Contestants are dressing in drag to benefit the Arkansas Crisis Center.
Click on their name or pic to purchase tickets and support their drag race.
Rex is a long-time resident of Northwest Arkansas (24 years) and has been happily married to his childhood sweetheart, Dalas, for 20 years. He has two wonderful boys, Aaren (16), and Arden (12). Ever since he was young, Rex has had an entrepreneurial spirit and has been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to be a part of several successful start-ups. Once he had some experience under his belt, he started his own marketing and sales company, What’s Ahead, and has been blessed with over 11 years of success. Rex wanted to appreciate the other side of retail, so a few years ago he decided to try his luck again and started Rope Hounds, a company that makes pet products out of climbing rope.
Rex is a firm believer in taking chances and chasing dreams. Dreaming big is a pathway to change and innovation, but you don’t have to be an entrepreneur to make a difference. Helping others and giving back has always been important to him, so he is excited to be a part of Bentonville Follies.
WILL RUTH - JOHNSON & JOHNSON
Will is a resident of Fayetteville and native Floridian who lives with his beautiful girlfriend Kimie Koga and horrifically destructive feline child, Mu. He is a Chemical Engineer by education and Supply Chain professional by trade, having graduated from the University of South Florida. In his free time, he enjoys backpacking the Ozarks and reminding kids that they’re worse than they thought at Halo. He is well under way on a personal mission to visit every one of the United States, and is clearly a dedicated body builder.
In between making killer rum runners during his former career as a bartender, Will had the privilege of being the shoulder you cry on, the stranger you complain about your spouse to, the happy face that shares in you celebrations, and the confidante that shares in your darkest secrets, but most importantly he has witnessed firsthand the deep reaching impact that mental health and emotional crisis can have in our community. In so many more ways than your local bartender ever could, the NWA Crisis Hotline supports many people in their darkest hour, and Will feels very deeply about supporting their cause and ultimately the countless lives that this organization touches and even saves on a daily basis. It is his hope that through the Bentonville Follies Charity Drag Show we can raise even more awareness and proceeds for this amazing resource.
TUCKER HOLMES -MOTHER TUCKER
Hi, this is Tucker Holmes. Tucker moved to Arkansas in the mid 90s from his home state of Texas to work with America's largest retailer! After 16 years with Walmart, including a 6 month stint in China, Tucker made his way into the supplier world. Tucker currently resides in Bentonville with his husband Nathan and their two Yorkies. While working on projects from product design and sourcing to eCommerce , Tucker also has his own line of personal sugar scrubs called Mother Tucker sold in various boutiques in the NWA area. Outside of work Tucker's hobbies include spending time with family and friends, taking in the natural beauty of the NWA area, and kicking back with a nice glass of wine!
Originally from South Africa, BlakeSt’s Director Kurt Berman relocated to Bentonville, Arkansas in 2017. Long fascinated by the “charm, whimsy and romance” that is intrinsic to the hospitality industry, Kurt built his career at numerous luxury hotels and resorts across the globe. Though his perspective is undoubtedly imbued with the wisdom of continental experience, it is in the heartland in the United States where he was inspired to cultivate the seeds for positive change.
An avid hotelier, Kurt has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He started his career as a chef in luxury hotels in Europe and Africa including the esteemed Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa and London’s iconic Dorchester Hotel. From there, he moved into luxury resort management and furthered his professional experience at resorts in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, China, Thailand and now the United States. He was essential to the development and launch of the Samujana villa estate in Koh Samui, Thailand where he operated as General Manager and Director of Development & Real Estate. He is also the Founding Chairman of the Luxury Villa Operators Association of Koh Samui. Kurt is consistently motivated by new ideas and meeting interesting people, which his work gives him the opportunity to do on a daily basis.
As Director of BlakeSt, Kurt works with the big picture. “I am helping to build an incredibly diverse and inclusive community of people in Northwest Arkansas who are open to new ideas,” he says. Indeed, this initiative reaches beyond the walls of BlakeSt outward to the greater community. Kurt inhabits his leadership role on a day-to-day basis acting as a guide, coach and a source of support for his team to ensure they have the correct tools and guidance to do their jobs with confidence.
Outside of work, Kurt enjoys traveling to new places, reading, cooking and walking in nature. He is a fanatic for old watches and seeks to integrate the practice of mindfulness into his daily experiences. He cherishes his time with his wife Shannon, their son Cooper, and their soi dog (or ‘street dog’) from Thailand named Chaya.
TY VOLZ - SPOTLIGHT CHARACTERS
Ty is the owner of Spotlight Characters in Bentonville. Since a young age, Ty has been involved in the entertainment world doing anything from acting, to costume building and even makeup work! He is happy to be bringing Tiffany Timebomb back into the public eye so she can bring smiles and laughter to her local community!