Rising Star nominees

Rising Star nominees

Anthony Tidwell Asher Bradley Audra Maner Mackenzie Simon Rich Thompson Tania Salgado Romeo Lopez Franklin Bass Anthony Whittington

Asher Bradley

Asher Bradley, general manager of Crystal Ridge Distillery and Event Center, oversees the marketing and advertising, maintains federal and state regulatory compliance, and is a self-appointed “Product Development Flavor Tester.” During the pandemic, Bradley learned of the sanitizer need for local first responders. He coordinated and arranged the donation of shipments of sanitizer to the local hospitals, police, sheriff’s department, and ambulance service. In commemoration of Hot Springs’ National Park’s centennial celebration, Bradley spearheaded a 100 year/100 proof Centennial Edition Moonshine. A portion of the proceeds benefits the National Park hiking trails. Bradley is a member of the Hot Springs Young Professionals and was recently elected as a Hot Springs Chamber Ambassador. He and his wife, Brittany, returned to Hot Springs in 2018 to assist in the remodel and opening of Crystal Ridge Distillery. They have one child, Briar.

In his spare time, Bradley enjoys being outside enjoying the area lakes, hunting, or fishing.

Franklin Bass

Franklin S. Bass, Arvest Bank’s Community Bank President for Southwest Arkansas, says he enjoys working for a company that is committed to seeing the towns and communities stay vibrant. In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bass and his team of coworkers at Arvest Bank were able to put back into the community in excess of $40 million. Bass served as chairman of the Hot Springs Metro Partnership in 2019 as one of the youngest ever to do so and continues to serve as a board member. He serves on the foundation of National Park College and assists with projects to support the college. As a board member of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Foundation, he works to support the education and wildlife management and other opportunities that the Commission offers to the state of Arkansas. “Bass puts a great deal of energy into the city’s improvement and possibilities to prosper and become an even better place to raise his family.”

Romeo Lopez

Romeo Lopez, manager of Garland County Habitat for Humanity’s Downtown ReStore, has worked with the organization for more than four years and has made it his mission to maximize accessibility to affordable merchandise that in turn benefits Habitat’s construction goals in the community and helps make the dream of home ownership a reality for many. As the first chairperson of the new Hot Springs National Park After Hours Satellite Rotary Club, Lopez oversees efforts to benefit several local organizations such as Cooper-Anthony Child Advocacy Center, Toys for Tots, NPC Food Pantry, and Stop Animal Cruelty. He also serves as web administrator for Save Historic Army and Navy Hospital and is a member of the subcommittee working to repurpose the building. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Kellye Wulfers-Lopez, on the lake or enjoying the many local restaurants and shops. A New York native, Lopez has “fallen in love with Hot Springs and the deep well of kindness and collaboration he’s found in his adopted hometown.”

Tania Salgado

Tania Salgado started fifth grade at Nashville Elementary School in Nashville, Ark., without knowing a word of English. From her first job at the age of 12, Salgado has worked hard and persevered — experience she uses as operations manager for All Services Consulting, Inc. In her time with this organization, she has helped hire and worked to guide many young people who are just joining the workforce in the Hot Springs area. She has been a voice of experience and guidance for the Hispanic business community, teaching them and leading them in the right direction in starting their businesses and remaining compliant with state and federal laws. Salgado — who credits much of her success to the mentorship of her employer, Jacquelynn Cadena — has given back to her community in numerous ways over the years including programs and projects like Immigration Arkansas, Inc., a nonprofit organization created to help immigrant victims in the Hot Springs community. She said she “feels blessed and thanks God for the life she has and for the sight to know how far one can go when one strives for success.”

Rich Thompson

Sydney, Australia, native Rich Thompson made Hot Springs his home with his wife, Ashley, and two children. A former professional athlete, Thompson was a Major League Baseball Post-Season All-Star in 2011, a 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist, member of the Australian National Baseball Team

1998-2013, and minor league allstar. Thompson is a small business owner of a 5,100-squarefoot facility — The Practice Field. Since 2018, he has grown the business from private lessons to managing more than

75 families in the travel baseball program. Thompson has developed players through his facility to achieve scholarships to college programs including NCAA D1 Arkansas Razorbacks. He currently serves as head baseball coach for National Park College managing more than 60 players with their college careers, including but not limited to classwork, on-field performance, strength training programming and implementation, recruiting, practice and game scheduling, roster and in-game management. In the community, Thompson volunteers as a board member for the Majestic Park baseball complex; has organized yearly camps for youths featuring former Major League Baseball players at no charge to the player; and has organized locally opportunities for youths to compete for chance to go to the MLB All-Star game and compete in a youth Home Run Derby event as part of the All-Star Festivities.

Anthony Tidwell

Anthony Tidwell has an innate desire to make a change in his community. A Hot Springs native, Tidwell received a bachelor of arts degree in general studies with a minor in early childhood education from Arkansas Tech University. Tidwell received training and certification as a mental health paraprofessional while working with Birch Tree Communities, which is a community mental health service. Tidwell has also worked as an assistant basketball coach at Morrilton High School. Tidwell’s education and experiences inspired the vision and need for the creation of the Cutwell 4 Kids organization. Cutwell 4 Kids community nonprofit’s sole mission is to provide healthy alternatives and to prevent youths and adults from further unhealthy behaviors. For the past six years, Tidwell spearheaded programs and activities to prevent youths and adults from negative behaviors in his community. Now as Region 8 Prevention Provider Tidwell seeks to empower coalition leaders with resources and information to make healthier communities in Arkansas.

Anthony Whittington

Anthony Whittington was born and raised in Hot Springs, Arkansas where he graduated from Lakeside High School before attending Henderson State University. After his internship with the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism at Lake Ouachita State Park, he began his career at Mount Nebo State Park as a Park Interpreter. Anthony excelled in his natural ability to conduct nature and wildlife educational programs, and organizing summer day camps for elementary school children. Through hard work and dedication, he quickly began to advance at the park, becoming part of the Emergency Medical Responder Team and receiving certification in Low Angle Rescue. He also became supervisor in charge of park operations in the absence of the Park Superintendent.

Whittington has worked with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture in Jefferson County and has served as Urban Forestry Division Manager for the City of Hot Springs.

After a year with the Urban Forestry Division, Whittington became Director of Parks & Trails for the City of Hot Springs where he was instrumental in the department’s recent endowment of more than $960,000 in grant funding. He supervises 17 full-time employees, the operation of 19 city parks, maintenance of more than 10 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, and the installation and maintenance of more than 1 million holiday lights each year. In addition, Anthony maintains the Downtown Associations’ Central Avenue nightly tree lights, and processes applications for private art on buildings and landscapes.