Allen Weatherly, Executive Director of the Arkansas Educational Television Network and the AETN Foundation, has been named the Scottish Rite Citizen of the Year in Arkansas by the Arkansas Scottish Rite Freemasons.

The award was presented in recognition of Weatherly’s outstanding community service, his dedication to his church and his dedication to the broadcast industry both in the state and throughout the nation.

"To say I am honored by this recognition is an understatement," Weatherly said. "The work Scottish Rite does is outstanding in Arkansas, and I am proud they see our activities at AETN as a valuable service to our state.

"The award was given to me, but I choose to believe it was for the exceptional men and women who make AETN such a great place to work."

Weatherly has been with AETN since 1993, serving seven years as deputy director before taking his current position in January 2001. He has worked in public television for 28 years. He is a member of the PBS Board of Directors and national co-chairman of the Organization of State Broadcast Executives.

During his tenure, AETN has expanded education services to include free videostreamed lessons and video to every school in the state, as well as a comprehensive professional development Web site (Arkansas IDEAS) and training program available to Arkansas teachers and funded by the Arkansas Department of Education. For this service, AETN received the prestigious EDGE award for innovative use of technology in education from the Association of Public Television Stations.

Under Weatherly’s leadership, AETN has expanded network production and created an innovative Web-based World War II oral history archive for Arkansas, recently taking 47 Arkansas World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., for a "Tribute Tour." The network has made the transition to six digital transmitters, in addition to the original five analog transmitters, and now delivers four distinct digital channels, as well as the analog AETN service, and is extending its high-definition capabilities.

Weatherly is also involved in national leadership positions with the National Educational Telecommunications Association (vice chair/chair-elect) and the Affinity Group Coalition, a policy advisory group made up of public media leaders from across the nation. He has also long been active with PBS, the Association of Public Television Stations and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Prior to AETN, Weatherly worked with Ozarks Public Television in Springfield, Mo., from 1980 to 1993 – progressing from development associate to senior vice president/director of broadcasting. In Arkansas, he serves on the Governor’s Cabinet and is a board member of the Arkansas Leadership Academy. He serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Arkansas and teaches a broadcast management course each semester.

A former newspaper columnist in Missouri and Arkansas, Weatherly is a graduate of Missouri State University with a degree in history.

The Arkansas Educational Television Network (www.aetn.org) provides lifelong learning opportunities, improves and enhances Arkansans’ lives and celebrates the unique culture of Arkansas through its programming and services. AETN’s digital and analog transmitters and numerous cable system connections give it statewide reach.