Saline County • Benton, Arkansas
A hometown son. A proven leader. A lifetime spent in service to the people around him.
First of all, thank you for visiting my web page — it is truly an honor to have you here. Whether you've known me for years or we're just now getting acquainted, I hope this page gives you a real sense of who I am and why I'm asking for your support to serve as Mayor of Benton.
— Don
About Don
I was born right here in Benton and started my schooling at Caldwell Elementary before my family moved to Sardis, where I grew up. I graduated from Bauxite High School, and like many young men of my generation, I entered the military straight out of high school and served in Vietnam.
When I came home, I earned my degree from Henderson State University. From there, my path took me to Atlanta, Georgia, where I built a successful HVAC business along with three other successful ventures — learning firsthand what it takes to meet a payroll, serve customers, and grow something from the ground up.
After 23 years in Georgia, I moved back home to Benton, where I've now lived for more than twenty years. This town raised me, and it's where Robin and I have chosen to build our life.
My wife Robin and I have been married for more than twenty years, and we're active members of First Baptist Church in beautiful downtown Benton. We give our time to Outside the Walls Ministry, where we help the beautiful saints there deliver more than 700 meals a week to hungry people across Saline County.
Robin and I love Benton, and we put our money behind that love. We support Bright Futures Benton with a monthly gift, and we contribute to Habitat for Humanity. Right now, we're also giving monthly to organizations doing good work far beyond our city limits.
If I'm elected Mayor, I will give a part of my pay back to local charities.
Experience
While living in Georgia, I was elected to the State Senate. During my time there, I worked directly with eleven local mayors to help grow their cities' visibility at a moment when metro Atlanta was thriving. That work meant getting into the details that actually shape a community — and I haven't forgotten a bit of it.
Worked directly on zoning decisions for fast-growing cities, balancing new development with the character neighborhoods wanted to protect.
Hands-on experience tackling water runoff and infrastructure issues — the unglamorous work that keeps a city running well.
Helped cities attract industry and investment that created good local jobs, learning firsthand what it takes to bring business to a growing area.
Learned that the industries looking to move to metro Atlanta wanted cities with a diverse talent pool to draw from — a lesson I haven't forgotten.
Again, thank you for visiting my page. Have a blessed day.
— Don
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