How does one of 18 children of a modest Arkansas family grow up to be the highest ranked Arkansan in President Barack Obama’s administration and the third highest ranked official at the United States Department of Agriculture?

According to USDA Assistant Secretary for Administration Pearlie S. Reed, you stay focused on your goal, never be late, never duck a tough course and never leave early.

Reed, the guest speaker at Thursday’s Southern Arkansas University Tech’s Celebration of Black History Month event at the Ross Center, told the crowd of about 360 people that he al...