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{{Infobox officeholder

{{Infobox officeholder

| name=Carolyn Joan Clark Pollan

| name=Carolyn Joan Clark Pollan

|image=Carolyn Pollan of AR.jpg   

| image=Carolyn Pollan of AR.jpg   

| caption=Mrs. Pollan early in her state House career

| caption=Mrs. Pollan early in her state House career

| office=[[Arkansas]] State Representative<br>for Sebastian County

| office=[[Arkansas]] State Representative<br>for Sebastian County

| residence=[[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]<br>

| residence=[[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]<br>

Sebastian County, Arkansas

Sebastian County, Arkansas

| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]

| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]

| occupation=[[Educator]]; [[Business]]woman

| occupation=[[Educator]]; [[Business]]woman

| spouse=George Angelo Pollan

| spouse=George Angelo Pollan<br> (married 1965-2017, his death)

| children=Cee Cee Hollimon<br>

| children=Cee Cee Hollimon<br>

Robert E. "Rob" Pollan   

Robert E. "Rob" Pollan   

Walden University}}

Walden University}}

'''Carolyn Joan Clark Pollan''' (born July 12, 1937) is an [[United States|American]] [[politician]] who served as the [[Republican Party|Republican]] state representativentativ for a portion of Sebastian County, (which includes the state's second largest city of [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]) for twelve consecutive two-year terms from 1975 to 1999. Pollan is the longest serving (1) Republican and (2) woman member of the Arkansas legislature in history and (3) the first woman Arkansas legislator to have been named House Associate Speaker Pro Tempore.<ref name=pollanencyc/>

'''Carolyn Joan Clark Pollan''' (July 12, 1937 &ndash; October 23, 2021) was an [[United States|American]] [[politician]] who served as the [[Republican Party|Republican]] state representative for a portion of Sebastian County, (which includes the state's second largest city of [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]) for twelve consecutive two-year terms from 1975 to 1999. Pollan is the longest serving (1) Republican and (2) woman member of the Arkansas legislature in history and (3) the first woman Arkansas legislator to have been named House Associate Speaker Pro Tempore.<ref name=pollanencyc/>

==Biography==

==Biography==

===Backgroiund===

===Backgroiund===

Pollan was born in [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas]], to Rex Clark (1912–1980) and Faith Basye (1911–2002). Her father worked in the [[oil]] fields about Houston and later Refugio (pronounced RE FURY OH) in south Texas. The family moved to Springdale in Washington and Benton counties in northwestern Arkansas, where her father made his living in the [[poultry]] business.<ref name=interview>Billy Hathorn, Interview with Carolyn Pollan, May 16, 2007.</ref>

Pollan was born in [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas]], to Rex Clark (1912–1980) and the formr Faith Basye (1911–2002). Her father worked in the [[oil]] fields about Houston and later Refugio (pronounced RE FURY OH) in south Texas. The family moved to Springdale in Washington and Benton counties in northwestern Arkansas, where her father made his living in the [[poultry]] business.<ref name=interview>Billy Hathorn, Interview with Carolyn Pollan, May 16, 2007.</ref>

Pollan graduated from Springdale High School in 1955. She then procured her bachelor's degree from the private [[Christianity|Christian]] John Brown University in Siloam Springs (pronounced CY LUM) in Benton County, Arkansas. She graduated from JBU in 1959 and was a member of the university trustees for more than twenty-five, having previously served as vice chairman. In 1993, Pollan was awarded her [[Ph.D.]] in [[education]] from the accredited on-line Walden University in [[Minneapolis]],  [[Minnesota]].<ref name=pollanencyc/>

Pollan graduated from Springdale High School in 1955. She then procured her bachelor's degree from the private [[Christianity|Christian]] John Brown University in Siloam Springs (pronounced CY LUM) in Benton County, Arkansas. She graduated from JBU in 1959 and was a member of the university trustees for more than twenty-five, having previously served as vice chairman. In 1993, Pollan was awarded her [[Ph.D.]] in [[education]] from the accredited on-line Walden University in [[Minneapolis]],  [[Minnesota]].<ref name=pollanencyc/>

From 1980 to 1983, Pollan was legislative counsel and an informal advisor to Republican [[Governor]] [[Frank D. White]]. After White's election, Pollan and incoming gubernatorial chief of staff Preston Bynum of Siloam Springs, a former Arkansas House minority leader, prepared the 1981 budget—keeping the 1980 level of spending minus 5 percent. Pollan recalls a "stunned silence" over the state capital in Little Rock when White upset Governor [[Bill Clinton]] in 1980, a sense of disbelief among state employees and elected officials. Clinton, however, returned to victory in 1982.<ref name=pollanencyc/>

From 1980 to 1983, Pollan was legislative counsel and an informal advisor to Republican [[Governor]] [[Frank D. White]]. After White's election, Pollan and incoming gubernatorial chief of staff Preston Bynum of Siloam Springs, a former Arkansas House minority leader, prepared the 1981 budget—keeping the 1980 level of spending minus 5 percent. Pollan recalls a "stunned silence" over the state capital in Little Rock when White upset Governor [[Bill Clinton]] in 1980, a sense of disbelief among state employees and elected officials. Clinton, however, returned to victory in 1982.<ref name=pollanencyc/>

After White's defeat in 1982, Pollan nominated Morris S. Arnold, her fellow Moderate Republican and a University of Arkansas at Little Rock law professor, to become the new Republican Party state chairman to replace [[Bob Cohee]] of Baxter County. Pollan said that she hoped Arnold could bridge the gap in the Arkansas party between the former Rockefeller partisans, such as herself, and the burgeoning backers of [[Ronald Reagan]],<ref name=pollanencyc/> Arnold, however, did not complete his term as a part-time chairman and was replaced by the first vice-chairman, Robert "Bob" Leslie, a former candidate for Arkansas's 1st congressional district seat.

After White's defeat in 1982, Pollan nominated Morris S. Arnold, her fellow Moderate Republican and a University of Arkansas at Little Rock law professor, to become the new Republican Party state chairman to replace [[Bob Cohee]] of Baxter County. Pollan said that she hoped Arnold could bridge the gap in the Arkansas party between the former Rockefeller partisans, such as herself, and the burgeoning backers of [[Ronald Reagan]].<ref name=pollanencyc/> Arnold, however, did not complete his term as a part-time chairman and was replaced by the first vice-chairman, Robert "Bob" Leslie, a former candidate for Arkansas's 1st congressional district seat.

In her early legislative years, Pollan was frequently one of only a half dozen Republicans among the one hundred House members. Her early [[Republican Party|GOP]] colleagues, all originally from the northwestern part of the state, included Bynum, [[Jim Lee Smithson]] of Marshall in Searcy County, C. W. Melson (1929–1981) of Ozone, Jerry D. King of Greenwood in Sebastian County, and [[Richard Barclay]] of Rogers in Benton County. In the early 1980s, she was a colleague of Republican Judy Petty Wolf from a [[Little Rock]]-based district. Petty waged two publicized congressional campaigns in 1974 and 1984 against [[Wilbur Mills|Wilbur Daigh Mills]] (1909–1992) and Tommy F. Robinson, respectively. Pollan won her last election in 1996 without Democratic opposition.

In her early legislative years, Pollan was frequently one of only a half dozen Republicans among the one hundred House members. Her early [[Republican Party|GOP]] colleagues, all originally from the northwestern part of the state, included Bynum, [[Jim Lee Smithson]] of Marshall in Searcy County, [[C. W. Melson]] (1929–1981) of Ozone, Jerry D. King of Greenwood in Sebastian County, and [[Richard Barclay]] of Rogers in Benton County. In the early 1980s, she was a colleague of Republican Judy Petty Wolf from a [[Little Rock]]-based district. Petty waged two publicized congressional campaigns in 1974 and 1984 against [[Wilbur Mills|Wilbur Daigh Mills]] (1909–1992) and Tommy F. Robinson, respectively. Pollan won her last election in 1996 without Democratic opposition.

Pollan left the House because of term limits. She was then on the senior staff of Republican Governor [[Mike Huckabee]] as legislative liaison. In 2003, Huckabee appointed her to the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission.<ref name=pollanencyc/>

Pollan left the House because of term limits. She was then on the senior staff of Republican Governor [[Mike Huckabee]] as legislative liaison. In 2003, Huckabee appointed her to the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission.<ref name=pollanencyc/>

===Civic affairs===

===Civic affairs===

Pollan is a former chairman of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. She formerly owned the Carolyn Pollan Patent Model Museum in Fort Smith, an exhibit of Patent Models from the early years of the founding of America. After its first year of operation, the museum was free to the public. She later sold her collection to a museum in [[New York]].<ref name=pollanencyc/>

Pollan was a former chairman of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. She formerly owned the Carolyn Pollan Patent Model Museum in Fort Smith, an exhibit of Patent Models from the early years of the founding of America. After its first year of operation, the museum was free to the public. She later sold her collection to a museum in [[New York]].<ref name=pollanencyc/>

A descendant of Union veteran in the [[American Civil War]], Pollan has written related articles for the ''Fort Smith Historical Society Journal.'' She was involved in literacy education in Fort Smith and worked to develop procedures to encourage recipients of public welfare to obtain employment and move away from dependency on government.<ref name=interview/>

A descendant of Union veteran in the [[American Civil War]], Pollan authored related articles for ''The Fort Smith Historical Society Journal.'' She was involved in literacy education in Fort Smith and worked to develop procedures to encourage recipients of public welfare to obtain employment and move away from dependency on government.<ref name=interview/>

===Personal life===

===Personal life===

Pollan married George Angelo Pollan (born 1938), a Fort Smith native. They have two married children, Cee Cee Hollimon (born 1962) and Robert E. "Rob" Pollan (born 1968), both of Fort Smith, and four grandchildren. She is a member of the Grand Avenue Baptist Church, a [[Southern Baptist]] congregation in Fort Smith<ref name=mylife>Carolyn Pollan (J), 83 - Fort Smith, AR Background Report at MyLife.com.</ref>

Pollan married George Angelo Pollan (1938-2017), a Fort Smith native. They have two married children, Cee Cee Hollimon (born 1962) and Robert E. "Rob" Pollan (born 1968), both of Fort Smith, and four grandchildren. She was a member of the Grand Avenue Baptist Church, a [[Southern Baptist]] congregation in Fort Smith<ref name=mylife>Carolyn Pollan (J), 83 - Fort Smith, AR Background Report at MyLife.com.</ref>

==References==

==References==