Raymond Long named CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas
by August 7, 2021 6:58 pm 1,403 views
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas (BBBSCA) named Raymond Omar Long to lead the organization as its new Chief Executive Officer.
“I, along with the entire BBBSCA Board of Directors, am thrilled that we were able to hire a dynamic leader such as Raymond, who has both non-profit and private sector experience. We are confident that he is poised to take Big Brothers Big Sisters to new heights, serving more kids throughout Central Arkansas,” said Debbie Knight, BBBSCA Board Chair.
A native of Little Rock, Long received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Philander Smith College and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXV.
He comes to BBBSCA from the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce where he served as Director of Business Retention and Expansion. Prior to that, he was the Director of Programs and Operations at the Urban League of Arkansas.
Long also founded and served three years as CEO of the Better Start Foundation, a youth development nonprofit that combined mentoring with 21st century youth leadership initiatives.
Long is an active member of the Rotary Club of West Little Rock and the Pi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Additionally, he was recently appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to a term on the Arkansas Juvenile Justice Coalition.
He brings a unique perspective to the CEO position having previously served as a BBBSCA board member.
“I know firsthand what it’s like to grow up with worries and distractions that negatively impacted my ability to focus and believe that I could reach my full potential. This is why I’m excited about this opportunity to lead the oldest and premier youth mentoring organization in Central Arkansas,” Long said.
“A Bolder, Better, and Bigger BBBSCA is an asset for our community because as we produce better outcomes for our ‘littles’ year after year, we expand the agency’s capacity to ignite promise within our young people and hopefully change the trajectory of their lives,” he added.