Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
BUSINESS PEOPLE
Patrick Swope will take over as president and CEO of Legacy National Bank on Nov. 1 when Don L. Gibson, who has led the bank since its founding in 2005, retires. Swope was a founding executive of Legacy in 2005 as the chief operating officer, and he was named president in 2016. He has more than 20 years of banking experience and has served side by side with Gibson since the bank’s founding.
Steve Clark, IOM, JD, president and CEO, Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, was recently named to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100.
Delia Anderson Farmer is Economic Opportunity Agency of Washington County’s new executive director. She has more than 25 years of administrative experience in nonprofit organizations, higher education and state government, most recently working as chief operating office at East Central Illinois Community Action Agency in Danville, Ill. Farmer has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Philander Smith College in Little Rock and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She is a nationally certified community action professional.
Jordan Garcia was hired as general manager of the Fayetteville Town Center. He has more than 13 years of experience in the event services and hospitality industries, and was most recently director of resource development at the United Way of Northwest Arkansas. He also worked in event services at a number of John Q. Hammons hotels. Garcia earned a bachelor’s degree in human environmental sciences from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
Dr. James “Buddy” Newton, medical director of the antibiotic stewardship program at Washington Regional Medical Center, was elected a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Newton, who joined Washington Regional in 2011, earned his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. He completed a residency at the U.S. Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va., and a fellowship at the U.S. Naval Medical Center in San Diego. He is board certified in internal medicine-infectious diseases and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Donna Clark was promoted to senior project manager/senior estimator at East Harding Construction’s Springdale office. Clark is part of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce’s 2017-18 Leadership Fayetteville class. East Harding Construction also has an office in Little Rock.
Melanie Haney recently completed the advanced oncology certified clinical nurse specialist certification. She is an advanced practice registered nurse at Highlands Oncology Group.
Elaine Porter recently completed the advanced oncology certified nurse practitioner certification. She is an advanced practice registered nurse at Highlands Oncology Group.
Dr. Kevin O’Keefe recently joined Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin before earning his doctor in medicine from University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He was a chief resident in internal medicine at Bridgeport Hospital, Yale New Haven Health in Bridgeport, Conn. O’Keefe completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix. He is board certified in internal medicine and board eligible in gastroenterology by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Daniel Lea was promoted to associate mortgage lender for Arvest Bank’s Springdale market. He will be based at 415 W. Emma Ave. Lea has worked at Arvest for four years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in management at the University of Central Arkansas.
Blair Johanson was named board chairman for Credit Counseling of Arkansas. He has been a board member since January 2000. Johanson is a principle partner and co-owner of two Fayettevillebased companies: Johanson Group, a human resource/management consulting firm and DB Squared LLC, a human resource/compensation software company. He holds degrees in human resources management and a masters’ in business administration from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.