• Larry Jegley, who recently retired after serving for 24 years as the prosecuting attorney for the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas, was presented with the 2022 William F. Rector Memorial Award for Distinguished Civic Achievement from Fifty For The Future, a civic organization of Pulaski County business leaders. Given annually by Fifty for the Future, the Rector Award was created in 1976 to recognize individuals who have exhibited outstanding community leadership and have made significant contributions to Little Rock's growth and development. Jegley began his career at the prosecuting attorney's office as chief deputy in 1991. In 1996, he was elected as prosecuting attorney. He was sworn into his eighth and final term of office on Jan. 1, 2019. The 6th Judicial District prosecuting attorney's office is one of the largest law firms in the State, with 47 deputy prosecuting attorneys, supported by investigators, victim witness coordinators, and administrative professionals. His office handled thousands of criminal prosecutions every year. The award was named in memory of the late William Rector, a community leader in Little Rock who was one of the founders of Fifty for the Future and served as the organization's president for its first ten years. As part of the recognition, a $2,500 charitable gift is awarded to the nonprofit of the recipient's choosing. Jegley selected the Joseph Pfeifer Kiwanis Camp to receive the contribution.
• Isaac Pendergrass, a sophomore majoring in business at Arkansas State University-Beebe, has been awarded the Linda Jo Welch Memorial Endowment Scholarship. The scholarship was created in memory of Welch, a former business instructor, and is available for students majoring in business who have a minimum of 24 semester hours completed. The scholarship may be used primarily for tuition, with books, dormitory fees, and other expenses considered.
• Several University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design faculty and their projects were recognized in the 2022 AN Best of Design Awards. The annual competition is sponsored by The Architect's Newspaper. The honored projects were designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects, the professional architecture practice of U of A professor Marlon Blackwell, and the U of A Community Design Center, an outreach program of the Fay Jones School directed by U of A professor Steve Luoni. In addition, Somewhere Studio, the professional architecture practice of U of A professors Jessica Colangelo and Charles Sharpless, received an honorable mention for the Young Architects Award. The AN Best of Design Awards is a premiere North American awards program open to design professionals for interiors, buildings, landscape, urbanism and installations in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The Marygrove Early Education Center in Detroit, designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects, was the winner in the Education--Kindergarten, Primary, High School category and was also a finalist for the project of the year. The ARK: Rural Botanical Garden for Arkansas, designed by the Community Design Center, was the winner in the Unbuilt--Landscape, Urban Design and Master Plan category. The Architect's Newspaper recognized Somewhere Studio with the Young Architects Award honorable mention for their focus on public space design projects that explore new strategies for space activation and material reutilization, including Salvage Swings (2019), The Shelter Project (2021) and Mix and Match (2022).
• Five people will be inducted into the Arkansas Waterfowler Hall of Fame: James William "Bill" Byers, who established the legendary Byers Hunter Club; Gail Camp, a competitive duck caller champion; Dave Donaldson, a longtime employee of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, ultimately serving as the state's waterfowl coordinator; Kody Riggan, a waterfowl enthusiast who played an integral role in forming Legacy Equipment, a John Deere retail agricultural and consumer products dealership with seven locations across Arkansas and Missouri; and Leonard Sitzer, a lifelong resident of Northeast Arkansas who dedicated his life to agriculture and wildlife. An induction ceremony will honor them on March 2 at Embassy Suites in Jonesboro. Event proceeds will benefit the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie in Stuttgart. The museum houses the Arkansas Waterfowler Hall of Fame.
Arkansas Achievers is an opportunity to give recognition to Arkansans for their achievements. Civilian and military achievements are accepted.
Please follow these guidelines:
1) Must be an Arkansan or have graduated from a school in Arkansas.
2) Received an award, scholarship, medal or promotion.
Pageants, deans' lists, graduations or military enlistments are not accepted.
No photographs please.
To submit an Achiever, email us at news@ arkansasonline.com with the words "Arkansas Achievers" in the subject line.