Fields named to Winthrop Rockefeller Institute Board
"... the addition of Dr. Fields, Mr. Vratsinas, and Ms. Willenberg has strengthened the board and make us better prepared to engage in the institute’s myriad growth opportunities." — Deborah Baldwin
By the U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Jan 26, 2024
Fast facts:
- Fields one of three named to board
- Term runs three years
(443 words)
(Newsrooms: with art)
MORRILTON, Ark. — Deacue Fields, head of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, has accepted an appointment to the board of the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute.
Fields, vice president-agriculture for the UA System, oversees the Cooperative Extension Service and the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. WRI is a sister institute within the UA System.
“WRI has a global reputation not only for innovation but also its expertise in helping other organizations achieve optimal performance,” Fields said. “Its mission aligns very closely with the innovation and outreach by the Division of Agriculture and it’s exciting to be part of the good work WRI accomplishes.”
Two others have also accepted their nomination to serve:
- Lisa Willenberg, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton
- Gus Vratsinas, Chairman of Bailey Construction & Consulting, LLC of Little Rock
“It is a privilege to work alongside these outstanding leaders whose professional backgrounds bring diverse experience to our board, a vital component of the Rockefeller Ethic,” said Institute Executive Director and CEO Janet Harris.
“The institute benefits significantly from the perspective of our University of Arkansas system board members, such as Dr. Fields and Ms. Willenberg, as they help us understand where our mission and services can help system campuses collaborate,” Harris said. Mr. Vratsinas brings valuable expertise in financial management, capital construction, and facilities, which will help take the best care of our historic mountaintop campus in service of Winthrop Rockefeller’s legacy.”
Deborah Baldwin, chair of the institute board of directors and associate provost of UA Little Rock, said, “Our new board members complement the current Institute board well and have shown a deep understanding of and dedication to the mission of this organization. As the Institute continues to execute the 2025 strategic plan and set new goals for the future, the addition of Dr. Fields, Mr. Vratsinas, and Ms. Willenberg has strengthened the board and make us better prepared to engage in the institute’s myriad growth opportunities.”
The Institute is a 509(a)(3) proud supporting organization of the University of Arkansas System.
In 2005, the Winthrop Rockefeller Charitable Trust, in coordination with the University of Arkansas System, established the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute and has since supported the Institute’s operations and programmatic activity. Five of the nine Institute board members are appointed by Donald R. Bobbitt, UA System president.
“The business of agriculture is a vital component of the state's economic well-being and development. As a leading voice in the industry and the administrator overseeing our University's state-of-the-art research into agricultural innovation, you provide invaluable expertise and insight which would greatly benefit the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute,” Bobbitt said in his letter appointing Fields.
The terms are three years.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X 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 on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X 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. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
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 and services 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.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu