LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson has promoted Hunter Ballard, director of operations since 2019, to deputy chief of staff for internal operations. Mr. Ballard has worked for the Governor since 2015.

“From the day we hired Hunter during my first year in office, his commitment to serve the people of Arkansas has been evident,” Governor Hutchinson said. “As he served in his first position as a counselor in constituent services, we saw his leadership potential, so Hunter was a natural fit to move into the role of deputy chief of staff.”

Mr. Ballard, whose first day as deputy chief is May 17, replaces Ateca Foreman, whom the Governor appointed director of the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission.

Mr. Ballard is from Poyen and graduated from Poyen High School in 2008. He is a graduate of Henderson State University, where he earned a bachelor’s in business administration. He started as one of the Governor’s constituent services counselors in August 2015, became deputy director of that department in April 2016 and director in July 2016. He was promoted to director of operations in May 2019.