ARKADELPHIA — Graycen Bigger of Pocahontas has ascended to chairperson of the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Bigger, 35, is the Assistant Vice President of Community Development for Farmers and Merchants Bank and the Executive Director of the Northeast Arkansas Intermodal Authority, a regional economic development alliance based in Pocahontas. Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed her to the Higher Education Coordinating Board in 2021 for a term scheduled to expire in 2025. She has most recently been vice chairperson. Bigger has a Master of Arts degree in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in New York City as well as bachelor degrees in the history of art and photojournalism from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
The former chairperson, Greg Revels, 64, a certified public accountant from De Queen, resigned earlier in the week.
“It has been an honor to work alongside such dedicated individuals in improving higher education in Arkansas,” Revels wrote in his resignation letter. “I want to express my gratitude to the board members and staff for their support and dedication to improving higher education in Arkansas. I will always value the memories, experiences and friendships gained during my time.”
Board members are appointed by the governor, so the board will operate one member short until a replacement for Revels is named, Bigger said. Bigger will remain chairperson even after that new member is appointed.
“We thank [Revels] for his service,” Bigger added. “He will be sorely missed” and “the agency is in good hands,” he said. “The governor is looking at options, and we hope to have a full-time person pretty soon.”