Ross Whipple

Chairman of the Board

Ross Foundation

Age: 60


Ross Whipple

Ross Whipple, chairman and CEO of Summit Bancorp Inc. of Arkadelphia, has also been working with the Ross Foundation since 1976. He was president from 1984-99 and has been chairman since 1999. The foundation, with assets of almost $88.7 million at the end of 2009, owns and manages land for conservation and charitable purposes.

One of the latest and highest-profile projects is the Arkadelphia Promise Scholarship, funded by the Ross Foundation and Southern Bancorp. The scholarship, for current seniors and future graduates of Arkadelphia High School who are eligible for Arkansas lottery-funded scholarships, pays the balance of those students' college tuition and fees.