2015 Richard Cooper, SPHR

Richard Cooper has 28+ years as a Human Resources executive and business operations manager. He currently serves as the Vice President Human Resources for Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield. He previously served as Vice President-Human Resources of Union Life, and Nursing Home Administrator for Beverly Enterprises.

Richard holds the Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR) lifetime certification, and Advanced Executive Program, Business Theory and Economics from the Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management, and a MA of Human Resources from Webster University, and BBA-Business Management from the University of Central Arkansas.

Richard is a member of the Central Arkansas Human Resources Association (CAHRA) and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). He has been a longtime supporter of the Arkansas SHRM Conference. Richard budgets money each year for the conference by providing the conference bag. ARSHRM is always able to call on Richard knowing he will support the organization any way he can. Richard Cooper is a true friend of our organization, as well as our profession and is very deserving of the Jim Wilkins Lifetime Achievement Award.