Indian American appointed to Arkansas District Export Council

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Indian American Ashvin Vibhakar along with 14 other members have been appointed to the Arkansas District Export Council by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, according to a press release.

“The Arkansas District Export Council engages a group of individuals who are familiar with exporting and doing business in other countries. The goal is for state businesses, especially small businesses, to become familiar with how to expand their businesses globally as well as teach them about the resources that exist in the state, especially at the Arkansas U.S. Export Assistance Center,” Vibhakar, the Joe T. Ford Chair of Finance at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, said in a statement.

Vibhakar added that he is looking forward this opportunity so he can help small businesses expand into the international market.

Vibhakar holds a bachelor’s degree from M.S. University in Baroda, India, an M.B.A. from Central Missouri State University and a doctorate from the University of Arkansas.

Vibhakar came joined the university as an assistant professor of finance in 1981 and left his position as the director of the Institute for Economic Advancement 27 years later to pursue a career at Charter Financial Analyst Institute in Hong Kong where he was the managing director of the Asia Pacific region and conducted business in 54 countries.

He then returned to the university to assume his current position in 2015.

Vibhakar is currently the chair of the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission and has also served on the Governor’s Economic Advisory Council, the Arkansas Promise steering committee, the CFA Institute Board of Governors, was a member of the board of directors of Arvest Bank, currently serves on Arvest Group audit committee and is a past president of the Association of University Bureaus of Economic Research.

The Arkansas District Export Council is a private, nonprofit organization, whose members are appointed for four-year terms by the secretary of commerce and brings together experienced international business people who provide support, advice and assistance to Arkansas companies interested in entering into or expanding into international markets, the press release stated.