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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The former director of sales at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery was fired Monday, according to documents released by the organization.
In an interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/1RW5ILk ), lottery director Bishop Woosley said Robert Stebbins had been given the option to resign on Monday. Woosley declined to elaborate on why Stebbins was fired, saying his organization does not comment on "personnel matters."
In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the newspaper on Thursday received a copy of a letter dated Monday that confirmed Stebbins firing on Monday. The Arkansas Lottery did not release any records detailing the reason for Stebbins' termination.
When contacted, Stebbins declined to comment on his firing.
He had joined the organization months before the lottery's official launch. Sales climbed early on and peaked in fiscal 2012, when the lottery generated $97.5 million for scholarships for Arkansas college students. Since then, sales and money for scholarships have fallen for three straight years. Fiscal 2015 proceeds are projected to fall to $74.3 million.
Stebbins' salary in the job was $98,187.23. In addition, he received multiple performance bonuses during his tenure, even in years when sales were down.
Mitch Chandler has been hired to fill the sales director position. Chandler previously worked in various sales and marketing jobs in Arkansas, and was chief operating officer for the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.
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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com
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