Development Office Staff
Larry Bone ('67)
Advisor to the President
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| Larry Bone ('67) |
Larry Bone was named advisor to the president in 2006 by Dr. Rex M. Horne. His primary responsibilities are to provide senior leadership to the university’s fundraising programs in the areas of campaign planning, donor relations and ongoing development staff training. At present, Larry is also serving as acting chief development officer.
Larry brings to Ouachita 30 years of experience in fundraising, higher education administration and consulting. Most recently, he served as head of the Major Gifts and Capital Campaigns Division of the Grizzard Agency of Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to joining Grizzard, Bone served as vice chancellor for institutional advancement at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
After more than two decades in positions of leadership with other organizations and after several months as a consultant for Ouachita, Bone returned to his alma mater because he believes in the work that takes place at Ouachita and feels the university’s mission “is needed more today than ever.”
Larry graduated from Ouachita in 1967. He later earned a Master of Theology (Honors Division) degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married to Jan Bone and has four grown children.
You may contact Larry at bonel@obu.edu.
Chris Babb ('99)
Director of Athletic Development
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| Chris Babb ('99) |
Chris Babb is the Director of Athletic Development and is responsible for serving as the fundraising liaison for Ouachita’s athletic program. His work helps enable the university to provide scholarship assistance to intercollegiate athletes and to fund high-quality, competitive athletic programs.
Prior to joining the Development Staff, Chris served as Ouachita’s Sports Information Director (SID) for five years. In that role, he was responsible for a variety of administrative and public relations activities that helped advance the athletic program and each individual sport. Chris’s in-depth knowledge of the athletic program and broad perspective on intercollegiate athletics provide a strong background for his role in athletic fundraising.
Chris is a deacon of Park Hill Baptist Church of Arkadelphia, and he serves as co-director for the church’s college ministry. He also serves as a co-chair for Ouachita’s Relay for Life team. The Relay for Life is an annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.
A 1999 graduate of Ouachita with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, Chris is married to the former Amy Bridges (’00). The Babbs have one son, Carter, and are expecting a second child in the fall of 2006.
You can email Chris at babbc@obu.edu.
James E. Guthrie ('71)
Director of Church Relations
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| James E. Guthrie ('71) |
James Guthrie's role as Director of Church Relations at Ouachita allows him to combine his interests in ministry with external relations and student support. In his role, James interacts with churches throughout the region. Having served as a pastor or associate pastor for more than 30 years prior to coming to Ouachita in 2003, James brings a great deal of knowledge, experience and a minister's heart to his work.
An integral part of Jame's work in church relations involves coordinating the Christian Leadership Scholarship (CLS) program. The CLS program provides individual churches the opportunity to support students who attend Ouachita. Currently, more than 40 students are benefiting from the investment of their home churches through the Christian Leadership Scholarships.
Prior to joining Ouachita's Development staff, James served as an associate pastor of Third Street Baptist Church in Arkadelphia where he remains an active member. He has also served on the Executive Board of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC).
James is a 1971 graduate of Ouachita. Prior to enrolling at Ouachita, James completed an associate's degree Williams Baptist College (formerly Southern Baptist College). He attended Seminary Extension classes for 5 years in Little Rock through a program sponsored by the ABSC and Mid-Western Seminary.
James is married to the former Rita Justus. The Guthries have 2 daughters, Jennifer and Jessica.
You can email James at guthriej@obu.edu.
Shirley Grant Hardin ('74)
Director of the Annual Fund and Database Manager
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| Shirley Hardin ('74) |
Shirley Hardin serves in key roles as the Director of the Annual Fund and Database Manager for the Development program. Her responsibilities include creating, organizing and sustaining Ouachita’s Annual Fund program, including the Ouachita Scholarship Fund, through direct mail and phonathon programs. Shirley also manages the institution’s donor database and supervises support staff team members. With 14 years of fundraising experience and the benefit of working with the current database system from its inception at Ouachita, Shirley shapes Development decisions that involve the use of organizational data.
Shirley is a member of Arkadelphia’s First Baptist Church (FBC). She volunteers through the Arms Around Arkadelphia program, which is sponsored by FBC, and she is a part of the church’s Student Adoption Ministry. She also sings in the choir.
Shirley is a 1974 graduate of Ouachita. She is married to Phil Hardin, assistant to the president for administration at Ouachita. The Hardins have two adult sons, both Ouachita graduates, and one grandson.
You can email Shirley at hardins@obu.edu.
Rebecca Jones ('96)
Development Officer for Major Gifts and Liaison to the Office of Public Relations
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| Rebecca Jones ('96) |
Rebecca Jones is new to the Development staff in her role as Officer for Major Gifts and Liaison to the Office of Public Relations, but she is not new to Ouachita. Rebecca has worked at Ouachita for seven years as Director of Admissions Counseling and Assistant to the President for Public Relations. She brings the benefit of those fields and perspectives to her work in fundraising. Her responsibilities include interacting with alums and friends of Ouachita and communicating priorities for institutional funding. She also assists in the creation and management of communications, messaging and marketing for the Office of Development
Rebecca is an active member of Park Hill Baptist Church, where she teaches children's church. She is also serving as a co-chair for Ouachita's Relay for Life team. The Relay for Life is an annual fundraiser benefiting the American Cancer Society.
A 1996 graduate of Ouachita, Rebecca later earned a master's degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She occasionally serves as an adjunct faculty member for Ouachita's Department of Speech Communication and has supervised students interested in obtaining hands-on experience in the field of public relations.
Rebecca is married to Jason Jones, assistant coach of Ouachita's Lady Tiger basketball team. The Joneses have two young sons, Anderson and Sullivan.
You can email Rebecca at jonesr@obu.edu.
The Development Office at Ouachita Baptist University supports the work of the Office of Institutional Advancement. Institutional Advancement personnel who work directly with the development program include:
Dr. Wesley Kluck (’77)
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
University Physician
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| Dr. Wesley Kluck (’77) |
Dr. Wesley Kluck serves as Vice President for Institutional Advancement and University Physician at Ouachita. Prior to entering his role in the summer of 2005, Wesley spent more than two decades as a pediatric physician in private practice in Arkadelphia. He continues working as a physician serving the medical needs of Ouachita students in his role as University Physician. In his role in Institutional Advancement, Wesley has the responsibility of oversight for the areas of Development, Admissions Counseling, Enrollment Management, Alumni and Career Planning and Placement.
A passionate and loyal alum, Wesley has been actively engaged in the Ouachita community since he graduated in 1977. He has been a member of the university’s Board of Trustees and chaired the group from 2002-2004. He has been a member and past president of the Former Students Association, a member of the Development Council and a board member of the Tiger Football Gridiron Club. He was the recipient of Ouachita’s Distinguished Alumnus award in 1999.In 2003, Wesley was honored to have been selected to serve as Ouachita’s Commencement speaker.
Besides his service to Ouachita, Wesley is dedicated to a number of volunteer causes, including the Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Arkadelphia Rotary Club and the Clark County Medical Society. Additionally, Wesley is an active member and a deacon for Second Baptist Church of Arkadelphia.
Wesley is married to the former Debbie Hicks. The Klucks have one daughter, Jennifer, a sophomore at Ouachita.
You can email Wesley at kluckw@obu.edu.
John Cloud, J. D. (’70)
Assistant to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement for Special Gifts
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| John Cloud, J. D. (’70) |
John Cloud serves as Assistant to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement for Special Gifts at Ouachita. He brings more than 20 years of experience in estate planning and a background as an attorney to his work. John is responsible for assisting interested alums and friends of Ouachita with planned giving and estate planning. Additionally, he contributes a bi-annual column providing financial advice to the Ouachita Circle alumni magazine.
Volunteer service has held particular interest for John. He has been very involved in providing legal services and consultation to an organization known as AVLE (Arkansas Volunteer Lawyers for the Elderly). His work with AVLE has included representing organization clients in trials and gaining expertise in diverse areas of the law.
John is a 1970 graduate of Ouachita. In 1987, he received his M.B.A. from Henderson State University and in 1997 he earned a J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
John’s wife, Yvonne, is the manager of Ouachita’s campus bookstore. The Clouds have 3 grown daughters and 5 grandchildren.
You can email John at cloudj@obu.edu.
Supporting the Work of Development
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| Ann Hughes |
Ann Hughes
Ann has been a member of the Development team since 1998 and has served in several capacities. Her responsibilities include assisting the Director of Development and other staff members as well as managing office communication. Prior to her tenure at Ouachita, Ann worked in the field of insurance.
Ann is married to James Hughes and has two children, Jamie and Andy. Ann is a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Her interests include travel, camping and cooking.
You can email Ann at hughesa@obu.edu.
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| Sharon Gattis |
Sharon Gattis
Sharon works as a part of the Development team and specializes in data management. She has been on staff at Ouachita since 1997 and has also worked in the university’s president’s office. Prior to joining Ouachita’s staff, Sharon worked for the the Jackson and Jackson law firm and later the Gurdon School District.
Sharon is a native of Gurdon and attended Henderson State University. She is married to Jimmy Gattis and has two grown children, Jojo and Brandon. Both are Ouachita alums.
Sharon is a member of First Baptist Church of Gurdon. Her interests include travel, reading and spending time with family.
You can email Sharon at gattiss@obu.edu.
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| Donna Sisson |
Donna Sisson
Donna works as a member of the Development team and specializes in gift processing. She has more than 20 years of experience in Development and has served in a number of roles. She has also worked in Ouachita’s bookstore. Prior to coming to Ouachita, Donna worked as preschool and elementary school teacher.
Donna is a graduate of Ouachita with a B.S.E. in elementary education. She is married to Mac Sisson (’69) and has two grown children and one grandson.
Donna is a member of First Baptist Church of Arkadelphia where she volunteers in the church preschool program. Her interests include reading and crafts.
You can email Donna at sissond@obu.edu.