High-Quality

Information Resource Company

Mary M. Parham

President, Chief Executive Officer

Mary Parham is the President and CEO of J Kelly Referrals &

Information Services Inc. (J Kelly), a leading call center and referral

resource in Arkansas. In 1999, Mrs. Parham left the comfort of her

job with a leading hospital health facility to found J Kelly Referrals.

Back then, it was a home-based business. Today, J Kelly has grown

to a one-stop information center and public relations liaison that

boasts a full business network and an extensive database of services

and organizations.

Education and Achievements

Mrs. Parham studied business administration at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas –

Pulaski Technical College. In December 2004, she completed the business program at the Tuck School of Business at

Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. She participated in this outstanding program through Tuck’s

collaborative partnership with the Minority Business Development Agency.

J Kelly and Mrs. Parham have been honored with numerous awards; these include the U.S. Small Business Person of the

Year, the Minority Business Enterprise of the Year from Arkansas Mississippi Minority Council, and the Tax Bite Award

in recognition of Outstanding Support of the Pulaski Empowerment Zone. In 2007, the Racial Cultural Diversity Board

appointed Ms. Parham its commissioner. In 2008, Gov. Mike Beebe appointed her to the Arkansas Workforce

Investment Board. In 2009, J Kelly and Mrs. Parham acquired the Call Center for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery as a

subcontractor to Intralot USA from 2010 to the present. J Kelly and Mrs. Parham worked under Jacobs Engineering Group

as a subcontractor for the I-630 Fixed Guideway Study for Light Rail Transit System. J Kelly is currently working with

Jacobs Engineering Group on the On-Call Planning Project. She has worked with Parson Corporation to assist with

Automated Work Zone Information with the Arkansas Highway Department. Currently, Ms. Parham is working with

CH2M Hill and the Arkansas Highway Department on the expansion of the I-30 Crossing as the Public Relations Liaison.

J Kelly Referrals was awarded the 2021 Little Rock Chamber of Commerce Business Legacy of the Year for being able to

maintain a small business for over 22 years.

The Philosophy Behind the Business

Mrs. Parham has more than 37 years of experience,

especially in the area of public relations, referrals,

community outreach, marketing, and database

management. She is a business leader with a

passion for improving opportunities for Arkansans

and raising public awareness of minority

businesses and diversity issues. She is called upon

regularly to  speak about small business-related

topics.