Man of the Year
Wayne Smith
A native of Narragansett, Rhode Island, and graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, Wayne Smith began his career in public accounting and finance before moving into corporate accounting with ITT Sheraton, where he focused on hospitality. Smith served in senior management positions at MGM Mirage, MGM Grand Las Vegas, MGM Grand Detroit and Caesar’s Entertainment, Empire City Racing and Gaming in New York and Penn National in Illinois, where he brought more than 28 years of successful and diverse gaming industry experience.
In March 2017, Smith was named the general manager of Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, only the sixth person to hold that title in Oaklawn’s 115-year history. Since that time, he has overseen a multimillion-dollar expansion that included the addition of an expanded casino, hotel, spa and event center. He also successfully managed the transition into a new live racing schedule, extending the racing season for the first time in Oaklawn’s history.
For over two decades, Smith has been an active volunteer with multiple community and charitable organizations.
Wayne and his wife Audrey have two sons, Dylan and Riley.
Smith is a current board member of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and a past board member of The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, where he served on the executive board in 2019. He currently serves as chairman of the Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission and is an executive board member of Hot Springs Fifty for the Future, in which he was president in 2020. Just last month, he was nominated to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Board.
Dennis Berry
“At the start of my professional career, I spent five years policing with the North Little Rock Police Department protecting families’ hard assets. I later moved to the wealth management arena and began protecting my clients’ financial assets. “After working for large, New York-based wealth management firms between their Little Rock and Shreveport offices, my wife of 23 years, Natalie, and I, along with our kids, Chase and Juliana, moved back to Arkansas in the summer of 2015 and chose to call Hot Springs home.
“I started my community involvement with the Hot Springs Chamber Ambassadors. Since 2016, I have attended over 100 ribbon cuttings for new Chamber of Commerce members or members celebrating milestone anniversaries or grand openings. I served as a Co-Captain of the Ambassadors in 2021, and have received an Ambassador of the Quarter and Ambassador of the Year award for my service.
“From 2008-2010, Natalie and I were foster parents through ‘The CALL’ in Lonoke County. After a five year break from fostering while living in Shreveport, LA, we were eager to get involved in Garland County’s foster care mission. Since reopening as a foster home in Hot Springs, we have taken in 102 children for varying periods of time- from providing a shower and clean clothes in the middle of the night, to having the children live with us for almost two years.
“In 2020 I opened Bow Tie Wealth Management. As a Fiduciary, I provide comprehensive financial planning, asset allocation, investment management, estate planning and distribution strategies with families in nine states.”
Sam Spencer
“I went into the military when I was 17 years old. At 21, I joined the Border Patrol, five years later I became a Police Officer. Today I look back and reflect on the good and bad that’s come with the job.
“I was recently honored presented an award for my service and dedication from the Downtown Association.
“I got the city interested in bicycle courses. Bicycle racks were installed downtown and graffiti has been cleaned up.
“I’ve worked with heroes … They live (every day) knowing that could be their last. But we don’t think about that. We think about what we can do to help.”
Kevin Hale
Dr. Kevin Hale was born into a U.S. military family in West Germany during the end of the Berlin Crisis. He was born in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, in 1961.
Hale enjoyed a full childhood along with his sister, Kimberly Payne, in the small town of Arkadelphia. He was a 12-year student at the Arkadelphia School District. Hale loved sports. It was not uncommon to find him playing in a park or basketball court. In addition to sports, Hale enjoyed the wilderness and the outdoors. So much in fact, that he joined the Boy Scouts of America and became an honorable Eagle Scout.
Keeping with his local roots, Hale decided to attend college at Henderson State University
in Arkadelphia. He pursued his passion for science and graduated with a BS in Chemistry. Hale was unsure where his path would lead, but he knew he had a passion for the medical field. As a result, he decided to apply to veterinarian, dental, and medical school. Although he was accepted into all three, he chose medical school at UAMS, to which he graduated in 1987. Hale completed his residency at UAMS Family Medical Center in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
In 1987, Hale married the love of his life, Kim Hale (Treece). They have two biological children Kelsey and Kameron, and two adopted children, Austin and Cameron.
In 1990, Hale decided it was time to branch out and opted to build a medical office in Hot Springs. Hale is the founder of Healthstar Physicians of Hot Springs. What started as a single clinic has become a multifaceted medical system that supports thousands within our communities. Hale is currently the medical director of Healthstar physicians of Hot Springs and served as a board member for National Park Medical Center for over 15 years.
Hale served as a board member for the Lake Hamilton School District for 11 years.
In 2009, life would forever be altered by the tragic passing of his oldest son Kameron. In Kameron’s honor, he and his wife founded Kamo’s Kids Foundation, which actively works with community organizations to assist youth in need.
When Hale is not seeing his patients at the clinic, he has been known to volunteer at one of the several community charitable medical facilities, assist the Garland County jail facility and local drug rehabilitation centers with their medical needs. In addition, Hale has volunteered to stand sideline in his professional role at community football, basketball, baseball, and boxing events for over 20 years. He has also provided no-cost physicals for community athletes for more than three decades.
Amos Gray
Developed in the heart of Amos Gray at the young age of 14 was a passion to engage and empower young people no matter where he encountered them.
This is Gray’s life mission — his “guiding star.”
Ten years ago, Gray began working with youths in Hot Springs. He realized there was an abundance of underserved and disadvantaged youths in the city, and built lasting relationships with students in area schools through mentoring, risk avoidance presentations, after-school programs, and working with athletes on and off the fields, courts, and tracks. Many of the students he mentored are now part of his organization, High Impact Movement, as mentors and leaders. He is a passionate, energetic, and compassionate man.
Growing up in a single-parent home with his mother and six siblings, Gray understood what it is like to be underserved and disadvantaged. His mother, however, was his greatest supporter and encouraged him daily, telling him that he should always dream big and never give up on those dreams. He carries that with him every day has passed, and is passing that wisdom on to the hundreds of youth that he has mentored over the years, not only as a youth pastor, a mentor at Father Flannigan’s Boys Town, and a community volunteer.
Gray shares with and is teaching every young person that they have the opportunity to set goals and develop to their best potential. No matter their background, ethnicity, or economic situation, they have the ability and opportunity to be “the best somebody and be a productive member of society!”
Gray’s commitment to the youth and families of Hot Springs has been evident over the years. He is collaborating with community members, organizations, and businesses to find ways to utilize this next generation as a robust workforce in and for the city of Hot Springs. Through Gray’s leadership, High Impact Movement currently employs over twenty staff members, and six are young adults who participated in his programs as students.
Matt Barrett
Matt Barrett is passionate about his adopted hometown of Hot Springs. Active in both the business and civic groups of Hot Springs, Barrett’s positive, can-do attitude is infectious. An Arkansas native, Barrett was born in Magnolia, but his family moved to the Hot Springs area and he attended Magnet Cove High School. He was student body president, involved in various clubs and organizations, and found time to play three sports, being named an all-district athlete. After high school, Barrett played football at Jones Junior College in Mississippi and then returned to the Hot Springs area to complete his education at Henderson State University.
Barrett’s career has centered on marketing. In his 20s he started his own internet marketing firm which specialized in medical websites for physician groups and hospitals. He sold the internet business and entered the car sales business where he has not only honed his marketing skills at the Riser Automotive Group for more than 13 years, but where he has come to be known as the “go-to guy” in the industry. It’s a familiar role as he’s also the “go-to guy” in the community when something needs accomplished.
Barrett is father to 12-year-old Allison, a sixth-grader at Lakeside, and “grandpa” to Allison’s Yorkie named Duke. Between his business and civic activities, Barrett enjoys being involved in the thoroughbred horse racing community at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, spending time on beautiful Lake Hamilton and playing acoustic guitar. He recently got engaged to Lyndsey Dilks and the couple can often be seen volunteering their time and efforts in the Hot Springs community they are so proud to call home.
Chris Chapmond
Hot Springs Police Chief Chris Chapmond joined the police department in 1996 and served until 2018 where he retired as the assistant chief of police. He accepted the position as chief of police for Bluffton Police Department in August 2018 where he served until June 2020. On July 1, 2020, he accepted the position of chief of police in Hot Springs, bringing him back to where he started.
Chapmond has a modern approach to law enforcement and promotes a strong community policing partnership. A proactive approach in controlling crime and focus on community policing will remain the top priorities of the Hot Springs Police Department. His goal is to continue to grow and steer the Hot Springs Police Department in becoming the most professional law enforcement agency in the region.
Chapmond has 26 years of law enforcement experience and joined the profession in 1996.
When asked what one of his most rewarding assignments has been, Chapmond stated that his assignment as a narcotics officer and as the coordinator of the 18th East Drug Task Force was the most fulfilling. He frequently spoke to youth organizations about the dangers of narcotics, and the effects drug use had on the user and his or her family. He continues to speak and teach narcotics-related classes to help bring awareness to ongoing issues.
Chapmond is a firearms instructor, professional law enforcement instructor, and a Civilian
Response to Active Shooter Events instructor. He has taught more than 100 active attack classes to a variety of audiences. Chapmond teaches part-time at the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute and continues to be involved in the Drug Endangered Children’s program sponsored by CJI.
Chapmond started his educational career National Park College receiving an associate degree in criminal justice. He continued his post learning by earning a bachelor’s degree in police administration from Columbia Southern University and is a graduate from the Northwestern University’s School of Public-Safety Command Staff School — a master level course and considered one of the premier police executive classes in law enforcement.
Dr. Gene Shelby
“In early March, 2020, some community leaders in Garland County, including the County Judge, the Hot Springs City Manager and the Hot Springs Fire Chief, formed the Garland County COVID-19 Task Force. As the Garland County Health Officer, I was a member of the Task Force. We had an organizational meeting in person the second week of that March. As this was very early in the pandemic, we weren’t sure what this group could do beyond coordinate supplies between different agencies. But we have met by Zoom almost every Monday morning since, enabling a vigorous, coordinated response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“My role on the Task Force, evolved and expanded as the seriousness of this pandemic became more evident. I was the spokesperson for the group from the first. At each meeting, I give an update of the new and active cases of COVID in the county, as well as some of the science and medicine behind the numbers and some ways we should be responding. After each meeting I would work with the public information officer for the city and we would issue a public report of the meeting, that would include the status of infection in the community, as well as the activities that were being done to combat it and the important things everyone needed to be doing.
“I would be interviewed most weeks by the Hot Springs Sentinel Record and they would run an article, about not only the Task Force, but also my thoughts and recommendations about the pandemic from a local perspective. From these news releases, I was interviewed some, by local TV stations, about the Garland County response to the pandemic.
“I also made presentations to various civic organizations, usually by Zoom, about the scientific aspects of the pandemic, as well as our community response. I spoke to school boards and superintendents, when questions arose about the use of masks.
“Since COVID has receded, at least for now in Garland County, we have reduced our meetings to monthly, knowing that we may need to go back to weekly or biweekly meetings should we see a resurgence. We are also looking at changing our name to the Garland County Health Task Force, as we have seen, that having this forum, we have been able to communicate quickly, across many aspects of our county, on issues not related to COVID.”
Anthony Tidwell
Anthony Tidwell has an innate desire to make a change in his community. When Tidwell decided to be the change that’s when things began to evolve.
A native of Hot Springs, Tidwell received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in General Studies with a minor in Early Childhood Education from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville.
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 youth 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.
Jack Porter
“I was born in El Dorado, Arkansas and lived there until high school graduation. Higher education was completed at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville culminating with a degree in Biology. I attended the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry graduating with a Doctoral degree in 1973. In 1974, the family moved to Hot Springs where I started my dental practice and became involved in the community. Over the years, I have had the privilege of serving on various boards, commissions and committees on a local, state and national level,” Dr. Jack Porter says.
“As board president of the Oaklawn Center on Aging, I assisted in developing, organizing and executing mass vaccine clinics that resulted in successfully administering over six thousand COVID vaccines to residents of Garland County. The effort resulted in O.C.O.A. being awarded the FEMA Exceptional Service During COVID Award for the state of Arkansas. In addition, we were awarded the FEMA Region 6 winner that included the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico. It was a great effort by an exceptional team of staff and volunteers.
“As co-chairman of the For Our Roads Now Campaign, I assisted in the planning, organizing and execution of a campaign to extend a five-eighths cent sales tax to be dedicated to road improvements for Garland County and municipalities located within. The campaign was a success and will result in approximately seventy million dollars being raised for roads and bridges in our service area.
“As chairman of the Executive Committee for the Army/Navy Hospital Project, I facilitate the efforts of the committee to find solutions for the protection of the complex, Hot Springs National Park and Downtown Hot Springs. The responsibilities of the committee are varied and complicated. They include, but are not limited to strategic planning, organizing and facilitating the exchange of information between individual and agencies at the federal, state and local level. The objectives include securing security for the 20-acre that contains thirty buildings. Left unchecked, the complex significantly jeopardizes the existence of downtown Hot Springs as well as Hot Springs National Park. Additionally, the committee helped facilitate the Corp of Engineers in acquiring the funds necessary to complete an Environmental Impact Study. Additional work is necessary to ensure a favorable outcome that benefits both the National Park and the city of Hot Springs.
“As Chairman of the Early Literacy Committee of the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation, the committee was able to market and receive grant applications from Pre-K classrooms in Garland County to assist them in acquiring programs beneficial to both instructors and students. The effort allowed us to successfully award thirty-two thousand dollars to these classrooms for child literacy development.”