Facilities Division gets new director
Charles Stein was named director of the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation by the three-member Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation Commission in a specially-called meeting at the Arkansas Department of Education on Thursday. Stein, who has served as the division’s assistant director since August 2005, replaces Doug Eaton, director of the division since December 2005. Eaton is retiring from the division effective July 30.
“We feel like Dr. Stein has the experience, knowledge and relationships with people in the school districts to take the division to the next level,” said Arkansas Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell, who also serves as chairman of the facilities commission. The other commissioners are Richard Weiss, director of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, and Mac Dodson, president of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. “We saw no point in delaying when we had the right person who could make that happen immediately.”
Before coming to the division, Stein worked for 34 years with the U.S. Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, serving as deputy chief of both the operations division and the engineering and construction division during his tenure there. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Arkansas, a master’s degree in water resources planning from Colorado State University and a doctorate in engineering management from Southern Methodist University.
Stein is married to Mary Kathryn Stein. They have five children and four grandchildren.
“The five years I’ve worked for the division have flown by as the state developed its facilities program,” Stein said after the vote to hire him. “Much has been accomplished during that time, and I look forward to working with and supporting superintendents and their facilities personnel as we continue to build and improve school buildings for our students.”
Posted by JJT.
