Chris Thomason of the University of Arkansas System.
Chris Thomason, chancellor of the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana, will join the University of Arkansas System as vice president for planning and development.
In his new role Thomason will lead projects affecting UA System campuses, divisions and units, including facilitating system growth and development, leading efforts to integrate services such as systemwide contracting, exploring public-private partnership opportunities, assisting with risk management projects, and spearheading institutional and economic development strategies. One of Thomason’s first tasks in his new position will be helping to lead the search for a new chancellor at UACCH-T.
In addition to serving as chancellor at UACCH-T since 2008, Thomason has recently been a member of the executive committee and chairman of the steering committee for Project One, the systemwide planning project that is placing all UA System campuses, divisions and units on a common platform for administrative business functions. He is also past chair of the executive committee of Arkansas Community Colleges, an association representing all of the state’s 22 two-year campuses, and current chair of the Southwest Arkansas Community College Consortium, a group of college presidents and chancellors who collaborate on developing a regional vision for education and economic development. Under Thomason’s leadership, UACCH-T achieved record student enrollment and graduation rates and was recognized as one of the fastest-growing colleges in Arkansas. He led the effort to establish a campus in Texarkana, which was formally added to the institution’s name in 2019. Along with its longtime campus in Hope, the Texarkana campus helped UACCH-T set graduation and enrollment records in 2018. Before his tenure as chancellor, Thomason was prosecuting attorney for the 8th North Judicial District in 2006 after serving two terms representing District 3 in the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Thomason earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and he has experience in private law practice and as a prosecutor.
Carey Ellis Laffoon, Jason Patton and Alaric Williams have all been promoted to professor at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. Laffoon teaches in the Department of Nursing, Patton in the Department of Physical Sciences, and Williams works in the Department of College Student Personnel. Newton Hilliard has been promoted to professor in the Department of Physical Sciences and granted tenure. Jamie Stacy has been promoted to associate professor in the Department of Emergency Management. The following faculty members have been promoted to associate professor and granted tenure: Turaj Ashuri, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Laura Jobe, Nursing; Virginia Jones, Department of Communication & Journalism; Muhammad Khan, Department of Electrical Engineering; Gina Kraft, Department of Health & Physical Education; Debra Murphy and Terri Toland, Department of Curriculum & Instruction; and Brendan Toner, Department of History & Political Science.
Stan Apple was promoted to assistant professor in ATU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. Laura Griffin, in the Department of Accounting, Finance & Economics, and Jessica Hogan, Nancy Horton, Susan Jordan, Kristi Spittler-Brown and Teresa Taylor, all in the Department of Mathematics, have been promoted to university professor. V. Jill Balaster and Brent Hogan of the English Language Institute have been promoted to senior instructors. Jeanine Myers was granted tenure in the Department of Mathematics, as was Megan Toland in Communication & Journalism.
Angela Black was promoted to associate librarian at ATU. Other new employees include Asfana Ahamed, visiting assistant professor of electrical engineering; Natalie Cooper, visiting assistant professor of agriculture; Chantell Corkern, assistant professor of nursing; and Jason Geiken, vice president for advancement.
Russell K. Jones has been named dean of the College of Business at ATU and professor of accounting, effective July 6, and Michelle Vardeman became accounting supervisor in the Office of the Controller in February. Tera Simpson, who previously served the institution as a front-end web designer, has been named webmaster and digital strategy specialist for university marketing and communication.
Meredith Lawson, previously the coordinator of graduate enrollment management at ATU, was appointed associate director for recruitment in the ATU Office of Admissions, and Ronda Hawkins was confirmed as director of the ATU regional office of the Arkansas Small Business & Technology Development Center. Hawkins had previously worked in that same office as a training coordinator.
See more of this week’s Movers & Shakers, and submit your own announcement at ArkansasBusiness.com/Movers.
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