Arkansas Money & Politics April 2022 by AY Magazine

APRIL 2022/armoneyandpolitics.com

DAN RODA CEO, ABACA

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APRIL CONTENTS

For Fayetteville’s AcreTrader, there are green skies ahead. CEO Carter Malloy talks growth, strategy and the future in this executive Q&A.

42 | Governor’s Cup

After the pandemic digitized the annual Arkansas Governor’s Cup, the collegiate business-plan competition is back and in person.

26 | SUNSET Richard Holbert is flying off into the sunset, leaving a job well done after the sale of iconic Arkansas FBO Central Flying Service.

47 | Faces Of AMP

In this special sales section, AMP recognizes business leaders from across the state in industries ranging from education to insurance.

ON THE COV E R 30 | FLIGHT PATH LESS TRAVELED TAC Air, founded in Texarkana in 1964, is taking the flight path less travelled with its continuing practice of promoting women to leadership roles. APRI L 202 2

Dan Roda’s Abaca serves as the financing mechanism for the state’s medical marijuana industry. Roda was photographed for the cover by Jamison Mosley at Abaca’s North Little Rock headquarters.

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APRIL CONTENTS PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Heather Baker | hbaker@armoneyandpolitics.com SENIOR EDITOR Mark Carter | mcarter@armoneyandpolitics.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Dustin Jayroe | djayroe@armoneyandpolitics.com ONLINE EDITOR Lindsey Castrellon | lindsey@armoneyandpolitics.com STAFF WRITERS Emily Beirne | ebeirne@armoneyandpolitics.com Sarah Coleman | scoleman@armoneyandpolitics.com Katie Zakrzewski | katie@armoneyandpolitics.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Mike Bedgood | mbedgood@armoneyandpolitics.com

20 | GETAWAY With COVID restrictions eased, recreational passengers with pent-up energy are taking to the skies again, and airport officials are grateful.

ART DIRECTOR Jamison Mosley | jmosley@armoneyandpolitics.com DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Kellie McAnulty | kmcanulty@armoneyandpolitics.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lora Puls | lpuls@armoneyandpolitics.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Greg Churan | gchuran@armoneyandpolitics.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Tonya Higginbotham | thigginbotham@armoneyandpolitics.com Mary Funderburg | mary@armoneyandpolitics.com Tonya Mead | tmead@armoneyandpolitics.com Amanda Moore | amoore@armoneyandpolitics.com Colleen Gillespie | colleen@armoneyandpolitics.com ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Jessica Everson | jeverson@armoneyandpolitics.com ADVERTISING COORDINATORS Austin Castrellon | ads@armoneyandpolitics.com Virginia Ellison | ads@armoneyandpolitics.com

44 | COMMUNITY Even with its growth, FAB&T remains a bank as grounded in its community as any. That’s just how bank president Larry Wilson wants it.

CIRCULATION Ginger Roell | groell@armoneyandpolitics.com ADMINISTRATION Casandra Moore | admin@armoneyandpolitics.com

CEO | Vicki Vowell TO ADVERTISE

call 501-244-9700 email hbaker@armoneyandpolitics.com TO SUBSCRIBE | 501-244-9700 ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Joyce Elliott, Gretchen Hall, Stacy Hurst, Heather Larkin, Elizabeth Pulley, Gina Radke, Steve Straessle, Kathy Webb

CONTRIBUTORS

Angela Forsyth, Becky Gillette, Chad Causey, Evin Demirel, Doc Harper, Kenneth Heard, Dwain Hebda

112 | RAISING THE BAR For Arkansas basketball, the bar has resided at or near the top before. Eric Musselman’s first three seasons on the Hill have raised it once again. ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

AMP magazine is published monthly, Volume IV, Issue 12 AMP magazine (ISSN 2162-7754) is published monthly by AY Media Group, 910 W. Second St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, AR, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to AMP, 910 W. Second St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Subscription Inquiries: Subscription rate is $28 for one year (12 issues). Single issues are available upon request for $5. For subscriptions, inquiries or address changes, call 501-244- 9700. The contents of AMP are copyrighted, and material contained herein may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Articles in AMP should not be considered specific advice, as individual circumstances vary. Products and services advertised in the magazine are not necessarily endorsed by AMP. Please recycle this magazine.

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PLUGGED IN

MARCH 2022/armoneyandpolitics.com

Clif Chitwood of the Great River Economic Development Foundation in Mississippi County posed for AMP’s March cover. With news of a new, $3 billion steel mill, the county has become the center of “Steel Country” in the United States.

Mississippi County is the new hub for heavy metal

INSTAGRAM

INSIDE: Economic development | Tourism | Westrock’s Lucie Pathmann $5 USD

FEEDBACK ARKANSAS LEADERS MOURN LOSS OF LITTLE ROCK NATIVE KILLED IN UKRAINE “Brent Renaud visited my class a few years back. I look up to him and his work. Any American journalist killed in violence is heartbreaking. A war I thought was far from home, isn’t. May his soul rest in peace. Thank you for the work you did, for the advice you shared and the time you gave our class.” Elena Ramirez LUCIE PATHMANN HELPING GUIDE WESTROCK THROUGH ALLTEL-LIKE GROWTH PHASE “Congrats, Lucie. So many great memories from Alltel! Love to hear that those same great things are happening once again at Westrock.” Kristin Kellogg Rankin REPORT CITES FINANCIAL IMPROVEMENT AT HENDERSON SINCE JOINING ASU “There is still a lot of work to do for Henderson to fully recover from the financial woes of the past. Dr. Ambrose has a vision for the future, and I am excited to see the future of Henderson State University.” Charles Beckham HEART AND SELL: WHETHER LOCAL OR NATIONAL, DAN WAYMACK AND CREW PUT THEIR ALL INTO TV AD SPOTS “Dan’s a talented filmmaker and a true gentleman! That’s why he succeeds.” William Russell

Little Rock’s La Petite Roche Tricentennial task force announced the start of the “La Petite Roche Tricentennial” celebration next month. April 2022 marks 300 years since French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe and his crew first came upon “la petite roche” or “the little rock” that gave the Little Rock region its name.

FOR RAZORBACK BASKETBALL FANS, SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES “Bring back the slobbering hog.” Reddit user run_build

TOP ONLINE ARTICLES February 28 - March 28 1. High School Basketball State Finals to Air on Arkansas PBS Stations 2. Riceland Foods Appoints New President and CEO 3. Crumbl Cookies Makes Central Arkansas Sweeter with 3 New Locations 4. 4th & 25: Trust in Muss. He’s Earned It. 5. Arkansas Leaders Mourn Loss of Little Rock Native Killed in Ukraine 6. Little Rock Leaders Face ‘Balancing Act’ in Crime Reports, Victim Shares Her Story 7. Report Cites Financial Improvement at Henderson Since Joining ASU 8. Chris Jones Responds to Latest Sarah Sanders Ad 9. $31M Food Hub Backed by Waltons Planned for Springdale 10. Simmons Bank Opens NASDAQ Tuesday in Times Square

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A University of Arkansas student recently won first place and $10,000 in an international student startup competition hosted by the University of Manitoba. Locally sourced ice cream company Simple + Sweet Creamery won top prize in the Undergraduate Business Plan Competition of the Stu Clarke New Venture Championships. Coleman Warren, a senior studying industrial engineering, established the company as a way to battle hunger and food insecurity in Northwest Arkansas.

@AMPPOB ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

By Mark Carter

EDITOR’S LETTER

REMEMBERING SKYWAYS

ust as The Natural State has been home to “that Arkansas wine” for going on 150 years — borrowing an old tagline from Wiederkehr Wine Cellars — that “Arkansas airline” helped lay the foundation for the growth of commuter airlines in the United States. For a chunk of the mid-to-late 20th century, Skyways was Arkansas’ regional carrier that could. And it’s on my mind this month with aviation a focus of our April issue. Skyways was one of the first operations of its kind in the country, a trailblazer in the operation, management and structure of commuter airlines. Founded as Scheduled Skyways in 1953 by Fayetteville Flying Service owner Ray Ellis, the airline made its hay early on by ferrying University of Arkansas officials between campuses in Fayetteville and Little Rock. According to the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society (AAHS), the first flight of Scheduled Skyways departed Drake Field in Fayetteville and touched down at Little Rock’s Adams Field on Sept. 1, 1953, with Ellis piloting the Cessna 195. The route map soon expanded to include Fort Smith and Harrison, then

Texas and Missouri. Eventually, it touched eight states. Flying mostly Piper Navajos and Beech 99s at first, Skyways had a fleet of 14 Metroliners when it was merged with Air Midwest in 1985, according to the AAHS. By then, Ellis’ little airline was servicing 22 cities in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and Missouri. Ellis indeed was a pioneer of Arkansas aviation — he’s considered a major

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE By Heather Baker

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

influence on the development of airports and the aviation industry in Arkansas by AAHS. One of the founding board members of the Arkansas Air Museum at Drake, Ellis was appointed to the Arkansas Aeronautics Commission by Republican Gov. Win Rockefeller and re-appointed by Democrat Gov. Dale Bumpers. In 1972, he served as commission chair. Ellis served as president of the Fayetteville Chamber and

AMP LOOKS TO THE SKIES IN APRIL

he wild, blue yonder awaits in this month’s issue of Arkansas Money & Politics. Each year, our April issue features the aviation and aerospace industries in Arkansas. This month, our flight around the state visits Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas to see how the state’s two main commercial airports, Clinton National and Northwest Arkansas National, are faring as passenger numbers begin to rise across the country. We’ll also visit Lockheed Martin’s operations in Camden and fixed-base operators Central Flying Service and TAC Air. This month’s cover is Dan Roda of

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Heather Baker 7

Abaca, the financing institution for medical marijuana in Arkansas. Inside, Lindsey Castrellon visits with Dan, and let’s just say the theme is green … as in money. We’ve also got an Exec Q&A with Carter Malloy of AcreTrader, Digs of the Deal visits the Governor’s Mansion, we’ve got Hog hoops, winners from the Arkansas Governor’s Cup collegiate business-plan competition, the “Faces of Arkansas” special sales section and more. There’s a lot to like in AMP. Thank you for reading, and please share your comments and ideas with me at HBaker@ ARMoneyandpolitics.com. A P R IL 2022

EDITOR’S LETTER

Continued from previous page

The cypress trees on the old oxbow sure are pretty, but mind your speed when driving through Lake Providence. (Southern Lagniappe)

Fayetteville Rotary as well. My lone passage on Skyways came in 1978 as a 12-year-old, experienced with flights on larger jetliners but apprehensive about the prospect of a “commercial” flight on such a smaller plane. But we made it from Little Rock to Fayetteville and back just fine, none the worse for wear… after maybe a “small bump” or two along the way. *** Lake Providence, La. When it comes to black-void-inducing hopelessness, we have a winner. The one place capable of syphoning Lovecraft, even, of what little light dared to loiter in a tortured soul. Unfortunately for me, this mosscovered fever dream just across the state border sits on what formerly served as a preferred route to New Orleans, a fairly Lovecraftian place in its own right. Strong connections to New Orleans, family and otherwise, have resulted in many trips down and back. Our son is finishing up school there, and I even lived and worked full time in New Orleans between stints at college back home in Arkansas. (To this day, my time as a court runner at a corporate law firm in the New Orleans CBD remains my favorite former job. L.A. Law? Phssst. NOLA Law, baby. And APRI L 202 2

I remain a proud, “honorary” UNO Privateer, much to the chagrin of a certain UNO department head.) The belabored point being that I’ve driven to and from New Orleans through Lake Providence many times. And in doing so, have involuntarily contributed what must be thousands of dollars to the city and East Carroll Parish coffers. Most Arkansans south of the tunnel would agree that Gould is a notorious speed trap. It’s got nothing on Lake Providence, a speed grapple/hook/net/ snare rolled into one. It is the grasp of a seldom-seen, aging relative wanting to hear about school on the arm of a 12-year-old boy attempting to answer the siren call of sunny skies and football on Thanksgiving. It is a Lovecraftian tax collector oozed from the primordial slime that levies a duty (or doody, take your pick) upon drivers deigning to traverse the lightly traveled straightaways north and south of town at more than 65 mph. In other words, it is inescapable. For me, anyway. I learned this lesson — yes, the hard way — on my most recent solo drive to New Orleans. After years of crossing the bridge at Lake Village and sticking to the cotton fields along Highway 1 into Vicksburg — a strategy insisted upon by my less-stubborn wife, herself a 8

victim of East Carroll — I went nostalgic on last fall’s solo venture, and rather than continue east on 65 to the bridge, turned south at the pecan grove. Usually, parish deputies get me on the highway either north or south of town. This time, however, I got a “city ticket.” The blue lights of the LPPD got me before I made it out of downtown. I wasn’t blazing through by any means, but technically I was a few mph over the limit. And when I couldn’t find my proof of insurance, nor remember the login to my USAA app, the officer wrote me a second ticket for failure to show proof of insurance. Even though, after calling in this foreign terrorist (what we’ve done to LSU this year might qualify me), he acknowledged that I did, in fact, have up-to-date insurance. No matter. The speeding ticket was $189. The fine for failure to show proof of insurance turned out to be $334. How the fine folks in East Carroll Parish, surely one of the poorest parishes in the state, can justify such a fine is beyond me. Unless I truly did get the visitors’ rate. Next time, I’ll resist the urge to turn south at the pecan grove and leave my own “duty” on the steps of city hall. Thanks for reading. Let me know how we’re doing at MCarter@ ARMoneyandPolitics.com. ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

VIEWPOINT

INVESTING IN AAM:

SKY-HIGH POSSIBILITIES FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH

By Chad Causey monsense policy recommendations, including potential incentives, to support future AAM growth. Gov. Hutchinson’s announcement is a crucial step forward for AAM in Arkansas. But it is only the first piece of the puzzle. To truly become a hub for future mobility, we must expand Arkansas’s workforce. The governor has made important steps forward in this area as well, but the aerospace and defense industries can do more to assist. As the Arkansas Aerospace and Defense Alliance (AADA) knows firsthand, we already have a strong foundation with more than 10,000 existing aerospace and defense employees across the state. We must better leverage existing higher education and training programs. One potential conduit: a Center of Excellence for Aerospace, Defense and Future Mobility that would ensure coordination among educators and private-sector players. If created, the center would focus on supporting a highly trained and skilled aerospace and defense workforce; facilitating education and technology knowledge sharing; and increasing value-added production. We should also foster long-term collaboration at in-person networking events like the AADA’s Mid-America Aerospace + Defense Summit from June 15-16 in Northwest Arkansas. While in Rogers, attendees will have the chance to hear from game-changing industry experts, local and national government officials, education and training champions as well as businesses. These conversations will allow us to learn about Arkansas’s current strengths and potential weaknesses so that we can inform our journey as an emerging leader in AAM. Arkansas’ aerospace and defense industries has always embraced the state’s trailblazing spirit. And that is not expected to change any time soon. As Deloitte said in its report, “The emergence of [this] transformative airborne technology” represents the “next inflection point in the [industry’s] ongoing evolution.” It’s time for Arkansas to capitalize on this opportunity by developing innovative future mobility and AAM solutions. If we do, the possibilities for economic growth are sky-high.

inding new ways to move people and cargo safely, efficiently and affordably is not a simple task. But advanced air mobility, commonly known as AAM, is expected to help ease the burden. Right now, Arkansas — like the rest of the United States — is facing severe supply chain and labor shortages. With the deployment of revolutionary aircraft, from singlepassenger drones to large shuttle solutions, we can address these issues. And at the same time, we can help create thousands of good-paying jobs, spur billions in economic activity and put rapidly growing sectors, like the aerospace and defense industries, on a solid path for the future. For many Arkansans, AAM is still a largely unknown or overlooked proposition. This “new era in air travel,” as NASA refers to it, is designed to help the nation serve “previously hard-to-reach urban and rural locations.” AAM promises affordable mobility through cutting-edge, dual-use technologies, such as flying taxis or regional electric planes in areas where surface transportation or existing aviation modes aren’t readily available. Once imagined only in cartoons and science fiction movies, these aircraft will deliver wideranging benefits including the long-term security of our economy and national security. Imagine drones moving medicines or critical care to patients in rural communities. Or an autonomous aircraft shuttling passengers home after their flight lands at Clinton National or Northwest Arkansas National. As part of a 2021 report for the Aerospace Industries Association, Deloitte conducted executive interviews and surveys to analyze the global race for AAM dominance. In its study, the consulting firm noted how the United States has an “opportunity to become a global leader in advanced mobility, but the flight is not expected to be easy.” Meeting this goal will require a clear national strategy to “deliver state-of-the-art AAM products that are safe, accessible and secure.” Fortunately, Arkansas is quietly charging ahead to position itself as a model for AAM advancement — not only in the U.S. but across the globe. This February, Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced the creation of the Arkansas Council on Future Mobility. Following his executive order, he tasked the advisory board with attracting businesses, startups, innovators and creators that can spearhead the development of AAM solutions. He also urged board members to identify state laws that may create barriers to advanced mobility and make com-

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Chad Causey is the executive director of the Arkansas Aerospace and Defense Alliance, a trade association of public and private aerospace companies, government agencies and educational institutions. He is also the founder and president of Causey Law Firm, PA. For more information, visit ArkansasAerospace.com.

A P R IL 2022

Nestled in the center of a quiet neighborhood, Innisfree Health & Rehab is a unique, family-oriented facility offering skilled care in loving, supportive atmosphere. Our licensed nurses, physician assistants, dentists, podiatrist and other specialists believe that our residents need strong relationships with their families and is key to the healing process. The entire Innisfree staff is devoted to providing the highest quality care possible, in a manner which celebrates the dignity and grace of every resident.

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Our home is conveniently located just off Walnut in Rogers close to Walmart, under the medical directions of Dr. Kimberly Burner.

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FINANCE

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BANKROLLING

INDUSTRY For Abaca, medical marijuana a gateway to opportunity By Lindsey Castrellon // Photography by Ebony Blevins

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A P R IL 2022

Dan Roda believes the ultimate financial impact of medical marijuana will be substantial.

Arkansans have been under the influence of medical marijuana, legally, since 2016. In 2016, Arkansas voters approved the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment with 53 percent of the vote. The amendment to the state constitution allows patients who have a doctor’s prescription to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis for the treatment of any of 12 qualifying medical conditions. It also requires that between 20 and 40 cannabis dispensaries and four to eight cultivators be licensed by the state. Patients are not allowed to grow their own marijuana, and recreational use is still prohibited in the state. Licensed sales began in May 2019, when the first dispensary opened in Hot Springs. As of 2022, the use of cannabis for medical purposes is legal in 37 states across the U.S. The business of medical cannabis, however, goes beyond the “to legalize or not to legalize” argument surrounding the decriminalization of marijuana. Like it or not, the budding industry has created new opportunities, from farming to retail to health care, all of them largely innovative and prosperous. And it doesn’t stop there. The financial impact of medical marijuana and what’s expected to become the ultimate legalization of recreational use for adults — like it or not — is substantial. As in, channeling Roy Scheider in Jaws, we’re-gonna-need-a-biggerboat substantial. However, despite the high points, not all industries are keen to get involved. Dealing in the medical cannabis industry can sometimes feel like walking a tightrope. Federal laws, regulations and

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politics can make for some pretty blurred lines, seemingly navigable only by someone with a law degree. Most traditional banks are wary of entering the fray until things become less hazy. Enter Abaca. Dan Roda is the co-founder and CEO of Abaca, the $2 billion financial and regulatory tech company that provides banking, payment processing and treasury management services to the cannabis industry. Headquartered in North Little Rock, Abaca services dispensaries, cultivators, processors and ancillary cannabis businesses with compliant commercial banking, payments and treasury management. The company’s clients include small businesses as well as publicly traded multi-state operators and enterprise clients. Abaca’s services not only are helpful to the medical cannabis industry, they’re essential. Due to a heavy compliance burden, conventional banks tend to avoid serving the cannabis industry. Abaca isn’t the only institution serving the industry in Arkansas, but is the only one focused on providing cashless options, which adds security to a very cash-centered business as well as convenience. The common misconception is that it is illegal to bank the cannabis industry, but Roda said the truth is a bit more nuanced. “The legal environment is better described as ‘untested,’” he explained. “But the compliance requirements are quite clear, and they are substantial.” Roda said that while the cannabis industry is certainly an “economic powerhouse,” properly and compliantly managing a cannabis banking program is too costly for most institutions to do so profitably. Which is why about 95 percent of them

A P R IL 2022

Roda and Brian Bauer co-founded Abaca in 2016.

avoid the industry today, and he expects most of them to keep avoiding the industry after federal reform, too. “It’s important to note that the SAFE Banking Act would effectively make the existing regulatory framework permanent, and the cannabis industry will likely be regarded as presenting a special category of risk by depository banks, lenders, payment processors and other financial service providers for many years to come,” he said. Meaning the compliance burden will remain long after both federal legalization and the passage of adult use — or “recreational” — cannabis at the state level. It’s worth mentioning that Roda runs his business from a peak vantage point: He started out as a lawyer. After graduating from law school, Roda spent his first years in practice dealing with the fallout of the 2008 financial crisis and its impacts on real estate, construction and banking, including representation of local banks in regulatory matters with the Arkansas State Bank Department and

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the FDIC. Fast forward to 2016 when the effort was underway to pass the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Amendment. Roda reached out to the amendment’s author, David Couch, to see how he could help. They ended up working together to form the state’s first trade association for the industry. In the beginning, Roda worked out of his office in the Little Rock Technology Park. It was there, he said, that he first began working with clients who were looking to get into the industry, which led to his exposure to the complexities and uncertainties of banking the cannabis industry. Abaca co-founder Brian Bauer was working downstairs from Roda at the time, running the FIS and ICBA accelerator programs at the Venture Center. The two began chatting in the halls, and Roda learned Bauer had been exploring this same topic at the request of a local banker. “His fintech experience and my regulatory and cannabis experience have combined to form a great foundation for us to build our company, and

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tackle the cannabis banking problem,” Roda said. Abaca announced in February 2022 that it surpassed more than $2 billion dollars in commerce for the cannabis industry. The company said its growth is fueled by aligning its bank-backed financial technology offering with the needs of cannabis business operators, enabling normalized financial services for an underbanked industry. Abaca’s lifetime gross transaction volume growth crossed $1 billion dollars in April 2021. But even a success story like Abaca faces its fair share of challenges when it comes to bankrolling

“One of the biggest risks to any business is change, and we’re in an industry that is changing all the time.”

With an office in Chicago to go along with its Central Arkansas headquarters (shown here), Abaca is adding new platforms and features to serve the industry.

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Roda with team members (from left) Becky Cunningham, Martena Cash, Brandon Bowles and Megan Phillips.

the medical marijuana industry. “One of the biggest risks to any business is change, and we’re in an industry that is changing all the time,” Roda said. “It seems that states are passing new cannabis-reform measures every couple of weeks now, and capital is already entering the industry at an increased pace, even in advance of any sort of meaningful federal action. “When that federal action inevitably comes, and the metaphorical dam holding back mainstream capital sources from the industry bursts away, a major inflection point will follow.” Roda said Abaca customers’ expectations (and their customers’ expectations) will change, and market share will be redistributed across the vertical. “Winners will emerge, and others will get left in the dust,” he said. “Our biggest challenge is to ensure we stay in tune with our customers, so that we can meet and hopefully exceed their expectations – not just today, but into the future.” Moving forward, it goes without saying that Roda supports the legalization of recreational cannabis use in the state of Arkansas. “Absolutely.” And he says it’s hard for him to imagine any argument to the contrary at this point. “But it’s also hard to imagine that we’ve criminalized the simple possession of a naturally-growing plant that helps so many people for so long,” he added. Roda thinks Arkansas’ current medical cannabis program is “a great example” of how a well-reg-

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ulated cannabis system can be launched in a state responsibly. Abaca continues to flourish as the company is ramping up to launch with a new partner bank in California this quarter and will continue its expansion nationally. At the same time, the company is adding new features and services to its platform, such as built-in payroll processing, expanded lending options and treasury management capabilities, Roda said. With offices in North Little Rock and Chicago, Abaca and its partner financial institutions are currently accepting traditional bank account applications in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma. The company’s fintech banking platform also offers lending and payment processing services to cannabis and hemp/ CBD businesses nationwide. “We’ve got a great group of operators who are creating jobs and having positive impacts in communities across the state, and I think those who were worried that the sky was going to fall are likely pleasantly surprised at this point, to look around and see that nothing of the sort has occurred. “The sky will not start to fall when cannabis is readily available for sale to all of-age Arkansans with a valid ID, either. And we will continue striving to improve functionality and experience for its customers here in Arkansas, and everywhere else.”

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Sales Top $41M in January, February

ales of medical marijuana in Arkansas topped $41 million for the first two months of 2022, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Medical marijuana patients spent $21.1 million in February, the latest month from which data is available, at the state’s 37 dispensaries. Those sales equated to 3,658 pounds. Sales in January and February totaled $41.69 million and accounted for 7,389 pounds.

Meanwhile, state taxes from sales of medical marijuana totaled $2.33 million in February, down from $2.84 million collected in January. Since medical marijuana became available for sale in mid-2019, the state has collected $62.52 million in taxes from sales. This includes the regular state sales tax of 6.5 percent along with a 4 percent privilege tax. Both taxes apply to every patient purchase while only the privilege tax applies to sales from cultivators to dispensaries. — Lindsey Castrellon

Other notes regarding the sale of medical marijuana in Arkansas, courtesy of DFA: The largest month for collection was

May 2021

at $3.28 million.

The state’s 38th licensed dispensary, Good Day Farm Van Buren, opened for business March 7.

Natural Relief Dispensary in Sherwood had the largest month of sales in February with 372 pounds, followed by The Releaf Center in Bentonville with 299 pounds.

Overall, patients have purchased approximately 80,000 pounds since the first dispensary opened in May 2019.

The Arkansas Department of Health reports 82,410 active patient cards.

TOP 10 ARKANSAS MEDICAL MARIJUANA SALES FOR FEBRUARY 2022 Suite 443, Hot Springs

Fiddler’s Green, Mountain View

Green Springs Medical, Hot Springs

The Releaf Center, Bentonville

Arkansas Natural Products, Clinton

The Source, Bentonville

Greenlight Dispensary, Helena

Acanza, Fayetteville

Native Green, Hensley

Harvest, Conway

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AVIATION

LEISURELY RECOVERY Clinton National, XNA seeing bounce back led by recreational travel By Becky Gillette

fter two years of pandemic havoc, people tired of being cooped up are ready to travel. The state’s two largest airports, located in Little Rock and Bentonville, are reporting major progress towards recovering the amount of passenger traffic seen before anyone had ever heard of COVID-19. The number of passengers at the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock dropped by 93 percent at the onset of the pandemic. The airport rebounded to nearly 100 percent of pre-pandemic levels during the summer of 2021. “Following the latest variant, we dropped to 80 percent, but expect a strong spring,” said Clinton National Airport Executive Director Bryan Malinowski. “Leisure travel is predominately why passengers use our airport. Pre-COVID, leisure travel made up about 70 percent of our pas-

senger mix, and we believe that number is even higher today.” Leisure travel has made a big return nationally as evidenced by Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) reports of travel reaching pre-pandemic levels at certain times. What continues to lag is the return of business travelers. “In a recent earnings call, one airline reported leisure travel at 100 percent of pre-pandemic levels but business travel at 50 percent,” Malinowski said. “As mask mandates and remote working decline, business travel should pick up. Industrywide, overall, June 2022 domestic capacity is 2 percent below June 2019 levels with ultra-low-cost and lowcost carriers being above and some legacy carriers below. Airlines adjust their schedules based on demand. As business travel returns, scheduled service should increase.”

Bags about to be loaded onto a plane at Clinton National in Little Rock. (Photo by Jamison Mosley)

AVIATION

“

Good airports are important not just for people, but the economy. Fuel prices, however, have become an increasing concern. Malinowski said they’re already seeing some airlines, particularly ultra-low-cost carriers, adjusting future schedules based on spikes in fuel prices. There also remain concerns about the ongoing pilot shortage and its impact to small hub airports. Enplanements at the Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) in Bentonville are on the road to recovery. FebruThe new parking deck at XNA in Bentonville. ary numbers show just under (Photo by Keith Branch) 100,000 total passengers, which would have been exceeded if not for the several snowstorms that interrupted travel to/from airports across the country, said XNA Public Affairs Manager Alex English. “With more and more passengers feeling comfortable enough to travel again, we are confident that XNA’s passenger volume will continue to trend upwards to pre-pandemic levels,” English said. “At the very beginning of the pandemic, XNA experienced a 95 percent reduction in passengers, a historic hit to the aviation industry. Over the next year in 2020, XNA’s traffic decreased by 60 to 90 percent compared to pre-pandemic numbers in 2019. “In 2021, numbers began to pick back up and by the end of the year, the aver-

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XNA

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age traffic count was down by 32 percent for the year. Our first couple of months in 2022 have been strong, and industry forecasts predict that enplanements will recover by 85 to 90 percent in 2022.” From what XNA officials can glean from social media and feedback from passengers, people are ecstatic to be traveling again. Many travelers have been stuck at home for the past couple of years, so getting out and traveling presents a sense of normalcy. “The energy at XNA feels like prepandemic times where people are going about their travels with excitement, and our terminal is bustling once again,” English said. “It’s a great feeling to have our passengers back.” Historically, more than 60 percent of XNA’s enplanements have been busi-

After a drop in passengers following the latest COVID variant, Clinton National is once again seeing an uptick. (Photos by Keith Branch)

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AVIATION

At XNA (left), “the energy... like prepandemic times where people are going about their travels with excitement, and our terminal is bustling once again.” At Clinton National (below), the terminal redevelopment plan is being updated.

(Photo by Keith Branch)

ness travelers. English said it’s no surprise that their enplanements continue to increase as NWA’s larger companies resume traditional business travel. But with many companies allowing employees to work remotely, destinations that are typically leisure-based were popular for XNA passengers. Both airports have major construction projects underway. Malinowski refers to airports as “big construction sites with airplanes.” “At the terminal, we’re currently working on plans to add canopies over a portion of the front curb to shield passengers who are being dropped off from weather,” Malinowski said. “We’re updating our terminal redevelopment plan that includes building a central utilities plant to provide the needed infrastructure for a replacement baggage claim, TSA checkpoint and concourse – all monumental projects that will continue the look and feel of our ticket lobby.” Construction on a Hampton Inn at the airport is expected to begin later this

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(Photo by Jamison Mosley)

year; a public art project at the airport is completed; and a $60-million safety project update to taxiways and the main runway is underway. Good airports are important not just for people, but the economy. Jay Chesshir, president and CEO of the Little

Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, said when chamber officials speak with potential economic-development prospects about reasons to choose metro Little Rock and Central Arkansas, the airport is always one of the primary points of interest.

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Clinton National, Little Rock (Photo by Jamison Mosley)

“Being one of less than 10 airports in the country with no debt speaks to the amazing management of the airport commission and its staff over many, many years.” “We have also had significant success with the airport and its management team when we have clients who need to consider air service to new locations based upon their project,” Chesshir said. “People are amazed they can be from downtown to Clinton National in eight or nine minutes. The ease of being able to get in and out of there and also the opportunity to travel to the destinations flown from Clinton National Airport is also a really huge asset for us. And being one of less than 10 airports in the country with no debt speaks to the amazing management of the airport commission and its staff over many, many years.” XNA improvements underway include a skybridge project that will in-

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clude a renovation to the lobby area with a bridge connecting the parking garage to the main terminal building. The bridge will allow passengers to bypass the lobby/ticketing area and go directly to the TSA security checkpoint. “This project is particularly exciting for XNA because it will update the outside of the terminal, giving the airport a fresh new look,” English said. “Further, XNA is partnering with OZ Art to curate two murals on our maintenance buildings on the north end of the property. We hope to bring more art to the airport in the future, so that XNA’s terminal is reflective of the vibrant art community in NWA.” New flight offerings have been popular

such as Breeze Airway’s nonstop flights to New Orleans. English personally booked a trip to New Orleans in January, and it was less than $150 roundtrip. “I always recommend travelers keep an eye out for Breeze’s promotional campaigns, and to price compare with our six airlines that provide service out of XNA,” she said. While passengers across the country who refuse to wear masks have caused disruptions, English said XNA has been relatively lucky to not have many refusing to do so in the terminal. “We get complaints about the mask mandate from time to time, but ultimately this decision is not made by the airports, and XNA follows and enforces any instructions given by TSA or FAA.”

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AVIATION

FLYING into the

SUNSET

Richard Holbert of Central Flying Service bringing it in for a landing

Ask Richard Holbert what made sense about the decision to sell Little Rock aviation outfit Central Flying Service, and the second-generation president of the company responds with the folky candor for which he is well-known “It makes sense, to me, because I’m 78 years old, and it’s time for me to go,” he said with a warm chuckle. “I need to get out of the way.” As of the first of April, the sale had yet to be officially consummated, so Holbrook plays cagey with the details, including the identity of the suitor. (“I don’t want to jinx anything. You know what I mean? Soon as I talk about flying off in the sunset, I may find myself out here the next three, four, five years.”) But the impressive past of Central Flying Service is, as they say, a matter of public record, and so he welcomes the opportunity to taxi down memory lane, sharing insights about the family business that’s served titans of industry, major celebrities, one-hit wonders

By Dwain Hebda Photography by Jamison Mosley

and the men who would be king. “Airplanes are valuable tools,” he said to explain the company’s longevity. “If they weren’t, we wouldn’t have been in business for very long.” Name any major company attached to Arkansas, and chances are Central Flying Service has, at one time or another, played a role in its growth and development. From offering charter flights, to running fixedbase operations serving corporate fleets and educating the pilots who flew them, Central’s story is firmly intertwined with eight decades of the state’s economic and political history, of which Holbert has occupied a jump seat for 50 years. “We essentially still do the same businesses, namely flight training and charter and aircraft sales and maintenance,” he said. “The real constant is in flight training. We started in 1939 as a civilian pilot-training organization, which [President Franklin] Roosevelt created prior to the war. Then during the war, we became a

“Airplanes are valuable tools. If they weren’t, we wouldn’t have been in business for very long.” — Richard Holbert

AVIATION war pilot-training company. Flight training has been part of our DNA all along. We still do flight training. “As for business clients, you’ve got to realize that with the road structure, if you went to Fayetteville even when I was going to Fayetteville in the early ‘60s, that was a four-and-a-half-hour drive. You can imagine what it might have been in the ‘40s. So, if you needed to go somewhere, flying was obviously a very good way to do it. Businesses of all kinds were using planes, more so as time went on, of course.” The early days embodied the bush-flying, barnstorming mentality of a more romantic age of flight. Claud Holbert, Richard’s late father and company founder, entered the Arkansas Air National Guard in the 1920s, lying about his age to get in. Infatuated with aviation, the enlistee found any excuse to bootleg onto flights, eventually soloing in a Curtiss Jenny in 1926. “He was just crazy about aviation,” Holbert

“All the people that I met during this whole period have been a great delight. I’ve made a lot of friends. I have some very good memories.” said. “Back in the ‘20s, with all the barnstormers and all the air races that were going on, it was quite a romantic type of endeavor. He flew during the Depression, he was a member of the Guard, and he worked out here at the airport giving flight lessons. He did aerial photography. He did anything you could do with an airplane.” Claud founded Central Flying Service before he was 30 to take advantage of the new Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), launched to increase the numbers of trained pilots in response to the growing threat overseas. With the princely — and borrowed — sum of $1,241, Claud bought a 1939 Taylorcraft and began teaching at what was to become the oldest, largest flight school in the region. The company soon expanded, buying in 1940 a Trimotor Ford used for advanced pilot training, straight charters and $1-a-seat rides on weekends. The unusual design and sheer size of the Trimotor widened some eyes in 1940s Arkansas. “The Trimotor Ford was an airplane that was built by Ford Motor Company back in the ‘20s,” Holbert said. “It’s a corrugated aluminum airplane with two engines each on the wing and one on the nose; a big, old lumbering thing. And it was big, too — 10 or 12 passengers.” As for his own history with the family business, Holbert was

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more invested in fly balls than flying machines, setting sights early on a competitive baseball career. But that goal was swiftly grounded by a fruitless wage negotiation... with his father. “I was young. It was time for my weekly allowance. I went to my father and said, ‘Pop, can I have my allowance?’” Holbert said. “He was reading the newspaper. He dropped the newspaper down, and he said, ‘Son, I think it’s about time you got a job.’ I said, ‘I can’t do that. I’ve got to practice baseball. I’m going to be a major league baseball player, and I don’t have time to get a job.’ “He pulls that paper back up. I said, ‘Can I have my allowance?’ He looked at me and said, ‘No.’ Two weeks later, I had my first job, which was newspaper delivery. I was a Gazette paper boy. I guess I was in about eighth grade, about 12, 13. So, he destroyed my major league baseball career. I never let him forget it.” Holbert’s second strike against professional ambition came during high school. “October 1958 and the headline on the newspapers I was delivering was Sputnik. I said, ‘Oh, my God. This is not good.’ Cold War was blazing,” he said. “So, I decided I wanted to be a scientist, and I decided I wanted to be an astronomer. I saved up my money on the paper route, bought a telescope and did all kinds of stuff with astronomy. One day in high school, I go to talk to my counselor, and I said, ‘I need to know what courses I need to be

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taking and where I ought to be planning to go to college.’ “They pointed out the occupational encyclopedia — big, old heavy book. This would be 1960. I flipped through it, and the average pay for an astronomer in the United States with a master’s degree was $3,200 a year. The highest paid astronomer in the United States was the professor emeritus at Harvard University making $18,000 a year. Now, I had already been pumping gas at the airport making about $2,500 a year. I closed that book and made a career change.” Following college at the University of Arkansas and Georgetown in Washington, D.C., Holbert did a stint in the Army then came home to the family business. As interesting as the industry was, it hadn’t exactly reaped a windfall for the first two decades of existence. “I can tell you that the company didn’t gross $1 million until 1961. We went from 1939 to 1961 being a very, very small company — 25 employees at the most during that period,” Holbert said. The next 60 years would be a much different story, capped by the 2002 acquisition of MidCoast Aviation of St. Louis that made Central the largest full-service FBO in the world at that time, measured by square footage under roof. Sales and growth followed, including a peak employment “...This new group has a vision, and I think it’s of 300 workers, down to about going to be a win-win-win 100 now. every way around... I think The company’s longevity they’re going to do some and reputation made it the great things.” company of choice for the who’s who in Arkansas business. Holbert’s got a story for all of them. “I had a conversation with Sam Walton once, and he told me this: If it hadn’t been for an airplane, he would have never, ever developed Walmart,” Holbert said. “He had a store in Newport, and he had a store up in Bentonville, and for the longest time, as he built his stores, he went to every one of them. He flew his own airplane, and he went to every one at least once a year. I’m sure in the early days, it was once a week. Then it got too big.” He’s got a similar library of anecdotes about serving politicians of both the native, elected stripe and the visiting dignitary variety. “When Winthrop Rockefeller came to Little Rock, or to Arkansas, he chose my father to be his personal pilot,” Holbert said. “Dale Bumpers was a real good customer, even when he

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was a senator. When he’d come to Arkansas, he’d have to fly to wherever in the state making speeches, and he would charter planes. “Any president that’s ever come to Little Rock has come through us. I can remember Ronald Reagan made a speech out on our ramp. In fact, Ronald Reagan was here several times, even back when he was a candidate. I remember Jimmy Carter coming in. Back when Bill Clinton opened the library and everybody and their brother came, most all of them came through our place. “In fact, Clinton was responsible for two of the biggest weekends we ever had here. One was after he was elected the first time. He hadn’t even been inaugurated yet, and maybe a month or two later, he had an economic summit where he invited all kinds of bigwigs to come to Little Rock, and they came in their jets, one after the other. That, and the Clinton Library opening weekend were the two biggest weekends we ever had. A lot of fuel went through those trucks.” Asked what he’s most proud of in his career, Holbert takes an uncharacteristically long pause. It’s a hard list to cull, having played an integral role in the creation of the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society, establishing the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame and building the aerospace education center. There’s the company’s technological evolution from the lumbering Trimotor Ford through various models of piston-driven prop airplanes, turboprop and finally jets. There’s the simple fact of still being here, withstanding eras of consolidation and changing market factors that impacted so many aviation companies. At last, he says it’s the people that have made the difference over the years, which is why he was so particular about selling. “My hope and expectation is that the community will be better off, because this new group has a vision, and I think it’s going to be a win-win-win every way around, not only for our employees, but for the clients and the community,” he said. “I think they’re going to do some great things. “We always tried to maintain a high level of quality in whatever we did, and as a result, it’s been a nice run. All the people that I met during this whole period have been a great delight. I’ve made a lot of friends. I have some very good memories.”

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AVIATION

TAC AIR’S

HIGH FLYING

WOMEN

FBO GOES AGAINST INDUSTRY GRAIN WITH LEADERSHIP ROLES By Angela Forsyth Photography by Jamison Mosley

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TAC Air's Allison Graham and Carol McNally in Fort Smith.

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“You might be a 250-pound guy; you might be a linebacker. But you’ve got to move over because Carol is coming, and she will take control.”

Headquartered in Dallas but launched in Texarkana in 1964, TAC Air runs 16 aviation ground-service companies, including three in Arkansas — Fort Smith, Texarkana and Little Rock. Each fixed base operation (FBO) offers customized services such as ground handling, aircraft fueling, hangar space, aircraft maintenance, cargo handling and de-icing. For an industry that is highly dominated by men, TAC Air stands out for going against the grain. The company has a history of hiring and promoting women to leadership roles, dating back to its inception in 1964 when it was known as the Truman Arnold Companies. Early this year, TAC Air moved General Manager Christina Lang from her Fort Smith position to a larger role as general manager of the Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS) in Chesterfield, Mo. SUS is one of the largest general aviChristina Lang ation-only airports in the Midwest. Of Lang’s promotion, TAC Air COO Joe Gibney said, “The leadership and success Lang showed during her time as GM of TAC Air Fort Smith has positioned her to be an ideal leader in taking over at TAC Air SUS.” TAC promoted Allison Graham to lead its FBO in Fort Smith as general manager. A 31-year veteran of the company, Graham had previously served as ramp hostess, Allison Graham customer service representative, aircraft

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maintenance administrator, and most recently, as the customer service manager, a position she held for the last 22 years. “Graham worked her way up, successfully mastering several roles within the FBO, gaining knowledge, industry and internal company experience, always showing enthusiasm and eagerness to learn, making her an ideal leader to take the reins after Lang,” Gibney added. These elevated positions for women come more naturally nowadays, thanks to long-time employee Carol McNally, who has been with TAC Air since it started as a single-location operation more than 30 years ago. As the company grew to 16 FBOs, McNally has helped set up and provide training for each location. Two years ago, she stepped out of the Fort Smith GM role to focus on corporate level responsibilities, including running the entire office system and administration for all the FBOs. Making her way to a leadership role in this 700-employee operation has come with its fair share of challenges. Early on, not just in aviation but across the majority of industries, the aspect of women in management, of course, was very different from what we see now. “It’s become much easier,” McNally told Arkansas Money and Politics, explaining that her response to the obvious challenges was perseverance. “If somebody was skeptical of my ability, I just did what I knew needed to be done, and in almost every instance, it worked itself out. You do have to prove yourself a little bit more and work a little bit harder.” In doing so, McNally helped set the stage for women in aviation. Now, it’s becoming less uncommon.

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TAC Air services private and military plans at its Fort Smith FBO.

Several other FBOs in recent years have put women in general manager positions. Through hard work, McNally has helped further women in aviation careers. Fort Smith’s new GM credited McNally for paving the way. “Carol working a little bit harder made my job a lot easier because people in Fort Smith have already seen a woman in the general manager role,” Graham noted. “So, I think maybe they don’t question it as much as if a man had been in this position for 40 years like Carol was. It’s probably easier for me than it was her back in the day. People are more accepting, and the world is just changing.” Graham not only believes the industry has become

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more accepting of women in managerial roles, but that women, themselves, have also become more accepting of the idea. “I think we have stronger women out there, too,” she noted. Women like McNally, Graham and Lang have given other women a path to follow. It’s become easier for them to see themselves going after and landing higher level positions. McNally and Graham agree that aviation work can be both challenging and thrilling. According to McNally, “It gets in your blood, and you just never want to leave it.” To her, aviation is the front door to the city. The most exciting things that happen in town, many times, begin at the airport. Important business execu-

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“Important business executives and famous people either have their own planes or they charter, and FBO employees are the first to welcome them.”

tives and famous people either have their own planes or they charter, and FBO employees are the first to welcome them. The Fort Smith location also handles general aviation and military planes. “If you stand out on a ramp and you have an F18 taking off, you just feel that shake in your belly, and nothing else feels like that,” McNally said. Graham feels the same way. She came to the business as a teenager, fresh out of high school, not knowing anything about aviation. But now she can’t imagine doing anything else. “It’s one of those things that just gets you,” she said. “The success both in my part and in Carol’s part is the people you have around you and the team you build. No one person can do it. It’s fun but it’s tough.” FBO work is a 24/7 job. Customers are promised full access to their planes, day and night. Additionally, the military moves its planes around the clock. At one point, TAC Air was bringing 2,000 troops in every two weeks and sending them back out after two weeks with a very small staff. Employees have to be prepared to get to the airport on a moment’s notice. Military planes are a large part of TAC Air’s business. Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith is adjacent to the Fort Smith airport, with which it shares runways. Ebbing also is home to the U.S. Air Force F-35 Lighting II training center, serving foreign military sales participants. Recently, it also became the new home for the Republic of Singapore’s F-16 Fighting Falcon training unit. Tad Perryman, vice president of marketing for TAC

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Air, told AMP that the military base in Fort Smith has always been a really big part of TAC’s business. One of his favorite stories about McNally happens to be about this important side of their services. “Carol’s stature — I don’t know how tall she really is, but she is not a very large woman,” Perryman shared. “She’s a very petite go-getter. She’s always been out on the ramps throwing the bags. One day, she unloaded something like 2,000 rucksacks off of buses into an airplane for all the military guys. Several men were down below handing her bags, and she was the one on the top, throwing them in. She is hands-on. You might be a 250-pound guy; you might be a linebacker. But you’ve got to move over because Carol is coming, and she will take control.” Perryman said that McNally has always led by example, whether that was fueling aircraft or cleaning out lavatories, “which is probably the most disgusting thing you could ever imagine.” She knew what needed to be done and would step up and take care of it, never asking someone to do something she wouldn’t do herself. As Graham fills the GM role McNally once held, that hands-on approach to leadership will continue. Graham shares the same philosophy. She’s been known to come out and park airplanes and do some wing walking when it’s needed. And when she’s in her office, she remains accessible as well. “The people I work with have known me for years, so they know they can come to me with anything. They know that I’ll be out there with them when things get tough; I’ll be out right beside them.”

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NAVIGATING

CHANGES

IN THE AIR By Angela Forsyth Photography by Jamison Mosley

nown for its motto “Service with no ceiling,” TAC Air is a division of Truman Arnold Companies (TAC), which was founded in 1964 by oil-and-gas entrepreneur Truman Arnold. The TAC Air subsidiary came about later in 1986 as a classic example of turning a problem into an opportunity. Arnold had been spending so much money on fuel for his planes, he decided to buy out the fueling operation at his local Texarkana airport and named it TAC Air. Before long, he began turning a profit refueling planes outside his own fleet and by the 1990s, TAC Air was bringing in four times the revenue of the overall company. Other divisions of TAC include TAC Energy, TAC Private Hangars and TAC Investments. Seeing a window of opportunity, Arnold continued to branch out in aviation services, buying fixed-based operations (FBOs) at airports across the country. Today, TAC is led by Truman Arnold’s son Greg Arnold, who is the president and

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TAC Air operates 16 FBOs across the country. (Courtesy of TAC Air)

CEO of the company. With more than $3 billion in annual sales, TAC is one of the largest fuel wholesalers and aviation service providers in the country. It operates FBO services at 16 airports nationwide, including locations in Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, Connecticut, New York, Kentucky, Nebraska, Utah, North Carolina, Louisiana, Missouri and Tennessee.

A significant portion of TAC Air’s business comes from Arkansas, where it has three FBO centers and one private hangar. The company provides ground services for non-commercial planes at the Clinton National Airport in Little Rock as well as Texarkana Regional Airport and Fort Smith Regional Airport. Interestingly, the Fort Smith location is one

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“We really are a family-focused company, and we care about the people who work for us.” to keep an eye on as a source for growth potential. While TAC Air provides services for Fort Smith, this also includes servicing Ebbing Air National Guard Base, the airfield adjacent to the Fort Smith airport which also shares its runways. TAC Vice President of Marketing Tad Perryman noted, “The military base has always been an important part of the business there, and with the new contract coming in with Singapore military, that’s actually a very big piece for us as well.” The Singapore Air Force squadron will be making Fort Smith its new home. Last

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year, Ebbing was selected to be the longterm pilot training center supporting F-16 and F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The plan is for the military base to house 36 F-35 planes and one F-16 squadron from the Republic of Singapore. “You’ve got Little Rock, which really has a lot of business for the state,” Perryman explained. “But Fort Smith is very well-positioned from an aviation standpoint. Arkansas is an especially strong aeronautics and aviation state and is doing a lot in the air defense area.”

Closing in on almost 60 years of business in the aviation industry, TAC must be doing something right. Perryman attributes the company’s success to its “level of service,” citing that although excellent service is something many will claim, his company actively focuses on training and building the skill level of its employees. “It’s about a lot of training, a lot of management and understanding,” he said. The company has a long list of employees who were hired at a young age with no previous experience in aviation services but were trained, gained experience and ended up staying until the age of retirement. At TAC, 25- and 35-year work anniversaries are common. According to Perryman, people stay at TAC because the company culture is so strong. “We really are a family-focused company, and we care about the people who work for us,” he said. He also noted that the company teaches people to have a good balance between work and life,

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TAC Air provides services for Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith.

and that the idea of “work hard and have a little fun” is a mantra handed down from Arnold himself. Customer service continues to be an actionable part of the business for TAC. The company recently invested in developing a tool it has named the Focus App, which will strengthen communication between TAC Air and its customers. The Focus App is a handheld device that looks like a phone (but is not actually a phone) and is given to the pilot. Once a plane lands, the pilot can order whatever services are needed directly from the device. This can include ordering specific amounts of fuel, reserving hangar space or requesting lavatory service. In the past, these requests were written down on a small pad by a TAC Air employee. Now, it’s all put in electronically and communicated into the system. The modernized method lessens the chance of miscommunication. Imagine that a pilot is ordering fuel and says, “I want a

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thousand gallons,” but the worker heard, “I want 10 thousand gallons.” The Focus App is connected via WiFi directly from the device in the pilot’s hand to the computer inside the office. Before payments are processed, everything is itemized on the screen, and the pilot signs off on the app. “From an innovation standpoint, it reduces issues, makes it easier and quicker for us to do our job and allows us to provide a better service for our customers,” Perryman explained. “It also allows us to be much more efficient and precise on the back end with our billing.” The Focus App is currently in a testing phase across the entire system of FBOs and has been getting positive feedback from pilots and customers. The company plans to follow up with an actual app that customers will be able to download onto their phones. This will allow orders to be made before the plane lands, so that when the wheels touch down, TAC Air

is already prepared to jump in with requested services. The faster service will especially make an impact on smaller aircraft, which need to land more frequently to refuel over the course of a long flight. Like most industries, the aviation service industry is constantly changing. Arkansas airports continue to provide centralized locations for airplanes to refuel and continue. At the same time, the state is growing its business offerings and becoming more of a destination, which means more executive jets are requesting hangars and other overnight services. The Fort Smith airport is regularly used by executives visiting Bentonville. “It’s very different between each FBO, even within the state,” Perryman said. “The atmosphere has changed in regard to who’s flying and how they fly. There’s been a lot of change over the years. Fortunately, it has been a great market that started small but has been able to grow and maintain itself because of its location.”

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Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport

COMMERCIAL AIRPORTS IN ARKANSAS Arkansas’ eight commercial airports and the airlines that serve them. NAME

Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport

CODE

LIT

CITY

COMMERCIAL CARRIERS

Little Rock

Allegiant American Airlines Delta Southwest United Frontier

Allegiant American Airlines Delta United Frontier Breeze Airways

Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport

XNA

Highfill (Bentonville)

Fort Smith Regional Airport

FSM

Fort Smith

- American Airlines

Texarkana Regional Airport

TXK

Texarkana

- American Airlines - United

Jonesboro Municipal Airport

JBR

Jonesboro

- Air Choice One

South Arkansas Regional Airport

ELD

El Dorado

- Southern Airways Express

Boone County Regional Airport

HRO

Harrison

- Southern Airways Express

Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport

HOT

Hot Springs

- Southern Airways Express

AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE COMPANIES IN ARKANSAS Ability LLC Fayetteville

Bemco, Inc. Centerton

Hampton Aviation, Inc. Mena

Advanced Integrated Technologies, Inc. Mountain View

Bishop Aviation, Inc. Hot Springs

Highland Machine Works, Inc. East Camden

Aerial Patrol, Inc. Maumelle

Boyd Interiors Mena

Jevac Machine Inc. McNeil

Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc. Camden

C & H Aircraft Restoration, Inc. Evansville

Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control East Camden

AeroNautique Sherwood

CAVU Aerospace Stuttgart

LRDC Systems LLC Little Rock

Aerotech Machine Corp. Batesville

Central Flying Service, Inc. Little Rock

Maynard, Inc. Fayetteville

Ag Air Aircraft, Inc. Corning

Class A Tooling Cabot

Mena Air Center Mena

Airborne Air Ambulance/ Airborne Flying Service, Inc. Hot Springs

Cobalt Aero Service LLC Hot Springs

Mena Aircraft Engines, Inc. Mena

Air Charter Express North Little Rock

Craft Manufacturing & Tooling Inc, dba CMT Inc Hot Springs

Mena Aircraft Painting Mena

Air Lease International Hot Springs

Crider Aircraft Painting, Inc. Mena

Airmotive, Inc. Clinton

Custom Aircraft Cabinets, Inc. North Little Rock

AirReady MRO Services, Inc. Melbourne

D & N Machining Greenwood

Air Resource Group Little Rock

DA Pine Bluff Arsenal Pine Bluff

Pinnacle North Corporate Aircraft Interiors, LLC Little Rock

Airtech Supply, Inc. Hot Springs

Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. Little Rock

POL Systems Inc. Magnolia

Allied AgCat Productions, Inc. Walnut Ridge

Dawson Aircraft, Inc. Clinton

POL Systems LLC Camden

American Defense Components Stamps

Delta Airport Consultants, Inc. Little Rock

Pratt & Whitney PSD, Inc. Springdale

American Eagle Airlines Bentonville

Devol Aviation Inc. Fayetteville

R & C Aviation, Inc. Mena

American Rheinmetall Munition, Inc. Camden

Ducommun Electronics Solutions Group Berryville

Raytheon Missile Systems East Camden

Amfuel Magnolia Amos Flying Service, Inc. Batesville Arcturus Aerospace Machine Little Rock Arkansas Aeronautics, Inc. West Memphis Arkansas Air Center Jonesboro Arkansas Turbine Services, Inc. Pocahontas Arloe Designs, LLC North Little Rock Aviation Graphix USA LLC Bella Vista Aviation Interior Services, Inc Searcy Aviation Repair Technologies (ART) Blytheville Avionics & Systems Integration Group LLC North Little Rock B & D Design Services, Inc. Springdale B&M Painting, LLC Camden Barrett Aviation, Inc. North Little Rock BEI Precision Systems & Space Company, Inc. Maumelle

Ducommun Electronics Solutions Group Huntsville Duke Manufacturing Fort Smith Edmonds Aviation LLC Searcy ESNA Arkansas - Div of Novaria Pocahontas Esterline Defense Technologies ARO East Camden Executive Aviation Services LLC Fayetteville Ferra Aerospace Rogers Flying Investments LLC Fayetteville Freedom Works Mfg. Inc. Hot Springs Frost Flying Maintenance, Inc. Marianna FTS, Inc. Little Rock Galley Support Innovations (GSI) Sherwood Game Composites, LLC Bentonville General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems Inc. Hampton Grandeur Fasteners, Inc. - Danville Danville

Mt. Ida Machining, Inc. Mount Ida Mundo-Tech, Inc. Rogers ORC Products, Inc. Springdale

Rose Aircraft Services, Inc. Mena Rotorcraft, Inc. Pocahontas Safran Electrical & Power Usa, LLC Little Rock SGL Composites, Inc. Arkadelphia Shield Aerodynamics LLC Pine Bluff South Delta Aviation Helena-West Helena Spectra Technologies LLC East Camden Stallings Aircraft Propeller Mountain View Standard Aero Little Rock Triumph Aerostructures Hot Springs Triumph Airborne Structures, LLC Hot Springs Triumph Group Fabrications Hot Springs Trutrak Flight Systems Inc Springdale TWH Enterprises, Inc Batesville Vision Technologies, Inc. Rogers Wolfspeed Fayetteville Source: AEDC

EXEC Q&A

PLANTING, CULTIVATING, REAPING

FARM INVESTMENT STARTUP EXPERIENCING RECORD GROWTH

ust three months into 2022, AcreTrader is experiencing a record year for growth. The Fayetteville-based farmland investment company just received a $20 million investment from Drive Capital, the Ohio venture capital firm that has invested in more than 50 companies outside of Silicon Valley, including major players like Duolingo, Greenlight and Olive. And that’s in addition to the $40 million Series B funding, announced earlier this year, to fund the company’s continued growth, which will be used to finalize a land mapping and analytics platform that provides farmers, landowners and investors with unparalleled insights and information on the value of land. Launched in 2018, AcreTrader utilizes proprietary technology to facilitate the buying and selling of land nationwide through a streamlined customer experience. Farmland is one of the largest U.S. real estate sectors, exceeding $3 trillion in value, but historically has been very difficult to access for investors.

Tell us about AcreTrader. Additionally, what is AcrePro and AcreMaps, and how do these tools all work together?

A: Our vision is to make buying and selling land common, transparent and

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By Lindsey Castrellon

Over the past year, the company’s revenues have grown five times over, its customer base has tripled, and the amount of land going live on its platform has more than doubled. AcreTrader also announced the launch of its land brokerage platform, AcrePro, which makes it easier for agents, buyers and sellers to assess, sell and purchase land. Plus, the company soon will launch a first-of-its-kind geospatial analytics platform. AcreTrader continues to plant seeds of innovation, and company founder and CEO Carter Malloy has been there from the very beginning, cultivating it for success. Malloy grew up in an Arkansas farming family and has had a lifelong passion for investing, agriculture and conservation. Prior to founding AcreTrader, he was part of an equity investment firm and a managing director with Stephens Inc. He recently visited with Arkansas Money & Politics to discuss what led him to the world of farmland investing and what’s in store for the future.

easy. Each of these tools helps empower our customers to buy and sell land in a different way — through advanced data, technology and expertise. AcreTrader is a farmland investing platform that enables individual investors to purchase fractional shares in thor-

oughly vetted farmland. On the other side of the equation, we work with farmers to help them find and lease land to expand their operations. AcrePro is the brokerage arm of our business. It facilitates land transactions, using advanced technologies and a team

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of agents with in-depth local expertise. AcreMaps is the data arm of our company. This advanced mapping tool combines deep data layers and cutting-edge analytics, allowing users to examine land like never before by providing information from historical crop yields and flood maps to tax data and comparable sales.

Q: What led you to start AcreTrader?

What was your mission, and what “hole” did you believe AcreTrader could fill?

A: The land industry has fascinated me

since I was a kid. My family owned a farm in eastern Arkansas; that always gave me a sense of place because I was able to be outside with my family and experience the land itself. Most of us have some kind of emotional connection with land, yet land markets themselves can be incredibly opaque for people who want to own, access or invest in a piece of land –– there’s no clear starting point or process. I heard people around me asking, “How do I participate? What’s an appropriate price to pay or ask? Where can I find information and experts to help me in the process?” I knew how to participate in farmland investment because of my own background, but I realized how difficult it was for other people to access that information. So I started looking for ways to bring those resources together and make them more widely available.

value for farmers by providing expansion capital, while at the same time providing the opportunity for folks to invest in rural America alongside those farmers.

What sort of reservations might investors have about fractional farmland investing in the beginning, and how do you ease those?

A: Many investors simply don’t know

they can invest in farmland or why they should. It’s historically been a pretty inaccessible asset class for individuals, so one of our major tasks is to educate people about farmland — both how it works as an investment and how that ties in with agriculture and our food system. Another part of that equation is trust. We are a younger company doing new things, so we are very involved in communicating with our investors. We do not have salespeople or commissions. Instead, we have a team of people ready to engage with investors and farmers to answer questions and provide clear information, transparency and educational materials.

Q: Do most individuals who invest

on the AcreTrader platform come with a set plan on where/how they want to invest, or do you regularly work with investors to figure out the best plan for them?

Q: How did you meet COO Garrott A: We do not provide investment adMcClintock, and what led him to join AcreTrader?

I met Garrott through a mutual friend from Stephens. He was co-managing a large farm, and I was impressed with his tech-forward approach. After meeting Garrott, I quickly realized he was one of the most intelligent and intentional people I’d ever met. He had a unique interest in and experience with agriculture, finance and technology that made me really want to work with him. I realized we shared a common goal of creating real

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vice. We provide educational material that investors can study and weigh for themselves how farmland might fit into their broader investment goals. Some of those investors go on to make investments and build portfolios with us. We have some that invest in a farm or two, and we have many that are invested across 20 to 30-plus farms. Location, crop type, operator and climate are some factors that investors take into account as they build a custom farmland portfolio.

Q: What are the accomplishments 41

CEO Carter Malloy

you are most proud of, and what are your goals moving forward?

A: Without a doubt, I’m proudest of

the people I get to work with every day. We focus on empowering our people to make decisions and enact their vision — that’s how we are able to iterate and grow quickly. I’m incredibly honored by the caliber of people I get to work with. They’re smart, hardworking, humble, curious folks, and most importantly, they’re just awesome humans. We have a lot of fun in the office together.

Q: What does the future look like

for farmland investing? What role will AcreTrader play?

A: As farmland becomes a more widely

recognized asset class, a broader diversity of investors will participate. We hope that will lead to greater success in rural America and growth in the livelihood of the American farmer. Farmland investing should be a mutually beneficial relationship, and we hope the wider industry shares our goals.

Q: Any upcoming announcements or projects on the horizon?

A: We’re growing like crazy. We cur-

rently have over 70 employees and will more than double that by the end of the year. We also have a lot on the technology roadmap, especially with AcreMaps, so expect to see some large new releases from us this year.

A P R IL 2022

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

UA, John Brown Teams Win Big at Governor’s Cup Business plan competition prepares future entrepreneurs By Emily Beirne

Overall, UA teams, accustomed to dominating the competiinalists in the 2022 Arkansas Governor’s Cup colletion, took six of the eight top awards. Thirty-one teams repregiate business-plan competition from Arkansas Capital senting 10 Arkansas colleges and universities participated in the Corporation prepared tirelessly for their big moment, annual competition with 12 finalists invited to pitch their prodbrainstorming business ideas and working out the kinks in evucts at the awards ceremony. ery detail. Finally, they got the chance to present their hard work Written and oral presentation rounds were held online prior to be considered the greatest concept of the year and move on to the finals. to the next step of making their busiArkansas Capital CEO Sam ness ideas a reality. Walls III noted the state’s rich histoBut ultimately, there could be just SMALL BUSINESS DIVISION ry of entrepreneurship and said his four winners, although one team FIRST PLACE – Ascend organization is proud to recognize it from John Brown University took John Brown University, Siloam Springs each year. home the top prize in two categories. SECOND PLACE – Bento “The Governor’s Cup has been Teams from the University of ArkanUniversity of Arkansas, Fayetteville successful over the years as being sas and JBU swept the top awards. THIRD PLACE – Orange Otter Toys a very loud voice for promoting Winning teams in each of two University of Arkansas, Fayetteville the value of entrepreneurship to categories received cash prizes of the state and its economy and pro$25,000 from a total pot of $100,000 HIGH-GROWTH / TECHNOLOGY DIVISION moting the idea of celebrating the split among the finalists. FIRST PLACE — GammaVet success of other companies here, This year’s winners were revealed University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and saying, ‘Who is going to be our on March 31 at a ceremony in Rogers, SECOND PLACE — CiphrX Biotechnologies next Walmart or Tyson? Go down the competition’s first live event in University of Arkansas, Fayetteville the list of all the amazing compatwo years. Winners were the Ascend THIRD PLACE — SHOCK nies started here. I think today that team from John Brown University in University of Arkansas, Fayetteville message is still as relevant as it was the small business division, Gammawhen we started this thing 22 years Vet from the University of Arkansas ELEVATOR PITCH WINNERS ago.” in the high growth/technology diviWalls has been a part of the sion, Ascend from JBU in the elevaSMALL BUSINESS DIVISION Governor’s Cup almost since the tor pitch competition small business Ascend beginning, and his enthusiasm for division’s elevator pitch competition John Brown University, Siloam Springs students succeeding has grown and the UA’s Horizon Health Soluwith each new group of competing tions in the high growth/tech elevaHIGH GROWTH / TECHNOLOGY DIVISION teams. tor pitch competition. Horizon Health Solutions “I have been involved for the Other winners included the UA’s University of Arkansas, Fayetteville past 19 years, and every year, it just Bento and Orange Otter Toys, which blows me away with some of these took second and third places, respecplans that come through and the tively, in the small business division. sophistication of the ideas. With all due respect to our earlier Two more UA teams, CiphrX Biotechnologies and SHOCK, took plans, they wouldn’t stand a chance in the competitive envisecond and third, respectively, in the high growth/tech division. ronment that we have today,” he said. “There is a broader range Other finalist teams were ARLawn from Arkansas State Uniof universities and colleges that have participated over the versity, Kopi Koffee Company from the UA and Limitless Fitness last few years and been successful, which is exciting because from Central Baptist College/Ouachita Baptist University in the it means the message is getting out there, and it’s being emsmall business division as well as Suelo LLC from the UA and braced by our students.” Veza from JBU in high growth/tech.

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2022 ARKANSAS GOVERNOR’S CUP FINALISTS WITH SUBMITTED BUSINESS PLAN DESCRIPTIONS

HIGH-GROWTH/TECHNOLOGY DIVISION

SMALL BUSINESS DIVISION

CIPHRX BIOTECHNOLOGIES School: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville “CiphrX Biotechnologies provides a sequencing-based diagnostic platform that utilizes relevant genetic biomarkers to inform diagnosis and support therapeutic decisions in brain cancer. We are developing a patent-pending sample preparation workflow that enables same-day genetic sequencing performed within the hospital.”

ARLAWN School: Arkansas State University, Jonesboro “ARLawn involves the implementation of a full net-zero emissions service into the lawn care industry, using a variety of electric components to implement this vision. Key aspects of this system include the use of the Graze autonomous mower and the all-electric Ford Lightning.”

GAMMAVET School: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville “GammaVet is a veterinary diagnostics and therapeutics company focused on addressing the novel virus, FcaGHV1. We plan to lead the market by introducing the first rapid diagnostic test for virus detection to give veterinarians and feline pet owners the power to be more vigilant when it comes to early cancer detection.” HORIZON HEALTH SOLUTIONS School: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville “Horizon Health Solutions is empowering independent pharmacies through an innovative software-as-a-service product that optimizes pharmacy prescription margins and offers market insight previously available only to large chain pharmacies.” SHOCK School: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville “SHOCK’s competitive advantage is in our technology, a patent-pending technique for attaching a naturally occurring protein coating to any enzyme. In 10 years, the poultry industry has seen only a 1 percent gain in feed efficiency annually.” SUELO LLC School: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville “Suelo aims to democratize access to technology for emerging agricultural markets. We are reaching mid- and small-size businesses that cannot afford the high prices of existing technologies. By using long-range sensors to acquire data and artificial intelligence to process that data, the Suelo system will be intuitive and easy to use.” VEZA School: John Brown University, Siloam Springs “Veza is an online data science and analytics company that aims to connect higher education institutions with prospective students. Veza seeks to assist these college students through our app, FreshmanU. Our unique data-centric model provides a set of metrics that differentiate Veza in the industry.”

ASCEND School: John Brown University, Siloam Springs “Ascend provides an all-in-one tree stand system with no additional equipment needed, taking the hunter from carry-in to the harvest. Our product is not necessarily dependent on rapid expansion nationwide. Instead, it focuses on making the experience for mobile hunters more enjoyable and practical at the same time.” BENTO School: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville “Bento is a customer-experience digital menu-management platform for restaurants with intuitive menu navigation for their customers. Restaurants can easily create menus through pre-made templates, simple-to-use design features, and quickly engage customers both in and out of the restaurant.” KOPI KOFFEE CO. School: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville “Kopi Koffee provides an online B2C marketplace, allowing home coffee roasters and coffee enthusiasts to purchase from a wide assortment of green coffee beans based on individual preferences for flavor profile, source region and sustainability ratings.” LIMITLESS FITNESS Schools: Central Baptist College, Conway Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia “Limitless Fitness is a modern, smart-tech, women-only fitness center. We will prioritize bringing women located in Northwest Arkansas together to create a safe and judgmentfree environment that allows them to exercise freely and improve their mental health. We believe we can decrease and possibly eliminate these numbers over time.” ORANGE OTTER TOYS School: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville “There is a gap in the toy industry today that fails to foster play between children with and without disabilities. Building a marble works-style toy will bridge this gap of play, increase the dignity of the play experience and reduce the reliance of play on infant toys.”

BANKING

No Days Off for

FAB&T’S WILSON

From a broom to the board room, focus has always been community

Larry Wilson began his banking career pushing a broom. The regular janitor at what was then First Jacksonville Bank had to have surgery in the mid-1960s. The owner of the bank, Larry’s father, Kenneth Pat Wilson, recruited his son, who was still in high school. “I’d go to the bank before school and clean up, and then came back after school,” Wilson said. “I earned my PhD in janitorial services.” The job only lasted about six weeks while the regular janitor recuperated from his operation, Wilson said. But it began his lifelong commitment to the bank, its customers and the residents of Jacksonville. Now, at 74, Wilson is the president of First Arkansas Bank & Trust (FAB&T) that employs 240 people, features 20 branch banks and has more than $960 million in total assets. The bank also owns a credit card operation near Atlanta with nearly 100,000 accounts across the U.S. and Canada. “It’s quite a fulfilling occupation to help people financially,” he said. The bank has been helping people since its inception more than 70 years ago. Kenneth Wilson, the president of the newly established Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, realized there was a need for a local bank in 1948. It took nearly half a day then for Jacksonville residents to drive to Little Rock to conduct their banking business and then return home. Wilson and other investors raised the $65,000 needed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to start the bank. The Jacksonville State Bank, as it was first called, opened on Nov. 5, 1949, at 109 Main St. with three employees. At the same time, the U.S. Air Force began looking for sites to

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By Kenneth Heard Photography by Jamison Mosley

Melda Rice was the first employee in 1949 of what was then Jacksonville State Bank. She passed away in January at age 104. She retired from the bank in 1984 but remained on its board of directors until 1998.

place a new air base and was debating over several spots near Little Rock. There were a couple along the Arkansas River between the capital city and Pine Bluff and a site that served as an ordnance plant during World War II beside Jacksonville. The other sites had problems, Larry Wilson said, including lowlands that often flooded when the Arkansas River left its banks. Jacksonville was on higher ground and presented a more suitable site. As an added incentive, Kenneth Wilson and others raised $1 million to purchase the land and donate it to the U.S. Department of Defense. “That’s how it got started,” Wilson said. “Dad was the go-between in negotiations between those who raised the money and those who would sell their land.” In all, nearly 100 people lived and farmed on the 6,400 acres needed by the base. “Dad convinced them all to sell, but only if the base came,” he said. “There was a greater attitude of patriotism then. Still, those folks had been on the land for some time.” Construction began on the base in 1953, and it opened in Oc-

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“I’d go to the bank before school and clean up, and then came back after school. I earned my PhD in janitorial services.” — Wilson ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

FE B RUA RY 2021

BANKING

“Success in banking is due to the people we attract and retain as part of our team. It’s not a one-person deal.” tober 1955. The bank soon opened a branch at the base. “It was quite a shot in the arm for Jacksonville and the area around it,” Wilson said. At first, there was no housing available on the base, so residents let airmen stay in their homes. Wilson said the relationship developed early on between the base and the community remains today. Larry and his brother, Mike Wilson, have served as president of the Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council, and both continue to serve as members of the executive committee. Within 10 years of its opening, Jacksonville State Bank outgrew its facility. On July 4, 1959, in a scene reminiscent of an episode of The Andy Griffith Show, bank workers emptied the vault, placed the money in Police Chief Myron Traylor’s car and drove it to its new location at 600 W. Main St., and opened the following day. That bank featured the first drive-thru banking window in the state, and in 1977, it boasted one of the first ATMs in Central Arkansas. The dedication to its customers was evident again in May 1993 when the bank building burned. All but the safe deposit vault was scorched, Wilson said. An empty savings and loan building sat across the parking lot from the bank, and Wilson had the key. He called the utility company, had the power turned on, opened the building at midnight and moved everything to the new location. Again, they opened quickly. “We opened for business at 9 a.m. that day,” he said. “We were ready to go.” In fact, taking a day off is a foreign idea for Wilson. He earned his master’s degree in industrial management at the University of Arkansas on Saturday, June 7, 1971. He took Sunday off and then began working full time at the bank the next day as a marketing officer. Wilson said he learned how to treat customers from his father, whom he considers his role model. Kenneth Wilson, who died in 2002, served as the president of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and was on the board of directors for the predecessor of CenturyTel for more than 20

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Wilson and Shelia De Armond, assistant vice president and assistant trust officer.

years. He was also instrumental in establishing the Rebsamen Memorial Hospital — and later the North Metro Medical Center — in Jacksonville. Larry has followed his father’s example. He served as chamber president in 1987 and in 2001. He also held a seat on the Jacksonville City Council for 24 years and was given a six-year term in 2012 on the Hendrix College board of trustees. “I always wanted to be involved in the community,” he said. “I wanted to help people become financially educated to improve their quality of life. “I saw what my dad had done and thought it was a very worthy effort.” He is now passing that on to his own children. His son, Mark Wilson, is the vice president of the bank. Another son, Patrick Wilson, is a lawyer, and his daughter, Alexis Jenkins, is in residential construction in Oxford, Miss. Wilson has also been a leader in promoting women to administrative positions at his bank. “We always look for the best fit,” he said. “We didn’t care where they were from or what their gender was. We were looking for people who shared our values and understood customer service. “Success in banking is due to the people we attract and retain as part of our team. It’s not a one-person deal.” Lorrie Trogden, the president of the Arkansas Banking Association, lauded Wilson for his role in helping women advance in banking. “Larry was on my hiring committee, which selected the first female president and CEO in Arkansas Bankers Association history,” Trogden said. “He is committed to hiring the most talented candidate, and being female is not a deficit. Everyone starts on a level playing field. Larry has been a great resource for me and [First Arkansas Bank and Trust] has always been a strong partner with the association.” Wilson said he intends to keep his banking in the state and not expand into other areas like other banks. He’s satisfied with his banking empire, which is usually ranked 16th in the state by size. “We’re not interested in being the biggest bank,” he said. “We want to maintain our service level. We want to stay within the state to do our best on keeping contact with our customers.”

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Arkansas business is as wide-ranging and diverse as the Natural State’s beautiful landscape. In this special sales section, Arkansas Money & Politics recognizes some of the state’s most prominent business people, representing the full spectrum of Arkansas industry. Come get to know these leaders of industry in Arkansas.

FACE OF ARCHITECTURE BENCHMARK GROUP, INC. CHRISTINE BOTT, EXECUTIVE VP SUPPORT OPERATIONS; JASON C. ADAMS, P.E., EXECUTIVE VP; DAVID P. KIMBALL, P.E., PRESIDENT; MATTHEW J. NICHOLS, P.E., ENGINEERING PROGRAM DIRECTOR; SHUREE PIERCE, EXECUTIVE VP ACCOUNTING & FINANCE. (NOT PICTURED) JOIE WILDER, DIRECTOR OF ARCHITECTURE-DALLAS Paul C. Parks Engineering was founded in Rogers in 1978 as an electrical engineering sole proprietorship. Owner and founder Paul C. Parks, P.E., incorporated the firm so he could share ownership with his staff. To meet the needs of clients, the firm expanded by adding architectural and interior design services. In 2013, the company name was changed to Benchmark Group, Inc. to reflect the standard of excellence Mr. Parks sought to maintain

for every project. Now with a second office located in Dallas, Benchmark has grown into one of the most respected firms in the industry. Its portfolio includes large national chains and small, local businesses. But regardless of the size, the Benchmark team works to connect with each client through a culture of collaboration and trust.

Benchmark Group, Inc. • Rogers | Dallas • 479.636.5004 • teamofchoice.com

Benchmark projects have included everything from convenience stores to large corporate offices and distribution/ fulfillment centers, and the industries touched by Benchmark include civic/cultural, C-stores, food & beverage, grocery, hospitality, retail, sports and more. Benchmark has been the recipient of an Arkansas Quality Commitment Award, a LEED Silver Award from the U.S. Green Building Council and a Governor’s Work/Life Balance Award. The firm’s 40th anniversary was recognized in 2018 through “40 Acts of Service” in its community and it bgteamofchoice

bg_teamofchoice

continues to partner with several non-profits while giving team members paid time to volunteer at their favorite organization. David P. Kimball, P.E., President, believes the firm’s people are its greatest asset. “Paul instilled a tradition of family first, quality practices and customer service, but most of all he believed in always doing the right thing and lived by it every day,” he said. “These values remain at the core foundation of our company and team at Benchmark Group.”

benchmarkgroupteam

Benchmark Group, Inc.

FACE OF AUTO SALES TROTTER FORD FORD TROTTER Tell us about the work that makes you most proud. My father and grandfather. Both were successful businessmen but with very different management styles. I learned a lot from them both. What is your “go-to” first thing in the morning? I get my wife a cup of coffee and read a Christian devotional. Do you have a favorite quote? “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” — Henry Ford. Which is the last book you read? They Were Christians by Cristobal Krusen. Which source of news do you prefer – print, online, TV, or radio? TV. I like the local news and CNBC. What is an alternative path you might have taken if things had played out differently? I was in the prelaw program at Westminster College because I had convinced myself that I wanted to be a lawyer. In my sophomore year, I read an article about how many law students were graduating with their law degree and not finding a job because there were too many lawyers. I changed my major to business and decided to go into my family’s business. Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? No. During which part of the day are you most productive? In the morning, from 7 to 11. Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? Definitely, hands-on! In your experience, what is the secret to inspiring others to action? Find out what they spend their money and time on outside of work and motivate them accordingly.

Trotter Ford • 870.535.4321 • trotterford.com TrotterFordLinclon TroterFordLinc

FACE OF BUSINESS LITIGATION JAMES, HOUSE, SWANN & DOWNING, P.A.

MATT HOUSE, DICK DOWNING, KAYLA APPLEGATE, CHARLEY SWANN, ZACH WILSON, CARLA MILLER, PAT JAMES, STEWART HEADLEE Tell us about the history of the firm. Some of our eight lawyers have been at the firm for multiple decades, while others clerked here while in law school and have been at the firm ever since. We have also added talented attorneys who practiced law elsewhere, so that we can offer a broad array of high-quality legal services to our clients. In which areas does the firm focus? Our firm’s primary practice area is civil litigation, with a heavy focus on business/commercial litigation and estate/ trust/probate litigation (what we call “wealth wars”).

What distinguishes JHSD from the competition? Central Arkansas is blessed to have many excellent attorneys serving the community. Our firm strives to maintain that high standard through our hard work, long hours, diligent preparation and aggressive advocacy on behalf of our clients. Does the firm’s diverse client list of individuals, small businesses and large corporations make it stronger and more flexible? Yes. Our firm strives to meet the individual needs of each diverse client and recognizes that whether they are a one-

James, House, Swann & Downing, P.A. • 501.372.6555

man (or woman!) operation or a multimillion-dollar enterprise with varying stakeholders, they all need and receive our time, attention and willingness to fight on their behalf.

The firm has always relied primarily on word-of-mouth advertising. How is that the most effective means of promotion? We are honored and grateful that our firm has grown in size and reputation, based primarily upon the repeat business of existing happy clients as well as new clients who come referred to us from many other respected sources (former clients, other lawyers, judges, etc.).

In the firm’s “Wealth Wars” blog (at www.arkansaswealthwars.com), it addresses issues such as the generational transfer of wealth that looms ahead with the Baby Boomers retiring and passing. Is this something for which many people remain unprepared? Sadly, yes. Estate planning and business-succession planning are often ignored or delayed until too late. Sometimes, even the most careful planning still results in family disputes over inherited money and property. Our firm regularly handles and helps clients navigate these difficult situations.

jhsd-law.com

FACE OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S

GENA WINGFIELD, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CFO Tell us about the work that makes you most proud. It is my honor to serve as CFO at Arkansas Children’s and as a member of this team for more than 37 years. While finance is typically a role that sits behind the scenes, my team is attached to our strategic work and bold vision. We take great responsibility in ensuring our investments have the greatest impact on the patients and families we serve. From being good stewards of generous donations through Arkansas Children’s Foundation to financing a new hospital, I am most proud of the way our investments throughout Arkansas advance care close to home and improve child health. Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? I’m inspired by our Arkansas Children’s team. Year after year, our team shows an even greater commitment and dedication to our patients and families, while always striving for safety, teamwork, compassion and excellence to fulfill our mission. Do you have a favorite quote? Yes, my favorite quote, which is framed in my office, is, “Progress moves at the speed of trust.” I believe it is true and have experienced this throughout my career. I have also always liked a hockey quote from Wayne Gretzky (no I don’t play hockey) which is, “I skate to where the puck is going to be.” It is about looking forward and anticipating what is ahead. During which part of the day are you most productive? I am definitely not an early morning person, but any time after my coffee, I am good! What is an alternative path you might have taken if things had played out differently? I probably would have been a physician, perhaps a surgeon. However, I was much better at accounting than chemistry in high school, so I took the accounting path.

ArkansasChildrens

Which source of news do you prefer – print, online, TV, or radio? I prefer online news because it’s quicker to read. However, I still like to watch the 10 p.m. news every night on TV. What is your “go-to” first thing in the morning? My go-to in the morning is first coffee, then email! Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? Many of our board members of Arkansas Children's have been mentors to me, likely without them even knowing it! Some of those individuals include: Charlie Whiteside, Phillip Jett, Sharilyn Gasaway, Chuck Erwin, Mark Saviers, Tom Baxter and Ron Clark. We are so fortunate to have dedicated board members who truly believe in our mission and have a passion for improving child health in Arkansas. Our current CEO, Marcy Doderer, and previous CEO, Dr. Jonathan Bates, have also been great mentors for me. Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? My leadership style continues to evolve. Early on in my career, I was definitely more hands-on, but over the years, having such an excellent team has helped me be more hands-off. However, they might say I am still pretty hands-on! In your experience, what is the secret to inspiring others to action? I think about what inspires me: knowing the "why" behind something and providing that to others. I also try to understand someone's passion and help paint a picture of the future. Which is the last book you read? Gracious and Strong. It is written by Celia Swanson, who is one of our board members who I admire.

Arkansas Children's • archildrens.org archildrens archildrens arkansas-children's-hospital

FACE OF CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS KELLCO CUSTOM HOMES TRACIE J. KELLEY, PRESIDENT & CEO, KELLCO CUSTOM HOMES, KELLCO REAL ESTATE AND ENERGY AIR INC. What attracted you to your career? I have a fierce passion for helping others which is the driving force allowing for me to provide such a dynamic approach to serving my clients in every venture I set. I’ve set the bar high for myself and work daily to exceed my clients’ expectations. How did you get started in your field? Having a family background in the Real Estate and construction industry inspired me at an early age. I started as a one-woman, home based operation, which launched in 1994. Today, I have grown to a collaborative team of over 35 individuals devoted to providing an unwavering commitment of exceptional services within all aspects of my corporations. How did your education prepare you for professional life? My extensive educational background and professional licenses help equip me for the demands of today and are fueled by the lessons of my upbringing. Maintaining a strong will to push forward and staying focused on the individual needs of my clients certainly wasn’t learned in any textbook, but by great work ethics and self discipline which has resulted in over 25 years of industry experience and success. I’ve been surrounded and loved by a multitude of intelligent and powerful people who have taught me so much. It truly takes a village and I am surrounded by the very best.

What advice would you give to a young woman starting her career? A praying woman is a powerful woman! With the many hiccups and challenges along your journey, learn to face them, grow from them, and use them to your full advantage! We can go through life taking half-steps and holding our breath, or we can choose to lean into the complete fullness of who we were made to be How do you maintain a work/life balance? I take time to make time! I put aside my phones and gadgets and embrace my family. I accept that I cannot be all things to all people. Through all my life’s highlights and successes, my education, entrepreneurships and competitive fitness career, the bond that I share with my family stands alone. With four active boys there is never a dull nor quiet moment and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. What accomplishments are you most proud of? Personally, raising and teaching our four sons to be faithful to God for whom we serve, to be kind, loving, independent and honest young men, I am most proud of. They inspire me in every part of my life. On a professional note, my accomplishments are virtually endless; I am powerfully driven to provide the best in customer service with integrity and much passion. I am truly blessed to have accomplished so much and for being entrusted with the many opportunities given.

930 East Kiehl Ave., Sherwood • 501.993.5232

FACE OF HEALTH CARE SOLUTIONS AFMC

RAY HANLEY, PRESIDENT AND CEO What is Arkansas' number one health care challenge? Lack of health care providers outside urban areas, especially in mental health and dental, and nurses. Our primary care physicians in rural areas are aging. There are not enough younger doctors available and willing to step in. What are the challenges to mental health in Arkansas? Significant lack of providers outside urban areas, more than 80 percent of psychiatrists and psychologists, and the majority of clinical social workers only work in urban areas. Lack of access is followed closely by the stigma that keeps many people from seeking treatment, especially in rural areas where everyone knows everyone else. What is the overall assessment of the health status of Arkansans? In most rankings, Arkansas is near the bottom of states in

the health care status of our citizens in terms of smoking rates, obesity, lack of physical activity, diabetes and other chronic diseases. What are the challenges for health in rural areas? Lack of broadband (but improving) to power telemedicine, but providers, patients and payers must be willing to use it. Telehealth is often critical to embrace due to the lack of providers outside urban areas. Arkansas has seen two new medical schools open in recent years and a new one developing in Northwest Arkansas. Will they help meet the challenges Arkansas faces? The osteopathic schools in Fort Smith and Jonesboro and the Alice Walton-funded, planned medical school will increase the supply of physicians and other providers like

AFMC • 501-212-8600 • afmc.org

nurses. Hopefully, they will choose to remain in Arkansas. The state must develop incentive programs to get more to practice in rural areas and small towns outside urban areas. How has the opioid epidemic impacted Arkansas? Arkansas ranked No. 2 among states in opioid prescriptions per 100,000 population in recent years. In 2020, there were 547 drug overdose deaths in Arkansas. Twothirds involved opioids. Unable to get more prescription opioids, too many have turned to other deadly illegal drugs, especially fentanyl and heroin. The lack of adequate mental health and treatment programs outside urban areas has compounded the crisis. What are your go-to sources each morning? The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on my iPad followed by afmcAR

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online health clips gathered by Google and Kaiser Health. What’s your leadership style? I strive to make AFMC a place where bright and talented people want to work by getting the resources they need, listening and not micromanaging. I let them run their parts of the company. I have zero use for "yes people." I hire leaders who are willing to disagree with me and suggest other options while respecting that I will make the final decisions.

What’s an alternate path you might have taken in life? The summer after my first year in college, I worked at the International Paper plant outside Malvern. I thought I would stay with that job and not return to college. My mother, who only completed the 7th grade, would have none of that plan, and I returned to college in the fall. AFMCTV

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FACE OF IN-HOME HEALTH CARE ELDER INDEPENDENCE KIM CLATWORTHY, OWNER

Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? My parents have been a source of inspiration to me my whole life. They taught me to believe in myself. I grew up in Hot Springs, where my parents owned a lake resort. As small kids, my sisters and I grew up working at the resort. Watching my parents’ hard work and dedication inspired me to want to help others and have a business of my own. What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? Most people who know me would say my “go-to” first thing in the morning is my lemon water and a Kind bar. I also enjoy my quiet time first thing in the mornings.

Do you have a favorite quote? “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? I have been mentored and been a mentor to others. I am thankful for all the mentors in my life and the way each of them has touched my life. I have always tried to help others grow and succeed. I have a lady who works for me now who I mentored when she was just a teenager, and she has shared with me what my mentoring meant to her. I believe

Elder Independence • 501.847.6102

mentoring others is also a way for personal growth. When you pour into others, it is a wonderful feeling.

Which is the last book you read? Atomic Habit by James Clear and Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey. During which part of the day are you most productive? I am most productive in the morning.

Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? I believe I am a combination of both. I enjoy being handson with caring for our clients and families, but I can be hands-off when it comes to the day-to-day internal operations because I am blessed with an amazing team. In your experience, what’s the secret to inspiring others to action? I believe that having enthusiasm, being passionate and driven helps to encourage others. You have to be the change you want to inspire.

elderindependence.com

FACE OF COMMERCIAL HVAC POWERS OF ARKANSAS

RON MCCARTY, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT; SCOTT SMITH, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT; ALAN HOPE, CEO; DAVID SQUIRES, VICE PRESIDENT OF SERVICE; AND ADAM HOPE, VICE PRESIDENT OF PROCESS IMPROVEMENT. (NOT PICTURED) CHASE RANSOM, VICE PRESIDENT OF POWERS NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

Powers of Arkansas is a customer-focused company of professionals who provide comfort and energy efficiency in buildings. Powers is unique, with the people, skills, resources and technology to manage all aspects of customers’ heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) needs. A privately held HVAC commercial company, Powers gets its name from the Powers Regulator Company (1891). As a SIEMENS independent field office, Powers is the recognized leader in the control systems sector and has also become a dominant player in the HVAC manufacturer rep business, which includes controls, equipment, air distribution, TAB and HVAC product lines. It also excels in service — mechanical, controls, chiller and boiler service, as well as retrofit service projects. Powers has offices in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Louisiana.

“From the ground up, Powers is built on serving our customers,” said Alan Hope, CEO. “We have a very dedicated and capable team that delivers for our customers every day, demonstrating our goal of creating customers for life!” The Powers team has grown to 250-plus, including more than 175 installation and service technicians. The company’s customer base spans a wide range, including health care, hospitals, K–12 schools, higher education, universities and colleges, federal and state government buildings, commercial office towers and buildings, critical environments, laboratories, manufacturing and industry. For more than 35 years, Powers has been listening to customers and taking care of their HVAC systems to keep their toes warm, the lights on and energy low. At Powers, they are creating customers for life.

Powers of Arkansas • 501.374.5420 • powers-hvac.com PowersofArkansas powershvac

FACE OF BANKING STONE BANK

JOE DUNN, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND SENIOR LENDER Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? Faith and family are the two primary sources of inspiration and motivation in my life. What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? I’m a routine person, so I love my morning routine. Get up, get ready, cook myself breakfast and read my devotional book while I eat breakfast. Do you have a favorite quote? “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” — Theodore Roosevelt Which is the last book you read? Surprise, Kill, Vanish — the secret history of CIA paramilitary operations.

Which source of news do you prefer — print, online, TV or radio? Radio primarily because I can listen to that while driving or while doing other things. Second would be online; this is primarily where I get my financial news. What’s an alternate path you might have taken if things had played out differently? I had taken the LSAT and was planning to attend the UALR School of Law when I went to work at a bank as a loan officer. I fell in love with banking and never made it to law school, but becoming an attorney would have been my second choice. During which part of the day are you most productive? Morning! I work on the “challenging” items in the morning when my mind is the sharpest and save the easier tasks for later in the afternoon.

Stone Bank • 833.253.2265 • stonebank.com @stonebanking @StoneBanking Stone Bank

FACE OF CARDIOLOGY

CONWAY REGIONAL CARDIOVASCULAR CLINIC RIMSHA HASAN, MD, INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY What made you choose to pursue a profession in medicine? I wanted to be a neurosurgeon at the age of 4, but I was destined to be a cardiologist instead. I realized my calling to cardiac care during rotations in medical school. I truly love the opportunity to care for my patients. Where did you complete your medical training? I completed a residency in internal medicine at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. From there, I completed fellowship training in interventional cardiology and general cardiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. What area of cardiology do you feel most passionate about? Women’s heart health often gets misdiagnosed, and that

delays access to care. There is an under representation of women in the cardiology data. The major misconception is that ‘it’s a man’s disease.’ Truthfully, it is a human disease, and it can happen to anyone. I diagnose patients based on a risk profile, regardless of gender. The focus should be on individual risks, rather than just dividing people into categories based on gender. My assessment includes comorbidities and social habits, such as having a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercising, smoking, as well as family history.

What would you like for the community to know about you as a physician? I hope I am known as a physician who is accessible to patients and to physicians in the community, working as part of a team with other providers.

525 Western Avenue, Suite 202, Conway • 501-358-6905 • www.conwayregional.org

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FACE OF HOSPITALS

CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM Tell us about Conway Regional Health System. Conway Regional Health System provides comprehensive health care services to a seven-county service area of North Central Arkansas including Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, Perry, Pope, Van Buren and Yell Counties. Centered on a 180-bed, acute care medical center, the health system provides patients with a variety of services including heart health, orthopedic care, neurospine surgery, vascular surgery, gastroenterology services, women’s health, surgery and rehabilitation. In addition, Conway Regional operates an expansive physician enterprise, including 10 primary care clinics and seven specialty clinics.

edented, global pandemic. Our team faced the new challenges presented by COVID-19 with innovation, collaboration, and resilience. From drive-thru testing to telemedicine appointments, to caring for patients with COVID-19, our team expanded and adapted operations to care for our community’s needs every step of the way. The past year also offered opportunities for innovation and growth, including construction of a new state of the art intensive care unit, welcoming more than one dozen new physicians to our medical staff, and the opening of a new, three-story medical office building that marked the next step forward in our capital investment initiative to expand and enhance services to the community.

How has Conway Regional made an impact on the overall health of the communities you serve? For more than 100 years, Conway Regional has provided high-quality, compassionate health care by offering innovative services, introducing new specialists and expanding access to care. From primary care to times when specialty care is needed, our world-class providers are here to take care of North Central Arkansas, Central Arkansas, and the River Valley. During our lengthy history, we have overcome great challenges such as responding to the care needed after tornadoes, floods, and man-made disasters. In March 2020, our team faced another challenge: an unprec-

How are you making investments in shaping the future of health care? Conway Regional offers family medicine and internal medicine residency programs for recent medical school graduates. These residency programs foster innovation while incorporating traditional family and internal medicine practices, outstanding specialty training, minor surgeries, obstetrical/gynecological care, and pediatrics into a dynamic educational process. The primary goal of each program is to equip future family and internal medicine practitioners with the knowledge, experience, and skills necessary to provide exemplary patient care and positively impact the full spectrum of primary health care.

Conway Regional Health System • 501.329.3831 • conwayregional.org ConwayRegional ConwayRegional

FACE OF ORTHOPEDICS CONWAY REGIONAL

JAY HOWELL, MD, CONWAY ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE CENTER Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? I have several family members in medicine who encouraged me to explore the field. I realized that medicine was the best way for me to most effectively use the brain God gave me.

Describe your organization. Conway Orthopedics and Sports Medicine is a thriving orthopedics and sports medicine practice. Our providers at the clinic use the latest technology to enhance the care we provide to our patients, including Robotic Arm Assisted Surgery for knee and hip replacements.

Where did you receive your education and how long have you been working in your field? Is there a public education issue that you feel passionI completed medical school at UAMS in Little Rock. I be- ate about? gan a five-year residency in orthopedics at Hamot MediMany problems can occur with late diagnosis. I would encal Center in Erie, Penn. After completing my residency, courage people to get evaluated as soon as possible when I completed a one-year surgical fellowship in hand and they notice something is wrong. At Conway Orthopedics and upper extremity surgery at the University of Alabama Sports Medicine Center, we offer urgent care services, alSchool of Medicine in Birmingham. lowing patients to be seen by a provider without an appointment. Patients can walk in and receive an initial evaluation. I have practiced in Faulkner County since August 2011. It’s hard to know if something’s broken based on what it feels I moved here with my wife, Hannah, and our 1–year-old like or looks like; you need an X-ray. baby after I completed my fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery. 550 Club Lane, Conway • 501.329.1510 • conwayregional.org APRI L 202 2 ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM ConwayRegional 66 ConwayRegional

FACE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS FOUNDERS CLASSICAL ACADEMY, WLR RHONDA BRADFORD, SUPERINTENDENT Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? I am a huge John Maxwell fan, and his books have been an inspiration to me over the years. Do you have a favorite quote? “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? Sweet tea.

What’s an alternate path you might have taken if things had played out differently? I can’t recall ever wanting to be anything other than an educator. Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? I have had many mentors over the course of my career, and I am so thankful for their influence. My hope is that in some small or large way I have reciprocated that by having a positive impact on those around me.

Which is the last book you read? How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath & Don Clifton.

During which part of the day are you most productive? Anytime of the day other than mornings. Mornings are my least favorite time.

Which source of news do you prefer — print, online, TV or radio? TV.

Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? Hands-on!

Founders Classical Academy • 501.821.0382 • responsiveedar.com ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

A P R IL 2022

FACE OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS USAble Life

ERIN SCOGGINS, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF HR BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? All the women in my family. I come from a family of very strong, educated and hardworking black women on both sides of my family. Women who inspired me to be the best I can be, work hard for what I want and never give up despite the obstacles that may come my way.

Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? Both. My hope is that I was able to share something that helped my mentee in the same way my mentor encouraged me early in my career to be a risk-taker, dared me to be different and to leap into uncomfortable and unfamiliar spaces to further my growth.

What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? “Morning Blessings” led by my husband and pastor. Every morning, Neal leads an online morning devotion over Zoom, livestreamed on Facebook. It’s what gets me going in the morning and what keeps me motivated all day. Every day, I am amazed at the words of wisdom that he shares.

Do you have a favorite quote? “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” – Maya Angelou As I reflect back on the work we have done with the DEI initiatives at USAble Life, there are so many moments that have taken my breath away. From the first inclusion council meeting to the first PRIDE awareness session where three of our colleagues shared their stories. It has all been overwhelmingly amazing and breathtaking.

Which source of news do you prefer — print, online, TV or radio? TV – The Today Show is my favorite. Love the personalities on that show. They find such a heartfelt way to give us news that affects each and every one of us. They connect with you regardless of what the story is. They are not afraid to speak their feelings.

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During which part of the day are you most productive? Morning definitely… My team will tell you that afternoon meetings with me often contain many “squirrel” moments where they must get me back on track.

USAble Life • 800.370.5856 • usablelife.com USAbleLife 68 usable-life

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FACE OF GAMING SARACEN DEVELOPMENT LLC & SARACEN CASINO RESORT CARLTON SAFFA, CHIEF MARKET OFFICER Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? As crazy as it sounds, Richard Nixon’s final speech is something I go to a lot: “It is only a beginning, always. The young must know it; the old must know it. It must always sustain us, because the greatness comes not when things go always good for you, but the greatness comes and you are really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes, because only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain. Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty; always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.” What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? Espresso. Several times. ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

Do you have a favorite quote? “Right after greed comes poverty.” — Bruce Hawkins Which is the last book you read? At the Sands: The Casino That Shaped Classic Las Vegas, Brought the Rat Pack Together and Went Out with a Bang, by David Schwartz In your experience, what’s the secret to inspiring others to action? Showing folks that you care matters. Saracen has 900 folks in its employ, and we all work together. Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? I’m a hands-on person and believe that you set the standard for others. People will pick up all of your bad traits and some of your good ones. And I believe that as long as you’re authorized and trained to do something, it’s part of your job.

Saracen Casino Resort • 870.686.9001 • saracenresort.com 69 saracencasinoar saracenresort saracencasinoresort

A P R IL 2022

FACE OF INVESTMENTS AND FINANCIAL PLANNING LEGACY CAPITAL

MATT JONES, DAVID TRENT and JASON PRATHER Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? All three of us were fortunate and blessed to have wonderful parents who loved, encouraged and inspired us to be our best. We feel a world of gratitude for the opportunities they gave us and the values and lessons they taught us. What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? We all like to start our day with a personal quiet time that allows us to prepare mentally, spiritually and physically for what the day holds in store for us. Do you have a favorite quote? A few, including “Everything in life happens for us, not to us” and “Just do the right thing.”

Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? We have all had more than one mentor who made a meaningful impact on our lives. We each make an effort to invest in the lives of the younger generation both inside Legacy Capital and outside. What’s an alternate path you might have taken if things had played out differently? Two of us are non-practicing lawyers, so a legal career would have been a logical choice. But none of us have any regret about spending our careers in the wealth management industry.

Legacy Capital • 501.376.7878 • legacycapitalwp.com legacycapitalwealthpartners

FACE OF JANITORIAL CLEANING JAN PRO CLEANING

MARCO HERNANDEZ, SALES MANAGER Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? My dad has been a source of inspiration for me because he was a hardworking man, always looking to help others, and he was always sacrificing for others, especially my brothers and sisters. He lost his life in a construction accident while building a Northwest Arkansas school back in 2006. Do you have a favorite quote? “The short reaches of others are not an excuse for us.” — Charles H. Spurgeon.

Which is the last book you read? Lectures to My Students by Charles H. Spurgeon. Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? I feel like life itself has mentored me — the daily things I learned from others and from reading. And then I want to share what I’ve been learning with my surrounding group of people. I want to be a good influence on others and to be successful.

What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? I love to read with a good coffee on hand.

During which part of the day are you most productive? I am more productive during the mornings. I am a morning type of guy.

Which source of news do you prefer — print, online, TV or radio? I prefer print and online.

Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? My leadership style is more hands-on.

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Central Arkansas • 501.907.9315 | Northwest Arkansas • 479.318.7760 71 jan-pro.com

A P R IL 2022

FACE OF JEWELRY SISSY’S LOG CABIN

WILLIAM JONES, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? My grandmother, Sissy, and my dad. Seeing the two of them build the business from a small log cabin to what it has become today is like getting to witness the impossible being made possible. It reminds me every day what hard work and dedication can bring to life. What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? I start my day by working out at 4:30 a.m., then come home to cook breakfast for my family. I’ve really committed to waking up earlier so that I can maximize that time together and use it to prepare for the day ahead. In your experience, what’s the secret to inspiring others to action? “People don’t do what you tell them to do; they do what they see you doing.” I was raised by that saying. It’s your own passion and work ethic that sets the pace and expectations for your company.

Which is the last book you read? Sam Walton: Made in America Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? Someone spoke with me about what it means to work on the business instead of in the business. Without a doubt, I still do both, but I am constantly thinking about what we are doing and if it will scale as we expand. We’ve worked hard on scalability in our management, operations and training. That being said, during busy times, I work on the floor all day. What’s an alternate path you might have taken if things had played out differently? That would be hard to tell. I’ve always been committed to our company. I have always loved developing property for my dad, farming with my cousins and loved engineering.

Sissy’s Log Cabin - 501-663-0066 - sissyslogcabin.com APRI L 202 2

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FACE OF LAND REAL ESTATE

DELTA LAND MANAGEMENT MOSSY OAK PROPERTIES ROBERT EASON, PRINCIPAL BROKER/OWNER (LEFT) AND KEVIN KEEN, EXECUTIVE BROKER (RIGHT) Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? Family and our personal goals of owning farm and hunting land has been our greatest inspiration.

Which source of news do you prefer — print, online, TV or radio? Most of my news comes from online avenues.

What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? Coffee or a Coke followed by checking the Weather Channel app and making a to-do list for the day.

What’s an alternate path you might have taken if things had played out differently? Though we currently manage some farm and hunting properties, I would have focused more on real estate management than on real estate sales.

Do you have a favorite quote? Franklin D. Roosevelt once stated that, “Real estate cannot be lost or stolen, nor can it be carried away. Purchased with common sense, paid for in full, and managed with reasonable care, it is about the safest investment in the world.” This is something that we all feel is true.

Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? I am very hands on. Every one of my agents knows they can call or text me at all times of the day and night. We will work side by side with new agents until they feel 100 percent comfortable.

Delta Land Management • 501.604.4565 • arkansaslandforsale.com Mossy Oak Properties -Delta Land Management Co LLC Deltalandmanagementco

FACE OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAW CRISP LAW FIRM HUGH E. CRISP Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? My parents! The finest people that I have ever known.

haven’t worked a day yet.

Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? My parents! They mentored me through love, hard work and teaching morals and integrity by example on how to be a good person and how to respect others.

What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? Lifting weights. Do you have a favorite quote? “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” — Aristotle

During which part of the day are you most productive? I strive to get the most out of every day all day.

Which is the last book you read? Moral Advocacy by Rick Friedman.

Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? Hands-on! That way you are always accountable and responsible for your decisions.

Which source of news do you prefer — print, online, TV or radio? I check in online.

In your experience, what’s the secret to inspiring others to action? Getting others to believe in themselves and not fear failure. Failure is going to happen if you take chances in life. That is a given. Growing from those failures is the reward.

What’s an alternate path you might have taken if things had played out differently? Things worked out perfectly for me! Being a trial lawyer was my dream. I have been doing it for 36 years and still APRI L 202 2

Crisp Law Firm • P: 501.376.6264 • CrispLawFirm.com 74

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FACE OF MENTAL HEALTH NAMI ARKANSAS

BUSTER LACKEY, CO-OWNER, THE CENTER HEALTH AND WELLNESS Buster Lackey LPC, LADAC, serves as the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Arkansas), a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to building better lives for those affected by mental illness. He is also the co-owner of The Center Health and Wellness, a North Little Rock-based clinic offering mental health counseling, physical therapy and wellness as well as massage therapy.

Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? I would have to say there are two people in my life that I get inspiration from. The first is my wife. Crystal [Dr. Crystal Lackey, PT, DPT] inspires me to be creative and just go for it. The other is my pastor, Rev. Dwayne Maynard (TAG Church, Little Rock). He inspires me to live my life in a way that glorifies God. Which is the last book you read? Rise of the Servant Kings by Ken Harrison.

What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? I’m up before the alarm goes off. I wake my daughter, Annalise, up, then I hit the shower. I usually don’t do breakfast. On the way to drop off Annalise at school, we jam to Johnny Cash. There’s nothing like a “Ring of Fire” to start your morning. Then I hit the office around 7:30 a.m. Do you have a favorite quote? “Have the confidence to charge Hell with a water gun.” — Josh Jefferson Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? I have been fortunate to have many people speak into my life. Dr. Charlie Crouthers mentored me and spoke into my life during my college years, and Dr. Mona Briggs and Mr. Jake Honea spoke into me, helping me become the leader and person I am today.

800.844.0381 • namiarkansas.org

FACE OF MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS THE DESIGN GROUP MYRON JACKSON, CEO

The Design Group is more than a mere creative boutique. It is a full-service, multicultural communications firm, with expertise in segmented and experiential marketing. The Design Group is home to the designers and architects behind communication platforms that bridge the gap between brands and the nation’s ever growing ethnicconsumer segments. Led by Myron Jackson, The Design Group is committed to marketing communications that are authentic and culturally relevant, as well as intellectually and emotionally engaging. The Design Group has raised the bar with its lifestyle and

life-stage consumer segmentation approach. Every day, it validates the idea that being African-American is more than skin color. It’s about a mindset, one that evolves as you penetrate deeper and deeper within the subsets that exist within the African-American consumer segment. The Design Group was founded in September 2007 with the sole purpose of filling a marketplace void: to tell the stories of people of color in an authentic way. At the heart of The Design Group, you’ll find a team of talented individuals dedicated to giving a voice to Arkansans of color.

The Design Group • 501-492.4900 • designgroupmarketing.com DesignGroupLR DesignGroupLR designgrouplr

FACE OF NURSING & REHABILITATION BRIARWOOD NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER For more than 30 years, Briarwood Nursing & Rehabilitation Center has prided itself on being a face that its community can trust and a place where its residents can feel comfortable. Briarwood is a 120-bed facility that specializes in both short-term rehabilitation and long-term care, providing the flexibility to meet each and every client’s needs without sacrificing care quality — of which the team at Briarwood aspires for the highest of standards. Be it transient rehabilitation or extended stay retirement, the staff is committed to creating and maintaining a supportive relationship that reinforces the dignity of every resident. This relationship building transcends the here and now and translates to generational resident care.

There is, perhaps, no better example of this embodiment than the center’s administrator, Joan Robbins. Robbins literally was raised in a nursing home by her mother, who also worked in the profession. Robbins became a nursing assistant at age 13 and has dedicated her entire life since to the practice. After attaining her LPN and RN designations, Robbins became the director of nurses at Briarwood. When her mother retired from the administrator position at the center, Robbins was next in line, and the torch was seamlessly passed to the next generation of leadership at Briarwood. “Our organization is special because we are thirdgeneration employees providing care for, oftentimes, third-generation residents,” Robbins says proudly. “We are like a family with everyone — staff and residents.”

Briarwood Nursing & Rehabilitation Center - 501-224-9000 - briarwoodnursingandrehab.com

FACE OF PRIVATE SCHOOL EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL

CATHERINE RADTKE, ASSOCIATE HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL/ DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? The teachers I interact with on a daily basis are a constant source of inspiration for me. I have worked in a number of independent schools, and without a doubt, this faculty is the most collegial and adaptive group I have ever worked with. I am always amazed at how well they know students and how willing they are to meet the needs of all types of learners, both with extra support and with enrichment. Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? If you had a piece of advice for someone looking to follow your career path, what would that advice be? For someone interested in following this career path, I would emphasize that this role requires the ability to listen to and advocate for students and families. At the same time, supporting students means knowing teachers well and understanding their class expectations. Being successful in this role is all about connection. You must know students well and see them as three dimensional. Students who face learning challenges are more than a diagnosis or learning profile. They have incredible strengths that can be leveraged to their benefit. When we work with students, we embrace this idea of neurodiversity. What are you responsible for at your organization? What do those responsibilities include day to day? In my role as director of student support services, I oversee

support across all three divisions at Episcopal. I collaborate with reading and math specialists, learning specialists and counselors to ensure that students are supported academically as well as socially and emotionally. One of the things I love about my job is that things look different on any given day. I might be analyzing reading data on first graders in the morning and then working with an upper school student on time management in the afternoon. I love that this job requires agility and flexibility. Those are skills that we are trying to teach our students as well. Are there any accomplishments or areas that you and your team have been working on that you are excited about and why? The past two years have been challenging for students, both academically and emotionally. I am excited that we are examining trends and adjusting to meet the demands for student support. We have expanded our learning services with a dedicated Upper School Academic Achievement Center. We are also adding an additional counselor to expand our wellness services for students. We are in the beginning stages of a Resilience Project that will be student led and include a blog for students to submit narratives about challenges they have faced and overcome. Our hope is that our community hears the message that all of us, faculty included, have sometimes struggled or failed but we have learned important strategies along the way that can be beneficial to others.

Episcopal Collegiate School • 501.372.1194 • EpiscopalCollegiate.org episcopalcollegiate episcopalcollegiateschool

FACE OF RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE MOVE REALTY CLAIRE BROWN Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? My grandmother. What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? Coffee and journal. Do you have a favorite quote? “With me or watch me.” Which is the last book you read? I recently reread, A Game Plan for Life, by John Wooden. I have read it three times now, and each time I am able to apply new lessons. In your experience, what’s the secret to inspiring others to action? Being transparent with your vulnerability and asking fierce questions.

Which source of news do you prefer — print, online, TV or radio? TV — KARK, Channel 4, specifically! What’s an alternate path you might have taken if things had played out differently? I was a theater major my first year in college and had scholarships out of state for theater. I wonder many times what it would look like had I taken the journey into the theater for my career. Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? Yes. Becky Farrow started mentoring me when we both started working at the same brokerage 14 years ago. She has played a pivotal role in my personal growth and business decisions over the years, and I’m forever grateful to her, her wisdom and guidance.

Move Realty • 501.454.3480 • themoverealty.com

FACE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS

PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT In what ways did the pandemic make the district stronger and better able to adapt? As a district, we learned (and continue to learn) so much from the COVID-19 pandemic. Above all, we’ve seen just how resilient our students and staff are when it comes to continuing the hard work needed to succeed in the classroom. During the start of the pandemic, our school leaders discovered gaps in accessibility for some students and found ways to close them. We researched ways to reach families where they were in the moment rather than the confines of the school building. As the additional communication efforts between school and community increased, so did the bond between teachers, students and their families. This led to a better understanding of the importance and value of each employee’s role in the district.

How have teachers and district employees handled the hardships and curve balls of the last two years? The last two years have been a roller coaster, to say the least. PCSSD employees learned how important it is to be flexible as the impact of COVID-19 seemed to change so frequently. Employee morale has been tough at times, but there are so many who encourage and boost spirits for others to keep working hard for the students. With every curve ball, the district leadership team worked to find ways to highlight the positive work of each employee and their impact on student success. That’s what makes working in PCSSD such a blessing. The district is always looking to add to the amazing staff in PCSSD. As the district grows, so too does the need for employees in every position — from the classroom to the cafeteria to our buses to the district offices. Responses by Jessica Duff, PCSSD Executive Director of Communications

Pulaski County Special School District • 501.234.2000 • pcssd.org

FACE OF SEALCOAT MANUFACTURING SEALTITE OF ARKLAHOMA MARTHA MOORE, PRESIDENT Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? SealTite of Arklahoma produces “Rhynotite” asphalt emulsified seal coat. This company emerged from my search to find safety gear to protect my paving company’s employees. My father Ed McCormick founded McCormick Asphalt Paving; he mentored me in the paving industry from 1990 till his health forced his retirement. There is no doubt that his exposure to toxins in the workplace contributed to his diagnosis of cancer (Hence my desire to produce and use a SAFE material.) I still ask myself what he might do in a given situation daily. This knowledge lead me on a mission to inform consumers it’s not only the contractors exposed, It has been eye-opening and challenging. Ask your day care, school, doctors office, etc what you are walking on and taking home on your feet. Rhynotite, contains no cancer-causing PAHs, does not burn exposed skin, and is a certified “green” product. It is

tough and long lasting. When I discovered we do have a choice between coal tar based (TOXIC) and asphalt emulsified seal coats for maintenance of asphalt I was so excited! The more I learn the more I want to help be part of the good that can come from a small change in job specifications for material. Nothing is more important than good health and clean water for the future generations. I love being part of that!

Do you have a favorite quote? “This above all, to thine own self be true.” What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? I usually get to watch the sunrise of the new day during coffee. I pray for guidance for my day. Which is the last book you read? Change Your Mind and Your Life Will Follow by Karen Casey.

SealTite of Arklahoma • 479.997.2449 • sealtitearklahoma.com

FACE OF SOLAR ENERGY TODAY’S POWER, INC. DEREK DYSON, CEO Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? My mother. She was valedictorian of her class and got married to her high school sweetheart. They had 10 kids together and got divorced shortly before I was born, but the standards she set for me and my siblings were high, grounded in ensuring we respected each other and gave back to the community both through church and volunteerism. We were rich in love and fellowship, but not in much else; yet she made sure that if we had extra resources, we shared it with those less fortunate than ourselves. Giving until it hurts only happens if you don’t like giving and helping others, and in my mother’s house, you learned the importance of doing for others as well as yourself. Do you have a favorite quote? “The strong men keep coming on; the strong men get stronger,” which are a combination of lines from the

Sterling Brown poem, entitled Strong Men written in 1931.

During which part of the day are you most productive? It depends on the day and tasks. I have found reviewing, drafting or editing documents can be most productively completed in the early morning, while brainstorming and project planning with team members and/or others is best during the mid-morning to early afternoon. Decision-making and implementation may be better in the afternoon and early evening. I am a strong proponent of making the full day as productive possible by using time management. What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? As I am a new transplant to Little Rock — my children and siblings are on the east coast — so each morning, I check in with my family, typically via text message or by phone, to inquire what their day looks like and to share some words of inspiration and love. It provides a great start to my mornings!

Today’s Power • 888.322.4275 • todayspower.com TodaysPower TodaysPower TodaysPower TodaysPower

FACE OF STEAK

DOE’S EAT PLACE, LITTLE ROCK KATHERINE ELDRIDGE, OWNER Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? My children. I always want to make them proud. What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? First thing in the morning, I always let the dogs out and make a cup of coffee.

Is your leadership style more hands-on or hands-off? My leadership style used to be more hands-on, but I’ve built such a great team, I can be a little more hands-off now. Even though I’m still involved in the everyday operation of my business.

Do you have a favorite quote? “I’ve learned that people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

What’s an alternate path you might have taken if things had played out differently? I grew up bussing tables, so it’s not surprising that this is the business I’m in. But growing up, I thought I’d be a kindergarten teacher.

During which part of the day are you most productive? I get the most done in the morning after I’ve had my coffee.

Have you ever been mentored or mentored someone else? My dad, George Eldridge, has been my mentor in the restaurant business, and who better, since he has almost 50 years in this business.

Doe’s Eat Place • 501.376.1195 • doeseatplacelr.com Doe’sEatPlaceLittle Rock DoesEatPlace doe-s-eat-place

doe-s-eat-place

FACE OF STEEL FABRICATION

LEXICON FABRICATORS AND CONSTRUCTORS PATRICK SCHUECK, PRESIDENT AND CEO Who or what has been a source of inspiration for you? Several things have inspired me in my life. My mom and dad inspire me every day. Knowing what they overcame in life to be successful inspires me to make sure I do everything I can to make the absolute most out of life. As a three-time cancer survivor, I strive to live every day so that people remember me for something other than being a cancer survivor.

Which is the last book you read? The Communication Catalyst by Mickey Connolly and Richard Rianoshek.

What’s your “go-to” first thing in the morning? Work out at D1. I have been a “5 AM’er” with some incredible people for over 10 years.

What’s an alternate path you might have taken if things had played out differently? No clue. As a kid, I was taken to many jobsites. Construction has always been in my blood. When I was in college, mom had my aptitudes tested to see what field I should go in. They told us I would be a good drummer. I returned to engineering school after the interview.

Do you have a favorite quote? It’s a tie. “Play the hand you are dealt” or “Get it DONE.” Both by my dad, Tom Schueck.

Which source of news do you prefer — print, online, TV or radio? Print and online. However, I am a closet sports radio junkie.

Lexicon, Inc • 501.490.4200 • lexicon-inc.com lexiconinc

FACE OF UROLOGY ARKANSAS UROLOGY

“WORKING AS ONE, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO IMPROVE SOMEONE’S LIFE… TODAY!”” Arkansas Urology is the state’s premier urology practice with 15 locations providing comprehensive treatment services to men and women of all ages. Arkansas Urology provides its patients with the most effective, stateof-the-art procedures in a caring and compassionate atmosphere. The organization treats more than 120,000 patients each year across the state. Arkansas Urology has nationally recognized clinical pathways. These pathways ensure that patients get the best individualized treatment plan. Arkansas Urology has a dedicated radiation oncologist, Dr. Jack Wang, who over the past 12 years has treated more than 3,000 prostate cancer patients and 138,000 radiation therapy treatments — more than any radiation oncologist in the region. Arkansas Urology also has a dedicated Advanced

Practice Nurse/Advanced Prostate Cancer Coordinator focused solely on advanced prostate cancer patients. In addition, Arkansas Urology has formed the Arkansas Urology Research Center, which has a clinical research team focused on cutting-edge treatments for advanced prostate cancer. Arkansas Urology was founded in 1996 and will celebrate its 25th anniversary later this year. It is planning an event in June that will also help further launch the Arkansas Urology Foundation that was launched in 2019. This foundation helps to provide men all over Arkansas with free health screenings. For those interested in getting involved with the foundation or the event, go to www.arkansasurology.com/ foundation.

Arkansas Urology • 501.219.8900 • arkansasurology.com arkansasurology ARUrology ar_urology

DISCOVERY ECONOMICS

OUT THINKING THE BRAIN UA PHYSICS PROFESSOR PUSHING NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING TO NEXT LEVEL

DISCOVERY ECONOMICS

Imagine the office of a theoretical physicist. Most might conjure an image of a charmingly cluttered workspace, a desk littered in a moonscape of manilla folders and unfiled paperwork, walls festooned with pinned-up snapshots, Post-It notes and assorted posters, and yes, a chalkboard bearing the scribbles of mysterious formulas and equations. Stepping into the office of Dr. Laurent Bellaiche, an Arkansas Research Alliance Fellow and Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of Arkansas, is almost like stepping inside his mind, which is ironic because he has devoted part of his research to duplicating the awesome power of the human brain. “In the last five years, artificial intelligence has made a giant leap from a topic of solely academic interest to an industry-shaping IT sector,” Bellaiche said. “This change has been driven not only by the progress in the AI algorithms, but by the development of specialized hardware for AI. Today, new energy-efficient hardware solutions, such as neuromorphic devices, are required to ensure the growing computational needs of the AI market.” IBM says that neuromorphic computing “will have an even greater impact on our way of life than the invention of the internet.” Neuromorphic devices are of particular interest to Bellaiche. His work centers on the advancement of ultrafast terahertz (THz)

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n e u ro m o r p h i c computing, which physically implements neural networks in braininspired hardware to speed up their Dr. Laurent Bellaiche computation. A terahertz wave has 1 trillion cycles per second allowing for extremely rapid computation. Or, more simply put, a computer that processes information as quickly as the human brain. This could enable systems that complement or enhance efforts that typically require a human’s input. “A quantum neuromorphic device also might be a solution of the artificial brain puzzle as it would unlock a vast space of states with only a few elementary computing elements — qubits,” he said. “For example, a quantum computer with 53 qubits, realized in 2019, allows AI to sample a computational state-space of dimension 253 (about 1016). Because of it, quantum AI is thought to be one of the next breakthroughs in neuromorphic computing.” To appreciate neuromorphic computing is to appreciate the capability of the brain, which can process certain types of information within as little as 13 milliseconds. It understands different languages, identifies shapes and can determine the difference between purple and pink. Meanwhile, today’s best AI still lacks the computational abilities to perform almost routine determinations, such as understanding who a pedestrian is and what is a stop sign. Now, large companies like IBM and Intel are rushing to create efficient neuromorphic computers, but there are roadblocks. “The two main problems are slow response times of transistor-based neuromorphic circuits and the high energy consumption per spike,” explained Bellaiche. “Having ultrafast response times will be a breakthrough for neuromorphic circuits.” To achieve THz-speed neuromorphic computing, Bellaiche computationally simulates properties of unique combinations of diverse materials. Specially, he seeks materials possessing multiple states that ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

CLIENT-FOCUSED & RESULTS-DRIVEN The attorneys at McDaniel, Wolff & Benca, LLC combine their diverse knowledge and decades of experience into premium legal services to serve individuals, families and businesses throughout Arkansas and beyond.

Bellaiche said the two main problems are slow response times and high energy consumption. (Photos provided)

emulate synaptic and neuronic behaviors — memristors. The ideal memristor has yet to be discovered, but Bellaiche and his team — with support from an ARA Impact Grant — have identified two promising candidates. This early research resulted in a recent Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship that is the U.S. Department of Defense’s most prestigious single-investigator award. But there’s still work to do. “We must perform more simulations to predict the different systems that can be used for THz neuromorphic computing,” Bellaiche said. “We must conduct experiments to confirm these predictions. Finally, we must design prototypes, circuits and devices using these materials for THz neuromorphic computing.” As companies such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, Samsung and many other research labs compete for solutions, Bellaiche and his team create and piece together the computational building blocks for industries of the future. Until then, we’re just going to have to rely on our own brain power to do the heavy thinking. Discovery Economics is a monthly feature highlighting the work of the ARA Academy of Scholars and Fellows, a community of strategic research leaders who strive to maximize the value of discovery and progress in the state. Dr. Laurent Bellaiche is a member of the ARA Academy of Scholars and Fellows. ARA recruits, retains, and focuses strategic research leaders to enhance the state’s competitiveness in the knowledge economy and the production of job-creating discoveries and innovation. Learn more at ARalliance.org. ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

• Business & Corporate Law • Complex Litigation • Government Relations • Administrative Law • Real Estate • Mergers & Acquisitions • Tax & Estate Planning • Family Law • Criminal Defense

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A P R IL 2022

Connecting Families with Residents

with

Alma Nursing and Rehabilitation Center’s residents and staff are ready to roll up their sleeves so they can do away with FaceTime visits and visits through the windows, and get back to life as normal with friends and family.

Alma Nursing and Rehabilitation Center 401 Heather Lane • Alma, AR

479-632-4343 Customized physical, occupational and speech therapy programs are conducted by licensed therapists who focus on improving mobility and motor skills following an injury or illness. The enrichment of daily physical function can significantly improve a resident’s selfreliance and overall happiness. Our staff provides residents with specially tailored treatment plans designed to recapture health, independent living and facilitate a return home. Jamestown features separate rooms and private suites with a private entrance for the comfort and convenience of shortterm residents and their families focused on returning home. A full meal service with snacks is prepared daily.

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Today’s Girl Scout is tomorrow’s leader. Her dreams are our dreams. Girls are what Girl Scouts is all about. Their dreams, ideas and ambition are part of our DNA. Today's girls want to shoot movies, build robots, speak up for what they believe in, help others, change a law. Girl Scouts gives girls the tools to fuel their ambition, try new things, learn from failure, and make the world a better place. Girl Scouts is a world where girls can do, and be, whatever they dream.

Today’s Leaders Helping Tomorrow’s Backed by trusted adult volunteers and millions of alums like our Today’s Cookie CEO leaders, Girl Scouts gain the courage, confidence and character to be our future leaders in building a better world.

Join. Volunteer. Give. Reconnect. To learn how you can support our future female leaders, contact us at info@girlscoutsdiamonds.org or 800-632-6894.

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CELEBRATING

GIRL SCOUTS “COOKIE CEOs” Life skills, values learned help launch women business leaders For many Americans, Girls Scout cookie season means rushing to buy boxes of delicious treats. But for the Girl Scouts themselves, it means so much more than helping to satisfy an annual craving. During cookie season, as Girl Scouts are planning, selling, taking orders, distributing and delivering, they’re also gaining fundamental knowledge in economics, entrepreneurship, people skills, the value of hard work and more. Whether it’s the cookie program or one of the other many community activities in which they are involved, these Girl Scout “Cookie CEOs” are learning the value of goal setting, decision-making, money management and business ethics. All these are a part of what makes the

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Girl Scout experience so unique and particularly important in setting girls up for lifelong achievement. “Girl Scouts gives girls the tools to fuel their ambition and build skills, confidence and experience,” said Dawn Prasifka, Girl Scouts — Diamonds president and CEO. Lifelong learning and achievement are the foundation of the organization, and many successful leaders — CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs — got their start as Girl Scouts. On the pages that follow, we’ll meet five Arkansas leaders who represent Today’s Cookie CEOs. These women serve as strong examples to young girls of the role Girl Scouts and its many programs can have in their future successes.

ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

DEQUESHIA PRUDE-WHEELER ATTORNEY AT LAW PRUDE LEGACY LAW GROUP

What lessons from your Girl Scout days do you incorporate as a woman leader today? As a Girl Scout, I was introduced to girls from all different backgrounds and learned very early how to connect with others. I have always been introverted, so being a Girl Scout helped me to step out of my comfort zone and be okay with doing things that make me uncomfortable. In what specific ways does participation in Girl Scouts foster and develop leadership traits? Being a Girl Scout instills confidence in you that gives you the courage to speak with authority when leading. I can recall working in small groups with my troop several times and taking the initiative to lead an activity. Those skills have very easily translated into my law firm, where I lead team members every day. What is your favorite memory as a Girl Scout? Earning new badges! I am very competitive, so I wanted to get as many badges as I could and collect more than any other Girl Scouts in my troop.

Dequeshia’s Favorite Cookie:

Trefoil

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MICHELLE VAN SCHENCK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOTAL REWARDS ARVEST BANK

What lessons from your Girl Scout days do you incorporate as a woman leader today? As a woman leader in these unprecedented times, I think it is important to focus on resilience and kindness. I also seek out mentorships to support young women joining the workforce and to pass on these lessons. I was never afraid to interview for a job, as I had the confidence and experience in achieving my goals from Girl Scouting. If I didn’t get the position, I had the perseverance and resourcefulness to seek out an even better opportunity. Never be afraid to try; you just might get everything you worked for! In what specific ways does participation in Girl Scouts foster and develop leadership traits? Girl Scouts places girls in positions to become self-sufficient, take initiative, set goals and work with a team. It gives them the freedom to grow their personal strengths, try new things and find their passions and causes. I love that Girls Scouts is “girl-led.” This fosters open-mindedness, consideration of the opinions of others, teaches girls to speak up because their opinion matters and supports leadership opportunities in a safe environment. Girl Scouts provides experiences with goal setting, time and money management, project management, learning to deal with difficult and unexpected situations, emergency preparedness and risk management, sustainability, working with diverse people as well as respecting and appreciating different cultures and supporting ethical leadership and inclusion. Girl Scouting can tick all the boxes you are looking for in business leadership and management. What is your favorite memory as a Girl Scout? It is so hard to pick just one. I had such wonderful experiences getting to travel on Wider Op adventures to Michigan and Alabama, paging at the Oklahoma State Senate and House of Representatives, studying about Egypt and Russia on World Thinking Day, summers at camp as a camper and as a counselor, singing songs around the campfire, lifeguarding, water-skiing, camping… the list goes on. All experiences that I had from Girl Scouts. It’s all about having fun, learning life lessons and meeting people who became lifelong friends. M ARC H 2 02 1

Michelle’s Favorite Cookie:

Toffee-tastic

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CATHY OWEN CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CEO,

STATE HOLDING COMPANY CHAIRMAN, EAGLE BANK AND TRUST COMPANY What lessons from your Girl Scout days do you incorporate as a woman leader today? A lot of life skills are learned when you work as a group with goals. It is similar to playing sports and other group activities. It is not only about working to achieve a goal, but also about learning to work together to achieve the goal within the allotted timeframe. Girl Scouting taught us when to listen, when to act and when to encourage and help others, along with the sense of fulfillment that comes from exercising a combination of these powerful tools. More importantly, this sense of fulfillment empowered us and gave us confidence to believe in ourselves to achieve future successes. My participation in Girl Scouts started with Brownies and continued into high school. I believed in Girl Scouting enough that I encouraged our daughter to get involved, and she went on to obtain her Gold Award. I served as her troop cookie mom for nine years. In what specific ways does participation in Girl Scouts foster and develop leadership traits? The Girl Scout cookie program helped nurture a sense of business in me. It certainly fostered sales, marketing and organizational skills at an early age. Through the years, I learned to file away my cookie order forms each year so that I was certain to contact next year those who had purchased cookies in the current year. We learned the importance of relationship building, creativity and decision making in order to achieve our goals. We also learned we wouldn’t gain the respect and trust of others without exhibiting dependability and integrity. What is your favorite memory as a Girl Scout? I recall making Bunsen burners in coffee cans, decorative Christmas trees from Reader’s Digest magazines, learning to knit, going camping, singing at nursing homes, whittling a stick with a pocketknife and learning to put soap on the bottom of pans to make them easier to clean after cooking over a fire. More than anything, I recall my wonderful Girl Scout leader and having a lot of fun with the other Girl Scouts, who were also my classmates. We would walk from school to our leader’s home, where she and her family hosted most of our meetings on their large front covered patio. I also loved earning badges, which my mother sewed on my sash and I wore proudly. ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

Cathy’s Favorite Cookie:

Do-si-dos

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Ebonye’s Favorite Cookie:

Thin Mints (frozen)

EBONYE GREEN LEAD APP FOR INPATIENT NEUROSCIENCE SERVICE LINE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES

What lessons from your Girl Scout days do you incorporate as a woman leader today? Empowered decision making, tenacity, perseverance and self-confidence. There were multiple times that being a Girl Scout taught me that you can accomplish anything in the world if you work hard and set your mind to it. This was so important to hear as a young girl. Every activity you participated in, every badge you earned, reminded you that you are an intelligent and capable young girl. Bettering my community while bettering myself in the process was one of the most empowering experiences as a youth.

What is your favorite memory as a Girl Scout? I have two! My troop was always compared to the movie, Troop Beverly Hills. So, more glamping than camping. We would always take trips with the money raised from our cookie sales. One year we went to Washington, D.C., and went sightseeing, shopping and, of course, swimming in the hotel pool! My second favorite memory is from my one of my International Wider Opportunities (Now called Destinations) to Denmark to attend Blu Somer (Blue Summer) Camp. I spent a summer in Denmark with a host Scout family and attended a wilderness camp, where we built living quarters out of logs and made hammocks and dug holes to keep our food cool. It was a great experience that I reflect on frequently. Every girl should be given the opportunity to be a Girl Scout and learn lessons that will shape her into who they are today, tomorrow and for a lifetime.

In what specific ways does participation in Girl Scouts foster and develop leadership traits? Being a Girl Scout teaches you how to be an upright citizen, of not only your country but of the world, and an example of dignity and altruism to the entire community. It teaches you that it costs nothing to be a genuine, caring person and that in the long run you would love yourself more for doing so. The morals and values that are instilled upon you early on are irreplaceable. You not only learn how important it is to have respect for yourself, but also for your peers and higher-ups. Showing everybody a certain level of courtesy is one of M ARC H 2 02 1

the first lessons taught in Girl Scouting, and it remains one of the most valuable. Being polite and complaisant is another lesson you can attribute to Girl Scouting. One of the most important lessons you will take away from being a Girl Scout is how to be a true friend. Some of my closest friends are the ones who were a part of my Girl Scout experience. There’s such a comfort in knowing that you have life-long friends to turn to always, no matter how far away you might be from each other or how long it’s been since you last spoke. There is no greater gift in this world than true friendship.

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ANNA DICKINSON OWNER AND LEAD DESIGNER PERCEPTION BY ANNA DICKINSON

What lessons from your Girl Scout days do you incorporate as a woman leader today? The Girl Scout motto is “Be prepared.” In the 1947 Girl Scout Handbook, the motto was explained this way: “A Girl Scout is ready to help out wherever she is needed. Willingness to serve is not enough; you must know how to do the job well, even in an emergency.” I am always overly prepared these days, due to my Girl Scout experience.

Anna’s Favorite Cookie:

Samoas

In what specific ways does participation in Girl Scouts foster and develop leadership traits? Try new things; be yourself; be prepared; change the world. These are the things that Girl Scouts taught me. All of these things go into play in my adult life and my career. There is never an obstacle too big to take on. Especially trying new things… the sole reason I have a successful company. What is your favorite memory as a Girl Scout? I remember getting together with friends and making arts and crafts. It was always the highlight of our meetings!

THE DIGS OF THE DEAL

ARKANSAS GOVERNOR’S

MANSION

The Arkansas Governor’s Mansion was opened in 1950. (Photos courtesy of the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Association) 98

By Katie Zakrzewski

THE DIGS OF THE DEAL

First Lady Susan and Gov. Asa Hutchinson

Since its construction in 1950, the Governor’s Mansion has served as the home for many of Arkansas’s most prominent political leaders of the 20th and 21st centuries. The cornerstone for the building was laid by Gov. Ben T. Laney in 1947. Upon completion, an open house was held, and in February 1950, Gov. Sid McMath and his family moved in. Since then, many Arkansas women and first ladies have led the charge to make the mansion the icon it is today. First Lady Susan Hutchinson explained the history of the property on which the Governor’s Mansion sits. “The property had been owned by the Quapaw tribe. In 1818, this land was ceded to the U.S. government in a treaty signed in St. Louis. It was deeded to Sen. Chester Ashley in 1838, then later to Sen. William Fulton. After the Fultons’ deaths, the property was transferred to the state. In 1886, the Arkansas School for the Blind was built on the property. “The building of the School for the Blind, designed by Benjamin Bartlett, was the first project for Cromwell Architects, which would later build

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Left: Arkansans lined up to get a glimpse of the mansion when it opened in 1950 — over the course of eight days, more than 180,000 people took part in the open house. Below: Agnes Bass Shinn of Harrison was responsible for initial efforts to get the mansion built.

the Governor’s Mansion. The School for the Blind remained on this property until 1939, when the current School for the Blind was built on Markham Street.” Agnes Bass Shinn of Harrison, president of the Arkansas Federation of Women’s Clubs and wife of Judge James M. Shinn, was responsible for initial efforts to get the mansion built, according to Carolyn Eastham, the mansion’s administrative assistant. Eastham said Shinn was giving friends from out of state a tour of Little Rock when one of them asked about the governor’s mansion. She blushed with embarrassment and went to her husband and asked him to work on a bill to build a governor’s mansion. The legislature rejected the idea in 1945, but two years later, the general assembly created the Governor’s Mansion Commission and allocated $100,000 to build a mansion on the original site of the Arkansas School for the Blind. Bricks from this building were used in the construction of the mansion. “On Jan. 10, 1950, when the mansion opened, Gov. Sidney McMath and his wife had an open house to celebrate the

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mansion’s unveiling,” Eastham said. “Over 180,000 Arkansans came from all corners of the state to tour through the house over the course of eight days.” Kerry Thompson, the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion administrator, said from the get-go, the mansion was a point of pride for Arkansans. “People really were amazed by the Governor’s Mansion, after the state went 114 years without one. We haven’t slowed down since.”

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The staircase in the Grand Hall features the names of all the Arkansas governors who have resided in the mansion.

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The mansion was modelled on Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, in Virginia. “In 1950 when the house was first occupied, to have a brick home… that was ritzy,” Hutchinson said. “In a state that was agricultural, it was like a million-dollar home and really was a bright spot for the state. The people in the state have been so generous. It’s been an evolution ever since, bringing it up to date will electricity and plumbing through the 72 years it’s been here.” She said the mansion has seen many updates and repairs through the years and that many first ladies have had to get creative with a small repair budget in order to fix things. “The doors are extra-wide, so it’s very handicap-accessible,” Hutchinson said. “Triple-hung windows, which were rare at the time, were installed. The original budget for furnishings in 1950 was small, and not much maintenance had been done through the Faubus years. When the Rockefellers came in, they did a lot of updating and refurbishing at that time.” The McMath family was large, and the mansion only had three bedrooms. Privacy was always an issue, as architect Ed Cromwell confirmed at the mansion’s 50th anniversary. Because of a limited budget, the mansion’s size had to remain reasonable. Hutchinson has worked on the privacy issue by putting up draperies throughout the

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mansion and over the French doors. The mansion has been a work in progress, with each first lady overseeing changes. Gov. Orville Faubus’ family introduced air conditioning to the mansion, while the Clintons had the circular stairway remodeled. Hutchinson said, “I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with fixing things up here and there, from LED lighting to plumbing to HVAC, to a walk-in cooler freezer during the Huckabee years, when the condensers in a hot attic failed because the placement was wrong. It did last for

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over 25 years, but it shouldn’t have. I had to find a suitable place for the new equipment. We’ve used a lot of science around here to fix everything up. It’s always been a work in progress, considering that the mansion is 72 years old.” Many of the interesting features in the manion are nods to historical trends and concerns. A marker just outside the front door was placed by the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs when it began landscaping in April of 1951. The mansion has two “Rockefeller rugs” donated by the Rock-

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Hillary Clinton was responsible for the refurbishing of the circular staircase in the mansion in the 1980s. Betty Bumpers posed in the mansion’s foyer in the 1970s.

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The mansion’s library (below), living room (top right), dining room (bottom right) and fountain garden (opposite page).

efeller family, which are two large Persian rugs in the dining room and sitting room. “Ever since the 1960s, those colors have dictated much of the color palette in those rooms,” Hutchinson said. Local antique dealers have donated pieces they couldn’t sell for the mansion to use. A beautiful grandfather clock dated to 1776 from Waterford, Ireland, is the mansion’s oldest antique. It was donated by Margaret Cherry, widow of Gov. Francis Cherry. With a limited mansion budget, some governors’ families have had to bring their own furniture to fill in for what the mansion didn’t have. Janet Huckabee increased the size of the kitchen to prepare for events and updated the appliances as well. Betty Bumpers had to use appropriations to build display cabinets for silver pieces from the U.S.S. Arkansas once the ship was retired in the mid-1970s. Bumpers even bought a chandelier and was promptly criticized, Hutchinson noted, but stressed that each first lady has recognized and emphasized that the mansion is the property of the state. During the Faubus administration, there was a fallout shelter in the basement, as fear of nuclear warfare was high. This was removed during a round of renovations sometime later. “We have a landline installed in case the wi-fi goes out, and we’ve got plenty of electrical outlets for televisions and cameras,” Hutchin-

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son said. “We have a whole building that is dedicated to the state troopers staying here around the clock. I like to tell people that there are more wires in the ground here than there are acorns buried by squirrels. These wires are for the neighborhood watershed, night lighting, more sewer drains and taps. We attract a lot of animals here, like possums, raccoons, foxes and birds. We have a honeybee hive, a vegetable garden and an herbal

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garden.” Hutchinson said that the Janet Huckabee Grand Hall was constructed at the Governor’s Mansion in 2003 as a more suitable location for hosting events. “The Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Association is a 501c3 that raises money for first families to use to decorate, make repairs, buy equipment and do things the budget doesn’t cover. The association was formed by Hillary Clinton to assist and raise funds, and it’s grown throughout the years. It’s been a real godsend. The Grand Hall building was built with almost all donated money.” Community leaders such as Skip Rutherford and many others helped raise the funds to build the Grand Hall at the Governor’s Mansion, while Huckabee oversaw the construction. Gov. Asa Hutchinson

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enabled legislation to be passed in 2016 to transfer funds from his Governor’s Office budget to the Arkansas Governor’s Commission, dedicated to covering utility bills and appurtenant equipment, plumbing and wiring. The entire property is 8.3 acres and 30,000-plus square feet of multiple building space. “We really enjoy the atrium because it’s like being outside, and we have visiting artists hang their work in there,” Hutchinson said. “But for sitting down, I like the dining room. We have gorgeous hand-painted panels on the wall. It’s a Chinese outdoor pattern, but I wanted folks dining in the mansion dining room to be soothed and calmed and surrounded by beauty no matter which part of the wall they were gazing on.” Of course, the mansion has hosted

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many important people and events. Notable guests over the years include Bob Hope, Billy Graham, Gregory Peck, Judge Reinhold, Bobby Bones, Billy Graham and Captain Kangaroo. “Former President Clinton announced Al Gore as his choice of running mate here on the backside of the house on the balcony. In the basement of the house, which was a storeroom turned family room, he found out that he’d been elected president. Clinton stayed in the house until he moved to Washington,” Thompson noted. “A lot of strong women have had a big part to play in the construction, upkeep and beautification of the Governor’s Mansion, which is the people’s house. And I’m glad that it’s a house that the whole state can be proud of.”

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POLITICS

GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES CHRIS JONES, JAY MARTIN, DOC WASHBURN, PAM WHITAKER By AMP Staff

Heading into the May primaries, AMP continues its monthly look at candidates in Arkansas’ main statewide races. For those candidates we were able to track down and who agreed to participate, we asked a few questions related to why they’re running. This month, we feature gubernatorial candidates Dr. Chris Jones, Jay Martin (both Democrats) and Republican Doc Washburn, as well as Pam Whitaker, a Democrat running for state treasurer.

GOVERNOR Chris Jones (D) Dr. Chris Jones, a Pine Bluff native, attended Morehouse College in Atlanta on a NASA Scholarship for physics and mathematics before earning a master’s in nuclear engineering and a Ph.D. in urban planning from MIT. An ordained minister, he is the former head of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub in North Little Rock. AMP: Tell us a little about yourself. Jones: I’m just another kid from Pine Bluff: I grew up eating hon-

eysuckle, fighting grasshoppers and riding dirt bikes. I watched my parents and grandparents make sacrifices to build a better life for our family right here in Arkansas. And it wasn’t just for us — I saw the extra care they gave to our neighbors, our friends, our church. They knew the importance of a strong family and a safe community. It was through them I first learned the deeplyArkansan values of hope, faith and hard work. I am married to Dr. Jerrilyn Jones, a former Air Force pilot and emergency room physician. Together, we are raising our three daughters, making our family eighth-generation Arkansans. AMP: Why are you running for governor? What are some of

your goals? Jones: When I was 8 years old, my daddy and I bumped into then Gov. Bill Clinton. I was mesmerized by the conversation and asked my father what [Clinton] did. When my dad told me he was the governor, I asked what a governor does, to which my dad replied, “Go look it up.” For the next several days, I studied and learned that a governor serves people and can make a real, positive difference in their lives. At that moment, I decided that I APRI L 202 2

wanted to one day make a real, positive difference in the place that my family has been for over 200 years. Now, we have been to every county in Arkansas, and I know Arkansas is tired of being last in nearly every national ranking. I have visited classes with 20 students and only two were reading at grade level; I have visited with so many of our families that say they can barely make ends meet. I was impacted because I remember the shame I felt as a kid when I had to use food stamps to purchase groceries. Arkansas is rich with opportunities; we just need leaders ready to serve and open doors of opportunity for all Arkansans. I want to serve everyone in Arkansas by ensuring we all have the same basic level of dignity and quality of life. I will focus my administration’s effort on just that, starting with spreading “PBJ” — preschool, broadband and jobs. Our goal is to realize the promise of Arkansas by demonstrating to the nation how to engage all citizens, govern responsibly and deliver real results. AMP: What will you bring to the field that your opponents will not? Jones: I’m a scientist, engineer, urban planner and minister –– my

entire career has been devoted to innovating to get better results and doing so with compassion. That starts with listening, identifying problems, testing possible solutions, iterating and investing in what is working. I will run the Governor’s Office with the same dedication and determination. I have already started that work by visiting with leaders including mayors, faith leaders and parents in all 75 counties, to understand their needs and ensure they are ready to have a voice in the policy process. Thanks to the bipartisan work in Congress, Arkansas is set to receive $4 billion in infrastructure funds for the next five years. The next governor will have a huge say in how those funds are spent and on what projects. I have a Ph.D. in urban planning, and I know firsthand how an investment — like those we will make in

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our roads, broadband, and water systems — can renew a town. As governor, I will make sure we take this once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in the future or our rural towns and our growing cities. There is an opportunity now for a new kind of leadership here in Arkansas. The kind of leadership that gives you hope, that makes you realize that anything can be possible. Leadership that dares to dream big. Leadership that puts division aside and brings us together. That’s why I’m running for governor. And that’s why I’m asking your readers for their support and their vote in the May 24 primary election.

Jay Martin (D) Jay Martin is a Little Rock attorney with the firm of Wallace, Martin Duke & Russell and a former state legislator. He served as majority leader in 2005 and 2006. An ordained Assembly of God minister and self-described pro-life Democrat, Martin leads Metro LR, an inner-city campus church of First Assembly of God in North Little Rock. AMP: Tell us a little about yourself. Martin: I’m from Mabelvale, which is in rural Pulaski County.

I’m a graduate of McClellan High School, then went to UALR, then the Bowen School of Law. I practice law at Wallace, Martin, Duke & Russell. I’m an Assembly of God-ordained pastor, and I lead the Metro Worship Center off of Roosevelt Road. Most notably, I’m a father and husband and a former basketball coach and soccer coach. I’ve served in the state legislature, and I’ve worked all across Central Arkansas. I’ve worked with inner-city kids in my time as a pastor. 9/11 led me to get involved in the public sector by running for office. AMP: Why are you running for this position? Martin: When I took a break from politics in 2006, I decided to fo-

cus on the law firm and on raising my daughters. I continued doing faith work where I could. My daughters got to the age where I could be involved with them, and I enjoy being a dad. It was good for me to be in the legislature and to have left for a while, because I’ve been able to see a shift over the last decade. I’ve become disturbed over the last few years with the rhetoric that I’ve seen in politics. My children’s view of politics is different from what my view of politics is because the expectation of behavior in politics has definitely shifted. We used to be able to work across the aisle for all Arkansans and get things done. I’ve decided to leave my private life behind again and get involved once more. This is a critical time. The next governor better be prepared to govern and to lead. We need someone with a pastor’s heart. ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

AMP: What experience and qualities do you bring to the field? Martin: I’ve been in the state legislature before. I know the con-

cept of taking an idea, making it a bill and getting it through the legislature, all the way to the governor’s desk. I’ve worked with the state budget, which is a very complicated thing. All of these things require some experience. When I first joined the state legislature in 2003, I wanted to make sure our heroes got the legislation they needed, and I got involved because of our military families. I wanted our veterans to have the resources that they needed. In 2004, I was elected majority leader and was able to work as a bridge-builder. I put together a legislative package and formed the first bipartisan committee. I’m focused on my race and not my opponents’. I’m the candidate with the experience of being elected to office and bringing people together. I’ve brought people together in a practical way. We’ve worked throughout the county to start fixing the areas that needed help the most. I care about all of our communities. I’m looking for ways to bring people together. We’ve got a record of being outside the box and looking at the economy, and we want to look at the public sector as well. We believe that we can grow the economy, have secondto-none schools and cut down on crime. We did it 15 years ago, and I want to do it again as governor. AMP: What’s the biggest issue right now pertaining to the Gov-

ernor’s Office? Martin: I’d say economic development because that touches on and impacts so many things. If our state’s economy is growing, it cuts down on crime and helps education. We need a governor that understands that we, the people, are the voice of the government. We want to hold our elected officials accountable and promote transparency. We want to make sure that the government advocates for and fights for the people because the people are the government. Additionally, we want to focus on topics like senior health care, mental health care and addiction recovery. I really want to be the governor that solves mental health issues here in Arkansas.

Doc Washburn (R)

Doc Washburn hosted a statewide talk show on the KARN network from Little Rock for seven years. He was fired for refusing to comply with a corporate vaccine mandate. He now hosts a national podcast. AMP: Tell us a little about yourself. Washburn: I have been in radio since

1977 and in talk radio since 1997. I did the big, local talk radio show in Little Rock from July 2014 to October 2021, when Cumulus Media fired me from KARN for refusing to comply with its vaccine mandate. Since then, I have 107

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POLITICS been doing a national podcast. I never planned to run for office, but friends of mine were concerned there was no conservative candidate and urged me to run for governor. AMP: What are some of your goals? Washburn: I’ll dramatically reduce the size and scope of state

government in order to get them off Arkansans’ backs. I’ll repeal the personal income tax, taxes on small businesses and taxes on used goods — including used cars — and pay for it by cutting the size of the government instead of increasing other taxes. I’ll sign a bill outlawing all mask and vaccine mandates. I’ll institute real school choice. The money must follow the students, not the schools. I’ll order child welfare workers to stop taking children away from parents who love them. They’ll have to wear bodycams, give parents Miranda warnings and stop forcing their way into people’s homes without a warrant. I’ll stop abuses in nursing homes. I’ll make sure our veterans receive the federal ben-

efits they are due. There’s no excuse for them being homeless or hungry. I’ll sign a law abolishing abortion. I’ll uphold our Second Amendment rights. Last, but not least: We have the second highest tax on cell phone bills in the country –– 20.21 percent. It’s higher than New York or California. It’s Republican and Democrat legislators’ fault for passing Act 660, and Gov. Hutchinson’s fault for signing it. The cell phone tax must be drastically cut. AMP: What will you bring to the field that your opponents will not? Washburn: I have only one opponent for the Republican pri-

mary: Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Unlike Sarah, I will actually answer questions. I will address specific issues. I was recently a guest on Roby Brock’s Talk Business and Politics program. Roby was tough but fair. I am willing to discuss the issues Arkansans face anywhere in the state. Sarah isn’t. She is too busy hosting $5,000-a-plate dinners outside Arkansas. Roby’s team asked her 20 times to appear on his show. She has steadfastly refused.

STATE TREASURER Pam Whitaker (D)

Pam Whitaker of Little Rock is CEO of East Coast Awakening LLC, a security firm, and founder of Cyber Fly Girls, a nonprofit devoted to increasing the number of women in the STEM fields. She is the lone Democratic candidate for state treasurer. AMP: Why are you running for this

position?

Whitaker: I am excited about sharing my skills and experience

in federal and state contract management as well as audit controls within the State Treasurer’s Office. I will be using this candidacy position as a platform to do several things. Firstly, to protect and grow our state’s financial resources and to balance this work with an emphasis on our state’s natural resources. Secondly, to empower and train other minority- and womenowned firms across the state of Arkansas. This is an expansion of the work I am already doing through my nonprofit, Cyber Fly Girls, and other small business training I have conducted. Thirdly, to share information to improve the security of our citizens through training on cyber security, risk management, fraud detection and other activities that impact our personal as well as our state financial resources. And lastly, to support financial equity throughout the state supporting our state’s broadband efforts and providing technical and financial literacy educational opportunities throughout the state.

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AMP: What experience and qualities do you bring to the field? Whitaker: I have had the privilege of working with and hold-

ing leadership roles in a variety of federal, state, private and nonprofit organizations, including the Project Management Institute, InfraGard (FBI public/private critical infrastructure partnership), the National Contract Management Association, ISACA (IT and audit controls), the IRS Department of Treasury (process improvement, project management and systems engineering roles) and Lockheed Martin (avionics software development and technical project management). My experience spans multiple sectors of our U.S. economic engine, including government, health care, banking, security/information systems and construction. Some highlights of my work include software development and testing of the LANTIRN Electro-Optical FLIR system on the F16 fighter jet, as well as the engineering design of a systemwide workflowprocess improvement project for the Federal IRS Data Center in Washington, D.C. As a footnote, I have held various levels of security clearance while serving in these roles. Along the way, I have experienced socially systemic as well as ethical challenges, where I have successfully applied both persistence and fiduciary integrity in order to achieve positive change within these environments. This professional career path, as well as the creation and operation of my own woman-owned security firm, give me a solid foundation and desire to use this candidacy as an educational outreach platform to join others in moving our state forward as a leader in financial equity and growth.

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feeding the

MonsteR For Razorback basketball fans, February and March felt like old times as the Hogs hit their stride and made another deep run in the NCAA tournament.

Under the guidance of Eric Musselman, the program once again has that “feel” — similar to the quarter-century of dominance started by Eddie Sutton in the late 1970s and grown into the monster it became by the early 1990s under Nolan Richardson. The monster is fully awake once again. On the pages that follow, Doc Harper takes a look back at the 2021-22 season — how the Hogs’ shaky start in conference play was transformed and what became an elite defense led the team to a second-straight Elite Eight appearance. And Evin Demirel considers what Muss has built, how he built it and what it might take for the Hogs to revisit the pinnacle of college basketball — how Muss will, as Richardson used to quip, feed that monster.

BAR

the

RAISING 2022 HOGS

Bring Back

EXPECTATIONS

of Old By Doc Harper

xpectations are funny things. It seems like once they’re set, they should be locked in. If a certain level of success is expected at the onset of a campaign, meeting or exceeding that should be the goal. It’s a fairly black-and-white, do-ordon’t standard. But that’s not how it works in reality, at least in sports, at least with this year’s Razorback basketball team. Expectations were high coming into the 2021-22 season. Arkansas was ranked 16th in the preseason AP poll and was picked to finish third in the SEC. On the surface, those goals were largely met. The Hogs will likely finish higher than 16th in the final AP poll and were a game out of third place in the SEC but did defeat all three teams above them. The story of this season, however, was not about the end results. Like many things in life, it was all about the journey. Perceptions of this year’s Razorbacks went for a ride throughout the season. It started out OK, seemed to crash, but then started to come back to life and enjoyed a run in February that put them among the nation’s elite. By the end of the season, this proved to be one of the most accomplished teams in Arkansas basketball’s rich history. *************** At most other points in Razorback history, losing talent from the 2021 team like Moses Moody, Justin Smith

and Jalen Tate would mean the Hogs were heading toward a rebuilding period. Fortunately for Hog fans, Arkansas coach Eric Musselman understands that in modern college basketball, building a consistently winning program often means not only recruiting high school players at a high level but finding talent in the transfer portal as well, and doing it again every single year. The days of a player like Moody sticking around for multiple seasons are long gone. When Musselman completed this past season’s roster, it was clear that Arkansas should be nationally competitive again. JD Notae was coming off a Sixth Man of the Year season. Jaylin Williams and Devo Davis both had strong finishes to their freshman campaigns and became impact players. Stanley Umude, Au’Diese Toney and Chris Lykes were coveted players in the transfer portal. The Robinsons, KK and Jaxson (not related), were both highly recruited players in high school, and with KK coming back from an injury and Jaxson transferring in from Texas A&M, many were hoping they would have breakout years in their second college seasons. Then the season started. Arkansas was winning. The RazorARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

The Hogs defeated Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 (above); JD Notae (below) was the team’s leading scorer, earning all-SEC honors. (Photos provided)

backs even won their early season tournament, the Hall of Fame Classic, by knocking off Kansas State and Cincinnati. But the Hogs weren’t dominating their thoughtto-be inferior opponents. Arkansas trailed at halftime in that Cincinnati game in Kansas City before coming back to win, and they even trailed Mercer at halftime in the season opener. They allowed Northern Iowa to give the Razorbacks a scare, giving up 80 points in Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas’ threepoint defense was the butt of jokes, and it was becoming clear that the Hogs weren’t going to be a great shooting team themselves. Despite the Razorbacks’ undefeated record, it wasn’t a huge shock that Arkansas had trouble keeping up with Oklahoma in Tulsa. But it was a disappointment when the team collapsed at the end of the game. The team followed up that game with their annual trip to North Little Rock, and despite the hot 113

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Central Arkansas crowd, the team hit their low point of the season, losing to Hofstra in Simmons Bank Arena. The team was flailing. Musselman was regularly tinkering with lineups, trying to find a combination that would work. Arkansas ended up with a consistent starting lineup over the last two months of the season, but throughout the year, 11 different players on the roster started a game at some point. Nobody started all 37 games. Even Notae and Williams came off the bench a couple of times early in the year. In that Hofstra matchup, KK Robinson saw his only start of the season, but only played four minutes. It felt like the team didn’t fit well together. Expectations took a sharp downward turn. Preseason hopes of another deep run in the NCAA Tournament quickly changed to hoping they would just make the NCAA Tournament again. *************** When SEC games started, things still weren’t clicking. Arkansas lost to Mississippi State in Starkville without Notae, who had tested positive for COVID before the game. The Razorbacks then suffered their lone loss of the year at Bud Walton Arena, a one-point loss to a better than expected, but still not good Vanderbilt squad. For many, it began to feel a little like a lost season. Arkansas had already signed one of the best recruiting classes in program history in November, so it was easy to start looking ahead to next season. The Hogs lost again, this time to Texas A&M in College Station. But there was something a little different about that Aggie game. It seemed to get away from Arkansas early in the second half when A&M went on a 20-3 run to open a big lead, but with about five minutes left and the Hogs down by 11, Arkansas went on a quick 10-0 run to get within a point. The Razorbacks couldn’t complete the comeback, but for the first time since November, they showed fight. Notae scored 31 points, his season high, and three other Hogs finished in double figures. In the next game, Arkansas massacred Missouri 87-43. The Hogs raced out to a 26-5 lead 10 minutes into the game and led 49-15 at halftime. It was reminiscent of the famous 1993 demolition of Missouri the night Bud Walton was dedicated in its first season. This Tiger team was not nearly as good as that conference championship team, but 40-point conference wins are rare no matter the opponent, and in this case, it proved to be when these Razorbacks announced they were ready to play. If there were any doubts, Arkansas followed up that win by traveling to Baton Rouge to take on a 15-1 and 12th-ranked LSU team, defeating the Tigers, 65-58. Arkansas closed the game on a 17-2 run over the last nine minutes. The Razorbacks won what felt like a possible season-saving game even without Musselman on the sideline. Musselman was recovering from shoulder surgery, which led to him wearing what became a trademark sling for most of the rest of the season. Starting with the Missouri game, Arkansas figured out its starting lineup of Notae, Williams, Umude, Toney and fellow APRI L 202 2

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transfer Trey Wade. Wade was not as heralded as the other transfers and didn’t join the team until the summer but proved his value to the team immediately once he started playing a more meaningful role. After trying out this lineup, Musselman said he thought of what his father would tell him to do, and that was to put the biggest, toughest group together on the floor that he could. The addition of Wade into the lineup meant that Arkansas was going with Notae as the sole traditional guard on the floor and the Hogs, after opening the season as a truly awful defensive team, would use their size and athleticism to stake their claim as an elite defense. Thus began Arkansas’ winning streak. The Razorbacks beat South Carolina by 16 despite failing to make a threepointer for the first time in more than a thousand games. They claimed revenge on Texas A&M by winning in overtime in Fayetteville. They contributed to the SEC’s victory in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge by taking down West Virginia. They comfortably beat Georgia and Ole Miss on the road and claimed more revenge by beating Mississippi State in a tough game in Bud Walton. Despite this success, the Hogs were still lacking in national respect because none of those opponents, save for LSU, were NCAA Tournament teams, and the Tigers, unbeknownst at the time, were beginning a downward spiral that continued throughout the season. ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

Fans filled Bud Walton Arena this season; the Hogs won big-time home matchups with Auburn, Tennessee and Kentucky (below); Stanley Umude (bottom left) emerged as the team’s scoring alternative to Notae. (Photos provided)

The Razorbacks’ back-to-back appearances and exciting signing class have expectations as high as ever for next season.

*************** Respect, however, came quickly in February. Arkansas was scheduled to host No. 1-ranked Auburn on Feb. 8. The Razorbacks hadn’t beaten a top-ranked team since 1984. The Tigers were 22-1 and undefeated in SEC play. The Razorback fans did everything they could to create as intimidating an environment as possible. The fans all wore white and were as loud as they’ve ever been from tipoff until the final buzzer sounded. Auburn had been enjoying a reputation for having an elite home-court advantage of their own, and Hog fans seemed to have a chip on their shoulder that their own earned reputation wasn’t getting the same respect. It all worked. The Razorbacks won in overtime. The crowd was being widely recognized as creating an incredible atmosphere. At one point play-by-play man Tom Hart described it as “like two jungles,” referencing Auburn’s home arena (and angering Auburn fans in the process). Fans rushed the court after the game and with everyone wearing white, it created a series of memorable photos and video that the program will use every chance it gets for years to come. It was well worth the fine levied by the SEC. APRI L 202 2

Arkansas actually dropped the next game, a one-point loss at Alabama that included Notae only playing 24 minutes due to foul trouble, but the Hogs brushed it off. They found themselves back in the top 25. The Hogs went on to beat 16th-ranked Tennessee, Florida in Gainesville for the first time since Corliss Williamson and Scotty Thurman went down there and then sixth-ranked Kentucky in a Saturday CBS game in which Notae scored 30 points again to come out on top of a duel with Kentucky’s national Player of the Year Oscar Tschiebwe. There may not be a better regular-season stretch in Arkansas basketball history than what the Razorbacks did in February. Musselman’s second Arkansas team, as great as it was, simply didn’t have the opportunities to win that many games against teams ranked that highly. The 1994 national championship team only played two ranked teams all season until the NCAA tournament. What this Arkansas team was accomplishing was truly special and considering how badly things were going just a few weeks prior, these achievements were extraordinary. *************** The NCAA Selection Committee no longer places a stron116

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The Hogs fell short against Duke in the Elite Eight (opposite page), but made the Blue Devils work for everything they got. (Photos provided)

ger emphasis on a team’s most recent games, opting to weigh a team’s entire resume with equal weight on early-, mid- and lateseason games. As such, what happened in a team’s first game in November is just as relevant as a team’s regular season finale. Between the first Missouri game and the end of the SEC Tournament, Arkansas had the resume of a 1- or 2-seed, but since the team had those bad losses around the turn of the year, they ended up with a 4-seed, falling just short of matching last year’s 3-seed but still with favorable matchups to make it back to the Sweet 16. The Razorbacks survived a serious upset bid from Vermont in the first round, and then outlasted New Mexico State in what was a truly agonizing game to watch because Arkansas shot the ball poorly, making only 14 of 51 shots and scoring four points in the first 10 minutes of the second half. It was Arkansas’ elite defense that came through again and pushed the Hogs into the Sweet 16, this time against another top-ranked opponent, No. 1-overall seed Gonzaga. Few people gave the Hogs a chance to upset Gonzaga, and Musselman seemingly took note of every prediction for the Bulldogs across the country. Musselman was also coaching in front of several of his California friends and family who were able to see the game in San Francisco, including his mother, who was able to watch him coach an Arkansas game in person for the first time. And the game was played in the home arena of the Golden State Warriors, the franchise that fired him nearly two decades ago. The Razorbacks won. Arkansas led almost the entire second half. They answered every Gonzaga surge with baskets of their ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

own. Toney had a pair of blocks late in the game, including a highlight rundown block in the final seconds that effectively sealed the game. Umude, who had established himself as a reliable scorer for the Hogs and had a season-saving performance against Vermont, missed much of the game with foul trouble, but Wade filled that role. Wade scored 15 points and knocked down a trio of threes to push Arkansas into the Elite Eight. The Hogs fell in the Elite Eight to a hot-shooting Duke team, but the memory of the 2022 team and its accomplishments will last for a long time. Notae earned third-team All America honors from the AP. Williams led the country with 54 drawn charges, causing opposing fans and coaches to complain throughout the year. Toney developed a reputation as one of Arkansas’ all-time, lock-down defenders. Lykes iced several of Arkansas’ late wins at the free throw line. Devo Davis won a few games for Arkansas as well and became reliable for at least one electric pass per game, including a half-court bounce pass between defenders on a fast break for a Toney dunk that helped push Arkansas past New Mexico State. The Razorbacks did all of this likely without a first-round NBA draft pick. There were no five-star recruits like the Hogs will have next season. This was a blue-collar team that played hard, lock-down defense and scored just enough. *************** Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams, this is just the third time Arkansas has reached consecutive Elite Eights. It’s not an easy thing to accomplish, even for the most blue-blooded of programs. The Razorbacks’ back-to-back appearances and exciting signing class have expectations as high as ever for next season. The NCAA Tournament is always chaotic. SEC teams in the tournament, other than Arkansas, each fell to upsets from double-digit seeds. That doesn’t negate the big wins the conference enjoyed throughout the season, but it does show that what happens in March isn’t guaranteed. That doesn’t impact Arkansas’ goals, though. After these Elite Eight appearances, the only reasonable goals for a team with the talent Arkansas expects to have next year are to compete for an SEC title, a high seed in the NCAA Tournament and the Final Four. These are the tasks remaining on Musselman’s to-do list in his quest to restore Arkansas’ status as a perennial national power. As Musselman said after the Duke game, “The bar has been raised.” We don’t yet know everyone on Arkansas’ next roster, but we already know enough to expect big things to continue from this program. 117

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RAZORBACK BASKETBALL

istory – as we know, and as many of us have lived – repeats itself. Thirty-two years ago, a young, gritty Arkansas basketball team started the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed before shocking the nation and reeling off four wins before falling in the Final Four to Duke. In the following championship game, former Razorbacks coach Nolan Richardson watched as Jerry Tarkanian’s Runnin’ Rebs wiped out Duke and its insufferable fan base by 30 points. Then, Richardson “looked at what his deficiencies were, and he looked at what Duke deficiencies were and why UNLV won that game,” Pig Trail Nation’s Mike Irwin said on the a recent episode of “Ask Mike.” “He set about recruiting the things that he needed to play his particular brand of basketball.” It worked. The next season, Arkansas beat Duke in the preseason NIT and four years later did it again, this time to cut down the nets in Charlotte as confetti rained down and Hog calls reverberated across the nation. Now, we see Eric Musselman following suit. With his No. 4-seeded Arkansas basketball team recently knocked out of March Madness by Duke, Musselman and his staff are aggressively addressing the deficiencies of a 2021-22 team that had to give everything it had to knock off giants like No. 1-seed Gonzaga.

What Arkansas basketball needs in 2022-23

While a lack of a pure point guard didn’t hurt through much of those last couple months, the Hogs needed one in the Elite Eight. So Musselman got blue chip Anthony Black, a 6-7 pass-first guard who was among the best unsigned recruits left when he announced his decision on March 28. In 2022-23, he will also have elite combo guards at his disposal like freshmen Nick Smith Jr. and Derrian Ford, and a veteran in Devo Davis who will likely be itching to prove himself after a disappointing sophomore season. For most of the season, college basketball fans were amazed to see Arkansas win so many games despite shooting so poorly from the three-point range. Even as the defense carried the Razorbacks to win after win, there was always a lurking feeling that the other shoe was bound to drop. Modern college basketball teams

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simply don’t win national titles shooting 30.7 percent from deep. Shooting from deep shouldn’t be as big of a problem next season. Among the incoming recruits, Smith and especially Joseph Pinion are great shooters from deep. The others may not be as accomplished from outside, but they have shown enough ability in high school to become more than adept in college. Most of the five top 100 recruits can create their own shots, too. Of course, Musselman has been working on getting this elite class for most of the three seasons he has been at Arkansas. His persistence has paid off as he has been figuring out what the Hogs have consistently lacked and how to address that. “He’s already ahead of the curve, trying to make sure that next year and the year after, he doesn’t have those issues,” Irwin says.

Arkansas transfers: Biggest needs in 2022-23

The Hogs could use an experienced, strong and defense-first point guard from the transfer market, but that need isn’t as severe with the arrival of freshmen like Black and Ford. Ford isn’t as long as Black, but he will be as physically strong as any freshman point guard in the conference and has the talent to help alleviate the loss of JD Notae. Hog fans await Jaylin Williams’ decision on the NBA.

Plus, while Smith is making 2023 NBA Draft boards as a lottery pick largely because of his offense,

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Arkansas’ trio of incoming 5 stars — Jordan Walsh (above), Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr.(right) — are part of what some consider to be the nation’s top recruiting class for 2022.

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RAZORBACK BASKETBALL don’t underestimate the damage his awareness, quick hands and 6-9 wing span will do on defense. All things considered, the Hogs’ biggest need — both literally and figuratively — is interior help for 6-10 Jaylin Williams, who likely will test the NBA waters but return for his junior season. He needs a bruiser and tag team partner inside who can help against the athletic twin tower lineups that an elite team like this year’s Duke can deploy.

Fardaws Aimaq: Shaq of the ‘maq?

That’s why Musselman and his staff are on the hunt for big forward and center transfers. They got a a big one on March 30 with the commitment of Missouri shot-blocker Trevon Brazile, but they want more. On March 29, they met with a player many consider to be the top true center the transfer market — Fardaws Aimaq, a 23-year-old, 6-11, 245-pounder who immediately checks a few of the boxes of what Arkansas needs to break through and win a national title. Arkansas portal transfer Trevon Brazile

The former Utah Valley standout had been one of the best mid-major interior defenders in the nation, winning back-toback Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year awards (he was also overall player of the year last season). Aimaq averaged 18.9 points, 13.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as a redshirt sophomore this past year. What should make Arkansas basketball fans salivate even more is that he trimmed his body fat from 18 percent to 8 percent over the course of two seasons to become an accurate three-point shooter (43.5 percent from deep). That opens up all kinds of pick and pop potential with Smith. Of course, as of this writing, the Hogs had some pretty stiff competition for Aimaq’s services. Kentucky, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida, Gonzaga, Oklahoma and Texas Tech are among the other top programs gunning for him. “So far I’d say Maryland, Texas Tech, Gonzaga, Kentucky, Ar-

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kansas and Houston have been prioritizing me the most. Those coaching staffs are calling me daily, often multiples times a day,” Aimaq told Inside the Red Raiders on 247Sports. Aimaq is looking for trust with the coaching staff and a good fit on both sides of the court. “Being surrounded by players that make me better is also important,” he told the Texas Tech 247 site. “I’m going to draw a lot of double teams, so having shooters that can capitalize when I’m doubled will benefit the team.” Next season, Arkansas will likely have two, potentially three, players who would demand consistent double teams in Smith and Williams, if he hones his offensive game. The prospect of adding another player who demands double teams, combined with offensive rebounder extraordinaries like Jordan Walsh, would be a lot for most opponents to hope to handle defensively.

Weaknesses of Aimaq

At one point, Aimaq was considered the top player available in the college basketball transfer market (which had 481 players as of March 28). 247Sports’ Travis Branahm ranked Aimaq as No. 1 in his initial Top 10 ranking. However, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie strongly disagrees. Vecenie puts Aimaq at No. 13, writing: “Utah Valley loved to get him involved out top with dribble handoffs, using him to activate his guards on the move. They’d roll him into post-ups and get him the ball throw it up off of the offensive glass.” Then Vencenie explains the downside: “The main issue with Aimaq, though, is his touch. He only made 42 percent of his postup attempts, per Synergy, despite a significant size advantage in the WAC. Additionally, he made just 61 percent of his shots around the basket in non-post settings. “The worry here is that he may smoke a few too many layups at the high-major level, while also getting hit away from the basket defensively because his foot-speed isn’t awesome. He’s a highmajor starting center who will clean up the glass and probably average a double-double, but he’ll need to find the right situation in order to impact winning.” This isn’t the best news in the world for Arkansas basketball fans after seeing so many missed layups around the rim this year, but perhaps Aimaq’s strengths (and literal grown-man strength) would make up for it. Some Iowa fans even compared him to Luka Garza.

Other potential big-man Arkansas transfers?

According to Arkansas transfer expert Ben Brandon, Musselman and his staff have contacted at least 31 players in the current transfer market. Besides Aimaq, here are the big burlies he lists: • Isaiah Cottrell (West Virginia), 6-10, 240; • Xavier Foster (Iowa State), 7-0, 230; • Neal Quinn (Louisiana-Lafayette), 7-0, 280. Quinn is by far the most accomplished of the trio listed here after averaging 14.7 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game and four assists per game on 54.5 percent shooting last season.

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Massive praise for Arkansas basketball

Stanley Umude

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College basketball analyst Aaron Torres delivered some eyeopening praise for the Razorbacks under Eric Musselman in his podcast that came out following Black’s announcement. “If I could buy stock in one program in college basketball right now, that program would be Arkansas, because tell me what you want out of a program in college basketball right now that Arkansas is not doing? They recruit at an elite level,” Torres enthused. “This is now three McDonald’s All Americans in this class. “I believe that they do as good of a job as anybody in college basketball, evaluating in the transfer portal…. You look at a Texas, you look at a Kentucky — some schools are just going after the best players that they can possibly get. I think what Arkansas does better than anybody… they look at players, and they look at pieces, and they say, ‘How will this guy fit with that guy, and that guy, and that guy, that are coming back?’ “Au’diese Toney, Chris Lykes, Trey Wade last year. I think I did a top 50 in the transfer portal rankings… I don’t think any of them made my top 25 in terms of who I expected to be impact players, but those three individually [did well]… I think Stanley Umude was right on the cusp of top 25, top 30, but you look at those guys, and they weren’t guys that jumped off the pages, ‘Oh my God, they’re going to be instant impact players at their next stop.’ The way that Walker Kessler was, or what we thought Marcus Carr would be, or what we thought James Akinjo would be, or what we thought Remy Martin would be.”

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THE LAST WORD

CHARACTER, AND LOVING OUR ENEMIES

By Katie Zakrzewski

recently decided to go back to school and get a master’s in public service. I wasn’t incredibly sure what public service was — I just knew that several people I admired in school had pursued a master’s in the same field. Not wanting to be left behind, I soon found myself back in the academic saddle. Our latest assignment was to declare our own definition of public service and use assigned readings as evidence. I had mulled over the assignment for weeks, writing a sentence at a time, only to delete it and take what was likely my fourth or fifth break. I knew what I felt, but I was struggling to put it into words. Late one evening, in the midst of my procrastination, I decided to indulge in one of my favorite past times: watching boxing highlights. I leaned forward on my couch as I watched a match that many in sports had considered wrong and a mistake — one boxer was as big as a mountain with an impressive record to match. His opponent was smaller and wiry and new to the boxing scene. The crowd prepared itself for a match that would likely end quickly, brutally and maybe even with a body bag. The bell rang, and the boxers swung on one another. Using what seemed to be a fraction of his power, the huge boxer knocked his opponent down several times and the smaller boxer would struggle to his feet. It was clear the bigger man was holding back. Finally, when the time came, minutes within the first round, for the hulking boxer to decimate and finish his weaker opponent… he knelt in the ring. The crowd softened; the referee looked uncertain; and his opponent shocked. The hulking boxer stared up at the referee, nodding expectantly. The referee began to count until he reached 10. The wiry boxer, completely outmatched, had won, not only to his own shock but to the shock of everyone who had placed a surefire bet. In the haze of late night television, the boxers’ names escape me, but the lesson I learned did not: When you refuse to hurt the people and things that you have the power to completely destroy, you display true character. The large, competent boxer had trained to fight better battles than this one. There was nothing to gain in this victory. By holding back when he single-handedly could have ended his opponent’s career, he displayed character. This reminded me of one of my assigned readings, a speech from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King writes: “Another way that you love your enemy is this. When the opportunity presents itself for you to defeat your enemy, that is the time which you must not do it. There will come a time, in many instances, when the person who hates you APRI L 202 2

most, the person who has misused you most, the person who has gossiped about you most, the person who has spread false rumors about you most, there will come a time when you will have an opportunity to defeat that person… That’s the time you must not do it.” Dr. King doesn’t use the word character here. Instead, he says the following: “That is the meaning of love. Love is not this sentimental something that we talk about. It’s not merely an emotional something. Love is creative, understanding goodwill for all men. It is the refusal to defeat any individual. When you rise to the level of love, of its great beauty and power, you seek only to defeat evil systems. Individuals who happen to be caught up in that system, you love, but you seek to defeat the system.” At my core, I knew what I wanted to do through public service, and the traits that all good public servants must possess to identify and conquer evils — a resolute character, built on a selfless love. I felt sturdier about my feelings for public service, although I struggled through my five-page assignment limit to describe it. I know that when I see a homeless person, I feel empathy and offer my loose change. I know that when I find a stray animal, I urge it to the side of the road and to the nearest house. I know that when Chipotle asks me if I’d like to round up my order total to help farmers, I check the box. But I don’t think this is public service. And if it is, I probably wouldn’t have had to sell my soul to my student loan provider to confirm it. But what I do suspect is that, at our core, all of us have felt love. Love for a pet, or for ice cream, or for our parents or children or siblings or mentors or friends. I think that everyone’s character has, at some point, improved because of that love we feel. However, I think that until we can look into the eyes of people who don’t look like us, don’t talk like us, and don’t vote like us, and see the humanity and love within them… we have failed to know the deepest sense of love that Dr. King is talking about. We have failed to undergo one of the rarest transformations of character. We must see these people who are most unlike us, who maybe even hate us, and find the good in them. Not just for their own good, but for ours as well. I’m certainly not one to talk about this everlasting task. I still fall painfully short of the goal post, time and time again. But I have to keep trying. Not just for the sake of others, but for my own. I know at some point, it’s a transformation that I will need to embrace, not just for a piece of paper, but in order to be a good public servant. 128

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