Maximizing with Michelle: Clint Arnold, CEO, Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action, Inc. (KISRA)

Clinton Arnold is the CEO of KISRA, Inc. This nonprofit organization provides life, business, affordable housing, mental health, and coaching programs for the recovery, transitioning, and youth populations throughout West Virginia. He is also a West Virginia State University professor, teaching entrepreneurship, marketing, and business operations courses.

 

Clinton is a former business owner and telecommunications professional. He spent 25 years with Verizon Communications Inc. before retiring in 2013 as a director, where he led teams in sales, product marketing, product development, training, channel sales, customer marketing, and operations and communications, earned multiple President’s Leadership awards, as well as Platinum, Presidents and Diamond Club awards for sales and operations excellence.

 

Additionally, after serving faithfully in churches since his youth, he answered a call to serve as an Executive Pastor. He was licensed as an Executive Pastor in 2014 and is a certified Faith Based Counselor specializing in marriage and relationships.

 

The foundation of his experience is education, training, and life. He has a BA in Communications from the University of Kentucky, where he was the baseball team co-captain his senior year. He was also a four-year letterman and All-SEC performer for the baseball team from 1982-1986. He earned an MBA from the University of Charleston and graduated from the University of Maryland Executive Leadership Program, and the Center for Creative Leadership in San Diego, CA. He has completed the first year of the Doctorate in Business Administration program at Marshall University. He expects to defend his dissertation in the Spring of 2025.

 

He has been married to Trina, a retired teacher, and UK graduate, for 37 years, and they have two grown children and five grandchildren.