Hardeman, Hopkins and Henderson vie for seat on MWISD school board

By Libby Cluett
lcluett@mineralwellsindex.com

Mineral Wells ISD has two hotly contested races planned for May 10 school board election.

A total of seven candidates are vying for two seats – Place 6, with three candidates, and Place 7, with four.

Beginning with Place 6, the Index will present candidate profiles to readers. School board president Joel Hardeman, who seeks a second term, will face former MWISD school board vice president Rodney Henderson and newcomer Tim Hopkins.

The following are brief biographical sketches of the three Place 6 candidates – Hardeman, Henderson and Hopkins.

Joel Hardeman
Joel Hardeman, 41, works as Peco-Facet’s warehouse supervisor. He is completing his first term on the MWISD school board.

Together with wife, Kim, a Mineral Wells native, the Hardeman’s have three boys – Brandon, Cameron and Terrence – all attending Mineral Wells High School.

Hardeman’s education and training includes:
• Graduating from Jacksboro High School in 1985.

• Attending Texas Tech University.

• Supervisory training through Perry Equipment Company.

• Texas Association of School Boards training, totaling 40.5 hours to date in three years of service.

Hardeman’s activities and leadership include:
• Service on the MWISD Board of Trustees; and president since May.

• Active member of Bethel Baptist Church.

• Active member of the National Baptist Brotherhood, a men’s Bible study organization.

• Member of Mineral Wells Masonic Lodge, No. 166.

• Served on Peco’s Employee Stock Ownership Program committee.

Purpose for running and relevant skills:
“I feel like in my three years of being on the board that I have made a difference. I made a commitment to the community, to the teachers and to the students to be there for them, and I believe I have been.

“Since I have been on the board, I haven’t missed any regular board meetings. Each year, I’ve attended all but one open house at the schools, where I had numerous visits and discussions with the principals, teachers and staff.

“In addition to attending school sports events, I attended Destination Imagination this year in Midlothian, as well as school band concerts and even the school field days during my three years of board service.

“I feel it is important to see other school-related activities. I have attended all of the DREAM Academy graduations since I’ve been on the board – the first year I was the only school board member in attendance.

“My purpose for running is to ensure that all students are given the opportunity to get the best education in a school that has a safe environment and where all students are treated equally.”

Hardeman added that his skills include listening and independent thinking.

“For the people who don’t know me I welcome them, if they have any questions, to e-mail me at joehar1@sbcglobal.net and ask me whatever questions they would like. If they get to know me, they will see what kind of person I am – honest, trustworthy and friendly.

“I’m hoping to win the election. I’ve turned everything over to the Lord and if He wants me to be back on the board, then I’ll be there. If not, then He will open some other door for me because He knows my heart.”

Rodney Henderson
Rodney Henderson, 58, works as Mineral Wells Bank of America’s market president and banking center manager. Henderson said he has been with the bank for more than 40 years.

Henderson and his wife, Carole, to whom he has been married 36 years, have one daughter, Jill, who graduated valedictorian from Mineral Wells High School in 1998.

Henderson’s education and training includes:
• Graduating from Mineral Wells High School.

• Receiving an associate’s degree from Weatherford College in Business Administration.

• Attending Tarleton State University for two years.

• Completing school board training through the Texas Association of School Boards.

His activities and leadership include:
• Service on the Mineral Wells ISD School Board for 12 years.

• Member and past deacon for Southside Church of Christ.

• Lifetime director of the Texas Frontier Trails.

• Past president of Holiday Hills Country Club, 1996-97.

• Served on a school planning committee in late 1980s called the Citizens for Better Schools.

• Past president of Mineral Wells Kiwanis Club, 1984-84.

• Past director and member of Mineral Wells Lion’s Club.

• Former board member of Mineral Wells Park and Recreation Board.

Purpose for running and relevant skills:


“To add experience back to the board. With 12 years and approximately 160 hours of school board training,” Henderson said he offers “leadership, experience, dedication, loyalty and decision-making.”

“I’ve been making daily decisions at one banking institution for 40 years,” he added.

He said he plans to contribute “financial skills, people skills and the determination to make MWISD the best school district it can be.”

“I want to get back [on the board] to help steer the school district in the direction of success,” said Henderson. “All I’m doing is volunteering my services to help this district be the best it can be.”

Tim Hopkins
Tim Hopkins, 41, works in the field of architecture. Since 2006, he has worked in the Healthcare Division of at HKS Inc. in Dallas. Hopkins said he is scheduled to move to the Fort Worth office in June.

He moved back to Mineral Wells with his family in August of 2001 and was self-employed at that time. He and wife, Amy, “will have been married for 20 years in May. We have 3 children, Heather, 16 and a sophomore, Graeme, 13 and in seventh grade and Adelaide, 9 and in fourth grade,” he said.

Hopkin’s education and training includes:
• Graduating from Mineral Wells High School in 1984.

• Graduating from Texas A&M; University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree – an undergraduate degree in Architecture.

His activities and leadership include:
• Designing several projects in Mineral Wells, including the County Annex at Poston’s Dry Goods.

• Serving as a deacon at Southside Church of Christ.

• Attending Leadership Mineral Wells, class 11.

• Serving on the Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee 2005.

• Coaching for Mineral Wells Soccer Association and Mineral Wells Little League.

Purpose for running and relevant skills:
“After graduating from Mineral Wells High School, the education I received afforded me the opportunity to attend and graduate from Texas A&M; University. I then went on to build a career in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“After living there for 11 years, my wife and I decided to move back to my hometown so that we could play a bigger role in the education of our children. The education I received and the continuing education my children are receiving has created a desire to give back to the school system that has given so much to me and my family.

“In the future, should the citizens of Mineral Wells consider entrusting the school board with the task of improving our current facilities, I believe that my nearly 18 years of experience in the field of architecture will help guide the building projects so that the people of this community will receive the most for their hard-earned money.”

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