Lunch with Leaders
Prissy Hickerson receives Idalee Hawkins Award
Former Arkansas State Rep. Mary Priscilla “Prissy” Hickerson received the Idalee Hawkins Award at the Lunch with Leaders occasion Tuesday at the Texarkana Country Club.
The luncheon, hosted by Leadership Texarkana, recognized leaders and their work in the community.
carries a decades-long legacy of public service. She is one of only two women who have chaired the Arkansas State Highway Commission. She also served three terms in the
Arkansas House of Representatives.
“I don’t know how many of you had the pleasure of knowing Idalee Hawkins, this being a young-looking crowd,” Hickerson said. “But she set out to change the world, starting with Texarkana.”
The Idalee Hawkins Leader of the Year Award is given to outstanding Leadership Texarkana graduates who have exemplified balancing roles of family and community leadership.
Scott Norton, TexAmericas Center executive director and chief executive officer as well as a Leadership Texarkana alum, set the stage with his remarks, saying that leadership in a community is all about “finding your passion.”
“Get involved with what you are passionate about,” Norton said.
Norton, a Texarkana native, since he has taken charge of TexAmericas Center, has striven to repurpose former military property to civilian use, mostly in business and industrial development.
“Doing what we do at the center will help create jobs—jobs that take care of families and enhance our tax base,” Norton said.
“Each one of you leaders, find your passions. Encourage others to do the same. Find out what you are passionate about. Go do it.”
Hickerson was asked to go through the Leadership Texarkana course 35 years ago. She was reluctant, considering so many had applied for the course.
“Dennis Young told me that they needed women,” she said. “He said they had already asked many others and they had turned them down.
“Texarkana is a unique place, as anyone who has served finds out. As Scott says, it is about finding your passion. I love Texarkana. Thank you for the honor.”
The ceremony also awarded the 2017 Wilbur Awards, given to individuals or entities that make a positive contribution to the community and region while serving as a model of effective leadership and working with others. The award is named in honor of the late historian Wilbur Smith.
This year’s winners:
n Tonya Dunphy-Adult Winner
n Ricky Cook-Youth Winner
n Shelby Dunphy-Day-Youth Rising Star
n Believe in Beverly Neighborhood Association-Organization Winner
Leadership Texarkana is an organizations that trains and organizes community leaders. It educates participants in leadership and community involvement and offers a network to assist community groups and their projects.