The National Park College (NPC) Board of Trustees recognized outgoing board member
Larry Bailey during the regular monthly meeting Wednesday. This was the last board
meeting for Bailey, whose term ends next month.
The Board honored Bailey by presenting him with an honorary Associate of Arts degree
from National Park College. Bailey has served on the Board of Trustees for 21 years.
He was elected to the Quapaw Technical Institute (QTI) Board in 2001. His tenure included
time served on the board for QTI before its merger with Garland County Community College
in 2003. His legacy reflects a strong commitment to veteran students and advocating
for access to technical training programs.
Bailey attended Charleston Business College from 1962-1963 and earned his Certificate
of Accounting. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting/Economics
from West Virginia University and earned his commercial pilot license.
After being drafted into the United States Army in 1965, Bailey completed 24 years
of military service including deployment during the Vietnam War. He also worked as
a plant controller with Vanadium Corporation in Hot Springs and Niagara Falls, New
York before retiring in 2000. Throughout his civilian career, he continued to serve
in the National Guard in leadership capacities. He transferred to the United States
Army Reserve in 1990 before retiring in 1994 as Colonel for the United States Army.
Bailey earned 27 military awards and decorations including the Silver and Bronze Stars,
Combat Infantry Badge and Master Army Aviation Wings.
Bailey served on the Garland County Quorum Court, as well as the Governor’s Advisory
Commission on Hot Springs National Park. He was a member of the Garland County Republican
Committee, where he spent six years as chair and two years as State Committeeman.
He was chair of the Republican Committee for the 4th Congressional District from 2010
to 2015. He served as an elector for the Electoral College in 2012, and a member of
Hot Springs National Park Rotary since 2000. He also volunteers with the Veterans
Administration and currently serves as the Commissioner for the Arkansas Rural Development
Commission. He and his wife, Bernice (Windham) Bailey, have two sons, Larry and Matthew.
Dr. John Hogan, NPC president shared his deep appreciation for Bailey’s contributions
to NPC. “Larry Bailey’s dedication to NPC’s mission for over two decades reflects
an immeasurable sacrifice and significant investment in Garland County. I do not think
there are adequate words to gratefully measure 21 years of service to NPC, and one
of its predecessors, QTI.”
Bailey said he would miss the people at NPC the most. “This is one of the happiest
organizations that I have ever seen. The people are all proud of what they do. They
are extremely happy about what they are doing and what the College does for students.”
He is especially proud of the growth the College has experience over the years. “Now,
National Park College is an integral part of the industry and the citizenship and
everything else in this county. So, that is a great feeling to have brought the College
to what it is. A community college should be a part of that, and I have seen that
progress through three College presidents and the changes that we have went through.”
Referring to the College’s Master Plan, Bailey noted “It’s going to be something else
to see.” He added, “What we have done here, just in the last 10 or 15 years is just
amazing how this thing has grown.”
Trustees each took time to thank Bailey for his service during the meeting’s conclusion.
“I thank you for the privilege of the last 20 years,” Bailey responded.
Pictured left to right is John Hogan, Forrest Spicher and Larry Bailey.
