OBU president leaves after 9 years

Horne to lead advocacy group for 11 state higher-ed schools

Rex Horne (shown), 61, will succeed Rex Nelson at the consortium of 11 independent higher education institutions in the state.
Rex Horne (shown), 61, will succeed Rex Nelson at the consortium of 11 independent higher education institutions in the state.

The president of Ouachita Baptist University will leave his post to lead the state's private college and university advocacy organization, officials announced Tuesday.

Rex Horne, 61, will succeed Rex Nelson at the consortium of 11 independent higher education institutions in the state. Nelson has served as president of Arkansas' Independent Colleges and Universities since 2011, but he has accepted the position of director of corporate communications for Simmons First National Corp., a Pine Bluff-based group.

"Rex and I were friends," Horne said. "It's just that I think the experiences I've had through the years -- both in the church and in higher ed -- have given me the opportunity to develop relationships and friendships with people that can be used in a wide way to make an impact."

Horne became the 15th president of the Arkadelphia university in 2006, after serving 16 years as senior pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock. He was then-Gov. Bill Clinton's pastor. At the 1,501-student campus, Horne was behind the "Defining the Difference" capital campaign that started alongside the university's 125th anniversary celebration in 2011.

Before the capital campaign, Horne pushed for physical improvements on campus, prompting the construction of the Student Village residence halls. The halls, which opened in 2009, include housing for about 360 students, a kitchenette, open-air terraces, and fitness and study rooms.

He also called for the construction of the Cliff Harris Stadium, which sits at the front of campus, along with a new home for the Ben M. Elrod Center for Family & Community, a faith-based community-outreach program.

"He will be perfect," Nelson said of Horne. "He's been one of the 11 presidents I have worked for, so he knows the other 10 presidents that he will be working with. There won't be much training involved. He's already deeply ingrained in higher education in Arkansas."

The president of the consortium acts as a liaison between the schools and the government, promotes independent higher education statewide and raises money for scholarships at the schools, said Nelson, 55.

"I think he will just take this organization to the next level," Nelson said. "One of the things I have found, in a small state like Arkansas, personal relationships really matter."

The group's executive committee made the decision a few days ago but waited until Tuesday to make a public announcement.

"Rex Horne is a graduate of one of our Arkansas independent colleges and the president of another," Don Weatherman, president of Lyon College in Batesville and chairman of the group's executive committee, said in a news release. "I'm delighted we were able to find an educator who is also effective, professional and respected in every region of Arkansas."

As the leader of the 11 private colleges -- which include Hendrix College in Conway, John Brown University in Siloam Springs and the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville -- Horne said he is hoping to heighten public awareness of the schools and increase the schools' presence among legislators.

He and his wife, Becky, will move back into their Little Rock home while Horne transitions into the new role. A start date hasn't been set.

OBU board of trustees Chairman Jay Heflin said Horne made a lot of improvements at the university.

"I think the most meaningful for me was the fact that he felt truly called to help lead Ouachita in a way that would be beneficial for the university long term," he said. "He got up every day and went to work and tried to do that on a daily basis, and I think that is why Ouachita is in the good position it's in today."

He is a visionary, Heflin said, noting that Horne also did what he said he would do.

"He doesn't just sit back and let things come to him," he said. "He takes a long-term view of things. He's looking 5 and 10 years out and even longer to make sure that the organizations he's involved with can make a meaningful impact."

When Horne came aboard in 2006, he hired Brett Powell as vice president for administrative services. Powell, who is now the director of the state's Department of Higher Education, said Horne helped the university's endowment cross the $100 million mark during the past fiscal year. It doesn't take long while on the Ouachita campus to see the effect Horne has had on it, he said.

Horne is also a "tremendous encourager," Powell said. He would regularly start his mornings by letting people know he was praying for them.

Among his many distinctions, Horne challenged his students and faculty to be "difference makers." He stressed it to the latest OBU graduating class.

One part of that is "showing the love of Christ and encouraging others," student Jacob Jenkins, 20, said.

"Being a difference maker challenges people to have an impact on people and on the world," Jenkins, an OBU sophomore majoring in Christian studies, said. "Success is not defined by how much money you make but on the things you achieve and the legacy you leave behind. We should be difference makers in every aspect of life. Being a difference maker has challenged me to impact lives and glorify God in all that I do. I strive to make a difference on campus, in the classroom, in my ministry and in my community."

Jenkins, of Benton, did a work-study program and said working for Horne and Ouachita was "an incredible experience."

Addressing the 2015 graduating class, Horne reminded the group: "You are the difference makers." He brought up his push for that during an interview Tuesday.

"I hope that those who have been here during my era will see that I, myself, was a difference maker," he said. "[That I did] some things for the greater good."

Metro on 05/13/2015

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