Razorback Foundation Top 200. Since he joined First Arkansas Bank & Trust in 1971, he not only has helped grow the institution, but also he has been an active member of the community, the Little Rock Air Base and the surrounding area.

University of Arkansas and Walton College student awards, which will also be recognized at the University-wide ceremonies on April 11, include:

Williams will recognize the outstanding Walton College faculty and staff for the 2002-2003 academic year. He said, "It takes the combined efforts of all of our faculty and our staff to provide these students with the best business education possible. We are grateful for all of their work this year to produce a top graduating class."

Jeff Murray, associated professor of marketing, will receive the "Outstanding All Around Faculty" award for excelling in teaching, research and service. The "Excellence in Teaching" award will be given to Charles Leflar, associate clinical professor of accounting, for his personal involvement and direction in the classroom. The "Excellence in Research" award will be presented to Amy Farmer, associate professor of economics, for her research productivity. Carole Shook, instructor in accounting, will receive the "Excellence in Advising" award for her work in helping students. The "Excellence in Service" award will be presented to Anne O’Leary Kelly, University professor of management, for her service to the University of Arkansas and the Walton College. Janet Mosebach will receive the "Outstanding Graduate Assistant" award for excellence in teaching and research.

Ten faculty members will be recognized for their length of service to the Walton College and the University of Arkansas:

The Walton College "Major Contribution" award will go to Will Allred, network administrator in the College’s Technology Center. The "Superior Staff Service" award will go to Pat Edwards, administrative assistant in the marketing and transportation department.

The Walton College "Outstanding Team" award will go to the Center for Retailing Excellence for its successful Fall 2002 Retail Symposium. Members include Managing Director, Claudia Mobley, Pam Styles and Paula Justus. The "High Performance Team" award will go to the Accounting Teaching Team for its work in helping students succeed in introductory accounting. Led by Carole Shook, team members include Mary Beth Caldwell, Willie Gist, Connie McKnight, Charles Leflar, Guy McClain, and Mike Whitemore.