BENTONVILLE -- A former Northwest Arkansas Community College administrator has been appointed to the college's board.
Mark Scott was sworn in to the Zone 6 seat at a board meeting Saturday. Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed Scott to the seat following Ric Clifford's resignation in April.
NWACC board
Here’s a look at the Northwest Arkansas Community College Board. http://www.nwacc.ed…">A map of the board zones.
ZoneIncumbentTerm expires
1Scott GrigsbyDec. 31, 2020
2Daniel ShewmakerDec. 31, 2016
3Mike ShupeDec. 31, 2018
4Todd SchwartzDec. 31, 2018
5Ron BranscumDec. 31, 2016
6Mark ScottDec. 31, 2016^
7Keven AndersonDec. 31, 2016^
8Mauricio HerreraDec. 31, 2020
9Joe SpiveyDec. 31, 2016
^- Expiring this year because incumbent was recently appointed to the position and must stand for election to retain seat.
Source: Northwest Arkansas Community College
Scott, 41, was executive director of public relations for the college from August 2010 to January 2012.
He left the college to become a public relations manager for Sam's Club. After two years there, he joined the University of Arkansas' Division of Agriculture as its chief communications officer. He left that job in March to become senior communications manager for Wal-Mart's global ethics and compliance division.
Scott said he believes his background in communications and his familiarity with government will be helpful to the board.
"Having worked at (the college), I feel like I know the unique challenges a community college faces," he said.
Scott must file for election in order to retain the seat after this year. He intends to do that.
"I'll be on the November ballot. I'm going to work as hard as I can for as long as I can to benefit the college, and hopefully the voters will have the same confidence the governor had in me," he said.
Dan Shewmaker, board chairman, said he thinks the whole board feels good about the governor's choice.
"We had some other folks we felt like were exceptionally qualified as well, but (Scott's) heart is in the right place and he will make an excellent board member," Shewmaker said.
Scott worked for the college while Becky Paneitz was president. Paneitz left in 2013 and was replaced by Evelyn Jorgenson. He said he's pleased with how the college is being run.
"I don't come in with an agenda," he said.
Scott, a Russellville native, lives in southwest Rogers with his wife, Kelsey, and their three children.
The board's nine members represent different sections of the college's millage district, which consists of the Bentonville and Rogers school districts. Scott's Zone 6 covers the southwest corner of the millage district, including parts of Bentonville, Rogers, Cave Springs and Centerton.
Scott's seat is one of five board seats up for election this fall.
Zones 2, 5 and 9 -- now belonging to Shewmaker, Ron Branscum and Joe Spivey, respectively -- are up because the regular term for each is expiring. Each of those three incumbents said Monday they intend to run for re-election.
In addition, Scott's Zone 6 seat and Keven Anderson's Zone 7 seat will be on the ballot because both men were appointed to unexpired terms. The candidates elected to those positions both will begin a six-year term starting in January, Shewmaker said. Anderson could not be reached for comment.
Those interested in running for the board must live in the zone they would represent and collect signatures from at least 25 registered voters living in their zone. They must submit paperwork to the Benton County clerk by noon Aug. 19 to get their name on the ballot. The election will be Nov. 8.
Petition forms and notarized statements are available at the Benton County Clerk's Office at 215 E. Central Ave., Bentonville.
NW News on 07/26/2016