Central Arkansas Water Hires Heide Harrell, APR, Director of Communications
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (January 11, 2024) – Central Arkansas Water (CAW), the state’s largest water utility, announced today that Heide Harrell, APR, has joined as the Director of Communications. She brings more than 20 years of industry experience and will be responsible for overseeing all internal and external communications efforts for the organization.
“Heide is an award-winning and growth-focused executive leader with a rich background in achieving exceptional results in all facets of communications,” said Chief Executive Officer Tad Bohannon. “Her expertise will help us elevate Central Arkansas Water in the minds of all our stakeholders, and we are excited to have her as a part of the team.”
Prior to joining CAW, Harrell was Vice President and Director of Communications for the Private Wealth Management division at Stephens. Additionally, she served as Director of Marketing and Business Development at Rose Law Firm, the oldest law firm west of the Mississippi, as well as nearly eight years working for two of the State’s top advertising agencies.
She earned a Bachelor of Speech Communications from the University of Central Arkansas and a Master’s in Applied Communication Studies from UA Little Rock.
Harrell has the designation of Accredited in Public Relations (APR) by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and is a past president of the Arkansas Chapter of PRSA. In 2023, Harrell was awarded the Crystal Award, the highest award presented by the chapter’s Past Presidents Council, recognizing significant and continuous contributions to both the public relations profession and PRSA. She most recently completed a four-year term on the PRSA National Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce Leadership Greater Little Rock program (Class XXIX), the 2021 Arkansas Business Executive Leadership Academy, and served as the 2023 president of the UA Little Rock Alumni Association. In 2020, Harrell was selected as an honoree in the 27th class of Arkansas Business 40 Under 40.
About Central Arkansas Water
Central Arkansas Water is the largest water utility in Arkansas, serving more than 450,000 people in eight counties. CAW is committed to protecting public health and increasing the quality of life of our customers by delivering high-quality, affordable, abundant, dependable water services.