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Presented by the Arkansas Self Storage Association
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Introduction and Purpose

The Founder’s Scholarship is established to honor the remarkable life, leadership, and service of Bill Humble, a pioneer of the self-storage industry, founder of the Arkansas Self Storage Association, and a pillar of civic engagement in Arkansas. His unwavering commitment to advocacy, education, business innovation, and community service exemplifies the qualities we hope to inspire in the next generation.

This scholarship supports individuals who reflect their spirit of generosity, entrepreneurship, and community leadership — especially those who demonstrate a commitment to civic engagement, innovation, or service to others.

About Bill Humble
A native of Tennessee and a U.S. Air Force veteran, Bill Humble is known for his lifelong dedication to service and entrepreneurship. After completing two years of law school and training to fly C-130s, he began a successful insurance career, eventually founding his own agency, retiring at 35, and lobbying for industry reform. When a tie factory previously owned by his wife’s family went bankrupt, Bill bought the assets and launched a necktie manufacturing company — Le-Bil’s — which went on to supply ties to U.S. Senators and three U.S. Presidents. He later sold the company to Tandy Corporation and entered self-storage, founding facilities in Little Rock and Fort Smith.

In 1986, he became an early advocate for industry regulation and fairness in Arkansas. He drafted and personally lobbied Senate Bill 36, which established Arkansas’s first self-storage lien law. In 2005, when the state implemented a sales tax on storage rentals, Bill helped found the Arkansas Self Storage Association and led a coordinated legislative effort to repeal the tax — the only successful repeal of its kind in the U.S.

Bill’s legacy is not limited to legislation. His philanthropic work includes support for UAMS’s Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, where he donated advanced retinal imaging equipment to support early detection of diabetic retinopathy in underserved areas of south Arkansas. This gift helped preserve the vision of countless patients. Bill also offered his time, staff, and funding to support the ARSSA’s earliest growth, even traveling across the state to hand-deliver materials and build membership one conversation at a time.

Scholarship Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a graduating high school senior, current college student, or trade school enrollee.
• Reside in Arkansas or be affiliated with an ARSSA member business.
• Demonstrate academic effort, community leadership, or service.
• Preference may be given to applicants with connections to the self-storage industry or interest in entrepreneurship, politics, or advocacy.

Application Requirements

• A completed scholarship application form.
• A personal essay (500–750 words) responding to: “How do you demonstrate the qualities of leadership, resilience, or advocacy in your life, and how will you carry forward the legacy of Bill Humble and LeRoy Lemmon?”
• One letter of recommendation from a teacher, employer, or community leader.
• School transcript (official or unofficial).
• Optional: Resume, portfolio, or relevant extracurricular documentation.

Award Amount & Use

• One or more scholarships of $500–$2,000 will be awarded annually (based on available funding).
• Funds may be used for tuition, books, equipment, or other educational expenses.

Selection Process
A committee appointed by the ARSSA board will review applications and select recipients based on the following:

• Alignment with the values Bill Humble represented
• Quality and impact of the essay
• Community engagement and leadership potential
• Academic or personal initiative

Finalists may be contacted for a brief interview.