Director’s DESK
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the sheriffs in this state. Ronnie earned my respect that night. Funny how life works. I never gave a second thought to the possibility of crossing paths with Ronnie again, but the Lord works in mysterious ways.
Ronnie retired as Cross County sheriff and collector in 2008 but remained close to the sheriffs through his work at Tiger Correctional Services in Jonesboro. In spring 2012, Ronnie was hired as the new Arkansas Sheriffs’ As- sociation executive director, replacing the outgoing retiree Chuck Lange.
Immediately Ronnie hit it off with us at the AAC. Chief Counsel Mark Whitmore worked closely with Ronnie and, as he is prone to do, came up with the moniker “RB” because “Ronnie Baldwin” just took too long to say. From that point forward I don’t think I ever called him Ronnie again. Countless hours were spent in hurried preparation for the 2013 session, and the sheriffs didn’t miss a beat. From that session until the day he left us, RB and Mark communicated almost daily on sheriff-related issues. Many of our legislative successes — past, present and future — are a direct result of the friendship these two men formed.
Hiring RB for the Sheriffs’ Association was a brilliant two-for-one move because locked arm-in-arm with him was his lovely wife, Martha. She assumed conference plan-
ning roles, among other duties, and despite staff shuffles, everything went off without a hitch.
boards to consummate a lease of office space that brought them across the river into new space in the AAC building, making the organization even more efficient and solidify- ing our partnership into the future. As allies we are where we are today because of the vision, dedication and passion of RB — a man who gave everything up until the very end to the association and friends he loved.
Te news of RB’s cancer early in 2016 was devastat- ing to many of us, and the rapid deterioration of his health through the year teaches us to appreciate each day, each moment we have on this earth. RB will be missed by many, and his voice for the sheriffs will forever echo through the chambers of our state Capitol. I ask that we all keep RB’s wife Martha and his family in our prayers as they move forward.
I learned many valuable lessons in my friendship with RB, but the one that will carry on above all others is to appreciate passionate people. His feelings for the sheriffs of Arkansas and county government was anything but lukewarm — and sometimes those people we disagree with become the best of friends. Rest in peace, dear friend.
Not long afterwards RB and I worked through our
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