Ex-publisher to lead development, communication for ASU System

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Arkansas State University System named Jeff Hankins, former president and publisher of the Arkansas Business Publishing Group, as its vice president for strategic communications and economic development.

Hankins, a 1987 ASU graduate and a past president of its alumni association, will earn an annual salary of $170,000 working out of the system’s Little Rock office, ASU System President Charles Welch said Wednesday.

“I’ve been impressed with Jeff’s work,” Welch said. “He will be able to help us develop strategies to expand our reach beyond northeast Arkansas and ramp up our presence with chambers of commerce and other businesses.”

A native of Pine Bluff, Hankins spent 32 years in the publishing and communications industry in Arkansas. He resigned as the publisher of the Arkansas BusinessPublishing Group in October after 19 years.

While there, Hankins served as publisher of the weekly Arkansas Business,and led strategic planning, startup and operations of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, Arkansas Next: A Guide to Life After High Schooland other publications. He also oversaw several website and social-media initiatives including ArkansasBusiness. com, ArkansasSports360.com and InArkansas.com.

Hankins has been a public speaker and television commentator since 1993, with regular appearances on AETN’s Arkansas Week. From 2003-05, he hosted and produced Arkansas Business with Jeff Hankins on AETN.

Hankins was the co-founder and chief executive officer of Herald Haven Media LLC .,which publishes the monthly Jonesboro Occasions magazine and worked as general manager and editor of the Pocahontas Star Herald and later the Northeast Arkansas Tribune in Paragould.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from ASU in 1987.

Welch said university officials had talked about creating the vice president for strategic communications and economic development position for a few years.

“We had it in our budget this year, and Jeff was available,” Welch said. “It worked out beautifully.”

Hankins was given a oneyear contract, Welch said.

Though the position maintains a different title, it’s listed as “Vice President for Systems Operations” under Arkansas Act 221, which appropriates maximum annual salaries for university positions. The maximum annual salary allowed for the job is $185,668.

Tony Robinson, the administrator of personnel review for the state Bureau of Legislative Research, said universities often change the titles of positions originally set by the legislative act.

“It happens a lot with upper level titles,” he said. “It’s just in-house changes. It’s not unusual.”

In his new position, Hankins will develop communication and economic-development activities for the ASU system and its campuses in Jonesboro, Newport, Beebe and Mountain Home.

He will also serve as the system’s liaison to statewide business associations and economic development entities.

Welch said he expects Hankins will travel extensively to ASU’s campuses.

“Being able to share my passion for and experience in communications, business and higher education with ASU is an amazing opportunity,” Hankins said in an ASUreleased statement Monday.

“I’m excited about using my statewide network of relationships with business leaders to enhance the ASU System’s role in economic development and job growth activity through progressive partnerships.

“Virtually every speech I have given during the past 19 years has included comments on the critical connection between business and higher education,” he said.

Hankins and his wife, Carrie Hankins, live in Little Rock with their two children.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 11/20/2012