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Cliff Hayes Jr., Benton, Ark., Chairman and CEO of CHELLC, a company he founded, was a cadet at Ponca Military Academy (PMA) 1948 to 1950.
CHELLC is a worldwide sales and marketing company working with Walmart, Target, Dollar Stores, Sam's Club, BJ's. Costco, Home Depot, and Lowe's. The headquarters are located in Las Vegas, with sales offices in other USA locations.
About his feelings of PMA, Hayes said, "I don't feel that I would ever have been able to become as successful as I have had I not attended PMA. I left there with the knowledge of how to study, how to live with others, how to be a true friend, how to get my point across in a professional way, how discipline fits into a lifestyle, what the truly important things are in life, to respect those much wiser than I.
"That there are benefits for always doing and always giving your best. That great things can be achieved when you involve others.
"Never be impressed with ones self but always strive to do better, and to give my Lord and Savior credit for what he has allowed me to do."
Hayes added, "I am 78 years old and in good health, go to the office every day, married for 57 years to my best friend LaDonna, two sons, two grandsons, one granddaughter and one great-grandson and one great-granddaughter, great friends all over the world — what more could a man ask for?
Thanks Colonel Cox, Captain Baker, Captain GB Moore, Captain Glover, Captain Cubage, and Captain Abbott for giving me the blueprint to help me become all I could be." He has been a member of First Baptist Church since 1944.
Hayes is a native of Oklahoma City. After graduating from PMA, he attended Oklahoma University, while working for the Oklahoma City Police Department at night, 1950-1952. He was 1951 ROTC Cadet of the Year at Oklahoma University.
Served in the US Army 1952-1954 Oklahoma 45th Division (Pro-vo Marshall Military Police). Was with the Oklahoma City Police Department and a student at OU 1954-1957.
From 1957 to 1961 was Colgate Palmolive Regional and National Sales Manager 1957-1961. Hayes was a personal friend of Sam Walton, before Wal-Mart became a household word. He also helped Walton make contact with CEO's of Fortune 400 companies to acquire products for Wal-Mart.
Hayes became owner of Hinton Peanut Company 1961-64, and Senior Vice President Sales Farley Candy Company 1964-1968.
In 1968 founded Cliff Hayes Enterprises. He was awarded the VPI item of the year for Wal-Mart; Broker of the Year for Jel-Sert Corp., Corn Nuts, Weaver Popcorn, Ro-tel, Stokey Vegetables, Star Candy Company, Vlasic Pickles, Uncle Ben's Rice, and Broker of the Decade for American Beverage Company.
Hayes is chairman of the PMA Foundation and a driving force during the reunions here. He was also responsible for the new "Serve With Pride" at the PMA Park on East Hartford, and the miniature replicas depicting the buildings of the PMA.