Karen Flake, a business owner, philanthropist and alumna, has been hired to be the next president and chief executive officer of Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock.
The hiring of Flake was announced July 11 to the school’s faculty,_staff and_students by Tom Devine, chairman of the Mount St. Mary Academy board of directors. She will begin her position Aug. 1.
Flake, a 1965 MSM graduate, replaces Sister Deborah Troillett, RSM, who was elected to serve on the institute leadership team of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and relocated to Silver Spring, Md., in September.
“Karen Flake epitomizes the best qualities of a Mount St. Mary alumna,” Devine said. “Her love and support for this school are well known in our community. The person chosen to fill the shoes of Sister Deborah Troillett, RSM, must be a strong leader trained in the Mercy values. Karen Flake has those qualities and more.”
Flake’s career in the research industry has spanned the past two decades. She was managing partner of an entrepreneurial firm, Flake-Wilkerson Market Insights, for 11 years. The company was sold in 2007 and became integrated with Market Strategies International. In 2009 she established Karen Flake & Associates, a research and consulting firm.
 Flake in the community Click here |
Flake, a member of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock, is no stranger to education or to Mount St. Mary Academy. She received a bachelor’s degree in teaching of English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree in interpersonal and organization communications from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She taught English at Mount St. Mary from 1972 to 1977. A longtime supporter of the school, she currently serves on the board of directors for Mount St. Mary Foundation and previously held a seat on the Lasting Efforts Campaign Cabinet. Additionally, she was named Outstanding Alumna in 2001 and was selected as keynote speaker at the Mount St. Mary Academy 2010 commencement.
Flake and her husband John also are known for their large donations to Mount St. Mary Academy and to Catholic education. In 2001 they set up the $2.5 million John J. and Karen E. Flake Charitable Remainder Unitrust, which will be available to support Catholic schools after their deaths. In 2000, the Karen Elizabeth Flake ’65 Math and Science Building was completed.
In 2006 they gave $1 million to MSM’s Lasting Efforts Campaign.
Flake accepted the position with a grateful heart and expressed her hopes for the organization.
“At this stage of my life, I feel that God is asking me to become involved with Mount St. Mary Academy to help with future vision and strategic planning,” she said. “I know it is doubtful that anyone can completely fill Sister Deborah’s shoes, who so joyfully dedicated her life to the service of God. I am willing to use my skills and talents, however, to assure that the Mount continues its tradition of offering a high-quality education to young women, building leaders who embrace Mercy values to make the world a better place.”
Flake and her husband, John, chairman of Flake & Kelley Commercial, have two daughters, Jessica Dearnley of Fayetteville and Rebecca Aldea of Rhode Island; and five grandchildren.
