The park, created through funding provided in part by the Delta Bridge Project of Phillips County, is the second major installment of Helena-West Helena’s Civil War tourism development projects. It is the first location in Arkansas to be dedicated as a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site by the National Park Service.

The dedication, under the direction of master of ceremonies Charles McGhee of Entergy, opened with a solemn Presentation of Colors by the 13^th United States Colored Troops of Murfreesboro, Tenn., along with an invocation by Rev. Cedric Pride of King Solomon Baptist Church and a welcome by Allen Martin representing Helena Mayor Arnell Willis.

“Remember why we’re here – the life goes on, the blood goes on, the honor goes on,” said Norman Hill, president of the uniformed 13^th USCT.

Maria Brent, interpretive planner with Mudpuppy & Waterdog of Versailles, Ky., a consulting firm specializing in public history that helped plan the park, spoke about the exhibits – including a bronze statue by sculptor Roy W. Butler and steel sculptures of soldiers by Scot and Laura Kellersberger and Ben Bridwell. “Freedom Park, to me, is about courage, about people who risked everything to improve their lives and the lives of others,” she told the audience.

“Around 2,000 Freedom Seekers came here and had nothing,” she continued. “They found shelter with the help of the Union army. There were terrible living conditions, but they persevered and began a new life. Every step of the journey required sacrifice, and Freedom Park honors that sacrifice.”

Brent was followed by Ronnie A. Nichols, artist and historian of Nichols Consulting of North Potomac, Md., and a former  director of the Delta Cultural Center, who spoke with authority on the cultural and political history of the Civil War in Helena.

The raising of a 35-star flag by the 13^th USCT and the 33^rd Missouri Infantry Rifle Squad of Fort Curtis, (a replica of a Union fort, part of the Civil War Helena development) and the singing of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Naya Washington of Helena concluded the dedication. Guests were then welcomed to nearby Estevan Hall, a 1820s-era residence that served as a Union hospital during the Civil War, for tours and refreshments.

Civil War Helena projects scheduled for completion in 2013 and 2014 include the restoration of Estevan Hall and improvements to Battery C, one of four Union battery sites that aided in the Union domination of the battle of Helena on July 4, 1863.

The state Department of Transportation recently approved a Scenic Byways grant to create a pedestrian trail to connect five Helena-West Helena Civil War sites, provide infrastructure improvements, by beautification, parking and walking trails.

Once completed, the Civil War Helena initiative is expected to bring more than 60,000 visitors each year to Phillips County and eventually create more than 40 tourism-related jobs. It is estimated that Civil War-related tourism could generate as much as $9 million annually in revenue for the area.

For more information visit civilwarhelena.com, or call Paula Oliver at the Delta Cultural Center at (800) 358-0972.

Along with serving on the board, Koehler will chair Southern’s audit committee.

“The dual mission of Southern is unique in banking, and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with my fellow directors and officers in making a worthwhile contribution to communities in Arkansas and Mississippi,” said Koehler.

Prior to his banking career, Koehler was a certified public accountant with Arthur Young & Company in New York, where he divided his time between the firm’s audit and tax practices.

A graduate of Little Rock Catholic High School for Boys, Koehler graduated from the University of Notre Dame and earned an MBA in finance from Harvard Business School.

He served as president of the Arkansas chapter of the Financial Executives Institute, has written software used nationally by financial firms, and is the author of four novels. A native of North Little Rock, Arkansas, he is married with three children.

“Southern’s unique combination of philanthropy and banking requires a depth and breadth of talent capable of balancing often competing needs in order to optimize social impact,” said Walter Smiley, chairman of Southern Bancorp Inc. “Our directors – including Daniel Koehler — have managed to strike this balance to ensure our mission thrives in times that are difficult for both community development and banking.”

Southern Bancorp, one of America’s largest and most profitable community development banks, seeks to reduce poverty by improving education and economic opportunities for individuals and families. For more information visit  www.banksouthern.com

Lauren comes to SBCP from East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, where she was director of Senior Corp programs under the leadership of Corporation for National and Community Service, providing volunteer management services for a 12-county region of northeast Arkansas.

She has a bachelor’s degree in social work and is working toward a master’s degree in public administration, both from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.

“Lauren’s experience and skills in non-profit development and management and her ability to form and maintain solid professional relationships with representatives of area organizations will be valuable in our mission of building communities and changing lives in Mississippi County,” says Tanya Wright, group president of Southern Bancorp and chief executive officer of Southern Bancorp Community Partners.

“The strategic planning effort supported by Southern Bancorp Community Partners has the potential to be an avenue of impact for Mississippi County, where people, purpose, principles and planning intersect for positive change,” Lauren says. “Together we can engage community members in programs that can shape the lives of countless others and bring us a better tomorrow.”

Lauren’s husband, Tyler Isbell, is an algebra teacher at Blytheville High School. Last year Lauren, Tyler, and their daughters Deven, 4, and Trinity, 3, relocated from Jonesboro to Mississippi County.

The mission of Southern Bancorp Community Partners is to transform rural Southern communities by creating new educational and economic opportunities for people with limited resources. Southern seeks to accomplish its goals of increasing educational attainment, decreasing unemployment, and reducing poverty through comprehensive community development, human development, financial services, and public policy change. For more information visit www.southernpartners.org

Southern Bancorp Community Partners works in concert with its affiliate Southern Bancorp, a U.S.Treasury-certified community development bank, to revitalize underserved communities in the mid-South.

A native of Marvell, Clement comes to SBCP from the Reynolds Institute on Aging at the Arkansas Geriatric Education Center of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where she developed and managed multiple outreach and in-service programs to various rural hospitals and UAMS Centers on Aging throughout Arkansas and surrounding states.

She has a degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations from Mississippi State University and is a graduate of the UAMS Leadership Essentials course.

“Kimberly’s skills and experience with outreach and in-service programs, her talent for developing and managing programs and her local connections are a great fit for our efforts in Phillips County,” says Tanya Wright, group president of Southern Bancorp and chief executive officer of Southern Bancorp Community Partners.

“I am excited to join the team at Southern Bancorp Community Partners and look forward to working for the citizens of Phillips County as we improve our community,” says Clement. “It’s great to be home!”

Southern Bancorp is one of America’s largest and most profitable community development banks. Along with its nonprofit affiliate Southern Bancorp Community Partners, it seeks to reduce poverty by improving education and economic opportunities for individuals and families. For more information visit www.banksouthern.com.

“Darrin’s financial skills, legal experience in securities and financial regulation and history of advocating for the rights of the disadvantaged in both his law practice and his political career make him the perfect choice to lead Southern Bancorp in its mission to build communities and change lives,” says Walter Smiley, current CEO and board chairman of Southern Bancorp, Inc.

Williams is a principal at the law firm of Carney Williams Bates Pulliam & Bowman PLLC, where his work focuses on protecting consumers.

He attended Little Rock’s Central High School, Hendrix College in Conway, Vanderbilt University School of Law in Nashville, Tenn., and Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., where he received a master of law degree in securities and financial regulation.

“My career focus of protecting consumers from the abuses of Wall Street banks has prepared me well to show how banking should and can be done to help communities and people,” says Williams. “I don’t know of a better bank to make that point than Southern.”

Williams worked in community outreach for the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C. during the presidency of Bill Clinton before returning to Arkansas as chief of staff and counsel to then state Attorney General Mark Pryor, now a U.S. Senator (D-Ark.). In this position, and later as Chief Deputy Attorney General, Williams took on individuals and businesses that targeted Arkansas’ seniors and children.

He is actively involved in many professional, political and community associations including serving as a board member for Our House, Inc., CARTI and the State Legislative Leaders Foundation.

Williams has been a member of the Arkansas General Assembly since 2008 and was selected as the first black speaker-designate of the Arkansas House in March 2012 when Democrats controlled the lower chamber, a position he lost in November 2012 when Republicans gained control of the chamber for the first time since Reconstruction.

Smiley will be actively involved in Williams’ transition, which will be ongoing through the 2013 Arkansas legislative session convening Jan. 14. Williams is expected to assume full-time responsibilities as CEO once the legislative session concludes and work part-time until then.

“I look forward to joining the team at Southern and continuing to build upon its fine work of transforming communities through strategic investments in people and their dreams for a better tomorrow,” Williams says.

“Adding Darrin to our senior management team positions the company to achieve great progress in the communities we are dedicated to serving. Darrin joins John Olaimey, who serves as president and CEO of Southern Bancorp Bank, and Tanya Wright, who serves as group president of Southern Bancorp, Inc. and CEO of nonprofit affiliate Southern Bancorp Community Partners,” says Smiley.

Southern Bancorp is one of America’s largest community development banks. Southern seeks to reduce poverty by improving education and economic opportunities for individuals and families.

Saturday, over 200 men, women and children worked through the occasional drizzle to move mulch, mix cement and build a playground from scratch at Martin Luther King Park.

As Arkadelphia’s residents restored their lives, they vowed to rebuild.

“Although the struggle to bring the downtown area back from the brink has been long and tedious, buildings have since been repaired or rebuilt and the sense of community pride is still strong,” said Brooke Gregory, community program coordinator for Southern Bancorp Partners, the nonprofit division of Southern Bancorp of Arkadelphia.

Martin will be responsible for managing internal and external communications – including news dissemination, media relations, public relations, social media and marketing activities – for Southern Bancorp Inc. and its nonprofit affiliate Southern Bancorp Community Partners.

She has held previous posts at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Gazette and Arkansas Business Publishing Group. She has also worked in communications and public relations at Baptist Health and Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods (CJRW).