Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has appointed Len Cotton of Dardanelle to a five-year term on the Arkansas Tech University Board of Trustees.
It is the second appointment to the ATU Board of Trustees for Cotton, who was first appointed to the ATU Board of Trustees by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in 2020. His initial term expired on Jan. 14, 2025. His second term will expire on Jan. 14, 2030.
Cotton graduated from Dardanelle High School in 1963 and enrolled at what was then known as Arkansas Polytechnic College to study agriculture. After completing his two-year degree at Arkansas Tech, Cotton went on to earn his bachelor’s degree and his master’s degree at the University of Arkansas.
Cotton served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and earned the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
He was a member of the committee that helped bring the Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the State Capitol grounds in Little Rock.
Cotton worked for the Arkansas Department of Health for 37 years, including service as district manager for the counties of Johnson, Logan, Pope and Yell from 2001 until the time of his retirement in 2009.
A long-time cattle farmer in Yell County, Cotton has rendered volunteer service as chairman of the American Legion Arkansas Boys State Commission and as a member of the Arkansas Veterans Commission, the Tri-County Regional Water Board, Dardanelle Rotary Club, the Dardanelle Chamber of Commerce, the Yell County Wildlife Federation, the Dardanelle City Youth Baseball Commission and the Dardanelle High School Athletic Booster Club.
Cotton has served as the public address announcer at Dardanelle High School football games for more than 30 years, and he is a lifelong member of Dardanelle Methodist Church.
The ATU Board of Trustees members for 2025 are Bill Clary of Conway (chairman), Stephanie Duffield of Russellville (vice chairman), Cory Cox of Perryville (secretary), Jim Smith of Bentonville and Cotton.
