| Hughes, Arkansas School Faculty Memorial |
| Robert Wayne Oldham January 6, 1932 – December 27, 1999 Band and Choral Music Tenure: 1956-1959 |
| Mr. Oldham was born January 6, 1932 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. After graduation from Jonesboro High School., he received his higher education at Arkansas State College and Memphis State University, and he eventually studied at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Mr. Oldham served as the band director at HHS, replacing Mr. Ralph Boyden. In addition to his band duties, he also served as the HHS Choir Director, and he conducted the first “extended tour” for the HHS Band when he took them to perform at the Tri-State Music Festival in Enid, Oklahoma. After leaving Hughes, Mr. Oldham entered the world of business while actively working at the same time as a professional musician. He enjoyed a successful business career in which he attained the position of Chief Executive Officer of Southern Hospitality Corp. His franchise businesses included Wendy’s Old Fashioned hamburgers, Mr. Gatti’s Pizza, Ireland’s Restaurants, Tempo’s and The Cooker restaurants. He was a member of the Hospitality Hall of Fame and served on the boards of two hotel and restaurant schools, Wiley College in Texas and California Polytechnic at Pamona. He also served on the boards of the United American Bank in Nashville, the Nashville Kidney Foundation, The Hank Snow Foundation for the Prevention of Child Abuse, the Blair School of Music of Vanderbilt University, and the Nashville Pro Musica. In addition, he was a member of the board of directors of the Nashville Community Concerts Association, assistant conductor for The Establishment Dance Orchestra and a member of the board of advisers for the Tennessee State University School of Business and the TWU Foundation Board of Trustees. Mr. Oldham was also a member of the Executive Board of the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In 1984, he became the first ASC graduate to be named ASU’s Distinguished Alumnus, and the Tennessee Restaurant Association chose him as “Restaurateur of the Year.” Mr. Oldham died on December 27, 1999, interment in the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Sylacauga, Talladega County, Alabama. |
