By Randal Curtman
Managing Editor
EL DORADO — Members of the El Dorado business community gathered on Wednesday for the 2017 Administrative Professionals Appreciation luncheon, presented by the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce.
Denise Matthews, an administrative professional at Clean Harbors, was named Administrative Professional of the Year at the annual event, which was co-sponsored by Larry’s Pizza and Cole’s Jewelers.
Matthews left a career in the medical field to start a new job at Clean Harbors, but she has excelled in her current position, said Kathy Shoemaker of Clean Harbors, who introduced Matthews at the luncheon.
“She makes the best pie in town, and we couldn’t do without her,” Shoemaker said.
“Now I’m trying not to cry,” Matthews said as she took the podium. “I work with such a great bunch of people, and I have learned so much since I have been there.”
Matthews was one of three finalists vying for the honor of Administrative Professional of the Year. Other finalists were Joanna Benson of El Dorado Festival and Events and Shari Powell of the Medical Center of South Arkansas.
Chamber President Mike Dumas also recognized Sharon Johnson, who is retiring after a 40-year career as an administrative professional at PPGMR Law in El Dorado.
“I understand she has four weeks of vacation coming, but she wanted to work instead,” Dumas said. “She is the perfect example of an administrative assistant.”
Johnson said working with wonderful people had been the secret to her success, but she admitted she wasn’t as unconcerned with her impending career change as Dumas may have indicated.
“For a month now, I have been posting a countdown to retirement on my Facebook,” Johnson said, laughing.