Arkansas State University

If you played sports in Northeast Arkansas, Dick Clay or Charlie Cromwell touched your life.

Charlie had a knack for getting to the heart of a story. I remember early in my time with him that he told me to imagine what I would tell a friend about a game when writing the story – advice that’s stayed with me. Those of us who worked with Charlie, and it was my privilege do so for five-plus years, were better for the experience. He pushed us to be better, and it was a reward when he told you that you did a good job because you knew you had met a high standard.

Mr. Schaeffer is so dependable, so reliable, so completely thorough that’s he’s making me lazy,” Cromwell wrote. “It has dawned on me the last few weeks just how much I have come to depend on him. Seriously, Jerry is like another employee for us. So many times we seem to come up short-handed or in some other bind, and Jerry is always ready, willing and extremely able to help out. There is no questions that his competence has helped ASU athletics receive much better coverage that it might have otherwise. … I just want to make sure somebody knows what a valuable asset Jerry Schaeffer is to Arkansas State University.