The Arkansas State University System on Tuesday named Bentley Wallace as the next chancellor of Arkansas State University-Mountain Home.
Wallace, who has been president of South Arkansas College in El Dorado since 2020, assumes his new role on Aug. 1. He’ll succeed Robin Myers, who is retiring at the end of July after 1 years leading ASU-Mountain Home.
Wallace, a Mountain View native, was selected out of 47 applications for the position. He’s one of three finalists who recently interviewed on campus for the job.
In a statement, ASU System President Charles Welch said Wallace, a Mountain View native, is “the right person at the right time” for the two-year university.
“His combined history of work in the private sector and developing higher education partnerships with business and industry will serve the Mountain Home region well,” Welch said. “We are impressed with his accomplishments as president at South Arkansas College, his track record at other institutions including our own ASU-Newport and his active community service. His strong leadership, management and fund-raising skills will benefit ASU-Mountain Home and its constituencies.”
Before joining South Arkansas College, Wallace was dean of technical and professional studies at the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College from 2018-2020 and vice chancellor for economic development from 2013-2018. Past roles in higher education include division chair and director of business and transportation technology at Arkansas State University-Newport.
In the private sector, his past roles include director of operations at Ronnie Dowdy Trucking Inc., division manager for WCA Waste Systems Inc. and general manager of JIT Warehouse Services.
Wallace holds a bachelor’s in marketing and master’s in education from Arkansas State University and a doctorate in human resource and workforce development education from the University of Arkansas.
“It is an incredible opportunity to come home to north Arkansas and back to the ASU System where my career in higher education began,” Wallace said in a statement. “ASUMH is an invaluable resource for the people and communities in the region, whether that is to pursue a short-term workforce credential, a two-year degree, lifelong learning opportunities, or to enjoy the broad variety of cultural events at the college.
“Building on a rich history of student success, I am excited to carry on important legacies and blaze new trails while working with the amazing team at ASUMH.”
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