Recently, The Friends of the Rogers Historical Museum put out a special edition of their newsletter, History Matters, and it featured a very interesting history of all of Rogers’ mayors. Friends board of directors member, Diana Kolman, with the help of the staff at the museum, wrote the following story:

His Honor, the Mayor Being an election year, it is only natural to take a look at Rogers’ top elected official, the mayor. Greg Hines currently serves in that position, but his term expires Dec. 31, 2024. Mayor Hines recently announced he plans to seek another term as the city’s leader.

Since 1881, 41 individuals have been elected mayor of our city, all of them men.

The office has evolved over the decades. Some of the first mayors served only one year at a time, and they received little, if any, compensation for their duties.

Now the mayor’s term is four years, and as of 2020, the mayor was paid $156,168.00. The Rogers mayoral election takes place during the United States presidential election. Mayors in Rogers can serve unlimited terms.

The qualifications for mayor are set by the state of Arkansas. To run for mayor, a person must be 18 years or older, must be a qualified elector of the state and must be a resident of the city.

The powers and duties of a mayor are also set by the state. The mayor is elected by a citywide election to serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the city. He presides over all city functions, policies and ordinances. Once elected, the mayor also allocates duties to city employees.

Many of Rogers’ early mayors held the position on a part-time basis. Some were farmers, teachers, real estate developers, lawyers, builders and insurance salesmen. Beginning in the early 1900s, serving as mayor of Rogers became a full time job. (Note: due to lack of space, only the more recent mayors are listed starting in 1932.)

E.W. Vinson (1885-1972): Ernest Worner Vinson served as mayor from 1932-1943. Vinson was born in Odessa, Mo., where he worked for a newspaper.

In 1905, the family moved to Rogers, were Vinson opened a printing business and with John Nance started the Rogers Daily Post. The Post later became the Daily News. The Vinson family moved to Miami, Okla., to start a newspaper, but they were taken ill in the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic.

They then moved to Monette, Mo., where they started yet another newspaper before returning to Rogers before 1922. After this move, Vinson sold real estate and became involved in politics.

J. Frank Smith (1892-1967): J. Frank Smith served as mayor from 1944-1946 and again in 1954-55.

The Smiths moved to Rogers from Colorado. Born in Ohio, Smith also lived in Missouri, where he attended Ingleside College and St Paul’s College. He taught school for 10 years across the Midwest and later practiced law. Smith also owned and edited newspapers.

R.L. Vogt (1896-1970): Robert Leroy Vogt was mayor from 1947-1953. A World War I veteran, Vogt was instrumental in forming the Rogers Home Guard in 1942. The detachment became one of eight state units and was named Company G, of which Vogt was captain.

Vogt was very active in the community. He served on the Board of Directors of the Hospital Association and was active in the American Legion, the Rogers School Board, Rotary, Disabled American Veterans, Masons and the Rogers Riding Club. He was a member of the First Baptist Church.

Harold Roberts (19151974): William Harold Roberts was mayor from 1956 through 1959. A graduate of the University of Missouri, he moved to Rogers in 1940.

Roberts was manager of the Carnation Milk Company. He became associated with the Rogers Land Company in 1945 and was owner at the time of his death. Roberts was a member of the Central United Methodist Church, the Farm House Fraternity, the Rogers Elks Club and the Rogers Board of Realtors.

W. Seward Puckett (19111992): William Seward Puckett was mayor from 19601963. A native of Rogers, Puckett was a member of a pioneer family that moved to the county in 1855. He was owner-operator of Proctor Potato Chip Company in the late 1950s.

Puckett managed Washington Life Insurance Company in Little Rock before moving to Pine Bluff in 1980, where he was a member of the First Baptist Church.

Ed Bautts (1902-1974): Ed M. Bautts served as Rogers mayor from 1964-1974. Bautts sold insurance for the Ohio National Company for several years. With his wife Alpha, he built Lakeside Skating Rink in 1948 and operated it for several years.

Bautts served as president of the Arkansas Municipal League, vice chairman of Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning and received the Distinguished Service Award from Rogers Jaycees. He was a member of Central United Methodist Church.

Harry B. Smith (19222009): Harry Smith was mayor of Rogers from 19751978. Born in Fort Smith, Smith earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master’s degree in international engineering from the same school. He also earned a masters degree in international relations from Georgetown University.

Smith served in the U.S. Army Air Force in India, Burma and Japan, and was later recalled to served in Berlin Air. Smith served in the Pentagon, on the faculty of the Air Command at the Staff College, and at embassies in Russia and Vietnam. He worked as a furniture factory production manager and as an insurance agent.

His family moved to Rogers in 1973, later relocating to Missouri.

Jack Cole (1938-2023): Jack Cole served as mayor from 1979-1981. His service to the community, however, began in 1971 when he became police chief, the youngest in Arkansas at the time. He left the position in 1976 to work for Walmart, where he established the security and loss prevention departments.

Later, Cole and Clarice Strode Moore bought the Speas Company vinegar plant and merged it with Rogers Vinegar, becoming Speaco Foods, which was one of the largest vinegar producers in the country. The company was sold in 2001. Cole and his wife bought Shirley’s Flowers in 1975.

John W. Sampier (1947- ): John Sampier served as mayor from 1981 through 1998. A Rogers native, Sampier earned a bachelors degree in biology and education from Arkansas Tech University. After teaching for several years, he became a member of the Rogers Fire Department.

Sampier also served on the Rogers School Board, the City Council, the Rogers Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Northwest Arkansas Council. Sampier was mayor during a time of great change for the city, especially as immigrants began moving into the area. He was appointed to Gov. Tucker’s task force on Hispanic relations.

Steve Womack (1957- ): Steve Womack was the mayor from 1999-2010. Born in Russellville, Womack lived most of his life in Moberly, Mo. Following his graduation from Arkansas Tech University, Womack joined the Arkansas National Guard, in which he served for 30 plus years, including a deployment to Egypt. He retired as a Colonel. Womack worked at KURM radio. In 2010, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he still serves.

Greg Hines (1976 - ): A native of Rogers, Greg Hines is currently serving as the city’s mayor. Prior to becoming mayor, he spent 10 years in law enforcement and served for 12 years on the Rogers City Council.

During his time as mayor, Rogers’ citizens overwhelmingly supported the passage of two bond elections, the first in 2011 and the second in 2018.

Looking to the future, Hines has instituted an innovative new Comprehensive Growth Map and plan for the city of Rogers that will minimize future sprawl through encouraging new growth and development at neighborhood and commercial centers dispersed throughout the city. (Diana Kolman, History Matters, 2nd Quarter 2024)

On August 22, the Friends of the Rogers Historical Museum and the staff of the Rogers Historical Museum presented the Mayor’s of Rogers program at a meeting of the Rogers History Club. Our present Mayor, Greg Hines, and recent mayors John Sampier and Steve Womack all spoke at the meeting.

The last three mayors served a total of 41 years and all agreed that the long terms provided continuity and stability to our city government, which was a key to the unbelievable success of our town.