Jo Luck announces that she is stepping down as CEO of Heifer International. She will remain president, and she plans to write a book about her experiences with the hunger relief organization.

According to ArkansasBusiness.com, Little Rock-based Heifer International announced today that Jo Luck is stepping away from her position as chief executive officer to write a book about her experiences with the global hunger and poverty organization.

“Under Jo Luck’s leadership, Heifer International has grown into one of the world’s most prominent hunger and poverty partners,” said Heifer International Board Chair Doug Smith in a released statement. “But we are very excited by this new opportunity and role, where she will mirror Heifer’s work, passing on the gifts of her knowledge and wisdom through a book about her two-decade journey that has taken her around the globe.”

Smith announced the board had asked former Heifer board chair and retired Little Rock Regions Bank executive Charles O. Stewart to serve as interim CEO. He said the move entails no significant new directions and expects an orderly transition to new executive leadership.

Luck will retain her title of president and expects to work closely with Stewart and Heifer chief operating officer Steve Denne during the transition. Smith said Heifer will launch a global search for a permanent CEO.

Denne said the new CEO will inherit an organization in good financial shape despite a financially tough 2009 that forced the organization to implement layoffs last summer. "We did go through some difficult changes," he said. "But at this moment, we're cautiously optimistic about our fundraising and revenue positions. All things being equal, we're feeling pretty good about our position right now."

Living in Arkansas magazine put Luck on the cover of its 2008 edition. In the profile, Luck said she sees herself has an ambassador of Arkansas.

In 2006, she invited the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize winners of the past decade to a meeting at Heifer's headquarters in Little Rock. The list of winners included humanitarian organizations from the United States, England, Denmark, Costa Rica, Austria and Kenya. “Most of the delegates were shocked,” she recalls. “They couldn't see what Little Rock could possibly offer as a tourist and business destination. But they came from all over the world. And you know what? They still rave about that trip.”

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