Visit El Dorado, Arkansas
Visit El Dorado
Overview Dining Lodging Outdoors Shopping
Live Here
Overview Health & Wellness Housing Churches, Organizations, & Non-Profits Find a Job
Do Business Here
Overview
Chamber of Commerce
Overview Member Directory About the Membership Join the Chamber Board of Directors and Staff Meet Our Ambassadors Strategic Partners
Events For Residents Local Government Meeting & Event Planning Contacts / Directories Insider’s Guide Search Search
« View All News

Madison Murphy of El Dorado was named Tourism Person of the Year on Tuesday.

Posted on March 16, 2018

Madison Murphy of El Dorado was named Tuesday as Tourism Person of the Year during the 44th annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism in West Memphis.

Murphy is chairman of the board for Murphy USA and was instrumental in the creation of the Murphy Arts District, known as MAD, in El Dorado.

Highlights of the new arts and entertainment district include an outdoor amphitheater, farm-to-table restaurant, and music hall.

Murphy is also a founding member of El Dorado Festivals and Events, Inc., which gave rise to the project.

MAD aims to provide the city of El Dorado with creative outlets to explore music, dance, theater, art and food in fun and immersive ways. The outdoor amphitheater hosts large festivals and events for over 7,000 people with market pavilions for seasonal farmers markets, and the largest park in the city.

The outdoor destination playscape and splash pad are for children and families to enjoy outdoor activities with programming that is both entertaining and enriching.

MAD’s second phase will bring the renovation of the much-loved Rialto Theater. Once a favorite meeting place for vaudeville performances and movies, the Rialto will live again with a variety of musical acts, plays, comedy shows, and movies. In addition, an art gallery with traveling exhibitions, art classes and events will also be part of this future phase.

Murphy, who was born in El Dorado, began his business career more than 35 years ago pursuing an active participation in a wide variety of Murphy Oil Corporation positions. Along with his current role at Murphy USA, he is president of The Murphy Foundation, managing member of Murphy Family Management and on the boards of Murphy Oil Corporation and Deltic Timber Corporation.

He is also on the boards of the National Council of Economic Education, the Arkansas Policy Foundation, and the Hendrix Board of Trustees.

Murphy and his wife Suzanne are both native Arkansans and graduates of Hendrix College. They have three children, Matt, Jonathan and Anna, and a granddaughter, Kate.