Jason Sullivan of Mena has been appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the Southern Arkansas University System Board of Trustees. He replaces outgoing board member Therral Story of Magnolia. The announcement was made at the recent meeting of the Board of Trustees on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022.
Jason Sullivan
Sullivan is senior vice president of lending at the Union Bank of Mena. He most recently served on the SAU Foundation Board of Governors. Sullivan graduated from Wickes High School in 1990 and played Mulerider basketball as a student at SAU. He graduated with a BSE in December 1994. Sullivan began his career as a high school basketball coach in 1995, coaching for more than seven years in the Mena School District. He then spent the next four years coaching at Alma High School. He returned to Mena to coach at the high school from 2004-2008.
In 2008, Sullivan transitioned from coaching to banking as he went to work as a loan officer for the Union Bank of Mena. “We are a small community bank,” he said. “We know our customers and are always ready to meet their needs, especially in the area of agriculture.” Sullivan is a member of the Lions Club and serves on the Christ Community Fellowship finance committee, where he and his family are members.
Sullivan and his wife, Teddi, have three children: Jackson, Sarah, and Jake. Teddi is the office manager of Christ Community Fellowship. Jackson is a 2021 graduate from the University of Arkansas and works for RMRJ Assets as a salesman. Sarah is a sophomore at Acorn High School, where she is active in FFA. Jake is a first-grader in Mena. “Like most husbands and dads, I am proud of my family,” Sullivan said.
In his free time, he and his family manage a cow/calf operation in Wickes. “We bale a lot of hay in the summer and keep the fences patched,” Sullivan said.
In the past six years, Sullivan has become more involved with SAU, helping and supporting the Love and Loyalty Campaign that launched in 2016 and completed with great success in 2021. “The progress the University has made regarding student enrollment, facilities, and student enrichment has been remarkable,” Sullivan said. “I feel it will be a privilege to serve on the Board of Trustees.”
Sullivan’s term will expire on Jan. 14, 2027.
