ACHE names new chief operating officer

Les Smith is the new chief operating officer at Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE). ACHE officials announced Smith’s promotion Wednesday (Jan. 27).

He will oversee operations of the existing buildings on the ACHE campus, including the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM), the College of Health Sciences, and the Village at Heritage.

In addition, he will manage the renovations at the newly acquired ACHE Research Institute Health & Wellness Center, which will be housed in the former Golden Living headquarters in Fort Smith.

Smith, who previously served as the chief business strategy officer at the colleges, also will manage the financial operations at ACHE. Smith will continue his work under CEO Kyle Parker to expand vision, finance, and business opportunities for the growth of ACHE on and off campus.

ACHE has a third, multi-use residential and retail building in the planning stages at the Village at Heritage.  The Village’s existing retailers include: Carrot Dirt, Heritage Pizza Parlour, Vargas Fruteria, Card and Cloth, Mr. Rob’s Dry Cleaners, Heritage Group Real Estate, Parker Chiropractic & Wellness, Las Americas Restaurant, and Chasen Garrett Architects, PLLC.

Celebration Garden and Wellness Park, a six-acre park that will feature walking trails, children’s playground, adult fitness equipment, and a meditation garden, is also under construction and expected to be completed late this summer, according to ACHE.