Historian, SAU president appointed chancellor at Henderson State University

Trey Berry, a historian and the current Southern Arkansas University president, was appointed Wednesday to begin leading Henderson State University next year.

Arkansas State University System President Chuck Welch tapped Berry to start as Henderson State’s chancellor on Jan. 1.

Henderson State merged into the ASU System in 2021 after financial mismanagement left the school with budget and cash shortfalls in 2019.

Berry, who began his career in academia as a history professor, has been SAU’s president since 2015. There, he oversaw the institution’s largest-ever fundraising campaign and a 24% enrollment increase.

At HSU, he’ll succeed Bob Fisher, who was the school’s interim chancellor.

Berry is an Arkadelphia native, and his father was the head football coach, baseball coach and a kinesiology professor at Henderson.

“Trey Berry brings so many positive qualities to Henderson – from significant higher education leadership experience to his history with and love for the university and his hometown of Arkadelphia,” Welch said in a statement. “His decision to return home and join Henderson is such a vote of confidence in the faculty, staff and students. He will be a critical part of Henderson’s return to success and growth.”