anthony murphy
Police Lieutenant | Fayetteville, Arkansas
Before his more than 20-year career with the Fayetteville Police Department, Anthony Murphy served four years in the United States Marine Corps in a light armored reconnaissance unit. After his military service concluded in 2004, Murphy began his police career with assignments in the Patrol, Criminal Investigations, and Administration Divisions.
For the past decade, alongside his police profession, Murphy has owned and operated a fitness facility in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, and describes his business as his “just cause” to provide affordable, functional fitness to members of his community. Murphy also provides training sessions for Marine recruits and takes “great pride in giving back to the Marine Corps” through mental and physical toughness training at his facility.
With a promotion to police sergeant in 2014, Murphy served as team leader for the department’s Emergency Response Team and Honor Guard, while also serving as Day Shift Patrol supervisor. In 2017, Murphy was transferred to the Administration Division where he was responsible for the Community Oriented Policing Division and served as the department's Public Information Officer, building relationships between law enforcement, the me
michael kirkland
CEO, Petit Jean Electric Cooperative | Clinton, Arkansas
Many Marines enter the business world after concluding their military service s, and credit Marine values for their success, some transferring those values from their national service to the boardroom. Michael Kirkland, the CEO of Petit Jean Electric Cooperative in Clinton, Arkansas, fits that description perfectly. Kirkland’s business career began after he served four years as a sergeant in the U.S. Marines Corps.
When he was named CEO in 2019, the company’s board of directors said Kirkland was “wellsuited” to serve as leader.
Before being named CEO, Kirkland worked for 17 years at the Laclede Electric Cooperative in Lebanon, Missouri. In that role, he served as the manager of operations for the co-op, directing the day-to-day operations, safety programs, lineman training, vehicle and facilities maintenance, outage management, and dispatch areas for the cooperative.
Kirkland earned his bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, and an MBA from Missouri State University in Springfield.