Economics Arkansas, a Little Rock-based nonprofit promoting economic literacy in Arkansas, named four new members to its board of directors. Rob Bell, principal at Little Rock-based advertising agency Eric Rob & Isaac; A. Heath Abshure, commissioner of the Arkansas Securities Department; David Humphrey, vice president of investor relations and corporate communications for Arkansas Best Corporation; and Archie Schaffer III, executive vice president corporate affairs, Tyson Foods, Inc., have been selected to serve on the board for 2010-2013.
The board of directors for Economics Arkansas is a liaison of statewide leaders representing the business, education, agriculture and government sectors. Board members are elected to a three-year term and are dedicated to promoting and supporting economic education in Arkansas.
“Over the past several months, the nominating committee has worked to gather candidates we feel will serve as great board members,” said Sue Owens, Executive Director of Economics Arkansas. “These gentlemen represent organizations that are supporting Economics Arkansas through generous donations of time and funding. We are honored to have them on our board and look forward to their guidance and leadership in the coming years.”
Rob Bell, principal at Eric Rob & Isaac, has assisted Economics Arkansas with the development of collateral materials and promotion of various fundraising projects. Bell is also an active Riverfest board member and has contributed volunteer work and pro-bono marketing for numerous charitable organizations including CARTI, Downtown Little Rock Partnership and Junior League of Little Rock.
A. Heath Abshure, Commissioner of the Arkansas Securities Department in Little Rock, provides grant funding for Economics Arkansas’ Stock Market GameTM each year. Abshure is a longtime advocate for investor education in Arkansas and through the Arkansas Securities Department support of the Stock Market GameTM, students learn at a young age how to research the market and make wise decisions about investing.
David Humphrey has nearly 27 years of experience with Arkansas Best Corporation, and in addition to the firm’s financial support of Economics Arkansas, Humphrey has served for the past several years as Economics Arkansas’ Master of Ceremonies for the Fort Smith Trivia Challenge, a fundraising event held annually in the region. Humphrey is also active with St. Paul United Methodist Church in Fort Smith and serves as an honorary board member for Girls Inc. of Fort Smith Arkansas.
Archie Schaffer III has worked at Tyson Foods Inc. for nearly 20 years and is responsible for enhancing and expanding the company’s role in the business community. The Springdale-based company has contributed annual donations to Economics Arkansas for many years, helping to create a more economically literate state. Prior to joining Tyson, Schaffer was the executive director of the Arkansas Business Council and served as administrative assistant to Gov. and Sen. Dale Bumpers.
About Economics Arkansas
Economics Arkansas is a private, nonprofit, non-partisan, educational organization founded by Dr. Bessie B. Moore in 1962 to promote K-12 economic literacy in Arkansas. The nonprofit is affiliated with the Council for Economic Education and six Arkansas university-based centers for economic education. These partnerships strive to meet the needs of teachers by providing training and educational materials for Arkansas’ K-12 schools. For more information on these programs, visit www.economicsarkansas.org.