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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 SR 53 3
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By: Senator M. Johnson 5
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SENATE RESOLUTION 8
TO HONOR TERRY KIMBROW, PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL BAPTIST 9
COLLEGE, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS UPCOMING MAY 2025 10
RETIREMENT. 11
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Subtitle 14
TO HONOR TERRY KIMBROW, PRESIDENT OF 15
CENTRAL BAPTIST COLLEGE, UPON THE 16
OCCASION OF HIS UPCOMING MAY 2025 17
RETIREMENT. 18
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WHEREAS, Terry Kimbrow, who has served as President of Central Baptist 20
College in Conway, Arkansas, since 2004, has announced that he plans to 21
retire in May 2025; and 22
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WHEREAS, President Kimbrow’s announcement comes after serving as 24
Central Baptist College's ninth president, and his decision to step down 25
comes with a heartfelt message of gratitude and optimism for the college’s 26
future; and 27
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WHEREAS, President Kimbrow said of his time as President of Central 29
Baptist College, “I have been so blessed to serve as president for the past 30
twenty years. I’m convinced it’s time for someone to come in with a fresh 31
vision and renewed heart for [Central Baptist College]”; and 32
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WHEREAS, during his time as President of Central Baptist College, 34
President Kimbrow has been a driving force behind the growth and success of 35
the college as under his leadership the college has experience significant 36 SR53
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achievements including the construction of the Ratliff Bell Tower in 2008, 1
which symbolizes the college’s mission to transform lives through education, 2
integrating Christian faith and academic excellence in a Christ -centered 3
environment; and 4
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WHEREAS, President Kimbrow’s visionary leadership at Central Baptist 6
College has been instrumental in spearheading a comprehensive rebranding 7
effort, attracting million -dollar gifts, multiple capital campaign 8
fundraising efforts, and significantly increasing the college’s endowment by 9
over three hundred percent (300%); and 10
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WHEREAS, in 2011, President Kimbrow led his most successful capital 12
campaign at Central Baptist College, Vision 2020: A Miracle in the Making, 13
and his dedication to fundraising realized its greatest triumph when a 14
historic contribution of five million dollars ($5,000,000), the largest 15
single gift in the college’s history, kicked off the campaign, richly 16
enhancing the campaign's total dollars raised to over eighteen million 17
dollars ($18,000,000); and 18
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WHEREAS, under President Kimbrow’s leadership and guidance, Central 20
Baptist College has witnessed unprecedented growth and expansion, including 21
the construction of the Watkins Academic Building in 2012, the Story Library 22
in 2013, and Dickson Hall in 2014, and he was also instrumental in the 23
renovation of Burgess Auditorium in 2015 and the establishment of the Mary 24
Ned Foster Band Rehearsal Hall in 2018; and 25
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WHEREAS, during his presidency, academic excellence at Central Baptist 27
College has been a main priority for President Kimbrow, as witnessed by his 28
successful leadership of the continuance of regional accreditation and the 29
establishment of the Teacher Education program, which has helped 30
significantly expand the college’s bachelor's degree offerings to over forty 31
(40) programs; and 32
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WHEREAS, in 2009, President Kimbrow was able to secure a Title III 34
Strengthening Institutions Grant for Central Baptist College, enabling the 35
establishment of several science degree programs and the construction of the 36 SR53
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Judy Gabbard Science Center; and 1
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WHEREAS, President Kimbrow has also been instrumental in the growth of 3
the Mustang Athletics program at Central Baptist College as during his 4
presidency athletic teams at Central Baptist College have expanded from five 5
(5) to sixteen (16) in the American Midwest Conference and the National 6
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and he is currently serving his 7
third term as Chair of the American Midwest Conference AMC Council of 8
Presidents; and 9
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WHEREAS, President Kimbrow has also been active in his community, 11
serving on multiple boards and committees including the Institutional 12
Certification Advisory Committee, Arkansas’ Independent Colleges and 13
Universities, the Baptist Hospital Patient Safety Committee, the Conway Area 14
Chamber of Commerce, the Conway Rotary Club, the Faulkner County Leadership 15
Institute, Bank of America, and Haven House, as well as serving as Conway 16
Police Department Chaplain; and 17
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WHEREAS, during his career, President Kimbrow has also participated in 19
the FBI Citizens Academy and the Faulkner County Leadership Institute, and he 20
has received the Dan Nabholz Leadership Award and been designated the Conway 21
Area Chamber of Commerce Business Executive of the Year, Central Baptist 22
College Employee of the Year, and Central Baptist College Alumnus of the Year 23
among many other honors and awards; and 24
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WHEREAS, as President Kimbrow prepares to step down as President of 26
Central Baptist College in May 2025, the Central Baptist College Board of 27
Trustees expresses its deepest gratitude for his exemplary leadership, 28
unwavering dedication, and profound impact on the college; and 29
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WHEREAS, Central Baptist College Board of Trustees Chair Kirk Shelton 31
said of President Kimbrow, “It is with sorrow that the [Central Baptist 32
College] Board of Trustees heard the news of President Kimbrow’s plans to 33
retire in May 2025 . . . The college has been blessed with [his] solid, 34
visionary leadership for twenty years. I believe I speak for the entire Board 35
when I say we would like to have him for twenty more”; and 36 SR53
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1
WHEREAS, President Kimbrow has been married to Tricia Kimbrow for 2
forty-eight (48) years, and they share three (3) children and nine (9) 3
grandchildren, 4
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NOW THEREFORE, 6
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 7
STATE OF ARKANSAS: 8
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THAT the Senate honor Terry Kimbrow, President of Central Baptist 10
College, upon the occasion of his upcoming May 2025 retirement. 11
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be 13
presented to Terry Kimbrow by the Secretary of the Senate. 14
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