Our world is bigger
than the box.
Don & Millie Nelms, originally from Paris, Texas, have called Fayetteville, Arkansas home for over 50 years. Don started his first business selling Honda motorcycles in 1971 and a year later added Honda cars. Eventually Don owned and operated many automobile dealerships throughout Northwest Arkansas with Adventure Subaru being the most recent. The original location on College Ave is now home to the Nelms Foundation offices and the Nelms Dyslexia Center. Don & Millie enjoy their home in Fayetteville and their family’s nature preserve in Jasper, Arkansas. Don’s nature photography can be found in the Nelms Gallery in downtown Jasper and at www.nelmsgallery.com.
As a child, Don struggled with reading and spelling. At that time, little was known about dyslexia in the education community. He was able to find a safe place in his dad’s automobile repair shop where he could use his strengths working on cars. While more research and resources are available today, dyslexic children still struggle with school. The Don & Millie Nelms Foundation will focus on providing ways to improve the dyslexic experience for children and adults and advance conservation.
Watch the video below that includes Don’s story and was shown at the 2022 National Subaru Convention in Austin, Texas.
Scott received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Science in Natural Resource Ecology from the University of Illinois. From 1996 - 2022 Scott worked with The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas, starting as a land steward and becoming director in 2003. During this time, the Conservancy worked with partners to create many positive state, federal, and private landowner conservation programs that improved habitat on more than a million acres in Arkansas. They also created and added to dozens of new natural areas, wildlife management areas, national wildlife refuges, state forests and nature preserves. In addition to work in Arkansas, Scott has helped develop conservation programs in Central America and Africa and was responsible for supporting the Conservancy’s North American fire restoration program. He previously worked as a wetland ecologist for the Illinois Natural History Survey. He has testified on conservation issues for congressional and state legislative committees, has assisted in the development of positive federal and state conservation legislation, and has authored or co-authored 20 articles and book chapters. He is a member of the Buffalo River Foundation’s Advisory Board, has received partnership awards from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and US Forest Service and was inducted into the Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame in 2016. Scott and his wife, Angela, live in Fayetteville and have two grown children Charlie and Annie.
Scott Simon, Director
scott@nelmsfoundation.org
Jessica has 20 years of experience working in administration and operations. While working for the Pulaski County Circuit & County Clerk, she assisted in the oversight of elections, court filings, land records, and human resources. After serving as Finance Director for a statewide political campaign and later as Project Manager for a multi-state retail operation, her family relocated to Northwest Arkansas. Since 2013, she has worked for the Nelms family in operations, human resources and benefit administration across their multiple businesses. She lives in Prairie Grove with her husband, Daniel, and their three sons, Aiden, Leo and Silas.
Jessica Robertson, Program Manager
jessica@nelmsfoundation.org
Back row, left to right: Rebecca Harris, CPA; Scott Price, Business Manager and Personal Assistant;Scott Simon, Director of the Foundation; Jessica Robertson, Program Manager.
Front row: Millie and Don Nelms
The foundation has started its first project, The Nelms Dyslexia Center. Foundation investments will be supporting this non-profit center over the next three years.
Don & Millie Nelms Foundation
2781 N College Ave
Fayetteville, AR 72703
(479) 332-4216