MAGNOLIA, AR (03/20/2024) The Southern Arkansas University Alumni Association, Inc. will honor seven outstanding SAU alums during the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Tickets may be purchased online at www.saualumni.com/alumnidinner or by calling the Alumni Office at (870) 235-4079. Individual tickets are $20, or a table with eight seats can be purchased for $160.
Award recipients will be honored in four categories, according to SAU Executive Director of Alumni Relations Haley Bell. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to James Paul Brewer (posthumous); Robert Buckmaster will be recognized as the Distinguished Golden Mulerider; Rickey Jasper, Dr. Bob Martin, and Victoria Williams will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award; Shelby Blair and Tyler Brown will be honored as Distinguished Young Alumni.
James Paul Brewer '80 (Longview, TX) - Lifetime Achievement Award (Posthumous)
Brewer's formal education began at Columbia Elementary and continued with Magnolia Junior High and Magnolia High School, where he graduated in 1976. He received his Bachelor of Science in Education from Southern Arkansas University in 1980.
Brewer began his coaching career in Hughes Springs, TX, in 1981. A few years later, in 1990, he relocated to De Kalb, TX, to become the assistant principal and head boys track coach at De Kalb High School. In 1992, he was promoted to principal of De Kalb High. In addition, the Longview High School Lobo Football Team honored Brewer last season with his initials, JPB, on the team helmets. He had the opportunity to become friends with former NBA player Charles Barkley through his childhood friend, former St. Louis Cardinal Wide Receiver Roy Green. While superintendent of the De Kalb Independent School District, he took his board members to meet Charles Barkley while in Houston for a school board conference. There are many other highlights during his career that are too numerous to mention.
Brewer received his master's degree and mid-management certification from East Texas State University in 1992. Five years later, he was named superintendent of De Kalb Independent School District and remained in that position until 2007. In March 2007, he and his family relocated to Longview as he began his tenure as the principal of Longview High School and assistant superintendent of secondary education for the Longview Independent School District. Most recently, Brewer served as interim CEO of East Texas Advanced Academies. He completed his 16th year of service at the close of the 2022-2023 school year. Brewer was also an at-large member of the University Interscholastic League, which exists to provide extracurricular, academic, athletic, and music contests for Texas public school students.
Brewer served on the SAU Alumni Board of Directors from 2018 - 2019 and was in the Distinguished Alumni class of 1998, where he received the Young Alumni Award.
Robert Buckmaster '66 (Henderson, NV) - Distinguished Golden Mulerider Award
After graduating from Southern State College, Robert was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he was immediately transferred to Ft. Knox, Kentucky, for Armor Officers Candidate School (OCS). After completing OCS, he was sent to Korea for a 13-month tour. Upon completion, he returned to the United States for a tour in North Carolina. He was discharged from the Army as a Captain in August 1970 and returned to Little Rock, where he married his wife, Susan. They were together for 48 years until she died in 2018.
In 1974, he returned to the Army as a civilian quality assurance specialist for ammunition. In that capacity, he had tours in Illinois, California, Germany, and again in Illinois before being assigned to the Pentagon in 1985. At the Pentagon, he oversaw nuclear weapon logistics for HQ Air Force for three years before accepting a position with the Joint Staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). As such, he managed nuclear weapon safety, security, and reliability for the Joint Staff and the CJCS. After 12 years with the Joint Staff and a total of 30 years of service, he retired from the Department of Defense and moved to Henderson, Nevada. He and his wife enjoyed traveling and visited approximately 55 different countries together.
Rickey L. Jasper '84 (Prosper, TX) - Distinguished Alumni Award
Rickey L. Jasper, a retired senior intelligence service officer, holds the distinction of being the highest-ranking African American to serve in the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Graduating as valedictorian from Parkdale High School, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science with a minor in Accounting from Southern Arkansas University, a Master of Business Administration in Management from Louisiana Tech University, and a Master of Science in Accounting from Strayer University. Jasper's pursuit of knowledge extended beyond his formal education, encompassing studies at prestigious institutions such as the University of Virginia, George Mason University, the University of Southern California, the University of Maryland, and Northwestern University, Kellogg. Additionally, he pursued postgraduate studies in theology at the Singapore Bible College and the John Leland Center for Theological Studies, where he presently serves as a member of the Institute for Justice Foundation.
Alongside his distinguished career in intelligence, Jasper is a licensed and ordained minister, having served in various capacities as a youth pastor, assistant pastor, and pastor both domestically and internationally. He has served as the pastor of the Protestant Faith Fellowship in Berlin, Germany, as well as the pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Lincoln, VA, and as the assistant pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Leesburg, VA. Following his tenure at Louisiana Tech University and employment with IBM in Dallas, TX, Jasper embarked on a career with the CIA in 1987, serving domestically and abroad across Latin America, Europe, and East Asia. Notably, he served in Berlin, Germany, for three years following the fall of the Berlin Wall, and in Singapore for three years during the turn of the century and the aftermath of 9/11.
He ascended to the highest ranks within the CIA, serving as the special assistant to CIA Directors Porter J. Goss and Michael V. Hayden (the final director under President George W. Bush) and as agency executive secretary under Michael V. Hayden and the beginning of Leon Panetta's tenure under President Barack Obama. Due to the sensitive nature of the Agency's operations, much of his work remains undisclosed. In recognition of his achievements, Jasper was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in October 2014. He is prominently featured in the Seed of Genius: Twenty-Five Years of the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame and author of Walking in the Gray: How to Succeed When the Rules Are Not Black and White, released on January 5, 2020.
Jasper and his wife, Sheila Denise Jasper, a 1984 SAU graduate, have been happily married for over 37 years and are proud parents of two sons: Rickey Lane Jasper II and Desmond Tyler Jasper.
Dr. Robert "Bob" Martin '85 (Shreveport, LA) - Distinguished Alumni Award
Dr. Bob Martin is a Shreveport, LA native who graduated from Calvary Baptist Academy in 1981 and attended SAU on an academic scholarship. As a walk-on quarterback, he played one season for Coach Red Parker and earned a scholarship in the spring before deciding to focus on a career path in medicine. Initially planning to be a coach, his decision to pursue medicine resulted from his academic advisor, Dale Whitman, challenging him to deeply consider his aptitudes, gifts, and life goals. His most impactful instructors at SAU were Dr. Dan England, Dr. Henry Robinson, and Dr. Hugh Johnson. Martin talks about how much he enjoyed his entire experience at SAU. It gave him opportunities that significantly impacted the rest of his life. The greatest of these was meeting his wife, Pam Rogers, who received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in 1985.
As a student at SAU, Bob was a member and president of the Student Foundation and Alpha Honor Society, the state president of the Arkansas Residence Hall Association, and a member of the Biology Club. He made many lifelong friends, including Dean J Courson, whom he worked with in housing as an RA in Greene Hall during his sophomore and junior years and as Director of Talbot Hall during his senior year. He and Courson still carry their friendship today.
After graduating from SAU, Bob attended medical school at LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport. He completed his Internal Medicine residency in 1993 and Adult Cardiovascular Medicine fellowship in 1996 at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport. While there, he received the Outstanding Intern Award in 1990, the Excellence in Medicine Award in 1991, the Outstanding Resident Award in 1992, the Outstanding House Officer Award in 1993, and the AOA Joseph E. Lowenstein House Officer Teaching Award in 1993. Martin holds American Board of Internal Medicine certifications in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions, and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Martin began his practice as an interventional cardiologist in July 1996 and has practiced for almost 30 years in Shreveport. He was a partner in a physician-owned group for 15 years before becoming a hospital-employed physician in 2011, initially at Christus Cardiology and most recently at Pierremont Cardiology in the Willis Knighton Health System since 2015. Martin helps people with all types of cardiovascular problems. He treats people with heart attacks, chest pain, and heart failure and manages blood pressure and rhythm disorders. He has advanced training in complex coronary procedures designed to open blood vessels to the heart using catheter-based techniques, including balloon angioplasty, coronary stenting, rotational, orbital, and laser atherectomy, coronary intravascular lithotripsy, and complex chronic coronary total occlusion interventions. He has been able to help thousands of patients over the years through his expertise in this field.
Martin has been married to his precious wife, Pam, since 1986 and is blessed with two adult children, both graduates of Calvary Baptist Academy. Tate, a Tulane Law graduate in 2017, is a practicing attorney in New Orleans, LA, and Rhonda, a Centenary College graduate in 2015, is a High School English teacher in Longview, TX. Martin serves as a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church and is a school board member for his alma mater, Calvary Baptist Academy. He is the founder and director of the Calvary Youth Football Program since 1999. Martin has been an Offensive Assistant/Running Backs coach on the CBA varsity football staff since 2006, where he has been part of four LHSAA State Champion football teams (2013, 2014, 2020 & 2023). He enjoys spending time with family, coaching youth and high school football, and playing golf.
Victoria Williams '03 (Fairburn, GA) - Distinguished Alumni Award
Victoria is a dedicated mental health crisis counselor with over ten years of experience providing essential support to individuals facing mental health challenges. Her extensive experience in crisis intervention has equipped her with the skills to de-escalate tense situations and effectively support individuals in distress.
Williams's journey began with a mobile crisis agency. Through innovative partnerships between agencies, Williams expanded her impact by working with Grady EMS and Brookhaven Police Department. This enabled her to gain experience assisting individuals contacting the 911 system with appropriate and timely care. Williams was honored as Civilian of the Year in 2023 by the Brookhaven Police Department. In her current role, she works closely with law enforcement officers to educate them on best practices for assisting individuals with mental illness and ensuring they receive proper treatment/support. Williams also provides invaluable support for the mental and emotional wellness of officers through stress management training, critical incident debriefs, and other initiatives.
Furthermore, Williams is a member of the Co-Response Advisory Board and the De Kalb County Co-Response Protocol Committee. In this capacity, she works with other professionals to establish and support co-response teams across Georgia. She credits her success to the teachings and guidance she received at SAU, as those professors and staff provided her with a solid foundation.
Shelby Blair '14 (Magnolia, AR) - Distinguished Young Alumni Award
Shelby Blair is a 2014 cum laude graduate of Southern Arkansas University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Following graduation, she jumped into the accounting field and has achieved continuous, sustained professional growth since. Blair began her career as a staff accountant with Emrich & Scroggins and boldly moved to Magnolia's own Southern Aluminum in Fall 2014. Since then, she has held the positions of staff accountant, controller, and senior vice president of finance and has served as chief financial officer since April 2023. She is a proven, passionate leader of Southern Aluminum's ethical and integrity values. She has played an integral role in the growth strategy and brand strength for Southern Aluminum over the past nine years. She earned both her Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Finance through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in August of 2023.
Shelby is a member of Magnolia School's Parents in Education and an active volunteer at Brister Baptist Church. Shelby, her husband Brett, and their two children live in McNeil, AR.
Tyler Brown '12 (Lowell, AR) - Distinguished Young Alumni Award
Tyler Brown, 33, of Lowell, AR, is currently the director of imaging at Northwest Medical Center in Springdale, AR. The SAU Alumni has made many strides in the field of Nuclear Medicine and has been a catalyst for improving the communities' access to cancer diagnosis and treatment options in northwest Arkansas. Brown launched the first SPECT/CT imaging service in northwest Arkansas and is the only practicing nuclear medicine technologist licensed in the area in thyroid cancer therapies.
Brown is a 2008 graduate of Parkers Chapel High School and graduated cum laude from SAU in 2012. He received his Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology and a double minor in Chemistry and Psychology. He graduated on the Dean's List and was a Biology Club and Tri-Beta member.
Brown attributed his success to his mentor, Dr. Claude Baker. "I wholeheartedly contribute my success in my field of medicine to him. I remember when I was in my last year of college, a whirlwind hit me that would throw my trajectory off course from where I thought I wanted to be in medicine. I immediately knew I needed to speak with Dr. Baker. This man had me all figured out, and by knowing who I was as a person, that I wanted to work in medicine and help people get better but also be involved in technology and innovation, he recommended the field of Nuclear Medicine. It would require additional science classes, but he assured me that he would get me where I needed to be, and he did. Baker bent over backward to help me, not because he felt obligated, but because he truly cared, which brought him joy."
Brown was accepted into the Nuclear Medicine Program at Baptist Health in the fall of 2012. The competitive program accepted a total of seven qualifying students, five of which were SAU graduates. During his program, he was the only one in his class selected by Baptist Health Schools Little Rock academic leadership to attend the 1921 Leadership Lecture Series. 1921 is an opportunity for BHSLR to encourage and further develop the leadership potential of outstanding students. Brown graduated from the Nuclear Medicine program with honors in 2013.
Upon graduation in 2013, he was offered a nuclear medicine technologist position at Northwest Health System in Springdale, AR. As a fresh new graduate, he immediately began exploring different specialties within his field, obtaining an additional license in thyroid cancer therapies.