An executive in the Oklahoma Waterways Program will be the next executive director of the Arkansas Waterways Commission.
Cassandra Caldwell replaces Deidre Smith, who has headed the agency since 2017. Smith now is deputy director of Inland Ports and River Terminals, a nationwide association of inland waterway users.
Caldwell begins her new duties on Feb. 24 at an annual salary of $70,500. She has been administrative programs officer for the waterways program in the Oklahoma Department of Transportation since 2016.
The Waterways Commission, an arm of the Arkansas Department of Commerce, is responsible for developing and promoting waterborne transportation as well as promoting economic development for ports on the state's five navigable rivers.
"With 1,800 miles of navigable waterways, it is critical that our waterway transportation meets the needs of businesses and provides easy access to U.S. markets around the world," Commerce Secretary Mike Preston said. "[Caldwell's] skills and experience are top notch and exactly what we need in this role."
Caldwell is a graduate of Rogers State University in of Claremore, Okla. She has served in the U.S. Navy and is a certified inland maritime port manager.
Business on 02/13/2020