Born in Fayetteville, Westphal has been a member of the Fort Smith community for most of his life. He has enjoyed more than 50 years of deer and duck hunting since his introduction to Arkansas’s great outdoors at the age of 16. He is excited to pass that opportunity to his granddaughters.

Former Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Board Member and current Trustee of Arkansas Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, JD Simpson III has given time, talent and treasure to conservation efforts in Arkansas throughout his lifetime.

Crediting his lifelong passion as artist and angler to being raised in the rural Ozarks’ Buffalo and White River country, Hada had forged an international following for his guided trout tours and watercolor paintings.

Jeff Lawrence joined Arkansas Ducks Unlimited in 1996 leading DU’s fundraising and volunteer relations efforts.  During his tenure with Duck Unlimited the funds raised for conservation equated to more than 300,000 acres impacted across North America.

During his 23 years with DU, Arkansas Senior Regional Director Bob Butler has helped produce nearly 800 events across Arkansas, raising millions for conservation efforts. For his efforts, Butler was recognized as a national DU Regional Director of the Year.

Lawrence and Butler have also been instrumental in the success of AGFF’s Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet through the years.

As one of the most prominent families of south Arkansas, the Mahonys distinguished themselves via the practice of law, a family legacy that has practiced continually since St. Patrick’s Day 1896. Various family members leveraged their legal knowledge toward pursuits in politics and other initiatives for the public good. Nowhere in the line was this dedication more conspicuous than among three brothers Joseph “Jodie” Mahony (1939-2009), Emon Mahony Jr. (1941-) and Michael Mahony (1944-2001). Together with their father, Emon Sr., the three brothers combined their respective talents and influence at the state, federal and local levels in the acquisition of the 65,000-acre National Wildlife Refuge at Felsenthal.

Jerrell and Penny never imagined their small specialty store would become the largest in a five-state area, yet that’s exactly what Archer’s Advantage has become. The expansive inventory, paired with 85 years of combined expertise, has resulted in Archer’s Advantage consistently ranking in the top 50 in sales for national brands such as Hoyt and Matthews. The Dodsons take great pride in outfitting generations of bowhunters and serving as a trusted advisor for archery enthusiasts.

Mark Davis has always carried the banner for Arkansas and its rich fishing heritage. After years as a fishing guide, he competed in his first Bassmaster tournament at age 23 and would go on to earn Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles three times (1995, 1998, 2001). In 1995, he became the first pro to win the Bassmaster Classic and Angler of the Year in the same calendar year. He has also been heavily involved in youth fishing activities, most recently leading the Mount Ida High School Fishing Club to numerous titles and contributing to the birth of the Arkansas Bassmaster High School Series. In 2019, he was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.

Arkansas’s most famous furniture entrepreneur, Hank Browne’s accomplishments in the world of business are substantial. But the longtime hunter is equally respected in support of the outdoors via the Outdoor Hall of Fame and conservation initiatives of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Foundation. As a member of The Nature Conservancy Arkansas’s Last Great Places Society along with his wife Cathy, Browne has championed conservation via financial support, land donations and gifts of time and talents to advance the Conservancy’s work across the state.

The husband and wife Murchison team “founded the Arkansas Big Buck Classic, an event that recognizes the quality of whitetail hunting available in Arkansas, as well as promoting good sportsmanship, conservation, education and ethical hunting.

The McCollum Family is credited with the current business model of the modern duck club and thus occupies a place in the history of Arkansas duck hunting.