University of Arkansas Cossatot has commemorated over one million dollars of educational support and over 15 years of partnership with Domtar Mill in Ashdown by renaming the Workforce Education Center on the Little River campus to Domtar Center for Workforce Excellence.

The workforce center in Ashdown has been the site of extensive industry training and testing financed largely by the generosity of Domtar industries.

UA Cossatot hosted a renaming reception on its Ashdown campus on October 27 to unveil signage and offer an opportunity for local and state officials, Domtar and UA Cossatot leadership to meet.

In attendance was University of Arkansas System President Don Bobbitt. He said, “It is partnerships like these that will be vital to the well-being of higher education in the future.”

Domtar General Manager Bob Grygotis shared that the investment of time and money into UA Cossatot has been a huge factor in the improvement and continual growth of the workforce benefitting all of Little River County, not just Domtar.

Also in attendance were UA Cossatot Chancellor Steve Cole and UA Cossatot staff, Susan Bobbitt, Little River County Judge Mike Cranford, Domtar Manager of Communications and Government Relations Tammy Waters, Domtar Operations Manager Steve Smith, Domtar Human Resource Manager Mark Campbell, Domtar Training and Development Manager Jimmy Ivers, Domtar Safety Manager Jason Young, Senator Barbara Horn, Arkansas Community Colleges Director of the Center for Workforce Kyla Waters and Ashdown School District Superintendent Jason Sanders.