BANKING
Simmons Bank has announced the addition of Philip A. Tappan as executive vice president of Financial Services with oversight responsibility for Simmons First Trust Company, Simmons First Investment Group and Simmons First Insurance Services.
Simmons Bank announced the decision by Ronald “Ron” B. Jackson, Russellville Community Bank Chairman and CEO, to begin the transition of his leadership role to R. Scott Hill, Russellville Community President and Denton E. Tumbleson, Clarksville Community President. The transition will begin April 1.
EDUCATION
The University of Central Arkansas has announced Jesse Thill cqas the new director of alumni services.
HOSPITALITY
Wyndham Riverfront Hotel has announced that Lana Roach, formerly sales manager at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, has joined Wyndham Riverfront as director of sales.
INSURANCE
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced that Sandra N. New has joined BlueAdvantage National Accounts as the director of Medical Management Services. Danny Beck has been named regional executive of the northwest and west central regions for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The company also announced Dan Stevens has been named the director of Provider Network Operations.
LEGAL
Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull announced that Brandon B. Cate has become a managing member of the law firm and Grant M. Cox, Michael B. Heister, Joseph W. Price II and Everett C. Tucker IV have been named members.
NONPROFIT
Betty L. Hanson of Little Rock and Katie Rockhold DellaCroce of Fayetteville have been elected to the Methodist Family Health board of directors.
Gay White, Phillip Watts and Brian Boyd, all of Little Rock, and Dabney Pelton of Pine Bluff have been elected to the Old State House Museum Associates board of directors.
The Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation elected the following officers: Katherine Snyder, Washington Elementary School principal, Little Rock, president; Steve Hanley, Plum Creek, Farmerville, La., vice president; Tom Crowder, Bragg Land Company, Little Rock, secretary; and John Wainscott, Weyerhaeuser, Hot Springs, treasurer. The group appointed Harrell Wilson, with Tri-W Logging in Rison, to represent the business community at large on the board.
President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, Brian Itzkowitz, has been named to serve on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities.
The ACCESS board of directors elected the following officers for 2015: Walter “Skip” Ebel III, partner, taxation department, Friday, Eldredge & Clark, Attorneys at Law, board president; Lynn O’Connor, community volunteer and past board president, board vice president; Jackson Farrow Jr., managing director and general counsel, Stephens Capital Partners LLC, board treasurer; Becky Scott, community volunteer, board secretary; and Shay Sebree, commodity broker, KBX Inc., board chairman. The board welcomed new members Patti Bailey, George Easley and Mark Langston. Other board members include Heather Allmendinger, Amy Baden, Shelly Baldwin M.D., W. Scott Davis, Elizabeth Glasbrenner, Marci Hall, George “Hutch” Hutchison M.D., Beth Johnson, Chris Johnson, Steve Jonsson, Harold Joyner and Kurt Knickrehm.
REAL ESTATE
Ray Ellen has joined The Property Group as a sales associate.