Community Foundation recognizes retiring board members
The Hot Springs Area Community Foundation recently recognized four outstanding board of directors for their service and dedication to the local affiliate of the Arkansas Community Foundation.
The outgoing board members’ combined 60 years of service has not gone unnoticed, a news release said. Each retiring board member was presented a special gift from the foundation.
Mike Ferguson became a member of the board in 1997, serving 23 years. Fergusen served for over 20 years as a member or chairman of the grants committee, the release said, and also served as a member of the public relations, operating endowment acquisition and budget committees during his years of service.
“As a longtime Hot Springs resident and career banker, he is the current market president and district manager for US Bank. Mike has served on numerous other nonprofit and civic boards for many years and is a current member of the Hot Springs civil service commission,” the release said.
John Hearnsberger, a retired Weyerhaeuser sales executive, served the local affiliate and state community foundation for more than 20 years.
According to the release, Hearnsberger became a board member in 2000, was board chairman from 2004 to 2006, after serving numerous positions of board vice-chair, grants committee member, treasurer, Oaklawn Foundation liaison, public relations, operating endowment acquisition and budget committees. He has also been an active member of numerous nonprofits, civic and community organizations, including the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and Fifty for the Future.
Elizabeth Farris, retired former Regions Bank market president, served the community foundation from 2006 to 2019. She served as board chairman from 2012 to 2014 and also held the offices of vice chairman, treasurer, grants committee, nominating committee and operating endowment acquisition and budget committees, the release said. Farris is the current chair of the Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission and chairwoman of the UCA Board of Trustees.
Ruth Smith became a board member in 2016, previously serving as a community member of the affiliates’ grant committee for four years. According to the release, while on the foundation board she served on the grants committee, and as chairman of the asset development committee for two years. Smith is an active community minded volunteer, serving the Red Cross and other organizations.
These four individuals’ many years of service speaks highly for each one of their individual desires to improve the Hot Springs community. Hot Springs needs many more like these four individuals who have willingly given back and worked to make a difference in the lives of others, the release said.
“The Hot Springs board of directors is indebted to each of these outstanding individuals,” the release said.
Contact Joyce Whitfield, director of the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation, at 501620-4008 or hotspringsarea@arcf.org, for more information.