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Jimmy Franklin named Kiwanis President

Jimmy Franklin named Kiwanis President

Suzanne Franklin applied the president's lapel pin to the jacket of husband Jimmy after he was installed as the club's new president/Kiwanis Club Facebook page


Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Sept. 28, 2025 – The Jonesboro Kiwanis Club has been serving Jonesboro for 90 years. The club received its charter during a banquet held Aug. 1, 1935, at the Hotel Noble, which was on Main Street where the Federal Building is now located.

Jimmy Franklin was named the club’s president Thursday during the club’s annual awards and installation banquet at The Parsonage restaurant. It will be Franklin’s third one-year term as the club’s president after he served back-to-back terms in 2010-2012. The only other Jonesboro club members to serve three terms as president are Matt Silas and Roy Ockert.

Ockert, as a past governor of the Missouri-Arkansas District, installed the officers and directors. The other officers are Neale Bartee, president-elect; Johnny Sweet, vice president; Diann Jenkins, secretary; and Shirley Park, treasurer. Dr. Skaug will serve another year on the Board of Directors as immediate past president.

New directors, elected to 2-year terms, are Sid Banks, Elaine Bartee and Brad Magee. Serving one more year on the board will be Nesha Guest, Traci Perrin and Matt Silas.

Diann Jenkins, secretary of the club since 2006, received the 2025 Kiwanian of the Year Award. Outgoing club president Warren Skaug presented the award, calling Diann the “glue that holds the club together.”

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