FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Mike Malone has been appointed vice-chancellor for economic development. It will start on April 18, 2022.
“We are very pleased to welcome Mike to the University of Arkansas,” Acting Chancellor Charles Robinson said. “Our ambition is to expand economic opportunity and prosperity in Arkansas through talent development, deployment of innovative research and technology, community engagement, and place-making strategies – and to be the first choice for industry partnerships and collaborations.Mike has been a great partner and supporter of the U of A for many years, and he brings a wealth of experience and the willingness and ability to make Economic Development Division a force for the greater good of Arkansas.
Malone brings nearly three decades of experience building coalitions and partnerships to advance community and economic development opportunities. Since 2016, he has served as Vice President of Corporate and Community Affairs for Runway Group, overseeing a wide range of community development projects and direct investments in Northwest Arkansas, including workforce development. work, talent attraction and business recruitment, outdoor recreation and philanthropy. From 2006 to 2016, he served as President and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council, leading the creation and implementation of regional growth and development strategies that resulted in significant job gains, economic growth and a better quality of life in Northwest Arkansas.
Prior to working in Arkansas, Malone held senior positions at the White House, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. He currently serves on the boards of Heartland Forward and the Bentonville Chamber of Commerce and is a board member of Hendrix College. He holds a Master of Arts in Public Affairs from the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and graduated cum laude from Hendrix College after earning a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Political Science.
“I am honored and delighted to have the opportunity to serve as Vice Chancellor for Economic Development at the University of Arkansas.” Malone said. “While the U of A is already having a significant economic impact on our state today, emerging opportunities such as the creation of the I³R, increased support for startups and entrepreneurs, and growing partnerships with corporations and communities allow us to see our economic impact increase significantly in the coming years.”
The Economic Development Division directs and coordinates the university’s campus-wide efforts to expand economic opportunity and improve the quality of life in Arkansas and beyond. Malone will be responsible for evaluating, increasing and communicating the economic and social impacts of the U of A, building on the university’s $2.2 billion annual impact on the economy of the state. Units reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Economic Development include the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Office of Industry and Community Engagement, Technology Ventures, World Trade Center Arkansas, and Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Arkansas.
“No one I know defends our state more effectively than Mike Malone, and he is an excellent choice to lead the University of Arkansas’ bold vision to expand economic opportunity for all,” said Steuart Walton, Chairman of Governor Asa Hutchinson’s Arkansas Economic Council. Recovery Task Force and co-founder of Runway Group. “Mike’s impressive career has given him a wealth of experience that will undoubtedly strengthen relationships, energize new partnerships, and catalyze the entrepreneurship and innovation that put Arkansas at the top of the list for attracting business and talent. “
A member of the Chancellor’s leadership team, the Vice Chancellor for Economic Development is responsible for meaningful progress toward campus goals of commercializing faculty and student research, catalyzing entrepreneurship and innovation on campus. and in the region and to establish the University as the premier partner in providing timely and relevant education and skills for Arkansas’ workforce. Additionally, the office works with campus departments and schools to amplify the university’s service and its economic impact on Arkansas.
Malone will also share oversight of the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I³R) with John English, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, and Ranu Jung, Executive Director of the Institute. I³R brings together changemakers and thought leaders, collaborating with business, philanthropic, nonprofit and government organizations to achieve positive societal impact. The Institute was established with a landmark $194.7 million grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, an investment that followed a $23.7 million grant from the foundation to increase research infrastructure and economic development of the university.
David Snow, who served as interim vice chancellor for economic development, will continue to lead technology commercialization efforts at the university. Snow is also the president of the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation (UATDF), which is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and grow a knowledge-based economy in Northwestern USA. Arkansas, currently focused on urbanization and development of the Arkansas Research and Campus of over 100 acres of technology park in South Fayetteville.
“We are grateful to David for taking the helm during such a formative time in the evolution of our economic development division, which is still very young,” Robinson said. “Under her leadership, the university has established some very promising programs, including the university’s presence in Bentonville with the launch of The Collaborative. Thanks also to Margaret McCabe, for her work as Chair of Research, as well as to the members of the research committee who gave their time and talents to help us through this process.
About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas’ flagship institution, the U of A offers an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion for Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and employment development, discovery through research and creative activity while providing training in professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation ranks the U of A among the top few US colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. US News and World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. Find out how the U of A is working to build a better world in Arkansas Research News.
