Each year, Gaines House honors a special woman who is a role model for the women we serve.  This person is a success in both her career and in giving back to the community.  The award is named after the late Sandra Cherry, who was an outstanding lawyer, serving as Assistant United States Attorney, and as President of the Arkansas Bar Association in 2001-2002.  Winner of the U.S. Department of Justice’s 1999 Directors Award for superior performance by an Assistant United States Attorney, Sandra handled cases that became models for prosecutions across the country.

However, throughout her career, Sandra always found time to serve our community, serving as a board member of the Arkansas Community Foundation, the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, the Governor’s Mansion Association, Good Shepherd Ecumenical Retirement Center, and as board president of Gaines House.

The Sandra Wilson Cherry Award Dinner is held each Spring. For information about the event, contact us at:  gaineshouse@aristotle.net

Honorees:

2012 Honoree: Sharon Priest Executive Director Downtown Little Rock Partnership	2011 Honorees: Theda Aud Olds Foundation Anita Cabe C. Louis and Mary C. Cabe Foundation
2010 Honoree: Janet Jones The Janet Jones Company / REALTORS®	2009 Honoree: Sharon Heflin Bird & Bear Medical
2008 Honoree: Martha Shoffner Treasurer State of Arkansas	2007 Honoree: Elizabeth Small President PDC Companies

 

6th Annual Sandra Cherry Award Dinner
honoring
Sharon Priest
Thursday, March 1, 2012

• Sharon Priest Biography
  

In January 2003, Sharon Priest was selected to serve as Executive Director of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership. From the expansion of the River Market District along President Clinton Avenue to the ongoing commercial redevelopment along Main Street to the implementation of an award-winning master plan for MacArthur Park, the DLRP has provided leadership, initiative and advocacy during her tenure.

Priest is responsible for leading the MacArthur Park Group, a grass roots organization of interested stakeholders in MacArthur Park, through the MacArthur Park Master Plan process as well as organizing successful clean-up efforts for the park. She also serves as Race Director for the Annual MacArthur Park 5K, a fundraiser for the Master Plan.

Her public service began at the grassroots level when she led the effort to bring flood relief to Southwest Little Rock and Pulaski County following the devastating flood of 1978 that killed 13 people in central Arkansas. Her first elective office was the Little Rock Board of Directors and she served in that capacity from 1986 through 1994. Ms. Priest was elected to serve as Vice-Mayor in 1989 and Mayor in 1991.

In 1994, Sharon Priest became the first woman elected to be Arkansas Secretary of State and served for two terms. As Secretary of State, restoring the Governor’s Reception Room and the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the State Capitol to their original splendor and restoring the rotunda marble are a few of her proudest achievements.

In the summer of 2000, she became President of the National Association of Secretaries of State. After the 2000 presidential election, she was thrust into the forefront of the movement toward election reform. Ms. Priest testified before U.S. House and Senate Committees on election reform.

Most recently Sharon Priest has received in 2010 the prestigious Merit Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Arkansas Chapter. She received this award for advancement of “the cause of good planning and design and contributing to the dignity and value of the architectural profession.” She also received the VISTA award from Little Rock Parks and Recreation for her work with MacArthur Park.

Sharon and her husband, Bill Priest, reside in Little Rock. Their son, Adam, and daughter in law, Ashley, have two children, Cooper and Riley.