The Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas has announced the appointment of three new members to the organization’s advisory board.
Duane Bullard, retired community and economic developer from Mississippi; Pam Hipp, president of the Arkansas Community Development Society; and Arkansas Rep. Fredrick J. Love, District 29 have joined the advisory board. Their terms begin in January and end in December 2019.
“Each new member brings a new perspective and unique skill set to the advisory board. Individuals are invited to join the CDI advisory board based on their experience, knowledge, and desire to work with our board for the sole purpose of advancing community and economic development practices in Arkansas and states around the region,” said my Whitehead, director of CDI and the Center for Community and Economic Development.
Duane Bullard has had a career in community and economic development that includes serving as president/CEO of the Tippah County Development Foundation in Ripley, Mississippi and a development officer for Blue Mountain College. Bullard is a historian and successful small business owner. He graduated from CDI in 2005 and has since served in various leadership roles with the institute. “I love my association with CDI at UCA and all the people associated with it. This program is very instrumental in providing economic and community developers a process that they should follow in order to prepare their communities and people to have a strong positive impact on the local and regional areas they serve,” Bullard said.
As the newly elected president of the Arkansas Community Development Society, Pam Hipp will fill an ex-officio spot on the board. Hipp is a 2008 graduate of CDI, and she has also completed the Advanced Year class. She served as a volunteer and class director, so she brings several different perspectives to this position. Hipp said, “CDI has played such a critical role in my career over the past decade that being afforded a seat on the advisory board feels like some measure of giving back to the program that has truly fueled my own work.”
Rep. Fredrick J. Love has been a strong supporter of CDI during the past several years. From supporting scholarships and participating during CDI, to advising staff on issues related to community and economic development, he has been and will continue to be a strong advocate for CDI and rural community leaders. Love said, “I look forward to providing my knowledge and insight to the CDI staff and to assist with improving the skills of the community and economic developers locally and regionally.”
CDI 2017 will be held July 31 through Aug. 4, 2017 on the campus of UCA in Conway. For more information, visit: uca.edu/CDI or call Shelby Fiegel at 501.450.5269.
The Community Development Institute (CDI) began at the University of Central Arkansas in 1987, with the goal of equipping community leaders and economic development professionals with the tools and strategies they needed to create vibrant, successful communities. Over 30 years later, CDI is still the go-to resource for training. For five days each year, professionals from Arkansas and surrounding states come to CDI for applied training in community and economic development. Attendees are taught practical tools and techniques by experienced practitioners they can take back to their communities to make an immediate difference. The CDI experience is a three-year training program, with one week of training per year.
