Posted on November 10, 2022

Jade Beer pies Craig Mobley in the face on Friday morning. The Executive Vice President of First Financial Bank took the pie in the face as part of the bank’s fundraiser for the United Way of Union County’s annual campaign. (Caitlan Butler/News-Times)

VP gets pie in the face

By Caitlan Butler
Managing Editor

Helping others is its own reward, but First Financial Bank Executive Vice President Craig Mobley got an extra treat following the bank’s recent fundraiser for United Way of Union County.

On Friday, those in downtown El Dorado around 11 a.m. might have seen a crowd of people wearing pink gathered outside the First Financial Bank offices on Washington Avenue. The crowd was made up of First Financial employees there to see the executive get pied in the face by one of their colleagues.

“FFB raised over $52,000 through various fundraisers and employee donations for United Way of Union County,” Vice President of Marketing Amber Murphy said in an email Friday afternoon. “As part of the campaign, they hosted a ‘Pie the Exec’ fundraiser. The executive with the most donations in their bucket at the end of the week won the prize of a pie in the face.”

First Financial’s fundraiser was held from Oct. 17-21 as part of the United Way’s annual campaign. Alexis Alexander, executive director of the Union County United Way branch, said lots of businesses have helped contribute already this year.

“We’ve had some terrific workplace campaigns so far that have raised a lot of donations and awareness for our partner agencies,” she said in a text message Friday afternoon.

But, there’s still work to be done. The nonprofit’s fundraising goal for this year’s campaign is $1.5 million, and the deadline for the campaign is just a few days away, on Nov. 4.

“We are sitting at 67% of our goal,” Alexander said. “We still have more to do to try and reach our goal of $1.5 million, and that can only happen with the support of businesses and caring citizens.”

The United Way’s funding is spread throughout the community through its partner agencies, which include the local branches of the Boy Scouts of America, the Boys and Girls Club and the Salvation Army along with Court Appointed Special Advocates, Camp Fire El Dorado, Community Living Arrangements, HOPE Landing, the Literacy Council, South Arkansas Development Center for Children & Families, South Arkansas Fights AIDS, the Single Parent Scholarship Fund, Turning Point and the Union County Animal Protection Society.

“It’s so important for us to get the campaign wrapped up now so the United Way board members can meet with our agency representatives and discuss allocations for 2023,” Alexander said on Friday.

At First Financial on Friday morning, once the crowd had assembled Friday morning, mortgage loan officer Jade Beer pulled out a whipped cream and chocolate sauce pie. When Mobley took his eyes off her for a second, she took her chance and pied him, making sure his whole face and some of his hair was covered.

“It was cold, but tasted pretty good,” Mobley said.

Donations to the United Way can be made to the nonprofit’s office at 200 N. Jefferson, Suite 103; or via PayPal by visiting unitedwayunioncounty.com .