Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed three new people as trustees for the Arkansas State University System's expanded governing board.
The newest members have ties either to Arkansas State University, which is based in Jonesboro, or Henderson State University, which has its main campus in Arkadelphia. The board has grown from five to seven members. The additional members reflect, in part, the growth of the ASU System, which has three additional colleges or universities under its tent since 2015.
The new trustees, two of whom live in Saline County, are:
• Paul Rowton, 44, of Harrisburg, a former president of the ASU Alumni Association. He is executive vice president of GES Inc., which owns and operates Edwards Food Giant and Edwards Cash Saver Supermarkets. His term will run through Jan. 14, 2028. Rowton succeeds Stacy Crawford of Jonesboro, whose term expired.
• Bishop Robert Rudolph Jr., 53, of Bryant, a Henderson State graduate and active alumni association member. He is the pastor at Calvary Church of God in Christ in Malvern, adjutant general of the Church of God in Christ Inc., and jurisdictional bishop of the St. Maarten Reheboth Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. He is also chief minister of Protocol for the Church of God in Christ and assists the presiding bishop in directing the National Adjutancy. Rudolph's term runs through Jan. 14, 2027.
• Steve Eddington, 58, of Benton, president of the HSU Alumni Board. He is vice president of public relations at Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation and has served on the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame's Board of Directors since 2004. Eddington's term runs through Jan. 14, 2026. Eddington once worked for the Arkansas Democrat newspaper's sports section.
"I am so appreciative of Governor Hutchinson for these very strong appointments to our Board of Trustees," said ASU System President Chuck Welch in a statement. "Each of these individuals has been very involved in their communities and with our member institutions.
"Robert is a former Henderson student body president, Paul is a former A-State Alumni Association president, and Steve is the current president of the Henderson State Alumni Association. Their diversified backgrounds in ministry, agriculture, and retail business operations in our state will lend solid insight and leadership to our board. I definitely look forward to working with all three of our new trustees as we continue to grow our system."
The governor said in a news release that he thought the three new trustees would be a good fit.
"Paul Rowton, Robert Rudolph and Steve Eddington have shown their dedication to their respective alma maters, and I am confident they will bring the same level of commitment and enthusiasm to this new role," Hutchinson said.
Act 18 of 2021, which Hutchinson signed Monday, added Henderson State -- once an independent public university -- to the ASU System.
Henderson State has been trying to climb out of financial difficulty in recent years. In 2019, it faced a budget deficit of $6 million and had to borrow from the state's Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, according to the governor's office. Some officials, including state legislators, urged HSU to join a larger university system.
The ASU System reached an agreement with Henderson State in 2019 to provide operational support as administrators tried to stabilize the university's financial and management problems while planning the move. The school stayed open and kept classes going.
"My hope and clear expectation is for this merger to work out well for Henderson and for the Arkansas State University System," Eddington said in a statement. "Henderson has already benefitted from the stability and institutional expertise of the ASU System. I expect the benefits to become even more significant over time."
