Alumni Spotlight

ULM Alum: Roy Arthur

ROY ARTHUR’S ACADEMIC JOURNEY INVOLVED dynamic shifts that became consistent markers of his professional trajectory. After graduating from St. Frederick High School, Roy left home for college, only to return within a few months. Having worked at Johnny’s Pizza, with then-budding local restaurateur Johnny Huntsman, Roy found that he needed to work and attend classes, and remaining in Monroe allowed him that balance. He entered Huntsman’s manager program, working 30+ hours per week and attending ULM classes in the morning. Johnny Huntsman preached the importance of a person’s work ethic and encouraged his employees to pursue higher education. Roy worked at the Johnny’s Pizza on South 2nd Street in Monroe, and when Johnny expanded into the Shreveport market, Roy paused his education again to help open three new stores. That initial experience, learning when to juggle and when to focus on one endeavor, proved vital to navigating life’s inevitable twists and turns.

When Roy returned to Monroe, intent on pursuing his degree full time, he majored in marketing. And unlike other college students who use classes to determine a final major, Roy’s work experience solidified his path. He wanted to work in sales, enjoyed interacting with people, and preferred the outdoors to sitting behind a desk all day. While at ULM, Roy still needed to work and took a job with Central Oil & Supply, all while picking up a few night shifts at Johnny’s Pizza on the weekends. While time for extracurricular activities was limited, Roy loved attending university sporting events, a passion that continues to this day. At Central Oil & Supply, Roy started in the warehouse, working his way up to a sales position as a Texaco distributor. He sold bulk oil to Texaco stations and farmers in North and Central Louisiana. Despite so many responsibilities, Roy graduated with a Bachelor’s in Marketing and later obtained a Bachelor’s in Accounting.

In addition to the mentorship of Johnny Huntsman, Roy benefitted from interactions with his ULM professors. Dr. McBeth in Management and Marketing, alongside Dr. Dolecheck and Dr. Defatta in Accounting, provided the business knowledge for Roy to be successful in his career. The combination of working while going to classes reinforced the necessity of learning business principles and putting them into practice.Roy also admired his future father- in-law John Luffey Sr., a successful accountant who owned a local CPA firm. While Roy had gone to school since elementary with the Luffey children, it wasn’t until college that Roy and Terri Luffey, John’s daughter, reconnected and began dating. The couple married in 1983, the year before Roy graduated from ULM and they soon had two daughters: Cynthia and Victoria. Terri and Roy will be married 40 years this month.

While working on the second degree in accounting, Roy took a job with Entergy, for which he traveled to New Orleans frequently. The family briefly moved to Kenner after his graduation, but returned home after missing the Monroe community. Roy took a job with Luffey’s Medical & Surgical Supply, the family business, in 1991, advancing to president of the company in the late 90s. During Roy’s tenure, the rapid advancement of e-commerce and the emergence of Amazon made it hard for local supply companies to compete for business. After 51 years, Luffey’s Medical & Surgical Supply closed its doors, and Roy returned to the restaurant industry he knew so well. With partners Lindsay Leavitt and Joey Trappey, Roy purchased Portico and returned to interacting with people in a more relaxed environment. His business skills were essential to making the restaurant profitable. Roy paid close attention to labor and food costs, alongside food quality and pricing. He realized how much he missed people and enjoyed visiting with friends when they would come in for lunch and dinner. He took pride in providing a service that utilized his talents, both his people skills and his business acumen. After Roy and Joey sold their ⅔ of Portico to Lindsay Leavitt, Roy opened and now operates Miro’s in Monroe.

As a ULM alumni and devoted sports fan, Roy is happy to see the University heading in the right direction. The beautiful campus is led by a phenomenal administration that is intent on growing local support for the institution. ULM is a cornerstone of the community, and Northeast Louisiana is dependent on its continued success. As a beneficiary of this community and a patron of the University, Roy is excited about watching his children and grandchildren grow and flourish in this positive environment.