The South Arkansas Community College Board of Trustees is proud to announce Dr. Bentley Wallace as the next President of SouthArk.
Dr. Bentley Wallace has extensive experience with community colleges in Arkansas. He served as Director of Business and Transportation Technology at Arkansas State University – Newport for seven years. In 2013, he became the Vice Chancellor for Economic Development at the University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College. In 2018, Dr. Wallace was promoted to serve as the first Dean of the School of Technical and Professional Studies, one of three schools at UA-PTC. He was recently elected to a second term as President of the Board of Arkansas Community Colleges. Previous professional experience includes healthcare administration, construction management, and transportation-related industries.
Dr. Wallace earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Arkansas State University – Jonesboro. At the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, he earned a doctorate in Human Resource and Workforce Development Education, with research focused on the Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate. Dr. Wallace was nominated by faculty, and received, the Outstanding Doctoral Student Award during his final semester at the University of Arkansas.
Through his work in higher education, Dr. Wallace has served in leadership roles related to student success initiatives, accreditation, and strategic planning. Recent accomplishments at UA-PTC include:
- Provided customized workforce development options to CZ USA during negotiation phase of Project Precision, resulting in CZ locating their first North American manufacturing facility in central Arkansas, in partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and multiple economic development entities
- Created the Workplace Essentials talent acquisition and training model, which was recognized by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, the Arkansas Division of Career and Technical Education, and Congressman French Hill as a replicable best-practice for workforce development
- Established the High Voltage Lineman Training (H-VoLT) Academy as part of the Arkansas Energy Workforce Consortium to address high voltage line worker shortages in Arkansas, in partnership with Entergy Arkansas, the Rural Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, and multiple high voltage contractors
- Developed partnership which allows all UA-PTC students, faculty, and staff to use the local public transit system at no cost to the rider, allowing for improved access to education, employment, shopping, and recreation
Dr. Wallace’s community service includes volunteer efforts with civic organizations and numerous appointments to boards and commissions. He has helped establish and manage music and art festivals, has served on the boards of diverse community organizations, including arts councils, community theatres, the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, the Arkansas STEM Coalition, the Arkansas Aerospace and Defense Alliance, and was an Honorary Commander at the Little Rock Airforce Base. He is also a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow.
Dr. Wallace was raised in Mountain View, Arkansas, and currently lives in North Little Rock with his wife, Darby. Mrs. Wallace is a highly qualified educator with experience in K-12 and community college instruction and as executive director of a county library system. She earned master’s degrees from UA – Little Rock and the University of Southern Mississippi. They have two children, Natalie and Miller. Natalie is married and lives in Harrison, Arkansas. Miller is a sophomore and member of the golf team at North Little Rock High School.
Dr. Wallace is expected to begin his duties as President on February 1, 2020.