A Place to Grow: Sonny Prince Accounting Specialist
When Sonny Prince’s previous job wrapped up in the spring of 2026, it was only two weeks until he walked into a new opportunity at Butterfield Trail Village, thanks to a placement contract with Robert Half Employment Agency. He reported to the business office the first week of May, and by September, Sonny had already proven himself a perfect fit for the team. He was excited to be hired officially as an accounting specialist, ahead of schedule.
Sonny primarily handles accounts payable, but he also takes on projects and special assignments for Butterfield’s CFO Kim Moore. He loves the variety. “I’m able to meet new people through the organization, work closely with them and learn a whole lot of new skills,” he said. When it comes to creating Excel charts and graphs, Sonny says his knowledge has taken a significant leap forward in the few short months he’s been at BTV.
He has enjoyed having a front-row seat as Butterfield has implemented specialized technology to improve efficiency in accounting and finance. In Sonny’s accounts payable area, the new Sage software platform can read invoices and then uses AI to automatically fill in account coding details, leaving Sonny to manually review the results, identify any discrepancies and ensure totals match. “Whenever you change any details, AI learns to improve how it reviews future invoices,” he said, “which I think is really cool.”
Sonny brings that same curiosity to his studies. He’s a college sophomore, working toward an accounting degree at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, taking classes online. He expects to graduate in May 2029. Studying remotely, Sonny has never met his professors in person, but instant messaging works very well to keep them connected. “There is a wall,” he said, “but there’s also a window.”
Originally from Big Spring, Texas, deep in desert oil country, Sonny took a leap of faith a few years ago.
Tired of his job, he picked up his paycheck, got in his car and just drove. He landed in Alma, Ark., put down roots and never looked back. “Honestly, that could have been a pretty dangerous move, but it paid off,” he said. “I’m at a job I love. I’m studying what I love.”
“I’m able to meet new people through the organization, work closely with them and learn a whole lot of new skills”
– Sonny Prince
At home, Sonny and his husband, Wesley, share their place with dogs, a cat and a lively flock of chickens – most of whom bear the names of ladies from an earlier era. Ethel, his blue egg-laying Ameraucana, loves to supervise whenever he’s cleaning the coop, and his perpetually hungry Plymouth Rock hen comes running every time someone walks by, begging for snacks. “They’re like little dogs,” he said. “They have such personalities.” Their neighbors happen to be Wesley’s cousins, and the family dreams of someday buying land together for their own little compound, donkey included!
Sonny loves tending a vegetable and herb garden, growing food and herbs for homemade teas. When his very first zucchini appeared, he brought the whole neighborhood over to admire it. Indoors, he enjoys playing computer games with a close group of friends.
What Sonny appreciates most about Butterfield is its people – and its purpose. After working in corporate settings focused solely on the bottom line, he finds the teamwork refreshing. He loves being part of a mission-driven nonprofit. “I am huge on respecting my elders,” he said. Serving residents, many of whom helped shape the community he enjoys, feels like “a huge way to say thank you.” In Sonny’s words, job satisfaction comes down to two things: “Skills and relationships.” Sonny hopes to be at BTV for the long haul, and he’s already well on his way to building both of those things.
