Angel investing network Ark Angel Alliance has appointed a new chairman and two new members to its board of directors. The group announced the board changes, which went into effect in January, this week.
Amy Hopper Swan, program manager for the Arkansas Research Alliance, is Ark Angel’s new chairman of the board. Hopper Swan succeeds Alese Johnston who served as chairman of the organization’s board since it was founded in 2020. Johnston will transition to chair emeritus.
“I’m honored to be the new chair of the Ark Angel Alliance and grateful for the mentorship and guidance of our chair emeritus, Alese Johnston,” Hopper Swan said in a news release. “Our membership continues to grow — we are poised to introduce a new generation of Arkansans to angel investing and to the positive economic impact it can have on our communities and state.”
The latest board appointees include: Marla Johnson, CEO and co-founder of LeapXL; and Courtney Little, ACE Glass president and general counsel.
“Both Marla and Courtney boast titles of investor and business owner, representing the two markets that Ark Angel Alliance serves,” Hopper Swan said in a news release. “This unique perspective has already added value to our organization, and I look forward to their continued positive impact.”
Since its inception, Ark Angel Alliance has invested $3.2 million into start-ups. The organization, which is led by David Moody, owner of Jacksson David LLC, aims to drive investment education and promote economic development by pooling investors to fund early-stage companies that could expand well-paying jobs in Arkansas.
Hopper Swan, the new board chair, also has directed an accelerator for early-stage entrepreneurs in the region and launched a healthcare software company in 2021.
