front&center Julie LaRue

Conway woman enjoys challenges as Community Foundation executive director

— Julie LaRue has a small office with no windows.

It used to be a closet, but she makes big things happen in the tiny space.

LaRue, 48, of Conway is the executive director for the Community Foundation of Faulkner County, a local office of the Arkansas Community Foundation. The foundation handles the legal paperwork required for creating an endowment, which is invested, and the annual profit made from that investment is given to charity.

"I have been so blessed. Although I'm a big planner, I've had wonderful people in my life and it has all unfolded through a series of fortunate events," LaRue said.

Born Sept. 13, 1960, in Mobile, Ala., LaRue grew up in the small town of Elba, Ala., a town of about 4,500. Her father, Leon Holliday, was an air-traffic controller at Fort Rucker and her mother, Faye, worked at The Elba Clipper, the local newspaper.

In high school, LaRue had the opportunity to attend Presidential Classroom, a nonprofit program that introduces students to government through programs and tours of Washington, D.C., She took out a $300 loan from the local bank to finance the trip.

"After growing up in Elba, Washington, D.C., was themost fascinating place to see," LaRue said.

When she returned from the trip, she paid the loan off $25 a month with the money she made at a part-time job. After high school she attended college at the University of Alabama, but Washington called her back and she started classes at George Washington University. In1982, LaRue left college when she landed a job as a staff assistant on the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.

"I did everything from manning the executive room, which involved helping senators during Senate hearings, to answering the phones," LaRue said.

Because of her experience in the Senate, LaRue was hired as a manager Baxter Healthcare Corp. in its government affairs division in Washington. While there she monitored legislation pertaining to health care and produced a company newsletter.

In 1986 personal circumstances brought LaRue to Arkansas where she worked in marketing for Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Little Rock. LaRue and her daughter moved to Conway with LaRue's husband, Wayne, in 1996, and when their son was born in 1999, she decided to work at home.

LaRue said she admires people who overcome adversity and continue to persevere and achieve.

"I think the world would be a better place if people were more empathetic and understanding of each other," LaRue said.

Helping residents of Faulkner County with their charitable giving is a new job for LaRue. She became executive director of the Community Foundation ofFaulkner County in January.

"I was thrilled to be a stayat-home mom, but I did miss the working world in some capacity. This job means a lot to me because not only can I do good, I can help other people do good, too," LaRue said.

"I've been raised in the corporate world professionally, so I didn't know much about nonprofit when I started. It is complex, but I love the learning process. I'm extremely new and I'll consider myself new for the first five years," she said.

The Community Foundation of Faulkner County wascreated seven years ago. As of June, it had $1.9 million in assets benefiting 32 funds. Since 2001, it has bestowed $261,907 in grants to area nonprofits.

She said endowments can be started with as little as $10,000 or donors can give to existing endowments such as the Giving Tree, which is how the foundation funds grants.

"I want to be the very best I can be in each life role I play: mother, wife and professional," LaRue said.

She isn't worried about the ups and downs in the economy affecting the endowments and grants of the foundation.

"As long as we have civilization, we'll have people who will want to give back to their communities," LaRue said.

matter of fact My family includes: My parents, a younger brother, Steve Holliday; husband, Wayne LaRue; daughter Wesley Dietrich, 18; and son, Will LaRue, 9.

Our pets include: Oreo, who is a Labrador mix, two cats, Precious and Purrsy, and a leopard gecko named Butch.

I am most comfortable: At home with my family.

One experience that changed my life was: The opportunity to live and work in Washington, D.C., for both the experience of living in a city after having grown up in a small Southern town, and for seeing up close how our government does - or sometimes doesn't - work.

I am inspired daily by: The fact that each new day is potentially a fresh start - it offers the opportunity to move beyond past mistakes and move toward a new accomplishment.

Most people don't know I: I worked at Six Flags over Georgia the summer after I graduated from high school.

I cannot live without: My family and my good girlfriends.

I am fond of saying: "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?" from the book Anne of Green Gables.

One of my favorite memories: Sitting on the United States Capitol lawn with friends and family on national holidays watching fireworks behind the Washington Monument while the National Symphony played patriotic music.

River Valley Ozark, Pages 138, 139 on 10/19/2008

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