Tennille named interim AEDC director

Grant Tennille, the deputy chief of staff for Gov. Mike Beebe, has been named interim director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

Maria Haley, the former executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, died Sept. 13 from a brain aneurysm she suffered Sept. 9. She was 70.

Beebe said Sept. 23 he was not in “panic mode” to replace Haley because he wanted to find the right fit.

"I want to find the right person that can carry on in the tradition of what Maria was doing," Beebe said in an interview with Talk Business. "She wasn’t afraid to compete with anybody. She created a culture that let people do what people do best."

According to the statement from Beebe’s office, Tennille will retain some of his deputy chief of staff duties. Beebe Spokesman Matt DeCample said Tennille is "interim only," and "not a candidate for the permanent spot."

"Grant has worked closely with the staff at AEDC for years, and has provided vital support for the agency after the sudden death of Maria Haley," Beebe said in the statement. "He will continue the agency’s aggressive agenda of job creation and industry support while we search for a new executive director."

Tennille, 42, joined Beebe’s staff in the fall of 2007 as interim communications director. He has also been Beebe’s liaison for economic development issues for the past 15 months, and was part of the Arkansas economic development delegation that visited Europe in 2009.