Brandi Hinkle joins AEDC as director of communications
by October 26, 2017 1:54 pm 469 views
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) announced Thursday (Oct. 26) the hiring of Brandi Hinkle as director of communications. She replaces Scott Hardin, who accepted a communications position with the Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration earlier this year.
Hinkle will begin the job Oct. 30. According to an AEDC news release, she specializes in media and community relations and has an extensive background in public relations. She most recently was the deputy chief of communications at the Arkansas Department of Human Services.
As director of communications, she will be responsible for the agency’s public relations activities, including job-creation announcements, and managing AEDC’s public relations contract with CJRW.
“Brandi will be a tremendous asset to the AEDC team as we continue to build on recent momentum involving job creation,” AEDC executive vice president of marketing and communications Jeff Moore said in a news release. “Her expertise in media and public relations will help us to continue getting our message out to the world that Arkansas is a great place for business.”
In addition, Hinkle has worked at Arkansas State University-Beebe and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. As an account executive at CJRW, her clients included the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, Springdale Chamber of Commerce, and several businesses in Eureka Springs including The Great Passion Play. She was on the Pulitzer Prize-nominated staff of The Jonesboro Sun when the paper was recognized for its coverage of the shootings at Westside Middle School in 1998.
“I’m looking forward to working with industry, education and workforce training leaders across the state to grow business and share the good news of opportunities and economic development that improve the quality of life for all Arkansans,” Hinkle said in a statement.
A native of Judsonia, Hinkle is accredited in public relations and holds a master’s degree in business administration from Arkansas State University. She is an adjunct instructor of business law at ASU-Beebe and has volunteered with Economics Arkansas and Pulaski County Youth Services YOUTHonomics.
She is a past president of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Arkansas Chapter and Phi Mu Fraternity Central Arkansas Alumnae Chapter and has served several years on the Arkansas State University Alumni Association board of directors.