Gov. Sanders Names Helena-West Helena Distillery Owner as March Face of Arkansas

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has named Helena-West Helena native Donavan Williams the March “Face of Arkansas,” featuring a written profile, portrait by Lula White and a short video, and placing a framed photo inside the State Capitol. Williams is identified in the governor’s profile as Operations Manager at Delta Dirt Distillery, and he tells readers, “My name is Donavan Williams. I’m the Operations Manager at Delta Dirt Distillery.”

Delta Dirt Distillery operates on Cherry Street in historic downtown Helena-West Helena as a farm-to-bottle distillery that the company describes as “owned and operated by Harvey and Donna Williams and their three adult children Thomas, Donavan and TaHara Williams.” The family enterprise sits at 430 Cherry St., and local business listings show a contact phone of 870.662.5709. Company materials and profiles note the distillery blends manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and retail on Phillips County’s main street.

The Williams family traces its farming roots deep into the Delta. The governor’s profile recalls a 1949 land purchase on an 86-acre tract as a turning point for the family, and the distillery’s materials describe a “fourth-generation farming family” whose sweet potatoes and corn now supply the Cherry Street operation. ArkansasBusiness reported the family owns 200 acres split between northern Phillips County and southern Lee County and farms another 400 acres on leased ground.

Donavan, who relocated back to Helena-West Helena after time away, frames the distillery as a long-term project: “I always saw this as a global brand one day. But you have to build it first.” Business profiles list him variably as Operations Manager and as operations manager and director of national sales. Thomas Williams is identified as head distiller and director of marketing and communications; Harvey Williams is named as CEO in company material.

Production plans emphasize locally grown inputs. The distillery intends to use corn, wheat, rye and sweet potatoes; Donavan told ArkansasBusiness, “The only thing we’ve never grown before as a commodity crop is rye. We have grown it as a cover crop.” ArkansasBusiness also quoted him saying, “My brother will be starting to cut corn in two weeks. We have sweet potatoes that we will be harvesting in October.” Company and trade profiles say vodka and gin recipes will be perfected first once construction is complete, while AMP reports bourbon, which will contain sweet potatoes, is likely about a year away from release. AMP also lists gin botanicals including juniper berry, orange peel, angelica root, orris root and cassia.

The distillery has accumulated outside recognition: its website and trade profiles say Delta Dirt won a platinum medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and that Sweet Blend Vodka earned a Double Gold honor, with at least one headline referencing a 2024 competition. The operation was also featured in the docuseries DISTILLED on AMC+.

Phillips County economic developer John Edwards called the project “a big deal,” saying, “This is likely the largest single private investment on Cherry Street this decade. This is the first project of its type that we’ve ever had,” and adding, “They’ve been so busy making the dream a reality I don’t know if they’ve had time to reflect on what all they’re tying together.” The governor’s profile framed Williams’ return as an example of the state’s entrepreneurship push, referencing programs such as Arkansas ACCESS and Arkansas LAUNCH and an executive order signed in February to streamline permitting and speed economic development.