After serving since January as the deputy communications officer for the City of Hattiesburg, John Austin Arender has been named the city’s new chief communications officer.
Mayor Toby Barker made the announcement on July 11 via a Facebook post. Arender has served as interim in that spot for the past for the past few months after former communications officer Samantha McCain Alexander, who came to the position in 2017, accepted another job offer earlier this year.
“I’m excited to be able to give back in a small way to the city that has given me so much,” Arender said in a statement. “Hattiesburg has such a unique story that deserves to be told, and I look forward to continuing this office’s legacy of doing that well.”
Arender’s former roles include working as director of video production at Noble Motive and media director of The Church at 4Points. A native of Brandon, Arender earned a degree in public relations from the University of Southern Mississippi.
His wife, Julie, serves as an assistant principal at Hattiesburg High School.
“I first saw John Austin’s work several years ago when he helped with the social media efforts of Hattiesburg High athletics, and I was immediately taken with the quality of work he produced and the standard of excellence by which he measured that work,” Barker said. “His skillset includes writing, photography, video production and graphic design. He does them all well, and he can adapt them to print, Web or social media.
“In any situation, he is never the first to speak. He listens, takes it all in and offers a wise word that keeps our communications efforts on track and moving forward. He is someone committed to Hattiesburg and embodies the incredible young talent that this city seems to effortlessly cultivate. I’m grateful to see him serving in this role.”
