Search launched for new Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service director
By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts
- Fields announces search committee members
- Find the full job description
(376 words)
(Newsrooms: with filers of Fields, Edwards)
LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has launched the search for a new director for its outreach arm, the Cooperative Extension Service.
Deacue Fields, vice president for agriculture for the University of Arkansas System and head of the Division of Agriculture, on Wednesday announced the committee tasked to find candidates for the position of senior associate vice president-extension. He appointed Jeff Edwards, head of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences for the Division and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, as committee chair.
“Filling this position is mission critical,” said Fields. “This is an outstanding career opportunity. The committee members represent the many facets of the Cooperative Extension Service and I believe the members will find candidates who can lead this organization to the next level.”
The senior associate vice president for extension is responsible for operations, management, programs, stakeholder relations and services involving about 600 appointed full-time and 200 part-time personnel. This includes management of federal, state, and county appropriated funds along with grant and gift resources, and an annual budget of $61 million.
The position is headquartered in Little Rock and directly supervises an executive team and other administrative staff. The Cooperative Extension Service has centers in Lonoke and Newport, with county agents and staff in all 75 Arkansas counties, and faculty and staff on seven experiment station campuses and two university campuses.
Find the full job description. Send names of potential candidates to search committee chair Jeff Edwards.
The search committee is comprised of:
- Jeff Edwards – Chair, Head of Crop Soil and Environmental Sciences
- Diana Morian – Cooperative Extension Service IT Director
- Debbie Nistler – Assistant VP for 4-H and Youth Development
- Shane Gadberry – Director, Livestock and Forestry Station
- Mary Beth Groce — Faulkner County Extension Staff Chair
- Jarrod Hardke — Rice Extension Agronomist
- Laura Hendrix — Interim Associate Department Head, Family and Consumer Sciences
- Mike Blazier – Dean, College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, UA-Monticello
- Dave Caldwell – Head of Poultry Science
- Hunter Goodman — Assistant Professor, Community, Professional and Economic Development
- James Mitchell — Extension Livestock Economist
- Kevin Lawson — Extension Ozark District Director
- Priscella Thomas-Scott – 4-H Events Coordinator
- Kelly Robbins – Stakeholder, Arkansas Rice
The incumbent, Bob Scott, announced his intent to return to faculty. He will remain as director until a new one is selected. The posting will remain open until filled.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural
Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension
and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex,
gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital
or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and
is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.