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‘Randy was excellent at living life’ Former director recalls hiring Randy Kemp as AAC’s first communications director
Chris [Villines’] voice – the tremble and crack of his voice as he said, “Eddie, Randy has been killed in a motorcycle accident.” It was a sleepless night for many others and myself as we reflected on our good friend and colleague. Randy was one of the most genial, pleasant people I had ever had the privilege to work with. Unfortunately, I was not a life-long friend of
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Randy’s, and that’s my loss. But the few years I knew him were rich. I met Randy Kemp in the early part of 2008 at a county government event at the Cleburne County Courthouse when he was editor of the newspaper in Heber Springs. He was covering the event. He made an impression on me that day, and not because he was flashy, not that he stood out in the crowd and not that he said anything earth-shattering or extremely important in our first meeting and conversation. Te thing that stood out about Randy Kemp that day, and from then on, was how down-to-earth, how real, and how genuine he was. And he loved life! I truly believe Randy was one of those that would say, “I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.” At the time I was executive director of the Association of Arkansas Counties and I was considering adding a communications direc- tor to our staff. Randy and I started commu- nicating about this possibility through e-mail and telephone conversations. You know the end of that story. When I interviewed people for the position, Randy was the first person I interviewed. I again was impressed with him for the reasons I mentioned earlier and because of his experi- ence, his knowledge of the business and the journalism products that he had produced. I was also impressed with Randy because he was a family man. He loved to talk about his wife and family and it was always in a positive way. I hired Randy and he became a part of the AAC staff/family in July 2008. Randy Kemp, as managing editor of our County Lines maga- zine, produced what I believe to be the best county government magazine in the country and I’ve seen and read most of them. Randy told me several times that his job as communications director for AAC was his “dream job.” Te job he had dreamed of having but wasn’t sure he would ever have. He said it
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hat late Sunday night phone call was the phone call none of us want to get – a devastating “bad news” phone call. I can still hear
almost felt wrong to take money for something he loved doing so much (although he never turned down a paycheck). Te job may have been Randy’s dream job, but Randy was the “dream employee.” He was the perfect fit for the job. He fit like a well- formed and contoured soft leather glove. He showed up for work and he worked diligently and professionally. He never caused problems and never got caught up in any workplace drama. I am so thankful that I took the time on several occasions to let him know that I appreciated the job he did. I would always get the usual “Randy Kemp smile,” and he would simply say, “Tank you for noticing, I try.” Randy Kemp was not only excellent at his
profession of journalism, but excellent at living life. I tried to have a good personal relationship with each of my employees at AAC while there as director. Each relationship was different. Mine and Randy’s “thing” was trying to outdo each other in “turning a phrase” in our e-mails to each other. It was our way of keeping each other on our toes and sharpening our writing skills. Tere was no doubt Randy was much better at it than me. Let me share an example that will reignite
your memory of Randy. While I was home for a week of vacation during the Tanks- giving holiday week of 2009, Randy and I exchanged e-mails one morning (the staff said I never really took vacation time because even when I was away from the office, I continued to contact them checking on the progress of our work for that week). I had seen some- thing in the paper that particular morning and I wanted Randy to follow up on it. So I sent him a e-mail. Randy replied chit-chatting with candor
and great description about my family’s horseback riding the day before as well as the “unusual” government function held in the AAC conference room the previous day. He also addressed the bit of news I had e- mailed him about in the first place. Being the Wednesday before Tanksgiving and knowing that the AAC offices would be closed for a few days, he could not resist closing his e-mail in this fashion: “Meanwhile, in every room of the AAC building we labor tirelessly on, chipping away at the granite stones of work and responsibil- ity we are each responsible for… each with hammer and chisel, some tapping gently, some polishing, others pounding with sledge and steel, but all working in concert under the bur-
Seems To Me...
den of moral obligation to our elected officials, and moreover to each citizen of our great and magnificent State to leave county govern- ment better and more per- fectly formed at the end of this day than when we arrived. And so to that end I must end this soliloquy, with special urgency due to the pending darkening of our grand halls these next four days as we pause from our labors to reflect and be thankful. Hope this finds you thankful – most likely, thankful that this bit of prose is finally coming to an end.” Tat was so Randy Kemp, and a part of him that I really enjoyed.
Eddie A. Jones Guest Writer
I fully understand that there is a master plan for each of us. If I had been writing the plan, Randy would have been given more time on this earth, but I’ve been known to mess things up, too. I don’t pretend to understand why things like Randy’s sudden and tragic death happen, but they do. Not all things are good (humanly speaking) but, “we know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His pur- pose.” [Romans 8:28] And anyone who really knew Randy knew that he loved the Lord. Someday our life’s journey will be over and
we don’t know when. May we all have the grace and finesse to be like Randy Kemp, living life abundantly and through faith and finishing well! Most people walk in and out of your life, but friends like Randy leave footprints in your heart.
Randy, dear friend, you may be gone
but you are not forgotten. Not today, not tomorrow, and not in the years to come. You, Randy Kemp, have made an indelible impres- sion upon our hearts.
Eddie Jones of Pocahontas served as Randolph
County Treasurer from 1981 until taking the reins as AAC Executive Director in 2007; he retired that post in mid-2010. Readers can reach him at:
e.jonesconsulting@
gmail.com
COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2012
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