Christiane Irvin

age: 38 | Alumni, Recruitment and Marketing Coordinator | Texarkana Arkansas School District

As a lifelong resident of Texarkana, Arkansas, graduate of Arkansas High School and Texas A&M-Texarkana, Christiane Irvin considers it very rewarding to be the Alumni, Recruitment andMarketingCoordinatorforTexarkana Arkansas School District magnet programs. She loves educating families about the many wonderful magnet school opportunities available in TASD. She explains, “I digitally design, create and publish unique images and publications to establish a communication network to effectively recruit students to our magnet schools. I oversee the TASD Montage Project publications, social media pages and marketing and recruitment office. You will often see me on one of our magnet school campuses preparing for an event, recording the great things happening, or cheering on our talented students! My job is fun!”

Entering into her 16th year in education, Christiane Irvin has been a part of TASD since the conception of its magnet programs. She has taught fourth grade, first grade and also served as Instructional Facilitator, Magnet Coordinator, teacher mentor and lead teacher. She enjoys seeing former students succeed both academically and socially at the high school and collegiate levels. “I love witnessing them working, volunteering and establishing roots in our community,” she says. “Their success is my success!”

Best piece of advice:

“FIND JOY IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. YOUR JOB, RELATIONSHIPS, HOME ... IT’S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LOVE IT OR TO CHANGE IT.” — JAMES COLLINS, CHRISTIANE’S GRANDFATHER

Married for almost 20 years to her husband, Brad, who serves as the TASD Director of School Safety, Christiane admits that they have experienced some of the greatest joys in raising their children (Carly, 13, and Collin, 6) and some of the greatest lows with her cancer battle, losing Brad’s mother to cancer and Christiane’s brother to suicide. “No matter how crazy my ideas are, how hard life gets, or what life is throwing at us, our little family takes it on together,” she acknowledges.

Christiane enjoys giving back to her community. She is involved with Hampton Church of Christ, Women for A&M-Texarkana, and Arkansas Women for Education. In the future, Christiane sees herself still contributing to the world of education and impacting children in some way. She cannot imagine herself doing anything else.

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I was adopted when I was 8 days old. There has never been a time in my life when I didn’t know I was adopted, that I was chosen by my parents to be their child. My birth mother was 16 years old, not ready to raise a child, but she was gracious enough to carry me for nine months and send me into the arms of my precious mother that had been waiting years for me.”

Clayton Stillwell

age: 33 | Agency Manager, Bowie County Farm Bureau Insurance | Texas Farm Bureau Insurance

As the Agency Manger for Farm Bureau Insurance in Bowie County, Clayton Stillwell promotes auto, home, life, farm and ranch insurance sales and service for Farm Bureau’s members. He supports and works with eight insurance agents, office administrators and members of the board of directors to work toward attaining goals and following Farm Bureau’s mission.

Convincing his wife, Emileigh, to marry him and starting their family (they have a baby on the way) is Clayton’s proudest accomplishment. He jokes, “The first official date for my wife and me was when I took Emileigh to my hunting lease outside of town to hunt hogs. We sat in a small box blind waiting for them to show up; it was a blind date!”

Best piece of advice:

“IF YOU’RE NOT MAKING SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE BETTER, THEN YOU’RE WASTING YOUR TIME. YOUR LIFE WILL BECOME BETTER BY MAKING OTHER LIVES BETTER.” – WILL SMITH

Last year, Clayton reached his greatest professional accomplishment: helping his team grow the membership and agency to over 5,000 member families. He looks forward to the future and helping others improve their lives and careers while getting to the next level.

Being involved in the community is important to Clayton. He is on Eagle Impact’s board of directors where he helps the group with their Derby Days fundraiser. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, he participates in many events throughout the year including the Komen Texarkana Race for the Cure®, Four States Fair, local high school sports and FFA 4-H sponsorships. He also enjoys hosting a monthly Farm Bureau Member Appreciation luncheon for the community at his Texarkana office.

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I earned a Bachelor of Business Administration Management degree from Texas Tech University. Wreck ‘em Tech!”

Jenni Hedrick

age: 34 | Instructor of Nursing | Texas A&M University-Texarkana

Women’s health is Jenni Hedrick’s passion. After working as a nurse on post partum and pediatrics for a few years, Jenni finally got her dream job as a Labor and Delivery Nurse. She loved every minute of bringing a new life into the world, and admits that it never got old watching parents see the face of their baby for the first time. It wasn’t long before Jenni realized she loved educating the new parents on what’s to come. She explains, “Because I truly loved sharing my knowledge, I then became a certified prepared child birth educator. I also found myself precepting new nurses and always enjoyed having the nursing students during their clinical rotation. All these things led me to my position today as Nursing Faculty at Texas A&M University- Texarkana. I love how God puts us right where we are supposed to be. I never knew the academia side of nursing would be so rewarding. I always thought if I wasn’t a nurse, I would want to be a teacher and here I am experiencing both worlds. It’s also really awesome sharing my passion with our future nurses.”

Best piece of advice:

“THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MORE THAN YOU (FINANCIALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, BEAUTY), BUT THERE ARE PLENTY THAT DON’T HAVE WHAT YOU HAVE. TREAT EACH PERSON THE SAME. NO ONE IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER. WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING OUT OF LIFE.” -RICK LINDSEY, JENNI’S FATHER

Personally, Jenni loves having the family she has always dreamed of ... husband, Taylor, and children, Anna Leigh (5) and Lincoln (3). She travels every chance she gets, whether to the river or lake. Constantly on the go, Jenni enjoys soaking up the sun on the beach or calling the Hogs at University of Arkansas games with friends and family.

Professionally, Jenni’s greatest accomplishment is graduating with her master’s in nursing. “I started the MSN program at Texas A&M University- Texarkana with a 2-year-old and 3-month-old,” she says. “During this time, I started a new job, raising toddlers, moved three houses and lost my father to cancer. I did not think the day would ever come that I would complete my masters, but as of August 2019, I did it!”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I have spent most of my life dating/ married to Taylor. We were high school sweethearts and started dating when I was 14 years old.”

Summer Gibson

age: 37 | Special Education Coordinator | Pleasant Grove Independent School District

Summer Gibson knows that she is right where she is meant to be. Her passion for special education comes from the fulfillment she feels every time she walks away leaving a student or teacher empowered. “Special education is rewarding! Every day, I get to see the impact I make on students and staff, big or small,” she explains. “Each and every one of us faces daily challenges at work, home or school. Special education is not any more challenging. All you need is a love for learning, a love for children and a desire to create an equitable learning environment for all students.”

Also an adjunct in the College of Education at Texas A&M University- Texarkana, Summer’s work-life balance involves a mixture of time management, commitment and prioritization. She values spending time with her husband, Justin, who serves as the Offensive Coordinator for Pleasant Grove High School, and her three daughters: Brooklyn (14), Kennedy (11) and Piper (7). She keeps this Dolly Parton quote by her desk at work and thinks about it often: “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”

Professionally, Summer’s greatest accomplishment was being named Teacher of the Year for PGHS and PGISD. “This is a treasured accomplishment because I was nominated and chosen by my peers,” she says. “Nothing speaks more to my heart than knowing that my peers value the impact I have at the campus and district level.”

Best piece of advice:

“CHANGE YOUR THINKING, CHANGE YOUR LIFE.” – YVONNE BONE, SUMMER’S FORMER MENTOR TEACHER

Summer’s weekends are often filled with multiple trips back and forth to the soccer fields to cheer on her girls. She admits that it is “crazy and hectic” but she wouldn’t have it any other way. On Friday nights, the Gibson family can be found under the stadium lights cheering on the Pleasant Grove Hawk football team.

Years from now, Summer sees herself still involved in education and continuing to build teacher capacity. “We ARE the people who ignite passion in students,” she says. “I hope that I continue to ignite passion in future and current educators and keep reminding them that they are not mere ‘visitors’ in their students’ lives. I pray I am still encouraging them to be lifelong learners, growing, guiding and loving their students because they may have the next president, Supreme Court justice, doctor, lawyer, business owner, performer, volunteer, activist, or teacher of the year sitting in their classroom.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I am a published poet and also co-authored a children’s book with a friend.”

Kyle Akin

age: 27 | Attorney | Haltom & Doan

Kyle Akin practices exclusively in civil trial and appellate matters throughout state and federal courts in both Texas and Arkansas. Haltom & Doan focuses on representing clients in complex business, intellectual property, pharmaceutical/ medical device, personal injury, product liability and environmental/toxic tort litigation. “I love my career because I find it fun and challenging to help individuals and businesses solve their legal problems,” Kyle says. “I am constantly learning new things and tackling new problems at work. Having the opportunity to work hands-on with my clients makes each work day interesting and exciting because you never know what new issue is going to arise.”

Kyle enjoys living in Texarkana and being involved in the community. He purchased a home in Texarkana the first year that he lived here so that he could start putting down roots and getting involved with the community. He enjoys learning about Texarkana’s rich history and the importance of community

involvement through Leadership Texarkana, serving on the board of directors for the nonprofit, For the Sake of One, and supporting various local charities by attending events throughout the year (e.g. Texarkana Heart Ball, Party with Picassos, Clay’s Golf and Guitars, etc.).

Best piece of advice:

“THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE THAT PARENTS CAN GIVE THEIR CHILDREN ARE GOLF AND GOD – BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER.” —RANDY AKIN, KYLE’S FATHER

Golfing, hunting, cooking, watching movies and jewelry shopping are Kyle favorite pastimes. “Second only to convincing the beautiful, intelligent and talented Shelby DeMuth to marry me, my greatest personal accomplishment was graduating magna cum laude from law school and then passing the Texas and Arkansas bar exams,” Kyle says. His greatest professional achievement over the first two years practicing law includes being heavily involved in numerous multimillion dollar patent trials, successfully arguing motions in federal court and deposing multiple Intel engineers in Portland, Oregon, regarding the technology supporting Intel’s semiconductor chips.

Name something about you that very few people know:

“Very few people know that I have 26 screws and 4 plates in my face from a corrective jaw surgery that I had at age 20 to correct my underbite.”

Caleb Mudford

age: 30 | Civil Engineer | MTG Engineers & Surveyors

“I have always enjoyed building things, and it is very satisfying when something you design is built and performs the way it was intended to,” explains Caleb Mudford. As a civil engineer with MTG Engineers & Surveyors, Caleb designs a variation of infrastructure and utilities, including roads, drainage, site development, water and sewer mains and subdivision layout.

Caleb feels fortunate that his position with MTG grants him a lot of opportunities to help smaller communities in the area that are often overlooked, but have significant impacts on the success of the Texarkana region. He is currently serving his last year on the Economic Development Council and has been able to help with some economic initiatives that will hopefully have positive results for this region in the near future. He is also on the board for Greater Texarkana Young Professionals. Just this year, the GTYP has continued its tradition of giving two $1,000 merit-based scholarships to local high school seniors, and the group donated $1,750 to local charities through its Dodgebrawl Texarkana event.

Best piece of advice:

“YOU MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS YOU DON’T TAKE. – WAYNE GRETZKY” – MICHAEL SCOTT

For fun, Caleb enjoys a gamut of outdoor activities, including golf, camping, hunting, fishing and sport shooting. He also likes to travel, whether a long journey or a short random road trip. Watching Razorback football (whether in Fayetteville or at a friend’s house) is also one of his favorite pastimes.

A self-proclaimed “horrible test taker,” Caleb’s greatest professional accomplishment was passing the Professional Engineer exam on his first try. Personally, his greatest achievement is recently finishing a house remodel. He explains, “I did have some help along the way, and it took much longer than it probably should have, but seeing a 100-year- old house go from something that could have been bulldozed to the ground, to a stylish farmhouse, has been a fulfilling process.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“Due to a detached retina, I have a scleral buckle (a fancy rubber band) around my right eye."

Heath Coston

age: 26 | Minister of Students and Baptist Student Ministry Director | FBC Wake Village and Bowie Baptist Association

For Heath Coston, anything that involves laughter is a must. Whether hiking, running, walking his dogs, camping, taking a random road trip or lying in a hammock by the lake, Heath just enjoys being around his family and friends.

As a Minister of Students, Heath helps lead middle schoolers through college students closer to Christ. He gives weekly Sunday school lessons, weekly sermons, counsels students, hosts Bible studies, plans and coordinates events, takes the students to camps and conferences, and helps connect them for volunteer work, just to name a few tasks which he oversees. In his role as the BSM Director, he hosts four Bible studies a week: two at TAMU-T and two at Texarkana College. He explains, “I do what I do because I know it’s my calling. I look back at my life and know everything I’ve gone through was grooming me to the career I have today. It’s so undeniable, and all I can do is thank God.”

Best piece of advice:

“BE QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK, AND SLOW TO ANGER.” —JAMES 1:19

Seeing kids grow into amazing young adults and knowing God used him to work in their lives is the reason Heath feels accomplished. Every year, Heath serves with the Bowie Baptist Association on the Ignite camps committee. And every July, he volunteers to serve at the three camp sessions and direct the late night games.

Heath is hopeful that he will still be serving in the ministry field for years to come, but he is not positive if it will still be church ministry. He explains, “I could see God leading me to go overseas, camp ministry, or stay in church ministry. If it is church ministry, then I see myself as a possible Associate Pastor, Student Minister, Education Minister, or maybe even a Senior Pastor. I do hope to be married by then and to have started a family.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“Since 2012, I have taken my groups or served at 32 church camps.”

Brigette Biley

age: 36 | Math Teacher | Texarkana Arkansas School District

“Teaching and learning are the most prized and most important professions on earth.” This quote sums up most everyone’s opinion on education, but especially Brigette Biley’s. Currently the Head of the Department of Mathematics at Arkansas High School, Brigette teaches both PreAP Algebra II and Algebra I and is also a doctoral student.

“As a math teacher, I believe in building students’ desires and pursuits to learn more in order to appreciate the beauty of mathematics and how its applications are utilized throughout the universe,” Brigette explains. “Most importantly, I get a chance to help students alleviate the fear of making mistakes and embrace them as this is the true concept of learning.” Brigette often gets the opportunity to close gaps in her students’ mathematical backgrounds, encouraging them to feel comfortable and enthusiastically seek higher and rigorous math courses beyond the requirements, and view them as a challenge rather than an obstacle.

Best piece of advice:

“IF YOU DON’T STAND FOR SOMETHING, THEN YOU WILL FALL FOR ANYTHING!” —SAM BILEY, BRIGETTE’S FATHER

Brigette encourages her students not to be afraid to ask questions, challenge things that appear erroneous, and become adequate problem solvers, critical thinkers and eventually innovative and creative adults who can excel in their chosen careers. She continues, “This then becomes the pivotal point inspiring lifelong learning. Most importantly, I can incite drive, passion and a positive outlook for my students’ education so that they grow up and become productive citizens.”

Married to Chris Olatunji, Brigette enjoys traveling around the world. She previously lived in Europe and experienced living and teaching abroad. In the future, she would like to be a principal partnering with Folkestone Academy in England to provide students in Arkansas with more of an international perspective.

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I competed in Miss Arkansas as Miss Southern Arkansas University.”

Tyler Davis

age: 35 | Market President | Diamond Bank

For Tyler Davis, helping others achieve their goals and serving the financial needs of his hometown is his passion. He feels fortunate to be a part of bringing Diamond Bank’s financial services to Little River County. In 2014, the bank started from scratch with a Loan Production Office and has now grown into a full service branch.

Married to wife, Mandy, the Davis’ have two sons, Lyndon and Tucker, and two daughters, Rylee and Belle. For fun, Tyler and Mandy enjoy watching their children exhibit animals during livestock shows and working on their farm. When asked what his greatest personal accomplishment is, Tyler responds, “Being able to baptize my daughter this past year while she was at church camp.”

Best piece of advice:

“DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.” – CHUCK DAVIS, TYLER’S FATHER

Tyler serves as a commissioner of the Little River Intermodal Authority which works to construct an Intermodal/Transload Rail facility to aid in economic development of SW Arkansas and NE Texas. He also is a board member/treasurer of the Ashdown Community Foundation, Inc. which conducts the annual Ashdown Community Auction. As the County Champion, Tyler oversees the recruitment, enrollment and fundraising for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Little River County. From 2013-2017, Tyler served on the board of the Four States Fair. This year, he was appointed by Governor Asa Hutchison to the Arkansas Livestock & Poultry Commission and serves as President of Little River County Farm Bureau.

As a 10-year goal, Tyler wants to continue serving his community and doing what he can to make it a better place to live and work.

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I am a licensed auctioneer.”

Don Adcock

age: 40 | Owner/Service Technician | Adcock’s Appliance Service

Providing the complete customer service experience that everyone deserves is Don Adcock’s goal. He treats each customer with respect and, most importantly, he listens. He explains, “I not only come into your home and repair your appliance, but if you want to tell me about your child losing their first tooth or why your dog needs to go to the vet, I listen to it all. I enjoy the conversations and people I meet. I’ve never met a stranger.”

Growing a successful business completely from the ground up is a leap of faith for every business owner. However, 15 years later, Don has a successful business with an office manager and two service technicians working for Adcock’s Appliance Service. “A lot of hard work, dedication, stress and sleepless nights have gone into this business, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of my family, friends and great customers,” he says.

Married for 20 years to his wife, Stephanie, the Adcocks have a 19-year-old son, Jeffrey, and they are tremendously proud of him. Don admits that surviving building the Adcock “forever home” has been his and Stephanie’s greatest personal accomplishment.

Best piece of advice:

“NEVER WIDDLE TOWARDS YOUR HAND, AND NEVER PISS IN THE WIND.” – SOLOMAN WARD, DON’S GRANDFATHER

A proud sponsor of numerous youth baseball/softball teams, Don also is involved with several organizations, including the Texarkana Razorback Athletic Foundation (TRAF), High School Rodeo Association, Genoa High School Fishing Team, Four States Hunting Retriever Club and Texarkana Arkansas Baseball Association (TABA).

Since a service technician’s job is never done, Don sees “working; always working” in his future. “My ultimate goal is for my son to continue on with the family business so that I can one day retire,” he explains. “Jeffrey just recently graduated high school and is working full-time as a technician directly under me. I want him to one day carry on what I have built all these years with the same standards and commitment.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I am terrified of spiders! I won’t even get close enough to kill them. I make my wife do it.”

Bryan Craig

age: 36 | General Sales Manager | Artex Truck Center

Bryan Craig has a passion for sales. His main career focus is leading a sales organization in the commercial truck industry. From 2011 to the present, Bryan has earned Diamond Club status from International® Trucks by being one of the Top 10 salespeople in the country each of those years.

“Meeting my wife, Dana, and convincing her to marry me almost 17 years ago and being able to raise two of the best kids (Braden, 15, and Brock, 10) we could ever ask for is my greatest personal accomplishment,” says Bryan. “We have a wonderful family that truly would rather be together than with anyone else in the world.”

Besides his daily operations in sales, Bryan’s team sponsors the Alzheimer’s Alliance Tri-State Area’s Twice as Fine Texarkana Wine Festival and the Runnin’ WJ Ranch’s Texarkana Open Golf Tournament. He also enjoys volunteering for the summer camps with his youngest son, Brock, at First Baptist Church Texarkana.

Best piece of advice:

“NEVER GIVE UP!” —ANDREA DAVIS, BRYAN’S MOTHER

Playing basketball with Braden, golfing with Brock and having date night with Dana fills Bryan’s spare time. Traveling as a family to “anywhere” is also a favorite pastime for Bryan.

Looking ahead, Bryan sees himself continuing to grow spiritually. He concludes, “I want to grow deeper in my faith in our Lord and Savior and lead my family spiritually, keeping my marriage a priority, keeping our family close and advancing in my field of profession, in that order.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I am actually under 40.”

Megan Wenzel

age: 33 | Retail Store Manager | AT&T

A passionate manager, Megan Wenzel believes a leader should act like a supportive coach. “I give my team members space to unleash their talent while providing constructive feedback, regular performance reviews and training sessions,” Megan explains. “I aim to run an open, transparent and honest operation. My goal is to know my employees well so I can help them grow and improve. If they are not successful, then I am not successful.”

While moving up the corporate ladder, Megan has won several awards, including top performing location awards, scoring 100% on the yearly audit five years in a row, being hand-selected by the Director of Sales to be on a special ops leadership team and being nominated over nine times and selected as the CEO in Action award winner. This award goes to someone who embodies the “CEO” mentality: sales performance, team player, community-focused, and more. “My greatest accomplishment thus far was when I received the Engagement Excellence award,” Megan beams. “As a leader, to be recognized for having employees who are fully engaged and enthusiastic about their work and take positive action to further the organization’s reputation and interest was very rewarding. Being nominated by my employees, peers and leadership for this award was humbling and appreciated.”

Best piece of advice:

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDER- STANDING.” — PROVERBS 3:5

Spending time with family and friends and her three dogs, “Ruger,” “Mason,” and “Sister” is Megan’s idea of fun. She enjoys spending time on the lake boating, Dallas Cowboys and LSU football, and experiencing different cities and the adventures that each holds.

With several notable accomplishments throughout her life in both her personal and professional lives, Megan feels that each accomplishment and even each failure has made her who she is today. “In my opinion, the type of family, friend, leader and coworker that I am to this day is my greatest personal accomplishment,” she says. “Building and maintaining long, trusted and positive relationships is a major key to success in life and career.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“During Christmas, I love to bake while watching the Hallmark channel.”

Dakota Bloyd

age: 24 | Funeral Director and Embalmer | Texarkana Funeral Home

Dakota Bloyd guides and directs families through the funeral process. This includes coordinating funeral services, arranging services with cemetery representatives, coordinating with clergy and handling all aspects of the funeral process from the time of death, through final disposition, and even providing aftercare. The reason he chose this profession is to provide care and comfort to families when they are grieving and to take the burden and worry away from them during one of the toughest times in their lives.

A volunteer with the American Red Cross, Dakota enjoys beekeeping, anything outdoors, spending time with his family, flying radio-controlled airplanes and collecting antiques. “My greatest personal accomplishment is obtaining my Eagle Scout,” he explains. “If it was not for the leadership that I gained from being involved in the Boy Scouts of America, I more than likely would not be where I am now.”

Best piece of advice:

“DON’T WORRY ABOUT MESSING UP OR NOT KNOWING AN ANSWER. NOT EVERYONE STARTS WITH 20 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE.” –DALE BUSTER, FORMER MANAGER OF TEXARKANA FUNERAL HOME

Happy to be where he is today, the future looks bright for this sincere and authentic young man. Speaking of the future, Dakota says, “I hope to be married and have a family of my own. I also plan to further my education and become a better funeral director.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I am extremely shy.”

Ashley Goodman

age: 30 | Realtor®/ Brokerage Owner Goodman Group Realty

“I love real estate for so many reasons!” exclaims Ashley Goodman. “First, every day is something new. I love constantly learning and being pushed to figure out new challenges. Secondly, I’m helping people through what is most often their biggest financial decision. I’m committed to making sure they understand as much about the process as they desire to, and want to make sure we are protecting their investment by making smart, strategic decisions!”

Although Ashley started with no formal business knowledge, she has been diligent and stayed the course which has resulted in significant business growth for Goodman Group Realty year after year. Without a doubt, opening her brokerage has been the greatest professional achievement she has accomplished.

Best piece of advice:

“BE PERSISTENT. WHEN YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY AREN’T ENOUGH, PERSISTENCE WILL CARRY YOU.” — BILLY HUCKABEE, ASHLEY’S FATHER

Raising her two girls, Reagan (7) and Gabbi (4) with her husband Josh, is her single most important personal fete. “They are still young, but they are amazing, caring empathic girls with hearts of gold!” Ashley emphasizes.

While traveling, going to concerts, trying new restaurants and enjoying family time take up most of Ashley’s downtime right now, in the future, she sees herself taking her girls to Friday night football games, touring colleges and visiting a different country with Josh every year. “My hope is that we continue to be your ‘go to’ real estate consultants in the Texarkana area,” she explains. “I want us to be a ‘household name’ and hope to be able to counsel our clients on any and all of their real estate needs.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

I was cast in a couple of Oberweis milk commercials when I was younger.”

Brad Hoover

age: 34 | Controller | Texarkana College

Texarkana College Controller Brad Hoover helps manage the financial operations of the institution, including fiscal systems and chart of accounts, preparation of reports, financial analysis and providing adequate controls over all systems. “My favorite part of this job is working with other faculty and staff to ensure Texarkana College remains financially secure in order to keep our mission intact, to increase the number of people in our region with a higher education credential,” Brad acknowledges.

Best piece of advice:

“RESPECT YOUR ELDERS.” –KIM JONES

A graduate of Leadership Texarkana, Brad serves as the chair of the Finance Committee at First Baptist Church Wake Village, where he also serves in the pre-school area and greeter ministries. He also enjoys spending time with friends and family. “My greatest personal achievement is my family,” he explains. “My wife, Jessica, and I want to raise our two children, Koy and Ellisyn, in a Christian home and teach them to serve others before serving self.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I can be a practical joker if the situation presents itself.”

Alonza Allen-Mitchell

aage: 38 | Associate English Professor | Texarkana College

“Everyone deserves a champion.” These words that Alonza Allen-Mitchell heard a speaker say during a TED talk are exactly why she chose teaching as a profession. “All students, regardless of background, need someone who is invested in them, someone to advocate for them, love them, hold them accountable, show them how to dream big, but most importantly, sees the potential in them,” she says.

As a young mother, Alonza remembers praying that her daughter, Kendyl Myers, would grow into a responsible and intelligent young woman. A recent graduate of Texas High School, Kendyl also has an associate degree from Texarkana College. “I prayed that she would make better choices than some I have made,” Alonza says. “God answered that prayer and then some. She is my greatest achievement.”

Best piece of advice:

“GIVE IT TO GOD, FOR HE WILL DO ABOVE AND BEYOND ALL WE CAN ASK OR EVEN IMAGINE, SO PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING, AND WATCH HIM WORK IN YOUR LIFE.” – LOIS ALLEN, ALONZA’S MOTHER

Alonza loves seeing her students’ lives come full circle. She enjoys getting the unique experience of teaching both high school students and college students. “My greatest professional accomplishments are being selected by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to attend a conference on celebrating effective teachers after being nominated by Texas Teacher of the Year, Monica Washington, and being asked to join the TC family.”

Married to Shaun Mitchell, Alonza loves to read, spend time with her family and travel. “I am an Army brat and grew up living in different parts of the world, so visiting new places is just in my blood,” she remarks.

Alonza is an avid supporter of community colleges. “Attending community college for many students, will enable them to create better lives for them and their families,” she admits. “Here at TC, students receive a holistic education. From a food pantry designed to help our students in need to great academic and workforce programs, I just feel blessed that I was selected to be a part of this team. God has truly blessed me with some amazing opportunities.”

A volunteer tutor for high school and college students, Alonza is also a Race for the Cure® contributor and participant, annual United Way contributor, helps provide student scholarships, member of the Freeman Chapel Methodist Church, Texas Community Colleges Teachers Association, North East Texas Alliance of Black School Educators and Drive By Scholarship Foundation.

Name something about you that very few people know:

“My sister and I sing. (She is better.) While some people have heard me sing the National Anthem, musicals are the songs I grew up listening to. ‘Oklahoma,’ ‘West Side Story,’ ‘Carousel,’ ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ you name it, I am pretty sure my sister and I can sing the entire soundtracks. As you can imagine, this did not make us cool at all!”

Morgan Fuller

age: 30 | Author/Clerk at VA Clinic | Department of Veteran’s Affairs

“I love writing and enjoy writing things that matter,” explains author, Morgan Fuller. “The deepest need of a person is to know who they are and that they have purpose and are loved. That’s what I want my words to do.AsfaraswhatIdofortheVA, Iam the scheduling clerk helping veterans get their appointments scheduled, assisting with paperwork and claims, and many other duties to serve our veterans. I love being able to serve those who served for us!”

Morgan’s greatest personal accomplishment is holding her first book in her hands. She admits that putting her heart out for the world to read is both exciting and overwhelming. She is so grateful for the opportunity to write and share her story.

Professionally, Morgan feels honored that she was chosen to receive the Mental Health Above and Beyond Award. This honor is bestowed on those who go above and beyond their required duties to assist veterans at the local VA in receiving the mental health services they need.

Best piece of advice:

“PRAY LIKE IT ALL DEPENDS ON GOD, AND WORK LIKE IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU.” —APOSTLE, JOE JOE DAWSON

For fun, Morgan enjoys writing, knitting and reading. Spending quality time and experiences with her friends and family: husband, Eric, and daughters, Rhylee and Anna Claire, is important to Morgan.

Morgan attends community events that serve veterans, such as Heroes Pantry, and she serves on the leadership team at ROAR Church Texarkana. In 10 years, she hopes to be a full-time author and public speaker, sharing with others what the Lord has done for her and her family. She explains, “I know if God has done what He has for me and mine that He will most certainly do for them. I want to be able to give people that encouragement.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I love talk radio and podcasts! My car is my classroom. As a passenger in my vehicle, you are likely to hear voices such as Dave Ramsey, Ken Coleman, Alistair Begg, Andy Stanley and Casey Doss, along with many other influential voices across the country. Learning and growing shouldn’t stop just because a person is no longer in school. We should always be moving forward.”

Dr. Eric McCall

age: 40 | Optometrist | The Eye Guys

Dr. Eric McCall is a full-scope optometrist providing eye exams for glasses, contact lenses, management of glaucoma, dry eyes and diabetes. “I’ve always been fascinated by the human eye,” he explains. “It is very satisfying to provide my community with honest, trustworthy eye care and exceptional patient education.”

Watching The Eye Guys continue to grow and develop is a blessing to Eric and has been for 10 years. Becoming partners with Dr. Jeff Phillips, a friend who treats his patients like family and truly cares for the employees, is icing on the cake for Eric. He adds, “Now, one of my childhood best friends, Sean Summers, has joined the practice, and it couldn’t be any more fun.”

Marrying his childhood sweetheart, Leigh, and having four amazing daughters, Emma Jo (11), Piper (7), Vivian (4) and Georgia (2) is personally Eric’s greatest accomplishment. “God has blessed me with a wonderful marriage to my childhood sweetheart and four amazing daughters!”

Best piece of advice:

“KEEP GOD FIRST IN ALL YOU DO.” – JOHN WATKINS, ERIC’S “PAPAW”

Date nights with his wife, taking family trips, playing golf and board games with his daughters and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys are Eric’s definition of “fun.” Assisting in eye care needs of the local community is near and dear to his heart. He has helped out with Randy Sams’ Outreach Center, Church Under the Bridge, TRAHC’s Women for the Arts, Hospice of Texarkana’s Jeans and Bling, Little League sports and church activities.

Other than taking care of the community’s eye care needs, where does Dr. Eric McCall see himself in 10 years? He jokes, “I might become a stand-up comedian, join the Seniors Golf Tour, or become a model.”

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I enjoy woodworking.”

Dr. Emily Williams

age: 31 | OB/GYN Physician | Collom & Carney Clinic

As an obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr. Emily Williams’ duties are numerous. From preventative care clinic visits, to treating gynecologic problems, taking care of pregnant women during their pregnancy and deliveries, and performing in-office and OR procedures, Emily gets to make a difference in the lives of women of all ages, and she loves having the opportunity to serve other women.

While she didn’t really have to do much to “accomplish” her greatest personal achievement, Emily says that being an aunt is truly something she loves. She explains, “I was only 16 when my first niece was born.. Now, I have 14 nieces and nephews spanning from 9 months to 15 years old – and another on the way! I am known as ‘Emmy’ to them and adore every single one of them. And nothing makes me smile as much as when someone says one of them resembles me!”

Best piece of advice:

“HOW WE WALK WITH THE BROKEN SPEAKS LOUDER THAN HOW WE SIT WITH THE GREAT.” — HAZEL MIDDLETON, EMILY’S MOTHER, QUOTING BILL BENNOT

Another fete that is a great accomplishment for Emily was being able to deliver three of her nieces and one nephew. With one of the deliveries,

Emily was even able to announce the baby’s gender at delivery since the parents didn’t find out beforehand. “I get to be the first person to hold so many babies when they take their first breath, but when it was my own nieces and nephew... it was truly the greatest feeling,” she acknowledges. “My siblings are my very best friends so getting the chance to take care of my sisters and help coach them through their pregnancies and deliveries was really special. I’m ‘the baby’ of the family so it was nice to get to actually take care of them and help them like they always did for me growing up. I feel blessed they let me be a part of such a big day in their lives.”

Married to Ben, Emily admits that 10 years ago, she had zero interest in having a medical career. However, she quickly learned that when she tries to make plans, “God flips them upside down” and has other plans for her. Whatever the future holds for Emily, she knows that it will be what God has planned for her ... and she won’t be able to deviate from it, even if she tries.

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I am obsessed with television game shows. I’ll watch any of them from ‘Family Feud’ to the ‘Newlywed Game’ to old school ‘Supermarket Sweep.’ ‘The Price is Right’ is hands- down my favorite. In college, I would sometimes skip class to watch it. I haven’t ever been to Los Angeles, but whenever we eventually go, you better believe I will be trying my hardest to ‘Come on down’ to be on ‘The Price is Right'"