Kelleys Donate $37K to UA Little Rock Business Scholarship

Hank Kelley Jr. and his wife, Stephanie.

Flake and Kelley Commercial CEO Hank Kelley Jr. and his wife, Stephanie, have endowed a scholarship at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for minority students studying international business or finance in the College of Business.

The couple donated $37,000 to the A.P. Vibhakar Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of Dr. Ashvin Vibhakar, UA Little Rock’s long-time Joe. T. Ford Chair of Finance in the College of Business.

Hank Kelley earned his MBA from the college.

“The scholarship that Stephanie and I funded is a recognition of Ashvin Vibhakar’s service to his students and UA Little Rock,” Hank Kelley said in a news release. “We share membership in Rotary 99 of Little Rock with many other members of the UA Little Rock community, and Stephanie and I know Little Rock’s trajectory is directly tied to having a student-focused research university in our city. We know no better way to express our appreciation to Ashvin and Diane as friends than to help fund this important scholarship in his name.”

Former UA Little Rock Chancellor Joel Anderson created the scholarship in 2009 with a $5,000 gift, and the Kelleys’ donation bring its endowment to $50,000. The scholarship will be awarded annually beginning this year.