Kristin Ann Kirk is a native of Paragould, Arkansas. Her family has been the only family to own the John Deere Franchise that was called Kirk Equipment Company for over sixty years. In 2010, three other families who were at least third generation owners merged together to form a new John Deere company which is now Legacy Equipment, LLC. Legacy Equipment has seven locations in Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri. The company has annual sales of over $150,000,000.00 dollars.
Kristin currently serves as Settlement/Sales administrator for all seven locations. She is going to begin training under her father, Tom Kirk, who is currently the Dealer Principle and the Chief Financial officer to take his place in a period of three years. She will be the youngest female to ever be Chief Financial Officer of a John Deere Company.
Kristin graduated from Paragould High School in 1999 as valedictorian. She was one of three freshmen to make the Pom Squad at the University of Arkansas and was a member from 1999-2003. She was also an active member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. During her time at the University of Arkansas, she interned twice for Congressman Marion Berry in both his Jonesboro and Washington D.C. offices, as well as worked at the Walt Disney World resort as a Cast member in the Magic Kingdom. She graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and in 2006 with a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering Operations Management, both from the University of Arkansas. Kristin is a member of the Academy of Industrial Engineers.
After graduation she returned to Paragould where she began working in the family business. In 2006, she took the twelve-week Dale Carnegie Course in Human Relations where she received the Highest Award for Achievement. From 2005-2009, Kristin was an active member of Junior Auxiliary of Paragould, where she served as President from 2007-2008. Both of Kristin’s parents have always been very community and volunteer oriented, and she has tried to follow in their footsteps. Her parents have both been Presidents of the Paragould Chamber of Commerce, and Kristin’s dad, Tom Kirk, served for eight years on the Arkansas Economic Development Commission appointed by Governor Beebe, also serving as Chairman. Kristin is a current Ambassador of the Foundation for Arkansas Methodist Medical Center. She has participated in every Chamber of Commerce membership drive where in 2007 she was chosen to be the youngest General Manager to compete. Her seven teams came in second place that year. The second membership drive in 2016, she served as Team Captain. This time her team won every award, and received the “Big Dawg” award for recruiting the newest members to the Chamber of Commerce.
Kristin has always been a very active lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church of Paragould. She is very blessed to have a wonderful family, lots of friends, and a one-year daughter named Kirkley.
Kristin wants to make a difference in the state, and locally, just like her parents instilled in her. She is looking forward to learning more about the great state of Arkansas and hopes that she gets the chance to do just that.
