PEA RIDGE — Two candidates for the Pea Ridge School Board - Ann Cato and Dorothy Faye Keller - are running for the seat held by Clark Tyndall for the past five years.
The two filed Friday morning with the Benton County Clerk’s office.
Cato, 42, has been with Wal-Mart for more than 14 years in various officer and non-officer positions. She has practiced law and held a certified public accountant’s license for more than 17 years. She is currently associate general counsel for Sam’s Club in the corporate home office in Bentonville, where she provides legal support to the various merchandise buying groups.
Cato formerly practiced law in the Little Rock office of Simpsonand Graham LLP and served as corporate counsel and controller for Arkansas and Missouri Railroad. While working full-time to help finance her education, she received her law degree from the University of Arkansas in 1992, and her Certified Public Accountant’s license in 1992. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas,magna cum laude with a degree in accounting, in 1989.
“My reason for running for school board, beyond my concern for my own children, is tochildren are very involved in Pea Ridge sports. They are members of the First Baptist Church of Pea Ridge where they teach third and fourth grade students in Sunday School.
Keller, 46, owns and operates Your Girl Friday, a concierge business. She began the business after her job with Wal-Mart was eliminated in February. She worked for Wal-Mart for 10 years.
“Providing them with a safe place to learn, and the tools needed to be successful, helps mold them into eager learners and responsible kids who are empowered to realize their full potential for becoming all that they can be,” Keller said.
She is married to Steve Keller, a 1978 graduate of Pea Ridge High School, and they have four children - Danny Kite, 26 of Chickasha, Okla.; Hunter Keller, 18, 2010 PRHS graduate; Sheyenne Keller, 15, PRHS junior; and Montana Keller, 13, 8th grade. The Kellers have been residents of Pea Ridge since 2006, and residents of Arkansas since 1995 with brief relocations to Texas and Bartlesville, Okla., in 1997 and 2000 respectively.
Keller said she desires to take a more active role in the community, and feels the education of children is vital to the ongoing success of the community.
The school election is Sept. 21.
improve the relationship between the public and the administration,” Cato said.
She and her husband, Jeff, have four children, Chattin, 14, 9th grade; Curry, 13, 8th grade; Harrison, 8, 4th grade; and Heather, 7, 2nd grade. The Catos have lived in Pea Ridge for more than 16 years and have children on every Pea Ridge school campus where their
News, Pages 1 on 07/28/2010