Gov. Asa Hutchinson has appointed Eric Burnett of Fort Smith to the Arkansas Tech University Board of Trustees.
Burnett will serve a five-year term through Jan. 14, 2022. He will succeed John Ed Chambers III of Danville, who was chairman of the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees in 2016. Chambers served on the board from 1994-99 and from 2007-17.
This will mark Burnett’s second term on the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees. He was a member of the board from January 2011-January 2016 and was chairman of the board in 2015.
Burnett is the head boys’ basketball coach at Fort Smith Northside High School. He was named to that position in April 2010 after spending the previous five seasons in the same role at Springdale Har-Ber High School. Burnett also has four years of experience as the head boys’ basketball coach at Fort Smith Southside High School.
A 1994 graduate of Arkansas Tech, Burnett earned four letters as a member of the Wonder Boys basketball team.
Burnett is Arkansas Tech’s all-time leader in 3-point field goals made (354). He also ranks among the Wonder Boys’ career leaders in scoring (6th, 1,981 points), rebounding (5th, 775), free throws made (7th, 397), assists (8th, 343), steals (T-8th, 150) and field goals made (10th, 615).
He was named an NAIA All-American in 1993 and he was a two-time All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference selection. The Wonder Boys won 83 games and the 1993 AIC title during Burnett’s career.
Burnett and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters.
Returning members of the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees for 2017 are Charles Blanchard of Russellville, Tom Kennedy of Little Rock, Fritz Kronberger of Russellville and Leigh Whiteside of Russellville.
The board will elect officers for 2017 during its first meeting of the new year on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
