Hogs Annual Report
By Daddy Warbucks
Those who donate to the University of Arkansas Department of Athletics Foundation were greeted at the mailbox last week by at least two surprises: the 2009 tickets — for those who ordered them — and a slick brochure on the state of UA Athletics.
The 32-page report, colorful and concise, gave out numbers like veterans of the Hog donors have never seen before. For example, the State of the Foundation, at best years ago was a simple one- or two-page letter. No more. Now it is more, much more.
There was $57,970,472 allocated to UA athletics in 2008-09 fiscal year while some $58,062,030 came into the coffers and those figures were as of June 30. When you take in that kind of money in everyday’s mail and bring in more dollars than one can almost count … Woo Pig Sooie.
The brochure told of the 2,500 hours of community service that the UA athletes posted during the year. That 50 percent of the Razorback athletes on the spring 2009 Athletic Department Honor Roll had grade points of 3.0 or better and 62 Razorback athletes had perfect 4.0 GPAs for fall 2008 and spring 2009. Woo Double Pig Sooie.
Key numbers on the Razorback Foundation were also broadcast. The annual fund saw a 6.75 percent increase from 2008 to 2009. The total gifts were up 27.7 percent during the same time and the number of Razorback Foundation members increased from 10,390 to 10,587.
This was the first time ever that the executive and senior administrative staffs were active members of the Razorback Foundation Inc. Good numbers. Good work.
Wind Speed
Looks like a wind farm might be sprouting up soon. The Red Barn Wind Project, a projected $40 million venture, is eying 560 acres near Gentry. They are doing studies now to see how it might pay out.
Two WAC Promos
Looks like Peter Lane, the new Walton Arts Center director, is wasting no time in pumping up the talent. He has promoted Laura Goodwin to vice president of learning and engagement and Jodi Beznoska to vice president of communication. Goodwin has been at the WAC since 1996 and Beznoska since 2005.
Free Bluegrass
Yes, but not the kind of bluegrass grown at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, but the foot-stomping kind that makes you wanna be outside at a concert. Backporch Bluegrass will put on a free concert at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks at 7 p.m. Aug. 28. Bring your seating.
College Stimulus
What kind of stimulus can help a college or university other than a winning football season? Money of course. Locally the federal stimulus dollars will help the UA flagship campus with $4 million and the UA Division of Agriculture with $1.5 million. Woo Pig Sooie. NorthWest Arkansas Community College will get $750,000 and UA-Fort Smith a cool $2 million.
Becca’s Back
After a brief spell in Blytheville, Rebecca Garner is headed back to Fayetteville. Look for her here in mid-September. She was the backbone of the former Llama investment house established back years ago by Alice Walton. Garner then went to her own firm, Garner Asset Management in 1998 and later sold that to Tom Garrison in 2005. She’s been gone since 2007. Welcome back.
Books Are High
Looks like the chairman of the Barnes & Noble Booksellers is making off with a sweet deal as the corporation will buy the college book division, which belongs to the chairman. The ideas of Barnes & Noble selling textbooks may have been a farfetched idea when the chairman started it, but last year the textbook division made a 1 percent profit while the bookstore profits fell 5.7 percent.
