Leadership Fort Smith

09/03/2026

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08/24/2026

Leadership Fort Smith’s 2026–2027 class is officially underway! 🎉

Our class kicked off the Leadership Fort Smith experience with an Opening Retreat at beautiful Mount Magazine State Park, where participants stepped away from their everyday routines to connect, reflect and begin building the foundation for a strong, close-knit class.

Facilitated by Phillip McClure with McClure Professional Services, the retreat focused on developing key leadership skills, self-reflection, understanding team dynamics and learning how to work effectively with one another. Through interactive activities and plenty of opportunities to get to know each other, participants began discovering what makes each of their classmates unique—and how those individual strengths can come together to create a stronger team. And, of course, there was plenty of FUN along the way!

A special thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Ritter Communications, and our Partner Sponsors, BHC Insurance and Mercy, for investing in the next generation of community leaders. We are excited to see where this incredible class goes over the next 10 months!

Welcome, Leadership Fort Smith Class of 2027! We’re glad you’re here! 👏

08/21/2026

Opening Retreat is underway!
It has been a great day #1!

07/29/2026

The Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce joins our community in mourning the passing of Dr. Sandi Sanders, a remarkable educator, mentor, and community leader whose impact on Fort Smith will be felt for generations. Dr. Sanders was instrumental in creating Leadership Fort Smith and served as its director for 10 years, helping establish a program dedicated to developing informed, engaged leaders who understand our community and are prepared to make a difference. Her vision for Leadership Fort Smith continues today as each class builds relationships, learns about the opportunities and challenges facing our region, and develops the skills needed to lead and serve.

Dr. Sanders' legacy is reflected in the hundreds of Leadership Fort Smith graduates who continue to serve our community through business, education, healthcare, government, nonprofits, and countless other organizations. We are grateful for the foundation she created and honored to continue the work she began by investing in the next generation of community leaders. Our deepest condolences go to her husband, former Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders, her family, friends, and the many people whose lives she touched. Fort Smith is a stronger community because of Dr. Sandi Sanders, and her legacy of leadership will continue through the people she inspired to serve.

Dr. Sandi Sanders, whose community involvement including being interim chancellor of Westark College, director of the Leadership Fort Smith program, and first president of the U.S. Marshals Museum, has died....

07/22/2026

We are thrilled to introduce the newest members of the Leadership Fort Smith Class of 2027! Join us in celebrating these exceptional individuals.🎉

See someone you know? Tag & share to help congratulate them!

A special thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Ritter Communications / RightFiber, and our Partner Sponsors, BHC Insurance and Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

07/17/2026

We want to extend a big congratulations to the LFS Class of 2026 graduates, a warm welcome to the new Class of 2027, and heartfelt appreciation to the 2026 Jack White Community Leadership Award recipient - Michael Barr!

It was a wonderful night celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of leaders in our community!

Thank you to our Sponsors for supporting our incredible program!
Class of 2026 Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor - Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
Partner Sponsors - BHC Insurance, Mercy Hospital Fort Smith
Class of 2027 Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor - Ritter Communications / RightFiber
Partner Sponsors - BHC Insurance, Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

07/14/2026

Congratulations Mike! 👏

Michael “Mike” Barr, a third-generation leader of a family-owned manufacturing business in Fort Smith who is active in local, state and national organizations, will receive the 2026 Jack White Community...

06/29/2026

Last week, the Class of 2026 proudly completed their Class Project! After learning about The Boys Home's mission and needs earlier this year, the class came together to purchase a new picnic bench and basketball goal to support the boys who call it home.

Congratulations, Class of 2026, on a successful project and an even greater impact on our community! 👏🏼🎉🎓⭐️🏀💙

Thank you to Academy Sports for the donation of basketballs, and ERC Properties for a bit of extra man-power!

05/08/2026

That’s a wrap on the Leadership Fort Smith Class of 2026, presented by Arkansas Colleges of Health Education! 👏🏼🎉

We had an incredible day at the Pridgin Family Brewery recapping our year together with the help of McClure Professional Services!

Thank you to Halff for sponsoring our retreat and pouring into the future of Fort Smith. We appreciate your support of Leadership Fort Smith!

MAHG Architecture sponsored our lunch, fueling great afternoon conversation.

As always, thank you to our annual sponsors for their continued support of the program throughout the year!

Presenting: Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
Partner: BHC Insurance, Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

What a year! 💙

04/16/2026

In case you missed it… we hosted our first quarter Alumni Event! 🥳

We enjoyed a great afternoon grazing over a charcuterie board, sharing beverages, and refreshing headshots. 📸

Stay tuned for details on our next alumni event… but in the meantime, we want to hear from you! ⬇️

Drop a comment below and let us know:
• What you’d like to see from the alumni association
• What time of day works best for future events