Eric Burnett
Eric Burnett of Fort Smith was elected by his fellow trustees to serve as chairman of the Arkansas Tech University Board of Trustees for the 2021 calendar year during a virtual meeting on Jan. 21.
Burnett was appointed to the board by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in January 2017. He is in his second five-year term. He was a trustee from 2011-16 and was chairman of the board in 2015.
As the head boys’ basketball coach at Fort Smith Northside High School since 2010, Burnett guided the Grizzlies to state championships in 2017 and 2019. He was named to his current position after spending the previous five seasons as the head boys’ basketball coach at Springdale Har-Ber High School.
Burnett also has four years of experience as the head boys’ basketball coach at Fort Smith Southside High School.
A 1994 ATU graduate, Burnett earned four letters as a member of the Wonder Boys basketball team.
He is the university’s all-time leader in 3-point field goals made, and ranks among the Wonder Boys’ career leaders in scoring, rebounding, free throws made, assists, steals and field goals made.
He was named an NAIA All-American in 1993 and was a two-time All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference selection. The Wonder Boys won 83 games and the 1993 AIC title during Burnett’s career.
Other Board of Trustees officers for 2021 are Stephanie Duffield of Russellville, who will serve as vice chairman; and Jim Smith of Fayetteville, who will serve as secretary. They will be joined on the board by Len Cotton of Dardanelle.
The fifth trustee for 2021 will be appointed by Hutchinson and succeed Tom Kennedy of Little Rock, whose five-year term on the board expired Jan. 14.
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