Arkansas Money & Politics January 2025 by AY Magazine

Help Arkansas Workers Save for a Stronger Future

AARP Arkansas is advocating for workers to have an easy way to save for retirement on the job through a public-private retirement savings option. Over half of Arkansas private sector workers don’t have access to a retirement savings option at work, leaving them unprepared for the future and at risk for greater reliance on public, taxpayer-funded programs.

Public-private retirement savings options help workers take control of their own financial future.

FEATURES JANUARY 2025

BROYLES AWARD GOES BIG

BACK TO WORK

Sen. John Boozman, dean of the state’s congressional delegation, is ready to tackle unprecedented challenges as the new Congress convenes.

FARM BILL REDUX

One of the most quietly significant pieces of legislation to cross the desk of

President Donald Trump will be the newest iteration of the Farm Bill.

The Broyles Award, one of college football’s most respected trophies, created by David Bazzel, moves to Oaklawn in Hot Springs this year.

‘Allo, guvnah!

Arkansas’ chief executive once again granted AMP the opportunity to visit with her about what’s been accomplished in her first two years and what’s ahead.

Pushing the limits

Arkansas industries are continuing to refine processes using computerized applications, pushing the limits of what is possible.

Addressing Arkansas’ homeless population and addressing elements of criminal justice are two social issues expected to remain at center stage in the new year.

They say good help is hard to find. Stagnating population growth and other factors have led to low labor force participation rates in Arkansas and beyond.

Not so long ago, the term “business services” conjured up thoughts of a guy with a pocket protector making the rounds to fix a department’s laptops.

AMP is proud to unveil its list of “Arkansas Influencers” for 2025, those who inspire all to reach higher, achieve more and improve things in local communities.

Sales is not for the faint of heart. There is, perhaps, no other industry in which one’s livelihood is so tied to one’s daily performance.

An unwritten maxim of business is how much of it gets done outside the office. In Arkansas, a trip to a local restaurant can help put a little loft into the sales pitch.

and they will

A Bentonville company is designing and building bike trails across Arkansas, the United States and the globe, further solidifying NWA as a biking hotspot.

In Part 2 of our visit with Dave Van Horn, the head Hogs talks managing a roster, the gauntlet of the SEC and dreams of further expansion at Baum-Walker.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Ashley Bearden Campbell, Meredith Mashburn, Lori Sparkman, Lance Brownfield, Nelson Chenault, Bryan Day, Michael Drager, Jeremy Harper, Conor Hennelly, Steve Lewis, Daniel Shi, Matt Smithmeier, Steve Wilcox

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ON THE COVER

Arkansas’ senior U.S. senator, John Boozman, known for his plainspoken and common-sense approach, is entering his 15th year in the upper chamber.

Photo courtesy of the office of Sen. John Boozman.

See story, page 12.

FEEDBACK

2024 AMP POWER WOMEN: SHANNON BEDORE

Amazing person and Outstanding Business Leader. Congratulations Shannon Bedore, well deserved recognition.

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LIVE THANKFULLY DONATES $100K TO IMMERSE ARKANSAS

Incredible! Congratulations!

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AMP TRAILBLAZING MEN: MAHESH VENKATRAMAN

Congratulations Mahesh Venkatraman on this well-deserved recognition. Your leadership and dedication continue to inspire. Wishing you continued success in all your endeavors.

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TOMMY ‘THE OUTLAW’ SMITH RETURNING TO RADIO IN JANUARY

Good for Tommy. When you’ve amassed the career he has, he can do anything he wants.

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2024 AMP POWER WOMEN: SHEA BRYANT Congrats, my friend! Well deserved.

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WHAT’S FOR LUNCH?

Headed into the new year, we are supposed to be thinking less about food, right?

Unfortunately, the belly rules the mind. Or so says a Spanish proverb.

In the case of at least one inky wretch, when the smell of meat on the grill or biscuits in the oven hits the olfactory senses, all bets are off; the belly indeed has taken the wheel.

Food not only nourishes and keeps us upright for another stab at another day; it binds us culturally, spiritually and emotionally. It fills us up every which way.

Where else could a boomer and Gen X’er find common ground other than at one of Arkansas’ grand old steakhouse dives?

“He/she should be in jail!”

and levels playing fields — and one that few take for granted, in the South, anyway.

After all, how often do we associate our experiences in other places based on the quality of the dining experience? For most, it is likely close to 100 percent of the time.

“Yes, but the porterhouse was seared to perfection. And how ‘bout them Hogs? Oh, and please pass the rolls...”

We think it could go something like that. The joy derived from good food is one of those heavenly gifts that transcends, erases boundaries

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

L“Sure, the Eiffel Tower was something else, but the baguette at that little corner cafe…”

Besides, what higher honor is there than to be cooked for or to be asked to cook for someone?

The Spanish chef José Andrés Puerta once described his attraction to cooking: “I realized very early the power of food to evoke memory, to bring people together, to transport you to other places, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

A beautiful sentiment, and we concur. We prefer another sentiment, though, one attributed to that late, great enigma Orson Welles:

“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.”

Here’s to a 2025 in which we can put aside our differences, if only temporarily, and break some good bread together.

By Heather Baker

KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING

ast year was a roller coaster of a year but one in which Arkansas Money & Politics experienced massive growth. Demand has never been greater, and AMP is reaching the furthest corners of the state. For that, we owe our readers a sincere round of thanks.

Our goal is to keep the momentum going in the new year, and we think the January issue accomplishes just that.

AMP’s “Influencers of the Year” runs this month, showcasing 100 of the state’s top movers and shakers as nominated by readers and selected by a panel of former Influencers.

Also inside, AMP visits with Sen. John Boozman, Arkansas’ senior U.S. senator, who graces the cover this month, about turbulent political times, the status of the Farm Bill and more. Also inside, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders grants us an opportunity for the second straight year to sit down with her and visit about how she views her first two years on the job. The issue also has a “What’s Next”

Heather Baker

package that includes industry experts sharing their thoughts on what is ahead in the areas of politics, technology, social issues and health. The business-services package looks at business-to-business companies in the information technology, marketing and staffing industries; we spoke with a few of the state’s top salespeople about what it takes to succeed in their fields; we visit some of central Arkansas’ top dining destinations for entertaining business clients; and Part 2 of our interview with Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn can be found inside.

We will also preview the Broyles Award Ceremony and profile the legendary Dr. Ali Krisht in the standing “Arkansas Visionaries” feature. As always, thanks for reading. You are responsible for all our growth, and we are so grateful for your loyalty. Please hit me up with questions or story ideas at hbaker@aymag. com, and may the new year deliver nothing but blessings.

ARKANSAS IS GRAPPLING WITH A MATERNAL HEALTH CRISIS

By Ashley Bearden Campbell

On Jan. 23, Arkansas will join the nation in recognizing Maternal Health Awareness Day. This day is deeply personal because through my role as executive director of Arkansans for Improving Maternal Health, I have seen firsthand the struggles our mothers are facing — challenges that too often lead to tragic outcomes.

Arkansas is grappling with a maternal health crisis of staggering proportions. Ranked among the worst in the nation for maternal and infant mortality, the state also received an “F” grade on the March of Dimes 2024 Report Card. At 12.1 percent, the preterm birth rate is significantly higher than the national average of 10.4 percent. Perhaps most troubling, Arkansas remains the only state not to have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, leaving a crucial gap in care during one of the most vulnerable times in a mother’s life.

These statistics represent real families affected by gaps in healthcare — gaps that disproportionately harm mothers in rural areas and communities of color. More than half of Arkansas counties are classified as maternity care deserts, meaning they lack sufficient access to obstetric services and expose mothers to dangerous prenatal and postpartum risks.

In response to these challenges, AIM spent several months last year on a statewide tour. We traveled across Arkansas to listen to mothers, health care providers, policymakers and community leaders to better understand their unique challenges, highlight areas of success and seek opportunities for improving maternal care. What we found underscored both the resilience of our communities and the critical need for systemic change.

Central Arkansas showcases innovation in addressing maternal health needs. Programs like the milk bank at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and the Central Arkansas Diaper Bank at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church in Little Rock provide immediate resources while addressing long-term needs. The milk bank ensures that vulnerable infants have access to lifesaving donor milk, and the diaper bank provides essential supplies to families in need, demonstrating the power of partnerships between health care institutions and nonprofits.

In northwest Arkansas, we saw the power of meeting mothers where they are. UAMS’ mobile health units, funded by its office of community health and research, bring care directly to underserved communities, particularly immigrant and minority mothers who face cultural and language barriers. Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers takes a holistic approach, ensuring comprehensive support for mothers throughout their pregnancy journey.

Northeast Arkansas has also taken a proactive approach. The HUB in Batesville consolidates regional resources into a single location, providing families with tools for success. St. Bernards Healthcare offers a comprehensive suite of services that includes prenatal care, mental health support, telehealth options and accessible resources, ensuring continuity of care for mothers.

South Arkansas underscores the urgency of addressing health care disparities. Providers spoke of mothers traveling long distances for basic prenatal care and of the negative effects of hospital closures on access to obstetric services. Thankfully, UAMS has announced an expansion of its Healthy Start program to Ashley, Ouachita and Union counties to provide essential prenatal care services to women and families via a system of community health workers.

While the regional efforts are commendable, they alone cannot address systemic issues. The upcoming legislative session presents real opportunity for our state legislators to take meaningful steps toward improvement. AIM is supporting the following key initiatives for the 2025 legislative session:

1. Expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage: Extending coverage to 12 months is crucial, but education and outreach are equally important. Too many eligible mothers are unaware of their benefits, leaving them without vital care.

2. Strengthening the maternal health workforce: Arkansas faces a critical shortage of obstetricians, particularly in rural areas. We must explore every option to fill the gaps, including Medicaid reimbursement for certified nurse midwives and doulas. As part of the overall care team, those individuals can provide support and help to reduce complications.

3. Improved access to prenatal care: Allowing pregnant women to immediately access Medicaid for prenatal care while their full application is being processed ensures timely support. By enacting presumptive eligibility, pregnant women can start receiving care immediately, addressing the urgent need for prenatal services that are critical to maternal and infant health outcomes.

On our statewide tour, one mother told me she felt invisible after giving birth, as though her health and well-being no longer mattered. That should never be the case. Every mother deserves to feel seen, valued and supported.

As we approach Maternal Health Awareness Day, I challenge you to see this as more than a symbolic observance — it is a call to action. This year, let us mark the beginning of a new chapter for Arkansas mothers and babies. By moving from advocacy into action, we can close the gaps that put families at risk.

At AIM, our mission is simple: to ensure no mother feels invisible, no matter where she lives or what resources she has. I believe Arkansas can lead the way in maternal health, but it will take all of us — advocates, lawmakers, health care providers and communities — working together to make it happen. Let’s seize this opportunity to create a brighter, healthier future for our families.

Ashley Bearden Campbell is executive director of Arkansans for Improving Maternal Health.

Ashley Bearden Campbell

WHY CHILD CARE IS A MANUFACTURING IMPERATIVE

By Bryan Day

With the Port of Little Rock’s long-standing history as an economic development catalyst, we know firsthand that the backbone of the manufacturing industry and our nation is a skilled and dedicated workforce. The Port of Little Rock welcomes workers daily from 42 of Arkansas’ 75 counties, and our employers depend on individuals who can meet the demands of hands-on, in-person work.

The Port of Little Rock has more than 50 companies that employ more than 10,000 people in manufacturing and transportation/warehousing jobs. Our companies are constantly filling job openings and searching for solutions to recruit and retain our workforce. With the median age of the labor market hovering around mid-30s, one often overlooked challenge in the search for topnotch workers is child care.

Child care is not just a personal issue for families; it is a business and economic development issue that directly impacts manufacturers’ bottom lines.

While many U.S. industries have moved to a more flexible hybrid or remote staffing model, manufacturing jobs require a physical presence, so finding reliable child care is essential for these workers, particularly for second-shift roles, which often run from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. or later. These are critical hours for many facilities, but they coincide with a time when traditional child care centers are closed. For parents, especially those living in rural areas, finding care during those hours is nearly impossible.

parents are unable to enter or stay in the workforce. That shrinks the pool of available talent at a time when we are striving to attract a diverse range of employees and recruit companies to put down roots in Arkansas at the port.

While employers are not solely responsible for solving the child care crisis, we do have a vested interest in supporting solutions that benefit our teams and communities. Companies that take proactive steps to address child care availability often see higher employee retention rates, increased job satisfaction and greater loyalty.

In fact, businesses across Arkansas are already taking action. Excel by Eight, a statewide initiative focused on early childhood development, has formed a coalition with more than 75 organizations. These collaborative efforts demonstrate that progress is possible when industries, nonprofits and public entities work together.

At the port, we see potential in exploring partnerships and creative policy solutions that can alleviate the burden on working parents. As a member of the Excel by Eight business coalition, we are supporting community initiatives that will expand child care capacity in local and nearby rural areas and make it easier for manufacturers to recruit and retain workers.

Our industry thrives when we invest in the people who power it. By supporting child care solutions, we are not only addressing a pressing workforce challenge but also strengthening our communities and ensuring the long-term sustainability of our businesses.

Even in the central Arkansas metro, home to more than 360,000 workers, the lack of evening and flexible child care options presents a challenge for working parents. If that is the case in a community with strong resources, imagine the hurdles faced in regions without such infrastructure.

Nationally, the data underscores the urgency of this issue. According to a 2021 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation report, 76 percent of working parents reported missing work due to unreliable child care, and 34 percent said someone in their household had recently left or turned down a job for the same reason. In Arkansas alone, child care issues cost the state economy an estimated $865 million annually — a burden shared by employers.

The implications are significant for manufacturing, transportation and warehousing companies. Without reliable child care,

Parents who have access to suitable child care are more likely to stay in their jobs, perform better and advance in their careers. That benefits employers, employees and the local economy. Moreover, companies that champion family-friendly policies and practices earn the respect and trust of their communities — a competitive advantage in today’s workforce-driven economy.

At the Port of Little Rock, we are committed to leading the conversation. We believe that when companies invest in their people, they are investing in their success and long-term future. For the manufacturing sector, addressing child care is not just the right thing to do — it is a business imperative that will help us attract top talent, grow our operations and continue building the products that make us proud right here in Arkansas.

Bryan Day is the executive director of the Port of Little Rock.

Bryan Day

ARKANSAS GROWTH OPPORTUNITY PROFILE

POWER ELECTRONICS, ADVANCED PACKAGING AND GRID MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

By AMP Staff

Arkansas is a major producer of a commodity that is tough to live without: electricity. From electronics engineering and advanced microelectronics to producing and managing the flow of electric energy, Arkansas has a legacy of excellence in electrical and electronics engineering. Power is a major piston in the state’s economic engine, and it is driving innovation in a critical industry growth opportunity for the state.

According to a recent report commissioned by Arkansas Research Alliance and compiled by TEConomy Partners, Arkansas employs more than 18,000 people in the energy and infrastructure sector, which is 28 percent more concentrated than the U.S. average. The presence of a unique constellation of utility providers and managers, such as Entergy, Southwestern Electric Power Co., Southwest Power Pool and Midcontinent Independent System Operator, generates a critical mass of demand for new technology applications.

Arkansas’ academic research base continues to build expertise in managing how critical systems and their components interact. That is important as the grid evolves to support increased generation sources with a need for increased resiliency. Among the research hubs is the University of Arkansas Power Group, which trains, educates, enables and inspires a broad array of engineers and leaders to address global energy challenges. The Power Group heads several labs and centers that comprise the most comprehensive university-based electronic packaging facility available in the United States. The work was recently awarded $18 million from the National Science Foundation to establish a national silicon carbide research fabrication facility. Silicon carbide is used to make semiconductors faster and more resistant to extreme environments, among other benefits.

“Arkansas is uniquely centered in energy- and electronic-related spaces,” said Bryan J. Barnhouse, president and CEO of ARA. “Our state’s ability to pro-

duce reliable, affordable and sustainable power elevates our manufacturing profile, which, in turn, has jump-started research in fields related to power and electronics. It’s really a good example of industry and research intersecting for competitive advantage.”

The state’s deep bench of industrial and research assets represents a significant opportunity for Arkansas. Amid a renewed focus on the strategic importance of the domestic semiconductor industry, the interplay of circuit, device and grid-scale electronics is witnessing remarkable growth propelled by several key market forces.

From the imperative of grid resilience and reliability to the surge in electrification and Internet of Things proliferation, market forces are reshaping industries and driving demand for cutting-edge solutions. Arkansas can position itself to capitalize on these favorable trends in the years to come.

Where can Arkansas take the lead? Fast-growing industries such as cybersecurity, electrified steel production, electric vehicle component development, battery manufacturing, and aerospace and defense already have a foothold, and Arkansas and can be expected to grow with focus and investment.

The report from TEConomy Partners, Enabling an Innovation-Led Future for Arkansas: University Research Competencies Aligned with Industry Growth Opportunities, outlines the growth opportunity in detail. The report is available free to download at aralliance.org/ resources.

“We cannot stress enough how important it is that Arkansas leverages these seven growth opportunities,” Barnhouse said. “With Arkansas power demands expected to double over the next five years because of the growth in [artificial intelligence], lithium, steel, timber and aerospace, we encourage business leaders and researchers to find common ground on innovation so we can keep our industries ahead of their competition.”

Stay Warm Without the Worry

Sen. John Boozman talks new administration, new challenges and The Mandate

John Boozman, Arkansas’ senior U.S. senator and the dean of the state’s congressional delegation, is entering his 15th year in the upper chamber, having first been elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. Now on his third president — and his fourth presidential administration — the new year is bringing unprecedented challenges both at home and around the world.

A Republican native of Fort Smith, Boozman has distinguished himself in Washington for steady leadership and a plainspoken, common-sense approach to governing. He serves on the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on the Environment and Public Works, in addition to being the ranking member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

AMP: Now that the Republicans have secured both houses in Congress and the White House, what do you think are the big issues for the first hundred days? What comes first?

BOOZMAN: Well, I think that the fact that we secured all three aspects — the House, the Senate and the executive branch — really is unusual, but the other thing we have to remember is that even though we control all three, we do just barely. The Senate, we’ll have 53 senators, but it usually takes 60 votes to get anything done because of the filibuster rule. In the House, we’ll have a two- or three-vote majority, so it’s going to be very, very tight, and it’s going to take a lot of work to get things done.

I think as far as the issues that we’ll face almost immediately are the things that the president ran on, the things that members of Congress, those that were up for reelection, ran on. The border would probably be right at the top of the list, along with inflation. Inflation is difficult, but so much of the cost of business is the regulatory atmosphere, and that’s something that we can attack. Regulations are very important. We need regulation, but excessive regulation increases cost, and it hampers supply chain, which raises prices.

National Association of State Veterans Homes President Tracy Schaner presents Boozman the 2024 Legislator of the Year Award.

‘ ‘

Along with those committees, he serves on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, commonly referred to as the Helsinki Commission, and the Congressional Study Group on Europe, a bipartisan organization dedicated to frank and candid dialogue between American lawmakers and their peers in Europe.

Through those assignments and others, Boozman has devoted his career to issues affecting everyday men and women both in Arkansas and throughout the country.

Arkansas Money & Politics sat down with Boozman to gain his insights on the state of the nation both domestically and abroad, what awaits the second administration of Donald Trump, and the continuing effort to restore Arkansas as the Land of Opportunity.

The border, as we all know, simply needs to be taken care of. The president’s committed, and I think Congress will be committed, to securing the border and, at the same time, start to remove those who are here illegally that have committed felonies, start sending them back. I think the public was pretty overwhelmingly in favor of that, and that’s the reason we were able to win the election. I think those will be the main things as we move forward.

AMP: Do you sense something different about this second administration, the environment around it, the tone and the timbre of it? Or is it just the same honeymoon period, and it’ll be back to business as usual once the president is sworn in?

BOOZMAN: I think that the mood of the country now is one of helpfulness. I think the reason that Republicans were able to gain control is that average Americans felt like they didn’t have a lot of hope in the sense that they were working harder and yet seemed to not be getting ahead because of inflation. They were very discouraged because of the border and the lawlessness that that’s created. I think there’s a real feeling in the air that President Trump is coming in with some experience, having done it, you know, in the previous term. During those years, when you look at the statistics regarding unemployment and the ability to get ahead, people felt like they were doing pretty well.

Now he’s going to have to deliver, and Congress is going to have to deliver, but as we all know, he is a strong leader. I think he’s got the ability to do that. So much of what gets done is based on confidence, and I think right now the president-elect has the

SENIOR STATESMAN

Dwain Hebda / Photos courtesy of the office of U.S. Sen. John Boozman

confidence of the majority of people coming into office. His approval rating is probably as high now as it’s ever been.

AMP: Were you surprised by the margin of the election and the way in which Trump reclaimed the White House?

BOOZMAN: I was not surprised that he won, listening to the people here that do the internal polling for us and just seeing it was so close. Republicans usually under-poll, and so with us being right there, even a little bit ahead at times, it really made me think that we had a great opportunity and a really good chance of winning. What I think I was most surprised by was I didn’t think that we’d win the popular vote, and we won that convincingly.

The other thing, which I thought was so great, was that it was settled one way or the other, essentially on Tuesday night, which I don’t think anybody thought that it would be over in the wee hours of Tuesday. That was something that I think was really good for the country, to see that decisiveness so that we could move on and get to work and try and do some things differently.

AMP: Turning our attention to foreign policy, there are many very problematic issues around the world. Israel continues to battle Hamas amid, frankly, what can only be called a lukewarm response from the Biden administration. Hostages are still in captivity. Syria has collapsed. Ukraine continues to slog along. What do you see as more pressing when it comes to bringing something to a resolution, the Middle East or Ukraine?

BOOZMAN: I think it’s so difficult, and it all goes together. It’s a very dangerous world. You look at what’s happened, it’s unbelievable that the world has totally reshaped itself with the downfall of Syria, and then you have the downfall of Iran and the Russians being marginalized because of both of those. These are all allies. Iran being defeated militarily, most of the commanding officers being killed, they’re now looking toward nuclear weapons. If Iran goes nuclear, Saudi Arabia will go nuclear, Egypt will go, and we have nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. These are all really very, very serious things. I don’t know which one is

more important, but they are all connected.

I do think that President Trump understands that we are a great military power, but also, our might is in the fact that we are a great economic power, and he is not afraid to use that economic might with sanctions. We’ve got sanctions now and this and that, but I think he’s prepared to really ratchet things up if people don’t start behaving. I don’t know how else to say it. I think he doesn’t mind using that, and he realizes the power that we have there. It’s not about sending in troops and things like that; we can use our military might in a certain way, but we can also use that economic might to really tamp things down and get people talking and try and end these senseless wars.

AMP: What issues are as important as what we have been talking about but because, maybe, they are not quite as sexy or they are a little more complicated, are flying below the public’s radar? What absolutely needs to be addressed and has the attention of lawmakers that we just don’t hear as much about?

BOOZMAN: I think something that’s really important is the fact that we were able, in 2017, to pass the huge tax cut package, which gave tax release relief to everyone. We’re in a situation now, if we don’t do something to renew that, the people of the United States will have about a $4 trillion tax increase. The numbers are staggering, and you don’t appreciate that until you actually have to start paying it. We have to work the tax policy out because there’s a lot of good things in that we need to continue and some things we need to change. It’s going to take everybody working together.

I think that’s probably the one of the biggest, but there’s all kinds of other things. The nice thing in the Senate, you get to do a whole bunch of stuff. I’m very involved in the military. I’m very involved with veterans. I’m also very, very involved in agriculture. We’ve got a Farm Bill to pass right now. Our farmers are in a situation where, because the cost of planting a crop is so great that once they plant it and harvest it, they’re not breaking even. They’re losing a lot of money per acre. That just doesn’t work, that business model. We’re trying to provide some relief now and then to try and increase their safety net, their risk-management tools.

For some states, agriculture is a big part of the economy. In Arkansas, it’s 25 percent of the economy, and if you get out outside of any town of any size, it’s probably 85 or 90 percent, so we need to provide a much stronger Farm Bill in this next Congress.

AMP: President-elect Trump has nominated three people with Arkansas ties for positions of quite high importance and visibility as ambassadors and as surgeon general. What is the opinion of Arkansas as a conservative stronghold today, and what does it say that a state our size could play a role in developing individuals qualified for such positions of authority?

BOOZMAN: It really says a lot for our state. These are

Boozman called passage of the new Farm Bill one of his top priorities.

people who not only are connected politically, but these are very, very capable people that are going to do a tremendous job. I think we can be very, very proud of that.

Arkansas, right now we’re in a situation where we have a number of chairs and subcommittee chairs among the Congressional delegation that are very, very important. We’ve got a lot of members who have been around for a while, and when you have seniority and you’re well respected, you’re asked to do important things. We can be proud of that.

The other thing that is so important, and you’d think that it would be true throughout the country, but the Arkansas delegation works together so well. We all have different talents, and sometimes we disagree with, maybe, a particular thing in Washington when it comes to Arkansas, but there’s no separation at all. The entire group pulls together. Everybody working together makes a huge difference.

AMP: Assess the current state of Arkansas. What’s on the right track, and what’s commanding your attention back here at home?

BOOZMAN: Something that we saw with [former] Gov. [Asa] Hutchinson and where Gov. [Sarah Huckabee] Sanders is continuing to do a great job, is aggressively going after companies looking to relocate or expand. In order for people to have good jobs, you have to have the opportunity for the jobs to be there, and they’re aggressively courting these companies. As a result, we’re becoming this huge defense industry in Arkansas, in Camden and the F-35 training mission that’s coming to Fort Smith as well as continuing to support the Little Rock Air Force Base. All of these things are so, so important. They’re not only important to Arkansas, but they’re important to the security of our country.

It’s one of those things that once people see that something is working, it’s just so much easier to get others. Add to that the other facets, such as our highway commission doing a very good job of helping us get the infrastructure that we need to support all of this. It all works together. Right now I think everybody in Arkansas is doing their part to make it a better state.

One of the most pressing challenges the governor and I and so many others are working on includes maternal health. Why is Arkansas No. 1 in the sense of losing moms, losing babies? Gov. Sanders has provided a lot of leadership in that area, and we’ve been helping out on that, as well.

AMP: You’ve mentioned the economic development going on in Arkansas; add to that lithium and steel, and they’re all creating these high-paying jobs or promising to. Yet we still have difficulty raising a certain percentage of our population out of generational poverty. What do you see as the remaining barriers, to borrow from Ronald Reagan, for these opportunities and this prosperity to trickle down, specifically in the

Athletes with Arkansas Special Olympics pose for a snapshot with the senator.

Delta and southeast Arkansas?

BOOZMAN: That’s an excellent question. First of all, the jobs have to be there, and the good news is we are acquiring more and more of those companies all the time, but you have to have the people who are qualified to fill those jobs. I think that comes through better education. Gov. Hutchinson was very focused on that, [former] Gov. [Mike] Beebe was focused on it, and Gov. Sanders is very focused on it, and it’s finally starting to pay off. That just doesn’t happen overnight, but with the good vo-tech schools, the Be Pro Be Proud of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, all of those efforts are doing a very good job.

What’s starting to happen now, instead of trying to go it alone, counties are coming together, and communities are coming together, and they’re offering up great programs. Young people are realizing — and realizing earlier — that you don’t necessarily need to go to school for four years or even two years for a particular skill, so there’s lots of changes going on there, I think, that have taken time, but there’s a tremendous amount of opportunity now. We see that in the growth of our bigger companies, like Walmart, J.B. Hunt, Tyson and the other great companies that are scattered throughout the state.

AMP: As you head into the next administration with the wind at your back as a conservative, what are your one or two priorities you want to see out of the party overall? What are the top things you would like to see get done?

BOOZMAN: Well, a couple things: Certainly, we’re working hard to see the expansion in Fort Smith at Ebbing [Air National Guard Base] with the F-35 mission. We’ve all worked together to make it such that there’s a lot of money in the pipeline for buildings and things like that to be successful there. I’m very concerned about getting a Farm Bill done, which is so, so very important. Whenever I’m around [Sen.] Marco Rubio, who is the head Republican on intelligence, I always remind him food security is national security. The Farm Bill is important not only for Arkansas, but it’s important for the country.

We’re always working on veterans issues and just a whole bunch of stuff that comes up. We’ve also spent a lot of time helping nursing home programs to provide the services that we need, particularly in rural Arkansas and rural America. There’s no shortage of good things to be done.

JUST GETTING WARMED UP

Halfway through first term, Sanders looks to benefit from ‘heavy lifting’

By Mark Carter / Photo by Lori Sparkman

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Halfway through her first term as Arkansas’ first female chief executive, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders enters Year 3 eager to continue her platform of educational reform, tax cuts and funding for prisons. So far, it has been a successful platform. Even those who might not agree with Sanders’ policies would have to concede that her historic term as Arkansas governor has thus far been successful from a political standpoint.

The governor sat down with Arkansas Money & Politics to look back at what has been accomplished and ahead at what is to come.

With a GOP lock on the state legislature, Sanders hit the ground running in 2023. Her signature legislation, the Arkansas LEARNS Act, breezed through both chambers, introducing school vouchers, dramatic pay raises for teachers, and other initiatives designed to bolster and improve public education in Arkansas.

The Education Freedom Account component to the legislation is a school voucher program that enables parents to use those public funds that would have been provided to a local district for their student(s) for private school tuition or homeschooling. More than 14,000 students participate in the program. Though participation currently is capped at 3 percent of students in the state, all Arkansas students will be eligible to participate beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

The LEARNS Act also raised teachers’ pay in Arkansas, taking it from 48th nationally to fourth. All teachers received at least a $2,000 annual raise, and starting teachers’ salary rose from $36,000 to $50,000. Plus $10 million was set aside for teacher merit pay, and the legislation funded the addition of 120 literacy coaches in state public schools.

Three tax cuts have been passed since Sanders took office. The individual income tax rate dropped from 4.4 percent to 3.9 percent, effective with the 2024 tax year, and corporate taxes were cut from 4.8 percent to 4.3 percent. The Homestead Property Tax Credit increased from $425 to $500, as well, and modest property tax reform passed.

On the prison front, Sanders announced in late December that almost 1,500 new prison beds had

opened since she took office. Plans for a new state prison to alleviate crowding at county jails is underway. In November, the Arkansas Board of Corrections approved plans for a new state prison set to hold 3,000 inmates on 815 acres in Franklin County. The state set aside $330 million for the project with another $75 million, originally intended for expansion of another prison unit, available for the new facility.

Sanders also prioritized mental health care. In 2024, the state issued $45 million in grants aimed at improving access to mental health care in Arkansas. The governor sat down with Arkansas Money & Politics to look back at what has been accomplished and ahead at what is to come.

The CliffsNotes version: She still has no plans to rejoin president-elect Donald Trump in the White House and beams with pride when the subject is her father, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, being selected by Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador to Israel in his second administration.

Swept into office with 63 percent of the vote, empowered by a friendly red legislature and confident that her team executed “at a high level” in Year 2, Sanders is just getting warmed up.

AMP: After a whirlwind first year in which you passed tax cuts and the LEARNS Act, did you get everything accomplished you set out to do in 2024?

SANDERS: You know, I’m biased, but based off what we’ve been able to accomplish in a really short amount of time with an incredibly productive first year, we were able to build a lot in Year 2 — more tax cuts, returning a lot of money back to Arkansans’ pockets. We’ve now had the chance to cut taxes three different times for the people of the state since taking office, and we continued the implementation side on a lot of our big priorities in the first legislative session.

AMP: Is it too early to gauge the effectiveness of the LEARNS Act?

attention from literacy coaches that have been deployed to different schools and districts around the state.

AMP: The school voucher piece of the legislation seems to be popular, with participation capped out before it opens up to everyone next school year.

“

SANDERS: We made no secret that the LEARNS Act was the big priority that I had going into Year 1, and that part was passing the legislation. Year 2 is, frankly, where the really heavy lifting comes in because that’s where you actually have to make it work, so that’s what we’ve been doing. Really leaning into the implementation side of Arkansas LEARNS has been a big priority for our team, and I feel like that’s gone extremely well. We hear a lot of anecdotal pieces as we travel around the state. I’m hard-pressed to go into any single community, both big or small, where I don’t run into a teacher who thanks me for the investment we made into public education and teacher salaries. It’s not just the salary piece; it’s a lot of the other things that don’t get talked about as much. We were able to put $10 million in the pockets of around 3,000 educators in meritbased pay for our highest-performing and highest-achieving teachers. It’s a big deal, and something that’s never happened in our state was being able to invest in the literacy programs. We’ve talked to a number of parents when we go into places, and these kids are recipients of that one-on-one

I was at an elementary school within the last year where one of the things they were really proud of about Arkansas LEARNS was that the ‘S’ in LEARNS stands for safety. We went out and saw the new fencing, the new gates that had been not just funded but actually installed. We’re helping keep kids safe on a daily basis.

— Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

SANDERS: That’s 14,000-plus students and families who are impacted by their child now being in a school where their kid is thriving. Many of them were struggling or not getting quite the education or access to education that they needed, but then there’s some more tangible things. I was at an elementary school within the last year where one of the things they were really proud of about Arkansas LEARNS was that the “S” in LEARNS stands for safety. We went out and saw the new fencing, the new gates that had been not just funded but actually installed. We’re helping keep kids safe on a daily basis. There are a lot of similar things we get to see that you often don’t hear about but are part of the execution and implementation of LEARNS. It gives you a great point of pride, knowing kids are getting a better education, they’re safer while they’re doing it and that the people who are performing those tasks, like our teachers, are being rewarded for their hard work.

AMP: Jail overcrowding has been a big issue for a long time in Arkansas. Talk about the momentum gained toward addressing that problem.

SANDERS: The public-safety piece was another big priority — building up our police force, getting the [prison] site location, and starting to more aggressively get to a place where we’re building the prison and not just talking about it.

We know that one of the biggest causes for an increase in problems from suicide, anxiety and depression rates

skyrocketing is the access and amount of time that kids have to smartphones and social media. “

AMP: Talk about your efforts to increase student access to mental health care.

SANDERS: We’ve put a significant amount of money into mental health programs and coordinating the various services and, I would say, modernizing the way that we approach the mental health crisis we see taking place not just in our state but around the country. One of the other things outside of just investing money in programs has been creating a more streamlined system and a focus on stopping some of the things contributing to the mental health crisis before it continues to get even worse. We know that one of the biggest causes for an increase in problems from suicide, anxiety and depression rates skyrocketing is the access and amount of time that kids have to smartphones and social media.

AMP: Your father nominated to serve as U.S. ambassador to Israel, [Stephens CEO] Warren Stephens nominated as ambassador to the United Kingdom — aside from the fact that your dad was chosen, how cool is it that a rural state like Arkansas will likely supply the new U.S. ambassadors to a pair of our nation’s strongest allies?

SANDERS: It’s amazing, and I think a great reminder that Arkansas has such an incredible success story and that you can do and be and build and create literally anything. Being from Arkansas, we have the largest company on the face of the planet here, and they choose to be here. And great success stories alongside them, whether it’s J.B. Hunt and Tyson or Stephens Inc. and Dillard’s and so many other industries that have been built. Now you have Arkansas with the No. 1 steelproducing county in the country. Yeah, here in Arkansas. We’re continually, I think, outkicking our coverage and showing that we can do just about anything that we set out to do. As for my dad, I’m obviously extremely biased, but I don’t think the president[-elect] made any

better pick than him, and it will be the No. 1 selection he makes.

These are two of the most coveted and influential ambassador positions when you talk about Israel and then the U.K. and the special relationship we share with them and the importance of that allied friendship going back decades and knowing that we will have a friend and a leader in Warren Stevens helping support and tell Arkansas’ story, that’s a big, big deal for our state.

AMP: Are you concerned about what your dad will be walking into if he is confirmed, and what has the nomination meant for him?

SANDERS: We teased my dad a little bit. I said, ‘No pressure, just world peace, so hopefully you can figure that out.’ The Middle East is literally the epicenter of so much of the conflict going on around the world, general stability in Israel being the heart of that, so for him to take that on is not only exciting; it’s a huge point of pride for our state and certainly for our family. I feel like it is kind of a culmination of all of my dad’s life coming together in one moment, in one role. It’s something he’s so passionate about and will pour himself so wholeheartedly into, absolutely. I don’t think there’s anybody [Trump] could have picked who will be better.

AMP: Did the family see this coming?

SANDERS: It was something [my dad] was certainly very interested in. I think he felt like, maybe, it was more of a long shot, but he has a great relationship with the president. He has been one of his most outspoken and biggest supporters, but also one of the biggest and most outspoken supporters for Israel and the people there. He’s still got to go through the confirmation process, but it’s a pretty historic moment to have an evangelical Christian potentially as the ambassador to Israel. He’d be the first one.

ELEPHANTS

After Red Wave, state Republicans eager

Over a little more than a decade, Arkansas has seen one of the nation’s most dramatic transformations from blue to red, and with a Republican supermajority that now mirrors that at the federal level, Arkansas Republicans are ready to get down to work.

“I feel very confident about the position the state of Arkansas is in,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester. “I feel very confident about the state of the Arkansas Senate. We’ve got all returning members but one, and that one member served in the House, so we’re a body full of veterans now.”

Joseph Wood, chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas, said the state’s road to deep red has been the result of decades of hard work coupled with diligently sharing the GOP message with people who might not have considered voting Republican before.

Republican reforms that have increased quality of life, par-

ticularly in education and the economy, along with the Democrats’ failure to institute meaningful change in the lives of everyday Americans have made converts even among demographics that traditionally vote blue, particularly African Americans, Hispanics and young people, he said.

“Our numbers continue to grow, and that is the hope — growing,” he said. “That’s getting and engaging Arkansans to get involved, to say, ‘OK, Republicans may have the answers to what I’ve been looking for or what I’ve been thinking about.’”

He added that Republican legislators are excited to build on the progress they have made over the past few years and plan to move forward with a focus on public safety, education and streamlining govern-

ON PARADE

to continue advancing conservative agenda

By Sarah DeClerk

ment operations, in addition to addressing health care disparities.

Meanwhile, state Democrats are focused on mapping a return to power while finding ways to continue advancing some of their trademark policies in the meantime.

“All we ever talk about every time we get close to an election is breaking the supermajority,” said Grant Tennille, chair of the Arkansas Democrats. “I mean, we say it out loud every single time. That’s all we talk about, ever.”

Breaking the supermajority would allow Democrats to stop the budget, providing the party with leverage when it comes to policy reform, he added.

Tennille said the Democratic push to regain power hinges on the health of the party itself. Just a few years ago, he said, the state party was on the verge of bankruptcy. Now out of debt and with its headquar-

ters paid off, Tennille said the Arkansas Democrats recruited more legislative candidates during the past election cycle than over the past 10 years and flipped a legislative seat for the first time in almost 20 years after Diana Gonzales Worthen of Springdale was elected to the House.

“That’s been the biggest work of the last three years,” he said. “In fact, I think, and I’ll just say it — we ran much stronger, better campaigns in ‘24 than we did in ‘22 because we’re just that much healthier.”

Incoming Arkansas Speaker of the House Brian Evans said he expects to make progress on several key issues this fiscal session, including maternal health, mental health, revamping pay structures and career paths for state employees, and improving water infrastructure.

“I think we’re going to see legislation and governance that touch every corner of the state and every walk of life in the state,” he said.

He added that the Strategic Committee for Maternal

Health created last year recently issued its first report, providing a range of recommendations for legislators to tackle.

“We’re seeing consistent discussions on maternal health,” he said. “That is a big issue for us in Arkansas. It’s a key initiative for the governor going into the session.”

Tennille noted that state Rep. Andrew Collins recently filed more than 40 bills related to maternal health care and covering everything from restoring abortion rights and protecting the right to fertility treatments to improving Medicaid coverage and maternity leave.

“We will never, ever, ever, ever, ever stop fighting to protect women’s health care, including the right to abortion and the right to fertility treatments,” Tennille said. “That is at the heart of who we are and will never stop.”

Hester said he expects his party not to budge on its pro-life stance.

“The people of Arkansas want us to be a state that cares for life and protects life,” he said. “They won’t see us flinch on that issue.”

Evans added that he is “very excited” with the new state employee pay plan, which he said is set to streamline career tracks, consolidate some job titles and bring state employee pay up to current labor market rates.

“This will bring us to be a leader in the nation, competitively, in state employee pay, which is going to help us do a lot better with recruiting and retaining top talent in our state,” he said. “Also, by streamlining the

agency structures, it’s going to provide a real clear career track from the outset of their time in state government. Just like we’re doing through the [Arkansas] LEARNS Act with creating career pathways for our students, we’re making a very clearly defined pathway for our state employees.”

Tennille expressed concerns about the state’s nearly $2 billion in surplus rainy day funds, saying that although the government should use the money to improve the lives of the Arkansas people, he is cautious about using one-time funds to bankroll ongoing expenses such as those incurred by the LEARNS Act, especially considering cuts to the state income tax could deplete revenue.

“If the governor keeps her promise, and I have no reason to believe that she won’t, she will try and eliminate the income tax sometime in the next couple of years,” he said. “That’s a nonstarter for us. It guts the treasury. The available ways to replace the revenue are unacceptable, like massive sales tax increases, which hit poor people the hardest.”

Hester said he does not expect any tax cuts during the session, but a special session may be called to address tax cuts after legislators have a better idea of the state’s budget. He added that he believes in maintaining ample emergency funds while using the money strategically and with large-scale impact.

“We’ve gone a long time in this state with surpluses in our budget, and it’s the same concern that every business has that we have a recession coming at some point, and we just want to be very conscious of that,” Hester said. “We’re creating our budgets with the knowledge that it’s not always going to be sunny days out.”

He added that rather than spending small amounts of money on various items, his plan is to invest large amounts of money in areas that can lead to key changes, such as schools and prisons.

“If you ask the people of Arkansas what they want from their government, they want a safe society, and they want educated people,” he said. “We’re putting the money where I believe the people of Arkansas want it spent.”

Tennille said he worries that efforts to revise the Freedom of Information Act that took place last session could crop up again. He added that the Democrats will fight any efforts to oppose any new regulations or restrictions for public school teachers, and the party will also oppose any efforts to eliminate the state income tax.

“Democrats have opposed the LEARNS Act at every turn because we feel like disinvesting in the schools where 95 percent

Sen. Bart Hester

Grant Tennille

of the children go and taking that money and giving it to the schools where 5 percent of the children go is a bad idea,” he said, adding that he is also concerned that the act may allow people to set up private schools that have no set academic standards.

Wood said the LEARNS Act has shown success in a relatively short amount of time and is making fans of those who have already begun to participate in LEARNS Act programs or hope to soon benefit from its reforms.

“This has now charged everyone,” he said. “It’s got parents involved. It’s got students involved who are saying, ‘Maybe this is not the place for me to do my best learning, but I can go over here,’ as well as brought on and challenged teachers to step their game up. We raised the pay. We are now challenging them to make sure they are delivering quality education in every corner of Arkansas.”

Evans said he looks forward to carrying forth the principles of the LEARNS Act when it comes to higher education.

“Through the LEARNS Act, we’ve laid foundational transformation for K-12,” he said. “How we fund higher education is going to be paramount in the coming session, putting together a new funding performance model for those to be able to reward those institutions on how they are preparing our students in Arkansas for the workforce, the workplace, getting them prepared to be productive citizens.”

With so few members of the state legislature, Tennille said the Democratic strategy is to present what they believe are the best ideas for Arkansas and welcome co-sponsors and support across the aisle. He added that Democrats have had some notable successes despite being in the minority, including the Pregnant and Parenting Students Act, the Seizure Safe Schools Act, and the CROWN Act.

“We’re going to keep putting ideas out there and hoping that we can get some traction with some others to try and help us get them moving,” he said. “If we can’t, we will spend the rest of this year and a good portion of the early part of next year talking to Arkansans about the fact that we keep bringing things forward that will improve the quality of your life, and they keep being rejected.”

Wood said in order for Democrats in the legislature to make any headway, they must work in tandem with their Republican colleagues, and that means major challenges to the GOP platform, such as increasing abortion access or repealing the LEARNS Act, are off the table. In order to make reforms on other issues, the Democrats will have to communicate clearly their

ideas and how they could benefit Arkansas, Wood said.

“How does that pull us closer to having stronger life and quality of life to live, work and play in this state of Arkansas for all Arkansans?” he said. “If it’s doing that, I think that’s absolutely a good conversation to have when it comes to, say, working across party lines, but if it’s not going to do that, it would be a nonstarter.”

Despite the stark differences on some headline issues, Hester said he would prefer if almost every bill that passed was bipartisan.

“Here’s the deal: I think Democrats and Republicans both want to educate our kids. Democrats and Republicans want safe streets and safe schools,” he said. “Democrats and Republicans both want a lot of similar things. We want good highways. The question is do we have the same strategy to get there, and I hope we work together, but if we can’t find common ground, the people of Arkansas have clearly said they want the conservative path.”

He added that the people of Arkansas can expect consistency from the state government as a whole.

“My strategy as Senate president is to make sure that we are working well together, and look, I believe that we’re doing a great job in all conservative areas, from budgeting to state employees’ pays to taking care of kids and education and public safety,” he said. “I think we just need to stay the course in what we’re doing.

“I think the people of Arkansas appreciate that. I think they see the results of it, and I think that now, with President Trump taking over, we will get the federal government out of our way on a lot more things that the people want us to do, that we should do.”

Joseph Wood

Rep. Brian Evans

THE

TIME MACHINES

From health care to manufacturing, technology continues to increase speed, accuracy

By Dwain Hebda

One of Lexicon’s robots hard at work. (Photos by ThinkDero)

Throughout the history of the United States, various technological thresholds have enabled quantum leaps in productivity and quality of work. The Industrial Revolution ushered in the dawn of modern manufacturing, and the Digital Revolution saw the deployment of computers to troubleshoot processes and handle repetitive tasks with better speed and efficiency.

In today’s Arkansas, industries from health care to heavy industry are continuing to refine their processes through the use of computerized applications that are pushing the limits of what is possible on the manufacturing floor or in the surgical ward.

Ryan Walmsley, president of Lexicon Fabrication Group, said the Little Rockbased steel giant has always prided itself on using the latest in technology.

“I would say no doubt about it, we are on the cutting edge of fabrication technology,” he said. “We have the luxury of being one of the bigger fabrication shops in the country, which means we handle a lot more volume and a lot more steel. I feel comfortable saying that in our industry, we have the most robots in the country.

“We’re also very careful, and we do our homework. We watch and we see what is happening with that technology, and what we’re watching for is to see what a machine can handle as far as volume and weight. We see it debuted the first few times at some of these fabrication shows, and we’re studying it to make sure that it’s where it needs to be before we actually purchase it.”

New machinery at Lexicon is just the latest piece added to a work environment that is unlike anything the steel industry could have imagined a generation or two ago. Digital technology once thought

to be the stuff of fantasy is merely par for the course at just about every stage of the steel fabrication process, Walmsley said.

“We start every one of our projects with a 3D model, which is itself pretty technologically advanced but pretty common in the industry at this point,” he said. “Almost every piece of our machinery at this point in time, from the saws to the drills to the robots, everything in the shop takes that 3D model and direct-downloads it into their programming.

“That piece is cut to length due to the 3D model. It’s drilled and etched from the 3D model. If it goes to our fit-and-weld robots, they’re currently fitted and welded from the 3D model. All the parts that go onto the beams with the columns are basically programmed and cut from that model. Nothing is drawn out on paper anymore”

The near-constant deployment of new hardware and new software not only enhances the existing system in terms of capacity and processing speed; the company also looks at ancillary steps that can be improved using targeted equipment.

“Last year, we added a parts-sorting robot to the line that takes pieces that go on a beam, such as clips or clip angles or things like that, scans them from the model and it checks them for quality and conformity,” he said. “It checks that the holes are in the right place and are the right size. As those parts roll through that robot, it kicks it out if it’s bad, and if it’s good, it puts it into whatever system you have to sort it.”

Ryan Walmsley

Walmsley was quick to note the steady addition of technology has nothing to do with replacing human workers but helping employees do their work with more precision and safety.

“The biggest fear from a lot of the people in the shops and a lot of the craft people is that technology is going to replace them,” he said. “What it did for us was actually increase our labor pool because we’re able to push more tonnage through the shop. Not every piece can go through all this technology, so it actually increases the amount of labor we have to have.

“When you talk about safety, there’s no doubt technology makes the environment safer. We’re replacing a multiperson job with one person standing at a machine, which reduces the risk of accidents. Since we have added these robots, we have not had any recordable incidents.”

Another significant benefit to the addition of the technology is on the staffing side, Not only do the machines enhance productivity of existing staff, but they open up prospective labor pools of people who have a computer background versus a trade background in certain applications.

daily use, from surgical robots to computerized diagnostic equipment to high-tech teaching manikins that simulate a range of medical scenarios for students.

“We’re looking for a different level of craft person for some of these jobs. We’re looking for the kids who know how to move those controllers around and know how a machine operates,” he said. “We’ve got a portable machine right now, which is new technology, basically a welder that is the size of a standard suitcase. If you can set it up and if you can run a tablet, you can run this welder.

“I mean, we’re always going to need the certified welders and people who really know their craft, but I also think our needs are changing to where we need programmers and gamers and people who can program a tablet and run a program that does the welding for them. I think we’re moving toward a hybrid.”

The field of medicine is another industry in which technology is on ready display and in

Little Rock-based Baptist Health is typical of today’s modern hospital, consistently adding tools to improve outcomes and enhance the patient experience through procedures that are less invasive and heal faster. A prime example of that technology, the da Vinci 5 System surgical robot, of which Baptist has deployed four, was recently rolled out as the first of its kind in Arkansas.

Dr. Julia Goodwin, gynecologist at Baptist’s Little Rock campus, said the use of a surgical robot is the difference between a patient going home the same day from a surgical procedure or spending three to five days in the hospital in recovery.

“I always tell patients we never know what we’re going to encounter until we get inside,” Goodwin said. “I do a lot of hysterectomies and endometriosis, and not every hysterectomy is created equal. Having this system allows me to be able to deal with the unforeseen, complete the surgery, and they’re still able to go home the same day. It makes a big difference. Their

Dr. Julia Goodwin

Baptist Health’s new surgical robot can be used in a variety of procedures.

(Photo by Zack Marsh)

outcomes are better in the end because it lets me be able to keep that procedure minimally invasive regardless of what we find.”

Such technology does not come cheap, but the da Vinci 5 is versatile enough to be utilized by several departments. In addition to gynecology, Baptist Health’s new robots are used in general surgery, urology, colorectal, bariatric and thoracic procedures. Goodwin said the health system is just scratching the surface of what the system can do.

“I think one of the most exciting things about this version of the robot is we’re barely touching the amount of capability that it has,” she said. “This version has 10,000 times the computing power of previous systems, and I think we will really see this one have a whole lot more [artificial intelligence] learning on it.

“With this one, I can immediately go back and watch the case, and it will factor in new information on how fast I am working, how often I take my instruments in and out or clutch my camera. It gives us as physicians the opportunity to learn about our surgeries by giving us true, objective data to go off of in terms of quality of care.”

The health system’s North Little Rock campus also broke new ground recently thanks to a multiphase upgrade of technology. Last summer, the campus installed a new version of icobrain software that utilizes AI to enhance the hospital’s existing MRI capabilities.

“What it does is it takes the brain images that the technology is scanning, and the software does an overlay and enhances those images so that the radiologist who is reading the brain scans can read them faster and more efficiently,” said Jessica Rivera, vice president of operations. “It’ll pick up subtle nuances that are happening in the brain that are associated with things like [multiple sclerosis] or micro bleeding. It pulls out different

things with the AI technology that the naked eye might miss.”

Rivera said the new system required a very short learning curve because it works in the background of the existing MRI system.

“North Little Rock was the first to go live, and then we added the software onto all of the MRI machines all across the Baptist system,” she said. “Right now, it is specific to brain scans, but we are working with the company on future endeavors to look at other parts of the body where we could use this, as well.”

The North Little Rock campus will also debut a new Insightec system later this spring that will help patients deal with essential tremors.

“This is a completely incisionless way to treat those tremors — no cutting, no implants, no surgery,” Rivera said. “It’s an outpatient procedure done in the MRI with a neurosurgeon. The procedure itself can last anywhere from an hour to two hours, then after it’s done, the patient’s tremors are gone, and then they go home and follow up with the neurosurgeon afterwards.”

The new treatment, the first in the state, uses ultrasound waves administered through a special helmet used during the treatment. The heat and intensity of the waves are manipulated to precise calibrations that deliver the optimum effect to the desired area of the brain.

Rivera said the technology is very new, but according to the manufacturer, 90 percent of patients who undergo the treatment find permanent relief of their tremors. She said implementing the new technology is in keeping with Baptist’s progressive view of medical treatment.

“With both of these technologies, we are the first health care system in the state of Arkansas to be able to deliver this type of technology and care to our patients and our communities,” she said. “At Baptist Health, we pride ourselves on being innovative and looking at different ways that we can care for the community. I think that is a very, very important part of what we do.”

Jessica Rivera

THE WAY

FORWARD

Homelessness, criminal justice headline social issues in new year

By Dwain Hebda

Addressing Arkansas’ homeless population and tackling elements of criminal justice are two social issues expected to remain at center stage in the new year. New resources are slated to come online to help the chronically unhoused, while the Arkansas attorney general has beefed up resources to address some of the state’s most serious criminal issues.

Arguably the state’s most important social issue, the FBI’s annual list of statistics ranked the Natural State first among all 50 states and the District of Columbia in violent crime last summer. Arkansas registered 709 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2022 and also placed fifth in property crimes at 2,700 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2022.

It is not the first time Arkansas has been near the top of the heap of states when it comes to violent crime. In 2021, the state ranked fourth, and in 2022, the state ranked third in the country.

Nationally, violent and property crime rates have plummeted since 1980, but on two key measurements, the Natural State continues to flounder. The state’s murder rate increased 39 percent between 2012 and 2022, USA Facts states, which might explain why the state is one of 10 that saw the violent crime rate increase between 1991 and 2022. Arkansas’ violent crime rate increased about 9 percent during that time.

The state saw its property crime rate drop between 1991 and 2022 but at the seventh-lowest rate of reduction among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin put his department into overdrive to set the tone going forward, championing several initiatives meant to bolster local law enforcement departments. Among those initiatives is an emphasis on solving cold cases.

“I consistently hear from constituents about cold cases involving friends or loved ones,” he said. “We have many top-notch law enforcement agencies throughout the state, but the reality is there is more need in the area of cold cases than there are resources to meet those needs, so last year, I created a cold case unit within my special investigations division to be a force multiplier throughout the state. My cold case unit is working with other

law enforcement agencies to add expertise and resources to cut into the state’s overall cold case backlog.”

The Murder Accountability Project reported that between 1965 and 2022, Arkansas posted a 76 percent clearance rate in murder cases, 12th among the 50 states and nearly 10 percentage points higher than the national average. That still leaves more than 2,500 homicides unsolved, some stretching back decades.

There is no uniform measurement for when an open investigation is considered a cold case, although a common definition forwarded by the National Institute of Justice is “any case whose probative investigative leads have been exhausted.” Beyond that, standards vary widely by department

In some, time is a part of the criteria: Arkansas State Police specifies a “homicide or long-term missing person case that remains unsolved for two years or more after being reported to law enforcement and has no viable and unexplored investigatory leads” earns the “cold” tag. The ASP website currently lists almost 90 pending cold cases.

For other departments, the criteria is more hazy. The Little Rock Police Department defines cold cases, predominantly homicide or missing persons cases, as “those that generally cannot be linked to a suspect, has no remaining investigative leads, no additional physical evidence to collect and/or process, and, at the present time, does not yield forensic identification of a suspect.”

Departments also vary in terms of the personnel and resources allotted specifically to cold case investigations. Little Rock is fairly unique in the state for having a specific cold case unit, which was only established in 2017.

The attorney general’s new unit will assist departments

“No one agency can do it all, and bringing the expertise and resources of my office to this effort is a good and right step to take.”

— Tim Griffin, attorney general

statewide within its current budget, offering additional resources to help close pending cases, Griffin said.

“No one agency can do it all, and bringing the expertise and resources of my office to this effort is a good and right step to take,” he said. “Whether it is offering fresh perspectives on a case, providing access to new ways of examining evidence or making connections between law enforcement agencies that might not otherwise see an opportunity for collaboration, I am

confident that my cold case unit’s work will lead to more justice being served and more peace of mind and healing for victims.”

Griffin’s other priority has been in combating organized criminal efforts.

“We work closely with law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels to share intel about all types of criminal activity, particularly human trafficking and organized retail crime,” he said. “In 2023, I hosted a human trafficking summit that was attended by 1,500 people, including law enforcement officers, private industry representatives and victim advocates.

“We will be prayerfully moving neighbors in and really begin lifting our chronically homeless off of the streets into their own homes in the fall of 2025.”

— Errin Stanger, Providence Park

“They all left the summit with a better understanding of how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and what steps to take if they should see such signs. I have also provided other training opportunities for law enforcement on human trafficking.”

Nationally, Arkansas ranks middle of the pack among states when it comes to per capita cases of human trafficking. According to World Population Review, Arkansas had 74 cases reported in 2021 or 2.5 cases per 100,000 residents.

However, the state’s proximity to trafficking hotspots makes Arkansas a key transportation channel for traffickers, being situated between Mississippi (which has the highest per capita trafficking rate in the country at almost 8 cases per 100,000 individuals) and some of the cities with the highest incidence of trafficking in the United States. Of Money Inc.’s 20 worst cities for trafficking activity, five were within a seven-hour drive of Little Rock.

“Arkansas’s unique geographic placement at the intersection of several major interstates means that we have criminal activity happening on our roads every single day,” Griffin said. “I am committed to bringing these criminals to justice and making Arkansas roads a safer place to travel.”

Hand in hand with human trafficking is organized retail crime, a problem that does not always make the headlines but is a growing trend in the Natural State, Griffin said.

“Organized retail crime is a very real problem in our state,” he said. “Organized retail crime is most often carried out by criminal organizations targeting retail establishments to steal goods that can easily be resold. The revenue from these operations typically funds other types of criminal activity, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and even murder.

“I am leading Arkansas’s efforts to address organized retail crime, and we have already seen a number of arrests as a result of our efforts.”

Another milestone to happen in the new year, Griffin said, is implementation of the Protect Arkansas Act, which puts teeth in sentencing.

“In 2023, I was a strong advocate for the Protect Act, which

is already helping to ensure that violent criminals serve most, if not all, of their sentences, thereby making our communities safer,” he said. “In 2025, the Protect Act’s new sentencing rubric will be fully implemented, and we will finally put an end to a revolving-door policy for violent offenders.”

The state’s homeless issue, just as in many other places, continues to challenge elected officials. In December, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported 771,480 people experiencing homelessness in the U.S., up 18 percent from 2023, the highest ever on record. Arkansas was reported to have 2,800 homeless people at any given time, up by nearly 500 over 2020’s report but well below a peak of 4,214 individuals in 2012.

Little Rock has traditionally borne the brunt of the state’s homeless, at times with double the number of homeless individuals compared to other communities. That has prompted public projects such as Little Rock’s Micro Home Village and private-nonprofit efforts to innovate and step into the breach to provide shelter and services to this vulnerable population.

Providence Park in Little Rock is one eagerly awaited development and the first of its kind in Arkansas. As reported by Arkansas Money & Politics in September, the development will ultimately offer 400 tiny homes, as well as an on-site medical clinic, a community center with a convenience store, and a fabrication lab to help residents formulate ideas and create sustainable businesses.

“This year, we will see our master plan that we’ve been working on now for a few years come to fruition in the sense of vertical buildings being built in 2025,” said Errin Stanger, founder and CEO. “We will be prayerfully moving neighbors in and really begin lifting our chronically homeless off of the streets into their own homes in the fall of 2025. I’m really excited just to kind of get a chance to really implement all that we’ve been planning.”

Stanger has overcome a great many challenges to bring the project this far, including winning over public officials, securing land and, above all, raising money. She also continues to crack the code on introducing the concept to the people Providence Park is being built to serve. She

said her marketing efforts have ranged from the decidedly analog — posting information at the city’s homeless shelters — to multimedia efforts.

“Jericho Way and the United Methodist Church and Canvas Community downtown, what the homeless lovingly call the Holy Highway, are places where we have gone in and just put things on a bulletin board,” Stanger said. “I’ve heard from people conducting street ministries who have sat with people and showed them the video we shot for Providence Park, and that showed them what they could be stepping into. We’ve tried to communicate in many different ways about what this will be, including face to face so that people who are in this environment will know that we care about helping them.”

As one of the newer players in a long line of providers, Stanger continues to learn how to fit into the continuum of services as her project finally starts to take physical shape.

“Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, I am super excited about this focus,” she said. “This is an important issue, and we want to figure out a way that we can start to look at it a little differently. We represent, maybe, some new voices or some new minds at the table, and it’s amazing to bring Providence Park to that table alongside those who have been in it for so long and can lend us some wisdom that they have.”

One of those longtimers, The Van, is undergoing its own long-awaited next step. The longtime homeless advocacy nonprofit recently raised $125,000 to purchase a property that would be used as a permanent inclement weather shelter and thrift shop.

The project has been a long time in the making and looked to be coming to fruition when founder Aaron Reddin revealed on Jan. 3 a deal to buy a structure on Arch Street fell through just ahead of a blast of winter weather moving in. The city of Little Rock moved swiftly to partner with the organization, announcing Dunbar Community Center would become a temporary shelter to help people elude the frigid weather.

While disappointed with the turn of events, Reddin’s focus on opening the permanent space at some point is unwavering. The issues to getting it open, however, highlights the challenges for such a project that goes beyond mere funding.

“We had a successful campaign through December where we raised over a quarter million dollars toward that effort, and right now, we’re bogged down in commercial real estate,” he said. “We’ve just got to have space for people to go. Our shelter system as a whole is not adequate for the need, and it’s by and large not even attainable for many people. We want to make sure that when this thing happens, that people have the opportunity to get in with zero barriers.”

Reddin said when most people think of serving the homeless, they automatically think of putting a roof over their heads, but the challenges are often far more nuanced. He said something as seemingly routine as getting a Social Security number or other form of identification often stops a person seeking services in their tracks.

“If you spend very much time on the streets, your odds of hanging on to those critical documents just becomes harder and harder,” he said. “Someone snags your backpack, you’re toast. Your stuff gets wet, you’re done. You leave your camp for a little bit and you didn’t have every single thing that you need on you at all times, you know,

“We’ve just got to have space for people to go. Our shelter system as a whole is not adequate for the need, and it’s by and large not even attainable for many people.”

— Aaron Reddin, The Van

there’s no doors to lock things up behind.

“There are great services out there, but they’re not attainable if you don’t have the proper documentation. I have a 97-year-old woman on the streets right now who no one can identify. Getting her a proper state-issued ID is impossible. I’ve been trying to figure out how to ID this woman for 15 years, and I can’t do it, and that ID is needed for her to obtain services, housing, medical care — you know, all these things.”

Reddin said other things people do not realize are that shelters are not set up to take all comers. Having violent convictions on a criminal record, being a convicted sex offender or even something like using a wheelchair can seriously hamper people’s ability to gain access to a local shelter.

“If there’s a shelter in Arkansas that takes someone in a wheelchair, I’m unaware of it,” he said. “There’s also not a shelter in the state of Arkansas that I’m aware of that’ll take a sex offender. We have sex offenders who are absconded, they’re roaming the streets, when we’d much rather have them housed at an address where we knew where they were, yet we keep feeding the system that pushes people to the streets.

“I mean, my outlook overall is one of optimism. Providence Park is going to be a huge game changer for the people who find it attainable, but I also know that it’s not going to be attainable for everyone. That means we are going to still have work to do in our streets.”

Progress and Potential

For breast cancer and more, providers work to put Arkansas at the forefront

By Mak Millard

Few professions are as forward thinking as medicine, where breakthroughs not only have the chance to improve lives but save them. The width and depth of oncology make it a field especially primed for constant innovation. New surgical tools, evolving diagnostic approaches and an ever-deepening understanding of the illness itself push researchers and health care providers closer to the ultimate goal for any disease — a cure — every year.

One area of particular interest is breast cancer, which, according to the American

Cancer Society, accounts for about 1 in 3 new female cancers each year. From 2012 to 2021, the ACS noted that breast cancer incidence increased by 1 percent annually and had a steeper uptick among women under 50. On the other hand, the breast cancer death rate has dropped by 44 percent since 1989 due to advances in treatment and early detection, “resulting in approximately 517,900 averted breast cancer deaths.”

Arkansas’ own statistics show much work to be done. Per a 2023 press release from the Arkansas Department of Health, nearly 400

Nearly 400 women die due to breast cancer, and more than 2,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Arkansas.

CARTI Cancer Center in Little Rock (Photo provided by CARTI)

women die due to breast cancer, and more than 2,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Arkansas. Breast cancer is the most common cancer for Arkansas women, yet the state ranks 32nd lowest for mammography.

DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS

Dr. Yara Robertson, CARTI’s medical director of surgery, echoed the ADH’s sentiment. Breast cancer screening rates are steadily improving, she said, but the state still has a long way to go. CARTI’s Breast Center encourages patients to take a proactive approach by speaking to their providers about risk and necessary screenings, regardless of age.

“Last year, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force took a step in the right direction, updating its recommendations to lower the breast cancer screening starting age to 40,” Robertson said. “However, the UPSTF missed vital early detection opportunities by failing to promote yearly screenings for women over 40 and not encouraging women with dense breasts to receive supplementary screenings with ultrasound or MRI or promoting risk assessments for patients under 40.”

The task force now recommends a mammography every other year for women ages 40 to 74. Previously, women were recommended

early detection can have; a 2024 report from the Arkansas Central Cancer Registry stated that “early diagnosis for a localized breast cancer diagnosis has close to a 100 percent fiveyear relative survival.”

In 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began enforcing a rule in the Mammography Quality Standards Act that requires radiology and mammography facilities notify patients about the density of their breasts. While not abnormal, dense breasts can make a mammogram more difficult to interpret, the National Cancer Institute states. Knowing one’s breast density enables more informed decision-making around other methods, such as breast ultrasounds or MRIs. Additional screening can increase the risk of a false positive, however, making it necessary for individuals to consult with their doctors to determine the best approach.

“Innovations in imaging and biomarker identification are at the forefront of [early detection] efforts,” said Dr. Sam Makhoul, medical director of clinical research at CARTI. “Among these advancements are multicancer early detection methods, which analyze fragments of cancer genomes in the blood. While not yet suitable for early breast cancer detection, these methods hold promise for identify-

Dr. Yara Robertson

For women 40 and over of average risk, the benefits of receiving their recommended annual mammogram far outweigh any possible harm of radiation exposure.

— Dr. Yara Robertson, medical director of surgery at CARTI

Koning Vera breast CT scanner

(Photo provided by Arkansas Heart Hospital)

ing up to 20 different cancers simultaneously.”

Breast CT scans have shown potential as an effective, more comfortable alternative to mammograms. The Koning Vera breast CT scanner does not use compression, making it an option for women whose aversion to the discomfort of a mammogram keeps them from regular screenings. The Genesis Imaging Center at Arkansas Heart Hospital in Bryant is the first in the state to offer the technology.

Dr. Bruce Murphy, CEO at the Heart Hospital, said the Koning CT scanner offers 90 percent higher detection rates for breast cancer compared to traditional mammograms and can identify lesions as small as 2 millimeters. A spokesperson for the hospital described it as a “consumer choice rather than a replacement for mammograms.” While mammograms are still the FDA’s screening tool of choice, patients with dense breast tissue or implants or those seeking early detection due to a family history of breast cancer might benefit from the more precise images of the Koning scanner.

During the scan, patients lie on their stomach with one breast positioned in an opening. With a 360-degree scan in seven seconds per

breast, the Koning CT captures high-resolution 3D images. The detailed images allow visualization of dense breast tissue, implants and areas near the chest wall that mammograms can miss. With the possibility of identifying lesions two to three years earlier than a mammogram, Murphy’s hope is the Koning CT scanner will improve detection rates and patient outcomes, particularly for high-risk populations.

The Koning device is only available at the Genesis Imaging Center for now, but given its accessibility and diagnostic accuracy, the technology seems primed for statewide adoption. Murphy said he is hopeful the expanded reach will come as more insurance providers offer coverage for the Koning CT screening method.

For those curious about the radiation used during screenings, health care providers and other experts offer a bevy of information outlining the pros and cons. The American Cancer Society writes that, measured in millisieverts, the average mammogram’s radiation dose is about 0.4 mSv. To put that into perspective, the average person in the U.S. is exposed to about 3 mSv of background radiation each year from their natural surroundings. The Koning CT scanner uses even less radiation than a mammogram. The average patient has little reason for concern, and exceptions are best discussed with one’s health care provider.

“The American College of Radiology notes that mammograms are the ‘only test shown to reduce breast cancer deaths,’” Robertson said. “For women 40 and over of average risk, the benefits of receiving their recommended annual mammogram far outweigh any possible harm of radiation exposure.”

TAILORED TREATMENT

For those who develop cancer, surgical breakthroughs and evolving therapies give

The Koning Vera offers clearer images and higher detection rates than traditional mammograms.

(Photo provided by AHA)

Dr. Michael Birrer

patients more options before, during and after treatment. One example is in the realm of mastectomies, which can add layers of distress to an already emotional medical journey.

“A cancer diagnosis is often accompanied by uncertainty and a lack of control,” Robertson said. “For women facing the potential loss of their breasts — what many consider a core component of their femininity — these feelings may be even more pronounced.”

Breast reconstruction can provide some relief but has traditionally been unable to address the numbness that can result from severed nerves during the mastectomy. New surgical techniques such as Resensation aim to repair these nerves and may be able to restore feeling during the reconstructive procedure. Progress elsewhere in medical and radiation oncology is also improving the ability of physicians to pursue more effective, personalized care.

“Genomic profiling now enables us to identify high-risk patients who may benefit from intensive chemotherapy, while low-risk patients can often have their treatment de-escalated or even forgo chemotherapy altogether,” Makhoul said. “Certain genomic alterations also open doors to targeted therapies, providing new opportunities for cure.”

The focus in radiation oncology, he said, has shifted to the more tailored approaches. “Pinpoint” radiation targets tumors while sparing the healthy surrounding tissue, and genomic profiling can help some patients completely avoid radiation therapy. CARTI also embraces promising immunotherapy approaches, which could harness a patient’s own immune system to combat the disease.

On other experimental fronts, studies have suggested that some early-stage breast cancer patients might be able to forgo certain surgeries, as well. Makhoul pointed to research on ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, an early form of breast cancer that affects the milk ducts in the breast. Active monitoring could be as effective as immediate surgery in preventing the disease’s progression into invasive cancer over a two-year period, he said, but researchers will need to perform more trials with longer followup periods to confirm those results.

“Our program is the only one in Arkansas to achieve [the American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Oncology Practice Initiative] certification, a distinction that recognizes excellence in delivering safe, cutting-edge cancer therapies,” Makhoul said. “At every stage, particularly when standard-of-care options remain limited, our research department offers innovative treatment options designed to improve the chances of a cure or enhance the quality of life for our patients.”

REGIONAL LEADERSHIP

Meanwhile, at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Dr. Michael Birrer, vice chancellor and director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, is heading an effort to become the state’s first National Cancer Institute-designated hospital. The NCI label reflects a level of leadership in research and care held by only 72 cancer centers in the country. As the tip of the spear when it comes to innovative therapies and breakthrough treatments, NCI-designated hospitals receive the majority of NCI funding and exclusive access to certain grants.

Birrer came to Arkansas after a stint as head of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham — itself an NCI-designated hospital. He previously served as a professor of medicine at the Harvard School of Medicine and directed the gynecologic medical oncology program at Massachusetts General Hospital and the gynecologic oncology research program at the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center.

In addition to its own philanthropic outreach, UAMS has the monetary and legislative support of the state, which in 2019 created an account for the deposit of NCI designation funds and has approved millions of dollars towards the university’s goal. It is a mutually beneficial exercise, since the recognition would not only be a source of pride, but an economic boon.

A 2024 UAMS press release estimated that NCI designation could generate an estimated $72 million in economic impact and around 1,500 jobs over five years.

Genomic profiling now enables us to identify highrisk patients who may benefit from intensive chemotherapy, while low-risk patients can often have their treatment de-escalated or even forgo chemotherapy altogether.

— Dr. Sam Makhoul, medical director of clinical research at CARTI

Dr. Sam Makhoul

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ATTRACTING TALENT

Savvy planning, quality recruitment key to filling positions

By Sarah DeClerk

They say good help is hard to find, and that is certainly the case these days. Stagnating population growth, an aging populace and other factors have led to low labor force participation rates in Arkansas and across the U.S.

According to a 2022 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Arkansas had one of the lowest labor force participation rates in the country at about 57 percent in 2022. The rate peaked at about 64 percent in the mid-1990s and reached about the same level in 2005 before beginning a period of decline.

Those numbers make it more important than ever for companies to put their game faces on when it comes to hiring.

“Business owners encounter significant challenges while trying to fill job openings, including a lack of accurate market compensation data that hampers their ability to attract top talent,” said Chris Chunn, co-founder of Arkansas Talent Group in Little Rock. “A slow hiring process with multiple steps can result in losing qualified candidates, which increases workloads and turnover among existing staff.”

He recommended streamlining the hiring process to one or two interviews, if possible, in addition to updating compensation data and adopting proactive recruiting strategies.

Partner Stephanie Shine said creating a well-defined plan before initiating a search is the most important aspect of staffing.

“Gone are the days when posting a job description on Indeed and hoping for the best was sufficient,” she said. “Business owners, HR leaders and recruitment professionals must now develop a comprehensive plan for filling a role.”

The plan should include a thorough, updated job description; a clear, competitive compensation structure that includes the base salary range, bonuses and other incentives; and a precise outline of minimum requirements and

“nice to have” qualifications, she said, adding that using multiple search sources to uncover the right talent is also essential.

“By preparing these components in advance, organizations can streamline their recruitment process and increase their chances of attracting and securing the best candidates for their open positions,” she said.

Many businesses focus on candidates’ skill sets, rather than their cultural fit, Chunn added; however, doing so can make it difficult to find the right long-term match.

Partnering with a recruitment agency can soothe a number of employers’ staffing woes. Chunn said such firms are ideally suited for filling highly specialized roles that require specific education, skills and certifications, particularly competitive fields such as accounting, finance and human resources, as well as C-suite positions for which finding the right match is critical.

“Collaborating with a staffing company can significantly enhance recruitment efforts and lead to better hiring outcomes for business owners and hiring leaders,” Shine added. “One significant benefit is access to talent more quickly. Recruitment agencies have developed extensive pools of available candidates, allowing them to source talent efficiently.”

In addition, she said, recruitment agencies can streamline the hiring process by managing sourcing, screening and onboarding tasks, saving businesses time and resources. During workforce shortages, such agencies can help businesses fill staffing needs quickly, avoiding overwork, burnout and turnover among existing employees.

Chunn noted a growing shift toward skill-based hiring, in which employers focus on relevant skills and competencies, rather than traditional qualifications such as degrees and certifications, an approach that can help address skill gaps, improve workforce quality and provide more flexibility when accessing talent.

Collaborating with a staffing company can significantly enhance recruitment efforts and lead to better hiring outcomes for business owners and hiring leaders.

— Stephanie Shine, partner, Arkansas Talent Group

Stephanie Shine Chris Chunn

Hospitals will increasingly utilize virtual RNs to supplement the on-site staff. Virtual nurses will handle the elements of patient care that can be delivered remotely, including admissions, discharge and education.

James Quick

Another trend is an increased emphasis on employee well-being, career growth opportunities, hybrid work options and flexible scheduling, he said.

“Companies are increasingly emphasizing their core values to attract and retain talent,” he added. “We remain in an employee-focused market where candidates have multiple choices, compelling organizations to enhance their internal programs, refine their messaging and improve benefits to successfully attract top talent and keep their top performers.”

Shine added that she expects recruitment firms to flourish despite the proliferation of artificial intelligence and other tools used to find job candidates. Skilled recruitment firms can offer personal insight and understanding machines cannot provide, such as an applicant’s needs and wants, how potential employees fit into a company culture, and how to keep candidates engaged for the long term, she said.

“The human element is crucial for finding talent that not only meets job requirements but also fits well within an organization,” she said. “Specialized recruitment partners continue to add real value by sourcing qualified candidates who bring both skills and personality to the workplace.”

Labor shortages are particularly pronounced in the health care fields, where low staffing rates are not only inconvenient but can be detrimental to public health. According to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, more than a third of Arkansans live in areas that have a shortage of health care professionals, and as of 2020, six counties had only one full-time primary care physician.

James Quick, president of SimpliFi, a division of North Little Rock-based Travel Nurse Across America said although the medical labor market is stabilizing after the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still shortages in specialized areas such as nursing and technicals.

“Hospitals’ need for allied health workers and, specifically, for radiology, surgical and cardiology technicians has increased significantly in the past 18 months,” he said.

The percentage of registered nurses employed by hospitals is at an all-time low of 59 percent, which has created a persistent and ongoing shortage of medical-surgical RNs at hospitals, he added.

“To address this, hospitals will increasingly utilize virtual RNs to supplement the on-site staff,” he said. “Virtual nurses will handle the elements of patient care that can be delivered remotely, including admissions, discharge and education.”

Another challenge hospitals face is setting competitive bill rates to attract contract workers without overpaying, he said. Staffing companies such as SimpliFi can help hospitals secure quality talent while reducing costs by providing market intelligence and connecting hospitals with specialized staffing agencies who compete to place clinicians.

The company works with a prequalified network of supplier partners to provide contract labor in areas such as nursing and allied health, as well as nonclincial positions such as information technology and revenue cycles.

“It is important for hospitals to understand the operating model of their staffing provider and select a partner that encourages competition among staffing agencies,” Quick said. “In a sole-source staffing model, costs will rise, while access to talent falls.”

In addition to bringing in qualified workers from out of state to address temporary gaps, SimpliFi builds local pools of clinicians who use the company’s Stogo app to fill vacant shifts and helps hospitals grow their core nursing staff by expanding their capacity to onboard new graduates through SimpliFi’s Confidence Accelerating Practice, or CAP, program.

Quick said opportunities for flexible work are an ongoing trend in medical staffing.

“Many clinicians experienced flexible work during COVID, whether it was picking up a shift through an app or moving across the country for [a] temporary travel assignment,” he said. “Now, hospitals are utilizing technology like our Stogo app to connect their staff to open shifts or to bring in net new clinicians from their communities.”

With the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville set to begin classes this summer, he added that he expects the number of physicians in rural Arkansas to grow.

“The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine will be an asset to our state in the years to come, especially in helping supply physicians to serve underserved and rural communities,” he said.

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VALUE-ADDED

Over time, marketers show their worth

By Lance Brownfield and Mark Carter

Marketing is much more than placing an ad buy or composing an effective press release — the latter not accomplished as easily as some might expect. Marketers research and analyze. They tell stories and sway opinion. They help influence consumer behavior. The payoff may require a little patience, but businesses

Even the best products and services can get overlooked without a strong story and the right strategy to share it.

— Millie Ward

generally reap the rewards of good marketing in whatever form it takes.

Without a good marketing plan, most businesses would not last long.

“In today’s world, even the best products and services can get overlooked without a strong story and the right strategy to share it,” said Millie Ward, the state’s longtime matriarch of marketing.

Ward founded Little Rock’s Stone Ward agency in 1984 with partner Larry Stone. The firm has grown to represent prominent Arkansas brands such as Baptist Health and Sissy’s Log Cabin, Arkansas-based brands with national reach such as Westrock Coffee and America’s Car Mart, and national brands that include Snap-on and the National Women’s Soccer League. Based in Little Rock, Stone Ward has offices in northwest Arkansas and Chicago.

Ward, who serves as firm president, said the job of a marketing agency boils down to delivering solutions that create lasting value.

“Our cadre of clients includes prominent national brands, giving us the kind of national and global experience that comes with them,” she said. “Our expertise spans strategy, brand development, creative services, digital innovation, media planning, public relations and crisis communications, content marketing, social media management, and experiential

Millie Ward

(Photo courtesy of Stone Ward)

activations, ensuring integrated, client-focused results across every discipline.”

Ward said the firm’s Arkansas roots give it an edge, which she called “broad expertise combined with a deep understanding of how to make an impact locally and regionally.”

She added, “We’ve always believed Arkansas favors the bold — that was the tagline of one of our campaigns — and it’s something we live by. Our goal is to be one of those bold businesses that put Arkansas on the map while helping our clients, our community and our agency thrive.”

Ward said global ad spending is projected to hit $1.1 trillion by 2025. Therefore, the importance of strategy cannot be overstated, she added.

“We believe it all starts with a strong brand — who you are, what you do and what you say,” she said. “Be. Do. Say. That’s the foundation for everything, and the clients we love working with are the ones doing good in their communities, their states and around the world. They’re authentic. They have soul, and that’s why they’re growing — because purpose-driven brands resonate and gain traction.”

The strongest businesses are those who have a vision for growth and a plan to achieve it.

— Jeremy Flynn

local shop, although it has served the needs of clients on a national and even global basis.

With no traditional overhead, the firm can focus on its nimbleness.

Stone Ward’s northwest Arkansas managing partner, Brett Parker, recently participated in an AdAge panel discussion in which Ward said he talked about a “full-funnel approach.”

“He made a great point — broad awareness lays the groundwork, but you’ve also got to meet people where they are to create meaningful connections that drive valuable conversions,” she said. “When your investment is guided by strategy, every dollar works harder. It’s not just about spending. It’s about spending smart — building a brand with purpose, connecting authentically and driving real results.”

For many, marketing has evolved into an overwhelming concept, sometimes even an intimidating one, but its value cannot be overstated, said Jeremy Flynn at Little Rock digital marketing firm JF Media+Marketing, which he founded in 2020. Marketing firms have evolved to meet the market’s diverse and specific needs.

“The strongest businesses are those who have a vision for growth and a plan to achieve it,” he said. “Even in down times, history has shown that those who market far surpass their competition by taking advantage of opportunities. There are many businesses who may not have the need or resources for a full-time marketing employee, but every business has a need for marketing, and we feel that is where we can help to bridge that gap.”

Since launching the firm, Flynn has expanded its reach with the 2023 addition of his wife, longtime KATV reporter Elicia Dover, to the team. JF has since added marketing manager Sara McOlvin, but Flynn said it remains a nimble

“We feel that by being a local firm, it allows us to invest personally in our clients’ businesses,” Dover said. “We treat each client as if we had ownership in their business and execute marketing practices as if we were spending our advertising budgets. Because we employ a virtual and work-from-home model, it’s allowed us to aggregate some of the best marketing minds in the industry to work for our clients. There are many national big-box agencies or companies that promise to act in this way, but the truth is most of those options are copy-and-paste models or a one-size-fits-all plan that doesn’t allow for in-depth analysis, optimization and pivoting, which is essential in marketing.”

Some firms specialize in social media marketing, and one of them is Little Rock’s Synergetic Social. Founder Hayden Medlock said her goal is simply to enhance clients’ digital footprints and influence.

“We wholeheartedly embrace the belief that people buy peo-

Jeremy Flynn and Elicia Dover (Photo courtesy of JF Media+Marketing)

Hayden Medlock (Photo courtesy of Synergetic Social)

In today’s world, a website is essentially your digital front door.

—Zack

ple, not brands,” she said. “In the world of digital marketing, the core is human connection, resonating with the individuals behind the screens. Our passion lies in witnessing businesses achieve their utmost potential while forging new and meaningful relationships along the way. We seamlessly blend strategy with creativity, providing our clients with an experience that’s not only smooth but also immensely enjoyable. Our approach is both funloving and results-driven in equal measure. We excel in strategizing, curating, executing and refining every facet of the social media journey.

Medlock added that the firm’s primary service is offering a completely hands-off experience.

“We handle everything from ideation and content creation to capturing, publishing and organically growing your account,” she said.

Social media is essential in today’s digital world. Businesses ignore it at their own risk.

“It is an incredible way to put your brand in front of your target market and build trust with them, which in return will increase your bottom line,” Medlock said. “Selecting a local marketing firm from Arkansas offers a unique advantage — a deep understanding of the local culture, values and market dynamics. Arkansas businesses thrive on genuine connections and community-focused strategies, and a local firm is perfectly positioned to craft marketing plans that truly resonate with the audience. Additionally, partnering with a local firm means working with people who are invested in your success because it’s their community too.”

Few is another Little Rock agency that redefines traditional marketing. It was launched a decade ago as a spinoff of the Made by Few web conference, which was held annually in North Little Rock. Arlton Lowry, partner at Few, launched the conference and began receiving interest from

attendees for him to design and build websites.

“Few was born by serving those clients like Museum of Discovery [in Little Rock] and others who are still clients to this day,” said Few partner and CEO Zack Hill. “It has since grown to not only do websites but to be a full-service digital product agency.”

Just like the firms who practice the discipline, marketing has evolved, especially in the digital age. Few may not create typical ad campaigns, but its services remain crucial marketing tools.

“In today’s world, a website is essentially your digital front door,” Hill said. “There’s a lot that a customer or potential user can glean from the information and experience they have on your website. Similarly, a web or mobile application can work great, but it will be judged by users on how easy it is to use the application and the utility it provides. These digital products can’t just work; they have to work the way a user wants them to work and be a great experience or someone will find an application they like to use.

“Just like when building a custom home, it requires working closely with your builder and collaborating through each phase. That is easier when you can meet with them and work alongside them. With that said, we work with clients all across the country, primarily because we are seen as high value compared to other agencies on the coasts.”

Hill said the firm foresees opportunity ahead as artificial intelligence continues to catch on and “shake things up” further.

“The businesses that have large-scale data on their customers, workflows, etc., are the ones that can quickly take advantage of what AI has to offer,” he said. “The challenge is that most software built before 2020 wasn’t built in a format that allows AI to easily be integrated or data to be trained on, so if you aren’t evaluating your software or considering retooling to allow for AI integration or an AI core, you are at risk of being behind in a few short years.”

Another emerging trend in marketing involves crisis communications management. Ward said the current level of disruption in today’s information-saturated world, whether a subtle shift or a sudden news event, combined with the rapid pace of change requires companies of all sizes to be both prepared and responsive.

“Navigating these situations effectively often requires the expertise of an agency trained in crisis communications to help them do this successfully,” she said. “We have client work that involves everyone in our agency throughout the year. Other highly specialized client projects, such as crisis communications management, require a much smaller team. The bottom line is if you’re an agency, you do whatever it takes and pull in whoever is needed to make those clients successful.”

HIll

Zack Hill, left, and Arlton Lowry (Photo courtesy of Few)

Synergetic Social exists to empower businesses with the essential tools needed to leverage the incredible power of social media.

RESULTS-DRIVEN

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Synergetic Social partners with businesses large and small, across a variety of industries and services From real estate brokerages to wedding venues, Synergetic Social can provide what companies need to succeed in the digital realm. “Our passion lies in witnessing businesses achieve their utmost potential while forging new and meaningful relationships along the way,” Medlock said. “We make your digital marketing our full-time job.”

hayden@synergeticsocial.com

Synergetic Social www synergeticsocial com let’s be social!

@synergeticsocial

A NEW GAME

Father’s IT system is no more; prevention now a growth strategy

By Steve Wilcox

Not so long ago, the term “business services” or “tech services” conjured up thoughts of a guy with a pocket protector making the rounds to fix a department’s laptops or a cadre of techno wizards resetting the network after a storm. That is no longer the case, and although those long-ago services are still part of the mix, today’s definition of business services extends more to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity than it does to maintaining individual devices. One might think of the space today as more focused on digital defense.

“My father and a partner started the business and at the time we were primarily helping with long-distance calling cost savings for our clients and, also, business telephone systems because

computers just were not a huge part of the everyday office space,” said Ryan Flynn, CEO of North Little Rock-based Network Services Group. “Even when I started in 1998, computers were in everybody’s office, but it wasn’t the same world. [A computer] was barely connected to the internet. Email was lightly used, if at all, so what’s interesting is how we’ve evolved in a lot of ways from a telecommunications company into a managed services or IT support company.”

The evolution is taking place all across the country as companies large and small come face to face with the realities of not only doing more and more of their busi-

ness in the digital space but having to protect precious systems and data from unseen global adversaries.

Forge Institute in Little Rock addresses the digital new world order from a different perspective as a nonprofit that works with public and private organizations in three categories: workforce development, applied research to advance innovation, and enhancing organizational resiliency through collaboration across private- and public-sector entities.

The broad swath of business or technical services focuses on what the U.S. government defines as “critical infrastructure.” That encompasses systems, facilities and assets that are deemed essential to society and the economy. The key categories include transportation, utilities, communications, manufacturing, defense, emergency services, the energy sector, the chemical sector, commercial facilities and dams. It is pretty easy to determine that critical infrastructure gathers up just about everything that touches American life every day.

“What we saw about six years ago when we started was rapidly accelerating cyberattacks on businesses and critical infrastructure and an increasing need for skilled talent with keyboard or operational experience and collaborations to outpace the adversary,” said Lee Watson, chairman, CEO and founder of Forge Institute. “Basically, we saw a significantly increasing dynamic cyber environment and not enough focus on workforce innovation or resiliency collaboration here in the United States, and so our programs work on that. Since then, we’ve also looked at doing risk management — what’s the economic growth opportunity to you? We don’t want to be ‘the glass is empty’ kind of organization; we want to worry about the risk, identify

the risk, mitigate the risk but also look at what the growth opportunity emerging technologies like AI can bring.”

Most every company is concerned about growth, but now growth is impacted by security. No organization can grow if their network is compromised, their data is held for ransom, or customer data has been stolen and is now housed in some corner of the dark web.

Flynn said the primary concern and what really drives people to work with companies such as Network Services Group is how secure and resilient their systems can be made in the event of a breach or attack.

“It’s ‘How quickly can you guys get us back up and running?’ so I would say that we have evolved greatly into a cybersecurity company with huge emphasis on business continuity and disaster recovery,” he said, “just making sure that if somebody does get a virus or somebody does have a major malfunction, how quickly can we get them back up to work and going? That’s probably the biggest difference over the last five years. That’s really become the huge emphasis of what we’re offering and what we’re doing for our clients.”

Goals and objectives at Forge Institute are slightly different, primarily because the organization is a nonprofit. However, working with companies and government organizations to protect their intellectual property is still a key portion of the central goal.

“The advantages [of a nonprofit] are that we are uniquely positioned to work between the public and private sector, so sometimes we need to build technology to help solve the problem, but sometimes it’s a different type of collaboration,” Watson said. “Being a nonprofit not only allows us to better work with public and private sector organizations, but it’s also more conducive to creativity in how we solve those problems. If you’re a for-profit company, you raise capital, you need to be doing one thing, not 10 things — and scaling. While we’re growing very quickly, we’re growing in more of a consulting nonprofit sort of scenario.”

Larger organizations that work with Forge see a cybersecurity training partner, he added, but growth and visibility has allowed smaller businesses to see more capabilities, including cyber defense.

“The adversary is after you. They’re after your money, or they’re looking to cause disruption or harm,” Watson said. “You’ve got to have good passwords. You’ve got to have multifactor authentication. The truth is most people are still not doing those things, and it leads to the vast majority of the cyber incidents, including ransomware, that hit smaller organizations, so if there’s one thing I’d like

Ryan Flynn

Lee Watson

a smaller organization to pay attention to, it’s focus. It’s time to do your part. It’s not just about protecting you, it’s about protecting your neighbor. All of our digital systems are interconnected, and it really takes all of us prioritizing cyber defense to keep the adversaries at bay.”

Larger companies may rely on vertical integration because they have the resource to staff extensive technical expertise, but not every organization has that option or is willing to staff to the levels necessary to combat the current threat environment.

“There are still people who just have a guy that fixes their stuff or a person that they know that’s really proficient with computers, and they bank on that,” Flynn said. “Earlier this year, we had a telephone systems client that had never used us for cybersecurity. They had a guy they knew well and could fix their network, but they ended up getting ransomware and losing some data. I’d say the biggest difference in what we do versus what other companies do is that we invest and spend a lot of money in cybersecurity.”

For Network Services Group and Forge Institute, security and doing research in security is a central part of their enterprises. A retailer, bank or restaurant chain is focused on the customer experience and expanding the business. Cybersecurity might be considered a distraction — until it is on the doorstep and the entire business comes to a halt.

“A person could say, ‘Hey, I’m going to make sure that you have antivirus, and we’re going to use spam filtering,’ and, in essence, that is a cybersecurity offering. What we’ve done is gone a few steps further, and we’ve looked for the best options regardless of cost, a focus on security tools,” Flynn said, “so in addition to antivirus, we use something called an endpoint detection and response program. It’s AI based. It’s in the cloud. Instead of looking for a flat file or something that’s known as a virus, it’s looking for different behaviors that are going on in your computer that are unusual — for example, if security logs are showing that your computer is uploading a bunch of information that might be considered unusual.”

A dedicated cybersecurity operation is looking at things like computer logs 24/7, so if cybersecurity companies see behavior change, not just a one-off incident, it can be explored and mitigated before it affects the network.

“We’ve also invested heavily in different security products like DNS security, which is helpful for all types of malware. The way malware normally works is somebody will download it off a website, or they’ll get it via email, and they’ll click a link that they shouldn’t have, and that will trigger the malware,” Flynn said. “That malware then needs to talk to its host, which is called an outbound DNS request, and we’re trying to kill those requests as they happen. In a lot of cases, we have users that have accidentally downloaded a virus, but our tools killed its ability to do anything so that we can remove it before it does any damage. There are a lot of different flavors of cybersecurity. We back it up with a tool stack that allows us to do a better job.”

Not everything in the data management and cybersecurity arena is focused on the adult world of ransomware and evil-doer malware. There are teaching opportunities, as well, including those for school-aged kids.

“In the workforce category, we have the Starbase Arkansas program, which is a collaboration with the 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base to provide advanced [science, technology, engineering and math] and [integration of science, technology, engineering, the arts and math] programming for fifth-grade students in the area,” Watson said. “They come to the base for their fifth-grade class every week. It’s not a field trip; they’re actually meeting all of their academic requirements there at Starbase, so we start early, and then we have a program called the Forge Academy. In the Forge Academy, we do introductory multiweek boot camps all the way to advanced training. Most of that is in cybersecurity or cyber defense, but next year, we’re adding cloud and AI to the mix. Another big program is called the Forge Fellowship, a collaboration with the office of secretary of defense at the Pentagon and a program called SkillBridge.”

Within the fellowship, Forge Institute works with transitioning military service members who are within the last six months of ending their service. They apply to the program and, once selected, they receive training on the job and work-based learning experiences, something akin to an internship. Forge Institute works with several Arkansas employers, assigning a participant in the program to each of them so workers can pick up on-the-job learning from particular industries in the state.

Finally, there is the Arkansas angle in all of the business service, cybersecurity, protectwhat-I-have gamesmanship. The current operative term is “big data,” which leads to the question whether the Natural State is a big-data state.

“I think every state can be articulated now as a big-data state. What makes Arkansas interesting is that it probably punches above its weight on a per capita basis,” Watson said. “For a state with just over 3 million in population, we have some incredible organizations here that operate very important infrastructure that supports not only commerce in Arkansas but around the country.”

Arkansas Money & Politics is proud to unveil its list of “Arkansas Influencers” for 2025, those who inspire all to reach higher, achieve more and improve things in local communities. Within this list, find leaders in the corporate, nonprofit and public-service spaces — people who provide jobs, feed the state’s economy and provide a hand up to those who need it.

The individuals on the list were nominated by readers and then handpicked by a group of former nominees — Susan Altrui, Marshall Butler, Kim Clatworthy and Dr. Brian McGee — which narrowed down hundreds of nominations to the final listing. The women and men recognized represent not only the best of what they do but the present and future leaders of Arkansas, each working for the good of all. As the state’s leading publication focused on business, community and policy, AMP is proud to shine a bright spotlight on these outstanding achievers and their accomplishments.

Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees!

| Michael Ahern

Today’s Power

Michael Ahern is vice president and chief financial officer at Today’s Power, a renewable energy company in North Little Rock. Today’s Power prides itself in being cooperative owned and community focused, which, coupled with demand for renewable energy over the past several years, has led to significant growth for the company. Ahern leads the finance and accounting team to ensure the financial operations of the company are performed efficiently and effectively. Ahern has worked in the energy sector for the past seven years. Prior to his work at Today’s Power, Ahern worked at Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. He is also a veteran of the United States Air Force. His experience has enabled him to grow into the position he has today. Ahern has a Master of Science in finance with merit from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Prior to that, he received his Master of Business Administration and undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

| Jeff Amerine

Startup Junkie Consulting

Jeff Amerine is nationally recognized for the creation of lasting venture ecosystems and co-authored in 2021 the Amazon bestselling book Creating Startup Junkies – Building Sustainable Venture Ecosystems in Unexpected Places. Amerine has had senior leadership positions in nine startups and multiple Fortune 500 companies, including American Freightways and FedEx Freight. He has made more than 90-plus venture investments. He now leads Startup Junkie in Fayetteville and co-leads Innovation Junkie in Conway and Cadron Capital Partners. Amerine served as associate vice provost, research and economic development, and director of technology ventures at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville until leaving to pursue Startup Junkie full time in 2015. He served as an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at University of Arkansas’ Sam M. Walton College of Business in Fayetteville from 2009 to 2024. Amerine graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1984, served as an Air Force officer for six years and has a Master of Science in operations management from UA.

| Cory Anderson

Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation

As chief innovation officer at the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation in Little Rock, the Rev. Cory Anderson is a relentless collaborator. He builds and maintains local and national partnerships, launches bold initiatives, and strategizes to ensure the nonprofit pursues its goal of equity for all Arkansans. In addition

to his role at the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Anderson serves as interim executive director at Forward Arkansas, a nonprofit established by the Winthrop Rockefeller and Walton Family Foundation that aims to improve outcomes for Arkansas students. Anderson understands collaboration because it has been his career. For seven years at the Annie E. Casey Foundation in Baltimore, Maryland, he supported state-level child advocacy organizations and helped lead the KIDS COUNT Initiative, which provides legislators, public officials and child advocates with data, tools and policy recommendations. He is currently a BMe Public Voices Fellow. He also serves on the boards of Arkansas Baptist College, the Urban League of Arkansas, the Association of Black Foundation Executives and Neighborhood Funders Group.

| Brad Baltz

Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute

Dr.

Brad Baltz has lived in Little Rock since he was 5 years old. He has practiced medicine for 30 years, inspired by his parents who encouraged him to pursue a career in health care. During his residency, his mentor introduced him to oncology research, sparking his interest in cancer care. Baltz earned his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and completed an internship, residency and fellowship in hematology-oncology there. He is board certified in medical oncology.

| Curtis Barnett

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

CurtisBarnett is president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, serving nearly 2 million members nationwide. He is committed to making overall healthcare more accessible and affordable, and improving behavioral health awareness, access and outcomes. He champions initiatives to transform healthcare reimbursement, address social determinants of health, and provide a whole-person approach to healthcare. Nationally, Barnett serves on the boards of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the National Institute for Healthcare Management (NIHCM), and as board chair for BCS Financial. He co-chairs the Roundtable on Innovations in Mental and Behavioral Health for the national Health Evolution. In Arkansas, Barnett serves on the University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees, the dean’s executive advisory board for the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business, the Arkansas Research Alliance, and as vice chair of the executive committee for the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce. Barnett received a bachelor’s degree from UCA, where he is a Distinguished Alumnus, and a master’s in public administration from the University of Arkansas. He is also a graduate of the Northwestern University Kellogg School of

on being named one of AMP’s Influencers for 2025!

Advice to young women in their careers:

“STAY STRONG, KEEP YOUR CHIN UP, AND ALWAYS LEAD WITH INTEGRITY. BALANCING A CAREER AND YOUR PERSONAL GOALS CAN BE CHALLENGING AT TIMES. YOU MAY HAVE TO SLEEP LESS THAN YOU WANT AT TIMES, BUT WORKING HARD ALWAYS PAYS OFF IN THE LONG RUN.”

SHANNON BEDORE

CEO, SIGHTLINE RETAIL & BLUE ELEPHANT FOOD GROUP USA

PROUD TO BE CERTIFIED WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESSES

Shannon Bedore would not trade her job for the world, and since it gives her the opportunity to see the world anyway, why would she do it?

When asked, Bedore said she ﬁnds it hard to imagine another role that would allow her to achieve such a level of professional accomplishment and mental stimulation while working with such a high caliber of people and talented teammates every day.

In 2019, Bedore’s company Sightline Retail partnered with Thailand-based Blue Elephant Foods to manage over 28,000 points of distribution on retailer shelves nationwide throughout the United States. This partnership has resulted in annual business trips to Thailand and has also allowed Bedore to expose her children to new countries and develop their overseas travel skills.

“I can’t imagine any other job where I could achieve this. There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not appreciative of this.”

For more information on Sightline Retail or Blue Elephant Group USA: Hello@SightlineRetail.com 1 (844) ON.SHELF | SightlineRetail.com | BlueElephant.com

When you work with

| Natalie Bartholomew First Community Bank

Natalie Bartholomew serves as community president of First Community Bank in northwest Arkansas. A career banker with 24 years of experience, she has expertise in management, strategic planning, lending, retail, culture building, human resources and marketing. Bartholomew has received many honors recognizing her work over the years and has served on a variety of community and industry specific committees and boards. Recently, the American Bankers Association named her to the 2023 ABA Emerging Leaders list. Additionally, Arkansas Money & Politics included her on the 2022 “Power Women” list, and she was named a University of Arkansas Agricultural Business and Economics Distinguished Young Alumni. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arkansas and is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking in Boulder, Colorado, where she now serves as a faculty member.

| Mark Beach

CDI Contractors

M| Shannon Bedore

Sightline Retail/Blue Elephant Food Group USA

ark Beach was named president and CEO of CDI Contractors in 2022. He joined the company in 2009 as vice president and, shortly thereafter, assumed the role of chief operating officer. For that role, Beach led the restructuring of the company’s accounting practices and the addition of a dedicated preconstruction services department, the addition of virtual design and construction services, and a dedicated business development and marketing team. His construction career began in 1981. He has served in numerous roles of increasing responsibility and has experience in multiple construction sectors, including heavy industrial, health care, higher education, churches, sports venues and performance spaces. His career has taken him to Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Texas and now Arkansas. Prior to joining CDI, Beach was employed by Duke Realty of Indianapolis and operated out of the Dallas office, where he led health care construction for the southern region and oversaw the development and construction of several notable health care development projects.

| Sara Bechdoldt

Waco Title

SaraBechdoldt is president and CEO of Springdale-based Waco Title. The Waco Title family of companies is made up of 23 offices spread throughout Arkansas and southwest Missouri, as well as Saline County Abstract of Benton. Its roots in the industry run back to 1885. The company now employs almost 200 employees. Bechdoldt has been with Waco Title since 2021. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville.

Shannon Bedore is CEO of Sightline Retail in Bentonville and Blue Elephant Food Group USA. Bedore founded Sightline Retail in 2015 to provide sales, management, strategy, operations, replenishment, warehousing and administrative support for brands to have a lower cost option than directly hiring an internal retail team. Prior to starting Sightline, she worked at Walmart and Kohl’s. Bedore has also dedicated much time to closing health care gaps for the cystic fibrosis community in Arkansas. She helped open an adult cystic fibrosis clinic in northwest Arkansas and served for many years as board president in northwest Arkansas of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She currently sits on the Mercy Hospital Community Board. Bedore obtained her bachelor’s degree in human resources from Michigan State University and her master’s degree in supply chain management from the Pennsylvania State University. She is currently completing her doctorate at the University of Florida, after which she hopes to teach retail, supply chain and brand management at the collegiate level.

| Alicia Berkemeyer

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Alicia Berkemeyer is a visionary healthcare leader with diverse expertise spanning operations, sales, pharmacy, network operations and clinical services. Currently serving as the Executive Vice President & Chief Health Management Officer for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, she is recognized for her leadership in value-based healthcare innovation and transformation. Her efforts focus on patient-centered care delivery, simplifying healthcare, improving quality and cost and fostering multistakeholder collaborations to improve outcomes. Berkemeyer was key in Arkansas’ selection for multiple partnerships with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) since 2012. Currently, Arkansas is one of four states chosen as a State Transformation Collaborative. In 2024, Berkemeyer hosted CMS/CMMI leaders in rural Arkansas to facilitate conversations with local leaders about unique challenges for rural health care. Maternal health and behavioral health are two key areas discussed. Additionally, she was invited by CMS/CMMI to serve as an advisor at the rural healthcare summits, sharing her expertise with stakeholders in Texas and North Carolina. She is a certified health consultant, a managed healthcare professional and a Professional in the Academy of Healthcare Management. She serves on the Cystic Fibrosis Board and the University of Arkansas Little Rock Business Advisory Board. Berkemeyer holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from John Brown University. She completed the Kellogg Advanced Management Global Program and is an Executive Scholar of the Northwestern Kellogg School of Management.

Steven F. COLLIER, M.D.

What makes an influencer, in your opinion?

An influencer is one who is capable of effecting change in his or her environment. There are different types of influencers. My style is to be a strategic influencer with well-thoughtout plans over time.

What is one secret to success that you wish you had learned sooner?

The value of taking your time and thinking through a problem or situation — beginning with the end in mind. A decision can have many ramifications, and you need to take into consideration the things that can be affected

What is one thing you would change about your industry or field?

In the field of medicine, there should be more cooperation between all of the parties involved. Health care is very complex, and silos definitely need to be broken down. Patients should have access to care that is reasonable and cost-effective.

When did it click for you that this was the career you wanted to pursue?

It clicked for me when I was a freshman in college.

Are you a morning person or a night person?

A morning person. I get most of my work completed in the mornings. My afternoons are spent relaxing or going out to eat.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration? I travel.

What is the most underrated skill you think all leaders should possess?

Emotional intelligence, getting along with people and diffusing controversies.

INFLUENCER

President & CEO, ARcare

| Brent Birch

Little Rock Tech Park

Under the guidance of Brent Birch, the Little Rock Tech Park has remained viable through COVID-19 and continues its planned four-phase, multimilliondollar development. Prior to joining the effort to bolster the central Arkansas tech startup community, Birch was an executive at Arkansas Business Publishing Group, where, in 2010, he launched Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine. An avid waterfowler, he also wrote and published 2018’s The Grand Prairie: A History of Duck Hunting’s Hallowed Ground. In 2016, he founded the Arkansas Waterfowler Hall of Fame and has served on the board of the Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation. Birch is active in Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl. A licensed real estate agent, Birch also chairs the Downtown Little Rock Partnership and is a former chairman of the Little Rock Open, part of the professional men’s tennis ATP Challenger Tour. Plus he is a five-time USTA league tennis state champion. From 1990 to 1993, the North Little Rock native pitched for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

| Michael Birrer

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

was named to Arkansas Money & Politics’ “C-Suite” list in 2023 and 2024. Pinnacle Pointe offers a full continuum of psychiatric services to children and teens ages 5 to 17 who are experiencing emotional and behavioral issues, including depression, anxiety, mood swings, grief or loss, attempts to harm self or others, and other high-risk behaviors.

| John Burgess

Mainstream Technologies

SinceDr. Michael Birrer was named director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock in 2019, where he also took on the position of vice chancellor of UAMS. As the director for the cancer institute, Birrer is charged with heading up all of UAMS’ cancerrelated initiatives. The institution employs approximately 150 faculty members who are engaged in cancer-related research and clinical work. Birrer, a medical oncologist, has served in similar roles before, including a stint as director for gynecologic medical oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital and the gynecologic oncology research program at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center in Boston. Most recently, Birrer served as the director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. He resigned from his director’s position at the O’Neal Center in 2019 after serving in the role since 2017. Birrer obtained both his medical degree and doctorate from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York.

| Courtney Bishop

Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System

Courtney Bishop is CEO of Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System, which includes Pinnacle Pointe Hospital in Little Rock. She has served in the role since 2023. She previously served as chief operating officer at Pinnacle Pointe. Bishop joined the health care system in 2017 and

the inception of Little Rock’s Mainstream Technologies in 1996, the company has relentlessly focused on delivering results for clients while building the most talented team possible. John Burgess was responsible for designing, developing and implementing supply chain management solutions which are currently used throughout the world by major retailers to manage inventories and enhance reporting capabilities. Burgess has served as board chairman of the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the board of advisors for the International Association of Cloud & Managed Services Providers, also known as MSP Alliance. He actively supports various organizations which promote science, technology, engineering and math, including Accelerate Arkansas, the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock and Arkansas Advanced Initiative for Math and Science. Burgess believes in the value of science, technology, engineering and math education and STEMrelated careers as a vehicle for economic development and societal improvement.

| Aaron Burkes

Northwest Arkansas National Airport

Aaron Burkes joined the Northwest Arkansas National Airport in 2018 as CEO. During his tenure, XNA has added two new airlines and eight new direct destinations, added new amenities, and expanded and renovated numerous facilities. He currently serves as a member of the transportation industry council at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and serves on the board for Arvest Bank of Benton County. He previously served as president of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. Prior to joining state government, Burkes had senior leadership roles in college administration, regional planning, finance and real estate development. He is also a former elected state representative to the Arkansas General Assembly. He has a Bachelor of Science in natural science from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, a Master of Arts in economics from Clemson University in South Carolina and a Juris Doctor from Baylor University School of Law in Texas. He is a licensed attorney and licensed contractor.

Bryan DAY

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

It is important to treat everyone that you meet like they are your next boss. Our journey through life is full of decisions, and we are likely to interact with those from our past. If we treated them with respect when we first met, it will go a long way to helping us succeed in our chosen careers.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

My inspiration and motivation come from the great outdoors. Whether it is a bike ride, a hike or a night under the stars, when I am outside, I have found my serenity and am at peace; this allows me to easily recharge my batteries. Being outside doing something I enjoy allows my mind and body to take a break from my normal routine.

MARCY DODERER President and Chief Executive Officer

INFLUENCER

Executive Director, Little Rock Port Authority

| Marvin Childers

The Poultry Federation

Marvin Childers has served as the president of the Poultry Federation, a trade organization that has represented the poultry and egg industry in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri, since 2007. Childers considers it an honor to lead an organization where the industry provides billions of dollars to the state’s economy. Childers is a board member at the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of the chamber’s tax committee. He also serves as a board member of the Arkansas State Police Foundation and the Arkansas 4-H Foundation. In 2020 and 2021, Childers served on the Governor’s Economic Recovery Task Force with a focus on agriculture issues. Childers served as an Arkansas state representative from 2001 through 2006 and has practiced law at Friday, Eldredge & Clark in Little Rock since 2000.

| Dr. Steven F. Collier

ARcare

Dr.

Steven F. Collier, a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, serves as president and CEO of ARcare. Collier was raised in Augusta and graduated from Augusta High School in 1973. He then attended Baylor University in Texas and obtained his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Collier began practicing medicine in Pine Bluff and then moved back to Augusta in 1981. There, he established White River Rural Health, the beginning of ARcare. During his career, Collier has served for eight years on the Arkansas State Medical Board and six years on the Baptist Hospital Little Rock Board of Trustees, in addition to serving as medical director at Triad Hospital and chief of staff at Unity Health in 2000. In 2011, Collier was named the Eason-Shuler Community Health Centers Advocate of the Year for his outstanding service and contributions to state and federal legislative work. Presently, he serves on the board of RiverWind Bank, Empower Healthcare Solutions and UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Collier is a community physician to his core. ARcare’s mission of “health for all” was born from Collier’s vision of providing accessible health care to any and every patient, regardless of their plight in life. That mission continues to guide every decision and community initiative of the company. Under Collier’s leadership, the ARcare network has grown to more than 90 locations that stretch beyond the state’s borders to include Kentucky and Mississippi.

| Alyson Courtney

Argenta Contemporary Theatre

lyson Courtney is director of development at Argenta Contemporary Theatre, which she joined in 2022 after an extensive career in television journalism, most recently on the morning show at KATV Channel 7. She has helped usher in a new era at the theater by overseeing a rebranding and historic expansion, including enhancements to the theater’s education program. She attended Northwestern State University in Louisiana before landing her first job as the early morning producer at the NBC affiliate in Shreveport. Her husband, Wess Moore, is co-host of The on 103.7 the Buzz and sports director at Fox 16.

Jay Cranford

Cranford Co.

artner and chief creative officer at Cranford Co., a full-service agency offering Madison-Avenue quality with Main Street accountability, Jay Cranford is responsible for making sure every client’s creative ideas, across all media channels, effectively engage and connect with the desired target audiences. Some of those clients include the Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Children’s, Simmons Bank and the Land of Steel. Cranford attended the University of Pennsylvania and later graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas with a degree in economics. He then spent nine years in Los Angeles with TBWA/ Chiat/Day, where he crafted the launch campaign for Sony PlayStation. Cranford’s nonprofit involvement has led him to important work with the Arkansas Museum of Fine Art, the Arkansas Symphony, Ballet Arkansas, The Rep, the American Heart Association, the Nature Conservancy and CARE for Animals. His work has appeared in such prestigious shows as the Cannes International Advertising Festival, the One Show, the London International Awards, the Obies Outdoor Awards, the Radio Mercury Awards, Archive, the AAAA O’Toole Awards and the National ADDY Awards competition. Most recently, his work appears in the 2024 Communication Arts Advertising Annual, a first for an Arkansas agency.

| Patrick Curry Allegiance Title of Arkansas

Patrick Curry is the president and founder of Allegiance Title of Arkansas. Under his guidance, the company has become known for its customer-centric approach and forward-thinking solutions. Curry also serves as the chief executive officer for AllFirst title companies based in Tulsa, which has about 25 offices and operations in Oklahoma and New Mexico. With a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Colorado State University and a

UA Little Rock congratulates Chancellor Christina S. Drale for being named one of

master’s in taxation from the University of Denver, Curry has cultivated a foundation of financial knowledge and expertise. In 2005, he moved to Arkansas to work at Waco Title Co., where he spent 15 years and held the roles of accounting controller, COO, and, finally, president and CEO. Curry currently serves on an advisory board of directors for First National Bank of Northwest Arkansas and was appointed by former Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the Electronic Recording Commission for Arkansas.

| Josh Davenport

Seal Solar

Josh Davenport, CEO and co-founder at Seal Solar in North Little Rock, helped launch the firm with Heather Nelson in 2013. A serial entrepreneur, Davenport is a partner in Evolve Auto and Premier Pile Driver, both in North Little Rock. He graduated with an accounting degree from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, where he studied from 2002 to 2006, and earned a Master of Business Administration and a construction management degree at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

| Bryan Day

Little Rock Port Authority

Bryan Day leads the Little Rock Port Authority. Prior to working in this position, Day spent 20 years working for the city of Little Rock. During his time with the city, he served as assistant city manager and director of Little Rock Parks & Recreation. Day received both his undergraduate and Master of Public Administration degrees from University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

| Jessica Flake Dearnley

Flake and Co.

Jessica Flake Dearnley is the CEO of Little Rock’s Flake & Co. She has more than 20 years of experience in commercial real estate. She is a chartered financial analyst, a certified public accountant and a certified commercial investment member. Dearnley is licensed in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with a double major in cognitive psychology and creative writing; from the University of Miami with a Master of Business Administration in finance and investments; from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with a master’s degree in accountancy and currently is finishing a master’s in finance at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Dearnley serves on the Little Rock Technology Park Board, the Little Rock Regional Chamber Board, Fifty for the Future’s membership committee and board of directors, the Arkansas Women’s Leadership Forum and Vistage International. She has professional experience ranging from wealth management as both financial and credit analysts to asset management, development and brokerage.

| Todd Dennis

Southern Farm Bureau Insurance Companies of Arkansas

Todd Dennis, agency manager in Pulaski County for Southern Farm Bureau Insurance Companies of Arkansas was raised in northwest Louisiana before relocating to Morrilton and then Russellville following his father’s death. After graduating from Russellville High School in 1982, he attended Florida College before completing his education at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville in spring of 1988. That July, he began his career at Farm Bureau Insurance companies in Pulaski County as a multiline insurance agent. In 2018, he was promoted to agency manager in Little Rock. Throughout his career, he said, he has been associated with wonderful colleagues, from managers and sales associates to administrators, and credited his team and their support for the recognition he has achieved within the company and industry. He is a Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow.

| Marcy Doderer

Arkansas Children’s

Marcy Doderer, a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, is president and chief executive officer at Arkansas Children’s, where she leads the state’s only pediatric health system, serving children in Arkansas and beyond. Over her decade leading Arkansas Children’s, Doderer has significantly extended the health system’s reach through an expanded physical footprint to better serve the children and families of Arkansas, most notably through the building of Arkansas Children’s Northwest, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Southwest Little Rock Clinic and Arkansas Children’s Hospital Pine Bluff Clinic, as well as the expansion of Arkansas Children’s Hospital Jonesboro Clinic. In 2023, under her leadership, Arkansas Children’s announced the largest expansion in history and broke ground in 2024 at both hospital campuses. Doderer is active nationally with Children’s Hospital Association and Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patient Safety and serves as a delegate to the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board 7. Recognized for her leadership, Doderer has been named one of Modern Healthcare’s “Top 25 Women Leaders” in 2021 and Becker’s Healthcare’s “Women Hospital Presidents and CEOs to Know” in 2023.

| Christina S. Drale

UA Little Rock congratulates Chancellor Christina S. Drale for being named one of

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Christina Drale serves as the chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She was appointed by the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees in 2019. Under her leadership, the university has increased enrollment, lowered its net price and expanded corporate partnerships to address key objectives. In 2022 she launched

Tamika S. EDWARDS

What makes an influencer, in your opinion?

Someone who can inspire others and who is willing to act on the needs of others.

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

Perfection doesn’t exist.

When did it click for you that this was the career you wanted to pursue?

When I genuinely enjoyed going to work, I felt more creative in my work and I knew that my contributions mattered.

Who are your greatest inspirations or examples you strive to emulate?

My husband and my children are my greatest inspirations.

INFLUENCER

Director, Human Resources and Employee Engagement, Southwest Power Pool

Ryan Flynn President

a $250 million capital campaign, the largest in the university’s history, which has now reached more than 80 percent of its goal. Drale joined UA Little Rock in 2006 as an associate dean of the college of professional studies before becoming the associate vice chancellor for academic affairs in 2011. She served as interim executive vice chancellor and provost at UA Little Rock before her appointment as chancellor. Drale earned a doctorate and Master of Arts in sociology and a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the University of California, San Diego. She accepted her first academic position at Missouri State University, where she served as an associate professor of media, journalism and film, associate dean, and interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters.

| Laura Dunn University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Dr. Laura Dunn has served as the chair of the department of psychiatry in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock’s college of medicine and director of the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute since 2022. She also has the Marie Wilson Howells Chair in Psychiatric and Behavioral Sciences. Dunn joined UAMS from Stanford Medicine in California, where she was professor and section chief for geriatric psychiatry in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. Dunn had numerous leadership roles at Stanford from 2015 to 2022, including director of the geriatric psychiatry fellowship training program and director of the geriatric psychiatry outpatient clinic at Stanford Health Care. She became geriatric psychiatry section chief in 2017 and also led numerous departmental initiatives in quality improvement, wellness and professional development. From 2007 to 2015, she served as director of psycho-oncology at the department of psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco, where she was invested in the Gloria Hubner Endowed Chair in Psycho-Oncology in 2013. Dunn graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in Boston with a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics before earning a medical degree at UC San Francisco. She completed a psychiatry residency, as well as a fellowship in geriatric psychiatry, at UC San Diego, where she went on to serve as an assistant professor from 2002 to 2007.

| Robert Eason

Arkansas Land Co.

Robert

Eason is owner and principal broker at Arkansas Land Co. in North Little Rock. Licensed in Arkansas and Mississippi, he started as an agent in 2009, soon after graduating from the University of Arkansas Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences in Fayetteville. Since his start, Eason has maintained a full-time career in real estate. He is active in both real estate sales and farm management. He has listed and sold everything from cabins near Maddox Bay to large row crop farms and premier hunting properties across the state. His management encompasses both farm and recreational properties. He is also

president of Eason LaRoche Holdings in North Little Rock, which has purchased, developed and sold several recreational developments. Eason LaRoche Holdings owns Prairie Cypress Farm and Lodge, a 1,000-acre recreational farm with both rowcrop fields and flooded timber.

| Tamika Edwards

Southwest Power Pool

Tamika S. Edwards, a native of Little Rock, serves as director of human resources and employee engagement at Southwest Power Pool. With more than two decades of experience in social justice, public policy, government and community outreach, Edwards recognizes that her work has always led her to focus on people, policies and systems by facilitating equitable practices to achieve equal outcomes. Her extensive work history includes serving as director of diversity, equity and inclusion at SPP; special advisor to the CEO on diversity, equity, inclusion and engagement at Central Arkansas Water; executive director of the Social Justice Institute at Philander Smith College in Little Rock; director of governmental affairs at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families; director of public policy at Southern Bancorp Community Partners; and community affairs specialist for former U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln. Edwards is involved with civic and community organizations. She is a member of the Greater Little Rock chapter of Jack and Jill of America, a member of Little Rock Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a founding board member of the Friends of Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, and a member of the Delta Dental of Arkansas and the Little Rock Port Authority boards of directors. She has received numerous awards and recognitions for her work and community contributions. Edwards earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, a Master of Arts in professional and technical writing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and a Juris Doctor from Bowen Law School.

| Katherine Eldridge

Doe’s Eat Place Little Rock

Katherine Eldridge is the owner of Doe’s Eat Place Little Rock, which she took over from her father, George Eldridge, in 2012. Opened in 1988, Doe’s Little Rock maintains the no-frills tradition of the original in Greenville, Mississippi, and has achieved its own renown as a regional — and even a national — favorite. Doe’s was a favorite of former President Bill Clinton as Arkansas governor, and it became a hangout for Clinton staffers, as well as national press covering the Clinton presidential campaign in 1992. Famous for its patios, including the dog-friendly back patio, Doe’s still attracts politicians and celebrities while maintaining its down-toearth atmosphere. Eldridge has continued the Doe’s tradition, and the downtown Little Rock hideout lives on as a prime business lunch spot.

FOR BEING NAMED AN AMP INFLUENCER OF THE YEAR!

(501) 520-5200 | 5500 US-67 Benton, AR (479) 636-5516 | 1008 Beau Terre Dr. Bentonville, AR WE BUILD INSPIRING PROJECTS THAT CREATE COMMUNITY VALUE AND SOCIAL PROSPERITY.

CONGRATULATIONS BRAD HEGEMAN

At Nabholz, we pride ourselves on leadership that cares for our people, our clients, and our communities. Our Chief Strategy Officer Brad Hegeman does just that every day by contributing to our company’s growth, supporting our nation’s veterans, and more.

Congratulations, Brad, on being named to the AMP’s 2025 Influencers of the Year. We couldn’t be prouder.

| Kim Eskew Harps Food Stores

Kim Eskew is chairman and CEO at Harps Food Stores, which is based in Springdale, and previously served as president of the company. He has been at the company for more than 45 years and worked his way up from an entry-level position as a cashier and stocker. In 2022, the National Grocers Association honored Kim, along with his wife, Karen, with NGA’s prestigious Thomas F. Wenning Pinnacle PAC Award. The award recognizes the Eskews’ years of service to the independent grocery industry in government advocacy. Late in 2024, Kim also received the Thomas K. Zaucha Entrepreneurial Excellence Award from the NGA. Under his leadership, Harps has evolved into one of the most esteemed regional independent supermarket chains in the nation.

| Ryan Flynn Network Services Group

Ryan Flynn was named president of Network Services Group in late 2013. Network Services Group provides information technology support and Voice over Internet Protocol telephone solutions for many businesses across the state. Under Flynn’s leadership, NSG has grown from 11 employees and a single location in North Little Rock to more than 65 employees and three locations in Arkansas. Flynn also has served as president of the Cabot Rotary Club, two terms on the city council of Cabot, on the Cabot Parks and Recreation Commission and on the Lonoke County Election Commission.

| Shane Frazier

Universal Health Services

Shane Frazier has dedicated more than 25 years to improving health care for Arkansans. Frazier started his career at CHI St. Vincent in Little Rock and spent many years in various leadership roles there followed by nine years as CEO at Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System in Little Rock. Currently, he is a regional vice president at Universal Health Services in Little Rock, where he works closely with the leaders of Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System, Rivendell Behavioral Health Services of Arkansas in Benton, the BridgeWay in North Little Rock and Springwoods Behavioral Health in Fayetteville to ensure the delivery of quality compassionate health care. He also works closely with the Pointe Outpatient Services, a network of 10 clinics serving the needs of Arkansas families throughout the state. Frazier serves as vice chair on the board of the Children’s Protection Center and serves on the community council for the Little Rock Air Force Base. He has a passion for ensuring Arkansas families receive the care they need to heal and thrive in life. Frazier

has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and earned his bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.

| Daron Frederick

Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas

Daron Frederick is the chief information officer at the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas. Frederick’s career before joining the electric cooperatives included a 16-year tenure in the United States Navy, serving as a team leader/developer for an international banking software organization, serving as a chief information officer in the health care industry, working as the general manager of a nationwide tax service, serving in the role of vice president/CIO for a national trucking company and serving as the information technology manager for the Arkansas State Supreme Court.

| Grant Garrett

Garrett Excavating

Grant

Garrett is the CEO of Garrett Excavating, a company founded in 1950 in Hot Springs by his grandfather, Irvin Garrett. Working alongside his grandfather and father for many years, Grant honed his operational skills, demonstrating his potential to lead the company into the future. After a football career with the Arkansas Razorbacks and a stint in the NFL, Grant and his father, Gilbert Garrett, revived the business in 1999 after Gilbert sold the company in 1997. In 2015 Grant purchased his father’s shares of the business, and as of 2024, Grant and his two partners have rebuilt the culture within Garrett Excavating while expanding the company’s footprint with locations in Benton and Rogers. Under his leadership, Garrett Excavating has become a destination workplace within the civil construction community and has completed several high-profile projects, including Opera of the Ozarks in Eureka Springs, East Central Garage in Bentonville, AHTD Northwest Arkansas National Airport Connector, various Walmart Supercenters in the southeastern U.S., Bass Pro Shop and Amazon fulfillment center in Little Rock, Ben E. Keith’s distribution center in North Little Rock, Saracen Casino in Pine Bluff, and Tractor Supply Co.’s distribution center in Maumelle, just to name a few.

| Phillip Gilmore

Ashley County Medical Center

Phillip Gilmore resides in Crossett and has called Arkansas home for almost 43 years. Gilmore graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science. Gilmore went on to graduate from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis with a Master of Health Administration degree, also receiving the 2005

Matt HARKNESS

What makes an influencer, in your opinion?

While there are clearly people who have a positive influence on others, there are also people who tend to be negative. I believe those who focus on the positive are the most impactful influencers. Negativity with people is usually unsustainable.

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

Over the years, I have learned the importance of listening to everyone — managers, line-level employees and customers. If you think you know everything about anything, you are mistaken. Keeping an open mind, though not always easy, is critical.

What is one thing you would change about your industry or field?

In the 45 years I’ve worked in casinos, I have obviously seen a lot of change, most of it technological. The one change that could be beneficial to the industry would be quicker adoption of more modern technologies by the vendors.

When did it click for you that this was the career you wanted to pursue?

I started in Atlantic City in 1979. From day one, I enjoyed the excitement of the business.

Are you a morning person or a night person?

I have worked every crazy shift there is, so it’s not a simple answer. Spending many years in the beginning of my career working at night and, subsequently, during the day, I’m accustomed to both.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

Family. My wife and I have been married over 40 years. We have three children — one is our niece, who we took in when she was 10 years old. I gain my motivation and inspiration from them.

Distinguished Alumni Award. Gilmore also has two doctorate degrees from Louisiana Baptist University. Gilmore served as the assistant chief of clinical microbiology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., during the Vietnam War. After the war, Gilmore continued to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he held the rank of captain. Gilmore has been a hospital administrator at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, Warner Brown Medical Center in El Dorado and Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, where he served for 17 years. Gilmore also served as CEO at Hot Spring County Medical Center in Malvern and currently serves as CEO of Ashley County Medical Center in Crossett.

| George Gleason

Bank OZK

George Gleason has served as CEO and chairman of Bank OZK, headquartered in Little Rock, for 45 years. Under Gleason’s leadership, Bank OZK has been profitable every year and has grown to more than $34 billion in total assets, 2,700 employees and more than 240 offices in eight states. Bank OZK is the largest bank in Arkansas and consistently ranks as one of the best-performing financial institutions in the country due to its high level of profitability, strong capital and liquidity, disciplined credit culture, and outstanding team. Gleason is a native Arkansan who received his undergraduate degree in business and economics from Hendrix College in Conway and earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. In 2022, Gleason was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame.

| Grant Gordy

First Community Bank

| Anna Beth Gorman Women’s Foundation of Arkansas

Anna Beth Gorman is CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, an organization that is one of the leading equity partners in building women’s economic security across the state of Arkansas. During her tenure, the Women’s Foundation has seen tremendous growth while focusing on two signature initiatives, Girls of Promise and Women Empowered. Prior to leading the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, she served as an executive at the Girl Scouts of the USA for several years. In 2022, she was the Democratic nominee for Arkansas secretary of state.

She is a past chairman at the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, active in Club 99 Rotary, a board member at Arvest Bank Little Rock, a board member at Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame and a founding board member at the Southern Capital Project. She began her career in public service working for the Texas Senate committee on state affairs. She has a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, as well as a Master of Public Administration and a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

| Meredith Green

Washington Regional Medical Center

NGrant Gordy is Conway community bank president at First Community Bank. He has been with First Community since 2017, when he joined the bank as treasury management specialist. In 2019, he was promoted to community president for Conway. He previously served as vice president and business development officer for First National Bankers Bank, as vice president of business development for Gulf Coast Business Credit, and as vice president of business development for Exchange Capital Corp.He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and is a graduate of the Mississippi School of Banking. He is a volunteer instructor at Junior Achievement of Arkansas and a board member at United Way of Central Arkansas.

urse practitioner Meredith Green, senior vice president and chief nursing officer, has worked at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville for more than 17 years. She has served in various leadership roles, including administrative director in women and infant services, where she played an integral role in the planning, design and staffing of the Washington Regional Women and Infants Center that opened in 2016. Meredith earned both a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and received credentialing as a clinical nurse specialist in adult and geriatric health. She received the ANGELS Award for Outstanding Service to Obstetrical Nursing from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and was voted Washington Regional’s Nurse of the Year in 2009 and Director of the Year in 2016 and 2017. Meredith was also recognized with the 2018 C.E. Melville Young Administrator of the Year Award by the Arkansas Hospital Association.

| J. Fletcher Hanson III

Moses Tucker Partners

J. Fletcher Hanson III serves as a principal, executive vice president and principal broker at Moses Tucker Partners. Hanson merged with Moses Tucker Real Estate in 2018 to become the firm it is today, Moses Tucker Partners. Moses Tucker Partners is recognized as the second-largest

J. Fletcher HANSON III

The Economic Value of The University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

A trail along the Arkansas River or in a park, whether walking, cycling or hiking. One of my favorite things to do throughout my career is to stop in North Little Rock’s Riverfront Park after sunset to take in the skyline and dream about what our city and state have to offer.

Economic impact analysis

Who are your greatest inspirations or examples you strive to emulate?

commercial real estate firm in Arkansas and one of the largest and most admired in the region. With offices in Little Rock and Bentonville, Moses Tucker Partners operates statewide and in other parts of the United States. A full-time commercial real estate consultant and broker since 1997, Hanson specializes in providing corporate and individual clients with a comprehensive commercial real estate platform that emphasizes industrial and office properties. He offers deep client experience by coordinating with sales, property management, accounting, maintenance and development divisions. Furthermore, he aligns with the firm’s specialized industrial, office, retail, multifamily and capital markets divisions to provide specialized services as client needs arise. Given Hanson’s unique approach, he can offer more depth and create solutions across the entire commercial real estate spectrum. An active industry and community leader, Hanson’s roster of past and present memberships and community activities include the Little Rock Realtors Association, North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, Argenta Contemporary Theatre, Argenta Downtown Council, Appraisal Commissioner of the Argenta Special Improvement Business District, Leadership Greater Little Rock Class of XVI, and speaker for the International Council of Shopping Centers and Institute of Real Estate Management.

| Matt Harkness

Saracen Casino Resort

Matt Harkness is a casino executive with more that 40 years of managerial experience in the gaming industry, including 25 years as a chief operating officer and general manager for industry leading casinos throughout the country. He has worked in multiple jurisdictions, including Atlantic City, Las Vegas, the Chicagoland market and, now, Arkansas. He began his gaming career in 1979 at Resorts International in Atlantic City as a table games dealer. With direct experience in casino and marketing operations, the majority of his 45-year career has been at three companies, including eight years at Playboy Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, 15 years at Trump Casinos in Atlantic City and nine years at Four Winds Casinos in Michigan. Harkness has also been the general manager for the past four years at Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff. Saracen is a commercial property that is wholly owned and operated by the Quapaw Nation of Oklahoma. Harkness has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Thomas Edison State University in Trenton, New Jersey.

| Jon Harrell

Generations Bank

the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University, Harrell previously served as chairman of the Arkansas Bankers Association and was recently appointed to serve on the American Bankers Association Community Bankers Council.

| Derrell Hartwick

North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce

Derrell

Hartwick has been a lifelong resident of the state of Arkansas. Hartwick grew up in the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, where his father served as president and CEO for 15 years.

After graduating from North Little Rock High School as an Arkansas Scholar and a three-year letterman, Hartwick earned his Bachelor of Arts in communication from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville while playing football for the Razorbacks. After college, Hartwick moved back to North Little Rock, where he worked with the North Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau as tourism manager. Later, he took a position at the Little Rock Regional Chamber. Shortly after starting, Hartwick was promoted to director of sales. While at the Little Rock Regional Chamber, Hartwick earned his IEDC Mid-South Economic Development degree. Then, looking to advance, he took over as president and CEO of the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Hartwick moved back home in 2021 to become president and CEO of the North Little Rock Chamber.

| Montgomery “Monty” Heathmam

Heathman Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

The Dental Clinic of Stuttgart

DJon Harrell serves as chairman and CEO of Generations Bank, an Arkansas community bank chartered in 1907 headquartered in Rogers with approximately $950 million in assets. Harrell is the fifth generation Harrell to be involved with the bank. A graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science degree in banking and finance and a graduate of

r. Montgomery “Monty” Heathman is a second-generation dentist following in the footsteps of his father, the late Dr. N.D. “Dwight” Heathman. A native of Springdale, Heathman graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry in Memphis in 2000. Heathmann, who is the owner and founder of Heathman Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Little Rock and the Dental Clinic of Stuttgart, has been in practice for more than two decades. His clinics feature the latest in cosmetic procedures, as well as general dentistry, including tooth-colored fillings. His work includes ceramic crowns and veneers, root canal therapy, tooth extractions, temporomandibular joint therapies, implant restorations, All-on-4 implant dentures, smile makeovers, and full-mouth rehabilitation, as well as Botox and dermal fillers. In addition, he is a member of the American Dental Association, the Arkansas State Dental Association, the Central Arkansas Dental Association and the Xi Psi Phi dental fraternity. He has also served with numerous local, state and national organizations.

Monty HEATHMAN, DDS

In your opinion, what makes an influencer?

An influencer, in my opinion, is one who brings credibility to the profession and brand by listening and being honest. These qualities help me to achieve this goal. Honesty, open-mindedness and willingness are critical tenets regarding being able to influence.

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

Hiring a great business coach and mentor.

When did it click for you that this was the career you wanted to pursue?

When I was working as a dental assistant in Dallas, Texas, in the 1980s, I worked with some excellent clinicians who made dentistry fun. At that moment, I knew that if I went back to school and made the necessary sacrifices, I could enjoy and have the passion for dentistry that they had.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

I go to continuing education courses and learn. I go to dinner with colleagues and chat about work and life. Every quarter, I have to go to the beach or go deep-sea fishing to recharge my batteries. It keeps me grounded.

Who are your greatest inspirations or examples you strive to emulate?

My greatest inspiration was my father, the late Dr. Norman “Dwight” Heathman. He was a great dentist, husband, father and friend. He was selfless and served his community well.

What do you hope to accomplish in 2025?

I hope to continue to grow both personally and professionally, as well as spending more time with my wife, Kelli. I’d also like to slow down my schedule a bit.

| Brad Hegeman Nabholz

In his career with Conway-based Nabholz, Brad Hegeman has served in a number of leadership positions including executive vice president, regional president and chief operating officer. In 2021, he was elected vice chairman of the Nabholz Group Board and named chief strategy officer, for which he focuses on growing and diversifying the company through acquisitions, new geographic locations, new service offerings and innovation. Hegeman is committed to his community and dedicates his time to a number of organizations. He is chairman of the Governor’s Military Affairs Committee, chief of staff of the Air Force Civic Leader Program, a member of the CHI St. Vincent board of directors, a member of the Conway Development Corp. board, a member of the Little Rock Air Force Base executive board and chairman of the foundation board of directors for the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.

| Melissa Hendricks

University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College

Mdiverse knowledge bases and distinct challenges. He applies that mentality to raising his two children, McCall “Moh” and Dean, just as his parents did. Hinson believes traveling is the greatest education because it produces valuable perspective. His current focus is exploring unique strategies in order to impact Arkansans in a philanthropic approach.

| Brock Hoskins

Garver

Brock

elissa Hendricks is vice chancellor of advancement and executive director of the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College Foundation at UAPTC in North Little Rock. Hendricks, a Little Rock native, began in the role in January 2024. She oversees all fundraising and private gift administration and special event management. She also has administrative responsibilities for management of the Center for Humanities and Arts Theater and Windgate Art Gallery. Hendricks has a lengthy resume of success in nonprofit management, fundraising and grant writing. Her most recent role has been as foundation director for the Centers in Little Rock, a role she has had since 2018. Hendricks has served on the Little Rock Port Authority board since 2011, including serving as chair from 2018 to 2020. She previously served on the Little Rock Regional Chamber Board and as grants and major gifts officer at Pulaski Technical College from 2006 until 2013, prior to its affiliation with the University of Arkansas System. During that time, she raised $22.3 million through federal and foundation grant funding.

| Sean Hinson

CenterRock Advertising

Sean Hinson, partner at CenterRock Advertising in Little Rock, has lived in Little Rock for more than 30 years and has almost 20 years of experience in the marketing and advertising industry. He graduated from the University of South Carolina, where he majored in both strategic marketing and entrepreneurial management. He prides himself as being a team player and thrives on learning from different industries where he is exposed to

Hoskins is chair of Garver’s management committee and became the Arkansas company’s ninth president and CEO during the firm’s 100th year. Founded in 1919, Garver is an employeeowned, multidisciplined engineering, planning and environmental-services firm with more than 1,300 employees across the United States. Hoskins’ leadership at Garver has been a major component in guiding the company through transformational growth, expanding into new markets and improving the Garver brand. Garver sits in the top 100 of the Engineering News-Record’s prestigious “Top 500 Design Firms” list and is consistently recognized as a best place to work.

| Benjamin Johnson

U.S. Marshals Museum

Benjamin

Johnson is president and CEO of the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith. Over his 20-year museum career, he has served in nearly every capacity within the museum industry. Johnson comes to the USMM from the Putnam Museum and Science Center in Davenport, Iowa, where he was vice president of museum experience. Johnson is responsible for all aspects of museum operations and the guest experience. Prior to Putnam, Johnson was the executive director of the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New York. At Curtiss, he grew annual visits and revenues over a successful five-year stint as the museum leader.

| LaDonna Johnston

Unity Health

LaDonna Johnston is president and CEO of Unity Health, an Arkansas health care system consisting of four hospitals, 28 clinics and specialties and more than 150 physicians. Johnston has more than 35 years of experience at Unity Health, having held several key leadership roles within the organization, most recently including administrator of Unity Health–Newport, vice president of patient services and vice president of nursing services. As an Arkansas native with a Master of Nursing Science from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Harding University in Searcy, she is passionate about serving patients, families and communities with excellence and expertise. Engrained in the rich Unity Health

Jon HARRELL

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that success isn’t about having all the answers. I used to think I needed to know everything. Now I prioritize building a strong team and actively seeking input from others, whether it’s from my colleagues, industry experts or our customers.

What is the most underrated skill you think all leaders should possess?

Accountability. As a leader, I must be accountable to my team and hold them accountable in their respective lines of business.

Who are your greatest inspirations or examples you strive to emulate?

Leadership examples from the Bible provide true inspiration.

INFLUENCER

Chairman & CEO, Generations Bank

Sissy Jones THE QUEEN OF BLING

By Sarah DeClerk /

Marguerite “Sissy” Jones may be known today as the founder of one of Arkansas’ most iconic jewelry store chains, Sissy’s Log Cabin, but the road to becoming a household name started in a decidedly unglamorous place — a literal log cabin in Pine Bluff. For Jones, it was a diamond in the rough.

“It was a place I could put my stuff,” she said. “I didn’t fall in love with it. I found a place I honestly thought I could use, and I’d been looking at all the stores downtown and all around town, and nothing just hit me.”

That was in 1970. Jones, who started collecting antiques at age 13, had amassed a pile of items that took up a large portion of her dining room, and she was looking for a building where she could fulfill her long-held dream of owning an antiques store.

After she stumbled across the cabin, which was being torn down, she asked the owner to stop the demolition so she could rent the structure. He agreed, and, with a bit of elbow grease, Jones converted the building into her shop.

The future diamond denizen was focused on antique furniture and other goods at the time — she is still a licensed antiques appraiser — but she entered the jewelry business one fateful day, when a customer brought in a box of jewelry from her mother’s estate to sell on consignment.

“She had a lock box, and she dumped it all out. It was all jewelry,” Jones said. “It had these long chains with these things on it with a piece of jewelry on it that slid up and down, and I was like, ‘Ooh, I don’t know what half this stuff is.’”

She brought in a friend to help her appraise the items and learned that the chains were slide chains for pocket watches. She also learned that she is allergic to silver and gold.

That box of chains put Sissy’s Log Cabin on the map as a jewelry store after Jones draped a chain across her wrist and decided to start using old watch chains to make slide bracelets on which customers could add various slides to represent their family members.

“They were phenomenal,” Jones said. “People came from everywhere because I was the only one that had them because nobody else wanted the things. They thought it was junk, and they were all 14-karat gold, 90 percent of them.”

Expanding into Little Rock in 2010 was another milestone. Not only did the company secure a location in the Heights that had already served as a jewelry store, ensuring an existing customer base, but the move allowed the company to open a Rolex dealership. Sissy’s Log Cabin remains a licensed Rolex dealer to this day.

“It’s important to have a Rolex dealership if you can,” Jones said. “That’s very important because most of the better stores do have them, but it’s really hard to get a Rolex dealership.”

Sissy’s Log Cabin has now grown to six locations — Pine Bluff,

Conway, Jonesboro, Memphis and two stores in Little Rock — and there is still more to come. Jones said the company plans to open another Little Rock location at the intersection of Cantrell Road and University Avenue, and a Fort Smith location is set to open this spring.

She attributed the company’s success to God’s grace, citing Proverbs 20:24, which states, “A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?”

“We start every one of our shops every day with prayer,” Jones said. “I think the Lord is directing our ways. He has certainly directed me and all those things.”

She added that the company works to give back to the communities it serves by providing pieces for charity auctions, and Sissy’s Log Cabin also started a jewelry technology program at Southeast Arkansas College. In addition, Jones’ grandson, William, published a training guide for aspiring jewelers. Jones was named to the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame in 2022 and named Woman of the Year in Philanthropy by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas in 2020. She also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women’s Jewelry Association, as well as an entry into the organization’s hall of fame, in 2016.

Sissy’s Log Cabin has also received numerous awards over the years. The company was named best overall company and best jewelry store by Arkansas Money & Politics readers in 2024 and best jeweler by AY About You readers from 2015 to 2019.

Jones and her son, Bill Jones, have also served in leadership roles on the board of the Jewelry Sales Academy.

With three generations of the family now at the company, Jones said she is pursuing retirement, but few believe she will retire completely. She said she plans to work through her long list of appraisal requests. Life is too short for ordinary jewelry, she said, but it is also too short to not understand the treasures one might have at home.

“I love my business,” she said. “I’ve never felt I have worked a day.”

Photo by Stone Ward, courtesy of Sissy’s Log Cabin

Sissy Jones

LaDonna JOHNSTON

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

People are human, and they will let you down. It’s OK to have high expectations and assign responsibility, but it’s also important to be realistic and keep in mind that people will fall short.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

We live in the country, and our front porch overlooks a pond and fields. I like to sit on my porch and visit with God in the mornings before going to work. He guides me for the day in these quiet moments.

Who are your greatest inspirations or examples you strive to emulate?

My mother. She is faithful, hardworking, supportive, kind and encouraging.

INFLUENCER

President & CEO, Unity Health

history and culture, Johnston has a heart for fostering exceptional patient care and creating a positive working atmosphere where associates can thrive and grow.

| Casey Jones

The Janet Jones Company

Casey Jones started his real estate career in 1987 and quickly became one of the top producers in the Little Rock market. He has provided the Little Rock community with real estate expertise and has an unrelenting dedication to providing both buyers and sellers legendary customer service and exceptional results. He attributes his success to in-depth knowledge of the market combined with hard work and an authentic passion for the extraordinary tradition of helping families find their home. For more 25 years, Jones has been the top producing agent at The Janet Jones Company and in Little Rock. His dedication to customer satisfaction has been profiled in multiple publications, including AY About You

| Marguerite “Sissy” Jones

Sissy’s Log Cabin

Anative of Gillett, Marguerite “Sissy” Jones founded Sissy’s Log Cabin in a log cabin in Pine Bluff in 1970. Over the years, Sissy’s Log Cabin has grown to become one of Arkansas’ most iconic names in jewelry, boasting locations in Pine Bluff, Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood, west Little Rock, Jonesboro, Conway and Memphis, plus a Fort Smith location and a new Little Rock location in the works. The company emphasizes its high level of staff training and works to give back to the communities it serves, including through a jewelry technology program at Southeast Arkansas College in Pine Bluff. Jones was named to the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame in 2022, named Woman of the Year in Philanthropy by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas in 2020, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women’s Jewelry Association in 2016. Three generations of her family now work at the company, including her son, CEO Bill Jones.

| Steve Jones

Dassault Falcon Jet

| Diane LaFollette Mid-America Science Museum

Diane LaFollette has served as CEO of Mid-America Science Museum of Hot Springs since 2013. During her tenure there, she has led the organization through a $7.8 million renovation of the facility, which included the installation of 90 new exhibits, three new galleries, the Oaklawn Foundation Digital Dome Theater and the Bob Wheeler Science Skywalk. Recent projects include the construction of a new exhibition gallery called the Hall of Wonder, a new 5000-square-foot exhibition space for traveling exhibits and events, and the Oaklawn Foundation DinoTrek, which is a mile of pathways throughout the wooded property featuring dinosaur displays. LaFollette serves on the boards for CHI St. Vincent Hospital of Hot Springs, LifeNet ambulance services and the Ouachita Mountain Regional Science and Engineering Fair. She is an executive committee member of the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Board and a director for the Hot Springs National Park Rotary. LaFollette has a Bachelor of Science in secondary education from the University of Missouri and a graduate certificate of nonprofit management and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

| Steve Landers Jr.

Interstate Holdings

Steve Landers Jr. is known by many Arkansans for his decades of work in the automotive industry in the state, but he also is the owner and founder of Interstate Holdings in Bryant, a growth investment firm with a diverse portfolio across consumer retail, real estate, blockchain, media and more. Through Interstate, he owns two cryptocurrency mines in Arkansas. Last year, Landers purchased Warfield Distillery in Ketchum, Idaho, and renamed it Sun Valley Distillery. Warfield spirits and beer were made available in Arkansas in 2024.

Steve Jones has worked at Dassault Falcon Jet in Little Rock for 23 years. He is currently the director of engineering. In his current role, he is responsible for the release of equipped cabinetry definition, including structural substantiation and regulatory compliance. Jones really enjoys the guidance and leadership of the engineering team and instills in them that he is only successful when they are successful. Jones graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. Prior to that, he graduated from Bryant High School in 1996. He is a member of Leadership Arkansas Class XIX.

| Laura Landreaux

Entergy Arkansas

Laura Landreaux is president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas, a company that has helped power life in Arkansas for 110 years. She ensures Entergy Arkansas meets the power needs of about 730,000 customers every day. She is also responsible for driving the company’s financial and operational business results, customer service, safety, resource planning, economic development, employee development, and regulatory and governmental affairs. She became president and CEO in 2018. She joined Entergy Arkansas in 2007 as senior counsel, practicing regulatory law for five years. She then became manager of regulatory affairs at Entergy

Casey JONES

What is the most underrated skill you think all leaders should possess?

Humility is a characteristic that all leaders should possess and shines a light on skills that all leaders should aspire to acquire. A true leader knows their level of proficiency and should possess quiet confidence while always being willing to improve and seek a higher perspective. Humility allows for an understanding that we are all in various stages of growth and development, and it accentuates the appreciation of the potential in others. Encouraging others to achieve their maximum potential is rewarding both from a professional and personal standpoint.

Who are your greatest inspirations, or examples you strive to emulate?

I have been blessed with so many amazing mentors. Carolyn Ward, who owned Ward-Gibson, convinced me that I could make it in real estate, and I was surrounded by a wonderful group of agents who always celebrated each other’s achievements more than their own. Janet Jones and her husband, Bud, who own the The Janet Jones Company, have been a second family to me and always encouraged me to be the best in my professional career and in my personal life. The greatest inspiration would come from my parents, Linda and Bobby Jones, who showed me how to have a strong work ethic with the same level of integrity and taught me the ultimate lesson of faithfulness.

INFLUENCER

Sales Associate, The Janet Jones Company

Arkansas in 2012. She went on to have other leadership positions, including finance director and vice president of regulatory affairs, where she was responsible for interactions between Entergy Arkansas and the Arkansas Public Service Commission. Prior to joining Entergy, she was an attorney for Salt River Project, a water and electricity utility in Phoenix. She joined Salt River Project after spending several years in private practice at Quarles & Brady in Phoenix. An active member of the Arkansas nonprofit community, Landreaux currently serves on the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce board of directors. She also serves as a board member for the Foundation for the Mid South, the Arkansas Research Alliance and Easterseals Arkansas. She served as the chairperson of Junior Achievement of Arkansas’ 2019 Legacy Luncheon, was presented the 2019 Woman in Business award by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas and was named the 2020 Arkansan of the Year by Easterseals Arkansas.

| Heather Larkin

Arkansas Community Foundation

Heather Larkin, a native of Charleston, joined Arkansas Community Foundation in 1998 and became its president and CEO in 2008. She is committed to and enjoys engaging people and connecting resources to build stronger communities in Arkansas. She was also named as a scholar in residence at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service for exemplary contributions in the field of community philanthropy. Larkin is a Hull Fellow and attended the Hull Leadership Program, a program to nurture and inspire the region’s philanthropic leaders. She attended Hendrix College in Conway, and while at Hendrix, she competed in several sports, including cross country, track and basketball. Larkin serves or has served on the boards of Just Communities of Arkansas, the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation, Rotary Club 99 and ACANSA Arts Festival. She was inducted into the Hendrix Athletic Hall of Honor in 2007. She is also a member of various organizations and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock class 19 and of Leadership Arkansas Class 1.

| Gar Lile

Lile Real Estate

Gar Lile founded Lile Real Estate a little more than 30 years ago in 1993. An avid outdoorsman his whole life, he knew early on that he wanted his career to be centered around that love. Over the last three decades, he has successfully connected land investors across the mid-South and grown a team of agents with a shared passion. Lile is a licensed real estate broker in four states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee), an accredited land consultant and a certified general appraiser (inactive) in Arkansas. He is actively involved in the ownership and development of farms and recreational properties and has a hand in many major development projects in the state. Lile is an active outdoorsman

and dedicated conservationist. He is an Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation board member, former trustee board member of the Delta Waterfowl Foundation, and a life sponsor of both Delta Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited.

| Matt Machen Arvest Bank

Matt Machen is president and COO of Arvest Bank, a role he has filled since February of 2024 when he was promoted from regional executive for enhanced banking services. He previously served at Bear State Bank in several roles including president and CEO, president and senior EVP and CFO; at First Federal Bank in northwest Arkansas as regional president and SVP; and at First Security Bank as vice president. Machen received his Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and financial management services from the University of Arkansas, and he is a 2016 graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking in Philadelphia.

| George Makris Jr.

Simmons First National Corp.

George Makris currently serves as Chairman and CEO of Simmons First National Corporation and the Company’s lead subsidiary, Simmons Bank. Prior to joining the bank in January 2013, the bank had operations in three states and total consolidated assets of approximately $3.5 billion. Today, the company stretches across a six-state footprint with approximately $27.3 billion in assets. Previously, Mr. Makris had been employed by M.K. Distributors, Inc., a family-owned wholesale distribution business, serving as president from 1985 to 2012. Mr. Makris served as a member of the board of directors of Worthen National Bank – Pine Bluff and successors from 1985 to 1996 and served as Chairman of the Board from 1994 to 1996. Mr. Makris also serves as board chairman for Arkansas Charities Trust (ACT) the host organization that oversees the operation of the Simmons Bank Championship Presented by Stephens, a PGA TOUR Champions event hosted in Little Rock. Mr. Makris received a B.A. degree in Business Administration from Rhodes College in 1978 and an M.B.A. from the University of Arkansas in 1980..

| Nirvana Manning University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Dr. Nirvana Manning is chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine in Little Rock. She also serves as director of women’s health services at UAMS and is one of only nine providers in Arkansas to become a certified menopause practitioner. She is an elected member of the Arkansas Medical Society’s board of trustees and an inaugural member of the Arkansas Maternal

Diane L aFOLLETTE

What is one thing you would change about your industry or field?

I would like to see more value placed on informal education. We are only in formal school for about 8 percent of our entire lives, which leaves a large portion of our time open for opportunities provided by museums, libraries, zoos, aquariums and the like. Communities that invest in education are communities investing in the future.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration? Outside — anywhere, anytime.

What do you hope to accomplish in 2025?

Mid-America Science Museum has a very exciting, large project we will be launching in 2025, and an announcement will be coming early in the year. We have also been working on achieving accreditation through the American Alliance of Museums since 2020. We are on track to apply in 2025, with the award announced in 2026. This will be the first accreditation for Mid-America.

INFLUENCER

O’Connor congratulates Dustin McDaniel, co-chair

CEO, Mid-America Science Museum

Mortality Review Committee, to which she was appointed by the governor of Arkansas. She also serves as a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Council of University Chairs in Obstetrics and Gynecology, the North American Menopause Society, and the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Manning graduated from UAMS in 2003 and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UAMS in 2007. She is a staunch advocate for her patients and implemented such projects as Girlology to educate young girls and caregivers about puberty and self-care. She is active in education regarding access to long-acting reversible contraception for all women in the state.

| Richard Mays Sr.

Richard Mays Law Firm

Richard Mays is founder of Richard Mays Law Firm, a boutique practice in Little Rock dedicated to providing quality legal counsel to individuals, businesses, environmental organizations and citizens’ interest groups. Mays is an award-winning attorney who has practiced law for more than 50 years. Prior to starting his own practice, he served as a staff attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C., as well as a lawyer for the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. His experience in those positions gave him in-depth insight into the inner workings of state and federal environmental agencies.

| Dustin McDaniel

Cozen O’Connor

Dustin McDaniel is the co-chair of the Cozen O’Connor State AG Group and managing partner at the firm’s Little Rock office. He served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives and then as Arkansas’s 55th attorney general from 2007 to 2015. McDaniel serves clients facing state attorney general investigations and litigation. He brings extensive experience in government and in private practice and a deep network of relationships. In his national practice, McDaniel advises clients, including Fortune 50 corporations and market disrupters, on every aspect of their dealings with state attorneys general. He develops strategy, advocates for clients’ interests and leads legal teams to deliver lasting results. He focuses on investigations and multistate lawsuits brought by attorneys general on complex issues, including consumer protection, digital privacy, cybersecurity and health care. McDaniel has for many years been a leader in the state attorney general community. He chaired the Southern Region National Association of Attorneys General from 2009 to 2011, co-chaired the NAAG Tobacco Project from 2009 to 2011, and co-chaired the NAAG Energy and the Environment Committee from 2013 to 2014. He also co-chaired the Democratic Attorneys General Association from 2009 to 2011 and currently serves as the national co-chair of the Society of Attorneys General Emeritus. McDaniel has been recognized as a leading

practitioner and influencer by Best Lawyers and Arkansas Money & Politics. He and his wife, Bobbi, have been married for almost 16 years, and they have three adult children.

| Pat Moon

Meridian Investment Advisors

As managing principal at Meridian Investment Advisors, Pat Moon is responsible for leading the Meridian team in carrying out the mission of helping clients meet their financial potential. He is a member of the investment strategy team, advisor to wealth management clients and active in retirement plan consulting. He is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and Texas Christian University and is a chartered financial analyst. Moon joined Meridian in 1997.

| John Moran

USAble Life

John Moran, chief financial officer at USAble Life in Little Rock, brings more than 25 years of experience to the company. He joined USAble Life in 2018 after working as CFO at Swiss Re Group in Armonk, New York, where he helped lead acquisitions and growth strategy for Swiss Re’s life insurance start-up business, Life Capital Americas. Before that, he served as CFO and leader of the life insurance division of Enstar Group in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. He also served as senior vice president and controller of central finance at HSBC North America in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was a member of the senior management team of CareOne, a startup senior care company in Fort Lee, New Jersey, that has 56 properties in seven states. His expertise helped build the MultiCare Companies, an elder care services company based in Hackensack, New Jersey.

| Julie Mullenix

Mullenix & Associates

Julie Mullenix is an attorney and lobbyist at Mullenix & Associates in Little Rock, the government relations and consulting firm she co-founded with her husband, Ted, 25 years ago. Throughout her career, she has helped Arkansas secure historic economic development projects such as Atlas Tube, Big River Steel, GTL Americas, Highland Pellets and Hybar, among many others. She has also played a pivotal role in firsts for the state, including the deployment of Arkansas Wireless Information Network and Arkansas Administrative Statewide Information System. An Arkansas native, she is honored to represent some of the state’s most iconic brands, including Oaklawn in Hot Springs, and influential organizations such as the Arkansas Realtors Association. She avidly supports philanthropic causes, from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas & North Louisiana to the Children’s Tumor Foundation and Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas.

Dustin McDANIEL

Describe your journey from being the youngest attorney general in the nation to leading the Cozen O’Connor State AG Group.

When I was term-limited from office, I started a practice in Arkansas that served clients across the nation defending companies that were being investigated by or litigating with state attorneys general. State AGs are different from the federal government or private litigants, so not every firm is equipped to manage the scope and complexity of multistate investigations and litigation. I always admired the Cozen O’Connor State AG Group, so I was honored and excited to have the opportunity this year to lead their team as co-chair. We serve the most sophisticated companies in the world as they navigate the complex regulatory and litigation environments of the state attorneys general.

In your opinion, what makes an influencer?

One is lucky to be influential within an organization or community. Influence, to me, is really about leadership. I have always tried to lead by example. A reputation for hard work and integrity is hard to earn and easy to tarnish. I want to show my colleagues and competitors alike that I am committed to the same ideals now as when I was in public life. I want to make the marketplace safer for consumers and fair for business. In my practice now, I get to work on the most pressing issues of our time, like social media, digital privacy, cybersecurity, public health and more. That work allows me to do more than simply represent clients in their legal affairs. I hope that this work is influential across multiple sectors and endures over time.

What do you hope to accomplish in 2025?

As managing partner for Cozen O’Connor’s Little Rock office, I want to expand the firm’s footprint in our state and legal community. I want to add lawyers to the team. Of course, my primary job is leading our State AG Group and serving clients nationally from our Washington, D.C., headquarters. A major goal for me this year will be learning to balance my time between Washington and Little Rock while growing both teams.

INFLUENCER

Co-Chair, State Attorneys General Group Managing Partner, Little Rock office, Cozen O’Connor

| Sarah Newman Arkansas Trucking Association

Sarah Newman has served as director of operations at the Arkansas Trucking Association for 22 years. She has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s growth and success. As a driving force behind the association’s educational initiatives, Newman spearheaded the development of the 501(c)(3) technician scholarship fund, creating pathways for high school graduates pursuing careers in medium and heavy-duty truck technology. Her work with the technician curriculum advisory committee has been instrumental in helping Arkansas schools achieve accreditation, strengthening the state’s technical education infrastructure. Newman’s expertise spans comprehensive event planning, facilitating ATA’s maintenance and technology council work and strategic resource allocation across various industry subgroups. Known for her behind-the-scenes leadership approach, she excels at transforming complex logistical challenges into seamlessly executed events. Her dual background in finance and marketing enables her to balance the analytical demands of operations with creative problem solving. Currently, Newman is focused on advancing technical education programs in Arkansas. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway with dual majors in marketing and finance.

| Cam Patterson University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Cam Patterson leads the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas’ only health sciences university, with a mission to educate health care professionals, perform research that translates to new treatments and deliver exceptional patient care across the Natural State. Patterson, an accomplished cardiologist and health care administrator, has been chancellor since 2018. He was previously the senior vice president and chief operating officer of New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Komansky Children’s Hospital in New York. Patterson previously had numerous academic and clinical appointments at the University of North Carolina, including as physician-in-chief at the UNC Center for Heart and Vascular Care and executive director of the UNC McAllister Heart Institute. As principal investigator or co-investigator, Patterson has received more than $60 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention throughout the course of his career. His work has been published in 323 peer-reviewed scientific publications. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Georgia and his Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.

| Dawn Prasifka

Girl Scouts - Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas

Dawn Prasifka, president and CEO of Girl Scouts - Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, has aided in developing girls of courage, confidence and character that make the world a better place. During her tenure of more than 10 years, she has touched the lives of tens of thousands of girls, volunteers, caregivers and staff members. She has connected members to other businesses and organizations around the state to help girls discover who they want to be and the opportunities in Arkansas.

| Jay Quebedeaux

Baptist Health

Jay Quebedeaux serves as president of regional hospitals for Baptist Health, the Little Rock-based health care system. He oversees five of the system’s regional facilities in Arkadelphia, Heber Springs, Malvern, Monticello and Stuttgart and serves as president for Baptist Health Medical Center-Hot Spring County and Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia. Before coming to Baptist Health in 2022, Quebedeaux was CEO of the Mena Regional Health System for seven years. He was also the CEO and COO at Sabine Medical Center in Many, Louisiana, and the CEO of North Metro Medical Center in Jacksonville. Quebedeaux has additionally held leadership roles in Texas and Colorado. Quebedeaux earned his Master of Business Administration from Amberton University in Garland, Texas, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.

| Jay Ramsey

Catering

Anative of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and a graduate of Oklahoma State University, Jay Ramsey brought New York Bagel and Deli to Little Rock in 1994. As the demand for catering increased, Ramsey transitioned from a dine-in bagel shop and deli to a fullservice catering establishment, Rx Catering, in 2004. Rx Catering famously caters to “anyone with an appetite” but specializes in business lunches, special events and weddings. Ramsey’s 28 years in food service has provided many opportunities for community service and involvement. Most recently, he served on the board of YoungLife, supporting adolescents in growing their Christian faith. In addition, Ramsey provides free meals to local youth through the Lessons for Life organization, in addition to helping with organizations such as the Little Rock Marathon, the Ms. Arkansas Pageant and various homeless outreach programs. He attributes much of Rx Catering’s success to his long-term co-workers, some of whom he has worked with for more than 20 years.

Congratulations to the top 100 Influencers of the Year!

Simmons Bank is proud to congratulate CEO George A. Makris, Jr. on his recognition from Arkansas Money & Politics as a leader whose life, legacy and example impact the state and people of Arkansas.

Cam Patterson CHALLENGES ACCEPTED

By Dwain Hebda / Photo by Bryan Clifton

Cam Patterson’s reign as chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock is only entering its seventh year, but given the unprecedented challenges that have come up over that period, it feels a lot longer than that.

“It seems like a different lifetime,” Patterson said. “Like a lot of us, I think we break the world down into pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 in health care. There was no way that anyone in 2018 could have predicted or prepared for what we went through, and I’m proud of the role that UAMS played in leading the state through the most serious pandemic any of us have lived in our lifetimes.”

Patterson arrived in Little Rock from Weill Cornell Medical Center and Komansky Children’s Hospital/New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York. He immediately set about the usual challenges that faced an academic hospital — such as funding and staffing — before being hit full in the face with something no one could have imagined.

He said the organization is stronger for having come through the pandemic with an innovative mindset that resulted in various system improvements that serve patients to this day.

“Some of [the changes] are literally rocket science, you know, seeing vaccines being developed in real time and distributed as quickly as they were. That was a revolution in health care,” he said. “Some of them were not rocket science; some of them were more mundane. The role that UAMS played in procurement for the state for [personal protective equipment], that was really unique. I don’t think any other academic medical center did procurement for an entire state the way that UAMS did.

“It meant that during the day, we were dealing with the pandemic, and at night, we were making seven- or eight-figure purchases for the entire state from China. It turned our operation into a 24/7 operation.”

Patterson said one of the most lasting of the workarounds that would today be an accepted part of care has been digital health.

“We already had a large footprint in the digital health domain, but COVID-19 really drove us to look for more ways in which we could interface with patients from a distance, sometimes asynchronously, to provide the same level of care,” he said.

Patterson does not like to dwell on past accomplishments, so he was quick to point out the wins achieved post pandemic, of which there are many in the ongoing effort to improve and expand medical care statewide.

“Where we’re strong is in our ability to provide care and implement services across the entire state,” he said. “Our regional programs now are nine in total, and they’re much more than just training sites for us. They’re now integrated with our entire

health care system. We provide primary care services. We provide specialty services. We provide medical education. That distinguishes UAMS from similar academic medical centers in rural states.”

One visit to the main campus in Little Rock also reveals many of the things that have been implemented or enhanced on Patterson’s watch. In fact, the many gleaming new buildings can border on overwhelming, which is why he is so passionate about staff maintaining the personal touch with patients trying to find their way among millions of dollars’ worth of facilities, resources and technology.

“Something we spend a lot of time thinking about is how to make sure our team members who are interacting with patients and family members realize that people are not here because they want to be here; they’re here because they have to be here,” he said. “For that reason, we need to go out of our way to make them feel comfortable. Somebody looks like they are lost in the hallway, our employees are taught to recognize that and provide help to get them reoriented.

“We’re also working on digital tools to make wayfinding easier for our patients and families. I think we’ve made it much easier for our patients to interact with us through MyChart, which allows them to have direct access to their care providers.”

Looking to the future, Patterson said there are many accomplishments that are paving the way for better care and outcomes, including opening the new Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital, the nursing program earning only the fifth Magnet designation in the state, and the dramatic growth of the organization’s research program.

“We continue to identify additional programs for educating care providers in our state. The newest one that we’re talking about is a nurse anesthetist program that we will be starting up,” he said. “I would also say the next big achievement that we are focused on is attaining National Cancer Institute designation for the [Winthrop P.] Rockefeller Cancer Institute. We hope to be submitting an application to the NCI for that in the next 12 to 24 months.”

Cam Patterson

Pat MOON

When did it click for you that this was the career you wanted to pursue?

In the early ‘80s, my father bought shares for me of CCX Network, the predecessor company of Acxiom. I’m thankful he had the foresight to help me start learning early about investing, which sparked an interest that led to a worthwhile career for me.

In your opinion, what makes an influencer?

An influencer can shape the decisions and behaviors of others. Trust is needed, which can be gained with experience, expertise and good communication. There have been many at Meridian in our 40-year history who were trustworthy influencers. That’s a built-in advantage for me.

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

They say with age comes wisdom. I wish I’d known all along that everything of importance comes down to people. Success comes from one meaningful interaction at a time.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

We have a place on the Little Red River named Dragonfly that’s a peaceful respite. I’ll grab a power nap on the weekends when possible, and my quiet time with my Bible is important to me.

What is the most underrated skill you think all leaders should possess?

Many say a leader is born, but I think much of the skill can be learned. A common trait I see in good leaders is the ability to inspire others to take an idea and find a way to produce a good result. We have a great team at Meridian, and it’s gratifying to play a role in something bigger than I am.

What do you hope to accomplish in 2025?

My company is in a generational transition. I need to provide clarity of purpose and a more focused pace for our team in 2025.

Sarah NEWMAN

What makes an influencer, in your opinion?

Someone who makes doing hard things seem attainable.

What is one thing you would change about your industry or field?

People are beginning to recognize the professionalism and essentiality of truck drivers. I want the public to have that same appreciation for the men and women behind the equipment on our roads. Heavy truck technician is a STEM career, one requiring the skill and knowledge to keep trucks rolling.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

Being with friends recharges me, and hitting the gym with headphones blaring clears my mind.

INFLUENCER

Director of Operations, Arkansas Trucking Association

Jay Ramsey, Owner

Seth RUNSER

What makes an influencer, in your opinion?

Those who I consider influencers inspire people and drive positive change through their actions, words and strategic vision. They know that trust is earned, and so they truly connect with people and listen to understand.

What is one thing you would change about your industry or field?

Supply chain disruptions have become all too common, and these things have the potential to really wreak havoc on businesses. Minimizing disruption is what I would change, and it’s a focus for us at ArcBest. We constantly evaluate our processes and technology, investing in the things that build efficiencies in our customers’ supply chains and our own business.

What is the most underrated skill you think all leaders should possess

One of ArcBest’s core values is collaboration, and I think it’s a critical skill for all leaders. You may have heard the saying, “If you’re the smartest one in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” I believe that. Genuinely listening to your teams, especially the people on the front lines, provides valuable insights and fosters a culture of trust and collaboration. With this knowledge, we can identify opportunities and improvements that drive meaningful change.

Who are your greatest inspirations?

They say everything changes when you become a parent. I remember the very first time I held my son; the overwhelming love and fear of making mistakes was profound. Being a good role model, teacher, mentor, coach and shoulder to cry on became my top priority. Teaching my kids how to navigate life with our values as their foundation inspires me to be my best every day.

| Seth Runser ArcBest

Seth Runser is the president of ArcBest. With a deep knowledge of logistics operations gained from more than 17 years at the company, Runser advances the company’s long-term growth through operational efficiency and continuous improvement with a commitment to delivering value to customers through innovative technology, a hands-on approach to creating logistics solutions and a focus on service excellence. Runser joined the company in 2007 as an ABF Freight management trainee and has gained valuable experience as operations supervisor, service center manager, regional vice president of operations and vice president of linehaul operations. In 2021, he was named president of ABF Freight, and in August 2024, he was named president of ArcBest. As ABF president, Runser navigated unprecedented change and guided ABF through the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing employees’ safety while keeping customers’ supply chains moving. He oversaw the successful renewal of a five-year union labor agreement, led an ongoing transformation of ABF and delivered solid financial performance through a challenging economy. Runser has led advancements in the company’s sustainability initiatives, including its ongoing investment in maintaining a modern fleet for ABF that improves fuel economy and reduces GHG emissions, initiatives such as city route optimization technology and testing electric straight trucks, yard tractors and forklifts. He is a former Arkansas Trucking Association board member, a former American Trucking Associations highway safety policy committee member and a BNSF customer advisory board member, and he has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Kent State University in Ohio.

| Adolfo Santos

Arkansas Tech University

A| Marshall Saviers

Cushman & Wakefield | Sage Partners

Through the ups and downs of the office and industrial real estate markets, Marshall Saviers has consistently outperformed his competitors as one of the top brokers in the region. President of Cushman & Wakefield | Sage Partners, he has 15 years of experience in the industry and boasts an extensive list of Fortune 500 companies as clients. Saviers has completed hundreds of lease transactions totalling millions of square feet across the country. In Arkansas alone, his transactions total more than $150 million in the past 12 to 18 months as he has been involved in some of the largest investment sales in the state.

| DuShun Scarbrough

Sr.

Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission

DuShun

dolfo Santos became executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville in 2024. He had previously served as assistant provost and professor of political science at Texas A&M University since 2018. Before that, he served as dean of the Georgia Gwinnett College School of Liberal Arts, special assistant to the president and chief liaison officer at the University of Houston-Downtown and American Council on Education fellow at California State UniversityMonterey Bay. He began his education career at the University of Houston system in 1995 and served as department chair, assistant chair and faculty member in social sciences. He also served as a statistical analyst in the UH Center for Mexican American Studies and a research associate in the UH Hobby Center for Public Policy. Santos has a Bachelor of General Studies in political science from the University of Houston-Downtown and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in political science from the University of Houston.

Scarbrough Sr., executive director of the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, is a Little Rock native who began his community involvement at age 15 with a youth speakout conference titled “Death of a Race.” He later participated in youth seminars and preventive programs, igniting a lifelong passion for service. A graduate of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, he has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and was awarded the JTPA Scholarship. Scarbrough also earned a Master of Business Administration from Webster University, a Master of Counselor Education from Florida A&M University and a Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. He holds certifications from the King Center in Atlanta and Harvard Kennedy School in Massachusetts. Under his leadership, the commission hosts the nation’s largest day of service and is among five states to issue a commemorative King legacy license plate, exemplifying Scarbrough’s commitment to promoting nonviolence and service.

| Patrick Schueck

Lexicon

Patrick Schueck is CEO of Lexicon, a leading provider of construction management, fabrication, erection, mechanical installation, golf course construction and plant maintenance services. Lexicon delivers up to four million man-hours and 150,000 tons of steel annually through its multiple divisions – Prospect Steel, Custom Metals, Steel Fabricators of Monroe, Lexicon Industrial Constructors, Lexicon Industrial Maintenance, Lexicon Energy Services, Heritage Links and Universal.

Schueck serves on several boards including Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the American Institute of Steel Construction, Easterseals Arkansas and U.S. Bank. He also serves as vice chair and treasurer of the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission

Mitchell SHELBY

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

Success centers around our mindset, habits and self-awareness. I would say learning how to focus on the end goal and not just what is in front of us at the time.

What is one thing you would change about your industry or field?

The electrical industry, like many trades, faces labor shortages, particularly with the increasing demand for electricians in emerging sectors like renewable energy. By investing in upskilling and apprenticeship programs that focus on future-facing technologies, the industry can cultivate a more adaptable and skilled workforce, helping to bridge this skills gap.

When did it click for you that this was the career you wanted to pursue?

I do not know one exact moment or experience, but I have been involved in electrical type work since my early teen years. The process of “clicking,” for many people, often happens when they discover something they are enthusiastic about or when they realize their skills and interests align with a particular field. For me, it is not about a moment of realization but rather a continuous learning process. I am here to assist, learn and adapt to provide helpful and meaningful interactions, which could be seen as a version of “clicking” for my purpose.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

Being on the water, fishing. It is more than just a hobby; it is a way to disconnect, reflect and get recharged.

Who are your greatest inspirations or examples you strive to emulate?

I have been fortunate to have been surrounded by many great people in the industry that have served as inspiration throughout the years and left a lasting impact, specifically founder Gary Houston and president Keith Weeks. Both have offered notable examples for me to follow.

Patrick Schueck REAL BUILDER

By Mak Millard / Photo by Steve Lewis

Business executives are often hailed as “builders,” but perhaps none can lay a stronger claim to that title — both literally and figuratively — than Lexicon CEO Patrick Schueck. The Little Rock steel fabrication and construction company has come a long way since 1968, when Schueck’s father, Tom, started Schueck Steel Products out of his garage. Taking the helm in 2020, the younger Schueck now oversees a billion-dollar operation with 2,000 employees that span divisions in fabrication and erection, construction management and equipment installation, industrial maintenance, energy services and golf course construction.

Evidence of Schueck’s work can be found far and wide; he has overseen numerous major projects, from the expansion of Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the NASA Stennis A-3 Test Stand in Mississippi. Already a renowned player in the industry, Lexicon’s body of work is large and diverse — steel mills, semiconductor plants, hospitals and bridges are only a sampling. As the company’s footprint has grown, it has refined its winning ways under Schueck’s leadership, coming out ahead time and again in everything from automation and safety to employee longevity.

While inevitable, Schueck’s path to the family business’ Csuite was no easy climb. He paid his dues in entry-level work, just as any tradesman would. After starting at a South Carolina steel mill in 1999, Schueck’s first two weeks on the job consisted of taking a crew out to pick up trash. Next was bushing columns with a hammer drill in the 120-degree heat. From there, he headed to a plant in Petersburg, Virginia, did shutdown work at steel mills all over the South and spent plenty of time chest-deep in grease while changing out fittings at Nucor-Yamato.

By the time he moved into leadership at Lexicon, Schueck had firsthand, wide-ranging experience with the physical, emotional and mental toll the long hours and days take on a steel worker. That perspective has not only brought him closer to his employees but enabled him to be a more effective decision maker. Schueck seems to understand that Lexicon’s most important trade is not in construction but in people, and he has been vocal in giving credit to those on the front lines for the business’ continued success. In fact, as much as Lexicon leads the industry in terms of production and technological innovation, the company is also a trailblazer in the realm of employee well-being.

In 2024, Lexicon awarded one of its largest-ever groups of employees with $10,000, all-taxes-paid checks as part of the 20-year incentive program started by Schueck’s father. Since 2002, the company has inducted almost 230 employees into the 20-year club and has written nearly $3.5 million in checks to its most loyal team members. A more recent addition, the “Good Catch” award,

gives employees who notify management of potential safety risks their own $2,500 reward.

“In today’s competitive labor market, where employees’ tenures are growing shorter, it’s remarkable and gratifying to honor more than 30 employees who have devoted 20 years of service to Lexicon,” Scheuck said during an October awards ceremony at the company’s Port of Little Rock headquarters. “Our team members are the cornerstone of our success, and their commitment, expertise and hard work have shaped who we are as a company.”

Last year also saw the company launch the “Strong as Steel: Building Mental Might” initiative. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by construction industry workers, Lexicon has invested in an awareness campaign to combat stigma, offer resources, and help employees navigate obstacles both professionally and personally. The company’s headquarters already houses an on-site health clinic, and employees have access to telehealth services, an expanded employee assistance program and enhanced leave policies.

Before the state’s largest construction company can work on keeping its employees long term, however, it has to bring new faces through the door. Schueck, naturally, is a strong promoter of trade work, and the company’s internal development program, Lexicon University, gives employees the training needed to further their careers once in the industry. Lexicon has partnered with Arkansas Northeastern College in Blytheville to provide a millwright mechanic training program, in addition to working with groups such as the American Institute of Steel Construction and the American Welding Society to show high school students the opportunities that exist in the lucrative line of work. Those efforts have bolstered the company’s ability to attract, train and retain talent.

State and national conditions also bode well for the company’s future. Schueck has praised Arkansas’ pro-business approach compared to some of its neighbors, and it is no secret that the northeast part of the state is cementing itself as an American steel hub. As a construction industry linchpin, Lexicon is primed to benefit from a growing interest in domestic-made products and a renaissance in demand for stateside labor, as well.

Patrick Schueck

Dr.Todd Shields Chancellor, Arkansas State University

Named one of AMP’s Influencers of the Year for 2025

and as a member of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee, the University of Arkansas College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council and the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineering.

| Mitchell Shelby

Gary Houston Electric Co.

Mitchell Shelby is a licensed master electrician with more than 20 years in the electrical industry. He has made significant contributions to the personal development of the team that has worked alongside him throughout the years. Currently, Shelby serves as vice president at Gary Houston Electric Co., where he leads both the commercial and service divisions, in addition to filling various other roles within the company. Shelby excels in collaborative design-build processes, control and automation systems, lighting systems design, and adaptability in the face of changing project needs. Being able to interact with the customer and make their vision come to fruition within their budget brings an element of partnership with a combination of complementary skills, resources, expertise and perspectives. Shelby is also an avid outdoorsman. Whether it be hunting, fishing or spending time with his family, outdoors is where he feels the most connected to himself.

| Todd Shields

Arkansas State University

AGreat American Conference Coach of the Year. He has a 77-14 overall record and an .870 winning percentage in conference games. Simmons earned his bachelor’s degree in social science from Harding in 1995. A native of Ashdown, he and his wife, Kimberly, have three children.

| Todd Simmons

Simmons Foods

Toddn academic administrator, a nationally known scholar and an unabashed champion for students, staff and faculty, Todd Shields was named the fourth appointed chancellor and the 14th individual to lead Arkansas State University’s flagship campus in Jonesboro. He spent many years at the University of Arkansas, where he rose through the ranks to serve as dean of the largest academic unit in Fayetteville. Shields’ depth of academic administrative experience spans from department chair to research centers and from deanships of individual colleges to divisions touching all corners of the university. His two most recent academic appointments, dean of the graduate school and international education and dean of the Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences, illustrate his leadership strength.

| Paul Simmons

Harding University

In 2017, Paul Simmons became the 13th head football coach at Harding University in Searcy. He led the Bisons to the 2023 NCAA Division II National Championship, Harding’s first in an NCAA sport. He was named 2023 AFCA National Coach of the Year, 2023 Don Hansen Football National Coach of the Year, 2023 D2Football.com National Coach of the Year and 2023

Simmons is CEO of Simmons Foods, a leading supplier of poultry, pet and animal nutrition products based in Siloam Springs. Todd is the third generation Simmons to lead the company following in the footsteps of his father, Board Chairman Mark Simmons, and his late grandfather, Founder M.H. “Bill” Simmons. Starting as an hourly team member in 1990 and working his way up to learn all aspects of the company, Todd was eventually promoted to CEO in 2012. Todd’s ability to drive a people-first culture, a mindset that the company prides itself on, is integral to providing quality food products and services for customers in all 50 states and 40 countries. Todd graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a degree in entrepreneurship and minored in theology. He serves as chairman of the board of Namida, general partner of Natural Capital and vice chair of Signature Bank of Arkansas. He also serves with the Georgetown Board of Regents, TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, the Northwest Arkansas Council in Springdale and the Alice Walton School of Medicine Board in Bentonville.

| Barry Simon Datamax

Anative of Chicago, Barry Simon graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in business. He moved to Little Rock in 1985 to become president of Datamax. Under his direction, the organization has enjoyed steady, substantial growth and has six locations in Arkansas and five in Texas. Both he and Datamax have been recognized in local publications. Simon emphasizes strong company culture and community involvement as foundations for sustained success. He has served as a board member for numerous nonprofit organizations, including the Centers, CARTI, the Better Business Bureau and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas & North Louisiana. He is always particularly happy to share with peers the contents of the Datamax Little Blue Book, the organization’s cultural guidepost for more than 30 years. Simon and his wife, Patti enjoy spending time with their son, Cody, their daughter-inlaw, Drew, and their two grandchildren. Cody is the current vice president of sales at Datamax.

Barry SIMON

In your opinion, what makes an influencer?

An influencer, to me, is someone who can positively impact those around them through their actions and their example. Whether that’s in community events or a business setting, it comes down to how they relate with people and the positive aura they create.

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

One of the things that always excited me is seeing people in our company grow in their role. We’ve been very fortunate to have people in our company for 20, 30 and over 40 years. I get motivated and inspired by that. It means we’re doing things the right way.

What do you hope to accomplish in 2025?

I want to continue the process of having our company grow well beyond myself and continue the process of establishing the next generation of Datamax Inc.

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

When a decision needs to be made, don’t ever jump to the first thing that comes to your mind. Back up and think through how you want to respond. Never make a decision at a time when you are angry or upset.

What is the most underrated skill you think all leaders should possess?

I would say they don’t realize the impact that they have on the people they work with. A lot of people don’t realize that their actions, words or demeanor have a big impact on people — positively or negatively.

Given the chance, what is one thing you would change about your industry or field?

I don’t know that there would be anything that I would change. One thing about what we do as a businesstechnology provider is that every business needs what we sell.

William Tedford Chairman

| Les Smith

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education

Les Smith is the senior vice president and chief of staff at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education in Fort Smith, a role he has had since March 2024. He joined ACHE in 2019 as chief business strategy officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience from Arvest Bank, where he advanced from teller to executive vice president and loan manager. In addition to his role at ACHE, Smith is a member of the board of directors for Mercy Health Fort Smith Communities. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and a graduate banking and finance degree from Louisiana State University.

| Wayne Smith

Oaklawn

Anative of Narragansett, Rhode Island, and a graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, Wayne Smith began his career in public accounting and finance before moving on to corporate accounting at ITT Sheraton, where he focused on hospitality. Smith served in senior management positions at MGM Mirage, MGM Grand Las Vegas, MGM Grand Detroit and Caesars Entertainment, as well as Empire City Racing and Gaming in New York and Penn National in Illinois, where he brought more than 28 years of successful and diverse gaming industry experience. In 2017, Smith was named the general manager of Oaklawn Hot Springs and is only the sixth person to hold that title in Oaklawn’s 115-year history. For more than two decades, Smith has been an active volunteer at multiple community and charitable organizations. He has served as a board member of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. He serves as a commissioner at the Hot Springs Advertising & Promotion Commission and is an executive board member of Fifty for the Future, for which he served as president in 2020. His dedication to the growth and betterment of the Hot Springs community has also led him to sit on several local advisory committees.

| Jeff Teague

Citizens Bank

JRidge. He grew up in nearby Summerfield, Louisiana, and played college ball in Ruston at Louisiana Tech. In the south Arkansas community, he has been active with Rotary International, the South Arkansas Regional Airport Commission, the El Dorado Economic Development Board, the Arkansas State Police Commission and two local chambers of commerce, on top of being named Time magazine’s national Dealer of the Year for 2014.

| William Tedford Jr. Stephens Group Asset Management

William Tedford Jr., the chairman of Stephens Group Asset Management, works with clients and their portfolios and also oversees marketing and research for the firm. Tedford has been in the investment business since 1965. Prior to the establishment of SGAM, he had a 51-year career at Stephens. From 1996 to 2017, he was executive vice president, director of fixed income strategy and chairman of the asset allocation and advisory committee of Stephens Capital Management. From 1982 to 1995, Tedford was manager of the equity division of Stephens. In 1989, Tedford served as chairman of the board of governors of the National Association of Securities Dealers, the self-regulatory arm of the securities industry and the predecessor of what is today known as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. In addition, he served on the board of directors at Nasdaq. A Little Rock native, Tedford has been married to his wife, Pat, for 63 years.

| Sarah Thomas The Venture Center

eff Teague has been CEO of Citizens Bank since June, but his connection to the company goes back a lot further than that. In 2021, he was named chairman and CEO of Citizens Bancshares, the holding company for Citizens Bank of Batesville. The bank was founded by the grandfather of his wife, Sarah, more than 70 years ago. Before taking the reins, he owned Teague Auto Group, which included Teague Chevrolet, Teague Toyota and Teague Ford, all in El Dorado. He entered the car business in 1981, when he and his father bought a Chevrolet-Oldsmobile dealership in Walnut

Sarah Thomas is program manager for strategic partnerships and programs at the Venture Center in Little Rock. She is also a yoga instructor at Sage Health and a district leader for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She previously served as community outreach specialist and emergency preparedness coordinator for Community Health Centers of Arkansas. She received a Master of Public Health from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and received diabetes training from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Atlanta.

| Lenore Trammell

Big River Steel

Lenore Trammell joined Osceola’s Big River Steel in 2014 as chief compliance officer and general counsel, and chief administrative officer was added to her titles in 2019. She also serves on Big River Steel’s executive committee and is the executive sponsor of the employee resource group, NextGen. Her career in steel manufacturing began in sales and pricing for Rouge Steel. Trammell is president of the Greater Memphis Chapter of the International Association of Women.

Lenore Trammell THE STEEL LIFE

By Lance Brownfield / Photo courtesy of BRS

For almost 30 years, Lenore Trammell has been breaking glass ceilings — or in her case, steel ones — and helping other women do the same. As chief compliance officer and general counsel at U.S. Steel’s Big River Steel in Mississippi County, Trammell tries to inspire change and maximize the impact of her workplace on the local community.

Trammell started in the industry in 1997, after finishing her undergraduate studies. She decided to take a year off before pursuing a law degree when she took what she thought was a temporary job in the commercial department of a steel mill in Dearborn, Michigan. While she was preparing to transition to law school, the company asked her to stay on full time as a permanent employee. She initially said no, but when the company offered to pay for her law education, Trammell agreed to continue at the mill.

For 4 1/2 years, she worked days at the mill before traveling to midtown Detroit for studies in the evenings. After finishing up her law degree, she never left the industry.

“When you’re a general counsel, one thing that people will always tell you is that you can never get away from your biggest client,” she said. “ I think it’s super important for general counsels and chief compliance officers to provide their teams with acceptable solutions. You don’t want to be the path to ‘no.’”

Her philosophy is to provide creative solutions and to ask inquiring questions to find out what goal clients are hoping to achieve. As a compliance officer, she said her goal is to offer possible solutions rather than shutting down an idea “because then you don’t look and then you don’t act like part of the team.”

Outside of her work, Trammell enjoys reading and knitting. She said she has always been crafty, but over the last 12 to 14 years, knitting has become a “big creative outlet” for her. Other passions include pouring into the local community and encouraging girls and women to enter career paths that are not traditionally led by women.

“The steel industry isn’t necessarily known for having women in leadership,” Trammell said.

She said she hopes to let women know that there is space for them in the industry and urged women to be courageous. Like many motivational speakers, she said it is OK to “do it scared.”

Her three pointers for the next generation of female leaders: Trust the process, be courageous, and do it.

Trammell also said she wants women to remember that they do not have to give up having a family in order to have a career.

“It’s not an either/or,” she said. “You can have a family and a career, so I think it’s always important for women to know that

it doesn’t have to be one or the other. It can squarely be both.”

Trammell is committed to having a positive impact on the whole community. She is president of Big River Steel Cares, the 501(c)(3) arm of the organization, which has helped pay for camps for area kids, helped with the local angel tree and given out Thanksgiving meals since 2020.

“I like that we’re able to really do things in the community that impact people in super positive ways,” she said. “Obviously, when you’re building a steel mill, you’re creating jobs, which, hands down, is the biggest, most important impact that you could have in the community.”

For Trammell, it is about more than just creating jobs; it is about building lives.

“Being a positive impact is probably my biggest passion,” she said.

An Arkansan since 2014, Trammell relocated to Osceola with her husband and kids. The family is fully invested in the community.

“I had no idea what Arkansas was about and whether this was going to be a good move for me and my family,” Trammell said, “but we kind of stepped out on faith and believed that it was going to work out well.”

Many big projects are coming up for Big River Steel. The company’s new tube plant came online late in 2024, and getting it fully operational is a big priority for 2025. It will add more jobs and can help BRS make an even larger impact on the community.

“We’ve kind of been able to see, at ground zero, what the impact of the Big River Steel project has been to the community,” she said.

On the personal front, Trammell is writing a faith-based book and hopes to have it published in 2025. In it, she writes about curating a “God life” instead of a good life and getting back to how God made people so they can live a positive life that reflects who he is.

Lenore Trammell

Hello to healing.

Kindness is a gift that each of us is born with. And when we share it, the goodness that’s released is amazing. This human connection is important to our well-being, but it’s essential when we’re sick and hurting.

We know from experience that treating every patient with kindness, empathy, and respect is key to their healing. We call this power humankindness. It advances the medical excellence we provide to our communities. And it leads us forward every day.

| Matt Troup

Conway Regional Health System

Matt Troup has served as the president and CEO of Conway Regional Health System for more than nine years. Conway Regional has seen historical growth in net revenue that has consistently stayed above 20 percent from 2020 to 2022. Conway Regional has achieved the best-place-to-work designation for eight continuous years in Arkansas and seven continuous years nationally. Troup views health care as a faith-driven calling — a sentiment reflected in how he interacts with his team daily. Staff from every facet of the health system are inspired to be bold, exceptional and answer their calling to help others. Previously, Troup has worked in Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida as a chief operating officer and vice president. He has a Bachelor of Arts in business administration from Texas A&M University. He completed his Master of Science in health care administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

| Cathy Tuggle

Tuggle Services

Cathy Tuggle began her career in real estate 33 years ago in property management before launching her own business, Apartment Hunters. After one year in business, she started Arkansas Suites, a corporate housing company. Together, the two businesses were under the real estate entity of Tuggle Services, a real estate and relocation service. Tuggle serves as the principal broker and owner at Tuggle Services. She enjoys working with clients who are relocating to the metropolitan area and those who are moving locally. Tuggle loves serving the community and currently serves on the University of Arkansas at Little Rock advisory board and real estate council, ArvestBank board, AR Kids Read and Fifty for the Future. She is also a member of Rotary Club 99.

| Kris Upton

RPM Group

| Brant Ward

Signature Bank of Arkansas

Brant Ward serves as president of Signature Bank of Arkansas and treasurer of White River Bancshares. He has been employed with Signature Bank of Arkansas since 2005. He began his career with the bank as a banker trainee, which led to the position of loan coordinator and then commercial loan officer. In 2008, he was promoted to funding officer and became an integral part of the finance department. During his time as funding officer, he was in charge of managing the bank’s liquidity, bond portfolio, internet deposits, and forecasting models and reports. He also helped prepare budgets, assisted with setting deposit rates, assisted with management of the assets and liabilities, developed new funding sources, and was a part of the team that managed other real estate owned. Ward was promoted to chief administrative officer and treasurer in 2016, chief operating officer and treasurer in 2021 and president in 2023. As president, Ward continues to manage the bank rates, liquidity, and asset and liabilities of the bank, along with management of the bank’s bond portfolio. He serves on the executive management committee, which focuses on strategic business planning, policy development and problem solving. Ward received a bachelor’s degree in business management from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia and a Master of Business Administration in business entrepreneurship and finance from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and completed the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.

| Jeanne Wei

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Dr.

Kris Upton, a certified public accountant and certified commercial investment member, serves as president and CEO of RPM Group, the parent company of RPM Commercial, RPM Management, Coldwell Banker RPM Group and numerous investment companies. Upton oversees strategic direction and investment management. Prior to joining the firm in 2003, Upton worked in finance, investor relations and operations positions at Alltel, a Fortune 200 company. He served as the company’s primary spokesperson to Wall Street on financial matters.

Jeanne Wei is the Jackson T. Stephens Professor and Chair at the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics and executive director of the Reynolds Institute on Aging at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Wei is board certified in internal medicine, geriatrics and cardiovascular medicine and sees patients in the Thomas and Lyon Longevity Clinic at the Reynolds Institute. After obtaining medical and doctorate degrees from the University of Illinois, Wei completed an internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, as well as a staff fellowship in gerontology at the National Institute on Aging and National Institutes of Health in Baltimore. She then joined the faculty at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Hospital, both in Boston, and she became director of the division on aging at Harvard and chief of the gerontology division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In 2002, she joined the faculty at UAMS. Wei has more than 35 years of experience in caring for patients, training future geriatricians and cardiologists, conducting geriatric and gerontological research, mentoring geriatric fellows and junior faculty members, and developing academic programs and initiatives.

CONGRATULATIONS, MATT TROUP

President and CEO

Whether clients are busy professionals, smallbusiness owners, navigating inheritance or faced with any number of situations in between, WealthPath puts a skilled personal financial team right at their fingertips. With more than 160 years of combined experience, each team member is dedicated to helping clients prepare for their financial future!

Service is our specialty. “Its What We Do!”

| Troy Wells

Baptist Health

Troy Wells is president and CEO of Baptist Health. The Little Rock-based health system is the state’s largest private, nonprofit health system, having more than 10,000 employees and handling more than 20 percent of the state’s hospital business. Wells earned his bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and his master’s degree in health services administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He started at Baptist Health in 2005 after interning at the former St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hot Springs and serving as administrator of Newport Hospital. When former Baptist Health CEO Russ Harrington retired in 2015, the Baptist board of directors selected Wells to replace him. Under Wells’ leadership, the Baptist system has grown, having recently added Drew Memorial Hospital in Monticello to the system, and has partnered with other health organizations. Baptist partnered with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock on a cancer care center and on its graduate medical education program, which is designed to help increase the state’s health care workforce.

| Cindy Westcott

Summit Utilities

As the vice president of operations and contract services at Summit Utilities, Cindy Westcott oversees daily operations, ensuring safety and compliance for gas systems at Summit Utilities. For that role, she leads a team of more than 670 employees to ensure safe and reliable service to approximately 630,000 gas customers in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri and Oklahoma. Westcott’s career at Summit Utilities included roles such as vice president of operations, engineering and contract services and vice president of customer development. Before joining Summit Utilities, Westcott had various leadership roles at CenterPoint Energy in engineering, operations and regulatory. Westcott has a Master of Business Administration degree from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Westcott is also a licensed professional engineer in Arkansas and has been actively involved in professional organizations and volunteering in the communities Summit serves.

| Gene Whisenhunt

Hickingbotham Investments

Gene Whisenhunt is the president and chief operating officer at Hickingbotham Investments in Little Rock. He is a longtime member of the board at Little Rock Christian Academy and served as chair for four years. He and his wife, Kathy, have three children who

all attended LRCA. Whisenhunt is the past chairman of the Baptist Health Foundation Board and the board at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia.

| Danny Wilkerson

Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care

Dr. Danny Wilkerson chairs the board of directors at the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, a nonprofit organization that works with individuals and health care providers to improve overall health and consumers’ experience of care while reducing health care costs. He also sits on the board of directors at the American Society of Anesthesiologists and serves as the alternate director for the Arkansas Medical Society to the American Medical Association House of Delegates. Wilkerson previously served as the 2021-2022 president of the Arkansas Medical Society, as well as the chairman of the AMS board of trustees. Wilkerson has been a professor in the department of anesthesiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine in Little Rock since 2000. He also has an appointment as a professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology. He attended medical school and completed his internship and residency at UAMS. He is also certified with the American Board of Anesthesiology.

| Lisa Willenberg

University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton

LisaWillenberg became chancellor at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton in 2019. The college’s fourth leader since its establishment in 1963, Willenberg is the first woman to have the position. A skilled administrator and longtime active member of the community in Conway County, Willenberg’s previous role as vice chancellor at UACCM included managing the college’s finances, human resources, information technology and physical plant. Willenberg has served at UACCM for 27 years, starting as a general accountant and becoming a vice chancellor in 2011. She also has experience as an adjunct instructor of accounting. She earned her Master of Education at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. She also graduated from the College Business Management Institute at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

Brant WARD

What makes an influencer, in your opinion?

Someone who leads from the front and is not afraid of new ideas and challenging those ideas to help the greater good.

What is one secret to success you wish you had learned sooner?

Benchmarking your life against a timeline rarely works out the way you want it to.

What is one thing you would change about your industry or field?

The regulation around community banks and what we do needs to be examined through a separate lens than the megabanks.

When did it click for you that this was the career you wanted to pursue?

I happened into the banking industry, and it took a good six or seven years for me to find my niche within the bank.

Are you a morning person or a night person?

*exhales* I’d say morning, if I had to. Is “lunchtime person” an option?

Where do you go for motivation and inspiration?

Exercise is the place for me to go to recharge mentally, physically and emotionally — playing tennis, golf or working out.

What is the most underrated skill you think all leaders should possess? Communication.

Who are your greatest inspirations or examples you strive to emulate?

My parents.

HEADER

THE HEALER ARKANSAS VISIONARY

Dr. Ali Krisht has spent a lifetime growing into the role of one of the world’s foremost authorities on neurosurgery — and he has just scratched the surface

By Dwain Hebda / Photo by Karen E. Segrave

Aquick tour of the CHI St. Vincent Arkansas

Neuroscience Institute Education and Research Center in Sherwood is all it takes to realize there is little in Arkansas that compares to it. One part clinic, one part laboratory and one part training facility, the center stands apart from most other treatment centers of its kind for its diversity of approaches to the mysteries of the body’s central processing unit.

Dr. Ali Krisht, one of the principal architects of the facility, strolls from room to room, providing expert commentary about the goings on in each. Over here is a next-generation lab where rows of workstations are equipped with towering microscopes and trays of surgical instruments and decked out with screens that allow each pupil to watch what the instructor is doing and vice versa.

In the next room, a university-grade lecture auditorium features massive projection capability and, again, enough technology to reach medical professionals across the state or around the world.

Krisht enjoys the looks of wonder on the faces of firsttimers agog at the setup. As one who has studied and lectured widely, he has seen many such places all over the globe, but as a visionary behind this location, nestled to the point of near invisibility just off the highway, this one feels very personal to him indeed.

Krisht said. “He was always fit. He never got dragged into drugs and alcohol and stuff like some of the other big names did. He maintained a class of his own, and he never diverted from his goal and his message. He stayed with soccer because he knew it best. He didn’t venture into things he shouldn’t be doing.”

The topic of soccer brings a certain brightness into Krisht’s voice as it was on the pitch that he initially saw the intersection of two dreams, one denied and the other discovered. Born in Nigeria to Lebanese parents, he became a rising star in the professional club soccer ranks, winning athlete of the year in 1980. Then, at age 20, he suffered a compound fracture to his right lower leg in a game, an injury so severe it not only ended his playing career at the elite level but called into question his ability to walk again. The trauma of that event would eventually reveal its silver lining, that being the reveal of a new and exciting career path.

DR. ALI KRISHT ON CHARACTER

“If you have character, results will come. I can tell you this: Surgery is not a technique. Surgery is not a prestige or anything. Surgery is a character. I tell fellows when they spend a year with me, ‘I’m not going to teach you technique; I’m going to teach you character.’ If you have the character, you’re going to be a good surgeon because if you have the right character, you care. If you care, you’re going to go and work hard to improve yourself. What I advise young people, what I always put in my lectures, is know your limits but have no limits. Education doesn’t stop; you can never say you know enough and this is what I need to know and that’s all.

You have to have the character to understand you learn for the rest of your life.”

“I’m not somebody who just wants to see patients, do surgery, make money and go home,” he said. “Our idea for this project was to be an institute with an operating room that is doing neurosurgery, as well as a nonstop education system that can become a source for the whole world to come and learn and also to teach us. We built this according to that vision and mission.”

Krisht’s broad view of the horizon is not limited to his day job; sit with him long enough, and the topics of conversation can drift to any number of subjects, some of them decidedly counterintuitive, such as the leadership lessons gleaned from fútbol’s greatest player and lifelong ambassador, the late Pelé.

“When you saw him play, it’s like somebody having fun, and at the same time, there was discipline,”

“[The injury] had a huge impact because I started as a patient, not as a doctor, and I got frustrated with a lot of things and unhappy with some things to where I felt it should have been handled better,” he said. “I know what pain looks like and feels like, and I know what the expectations of a patient are, you know?”

After briefly considering architecture as his next step, Krisht chose instead to pursue medicine. One might have thought his background would have led him to orthopedics, but in fact, his naturally competitive nature led him to a specialty he considered a far bigger personal challenge.

“During my first year in medical school, I took the neuro course, and I could feel how much I learned but how little I knew,” he said. “That was a trigger. You could say that’s when I got magnetized to it in a way.”

After earning a biology-chemistry degree from American University of Beirut, Krisht entered the institution’s medical school at the height of the Lebanese civil war. Halfway through his training, he was working in a hospital emergency room when 130 casualties arrived from the 1983 bombing of the U.S. embassy there. The experience was galvanizing for the young physician.

“It was unpleasant to the core,” he said. “You have people coming from different opinions and different positions saying, ‘They are wrong. We are right.’ ‘No, they are wrong. We are right.’ Everybody’s wrong when it comes to war and fighting and killing each other, and what’s interesting is when the war finished, everybody was getting along with everyone.

DR. ALI KRISHT ON STAYING GROUNDED

“Sometimes you go in planning to succeed, and you have everything, what it takes, and a perfect storm will happen to make you feel like you are stupid or not knowledgeable enough. If you think about us humans, we are nothing. We are a unique phenomenon for a very short period of time in the life of the universe. We pass through who we are, and then we go to where we came from. If you understand that, your head will never get big. If somebody’s going to let their head get big, they haven’t learned life, you know? They don’t really know how much they don’t know.”

“This tells you one thing after all: war is a human failure, the ultimate failure. I spend 10, 12 hours, sometimes, in surgery, trying to save a few cells. Imagine how many cells are dead with one bomb.”

Having been educated at American boarding schools and university in the Middle East, Krisht was well versed in the history of the United States, and as a result, the prospect of coming to the states one day to study or practice held great interest for him.

“There are a lot of things that you compare with what happens in your life at that moment and what is happening in the world,” he said. “I remember growing up, Nixon was the president, and he was kicked out, and that showed me the idea that in the U.S., there is nobody above the law. The ability to say whatever you want is not a minor thing. Even now, people in the U.S. don’t realize what this means and how it has to be preserved.

“As you get older, you start thinking, well, I really want my kids to be in a place where you get what you work for, nobody’s above the law and you can say whatever you want, although nowadays, you have to watch what you say. Anyway, all of that led me to want to be here.”

Krisht got his chance to come to America to finish his surgical residency training at Emory University in Atlanta in 1994 and landed in Little Rock the same year. To say Arkansas was not on his original itinerary is a massive understatement, but a pair of luminaries in his field — doctors Ossama

Al-Mefty and Gazi Yaşargil, at that time in the neurosurgery department of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and considered the preeminent neurosurgeons in the world — convinced him to change course for the Natural State.

“Dr. Al-Mefty was in Chicago at Loyola University, and during my last year [of residency], he took the chairmanship at UAMS,” Krisht said. “He called me and said, ‘What about Arkansas?’ I said, ‘Yeah, what about Arkansas?’ He said, ‘Well, I’m moving there, and I have plans,’ etc. I said OK, I’d come and see it.”

Krisht jumped at the chance to serve a fellowship under the two highly decorated pioneers in his field and, after a year, agreed to stay at UAMS. The doctors’ impact on him was so profound their portraits still hang in the office suite at the institute and their names emblazon several of the facility’s rooms in lasting tribute.

DR. ALI KRISHT ON MOTIVATION

“The first advice I tell people is do not be influenced by the negativities of your colleagues when they’re unhappy because it’s contagious. You start focusing on the things you don’t have, and you forget about what you have, you know? You are lucky you got an education, you got a good degree. You’re lucky that you are being trusted by other humans. I’m assuming you’re doing something that you chose to do, that you love to do, but you have to make sure you maintain that love because love can be influenced by other people. You can choose, ‘I am on call. I’m tired at the end of the day. I had a busy night. It was terrible,’ or you can choose, ‘I’m on call. I can help people. This is not a big deal.’ Stay focused on enjoying every day.”

“We were together 15 years at UAMS, and we had a good time there,” Krisht said. “There are great doctors [at UAMS]. I think it’s a good place. It delivers good medicine to people, but we felt we were not going to achieve our vision there to have a standalone institute with the education opportunities that we’d like to achieve.”

Krisht, who became a full professor and vice chairman of the department, helping establish a cerebrovascular clinic dedicated to

treating strokes and aneurysms along the way, had risen through the ranks on the strength of his own stellar reputation in his field. Leaving UAMS, therefore, was a decision he and his mentors did not take lightly.

“We had a vision to establish this mecca for neurosurgery,” he said. “For that, you need the right setup. You need the right efficiency. You need to be able to do a lot of things promptly. You need to have maximum availability and so on. Big places have their own priorities, and it got to where we were not able to achieve what we really wanted to achieve, and so that’s when we decided maybe it’s time.”

The long-awaited realization of that vision is the $30 million, 42,000-square-foot institute. A specialty medical office building adjacent to CHI St. Vincent’s North Little Rock campus, ANI makes Sherwood a large pin in the global map of knowledge centers worldwide and welcomes physicians from around the world seeking to share and absorb knowledge of the most enigmatic organ in the human body.

At its hub resides its director, the indefatigable Krisht, who has grown into a figure of renown bordering on reverence. Stories abound when it comes to his stamina and bulldoggedness — including once operating on a patient for 26 straight hours — amassing a trove of accolades along the way. Among these, the centerpiece is the Herbert Olivecrona Award, often known in medical circles as the “Nobel Prize of neurosurgery.”

compared to the amount we knew then and compare it to the amount we don’t know, it’s equal, you know? We knew 0.1 percent then and, now, 0.2 percent, but it’s still 99 percent we don’t know. We’re still in that phase.

“What we do have and where we’re still achieving a little bit better is that we have better surgical options, and if you do a better operation, you’re going to get a better outcome. With all the information we have, you can pinpoint the location of a tumor. You have means to operate with more advanced tools for a tumor, but are we able to reverse it or cure it? No. That’s the big frustration.”

Given that reality and despite the world-class nature of the institute as it exists today, Krisht has never stopped dreaming of what can and needs to come next to move beyond current understanding. He dreams of a full-blown research center right next door that can dovetail into the work the multifaceted practice is already doing.

DR. ALI KRISHT ON THE NATURE OF SUCCESS

“A job may be demanding, but the recipe to succeed is easy. You need to have the knowledge — because if you don’t have the knowledge, you’re not going to be able to react — but if you have the knowledge and you haven’t practiced it, you don’t know how to respond. This is why when we do surgical training, we simulate it as lifelike surgery. We even have a lifelike cadaver specimen that when you cut, it bleeds. When somebody trains on that, they learn how to manage a bleeding artery or an aneurysm outside the operating room. They don’t have to try it for the first time on a patient. There’s no alternative for knowledge, more knowledge and practice.”

“We would like to expand more where we’re doing research for the big unknowns that I’ve talked about that we still cannot treat,” he said. “There’s a lot of research happening, and probably billions of dollars have been spent for brain cancers and brain tumors and stuff, but I think we have a unique, outof-the-box thinking process here, and by adding that research component, it gives us the means to contribute more.”

Yet for all the acclaim he has enjoyed and the high regard in which he is held, Krisht’s medical specialty is the ultimate humbling, something that even after all of these years, he admits with stark, unflinching honesty.

“Just to give a little perspective, the amount of ignorance that we have about our field, what we don’t know, is almost infinite. That’s the bottom line,” he said. “If you take the amount that we know now

Pressed on whether the envisioned research facility, with its funding requirements and myriad other challenges, is imminent or even possible during what’s left of his career, the man the neurological world often looks to for answers merely smiles.

“I hope that happens because we need it. I really hope so,” he said. “I wish I could say when, but I do know that anything is possible. Everything is possible.”

STORIES STILL TO TELL

Arkansan set to chair PRSA’s national board

By Jeremy Harper

Public relations is about influencing, engaging and building relationships with key stakeholders across numerous platforms to shape and frame the public perception of a company or business. Whether crafting a message for a new product or service or working to help change a narrative, PR serves on the frontline for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and many local and global organizations.

“Ours is a very versatile profession,” said Heide Harrell, who has an accreditation in public relations and is director of communications at Central Arkansas Water in Little Rock. “Every company and organization has a story to tell. Technology may have changed the toolbox, but it comes down to creating compelling messages that resonate with the target audiences.”

Having grown up in northwest Arkansas, Harrell’s story in public relations began at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway when she took her first PR class led by industry legend Bob Sells, a longtime community leader and founder of the Sells Agency in Little Rock.

“Bob said PR is 80 percent writing,” Harrell said. “He said, ‘If you’re not a good writer, you shouldn’t be in public relations.’ I considered myself a decent writer, so I stuck with it.”

Sticking with public relations proved a wise and rewarding choice for Harrell, whose first experience as a PR professional came as an intern for Little Rock’s Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church. Since then, she has enjoyed a diverse career, serving as a strong voice to dozens of organizations.

“I’ve worked for financial firms and ad agencies where I provided PR for multiple retail and service industries, a law firm and now a public utility,” Harrell said. “PR is a business where you rarely see the same day twice.”

What prepared Harrell for the slings and arrows of public relations is the Public Relations Society of America, which she joined in 2006. PRSA has nearly 18,000 members and more than 100 chapters nationwide, including the Arkansas chapter, which has the highest ratio of members who have an accreditation in public relations nationwide. The APR credential certifies one’s skills, professionalism and principles in public relations.

“More than 50 percent of our Arkansas chapter members are APR certified,” Harrell said, adding that it is a point of pride.

With everything PRSA has given to Harrell, she has given back by taking on several PRSA roles, including serving as a member of the national board from 2020 to 2022, as secretary in 2023 and as senior counsel in 2024. She also served as chair and as a board member for the southwest district and as president of the Arkansas chapter. In 2023, she was awarded the Crystal Award, the highest award presented by the Arkansas chapter’s past presi-

dents council, which recognizes significant and continuous contributions to the public relations profession and PRSA.

“That award was so special,” Harrell said. “To be recognized by your peers is both gratifying and humbling.”

Past honorees include Denver Peacock, Alison Melson, Natalie Ghidotti, Bruce Trimble and Susan Blair.

Harrell’s affinity for PRSA stems from her belief in its value.

“First, it’s about adhering to our code of ethics that sets out principles and guidelines on the ethical practice of PR,” she said. “Professional development is another critical component, and for chapters like mine, we have great programming and opportunities that allow you the opportunity to grow. Third, it’s networking. I would not be where I am in my career without PRSA. The people I’ve met and those who continue to mentor me have given me wonderful counsel and support throughout my career.”

In October, Harrell’s dedication to the organization that shaped her career led to her election as the 2025 chair-elect and 2026 chair of the PRSA national board. She is the first Arkansan ever to have the position in the organization’s history, which spans more than 75 years.

“This is one of the most incredible honors of my life, and I am grateful our society’s leaders entrusted me with this vital role,” Harrell said. “As the first Arkansan and first woman from the southwest district to ever serve as the national chair-elect and chair, I’m proud to represent the state I love so much.”

It will by no means be a leisure role. Harrell said the PR industry is tasked with meeting the challenges of the modern age. It is up to PRSA to adapt to emerging technologies and the prevailing behaviors associated with them, she added.

“When I first entered the PR community, networking was a face-to-face process of luncheons, coffees and conferences,” Harrell said. “Today, recruiting young professionals to join has been a challenge. This virtual generation prefers to connect remotely. That’s not a bad thing. It’s a different thing, and we must flex with the times.”

Over her nearly 20-year career as a PR and communications professional, Harrell served as vice president and communications director of the private wealth management division at

Stephens in Little Rock, one of the largest privately held independent investment firms off Wall Street. She was also director of marketing and business development at Rose Law Firm in Little Rock, the oldest law firm west of the Mississippi River. She also spent nearly eight years working for two of Arkansas’s top advertising agencies.

Today, as director of communications for Central Arkansas Water, she is crafting another compelling message: “We have the best water in the nation.” Thanks to Harrell, central Arkansans residents will most certainly get the message.

Heide Harrell (Photo by Jen Missouri)

THINK YOU’RE READY?

Sales a mix of natural talent, hard work, top sellers say

By Mark Carter

Sales is not for the faint of heart. There perhaps is no other industry in which one’s livelihood is so tied to one’s daily performance.

What, though, makes a good salesperson? Is it natural ability, the right education or the proper amount of experience? Is it simple chutzpah?

Some of the top sellers in Arkansas believe it is a combination of all those things. Arkansas Money & Politics picked the brains of a few top sellers in Arkansas about the makeup of a good salesperson.

Is sales something one is born with, or can sales be taught?

“Great salespeople are a combination of natural ability and personality combined with education and experience,” said Casey Jones, the top seller at the Janet Jones Co., one of central Arkansas’ top residential real estate firms. “That is a winning combination for someone. You must possess the desire and natural propensity and also be willing to put in the time and energy into understanding every aspect of the market, most importantly the benefits of the product for the consumer.”

Keeping up with the latest technology while maintaining a personal touch represents one of the unique challenges in selling homes, he said.

“The market moves at a much faster pace than it did 30 years ago, and customers expect you to know the current market conditions and styles,” he said.

“The most consistent aspect is the fundamental component that the customer wants a personalized service and the highest level of expertise.”

Dr. Katerina Hill is director of the R.M. “Bob” Wood Sales Leadership Center and associate professor of marketing at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Her program is the only one of its kind in the state. She teaches courses such as Professional Selling, Sales Planning and Management, as well as Advanced Sales, Category Management and Marketing. A former banker, Hill has also provided sales training to financial institutions across the region.

Program graduates have gone on to successful sales careers in fields such as pharmacy, tech, insurance, banking and commercial real estate. Hill said the certificates her students receive give them a leg up when they hit the ground running after graduation.

“With sales being a soft skill and very expensive to train, this is a huge competitive advantage for our students,” she said. “I have witnessed it with the majority of the students.”

Hill said sales is “fundamentally human” and something all people do starting at an early age.

“It is a state of mind as a profession,” she said. “It is definitely a soft skill with technical components and a huge ceiling and major competitive advantage. If you are motivated, competitive and have self-leadership, then sales will be an area you will be successful in.”

Steve Lane, managing director of the northwest Arkansas office of Colliers International, one of the country’s leading commercial real estate firms, launched his career in Arkansas in 1992 with Walmart’s real estate division, where he was a top producer. He also served as vice president of a national real estate investment trust before starting his own brokerage firm, which he merged with Colliers in 2004.

For Lane, the best salespeople represent a combination of natural talent and proper training.

“The best salespeople are intentional in figuring out their own strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “You might be highly analytical but need to develop your relational Steve Lane

Casey Jones

Katrina Hill

A former Casey Jones listing in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of the Janet Jones Co.)

skills and learn how to network. Others might be naturally agreeable people and strong networkers but need to improve on their technical skills. It takes a mix of both to be successful.

“Success in sales is not like winning a ballgame; a career has a lot of ups and downs. I think keeping my faith in God, putting my family first and realizing that we are all playing the long game, which is building longterm relationships rather than seeking shortterm gains.”

Jones began his residential real estate career in 1987 and has been named top agent in Arkansas multiple times. He said the best salespeople share some specific traits.

“One of the secrets of my success is that I have always sought good advice and have surrounded myself with the people who I considered the best in their field, who were the most proficient and professional at their craft,” he said. “I have been fortunate to have amazing mentors who were encouraging, disciplined and highly skilled. The one characteristic that I find in all successful salespeople is knowledge of their product and the relatability factor. I have met salespeople with various personalities, but the one commonality was their level of exceptional proficiency.

“When some see difficulty, a skilled salesperson will see an opportunity and welcome a unique challenge. You learn to always see the glass half full and look for unrealized value or untapped potential.”

Kris Adkins, head of fleet, commercial and retail sales at Bale Chevrolet in Little Rock, said he believes all great salespeople are overachievers and born with a unique drive to be better than those around them.

“There isn’t a secret to success,” he said. “You have to work hard, find what you are good at and be willing to do the best you can every step of the way.”

Believing in oneself is paramount, he added.

“I love what I do, but it’s not for everyone,” he said. “It’s a tough business and very competitive. You have to go above and beyond and build your reputation, and that takes years. Get to know as many people as you possibly can — you have to build relationships. That’s a recipe for success.”

Adopting the long view is essential to be successful in sales, Jones said.

“There are no shortcuts to success. Your personality

will not exceed your experience, and your experience will never exceed your knowledge, so a combination is needed and will take time to acquire,” he said. “If you have tenacity, patience and selfconfidence, then a career in sales offers unlimited potential.”

Every transaction requires the utmost attention to detail, he added.

“Sometimes what is perceived as easy to sell is more complicated than the public may realize. Understanding and being able to accurately convey the complexity of the market takes the stress out for the consumer, and the ease of success often comes from doing your homework well,” he said.

Lane works in one of the country’s fastest growing markets, which presents its own set of unique challenges. To be successful, sellers must do the groundwork, he said.

“In a functioning real estate market — meaning there are buyers and sellers willing and an economic climate conducive to business — properties should transact at the right price,” he said. “In the northwest Arkansas market, properly priced income-producing properties are in high demand right now. Commercial real estate deals can encompass many different product types — retail, office, industrial, apartments, land — with varying degrees of complexity. Therefore, the agent needs to be knowledgeable about the specific product type to properly advise the client. Each deal requires its own specific pricing analysis and unique marketing strategy.”

Find a system that works, stay organized, and stick with the plan, he said he advises would-be salespeople.

“Educate yourself, take responsibility for your actions and your outcomes,” he said. “Find a good mentor. Always operate with high integrity, never cut corners, take care of your clients, and play the long game. I’ve found that all great salespeople are also very effective communicators. Of course, you also need determination, a strong desire to succeed, an optimistic outlook and a basic like of people. It’s not a job for pessimists.”

Kris Adkins (Photo by Conor Hennelly)

Steve Jones and his Colliers team have presided over record growth in NWA. (Photo by Meredith Mashburn)

Kris

KEEPING THE Dream ALIVE

Arkansas MLK Commission seeks to serve current, future generations

By Dwain Hebda / Photos by Steve Lewis

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is considered one of the great orations in American history, one which some scholars say is without peer save for perhaps Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address.” Delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the speech was

the centerpiece of the 1963 March on Washington and provides a snapshot of the great civil rights leader’s vision for a truly inclusive America, one in which people rise and fall on merit and where people of all faiths, opinions and backgrounds can find a seat at the table of the American Dream.

Yet for as profound as that hallowed speech is, there is no telling how relevant it would be today without the people and organizations willing to carry forward its premises over the past six decades, striving to implement them into society. That is precisely the mission kept alive today by the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr.

DuShun Scarbrough Sr.

Diana Shelton

Commission created by Act 1216 of 1993 as an offshoot of the Martin Luther King Federal Holiday Commission.

“The Arkansas commission, a division of the Arkansas Department of Education, exists to promote Dr. King’s six principles of nonviolence while advancing racial harmony, multicultural diversity and education,” said DuShun Scarbrough Sr., executive director. “Its core purpose is to honor Dr. King’s life and legacy by creating opportunities for dialogue, education, service and youth empowerment.”

The organization implements its mission through a variety of means, including cultural events, educational programs and collaborating with various other organizations both in Arkansas and through peer MLK Commissions in Nevada, Florida, Oklahoma and Ohio.

The group’s educational programs address a range of issues including financial literacy, mental health and substance abuse, while community service initiatives seek to project King’s message and philosophy through the lens of good works. Those efforts include food giveaways, voter awareness campaigns and nonviolence training, to name a few.

A major organizational initiative involves working with youth via empowerment and educational activities such as mentoring, workforce readiness programs and experiential learning opportunities. For example, the Arkansas commission was the only organization that took youth to Washington, D.C., to witness the statue unveilings of Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash in National Statuary Hall.

Scarbrough said working with youth is particularly important to keeping King’s message and mission alive, translating it for today’s young people and preparing the next generation to carry such precepts forward.

“Younger generations may know Dr. King’s iconic speeches but often lack deeper knowledge of his sacrifices, principles and the ongoing relevance of his work,” he said. “The commission keeps Dr. King’s legacy alive by providing opportunities for youth to engage in programming during our nonviolence youth summits that address issues that impact their generation, such as bullying, violence, mental health, depression, social media responsibility, substance abuse and workforce readiness, just to name a few.”

Despite its active roster of programming, certain misconceptions still persist about the commission, its purpose and its activities.

“Some misconceptions are that the commission’s outreach is limited to Arkansas and that the commission only serves African Americans,” Scarbrough said. “In reality, our work extends nationally through partnerships with other state MLK Commissions, which we assist with fundraising, sustainability and economic development efforts.

“Also, the work of the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission is open to all, regardless of race. Dr. King worked collaboratively across racial, cultural and economic lines to impact change. Dr. King once said, ‘What affects one directly affects us all indirectly.’”

Scarbrough said the organization works to address those misconceptions through public engagement and impact-driven initiatives that demonstrate the tangible results that come from commission activities.

“The Arkansas commission has hosted programs in all four congressional districts,” he said. “We have even hosted programs in Spanish.”

This year, the roster of organizational goals and initiatives is long and ambitious. It includes:

• Expanding nonviolence training across Arkansas and continuing efforts to partner with schools to host nonviolence youth summits.

• Strengthening partnerships with local and national organizations and chambers of commerce.

• Supporting youth through mentorship, workforce readiness and financial literacy programs.

• Hosting a tech summit to promote digital literacy and improve workforce outcomes for youth ages 16 to 21.

• Bringing a national conference to Arkansas.

• Engaging and mobilizing thousands of youth in community service projects during King Week Jan. 13 to 20.

• Joining the national movement Ultimate Measure of a Man to promote the importance of fathers in their families and communities.

• Raising awareness about antibullying initiatives and working with schools to develop workgroups to come up with solutions.

• Expanding hunger relief outreach to curb food insecurity.

• Continuing to work with the Arkansas Department of Education to promote initiatives that promote literacy, workforce readiness, improving graduation rates and volunteer opportunities.

In addition to these goals, the commission also hosts:

• Youth delegations collectively made up of hundreds of students that have attended educational tours such as the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee, commemorative trips to Memphis, Atlanta, Miami, New York and Washington, D.C., and Selma, Birmingham and Montgomery in Alabama.

• Commemorative events such as the annual commemorative vigil that is attended by thousands of youth from across the state and the MLK Day of Impact, which engages young people in volunteer opportunities.

• Educational workshops that teach King’s six principles of nonviolence.

• Civic programs that encourage youth to become engaged in their communities through various service roles and leadership opportunities.

Scarbrough said the slate of activities and initiatives prove that King’s vision is as vital today as it was when it was articulated and that the dream is truly alive and at work in Arkansas.

“One misconception we face is that the commission solely focuses on historical reflection when, in truth, we are deeply engaged in addressing modern issues,” he said. “Dr. King’s legacy is global.”

TRAILBLAZERS

Bentonville company building better trails

By Matt Smithmier

Attracting riders and tourists from around the globe, Bentonville has long been recognized as a top draw for mountain bikers and outdoor adventure-seekers. Dubbed an “unlikely mountain bike mecca” by Outside magazine, many riders have called it “gold” and simply “perfect.” The city itself even announced in 2020 it was staking its claim as “Mountain Biking Capital of the World,” and with nearly 70 miles of bike trails running through the city — connected to 400 miles of trail systems traversing the bluffs of northwest Arkansas — it would be easy to take it all for granted.

Nathan “Woody” Woodruff grew up and still lives in Fayetteville, and he remembers a different region from not that long ago.

“I think 2006 might have been the first time I’d actually been to Bentonville. There was never a reason to go,” he said.

“It was a very small rural town with not much to do — plus a dry county. It’s hard to believe if you look at it now.”

passed along his name to the Walton family, which was in the process of donating land for the creation of new bike trails — part of a recruitment effort to attract employees to the Bentonville area. Woodruff had been biking since he graduated from high school and was already involved with organizing mountain bike events and volunteering. That background combined with his landscaping experience was likely the reason his name was passed along, he said, but the project was nevertheless a little daunting.

Now president and founder of Progressive Trail Design, a full-service planning, design and build firm of bike trails and bike parks, Woodruff oversees the design and creation of multimillion-dollar trail and park projects both throughout the region and across the world from its office in Bentonville, but back in 2006, long before he was thinking about building trails, he was still slogging his way through a master’s program in teaching and running a small lawn and landscaping company. All that changed when someone from a nearby bike shop

“I was familiar with how to operate machines and how to build trails and that sort of thing, but I’d never taken on a project of that size. I’d never done anything like that before to that level,” he said. “I went up there to check it out, and they gave me carte blanche to create a cool bike park, and that was the impetus for all the trails that took off in Bentonville.”

After creating the design, he negotiated with his professors for some additional time off over spring break and created Phase 1 of what would eventually become the Slaughter Pen trails. After the Walton family passed ownership over to the city, they hired Woodruff and his newly formed company to complete the remaining phases, and today the park features more than 16 miles of single-track trails and a free-ride park for tricks.

At PTD, president and founder Nathan “Woody” Woodruff oversees the design and creation of multimillion-dollar trail and park projects.

The Benton Bike Park designed by Progressive Trail Design. (Photos courtesy of PTD)

“That’s when I had the idea of Progressive Trail,” he said. “Maybe I can make a living at this.”

That single project would also set off a cascade of related development that would rapidly change the face and perception of Bentonville and northwest Arkansas.

“The community really embraced it,” he said. “Over the next year moving into 2007, Bentonville’s first bike shop opened, and then a couple other restaurants popped up. Other outdoorcentered businesses opened, which saw the future of what was going to happen and built their business model around trails.”

Woodruff brought on a business partner with complementary experience, and together, the company aggressively sought new projects. They joined a trade organization called the Professional TrailBuilders Association and gained new access to resources and the opportunity to bid for other projects. After a rough 2008, however, the partners split, but Woodruff was undeterred and eventually landed the next big project in Sugar Land, Texas.

From there, the company began to gather speed, taking on smaller projects and hiring a team — not only friends who were riders but also had experience with landscaping or training. Three of those hires are still with the company today.

Once he realized the capability of the crew he had assem-

From its home office in Bentonville, PTD has designed trails all over the world, including the Fayetteville Traverse Trail, a section of which runs right next to Razorback Stadium.

bled, Woodruff said he was ready to grow.

“I made a concerted effort about two or three years in to get our name out there and grow the brand so that we wouldn’t just be trying to survive on local work,” he said. “Joining the association helped because then we had access to this bid program, so we could start building trails all over the country, and I just started following every lead possible and working every angle to get us out there and do projects around the U.S.”

It worked. With the help of his brother, who joined the company from his home in Boulder, Colorado, the company began picking up projects around the country. Today, the team’s work can be found in locations from Hawaii to Maine, Minnesota to Texas and many more.

One local project he is especially excited about is Benton Mountain Bike Park in Benton, which was completed last spring as part of the city’s 2040 masterplan. The park features green, blue and black trails with easy progressions as each rider’s skills progress. The city of Benton maintains the park, and PTD team members trained city employees on the best ways to take care of all aspects of the park.

“That was a really cool project,” Woodruff said. “They’re way more complex to do, and they typically draw out a little longer, but they definitely seem to have high impact for the community, which is great.”

Now with about 30 employees and an extensive network of subcontractors, PTD has expanded again, this time internationally. The company has begun working closely with Discovery Land Co., a real estate developer and operator of private residential communities and resorts around the world. PTD is currently working with Discovery on new trails and bike park projects in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Portugal, Italy, Canada and Costa Rica.

“They’re a big fish in the private resort community world,”

Woodruff said. “They’ve basically set the bar and standard for it, and they have 30-something resorts around the world, so we’ve gotten in with them, and now we’re starting to do a lot of their properties.”

The international work, he said, will continue to be one of the company’s focus areas in the future.

“Just trying to continue to grow the brand and tell our story and get it out there on a worldwide level is obviously a really cool opportunity for us,” he said, “and then just working in a completely new foreign environment is always super exciting.”

Of course, creating something from nothing is always bound to bring its own set of obstacles. While Woodruff said most projects, on average, take about a year to complete from design to opening, every project has its own challenges, which can dramatically change the timeline. One example was the Fayetteville Traverse trail, an 20-mile natural surface loop that connects the three trail systems within the city. About a mile of the trail, however, cuts right through the University of Arkansas campus.

“Literally right in front of Razorback Stadium,” he said. “That was a very complex project to design and build, given all the politics and people involved. We had the small window of three months to build the majority of it, and then, of course, football season’s right on your heels, and we had to finish literally where all the tailgating is, so it was a high-pressure, highly complex project.”

Completed in 2022, the trail has already increased participation in biking and garnered some positive attention for the university.

“On breaks between classes, students and faculty can push their bikes out the door and immediately crank out miles of fun in the dirt,” Bob Robinson wrote for Singletracks. “A plethora of different interest

Roughly a mile of the Fayetteville Traverse Trail runs through the UA campus. Woodruff said the project was a complex one to design and build.

groups have already incorporated the trail into their normal routine. … Gone are the days Fayetteville riders had to load up their bikes and drive to a trailhead parking lot.”

Some obstacles are more about geography (and geology), such as a project the team completed in Cabo.

“That was building on a mountain side that was straight rock, pretty much,” Woodruff said. “Situations like that create really dangerous, challenging conditions.”

Despite the occasional challenge, Woodruff said he is excited about the future of PTD, even though he wishes he could spend a little more time building and a little less being the business owner.

“I’m mainly just doing business, just orchestrating,” he said, “but it is nice to get on the ground and get back in the machine and do it every once in a while. I should do it more often because I do love it.”

He also recognizes the ripple effect these projects can have on families and communities, much as he witnessed in Bentonville all those years ago.

“I think it brings families together, which is really cool,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to progress in a comfortable way through the sport. If you’ve never ridden before, it’s a perfect place to learn how to ride, and it’s just a cool gathering place.”

FEEDING THE Monster

DVH speaks on developing players in the NIL age, consistency and expanding Baum-Walker

By Mark Carter

Arkansas head baseball coach

Dave Van Horn

(Photo courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

rkansas baseball is big — so big that a platitude often repeated by the man who led the Hogs to a basketball national championship in 1994 applies. Nolan Richardson, the hall-of-fame coach who led the hardwood Hogs to the top of the college game 30 years ago, often addressed the what-have-you-donefor-me-lately aspect of college sports. Success creates a monster that must be fed, he said.

Dave Van Horn can relate.

Though it has yet to finish a run in Omaha with a win, the Arkansas baseball program has been a model of consistency under Van Horn, who will embark on his 23rd season as head Hog next month in Fayetteville.

Diamond Hog fans have eaten well over the past couple of decades. Arkansas annually ranks in the top three nationally in attendance despite playing the first month of the home schedule with temperatures in the 30s or below. Despite not yet winning it all, the Hogs were ranked the fifth best program in the country last fall by Baseball America, making Arkansas the highest-ranked program not to own a national title. Van Horn’s program has checked all other boxes required for blue-blood status.

seat 10,000 fans, the equivalent of seating 100,000 in football or 20,000 in basketball.

BUSINESS HOGS

One thing that distinguishes Van Horn’s from other programs is the business-like demeanor with which Razorback squads generally compete. Overt celebrations over a single play take place in the dugout, and that is where Van Horn wants it to stay during games. He even gets a little nervous when he sees the team dogpile, which he said should be reserved for championships.

“We just play,” he said. “For the most part, there’s not kids getting after each other, coaches getting after each other. We don’t ‘rah rah,’ but we support our teammates. We’re trying to get our guys ready to have success in the minor leagues to be able to fight their way to the big leagues, and there’s some kids at some of these programs that let ‘em go a little nutty. You can do whatever they want. It is what it is. I know there’s a lot of emotion, but if somebody’s doing something [such as stomping on home base and chanting] every time they hit a homer against us, our guys might be sarcastic and do it, but we generally take it to the dugout.

If they’ll just give it a chance and be patient, we feel like that we can coach them as good or better than any staff in the country as far as development.

“We pride ourselves on being consistent,” Van Horn said. “We feel like our staff is very consistent in the way we coach. We did some tweaking to some things this year that we hope will elevate us a little bit offensively. Hopefully, it’ll come out and get us another step down the road, but yeah, we’re extremely proud of that ranking, and I think that we’ll be able to maintain it.”

That consistency has been the foundation of the program’s success. Each year, the Hogs are a regular for SEC, if not national, titles, are expected to win at least 40 games (and represent the only program to have done so each of the last seven full seasons) and are one of just four programs in the nation to break even or operate in the black. Unfortunately for Arkansas, the other programs are old SEC West rivals — Mississippi State, LSU and Ole Miss. Those schools also are home to the only other venues that

“I mean, every time we’ve won a super regional here, I get to see our guys dogpile because we don’t really dogpile here. We don’t do that. We don’t want to get anybody hurt. We’re really trying to show that we haven’t done what we’re trying to do yet.”

Despite the head Hog’s sometimes stoic demeanor — Van Horn readily admits he has mellowed a lot since he took over on the Hill — players still find plenty of outlets to cut up. He cited a November workout that saw dodgeball and other games incorporated into the routine.

Van Horn’s team knows when to cut up and when to focus.

“We have guys, like every team in the league, that are gonna play in the big leagues,” he said. “We’re trying to get them ready, and that’s what we preach here. We want guys to develop, and we want to help them reach all of their goals and dreams that they’ve had since they were little kids. If they’ll just give it a chance and be patient, we feel like that we can coach

them as good or better than any staff in the country as far as development.”

With the 2022 completion of the state-of-the-art, $27 million J.B. & Johnelle Hunt Family Baseball Development Center and with pitching coach Matt Hobbs’ vaunted pitching lab to complement the 52,000-square-foot indoor facility at the Fowler Family Baseball & Track Training Center, Arkansas has a strong argument for top digs for development. Baum-Walker Stadium, which set the standard for college baseball facilities when it opened in 1996, remains one of the sport’s true crown jewels.

“That’s what this whole building’s about, and the indoor facility over there that we’ve had since 2015,” Van Horn said from his office overlooking right field in the Hunt Center. “You take all three of these facilities — the game field, the indoor facility and this building — and go all over the country, and you won’t get better. You might have more NIL money. You might have better weather. You might have a bigger stadium because there’s bigger stadiums.”

MORE EXPANSION AT BAUM?

Under Van Horn, Arkansas is known for having one of the best home-field advantages in the game. The general-admission Hog Pen resembles Premier League soccer matches with boisterous fans waving giant flags, playfully taunting opposing left fielders or even hosting in-game ESPN broadcasters for some barbecue.

Just two on-campus stadiums are bigger than BaumWalker, which has an official capacity of 10,737. Both reside in the SEC. Van Horn is open to further expansion at Baum — imagine stands extending from the Hog Pen around center field and over the 51-foot scoreboard in right to connect to the Hunt Center. Van Horn said he could see a future Baum with a capacity of 17,000.

Van Horn said more skyboxes are needed and represent one way for Arkansas to help pay for the coming revenue distribution. Plus there is a long waiting list for the stadium’s current 32 skyboxes.

“I made a couple of comments to a couple of our athletic directors, you know, just saying that with Texas coming in the league, Oklahoma coming in the league, them bringing their fans, wanting to bring their fans, and then just northwest Arkansas’s population growing so much, I just think that we need more seats,” he said. “I mean, I get it. It costs money. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. I think the more seats we have, they’ll sell them. We pretty much turn people away for season tickets.

The new locker room and team meeting room inside the Hunt Center at BaumWalker represent the program’s commitment to baseball.

(Photos by Michael Drager)

Baum-Walker has become a true recruiting advantage for Arkansas baseball. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

“I’ll be out about town, and I can tell you two different times that I had moms in the grocery store or whatever say, ‘You know, coach, I’m a big Razorback baseball fan.’ One lady said, ‘I went to Virginia Tech, and we moved here, and I don’t really know all the sports, but I love Razorback baseball, and we come all the time.’ I had another mom tell me the same thing. She went to the University of Kansas, and they moved here. They come to all the games, and it’s just really cool to hear that people who didn’t go to school here like coming to the ballpark. They like the atmosphere. They like what they’re seeing. You know, it makes me proud to be able to say, ‘Well, thank you. We appreciate that and hope to see you at the park.’ It’s been fun.”

Van Horn said his job is to put a good product on the field and make sure his guys do well in the classroom, and when you accomplish those two things, the fans will come. He added that many fans have told him they can’t get tickets.

CHANGING LANDSCAPE

Competing in the gauntlet of the SEC is tough enough, but now Van Horn and his counterparts must adopt a different approach to stay relevant in the era of unregulated NIL and the transfer portal. The days of program-building based on the development of three- or four-year players are gone. Now when players inquire about what a program can give them, they’re probably not talking about access to tutors.

We have guys, like every team in the league, that are gonna play in the big leagues. We’re trying to get them ready, and that’s what we preach here. We want guys to develop, and we want to help them reach all of their goals and dreams that they’ve had since they were little kids.

“It wouldn’t be throwing away money,” he said of potential expansion. “With the population of northwest Arkansas going up, plus all the fans that will come for a weekend series and stay in hotels, it’s almost like a football weekend. It’s huge. I talk to people all the time out and about, and they tell me they came up for a certain series and stayed for all three games, and they live in Little Rock or wherever. There’s a lot of that that goes on. It’s awesome.”

“It never ends,” Van Horn said of NIL’s influence. “Other sports in our department feel the same way. They’re out there, trying to find some [NIL resources]. We’ve got Arkansas Edge out there, working, and our administration’s working, too, but you know, when you start talking about NIL, it can get a little touchy because you’re asking the same people over and over again for the money, and that’s hard. Plus there’s other things going on that [fans’] money needs to go to. Anything we get, we’re highly appreciative of it.”

NIL makes headlines mostly in relation to football and basketball but is prevalent in college baseball, as well. Coaches use the promise of NIL as a resource to compete for blue-chip recruits who are drafted out of high school and offered signing bonuses. Previously, the prized athletes may have been satiated by the lure of facilities at schools such as Arkansas, which can offer developmental resources not available in the minor leagues.

Horn

Just as it has on the gridiron and hardwood, NIL enables schools to initiate bidding wars for players.

“It’s a never-ending conversation up here in the baseball area,” Van Horn said. “When we watch somebody who comes in here on a visit and just lovesloves us, and then it’s always, ‘Well, what else can you give us?’ and we’re like, ‘Let’s see how your senior year goes, and we’ll try to help you or line something up,’ well, then the other schools are just saying, bang, ‘We’re gonna give you $150,000.’ Geez. So we tell our recruits, the young ones, just keep doing what you’re doing. It’s gonna work out for you, and it’ll be fair, but we’ve gotta try to keep the locker room in good shape, you know? It’s a tough pull. You watch kids go other places because maybe they’ve got something better to offer.”

the best high school players we can get. We’re not changing off of that, we’re not moving, and we just feel like if we can sign 12 high school kids and five of them end up being great, man, those guys are in your program.”

Another impending wrinkle is the reduced roster sizes that will be a part of the revenue-sharing model that resulted from the NCAA’s settlement in the House lawsuit.

Van Horn said the days of athletes coming out of high school and playing for the logo on the jersey are dwindling. Though most Arkansas kids still grow up following and dreaming of playing for the Hogs, loyalty to the state school often takes a back seat to cold, hard cash.

Van Horn said those players like former Hog second baseman Carson Shaddy, a Fayetteville native who lived his dream playing for Arkansas, are becoming much fewer and further between. Shaddy is a prime example of a local kid who benefitted from the development available at a program like Arkansas. He started 14 games as a redshirt walkon catcher/outfielder in 2016, was a regular starter at third base in 2017 and led the team back to Omaha as a senior in 2018, hitting a career-best .331 with a career high in home runs (11) and selection to the all-SEC first team.

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, college baseball rosters will be cut from 40 to 34, while schools will be able to fully fund scholarships for all 34 if they so choose. As it stands now, teams have 11.7 scholarships to divvy up between 27 players — the others pay their own way or rely on academic scholarships.

They know that we’re tough and we show up and we play, and when you talk about some of the programs that have done really well, we’re there.

All those changes make it harder for schools such as Arkansas to take and develop players like Shaddy.

Van Horn said he would take a roster full of players like Shaddy if he could.

“Now, with roster limits and different things, it’s hard to even take those kids anymore,” he said. “Keeping a kid from his freshman year all the way through his junior year, it’s a little more difficult. A lot of coaches are just going the transfer portal route. Our No. 1 goal in recruiting is to get

“They know how it works here, and by the time they’re a junior, they could coach our team,” Van Horn said. “That’s what you really want. You don’t want to have to live in the portal, bringing in kids that you don’t know enough about. We always want to get the high school kid, and now we’ve got to hope that they can be patient because a lot of times, they’re gonna be playing behind an older kid or a transfer kid for a year. It’s tough to win much in the SEC with freshmen. Now you need your freshmen to win, but if you had four freshmen starting in the field and two freshmen in the rotation, you’re not gonna do well.

“It comes down to the experience. It’s like anything else. Talent’s talent, and that’s great, but we have experienced talent that wins. I’ve said it since the portal got rolling a

said former Hog Carson Shaddy represents a dying breed of athlete who plays for love of the logo. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

few years ago — the league’s never gonna be young again.”

Van Horn’s emphasis on experience was on display during last year’s Fayetteville Regional, at which midmajor Southeast Missouri State eliminated the Hogs, a favorite for Omaha.

“All you have to do is look at the rosters of the teams we play, and that includes the mid-majors,” he said. “I think about Southeast Missouri and their head coach who played for me, Andy Sawyers. They eliminated us in the regional. He had a 24-year-old right fielder, a 23-year-old left fielder. I mean, you go across their roster, and they had one young player. He was a freshman and one of their best hitters playing second base, but I’d bet they averaged 22 years old across the board, and that’s what we get in midweek games. We’re facing a bunch of juniors and seniors. That’s what I would do too. If I was at a mid-major, I’d get an unhappy kid from a big school and do what I could do with them.”

Van Horn said he and his staff — Hobbs, Nate Thompson and Bobby Wernes — want to get the young players who have a chance to be superstars one day if they just stay patient.

“I tell our freshmen you don’t have to carry us as a freshman,” he said. “You don’t have to be that guy. You just contribute and then be the guy, a sophomore and junior, hopefully, with a chance to sign after that. I think we’ve done a pretty good job with it.”

DEVELOPING PLAYERS

For Van Horn, that is the sweet spot — developing young talent and helping players realize their potential.

“Where I really find satisfaction is when I see kids get better,” he said. “I tell ‘em that all the time. I want to win as much as anybody in the country. What really bothers me is when somebody comes in and they don’t get better, and I don’t remember that happening with many kids.

“There’s usually a reason for it. Something’s going on, they’re hurt, or they’re not dedicated — they usually don’t last too long. I get a lot of satisfaction of watching our teams get better throughout the year and watching players get better.”

Van Horn said he also cherishes his time with players off the field. His stoic on-field demeanor belies a kid at heart who simply loves being around baseball.

“You know, this isn’t like a job for me. It’s not like I’ve dreaded getting up and doing it all these years. I like being around them,” he said. “I like being around the players. They keep you young and keep you a little spunky and on your toes, and I always kid with them. I’ll say, ‘You guys think I don’t know what’s going on. You’re wrong. I know what’s going on. I know what’s happening.’ I think they get a kick out of it. I’ll say something, and they’ll kind of look at

Van Horn said Razorback baseball fans are much more knowledgeable about the game than when he first took the Arkansas job. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

The Hog Pen is not going away, even if that means building new seats above it,

me like, ‘How does he know that?’ I might know how long they’ve been dating their girlfriend because she knows somebody that knows somebody that knows me or one of my kids, and I find out stuff.”

Van Horn, 64, said he is enjoying himself too much to think about retirement. Besides, one elusive goal remains at large.

“I really enjoy the games,” he said. “A lot of coaches get out because the games and the stress just eats them up and the fans eat them up and practices. I don’t mind practice. I like practice. I like watching guys get better. I like the competition, and I think the players sense that for me. I’m not out of control in the dugout. A lot of people will say, ‘Man, you’ve really gotten calm as you’ve gotten older.’ I’m saying, ‘Oh, I’m still churning inside.’ The players are looking at me, and if they see me all panicked and stressed out, it’s not gonna help, so you know, sometimes what you see isn’t always what you get. There’s a lot going on. A lot of burning desire to win.”

Van Horn and his wife, Karen, became grandparents to triplets in 2024. Raising two daughters — and now being a grandfather to triplets — have helped him when it comes to relating to players, he said.

“I think I’ve really learned how to handle kids more as I’ve gotten older and raised kids,” he said. “Now I have sons-in-law, and you know, I raised girls, or I say my wife raised girls. She did an incredible job but, you know, I dealt with boyfriends and that type of stuff, so I kind of shake my head because I’m dealing with these guys every day, and all of a sudden, the girls were dating guys this age. I always just kept an eye on it.”

THE FANS

For visitors to the Hunt Center, it does not require a psychology degree to see that Van Horn clearly loves what he does. He is truly a baseball guy to the core, but the support the program receives have made Arkansas one of the sports’ big-time jobs. Van Horn and his assistants, past and present, took what former coach Norm DeBriyn built and turned Hog baseball into the monster Richardson used to reference. As the program has matured into one of the country’s best, so has its fan base. Season tickets are sold out in advance of each season, and the Baum-Walker atmosphere is now considered a legitimate recruiting advantage.

“It’s so much better now here than we I first got here,” Van Horn said. “The fans, they know when to cheer compared to 2003, 2004, when they just kind of watched.”

Hog fans do much more than watch now. Van Horn said they now can impact a game. Unfortunately for Arkansas, the SEC is king of the hill in baseball — by a Heston Kjerstad bomb. Not only is the SEC home to seven schools that have won a national title in the last 20 years. In fact, the last five national champions have been SEC members, and the SEC claims 10 of the last 20 NCAA crowns. While college baseball is an afterthought at most universities, the opposite is true in the SEC. Baseball very much matters, especially at Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Florida and Vanderbilt, and the league consistently accounts for eight or nine top 20 teams in any given week.

“If you look at your 30-game [SEC] schedule and as a

Van Horn said.

(Photo courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

coach or even a player, and you start thinking, ‘OK, we’ll roll in that series. We’ll win that series,’ you can’t do that. You’ll lose those series. I liken the SEC to AA [pro] baseball. The reason I say that is on the weekends, you’re going to be be facing pitchers that are gonna pitch in the big leagues. First rounders, maybe even some all-stars, obviously. Baseball is just really good in the SEC, and it’s top to bottom and it’s year to year. Baseball’s one of those sports that if you work hard and you’re talented, you have a lot better chance of getting where you need to be, and that’s to Omaha for a championship.”

Road trips in SEC play have come to mirror football and basketball in that fans at the SEC’s big boys, Arkansas included, can make life hard on visiting teams.

“Fans are really organized now, and they can bother the other team,” Van Horn said.

‘MY EARS HURT’

The fans at Baum-Walker went viral in 2021 in the final round of the Fayetteville Regional. The Hogs were in a tussle with Nebraska, Van Horn’s former team. Enter Charlie “Dr. Pinch Hit” Welch, who came to the plate with two outs and the bases full of Razorbacks. A 1-0 wild pitch scored a run, and then DVH gave Welch the go sign. The reliable pinch hitter, 7 for 11 with three runs batted in before the at-bat, then sent the 2-0 delivery over the wall in left, a no-doubter, to ice the game. Absolute delirium followed.

Van Horn called it the loudest moment he has experienced as a coach. When he thinks back on Welch’s bomb, his ears still hurt, he added.

“That’s the loudest. Every once in a while, like, my ears hurt thinking about it,” Van Horn said. “They were screeching. I heard a sound in my ears I’d never heard before, like, like there was something going on. When he hit it, it was so loud here, I’ll never forget it.”

Van Horn likened that atmosphere to the 2004 Fayetteville Super Regional against Florida State, at which the Hogs swept the Seminoles to advance to Omaha for the first time in 15 years and for the first time with DVH as head Hog.

“We didn’t have all the skyboxes holding in the sound then,” Van Horn said. “The people were so deep [in the concourse] and at the time, it was unbelievably loud. But then, it’s never been louder here [than it was against Nebraska].”

The image of Welch rounding second base to a backdrop of Hog Pen fans literally jumping for joy, waving flags, beer hats and tater cutouts, has become an iconic component not just to Arkansas baseball lore but to the overall Razorback brand.

“That’s a rare thing, and something that is really cool. The Hog Pen will never go away. If we build new seats, they’ll have to figure out a way to go above it.”

Van Horn embraces the pressure that comes with creating a monster that demands to be fed; he relishes the national perception of Arkansas baseball as clean, highly respected and no-nonsense. He said the staff often hears from pro scouts and other coaches who tell them Arkansas is always hard to beat — a tough out, indeed.

“They know that we’re tough and we show up and we play, and when you talk about some of the programs that have done really well, we’re there,” he said. “That’s how people feel about us. We’re that team that they think, ‘Man, this is gonna be tough.’”

Van Horn said the crowd reaction after Charlie Welch’s iconic eighth-inning bomb against Nebraska in 2021 made his ears hurt. (YouTube)

27,000,000

Cost in dollars (2022) to build the J.B. & Johnelle Hunt Family Baseball Development Center

8,900,000

Cost in dollars (1994) to build Baum-Walker Stadium

370,940

Record attendance over 38 home games at BaumWalker, set in 2023

52,000

Square footage of the Fowler Family Training Center

49,000

Square footage of the Hunt Center

1,468

Career wins, most among active coaches

11,531

Current listed capacity of Baum-Walker Stadium

10,376

Nation-leading average home attendance in 2022

9,200

Chair-back seats at BaumWalker

DVH: By the Numbers

13,472

Record attendance at Baum-Walker Stadium, set in 2018 against USC

3,300

Capacity of (then) Baum Stadium when Van Horn was hired coach at Arkansas

1,254

Total career wins as a head coach

883 Wins as Arkansas coach .748

Overall winning percentage over five seasons as a juco head coach

.668

Overall winning percentage in 32 seasons as a D-1 head coach (including an 11-5 record when the NCAA cancelled the remainder of the 2020 season because of COVID-19)

400

Feet to straight-away center field at Baum Walker

353 SEC wins

214

Number of wins in five seasons at Nebraska and in five seasons at Texarkana JC

136 MLB draftees with Arkansas

106

Number of wins over three seasons at Northwestern State

358

Length in feet of the underground tunnel running under the first base grandstand at BaumWalker and connecting the Hunt Center with the home clubhouse

(Photo by Michael Drager)

(Photo courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

Van Horn Hogs taken in first 10 rounds of MLB draft

Van Horn Hogs named all-SEC

Most games won by DVHcoached teams in a season, once each at Central Missouri and Nebraska

Most games won by a DVHcoached Arkansas team (2021)

Van Horn Hogs named allAmerican

Former Hogs on minor league rosters in 2024

Luxury boxes at Baum-Walker

NCAA tournament berths at Arkansas in 21 full seasons

Number of consecutive years Arkansas has finished in top 5 nationally in attendance 15

Number of seasons (out of 21 full seasons) DVH has led Hogs to 40-plus wins 10

Consecutive years Van Horn and staff have signed a top 10 recruiting class 9 Former Hogs on MLB rosters in 2024

Van Horn Hogs taken in first round of MLB draft 4

Seasons at Arkansas as a graduate assistant under Norm DeBriyn

Southland Conference championships with Northwestern State

Number of CWS appearances overall

Super regional appearances with Arkansas

Fifty-win seasons overall (one at Central Missouri, two at Nebraska, one at Arkansas) 4

Arkansas’ recruiting ranking for 2025 class by Perfect Game 3

Triplets born to Van Horn’s older daughter on March 22, 2024 3 Overall SEC titles with Arkansas

Consecutive seasons (discounting cancelled 2020 season) in which Hogs have won 40-plus games

Golden Spikes Award winner (Andrew Benintendi, 2015)

Dick Howser Trophy winner (Kevin Kopps, 2021)

National Division II championship in one season with Central Missouri

1 SEC TOURNAMENT TITLE

Big 12 regular season title at Nebraska

Van Horn Hog, which stands guard over the entrance to the Hunt Center

(Photo by Michael Drager)

(Photo courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

PRO DIAMOND HOGS TO WATCH

Expect to see these former Razorbacks in the Show

By Daniel Shi

This past season saw 11 former Arkansas baseball players play in the big leagues, but that number is likely to grow in the coming years.

Since 2017, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic-altered MLB Draft that shortened to five rounds, you need more than one hand to count the number of Razorbacks who were

No. 10 — Jared Sprague-Lott, Athletics

A lot of what this list comes down to is whether the player is in the right system to be promoted. In no way am I suggesting that Sprague-Lott will debut the year after being drafted in the ninth round, before ever taking a minorleague at bat, but the Athletics have been aggressive at promoting infielders as they attempt to rebuild. Although Jacob Wilson was a first-round pick, others, like Max Schuemann, Brett Harris and CJ Alexander, all made their debuts this year as infielders and former Day 3 draft picks of the Athletics.

No. 9 — Ryan Costeiu, Los Angeles Angels

No team has been more aggressive in promoting prospects than the Los Angeles Angels under general manager Perry Minasian. The Angels have had three straight draft classes where their prospect is the first from the draft class to debut in the MLB, often skipping Triple-A Salt Lake. For example, pitcher Chase Silseth made his debut in 2022, despite being an 11th-round pick in 2021. Costeiu could be next on Minasian’s list to fasttrack — a 2.84 ERA in 18 starts in High-A certainly helps.

drafted. Altogether, Arkansas has had a total of 57 draft picks over the past eight years, and now many of them are making their way through the minors. It is a safe bet at least a few will eventually make The Show.

Here is Best of Arkansas Sports’ list of the top 10 candidates to make their MLB debut next.

TOP 10 PRO HOGS TO WATCH

No. 8 — Jaxon Wiggins, Chicago Cubs

Wiggins finally made his pro debut earlier this year after returning from a Tommy John surgery that cut his Razorback career short. Unfortunately, the same problems that plagued him at Arkansas still persist. Wiggins was described as having “issues staying in the zone.”

“The Cubs have challenged him to lean into his athleticism and really execute his pitches, hammering the zone,” wrote The Athletic ’s Sadaev Sharma. “If he can do that, then they believe he can thrive with a ‘good luck hitting this’ mentality.”

No. 7 — Connor Noland, Chicago Cubs

Noland has made steady progress since being drafted in the ninth round in 2022, finishing the year with nine Triple-A starts. The numbers took a little bit of a turn for the worse when he was promoted, with a 5.29 ERA in Triple-A compared to a 2.50 ERA in 16 starts in Double-A, but Noland is continuing to progress up the Cubs system.

No. 6 — Lael Lockhart, Detroit Tigers

Lockhart finds himself in an interesting

position. After the Tigers traded away Jack Flaherty and Andrew Chafin at the trade deadline, the Tigers looked to be ready to give some new faces a chance at the MLB level while the team reset for 2025 and beyond — except that’s not what happened. Instead, the Tigers caught fire and pulled off one of the most improbable comebacks from more than 10 games behind in the wild card race to make the ALDS. How aggressive president of baseball operations Scott Harris wants to be in free agency will likely determine Lockhart’s future in the organization. He has a 5.93 ERA in Triple-A.

No. 5 — Kevin Kopps, San Diego Padres

Kopps continues to grind away in the dreaded Pacific Coast League, famously known for high elevations and thin air where the ball tends to fly — especially in El Paso where the Padres Triple-A affiliate is based. In 50 games, Kopps has a 5.86 ERA in 50 2/3 innings.

No. 4 — Matt Cronin, Washington Nationals

A couple of years ago, Cronin likely would have been at or near the top of this list. He shot through the Nationals system, ending up in Triple-A as early

as 2022. However, he struggled in 2023 before eventually getting shut down and having back surgery. Cronin is now back on the up, accumulating a 1.42 ERA in High-A and Double-A in 2024.

No. 3 — Michael Turner, Chicago White Sox

The opportunity is there. The White Sox trio of catchers were really bad. Martin Maldonado had a minus-1.3 Wins Above Replacement before being let go midway through the season. Turner was sent to the Arizona Fall League mainly to work with top pitching prospects in the system but is 14 for 39 (.359) at the plate and one of the league’s top-hitting catchers. As already proven with Grant Koch, another unheralded Razorback catching prospect, if the situation is right, you will get your chance.

No. 2 — Hagen Smith, Chicago White Sox

Smith is the most talented and has the highest ceiling of anyone on this list. However, Chicago does seem willing to wait a while before bringing its new shiny toy into the rotation. Smith not finishing the year in Double-A, after a few appearances in High-A to start his career, indicates that ther is no immediate urgency to bring him to the big leagues.

No. 1 — Peyton Pallette, Chicago White Sox

People may be surprised to see Pallette picked over Smith to debut first. It is simply due to each player’s specific situation. Speaking to Sox Machine’s James Fegan, Palette’s career has really taken off since moving to the bullpen. In 15 innings at Double-A, Pallette has a 1.80 ERA. Although it is not impossible for Smith to break camp with the team in 2025, the White Sox have no reason to rush their prized prospect after losing 120 games in 2024.

The chances of the White Sox needing a reliever on short notice are much higher than are general manager Chris Getz and new manager Will Venable feeling comfortable bringing Smith up to the big leagues too early.

OTHER ARKANSAS PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arkansas has had its fair share of players who have made it to arbitration and beyond, carving out nice MLB careers. The likes of Dallas Keuchel and Andrew Benintendi, after all, are former all-stars. Here are three players still looking to establish their place in the big leagues.

Heston Kjerstad, Baltimore Orioles

The situation with Heston Kjerstad has been status quo for about two years now: always the first one to come up and help the big-league team but never a spot full-time on the 26-man roster. He was optioned and recalled three times and only played 39 games at the MLB level in 2024, but he did manage to take his first two postseason at bats for the Orioles.

Dominic Fletcher, Chicago White Sox

Fletcher had every chance during the back half of the White Sox historically terrible season, and the offensive numbers were less than stellar. Fletcher already is a Gold Glove-caliber defender, but in order to occupy a corner outfield spot at the major league level, the bat must come along. Since rejoining the

Feb. 14-17 — Washington State

big-league roster on July 29 until the end of the season, Fletcher hit .223 in 158 plate appearances with just one home run to go with five walks and 32 strikeouts.

Isaiah Campbell, Boston Red Sox

Campbell seemed to have carved out a nice role as a leverage middle innings reliever with the Seattle Mariners in 2023, finishing the season with a 4-1 record with a 2.53 ERA. After being traded to the Red Sox in the offseason, though, Campbell’s numbers were unsightly to say the least. He made eight appearances with a 16.20 ERA before being shut down with right elbow inflammation for the rest of the season.

This column first appeared at bestofarkansassports.com.

* Feb. 21 — Kansas State – Arlington, Texas

*Feb. 22 — TCU – Arlington, Texas

*Feb. 23 — Michigan – Arlington, Texas

Feb. 25 — Grambling

Feb. 28-Mar. 2 — Charlotte

March 4-5 — ULM

March 7-9 — Portland

March 14-16 — Ole Miss

March 18-19 — Oral Roberts

March 21-23 — South Carolina

March 25 — Missouri State

Mach 28-30 — Vanderbilt

**April 1 — UAPB

April 4-6 – Missouri

April 8 — Arkansas State

April 11-13 — at Georgia

April 15 — UAPB

April 17-19 — Texas A&M

April 22-23 — Little Rock

April 25-27 — at Florida

April 29 — at Missouri St.

May 2-4 — Texas

May 9-11 — at LSU

May 15-17 — Tennessee

Home games in bold

* College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field

** at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock

2025 RAZORBACK BASEBALL SCHEDULE

of a Horse

Different COLOR

Oaklawn closes deal to pull Broyles Award from LR

By Doug Crise

During his nine years as general manager at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Wayne Smith has learned a thing or two about closing deals, so when Betsy Broyles Arnold, CEO of the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation, arrived in Hot Springs with her daughter, Molly Harrell, executive director of the foundation, to discuss moving the Broyles Award ceremony to Oaklawn, one of the first items on the itinerary was a trip to Oaklawn’s Astral Spa.

“We joke with Wayne that all it took to seal the deal was a trip to the spa,” Harrell said.

Smith can chuckle at that memory now, but at the time, he was far too preoccupied to laugh. So what if he had convinced the management team behind the Frank Broyles Award to come visit him in Hot Springs? He had had his eye on hosting the event, which honors the top assistant coach in Division I college football, ever since award founder David Bazzel invited him in 2022.

Smith was in the midst of helping oversee some of the biggest changes in Oaklawn history, including a luxury hotel, spa and event center being added on to the thoroughbred track and casino. He could not shake the feeling that the Broyles Award was just the kind of event that should be happening at the new Oaklawn he was building.

Smith knew he had a lot to offer. He also knew the Broyles Award, a luncheon event previously hosted at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, had become a Little Rock mainstay after 29 years. Bazzel, Arnold and Harrell, he knew, would need some convincing.

“These are not fly-by-night people,” Smith said.

The fruits of Smith’s labor, spa trips and all, will be on display Feb. 13, when Oaklawn hosts its first Broyles Award in its newly built ballroom. The location has changed, and so has the scope. Now an evening event, the award will transition from a one-shot afternoon affair to a weekend’s worth of festivities, the banquet and ceremony taking place that Thursday.

“Oaklawn has world-class horse racing, trackside rooms for our guests and even a spa,” Harrell said. “Because of this, we can expand the award festivities

Betsy Broyles Arnold, left, and Molly Harrell speak at the Broyles Award ceremony, which will move to Oakawn in Hot Springs this year.

(Photos by Nelson Chenault)

It’s a truly special feeling to see two of my grandpa’s legacies come together in one event. We’re honoring assistant coaches for their dedication and hard work while also supporting those who care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s.

— Molly Harrell , executive director of the Broyles Foundation

to be a multiday event for Arkansans and our guests.”

Smith is ready to ride the wave of that growth, and he said he hopes this year’s Broyles Award is only the beginning.

“I felt it would be a great partnership,” Smith said. “When we built this, we felt we could have a really good niche here. It wasn’t just the Broyles Award. I felt that our facility had everything. It’s a one-stop shop.”

One factor that led Smith to make a pitch for the award was the changing landscape of college football. Frank Broyles coached his last football game in 1976, and little has stayed the same. With the institution of a 12team playoff, the season will end later than ever before. While there is precious little letup in the life of a collegiate assistant football coach, moving the award from December to February means the nominees will no longer fly out to Arkansas in the middle of bowl preparation and recruiting.

“We just have a lot of flexibility,” Smith said. “We said we can pick a time after the college football playoffs, and if you feel comfortable, you can give us a shot here at Oaklawn. Thoroughbred racing season here at Oaklawn and the shift in

the schedule means the coaches and their families can spend more time benefitting from our resort.”

It is a lot of change, but as Harrell points out, college football has changed too. In 1996, for the first Broyles Award, Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews was making $150,000 a year. Now, $1 million and even $2 million deals for premiere coordinators are part of the landscape. Of all the award finalists since 1996, 43 have gone on to become head coaches in college or the NFL.

It is a big deal, and it just keeps on getting bigger.

“In the early days of the award, we were paying the travel expenses of the finalists to attend the ceremony and even giving them a cash prize,” Harrell said. “Now schools fly their coaches in on private jets to honor their recognition. Some coaches even have raises and bonuses structured in their contract if they become a finalist, for example.”

Growing along with the Broyles Award is the Broyles Foundation. Spearheaded by Arnold and Harrell, the foundation provides resources and support for Alzheimer’s caregivers. Harrell’s grandmother, Barbara Broyles, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2005, and Frank Broyles, who coached at Arkansas for 20 years, spent much of his later years advocating for Alzheimer’s patients and establishing the foundation.

“It’s a truly special feeling to see two of my grandpa’s legacies come together in one event,” Harrell said. “We’re

The move to February is expected to make attendance much easier on nominated coaches including 2023 winner, Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker (second from left).

honoring assistant coaches for their dedication and hard work while also supporting those who care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s. It’s a powerful reminder of how much one person’s life can touch so many others both on and off the field.”

The foundation, too, is growing. Having already published Coach Broyle’s Playbook for Alzheimer’s Caregivers: A Practical Tips Guide, a collection of resources for Alzheimer’s caregivers, the foundation will publish a second volume this year.

“Additionally, we’re launching a Dementia-Friendly Partners certification program,” Harrell said. “This free online training will offer valuable tools and support for both professional and athome caregivers, empowering them to provide the best care possible to those living with dementia.”

With a 30-year celebration just around the corner, Harrell said there is more to come.

“Not only are we celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Broyles Award, but we’re also planning a truly special event to mark this milestone,” Harrell said. “We’re looking forward to bringing together former winners and special guests to celebrate three decades of honoring the hard work and dedication of assistant coaches. It’s going to be a unique event with a lot of excitement and recognition for those who have helped make the Broyles Award what it is today.”

Part of that celebration will be continued investment in the High School Broyles Award. Started in 2018, the High School Broyles Award honors one high school assistant coach from each state. The award has grown to the point where it now has its own podcast and its own guest speakers.

As a nod toward making the awards a weekend event, the high school award will be recognized a day later, Feb. 14, with Nebraska coach Matt Rhule as a keynote speaker.

“This is something we’re particularly excited about,” Harrell said. “It allows us to extend the award’s legacy to the next generation. I know it’s something my grandparents would be proud of.”

What started as a quick tour and a day at the spa ended with the start of a brand-new era for a longtime fixture on the Arkansas social calendar.

“We’ll be able to put on a good show for them,” Smith said. “The city of Hot Springs is excited. I hope that for the next 30 years, they’ll be in Hot Springs.

BROYLES AWARD FINALISTS:

• Marcus Arroyo, offensive coordinator, Arizona State

• Tim Banks, defensive coordinator, Tennessee

• Al Golden, defensive coordinator, Notre Dame

• Bryant Haines, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Indiana

• Pete Kwiatkowski, defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach, Texas

The event will begin at 5 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Oaklawn Ballroom. A ticketed VIP reception starts at 5 p.m., and the awards dinner begins at 6 p.m. For more information, visit broylesaward.com.

David Bazzel came up with the idea for the Broyles Award in 1996.

THE LAW of the Land

As president-elect Donald Trump enters his second term in office, perhaps one of the most quietly significant pieces of legislation to cross his desk will be the newest iteration of the Farm Bill.

The multiyear, comprehensive legislation touches on a wide array of issues concerning agriculture and includes 12 titles ranging from commodities, nutrition and crop insurance to trade, conservation and credit.

U.S. Sen. John Boozman, the Arkansas Republican who serves as ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, described the bill as “a five-year contract with our farmers, ranchers and rural communities that provides certainty and predictability for the work they do to grow, produce and raise the food we put on our tables.”

“Programs provided by the Farm Bill provide important tools for farmers to manage the risks of national disasters and market downturns while they feed, fuel and clothe our nation and people around the world,” he said.

He added that the Farm Bill also authorizes investments in rural communities, increases opportunities for U.S. trade and helps spur innovations in agriculture research.

Farm Bill essential to food security, wildlife conservation

By Sarah DeClerk

“The Farm Bill is important to farmers because it ensures our nation’s food supply remains secure,” said Jay Robbins, director of national affairs at the Arkansas Farm Bureau. “The Farm Bill includes risk-management tools for our farmers, access to nutrition for low-income families, conservation programs and investments in agricultural research, and supports rural communities through the Rural Development Title.”

The title works to provide opportunities in rural communities so that people can move to or remain in rural areas without compromising educational prospects, job opportunities or quality of life.

Robbins added that the Farm Bill also provides certainty to farming and ranching families through crop insurance, supports new and beginning farmers, and provides needed funding for trade development.

The Farm Bill also supports programs that provide financial assistance to farmers and mitigate risk, ensuring that it remains profitable to farm and thereby helping keep food on tables in America and around the world.

For example, the Agriculture Risk Coverage program provides payments when farm revenue is less than a set amount, and the Price Loss Coverage program provides payments when prices for a commodity fall below a set amount.

Jay Robbins

Harvey Groves

The bill not only benefits farmers and consumers; it also helps conserve wildlife habitat, ensuring ample recreational opportunities in Arkansas and elsewhere.

Harvey Groves, Farm Bill coordinator at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Private Land Habitat Division, said the bill provides funding to restore and conserve wildlife habitat through various programs.

“It provides financial incentives to implement wildlife-friendly practices while they’re still producing on their ground on the farmer side and also, too, on the sides of the state that are not necessarily ag production,” he said. “There’s a lot of funding out there that incentivises landowners to do wildlife-friendly practices through the Farm Bill.”

The Conservation Reserve Program and Wetland Reserve Program help convert underused farmland to wildlife habitat. The CRP rents the ground on a 15-year contract, while the WRP is a permanent easement program, Groves said.

He added that the programs can help farmers increase their net income because they do not use resources on parts of their land that do not produce well.

“A lot of those grounds, they probably shouldn’t have been cleared years and years ago, but they were,” he said. “This allows [landowners] to take that ground and put it more into what it should have been or where it should have stayed, and then they’re not losing money on that.”

The programs have been a boon to waterfowl populations, including rare species such as the roseate spoonbill and king rail, as well as deer herds, which has added recreational value to the properties, in addition to making them more wildlife friendly, he said.

The Farm Bill provides funds for a number of other conservation programs, as well. AGFC partnered with the American Bird Conservancy to create Open Pine Regional Conservation Partnership Program No. 1, which provided $5.7 million for woodland restoration across 16 counties and parishes in south Arkansas and Louisiana, and was recently awarded funds for Open Pine RCPP No. 2, which will provide $21.25 million to 47 counties and parishes across the two states.

In addition, AGFC is the lead partner for the North Arkansas Quail RCPP, which provided $750,000 across six counties, and another Farm Bill-funded program, Working Lands for Wildlife, helps restore quail habitat on farms in western Arkansas while promoting responsible farming practices such as crossfencing for cattle and eco-friendly water tanks.

Although the programs are primarily focused on conserving habitat for grassland birds such as the

Passing a Farm Bill that will be signed into law by President Trump is my top priority.

John

Boozman

northern bobwhite quail, the programs benefit deer, turkeys and other wildlife too, Groves said.

Another program, the Migratory Bird Resurgence Initiative, provides $6 million a year for winter water habitat on unmanipulated rice fields, meaning the fields have not been disked. Groves said the program opens up new land for hunting on a limited basis while relieving hunting pressure on migratory bird populations.

“It’s been hugely successful,” he said. “We’ve had lots of thank you letters for this. It gives Arkansas sportsmen a chance to hunt rice fields and, sometimes, in places where they wouldn’t have been able to historically.”

Not counting the CRP and WRP, programs funded by the Farm Bill have a total economic impact of about $40 million on Arkansas, he said.

“That’s a significant amount of funding that we need to come from the Farm Bill,” he said. “Our wildlife pays that bill if we don’t.”

Farming, at its core, is conservation, Boozman added.

“Farmers, ranchers, forest landowners take great care of our environment,” he said. “It’s important they have the tools to practice good stewardship.”

The first Farm Bill was passed in 1933, and there have been 18 Farm Bills in the years since, Robbins said. The bill is historically renewed every five years, and the last Farm Bill was passed in 2018.

“If the Farm Bill is not extended, all the programs

In addition to providing a safety net for farmers, the Farm Bill provides funding for wildlife conservation efforts. (Photos provided by AGFC)

within the Farm Bill would return to the 1949 Farm Bill,” Robbins said. “Without a Farm Bill extension, authorization and funding for an array of programs would end or wind down, including everything from rural development to conservation, research and some nutrition programs.”

Boozman said it is essential to update the 2018 Farm Bill in a way that strengthens the safety net for farming communities. The COVID-19 pandemic, international trade disruptions, historic inflation, record trade deficits, increased input costs, depressed commodity prices and devastation caused by natural disasters are just a few factors that have negatively impacted farmers, he said.

“One Arkansas farmer recently shared that he had the best crop yield of his career, but he’s still underwater because commodity prices are well below the cost of production,” Boozman said. “Many farmers across the country are in this same boat. Unfortunately, this is a problem that can’t be resolved by planting more acres. Congress must act to develop a Farm Bill that meets the times.”

The current Farm Bill includes outdated risk management tools, he added, since the reference prices that make up the current farm safety net were established in the 2014 Farm Bill based on production-cost data from 2010.

“That means the current farm safety net is nearly 15 years old, and without the meaningful updates I’ve been calling for, it is ineffective in protecting against the current combination of historically high input costs and commodity prices that look more like what was seen in the 1980s,” he said. “This dynamic means producers cannot insure or produce their way out of this crisis and may be on their second or third consecutive year of operating in a deficit.”

The Migratory Bird Resurgence Initiative helps provide winter water habitat on certain rice fields, left, and projects such as the Open Pine Regional Conservation Partnership Program, below, provides habitat for grassland birds such as the northern bobwhite quail.

(Photos provided by AGFC)

Programs provided by the Farm Bill provide important tools for farmers to manage the risks of national disasters and market downturns while they feed, fuel and clothe our nation and people around the world.

— John Boozman

In December, Congress passed a stopgap spending bill that included a one-year extension of the Farm Bill, as well as disaster assistance and economic assistance for farmers. Boozman said passing a new fiveyear Farm Bill is at the top of the agenda.

“Passing a Farm Bill that will be signed into law by President Trump is my top priority,” he said. “I am committed to working with the agriculture community, members of the committee, Congressional leadership and the incoming [U.S. Department of Agriculture] Secretary Brooke Rollins to support rural America through an improved five-year Farm Bill.”

In addition to modernizing the farm safety net to reflect current economic challenges, other priorities could include increased investment in trade programs, broadband expansion and agriculture research, as well as enhanced oversight of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to reduce payment errors, he said.

Robbins added that the Arkansas Farm Bureau would like to see a Farm Bill that strengthens risk mitigation measures, provides long-term investments in conservation practices, increases support for the Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage programs, and increases statutory reference prices.

Seal-the-Deal Meals

Four restaurants tailor-made for schmoozing clients or landing the big one

By Dwain Hebda

An unwritten maxim of business is how much of it gets done outside the office. For decades, that has meant treating clients to rounds of golf, suites at sporting events, and, in Arkansas, even a trip to the duck club to help shed the formality of the board room and put a little loft into the sales pitch.

Such gestures are not thinly veiled bribes nor the schmaltzy schmooze that suggests a multimillion-dollar client can be bought with a $200 green fee. There is real science behind doing business in alternate settings, from disarming the natural defenses put up during more staid formal negotiations to allowing each side to gauge the other’s true colors in nonwork settings.

One of the most hallowed techniques for this specific brand of networking and sales is the business dinner, and it is not hard to see why. Humans breaking bread together has been a sign of collegiality and friendship for millennia, and doing so with hopedfor clients or business associates suggests a level of trust and intimacy a board room continental spread just cannot match.

“Some people may still think that the most economical and efficient way to close a deal is to lock a counterpart in a conference room with a few sandwiches then ‘cook’ this counterpart for a few hours until he/she signs at the bottom of the page,” logged Ludovic Tendron, an attorney, author and negotiation strategist on LinkedIn. “This may be the case when a commercial agreement needs to be formalized with a team of advisors, but it may not be efficient enough for obtaining a good commercial agreement.

“A memorable dining experience not only creates a favorable context for negotiations but should also be seen as a way to seduce a counterpart and a business accelerator, improving the productivity of discussions.”

Of course, important business dinners are not the same as going out with pals; experts point out there are right and wrong ways to host such meals, and violating those rules of etiquette can have disastrous consequences. One of the first and most important laws of the business dinner (and “dinner” because research shows an evening meal is more effective than lunch) is to choose a place that provides both good food and a memorable dining experience.

“It is easier to create a memorable dining experience for your guests if it is a unique experience,” Tendron wrote. “The more unique the dinner experience is, the better chance it has to remain memorable. I would say that food, wine and service have to be excellent, but it is not enough. The venue must create a positive or unique atmosphere. Your guest must get the impression that he/she has experienced something new, e.g., a new wine, a new flavor, a new combination or pairing, or even a new place. In essence, your guest must feel special.”

Arkansas has its share of such establishments. In fact, some are so often frequented for such dinners they have become known as prime closing spots. The following are a few proven locations for closing the big deal as selected by the editors of Arkansas Money & Politics

SO Restaurant-Bar

Located in Little Rock’s Hillcrest neighborhood, SO Restaurant-Bar has long been a standard-bearer for fine dining in the Capital City. SO lends itself to the business dinner format thanks to sophisticated cuisine served in a neighborhood setting, which automatically makes guests feel at home from the moment they enter.

The restaurant, which opened in 2006, recently changed hands, which regulars claim made for a rocky transition. The return of Joseph Salgueiro, the place’s original chef, as managing partner/owner and executive chef has helped to right the ship.

A November 2024 review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Doe’s Eat Place

Few places in Little Rock can match the personality and character of Arkansas’ Doe’s Eat Place. Only time can present the kind of authentic patina of the legendary downtown spot. From its juke joint vibe to its legendary roster of fans, Doe’s offers the kind of experience that transcends the food, which is fantastic, elevating an evening meal to a cultural immersion.

The photos on the wall tell of the decades of musicians, athletes, celebrities and politicians, both local and visiting, who have darkened the door, which is a big part of the appeal. Bringing an out-oftown client there provides a panorama of Arkansas heroes, rogues, rascals, history and gossip. Yes, Bill Clinton did hold court in the back dining room, plotting campaign strategy over tamales.

One element that is particularly effective for business dinners

confirmed Salgueiro’s bold, made-from-scratch menu of what he calls “American nu cuisine” can keep SO Restaurant-Bar in the conversation of the city’s best fine dining, even as it works out some kinks.

SO’s strengths are elegant fare beautifully presented, featuring entrees that dress up familiar ingredients with various international influences, including signature touches from South America, Europe and Asia. The restaurant’s wine list has always been top notch, as are the house cocktails.

SO Restaurant-Bar

3610 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock

501-663-1464

sorestaurantar.com

at Doe’s is the restaurant’s family-style service. A study by Cornell University in New York and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business found the connection among negotiators over food is strongest when sharing off the same platter. Helping oneself to another slice of Doe’s T-bone is, therefore, the ultimate in networking.

(Photos courtesy of Doe’s Eat Place)

Eat Place

1023 W. Markham St., Little Rock

501-376-1195

doeseatplacelr.com

Doe’s

(Photos by Heather Baker)

Cache Restaurant

There is something to be said for a place that looks the part, and when it comes to the setting for big deals, Cache Restaurant does just that. Sleek, chic and contemporary, the restaurant shimmers like a jewel on a choice corner of the River Market. The open kitchen hums, aromas dance in midair, and the incomparable wait staff ties it all together.

Cache is one of those establishments inspired by other places that somehow feels authentically Arkansas. Chef Payne Harding, a local who grew up to hone his craft in New York City, seamlessly blends the familiar with the exotic to create something new. No detail is left to chance, from topshelf drinks to decadent desserts. Wherever the prospective client hails from, they will be impressed.

Cypress Social

For as quickly as Cypress Social has developed its legions of raving fans, it is easy to forget how recently this gem straddling the line between Maumelle and North Little Rock came to be. Taking over the space run for years as Cock of the Walk, the restaurant opened in summer 2020 completely reimagined by restaurant empresario Jim Keet and family into a celebration of upscale Southern cuisine.

The attraction of Cypress Social lies in its versatility — no matter how buttoned up or laid back the

The restaurant also offers several special seating amenities to pamper any guest or client. Three chef’s tables that seat between eight and 12 are for the asking, providing an even higher level of attention and service. For the ultimate experience, treat guests to the intimate speakeasy accessible through a hidden panel in the dining room.

Cache Restaurant

425 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock

501-285-8381

cachelittlerock.com

guests or occasion, the restaurant somehow shifts easily to meet the mood.

Start with an expertly crafted cocktail or a selection from the extensive wine list over appetizers while pondering the extensive roster of outstanding steaks, fowl and seafood. The beautifully landscaped grounds, including a soothing center lake fountain, lend to the restaurant’s peaceful ambiance, or treat guests to the Parlor, an intimate private dining space.

Hey, nothing in life or business is guaranteed, but if a night at Cypress Social does not get the deal done, it probably was not meant to be.

Cypress Social

7103 Cock of the Walk Lane, North Little Rock 501-916-2670

cypresssocial.com

(Photo by Jamison Mosley)

(Photos by Jamie Lee)

(Photos by Jamison Mosley)

INSIDE THE DOME

By AMP Staff

The 95th Arkansas General Assembly convenes this month as Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders looks to build on the momentum of her signature education-reform legislation and tax cuts. Here is a look at a handful of the prominent lawmakers expected to play big roles in the state legislature this winter and spring.

Rep. Keith Brooks (R-Little Rock)

Elected to the House in 2020, Brooks served as vice chair of the House Education Committee for the 94th General Assembly. He also serves on the House Aging, Children and Youth and Legislative and Military Affairs committees.

Brooks was a sponsor or co-sponsor for significant legislation, including the Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act, and was a leading proponent of the Arkansas LEARNS Act.

Sen. Joshua Bryant (R-Rogers)

Elected to the Senate in 2022, Bryant is vice co-chair of the Joint Performance Review Committee. He is a member of the following committees: Education; City, County and Local Affairs; and Legislative Joint Auditing.

Bryant was among a group of lawmakers seeking regulation for crypto mines in rural areas, and he sponsored Resolution 5 to limit noise of crypto mines and forbid foreign ownership. During the 94th General Assembly, Bryant sponsored legislation to allow municipalities to state by resolution if they have a pro-life policy.

Sen. Breanne Davis (R-Russellville)

Davis is the chair of the Senate Rules, Resolutions and Memorials Committee and a member of the following Senate committees: Education; City, County and Local Affairs; Interim Committee on Children and Youth Committee; Joint Budget; and the Arkan -

sas Legislative Council. She is serving as the Senate majority whip of the 95th General Assembly.

During the 94th General Assembly, Davis was the lead sponsor of ACT 237 of 2023, commonly known as the LEARNS Act. The LEARNS Act made sweeping reforms in school finance, literacy, teacher pay and parental choice.

Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R-Beebe)

Dismang, who has served in the state legislature since 2009, co-chairs Joint Budget Subcommittee and is vice chair of the Senate Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs Committee. He is a member of the following committees: Senate Revenue and Taxation; Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development; Joint Performance Review; Rules, Resolutions and Memorials; Legislative Facilities; and Arkansas Legislative Council.

During the 94th General Assembly, Dismang sponsored legislation that requires counties to do a reappraisal on property every four years. The legislation helps prevent huge tax increases. He was the lead Senate sponsor of legislation reducing the Arkansas income tax.

Rep. Brian Evans (R-Cabot)

Evans was voted speaker of the House by his colleagues in May of last year, and he is expected to be confirmed when the 95th General Assembly convenes this month. He was elected with 91 of 100 votes.

Evans is serving his third term in the House. He served as chair

of the House Education Committee for the 94th General Assembly. He also serves as House chair for the ALC Administrative Rules Subcommittee. In addition, Evans serves on the House Insurance and Commerce Committee, the Joint Budget Committee and the JBC PEER Review Subcommittee.

He is the sponsor of a bill to create the Joint Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs and co-sponsored a bill to amend provisions of the Arkansas code pertaining to school funding.

Sen. Ben Gilmore (R-Crossett)

Gilmore is beginning his second term in the Senate. He was elected vice-chair of the Arkansas Legislative Council and Senate chair of the Forestry Caucus. Gilmore currently serves as the chair of the Joint Energy Committee, chair of the Special Language Subcommittee of Joint Budget and chair of the Arkansas Legislative Recidivism Task Force.

He is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Joint Budget Committee, and the Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee. He represents Arkansas on the Energy Council Executive Board. In 2023, Gilmore was the lead sponsor of the Protect Arkansas Act, which brought comprehensive reform to Arkansas’s criminal justice system.

Sen. Bart Hester (R-Cave Springs)

A strong proponent of the LEARNS Act and legislation to lower taxes and reduce government debt, Hester is Senate president pro tempore for the 95th General Assembly.

He is vice co-chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth, the Joint Interim Committee on Legislative Facilities, the Senate Efficiency Committee, the Arkansas Legislative Council, the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee, the Claims Review and Litigation Reports Subcommittee, the Game and Fish/State Police Subcommittee, the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Subcommittee, the Review Subcommittee, the Joint Budget Committee, the Executive Subcommittee, the Administrative Rules Subcommittee, and the Charitable, Penal and Correctional Institutions Subcommittee.

Rep. Ashley Hudson (D-Little Rock)

Hudson is serving her second term in the House after unseating Republican Jim Sorvillo in a red west Little Rock district. For the 95th General Assembly, she serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House City, County and Local Affairs Committee.

She has pushed for an expanded maternal health care period for Medicaid and was the primary sponsor of Act 128 to create support for pregnant and parenting students and Act 579 to amend the exemptions of life insurance proceeds from actions by creditors.

Sen. Greg Leding (D-Fayetteville)

Leding is serving his second term as Senate minority leader. He served in the Arkansas House from 2011 to 2018 and began his service in the Senate in 2019. He is vice chair of the Senate Rules, Resolutions and Memorials Committee and serves on the following committees: Public Health, Welfare and Labor; Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development; Joint Retirement and Social Security; Joint Budget; and the Arkansas Legislature Council.

During the 94th General Assembly, Leding sponsored the Liza Fletcher Act to authorize the use of rapid DNA technology in certain circumstances.

Rep. Matthew Shepherd (R-El Dorado)

Beginning his seventh term in the House, Shepherd served as House Speaker for three full terms from 2018 to 2024.

A vocal proponent of tax cuts, he is the former two-term chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and is a member of the Joint Budget Committee, the House Public Transportation Committee, the House Management Committee, and the House Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee. Shepherd also serves as chairman of the Arkansas Code Revision Commission.

MAY THE CHORDS BE WITH YOU

Guitar Wars nonprofit raises money for music scholarships

By Mark Carter

DavidDunavant could be considered the Emperor Palpatine of the central Arkansas music scene. He has, after all, created a new musical galaxy not so very far away.

Dunavant, a guitar/music/music theory instructor with secondary degrees who has taught guitar at four different colleges and universities, created Guitar Wars Little Rock two years ago as a way for his students to showcase their skills. Partnering with the Central Arkansas Library System, the first two installments were held at CALS’ Ron Robinson Theater in Little Rock’s River Market District, where the event has found a home.

The success of the inaugural event led to Guitar Wars II: The Attack of the Picks, held last June.

Guitar Wars III: Revenge of the Riffs is scheduled for Aug.9.

Dunavant’s entrance to last year’s event indeed was Emperor-like. Dressed all in black, he entered the theater from the back and was escorted down the aisle by none other than Darth Vader. Not the Dark Lord of the Sith, per se, but Vader from the Arkansas 501st: The Diamond Garrison, the state chapter of the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers, that is.

campfire chords. About 10 years ago, I decided I wanted to level up my skills with professional instruction,” he said. “His instruction method is well suited to adult learners, building progressively with a mix of practical playing technique and just enough music theory to be useful without overwhelming you.

“If you’re focused and diligent about practice, you can make a tremendous amount of progress in a year or two with his program, but you do have to put in the time.”

Prominent “lockdown” sponsors for the 2025 event, Dunavant said, include Delta Dental, D’Addario, Stringjoy and the 501st, but many more will be made official soon, he added.

The 501st describes itself as a “distinguished Star Wars Imperial costuming club.” It is now a standing component to Guitar Wars festivities, which Dunavant hopes to grow into a festival-like event that spills out into the River Market.

Dunavant last year transformed Guitar Wars into a nonprofit so it could award music scholarships as prizes. Last year’s event saw three young players from across Arkansas awarded with a guitar and four months’ worth of free lessons in their home counties. This year, Dunavant plans to expand the scholarship prizes to four, add more sponsors and expand the event’s marketing reach. He plans to do so with the help of a $10,000 advertising grant from the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau and a Google ad grant of $10,000 per month.

The event already boasts an impressive list of local and industry sponsors — including D’Addario, one of the world’s largest guitar string manufacturers — but Dunavant said expanding the event’s marketing buzz will help draw even bigger sponsors, promote local businesses, introduce music to nonplayers and encourage the community to pursue hobbies. Plus, it is simply a whole lot of fun. Dunavant also wants to add a “drum off” between the youth and adult divisions.

“We want people from all over Arkansas to come to Little Rock, get up on the stage and make a whole weekend out of the event,” he said.

David Kinkade, a freelance writer and communications consultant from Little Rock, is an experienced Dunavant protégé who has competed in the last two competitions.

“I spent years puttering around on an acoustic guitar I’d had since college without progressing much beyond the ‘hum and strum’

Joey Cole, manager of the Ron Robinson Theater, said the concept of a community-driven guitar competition fit nicely with the theater’s mission to support local talent and provide a platform for diverse artistic expressions.

“It was clear from the beginning that this event had the potential to bring something fresh and exciting to the Little Rock music scene,” he said.

So far, Guitar Wars has exceeded expectations.

The response for the inaugural event convinced him the library system made the right choice in partnering with Dunavant.

“We saw a packed house, enthusiastic audience participation and a vibrant atmosphere that highlighted the best of what local musicians have to offer,” Cole said. “The event not only met but surpassed our goals in terms of attendance and engagement. Guitar Wars has tremendous potential to become a staple event in Little Rock’s cultural calendar. Given the enthusiastic response, we see it growing into an annual tradition that attracts participants from across the region.”

The growth of Guitar Wars even required Dunavant to bring in some assistance to help him handle the workload associated with it. Collaborating with the business department at UA Little Rock, Dunavant was connected with Ryleigh Dobson, a December graduate who works at Media & More in North Little Rock. She helps Dunavant with grant applications, marketing and other tasks. Dunavant calls her his COO (aka Darth Vader).

“She’s been great,” he said. “None of this would have been possible without her.”

Winners receive cash and in-kind prizes, and the music scholarships are for underprivileged local kids. The cost to compete is just $35, while admission to watch is free. Players must furnish their own guitar, live in Arkansas and earn no more than 20 percent of their annual income playing guitar.

For more information, visit guitarwarsinc.com or guitarlessonswithdavid.com.

The ‘Emperor’ enters the theater for Guitar Wars. (Photo courtesy of David Dunavant)

to Right: J. Tod Ghormley,

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MD, Tom Roberts, MD, James Head, MD, Scott Smith, MD, James Howell, MD, Bryan Head, MD, and Austin Cole, MD

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