June 2022
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys, and girls of all ages; allow me to introduce to you to Melissa Terrell, Collections Extraordinaire. Melissa is based out of our Little Rock office. Melissa is responsible for calling all our customers to ensure that they have received their invoice, and then following up at 60 days to inquire as to when they may be separating themselves from the money they owe us.
This allows us to keep track of deposits we should have received before starting work, and quickly identify any potential issues that would prevent the customers from paying, even as simple as “we don’t have your invoice” to as difficult as “we didn’t receive XX from your team and won’t pay until we do."
Melissa joined Lone Star back in 2013 “temporarily." She was brought in by Melinda Gibbs to help with collections and other office needs. I didn’t have the heart to tell Melissa that 9 years isn’t temporary. Along with doing collections, Melissa also assists Melinda with other administrative tasks such as research. Most prominently though, Melissa is an expert at helping to plan parties, games, themes, and food.
Melissa was born and raised in Little Rock to Darrell and Dorothy and attended Heritage Christian School. Dad was a ceramic tile fitter, and mom assisted dad while also being a full-time homemaker. She was known for cheerleading (which makes total sense with her personality). During this time, she had a crush on Chuck Dovish of Channel 11, who made his way to her school for a function and ended up kissing her hand. She hasn’t washed it since.
She also grew up with Eddie Schmeckenbecher (say that three times fast to open a wormhole) who is Governor Asa Hutchinson’s sign language (ASL) interpreter, and famous for that.
Melissa is married to Shay who has worked for Union Pacific for almost 25 years. Shay was born in Arkansas, grew up in Texas, and then moved back to Arkansas. So is he a Texansan? Together they raised Jordan (29) who graduated from Liberty University with a Masters, and lives in Virginia. They also have Kyle (21) who is about to attend Horry Georgetown in South Carolina.
In 2019 Kyle was in a serious head-on collision with a drunk driver and was in a coma for 10 days and the hospital for 30 days. Friends and family took turns visiting with Melissa and her family and experienced the lows together, but they were always a very positive group. She was told that Kyle would never walk again and would need to live in assisted living. Melissa: “the power of prayer, God had other plans for Kyle”. Kyle of course is about to attend college, almost as if it never happened. “My work family was with my family on a daily basis after our youngest son was hit by a drunk driver going the wrong way on the freeway in 2019. They were such a HUGE blessing when we needed them and it spoke volumes to my friends and family about what a great company I work for. If I could give one word of advice (well, six words)…PLEASE do not drink and drive.”
I asked Melissa, what keeps you at Lone Star? “Who knew that when I started work at ArCom in December 2013 just on a special project that I would ‘fall in love’ with my job now in collections? The atmosphere, my great co-workers, who have become my friends, the great joy that it brings to me as I make ONE more phone call or send ONE more email and a task is completed is why I truly love my job. Not many can say that in corporate America today. Looking forward to the future with Lone Star."
If Melissa could do anything, start any new adventure? “I would travel to warm places. London, England would be first.” Fact Check: London is not always warm.
Melissa loves the Lifetime Movie network, news, and church. Her favorite verse: Psalm 37:4 – Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
She is also a Mary Kay representative and has earned two free cars. The second time though, she already had a car she loved and took the cash option. The result was she had her car payments made for two years! That is a lot of foundation and blush. Melissa loves 70’s and 80’s Pop Music and graduated from Pulaski Tech with a dental assistant degree, “but they don’t make any money, just the dentist does.” We all know that pain, Melissa.
- Kevin Henderson, Chief Operating Officer Arkansas
- Edited by Melissa Terrell