Bill Johnson, who has been the Voice of the University of Central Arkansas Bears for the last 40 years, will retire from broadcasting to devote all of his energy to his new position with the UCA Athletic Department.
Johnson joined the department on March 1 and has been working on athletic development and advancement, in addition to serving as an ambassador to UCA’s Purple Circle during football games.
“To say that Bill Johnson is a legend is an understatement,” said UCA President Lu Hardin. “Very few play-by-play broadcasters in the history of the NCAA have served for over 40 years, and Bill has served with distinction. There is absolutely no one who loves the UCA Bears more than Bill Johnson, and I am excited to have him in this new capacity.”
“Bill Johnson is an icon,” added UCA Athletic Director Brad Teague. “During my time at UCA, Bill Johnson and I have formed a productive working relationship, and I am excited about utilizing his extraordinary community and institutional knowledge for the benefit of the UCA Athletic Department.”
Hardin plans to ask the UCA Board of Trustees to name the broadcast booth in UCA’s Estes Stadium in Johnson’s honor.
“I have great satisfaction in being able to have had a 50-year career in broadcasting, even though I was in banking full time for 30 of those years,” Johnson said. “Much of the satisfaction is derived from faithful listeners, many known and hundreds unknown, who have followed athletic teams over the years. I am especially in debt to the many who have worked with me at various times without monetary compensation, including Monty Rowell, the late Frank Hamling, Bobby Tiner, Jim Schneider and Woody Cummins. They made the broadcasts successful from a total of 23 states. I also need to thank an understanding spouse and family.”
Johnson served on the UCA Board of Trustees from 1970 to 1984, and he has been a member of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education Coordinating Board for the last ten years, including the period when Hardin was director of the state Department of Higher Education. He was president and CEO of Security Bank of Conway from 1977 to 1996, and then was president of First Financial Bank of Conway through its 2000 merger with Simmons First National Bank, where he served as president until the end of 2006. He is a graduate of UCA and was inducted into the UCA Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
