The Arkansas Waterways Commission (AWC) has named a new chairman.
Phyllis Harden has been appointed by the commission to the role. Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston announced that Harden will be replacing outgoing chairman Marty Shell.
Harden will be the first female chairman of the commission, in addition to being the first female member of the Arkansas Waterways Commission.
“When I appointed Phyllis Harden to the Waterways Commission, I knew that her decades of experience in the industry would be an asset to the State of Arkansas,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a statement. “I could not be more pleased that the commission has recognized her contributions and put their trust in her to lead their efforts in promoting and protecting our navigable waterways.”
As the new chairman, Harden will head up the agency “responsible for developing, promoting and protecting waterborne transportation in Arkansas,” according to the AWC website. The AWC also promotes economic development for the ports on the Arkansas, Mississippi, Ouachita, Red and White rivers.
In addition to her work for the AWC, Harden also heads up legislative and special projects for Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel Company, a family-owned business. She is on the board of the Mississippi Valley AGC and the Dredging Contractors of America, as well as on the executive committee and board of directors of the National Waterways Conference.
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