BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH Cindy Hunter, executive assistant to the president, was the mastermind of Pres ident Bruce McLarty'sbusy schedule. Executive Assistant to the President Cindy Hunter handled everything from planning Board of Trustees meetings to decorating the David B. Burks American Heritage Building for the holidays. Hunter started working in the president's office in 1989. She first worked under former President David Burks as his administrative assistant. During that time, Hunter oversaw spring break missions and chapel. In 2013, when McLarty became president of the university, he asked Hunter if she would like co be his executive assistant. "I just thought, 'Oh, I don't know how this is going to be,' because you just get used to the same people," Hunter said. "Of course, it highly exceeded my expectations, and it's just been wonderful. I couldn't ask for a better boss.. .. He's very genuine." McLarry knew of Hunter's previous experience as Burks's administrative assistant and was excited co have her skill-set be a part of his executive staff. "She knew people and the way things operated in an incredible way," Mclarty said. "I don't know of another president who had the benefit of walking into an office and having, as their executive assistant, someone who knew the president's office that well. She's just been phenomenal." Working in the president's office offered Hunter new experiences every day. "No two days are ever the same, which I really like," Hunter said. "[There are] phone calls all the time, and depending on what it i , I'm looking up something for somebody. It just kind of cakes me on a different tangent to get some of that done." Administrative Assistant to the President Sharon Williams worked alongside Hunter. Williams worked at Harding for 17 years and worked in the president's office with Hunter. Williams observed Hunter working for McLartyon a daily basis. "They gel really well,'' Williams said. "He will come out and ask her 'Okay what am I doing today?' Most of the time, she says the answer before he even asks. It's a very good relationship." When Hunter was not scheduling flights and lunches, she was keeping McLartyon time. "She is always on top of my schedule, which is a little crazy," Mclarty said. "There have been more times where I have been in a meeting; I know I've got to be somewhere at two o'clock, and I rush out of this office. I will stop somewhere between Cindy's desk and the door, and I'll say, 'Cindy where am I going, and what am I doing?"' Hunter did not attend Harding as a student, but she invested much of her time at Harding into the lives of students. She served as a sponsor for women's social club Delta Gamma Rho for 10 years and was a member ofWomen for Harding, mentoring two to four young women every year. "I hope I don't ever take working here for granted because it is something special,'' Hunter said. story by Erin Slomers Cindy Hunter, executive assistant to the president, answers phone calls to plan meetings, book flights and keep President Bruce McLartyon schedule on Oct. 24, 2018, in the president's suite in the David B. Burks American Heritage building. After McLartybecame president in 2013, he asked Hunter to be his executive assistant. I photo by Sterling McMichael 194
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