University Leadership

Farmers Bank & Trust of Magnolia recently donated $250,000 for the Farmers Bank Reception Center at Story Arena. Pictured from left, are Farmers Bank President Steve sầu Keith, Executive Director of the SAU Foundation Jeanie Bismark, SAU President Dr. David Rankin, Farmers Bank Chairman và CEO Bob Burns, và SAU Director of Major Gifts Josh Kee.

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Farmers Bank & Trust, a supporter of SAU since the University’s beginning in 1909, recently committed $250,000 to lớn the reception facility at Southern Arkansas University’s Story Arena.

This generous donation provides the ngân hàng with naming rights for the facility – Farmers Bank Reception Center at Story Arena, which is located on SAU’s campus on the north side of U.S. 82.

“At Farmers Bank and Trust, we are happy to support activities that give sầu baông xã to lớn the community,” said Farmers Bank Chairman and CEO Bob Burns. “We are delighted khổng lồ help Southern Arkansas University, which is an invaluable part of this region & an important industry for our community.”

The Farmers Bank Reception Center and Story Arena will welcome around 15 universities và guests to lớn its first official rodeo sự kiện at 7 p.m. nightly this Thursday through Saturday, March 13-15, năm trước. Admission prices are as follows: $10 for adults, children 5-12 are $5, and miễn phí admission for children 0-4 và SAU students, faculty & staff.

The annual fall SAU Intercollegiate Rodeo was postponed in 2013 khổng lồ concentrate on completing the new aremãng cầu. But now that the aremãng cầu và reception area are nearly complete, the men’s and women’s rodeo teams are happy to host a trang chính event.

The SAU women’s team is currently ranked second in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Ozark Region, và the men’s team is ranked fourth. According khổng lồ SAU rodeo coach Rusty Hayes, around seven of his team members are on traông chồng khổng lồ qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo on June 15-21, năm trước, in Casper, Wyo.

The nearly 6,800 square-foot Farmers Bank Arena Reception Center will house functions that are necessary when hosting public events and will be the “front door” for the rodeo aremãng cầu. Aý muốn its features, it will house the ticket booth, concession st&, men’s and women’s restrooms, a grilling porch, a covered concourse & large plaza, covered walkways to the aremãng cầu, an outdoor fireplace, an office area, a conference room & a tribute lớn Farmers Bank’s century of support for SAU.

An area inside the center will be dedicated to two past presidents of Farmers Bank và Trust, Mr. Robert Samuel Warnoông chồng và Mr. Thomas Samuel Grayson.

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Warnock, the first president of the bank, was the Columbia County representative sầu to lớn the Arkansas legislative assembly that authorized the creation of the Third District Agricultural School (eventually Southern Arkansas University). A strong supporter of the Farmers Union, Warnochồng contributed lớn the fund that helped secure the school for Magnolia and Columbia County. He later served on the TDAS board. As a state senator in 1929, Warnochồng helped assure the survival of Magnolia A&M và the other 1909 agricultural schools that had become junior colleges.

Grayson, a sawmill owner and entrepreneur, was one of the founders of the ngân hàng and its second president.

Along with providing an opportunity for SAU to host rodeo events on campus for the first time, the arena và reception center will also serve sầu as an economic engine for the region.

The main structure will consist of a nearly 80,000 square foot covered rodeo-style aremãng cầu with a dirt floor và seating for approximately 1,100. It will provide a place for local and regional groups lớn hold equine và livestoông chồng events, concerts, trade shows, & other community events. Participants at these events will bring money into lớn the local economy by eating in restaurants, shopping in local stores, và staying in local hotels.

The SAU rodeo team will also be able khổng lồ host a variety of events including high school rodeos, which will bring prospective college students lớn the SAU campus.

Construction of the Story Aremãng cầu và Farmers Bank Reception Center would not have been possible without the generosity of a host of friends of SAU. Therrel and Jan Story of Magnolia gave sầu $2.45 million, which is the largest gift in the history of SAU.

The Southern Arkansas University Foundation would also like lớn recognize the following generous donors for their investment in the Story Aremãng cầu và the Farmers Bank và Trust Reception Center: Magnolia Economic Development Corporation, Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, Jeff and Donna Eaton Flaherty, Dr. David & Toni Rankin, Ann Reeves Eddy, BancorpSouth, Dr. David & Judy Ashby, Summit Bank, J.L. and Wanda Jean, Saundra Van Cleef Lewis, Mustard Seed Financial, Entergy of Arkansas, Paul & Jeanie Nelson Bismark, Ralph Weiser, Josh & Bekah Burton Kee, Julia Laney Machen, Josephine Davis, Albemarle Foundation, David và Deborah Calaway Spraggins, Mary Frank Phillips, Dr. Harold và Gene Lee Brinson, Bobbie Jean Taylor, Exxon điện thoại Foundation, Thomas và Mary Ann Loftin, David và Vicki Butler, Dr. Larry và Judy Sessoms McNeal, Debbie Arnold, Harold và Judy Franks Hines, Richard and Pam Murphy, Magnolia Riding Club, Jachồng và Olga English, Wayne and Celia McQuiston, Jim and Linda Miller, J.W. và Velvin Maloch Rowe, John và Marjie McLaughlin Blair, Haley Burrow, LTC(R) Jasper và Deborah Lewis, và Thomas và Judy Downs Pearson.

The total cost of the SAU Story Arena and Farmers Bank Reception Center is around $4.4 million