Long recipient of Spirit of SouthArk
Joffre Long was recognized as the Spirit of SouthArk President’s Award recipient for 2018 at the recent Spring Commencement at South Arkansas Community College.
Long has been a part of the story of SouthArk since its beginning more than 25 years ago. He was a member of the nine-person committee formed to facilitate the merger of Oil Belt Technical College and Southern Arkansas University-El Dorado into the new community college, which required the agreement of Oil Belt, SAU and the citizens of Union County.
This committee was appointed by then-Gov. Bill Clinton as the inaugural trustees of SouthArk. For the next 14 years, Long continued to serve as a trustee, with six as board chair (1997-2003). During his tenure the board oversaw the building of the college’s Library, Computer Technology Building and Center for Workforce Development.
A business owner and civic leader in El Dorado for more than 50 years, Long is a 1963 graduate of El Dorado High School and an SAU-El Dorado alumnus. He was a committee member and industrial advisor at Oil Belt. He also has been a member of the El Dorado Civitans for 35 years, including a tenure as club president; and a member of the Union County Industrial Board.
Long also was a longtime member of the El Dorado Economic Development Board, serving as vicechair for eight years (2008-’16). The EEDB was formed to administer funds collected from a city economic-development tax. With the approval of the El Dorado City Council, Long was re-appointed twice. The results of the EEDB’s administration include the El Dorado Conference Center, downtown sidewalks and many smaller initiatives.
“Joffre Long has stood for wise leadership in this community for many years,” said Robert Reynolds, who chaired the EEDB during Long’s tenure. “He has devoted countless hours to improving this community and lent his servant’s heart to all of his many and varied endeavors.”
El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce director Mike Dumas said that Long “loves El Dorado and south Arkansas, and he loves SouthArk.”
“Joffre is a strong advocate of a trained workforce, and believes a trained workforce begins in our schools and especially SouthArk,” Dumas said.