THE CHRONICLE OF RONALD
and meet mOSt of his immediate family, 1 can say I know how it feels - r~ft~shing. In a society where "high-maintenance" and "egocenrric" are too often the mosr appropriate descripdve terms, it is refreshing to make the acquaintance of a family thar approaches their lives and their relationship with one another with such genuineness. Here you have a successful man, a caring and equally successful wife and two children with juSt the righr combination of idealism and ambition. It seems understated to sum up in so few words something ir took Ron and Rebecca thirty-plus years to build. Their secret? No secrer really. JUSt something too many folks have lost touch with. Devotion. Or to put it more succinctly: a state of being "connected at the hip" - a phrase I used and Ron endorsed. Quite simply, Ron and Rebecca arc connected at the hip. "We [Ron and Rebecca] spend time doing things we can do together," he says. "We don't have any interest in spending a whole lot of time apart." That also goes for twins Brandon and Susan, Ron and Rebecca's children. AJthough many miles separare them, you could say they are colJectively connected at the proverbial hip. Need 1 say it again?
Refreshing! Ron may be, in my opinion, a big softy, but make no mistake, there is nothing soft abour the way he approaches his work, his profession and [he duties he intends to fuJfiJi as President. This is a man with an agenda, and we would all do well to keep tha[ in mind because it is going to take dedication from all of us to see Ron's vision through. He approaches the office of President fully understanding that the initiatives set in motion by previous prcsidenrs must be carried through. Amendment 3, promoting a higher level of professionalism among attorneys, combating society's negative perception of the profession, and establishing a lawyer assistance program. Ron Harrison Continued on Page 35
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D.
lIARRISON
Ron Harrison was born in Little Rock opportuJ11t1es. Susan lives in Holly, and spent [he firs< seven years of his life Michigan with her husband Jim Riffel (the living part of the time in town and part of name may sound familiar, he is the son of the time in the country - due to the nacure Kirby Riffel, an attorney in Pochahanras). of his father's job at the time. The Susan, a graduare of OkJahoma University, "country" Ron refers to was accually me is an adoption counselor with the Humane Geyer Springs area where mOSt of his Society in Holly, and Jim is an industrial extended family also resided, and the engineer with General Motors. And as "town" extended only to Asher. Rebecca puts it, "We don't have "I used to sit in my yard and , - - - - - - - - - - , grandchildren, but we do have watch them pave the 'New cwo grandcats!" Benton Highway'. After mat For the first 12 years our was complered, I had to go of law school, Ron and his through a culvert ro get to my friend, and law school classmate, relatives' houses on the orner side Mark Hewett were in practice of the highway," Ron recalls. rogcther. "We basicaJly hung a When Ron's father was shingle and started from discharged from the military due scratch," Ron says. to an injury received in World Mark later became a War II, his father was trained via j judge with Ron serving as chair the GI Bill in me sale of dental for the campaign. Ron went on equipmenc and supplies. His father then to Jom his current law firm, Ledbetter, purchased a demist supply and equipment Cogbill, Arnold & Harrison, defending business in Fan Smith, and at the age of medical malpractice and asbescos cases and seven, Ron moved. handJing business litigation. Rebecca is a Ron remained in Fort Smith until he legal secretary with the Gilbrern Law Firm, attended college. He received his Bachelor a plaintiff's law firm in Fon Smith. ofArts degree at UALR. He then moved to Although most of his family remained in Fayetteville to complete his Masrer of Arts the Little Rock area, Ron and Rebecca's Degree and Juris Doctorate ar the mothers live in Fort Smith and Ron has University of Arkansas. one sister who also lives in Fort Smith with I[ was in IO[h gtade English class [hat het fanlily. When the twins were young, Ron was a Ron met his wife, Rebecca Langston. As the story goes, Ron sat in front of Rebecca "den mother" for Bra.ndon's scout croop in class, and due to a knee problem, and a coach for Susan's sofrball team. Ron Rebecca needed to scretch out her leg while truJy enjoyed scouring and continued to sitting in her desk. Ron wouJd reach down serve on committees and boards even after ro get a book and "inadvertently" couch her Brandon left it. It was scouting that got the leg. That's how they got acquainted a.nd family into camping - the real kind of also how Ron ended up giving Rebecca the camping - "roughin' it". Ron and Rebecca nickname "Legs Langsron". They were high still go camping cogether with friends and school sweethearts and married one year other couples. They also enjoy gardening, our of high school - that was 31 years ago. hiking and visiting the cabins at Devil's Ron and Rebecca both use the same phrase Den when time allows. They definitely to describe their relationship over the 31 want to get back to setting aside more years, "We have grown up together." recreational time, although Ron admits it is Later came the twins, Brandon and going to be a little while before he can Susan. Brandon is going into his second swing it. year of law school at University of Arkansas This year Ron celebrates his fifth year in Fayetteville - although, he never would following treatmenr for lymphomatous have guessed that would be where he ended cancer - Hodgkin's disease. It goes without up. Brandon graduated college with a saying, we're happy to have him with us. degree in psychology, and afrer careful Ron has a very busy year ahead of him, bur consideration, he decided co take on law he's ready for the challenge - another school as a way of broadening his career chapter in his chronicle.