MAGNOLIA – A man with roots in both Prescott and Hope is being honored by the Southern Arkansas University Alumni Association. Bob Garrett Class of 1957 graduated from Southern State College (now SAU) with an associate’s degree in business administration. During his time at SSC, he played the trumpet in the Mulerider Marching Band, the concert band, and the orchestra. He was also a member of the first-ever Mulerider tennis team from 1951 to 1954, helping lead the team to the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) Championships in 1953 and 1954. In 1954, he represented Arkansas in a double’s competition at the national level in Texas. Garrett also served in the student senate and worked as the editor of the college newspaper, The Bray, where a misspelled name in an article led to his meeting his future wife—an encounter that began with an apology and ended with a date.
While in college, Garrett held a variety of jobs, including work at Imperial Shoe Store, driving a cab, and employment with the Highway Department, demonstrating a strong work ethic early in life. Before completing his degree, he was drafted into the United States Army, serving from 1954 to 1956 as an Army Supply Auditor while stationed in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. After his military service, he returned to Arkansas and briefly taught band at Harmony Grove High School before completing his degree at SSC.
Garrett’s professional career spanned both education and industry. While at Harmony Grove, he started the school’s band program. He then transitioned to the private sector, working in various roles, including sales, bookkeeping, dispatching, and inventory control, with companies such as Continental Emsco Oil Supply in El Dorado, Texize Chemicals in Palestine, Texas, and Shanhouse Manufacturing in Magnolia.
In 1970, Garrett joined Firestone Manufacturing, where he would spend over a decade in industrial relations. He served as the industrial relations assistant in Magnolia and later as the employee relations manager in Prescott from 1970 to 1981. During his tenure, he was recognized by a company vice president for his outstanding work in contract negotiations with the local employee union. He continued his career in human resources and industrial relations with Tex-Ark-Joist Company in Hope, Johnson Controls in Texarkana, and Flowers Foods, where he served as the human resources manager until 1996.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Garrett made a lasting impact through his extensive community and volunteer service. A passionate advocate for tennis, he founded the community tennis tournament for the Hope Watermelon Festival in 1974 and co-founded the Magnolia chapter of the Optimist Club with Faye Smith. He volunteered as a tennis coach for Hope High School from 1974 to 1978 and later for Camden Fairview from 2007 to 2011. Over the years, he generously provided free tennis lessons to countless young people, fostering both athletic skills and personal development.
Garrett also served as a deacon at First Baptist Church in Prescott, First Baptist Church in Hope, and Cullendale First Baptist Church in Camden for many years.
Throughout his life, Garrett has exemplified dedication, leadership, and a genuine desire to invest in others. His contributions to education, industry, and community life leave a lasting legacy across the many Arkansas communities he served.
Bob, along with the additional honorees, will be celebrated on May 7, 2026, at the Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner.
Purchase tickets now at www.saualumni.com/alumnidinner.