AROA Awards
2025 Arkansas Optometric Association Award Recipients
Alex Bell, O.D. 
2025 Optometrist of the Year
Dr. Alex Bell has been named the 2025 Arkansas Optometric Association Optometrist of the Year. This prestigious award recognizes a single optometrist for their exceptional accomplishments and ongoing dedication to the association. Dr. Bell is a partner at Parenti Morris Eyecare with locations in Rogers and Bentonville. He served as president of the Arkansas Optometric Association from 2024-2025, with his tenure on the Board of Trustees beginning in 2017.
During his term as president, Dr. Bell led the search committee to hire a new executive director and directed board support for the successful advocacy of HB 1353/Act 142 in March of 2025. From 2009-2016, Dr. Bell served as the continuing education chair and chair of the Convention Committee.
He received the Arkansas Optometric Association Young Optometrist of the Year Award in 2019 and the Special Service Award in 2016. A native of Rogers, Dr. Bell is a 2005 graduate of the University of Arkansas and 2009 graduate of the Southern College of Optometry. His service to the community includes providing free eyecare services and eyewear for Saving Grace and Micah's House, programs that help children transition from foster care to independent adulthood.
Jade Coats, O.D. 
2025 Young OD of the Year
Dr. Jade Coats has been named the Arkansas Optometric Association 2025 Young Optometrist of the Year, recognizing her outstanding contributions and leadership within the optometry profession. Since graduating in 2016 from Southern College of Optometry, Dr. Coats practices at McDonald Eye Associates in Rogers in which she dedicates the majority of her clinical practice to ocular disease, comprehensive eye care, and contact lenses. She serves as a director of the Arkansas Optometric Association.
Dr. Coats previously served on the Convention, AOP-PAC, and 2024 Solar Eclipse Committees. She is a graduate of the ArOA LEAD Program and the AOA Leadership Institute 1.0 and 2.0 programs. A native of Hot Springs, she is an honors graduate of the University of Arkansas. She was named a 2023 and 2024 Contact Lens Institute Visionary and serves on the board of directors for Women in Optometry, Intrepid Eye Society, and YoungODsConnect.
Dr. Coats serves on the advisory board and/or as a speaker for over 12 pharmaceutical companies and is an editorial board member for numerous publications. She is a well published author with articles in Advanced Ocular Care, Primary Care Ocular News, Healio, Review of Optometry, Optometry Times, Optometric Management, and Modern Optometry. Dr. Coats serves on the board of directors for Hope Cancer Resources and Circle of Life Hospice.
Sarah Mays 
2025 Paraoptometric of the Year
Sarah Mays of Heber Springs Eye Care has been honored with the prestigious Arkansas Optometric Association 2025 Paraoptometric of the Year award. Recognized for her outstanding dedication to optometry and community service, Sarah exemplifies paraoptometric excellence. Sarah's enthusiasm for optometry is infectious, evident in her exceptional patient rapport and service.
A Certified Paraoptometric (CPO) since 2018, she serves as the lead clinical coordinator at Heber Springs Eye Care. Sarah is deeply involved in volunteer efforts with the Special Olympics, assisting Dr. Sugg with vision exams for athletes.
In 2022, she was featured in the AOA FOCUS Magazine article “Partner In Care”. In 2010 she received the Molly Pitcher Award from the U.S. Field Artillery Association and is also a recipient of the Family Readiness Group Volunteer of the Year Award. She is a member of Heber Springs New Life Church and actively involved in her church and community.
Dan Hennessey, O.D. 
Lifetime of Excellence Award
Dan Hennessey, O.D. has been honored with the prestigious Lifetime of Excellence Award by the Arkansas Optometric Association. This recognition celebrates Dr. Hennessey’s unwavering commitment to ethical practices, professional excellence, and compassionate care throughout his career. Dr. Hennessey is a 1983 graduate of the Southern California College of Optometry. He was the first residency-trained optometrist to be licensed in Arkansas (1984, UA—Birmingham College of Optometry) and among the first optometrists in Arkansas to work in an ophthalmology practice, working 30 years with Little Rock Eye.
Dr. Hennessey served as president of the ArOA from 2019-2020. He held many committee assignments over the years and has been actively involved in optometric legislative initiatives. He served on the Arkansas State Board of Optometry from 2014-2022 as a board member then Vice President. He received the Arkansas Optometric Association Optometrist of the Year Award in 1997.
Dr. Hennessey is actively involved in his church and community. He was ordained a Deacon in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock in 1998 and currently serves St. Joseph in Tontitown. He has been a board member for the Arkansas Children’s Catastrophic Illness Grant Program (Baby Sharon Fund) since 2015.
Kenny Hubbard, O.D. 
Lifetime of Excellence Award
Kenny Hubbard O.D., has been honored with the prestigious Lifetime of Excellence Award by the Arkansas Optometric Association. This recognition celebrates Dr. Hubbard’s unwavering commitment to ethical practices, professional excellence, and compassionate care throughout his career. Hubbard is a 1975 graduate of the Southern College of Optometry. He has provided eye care for the residents of Harrison and Boone County for over forty years. Dr. Hubbard served as president of the ArOA from 1992-1993. He has served as chair of the Nominating Committee, chair of the National Legal Legislative Committee, and co-chair of the State Legislative Committee. He served on the State Legislative Committee for many years, fighting for expansion of scope, including landmark legislation allowing for topical and oral therapeutic prescription rights for Arkansas Optometrists. Dr. Hubbard served on the Arkansas State Board of Optometry for over 20 years and was Secretary for 10 years. He received the Arkansas Optometric Association Optometrist of the Year Award in 1997. Dr. Hubbard is actively involved in his community. He has served on the boards of the Boone County Special Services and the Boone County Airport. He volunteered for many years in the LeadAR Program, and is active in serving in his church.
Representative Jon Eubanks 
Special Service Award
Rep. Jon S. Eubanks has been honored with the prestigious Special Service Award by the Arkansas Optometric Association, recognizing his outstanding contributions to doctors of optometry and their patients. Rep. Eubanks is serving his 8th term in the Arkansas House of Representatives. He has been instrumental in modernizing the practice of optometry and rebalancing optometrists’ interactions with vision benefit managers, serving as the Lead Sponsor for Act 579 of 2019 and Act 142 of 2025.
For the 95th General Assembly, Rep. Eubanks chairs the House Rules Committee. He also serves on the House Insurance and Commerce, the House Judiciary Committee, and the Arkansas Legislative Council.
Rep. Eubanks graduated from high school in Annapolis, Maryland. He attended Virginia Tech and holds a B.S. in accounting from Arkansas Tech. Rep. Eubanks is a farmer and is the former president of the local Farm Bureau. He is also a past president of the Paris Boys and Girls Club and the Paris Rotary Club.
Senator Dave Wallace 
Special Service Award
Senator Dave Wallace has been honored with the prestigious Special Service Award by the Arkansas Optometric Association, recognizing his outstanding contributions to doctors of optometry and their patients. Senator Wallace is serving his 8th term in the Arkansas House of Representatives. He has been instrumental in modernizing the practice of optometry and rebalancing optometrists’ interactions with vision benefit managers, serving as the Senate Primary Sponsor for Act 579 of 2019 and Act 142 of 2025.
Senator Wallace of Leachville represents Senate District 19 and was elected to the Senate in 2016. He is the vice chair of the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.
He is a member of the Senate City, County and Local Affairs Committee, the Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth, the Senate Rules, Resolutions and Memorials Committee, the Joint Budget Committee, the Arkansas Legislature Council and the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee.
Senator Wallace served in the House of Representatives for two years, beginning in 2015. Senator Wallace graduated from Leachville High School. He attended Arkansas State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he received a Business Administration degree. As a small business owner, Senator Wallace has spent years creating jobs and making a weekly payroll. His company, Wallace Resources, specializes in disaster relief.
Vicki Farmer, IOM, CAE 
Distinguished Service Award
Vicki Farmer, IOM, CAE, has been honored with the prestigious Distinguished Service Award by the Arkansas Optometric Association, recognizing her dedication and outstanding contributions to the profession of optometry. This award is presented to a member of the Association who has distinguished him or herself in the service to the profession over many years, or when the magnitude of service is so great it warrants this prestigious honor. Vicki has demonstrated both, providing large and impactful contributions to the profession over many years of service. She served as the Executive Director of the Arkansas Optometric Association from 2007-2024.
Under her leadership, the association reached new heights of advocacy, membership engagement and financial health. Vicki led Arkansas optometry to significant legislative victories, including The Vision Care Plan Act of 2015 (ACT 959), which stopped required discounts on materials/services not covered by insurance, enabled selection of lab, and authorized insurance department to oversee vision care plans.
Vicki led organized optometry efforts in passing Act 579 of 2019 by an overwhelming majority. It was the only profession to successfully pass scope expansion in the 92nd general assembly and the first optometry scope expansion in Arkansas in over 20 years. She then worked to stop a ballot referendum effort to overturn Act 579, serving as chair of Arkansans for Healthy Eyes, the committee to preserve Act 579. She directed the legal and campaign teams and surpassed fundraising goals of the campaign. The successful effort resulted in the Arkansas Supreme Court declaring the referendum to put Act 579 on the ballot invalid, preserving Act 579.
Vicki obtained her Certified Association Executive (CAE) certificate through the American Society of Association Executives in 2011. She completed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organization Management (IOM) in 2008. She has been a leader in the International Association for Optometric Executives (IAOE) where, in 2014, she served as President. In 2016 she served as President of the Arkansas Society of Association Executives (ASAE). In 2018 she was recognized with the Virgil Deering Optometric Executive Director of the Year Award, and in 2022 was honored with the Arkansas Society of Association Executives Ken Graves Memorial Award.
Vicki has served on the Southern College of Optometry Board of Trustees since 2021. She is a graduate of Arkansas State University and is an inaugural member of the ASU Executive Den, a group of university alumni business leaders in Arkansas. She is a member of Renew Church in Heber Springs. In 2024, Vicki continued her work advocating for optometry as the Associate Director of State Government Relations for the American Optometric Association.
Matt Jones, O.D. 
Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Matt Jones has been honored with the prestigious Distinguished Service Award by the Arkansas Optometric Association, recognizing his dedication and outstanding contributions to the profession of optometry. This award is presented to a member of the Association who has distinguished him or herself in the service to the profession over many years, or when the magnitude of service is so great it warrants this prestigious honor. Dr. Jones has demonstrated both, providing large and impactful contributions to the profession over many years of service.
He served as president of the Arkansas Optometric Association from 2017-2018, with his tenure on the board stretching from 2011-2019. He currently serves on the ArOA National Legislative Committee and Nominating Committee. He is a past chair of the Membership Committee.
Dr. Jones is the co-chair of the State Legislative Committee, serves as a keyperson captain, and is a keyperson at the state and federal level. His work has been critical as our state pursued groundbreaking state legislation to curb vision plan abuses (Act 142 of 2025) and expand scope of practice (Act 579 of 2019). He was recognized as the American Optometric Association Optometrist of the Year in 2024, the AOA Young Optometrist of the Year in 2018, the ArOA Optometrist of the Year in 2024, and the ArOA Young Optometrist of the Year in 2012. He has also been honored with multiple other awards: 2017 SECO Young OD of the Year, 2019 ArOA Special Service Award, 2019 SCO Young Alumni Award, 2021 AOA Presidents Award for Distinguished Service to Optometry, 2022 AOA Presidential Advocacy Service Award, and the 2022 AOA Federal Advocacy Representative of the Year.
Dr. Jones is a 2005 graduate of the University of Evansville and 2009 graduate of the Southern College of Optometry. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry. He serves on the board of directors for the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, Great River Charitable Clinic, Mississippi County Chamber of Commerce, and is a past board member of the Rotary Club. Dr. Jones is co-owner and practices at Family Eye Care. He has practice locations in Blytheville, Osceola, Paragould, and West Memphis.
Joe Sugg, O.D. 
Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Joe Sugg has been honored with the prestigious Distinguished Service Award by the Arkansas Optometric Association, recognizing his dedication and outstanding contributions to the profession of optometry. This award is presented to a member of the Association who has distinguished him or herself in the service to the profession over many years, or when the magnitude of service is so great it warrants this prestigious honor. Dr. Sugg has demonstrated both, providing large and impactful contributions to the profession over many years of service. Dr. Sugg served as president of the Arkansas Optometric Association from 2021-2022, his tenure on the board stretching from 2014-2023. As an ArOA board member, he was instrumental in guiding the association to fiscal responsibility, transforming consistent budget deficits to healthy financial reserves. He is currently serving on the National Legislative Committee, the Nominating Committee, and AOP-PAC. He was a member of the ArOA Executive Director Search Committee in 2024. He is a past chair of the AOP-PAC.
He is the co-chair of the State Legislative Committee, serves as a keyperson captain, and is a keyperson at the state and federal level. His work has been critical as our state pursued groundbreaking state legislation to curb vision plan abuses (Act 142 of 2025) and expand scope of practice (Act 579 of 2019). Dr. Sugg received the Arkansas Optometric Association Optometrist of the Year Award in 2024, the ArOA Young Optometrist of the Year Award in 2013, and the Special Service Award in 2020. In 2015 he was awarded the Practice of Excellence Award from the Hayes Center for Practice of Excellence. Dr. Sugg is a 2005 graduate of Arkansas State University and 2009 graduate of the Southern College of Optometry. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry. He has served as past-president of the Heber Springs Chamber of Commerce and is a current Board member at Renew Church of Heber Springs.
Dr. Sugg is the owner and practitioner of Heber Spring Eye Care.
