Arkansas Money & Politics March 2022

MARCH 2022/armoneyandpolitics.com

Mississippi County is the new hub for heavy metal

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

Steel

is on the rise in

Mississippi County, AR We are the #1 destination for steel investment in America.

• RAIL • RIVER • ROAD • AIR

converge to create America’s strongest steel hub.

Mississippi County is a certified ACT Work Ready Community that offers the best and most affordable customized workforce training.

Mississippi County Economic Development Blytheville, AR // 870.532.6084 Sites are available. Check them out at www.cottontosteel.com.

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MARCH CONTENTS

6 | Plugged In 8 | Discovery Economics 10 | Viewpoint 134 | The Digs of the Deal 144 | The Last Word 38 | Workforce development

Equipping Arkansans with the skills necessary to fill jobs and help drive the state’s economy remains as important as ever.

40 | A drive of faith

Electric-vehicle manufacturer Canoo took a leap of faith, of sorts, when it announced in December that it was moving its HQ to NWA.

46 | Mission driven

12 | OVERDRIVE The Arkansas Economic Development Commission highlights the state’s recent economic development wins in this special section.

For Lucie Pathmann, recently charged to lead global branding for Little Rock’s Westrock Coffee, it’s all about the mission.

70 | The corner office

AMP asked readers to share their favorite “C-Suite” executives. Inside, we list this group of CEOs, COOs, CFOs and CIOs.

MARCH 2022/armoneyandpolitics.com

Mississippi County is the new hub for heavy metal

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

ON THE COV E R 22 | COTTON TO STEEL It’s almost a little surreal how this corner of Arkansas, long known more for cotton, has been transformed into a center for steel production.

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Clif Chitwood of the Great River Economic Development Foundation was photographed in Osceola for the cover by Jamison Mosley. The efforts of Chitwood and others have helped turn Mississippi County into a hub of steel manufacturing.

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MARCH CONTENTS PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

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

54 | ATTRACTIONS Arkansas has always been known for its outdoors amenities, but over the past couple of decades, the state has taken outdoor recreation to another level.

ART DIRECTOR Jamison Mosley | jmosley@armoneyandpolitics.com DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Kellie McAnulty | kmcanulty@armoneyandpolitics.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lora Puls | lpuls@armoneyandpolitics.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Greg Churan | gchuran@armoneyandpolitics.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Tonya Higginbotham | thigginbotham@armoneyandpolitics.com Mary Funderburg | mary@armoneyandpolitics.com Tonya Mead | tmead@armoneyandpolitics.com Shasta Ballard | sballard@armoneyandpolitics.com Amanda Moore | amoore@armoneyandpolitics.com ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Jessica Everson | jeverson@armoneyandpolitics.com

128 | BOYS OF SPRING Minor League Baseball — a leaner, meaner MiLB — is back for 2022 including in Arkansas after two years of canceled games and shortened seasons.

ADVERTISING COORDINATORS Austin Castrellon | ads@armoneyandpolitics.com Virginia Ellison | ads@armoneyandpolitics.com CIRCULATION Ginger Roell | groell@armoneyandpolitics.com ADMINISTRATION Casandra Moore | admin@armoneyandpolitics.com

CEO | Vicki Vowell TO ADVERTISE

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

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

CONTRIBUTORS

Angela Forsyth, Becky Gillette, Kenneth Heard, Dwain Hebda, Richard Thalheimer

118 | CHANGING TIMES

As the new CEO at Arkansas Capital Corporation, Sam Walls III wants to keep his organization relevant through shifting times and changing economics.

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AMP magazine is published monthly, Volume IV, Issue 11 AMP magazine (ISSN 2162-7754) is published monthly by AY Media Group, 910 W. Second St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, AR, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to AMP, 910 W. Second St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Subscription Inquiries: Subscription rate is $28 for one year (12 issues). Single issues are available upon request for $5. For subscriptions, inquiries or address changes, call 501-244- 9700. The contents of AMP are copyrighted, and material contained herein may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Articles in AMP should not be considered specific advice, as individual circumstances vary. Products and services advertised in the magazine are not necessarily endorsed by AMP. Please recycle this magazine.

M A R C H 2022

PLUGGED IN FEBRUARY 2022/armoneyandpolitics.com

Iconic Little Rock entrepreneur Jim Keet sat for AMP’s February cover at his Cypress Social restaurant. Jamison Mosley photographed Keet, who was recognized in AMP’s inaugural Fifty Over 50 list.

INSIDE: Black-owned businesses | Tech leaders | Electric cars $5 USD

FEEDBACK

Ozarks Electric Cooperative, along with Springdale Public Schools and Today’s Power Inc., broke ground on a new 2.38 megawatt solar project near Sonora Middle School in Springdale on Wednesday.

2022 AMP INFLUENCER: KIRKLEY A. THOMAS “I knew him when…Congrats!”

Kayla Thomas Bogle

INSTAGRAM

RENEWAL RANCH IN CONWAY RECEIVES $750K GRANT FROM BANCORPSOUTH, FHLB DALLAS “So happy for this good news. Renewal Ranch is a great program saving men and boys who are addicted to alcohol and drugs, helping them become sober, kick their addiction and regain their normal lives. It pleases me that we were able to donate land and sell some of our land to help Renewal Ranch when they first got started. It was the right decision that has yielded tremendous positive results. I hope you will go out and support them.”

Sen. Jason Rapert DIGS OF THE DEAL: DELUCA’S PIZZERIA IN HOT SPRINGS “Great story! I can’t imagine your parents not being proud. Bravo!”

Mike Harb MOSES TUCKER PARTNERS ANNOUNCES FIVE NEW PARTNERS “That’s a long list of rockstars!”

Ted Clouser LITTLE ROCK LAUNDRY: PACE PICKING BACK UP “So very proud of Kay and the legacy of love for small business and the customers she serves.”

Pam Whitaker

CARTI has opened a new Cancer Center in Pine Bluff, at 5001 Bobo Road. The new facility provides medical and radiation oncology, imaging services and breast surgical consultations to patients of southeast Arkansas, and includes an infusion suite with 28 heated recliners, one private infusion suite and an on-site lab. The cancer center will be open Monday – Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

TOP ONLINE ARTICLES 1. Elegant Sculptures Turn Heads at Bank OZK Headquarters in Little Rock 2. Wienerschnitzel Signs Major Development Deal in Arkansas 3. Caddo Mountain Spring Water Plans $24M Bottling Facility in Arkansas 4. Simmons Announces New Hires to Little Rock Metro Banking Group 5. Envirotech Vehicles Picks Osceola for First U.S. Facility 6. Crumbl Cookies Makes Central Arkansas Sweeter with 3 New Locations

The much-anticipated Waldo’s Chicken & Beer opening date in North Little Rock has been set. JTJ Restaurants announced Thursday that the eatery would make its Arkansas debut this month.

7. Bill Yee Joins Citizens Bank as SVP, City President in Little Rock 8. Josh Throne is Taking NW Arkansas’ MD Hair Labs to the Next Level 9. Sanders Announces Leaders of ‘Educators for Sarah’ Coalition 10. Tucker Named Shareholder at Kelley Commercial Partners

CORRECTION Josh Davenport, CEO of Seal Solar, was included in last month’s 2022 Tech Leaders list, but the wrong photo ran with his listing. The correct headshot appears at left.

North Little Rock solar company Today’s Power Inc. has named Jennah Denney as its new EV Charging Infrastructure Program Manager. Denney has been promoted from the company’s Manager of Marketing & Public Relations, a position she had held since Sept. 2021.

@AMPPOB

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By Mark Carter

EDITOR’S LETTER

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OF MAJESTIC PARK, BATHERS AND BABE

rguably the state’s most historic baseball site — many would contend there’s no debating it — will return to action this spring in Hot Springs as the revamped and renovated Majestic Park baseball complex.

The five-field complex is set up to host everything from youth ball to pro ball, the latter on its 400-feet-to-straightcenter Championship Field. Majestic’s renovation was funded through a $7.8 million bond issue approved by city voters.

The Majestic Park site, of course, served as one of the first Major League Baseball spring training locations. It may very well have been the first. The site as used for baseball dates to 1908 with the building of a practice field by the Detroit Tigers. Back then, major league clubs deployed players to Hot Springs to be “cleansed” of off-season sins by the area’s renowned thermal springs, and to get back in playing shape.

The Red Sox in 1909 were the first team to make Hot Springs an official spring training site. That team, of course, included Babe Ruth. The Reds, Dodgers,

Babe Ruth at spring training in Hot Springs, 1918.

White Sox and St. Louis Browns (later the Baltimore Orioles) soon followed suit and made Hot Springs their spring headquarters. Red Sox players gave Majestic Park its name in honor of the grand, old Majestic Hotel, which served as the team’s home away from home.

It was spring training in 1918 when the Red Sox first experimented with playing Ruth in the field. Having previously used

Ruth as a pitcher exclusively, the Sox wanted to take advantage of his hitting.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Like Ruth, many Hall-of-Fame players would train in Hot Springs over the first half of the 20th century — Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Rogers Hornsby, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner and Walter Johnson to name a few. The park even See EDITOR’S LETTER, page 61

By Heather Baker

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

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LIGHT BULBS AND STEEL MILLS

eading a recent Forbes section on C-Suite leadership, I experienced a light bulb moment. We recognize so many Arkansas business leaders, from marketers to founders, why not create some special recognition for those Arkansans who occupy the C-Suite? You know, the “corner offices” on the top floor where the offices for the top executives are located. After all, that’s where most of us aspire to be one day, right? And how great is it to see the glass ceiling begin to shatter for women and minorities when it comes to executive leadership?

We asked our readers to tell us who their favorite execs were — CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CIOs (or their equivalent roles). We’re thrilled to include them inside this March issue.

Also inside, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission helps us reveal the

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great strides local officials are making in attracting high-paying jobs to the state. U.S. Steel just announced plans for a $3 billion mill in Mississippi County, which over the past decade or so has become the epicenter of Steel Country. I’ll see your Pittsburgh and raise you a Blytheville/Osceola.

Local officials expect the new mill to have a huge impact. It’ll employ up to 900 with annual salaries exceeding $100,000 (that’s ONE-HUNDREDTHOUSAND, which goes a looong way in Arkansas); produce 3 million tons of steel; and officially make Mississippi County the largest steel-producing county in the country.

That’s the kind of good news we love to tell, and we sure appreciate your coming along for the ride. *** Hit me up with story ideas at HBaker@ Heather Baker ARMoneyandPolitics.com.

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M A R C H 2022

DISCOVERY ECONOMICS

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TOOLS

RESEARCH TRADE

By Amy Hooper

funding agencies.

In 2020, the National Science Foundation (NSF) received more than 42,000 funding proposals, of which it funded 28 percent. Despite this dismal statistic, researchers find creative ways to press forward. One way, for example, is reverse engineering their experimental design to fit the equipment they already have access to, rather than purchase new equipment. A manufacturer wouldn’t be expected to make a new product with existing equipment if it wasn’t optimal, would they? Like manufacturing, scientific research shares a role in the economic development future of our state. To optimize that role, researchers need access to the tools of their trade, which don’t come cheap.

Now might be a good time to tell you that, while I support STEM-based researchers around the state, my educational training and experience is in business. Recognizing I had much to learn when I joined the Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) in early 2021, I went on a listening tour for

manufacturer in your town wants to capitalize on a new market opportunity to add value to its product, better serve its customers and improve its bottom line. To capture the opportunity, the company needs to add a production line. It will create an engineering design, invest to acquire the equipment, hire new employees and begin production.

Unlike this purposefully over-simplified manufacturer’s experience, scientific researchers don’t have access to capital through loans or investments for new research projects (i.e. “add a new production line”). When scientists see opportunities to advance their field of research, capitalizing on them hinges on their capacity and ability to raise money by writing grants, winning corporate sponsorships and other fundraising means. Many times, their efforts are in vain, and several months pass before hearing back from

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at a local maximum, because they don’t know about the equipment that this R&D spending helped acquire.

ARA’s newly launched Arkansas Core Facilities Exchange (CFE) is a tool to fill this gap in Amy Hooper researchers’ knowledge. It is a central database of sophisticated research instrumentation available for use at ARA’s member institutions — the University of Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Arkansas State University — through a special partnership with the state, NCTR and the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute. The research departments of these institutions have collectively listed more than 280 pieces of equipment available for use and categorized them by research topic on the CFE. Additionally, the university chancellors signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) intended to encourage a more robust culture of collaboration on campus and between institutions.

Neither institutions nor researchers can solve complex problems on their own or be the sole engine for knowledge-based economic development in the state. Today’s research requires a density of expertise across scientific disciplines and a broad suite of instruments and machines. Accordingly, ARA envisions the CFE as a “force multiplier” — a tool to promote interactions among investigators that are then nurtured into collaborations.

[1] The CFE also stands to improve the quality of research design by matching equipment capabilities with investigator goals. Better quality proposals can enhance grant competitiveness.

Driving more usage toward existing core facilities can generate more revenue and reduce redundancy in capital expenditures. Ultimately, the goal is to accelerate the process of discovery and innovation in Arkansas. Much like manufacturers, our researchers need to tap into the resources at hand to build their competitive edge and add value to the global body of scientific knowledge. As their customers, we should expect it. The CFE is available for public use at ARAlliance.org/core-exchange.

the first couple of months of my new job to simply learn about researchers’ roles — the good, the bad and the ugly. I spent nearly 30 hours on Zoom in one-on-one calls with 59 researchers from ARA’s member universities and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) in Jefferson County.

Armed with better knowledge of a researcher’s process, one of the questions that I asked each of them was, “How do you find out what equipment you can use?” Over and over, I heard answers like “word-of-mouth,” “networking” and “conferences.” I learned that Arkansas researchers may have no idea that a state-of-the-art piece of equipment is available for use in a neighboring Arkansas community, let alone down the hall at their own university.

The story I’m about to tell will reveal my identity as a millennial, but it helps put into perspective this conundrum our state’s researchers face. When I graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2013, I deferred my first job’s start date for a six-week backpacking trip through Western Europe with a friend. Wanting to live in the moment and avoid an expensive international phone bill, I decided to leave my cellphone, and thus the internet, at home in the States. An unfortunate consequence of that decision was the inability to read online restaurant reviews. Instead, we relied on what was physically around us and the concierge at our 10-euro-per-night hostels to find restaurants. We had a less-than-optimal gastronomical experience simply because we didn’t know our options.

In Arkansas’ research community, there is much more at stake than a few bad meals. Despite Arkansas universities spending more than $350 million on research and development (R&D) in 2019, a good portion of our state’s academic investigators likely have been conducting lessthan-optimal experiments or operating

Amy Hooper is Core Facilities Project Manager for the Arkansas Research Alliance.

[1] The term “force multiplier” adopted from Organizing core facilities as force multipliers: strategies for research universities, Zwick, Michael E., Emory University School of Medicine, Journal of Biomolecular Techniques, Volume 32, Issue 02, July 2021.

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M A R C H 2022

VIEWPOINT

WHAT ARKANSAS’ BUSINESS OWNERS CAN DO TO MAINTAIN GROWTH IN AN UNCERTAIN POLITICAL CLIMATE

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By Richard Thalheimer

etween COVID-19, a turbulent political scene and a volatile stock market, businesses in Arkansas and across the country have faced a lot of uncertainty and hardship over the past few years. The businesses that have made it through are the ones that have found a way to adapt to the challenges this uncertain climate has brought.

Since it seems pretty certain that there will be more bumps ahead, it’s worth asking how business owners can maintain growth when things are uncertain (or just downright difficult). To answer that question, let’s look at the three ways business owners can beat whatever challenges come their way — no matter what’s happening in politics or the economy.

when things are uncertain is to take action and as soon as possible. Sure, there’s always the risk you may make a mistake in choosing a particular path, but that’s actually a good thing.

The sooner you find out you’re wrong, the better off you are because now you’ll try something else. After all, you may need to try several alternatives and make mistakes to find the right course. You will inevitably take paths that turn out to be dead ends. In fact, many of the things you try won’t work. Don’t let it discourage you.

The only person who never fails is the one who’s afraid to try, and therefore never does, but also never has the opportunity to succeed. You can’t succeed unless you’re willing to risk failing.

#1: Fail Your Way to Success The first and most important thing you can do to move in a positive direction

#2: Plan for the Worst-Case Scenario The next key to maintaining growth in an uncertain climate is to plan for the

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worst-case scenario. Look, it’s unlikely the worst thing that could happen will happen. It rarely does. But mentally preparing for it anyway is a good Richard Thalheimer planning tool. If worst fears should materialize, you won’t be caught off guard, and if things turn out well, you haven’t wasted the effort.

Think about how you’ll recover, finance your next effort and make up the lost sales, investment or effort. Trust me: If you do, you’ll sleep better at night.

Remember, too, that momentum takes on a life of its own. As soon as momentum, whether positive or negative, gets

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going in your business, it comes with its own head of steam.

This is similar to the cycles of the U.S. economy. A strong expansion or a downward spiral gives the impression that it’s never going to end.

So, along with planning for the worst-case scenario, use the periods of expansion to increase advertising, spend money to acquire customers, do lots of prospecting and maybe try some marketing that normally might feel wild and crazy for you.

Conversely, when things are contracting, cut all those frivolous marketing efforts, tighten your belt and do all you can to keep morale up.

option grants or end-of-year bonuses that are guaranteed only for people who stick around to collect them.

While you’re being transparent, keep your psychology upbeat and positive. Never demonstrate a lack of confidence or self-doubt. Although you should always own up to business challenges and never try to come off as superhuman, the fact is that, as a leader, you need to convey confidence.

You Can Get Through the Tough Times There’s no getting around the fact that businesses have ups and downs, especially when there are economic and/or political challenges. As a business leader, those down periods can be some of the most stressful times in your life. You may even wonder if you will get through these difficult periods.

As stressful as they are, though, the past few years have proven that business owners who commit to taking action, planning for the worst-case scenario and treating their people well, can successfully overcome the challenges that will inevitably come their way.

#3: Be Transparent With Your Team During the times when the very viability and future of your business is uncertain, you might feel strongly tempted to jump ship. Some of your associates will feel the same. And, if they have little stomach for uncertainty or see themselves on a fast track to success, they will start looking for greener pastures.

It can be a serious blow to your business to lose a critical position during a challenging time, and it adds stress when you’re already suffering from worry and frayed nerves. So, what should you do to help mitigate the chances this will happen?

Be transparent with your people. Disclose that it’s a critical time and that you really need and want them to stay. Give them an incentive, like extra compensation paid in a year or two or stock

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Little Rock native Richard Thalheimer is the founder and former CEO of The Sharper Image, the consumer brand launched in 1979 with three employees. He led the company to annual revenues of $750 million, 200 stores, catalogs, an online store and 4,000 employees.

The company went public in 1987 when its stock was listed on NASDAQ. An early investor in Tesla, Thalheimer now runs The Sharper Fund and blogs at TheSharperInvestor.com.

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M A R C H 2022

A SPECIAL SECTION FROM THE ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

Economic development in Arkansas:

Reaching New Heights

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cross the great state of Arkansas, businesses are producing goods and services that are helping to drive the global economy. Arkansas produces materials for the aerospace industry, parts for the automotive industry, food products, ammunition, timber and much more.

Arkansas’ economy has upward momentum, and the state is pushing forward to secure new economic development wins, from helping Arkansas companies expand to attracting new companies to move to The Natural State. This momentum is helping create new jobs and grow economic opportunity in Arkansas.

Over the last two years, our state has weathered a pandemic unprecedented in our lifetimes. Instead of shutting down, we rolled up our sleeves, adapted and kept our economy rolling. That’s because, in Arkansas, all business is essential.

Businesses, from Fortune 500 firms to mom-andpop companies, have kept Arkansas’ economy firing during the past two years and maintained our momentum. New industrial development and company expansions in 2021 have helped the economy grow, and Arkansas is well-positioned for future growth.

All of this growth isn’t an accident. It’s the result of Arkansas’ potent mix of advantages: a businessfriendly environment, favorable programs and legislation, a talented workforce and unmatched lifestyle opportunities.

Looking back on 2021, Arkansas accomplished a great deal, allowing us to punch above our weight class when it comes to economic development.

Under Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s leadership, the Arkansas state legislature signed into law the largest income tax cut in the state’s history. This tax cut, which the Tax Foundation called a “case of tax reform done right,” will provide approximately $500 million in annual tax relief for Arkansans once all the provisions go into effect in 2025.

Combined with our low cost of doing business and limited regulation, legislation like this helps make Arkansas an attractive location for business investment expansion.

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) has partnered with the Ar-

kansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism on a new campaign called “See Why Arkansas,” aimed at recruiting new talent to Arkansas and welcoming back Arkansans who have moved away. This initiative is geared toward bringing tech workers and other talented individuals to beautiful Arkansas to bolster our tech economy and other growing industries.

Starting with the announcement of Hytrol’s expansion in Fort Smith, Arkansas had a busy year of project economic development announcements in 2021. During 2021, there have been projects in all corners of Arkansas, from Flippin to Jonesboro and from Fort Smith to Hope.

We closed out 2021 with a bang — the announcement of Westrock Coffee’s more than $100 million expansion in Conway, which will create 250 new jobs. These new developments and expansions came from companies representing a wide range of industries, including food and beverage, timber, steel, biotech and electric vehicle industries, which reflects the diversity of Arkansas’ economy.

Economic development was strong in The Natural State in 2021. In total, AEDC worked with 29 companies to create a projected 4,286 jobs, paying an average hourly wage of $23.04.

But, we’re only getting warmed up.

Already in 2022, Arkansas is having a record-breaking year. In January, U.S. Steel announced its plans to bring the most technologically advanced steel mill in North America to Arkansas. This “steel mill of the future” is a $3 billion investment in Arkansas, the largest capital investment in the state’s history.

Economic growth, though, is not only about the number of projects that we close each year. It’s about looking to the future to chart a course that ensures our state’s continued economic viability for the years to come.

That has been the long-term goal of Gov. Hutchinson’s Computer Science Education Initiative, which has expanded the opportunities students have to take computer science courses and has created a pipeline for highly skilled tech workers in Arkansas. This initiative has made Arkansas a national leader in computer science education and will provide highpaying jobs for Arkansans in the years to come.

Keeping Arkansas at the forefront of economic development is why The Natural State is taking the lead in the future mobility sector. Arkansas has a growing electric-vehicle manufacturing industry — with two companies already establishing a presence in the state.

Gov. Hutchinson established the Arkansas Council on Future Mobility, which will be composed of public and private leaders, to identify barriers to advance mobility initiatives in Arkansas and to make policy recommendations on how to spur development in this sector in the state. The council will deliver a final report to the governor at the end of November, The work performed at MD Hair Labs outlining these and recommendations. elevates Arkansas tobarriers the forefront of With these recommendations in hand, Arkansas can create new economic opportunities hair restoration technology. in the advanced mobility sector that will impact people around our state, nation, and the (Photos provided) world. It’s truly an exciting time to be in Arkansas!

Our state had a productive year in 2021, securing major economic development wins, and it’s looking even better for Arkansas in 2022. In the coming months, we are excited to announce new projects that will create new jobs for Arkansans and that will pay dividends for the state for decades.

Best, Mike Preston Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Executive Director, Arkansas Economic Development Commission

SPECIAL SECTION

Steel Industry Heats Up in Arkansas

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teel production is heating up in Arkansas. In January 2022, Arkansas unveiled the biggest economic development deal by capital investment in the state’s history: U.S. Steel’s announcement that its “steel mill of the future” would be built in Osceola.

This 6.3-million-ton mega mill will feature two electric arc furnaces with 3 million tons of annual steelmaking capability, along with a state-of-the-art endless casting and rolling line and finishing capabilities.

For U. S. Steel President and Chief Executive Officer David B. Burritt, Arkansas offered a prime location for its steel mill that will allow U.S. Steel to grow and meet the needs of its customers.

“With this location selected and shovels ready, we are reshaping the future of steelmaking,” he said. “We had numerous competitive site options, but Osceola offers our customers incomparable advantages. The state of Arkan-

sas, Mississippi County, the city of Osceola, Entergy, BNSF Railway and other parties have all worked to make this the clear choice for a path to the future without roadblocks. We’re not going to make our stakeholders wait to see progress.

“We intend to break ground this quarter and get to work as soon as permits are in hand. With its extraordinarily lowcost structure, energy-efficient production equipment and advanced capabilities, this $3 billion project will yield significant benefits to our customers, stockholders, communities, employees, and contribute to a more sustainable world.”

On Feb. 8, U.S. Steel broke ground on the new facility, which is expected to bring 900 new jobs to the area.

“Last month, we announced that U. S. Steel would build a new state-of-the-art mill in Osceola,” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said. “We are excited to break ground on the project. Once it is finished, it will be the largest single project investment in the state’s history. This is a great opportu-

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, U.S. Steel CEO David B. Burritt and Secretary Mike Preston at the Osceola groundbreaking.

nity for Arkansas, and I am thrilled to watch the impact this project will have on the northeast Arkansas economy as well as the families of the workers to be employed by the mill.”

The U.S. Steel announcement is only the latest major development in Arkansas’ steel industry. Northeast Arkansas has a thriving steel industry built around the infrastructure and strong workforce in the area.

In August 2021, Majestic Steel announced its plans to develop a new state-of-the-art service center and processing facility on the campus of Nucor Hickman in Blytheville.

This 515,000-square-foot master distribution site was designed to better service Majestic Steel’s customers, due to the state’s strategic location, and it provides the company with proximity to Nucor’s production.

Big River Steel has also made its mark on Arkansas’ steel industry and brought new innovations to the industry. The company, now owned by U.S. Steel, broke ground on its flex mill in 2014 and started production in 2016. This Arkansasbased steel mill became the first steel production process to achieve LEED Certification, the most widely used green building rating system.

The story of steel in Arkansas starts with Nucor Corporation, which wanted to develop a steel mill on the Mississippi River, more than 30 years ago. Nucor Corporation now operates Nucor Steel and Nucor Yamato in Mississippi County, manufacturing automotive-grade steel products.

“A little company called Nucor Corporation decided it wanted to build a steel mill on the Mississippi River,” former Big River Steel CEO David Stickler said. “Arkansas was a good home for that because they had the river system, the rail system, the highway system and a reliable electrical grid. What they had then, they have today only in spades.”

Nucor expanded its facilities in 2016, investing $230 million in Arkansas and creating 100 new jobs.

“As a world leader in steel manufacturing technology, Nucor is particularly focused on increasing productivity and efficiency and competing in global steel production,” said Jay Henderson, Nucor Steel general manager. “With today’s automakers counting on steel as their material of choice to reduce vehicle weight, while at the same time improving both safety and performance, our new cold mill will be at the forefront of making these advanced highstrength steel products,” Companies such as U.S. Steel, Nucor and Big River

Steel have chosen northeast Arkansas as a base of operations for its attractive location on the Mississippi River, which provides a cost-effective method of transportation for products.

“Barges can deliver raw materials that are melted down to make steel, and then they can put the product they make on another barge to ship up or down the Mississippi River,” Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston said.

Companies also benefit from easy access to interstates in Arkansas including I-40, which stretches from North Carolina to California; I-55, which connects eastern Arkansas to St. Louis, Chicago and New Orleans; and I-30, which connects Arkansas to Texas and Mexico.

Close rail access makes Arkansas an attractive location for steel companies with three Class I systems in the state, including Union Pacific, BNSF Railway and Kansas City Southern Railway, along with 22 smaller railroads operating more than 2,700 miles of track.

Workforce is critical to the steel industry, and Arkansas’ workforce is second-to-none. As a right-to-work state, Arkansas can help steel companies reduce costs while still providing a talented workforce.

This workforce is sustained through Arkansas’ robust educational ecosystem. Arkansas has more than 40 institutions of higher learning, including technical colleges, that are generating a high-quality talent pool.

In northeast Arkansas, Arkansas Northeastern College is directly supporting the steel industry by offering a twoyear steel tech program designed to prepare students for a steel industry career.

With its central location, robust infrastructure and strong workforce, Arkansas is well-positioned to support a growing steel industry. Steel companies have discovered the advantages of moving to or expanding in Arkansas, and the state is ready to help these companies grow.

For the steel industry, it’s clear: Arkansas is open for business.

SPECIAL SECTION

Arkansas Ranked #1 STATE for Inbound Movers in 2021

Arkansas was a top destination for people moving in 2021.

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ccording to the 2021-2022 HireAHelper U.S. Migration Report, Arkansas was the No. 1 state moved into, by ratio, during 2021. Arkansas had 44 percent more people move into the state than move out.

This is the fourth-annual migration study conducted by online moving marketplace HireAHelper. In the study, HireAHelper looked at more than 90,000 moving jobs booked in the United States through its platform during 2021 and compared these numbers to 2020 data to identify population shifts and the net gains and losses that states saw for 2021.

Roughly 26.4 million people, or about 8 percent of the U.S. population, made a move in 2021 — the lowest recorded percentage of people moving in one year in the United States. However, the percentage of people moving significant distances has increased to its highest levels since the early 2000s, with 40 percent of those who moved moving to a different county and 17 percent moving to a different state.

A significant portion of those who moved, around 20 percent, cited COVID-19 as the underlying reason behind the moves.

Approximately 37 percent of those who moved in 2021 because of COVID did so because the respondents began working remotely and were not attached to a location, according to the study. Another 23 percent took advantage of the housing market and sold a home, while 22 percent could

not afford their current housing because of a COVID-related loss of income. In the study, 17 percent of those surveyed said the pandemic made respondents reconsider their priorities and quit their jobs.

With its low cost of living, great career opportunities, ample housing and beautiful outdoors, Arkansas is an attractive choice for people looking to work remotely and live in a growing but affordable state. Arkansas has the advantages of a larger state — strong industries and potential for career growth — with the quality of life and amenities you’d expect in The Natural State.

“I think it’s an excellent place for young couples to come and settle. With the advent of technology and connectivity, you can do anything here,” said Martin Smith, a landscape architect and resident of Birdeye (Cross County). “The Natural State is true to its name. Why Arkansas? For me, it’s the

cultural aspect, the authentic experiences of the Delta, the natural resources, the ability to go rock-climbing, to go mountain-biking, to float in the bayous. It’s the beauty of the state, the beauty of the people, the beauty of the rural communities and the towns.

That sums it up.”

Those moving to Arkansas will find that their dollar stretches further compared to the nation’s average. The cost of living in Arkansas is significantly lower than the rest of the nation. According to C2ER’s 2021 Cost of Living Index, seven Arkansas metro areas had costs of living that were up to 17 percent lower than the average metro cost of living.

Health care, grocery, housing, utilities and transportation costs in Arkansas were all below the national average for 2021.

For example, Zillow reported that the typical home value in Arkansas is $163,785. By comparison, the typical U.S. home value is $320,662 — a difference of $156,877.

Career opportunities are abundant in Arkansas, as well, with the state’s business-friendly environment and its support of key industries. Job seekers can find high-paying jobs in the aerospace and defense sector, in the steel industry, with startups and technology companies, in manufacturing, as well as with many other industries in Arkansas.

The state is welcoming both newcomers and those moving back to The Natural State. To encourage individuals to move to Arkansas, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission partnered with the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism in 2021 on a new talent-re-

cruitment campaign called See Why Arkansas.

This campaign spotlights Arkansas’ strengths and provides online tools to help individuals decide to make their move.

The See Why Arkansas online landing page features a wide range of helpful tools, including a relocation calculator, testimonial videos from individuals who have moved to Arkansas and Arkansans who moved back from elsewhere, a “Love Where You Live” Guide and much more.

Arkansas is an ideal state for professional and personal growth. Great career opportunities and outstanding lifestyle amenities can be found in The Natural State, combined with the state’s low cost of living that has made Arkansas a top destination for those looking to make a change.

SPECIAL SECTION

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

WINS IN ARKANSAS

2015 February 2015: $102 million tax cut

2016

2017

May 2016: SIG Sauer, Jacksonville, 50 jobs

SIG Sauer relocated its Elite Performance Ammunition manufacturing operation to an existing building in Jacksonville that allowed for future expansion, a key factor in its decision. The initial relocation phase entailed 50 new jobs.

February 2017: $50M tax cut and $13M retired military tax cut

September 2017: Simmons Prepared Foods, Benton County, 1,500 jobs, $300M investment

September 2016: Intimidator, Batesville, 400 jobs, $12M investment

Simmons Prepared Foods Inc. announced plans for a new, $300 million chicken facility in Benton County between Decatur and Gentry. The company planned to create roughly 1,500 new jobs at the plant initially and employ more than 2,300 people by 2022.

Intimidator Inc., a manufacturer of 4x4 utility vehicles and zero-turn mowers, announced expansion of its current manufacturing facility in Batesville and the construction of a second facility in the Independence County Industrial Park.

As of March 2022, AEDC has 558 total new agreements signed, $13,944,682,295.46 total in investment, 26,692 jobs created, and an average wage of $20.95.

2018

June 2018: Big River Steel, Osceola, $1.2B investment

Big River Steel expanded its LEED-certified, Arkansas-based scrap recycling and steel production facility. The expansion doubled Big River Steel’s hot-rolled steel production capacity to 3.3 million tons annually.

August 2018: Aerojet Rocketdyne, Camden, 140 jobs, $50M investment Aerojet Rocketdyne expanded its southern Arkansas facility near Camden, where the company manufactures solid rocket motors and warheads critical to national defense. The company also announced expansion plans for Camden including new infrastructure and more than 140 new jobs, bringing total employment to approximately 900 employees at the facility.

There are 81,300 more people employed now than when Gov. Hutchinson took office in January 2015.

Currently (Q3 2021), the per capita income in Arkansas is $49,862, which is a 26.78% increase since Q1 2015.

Data reflects signed agreements since 2015 and announced project from U.S. Steel in 2022.

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2021

2019

June 2021: Fort Smith, Ebbing Air National Guard Base

February 2019: 5.9 percent tax cut June 2019: Lockheed Martin, Camden, 326 jobs, $142M investment

Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Lockheed Martin officials announced at the annual Paris Air Show that the company would expand its Camden facility that produces the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and performs final assembly for Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) and Precision Fires products for U.S. and allied military services. The company also announced it would invest $142 million and hire 326 new employees, bringing its total workforce in Camden to more than 1,000.

2020 July 2020: Amazon, Little Rock, 1,000 jobs

Amazon announced plans for a fulfillment center in Little Rock. Launched in 2021, it created more than 1,000 full-time jobs with industry-leading pay and comprehensive benefits for all employees starting on day one.

The Department of the Air Force selected Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith as the location for its F-35 Lightning II training center for Foreign Military Sales participants. Ebbing also was selected as the new location for the 425th Fighter Squadron, a Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon training unit.

August 2021: Majestic Steel, Blytheville, 225 jobs Majestic Steel USA announced a new state-of-the-art service center and processing facility on the campus of Nucor Hickman in Blytheville. The 515,000-square-foot facility features next-generation processing and warehousing equipment and will be responsible for roughly 225 new jobs at full scale.

October 2021: Trex Company, Little Rock, 500 jobs

2022 January 2022: U.S. Steel, Osceola, 900 jobs

U.S. Steel announced plans to bring its nextgeneration, highly sustainable and technologically advanced “steel mill of the future” to Osceola. The steel manufacturer will be investing $3 billion in the facility – the largest capital investment in Arkansas’ history.

Located adjacent to U.S. Steel’s Big River Steel facility, the new steel mill is expected to create 900 plant jobs in Arkansas and create thousands of construction jobs.

Trex Company chose Little Rock as the site for its third U.S. production plant. The wood-alternative, decking- and outdoor-living products manufacturer planned to invest approximately $400 million over five years in the Arkansas site, adding 500 new jobs to the local economy.

December 2021: 4.9 tax cut ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

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M A R C H 2022

Investing in the Natural State Domestic and foreign companies investing and expanding in Arkansas since 2015 2015 Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), Galley Support Innovations Inc., Southwest Steel Processing, Ozark Mountain Poultry, Aerojet Rocketdyne, ATA International, American Railcar Industries, Metova Inc. (Conway), Metova Inc. (Fayetteville), Baxter International Inc., Dassault Falcon Jet, J.B. Hunt Transportation Services Inc., Bad Boy Mowers, Simmons Feed Ingredients 2016 Mars Petcare, Mortuus Pater Pictures, Elite Comfort Solutions, Suzhou Tianyuan Garments Company, GC Evans/Sleeve Seal, Lecheek Nutrition, Nucor Corporation, GeorgiaPacific, Intimidator Inc., Envoy Air, Pinnacle Foods, American Railcar Industries/Corbitt Manufacturing, Shared Services Center, Elyxor, Caddo River Forest Products, Hytrol, GW Communications, Sun Paper, Bekaert Corporation, FMH Conveyors, Glatfelter 2017 Cooks BBQ Products, OurPharma, Morrilton Packing Co., Hefei Risever Machinery Co. LTD, Morfe Manufacturing, Simmons Prepared Foods, B-Unlimited, American Marksman, Saf-Holland, Semahtronix, Pet Won Pet Products, Great Lakes Solutions, Daisy/Gamo Outdoor USA, DGB 2018 Zebra Technologies, Gas Pos, Pinnacle Foods, Nighthawk Custom, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Big River Steel, Midwest Automation, Calstrip Industries Inc., Gränges, Bank of the Ozarks, BankLabs, Applied Processes, Silgan, Safe Foods 2019 SFI of Arkansas LLC, Structurlam Mass Timber Corporation, Radius Aerospace, Cornerstore Processing, Express Rx, Superior Group of Companies, HMS MFG Co., Nucor Steel Arkansas, Hefei Risever Machine Company, DXC Technology, Carvana LLC, Seguin Moreau, Greenbrier Companies Inc., Zekelman Industries, Mundo-Tech Inc., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Prysmian Group, Coca-Cola, Transplace, Coorstek, SIG Sauer 2020 Nestle, Amazon (Little Rock), Amazon (North Little Rock), Emerson, Nice-Pak, Revolution, Roach Manufacturing Corporation, Koppers Inc., Fiocchi of America, La-Z-Boy, SCA Pharma, Signode Industrial Group, Gerber, Cynergy Cargo 2021 Hytrol, Butterball, Mars Petcare, SGL Carbon, Loanpal, Dansons USA, Owens Corning, Anchor Packaging, FiberPro, Cypress Cold Storage, Tyson, CoorsTek, Windsor Door, Drax Biomass, Custom Craft Poultry, L’Oréal, Americold, Montrose Environmental Group, Wipro, Majestic Steel USA, Hytrol (additional expansion), Mars Petcare, Vexux Boats, PelFreez, Vista Outdoor, Trex, Arning Co., Camfil, Mayville Engineering Company, Canoo, Resolute Forest Products, Riceland, Westrock Coffee 2022 (so far) U. S. Steel, Tractor Supply Company, Dark Threat Fabrication, Phoenix Innovations, Hostess Brands

Economic Development 2022

SPONSORED CONTENT What kind of impact has the renewable industry had on Arkansas’ economy?

In the six years that I’ve had the opportunity to work in renewable energy, I’ve seen solar, energy storage, and most recently, electric vehicles grow at an exponential rate. Renewable energy technologies provide an economic advantage for two reasons: (1) they create jobs, and (2) they use primarily indigenous resources, allowing most energy dollars to stay in the country. Arkansas’ economic potential is increasing because of transportation electrification. Electric vehicles are laying the groundwork for a strong Arkansas EV economy by lowering the cost of ownership and operation, and as well as having some of the lowest electric rates in the country. Electric vehicle charging is a cheaper alternative to fueling up at the pump.

Specifically, what kind of impact has Today’s Power had?

At Today’s Power, we have had the opportunity to work with cities and utilities that strive to lead by example on behalf of their communities of residents, customers, students, businesses and utility providers, demonstrating to the state and the rest of the country that promoting low-carbon projects such as solar and electric vehicle charging not only fosters clean energy and efficiency — it also creates incentives for good employment and investment in the city and are environmentally friendly.

Do you expect additional renewable applications to gain popularity as the general public becomes more familiar and comfortable with the industry?

As a result of the recently passed infrastructure act, more Americans, particularly those in rural and underserved areas, will have more opportunities to benefit from the renewable energy economy.

The approximately $54 million the state is set to receive to build out a statewide network of EV chargers to support EV adoption across the state is an example of how this can impact Arkansas and renewable energy application growth. There are numerous economic and environmental benefits associated with the EV economy, and with ample charging infrastructure and the availability of larger models such as electric trucks and SUVs, I believe that utilization rates of electric vehicles and other renewable energy technologies will increase over the next few years.

What kind of technological advances do you expect in the next five years?

The top two technological advances that I believe we will expect over the next five years will be improved large-scale electric vehicles (EV) and more cost-effective battery energy storage. In the EV space, personal electric vehicles are grabbing more and more market share, commercial fleets and municipalities could follow suit rapidly. For commercial businesses looking for electric delivery trucks, the total cost of ownership (TCO) could soon be on par with diesel-run trucks, due in part to increasingly cost competitive and available electric vehicle infrastructure. And for municipalities looking to electrify public transit, although e-buses have higher acquisition prices due to upfront battery costs, their TCO is lower due to their independence from pricey diesel. They also eliminate local particulates, including SOx, NOx and CO2, all major issues in most cities today.

Jennah Denney Today’s Power

The new era of electric vehicles has rapidly expanded the market for lithium and cobalt batteries — while also significantly lowering their cost. The expanded battery market has impacts for more than just EVs. They are increasingly being used as energy-storage solutions by industry and utilities. With battery prices falling rapidly, they are proving useful in lowering power costs, increasing reliability and resiliency, and making power systems more flexible to operate.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

U.S. Steel Doubles Down on Arkansas

By Dwain Hebda

U.S. Steel’s decision to build a state-of-the-art, $3 billion mill in Mississippi County represents the largest private investment in the state’s history.

(Photos provided)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

There’s a lot about the new $3 billion U.S. Steel plant, bound for Osceola in Arkansas’ Mississippi County, that’s just this side of surreal.

The growing presence of steel, an industry that’s cropped up in this flat, open corner of the state only in the last several decades, is one thing. But opening what the project’s parent company calls its most technologically advanced facility – and what is the largest private economic development project in the state’s history – stretches the imagination well past the rolling farmland of today.

And that forward-looking vision, say officials, is precisely the point. For, in addition to the 900 jobs paying upwards of $120,000 and the 3 million annual tons of advanced steelmaking capability, the new Big River Steel Works brings a compelling, audacious view of the state’s industrial future.

As U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt put it in a presser, released in advance of Feb. 8’s groundbreaking ceremonies, “Several years ago, we embarked on a transformative vision for U. S. Steel. Now we celebrate, as we take another significant step forward in becoming the steel company of the future.

“This facility is engineered to bring together the most advanced technology to create the steel mill of the future that delivers profitable sustainable solutions for our customers.”

Not surprisingly, state officials are similarly enthusiastic about the forthcoming plant, which will reside next to the company’s existing Big River Steel facility following two years of construction. “(The plant) is yet another opportunity in northeast Arkansas to transform the region,” said Randy Zook, president and chief executive officer of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Arkansas. “It’s a big opportunity, and we’re encouraging an innovative approach to this that might be helpful in that regard.”

Dan Brown, senior vice president of advanced technology, steelmaking and chief operating officer of Big River Steel Works, said a combination of factors has elevated northeast Arkansas into the country’s newest hub for the steel industry and a jewel in U.S. Steel’s crown.

“The combination of workforce, public and private support, logistics and energy supply have made this region the best choice for U.S. Steel,” he said. “Our strategy is focused on advanced and sustainable steel production so the combination of these factors, along with access to markets, makes this an important capability for us. In addition, many of our strategic customers will benefit from M ARC H 2 02 2

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the geographic location.”

Zook, himself a former industrialist prior to leading the state chamber, agreed.

“The biggest advantage is the proximity to the river,” he said. “It’s the transportation of scrap into those mills. They function on scrap steel totally. They’re downriver from major population centers. Easy rail access, easy trucking access. It’s a function of location that’s the initial driver.”

Arkansas’ steel story begins with Nucor Steel commencing operations in Blytheville in the late 1980s. The company reaped the benefits of physical proximity to markets and robust transportation and shipping options, as other companies quickly noted.

“Once Nucor put one mill, then two mills in there, the word was out,” Zook said. “That’s a pretty tight fraternity in that industry, and they watch each Randy Zook other closely.”

Big River Steel was one of the companies to follow Nucor’s lead, breaking ground on its Flex Mill in 2014. In just five years, U.S. Steel announced it had reached an agreement to buy a minority stake in Big River Steel, with an option to purchase the remaining piece by 2023. It didn’t need nearly that long, gobbling up the remaining 50.1 percent stake in a deal that became official in January of last year.

Brown said the latest announcement spoke more about product diversification than it did mere elbow room.

“We are not building for additional capacity but for enhanced capabilities,” he said. “More sustainably produced steel is critical to the long-term viability of the industry, and this technology will allow us to produce products with a quarter or less of the carbon intensity of integrated mill operations.

“We will be supplying more value-added steel products from this plant for the automotive, appliance, electrical and construction sectors, where demand remains high.”

Zook noted the spillover effect from the announcement has the capability to attract a diverse group of new industries moving into Arkansas, entities that rely on steel to manufacture products and therefore wish to be closer to suppliers.

“You’ve got the largest investment Ford Motor Company’s ever made underway 80 miles due east of Osceola, as the ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

Electric arc furnaces, like this one in Alabama, will be used at U.S. Steel’s new facility in Mississippi County.

crow flies,” he said in reference to Ford’s planned production facility in Stanton, Tenn. “That’s one of the main reasons it will be there, proximity to that mill. Just look around. You’ve got that mill and plants in Jackson, Miss.; St. Louis; Nashville; Tupelo, Miss. All those plants are within a relatively short truck haul to deliver products.

“Then, that will drive downstream entities pretty quickly to be in there making and shipping components and other stuff for those auto plants that are already there.”

Zook said state and local entities — from economic development to higher education — deserve a lot of credit for pulling off this kind of generational investment, something Brown also noted as a primary draw for the company to sink its roots deeper into Arkansas.

“State and local support has been overwhelming, along with energy supply and logistic capabilities required for a project of this scale,” he said. “Entergy played a critical role in helping make this project successful, along with BNSF and other logistics providers.

“We are also pleased with the partnership with Arkansas Northeastern College as its steel tech program is providing a great foundation for future employees, enabling us to hire the workforce of the future.”

For his part, Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston put the lion’s share of the credit at the feet of local ofARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

“State and local support has been overwhelming, along with energy supply and logistic capabilities required for a project of this scale.”

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M A R C H 2022

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Mike Preston, shown speaking at the U.S. Steel groundbreaking, said the deal rais­es the state’s profile and sends a positive message to other firms about the business climate in Arkansas.

ficials, saying their commitment and foresight were critical to attracting, retaining and now expanding steel’s presence there.

“I give a lot of credit to Mississippi County and the region,” he said. “Back in the ‘80s when they said, ‘Here’s the direction we want to go,’ the state got behind it, and they made it happen.

There was a real willingness there. They’d lost jobs in the agriculture sector, they’d lost jobs associated with the air base up there, and they needed a new industry.”

In addition to the physical amenities of the region, Preston also listed labor as a key differentiator between northeast Arkansas and other candidate locations for the Big Steel plant. At the same time, he said, labor is also the biggest hurdle for the new venture once the plant is completed.

“The X-factor that people maybe don’t realize is the quality of the workforce that we have in our state,” he said. “A lot of folks who were formerly working on the air base or in the agriculture sector have that can-do spirit and attitude. They go in, they see a job, they learn how to do it. They roll up their sleeves, and they get it done.

“That’s also the challenge that we face now, to hire 900 employees. That’s a lot. But what you have to look at is, it’s a regional impact. You have folks not only in Mississippi County, you have people all over the region, coming from Jonesboro and even across the river from Memphis and Dyersburg [Tenn.]. We’re goM ARC H 2 02 2

ing to pull people from the region.”

Preston said another benefit of the high-profile deal is it raises the state’s profile and sends a positive message to other firms about the business climate in Arkansas especially at the speed with which this deal happened. He said the company called state officials in September, at which time 40 sites in 13 states were in play, and by January the plant found its home in Arkansas.

“This got national media attention for a number of news cycles and a number of days afterwards. Even after we put the shovel in the ground, people were still celebrating and talking about it,” he said. “I heard from colleagues and companies from all over the country who were very impressed with it. Now, in our recruitment efforts and strategy, it comes up in every conversation we have that, ‘Hey, we heard about the location of this mill.

We’re interested in doing business in Arkansas.’”

Brown said the palpable sense of welcome and appreciation for the company’s presence can be felt daily, and that feeling is mutual.

“We see a wealth of positives in northeast Arkansas, and we see an obligation to continue to contribute to the community in ways that will be helpful for our employees and neighbors,” he said. “It’s clear that Arkansas wants U. S. Steel to operate within this state, and we are looking forward to helping the community reach its full potential.”

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Welcome Home, US Steel

• Employ 900 people with annual salaries of $100,000 to $120,000.

• Produce 3 million tons of steel with two electric arc furnaces.

• Make Mississippi County the largest steel producing county in the United States.

• Be the most advanced steel mill in North America when it opens in 2024.

OSCEOLA / SOUTH MISSISSIPPI COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & THE CITY OF OSCEOLA

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Clif Chitwood of the Great River Economic Development Foundation stands outside the Big River steel mill near Osceola. Chitwood has been one of the leading local officials working to rebuild Mississippi County into a manufacturing hub.

(Photo by Jamison Mosley)

Phoenix Rising

By Kenneth Heard

Mississippi County hoping to ride ‘steel wave’

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

L

Like the fabled mythological phoenix, Mississippi County has for decades consistently risen from the ashes of economic despair.

Now, with the announcement of a new $3 billion U.S. Steel plant in Osceola, local officials say this could be one of the best opportunities the northeast Arkansas county has ever seen.

“We are sitting on the edge of being able to jump into the most successful era of our history,” said Mississippi County Regional Chamber of Commerce executive director Liz Smith. “We’ve had crests over our years, but we’re at one of the biggest ones now.”

When at full capacity, the plant will hire 900 people with annual salaries of $100,000 to $120,000. The facility is expected to produce 3 million tons of steel with two electric arc furnaces, making Mississippi County the largest steel producing county in the United States. It is expected to be the most advanced steel mill in North America when it opens in 2024.

“This is the big one,” said Clif Chitwood, director of the Great River Economic Development Foundation. “This will be Mississippi County’s best shot to rebuild our demographic infrastructure.”

Randy Scott, the president and chief executive officer of Farmers Bank and Trust in Blytheville, said he’s already received 10 loan applications for new residential construction in the area since the mill’s announcement in January.

But prospects have not always been this lucrative; over the course of the county’s history, hard times always seemed to follow good times.

Blytheville and Osceola began and grew as timber towns in the mid-1800s. The hardwood forests provided plenty of work for those moving to the northeast corner of Arkansas. When fire destroyed much of Chicago in 1871, though, lumber was taken from Mississippi County to help the city rebuild.

The county was soon without the trees that bolstered the economy. Instead of collapsing, however, locals saw an opportunity created by the clearing of trees: cotton. The fertile Delta soil was perfect for growing crops and once again, the area thrived. When machines like the cotton picker were developed, farm laborers once again were left without jobs and forced to move away.

In 1942, the U.S. Air Force built Blytheville Air Force Base on the northeastern edge of town. (It was later named Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II

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general Ira C. Eaker.)

But the base closed in December 1992, and 7,500 soldiers were ordered to leave. Mississippi County lost an additional 9,000 jobs from the 1990s to 2003, Chitwood said, as factories began closing. Nucor Steel opened its plant along the Mississippi River in 1988, but the loss of so many jobs took its toll. The county had an 11.1 percent unemployment rate in 1998, far above the state’s 4.4-percent average.

Fruit of the Loom and Milwaukee Tools closed manufacturing plants in the county in the 2000s. An auto parts manufacturer closed, losing almost 900 jobs, and a shoe factory closed its doors.

“Our big industrial park looked like a science-fiction movie,” Chitwood said after businesses moved out. “It was abandoned.”

He said the county lost almost 17,000 families in roughly 10 years. “It was catastrophic. I think by 2003, people had seen the devastation. But since then, we’ve been fighting back.”

Chitwood was hired as the economic director in 2001 and charged with rebuilding Mississippi County’s industrial opportunities. Two years later, more than 60 percent of voters approved a half-cent sales tax earmarked for recruiting industry.

Voters approved continuing the tax in 2011 and then again last July. Chitwood said the commission has helped recruit more than 4,500 jobs and brought in more than $130 million in annual income since the first initiative was passed.

Luring U.S. Steel wasn’t an overnight project, he added. By bringing in more jobs over the past 20 years, the commission was able to build the county’s population.

Programs at Arkansas Northeastern College in Blytheville tailored student coursework to help area businesses who needed specific workers.

The commission also created the “Work Here, Live Here” program as an incentive to bring more people. Under the program, area banks give 10 percent loans to new home builders. The loans are forgivable after a period of time, Scott said.

“We’ve put $3 million of the [industrial recruitment] tax into the program,” he said. “That 10 percent is worth $30 million in homes that will generate sales and real estate taxes for the rest of the homes’ lives.”

He said the construction will also give jobs to welders, ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

More than 60 percent of county voters approved a half-cent sales tax earmarked for recruiting industry like Nucor, Big River and U.S. Steel.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

U.S. Steel looked at 40 sites in 14 states before selecting Mississippi County.

framers, contractors and other builders.

“This will definitely create a boon for our area,” he said.

The planned U.S. Steel mill didn’t come about by luck, Scott said.

“We’ve been working since 2003 with the tax. There have been methodical steps that we’ve taken. We had to pass the tax three times. The voters are going to see it really work now.”

County officials also had to battle an old animosity between Osceola and Blytheville, both of which serve as county seats.

Mississippi County is one of 10 Arkansas counties to have two county seats.

“There was such a rivalry for 50 years between the two,” Chitwood said. “People in Osceola would rather a business move to Timbuktu than to Blytheville back then.”

The county has a history of coming together, though, luring Nucor-Yamato Steel Co. to Blytheville in 1985. The company opened a state-of-the art cold mill in Hickman. And Big River Steel opened its own mill near Osceola in 2014.

U.S. Steel looked at 40 sites in 14 states before selecting Mississippi County. It was a combination of the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the county and Interstate 55, which courses through the county, that helped attract the steel business, Arkansas Commerce Secretary Mike Preston said. But the county’s workforce was also a draw, he added.

“There’s a strong work ethic there,” he said. “The future looks bright.”

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Scott and Gov. Asa Hutchinson learned of U.S. Steel’s decision to move to Mississippi County while on a Zoom meeting with steel officials who were in Pittsburgh. He and the governor had to act “dignified” upon the announcement because they were on camera, Preston said. Behind the computer and off camera, several cheered and danced.

“This was the biggest private capital investment in the state’s history,” Preston said. “Everyone else was jumping up and down.

We were trying not to scream.”

Back at the county’s regional chamber, Smith said Blytheville will begin clearing out vacant, dilapidated houses in its “Rebuild, Restore, Renew” program.

“There wasn’t affordable housing,” she said. “Industries see that as a disadvantage. We have people working here who drive in from Tennessee and the Missouri bootheel to work. We need to create stable neighborhoods for people who want to work and live here.”

Smith also credited the collaboration between workers, the college and industry for improving the county.

“It is very interesting the way people step up here,” she said.

“If we could bottle the magic of the people in Mississippi County and market it, we’d do well.”

Officials already held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new U.S. Steel plant. Construction should begin soon.

“I think this will be the one we can look back on and say we finally turned the corner,” Chitwood said.

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

TWO-YEAR COLLEGES TAKE ON BIGGER ROLE IN WORKFORCE TRAINING

By Sarah Coleman

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ommunity colleges and technical schools are becoming a bigger part of post-secondary education, providing the specific skills training that often leads to a quicker entrance into the workforce.

From evolving technology to an aging workforce, the role of these institutions is becoming more critical as they are counted on to help supply a new generation of skilled laborers.

Andrea Henderson, the executive director of Arkansas Community Colleges (ACC), the organization that collaborates with government agencies, educational institutions, private foundations and others on initiatives to support community colleges in the state, said one- and two-year degrees have value and play a critical role.

“Most jobs require some sort of post-secondary credential, and community colleges fill that space between high school and fouryear degree,” she said.

In Arkansas, one of the biggest areas of growth has revolved around technology. This is an industry, however, where there are varying avenues and paths for workers to begin a career. Automation and robotics have changed the workforce in multiple ways, including how manufacturers create. According to ACC, 1,500 Arkansas businesses have been served by customized training at community colleges and technical schools.

“There are a lot of different classes and programs that are offered in the IT field,” Henderson said. “A college degree is a really different path; the technology programs and certifications in technical or community colleges are about shorter term training,” Henderson said.

Other industries in the state with critical needs for workers include trucking and health care. Technical and community colleges in Arkansas have been integral for the health care industry in Arkansas supplying registered and practical nurses, surgical technicians and more.

“These programs are much more cost-effective with financial aid available, including one or two year Pell grants, state financial aid and a few week program’s workforce challenge available,” Henderson said, adding that several programs offered in the state can include dual enrollment, hands-on training and apprenticeships.

Unlike university programs, where most students work toward degree completion for four years, non-credit training programs offer unique opportunities, in a build-as-you-go fashion. This is true for associates and short-term certification programs, catered to the needs of businesses in the area.

“For example, a two-year degree in a field such as automotion is a path, but short-term certificates have specific pieces of these programs and students can work in their career fields and build their career,” Henderson said. “Our hope is that we can get more funding for our workforce programs; having adequate resources and funding will allow us to support Arkansas businesses.”

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Nursing students train at National Park College in Hot Springs.

(Photo provided)

Henderson said community and technical colleges work closely with local businesses to determine the workforce needs of a specific area.

“We serve our students but also serve our community by making sure that students get training they need to succeed in the jobs they want,” Henderson said.

While manufacturing and agriculture often come to mind when discussing Arkansas industries, hospitality actually represents the state’s second-largest industry. It grosses $5.6 billion annually while employing more than 100,000 people, according to the Arkansas Hospitality Association.

The AHA serves the restaurant, lodging and tourism industries and represents approximately 1,100 members. Its job is to promote public awareness of the industry’s contributions to the Arkansas economy.

Working with several programs such as ServSafe, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Foundation, the AHA also provides access to apprenticeship programs, scholarship opportunities and training.

Management programs in lodging as well as hospitality/tourism are offered at several institutions across the state. The programs enable high-school juniors and seniors to take steps toward hospitality careers. ProStart, a nationwide two-year program, also caters to high schoolers who want to take on additional curriculum before graduation. Through it, students can qualify for scholarships from the Arkansas Tourism and Hospitality Education Foundation. In Arkansas, the program has become a talent pipeline for the foodservice industry.

ServSafe from the National Restaurant Association provides online manager training with one-day exam formats with testing prep offered by AHA. More information on these programs and more is available at ArkansasCC.org.

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TECHNICAL COLLEGES AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS IN ARKANSAS

UA-Pulaski Tech INSTITUTION

LOCATION

Arkansas Construction Education Foundation

Little Rock

Arkansas Elite Welding Academy

Quitman

Arkansas Northeastern College Arkansas State University-Beebe Arkansas State University Mid-South Arkansas State University Three Rivers

Beebe West Memphis

Mountain Home

Arkansas State UniversityNewport

Newport

Arkansas Welding Academy

Ozark Jacksonville

Baptist Health College Little Rock

Little Rock

Black River Technical College

Pocohantas

Black River Technical College

Paragould

Business and Industry Training

Bethel Heights

Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas

De Queen

East Arkansas Community College

Forrest City

National Park College

Hot Springs

North Arkansas College NorthWest Arkansas Community College

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Springdale

Ozarka College

Melbourne

El Dorado

Southeast Arkansas College

Pine Bluff North Little Rock

United Welding Institute Inc.

Pottsville

University of Arkansas at Monticello- College of Technology

Crossett

University of Arkansas at Monticello- College of Technology

McGehee

University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville

Batesville

University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana

Hope

University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton

Morrilton

University of Arkansas Community College at Rich Mountain

Mena

University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management

Bentonville

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Camden

Ultimate Technical Academy

University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College

Harrison

West Helena

South Arkansas Community College Southern Arkansas University Tech

Malvern

LOCATION

Northwest Technical Institute Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas

Blytheville

Arkansas State UniversityMountain Home

Arkansas Tech University- Ozark

INSTITUTION

North Little Rock

Little Rock

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

HIGH TECH HELPING WITH LABOR SHORTAGES, TRAINING

By Emily Beirne

The Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop offers virtual reality and training simulations. (Photo provided)

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dvancing technology constantly keeps the working world on its toes. From the light bulb to anthropomorphic robots, technology is incorporated now into almost every aspect of everyday life. This is especially true in workforce development and how manufacturers are combating labor shortages.

Be Pro Be Proud, an initiative led by the Associated Industries of Arkansas to inspire the next generation of skilled professionals, brings the skilled workforce directly to students through the Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop. The workshop is a 73-foot long trailer that travels around the state to schools and organizations for students to step inside and gain insight into skilled career paths.

The idea for the mobile workshop started when Randy Zook, president of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/AIA, was approached with a problem

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from local industries about not being able to find workers qualified to do the technical and skilled jobs required.

Austin Slater, communications manager for the program, said, “The problem was becoming more and more prevalent, so he brought the issue to the attention of Be Pro Be Proud to figure out how to not only promote these careers but leave a meaningful impact on the target audience of students.

“That’s when virtual reality came into the conversation. It was decided that virtual reality was the perfect avenue not only to introduce students to these kinds of career options, but also give them an opportunity to have a hands-on experience to see if they like [the careers] and connect them to resources if it was something they wanted to pursue.”

After several years of increased interest, the program acquired funding to launch the mobile workshop. In January, it received a $1.5 million state grant for a second mobile workshop allowing the program to cover more ground.

“Be Pro Be Proud has roughly 185 schools on its waitlist right now, and we cover roughly 45 schools and 60 workshops per semester; it was just becoming impossible for us to keep up with that demand,” Slater said.

Targeting mainly students in middle school through high school, the workshop isn’t like a typical job fair. When students enter the trailer, they step inside a job site and experience the day-to-day duties of skilled workers.

“When students enter, they’re met with a large Union Pacific train simulation, a John Deere excavator and equipment operating. Students can see modified virtual-reality welders, electric lineman and materials that might not be familiar,” Slater explained. “We have an actual full brake assembly from a semitruck and diesel tech simulations. The simulator puts up holograms that allow them to see the different parts and how they go together, and we’ll ask the students what they think they’re looking at. When students come on board, they’re stepping into an entirely new life, entirely new atmosphere around a bunch of equipment they’re not familiar with that’s being presented in a way that is high-tech and interesting.”

Eighty-two percent of Arkansas manufacturers have reported a moderate or serious shortage of skilled production workers, according to program data. In Arkansas and across the country, the skilled-labor workforce is aging and close to retirement age — leaving an even greater need for skilled professionals. The Be Pro Be Proud mobile workshop combats this labor need by sparking students’ interest in the career programs featured in the simulations.

“After each workshop, we send a survey to the teachers,” Slater said. “One of the questions asks them to detail any specific students that were impacted by our program, and 80 percent of the teachers report that at least one of their students opted to stay in school based on the experience. Students interested, especially in the lower grades, can go ahead and enroll in classes, apply for internships and jobs and attend recommended training.”

The program even partners with colleges and companies ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

to connect them with interested students ready to jump-start a career path.

On-the-job Training

While Be Pro Be Proud is using advanced technology to develop skilled professionals in the next generation, ABB Motors and Mechanical in Fort Smith has created a digitally innovative system to increase the level of skill within its company.

Over the past year, Gary Sebo, the director of continuous improvement at ABB NEMA Motors, and his team have designed an artificial intelligence program to improve the efficiency of workers. The AI shows in real-time how a worker is performing by displaying either a green (good) or red (needs improvement) box on a screen. If a worker is in the red, the worker and supervisor can try to figure out what area needs improvement.

“This system connects people and equipment to monitor production and collect data that will help improve problems on the spot,” Sebo explained. “There is also a system called Andon that has been implemented that lets every employee have the ability to contact a support person. When a support person or supervisor is alerted through Andon, they receive the message instantaneously. These are documented and allow workers to categorize how time-sensitive their problem is.”

Sebo said that the digitalized shift in communication has improved efficiency and accountability, but it has been quite an adjustment.

“We understand how difficult change can be, so we’re really trying to get people introduced to the new systems, help them see the value and get them engaged to use the systems as a tool to help them do a better job,” Sebo said.

Myla Petree, director of manufacturing at ABB NEMA Motors, emphasized how monumental this digitalization has been for the company in developing a stronger workforce.

“The motors [NEMA] builds are quite complex, and we need people who are skilled and efficient. We’re always looking at ways to better develop our workforce into a better-trained team, and that’s where digitalization has come into play,” she said. “In the past, it may have taken a month to two months to get someone up to speed on a job, but with the tools that [Sebo] and his team have been putting in place, we’re experiencing a learning curve on how long it takes someone to learn our processes and products. We want to reduce the time from two months to two weeks, and these tools are helping us achieve that vision.”

Petree said the most important aspect of developing a workforce — current and future — is making sure that a path to digitalization addresses people’s issues in real-time.

“If [a worker] is having an issue right now, I want to make sure that our folks are being supported to solve those problems with the tools and resources they need right now. Historically, manufacturing sites would come in and production leaders would lead a discussion on the floor and ask how they could do better the next day. Instead of making things better tomorrow, we’re making this better today.”

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Canoo expects to roll out its first vehicles later this year when it debuts its Lifestyle line. (Photos provided)

EV COMES TO THE HEARTLAND CANOO PLANS TO MAKE NWA PART OF RESEARCH, MANUFACTURING HUB

By Angela Forsyth

E

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

lectric vehicle startup Canoo recently moved its headquarters from Austin, Texas, to Northwest Arkansas, and soon will begin rolling out its radical EVs from new manufacturing plants in Bentonville and nearby Pryor, Okla. A research-and-development facility also is planned for Northwest Arkansas.

All this is part of what CEO Tony Aquila calls the transformation of U.S. 412 in Arkansas and Oklahoma into a “center of electric vehicle research, development and manufacturing power.”

The company, which still maintains offices in Texas and California, expects the Arkansas manufacturing facility to be operational later this year and support 545 new jobs. The Oklahoma plant is expected to be up and running in 2023.

The Future Is Now

Imagine a car that can be adapted with interchangeable shells — a vehicle that can go from delivery truck to passenger car by only changing out the top half.

Canoo has begun creating such a car.

The EV manufacturer’s innovative function is based on the development of unique multipurpose automotive platforms. These platforms (the flat bottom layer of the vehicle) are complete with wheels, battery engine and a steering wheel. Each is a self-contained, fully electric chassis and independently drivable.

On their own, they resemble a powerful, fully loaded skateboard. Powering the platform chassis is an engine for which Canoo estimates a battery range of up to 250 miles, power output as high as 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque.

The chassis is designed to pair with multiple “top hats” made by Canoo with the idea that consumers will save money by replacing only the bottom platform or the top hat when needed, as opposed to replacing the entire car. As a person’s lifestyle changes, the top hat can be updated to fit that lifestyle.

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hat is changed to fit the new lifestyle.

With a waiting list in place, Canoo expects to roll out its first vehicles later this year when it debuts its Lifestyle line. Shaped like a minibus, its Lifestyle Vehicle starts at $34,750 and is marketed as a multi-use platform that can be configured as a delivery van, fiveseater, seven-seater or its Adventure car.

According to Aquila, “It’s the first vehicle that’s drive-by-wire, brake-by-wire, harmonized and articulated,” which he explains eliminates several parts, lowers the costs and sets them up to easily convert to autonomous.

“The future is autonomy,” he added. “But right now, we need to build a platform that can accept wherever technology goes. In order to do that, we need to have drive-by-wire, harmonize and articulate, which means you don’t have a steering column, you just have wires.”

This lends flexibility to move the steering wheel and the driver to different positions in the car.

At the moment, Canoo is playing what Aquila calls an “allocation game” as the company deals with a higher demand than it can supply. Depending on the type of vehicle ordered, some customers will receive their cars within the year, while others may be on a waiting list for more than two years.

“The demand is growing so fast for our platform, that it’s changing daily,” he said. “At the same time, we’re making advancements in our ability to produce them while trying to be careful and thoughtful about overpromising and underdelivering.”

Canoo plans to deliver between 3,000 and 6,000 units this year, then 15,000 to 20,000 next year and 45,000 to 75,000 in 2024. Supply chain continues to be an issue for the automotive industry as a whole, and this is affecting electric vehicles as well. While product sourcing is improving, there continues to be a shortage of microchips, and Canoo is working to mitigate that challenge, Aquila said.

Choosing the Heartland

Calling Bentonville a “diamond of evolution,” Aquila noted the company chose Northwest Arkansas and Oklahoma as manufacturing sites, in large part, for the heartland work ethic.

“The workforce there is hard-working, highly skilled and very diverse,” he said. Detroit has the reputation of blue-collar workers; Silicon Valley is white collar, but ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

Canoo’s EVs will include “top hats” customized for family use, industry and small business.

Bentonville has what Aquila calls “light blue-collar” workers.

They are the perfect blend between the manufacturing and computer skillset Canoo needs to bring electric cars to the public. For decades, Detroit has been the mecca of car manufacturing, but Aquila is counting on Arkansas to take over that position.

Additionally — as home to Walmart, Tyson and J.B. Hunt — Northwest Arkansas arguably controls the movement of more physical items than any other region in the world. Walmart, alone, moves hundreds of billions of items every year. Banking on that momentum, Canoo has joined Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s Arkansas Council on Future Mobility. The council works toward pushing the state further in mobility technology, specifically electric vehicles, driverless vehicles, drone delivery and cars that travel by air.

In a recent press conference, Hutchinson said the state is “in a good position to shape the future,” and that he was planning to install more electric charging stations across the state with the $54 million federal funding Arkansas is scheduled to receive over the next five years. This “bold move” by the governor, Aquila says, shows Arkansas is “pushing quietly and effectively advancing.”

While working with Hutchinson, Canoo has also been closely involved with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. According to Aquila, his business is the first automotive company to partner with two governors and a nation — the Cherokee nation.

“Half of our workforce will have Cherokee blood in them,” Aquila noted. “To be able to do that and liberate communities as well at a long-time generational technological industrial level is pretty awesome. And, you have some of the best companies that are moving the majority of the country’s goods there. It’s a good spot for us to be, to listen, to learn, to act and provoke change.”

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Lucie Pathmann, Westrock’s SVP of communications, was drawn to Westrock by her familiarity with its leadership and its mission.

(Photo by Jamison Mosley)

MISSION DRIVEN Lucie Pathmann helping guide Westrock through Alltel-like growth phase

BY MARK CARTER

ucie Pathmann’s hiring in October to direct global branding for Westrock Coffee as its senior vice president of communications represented a return to familiar ground, and the Central Arkansas PR veteran is helping guide the company through significant growth.

Westrock’s ascendancy reminds her a little of the growth experienced by the iconic Arkansas company at which she earned her corporate marketing stripes in the 1990s.

The University of Arkansas grad’s career took off in 1995 at Alltel under the tutelage of Scott Ford, whose father, Joe, guided the Little Rock telecommunications giant through robust growth in the 1980s and ‘90s. By 2009 and the $28 billion merger with Verizon, Alltel’s annual revenues were approaching $10 billion and its corporate culture recognized on Forbes’ list of the nation’s 50 most admired companies.

That same year, the Fords started Westrock, seeking to establish equity, sustainability and transparency in the coffee industry. Westrock provides coffee sourcing, financing, supply chain management, product development, roasting, packaging and distribution services to retailers, restaurants, convenience stores, commercial accounts and hospitality customers around the world. The idea was hatched in Rwanda in 2009, and Westrock’s corporate office opened in Little Rock the following year. In 2014, the company acquired England’s Falcon Coffees to expand into more than 20 countries, and in 2019, it bought S&D Coffee of North Carolina.

But the journey started with farmers in the African nation of Rwanda, and the company now partners with more than 1.5 million farmers in 35 countries.

At Alltel, Pathmann served as director of sponsorships and director of marketing publicity. She brought the servant-inspired

work ethic practiced by the Fords with her to Verizon, which named her PR manager for the south-central region.

Sandwiched around her 15-year Alltel/Verizon run were stints with two of the state’s largest PR/advertising firms, Stone Ward and CRJW. Pathmann worked as a media buyer at CRJW in Little Rock for two years before joining the Fords at Alltel.

She remained with Verizon for another couple of years following the merger before joining Stone Ward as director of brand management and communications.

For 11 years at Stone Ward, Pathmann was mentored by another legend in Arkansas business, Millie Ward, and her husband Larry Stone. Then last fall, Westrock created a new SVP position for communications. It didn’t take Pathmann long to figure out that in many ways, she was returning home to work with old friends and colleagues.

She’s doing so as Westrock continues its Alltel-like growth phase. In December, the company announced major expansion plans.

A new $100 million Conway facility will be housed in the old Kimberly-Clark plant, ultimately employing 250 workers — many of them highly skilled positions with salaries exceeding $100,000. It will encompass 524,000 square feet. Phase one of the build out is scheduled for completion during the first quarter of 2023.

It will represent Westrock’s third Arkansas location; its corporate offices are situated in Little Rock’s Riverdale area and a manufacturing facility is located in North Little Rock. Specifically, the Conway facility will develop, produce and distribute coffee, tea and other ready-to-drink products including cold brew coffees, lattes and assorted teas and juice-based beverages, as well as produce single-serve coffee cups. In addition, space will be devoted to creating, testing and producing new products. The company projects it to be the largest facility of

Our mission is truly the foundation of our business. It’s what drives us each day. The mission is why the company was founded by Scott and Joe. We want everyone down the supply chain to have a fair shake.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT its kind in the world.

Westrock also announced that it will add two fully automated production lines to its S&D facility in Concord, N.C., expected to boost production by more than 50 percent, and construction is underway on new operations in Malaysia that will serve the Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa markets. Work on the 90,000-SF facility is expected to be complete this quarter.

Daily Coffee News reported in December that the capital outlay for the three expansion projects would exceed $100 million. Westrock already operates offices devoted to sales, training, logistics, exports and more in 10 countries on four continents.

One day, we got a call from the corporate communications group saying they had signed a deal with a NASCAR Busch Series team and driver, and we were the sponsor of a Busch race.

Since I knew the most about sports in the group, I was automatically elected to help lead the initiative with one of my colleagues. As we grew, I started to negotiate sports sponsorship deals that covered our footprint and made our brand look larger than it was, which was our overall strategy. And then I oversaw activating those deals. That’s where my life changed.

Our CEO, Scott Ford, had a big interest in our racing program.

He enjoyed going to the races and was very involved with the contract with our driver that year, Phil Parsons. We eventually left Phil, and I brought to the table another driver who was an up-and-comer; his name was Jimmie Johnson.

Alltel sponsored him for two years. Then, Scott was approached by Roger Penske to sponsor a driver named Ryan Newman. Of course, we took the deal, and we sponsored Ryan until we were bought out in 2009.

Because of Scott’s interest in the team, I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with him in a non-corporate setting. He became a mentor of mine, and what is great about both him and his father, Joe Single-serve cups like these will be produced at Westrock’s Ford, is that they teach you so new Conway facility. many things without you really feeling like you’re being taught.

I learned so much about busiMalaysia will make it five. ness and life. So, anytime they were at the track, I soaked it all Pathmann now is responsible for a branding footprint that in. Scott also brought his sons most of the time. So, I met Sam, covers the globe. She recently visited with AMP about how Joe and Will and got to hang out with them and learn about each things are very much the same (culture) yet different (logistics) of them as well. at Westrock, how its mission drives employees and the lessons In 2009, I was offered a job to move over to Verizon and be a she’s taken from her experience at such iconic Arkansas firms. part of the leadership team. I can remember not wanting to take the job, but also knowing it was how I could stay in Little Rock, AMP: How did your corporate journey lead you back to Scott close to family and friends. But I didn’t want to tell Scott I had Ford and Westrock? accepted. I felt as if I’d betrayed Alltel and him and Mr. Ford in Pathmann: While my first job was at CJRW as a media buyer, some way. I eventually left Verizon and got a great opportunity I really started my career in marketing at Alltel. I worked in the to work for Stone Ward. I worked there for 11 years under Miladvertising group, where I negotiated trades with media outlets lie Ward as the director of brand management and communicafor wireless service in exchange for advertising. Then, because my background at CJRW was media buying, I’d buy the media tions. She and Larry were great to me. Again, I learned so much. based on those trades. This helped Alltel because we didn’t I grew both personally and professionally. have to pay media commissions on the trades. Eventually trades Then one day, I saw a job posting for Westrock Coffee. I went became extinct due to unlimited minutes, so I moved into the back and forth on whether I should write Scott and inquire, and brand group. then I found out that Sam [Ford] was the person hiring for the M ARC H 2 02 2

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job. So, I emailed Sam and reintroduced myself. We chatted, and it was like no time had passed. I came in for an interview, and of course, saw several people I’d worked with before and saw Scott.

A month later, I was walking in the doors of Westrock Coffee as the SVP of Corporate Marketing.

I think what made me come to Westrock was the excitement

competitive, so you must be committed to taking on anything given to you and changing at a moment’s notice. I help everyone here see the benefits around the Westrock brand and help the organization organize those assets so that we become more efficient and concise in telling our story is what has been more useful so far.

Westrock was founded to help Rwandan farmers like Velena, with whom Westrock partners.

and everyone I met there. The people I knew before are committed to doing good work and are people I’d admired while at Alltel. The work that Westrock does everyday impacts people around the world, and that spoke to me. Everyone at Westrock is very competitive, and that competitive spirit creates a very dynamic atmosphere that makes me excited to get up and come to work each morning. I also felt at home at Westrock, and felt I could make a difference to help the company grow.

AMP: You obviously know how to deliver a message. What things stick out from your past experiences that have been the most useful at Westrock?

Pathmann: Being at an agency and having PR and event-marketing experience, you must know how to pivot. While many may not think it, Westrock Coffee is a very fast-paced place to work.

It’s a flat organization for all the work we do. We are a growing company — and growing at a very fast rate. Our industry is very ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

AMP: Have there been challenges adjusting to the logistics involved in Westrock’s global operations, and if so, did any of them surprise you?

Pathmann: Oh, my goodness, yes. It’s true; we provide the world’s most iconic brands with the most transformative coffee, tea and extracts products. I am completely amazed each day how our teams get done what they get done. Everyone is committed to delivering a quality product at any scale the customer needs.

Just to learn all the different products in the various packaging forms was a lot, then you have all the traceability and sustainability that happens. I’m still learning every day.

The challenge is always learning all the different processes and parts of the business. How to create new processes in order to help everyone interact with marketing. My position and department are new, so creating processes and the communications our brand needs to communicate concisely across all 49

M A R C H 2022

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT channels has been a fun challenge. I hate calling it a challenge because it’s really what I did every day at the agency, so I love those types of challenges.

What surprised me was just how big an operation Westrock Coffee is. I think some people only think of Westrock Coffee as the coffee they can buy at certain retailers, but it is so much more than that. That is just a small part of our overall business. When I began learning about all our customers and all the various products that we produce for some of the largest brands in the world, I was amazed.

the passion of everyone who works here. We all have a competitive spirit and are passionate about the role we each play and respect the role the other plays in reaching our goals. It’s a collective effort, and that’s not lost on anyone at Westrock.

Everyone wants to do what’s right for the customer, because we know that impacts our farmer partners.

When you do what’s right, and you’re transparent, how can you not be successful?

AMP: What are some lessons you’ve taken from working for two of the biggest agencies in the state in CRJW and Stone Ward?

Pathmann: I think both taught me to work hard. My time at Stone Ward taught me to keep learning. These days, you have to keep up. Marketing is constantly changing; if you don’t keep up, you become irrelevant. I think the best thing I learned at Stone Ward was to embrace the creative process.

When I first started, I got very frustrated with the process because it’s not definite. Creative is subjective and can be one idea or 15. I’m very much a process person, and it was hard for me to love the back and forth it took to get to great creative.

AMP: Tell us about the “Westrock story” and how its mission motivates you.

Pathmann: It is an amazing story. Having only been here a short time, I am so proud to work for a company where at a time when they could have been doing so many other things, Scott and Mr. Ford wanted to help the small farmers and their families in Rwanda, and give them the ability to advance their quality of life by paying a fair price for their product and educating them on best practices, etc.

Everyone at Westrock understands the impact we make each day, and it’s an important AMP: And of course, Verizon. part of why we all do what we Same question. Directing the do and push ourselves to be PR for an entire region had to the best we can be. Like Scott have helped prepare you for says, “When we win, they win.” your current role.

It’s that simple. I think anyone Pathmann: The biggest thing would want to tell that story.

I learned at my time at Verizon Doesn’t matter where you’re was to not take everything so Westrock has evolved beyond coffee from. I just happen to be the personally. It was hard seeing and now sells teas, juices and more. lucky one that has been enall my colleagues leaving and trusted to do so. I see the pashaving the guilt of staying. I also sion everyone here has because of our mission, and how learned how important it is to have public relations at could that not affect you as a person? How could you the table even when they may not have a reason to be not want to be the best you could be to help? Many comthere. Verizon always included public relations. They see panies say they make an impact; Westrock backs it up. it as a vital part of all decisions.

That’s an easy story to tell.

I think what impressed me most about Verizon was Our mission is truly the foundation of our business. how well it communicated internally to all employees.

It’s what drives us each day. The mission is why the comFor a company that large, it does an excellent job of company was founded by Scott and Joe. We want everyone municating to each person regardless of their role. Every down the supply chain to have a fair shake. person hears from leadership and gets to hear the goals of the year for the company, and how they play a part in AMP: Just how does that culture contribute to the comthose goals. They have it down to a science. pany’s success?

Pathmann: I think what makes Westrock successful is AMP: We know about Westrock’s plans for Conway.

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For Westrock and Pathmann, sourcing quality coffee from its origin, like this farm in Rwanda, is what drives them.

What’s next for Westrock in terms of further expansion and innovation?

Pathmann: In November, we announced plans for our new facility in Conway as well as the opening of our Malaysia facility. We’re also expanding our Concord, N.C., extract facility. Our focus now is building those out to provide more beverage solutions and packaging formats to our customers, like ready-todrink cans and bottled beverages. We also have a group of food scientists constantly working on developing innovative beverage solutions to keep our customers on trend.

from the competition?

Pathmann: It’s all about the quality. It’s about sourcing quality coffee from origin and being involved in every step on the supply chain. That’s what makes Westrock Coffee better than the rest.

AMP: Now that you’ve made this full circle journey from Alltel to Westrock, are there more goals out there?

Pathmann: Oh, wow. I’m very happy right where I am. I know everyone would say that, but it’s true. I’m having a great time at Westrock, so I don’t think about what could be next. It’s funny, and I’ve never really thought about this, but this is only my fourth job. I’m a loyal person and that loyalty is what brought me to Westrock.

I want to do the best job I can and tell our story around the world. I’m so proud to work for a company that is doing such great work globally and is headquartered in the state that I call home and love. I’m staying put for a while.

AMP: How does one go about setting up a new supply chain etc. in a new country?

Pathmann: That’s an interesting question. We work with a team of expert suppliers who have deep connections in countries of origin. We lean on them to introduce us to sources of ethically grown coffee and tea.

AMP: In terms of the actual product, what sets Westrock apart

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M A R C H 2022

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING When you buy a hunting and

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TOURISM

ELBOW

ROOM

NATURAL STATE SEEING INCREASED DEMAND FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION

By Becky Gillette

The Buffalo National River remains a top tourism draw, and mountain biking (opposite page) is attracting visitors from across the globe to Arkansas. (Photos courtesy Arkansas State Parks, National Parks Service and Visit Bentonville)

ne of the biggest trends in tourism during the pandemic has been outdoor recreation.

More people have taken up mountain biking, kayaking and camping in recreational vehicles (RVs). The increased demand, though, has had drawbacks not just in Arkansas but in many popular natural areas across the country. You can no longer just drive your RV down the road and be assured that you

will find a spot to stay.

Camping sites in the state, including those on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes, are getting booked up as fast as reservations are open — six months ahead. People kayaking or canoeing popular state rivers can find overcrowding.

In 2021, Arkansas State Parks experienced record visitation of 9.4 million guests.

“We don’t see that trend changing,” said Shea Lewis, director of Arkansas State Parks. “Arkansas’ state parks have been essential places of recreation during the pandemic. An entirely new audience of guests has found our parks. It is our hope that their experiences will bring them back for years to come.

We are proud to be an outdoor recreation resource to both the residents of Arkansas and visitors from outside of the Natural State.”

Lewis said the most popular locations have been overwhelmed at times, and competition for cabins and campsites has been at an all-time high.

“That doesn’t mean it is impossible to find a campsite or cabin at these locations,” he said. “I would recommend that guests plan well ahead for well-loved areas and look at times away from holidays and weekends. Also, take this opportunity to visit a new part of the state or a new state park. If you haven’t camped at Davidsonville Historic State Park or Cane Creek State Park, check them out.”

A recent study indicated the financial impact of the 52 state parks was more than $1 billion annually. Gov. Asa Hutchinson has described Arkansas

TOURISM

The Buffalo National River attracted an estimated 1.5 million visitors in 2021.

Hawksbill Crag, the most photographed spot in Arkansas.

State Parks collectively as one of the largest economic drivers in the state. Tourism is the second largest economic driver in Arkansas with 100,000 people employed in the industry.

Lewis sees his role as helping the parks connect with the next generation of guests while taking care of the highest levels of visitation ever experienced.

“We want to remain relevant and meet the needs of visitors while remaining true to our roots of conservation and sound resource management,” Lewis said.

“How do we do that? It’s through seeking innovative approaches to all things we do. Capacity is a concern at a few locations — Pinnacle Mountain, Petit Jean and Devil’s Den state parks — where we have had to make changes to how we manage resources.

Strategies have been implemented to mitigate guest impacts and high-use areas. We have many locations that have opportunities for growth and love to share those resources with new audiences. Daisy State Park, located on Lake Greeson, offers many of the same opportunities as Lake Ouachita State Park or Lake Catherine State Parks with less demand.”

The Buffalo National River attractShea Lewis ed an estimated 1.5 million visitors in

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2021, said BNR spokesperson Cassie Branstetter.

“We have seen an increase in visitation during the pandemic likely because a lot of visitors felt safe doing outdoor activities,” Branstetter said. “BNR fits nicely with people’s new travel plans. We saw visitors who have never been to the park before.”

Overcrowding on the river has been a conversation for a couple of years. There are more people on the river during busy summer weekends, and popular campgrounds usually fill up every weekend in the summer.

“We have 11 campgrounds, and some of them have more amenities than others,” she said. “Buffalo Point Campground is the only one with electricity, and it has the highest demand. It books up sometimes six months in advance. For folks willing to have more backcountry experiences without electricity or water, the demand is less for those spots. You can be a little more ad hoc when it comes to planning.”

Boaters can also choose to travel on less popular stretches of the 135 miles of the BNR within the park that spreads out over about 95,000 acres of land.

“A great message is to spread out beyond the most popular places,” Branstetter said. “Do a little research.

Talk to a park ranger, and find those places where there is plenty of room to spread out.”

Economic impacts of outdoor recreation provide

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Cedar Falls (left) at Petit Jean State Park; the Buffalo River wilderness (below) in Newton County; and Crater of Diamonds State Park (bottom) near Murfreesboro.

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M A R C H 2022

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“Increasingly, we find ourselves on people’s ‘bucket list’ for cycling adventure travel.”

major benefits to nearby communities. Erin Jimenez, public affairs specialist with the Corps, said an economic impact assessment from 2019 indicated the Corps’ Little Rock District averages around 20 million visits per year with guests spending $507 million dollars at local businesses surrounding Corps lakes. This activity supported nearly 7,000 jobs for Arkansas and Missouri.

“Rangers across the district have noticed the parks have become even more popular in the past couple of years,” Jimenez said.

Corps parks have gone cashless, so reservations can only be made online. Jay Townsend, chief public affairs office for the Little Rock District, said an advantage of the reservation system is that people are assured of getting a spot.

Not just campgrounds but lakes are busier than ever with boat traffic, especially in northern Arkansas.

“Beaver Lake has been busy for decades,” Townsend said. “Northwest Arkansas is the fifth fastest growing region in the country. As the population increases, the number of visitors increases. Greers Ferry Lake has also been getting an increase. The dayuse parking lots are reaching capacity almost every day during the busy season.”

One place where there is plenty of space for walking and bicycling is the 300 miles of trails developed by OZ Trails in Northwest Arkansas. The trail system is a significant driver for J.T. Geren tourism and economic activity in the

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region, attracting visitors from across the country and beyond to experience art, hospitality, and one-of-akind outdoor experiences, said J.T. Geren, spokesperson for OZ Trails.

Northwest Arkansas officially has been branded as the Mountain Biking Capital of the World™. Geren said riders are attracted from across the globe.

“Increasingly, we find ourselves on people’s ‘bucket list’ for cycling adventure travel,” Geren said. “While our soft-surface trails are best known for mountain biking, they are available to trail runners, hikers and all kinds of adventure seekers. A few areas are purpose-designed for mountain biking. They feature some really challenging features that are somewhat famous on YouTube.”

The ever-growing presence of biking events and cycling-focused organizations in Northwest Arkansas is further evidence of the momentum around cycling in the region.

“The most remarkable thing about our area is the accessibility to the trails,” he said. “Visitors to Bentonville don’t need to rent a car. Dining, lodging, museums, trailheads…everything is available on a bike!

The natural beauty and topography of Arkansas is certainly an asset in crafting a world-class trail system compared to neighboring states. Our climate is also a major advantage in competing with other mountain biking destinations. Riders can visit Northwest Arkansas to experience our trails essentially year-round, when other locations are covered in snow and unavailable for mountain bikers. Every season has something to offer here.”

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The OZ Trails in Bentonville have helped place Northwest Arkansas on the global mountain biking map.

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M A R C H 2022

G N I T E E M R U O Y E MAK

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EDITOR’S LETTER Continued from page 7

hosted the 1952 Negro World Series (in which Aaron played) and a 1953 exhibition game with Robinson, by then a trailblazing, world-famous Brooklyn Dodger.

That game pitted Major League all-stars against Negro American League all-stars.

The site also served as home of the Hot Springs Bathers, a minor league team that started up in 1887 and played on and off through 1955. (Other names used by the team were Blues, Vapors and Vaporites.) One of the great things about Minor League Baseball — which Dwain Hebda visits inside this month’s issue — is the creativity behind team names. As unique and colorful in baseball’s infancy as they are today, team names helped tell a story. Consider the old Arkansas State League, which existed in various carnations from 1894 to 1935.

In addition to the Bathers, the league was home to the Little Rock Rose Buds, the Pine Bluff Pine Knotts, the Argenta Shamrocks, the Fort Smith Soldiers, the Newport Pearl Diggers, the Camden Rainmakers, the Helena Hellions, Morrilton Cotton Pickers, Fayetteville Educators, Rogers Rustlers, Bentonville Officeholders, Texarkana Nobles and the Brinkley Infants.

(Not sure what the story could be behind the Infants, but if anyone knows it, we have a space in the back of the book each month that’s yours, if you want it.)

Two bucket-list items for all Arkansans — the Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail and the 2015 documentary, The First Boys of Spring, by Arkansas filmmaker Larry Foley. *** Thanks for reading. Let me know how we’re doing — good or bad — at MCarter@ARMoneyandPolitics.com.

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The 1948 Hot Springs Bathers team photo at Majestic Park.

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TOURISM

SAFE BET? CASINOS COUNTING ON SPORTS GAMBLING ONLINE TO GENERATE BILLIONS

S

By Becky Gillette

ince the first Arkansas casinos opened in Hot Springs, West Memphis and Pine Bluff in 2019 and 2020, gaming’s popularity has grown at an impressive rate. 2021 gaming revenue reached $565 million, an increase of 32 percent from 2019, said American Gaming Association (AGA) Director of Research Anton Severin.

“Arkansas casinos support thousands of goodpaying jobs and generated approximately $81 million in direct gaming taxes in 2021,” Severin said.

“That figure does not include millions more paid by the casinos in the form of income, payroll, sales and various other corporate taxes. Gaming tax revenue in Arkansas is allocated each year for state education and public safety programming, while also supporting local governments and the state’s horse racing industry.”

The casinos now are poised to generate even more revenue since the Arkansas legislature approved online sports betting from anywhere in the state starting in early March. Severin said the timing was good by making online betting available in time for March Madness, providing Arkansas consumers a safe, competitive alternative to the illegal sports betting market.

“Mobile sports betting launches in states like New York and Louisiana show that Americans have always bet on sports, and given the opportunity, want to do so legally,” Severin said. “Regulat-

ed mobile wagering in Arkansas will help root out the predatory illegal market and provide Arkansans with better access to the consumer protections only the legal market provides while generating important tax revenue.”

According to AGA’s research with Oxford Economics, Arkansas online sports betting could reach $1.6 billion in annual wagers. The individual placing the bet must be 21 years of age and physically be within Arkansas, said Department of Finance and Administration spokesman Scott Hardin.

“We anticipate this will result in some out-of-state visitors driving across the state line and making a day or a weekend of legally placing sports wagers on their favorite teams,” Hardin said. “Only two neighboring states offer mobile sports betting, Tennessee and Louisiana.”

Sports betting has been taking place at state casinos since mid-2019. However, bets could only be placed on casino property. Hardin said since mid-2019, $120 million has been wagered on sports at the three casinos. Now the mobile option opens it up to anyone within the state of Arkansas.

Carlton Saffa, chief market officer for Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, fully expects to see large volumes of Texans, Oklahomans and Missourians cross into Arkansas to place mobile sports bets. He sees this as helping more than just the casinos and the towns they are located in.

“Sports betting in the gaming business will be a trip generator that brings folks into our state,” Saffa said. “We have seen this in other places where neighboring states didn’t have sports betting. The benefits to Fort Smith and Texarkana could be huge. This will help a lot of border towns. And what do we have in Arkansas? A lot of border towns. We have a real-life similar example in Arkansas.

For many years, Mississippi didn’t have a lottery and Arkansas did. You would see huge lines in Lake Village to buy lottery tickets. We know people will go across

the border to gamble.”

Saracen, owned by the Quapaw Nation, is averaging about 150,000 visitors per month with an estimated 70 percent of its players coming from Little Rock.

But Saffa said it also has tremendous play from out of state including Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. While Mississippi and Louisiana have had gaming for decades, Saracen is attracting a good number of day trippers from those states.

“People in those states are familiar with gaming,” Saffa said. “You have casino cultures in Mississippi and Louisiana. People know the games, are comfortable with them and are looking for a new venue to do what they love to do. We offer a really good product, and out-ofstate folks will travel for it. We have 2,000 slot machines, and every one of them is brand new. As casinos age, their offerings get updated, and people like what is spiffy and new.”

While slots are king and make up the vast majority of the income at Saracen, Saffa said they are very proud of its table game revenue.

Saracen is undergoing an expansion to add a 13-story hotel with more than 300 rooms, additional restaurants and a 1,600-seat event center for concerts, conventions and meetings. Saffa said the project currently out for bid represents an additional $150 million investment.

“The Quapaw Nation and Saracen will have nearly half a billion invested in Pine Bluff in just a few years,” Saffa said. “We currently have 900 employees. With construction of the hotel and event center, we will create hundreds of construction jobs on a temporary basis and 200 to 300 permanent jobs in the hotel. Since we have opened, Saracen has paid about $30 million in gaming taxes in just over two years with about a third of that going to local government.”

Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, said the bot-

tom line is that America is and has been buying gaming for years. Now Arkansas finally has more products to offer.

“We’re attracting new dollars to the state,” Arrison said. “We’re keeping some dollars in the state. It’s an entirely new dimension for travel. The three Arkansas casinos thus far are making the biggest investment in the history of Arkansas tourism/hospitality. About $750 million has been invested, and that might reach $1 billion when the fourth casino starts up in Pope County.”

Together, the three operating casinos have hired thousands of Arkansans, Arrison said. In addition, they are creating many new options for travelers: gaming, lodging, restaurants, entertainment, leisure activities and meeting-and-convention space.

“The Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort model here in Hot Springs is a bit different than the others,” Arrison said. “Oaklawn hopes to help Hot Springs become more of a regional draw. Thus, it is emphasizing its quality hotel, the Astral Spa and other elements of its operation. In addition, Oaklawn is using gaming to enhance its traditional business and brand, which is thoroughbred racing.”

ARKANSAS MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS CENTRAL

Bathhouse Row

Hot Springs

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

Little Rock

Birthplace of Bill Clinton

Clinton Presidential Library

Little Rock

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort

Hot Springs

ESSE Purse Museum

Little Rock

Gangster Museum of America

Hot Springs

Old State House

Little Rock

Historic Washington State Park

Washington

Central High School National Historic Site

Little Rock

Magic Springs Theme & Water Park

Hot Springs

Plantation Agriculture Museum

Scott

MacArthur Museum of Military History

Little Rock

Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum

North Little Rock

Historic Arkansas Museum

Little Rock

Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park

Scott

Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

Little Rock

River Market District

Little Rock

Syllamo EPIC mountain biking trail

Arkansas River Trail

Little Rock-NLR

Spring River

Pinnacle Mountain State Park

Roland

Ozark Mountain Folk Center

Queen Wilhelmina State Park

Devil's Den State Park

Blanchard Springs Caverns

1905 Basin Park Hotel

Fifty-Six

Greers Ferry/Little Red River

Heber Springs

Upper Buffalo Headwaters EPIC mountain biking trail

Pettigrew Newton,Searcy, Marion, Baxter counties

Buffalo National River

Eureka Springs

Lake Chicot

Pea Ridge

Museum of Native American History

Bentonville

Daisy Airgun Museum

Rogers

War Eagle Mill and Bridge

Rogers

Mountain Home

DELTA Saracen Casino Resort

Pea Ridge National Military Park

Jasper

Upper White River/lakes

Mountain Home Bentonville

Mountain View

Dogpatch (future Johnny Morris/ Bass Pro development)

Bella Vista to Fayetteville

Scott Family Amazeum

Mountain View Mammoth Spring

West Fork

White River

Mena

OZARKS

NWA Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway

Hope

Pine Bluff Lake Village Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph counties

Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67 Historic Dyess Colony/Johnny Cash Boyhood Home

Dyess

Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center

Piggott

Trail of Tears Park & Historic Site

Fayetteville

Lakeport Plantation

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Bentonville

WWII Japanese American Internment Camp Museum

McGehee

The Momentary

Bentonville

Grand Prairie

Stuttgart

The Walmart Museum

Bentonville

Duck hunting

Stuttgart

Crescent Hotel & Spa

Eureka Springs

SWA Hot Springs lakes Womble EPIC mountain biking trail Crater of Diamonds State Park Ouachita National Recreation Trail

Hot Springs Mount Ida Murfreesboro Pulaski, Perry, Saline, Garland, Montgomery, Yell, Scott, Polk counties

Chicot County

Hampson Archeological Museum State Park

Wilson

Arkansas Post National Memorial

Arkansas County

Southland Casino Racing

West Memphis

Future USBR 80

West Memphis to NLR RIVER VALLEY

Mount Nebo State Park Mount Magazine State Park and Lodge

Dardanelle Logan County

Lake Ouachita Vista Trail

Royal

Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs

Post and Wiederkehr wineries

Northwoods Trails

Hot Springs

U.S. Marshals Museum

Fort Smith

DeGray Lake State Park

Bismarck

Petit Jean State Park

Conway County

Murphy Arts District

El Dorado

Museum of Automobiles

Conway County

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Altus

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NURSING & REHABILITATION LIVING PROFILE

Briarwood Nursing and Rehab is a 120-bed skilled facility located in an urban setting within the heart of Little Rock, in the neighborhood of Briarwood. We are located just minutes from downtown Little Rock and are only one block off interstate 630.

We provide long-term care and short-term rehab care. All residents are monitored throughout the day with assistance in providing daily care as is needed: bathing, dressing, feeding and providing medications.

Briarwood staff also work at ensuring the best care for residents through individual care plans of residents' needs, as well as daily activities, which allow for a variety of interests and abilities.

Nearly all - 98 percent - of our rehab residents return to the community as a result of positive, caring therapists. Briarwood's approach has provided healing to many people in the community.

At Briarwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, we are committed to ensuring that the best possible care is given to you or your loved one in an atmosphere that is calm, quiet and focused on healing. We endeavor to ensure that all aspects of your well-being — mental, physical and spiritual — are cared for in a peaceful and safe environment. Our staff strive to promote dignity, respect, and independence as much as possible, in a beautiful, soothing enviornment that was designed with our residents' comfort in mind.

Briarwood's service-rich environment is made possible by its dedicated staff, from our nursing staff and therapists, to our operations and administrative employees. At Briarwood, our residents enjoy three generations of staff and families. That is over 30 years of service to the community!

501.224.9000 • 516 S. Rodney Parham Rd., Little Rock • briarwoodnursingandrehab.com

TOURISM

BRINGING BACK THE

MAGIC

By Lindsey Castrellon

NEW GM AT HOT SPRINGS AMUSEMENT PARK OPTIMISTIC FOR 2022

A

lthough a mainstay of family fun in Arkansas, Magic Springs Theme and Water Park in Hot Springs has undergone its fair share of changes since reopening in 2000.

The park opened as Magic Springs Family Fun Park in 1977, closed in 1995 due to financial struggles, reopened under new ownership in 2000 and is now up and running at full speed thanks in part to owners EPR Properties, operators Premier Parks and some very sturdy leadership.

Jesskya Hanna takes over this month as general manager for the retiring Jack Bateman. Hanna, a Hot Springs native, has deep roots in Arkansas tourism, spending many summers on the Little Red River with her father, who worked as a fishing guide. Growing up, she was inspired by her dad’s stories of his time as a lifeguard and safety instructor.

“When Magic Springs opened its water park in 2000, I knew I’d get my chance to be a lifeguard. Little did I know, I’d never really leave,” Hanna said. “From my first lifeguard class to today, Magic Springs has been my family. Led by incredible supervisors, I was

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inspired from the start She is most proud of the to be successful and take way her team worked “tiremy job seriously, all while lessly” to respond to the everstaying focused on a fuchanging environment and ture career at the park.” what she described as “the Hanna worked at the biggest challenge we’ve faced” park seasonally for sevin the park’s history. eral years in the early “We worked through sup2000’s, valuing each expeply chain issues, staffing rience and opportunity. shortages and new protocols She was elevated to head to ensure our guests can have lifeguard, then aquatics the same thrilling experience supervisor. When she and they expect at the park in Jesskya Hanna her husband, Tim, moved 2022. We are undergoing masto Hot Springs to start their family, she sive hiring efforts for the 2022 season, was offered a full-time job as the water which includes a specific international park manager and quickly became the hiring strategy that was put on hold duroperations director. ing the pandemic. We have developed In 2012, Hanna became the assistant and implemented new maintenance general manager of the park before her and operations initiatives to get ahead promotion to general manager, and she’s of lingering supply-chain breakdowns seen the park endure through some lessas well. It’s been a challenge, but we althan-ideal times for the tourism industry. ways say, ‘Fun is in the job description.’

“Like many others in the tourism inWe are encouraged as we overcome each dustry, the pandemic has been difficult new obstacle and pursue exciting opto weather,but our industry always reportunities to bring the magic back.” quires us to be flexible and willing to Hanna carries that same spirit into quickly adapt to changes as they occur,” the upcoming travel and tourism seaHanna said. son, which looks promising considering

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A TRIBUTE AND A PROMISE

the recent decline in COVID-19 cases across the country. The park opens May 7, the water park is scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend, and the Magic Springs Summer Concert Series will run each weekend from June 4 to Sept. 4.

Compared to her previous jobs at Magic Springs, Hanna expects her new role as GM to be much the same and said she’ll lean heavily on her “talented, dependable and loyal” leadership team.

“For the last 10 years, I’ve been part of the management team and learned how to make those high-level decisions for the park. That’s going to stay the same in many ways,” she said. “My new role means I make the final decisions, bolstered by their input and expertise, for the day-to-day operation as well as the park’s future.

“I want to continue to build an innovative approach to and am seeking ways to modernize our environment, both for our employees and our guests. We are memory makers at our core, and we will continue that tradition moving forward.”

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Jessyka Hanna credits her predecessor, longtime Magic Springs general manager Jack Bateman, for his work and guiding the park through the pandemic.

“Jack has been an asset to the tourism and attractions industry for more than 40 years and his expertise greatly benefited Magic Springs,” she said. “He skillfully managed our team and worked to equip each of our experts with what they needed to succeed. Jack is all about exploring new ideas, and he helped bring innovation to the way we were operating.

I was fortunate to learn from him and have spent the last five years growing as a leader in the company.”

In a letter last fall to park employees, Bateman commended their work and promised a return of the “magic.” “...Attractions, restaurants and hotels are struggling to keep up as we face lower budgets, loss of staff and difficulty hiring trained teammates. The high demand in the job market has taken a toll on productivity across all disciplines, as many businesses are mass-hiring following previous large lay-offs at the beginning of the pandemic. Additionally, national supply chain issues continue to have serious implications as almost every consumer-facing industry has been impacted, causing a decline in brand promise…

As we begin planning for the new year, industry leaders, particularly in Arkansas, must work together to provide visitors and residents with a diverse array of entertainment and recreational options across the state. In the last two years, organizations have made innovative, creative adaptations to their regular programming or offerings in order to meet the evolving needs of its guests. We’ve seen virtual innovations, new programs, fresh ideas and unique outreach of which we should all be proud.

For Magic Springs, we are bringing the magic back by adding more value to our operating season. We will extend our operating season to open earlier in the spring so guests can enjoy more rides, more concerts and more much-needed fun.

We are honored to provide a small sense of normalcy as Arkansans continue to navigate through the pandemic and to work alongside so many passionate, talented tourism leaders to rebuild our industry, restore consumer confidence and bring Arkansans and visitors alike the entertainment they deserve. In order to move forward, we have to be honest amidst the ups and downs, and work Jack Bateman together to bring the magic back to Arkansas tourism.”

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NATIONAL PARKS, MONUMENTS AND SITES

IN ARKANSAS PEA RIDGE NATIONAL MILITARY PARK

isitors in 2020: 80,455 V Visitors in 2021: 82,854 Visitors since designation in 1961: 6 million BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER

Visitors in 2020: 1.48 million Visitors in 2021: 1.52 million Visitors since designation in 1973: 45.6 million

FORT SMITH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Visitors in 2020: 67,574 Visitors in 2021: 99,854 Visitors since designation in 1964: 5.2 million

LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Visitors in 2020: 68,497 Visitors in 2021: 84,839 Visitors since designation in 2001: 1.6 million

HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK

Visitors in 2020: 1.4 million Visitors in 2021: 2.2 million Visitors since designation in 1904: 100.1 million

ARKANSAS POST NATIONAL MEMORIAL

Visitors in 2020: 29,653 Visitors in 2021: 26,043 Visitors since designation in 1966: 2.9 million

PRESIDENT WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON BIRTHPLACE HOME NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Visitors in 2020: 4,055 Visitors in 2021: 7,279 Visitors since designation in 2011: 101,677 TRAIL OF TEARS NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL MARKERS

5 markers in Arkansas at Lake Dardanelle, Mount Nebo, Petit Jean, Pinnacle Mountain and Village Creek state parks

BY THE NUMBERS

• • • • •

$211.6 million — Economic benefit of national park tourism to the state in FY20.

3.1 million — Number of visitors recorded to national park sites in Arkansas in FY20.

2,746 — Number of Arkansas listings on the National Register of Historic Places.

17 — Number of national historic landmarks in Arkansas.

5 — Number of national natural landmarks in Arkansas.

Source: National Park Service

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A Growing Health System for a Growing Community Left to Right: Dawn Hughes, MD, and Stacey Johnson, APRN

Expanded Access

Innovative Services

More Specialists

New Medical Offices

Conway Regional Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center of Arkansas The new Conway Regional Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center of Arkansas, led by Dawn Hughes, MD, and Stacey Johnson, APRN, offers care for women with complications found prior to or during pregnancy and for their unborn baby. Each woman's journey to having a baby is unique, which is why our highly-skilled specialists collaborate with ob-gyns, neonatologists, and pediatricians to provide each patient with a special, individualized care plan. Visit ConwayRegional.org to learn more.

We’re not just growing—we’re growing together.

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SPECIAL SECTION

T

he C-Suite: That place where most of us strive to be when we launch a career.

Referring to the cluster of top-level executive positions within most companies — chief executive officer (CEO), chief operating officer (COO), chief financial officer (CFO) and chief information officer (CIO) — the C-Suite entails hard work, high stress and long hours. But the rewards can be substantial.

AMP asked readers to tell us who their favorite C-Suite executives were. Their titles may not precisely reflect “CEO” or any of the others, but their roles do. This isn’t a “best of ” or a “top executives” list; but it’s a way to recognize many of those business executives in Arkansas whose hard work makes The Natural State a great place to live and work.

Curtis Barnett Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Curtis Barnett serves as president and chief executive officer for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which serves more than 2 million members nationwide. Barnett leads Arkansas Blue Cross’ efforts to help transform health care, striving to make it more affordable and a more compassionate system. He has spearheaded new work on behavioral health and health equity and spoken nationally on such subjects as the importance of private and public collaboration for changing how health care services are reimbursed and the role of health plans in addressing the social determinants of health, especially food insecurity.

Prior to his election as president and CEO in 2017, Barnett served as senior vice president of internal operations for Arkansas Blue Cross and as president and CEO of its wholly owned subsidiary company, USAble Corporation. On the national front, Barnett serves on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Board of Directors. He chairs the boards of the National Institute for Healthcare Management (NIHCM) and Blue Health Intelligence, a health-care data analytics and solutions company.

CEOs CEO / sē ē ō / noun plural noun: CEOs a chief executive officer, the highest-ranking person in a company or other institution, ultimately responsible for making managerial decisions.

Dale Cole First Community Bank The vision of 153 local investors came together on Aug. 4, 1997, when First Community Bank opened for business at 710 St. Louis St. in Batesville, with 14 employees and $3.5 million in capital. Chairman and CEO Dale Cole started his banking career March 1, 1974, and moved up through the ranks of banks in Texas and Arkansas. In 1996, he was let go when Boatmen’s Bank merged with NationsBank.

Close friends in Batesville told Cole that he should start a bank– – so that’s what he did. Today, First Community Bank has grown to 470 employees and is proud to be the seventh largest bank chartered in Arkansas. Cole was one of the original board members in August of 1997, and has been at the helm of the ship ever since. He knows that wherever you find a strong bank, you will find a strong community. And wherever you find strong communities, you will find strong banks.

CEOs Dennis Clay Crews & Associates

Kristi Crum Rock Dental Brands

Dennis Clay drives the strategic direction and operational performance of the Crews team, as it assists clients in Arkansas and across the country in navigating financial markets. Clay’s commitment to stewardship and service – backed by delivering reliable value to investors and bond issuers – positions the organization for consistent performance long term. Before becoming CEO in 2020, Clay was head of sales and trading. His extensive background includes serving as a municipal underwriter for 28 years and underwriting more than $100 billion in municipal bonds. His experience includes developing a dedicated municipal sales force, building a super-regional competitive underwriting group that covered the entire country, and constructing an internal system that pre-markets and distributes negotiated municipal bonds to numerous class investors. Clay’s expertise and vast knowledge allows Crews & Associates to serve the financial needs of clients in all levels of government, business and private industry.

Kristi Crum, CEO of Rock Dental Brands, leads the strategic performance and growth for more than 92 multispecialty dental clinics across Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee. Prior to joining Rock Dental Brands in 2019, Crum spent nearly two decades in the telecom industry. With 17 years successfully climbing the ranks at Verizon, she held numerous executive-level positions, including president of the south central region, as well as vice president of marketing and distribution strategy. Crum is a native Arkansan who began her career in Little Rock with the legacy Alltel Corporation.

Throughout her career, she has lived on both the east and west coasts, and she is proud to have made her way back to Arkansas where she has settled in Little Rock with her twin boys, Conner and Carson. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Hendrix College in Conway. Headquartered in Little Rock, Rock Dental Brands provides general and specialty dental care and operates under multiple brands, including Westrock Orthodontics, Leap Kids Dental, Rock Family Dental and Impact Dental Specialists.

Cody Crawford C.R. Crawford Construction

Marcy Doderer Arkansas Children’s

Cody Crawford is owner and founder of C.R. Crawford Construction, one of the state’s largest general contracting and construction management companies. A native of El Dorado, Crawford began his construction career early in life by working in various types of heavy industrial and manufacturing businesses located in the southern region of the state. He began his formal education in the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. However, after realizing that his passion was not for designing but rather for constructing buildings of all types, he adjusted his career path to better align with his interests and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He founded C.R. Crawford in 2006 in Fayetteville, where it remains headquartered.

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Marcy Doderer, FACHE, is president and chief executive officer at Arkansas Children’s, where she leads the state’s only pediatric health system, serving the 700,000 children in Arkansas. Under Doderer’s leadership, Arkansas Children’s transformed from one hospital into a health system with two hospitals, a research institute, a philanthropic foundation, regional clinics and alliances, telemedicine and statewide outreach programs. She has led the organization with an unwavering focus on the core values of safety, teamwork, compassion and excellence. Doderer is a Fellow in the American College of HealthCare Executives (ACHE) and active in many professional organizations. She serves as the chair of the Children’s Hospital Solutions for Patient Safety Board of Directors and immediate past chair of the Children’s Hospital Association Board of Directors. She is also a delegate to the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board 7. Within Arkansas, Doderer is a member of Fifty for the Future and sits on the board of Healthy Active Arkansas.

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to Rev. Cory Anderson for your contribution and commitment to equity for all Arkansans.

RE V. CORY A NDE RSON

Fearless Voice and Vision You might meet Curtis Barnett in a boardroom or boating on a beautiful Arkansas waterway…packing meals or promoting good mental health…running 5Ks in Little Rock or the Ozark Mountains…listening to community needs in Russellville or Rison…or during purposeful travel to the Delta or D.C. Whether you see him on the national stage or in the Natural State, one thing is for certain, this CEO is advocating for the whole health of all Arkansans. We're proud to know him and that he is leading with heart, smarts and vision. And happy that others recognize it too.

arkansasbluecross.com 00492.01.01-0322

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Matt Troup Chief Executive Officer

Troy Brooks Chief Finance Officer

James Reed Chief Information Officer

Conway Regional has been the community’s hospital for more than 100 years, providing high-quality, compassionate care. As our community continues to grow, we are growing alongside you to ensure all of your healthcare needs are met right here in Conway. Congratulations to the members of our executive leadership team who have been recognized as part of Arkansas Money and Politics’ distinguished C-Suite Executives for 2022.

Best Place to Have a Baby Best Hospital Best Overall Company

THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE FOR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP. Dennis Clay puts decades of knowledge, insight and action to work developing financial solutions for our clients. We appreciate the value he brings to the c-suite role, and the direction he leads our entire team. Congratulations, Dennis, on this well-deserved recognition.

Dennis Clay CEO crewsfs.com

Member FINRA & SIPC

It’s our job to know every intimate detail of every project so that we can provide our clients the absolute best construction experience and most successful build.

EXPERIENCE YOU CAN COUNT ON. QUALITY YOU CAN TRUST.

–Cody Crawford, Owner/Founder

C R C R AW F O R D . C O M

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Design-Build Pre-Construction Services General Contracting Construction Management

M A R C H 2022

CEOs Derek A. Dyson Today’s Power Inc.

worldwide. Prior to co-founding Westrock, Ford served as president and CEO of Alltel Corporation.

He began his professional career as an investment banker and subsequently served as the assistant to the chairman at Stephens Group where his work involved traditional investment banking services, equity portfolio management, venture capital investing and acquisitions in the media industry. He currently serves on the board of directors for AT&T Inc.

Derek A. Dyson is the president and CEO of Today’s Power Inc. A former shareholder for more than 20 years with the law firm of Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke, Dyson has worked closely in developing and implementing energy solutions for cooperatives, municipalities, tribal communities and independent developers. He has worked on the financing, development, construction, operation and decommissioning of numerous energy projects across the United States and internationally. Dyson has been a contracting officer with both the Department of Navy and the White House Situation Support Staff, as well as a law clerk with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Brian Fowler Arkansas Surgical Hospital Originally from Springdale, Brian Fowler earned an Accounting degree from Arkansas State University in 2004 and completed his MBA at the Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas in 2005.

After completing the CPA exam in 2008, Fowler got his start in public accounting at BKD in Little Rock, where he worked from 20052008. He has worked in a variety of healthcare organizations throughout his career. He joined Arkansas Surgical Hospital as chief financial officer in 2016 and became chief operations officer six months later. Fowler was named CEO in Jan. 2020. He is most proud of the disciplined focus on safety and exceptional experience patients can expect at ASH. Fowler is a fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), where he served as president from 2016-2017. After hours, Fowler plays a role in his church and spends time with his wife and four children.

Ryan Flynn Network Services Group Ryan Flynn was named president of Network Services Group in late 2013. Network Services Group provides IT support and voice-over IP 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 Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System

Scott Ford Westrock Coffee Company

Shane Frazier, MBA, BSN, RN, has dedicated more than 23 years to improving healthcare for Arkansans. Shane started his career at CHI St. Vincent in Little Rock, and spent many years in various leadership roles there. In addition to serving as chief executive officer for Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System, he also serves as the Group CEO supporting Rivendell Behavioral Health Services and The Bridgeway in Central Arkansas. Shane has a passion for improving the mental health and quality of life for all Arkansans. He graduated with a

When Scott Ford started Westrock Coffee, the goal was to give back in a way that led to economic change in the lives of the people of Rwanda.

Evidence of success 10 years later is a vertically integrated coffee company that impacts more than 1 million members of small-holder farming households in more than 20 different coffee-growing countries

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CEOs George Makris Jr. Simmons First National Corp.

bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Central Arkansas and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Shane serves as vice chair on the Board of the Children’s Protection Center; is on the Board of Managers for the Arkansas Provider Coalition (a majority owner of Summit Community Care); and serves on the Community Council for the Little Rock Air Force Base.

When George Makris joined Simmons in January 2013, the bank had operations in three states and total consolidated assets of approximately $2.1 billion. Today, the company stretches across a six-state footprint with approximately $25 billion in assets. While serving as CEO of Simmons First National Corporation, Makris has overseen the acquisition of numerous financial institutions.

Previously, he worked with M. K. Distributors Inc., a familyowned wholesale distribution business, serving as president from 1985 to 2012. Makris also was on the local board of Worthen Bank in Pine Bluff and its successors from 1985 to 1996, serving as chairman of the board from 1994 to 1996. Makris currently serves as a member of the Jefferson Regional Medical Center board and chairs the board of the Economic Development Corporation for Jefferson County. He has previously served on the boards of numerous local, state and national organizations including several terms as chair. A Rhodes College alumnus, Makris also holds a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas.

Lloyd Garrison CDI Contractors Founded in 1987, CDI Contractors is a full-service national general contractor and construction management company. CDI was originally founded with the sole purpose to construct retail facilities for the upscale department store retailer, Dillard’s. Lloyd Garrison, the CEO of CDI Contractors, has been employed with CDI since 1987 and has over 30 years of experience in the construction industry.

Some of the most prestigious constructions projects undertaken

by CDI include the Bank OZK corporate headquarters, the Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium renovation at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, the historic Robinson Center renovation, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Pat McCabe Levi Hospital Pat McCabe serves as president and CEO of Levi Hospital in Hot Springs. His 35 years there make him the longest serving hospital CEO in Arkansas. McCabe holds a Master of Health Administration from St. Louis University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. McCabe also serves as Hot Springs mayor, a position he has held since 2017. Prior public service includes more than 10 years as a Hot Springs city director.

McCabe and his wife, Ellen, leased the Hale Bathhouse from the Hot Springs National Park Service and restored it into a nine-room boutique hotel with an upscale casual restaurant known as Hotel Hale and Eden Restaurant. The renovation received local and state awards. McCabe was the recipient of the Hot Springs Metro Partnership 2020 Economic Development Leadership Award for his efforts in the early months of COVID with his Facebook posts of community pride and inspirational messages.

Bill Jones Sissy’s Log Cabin Bill Jones began his journey with Sissy’s Log Cabin in 1984. He quickly found a love for the jewelry industry as the only jeweler at Sissy’s original antique store in Pine Bluff. Jones worked in sales by day and designed jewelry at night. He went on to pursue his graduate gemologist degree at the Gemological Institute of America. Over the years, Jones has diligently worked to grow the brand to its current reputation of extraordinary jewelry and exceptional customer service.

Today, he serves as CEO of Sissy’s Log Cabin and is widely recognized for his design and industry leadership, as well as his involvement on boards for several charitable organizations. He and his wife, Sharri, enjoy spending time with family and supporting the communities Sissy’s Log Cabin calls home.

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CEOs Judy R. McReynolds ArcBest Judy R. McReynolds is the chairman, president and CEO of ArcBest®. Underher leadership, ArcBest has evolved into a multibillion-dollar integrated logistics company — leading the way with cutting-edge technology and customized solutions that help keep the global supply chain moving.

McReynolds guides ArcBest with more than 30 years of experience in the transportation and logistics industry, including 25 years with the company. Building on ArcBest’s nearly 100-year legacy, she has been the driving force behind diversifying the company into a logistics powerhouse with a full suite of modern logistics solutions that meet customers’ supply chain needs. McReynolds’ experience, combined with her commitment to serving customers well, providing the best atmosphere for employees and conducting business in a way that helps build a safer, more sustainable company and world has made ArcBest a leader in the logistics industry and a pillar in the communities where it operates.

Dr. Bruce Murphy Arkansas Heart Hospital An interventional cardiologist with more than 40 years of experience, Bruce E. Murphy, M.D., Ph.D., serves as CEO of the Arkansas Heart Hospital, a nationally recognized and award-winning hospital dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular and related diseases. Founded 25 years ago by Dr. Murphy and other partners, the Arkansas Heart Hospital, and its more than 25 clinics, also focus on bariatrics, endocrinology and peripheral artery disease. At the peak of his career as a world-renowned interventional cardiologist, he surrendered his medical license to allow Arkansas Heart Hospital to become a fully locally owned institution.

A native Arkansan, Dr. Murphy graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) with a Ph.D. in pharmacology in 1980 and completed his cardiology training in 1986. He has dedicated four decades to his private practice of interventional cardiology, peripheral vascular intervention and developing and teaching new techniques in both fields. He has trained physicians from over 30 countries and initiated the cardiology fellowship training program with UAMS. Dr. Murphy has published many scientific papers and spoken at the world’s top cardiac conferences.

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Dr. Victoria Ramirez Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Dr. Victoria Ramirez began her tenure with the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) in 2019 and is currently leading the institution’s next chapter of transformation and the opening of its expanded campus in Little Rock’s MacArthur Park.

Ramirez has more than 25 years of experience, having served as director of the El Paso Museum of Art and the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. Previously, she worked in art museum education at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, where she found joy in teaching children and adults art history and appreciation. Ramirez is leading the reshaping of AMFA to expand exhibitions and programming to reach new audiences while honoring the legacy of more than 85 years of celebrating the visual and performing arts.

Chris Roberts Encore Bank Chris Roberts is chairman and CEO of Encore Bank, a private, boutique bank headquartered in Little Rock. Roberts’ journey with Encore Bank began in 2019 when he became the chairman and CEO of The Capital Bank in Little Rock. With just seven associates, $159 million in assets, one office in Little Rock and a vision to build a different kind of bank, Roberts and his team rebranded that small Arkansas bank as Encore Bank and within three years, turned it into one of the fastest growing banks in the country. Under Roberts’ leadership, Encore Bank has completed two successful common equity raises, adding more than $196 million in capital, and has rapidly expanded its business lines and its footprint into 20 different markets across nine states. As of Feb. 24, 2022, Encore had $1.72 billion in total assets, 1,300 shareholders and approximately 230 employees.

Finance has been a keen interest of Roberts’ since he was a teenager, thanks to his investment banker father. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and has now been in banking for more than 30 years. From 1992 to 2005, Roberts served in various roles, moving up the ranks within the banking industry. In 2005, Roberts became founder, CEO and president of Centennial Bank and led the bank through many successful milestones until it was sold to Home Bancshares in 2009. He served as president of Delta Trust and Bank, from 2009 until it was sold to Simmons Bank in 2014. He then became executive vice president of corporate sales

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CEOs and private banking for Simmons. He held this position for four years before deciding he was ready for the encore of his career – one in which he would build a different kind of bank and name it: Encore Bank.

Joe Vincent II Rock City Kitchen/Rock City Tacos Joe Vincent II manages Rock City Tacos and Rock City Kitchen, at three separate restaurants under his family’s FAB44 business Umbrella.

Vincent’s locations are all located in downtown Little Rock. Vincent has worked in all aspects of his businesses from meal reimbursement deliveries to schools to social media management and the development and concept creation of his brands.

Reynie Rutledge First Security Bank Reynie Rutledge is the chairman of First Security, a financial services holding company headquartered in Searcy. With over 40 years of experience in banking, Rutledge has been involved with all aspects of finance and management while leading First Security to become the fifth largest bank holding company based in Arkansas, with over $8.5 billion in assets and 79 locations throughout the state.

A true Arkansan, Rutledge’s rural Arkansas upbringing in the small town of Smackover and education at the University of Arkansas turned into a lifelong commitment to the growth of his home state and his beloved Razorbacks. Reynie and his wife, Ann, their three sons John, Adam and Nathan, and their 10 grandchildren, all call Arkansas home.

John Vinson Arkansas Pharmacists Association With a bachelor’s degree in Biology from UA Fayetteville, and a Doctor of Pharmacy from UAMS, Arkansas Pharmacists Association CEO John Vinson has years of leadership and pharmaceutical experience. Vinson has worked his way up to the top of the APA, and has even served as the executive director of a nonprofit subsidiary organization of the APA called the Arkansas Pharmacy Foundation. Vinson has also served as a network facilitator for Arkansas Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network, which is the first clinical network of community-based pharmacies.

Matt Troup Conway Regional Matt Troup has more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in the healthcare industry, serving in various administrative roles at hospitals in Texas, Oklahoma and Florida. Troup came to Arkansas in 2014 as vice president of ancillary and support services at CHI St. Vincent, and was named president and CEO of Conway Regional Health System within one year. He is an energetic leader whose tenure has seen historic growth in net revenue and increases in employee and physician engagement with the organization achieving a best place to work designation five years in a row. Troup views healthcare as a faith-driven calling— a sentiment that is reflected in the way he interacts with his team each day. Staff from every facet of the health system are inspired to be bold, exceptional, and to answer the call as they work together as one team to provide high-quality, compassionate health care services.

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Sam Walls III Arkansas Capital Corp.

Sam Walls III has been with Arkansas Capital Corporation for 19 years and currently serves as its CEO. Arkansas Capital is a non-depository Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that has helped provide over $2 billion in capital through small business loans and project finance. Arkansas Capital works closely with state and local leaders to further economic development initiatives. Walls is a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and the Bowen School of Law in Little Rock. Currently, he is serving as a board member of the National New Market Tax Credit Coalition, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, and the Mount St. Mary’s Foundation.

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YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH IS A BIG DEAL. Our Promise: Unprecedented child health.

Defined and delivered.

Arkansas Children’s is the state’s only health system built just for kids. By working within the communities we serve, it’s our mission to make children better today and healthier tomorrow.

We are Champions for Children where they live, learn and play.

501-430-3142 | archildrens.org

#championsforchildren

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COFFEE • TEA • FLAVORINGS • EXTRACTS • INGREDIENTS

Innovation Starts at the Top Congratulations to Scott Ford and Chris Pledger on being named to the AMP 2022 C-suite list, and for leading Westrock Coffee as we supply the world's most iconic brands with the most transformative beverage solutions.

Scott Ford

CEO & Co-founder

westrockcoffee.com

Chris Pledger

Chief Financial Officer

CONGRATULATIONS RYAN FLYNN, CEO Ryan Flynn was named president of Network Services Group in late 2013. Network Services Group provides IT support and voice-over IP telephony solutions for many businesses across the state. Under his leadership, NSG has grown from 11 employees and a single location in North Little Rock to 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.

501-758-6058

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5105 McClanahan Drive Suite J-3, North Little Rock / nsgdv.com

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Congratulations

Shane Frazier for

being recognized

in AMP’s inaugural C-Suite showcase.

SHANE FRAZIER

CEO

11501 Financial Centre Parkway, Little Rock, AR 72211 Toll-Free Phone: 800-880-3322 Local Phone: 501-223-3322

CEOs Steven Webb Unity Health Since joining Unity Health as president/CEO in 2018, Steven Webb has guided the system with bold financial leadership and improved the financial performance of the already healthy organization. Webb’s focus is on new services for patients, physician recruitment and improved access. Under his leadership, Unity Health recently finalized the purchase of a hospital in Jacksonville, which is undergoing major renovations. While weathering the unprecedented global health crisis, Webb navigated the ever-changing mandates and policies, striving daily to work for the patients Unity Health serves and the associates who serve them. He has stayed steadfast to an inscription above his door which reads, “Love God, Love People.”

His work experience includes serving as a Fellow at White County Medical Center in Searcy; chief executive officer at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Linden, Texas; administrator at Baptist Health Medical Center in Stuttgart; vice president of patient service at Baptist Health, Little Rock; and vice president and administrator at Baptist Health Medical Center, North Little Rock. Webb earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management from East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas, and a Master of Health Service Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

He is a member of the Little Rock Airforce Base Community Council, Searcy Leadership and Searcy Regional Economic Development.

Steven, and his wife Elizabeth, married in 2003 and are parents of four children: Peyton (18), Paige (16), Presley (14) and Piper (13).

COOs COO / sē ō ō / noun plural noun: COOs a chief operations (or operating) officer, a senior executive responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a company or other institution.

COOs John Allan VCC Construction John Allan serves as chief operating officer for VCC. John’s major responsibilities include company operations, field leadership, management and vision. Under John’s leadership, VCC has earned the reputation as a leading contractor in the nation and Arkansas’ largest general contractor. He is continually focused on driving innovation for the company and continuous improvement of management protocols. John joined VCC in 1998 as a project engineer and has grown through various levels of the company since then. He enjoys desert power sports, cars (anything involving speed), fishing, traveling and spending time with his family.

Adrienne Baker Wright Lindsey Jennings Adrienne Baker is chief operating officer for Wright Lindsey Jennings, one of the largest law firms in Arkansas. Baker also has a commercial litigation practice focused primarily on the banking industry. She regularly defends banks and their officers and directors from lender and account liability claims, of late including multiple Ponzi scheme cases. Baker provides counsel services for companies in the manufacturing, construction and professional services sectors, and Super Lawyers has named her a “Rising-Star” nearly every year since 2012. After serving nine years on the board of directors for the American Red Cross of Greater Arkansas, including a stint as board chair, Baker is taking a break from nonprofit board service to help guide WLJ through an exciting growth period following the firm’s combination with Dover Dixon Horne PLLC. In her free time, Baker enjoys hiking and traveling with her husband and son.

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Shawn Barnett CHI St. Vincent Shawn Barnett became chief operating officer for the Infirmary and North at CHI St. Vincent in 2019.

Prior to his current position, Barnett served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of CHI St. Vincent. He has an extensive background in health care administration and working for both for-profit and nonprofit health care systems. He came to CHI St. Vincent from CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial in Lufkin, Texas, where he served as president and COO. Before that, he was regional CFO for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System in San Antonio, and he has served as regional CFO for CHRISTUS St. Michael’s Health System in Texarkana, Texas. A Jonesboro native, Barnett was controller for what was then Methodist Hospital in Jonesboro from 1988 to 1995 and was CFO of that hospital, then called Regional Medical Center of NEA, from 1995 to 1999. He also served as CFO at Triad’s Northwest Health System in Springdale and at Woodland Heights Medical Center in Lufkin. Barnett has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Arkansas State University, and earned an MBA with an emphasis in Health Care Management from Regis University in Denver.

Scott Barrows Multi-Craft Contractors In the 1960s, Rick Barrows, father of Scott Barrows, worked his way up to the top of Multi-Craft Contractors, Inc. Scott would follow in his father’s footsteps, working at MCC. In 2013, after decades of service in leadership roles at MCC, Scott joined the ownership team as a junior partner. In 2019, the remaining senior partners began their retirement but remained as members of the board of directors.

After a period of planning and transition, in 2020, MCC’s board of directors named Scott the COO. Multi-Craft employees have been known to claim that MCC’s success is a result of the mutual respect and dedication between the owners and their employees. This “recipe for success” has grown MCC to be a major US industrial and commercial contractor, employing over 750 engineers, project managers, tradespersons and support staff.

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COOs Dan Brown Big River Steel

Scott Copas Shayla Copas Lifestyle

Dan Brown was named vice president & chief operating officer of Big River Steel in July 2021 and advanced to senior vice president of advanced technology steelmaking in Feb. 2022. In addition to Big River Steel operations, Dan has responsibility over the new mill and facilities planned in Osceola. He has been serving as the BRS chief integration officer since Jan. 2021 and a member of the BRS Operations Integration team since Aug. 2020. Dan has 25 years of service with US Steel, joining the company in 1994 as a management associate for the cold rolling division at the Irvin Plant, Mon Valley Works. In 1996, he was transferred to Edgar Thomson (Primary Operations), Mon Valley Works and advanced through several increasingly responsible positions in steelmaking and secondary metallurgy. In 2003, Dan relocated to US Steel Serbia as Plant Manager – Primary Operations, then returned to the US in 2006 as Plant Manager – Finishing Operations at Fairfield Works. In 2007, he became Plant Manager – Primary Operations at Fairfield Works. In 2008, Dan was named Division Manager – Ironmaking at Gary Works and was promoted to Plant Manager – Primary Operations at Gary Works in 2018. In April 2019, Dan was named General Manager - Automotive Operations (Great Lakes Works/Midwest Sheet) with responsibilities for the Great Lakes Plant, Desco Coating and the Midwest Sheet facilities.

Dan earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Logistics from Pennsylvania State University and his Master of Business Administration (Finance) from Duquesne University.

Scott Copas has been in the construction, architecture and design world since 1974.

Most recently, Copas took his experience and talent as a business developer to Shayla Copas Lifestyle as COO, where he will oversee the company’s multi-division operations such as the interior design company headed by his wife Shayla, as well as its comprehensive lifestyle brands including Shayla Copas Interiors, Shayla Copas Travel, Shayla Copas Collections, Copas + Co. Construction Consulting and The Hive Marketing & Public Relations.

Copas studied architecture and business administration at the University of Arkansas. He began his career at Baldwin & Shell Construction as an estimator before ascending to president and CEO in 2014. Under his leadership, the company’s sales grew from $80 million to more than $300 million. Among many other community accolades and positions, Copas is a past chairman and board member for the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board, a lifetime national director of the Associated General Contractors of America, past member of the advisory board for the University of Arkansas School of Architecture, current member of the UALR Construction Management Advisory Board and an ex-officio board member of the ADPSAFT since its establishment in 2005.

Alex Dillard Dillard’s Inc. Alex Dillard serves as president, director, and COO of Dillard’s, Inc. Alex has been a member of the board since 1975 and serves on the Executive Committee of the board of directors for Dillards. He has been involved in virtually every aspect of operations and merchandising for the company for over 45 years and previously served as executive vice president of Dillard’s. He has served as a board member of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Foundation Fund, Philander Smith College, Union Bank and Worthen Bank in Little Rock and First National Bank of Ft. Worth, Texas. Alex’s understanding of both the merchandising and the operational aspects of the retail business has enabled the Board to more effectively gain a broad overview of the day-to-day processes involved in the operation of the company.

Ronald M. Clark The Stephens Group Ronald M. Clark is the COO of The Stephens Group. In this position, Clark offers the partners of The Stephens Group the benefit of his extensive experience in advising large, closely-held businesses on tax law, merger and acquisition, as well as other critical issues. Clark joined The Stephens Group in 2006 as general counsel, after practicing law for 26 years with Rose Law Firm. He received his bachelor’s in Accounting, as well as his Juris Doctorate, from UA Little Rock. Beginning in 2010, Clark served as both chief operating officer and general counsel. He relinquished the role of general counsel in 2021.

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COOs Yardi subject matter expert, strategic process improvement, software implementations, financial reporting and analysis, internal controls and compliance, budgeting and forecasting, as well as project management.

Jennifer Lester, CPM, RPA Moses Tucker Partners Jennifer Lester has more than 20 years of real estate experience.

Prior to joining Moses Tucker Partners, Lester was regional manager for Union Plaza Commercial Real Estate, Holt Lunsford Commercial and Presidio Commercial Services.

She managed the 25-story Bank of America Plaza building and the 21-story Union National Plaza building, as well as several other mid-rise office buildings in Arkansas.

Lester began her real estate career with Moses Tucker Real Estate as director of operations and was responsible for overseeing the management, maintenance and accounting for 14 commercial and mixed-use office buildings and two residential properties. She was also involved in new development and redevelopment projects including the Arkansas Capital Commerce Center and the Clinton Presidential Archives project.

Lester has been responsible for construction projects exceeding $25 million encompassing lobby renovation, elevator modernization, plaza renovation, asbestos abatement and multiple tenant improvements including tenant relocations. She holds a Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management, a Real Property Administrator (RPA) designation from BOMI International, an Arkansas real estate broker’s license and is a member of the Arkansas Realtors Association.

Robin Miller RPM Group Robin Miller began her career in accounting with Arthur Young and started working at Rector Phillips Morse (RPM) in 1986. She now serves as president and principal broker of Coldwell Banker RPM, and chief operating officer for RPM Group. In over three decades, Miller has helped grow RPM’s residential business from a single office with 35 agents, into eight offices with 260 agents. She played an integral role in the acquisition of the Coldwell Banker franchise in 2008, and as principal broker, now oversees the daily operations of the eight branch offices. Miller is responsible for recruiting, training and the development of the sales team. Her experience and leadership is focused on developing and delivering business services and solutions, providing outstanding client service, and driving profitable revenue growth.

She is a member of RPM Group’s executive board and is a passionate advocate for home ownership.

Her commitment to bringing the best people together has given her a reputation for building a strong team that regularly outperforms expectations. Miller is a native of central Arkansas and currently serves on the Little Rock Regional Chamber Executive Committee, Little Rock Realtors Association, Arkansas Realtors Association, and National Association of Realtors. Outside of RPM Group, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four grandchildren.

Jordan Martin Cushman & Wakefield|Sage Partners Jordan Martin, COO of Cushman & Wakefield|Sage Partners, began his real estate management career in 2002 working for Cassidy Turley (formerly Colliers Turley Martin Tucker and now Cushman & Wakefield), one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the country. In addition to his extensive experience working directly for Cassidy Turley, he also has experience working as a consultant for Yardi Systems, and working as an independent consultant. As a consultant, Martin worked with clients of all sizes, including Fortune 500 companies, implementing Yardi software and assisting companies with their month-end and year-end processes as well as identifying and implementing solutions allowing companies to gain efficiencies. His areas of expertise include

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LEADING THE WAY Congratulations Shawna Ives, WRHS EVP/Chief Financial Officer.

We’re proud to have you on our team!

WhiteRiverHealthSystem.com

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Congratulations to all of Arkansas’s top executives, including our own George A. Makris, Jr. As a community bank that’s been dedicated to moving Arkansas forward for more than 100 years, we’re especially honored to have our Chairman & CEO included in the prestigious Arkansas Money & Politics list of leaders shaping the future of our great state.

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Hytrol congratulates Daniel McAdoo, CFO on being showcased in Arkansas Money and Politic’s inaugural C Suite Issue.

Congratulations Pat McCabe

for being honored as one of AMP’s C-Suite professionals.

We sincerely appreciate your hard work and efforts year after year. Thank you for 35 years of service as CEO of Levi Hospital.

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300 Prospect Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901 M A R C H 2022

COOs Brian Oaks Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Brian Oaks, leads activities and operations for all LRCVB-managed properties including the Statehouse Convention Center, Robinson Center, Robinson Center box office, River Market and multiple parking decks and surface lots. Before joining the LRCVB, Oaks was general manager of the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, Illinois.

He oversaw all aspects of facility management for the multipurpose convention center and 7,000-seat concert arena. Tenure highlights include a $17 million dollar facility renovation, and the negotiation of a 10-year naming rights agreement with the Bank of Springfield.

Oaks earned his degree in Speech Communication with an emphasis on Public Relations from the University of Illinois.

He is a Venue Management School & VMS Graduate Institute graduate through the International Association of Venue Managers. Oaks has worked with several charitable and professional organizations including Downtown Springfield Inc., the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and Sangamon & Menard County Crimestoppers.

Edward Pratt Jr. Zenwork Edward Pratt is COO at Zenwork, Inc, a growing company providing compliance software to accounts payable organizations, accountants and businesses. Pratt joined Zenwork in 2013 as vice president of business development where he was responsible for sales, developing partner relationships, client relationship management, collecting client feedback to modify existing sites, writing blog posts and press releases and publicizing the sites and services. He has served as chief operating officer of the company since 2017. Pratt holds a Bachelor of English degree from Appalachian State University, and a Master of English degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

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Randy Ort Arkansas Highway & Transportation Department Randy Ort began his career with the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department in 1988.

After being promoted from public hearing specialist to assistant public affairs officer, Ort was finally promoted to public information officer in 2003. For most of his career, he served as the primary spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Transportation, often representing ARDOT at local, state and national events. In early 2015, Ort was promoted to assistant chief administration and oversaw many non-engineering functions of the agency, including the Governmental Relations Office and the human resources, information technology, fiscal services and equipment and procurement divisions. Ort assumed his current title of deputy director and chief operating officer in March 2020, where he oversees all operational activities for the department. As a graduate of North Little Rock Northeast High School, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Arkansas. Ort currently resides in Sherwood with his wife, Charlene.

Bob Roberts Legacy Capital Bob Roberts joined Legacy Capital in 2019, after a successful 30-year career with Baptist Health. At Legacy, Bob is responsible for overseeing strategic growth, implementing the expansion into additional locations, and recruiting and integrating advisor teams and individual advisors into the Legacy Capital family. Bob earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music from Indiana University in Trumpet Performance, and a Master of Professional Accountancy degree from Baylor University. He began his career as a CPA with KPMG and Arthur Andersen, and started at Baptist in 1988 as assistant vice president offFinance and was promoted to executive VP/CFO in 2014. Bob performs regularly with the Natural State Brass Band, the Little Rock Winds and is a board member for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. When not working or playing trumpet, Bob enjoys traveling with his wife, Stacy, to visit their three adult children.

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COOs Jonathan Rushing Arkansas Urology

J. Stephen Tipton Home Bancshares

Jonathan Rushing, COO of Arkansas Urology, has spent most of his career in healthcare management. For the last 14 years he has been at Baptist Health in leadership roles which include managing clinical trials, serving as a regional and associate vice president for Clinic Operations, and most recently serving as a member of the Western Region Leadership Team. Prior to working at Baptist Health, Rushing served in various capacities for Easter Seals, Inc. in Texarkana, Texas, which included serving as the nonprofit organization’s executive director.

A native of Crossett, Arkansas, Rushing has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas and completed his MBA at Southern Arkansas University in the fall of 2020. His community involvement includes serving as the vice chairman for Junior Achievement, as well as being actively involved in Parkway Place Baptist Church.

J. Stephen Tipton was appointed to serve as the chief operating officer of Home BancShares and Centennial Bank in August 2015. Tipton previously served as a regional vice president of Centennial Bank. He began his banking career in 2005 and joined Centennial Bank in 2006.

Prior to becoming regional vice president, Tipton served as director of credit risk management during 2013 and as a commercial lender from 2009 to 2012. Tipton has a vast array of experience in retail, business development, lending and acquisitions.

He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Brant Ward Signature Bank Promoted to chief operating officer in February 2021, Brant Ward is responsible for bank rates, liquidity and asset/liabilities of the bank, as well as management of the bank’s bond portfolio. Ward serves on the Executive Management Committee, steering strategic business planning, policy development and overall problem solving. He also initiates the development of deposit products, pricing and delivery systems. In addition to providing leadership and oversight in new market development and guidance for the retail department, Ward supervises the bank operations, mortgage, and information technology departments. Ward received a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Henderson State University and a Master’s degree in Business Entrepreneurship and Finance from the University of Arkansas. Ward completed International Studies in the British Studies Program and Italy Study Abroad, and his banking education was completed at the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado in 2018.

Julia Strickland Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard PLLC As COO for Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C., Julia Strickland plays an integral role in helping develop strategies to support the firm’s values and operational goals. With 20 years of law firm management experience, Julia directs the firm’s leadership in the financial and administrative aspects of legal services and coordinates the law firm’s four offices. As an active member of the community, she has been involved in the Junior League of Little Rock where she served as its president. She is also a member of the Leadership Greater Little Rock Alumni Association and a graduate of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas’ Emerging Leaders Class. Julia earned a BSBA from the University of Arkansas and is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant and a Certified Legal Manager.

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COOs Emma Willis Venture Noire At the intersection of technology and community is where you’ll find Emma Willis.

Whether overseeing a fintech startup or volunteering with technical development for a group of black-owned venture studios called Spectra, Willis’ ability to tap into the connectivity of tech is always at the forefront. And that’s something that often gets overlooked – tech’s ability to connect people to resources and opportunities that enhance communities at all levels.

Her journey to this point has been deeply rooted in The Natural State. She’s an alumnus of Philander Smith College, was former senior strategist with Little Rock agency MHP/ Team SI and has worked for numerous years with Junior Achievement of Arkansas and Junior Achievement of NWA. As the former executive director of Arkansas 529, Willis launched Gift Arkansas 529, the first state-run 529 plan app in the country. Soon after, she worked at Sootchy before joining the team at Venture Noire as COO, while continuing to call Northwest Arkansas home.

CFOs CFO / sē ef ō / noun noun: CFO; plural noun: CFOs a chief financial officer, a senior executive with responsibility for the financial affairs of a corporation or other institution.

CFOs Kim Ashcraft Arkansas Realtors Association

clinics located throughout north Central Arkansas. Brooks joined Conway Regional Health System in 2018, bringing more than 37 years of experience in advanced healthcare financial management and leadership. He has a passion for getting financial considerations woven into the operating behavior of the organization and for advancing a culture of accountability. The feel-good part of his job is educating and advancing the understanding of financial reports for others.

Kim Ashcraft is the chief financial officer for the Arkansas Realtors Association. Ashcraft was born and raised in Little Rock, where she later received her degree from University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Ashcraft has been a member of the ARA since 1993.

Chris Brown Arkansas College of Health Sciences

Brent Beaulieu Baptist Health

As a graduate of Arkansas Tech University, Chris Brown began his career in public accounting as a staff accountant in 2010 at Landmark CPAs in Fort Smith. While at Landmark, Brown rose to become Audit Manager. In 2021, he joined Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) as the Director of Accounting and was promoted to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in January 2022, as a licensed CPA in Arkansas. Brown has received many accolades including the Arkansas Society of CPAs “Emerging CPA of the Year” award and the Arkansas Tech “19 in 9” award. He and his wife have three daughters.

Brent Beaulieu is the chief financial officer for Baptist Health. In this role, he is responsible for all finance, revenue cycle, supply chain, risk management and real estate activities in the organization. Beaulieu joined Baptist Health in 2007 as assistant vice president of finance and has been an invaluable part of leading the system’s financial operations ever since. Prior to joining Baptist Health, he spent nine years as a Certified Public Accountant, specializing in health care matters with national accounting firm BKD. He received a degree in Accounting from Harding University.

Beaulieu also lends his expertise to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas, where he began serving on the finance committee in 2021 and joined the full board for 2022. He is past president of the Arkansas chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association and he also served on the national Principles and Practices Board from 2013-2016. He was a member of the Health Care Expert Panel for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants from 2010-2013.

Shawna Ives White River Health System Shawna Ives serves as the executive vice president and chief financial officer at White River Health System (WRHS), a position she assumed at the age of 34. Ives found her passion for business during college, switching her career path from pharmacy to accounting. She has 14 years of experience in financing. After earning her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Central Arkansas, she began her career as a nonprofit auditor for BKD LLP, and Welch, Couch and Co. In 2010, she was introduced to WRHS, sparking her interest in health care. In 2016, Ives was hired at WRHS as the budget manager. She was then promoted to controller in 2018, and a year later, to CFO.

Troy Brooks Conway Regional As Chief Financial Officer, Troy Brooks has responsibility for the overall financial operations of Conway Regional Health System, which includes Conway Regional Medical Center, Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, Conway Regional Surgery Center (an outpatient imaging center), along with primary and specialty care

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CONGRATULATIONS

ROBERT McCLANAHAN On your selection for the inaugural issue of the 2022 AMP C-Suite Special Section profiling high achievers among CEOs, CFOs, COOs and CIOs across Arkansas. It’s a well-deserved acknowledgment of your leadership. We’re proud of you!

VICE PRESIDENT

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OF ARKANSAS

1 Cooperative Way • Little Rock, AR 72209 (501) 570-2200 • www.aecc.com

Sandra Morgan Join Riceland in cheering on our Chief Financial Officer, Sandra Morgan, honored

by AMP as a High Achiever. To be honest, we think it’s kind of an understatement.

The commitment she has shown in 25+ years, working her way up to the top level of Riceland leadership, is an inspiration to all of us. Women in the agricultural C-suite are rare — but so is Sandra, in every way. Congrats to our intrepid CFO for a well-deserved honor!

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CONGRATULATIONS

TIM O’DONNELL CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

FOR BEING SHOWCASED IN AMP’S INAUGURAL C-SUITE ISSUE

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G R E AT A R T I N S P I R E S G R E AT L E A D E R S H I P Congratulations to Dr. Victoria Ramirez on being recognized on AMP’s inaugural C-Suite list.

LEFT: Lisa Krannichfeld, American (Little Rock, Arkansas, 1983 -), New Skin (detail), 2018, Chinese ink, watercolor, acrylic, paper collage, and toned cyanotype on paper mounted to board and covered with resin, 36 x 36 x 2 inches, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation Collection: Purchase, Tabriz Fund.

Congratulations, Bob!

“2022 AMP C-SUITE” Arkansas Money & Politics

Bob Roberts

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Financial Planning / Legacy Planning / Asset Management / Insurance Solutions

legacycapitalwp.com

(501) 376-7878

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ARKANSAS REALTORS

CONGRATULATES

KIM ASHCRAFT Congratulations on being named one of AMP’s C-Suite professionals. We’re proud to have you on our team.

11224 Executive Center Dr, Little Rock, AR 72211

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CFOs Eric Mangham Arkansas Federal Credit Union Eric Mangham is senior vice president and chief financial officer for Arkansas Federal Credit Union.

Prior to joining Arkansas Federal, he was a credit union examiner with the National Credit Union Administration. Mangham serves on the boards of Ronald McDonald House, the Better Business Bureau of Arkansas and the NAFCU CFO Steering Committee. He received his bachelor’s and MBA in finance from Lamar University.

Jeff Mascagni, CPA, CGFM, CPFO Central Arkansas Water Jeff Mascagni was named CFO of Central Arkansas Water in June 2014. Mascagni is responsible for the finance, customer service and information services departments.

During his tenure with CAW, he has overseen treasury management activities, cost of service rate studies, budgetary activities, customer service technology transformations, mergers and acquisitions and development of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for utility. Prior to joining CAW, Mascagni was an audit manager at a regional accounting firm, specializing in audits of government and nonprofit entities.

He is responsible for modifying the utility’s annual budget document and ACFR to comply with Government Finance Officer Association requirements. Mascagni holds a B.S. in accounting and a MBA from Arkansas State University. As a certified public accountant, a certified government financial manager and a certified public finance officer, Mascagni is a past president of the Association of Government Accountants Central Arkansas Chapter and has been a speaker at numerous AGA and American Water Works Association conferences and events.

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Daniel McAdoo Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc. Daniel McAdoo is the CFO of Hytrol Conveyor Company located in Jonesboro. McAdoo joined Hytrol in 2019 after three years at Big River Steel. He earned his bachelor’s in Accounting/Finance from John Massey School of Business at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and his master’s in Business Administration from Arkansas State University. Before joining Big River Steel, McAdoo was a controller at Douglas/Quikut from 2010 to 2016. He also worked for The Scott Fetzer Company from 2002 to 2010 in various manufacturing, accounting and finance roles. A native of Mobile, Alabama, McAdoo enjoys woodworking, fishing, marksmanship and spending time with his family.

Stuart McClendon DYNE Hospitality Group Stuart McLendon is the CFO of DYNE Hospitality Group and manages the company’s financing, investor relations, and business planning activities. A North Little Rock native, Stuart has spent the past 13 years providing corporate financial services to small and mid-sized businesses throughout the US. When not spending time with his wife, Mandi, and their three children, Stuart helps develop the next generation of entrepreneurs by teaching finance and management at UA Little Rock as well as mentoring through startup accelerator and incubator programs.

Barbara McCrory CPA, MPA The Centers - Little Rock Barbara McCrory became CFO at The Centers in 2004, before the age of 30. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. McCrory began her career in 1998 at the then Thomas & Thomas CPA firm in Little Rock. She was always drawn to nonprofit work and transitioned to The Centers because

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CFOs of its mission to help children and families in the community. In her spare time, she volunteers as president of the local soccer club in Vilonia, coordinating registration, matches and uniforms for over 200 kids. McCrory is proud to achieve success as a woman in the C-level suite, especially at one of the state’s largest nonprofits which serves thousands of children, families and adults each year.

Tina Miles Cushman & Wakefield|Sage Partners Tina Miles is the chief financial officer for Cushman & Wakefield|Sage Partners in Little Rock. She has 20 years of combined experience in the accounting field for private business, service industry, manufacturing and nonprofit businesses. Recognized professionally in Arkansas, Miles graduated cum laude with a BSBA in Accounting from Robert Morris University. She previously spent three years as auditor for the largest regional firm in Pittsburgh, Schneider Downs, and was an accounting manager for a nonprofit hospice.

Before she joined Sage Partners, Miles spent 10 years as CFO for BioBased Technologies, LLC. Corey Moline Arkansas Community Foundation Raised in Sherwood, Arkansas, Corey Moline is a 1995 graduate of the University of Central Arkansas.

Prior to his role as CFO for Arkansas Community Foundation, Corey spent two years as the controller of a Little Rock-based trucking company, and worked nearly 17 years in public accounting. He came to Arkansas Community Foundation in the summer of 2014 and immediately fell in love with the organization, its people and its mission to improve the communities in Arkansas. He is proud that during his tenure, the Foundation has grown from a $235 million organization to its current asset size of over $600 million, all due to the generosity of so many Arkansans that want to make a difference in the state. He considers his family to be his greatest accomplishment. Corey and his wife of 28 years, Rebekkah, are the parents of four children, and he is a proud member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Conway.

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Sandra Morgan Riceland Sandra Morgan is the vice president and chief financial officer of Riceland Foods. She is responsible for the farmer-owned cooperative’s finance, accounting and information technology, and serves on the management committee for Riceland’s partnerships Rivland, RITO and Best Rice. She is a trustee for the Riceland Employee Benefits Plans. After years in the telecommunications industry at ALLTEL Corporation, Morgan joined Riceland’s accounting in 1989, and has been with the cooperative for 32 years.

Morgan has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Central Arkansas, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountancy and the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants. She has served as an outside director of the AgHeritage Farm Credit Service board of directors since 2015, serving on the Executive Committee, Audit Committee and Human Resources Committee.

Tim O’Donnell Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority Tim O’Donnell joined the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority in April 2019 as its CFO. Previously, O’Donnell served as the vice chancellor for finance and administration at the University of Arkansas, where he was a member of the Chancellor’s Executive Committee and had oversight of a total budget in excess of $800 million.

Prior to joining the UA in 2013, O’Donnell was vice president and treasurer of Southwestern Energy Co. in Fayetteville until the company relocated its energy business to Houston. He spent 22 years at Southwestern and held numerous financial positions with the company. O’Donnell has also worked in commercial real estate and public accounting in his career. He is a CPA (inactive) and has served on numerous boards and committees during his professional career in Arkansas. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Iowa.

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CFOs Paul Parnell Rose Law Firm Paul Parnell has served as the chief financial officer of Rose Law Firm since 2015. During this time, Paul has been responsible for managing all aspects of the firm’s fiscal operations, including the firm’s expansion in Northwest Arkansas, technological upgrades and advances, and increased operating efficiencies, which have allowed the firm to enjoy consistent growth over the past seven years. In addition to his firm duties, he has an active legal practice advising clients on all aspects of federal and state tax matters, commercial finance, and mergers and acquisitions. Chambers USA recognized Paul as a Band 1 attorney in Corporate/Commercial - Tax. He is a certified public accountant, with an MA in Accounting from Hendrix College and a J.D. from the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Paul is currently a member of the Arkansas State Chamber’s Leadership Arkansas Class XVI. Chris Phillips Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau As the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (LRCVB) senior vice president and chief financial officer, Chris Phillips provides operational, strategic, and programmatic support to the LRCVB relative to the annual operating budget and financial management of funds for the organization. He oversees accounting, finance, procurement, human resources, and information technology.

Prior to joining the LRCVB, Phillips spent a decade in the hospitality industry working with both the Little Rock Peabody Hotel and the Little Rock Marriott. Phillips holds an economics degree from University of North Carolina, a culinary arts degree from Johnson and Wales, and a Master of Business Administration from University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Phillips serves at the local, state, regional and national level of the Boy Scouts of America. In 2020, he received the Distinguished Service Award from Boy Scouts national honor society, one of only four in Arkansas to have done so.

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Chris Pledger Westrock Coffee Company Chris Pledger serves as chief financial officer at Westrock Coffee Company, overseeing all finance, accounting, tax and corporate development functions for the company worldwide. Pledger also leads the global expansion of the company’s trading and export operations.

Prior to joining Westrock Coffee in 2013, Pledger served as the company’s outside legal counsel as a partner at Kutak Rock LLP. He has also served as a legal, international business and finance executive at Hunt Oil Company. He began his career as a corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions attorney at Thompson & Knight LLP and Vinson & Elkins LLP. Pledger serves on the board of directors of Falcon Coffees Limited and Rwanda Trading Company.

Scott Rosenberg Travel Nurse Across America Scott Rosenberg has been the CFO of Travel Nurse Across America since 2020, helping lead the company through rapid growth. Over the course of his 25 year career, Scott has worked in a variety of financial, operational and leadership roles, most recently as vice president of finance, strategic pricing and FP&A for Wellpath, a private equity owned correctional healthcare company. Prior to that, he held financial global leadership roles as VP of finance for Singer Sewing Machines and Finance Director with Asurion Insurance Services.

Scott holds an MBA from Rice University and a BA degree in economics and finance from Illinois Wesleyan University.

Heath Simpson Ritter Communications Heath Simpson joined Ritter Communications in March 2020 following a nationwide recruitment campaign utilizing a leading executive search firm. Simpson’s 25 year career includes extensive financial and operational experience in telecommunications. During his decade at AT&T, he was actively involved in industry transformative M&A transactions. Simpson also led corporate development,

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CFOs strategy and financial planning and analysis at Frontier Communications as a senior executive officer, and was previously CFO at BACOM, a privately held telecom infrastructure company. As CFO, Simpson provides executive level leadership to finance and accounting, human resources, information technologies, program management and facilities. His responsibilities extend to all aspects of financial management, including planning, capital allocation, risk assessment and mitigation and reporting in support of Ritter Communications’ position as a premier independent broadband internet provider.

As a former officer in the Army Reserve, Simpson earned his MBA and undergraduate business degrees from Texas Christian University. Simpson is a native Texan and is married with three children. He enjoys traveling with his family, playing guitar and spending time outdoors.

Jennifer Styron CARTI Jennifer Styron joined CARTI as chief financial officer in 2018 after spending more than seven years with Arkansas Heart Hospital. Styron leads CARTI’s innovative finance team that includes business intelligence, revenue cycle, patient advocacy, health information management, accounting and supply chain leaders. She has extensive banking, finance and strategy experience, and earned her accounting degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In the community, Styron serves on the board of the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care.

Ashley Sims Rock Dental Brands As chief financial officer of Rock Dental Brands, Ashley Sims is responsible for the financial performance of 95-plus multispecialty dental clinics. These clinics, operating under multiple brands including Westrock Orthodontics, Leap Kids Dental, Rock Family Dental, and Impact Oral Surgery, provide access to affordable dental care to 400,000 patients each year across Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee. Sims leads the accounting, financial planning andanalytics, M&A diligence, business intelligence, information technology, and revenue cycle management teams at Rock Dental.

During her time, the company has added more than 60 clinics and 450 employees to the RDB family. She began her career in the telecom industry at Windstream Communications in Little Rock. She was selected to join the Finance Leadership Program at Windstream, where she rotated through several departments across the company.

Sims grew up in Monette and earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.

Jason Tolbert Ouachita Baptist University Jason Tolbert has worked at Ouachita Baptist University for seven years as the chief financial officer. In addition to overseeing the university’s finances and reporting to the Board of Trustees, Tolbert is responsible for human resources, business services, financial aid and dining services as well as the print shop, bookstore and the post office. He lives in Benton with his wife and two sons and is currently building a house in Arkadelphia to be close to campus.

Before Ouachita, Tolbert worked in various accounting jobs including a position at Alltel and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Immediately before joining Ouachita, Tolbert worked at the Arkansas Baptist Foundation where he helped manage endowment funds and planned gifts to Baptist churches and institutions, including Ouachita.

Jeff Weatherly Lexicon Jeff Weatherly has served as Lexicon’s chief financial officer for more than 20 years. He is responsible for accounting, treasury, risk management, banking and surety relationships, litigation and acquisitions.

Prior to joining the Lexicon team as vice president and CFO, he served as director of tax for Hudson Foods in Rogers and manager for Authur Anderson & Co. in Kansas City. A Certified Public Accountant, Weatherly received his bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of Missouri.

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Bank Better with us.

When you bank at First Security, you’re also opening doors for friends, neighbors and fellow business owners across the state. That’s because our bank is Arkansas owned. And Arkansas focused. We put dollars back into the community, helping our customers – and yours – grow and succeed, all while providing the outstanding service that Arkansans deserve.

Member FDIC

TRAILBLAZING CANCER CARE WITH EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP.

C

ongratulations to CARTI CFO Jennifer Styron on her recognition in Arkansas Money & Politics’

C-Suite. Under her leadership, CARTI is changing the way cancer care is delivered and working toward a world without cancer.

JENNIFER STYRON CARTI, Executive Vice President and CFO

CARTI.com

ARE YOU THE FACE OF YOUR INDUSTRY?

CES FA OF BUSINESS

In April, Arkansas Money & Politics will highlight business leaders in Arkansas who keep our state exciting, dynamic and unique. AMP’s Faces are those behind the prominent and notable businesses and industries across Arkansas. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this special section recognizing the Faces of Arkansas.

FACES

OF BUSINE

FACE OF HOSPITALS

CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH MATT TROUP, PRESIDENT

AND CEO

Regional has For the past 100 years, Conway ionate health care to the provided high-quality, compass communities continue to communities it serves. As these with them to provide grow, Conway Regional is growing more specialists and innovative services, new clinics, expanded access to care. to implement a In 2019, Conway Regional began that is expanding plan multi-phase capital investment ut the health system — and enhancing services througho a new critical care building, including a new medical office uare-foot health and fitness unit, renovation of its 8,000-sq hospital’s clinic in Greenbrier. center and expansion of the added a second system health the ally, Addition ization laboratory, two state-of-the-art cardiac catheter improve detection of 3-D mammography devices to numerous highly talented breast cancer and recruited in the areas of neurospine physicians to the medical team s disease, neurology, surgery, rheumatology, infectiou ent, gastroenterology, hematology-oncology, pain managem

SS

SYSTEM

and general surgery. pulmonology, vascular surgery ns providing services With more than 225 physicia tion partners with the at Conway Regional, the organizaClinical Management medical staff in an Accountable partnership creates Model (ACM). This one-of-a-kind to promote meaningful a model of shared governance with hospital engagement of physician leaders in an effort to improve administrative leadership — all care. Frontline patient experience and enhancedecision making through in employees are also involved s.

Congres ng the Patient Care Governi and CEO of Conway Matt Troup is the President years of executive leadership Regional with more than 20 industry, serving in various re healthca the in ce experien in Texas, Oklahoma administrative roles in hospitals Arkansas in 2014 as Vice and Florida. Troup moved to St. and Support Services at CHI President of SUAncillary SAN ALTR President and CEO of Conway Vincent and was named UI , ZOyear. one O DIRECT Regional Health System within OR

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FACES OF ARKANSAS Email hbaker@aymag.com to nominate yourself or someone else today.

M A R C H 2022

Cory Anderson Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation Cory Anderson builds and maintains local and national partnerships, launches bold initiatives, and strategizes to ensure the Foundation pursues equity for all Arkansans. In addition to his role at the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Anderson also serves as the interim executive director of ForwARd Arkansas. He understands collaboration because it has been his career. For seven years at The Annie E. Casey Foundation in Baltimore, Anderson supported state-level child advocacy organizations and helped lead the KIDSCOUNT initiative. 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.

Thomas Bunton University of Arkansas at Little Rock

CIOs/ CTOs CTO / sē tē ō/ noun noun: CTO; plural noun: CTOs a chief technology (or technical) officer, a senior executive with responsibility for managing the technological requirements of a company or other institution.

Dr. Thomas E. Bunton is the associate vice chancellor and chief information officer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Bunton is responsible for the strategic vision and leadership of information technology initiatives across the organization. He fosters innovation and builds partnerships with campus constituents to evaluate, prioritize, deploy and manage current and future state IT initiatives.

Prior to his roles at University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Bunton held various leadership roles at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and Purdue University where he led large-scale technological and organizational transformations that included implementing centers of excellence, drafting and executing IT strategic plans, and rationalizing and integrating complex IT portfolios.

Bunton earned his PhD from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee where he researched organizational agility within higher education IT organizations. He received both his Master of Science in Information Technology and bachelor’s degree from Purdue University.

CIOs/CTOs Brian Cahalan Arkansas Heart Hospital Brian Cahalan brings more than 20 years of information technology management and consulting experience to the Arkansas Heart Hospital.

Since 2019, Cahalan has served as the hospital’s chief technology and information security officer where he oversees its IT infrastructure, software applications, cybersecurity, business intelligence and BIOMED departments.

Cahalan graduated cum laude from the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business in 1994. Prior to the Arkansas Heart Hospital, he was a partner at Edafio Technology Partners in Rogers and spent more than 15 years with Acxiom. Cahalan brings a wealth of retail, financial services and healthcare industry experience to the hospital with specialties in business intelligence, reporting and cybersecurity.

Jim Daly Washington Regional Medical System Jim Daly is vice president and chief information officer of Washington Regional Medical System in Fayetteville. Daly is responsible for aligning technology strategy to the mission and core values of the organization and oversees the infrastructure, applications, cybersecurity, biomedical, portfolio management and service desk departments. Prior to joining Washington Regional in 2017, he served as senior director of business solutions for Health Care Service Corporation.

Daly is from Little Rock and a graduate of Catholic High School for Boys. He earned his undergraduate degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Master of Business Administration and Healthcare Administration from the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business. Daly serves as president of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, Arkansas Chapter, and was recently recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the “102 Hospital and Health System CIOs to Know.”

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Mark Himelfarb First Orion As First Orion’s Chief Technology Officer, Mark Himelfarb is responsible for ensuring that the company stays on the cutting edge of the industry by bringing to life software and solutions powering the company’s product line, through innovation in both methodology and technology. Backed by his 20+ years of experience in leading software engineering and systems design teams in a variety of industries, such as financial technology, benefits industry and education, Himelfarb takes his passion for language learning, both computer and human, and pours it into pioneering novel approaches for tackling problems that First Orion’s customers face. Prior to joining First Orion, he designed and developed advanced transaction authorization, real-time processing and fraud-detection solutions for credit and debit card industry, as well as pioneered the use of VOIP technology for building self-service scalable Interactive Voice Response and fax image processing systems.

Laura Johnson Southern Arkansas University Tech Laura Johnson is the chief information officer at SAU Tech in Camden. In this role, she leads a team that provides the necessary resources as it relates to computer hardware and/or software to support the mission and educational goals of the college. She has more than 39 years of technical experience in higher education, all at SAU Tech. Johnson currently manages a 550K+ technology budget and is the project manager for the new student-information system upgrade that is in phase one of the implementation process. Johnson received her Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia in 1982. In 1985, she became the first African American female to be named director of computer services in the state of Arkansas.

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M A R C H 2022

CIOs/CTOs Robert H. McClanahan Arkansas Electric Cooperatives

Kendall Kirby USAble Life Kendall Kirby, senior vice president of information technology at USAble Life, has been beating the odds his entire life. Diagnosed with bone cancer as a teenager, Kirby was told he might not reach his 16th birthday. Now he’s celebrating nearly 29 years in the life- and health-insurance industries and has more than 34 years of IT experience, including technical expertise as a software and web developer, network engineer and systems analyst.

Kirby first joined USAble Life in 1993 and in 1997 began a 10year tenure with Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, where he served as an actuarial decision support analyst supervisor. Since rejoining USAble Life, he has been instrumental in providing the strategic direction for technologies that have transformed the company’s IT infrastructure into a leading program for creating operational efficiencies and great customer solutions. Kirby also has been influential in the development of patent-pending technology that supports product advancements. All of these improvements are a critical component of USAble Life’s growth.

Aaron Knight City of Conway Aaron Knight is the director of information technology and chief information officer for the City of Conway. As CIO, Knight leads a team of ten professionals focused on modernizing and securing the city’s technology infrastructure and improving user experience. He is president of the University of Central Arkansas Alumni Association and on the board of directors for Children’s Advocacy Alliance, Faulkner County Affiliate of the Arkansas Community Foundation and UCA Foundation. Knight also serves on the UCA Computer Science advisory board and is past president of the Conway Public Schools Foundation. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from the University of Central Arkansas.

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Robert H. McClanahan is vice president of information technology and chief technology officer for Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp.

(AECC) and Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI). McClanahan began his career with AECC in 1981 as a programmer, moving to systems analyst, then department manager before his promotion to vice president in 2000. He graduated summa cum laude from Henderson State University with a bachelor’s degree in Physics and Computer Science. Over the past decade, McClanahan has been very active in efforts to improve the security of the electric grid.

He is a past chair of the Southwest Power Pool Critical Infrastructure Protection Working Group and a past vice chair of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection Committee. He supports the Cooperatives’ interests within the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC) and recently completed his term as chair of the Executive Committee of the ESCC’s Cyber Mutual Assistance Program.

Rashesh Patel Apptegy

Rasesh Patel came to Apptegy with unmatched experience developing software engineering teams. Prior to becoming Apptegy’s Chief Technology Officer, Rasesh spent 24 years at Acxiom Corporation, where he started as a software engineer and rose through the ranks to senior director of product engineering.

Rasesh has a reputation for being the “Fixer.” Much of his work at Acxiom involved consulting with engineering teams to increase velocity and ship projects more quickly. At Apptegy, he’s built the engineering organization from 15 to nearly 100 engineers. His leadership has not only allowed the ed-tech company’s technical team to spread across geographies, but also expand their products.

Keith Jordan, a long-term colleague of Rasesh’s, described him as a strong counter-balance for most technical leaders, “Rasesh considers the engineer first, and the work second. He’s always been focused on building relationships across his teams.”

Rasesh enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife, Rekha, and his children, Ankush and Ayesha.

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CIOs/CTOs Henry Torres Arkansas State University

James Reed Conway Regional As Chief Information Officer for Conway Regional, James Reed is responsible for the information system operations of the health system. In addition, Reed provides executive oversight of the pharmacy and quality departments and serves as Conway Regional’s Corporate Compliance Officer. He has spent the past nine years as Chief Information Officer.

Reed has also served as pharmacist and pharmacy director at Conway Regional and was administrative director of St. Anthony’s Medical Center for nearly four years. In 2019, Reed achieved the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s North Metro Healthcare Award for Administrator of the Year.

Adam Rockers DataPath As Chief Technology Officer, Adam Rockers is responsible for ensuring that DataPath’s technology delivers a modern, secure and superb experience to its clients. Adam possesses firsthand, expert knowledge of both DataPath’s cloud-based Summit platform and the complexities of

benefits administration.

Adam started his career with DataPath in 2002. Over the past two decades, he has accepted increasing responsibilities, demonstrating both in-depth knowledge of system development processes and leadership excellence. Adam oversees all aspects and strategic planning for the DataPath technology teams. Adam has two decades of experience in the benefits administration industry, developing software platforms that administer 105, 125, 132, and HSA plans as well as COBRA, card solutions, and Fulfillment. He possesses a comprehensive understanding of the company’s solutions and network infrastructure. Adam’s responsibilities include setting the technology strategy for DataPath, improving processes, and delivering quality and superior functionality to our clients. As CTO, he oversees the collaboration between the Development, Quality Assurance, Project Management, and IT teams.

Adam received his BS in Computer Science from Arkansas State University.

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Henry Torres serves as the chief information officer for Arkansas State University. Prior to moving to Northeast Arkansas, Torres was an information technology executive specializing in areas of distribution, logistics, store operations and e-commerce. His career included executive positions with Walmart, Neiman-Marcus, CSK Auto and Frederick’s of Hollywood. While at Walmart, he worked in warehouse administration, store operations, Sam’s Club and the Latin America division. While at both CSK Auto and Frederick’s, he held positions as senior vice president, CIO. Additionally, he was instrumental in developing the e-commerce channel for Frederick’s and was part of an internet start-up in Silicon Valley.

As part of the College of Business outreach, Torres was the key member of a high-tech company startup where he helped create a software outsourcing company called Rural Sourcing, Inc. and developed it to $1.2 million of annual sales in 24 months.

Torres serves on the Board of Directors of several organizations including Accelerate Arkansas, Commerce Capital Development Company, LLC, The United Way, and Hispanic Community Services, Inc. He resides in Jonesboro with his wife and their three young daughters.

Ken Wester Arkansas Tech University Before he was the chief information officer for Arkansas Tech University, Ken Wester had already made his mark on the school. His journey began in 1976 when Wester joined the US Army. He served for 12 years and spend an additional three years in the reserves and IRR. During his time in service, Wester self-taught in computer repair and programming and earned over 30 hours in industrial technology at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA. In 1990, Wester went back to school for a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Arkansas Tech University. After a work-study, being the first computer/ network technician hired at ATU and many more progressing positions, Wester became the chief information officer in 2017.

He has dedicated a little over 31 years to Arkansas Tech University, and there is more to come.

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M A R C H 2022

CIOs/CTOs Crenisha Wright Arkansas Foodbank Crenisha Wright joined Arkansas Foodbank in July of 2021. Wright has experience working with information systems, data analytics and artificial intelligence. She received a BBA in Management Information Systems from the University of Central Arkansas, a MBA from Texas A&M University-Texarkana, a MS degree in Information Science from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) and is currently a PhD Candidate in the Computer and Information Sciences program at UALR. In her free time, she loves swimming, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

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Congratulations to Mr. Ken Wester!

We are proud of the work you do to make our state, region and world a better place.

Fight On, Your ATU Family

215 W. O St, Russellville, AR 72801 (479) 968-0237 // www.atu.edu

Nominate AMP’s Future 50 of 2022 Who are Arkansas’ most influential up-and-comers? Who are the future drivers of the Arkansas economic engine, of policy and culture? Help us determine who the state’s real drivers are shaping up to be. Your vote will help us determine the 2022 Arkansas Money & Politics’ Future 50. This list will be featured in the July issue of AMP.

Nominate your favorite Future 50 by visiting armoneyandpolitics.com and go to the “nominate” tab.

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M A R C H 2022

When considering a facility for short-term rehabilitation services, families want the best they can get for their loved ones, and they have to look no further than Superior Health and Rehab in Conway.

Our rehabilitation gym offers state-of-the art rehab and features interactive equipment to enable our licensed therapists to create a comprehensive therapy program designed to get our residents back to their prior functional level, regain their self-reliance and facilitate a return to home as quickly as possible.

625 Tommy Lewis Drive • Conway, AR• 501-585-6800 • superiorhrc.com

A Growing Health System for a Growing Community

Expanded Access

Innovative Services

More Specialists

Are you ready to change your life?

Dr. Tony Manning is a board-certified general surgeon with extensive experience performing gastric sleeve surgery. For those seeking a weight-loss alternative, or those dealing with metabolic issues like diabetes or high blood pressure, this surgery can be a safe, long-term solution. Conway Regional is committed to bringing more services to our growing community. Learn more at ConwayRegional.org/Bariatric.

We’re not just growing—we’re growing together.

New Medical Offices

NEW

ERA

Sam Walls III took over as CEO in January.

SAM WALLS III LEADING THE WAY AT ARKANSAS CAPITAL CORP

By Dwain Hebda / Photography by Jamison Mosley

E

verywhere one looks throughout the stylish Little Rock headquarters of Arkansas Capital Corporation, the eras collide.

In the foyer hangs a massive wooden plaque studded with brass plates denoting the group’s leadership through the years while, over here, a framed document bears the names of the founding overseers. The names enshrined here, a who’s who of Arkansas business legends, are punctuated by corporate titans of a category all their own including Rockefeller, Tyson and Stephens.

A short stride from yesterday brings you into the boardroom and out onto a balcony where you are met with the sights and sounds of tomorrow, as construction workers hammer and clank at street level underneath the resident buildings of a new and gleaming downtown. Here, at bird’s-eye level, the view is as spectacular as the vision the 65-year-old ACC has executed, investing and enabling companies down the block and across the state to build their own futures.

Framed by this backdrop, Sam Walls III, the newly named CEO of Arkansas Capital Corporation, leans back in a chair and ponders his road to this moment. Twenty years ago, Walls, educated

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at SMU and UA Little Rock’s Bowen School of Law, was just another corporate attorney with a sharp suit, a sharper office suite and a deficit of purpose in what he was doing. Ever since then, after jumping into the corporation’s work with both feet in 2003, he’s spent decades working in the noble pursuit of providing services and connecting resources to help startups gain momentum.

Now, after six years as president and COO, the rudder is entirely his to keep the organization relevant through changing times and shifting economics. It’s a mission, once again, that’s informed by the commingled wisdom of the ages and the echoes that form his brand of leadership.

“During my Catholic High years, [Principal] Father George Tribou always said, ‘Bad things happen because good people allow it.’ That’s always stuck with me,” Walls said. “My dad, he had a bunch, too. The one that jumps out more than any is, ‘Activity begets activity.’ That is, even doing the little things, you get momentum. And conversely, if you don’t have it, the inertia won’t be there.”

“Me, I use a lot of analogies. Movies and sports, I beat people to death with ‘em. You know, ‘Go hit some homers,’

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“Even doing the little things, you get momentum.

And conversely, if you don’t have it, the inertia won’t be there.”

M A R C H 2022

FINANCE

‘Let’s play some small ball,’ ‘Let’s get some singles in there.’”

He chuckles.

“There’s one I adopted right around COVID. They’re tired of me saying it around here, but it’s a Sun Tzu quote: ‘In the midst of chaos, there is opportunity.’

So even when COVID was going on, it was like, here is our chaos moment, let’s find the opportunity. Where can we be relevant, have an impact and do so in a financially reasonable manner?

“That’s the key word, relevance.

Our just-retired CEO, Rush Deacon, said it a lot. ‘How are we competitive?

How are we relevant?’ That’s an evolving process with what’s going on in the world. Where are those gaps? Can we help address those gaps? I think within the culture of the company, we have to constantly be reassessing what our role is in this crazy world, and how we can best address it.”

Arkansas Capital Corporation was born out of this transformative species of thought. In 1957, a group of influential businessmen and representatives of the state’s utilities came together for the simple yet monumental purpose of creating a means for supporting business growth and development. While that sounds relatively innocuous in 2022, what the men were proposing was far more complicated in 1957, as what they actually envisioned was a financing mechanism to shift the state’s very economic backbone from an agriculture-based system to one based on industry.

The firm that resulted from those talks — originally the First Arkansas Development Finance Corporation (FADFC) — has grown and diversified considerably. But Arkansas Capital still comes down to the brass tacks of helping connect new and existing businesses with funding through partnerships with commercial banks, small businesses and others from the private and public

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sectors to maximize its lending and project finance products.

Over its history, the organization has educated thousands and made hundreds of loans, representing projects of well over $500 million. As well, it has deployed through its project financing partners more than $2.34 billion in capital to small businesses and economic development projects.

And still, every so often, the same nagging question keeps voicing itself

Over its history, the organization has educated thousands and made hundreds of loans, representing projects of well over $500 million. among leadership, “How can we do it better?”

“You know that old country song line, ‘I was country before country was cool?’

Well, I would say we were talking entrepreneurship before entrepreneurship was cool,” Walls said. “Anyone that’s been around for the last 20-some odd years would say the same thing.”

Being early to lead the conversation gave ACC plenty of new ground to plow.

Walls remembers when the board handed

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him and colleague, Les Lane, the task of helping grow the group’s impact outside the financing arena in a way that made sense and delivered results.

“We were effectively given the mandate of, ‘Look guys, there’s lending, but what can you do on the other side of the spectrum, whether it’s project financing or promoting entrepreneurship, from the educational side?’” Walls said. “We were given a lot of latitude in these boxes.

“Les and I were able to do some things on promoting entrepreneurship and on tax credits that really grew and developed that side of the business. And, as those things evolved and became stronger and stronger pieces of the overall ACC company, it brought with them other opportunities.”

But among the wins — from business plan competitions that today start as early as fifth grade and continue through college to establishing the affiliate Pine State Regional Center, which in 2014 became the lone Arkansas-based EB-5 Immigrant Investment Program — there were notable misses.

The firm has always been a bit hesitant to tout its successes or even the breadth of its program offerings, hampering its name recognition and effectiveness. Hand in hand with that has been a lagging on matters that push diversity into the marketplace, both things Walls plans to accelerate in the coming years.

“I would admit that our role up until maybe four years ago had been more passive,” he said. “By that I mean, we were here and if you were an underserved group — whether that was women, Latino, African American — and you were having trouble, someone eventually would say, ‘You ought to go talk to ACC.’ And then we’d work really hard to figure out your issue.

“Today, you look at the world and some of the things that are going on — Black Lives Matter, George Floyd and all that — and you have to consider what long-term

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Walls wants to accelerate plans to increase diversity.

Xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx.

systemic issues are out there. We began to ask the question, ‘What are we really doing proactively to address those issues?’

The hard answer for us was, we haven’t been as proactive as we ought to be. If you and I were talking five years from now, I would want to be able to point to more ways in which we were impactful in those particular areas.”

Managing the future of Arkansas entrepreneurship is a complicated process but to Walls, the fundamental issues boil down to some very simple lessons learned

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from his father, C. Sam Walls Jr., an entrepreneur who would serve ACC for 24 years before retiring as its CEO in 2013.

“My parents were entrepreneurs. They ran a hardware store,” Walls said. “I grew up watching the struggles that small business owners have. I was very attentive in the back seat of the car and listened as they discussed those things. And it’s those things that made my dad very good at what he did and really made him the right person at the right time in the history of this company.

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“Today, we’re facing struggles and asking the same questions, about broadband, about workforce training and about capital. The state has really stepped up its game in the past 10 years surrounding some of that, but we have to keep asking, ‘Where could we do more?’

“I think the long play is still what we’re doing in education, and unfortunately, that is something that you just don’t fix overnight. But at least we’re discussing it, which is a great start. As a state, I think we’re going in a good direction.”

M A R C H 2022

MEDIA

HEART AND

SELL

WHETHER LOCAL OR NATIONAL, DAN WAYMACK AND CREW PUT THEIR HEARTS INTO TV AD SPOTS

D

— By Kenneth Heard

Dan Waymack and his team can say more in 30 seconds than most people can say in a day.

Waymack, the owner of Little Rock video production company Waymack and Crew, has been shooting catchy television advertisements for dozens of businesses including Allstate with deep-voiced actor Dennis Haysbert, Miller Lite, the U.S. Army and — more locally — Arkansas Parks and Tourism and the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery with its “This is Winning” campaign.

The company also has satellite offices in Bentonville; West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Chicago, where it works with ad agency Leo Burnett Worldwide, one of the largest agencies in the world.

In addition to shooting the 30-second television advertisements, Waymack also has traveled around the world filming documentaries for various cable television venues. His work ranges from a serious look at training procedures by U.S.

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A day in the life at Waymack and Crew: (clockwise, from top left) Oaklawn in Hot Springs; Calder Casino in Miami Gardens, Fla.; Dan Waymack, director.

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M A R C H 2022

MEDIA

It’s been quite a career for a hometown Cabot boy who in 1986 began his production company on a school table in his mother’s house.

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More Waymack locations: (clockwise from left): Bardstown Bourbon Co. in Kentucky; Waymack in Egypt for a 1996 A&E special; the U.S. Army training center in Barstow, Calif.

Army soldiers for the A&E Network, which led to the service’s most successful advertising campaign to the more campy “Wives With Knives,” a true crime show featuring angry spouses.

It’s been quite a career for a hometown Cabot boy who in 1986 began his production company on a school table in his mother’s house.

“We didn’t have a garage,” Waymack said. “My first editing suite was in my mom’s living room.”

He called his company Boomtown Productions and shot video for local and regional accounts. In 1992, he launched Waymack and Crew, hired about 15 people and moved to downtown Little Rock. He also opened the satellite office in Chicago where he produced several national campaigns for Allstate, Aleve, Kellogg’s, Whirlpool and the PGA. While there, Waymack built a new type of helmet rig, using a Sony camera to shoot spots for the Chicago Bears to create fan interest in the football team.

Kama Johnson, director of operations at Waymack and Crew, said, “The quickest way to explain our success is to explain that Dan puts his heart into it. Then, he surrounds himself with people who share the same heart. It’s a well-balanced group.”

Waymack agrees, saying that while many production companies eventually go out of business, Waymack and Crew has lasted because of the passion his workers have for the product.

“We have to work to make money to stay in business,” he said.

“But we all love what we do.”

The company survived through the pandemic at a time when many production companies had to stop shooting to maintain social distancing and quarantining regulations. Waymack had shot many advertising campaigns for tourism in Florida, Kentucky, Illinois and Arkansas. Those spots came to

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a grinding halt.

“COVID killed 2020,” said Shane George, the director of marketing.

Waymack said the pandemic cut profits by nearly 50 percent.

He made due by shooting spots for Kingsford Charcoal in the backyard of his house. He hired cooks to barbecue food for his video, and workers basically held a picnic.

“We ate a lot,” Johnson said. “We didn’t eat barbecue for three months after.”

One of the more popular campaigns in Arkansas is “This is Winning” for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. In the advertisements, a man is featured traveling the state in a large green van with the lottery logo on it. He visits towns and talks with real lottery winners in flashy, fast-paced spots.

The campaign won a Gold Addy Award, the equivalent of an Oscar award for filmmakers, in 2019.

Waymack and Crew won several Addy awards for its “The Heist” advertisement which depicts what appears to be a group of mastermind criminals plotting to buy Arkansas lottery tickets. A man in sunglasses describes entering a convenience store, paying the clerk for a ticket, and says “boom” while dramatically opening his hand like an explosion.

“With a little luck, we walk out with a million dollars,” he says. “Easy breezy.”

A brand-tracking survey of the advertisements indicated 42 percent of those who saw the spots said they would buy a lottery ticket, said Ashley McNatt, the marketing and advertising director for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery.

“The ads have been a big lift for us,” she said. “They have had a great impact. We wanted to feature real Arkansans who won.

They had a good idea of what we wanted.”

Waymack and Crew is now shooting a new series of advertisements for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery’s scratch-off tickets that will begin airing in April.

The company won another five Silver Addy awards in 2019 for sound and video editing for its lottery advertisements and for spots featuring Arkansas tourism.

The company also has shot material for Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis.

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MEDIA

In one of the 30-second spots, “Neighbors,” two attractive blonde twins knock on a resident’s door. A woman answers the door, and as the twins introduce themselves as neighbors, the woman’s husband speeds in and starts to tell her something. He sees the neighbors and, through quick edits, is shown celebrating by doing high-fives, swinging his shirt over his head, whooping, shooting photographs of the women and trying to do onearmed pushups before falling.

The scene cuts to the West Memphis casino as a narrator says, “Spontaneous celebrations aren’t always welcome in the rest of the world, but they are here.”

Waymack said his crew laughed constantly while filming the advertisement because the man portraying the husband, an actor from Chicago, ad-libbed much of the celebration scenes.

More Waymack sets: (clockwise from top left) Shooting a spot for Frontier Cellular; at Kenda Drive-In in Marshall; an ARRI camera outside the Waymack offices in downtown Little Rock; on the Little Maumelle River, just off the Two Rivers Bridge, in Little Rock.

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“We busted so many takes because we were so tickled,” he said.

They also ran into somew difficulties, he added. It was hard to find twins who had the needed, well, assets for the ad and who both could act.

Instead, Waymack said, he filmed one person playing both parts and then edited it together to give the appearance of twins.

The crew is hoping to resume shooting ads for tourism in Florida, preferring the warmer climate to the brutal cold of Chicago. Once, Waymack said, he was producing a spot for the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team. After filming a game at the United Center west of downtown Chicago one winter evening, Waymack stepped outside. The temperature read minus-27 degrees.

“I thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding,’” he said.

Like many creative types, Waymack always judges his own work with a very critical eye, seeing things he thinks should have been done after a project is finished.

“He doesn’t do paralysis by analysis,” George said. “He looks at it and learns what he wants to do next. He comes up with ways to make good things better.”

Waymack said his team will shoot more casino and lottery spots in Arkansas and is set to do more national advertisements.

“We really don’t know what’s coming up after 60 days,” he said. “We’re ready for it.”

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A javelin crane used to shoot a spot for Arkansas Parks & Tourism.

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M A R C H 2022

SPORTS

Put us in, COACH

By Dwain Hebda

After two years of lost games and COVID concerns, Minor League Baseball is ready to play

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I

n late February, virtually everyone in Arkansas was hunkered down to avoid glazed roads and the bracing bite of winter. But for many, even the weeklong sleet and cold could not quell their spring fever. Justin Cole, vice president and general manager of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, was one of them.

After two seasons of canceled games and shortened seasons, Cole’s championship squad is set to open this spring for a full year’s slate of games, promotions and ballpark food. With a little more than a month to go, it would take more than a little ice to cool his enthusiasm.

“Last year was great to get the season going and get the guys back on the field, but all normal timelines were kind of thrown away,” he said. “We got our [2022]

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The Northwest Arkansas Naturals can’t wait to welcome back a full house to Arvest Ballpark in Springdale. (Photo by John Owen)

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schedule last August, and we were able to get all those plans set and those details for all the promotions and those kinds of things. It’s created within our office, and I hope within our community, more excitement that the Naturals will be back in April this year, not May, and we are full schedule through mid-September. Can’t wait.”

Throughout the minor leagues, the refrain among clubs and fans is the same: Let’s play ball. In Arkansas, whetted by the Razorbacks opening the collegiate season ranked as high as No. 2 in the land, baseball fans are starved for the minor league season, if only to claim another yard of normalcy in a period that has been anything but.

Awaiting them are the state’s two Double-A franchises — the aforementioned Nats and Little Rock’s Arkansas Travelers — as well as one right over the border in the Springfield Cardinals.

All beckon with their attendant retinue of goofy in-game pro-

motions, affordable family entertainment and sultry nights taking in America and its pastime.

“The last two years have had a very different narrative. Knowing that we are starting in April and on time is imperative, and it’s great for our fans,” said Dan Reiter, vice president and general manager of the Springfield club. “I do think the effects of the pandemic are going to last for many years in terms of people’s comfort level to go out, depending on where we stand with different spikes.

“But I would say overall, the industry is thriving. There’s a lot of idea-sharing, there’s a lot of creativity. I think communities are embracJustin Cole

“I would say overall, the industry is thriving. There’s a lot of idea-sharing, there’s a lot of creativity. I think communities are embracing what a positive effect [baseball] can have on the culture of a community.”

ing what a positive effect [baseball] can have on the culture of a community.”

Professional baseball is a game of split personality and has been throughout at least the modern era. The major leagues and their feeder systems — the minors — play with the same equipment during a comparable period of the year, but the games are night-and-day-different in culture and feel.

Major League Baseball is a monolithic, multibillion-dollar, star-driven business with a knack for appearing out of touch with its target audience. The two-month-and-counting MLB lockout is the most recent example, as multi-millionaire players quibble with billionaire owners about how to carve up the revenue pie, coming dangerously close to baking the golden goose in the process.

Such events can erode a fan base and have, in baseball’s case, following strike seasons. But whatever’s going on at the big-

league level, it doesn’t seem to dampen what’s happening in the minor league game. In contrast to the big leagues, minor league baseball (MiLB) feels more like a hometown entity. Players are generally lesser-known and those with exceptional talents aren’t in the farm system very long, Therefore, affinity for a minor league team focuses more on the name on the front of the jersey than the one on the back.

“It’s like everything else, there’s always going to be opinions on both sides,” Reiter said. “Overall, I think communities are just excited to have Minor League Baseball. It’s more positive over being local; communities that have Minor League Baseball know it’s a big deal.

“If you just do the simple numbers, there’s 30 big league teams, there’s 30 in AAA. Springfield is not the 61st biggest city.

We’re not the 90th biggest city. For us to have a Double-A team in Springfield, Missouri, is a huge deal. And on top of it, to be affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals that are three hours away, that’s really a dream scenario.”

The Central Arkansas franchise has shown particular attention to the universality of the game through its multibranding approach, billing itself in-season as the Diamantes in a nod to Hispanic fans, something NWA is planning to replicate this season. Meanwhile a new promotion, The Nine, acknowledges Black fans by paying homage to Jackie Robinson’s jersey number. It also will roll out soon.

“Baseball, especially Minor League Baseball, is not for one group of people. It’s affordable fun, and everyone should have an opportunity to experience it,” said Rusty Meeks, CEO of the Arkansas Travelers. “Through the Diamantes, we’ve seen a big

Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock (left); Travs mascots Ace and Otey. (Arkansas Travelers)

“Baseball, especially Minor League Baseball, is not for one group of people. It’s affordable fun, and everyone should have an opportunity to experience it.”

difference with a lot of the Hispanic community coming out here for those nights, and that’s what we wanted to do.

“We’re also doing something called The Nine with Minor League Baseball. It’s the exact same as Diamante but focused on the African American community. We’ll be doing alternate jerseys, not this year but probably next year, which will be just like the Diamante thing. I’m really proud of those two initiatives because it’s including everything and everybody.”

Economics and accessibility have also kept MiLB in good graces with fans, reflecting a more accessible entertainment option than taking in a pro game. According to Yahoo Sports, MLB lost around $3 billion due to the pandemic in 2020, causing a major spike in prices in 2021. The average price tag for a group of four last year was more than $250 covering four tickets, parking, two beers, four hot dogs and soft drinks and two souvenir ball caps.

The tab represented a 4.5 percent hop from what teams were going to charge in 2020 and continues a trend of MLB’s prices marching steadily upward. Samford University reported in 2018 that prices to attend an MLB game grew 176 percent between 1991 and 2016. (In fairness, that was only the second-largest growth percentage among the Big Three professional leagues, the NFL

Hammons Field in Springfield. (Photo provided)

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being first. And, per that report, pro baseball was still the least expensive outing; the same four fans laid out $339 to watch an NBA game and $503 to see the NFL.) By contrast, a comparable purchase for a family of four at a minor league park routinely comes in at well under $80.

“I think last year was more than I expected it to be. Meaning I think so many fans and even we took what we have here for granted,” said Meeks. “We really missed the fans in 2020; it was an extremely lonely year. And I think that they realized just how much they missed the ballpark, just being able to have a beer with some friends, bring your family, have some hot dogs, watch some baseball.

“Last year, we were on track to beat 2019 numbers before [COVID variants], and that was with fewer games and at limited capacity. I think that kind of speaks for itself that people were coming to the park. And this year, we’re seeing an increase in ticket sales. Groups are picking back up which is what really hurt us in ‘20.”

Heading into this year, questions arose as to what changes could be anticipated when Major League Baseball took over management of the minor leagues, wresting control from the Minor League Baseball governing body in late 2020. In the contraction and realignment some clubs experienced, many fans saw the big hand of corporate baseball interfering with their beloved local teams.

The Nats, Travs and Cards didn’t experience any such changes, yet all three executives admitted the transition to MLB control has been an adjustment.

“I think it’s like anything. When you have a change that big, there’s just a lot of adjustments to make and then you’re also trying to get seasons underway with COVID and how you are going to get the players moved around and all that,” Cole said.

“I thought everybody dealt with it as positively and productively as they could and I think we’ve all been able to go, ‘What lessons did we learn going into this year?’

“My biggest takeaway is that you can tell everybody wants this to work. Not that you wouldn’t have assumed that, but the collaboration has been really strong. We have nine more years on our license agreement, and I think it bodes really well that things are continuing to become more synergistic between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball. And I think it just ties you even closer to your big-league affiliate, which is only something that can help what we’re trying to do.”

The clubs’ 2022 campaigns begin April 8. The Travs will open on the road in Texas against the Frisco Roughriders, while the Cardinals open at home against the NWA Naturals at Hammonds Field. The Travs’ first homestand comes against the Cardinals at Dickey Stephens Park in North Little Rock April 11 while the AA Central champion Nats open their home slate April 12 against the Wichita Wind Surge at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.

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Vinnie Pasquantino of the Naturals rounds the bases (top) after hitting a home run last year against Springfield; the Nats’ Clay Dungan bats against the Travelers.

(Top photo by Alan Jamison; bottom photo provided).

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M A R C H 2022

DIGS OF THE DEAL

HISTORIC WOODRUFF HOUSE

LIVING HISTORY in LITTLE ROCK

By Katie Zakrzewski

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Home of the founder and first publisher of the Arkansas Gazette, the Woodruff House is one of the only antebellum homes remaining in the Little Rock area. Built from 1852 to 1853 by William Woodruff, the Woodruff House was home to families who saw Arkansas’ territory days, its statehood, the Civil War and the Reconstruction era. It stands in Little Rock’s Quapaw Quarter as a reminder of how far the state and capital city have come in the last 150 years.

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ong before Arkansas became the Natural State — or even a state, for that matter — territory residents soon found a growing need for news and statewide communication.

William E. Woodruff, a newspaper publisher’s apprentice from Long Island, New York, was eager to put nine years worth of trade skills to the test in uncharted territory. Woodruff arrived at Arkansas Post on Oct. 30, 1819, and published the first issue of the Arkansas Gazette on Nov. 20. The Arkansas Gazette was the first newspaper in Arkansas (and thought to be the oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi.)

While building up what would become an incredible journalism influence, Woodruff was developing his political and social connections. Shortly after arriving at Arkansas Post, Woodruff found himself in a skirmish with Territorial Secretary Robert Crittenden. Crittenden was a force to be reckoned with, often being described as drunk with the unlimited power of his status as acting governor at the time. However, Woodruff refused to let Crittenden dictate

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his editorial policy. Woodruff got involved in local politics and chose sides as a Democrat and aligned himself with a well-known powerful lawyer, Chester Ashley, who became his close lifelong friend.

When a territorial charter was signed, determining that Little Rock would be the territory’s new capital, Woodruff packed up his publication and moved to the new capital, printing the first Little Rock edition of the Arkansas Gazette on Dec. 29, 1821.

Woodruff married Jane Eliza Mills in 1827, eventually going on to have 11 children. In the meantime, he had immense success with the Arkansas Gazette, selling it and buying it back several times. In 1846, when he discovered that he could not repurchase the Gazette, he decided to found a new paper, the Arkansas Democrat. After a few years, the Gazette was back on the market. Woodruff bought it and merged the two papers into the Arkansas State Gazette and Democrat.

Woodruff’s political and economic influence in the new territory capital grew. He founded other businesses, selling local commodities and goods out of his print shop. After establishing the first circulating library in Arkansas in 1826, Woodruff purchased a ferry and a steamboat called

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DIGS OF THE DEAL

“The Little Rock.” In 1823, he formed a successful land agency that brought significantly more wealth than any of his publications. Woodruff heartily promoted agriculture and viticulture, even going so far as to experiment with silk culturing.

Woodruff also held public ofWilliam E. Woodruff fice in state and local positions.

Mary L. Kwas with the Arkansas Archeological Survey writes that Woodruff “...was a Little Rock councilman in 1833 and was town treasurer in 1834. In 1845, he was the Little Rock postmaster. He served as state treasurer in 1836 and, for twenty-three years beginning in 1833, served as agent for paying military pensioners. Although he was never a candidate for a major office, it Jane Eliza Mills Woodruff was said he commanded more political influence than any territorial governor except John Pope…In 1863, he served as the first vice president of the Arkansas Historical Society.”

Woodruff was a great promoter of the territory-turnedstate, and even influenced the final spelling of the name.

Woodruff County, formed in 1862, was named for him.

At the height of his success, Woodruff built the Woodruff House after living downtown above the newspaper office. As his family and his publications grew, Woodruff was financially secure and in need of more room. The Woodruff House was described as an urban farmstead, resting in the middle of 25 acres of farmland. This urban farmstead included livestock, an orchard, gardens, beehives and plenty of open pasture. The Woodruff House is one of the oldest in Little Rock and one of just four remaining antebellum houses.

Shelle Stormoe, membership and activities coordinator with the Quapaw Quarter Association (QQA), describes the construction and architecture of the Woodruff House.

“The Woodruff House is a two-and-a-half-story home built in the Greek Revival style, using mostly local materials, including cypress and bricks made on site,” she said. “The original house had 10 rooms, with central halls

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on the first and second floors. The four core rooms of the home originally had 14-foot ceilings and measured 20 feet by 40 feet. In her 1931 description, Woodruff’s daughter, Jane Georgine Woodruff, detailed a walnut staircase that went to the third floor. The original entrance to the house was on the south side, facing opposite from the home’s current configuration. This included a portico flanked by two Doric columns.”

John Robins was a local builder and brickmaker who oversaw the work. While it isn’t clear what construction methods he employed, Stormoe says it’s likely that the house was constructed using slave labor, as Woodruff owned 14 slaves by 1860.

Cypress wood from the surrounding land and bricks made on site were used in the construction of the Woodruff house. The house was constructed differently when it was built, facing Ninth Street instead of Eighth Street.

There were other buildings on the property for laundry with a large cistern, and there was a slave quarters building near Eighth. Changes to the house indicated the presence of a large kitchen on the back of the house, as well as renovations made to the front porch.

When the Civil War began a few years later, Woodruff, as a slave owner, supported the Confederacy. When Little Rock was captured in 1863, Union troops seized a letter written by Woodruff addressed to one of his friends voicing his support for the Confederacy.

Upon finding the letter, Union General Frederick Steele expelled Woodruff from Little Rock and took control of the house, letting only his wife, Jane, and their daughters stay in the house for several months before commanding them to leave as well.

The Woodruff House was then converted into an officers’ headquarters, then a Civil War military hospital for surplus patients, as St. John’s College was just to the southwest of the Woodruff House.

After the end of the Civil War, the Woodruff family returned to their home, and Woodruff began subdi-

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The Woodruff House was described as an urban farmstead, resting in the middle of 25 acres of farmland. This urban farmstead included livestock, an orchard, gardens, beehives and plenty of open pasture.

viding his 25 acres of property in 1866. This was known as “Woodruff’s Addition,” and the area was platted to the city of Little Rock in 1873. ***** Woodruff and his wife remained in the house until 1885 when Woodruff passed away, followed by Jane in 1887.

Their oldest child, Alden Mills Woodruff, occupied the house until it was sold in 1891, when the building was reoriented in addition to aesthetic renovations.

By the 1920s, the house was the “Cottage Home for Girls,” which served as a boarding house for women coming from out of town to work and do business in Little Rock. Many of the current interior changes in the Woodruff House happened at this time.

“In their 2008 condition assessment, Witsell, Evans and Rasco Architects theorized that many of the interior changes made to the home originated at this time, creating more rooms that were much smaller than the original configuration,” Stormoe wrote in an Encyclopedia of Arkansas entry.

Afterward through the 1950s, the Woodruff House operated as a boarding house. Then, it was reconfigured into small studio-sized apartments. In 2005, a fire made the house uninhabitable, but it did not damage the building’s major structural elements. In 2014, the Quapaw Quarter Association bought the Woodruff House in order to prevent vandalization or further arson.

“Because of that concern and the significance of the building, QQA bought it, stabilized it, and put a new roof on it — now it’s up for sale,” Stormoe said.

Patricia Blick, the Quapaw Quarter Association executive director, details the fire that damaged the building, and the state of the building beforehand.

“At the time of the fire in the building, it was divided into 14 apartments, totaling 7,000 square feet. The owner ren-

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dered it uninhabitable. A family bought it and tried to fix it, but it was harder than originally thought. We feared the possibility of another fire.”

Blick notes that during the interim before the QQA stepped in, the building suffered significant vandalism.

“The Woodruff House was pretty beaten up. In 2014, the QQA got support from a preservation program to do some investigating to determine what could be saved and let go.

We were able to clean out the first and second floors with the funds received.”

The Quapaw Quarter Association redid the building’s roof in late 2016. Since then, the Quapaw Quarter Association has been trying to get the house sold. Blick emphasizes that the construction and growth in East Village have been pivotal in raising awareness.

“I would say that what’s happening in East Village is good for Woodruff House. We’ve gotten more exposure now due to construction than we would have originally gotten,” she said. “We are looking for the right partner, group or organization to take over the property. There are plenty of incentives to take over the property because it’s on the national historical registry, so there are grant opportunities. We have some ideas about a new use for it as well. We don’t want to see it cut up again into 14 apartments.”

Stormoe emphasizes that in order to move forward, it is important to acknowledge the significance of the past as well as the distance that civil rights have come since the house’s construction.

The Woodruff House is a time capsule in Little Rock, standing historically as a reminder of how far Arkansas has come since the Civil War, not only in civil rights but in architecture, journalism and politics as well. For more information, visit WoodruffHouseAR.com.

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M A R C H 2022

POLITICS

GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES ANTHONY BLAND, BILL GATES, JAMES RUSSELL

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By AMP Staff

Heading into the May primaries, AMP continues its monthly look at the candidates in Arkansas’ main statewide and federal races.

This month, we feature Democratic candidates for governor, Dr. Anthony Bland and James “Rus” Russell, as well as independent gubernatorial-hopeful Bill Gates (not that Bill Gates). Other candidates who have not yet responded to our requests will be featured in future issues.

GOVERNOR Dr. Anthony Bland (D) Anthony Bland of Little Rock is an ordained Baptist minister who serves as CEO of the Dr. ADB Foundation, a nonprofit working in the areas of education, performing arts, cancer research and literacy.

Bland also is active in community affairs and has worked with the Arkansas Food Bank, the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross. Bland also is a business teacher in the Little Rock School District and the chief martial arts instructor at Diamond Cut Martial Arts Center with the American Taekwondo Association.

AMP: Why are you running for governor?

Bland: My story is grounded in the set of values I was raised

on. The American dream for too many Arkansans right now is too far out of reach. Opportunities are hard to come by no matter how hard you work. For too long, our leaders have been putting politics over people and have been putting dollars over democracy.

I am running for the Democratic nomination for governor because I believe, as a Democrat, that our communities need a voice that will represent unity, equality and justice. What we need are policies that make sure that everybody is treated fairly, and we need to create jobs right here in Arkansas, from the Ozarks to the Delta. We need to create opportunities in our state that will keep families here. We need real investment in education. We need real investment in infrastructure. We need to make sure that health care is not just accessible but affordable for everyone, not taken away.

I was raised to believe that you’re supposed to love your

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neighbor. You know, my pastor preached that every Sunday.

Now, the democracy that our ancestors fought so hard to make a reality is on a destructive path. Our state government has lost sight of the public good. We owe it to ourselves; we owe it to our communities; we owe it to our state to do our part to restore and make the American dream a reality for all Arkansans.

So, who am I? I am Anthony Bland, and I am running to be Arkansas governor because I believe it’s time for “Putting Change to Action” in our great state. The vision I have for the state of Arkansas is one of boldness, strength and action to help Arkansans get ahead and stay ahead.

AMP: AMP: What experiences and skills do you bring to the

field?

Bland: I bring lifelong experience as an Arkansan, professional

experience in various industries, experience as an educator and education with a bachelor of business administration, a master of business administration, a doctorate of business administration, a master of theological studies, and I’m a licensed educator.

AMP: What’s the biggest issue right now pertaining to the office

of governor?

Bland: I believe there are several issues. However, I believe the four that I strongly want to support and change are education, health care, livable wages and criminal justice reform with an emphasis on recidivism. Yet, if I have to pick one of these, it would be education. Our children are the future of our society.

Without adequate education, that future is destined to fail. Being that I have served as an educator in the public school system for 23 years, I know how vital quality education is in the lives of our children, which is why, as governor, I will ensure our state government will make the future of our children a priority. Our educational system shapes the next generation of Arkansas children, so shouldn’t it be the best system in the country? Or are we going to continue to settle for No. 41 in the nation? I will not.

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James “Rus” Russell III (D) James Russell of Little Rock co-owns New Dawn Counseling, which provides counseling, life coaching and psychological evaluation services. He has extensive experience in the health-care industry, having previously worked as a physician credentialing specialist for the Arkansas State Medical Board and a medical staff coordinator for Arkansas Children’s.

AMP: This is your first foray into

politics. Tell our readers a little about yourself.

Russell: I grew up in Lewisville, where my grandparents lived. I went to college at SAU, then UCA. I was into music but found my other passion working for the Arkansas State Medical Board. I went on to work at Arkansas Children’s Hospital as the medical staff coordinator. This exposed me to executive committees and hospital organizations. One such committee was the bioethics committee. On this committee, the lawyers didn’t have an understanding of the medical principles at play, while physicians didn’t have the legal understanding. It was a niche that needed to be filled, and I’m usually able to understand both sides and help bring people to the table.

I double majored in biology and went into philosophy and religious studies. I studied a lot of legal, political and ethical theory. My wife and I opened up a business — a clinical private practice. The last eight years have been spent as a businessman growing our mental health business. That’s what got me here, wanting to help people.

AMP: Why are you running for governor? What are some of

your goals?

Russell: One of the biggest goals for me is bringing some sense of reason back into our government function. In our legislature, we’ve seen a lot of hatred and vitriol, and divisiveness across the country has spread into our politics here. I’d considered running for office previously, and our business was at a point where I could manage it as well as my family. We have politicians who get out there and paint a rosy picture. I don’t have a brand or ties. If you want to improve something, you have to be candid about what’s going on.

I want to bring more people to the table and have difficult discussions. We need to deal in fact, not just rhetoric and pandering. Whether it’s critical race theory or trans-affirming health care or voter suppression, everyone needs to have a voice at the table. I’ve been getting everywhere in the state. I don’t just want to talk at people, I want to listen. A lot of underserved communities haven’t had that.

AMP: What key issues make up your platform?

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Russell: My focus is on the broader issues: recognizing human

rights and restoring honesty and integrity in the political arena.

I’m concerned with the overarching idea of adults being able to come to the table and having reasonable discussions. I’m also concerned with the health-care end of politics, such as women’s reproductive rights. I have a background in law and medicine.

We see clients on a regular basis who have suffered from inequality within all of these different political issues, and their lives aren’t just theoretical. There’s no reason to use them as pawns. I hope to give voice to these people and change the nature of how politics is handled. In order to be representative, you have to be dealing with the truth and you have to stand firm. You have to bring civil dialogue and discourse.

AMP: Aside from winning the election, what would it take for

you to consider this campaign a success?

Russell: I don’t tend to think of myself in terms of successes. Getting to this point in the election cycle is one of those successes.

From day one, people have told me about who I’m up against.

We announced that we were running last January. Once the news cycle caught wind, there was a lot of pushback. But the more I’ve spoken, the more people have realized I’m legitimate.

I’m glad I’ve been able to stand firm and prove that anyone can do this. The political establishment is not some elite club for otherworldly people. It’s for everyone. I’ve had several other candidates who have told me that my launch has inspired them to step up and become active. I have somehow managed to actually instill change in others and inspire them to do likewise.

Bill Gates (I) William “Bill” E. Gates joined the 2022 governor’s race as an Independent. Gates currently lives in Little Rock, where he has been a senior pastor for the church of Christian Jewish Freedom since 2010. Gates describes himself as the ideal candidate for those who are unhappy with both the Democratic and Republican parties. If elected, Gates would focus on issues such as improving the foster care system, increasing pay for educators and eliminating state taxes.

AMP: Tell us about your background.

Gates: I was born in Wichita, Kansas, and raised in the Arkansas

River Valley. I am a proud graduate of Mansfield High School and the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College. I am currently attending Georgetown University online and living in Little Rock, where I have lived since 2009. My experience as a child in the Arkansas foster system was such a nightmare that

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I plan to do all I can to improve that system, including making the adoption process easier so that children can find the loving home they deserve. I have faced many hardships in my lifetime; I have had to stand in the unemployment line on more than one occasion. Having dealt with this process firsthand, I believe that I am most qualified to know where the systems are broken, and how they can be fixed.

AMP: Why are you running for governor? What are some of your

goals?

Gates: I’m running for governor of Arkansas because I believe

we have gotten lost in modern politics; too many politicians care more about their party than they do the people of Arkansas or the American people. Yes, my chances of winning are slim, because I’m an independent. And the way the system works, it stacked up against me.

However, we need someone to give Arkansas back to the Arkansans. For far too long, the government has gotten bigger and bigger, and we as a state need to step back and say, “Hey, look; enough is enough.”

One of my goals is to get Arkansas back to work, to get Arkansas off the proverbial tax teat, so to speak. By creating stateowned enterprises, I plan to have the state’s income offset by profits from businesses that we own and get away from taxes that we collect, so eventually, we will no longer collect taxes within the state of Arkansas on a state level. If the program is successful enough, Arkansas would be able to also pay the fed-

JA N UA RY 2 02 1

eral taxes for all its citizens, and we wouldn’t have to collect any taxes in the state of Arkansas for any reason.

AMP: What will you bring to the field that your opponents will

not?

Gates: I have experience in education, and I have experience

dealing with the legal system in the state of Arkansas. I work alongside police officers every day, so I know how to help law enforcement. I’ve been homeless, so that makes me better qualified to help the homeless. I’ve had to stand in the unemployment line, so that makes me better qualified to help the unemployed. I’ve been in a foster care system as a child. That makes me better qualified to help change the system for the better.

I’ve gone through the application process to adopt out of the foster care system, so I know where the flaws lie and what needs to be changed. There are too many laws in place to tell people what they can’t do versus what they can do. We need to get the state back on track. Arkansas needs to be a steward to the people, not the other way around.

AMP: What does a normal day look like for you?

Gates: I get up at 6:30 in the morning, and I work sometimes un-

til 11:30 at night. I sometimes work three or four shifts in a row.

The work I put into my own life is the same work I’m willing to put into this state. Arkansas needs someone willing to be married to the state of Arkansas, in the sense it is their main priority and focus.

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THE LAST WORD

FOR RAZORBACK BASKETBALL FANS, SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES

E

By Mark Carter

ric Musselman’s loving embrace of Arkansas basketball — its tradition, significance to the well-being of the state’s collective psyche and perhaps more importantly, its further potential — has me thinking back to the early Eddie Sutton days on the Hill.

Just as Sutton did when Frank Broyles lured him from Creighton to Fayetteville in 1974, Musselman recognized Arkansas for the Land of Opportunity it is.

As these words are typed, the Hogs have two regular season games remaining and after a run of significant wins, find themselves on a similar trajectory to last year’s Elite Eight run.

Broyles, one of college football’s legendary skippers, used to remind his players that folks would remember what a team did in November. February seemingly has become Musselman’s November. And the past two Februarys have reminded Hog fans of what once was and what could be.

Sutton, of course, had to start from the sawdust-covered Barnhill Fieldhouse ground floor and work up. He inherited a program that not only wasn’t winning but was an afterthought. Arkansas did possess some basketball pedigree, of course, having regularly competed for conference titles through the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s under the greats. Francis Schmidt and Glen Rose. But outside of Kentucky and North Carolina, basketball took a distinct backseat to football in the South, and in 1974, it just wasn’t on Razorback fans’ collective radar.

Until, of course, Broyles determined it would be.

Sutton’s masterful build of the Arkansas program into a national player awoke a sleeping giant and made Hog fans care about basketball just as passionately as they did about football. (For all the invaluable positive publicity generated by the historically raucous Bud Walton Arena crowds of February, not to mention Musselman’s ability to stoke a fire of this kind, the gold standard for old guys like me remains the Barnhill of the Sutton era.)

Nolan Richardson’s infusion of helter-skelter, put-me-in-afight-with-a-bear-you-better-be-worried-about-the-bear bionics propelled “Hawgball” into an actual monster and certified M ARC H 2 02 2

the need for a 19,000-seat palace. Arkansas basketball was, if ever so briefly, residing with the blue bloods, the ’90s being to it what the ’60s were to Razorback football.

Lulled into hibernation by a combination of factors, the program was massaged back into a semblance of relevance under RichardFor decades, “Slobber Hog” son protégé Mike Anderheld court at midcourt. son. Unfortunately for him, the game’s evolution since the heyday of the ’90s neutralized the Nolanesque system he employed.

Musselman, however, sure seems to deliver the best of both Razorback basketball worlds — Eddie and Nolan. There is a lot of each in Muss.

March Madness, once an annual spring rite in Arkansas, is back; it sure looks like it’s here to stay. Not residing on the bubble and wondering IF the Hogs will make the dance but speculating about seeds and matchups — that’s a part of the program’s pedigree. It sure seems to have returned.

Musselman will be a candidate — real or perceived — for other high-profile jobs likely for as long as he’s in Fayetteville.

But I think he’s found what he’s looking for here. Will he retire to the beach in San Diego one day? Sure. But his stated goal is to win a national championship in the college game, and he doesn’t need to leave Northwest Arkansas to do so. Could he be the one to guide the program to the game’s highest echelon and keep it there?

Nolan elevated the program from Sutton’s foundation to a brief but glorious stay at the Grand Blueblood Hotel. Finally, the program seems back on track for another visit. It feels like the late ’70s and early ’80s when the Hogs seemingly bolstered their national profile each season. Another generation of fans won’t have to content itself with dads, uncles and papaws regaling it with tales of Triplets, MayDay and Big Nasty; of US Reed’s half-court buzzer beater, Balentine’s Jordan beater, Nolan’s late exit and glorious return at the Drum in Austin.

The Muss Bus is on approach to the ol’ Grand Blueblood, and the valets can be heard whispering, “They’re back.”

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