Dr. Wesley Stites

Commissioner Stites was appointed to the Commission in 2015 to represent District 3 and his term expires in 2019.

Commissioner Stites was born in Ponca City, OK, but spent most of his youth in Canon City, CO. He is a Professor of Biochemistry and the Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Arkansas (U of A). He graduated from Johns Hopkins University with bachelor and master degrees in chemistry. He was awarded a PhD in biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since joining the U of A faculty in 1991, Commissioner Stites has taught at every level from large introductory chemistry and sophomore organic chemistry up to graduate level organic and biochemistry. He has served as the lead faculty member supervising the renovation of the U of A’s historic Chemistry Building. He has been a volunteer and consultant for the Army Science Board and was appointed and served on the Pine Bluff Arsenal Citizen’s Advisory Committee. Commissioner Stites has received numerous awards during his career including the U of A’s Arkansas Teaching Academy Outstanding Undergraduate Mentor Award and the 1991 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Award for Postdoctoral Basic Science Investigation.