Welcome to Arkansas State University!

News Article

Aflac Endows Scholarship to College of Business Sales Center

11/23/2015

JONESBORO – Aflac (The American Family Life Assurance Company) has entered into a corporate partnership with Arkansas State University with a $25,000 scholarship endowment to the R.M. “Bob” Wood Sales Leadership Center in the College of Business. The permanent scholarship is titled the “Aflac Sales Leadership Scholarship.”
 
Aflac Endowment
(from left) Dr. Jason Penry, vice chancellor for Advancement at A-State; Dr. Shane Hunt, dean of the College of Business; Eddie Martina, market director for Aflac Arkansas; Brad Eldred, Aflac regional sales coordinator and David McClain, A-State executive director of Development.


“I am extraordinarily thankful for the generous commitment Aflac has made to our sales program,” said Dr. Shane Hunt, dean of the College of Business. “Aflac is an outstanding organization that shares our commitment to teaching, mentoring and preparing the next generation of great salespeople here at the R.M. “Bob” Wood Sales Leadership Center.
 
“We are very proud to have Aflac as a partner.  This gift will create a new scholarship in the company’s name for our sales students, and Aflac is committed to helping our students develop their professional skills as they prepare to compete in national university sales competitions in 2016.”
 
Hunt explained that the partnership between A-State and Aflac grew from several meetings between Aflac executives in Little Rock and throughout the country and Hunt, Vice Chancellor for Advancement Jason Penry and Executive Director of Development David McClain.
 
“Through those discussions, we saw we shared a common desire to develop one of the best sales programs in the country and help our students achieve their professional goals,” continued Hunt. “We are extremely thankful to have one of the largest and most admired companies in the country as a partner with the A-State College of Business.”
 
Aflac, founded in 1955 by brothers John, Paul and William Amos in Columbus, Ga., is considered to be the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States. 
 
The sales leadership center provides students an innovative, university-level sales training experience, utilizing curriculum and access to business leaders through lectures and mentoring, all necessary to help in their careers. To further benefit the state’s business interests, the center’s lab space is open to the general business community as well as all students at Arkansas State.
 
“Aflac is an organization made up of great salespeople and we are very fortunate that our students will get to interact, work on projects, and learn from leading members of the Aflac team.  This is a truly great partnership for our students and the A-State College of Business and we are all excited for the bright future we can build together,” Hunt concluded.