ARA Adds Three Powerful Voices for Research to Its Board of Trustees

Little Rock, AR  8/2025 – The Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) announced today the addition of three new members to the organization’s  Board of Trustees: Dr. Anthony Graham, Chancellor, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB); Phillip Poston, Chief Development Officer, Hytrol Conveyors; and Jamie Pafford-Gresham, President and CEO, Pafford Medical Services.

“Building a more competitive Arkansas is a team sport,” said Bryan J. Barnhouse, President and CEO of ARA. “We welcome these truly exceptional leaders to ARA’s Board and their embrace of our model that invests in the power of human ingenuity to conduct industry-facing research and grow the economy.”

Dr. Anthony Graham serves as Chancellor for UAPB. Prior to his appointment at UAPB, Dr. Graham served as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Interim Chancellor at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. Before these appointments, he was Dean of the College of Education and a tenured Full Professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where he advanced initiatives to increase teacher diversity and expand community engagement.

“As Chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, an 1890 land-grant institution, I deeply value the role of research in transforming lives and communities,” said Dr. Graham. “The Arkansas Research Alliance is a powerful catalyst for innovation in the Natural State, and I am honored to join its Board of Trustees to help advance research that matters for Arkansas’s future.”

Phillip Poston, Chief Development Officer for Hytrol Conveyors headquartered in Jonesboro, led the launch of Hytrol’s Fort Smith production facility, directed the development of the company’s mission, vision, and core values, established Hytrol’s digital marketing presence, and led the marketing efforts for the current branding standards.

“I’m honored to join the Arkansas Research Alliance Board of Trustees,” said Mr. Poston. “At Hytrol, we’re passionate about research-driven innovation that advances our industry. I look forward to helping Arkansas continue to lead the way in developing solutions that shape the future of industry.”

Jamie Pafford-Gresham is President and CEO of Pafford Medical Services, an emergency medical services (EMS) company known for its disaster response capabilities. The company operates in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands. Jamie oversees the collective fulfillment of her company’s vision, mission and core values. She also ensures the financial and operational effectiveness of the company’s ground and fixed-wing ambulance operations in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Arkansas.

“The Arkansas Research Alliance plays a pivotal role in advancing ideas that change lives in our state and beyond,” said Ms. Pafford-Gresham. “I’m honored to join the Board and look forward to contributing to the mission of ARA from the lens of the rural healthcare provider.”

ARA, which was recently awarded $8 million in NSF EPSCoR funding, is a non-profit organization tasked with creating positive economic and social impact by fostering strong collaboration between the research community and industry. The ARA Board of Trustees includes leading  institutions from the academic and private sectors, bringing to bear a productive intersection where research and commerce meet.

“Our Board of Trustees is our greatest voice for research,” said Mr. Barnhouse. “Our three new members strengthen what we believe is the best Board in Arkansas.”

About Arkansas Research Alliance

Founded in 2008, Arkansas Research Alliance is dedicated to elevating a fundamental belief: Research Matters. Operating as a public-private partnership, ARA invests in research that stimulates innovation, encourages collaboration, and strengthens economic opportunity.

The ARA Board of Trustees

Ritter Arnold (Chair), Ritter Farms

Charles Nabholz (Treasurer), The Nabholz Group

Dr. Anthony Graham, UAPB

Dr. Todd Shields, Arkansas State University

Dr. Christy Drale, UA Little Rock

Dr. Deacue Fields, UA System Division of Agriculture

Dr. Charles Robinson, University of Arkansas

Chris Barber, St. Bernards Healthcare

Curtis Barnett, Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield

Dan Brown, Big River Steel

Marty Casteel, Simmons Bank

Chris Hart, Central Moloney, Inc.

Sonja Hubbard, The Yates Group

Jerry Jones, LiveRamp

Laura Landreaux, Entergy Arkansas

Judy McReynolds, ArcBest

Jamie Pafford-Gresham, Pafford Medical Services

Phillip Poston, Hytrol Conveyors

Mike Ross, Southwest Power Pool

Reynie Rutledge, First Security Bank

Chase Selby, CTEH

Andrea Shoppach, Walmart

Michael Verdesca, Murphy USA, Inc.