Chip and Carey Pollard Awarded Rotary's Mark Simmons Service Above Self Award

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Oct. 22, 2025) - John Brown University President Chip Pollard and his wife, Carey Pollard, were awarded the Mark Simmons Service Above Self Award by the Siloam Springs Rotary Club on Oct. 14 for their decades of service to the Siloam Springs community through John Brown University, First Presbyterian Church and various leadership positions.

Pollard became JBU president in 2004 and has led the university for 21 years, overseeing more than 26 state-of-the-art building projects and renovations, most notably in the engineering, nursing and art departments. During his leadership, the university has received over $385 million in gifts, and the institution's endowment has more than quadrupled to over $200 million.

Together, the Pollards have served in the community, teaching preschoolers at their local church and opening their home to JBU students for various classes and gatherings. Chip Pollard has served on multiple regional boards including Mercy Northwest Arkansas, Arvest and the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. They raised their four children in Siloam Springs and now have eight grandchildren.

"Carey and I are deeply honored to receive this award, especially one bearing Mark Simmons' name," Chip Pollard said. "When we came to Siloam Springs 21 years ago, we didn't know what to expect, but we quickly discovered the blessings of being part of the Siloam Springs community. Our children were educated here, our church family welcomed us and the Siloam Springs community has supported us in countless ways."

The Mark Simmons Service Above Self Award is named after Mark Simmons, board chairman and former CEO of Simmons Foods, who was the first recipient of the award.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas' top-ranked regional university (U.S. News) and top-ranked private university (The Wall Street Journal), JBU enrolls more than 2,500 students from 34 states and 43 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers over 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including business, nursing, visual arts, engineering, teacher education, psychology, computer science, construction management, graphic design, family and human services, and engineering. Fourteen graduate degrees are available in business, counseling and cybersecurity.

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