Ozarka College

New Foundation Members Appointed

Published on March 4, 2010

The Ozarka College Foundation Board of Directors welcomed three new members from the northern Fulton County area at its quarterly meeting held March 1, 2010. Leta Montgomery, Rose Pierce, and Jo Kay Smith were unanimously appointed to serve on the Foundation Board at the December 2009 meeting.

Montgomery is employed at First National Banking Company's Mammoth Spring branch. She has been with FNBC's lending division for 23 years. After 16 years at the bank's main branch, Leta was able to relocate to her hometown branch in Mammoth Spring when it opened seven years ago. She has three children: Julie Seat, Aaron Schales, and Joni Stephenson. Julie and her husband Duncan have two sons, Kamran and Kahner and they live in Ash Flat; Aaron has a son, A.J. and lives in Mammoth Spring; and Joni and her husband John, live in Maumelle. Leta is active in the Mammoth Spring Chamber of Commerce and says she "cares about her hometown and looks forward to working with Ozarka College which serves the Mammoth Spring community."

Pierce, who was raised in Fulton County, retired after 32 years of teaching and moved back to her hometown of Mammoth Spring a few years ago. She has become very active in her community serving on several committees for the Mammoth Spring Chamber of Commerce and as a volunteer with Mammoth Spring State Park. She has two children, Michael Gallup and Aitken Gallup. Michael and his wife Michala have one daughter, MaryGrace Rose. She says her passion for education and helping students, as well as the love of her community, led her to join the Foundation.

Smith is a retired teacher from Mammoth Spring School, after 37 years. She also taught in Missouri for four years prior. Jo Kay has been an adjunct instructor for Ozarka College for several years and is a strong advocate for education. She has previously served on the Fulton County and White River Regional Library Board; and is also active in the 21st Century Club, State Democratic Committee and the George D. Hay Foundation. Jo Kay is enthusiastic about working with Ozarka's Foundation and increasing the institution's visibility in the Northern Fulton County and Southern Missouri communities.