Arkansas Lottery News

The Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK—A former employee of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation has been tapped to be the Arkansas Lottery’s minority and diversity business enterprise manager.

Ivan Hudson began working for the Arkansas Lottery Wednesday, said Ernestine Middleton, the Arkansas Lottery’s vice president of administration. He was among 12 to 15 applicants interviewed for the position, Middleton said Friday.

Hudson will receive an annual salary of $65,000, lottery officials said.

Last month, Arkansas Lottery officials told the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee that contracting with businesses owned and operated by minorities is a priority.

State Sen. Tracy Steele praised the Arkansas lottery’s choice of Hudson. But he also criticized the time it took to fill the position, arguing that it showed the lottery’s lack of commitment to contracting with minority-owned businesses.

“It’s like dividing up a pie and letting minority businesses have the crumbs,” Steele, D-North Little Rock, said.

Middleton declined to comment on Steele’s remarks.

Hudson had worked for the Rockefeller philanthropic organization as a program associate since December. He also has been coordinator of minority and women business development for the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, and serves on Gov. Mike Beebe’s Minority Business Advisory Council.

State Rep. Darrin Williams, D-Little Rock, said he doesn’t know if Hudson’s hiring can be tied to the Arkansas Lottery’s commitment to contract with minority-owned businesses. Williams, a member of the Arkansas Lottery oversight panel, said he’ll wait to see the lottery’s report on what is being done about the issue.