Lee was all-around BHS athlete before career in athletics

The Berryville Athletic Hall of Fame wouldn’t be complete without honoring the accomplishments of athlete, coach and athletic director Dr. Dean Lee.

Lee is among five individuals who will be inducted into the Berryville Athletic Hall of Fame in September, along with Gordon Carr, Allen Gustin, Ricky Sugg and Beverly Webb. The Carroll County News will profile each inductee in the weeks leading up to their induction.

The 2025 Hall of Fame activities are scheduled for Friday, Sept. 19, and Saturday, Sept. 20. The inductees will be introduced during halftime of the Berryville/Yellville-Summit football game on Friday at Bobcat Stadium. On Saturday, a pancake breakfast will be held at 8 a.m. in the Berryville High School cafeteria before the formal Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in the Performing Arts Center beginning at 9 a.m. All events are open to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend.

Lee’s leadership in sports and community have earned him the high praise he deserves. Dean is a Berryville native who was a multi-sport athlete and graduated in 1975. He was an all-conference player and team captain for the football, basketball, track and baseball teams and was selected to play in both the Arkansas High School football and basketball All-Star games.

After high school he attended Henderson State University, where he played on two NAIA national runner- up basketball teams, compiling a three-year record of 79-14, while majoring in physical education and also lettering in baseball and tennis. With his father becoming ill, Lee helped run the family dairy farm and spent his sophomore season at North Arkansas Community College and playing for their basketball team. While there, he met the “love of his life” and married his wife, Reba.

Upon college graduation from Henderson, Lee served as a graduate assistant coach for their basketball team alongside Coach Bobby Reese. Lee coached high school basketball at Malvern, for three years, winning three conference championships and Coach of the Year awards. He then returned to Henderson State to coach basketball and tennis for three more seasons.

In order to further his goal of becoming a Division 1A athletic administrator, Lee went to the University of Arkansas where he earned his doctorate degree and served as vice president of the Razorback Foundation for nine years. While managing external operations and establishing new Razorback Clubs, he also worked with various fundraising projects and activities under the leadership of Terry Don Phillips. Lee said one of his proudest moments with the Foundation was bringing the Razorback Caravan to Berryville as part of the Danny Ford Tour, which he directed.

After his time with the Razorbacks, he served two years as director of athletics at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, moving their program from the NAIA level to the NCAA Division II before rejoining Phillips at Oklahoma State University as associate athletic director. While at OSU, Dean helped generate funds for the $54 million Gallagher-Iba Arena project and helped initiate their campaign for what is now Boone Pickens Stadium.

From OSU, Lee went to Arkansas State University as director of athletics, serving that institution for more than 12 years. During his tenure, ASU’s program was elevated to the NCAA Division I-A level and conducted a complete renovation of their athletic facilities. Lee hired Power 5 coaches such as Hugh Freeze, Gus Malzahn and John Brady. In addition to these accomplishments, under Lee’s leadership ASU established newrecords in fundraising and attendance, as well as increasing the overall perception of their program.

After retiring from ASU, Lee was contacted by a former coworker from the University of Arkansas to create and head up the new Alumni & Constituent Relations position with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he served as executive director for four years before retiring — again.

In 2021, Lee returned to his hometown of Berryville to serve as the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. He now serves as the economic development director for the City of Berryville. Recently, the city announced a $70 million investment in its business park by Messer, a global leader in the gas industry.

Lee has further served the community on various boards and as a Rotarian, in addition to helping establish the Berryville Athletic Hall of Fame and the Carroll County Souper Bowl.

Lee has credited his career in athletics to Berryville coach and administrator Jack Edens. Coach Edens had asked Dean to assist him in coaching the pee wee basketball program during his lunch hour when he was in the eighth grade, which he accepted. He continued to assist the school’s sports program throughout his high school years.

Lee and his wife of 48 years, Reba, have two married daughters, his jewels — Diamond and Pearl — and sons-in law Devon Sears and Ethan Simpson. The grandchildren fulfill their hearts.