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Class Notes Fall/Winter 2025

’70s

Joseph “Hal” Hunnicut ’74 was appointed to the Arkansas Manufactured Home Commission.

Rush Harding III ’76 was awarded the 30th annual Arkansas Children’s Award by the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches.

Kelley Erstine ’79 was awarded the 2025 Don King Award as Sigma Tau Gamma Sigma Chapter distinguished alumnus.

’80s

Richard “Rick” Massey ’81 was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Arkansas in May 2025.

Linda (Hart) Lentz ’82 was promoted to associate vice president for budget, planning and development at UCA in Conway.

Alice (Long) Heikens ’83, ’86 retired from Franklin College after 34 years as a distinguished professor of biology.

Ed Spaeth ’83 was appointed to the Arkansas Manufactured Home Commission.

Laura Abbott ’88, ’96 was listed in About You (AY) Magazine as one of the Intriguing Women of 2025.

Michael “Brad” Hegeman ’89, ’96 was appointed to the Arkansas Veterans’ Commission.

’90s

Teri (Turley) Cox-Meadows ’90, ’94 was appointed to the Arkansas Workforce Development Board.

Brenda Hatton-Ficklin ’90 was named director of community engagement at the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Stan Hancock ’91 was hired as field sales manager for Hantover, Inc., covering the continental United States.

Scott Harmon ’96 was appointed to the Arkansas State Occupational Therapy Examining Committee.

Shelley (Pope) Short ’96 was elected to the board of the Southern Economic Development Council of Atlanta. Short is

president and CEO of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance.

Don Bradley IV ’97, ’01 joined Integrity Insurance Company of Conway as vice president of business development.

Dr. Gina L. McNew ’97 received the Community Impact Award at the 2025 Conway Area Healthcare Forum.

Michelle (Naron) Phillips ’98 was elected 2025-26 president for the Rotary Club of Conway.

Kristen (Glover) Riddle ’98 was installed as 2025-26 president of the National Community Pharmacists Association by its

House of Delegates at the organization’s 2025 annual convention in New Orleans.

Sarah Waggoner-Daniels ’99, ’08 joined McClelland Consulting Engineers, Inc. as CAD designer in Little Rock.

Patricia “Tricia” (Ballheimer) Wilson ’99 is a member of the Leadership Arkansas Class XX for 2025-26.

’00s

Elizabeth “Beth” (Becker) Franks ’02 joined Pediatrics Plus as senior vice president.

Shaneil (Fuller) Ealy ’03 was named executive director for the Women’s Leadership Network.

Katie (Boone) Pipkin ’05 was promoted to vice president and regional trust manager at Arvest Wealth Management in Lowell.

Kristin (Byrd) Daniel ’06 was named as a Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree.

Maegan (Nicholson) Dyson ’06, ’10 was listed in About You (AY) Magazine as one of the Intriguing Women of 2025.

Rebekah (Gardner) Fincher ’07 was named a Great Leader in Healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review.

David Mitchell ’07, ’09 is a member of the Leadership Arkansas Class XX for 2025-26.

Megan (Scott) Selman ’07, ’09, ’17 was listed in About You (AY) Magazine as one of the Intriguing Women of 2025.

Stuart Allen ’08 was named as an Arkansas Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree. Allen is president of NativState in Conway.

Ariel S. Marshall ’08 was named a Georgia Tech 40 Under 40 honoree for her work in public and science policy.

Andrew “Drew” Moffitt ’08 was named as an Arkansas Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree. He is a geospatial solutions leader and innovation incubator member at Garver.

Kyle Reynolds ’08 was named as an Arkansas Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree. He is a managing member at RBG Permian.

’10s

Matthew “Matt” Clinkscales ’10 was named as a Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree.

Eve (Parham) Geiggar ’11 was listed in About You (AY) Magazine as one of the Intriguing Women of 2025.

Bradley “Brad” Hall ’11, ’12 is a member of the Leadership Arkansas Class XX for 2025-26.

Jayson G. Krisell ’11 was named as a Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree.

Jamie (Burt) Newton ’11 was listed in About You (AY) Magazine as one of the Intriguing Women of 2025.

Jacob Robinson ’11, ’13 was named president of Arkansas Heart Hospital.

Jonathan Foster ’12 was named as an Arkansas Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree. He is the chief financial officer at Xpress Boats and Veranda Luxury Pontoons.

Amber (Rowlett) Crawford ’13 is a member of the Leadership Arkansas Class XX for 2025-26.

Andrew “Drew” Spurgers ’13, ’17 was elected to the Conway City Council in November 2024.

Terri (Batson) Wells ’13 was listed in About You (AY) Magazine as one of the Intriguing Women of 2025.

Jonathan Watson ’15 was hired as director of business development and sales at Watson Homes, Inc. in Conway.

Justin McCarty ’16, ’18 is a member of the Leadership Arkansas Class XX for 2025-26.

Corey Parks ’16, ’18 earned the Certified Chamber Executive designation from the Association of Chamber of Commerce

Executives and was elected to the organization’s board of directors.

Gilberto Garcia ’17 was named a Certified Cryptocurrency Expert (CCE) by the Cryptocurrency Certification Consortium.

Kandi (Chitman) Hughes ’17 is a member of the Leadership Arkansas Class XX for 2025-26.

Hannah King ’17 was appointed to the Arkansas State Occupational Therapy Examining Committee.

Dr. Danica Ordonez ’17 joined Baptist Health Women’s Clinic in Conway.

Hunter Strong ’19 was named to the 2025 Arkansas Business 20 in Their Twenties. Strong is the sales manager at First Trust Home Loans, Inc. in Sheridan.

’20s

Caitlin Campbell ’21 joined Jones Jackson Moll McGinnis & Stocks PLC as an associate.

Olivia Heritage ’21 was named to the 2025 Arkansas Business 20 in Their Twenties. Heritage is the senior marketing associate at Tempus Realty Partners in Little Rock.

Emily (Flake) Whillcock ’21 was named to the 2025 Arkansas Business 20 in Their Twenties. Whillcock is an interior designer at Evo Business Environments in Little Rock.

Blaire E. Williams ’21 was recognized at the 2025 Conway Area Healthcare Forum as an Emerging Health Care Professional.

Hayden Medlock ’22 was listed in About You (AY) Magazine as one of the Intriguing Women of 2025.

Lacey Labee ’23 was named to the 2025 Arkansas Business 20 in Their Twenties. Labee is a senior chemist at ECCI in Conway.

Faith Lusty ’23 was awarded the James R. Harbin, DO Healing Hands Award from the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Smith.

Jaleah Bones ’25 was hired as a customer service representative and teller at Stone Bank in Little Rock.

Ashton (Sitkowski) Ferrell ’25 joined Baptist Health of Little Rock as a nurse practitioner.

Josie Roark ’25 was promoted to head teller at First Community Bank in Cabot.

Lena Rocole ’25 was hired as director of economic and workforce development at Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce.

President’s Message

Houston DavisAs we move into a new year, I find myself reflecting on the momentum and meaningful work happening across our campus and throughout the UCA community. This edition of UCA Magazine highlights the many ways our students, faculty, alumni and friends continue to build a university that is bold, innovative and deeply connected to the communities we serve.

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About This Issue

Volume 115, Issue 2

Fall/Winter 2025 CoverUCA Magazine is published two times annually by the University of Central Arkansas, from the Division of Advancement.
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Opinions expressed in UCA Magazine are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or the university administration.

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