Ella Carol Hunt Profile

Ella Carol Hunt

Tell us about your family. I have a sister who is a chef. My brother is a doctor, and I have a sister who works with me.

You said you have no children and are not married. Do you have an extended family of friends? My best friend is Cathy Browne. She and her husband are the owners of Hank's Fine Furniture. I met her in Florida. My massage therapist there said, there's someone here from Arkansas you should meet. I was really not interested, but we met, and now we are best friends. My other best friend I met over the internet, Nancy Hopkins. (Ella said their common interest was Borzoi dogs.) She's helped me learn a lot about dog language. I have two best friends who work for me, Meredith Hawkins and Don Edwards. And Quendy Gaither, who worked here for 13 years. She moved to Fort Smith to teach school and get married.

Is there anything you'd like to learn how to do? Be a better boss. I just don't think I've learned the joy of bossing. I don't even like the word "boss." I like "leader." To me, they are not staff, they are associates.

Where do you live? In the Heights.

What's your favorite city? New Orleans and San Francisco.

What would you do if you won a large lottery? I would open up a small retail business, mostly green, on a beach in Florida.

What do you like to read? I end up reading a lot about management stuff. I like self-improvement books. I love reading Cesar Millan's books. Two of my favorite books on business that have been great tools for me are Why We Buy and Corporate Lifecycles.

Who's your favorite writer? Vita Sackville-West.

Where were you born? Columbus, Georgia. I grew up in Florida on the panhandle.

Do you have any pets? Luther, a Borzoi. He's the first dog I've ever had in my life. He's such an amazing creature. (She ran him in a recent competition in Texas.) I haven't ever trained a dog, and he took two places and was the best in show.

Do you have any hobbies? Running my dog, fishing, hiking and swimming.

What's your favorite food? Mexican.

Is there anything you would not eat? I'm not big on clams - anything mushy - clams, oysters, squid.

What's the most unusual thing you have in your fridge? Quendy Gaither made these cookies, and one was a snowman. He's about three inches long and he lives in there. He's like controlling the refrigerator. He's always there for me when I open the door.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? Cesar Millan, the Dalai Lama, and John Lennon.

What do you like to watch on the tube? I am a big fan of Suze Orman. I watch Cesar Millan. I love NOVA and Antiques Road Show and Til Debt Do Us Part.

Do you support any charities? Our favorite charity is the Little Rock Humane Society, and we give to a non-kill shelter out west. And we supported Brad Pitt's charity for New Orleans.

Is there anything you'd like to see Little Rock do differently? I appreciate the fact they did the bike paths and dog areas, and the Big Dam Bridge is awesome. I'd like to see those kinds of things in all areas of town. It gives a comradely safe feeling. It makes people feel more loved and safe and encourages health.

The nation? Let's start it all over.