About Us

The White River Planning and Development District, Inc. (WRPDD) is a private, non-profit organization recognized by the Arkansas Legislature in 1967 to stimulate economic and community growth within a ten county area in north central Arkansas. One of eight economic development districts in the state, WRPDD was established to efficiently utilize scarce economic resources across a multi-county region, and to provide a better standard of living through coordinated economic planning and development. WRPDD serves the counties of Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Sharp, Stone, Van Buren, White and Woodruff.

The primary mission of WRPDD is to assist local government through strategic planning for sustainable economic and community development and to provide assistance in obtaining and administering state and federal funding to make those plans become reality.

As a part of that mission, WRPDD also works as a community partner with existing and potential new businesses and industries toward the development of new and expanded operations in our area of Arkansas.

The realization of responsible planning and development efforts positively affect communities in the following ways:

  • Reduction of unemployment and underemployment.
  • Increased availability of higher paying jobs.
  • Improved education opportunities.
  • Increased per capita and family incomes.
  • Overall improvements in quality of life.

To contact WRPDD or to view a map of our location, please use the information or contact form on our contact us page.

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Governing Board

White River Planning and Development District, Inc. is governed by a thirty-three member Board of Directors consisting of local elected officials, business representatives and private citizens. Each of our ten counties is represented by three Board members. Two counties also have minority board members and one District Board member serves at large.

Board membership for 2010 is as follows:

*Judge Claude Dill, Cleburne County, President
Judge Charles Willett, Fulton County
*Judge Robert Griffin, Independence County
*Judge David Sherrell, Izard County
Judge Jeff Phillips, Jackson County
*Judge Larry Brown, Sharp County
*Judge Stacey Avey, Stone County, 1st Vice-President
*Judge Roger Hooper, Van Buren County
Judge Michael Lincoln, White County
*Judge Charles Dallas, Woodruff County
Mr. Jim Kelley, Augusta
Mr. Richard White, Augusta
Mr. Sonny Blackwell, Bald Knob
Mr. Woody Castleberry, Batesville
Mayor Rick Elumbaugh, Batesville
Mr. Larry Goodwin, Batesville
Mayor Roger Rorie, Clinton
Ms. Mary Hohn, Diaz
Mr. Rawlins Collerain, Fairfield Bay
Mr. Garry Lawrence, Hardy
Mr. Jim Jackson, Heber Springs
Mayor Jackie McPherson, Heber Springs
*Mr. Dennis Wiles, Horseshoe Bend
Mr. John E. Miller, Melbourne
Rep. Tommy Wren, Melbourne
Mr. Edwin Luther, Mountain View
*Mayor David Stewart, Newport, 2nd Vice-President
Mr. Nick Coleman, Salem
Mr. Curren Everett, Salem
Mayor David Morris, Searcy
Jackson County Vacancy
Stone County Vacancy
Woodruff County Vancancy 

*Denotes Executive Board Member