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Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce

Board of Directors and Staff

The El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors & staff are responsible for ensuring the chamber of commerce provides support to El Dorado and Union County by helping and promoting the established businesses, and attracting new business.

El Dorado Board of Directors

Meet Our Board

Executive Committee

Chris Wasson
Chair of the Board
Entergy Arkansas
Dr. Stephanie Tully-Dartez
Chair-Elect
South Arkansas College
Ashlee Allen
Past Chair-Elect
Southern Realty Group
Gregory Thomas
Cadence Bank

Pamela Griffin
Secretary
El Dorado Festivals & Events
Mark Day
LANXESS
Cindy Leverette
Cole’s Jewelers
Robert Reynolds
Shuler Drilling Company Inc.
Danna Taylor
South Arkansas Regional Hospital

Chamber President/CEO

Directors

Laura Allen
South Arkansas Arts Center
Cindy Langston
KTVE
Carl Sivils
Southern Bancorp
Jerry Brumley
LSB Industries
Amber Manning-Myers
Shelter Insurance
Carvon Smith
Walmart
Stan Calloway
Nexans AmerCable
Chad Martin
Standard Lithium
Jim Tucker
El Dorado Public Schools
JJ Cook
Noamark Broadcasting
Erin McMurrian
Empact Realty Group
Jay Webb
Karl Malone
Renea Gaston
The Systems Group
Evelyn Morris
First Financial Bank
Jeff White
Smackover State Bank
Don Hale
The Diamond Agency
Gage Parker
Simmons First Bank
Mallory Whitehead
Murphy USA
Jerod Hurst
EDP Solutions
Dan Roblee
Clean Harbors
Steven Jones
Ideal Construction Co.
Jennifer Schroeder
South Arkansas College

Ex-Officio

Sonia Barker
Arkansas State Representative
Mike Loftin
Union County Judge
Matthew Shepherd
AR State Representative
Paul Choate
Mayor of El Dorado
Alice Mahony
El Dorado Education Foundation
Brett Williamson
Fifty for the Future
Willie McGhee
El Dorado City Council

Meet Our Staff

Bill_Luther_mug

Bill Luther

President/CEO

ceo@goeldorado.com

Bill Luther, President and CEO of the Chamber, obtained a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Arkansas. He is a Certified Professional Community and Economic Developer, a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Texas, Licensed Pilot, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, a graduate of the Mid-South Basic Economic Development Course and a graduate of LeadAR Class 14. In March of 2014, Bill was inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Electrical Engineers.

Bill has served on numerous boards and commissions including METROPLAN (the Central Arkansas Metropolitan Planning board), chair for the United Way of Union County, chair of the El Dorado–Union County Chamber of Commerce and vice chair of the El Dorado Water Utilities Commission. He presently serves on the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners, the Golden Triangle Economic Development Council and as a class director for the Community Development Institute Central at UCA.

Bill retired from Entergy on February 28, 2018. Sitting on the sidelines was not his idea of retirement. The day after his retirement, he began campaigning to serve the people of El Dorado, Arkansas, as their next Mayor. In the November 6 General Election, he lost the Mayor’s race by 87 votes. The day after the election, Bill was approached about replacing the El Dorado–Union County Chamber of Commerce retiring President & CEO. Bill readily accepted this opportunity. The El Dorado-Union County Chamber has an economic development service contract with both the City of El Dorado and Union County. Bill, together with the Mayor of El Dorado and the Union County Judge, are working in job development, job recruitment and job expansion for the community.

Kaitlyn Rigdon

Economic Development Project Manager

kaitlyn@goeldorado.com

Kaitlyn Rigdon graduated from Henderson State University in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Media and a minor in Communications. Kaitlyn is a Certified Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED). She is a graduate of the Central Development Institute and  the Mid-South Basic Economic Development course. Kaitlyn assists with the final preparations for special economic development meetings and projects, plus much more. She is also the director of the Union County Leadership Development program (ULEAD). 

Karen Hicks

VP of Membership & Events

karen@goeldorado.com

Karen Hicks serves as the Vice President of Membership and Events for the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce and as the Executive Director of Arkansas South Tourism. She is also Secretary/Treasurer for the El Dorado Rotary Club, the County Collaboration Lead for Excel by 8, and a dedicated partner with Main Street El Dorado on placemaking and community engagement efforts.
Known by many as a “community concierge,” Karen connects people and ideas to move her region forward. She is currently attending the Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas and is a nontraditional student at South Arkansas College, proudly bringing real-world experience to the classroom.
Karen also hosts the weekly trivia game at DP’s Food Truck Park, using it as a way to foster community connection and support local business. She is a mother of two, a new grandmother, and a proud dog mom to Josie and The Professor.

Office Manager & Finance Coordinator