Mike Ross part of UALR School of Business Advisory Council

LITTLE ROCK – The UA Little Rock School of Business Advisory Council for 2024-25 has well-known Hope-Prescott native Mike Ross as a member.

The School of Business Advisory Council was created to (1) advance the objectives of the School of Business by providing guidance to the Director and the faculty, (2) function as advocates for the University and School in business and government communities, (3) assist the School in the development and solicitation of philanthropic resources, (4) assist the School in the recruitment and placement of students, and (5) provide engaged support and stimulate continuing self-examination.

Mike Ross currently serves as Senior Vice President for External Affairs and Stakeholder Relations for Little Rock based nonprofit Southwest Power Pool (SPP).  As a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission designated regional transmission organization, SPP manages the electric grid for all or part of 17 states, and ensures reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure and competitive wholesale electricity prices.

His responsibilities include leading SPP’s government affairs at the federal level and the 17-state region it serves; and has responsibility for external affairs, stakeholder relations and corporate communications for the company.

Before joining SPP in 2013, Mike served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas’ Fourth Congressional District, including as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Energy Subcommittee. During his 12 years in the congress, Mike was also member of the House Financial Services Committee, House Foreign Affairs Committee, House Agriculture Committee, House Small Business Committee, and House Science and Technology Committee.  He was also elected vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Additionally, Mike spent 10 years in the Arkansas State Senate, owned a family pharmacy and home medical equipment business in Prescott, was a retail sales manager for McKesson Corporation and was a licensed independent insurance agent.  He got his start in politics as the travel aid to then gubernatorial candidate Bill Clinton during his 1982 “comeback” campaign and also served as chief of staff to then Lt. Governor Winston Bryant.

As a fifth generation Arkansan and native of Hope and Prescott, Mike is a graduate of Hope High School and earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, working his way through college as a radio announcer for KXAR in Hope.