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Russell Owen
Russell Owen was the Zone 1, Position 6 incumbent on the Fort Smith Board of Education in Arkansas. He lost in the general election against challenger Wade Gilkey on September 15, 2015. He was first elected to the board in 2012.
Biography
Owen earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from Northeastern Oklahoma University. He later received an MBA from Oklahoma City University and a master's degree in operations management from the University of Arkansas. Owen is the logistics and customer affairs director for Pernod Ricard USA. He and his wife, Lynn, have three children who graduated from district schools.[1]
Elections
2015
Three of the seven seats on the Fort Smith Board of Education were up for election on September 15, 2015. In the Zone 1, Position 6 race, incumbent Russell Owen lost his re-election bid against challenger Wade Gilkey. In the At-large Position 4 race, Bill Hanesworth defeated incumbent Rick Wade Jr. Zone 4, Position 3 incumbent Yvonne Keaton-Martin won re-election without opposition.
Results
This election was held September 15, 2015.
| Fort Smith Public Schools, Zone 1, Position 6, General Election, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Russell Owen Incumbent | 24.7% | 295 |
 Wade Gilkey |
75.3% | 900 |
| Total Votes (100% of precincts reporting) | 1,195 | |
| Source: Sebastian County Clerk, "Sebastian County Election Results," accessed September 15, 2015 | ||
Endorsements
Owen did not receive any official endorsements for this election.
2012
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Russell Owen |
100% | 54 | |
| Total Votes | 54 | |||
| Source: Sebastian County Election Commission, "September 18, 2012 School Election," accessed August 13, 2015 | ||||
Campaign themes
2015
Owen answered the following questions during an interview with the Times Record:
What do you hope to accomplish if elected/re-elected?
| “ |
If re-elected, I want to best implement and improve upon the experiences and knowledge gained during my initial term to better serve the Board and district a second term. I want to spend more time visiting the various schools with administrators and teachers to gain more insight of their perspectives regarding the challenges and needs of the district. Our accomplishments should be focused on the present, but continually contemplating the possibilities of the district’s future needs. |
” |
| —Russell Owen, (2015), [1] | ||
What are the challenges ahead for Fort Smith public schools?
| “ |
Many challenges lay ahead. Funding is a primary concern along with need for improvements and expansion of infrastructure. While student population has been somewhat flat lately, I believe Fort Smith has a bright future for growth with the continued development of Chaffee Crossing and eventual completion of I-49 through the area. We must continue to prepare for the future. The district’s millage rate is significantly disproportional to comparable school districts in the region and hasn’t been adjusted upward in over 25 years. The recent congressional sequestration of federal funding combined with limited growth in state and local tax revenues further emphasizes the need for a millage increase to ensure current and future operating needs are maintained. Adequate funding for infrastructure and teacher salaries further validates the need and urgency for a millage adjustment. [2] |
” |
| —Russell Owen, (2015), [1] | ||
What is your stance on the retirement of Southside High School’s Rebel mascot?
| “ |
I have given the Southside High School mascot much thought and I truly understand the passion all share in the debate; however, the mascot is and has been offensive to many people and district students over the years, therefore, the decision to do away with it is no doubt, in my view, the appropriate thing to do. I’m confident a very suitable replacement will be chosen that will carry on the Southside traditions. [2] |
” |
| —Russell Owen, (2015), [1] | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Russell Owen Fort Smith Public Schools. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Fort Smith Public Schools, Arkansas
- Fort Smith Public Schools elections (2015)
- Analysis of incumbency advantage in the 2014 school board elections
External links
Footnotes
