Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
BUSINESS PEOPLE
Bob Crafton of Springdale received the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville College of Engineering’s hall of fame award during the April 29 annual banquet in Fayetteville. Crafton received a civil engineering degree from the university in 1957. He and Lem Tull founded Crafton Tull in 1963. Crafton retired in 2000. He is a member of the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Good Roads Transportation Council; is a founding member of the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineering and was named a distinguished alumnus of the College of Engineering in 2007.
L. Carl Yates of Fayetteville received a distinguished alumni award from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville College of Engineering during the April 29 annual banquet in Fayetteville. Yates received a civil engineering degree in 1958. He is CEO of McGoodwin, Williams & Yates. He is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineering, the American Water Works Association, the American Academy of Environmental Engineering and the Water Environment Federation. He has been inducted into the Glen T. Kellogg Water and Wastewater Hall of Fame.
A. Matthew Francis of Fayetteville received an early career alumni award April 29 during the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville College of Engineering’s annual banquet in Fayetteville. Francis earned four degrees from the university: bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and physics, a master’s degree in electrical engineering and a doctorate in engineering. He is the founder, president and chief executive officer of Ozark Integrated Circuits Inc. and is chairman of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Ozark Section. Jonathan Schisler of Springdale received an early career alumni award April 29 during the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville College of Engineering’s annual banquet in Fayetteville. Schisler earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the university in computer engineering. He is the senior information systems manager for mobile applications at J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. Toni McCrory of Bentonville received an early career alumni award April 29 during the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville College of Engineering’s annual banquet in Fayetteville. McCrory earned a degree in biological engineering from the university and an MBA from John Brown University. She is the environmental, health and safety compliance senior manager II for Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Chad Raith joined Mercy Northwest Arkansas earlier this year as vice president of mission. He earned a master’s in divinity from Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Ala.; a master’s in theology
from Regent College in Vancouver, B.C.; and a doctorate in systematic theology from Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Fla. Raith was an assistant professor of religion and philosophy and director of the Paradosis Center for Theology and Scripture at John Brown University in Siloam Springs. Dr. Robert Zimmerman, a Rogers urologist, was elected to the Arkansas Medical Society Board of Trustees and will represent the physicians and patients of Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton, Searcy, Van Buren and Washington counties.
Shannon Jones of Highlands Oncology Group was selected as a top nurse practitioner by the International Nurses Association. Jones will be featured in the 2017 edition of Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare.
Sherry McCormack was named Southwestern Electric Power Co.’s manager of energy efficiency and consumer programs for Arkansas. McCormack joined SWEPCO in 2011 as a principal energy efficiency and consumer programs coordinator in Fayetteville. McCormack is a certified energy manager and serves on the board of directors for the Association of Energy Services Professionals. She earned an MBA from Pittsburg State University and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Mississippi State University. Patty Hall joined the Fayetteville office of Weichert Realtors - The Griffin Co. at 2719 N. Drake Street. Matthew Davis Wagner joined the Fayetteville office of Weichert Realtors - The Griffin Co. at 2719 N. Drake Street. Chad A. Beebe joined the Fayetteville office of Weichert Realtors - The Griffin Co. at 2719 N. Drake Street.
Rachelle Younce was named director of public relations and provider development for Washington Regional Medical System. She is also responsible for the active recruitment of physicians and advanced practice professionals. Younce, who joined Washington Regional in 2015 as director of physician recruitment, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. She also holds registered respiratory therapist credentials from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn. She was director of marketing and physician relations/recruitment at Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock.
Laura H. Tyler was hired as CEO of Ozark Guidance, a nonprofit community mental health center. She attended the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville for undergraduate and graduate studies and completed her doctoral work in health services organization and research at the Virginia Commonwealth University. She worked for Ozark Guidance for more than 15 years starting in 1983 and spent the past 10 years with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, most recently as chief integration officer and associate vice chancellor.