Kenneth Mourton: Past Chairman

Kenneth R. Mourton, the managing member of Ball & Mourton, Ltd., PLLC, concentrates his practice in taxation, criminal and civil tax litigation, estate planning and probate, business planning, business and real estate transactions, family and juvenile law, and alcoholic beverage law. Mr. Mourton attended the University of Arkansas and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1970. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas and was also inducted as a Certified Public Accountants, Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants, Washington County, Arkansas, and American Bar Associations. He is admitted to practice before the United Stated Tax Court, United Stated District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas; United Stated Court of Appeals for the Sixth, Eight, and Tenth Circuits; and the United States Supreme Court. His honors include being chosen as a Special Justice to the Supreme Court of Arkansas, Medlock v. Leathers, 842 S.W.2d 428, (Ark. 1992), and selected as one of three tax attorneys named to the Arkansas Times 1998 Arkansas Best Lawyers list for tax attorneys. He serves as the Chairman of the Audit Committee and is a member of the Management Committee of the National Beer Wholesalers Association. Mr. Mourton is actively involved in many civic organizations including serving as the Chairman of the Board and general counsel to the Razorback Foundation, holding a position with the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, and serving as a Board member of the Arkansas Rural Endowment, a nonprofit corporation created by the State of Arkansas to help lower income, rural Arkansas children to obtain college eduations.


Neal Crawford: Chairman

Neal Crawford graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1994. Neal owns several companies in Northwest Arkansas. Neal is one of the founders of Bikes, Blues, and BBQ Motorcycle Rally. Before the Bikes, Blues, and BBQ rally began, Neal and the other rally founders began Bike Night at Jose's to give motorcycle enthusiasts an opportunity to come together and to determine how interested people would be in hosting a rally in Fayetteville. Neal's other community involvement includes serving as a Commissioner on the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission from April 2003 to March 2011, organizing both the SpringFest and Mardi Gras events in Fayetteville. Neal also opened up The Skate Station in Fayetteville to give area youth a local gathering place. Neal and his wife, Krisha, have three children.


Keith Ekenseair

Keith Ekenseair is a CPA for the firm Frost PLLC. Keith has a B.S. in Accounting, University of Mississippi. His professional experience includes Audit Member and formerly the CFO for a manufacturing company that had approximately $550 million in annual revenue, 5,500 employees and 24 locations throughout the United States and Mexico. Keith serves as the engagement or colleague reviewer on multiple SEC clients and heads up our Northwest Arkasas office. Keith's professional associations include American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants and Board Member of Bikes, Blues, and BBQ. Keith enjoys spending time with family and riding his Harley-Davidson through the scenic roads in Northwest Arkansas. He also enjoys his active participation as a Board Member of Bikes, Blues, and BBQ, which conducts a safe, fun and family friendly motorcycle rally dedicated to providing funding to local charities.

Steve Clark

Steve Clark is the President/CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Clark has extensive experience as an elected state Attorney General, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Judge, Arbitrator, Mediator, Professor of Law and Entrepreneur. Steve's involvement in state and federal regulatory affairs ranges from investigations and prosecutions for fraud, white collar crime, and ethical violations. He has also been involved in litigation regarding the license and regulation of professionals, privacy regulations and consumer protection. Steve has had extensive experience in the healthcare arena. Furthermore, Steve has had hands on experience as a healthcare manager, managing a multi-site durable medical equipment business; serving as Vice President of Managed Care for a national home health company; and founding his own start up behavioral healthcare entity, The InnerCare Group. His company was one of the largest behavioral health companies in the nation when sold. While serving as Arkansas' Attorney General, Steve also served as President of the National Association of Attorneys General. He was selected by that group as the Outstanding Attorney General in the nation. State argued eight cases before the United States Supreme Court. Further, he served as a special legislative consultant to the United States Nuclear Waste Negotiator. He is a frequent speaker throughout the country to professional and academic groups on the subjects of ethics and public service, ethical best practices, and the duties of compliance and reporting. Prior to becoming the President and CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Steve served as a Visiting Professor of Law at St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami, Florida. Previously in his career, Steve served as a member of the faculty at the University of Arkansas School of Law at Fayetteville, University of Arkansas School of Law at Little Rock, and South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas. Steve is part of the permanent teaching faculty of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners headquartered in Austin, Texas. He is a certified fraud examiner. Steve is a graduate of Arkansas State University and the University of Arkansas School of Law at Fayetteville. He has been recognized as a distinguished alumnus of both schools. He was presented the National Child Protection Award by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Steve is a member of the downtown Rotary Club of Fayetteville and serves on several municipal and regional boards of commissions. He is married to Suzanne Greichan Clark. They have two daughters and five grandchildren.

Brian Crowne: Vice Chairman

Brian has spent the last 30 years working in the music and event industry first as a musician and then as a venue owner and promoter. Brian and his wife Day purchased Georges Majestic Lounge in 2004 and The AMP...now the Walmart AMP in 2008. The Walton Arts Center acquired The AMP in 2011 and built the Walmart AMP in Rogers AR which opened in June of 2014. Brian continues to own and operate Georges and is the VP of the Walmart AMP. His company The Crowne Group LLC does consulting, marketing and turn key event planning and execution producing events ranging from wedding receptions to Greek events and large scale concerts. He is proud to be a part of enriching the community and to sit on the board of Bikes Blues and BBQ.

Leah Spears-Blackmon

Leah Spears-Blackmon is Vice President and Retail Operations Manager of First Security Bank in Fayetteville. Leah has served on multiple local boards and committees, and currently serves on the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of NWA’s Leadership Council, and as the Volunteer Coordinator for Bikes, Blues, & BBQ. She resides in Fayetteville with her wife, Micah Spears-Blackmon, and their three dogs, Lady, Indie, and Memphis. Leah fronts and manages two music projects, Leah & the Mojo Doctors and The Cocktail Club. She and Micah also own and operate Early Bird Catering.  

Jeff Koenig

Mr. Jeff Koenig BSEE is the retired President/CEO of Upchurch Electrical Supply. He received the 2015 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser award for northwest Arkansas from the National Association of Fundraising Professionals. He is past president and current board member of the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation. He also is past president and current board member of the Donald W. Reynolds Boys and Girls Club. He has supported numerous public education initiatives and served on the Fayetteville School District Board of Education acting as it's president from 1993 to 1995.

Bill Ramsey

J.W. "Bill" Ramsey is the former President/CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. He is the owner of Public Relations Consultants of Arkansas Inc., operating in Fayetteville, and is the former owner of Crescent Department Store. Bill graduated from Prairie Grove High School and went on to obtain a BSBA in Marketing from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Bill has an impressive history of service to his community, first through service in the US Air Force and later in public service roles on the state and local level. Bill served nine terms in the Arkansas house of Representatives and is the Former Prairie Grove City Treasurer. His civic service includes serving previously as the President of the Prairie Grove Lions Club and in roles with the Prairie Grove Chamber of Commerce, the Prairie Grove Industrial Development Corporation, the Northwest Arkansas Motion Picture Commission, the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society Board and Northwest Arkansas Community College Foundation Board. Bill's current endeavors include serving on the Fayetteville Community Foundation. He also maintains membership in the Masons Lodge, the Scottish Rites, the American Legion, the Fayetteville Rotary Club and the Fayetteville Country Club. 

Crandall Streett: Treasurer

Crandall Streett is a Senior Vice President and Loan Manager at Signature Bank of Arkansas. She has worked at Signature Bank for over 10 years and currently manages both consumer and commercial loan officers in the Fayetteville market. After graduating high school at Yellville, she attended the University of Central Arkansas on a Presidential Scholarship later graduating with Honors. She is a graduate of both the Leadership Fayetteville and Leadership Arkansas programs allowing her to pursue and assume leadership and volunteer roles all across the state of Arkansas. Crandall and her husband, Nathan Streett, have 3 active children but she still manages to stay very engaged in the Northwest Arkansas community. She coaches youth basketball for the Fayetteville Boys & Girls Club, is a Funding Board Member for the Washington County Children’s Safety Center and a member of Christian Life Cathedral.  

Bill Waite

Bill owns and operates Dickson Street Liquor Store in Fayetteville. He lives in Fayetteville with his wife Lara and his daughters Finley and Callan. He holds a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Arkansas. In addition to the Walton Arts Center Board, he currently serves as a member of the Bikes, Blues and Barbeque Board of Directors and he is a member of the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. He has also been appointed as a member of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Retailer Advisory Board. He is actively involved in the Fayetteville community, working to promote and enhance Fayetteville's Dickson Street Entertainment District. He also participates in several local volunteer organizations including the Komen Race for the Cure, the Humane Society of the Ozarks and the Boys and Girls Club of Fayetteville.

Perry Webb

A native of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, Webb earned his associate degree in Business from Williams Baptist College in 1977. He majored in Business Administration at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR. As the executive director of the Walnut Ridge and Forrest City Chambers of Commerce and in his current position as president and chief executive officer of the Springdale Chamber, Webb has worked in all facets of the business sector - from tourism, community and economic development to advertising, marketing and promotion. Under his direction the Chamber has led Springdale to record job creation levels, with over 16,000 jobs created since 1994. Perry received his Certified Chamber Executive designation in 2004 from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. Perry served as a member of the US Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management's Board of Trustees, and was chairman of that national board in 2009. Previously he served two years as the chairman of the Curriculum Review Committee, and was an Institute faculty member for over fifteen years. As an avocation, he found time to serve as a basketball and football official for more than 25 years. During that time, he refereed more than 2,500 basketball games and more than 400 football games. Starting in 1987, Webb also officiated NCAA Division I basketball, working more than 250 games at the sport's highest level. He is a 2006 inductee into the Arkansas Officiating Hall of Fame. Perry and his wife, Rebecca, have three children; Amanda, Sarah, and Bartley, and four grandsons

Justin Tennant: Secretary

Justin Tennant is Managing Director at Verizon. Justin is a graduate from Fayetteville High School. Justin attended the University of Arkansas where he graduated with a BA in Journalism with emphasis on Advertising and Public Relations. Justin serves on the Fayetteville City Council. He also serves on NWA Regional Planning Commission, Ordinance Review Committee and Transportation Committee. Justin is a former Board Member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He also serves the American Heart Association, Fayetteville Future Fund, Walton Arts Center, Botanical Gardens, Northwest Arkansas Young Professionals and is a Watch Dog Dad and Volunteer Coach. Justin is married to Katie Clark and has two children. 

Reese Thompson 

Reese Thompson is a Vice President of Commercial Banking at Arvest Bank in Fayetteville. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas in Business Management before moving to Northwest Arkansas in 2006. Since that time he has worked for Arvest Bank in Management, as a Credit Analyst, and as a Commercial Loan Officer. Reese is the Head Coach of the Springdale Youth Wrestling Club and serves on the Arkansas Youth Wrestling Association Board of Directors. He has volunteered every year at the Rally since 2009. His spare time is spent running long distance races, rock climbing with his children, and the occasional Tough Mudder.