ATLANTA (August 5, 2020) – Art Hopkins, a consultant with Russell Reynolds Associates, has joined the Rural Sourcing Board of Directors. Hopkins fills a newly created seat on the eight-member Board, bringing more than two decades of technology experience through his work guiding leadership transitions and recruiting tech talent at some of the country’s largest companies.
Hopkins is a senior member of Russell Reynolds Associates, a global leader in assessment, recruitment and succession planning. While working across numerous industries, he has extensive experience helping recruit top technology leaders. Hopkins has also been a co-leader of the firm’s global Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging practice.
“Art Hopkins brings a unique perspective to our Board,” said Monty Hamilton, CEO of Rural Sourcing. “Through his unique combination of professional service experience, strategic growth thinking and passion for closing the digital divide for minority and marginalized individuals, Art is situated to make a major impact on our organization and the technology industry as a whole. He will be a tremendous asset to achieve our mission of bringing technology jobs to Middle America.”
Prior to joining Russell Reynolds Associates, Hopkins was with Atlanta-based Macquarium, an experience design and strategy firm, most recently as CEO and earlier as President. There, he was responsible for leading the transformation of the firm from a regional interactive agency to an industry-leading design firm. Prior to this, he spent ten years with Blackwell Consulting Services as Vice President, Consulting, where his responsibilities included management of the consulting organization and leadership of key client initiatives. Earlier, he was with William James & Associates as a Consultant, building and integrating custom software solutions for financial institutions.
“Rural Sourcing is a mission-first organization that is bringing tech jobs to overlooked communities,” said Art Hopkins. “Over my career, I’ve worked with hundreds of technology companies and been part of enabling growth. Rural Sourcing is in a strong position and primed to see significant growth in the coming years. I look forward to helping the company expand its role as a market leader and further its commitment to socially conscious software development.”
Hopkins is active in the community and has a personal interest in matters related to education. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (the only national organization that exists to further the pipeline of Black Tech Executives), he has served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Georgia’s Commission for School Board Excellence, Junior Achievement of Georgia, and as the Board Chair of the W.E.B. DuBois Society.
With a mature, U.S.-based model, Rural Sourcing provides a high level of control and collaboration for clients, while delivering the quality and responsiveness that are needed in today’s fast paced digital world. Last year, Bain Capital Double Impact, the impact investing business of Bain Capital, acquired a majority stake in Rural Sourcing allowing the company to further scale its national footprint and digital service offerings while creating high-quality jobs and new technology corridors across the country.
About Sparq
Sparq is the leading provider of outsourced digital engineering to develop great digital products and experiences, purpose-built for the Cloud and powered by data and AI. With an emphasis on high-quality results, speed, flexibility and integrity, Sparq’s unique blended onshore/nearshore delivery model maximizes cost effectiveness, clear communication and the ability to quickly scale. The company offers world-class solutions to technology-driven and Fortune 1000 clients in various industries, including Logistics and Transportation, Healthcare, Financial Services, and Insurance. For more information, please visit www.teamsparq.com.
Media Contact
Tyler Pearson
404.722.2222
tyler@high-iron.com

Sparq Named Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by Disability:IN
Sparq has been named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by Disability:IN, a global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business. "We believe that our colleagues’ diverse perspectives drive innovation and create a stronger, more versatile organization," said Robin Stenzel, Chief People Officer at Sparq. "That's why we're so thrilled to receive this honor from Disability:IN, as it reflects our commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.”

Atlanta-Based Sparq Acquires 2 U.S.-Based Digital Engineering Companies
Sparq has acquired Charlotte, N.C.-based Kingsmen Software and Seattle-based Amplify Consulting Partners. This marks the third acquisition over the past six months, boosting the company’s capabilities and ability to scale for its clients.

New Research Report Looks at AI Usage and When Machines Should Take Control
In today's world where rapid decision-making can mean the difference between success and failure, artificial intelligence (AI)-infused products and services are stepping up to fill the gap when human action falls short. According to the newly released report, “When and Where the Machine Should Rule,” AI systems are swiftly becoming a top priority for companies across various sectors.

Sparq Acquires Fast-Growing Nearshore Digital Engineering Firm
Sparq has acquired Octobot, a fast-growing nearshore digital engineering firm that will expand our digital product development services and nearshore delivery capabilities.