Communication director Hayden says farewell to city
After working for the city of Siloam Springs for almost 10 years, communications manager Holland Hayden said goodbye to her friends and colleagues at the municipality on Monday, Oct. 3.
Hayden, who has worked for the city since February of 2013, will begin her new position as senior manager of marketing for the Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville on Oct. 10, Hayden said. While saying goodbye was difficult, Hayden has gone through several career changes in her life.
Early life and career
Growing up in Dallas, Hayden spent her entire life volunteering for different organizations, she said. Hayden volunteered for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Salesmanship Club of Dallas (which organizes the AT&T Byron Nelson Golf Tournament) and was part of the Junior League of Dallas.
In high school, Hayden was a competitive diver, doing the oneand three-meter springboard and the 10-meter platform diving, and was also a cheerleader, she said.
At the time, Hayden said she wanted to be a field agent for the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and enrolled at the University of Arkansas in their criminal justice program, she said.
Halfway through her second semester Hayden realized her career choice was not compatible with having a family so she asked others on campus what career choice would accommodate her desire to also have a family, she said.
Giving broadcast journalism a chance she found she enjoyed the courses and when she visited a friend at Power 105.7 she landed
a part-time position on the air, Hayden said. Through an agreement with her professors, Hayden spent several days of the week on the air and only a few in classes, she said.
After a few years, Hayden moved to Magic 107.9 where she and Mike Chase hosted the radio show “Mike and Holland in the Morning.”
Life in public relations
Hayden took a job at the city of Siloam Springs as communications director in early 2013.
Over the years, Hayden has worked to promote the city in a positive way for locals and visitors alike. Hayden said one of her proudest moments was the Hispanic Heritage Festival, which took place on Saturday, Sept. 17.
“I am proud how we came together,” Hayden said.
Hayden put on the festival with the help of two parttime volunteers, she said. Although Hayden didn’t say how many people attended the festival, she did say her efforts had touched approximately 25 percent of the population of Siloam Springs.
Another achievement for Hayden was increasing the city’s social media presence and making sure posts were available in Spanish.
A new adventure
When asked why she decided to leave the city, Hayden said her career with the city had run its course.
“I love working for the city and the impact of what’s going on,” Hayden said.
Hayden said she will focus on her career and her son Henry. Another thing Hayden said she would do is continue to volunteer her time to help others. Currently, Hayden volunteers for the Heritage League of Siloam Springs.
“I’m still going to be making an impact on my community wherever I live,” Hayden said. “I will be volunteering.”
Hayden said it was a fun 10 years and she has enjoyed working for the city.
“It’s been a pleasure to be involved in city government,” Hayden said. “I look forward to see who they bring in and how they make the position theirs.”