James “Mike” Branson was born and raised in De Queen. He graduated from De Queen High School in 1974 and attended Ouachita Baptist University where he received a degree in Accounting in 1979. He is also a graduate of Stanford Executive Program.

Mike retired from Weyerhaeuser as Senior Vice President of Timberlands in 2011 after forty-four years in the Forest Product Industry.

Currently, Mike serves on several boards including Hunt Forest Products, FRIENDS, the De Queen Industrial Park Public Facilities Organization, the Sevier County Chamber of Commerce, and The Southwest Arkansas Rural Water Association.

Mike is married to Lorena Branson.  Together they have three children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.  Mike enjoys working on the farm, fishing, golfing, and spending time with his family.