Jimmy Bryant was named by former secretary Stacy Hurst as the director of Arkansas Heritage in 2019. He oversees the Old State House Museum, Delta Cultural Center, Historic Arkansas Museum, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Arkansas State Archives, Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.  Before coming to Arkansas Heritage, Bryant was the director of Archives at the University of Central Arkansas. Bryant has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in history from the University of Central Arkansas. He is a certified archivist and author of “The Centennial History of the University of Central Arkansas” published in 2008.  Bryant has served on several boards including the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging,  Faulkner County Council on Aging and the Arkansas History Commission.