Jim Argue
AAIMS, Chair
United Methodist Foundation of Arkansas
Foundation Executive
Senator Jim Argue, Jr., has been elected to the Arkansas Legislature seven times. The primary focus of his legislative career has been building a brighter future for Arkansas by improving its public education system. He is Chairman of the Senate Education Committee. He co-chaired the Joint Committee on Educational Adequacy which led to major reforms in publics school systems in Arkansas. He was elected President Pro Tempore of the Senate during 2005-06. Senator Argue has been a champion for major improvements in the quality of curriculum and instruction, including mandatory access to AP courses for all Arkansas high school students.
Senator Argue is a Flemming Fellow of the Center For Policy Alternative in Washington, D.C. He has served two terms as a director of the Southwest Educational Development laboratory in Austin, Texas, and is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta, Georgia. Senator Argue is a graduate of Hendrix College and earned a degree in history and political science.
In 1981 Jim became President for the United Methodist Foundation of Arkansas, and under his leadership, Foundation assets have grown from $67,000 to over 107,000,000. The Foundation develops and administers permanent, charitable endowment funds to support united Methodist ministries of Arkansas.
Jim has offered his time and energy to organizations that improve our community and state. He is past Chairman of the Administrative Board of Pulaski Heights United Methodist church. He serves on the board of St. Vincent Medical Center. He is a fellow of Leadership Greater Little rock and has received the organization’s Distinguished Leadership Award, which, in 2005, was renamed the Senator Jim Argue Distinguished Leadership Award. He is past president of the board of Good Shepherd Ecumenical Retirement Center. He received the NCCJ’s father Joseph Blitz award in 2000. Jim received an honorary doctorate degree from Philander Smith College in 1999 and received the Ethel K. Millar Award for Religious and Social Awareness from Hendrix College in 2004. He was named a National Humanitarian by just Communities of Central Arkansas in 2007.
Jim is married to Elise Carey Argue, and they have two adult daughters, Sarah and Emily. Elise is a former Co-President of the Central High School PTA, serves on the board of the Arkansas Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, and is an officer of the Auxiliary of Arkansas Children’s Hospital.