Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
BUSINESS PEOPLE
Bob King was named community bank president of The Bank of Fayetteville. Stuttgart-based Farmers and Merchants Bank bought The Bank of Fayetteville on Nov. 30. King has been with The Bank of Fayetteville since 1999 and has served as executive vice president of lending operations since July 2004. He has more than 35 years of experience in banking. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.
Laura Wattles was promoted to creative director of the marketing and communications office at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. She served as interim director since August and was a graphic designer in the marketing and communications office for four years. She has more than 25 years of marketing experience. Wattles earned her bachelor’s degree in graphic design and illustration from Missouri State University.
Linda Coffey, a sustainable-agriculture specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s Fayetteville office, recently spoke on a number of topics, including “Dairy Goats for Home Production” and “Protecting the Flock: Predator Control Options,” at the Missouri Livestock Symposium in Kirksville, Mo. The organization is a nonprofit with five regional offices around the country working on sustainable agriculture, energy and community issues.
Danita Mullins, MSN, RN, was named emergency department director at Washington Regional Medical Center. She was the hospital’s assistant director of the emergency department and Chest Pain Center coordinator. Mullins earned a master’s degree in nursing with emphasis in leadership in health care systems from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Union College in Lincoln, Neb. Mullins serves as government affairs chairman for the president for the Emergency Nurses Association’s state board of directors, is a member of the American Nurses Association and Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society.
Charlie Platt was named Bear State Bank’s mortgage loan originator, Washington County sales manager. His office is at 2025 N. Crossover Road in Fayetteville. He has more than 14 years of mortgage lending experience. Platt is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary Clubs International.
Trish Thompson has been named mortgage loan originator for Bear State Bank’s Bentonville mortgage office. Her office is at 2905 S. Walton Blvd., Suite 13 in Bentonville. Thompson has more than 12 years of mortgage lending experience. She is a member of the Benton County Habitat for Humanity board.
Aaron Beckham, RN, clinical educator for the Intensive Care, Coronary Care and Neuro Progressive nursing units at Washington Regional Medical Center, earned the Stroke Certified Registered Nurse credential through the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing. He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith with an associate degree in nursing. Beckham joined Washington Regional in 2012 and has more than nine years’ experience in critical care nursing. He serves as an advanced stroke life support instructor for the Washington Regional Medical Center training center/stroke program.
Rebecca Cowie, MSN, APRN, stroke program director at Washington Regional Medical Center, earned the Stroke Certified Registered Nurse credential through the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing. She has worked for Washington Regional for three years and graduated from nursing programs at Purdue University and the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith before earning a master’s degree in nursing/adult health from Arkansas State University. She has achieved certification as a critical care registered nurse and adult health clinical nurse specialist.