Part of Bill Clinton’s first gubernatorial team as a young law student, she spearheaded the creation of the Arkansas Nature Conservancy. Environmental and conservation activities continue in her work with a major utility corporation.

Queen of Arkansas duck calling since her teen years, she won every available title in the Stuttgart championships, including their beauty title. Her civic endeavors are numerous, and she was the first woman to serve on the Game and Fish Commission.

A Yell County farm boy, he learned manufacturing at a school bus factory then branched into fishing lures. He rode the crest of bass tournament fishing by sponsoring early stars of the game and constantly seeking new and better lures and techniques.

Chemistry is his field, and water quality is his focus. A longtime professor at Ouachita Baptist University, he later became a key figure in the investigation into the mysterious dieoff of bald eagles in southwest Arkansas.

A railroad worker who liked to fish, he worked his way up from local bass tournaments to twice capture the prestigious BASS Masters Classic. Duck hunting is a passion, too, but a strong suit is the teaching outdoor pursuits to young people.

A legend in the flyfishing ranks, Whitlock is a lifelong student of fish habits and habitat. He researches, analyzes, innovates, teaches and participates in all aspects of the sport, and he writes, and illustrates his findings.

With a fortune in Arkansas timberlands, she put the resources to good use for present and future generations. Her Ross Foundation has backed endeavors from Arkadelphia cultural activities to investigating the die-off of bald eagles.

The pen is mightier than the sword, and his cartoon drawing tools have out-performed bulldozers of unrestricted land and water projects. Fisher’s cartoons in the Arkansas Gazette were a key weapon in many environmental battles.

He successfully campaigned in 1944 for Amendment 35, creating the Game and Fish Commission in its present form. Other activities were with Ducks Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation and the Sport Fishing Institute.

Her years of influence and accomplishments on the conservation and environmental scene illustrate the effectiveness of a small, intense, focused voice. A resident of Pine Bluff, she was a leader of the Jefferson Wildlife Association.