JONESBORO, Ark. (2/14/25) – The Arkansas State Athletics Department is proud to recognize that Arkansas State University alumnus and former football letterman Johnny Allison, one of the Red Wolves' most steadfast supporters of all-time, was officially inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Friday evening at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.
 
Allison, along with three other highly-respected members of the 2025 class, was honored at the induction ceremony for his significant impact as a business leader, commitment to community improvement and demonstration of ethical business practices.
 
"This recognition is a testament to Johnny Allison's incredible achievements," said A-State Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Jeff Purinton.  "He certainly deserves to be included in the prestigious Arkansas Business Hall of Fame for his remarkable success and accomplishments.  We are extremely grateful for his unwavering support of Arkansas State University and particularly our football program.  Because of his generosity, we continue to have success on the field and are proud to have a first-class stadium, field and operations center."
 
The founder, chairman and CEO of Home BancShares, Allison played on the 1968 A-State football team, served on the Arkansas State University Board of Trustees from 1979-84 and was named an Arkansas State University Distinguished Alumni in 1998.  He was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from his alma mater in the spring of 2020.
 
Over the last 11 years, Allison is responsible for two $5 million gifts to the Red Wolves Foundation that each represent the largest individual donations ever to A-State Athletics.  His contributions to A-State Athletics far exceed the two historic gifts, which have both helped transform Centennial Bank Stadium into one of the finest and most unique football facilities in the country.
 
Along with an additional $5 million donation by Centennial Bank, the first of his two personal $5 million gifts was used in conjunction with A-State's 2014 "Centennial Expansion" project that included new construction and renovations to the stadium's press box and concourse-level amenities.  The press box now bears the name "Johnny Allison Tower."
 
In 2017, the Arkansas State University Board of Trustees voted to name A-State's football field "Allison Field" and its state-of-the-art north end zone facility (construction completed in 2019) "Centennial Bank Athletics Operations Center" in recognition of a combined $10 million from the Allison family and Centennial Bank to the Red Wolves Foundation.
 
"On behalf of our entire Arkansas State University football family, we want to congratulate Johnny Allison on this well-deserved and prestigious honor," said A-State head football coach Butch Jones.  "A true leader and visionary, his profound impact on not only our football program, but the entire state of Arkansas is immeasurable.  We're extremely grateful for his tremendous commitment to our football program and university as a whole."
 
Home BancShares, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Conway, Ark.  Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank, provides a broad range of commercial and retail banking plus related financial services to businesses, real estate developers, investors, individuals and municipalities.  Centennial Bank has branch locations in Arkansas, Florida, South Alabama, Texas and New York City.