Mark Rushing, erstwhile TV journalist and current director of public relations for a Little Rock ad agency, will start April 2 in a position at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville that melds both of his prior careers.
The Fayetteville native leaves Thoma Thoma to take the job as director of strategic communications for UA’s office of university relations. He has worked for Thoma Thoma since 2005.
Before that, Rushing worked for 12 years in broadcast journalism as a cameraman, reporter and anchor. His TV work included stints at KHBS-TV and KHOG-TV in northwest Arkansas and KARK-TV in Little Rock.
As a journalist, Rushing has received broadcasting awards, including three regional Emmy awards. Rushing also received national awards for projects and programs created at Thoma Thoma.
In the new job, Rushing will partner with the university’s assorted departments to help articulate UA’s mission and goals consistently through a variety of mediums and implement campaigns to reach specific audiences such as current students, former students and the general public.
His salary at the public university will be $60,000 per year.
“If you would create a role that would combine my journalism and PR backgrounds, this would be it,” Rushing said.
As of Wednesday, Thoma Thoma had not replaced Rushing but had begun a search to fill the position.
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