In Memoriam

A lifetime Arkansan, Mr. Doyle Rogers was born in Diaz and raised in Newport, Arkansas. After attending Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, he spent several years working at the Railway Express Agency before enlisting to serve under the Royal Canadian and then the United States Army Air Force during the Second World War. After returning to the United States, he began his family and professional life in Batesville, Arkansas. After working at several businesses in Batesville, he founded Doyle Rogers Realty and Insurance Agency (now Doyle Rogers Company) in 1953 as one of the first real estate development companies to offer VA residential loans in the state of Arkansas.

In 1982, as President of Doyle Rogers Company, he oversaw the company development and owned and operated the Excelsior Hotel (now the Little Rock Marriott) and the adjoining Statehouse Convention Center. In 1985 he led the flagship Rogers Building (now the Stephens Building) in downtown Little Rock. He developed and managed numerous retail centers in many states, including a ski resort property in Winter Park, Colorado.

Mr. Rogers became Chairman of Metropolitan National Bank, headquartered in Little Rock, in 1983 after the acquisition of Metropolitan Bancshares. Mr. Rogers also had other banking affiliations, including stockholder and member of the Board of Directors of Citizen's Bank, Batesville.

Mr. Rogers held honorary doctorate degrees from both Lyon College and Philander Smith College. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Hendrix College and served on the Advisory Board of the School of Business of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He also served as president of the Batesville Chamber of Commerce and many other state and community activities.

Mr Rogers was honored to be inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2005 he was honored with the Golden Cross Award from the national Scottish Rite organization. In 2004 he received the vision award from the Lions World Services for the Blind and was also honored with the Arkansas Children's Award presented by the Arkansas Sheriff's Youth Ranch in 2002. In 2001 he was named the Business and Professional Person of the Year by the Little Rock Rotary Club (Club 99) and was also a Paul Harris Fellow. He was presented the William F. Rector Memorial Award from Fifty For the Future, a group of business and professional leaders in greater Little Rock. He was also named the Arkansas Easter Seal Man of Year in 2006.

Mr. Rogers always insisted on credit being given to those whose steadfast help and assistance brought success in the face of certain challenges. First on that list is his wife of 72 years, Josephine Raye Rogers, his children, Barbara Rogers Hoover and Doyle "Rog" Rogers Jr., and his co-workers and employees. Mr. Roger's son Rog once remarked, "Though the name on the door matters, it's the people inside that really make the difference."