Arkansas Money & Politics October 2024 by AY Magazine

BETTER CALL COLLINS

WHITING PLANTATION

Crisp Law Firm

Hugh Crisp has been a trial lawyer for 38 years, but he still feels like he’s never worked a day in his life. Being a trial lawyer fulfills both a passion and a lifelong dream for Crisp.

“Things worked out perfectly for me,” he says.

From the firm’s office in downtown Little Rock, Crisp’s work includes an emphasis on medical malpractice and catastrophic injuries. These are some of the most difficult cases imaginable, due to having to learn the medicine for each case and applying the law to the circumstances to each case.

Instances of medical malpractice are when a patient is harmed by the negligence acts or omissions by a medical care provider.

Wrongful death in a medical malpractice case is a death caused by the negligent acts or omissions of medical care providers. Recent studies show that one of the leading causes of death in the United States are medical errors, accounting for 251,000 deaths annually.

“At the Crisp Law Firm, we have a personal relationship with each individual we represent and are committed to devoting the time and resources necessary to achieve the very best results for our clients,” he says.

Crisp has garnered many distinguishing honors that identify him as one of the best in the field of medical malpractice. He is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for an attorney. He is recognized in numerous publications in Arkansas and around the South as one of the best lawyers in the field of medical malpractice, as well as peer-reviewed associations such as being a Mid-South Super Lawyers honoree for many years, and Best Lawyers®.

FEATURES OCTOBER 2024

EVOLUTION OF DEI

GIVING SEASON

The onset of the holiday season turns many people’s thoughts to family, faith and the many blessings that have come their way in life.

Little Rock attorney John Collins and his firm, Collins, Collins & Ray, have made a name for themselves by playing defense.

AMP is proud once again to highlight the best lawyers in Arkansas, according to our readers, with the 2024 Legal Elite.

You don’t have to be a CEO, baby, to be in our show. AMP asked readers to help recognize the top professionals in Arkansas.

Nonprofit organizations must make use of assets wherever they can find them. For many, their biggest ones are found in their own back pockets.

In addition to selecting a new president, the 2024 election in Arkansas will give voters the chance to tweak the casino amendment.

Nonprofit leaders say the idea that nonprofits are separate from the world of business is one they would like to dispel.

The inaugural Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens is set to tee off at Pleasant Valley Country Club.

AMP is a proud sponsor of the Rockstar Passes Collegiate Tennis Challenge at the Little Rock Athletic Club Nov. 7-9.

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Heather Baker | hbaker@armoneyandpolitics.com

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Dwain Hebda | dwain@armoneyandpolitics.com

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Mark Carter | mcarter@armoneyandpolitics.com

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CONTRIBUTORS

Becky Gillette, KD Reep, Robyn Staggs, Steve Lewis, Tyler Morgan, Paul Sage, Matt Smithmeier, Steve Wilcox, Chris Wright

Americans 50 and over decide elections and can force action on the issues that matter most to us.

That’s why AARP Arkansas has collected the most up-to-date election information for you. You can find out about key voting deadlines, polling places and how to cast your ballot.

Make sure the candidates hear from you. Get the latest Arkansas election information at aarp.org/ARvotes

BETTER CALL COLLINS

ON THE COVER

Attorney John Collins was photographed by Steve Lewis outside the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock. Collins has built a successful practice as a defense lawyer in Little Rock.

See story, page 14.

FEEDBACK

COLLEGIATE TENNIS CHALLENGE BRINGS D1 MEN’S TENNIS TO LITTLE ROCK

Grateful that part of the proceeds from this event will stay right here to support families at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas.

Janell Mason

ADAM WELLS, LUMBER1 HOME CENTER — FROM COURTROOM TO BOARDROOM Congratulations, Adam!

David Choate

APRIL POLLARD — FINANCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Thank you for the opportunity to share! This issue is filled with amazing financial expertise and financial thought leadership! Excited to be included amongst them. Great issue! Edward Jones - Financial Advisor: April Pollard

DIGS OF THE DEAL: THE ICONIC BEAT OF BARTON COLISEUMWHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST MEMORIES AT BARTON?

Hall & Oates, Loverboy, Huey Lewis and the News (twice) — once with Stevie Ray Vaughn, Young MC, Tone Loc, MC Hammer, Public Enemy, Digital Underground, Bobby Brown and all the spinoffs from New Edition. All of these before I was 16!

Matthew Kentner

AMP TOP TEN: BEN BRAINARD, SEASONED PROFESSIONAL

You deserve all the great reviews & more. Congrats my friend.

Karen OKeefe

AMP FUTURE ICONS 2024: MALLORY ROGERS, ARKANSAS BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD

We are proud of Mallory for being recognized as a future icon! Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

YES! WE HAVE NO BANANAS

Yes, we have no bananas. We have-a no bananas today. We’ve string beans and onions, Cabashes and scallions, And all sorts of fruit and say. We have an old-fashioned tomato, A Long Island potato, but yes, we have no bananas, We have no bananas today.

— Frank Silver and Irving Cohn,

1923

Regarding the October issue of Arkansas Money & Politics, I regret to inform readers that, yes, we have no bananas. Nor do we have auto parts, electronics, new phones or — the greatest loss of all — imported German beer.

What we do have, however, are the 2024 AMP “Legal Elite,”

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

OBy Mark Carter

“Top Professionals” and stories that deliver some good news.

So yes, we have no bananas, but here’s what we do have: We have tennis and “Top Tens,” philanthropy and nonprofits, and all kinds of lists and saaay. We have an old-fashioned “Visionary,” a preview of the PGA, but yes, we have no bananas. We have no bananas today.

It’s a good thing bananas weren’t a focus this month. As these words were being typed, longshoremen had initiated an expected but unfortunate strike that closed ports from Jersey City to Galveston. Strangers with placards bearing cryptic messages could be seen wandering the sidewalks of downtown Little Rock, urging brothers and sisters to stock up on Charmin. (OK, not really, but it was fun to go Y2K retro for a minute.)

The Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast may be bereft of unloading tankers, but AMP’s mission to shine a positive spotlight on the men and women who make Arkansas run carries on. We may do it with a little less potassium in our system, but we have the cause of justice — well, of commerce anyway — on our side. And, of course, we have Hebda!

Assuming we survived the Bananapocalypse and come out of Nov. 5 intact — neither of which is a sure thing — we’ll keep on keeping on when it comes to our mission of telling the positive stories of Arkansans working to make the Natural State such a hidden treasure.

Thanks, as always, for reading, and enjoy a nice ripe banana if you’ve got it — or a nice Long Island potato if not.

***

Normally, I’m not a proponent of storming the field or court. Act like you’ve been there and all. I’m gonna give the students and those who followed a pass, however, regarding what happened inside Razorback Stadium as the final seconds of Arkansas’ win over Tennessee bled into the ether. The win was cathartic — for fans, the program, the state — in ways outsiders might struggle to fully appreciate. Such wins used to be the expectation on the Hill; perhaps they are becoming so again.

A STUFFED PUMPKIN

ctober is a busy month, and this issue of Arkansas Money & Politics reflects just how much is going on around Arkansas. This October issue is a stuffed pumpkin full of treats.

Inside this month’s issue, we recognize our “Top Professionals” as voted by readers; we shine a spotlight on the state’s “Legal Elite” as chosen by readers; we recognize the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Arkansas companies; and our industry focuses are on the law and nonprofits.

Our look at the legal industry in Arkansas includes the new generation of lawyers, and our cover features defense lawyer extraordinaire John Collins. On the nonprofit side, we’ll examine what motivates leaders to serve on nonprofit

Heather Baker and Bobby Martin

By Heather Baker

boards, the process behind applying for grants and online giving.

Also inside, we recognize “Champions of Diversity”; preview the PGA Champions Tour’s stop in Little Rock, courtesy of Simmons Bank; and feature the Collegiate Tennis Challenge coming to Little Rock.

Our “Arkansas Visionary” for October is the one and only Bobby Martin.

All that only scrapes the tip of the iceberg in this jam-packed October issue. October… Before we know it, we will swap our goblins for gobblers and then start counting down to Santa. Where did the year go?

As always, thanks for picking up this issue of Arkansas Money & Politics . We appreciate each and every loyal reader. Hit me up with story ideas at hbaker@ armoneyandpolitics.com.

ON THE RADAR

Cybersecurity red flags

By Chris Wright

You’re building a new house. It’s your forever home, so you invest in premium finishes. You install hardwood floors in the living areas, select marble for the bathroom counters and choose plush carpeting for the bedrooms, but facing rising costs, you neglect the fundamentals. You don’t put in an adequate number of ground-floor support beams. Now the home slopes, and the weight of carrying two stories is beginning to cause cracks in the foundation. From the exterior, everything still looks beautiful. However, the structure and the dollars invested in it are in peril.

The same could be said for poorly constructed and executed cybersecurity plans. Shelling out for the so-called best technological services and tools can provide a temporary sense of security, but when purchased and implemented without any strategy, these purchases likely won’t ensure our long-term digital resilience. One breach — one missing beam — could bring our systems tumbling down.

Investing in digital defenses is often portrayed as a necessary evil. Businesses of all sizes are inundated with content and, frequently, click-bait advertising about the urgent need to combat a litany of threats. At a certain point, companies become so worn down from being on high alert that they drag their feet, do the bare minimum or, perhaps even worse, say yes to every cybersecurity solution. It can’t hurt them, right? (Spoiler alert: It can, especially if entities continually throw dollars at ineffective and unnecessary tools.)

In the age of digital threat overload, companies must have their radars up. With greater awareness and, ideally, with the assistance of a seasoned expert, they can bypass potential red flags during their cybersecurity decision-making processes. Based on my decades of experience, here are the critical mistakes businesses of every size and industry can and should avoid.

Adopting a do-it-yourself mindset: Companies may be able to hack it in the near term, but attempting DIY cybersecurity is ultimately a waste of time and financial resources. Would individuals without a dental or medical background fill their cavities or perform surgeries on themselves? Of course not. We all have different strengths and specialties. Without the proper knowledge, experience or strategy, we may add ineffective tools that only serve to bloat our systems. Instead, we should seek a seasoned cybersecurity expert to help us evaluate our threat landscape and develop, deploy and maintain a comprehensive plan to address it.

Believing we can wing it: This mentality can result in companies seeking unnecessary or infeasible cybersecurity solutions, leading

to a vicious cycle of spending money for little to no return on investment. Again, this is an area where a reputable expert can help. A cybersecurity professional can help a business determine what’s reasonable to implement, what compliance requirements it may need to meet and, as importantly, what fits its budget.

Chasing the latest buzzwords: Machine learning, blockchain, generative AI— These digital tools can be beneficial when utilized correctly, but we should consider them icing on the cake. We must start with the right ingredients — proactive cyber hygiene measures. Vendors understandably want to capitalize on trends to sell us tools. Unfortunately, these salespeople are not always as concerned or even aware of whether their products are effective for our businesses. A cybersecurity expert can help us take a whole-company view to leverage our existing resources more efficiently and fill in the gaps as needed.

One-and-done cybersecurity plans: This approach is common in government-regulated industries, where box-checking is often the norm. Cybersecurity isn’t a practice where companies can create a plan and then leave it on the shelf to gather dust. Entities must look at cybersecurity as an essential and evolving business function. Instead of compliance only, they must consider the context, pinpoint their potential vulnerabilities and continually mitigate them to strengthen their systems.

Funneling every resource into protective controls: No digital safeguard is 100 percent effective. That’s why cyber insurance is needed. It’s also why the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 recommends a multifaceted approach, including identification, protection, detection, response and recovery tools. A more comprehensive strategy enables organizations to spot and contain the damage if an attack occurs.

The bottom line? Today’s digital threats and the technologies designed to respond to them are constantly shifting. Awareness, strategic due diligence and, when able, expert assistance are crucial for cybersecurity resilience.

Chris Wright is co-founder and partner at Sullivan Wright Technologies, a Little Rock firm that provides tailored cybersecurity, information technology and security compliance services.

Chris Wright

INNOVATION IS AN ARKANSAS SUPERPOWER

By AMP Staff

Arkansas and its abundance of earthly-made resources make it the undisputed Natural State. It is more than a motto stamped on a license plate. It is ingrained in the Arkansas identity and economy. From the state’s extensive network of bicycle trails and campsites to its abundant stores of lithium and agricultural-rich soil, Arkansas has embraced nature as a superpower, and it has served the state well.

Why be limited to one superpower? A new report commissioned by Arkansas Research Alliance and conducted by TEConomy Partners makes it clear that sophisticated, forward-thinking research and development also drives the state. Between soybean plains and rolling mountain ranges lies a foundation for a second economic driver: innovation.

“This report is a deep dive into Arkansas’ innovation pipeline and ecosystem, aligning them with industry opportunity areas,” said Ryan Helwig, principal and project director at TEConomy Partners.

The report, Enabling an Innovation-Led Future for Arkansas: University Research Competencies Aligned with Industry Growth Opportunities, is freely available at aralliance.org. More than a year in the making, the study uses a combination of quantitative tools and qualitative approaches to reveal where universities offer a critical mass of specialized, industry-facing research strengths that match with demonstrated areas of business investment needs and market forces.

On the university research side, machine-learning algorithms examined more than 20,000 peer-reviewed publications and 500 grant awards totaling more than $350 million to reveal distinct capabilities of scientific and technical excellence. On the industry side, a review of employment size, concentration and growth rates relative to the national average, 6,000 patent applications, venture capital investment, and $360 million in industrial research and development spending identified the state’s leading traded-sector industries. Together, the findings were tested with a diverse project advisory group and more than 60 interviews with leaders in economic development, academia and the private sector.

“What we hope is that when you look at the report, you see yourself in it,” said Bryan J. Barnhouse, president and CEO of ARA. “We believe that by working together, we can leverage innovation to help Arkansas compete globally, sustain the state’s leading industries and create new industries of the future.”

Working together is a key component to the report. Starting at the nexus of Arkansas’ industrial strengths and the state’s research competencies, the report offers a line of sight to technology-based economic development and job-creating research by identifying seven growth opportunities. The opportunities include sup-

ply chain and consumer analytics, the software and hardware of transportation and logistics systems, materials engineering and manufacturing, and precision agricultural sciences and food production and their implications on integrated health, along with population health and clinical and translational research — areas of expertise that are not only deeply imbedded in Arkansas’ economy but where the data show Arkansas can assume global leadership.

“The growth opportunities we identified align Arkansas’ research assets and expertise with our state’s industry needs and innovation drivers,” Helwig said.

This is not a projection for the decades to come. The opportunities are being leveraged now. For example, Dr. Min Zou, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and an ARA Academy member, developed lowfriction, durable, graphite-based coatings for industrial conveyor systems. That resulted in a collaboration between Zou’s team and researchers at Arkansas State University and Hytrol Conveyor Co., the largest conveyor manufacturer in the United States. The report serves as a foundation to identify many more high-value collaboration opportunities.

That kind of problem-solving, practical application of research leads to innovation-led economic development. Together, Arkansas can build upon ARA’s 15-year history of catalyzing job-creating research to jumpstart the state’s innovation economy. It is ready and waiting.

Over the next months, we will take a closer look in this space at each of the seven growth opportunities identified by the report, revealing streams of economic leadership that already have a strong foundation in Arkansas. Ultimately, the report will show that Arkansas is still the Natural State, where innovation comes naturally.

Discovery Economics is a monthly feature highlighting the work of the Arkansas Research Alliance’s ARA Academy of Scholars and Fellows, a community of strategic research leaders who strive to maximize the value of discovery and progress in the state. Learn more at ARAlliance.org.

Bryan Barnhouse presented the results of the ARA report in September. (Photo courtesy of ARA)

Justin Nicklas General Manager

on being named one of AMP’s Achievers in their Forties for

For nearly 150 years, Gross Funeral Home has served Hot Springs families with the finest in funeral and cremation services. Although the names and faces have changed over the decades, 1 thing has not: We are people to depend on.

Gross Funeral Home

ONE for the ROAD

By Dwain Hebda

During his previous career as a Texas police officer, John Collins had a thing for getting drunk drivers off the road, something he freely admits seeing as a badge of honor.

“I saw a lot of accidents where people got hurt or killed by drunk drivers. I kind of had a passion for arresting drunk drivers,” he said. “I arrested a lot of people for driving while intoxicated, in fact, I considered myself to be very good at it.”

One day, Collins, a native of Hope, pulled over a motorist whose erratic driving showed the telltale signs of a driver under the influence. Upon failing a breathalyzer test, Collins arrested the suspect and took him into custody and ultimately transported the driver to the hospital. What happened next changed the arc of his professional life.

“Somebody I thought was a drunk driver, who I took to the hospital, wasn’t drunk or high they were diabetic,” Collins said. “They had registered on the alcohol machine as having alcohol in their system, but the blood test came back no alcohol, no drugs. Their blood sugar was way off. The doctor also started explaining to me about acetone and how diabetics produce acetone, and it’s a form of alcohol.

“It shook a lot of my core value beliefs. I was about to ruin someone without cause with the propaganda that I had been taught. That really bothered me.”

Collins was so shaken up over the incident, he decided to learn as much as he could about drunk driving and sobriety testing, the technology that is used and circumstances that could trigger a false reading or mimic the appearance of being under the influence. Today, Collins is one of the foremost authorities on the subject, which comes in handy with his law practice Collins, Collins & Ray with offices in Little Rock, Mountain Home and Texarkana, serving all of Arkansas and east Texas. The firm specializes in personal injury and a variety of criminal defense cases, including driving under the influence and driving while intoxicated.

“There are times when people can and should get arrested because the circumstances are such that they must be,” he said, “and even though people get offended when I say this, there are also times when people shouldn’t be convicted. That’s just the reality of it.”

Few things are as emotionally charged in the court system today as drunk driver cases, wholly preventable tragedies that kill and disable thousands of Americans, 11,000 annually between 2013 to 2022 to be exact. Yet despite decades of public information campaigns, tougher pen-

alties for offenders and laws placing culpability on bars and restaurants that continue to serve inebriated customers, the number of incidents involving impaired drivers continues to climb.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. in 2020, representing about one in three traffic fatalities. In 2022, the number of traffic deaths involving drunk drivers — defined as people with a blood alcohol limit of .08 or higher — had grown to 13,524 or almost one in three of all crash fatalities in the U.S, the National Highway Safety Administration states.

These shocking numbers are made worse by the knowledge that every single one of these crashes was avoidable but for the sheer irresponsibility of mixing alcohol with car keys. Organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving have spent considerable resources and political capital to change attitudes and well as state statutes, although as the annual death toll indicates, there is much work left to do.

All of this adds up to the judicial system, to say nothing of society in general, having little patience or sympathy for those arrested for drunk driving or the attorneys who defend them. Collins himself is staunchly against those who are legitimately impaired by booze or illicit drugs being behind the wheel yet is equally strident about defending the motorist falsely accused of the crime, especially given the reputational damage that comes with legal consequences.

“We don’t just defend drunk drivers; we also sue them on the personal injury side of our practice,” he said. “It’s funny when people hear that because they say how can you do both? It’s very simple — we’re not trying to put drunks on the street. I’ve got a teenage son, I’ve got a wife. I personally drive about 40,000 miles a year. I don’t want actual drunks on the road any more than anyone else, but I also can’t let the government accuse people of a very serious crime and not stand up and say, ‘Prove it.’”

The concept of individuals being wrongly accused or even convicted in legal matters is not new, nor is it limited to the realm of criminally impaired driving. It does not take much research to find reports of individuals who have been charged and suffered consequences falsely based on faulty testing equipment, improperly administered tests, and a range of biological factors that mimic a person being drunk or high or trigger a false positive test.

As legalbeagle.com reported in a 2021 blog,

THE PLAYBOOK

The best defense against being convicted of impaired driving, as defense attorney John Collins is the first to firmly tell someone, is to not put oneself in that situation. Catching a cab or Uber home from a party or bar is an all-toofrequently overlooked way to spare the headache and stress of being pulled over, arrested and paying for legal representation in court.

However, to err is human, and even the most rational of individuals can make a bad decision after a couple of cocktails. The following is free advice from Collins on what people need to know when they find themselves in this most serious of situations, especially before they retain legal counsel.

******** TO TEST OR NOT TO TEST

People ask me all the time whether or not they should take the [alcohol] test. My advice on that would vary depending on the particular situation but one thing I do say is if you take the first test, the officer’s test, then take a second test. You’re entitled to a second test as someone accused of DWI, and you should ask for that test, beg for that test, demand that test, because you want two different technologies so you don’t have to trust just one as being right.

SHUT UP AND BE NICE

It’s OK when a police officer asks you how much you had to drink to say ‘Officer, regardless of the number I give you, you’re not likely to believe me, so I’m just going to zip it,’ and then don’t answer any questions. At the same time, in doing that, be kind. Don’t be a jerk in exercising your rights. The officer doesn’t deserve it, and you may not like the outcome.

SLEEP WON’T SOBER

A lot of people think that if they wait an hour or two, that they’ll be okay to drive. I mean, about 90 percent of the people who come into my office say, ‘Well, I don’t think I was drunk. I waited a couple hours before I drove,’ or ‘I took a nap before I drove.’ It takes an hour or two to fully absorb alcohol, so all you’re really doing is waiting until you reach your peak state of inebriation, especially if you consume alcohol into the late hours. Sleeping by itself does not sober you up; I tell people don’t consume alcohol within 24 hours of driving, or you put yourself at risk.

KNOW THE SCORE

Something that even attorneys mess up on is what constitutes a test. The one on the side of the road is not admissible in court for anything other than probable cause — that’s it. When you get to the station, the officer will request either a urine test or breath test, and it’ll almost always be breath unless it’s drugs. You blow once. That’s one sample. Two minutes later, you blow again, and that is a second sample. Those two samples have to agree within a margin of error. That’s one test; It’s not two tests; it’s two samples. The officer then reads you a form that says, ‘Having taken my test, you are entitled to a test at your own expense.’ That’s when you say yes.

breathalyzers have an average margin of error of about 15 percent and can be as high as 23 percent, or nearly one in four tests. Malfunction, lack of periodic calibration and tester error can all lead to a false reading in those situations.

The site also noted most personal hygiene products contain alcohol — from toothpaste and body sprays to perfume and mouthwash — and certain foods can also affect breathalyzer tests. These include sauces made with beer or wine to ripe fruits, energy drinks and protein bars. Overthe-counter medications such as cold medicine and a range of prescriptions can also affect the validity of a test.

Even the test administrator can unintentionally affect results; in 2017, research was published in the American Journal of Infection Control that showed administering a test immediately after applying hand sanitizer can trigger a false positive. All of that does not begin to take into account racial bias, the occasional bad cop with an ax to grind or an out-and-out framing of the accused.

For the record, Collins does not blame police universally of misconduct or error in drunk driver stops unless and until evidence suggests otherwise. In fact, he said even in situations where drivers were ultimately found to not be doing anything illegal, the police officer who pulled them off the street in that moment was doing the right thing in the name of public safety.

“Police officers are in a very tough position,” he said. “They have to arrest based on probable cause, and they have 15 minutes to an hour to make a decision on that arrest. I get much more time than that to look for the truth of it. I get access to my client’s medical records. I get access to other resources that the officers just don’t have access to. I have time. They don’t, and if they make the wrong decision, people can die.

“The diabetic that I arrested, I needed to take him into custody, but I also needed more information, and once I got it, he ultimately wasn’t charged.”

Courts and juries, Collins said, have a different responsibility, which is to ascertain and confirm the truth of the matter based on evidence, without being bowed by the nature of the accusation or solely on the word of law enforcement. That is where a defense attorney comes in.

“Police have to err on the side of protecting society, judges and jurors must err on the side of protecting innocence,” he said. “They have to base decisions on proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Given his views, one might think Collins would be considered an adversary by law enforcement, someone potentially out to overturn police work or embarrass departments, but that does not appear to be the case. In fact, he is regularly invited to help train police departments on the subject of impaired driving and the proper procedures and protocols to use in those situations.

“When I opened my own firm, I did not intend to do DWIs, but it kind of worked out that way because I got some DWI cases where I was able to show that the people were not guilty,” he said. “When I exposed some of these things that I consider to be the propaganda of the DWI, I started being invited to do training for law enforcement and for attorneys and one thing led to another. Twenty-five years later, I’m doing training all over the country.

“In Arkansas, I’ve found, our law enforcement want to do a good job,” he said. “I ask every police department I train, ‘Who wants to convict every DWI defendant you arrest?’ Of course, everybody raises their hand, just like I probably would’ve during my career in law enforcement. They’re surprised when I tell them, ‘You should not want to convict everybody you arrest. Your job is not to convict. Your job is make the arrest if there’s probable cause and then present evidence at trial. That’s it.’”

Collins has even co-written written a book on the subject, Arkansas DWI Defense – The Law and Practice, which is available on Amazon. The book is considered essential reading by police, lawyers and judges for its ability to clearly identify what the law states while seeking to separate the statute from the emotion that tends to hold sway in such cases.

“The propaganda that I saw as a police officer was, we have these billboards that say you drink, you drive, you go to jail, when we all know that drinking and driving is not illegal and drinking and driving is not unsafe as long as you’re not intoxicated,” he said.

“It’s the propaganda of the federal government, and in their standardized sobriety manual, they even talk about this. That says we need to change the public’s perception of drinking and driving because if we can turn enough of the public against drinking and driving, we can get more convictions. I don’t think the government should be in the conviction business; they should be in the safety business.”

GLOBAL PAYMENTS

By Robyn Staggs

AConsiderations when expanding internationally

s commerce becomes increasingly integrated on a global scale, many companies are setting their sights beyond domestic shores. Facilitated in part by technological advancements, capital, goods, labor and services are flowing more freely across borders than ever before.

Handling overseas financial transactions, including managing currency exposures, pricing, foreign bank services and overseas counterparty risks, can be challenging for treasury staff. With that in mind, here are some key considerations when expanding a company’s global footprint.

MANAGING FOREIGN EXCHANGE RISK

In the face of rising interest rates, high inflation and volatile prices, many executives consider foreign exchange risk among their top concerns. Some companies with global supplier networks prefer to conduct international transactions in their home currency to try to remove FX risk. However, in many cases, businesses can benefit from transacting in foreign currency.

FX volatility risk between two currencies will always exist. Companies do not eliminate FX risk by transacting only in USD. They simply pass the burden of that risk onto their foreign suppliers, who can charge a premium to protect themselves from currency market shifts between invoice and payment dates. Along with the FX risk premium companies pay to transact in USD, their suppliers’ banks may apply a sales premium too.

Companies may be able to reduce supplier costs by paying in local currency. Also, beneficiary accounts usually receive faster credit posting for payments made in their local currency. In exchange for removing the cost of conversion and lowering suppliers’ risk burden, companies may be able to negotiate favorable payment terms. For transparency and efficiency, companies can manage FX risk using an integrated system to accelerate and automate transactions.

Finally, companies that plan to convert foreign currency from overseas revenues into USD can use various hedging instruments to lock in pricing to protect its value from fluctuating. Many variables and events can affect currency markets, so having the right tools in place to align assets and liabilities from FX risk can go a long way in protecting the balance sheet and can make the difference between meeting or missing earnings projections.

CROSS-BORDER PAYMENTS: A NETWORK OF NETWORKS

Combining the right tools and capabilities yields more opportunities for treasuries to improve risk management and effectively automate the complexity of FX. The treasury operations of multinational companies can be complicated, since jurisdictions have different legal, tax and regulatory landscapes. To mitigate potential losses and maintain financial stability, it is critical to know where one’s capital is at all times.

In the past, processing international payments could be complicated and slow. While financial technology solutions have improved

payment options, many new systems are “closed loop,” meaning they are not connected to bank accounts and lack integration — key requirements for global cross-border payments. An international payment infrastructure needs to be a network of networks.

Therefore, traditional payment infrastructure is still the best option for global business-to-business payments. The cross-border wire system is designed as an open-loop system that links numerous closed-loop, country-specific systems. It is complex but powerful, connecting most of the world’s banks and moving more than $5 trillion in payments every day.

A company can achieve a global reach by connecting to the underlying global banking infrastructure. However, traditional payment infrastructure is undergoing significant transformation that includes improvements aimed at extending the advantages of the closed-loop fintech experience to the broader cross-border payment industry.

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Ongoing digital transformation has altered business and consumer expectations. Everyone wants a local experience in the global economy, and companies that can mitigate cross-border transaction friction will be better positioned to compete. That permanent shift in expectations has led to a growing need for companies to have full access to in-country payment capabilities and closed-loop technologies.

Mexico is a prime example of the need for both local and global banking capabilities. The country’s 24/7 market with niche local payment capabilities helps multinational companies lower costs and develop local supplier relationships. However, due to the peso’s volatility, implementing an FX hedging and risk-management strategy will help determine how much cash to hold onshore versus converting to a more liquid base currency such as USD.

Managing payments to Mexico requires a global account structure and cash pooling that can drive FX and liquidity costs. By combining multiple technologies — including local and cross-border payments, automated sweeps, and locked-in FX margins — treasurers can automate specific business processes to optimize liquidity, reduce FX costs and free up treasury resources for more strategic objectives.

Establishing a multinational footprint is an exciting development for companies but should not be taken lightly. With careful planning and a strong international strategy, finance and treasury executives can successfully navigate challenges and reap the benefits of international expansion.

Staggs is senior vice president and senior relationship manager of global commercial banking at Bank of America in northwest Arkansas.

Robyn

Robyn Staggs

Up-and-coming attorneys set stage for future of Arkansas law

By Sarah DeClerk

Rooted in ancient Athens, the legal business is one of the most well-established professions. As each generation builds on those that came before it, attorneys must embrace innovation while preserving the principles upon which their work was founded. Motivated by passion and a desire to serve, the next generation of attorneys is ready to take the legal world by storm. Here is what a few rising attorneys had to say about the state of the profession.

KELSEY BOGGAN, LESLIE COPELAND LAW & MEDIATION

With seven years experience, Kelsey Boggan, an attorney at Leslie Copeland Law & Mediation in Fayetteville, has already become an active member of the legal community.

Earning her law degree at the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville in 2017, she said she became interested in law while taking a constitutional law class.

“Even as a child, people would often say I’d make a great attorney — whether due to my natural curiosity or maybe because I had a knack for being a bit argumentative,” she said.

She started her career at Legal Aid of Arkansas, a nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services to low-income Arkansans. There, she advocated for survivors of domestic violence while focusing on orders of protection and domestic relations cases. In 2018, she joined Webb Law Office in Springdale, and she joined Leslie Copeland Law in 2021.

The boutique family law practice focuses on domestic relations and estate planning. While she found her way into the practice by chance, Boggan said she appreciates the rewarding nature of the work. However, prioritizing self-care and setting healthy boundaries are important.

“There’s a growing expectation for constant availability, both from clients and within firms,” she added. “Some attorneys find themselves answering emails late at night or on weekends, leaving little time for personal space. This constant connectivity has become a cultural norm and has significantly impacted the legal field.”

“Even as a child, people would often say I’d make a great attorney — whether due to my natural curiosity or maybe because I had a knack for being a bit argumentative.

Kelsey Boggan

“Every year, as attorneys retire, we lose some of our collective knowledge, but I feel like we have so many talented young attorneys that our profession will continue to thrive if we can all work together.

“Attorneys have to be able to adapt to what is coming and not simply try to adapt the world to what they’ve always done. Technology can be such a beneficial tool in an attorney’s arsenal.

Like many industries, the legal sector has begun seeing artificial intelligence used to draft communications, and routine tasks are becoming increasingly automated, she said.

“I anticipate that the legal profession will continue to evolve with greater automation. However, there is still a significant gap where AI will not be able to replace the nuanced skills of strategy and trial advocacy,” she said. “On a positive note, I hope that the shift toward more automation will contribute to a healthier work-life balance for my generation and younger lawyers.”

As an older generation of attorneys reaches retirement age, emerging lawyers have opportunities to grow in their careers, bringing fresh perspectives to the field, she added.

“Younger attorneys are stepping into leadership roles, building their own practices and influencing the direction of firms earlier in their careers,” she said. “This dynamic is fostering a more progressive legal landscape where new talent can make a substantial impact and shape the future of the profession.”

ROBBIE WILSON, ATTORNEY’S TITLE GROUP AND WILSON & ASSOCIATES

As the son of two attorneys, Robby Wilson, founder of the Little Rock-based Wilson Law Group, and Jennifer Wilson-Harvey, who is now co-managing partner at the firm, it may come as no surprise that Robbie Wilson, managing partner in title and closing at Attorney’s Title Group and Wilson & Associates, became an attorney himself.

A love of history spurred in him a desire to study history and political science at Tulane University in New Orleans, he said, and after a year spent working for then-Rep. Mike Ross in Washington, D.C., he decided to attend the University of Arkansas School of Law, where he graduated in 2013.

Soon after, he became a deputy prosecuting attorney for Pulaski County, where he tried criminal cases ranging from traffic violations to aggravated assaults and batteries. However, he had a long-standing interest in real estate law, and he joined Wilson & Associates in 2017 to pursue work in that area.

A loss of community is one of the biggest challenges facing the profession, he said, adding that bar associations at the local, state and national levels have seen drops in membership and participation.

“Losing that sense of community hurts our communication and ability to collectively deal with new challenges and issues that affect us,” he said. “My hope is that over time, people will see the value of our community resources and start rejoining these legal groups.”

Emerging technology can help firms scale up their operations, he said, adding that he does not expect AI or online legal services to replace traditional legal assistance anytime soon.

“I think in the short term, we will continue to see a race toward low-cost solutions for many legal issues,” he said. “However, I think that many of these providers may end up with a one-size-fits-all approach that will only get clients so far. I think that as problems mount or costs start racking up, clients will move back toward attorneys and firms that have the experience to handle nuanced legal matters.”

His mother has been one of the most important people in his life both personally and professionally, he said, and he enjoys learning from her at Wilson & Associates. He said he hopes to continue to grow the 40-year-old firm and its related businesses.

“Every year, as attorneys retire, we lose some of our collective knowledge,” he said, “but I feel like we have so many talented young attorneys that our profession will continue to thrive if we can all work together.”

EMILY TOWE, REDDICK LAW

Emily Towe, an attorney at Reddick Law in Little Rock who started her law career during the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago, said films and TV shows such as My Cousin Vinny, Legally Blonde and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit shaped her decision to become an attorney.

She graduated from the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville in 2012 and, after working as a legal assistant at Cox, Sterling, Vandiver & Botteicher in Little Rock, re-

Emily Towe

Robbie Wilson

turned to school at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, where she graduated in 2021.

“Law is not just about whether you are good at arguing,” she said. “Too many people go to law school and begin practicing law because they enjoy hearing themselves talk and want to always play the devil’s advocate. There is so much more to it, including a lot of writing and research, and 90 percent of cases won’t see the inside of the courtroom. It’s not like it appears on TV.”

During the pandemic, she added, jobs were few and far between, but one of her mentors, who worked at Reddick, helped her secure a job there. She worked briefly in commercial litigation at Gill Ragon Owen in Little Rock before returning to Reddick, where she focuses on nursing home neglect, wrongful death and personal injury.

“I went into law school to be a prosecutor but quickly realized the criminal side of the legal world was not for me,” she added. “Civil litigation is great and allows me to help people, and it gives me the ability to research and write regularly.”

Learning from established attorneys is key, she said, adding that legal assistants and paralegals are invaluable. While it is not a good idea to use tools such as ChatGPT and AI as a crutch, she said, they can be helpful, especially when it comes to search tools attorneys can use as a starting point for more specific research.

“The legal world is ever changing, and technology speeds that up exponentially,” she said. “Attorneys have to be able to adapt to what is coming and not simply try to adapt the world to what they’ve always done. Technology can be such a beneficial tool in an attorney’s arsenal.”

FRANK LAPORTE-JENNER, LAPORTE-JENNER LAW

Kelli and Frank LaPorte-Jenner are the husband-and-wife duo behind LaPorteJenner Law in Little Rock, which Kelli started in 2023. Frank joined her full time as managing attorney this year. The firm primarily focuses on family law, civil litigation and probate proceedings.

“My wife’s background is from criminal

and family law, and I’ve mostly worked on the civil side,” Frank LaPorte-Jenner said. “As we worked through establishing ourselves professionally, we ultimately ended up working together and starting our firm.”

Driven by a desire to advocate for people in need, LaPorte-Jenner said, he attended law school at the Bowen School of Law.

He started his career at the Center for Arkansas Legal Services in Little Rock and worked for Pulaski County prior to helping start LaPorte-Jenner Law. He has been in practice six years.

“I went to law school to learn how to practice law, but they didn’t teach me anything about running a business,” he said. “Taking that education and turning it into my own practice has involved a lot of trial and error. Fortunately, I have a great support network to rely on for my myriad of questions.”

He said he enjoys helping his clients, and he is proud that he has been able to make oral arguments in front of the Arkansas Supreme Court.

“My first time going before the justices was a real honor, even if it was also terrifying,” he said.

There are plenty of resources available for young attorneys, he added. Building a professional network is essential, he said, and he encouraged burgeoning attorneys to get involved in professional organizations.

“Having a good network of friends and colleagues to rely on has been the key to my success as an attorney,” he said. “I never hesitate to pick up the phone to call a friend with a question, and I’m fortunate to have a professional network that I can rely on to help me out.”

Building a practice from the ground up with his wife has been a great experience so far, he said, adding that he hopes to continue to grow the practice and expand the ways in which it serves clients.

“I think the legal profession is in good hands with the newest generation of attorneys coming from our state’s schools,” he said. “We have a lot of bright, hard-working attorneys getting into the practice, and I have no doubt they will be able to carry the torch of our industry going forward.”

“We have a lot of bright, hard-working attorneys getting into the practice, and I have no doubt they will be able to carry the torch of our industry going forward.

Frank Laporte-Jenner

Vanessa Cash Adams

Congratulations to Vanessa Cash Adams for being named among this year’s Arkansas Money & Politics Legal Elite.

During her 17 years in private practice, Adams has focused on helping Arkansans find long-term financial security through debt management, planning and bankruptcy solutions. While her depth of experience allows her to provide the best solutions to her clients, it is Adams’ careful and caring approach that enables clients to take those tools and embark on a new chapter.

A-TEAM THE

DRUNK?

The road of life is littered with people who never imagined themselves in trouble with the law, as well as a few who probably are not surprised to end up in court. When that happens, especially for serious matters such as wrongful death, divorce, child custody or even violent crimes, it is essential to have the right representation.

Unfortunately, solid legal representation has become an elusive thing in America, especially in a rural state like Arkansas. Legal deserts in the state abound, making it difficult for people to secure competent representation and with some counties offering scant resources for those needing a lawyer.

The problem is not just Arkansas,’ and it is not limited to the private sector. Public defenders — those attorneys whose job it is to defend plaintiffs who cannot afford a private attorney — are being crushed under the weight of their caseloads. A 2019 New York Times article revealed finding multiple public defenders in Louisiana with caseloads exceeding 200 names, and the most overloaded of the bunch had twice that on their plate.

The following individuals represent the best the state has to offer in their respective legal fields — family law, criminal defense and personal injury. Their records speak for themselves, and their advice is worth its weight in gold, yet they say the fundamental reason they chose their profession was to help people, stick up for the little guy and stare down the bully government looking to run roughshod over a person’s rights.

By Dwain Hebda

When the chips are down and individuals need the best in their corner, these are the people to turn to.

THE FIXER

OKatherine Blackmon Carroll

ver the nearly 30 years since Katherine Blackmon Carroll hung out her shingle, the legal world and, specifically, that of family law has changed dramatically. Her firm, the Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon in Little Rock, a practice considered by many to be in the top 1 percent of its kind in Arkansas, has had to change right along with it.

However, one thing that has never changed is how Blackmon Carroll sees her role as a co-pilot in clients’ unfolding family dramas and the skills she brings to bear to help them arrive at a successful outcome.

“I believe the most important part of being a successful family law attorney, in addition to legal skills, is the ability to walk with someone through one of the most difficult emotional experiences in their lives with empathy, compassion, and, sometimes, with bluntness and a firm hand,” she said.

“At our firm, we never forget that part of our job is to provide guidance outside of the courtroom, which means occasionally having difficult conversations when emotions escalate. You may have heard of the expression ‘client control.’ Well, in our firm, it’s not about control but rather about understanding what someone is going through and navigating accordingly.”

Per the U.S. Census, divorce rates are falling overall nationwide, but not in Arkansas, where the divorce rate ranks second highest in the country and is almost twice the national average. Given those numbers, it stands to reason more people than not will be in the market for a divorce attorney at some point.

Blackmon Carroll urged those shopping for a family law attorney to exercise caution and do some homework.

Longevity says something about a law firm, no matter what the specialty. An attorney who has been around the block a time or two is generally better prepared for a range of situations that can — and do — come up in family court. With almost three decades under her belt, Blackmon Carroll has seen a little bit of everything.

“When I started practicing law, being a mom meant you were pretty much guaranteed custody, while dads commonly saw their children two weekends out of the month and on alternating holidays,” she said. “In just the last five years, this has shifted dramatically. Now there is a presumption of joint custody in Arkansas, which unfortunately, in my opinion, is causing more problems than our legislators anticipated.

“ I don’t think there is anything more rewarding than to know you made a difference in a child’s life. This is why I practice family law.”

“All attorneys are different,” she said “When looking around, write your questions down in advance and ask about the issues that are causing you the most stress or concern. A good attorney is not going to be offended by you asking questions or even if you want to meet with other firms before making a decision.

“Ultimately, it is crucial that you follow your gut. If you do not feel heard or something does not sit right with you during the initial consultation, listen to that inner voice.”

“The burden to overcoming the joint custody presumption is so difficult that children are frequently being put in unhealthy situations, the cost of a custody dispute has risen, and even when custody is not litigated, it is becoming more common for a parent to go back to court after a joint custody determination.”

Another relatively new factor that has nothing to do with the law but everything to do with court cases is the rise of social media. Blackmon Carroll said when it comes to venting online, think twice.

“Please, please, please behave on social media,” she said. “These platforms are not the arena in which to air dirty laundry or make negative statements about your spouse, inlaws or the other side’s new significant other. A good family law attorney will monitor social media accounts and strongly advise their clients to behave.”

Despite the emotional cost of family issues, Blackmon Carroll said she cannot imagine practicing any other kind of law.

“I now hear from adults who were children in some of my first divorce/custody cases,” she said. “One of these young women reached out to me to let me know that I helped her mother get out of a terrifyingly abusive marriage. She said, ‘You saved our lives.’ I don’t think there is anything more rewarding than to know you made a difference in a child’s life. This is why I practice family law.”

Austin King MADE WHOLE

Having a well-known parent can sometimes inspire offspring to seek their own star in another field. Not so Austin King, son of well-known personal injury lawyer Taylor King, founder of Taylor King Law in Little Rock. Austin said it was precisely because of watching his father help the injured get justice that he chose the legal specialty he did.

“I really like the idea of helping people,” Austin said. “My clients are my neighbors, the people that live in my city, people I've gone to school with, people that I went to Sunday school with. We’re able to help people recover from something they weren't expecting to happen, something that is often one of the worst moments in their lives.”

King said besides injury, death and property damage itself, the process of seeking legal recourse can be a painful step for some people. Most clients he serves have never seen the inside of a courtroom, let alone been front and center against opposing counsel and what are often well-funded defendants.

“A lot of people don't know what to do. They’ve found themselves in uncharted territory,” he said. “We have some people that call us very quickly after an accident, and sometimes, we get a call where a claim's gone all the way through the process, and they're just unhappy with the way they're being treated. The point is it's never too early to call a lawyer, and it's never too late to call a lawyer either.”

insurance adjuster that is offering you some money before you've ever even been to a physician, and you don't really even know what's going on yet, so the best advice is to slow down and think.”

Insurance companies are not the only entities that try to hard-sell victims; many personal injury firms are very aggressive in their marketing tactics. King said people sometimes panic and call the first number they see on a late-night television commercial, resulting in representation that treats the plaintiff like a commodity.

“My biggest advice to people in general is don’t make any quick decisions on anything.”

King said even before contacting an attorney, people should first attend to their medical condition. Not only is this a good idea on the face of it, but with three years statute of limitations to work with, it gives time for latent damage and secondary injuries a chance to present themselves and for the shock of what’s happened to dissipate, allowing for better decision making.

“My biggest advice to people in general is don't make any quick decisions on anything,” he said. “You're usually very emotional after an accident. A lot of times, you're in pain and not necessarily thinking 100 percent straight.

“A lot of times, you're going to get a phone call from an

“In the internet age, especially, people will get phone calls and messages from people all across the United States that are looking at their cases,” he said. “We’re a law firm that’s been in Arkansas for 30 years, and we know the people here, and we know Arkansas law because we litigate here.

“We have seven offices across the state, making it easier for clients to come in, meet with an attorney or meet with a staff person in each one of our offices. It really gives a local feel to what we do, and our clients feel like they're represented by someone right in their hometown.”

Of everything that the firm and its cadre of attorneys deliver to clients, perhaps the most valuable thing is honest, direct communication, even if the message is something the client may not want to hear.

“Obviously, we’re going to fight as hard as we can to get the client the total value of the case that is possible,” King said. “At the same time, we tell every single one of our clients we never want to make more out of anything that this is. We want a fair and reasonable settlement. In fact, we don't advertise the values of our settlements for that very reason. Every case is unique, every case has its own set of facts, and every case has different policy limits.

“Having those up-front conversations with clients from the very beginning is a crucial part of establishing trust, letting clients know that we have their best interest at heart and are giving them good legal advice.”

COURTROOM DRAMA

William “Bill” James Jr., co-founder of James Law Firm in Little Rock, is quick to tell people that being a defense attorney bears little resemblance to television dramas. The pace at which trials move, the bombshell reveal that no one sees coming and the contentious relationship between opposing counsel are all largely fabrications of Hollywood.

Even the stakes of show trials versus the real thing are starkly different. On TV, the found-guilty merely show up in another role on another channel. In real life, the consequences are far more dire, something James has never lost sight of.

“I wanted to be a defense attorney because it’s very, very important that the state or the government be held to the burden of proof to prove someone guilty,” he said. “There are a lot of people that get found guilty for stuff they didn’t do because someone half-assed their defense. If there aren’t attorneys like me who fight for people, who put authorities to the task and make them prove what they’re alleging, you’re risking people going to jail, possibly over something they didn’t do. I consider that an onerous thing.”

Despite a long career in the legal field during which he has argued hundreds of cases as a defense attorney, in some cases, for plaintiffs accused of horrible acts, Jones still maintains a certain idealism about his chosen profession.

“Even the worst of the worst need to be defended,” he said. “Maybe they’re going to be convicted. Maybe they’re going to get life, but you know what? To me, it would be even more horrible to sit in jail, not having been defended. To sit there the rest of your life in jail thinking, what if someone would’ve fought for me?

James Law Firm

the right defense attorney, and most of them are not particularly complicated. Looking at attorneys’ track record in similar cases, asking about their methodology for gathering evidence and creating a defense strategy, and the trust needed for the accused to communicate openly with their attorney are all essential.

“You never know what is going to be important in a trial. There have been times when a case can be made on some report that’s just thrown in the back of some old file that no one thinks is going to come up.”

“It’s not really a question of if you’re a bad person or not. People can sometimes be guilty of something but not guilty of what they’re charged with. If you don’t do things right as their attorney, the government will run over them.”

James said there are a number of factors that go into selecting

“An attorney has got to be prepared. They’ve got to know the file,” he said. “That’s the secret. When they go to court, they have to know the file better than anybody else to where they know what the answer is based on where the evidence is, and you know how what people say about other people matches up.

“You never know what is going to be important in a trial. There have been times when a case can be made on some report that’s just thrown in the back of some old file that no one thinks is going to come up.”

In addition to all that, James said there is one more critical element that is often overlooked, that being the level of honesty shared between client and counsel.

“It’s the practice of law, not the science of law because everyone does it a little bit differently,” he said. “There are lawyers out there who will tell people, ‘Oh, this is no problem. We’ll get this kicked,’ you know, just trying to make clients feel good. They’ll tell the client how the judge is going to rule and how they’re going to win this. Then when it doesn’t happen, they say, ‘Oh, sorry about that. I guess the judge screwed us, but man, didn’t you feel good about things right up to that point?’

“To have success, the client has to understand the case. It’s a serious matter, and I’m not being flippant when I say people don’t understand how bad things are sometimes. I’ve seen enough cases before to see how they come out, and it’s my responsibility to teach them their case, how they need to plead well and give them other good advice, knowing what they’re looking at. I think it’s very important for an attorney to be honest with somebody they’re defending.”

FIRMS ADAPT TO LABOR LAWS

By Sarah Coleman

Labor and employment law is an ever-so-important sector of law for both employers and employees to understand. Because there are national and state-wide changes that are made somewhat frequently, awareness of such trends is to the advantage of any business or worker.

NATIONAL TRENDS

While it may seem intuitive to focus on trends at the state level more than the national level, it is important for those affected by employment and labor laws to keep up with changes on a national scale, since those changes will likely affect Arkansas.

“The national trends are what we’re seeing in Arkansas, too, because most of the federal laws apply to most employers,” said Jane Kim, partner on the labor and employment team at Wright Lindsey Jennings in Little Rock. “Employers need to be very cognizant of what’s happening nationally, just so they can make sure they’re in compliance.”

On the national level, the U.S. Department of Labor issued an overtime rule through the Fair Labor Standards Act, which took effect on July 1, increasing the salary threshold for overtime eligibility. The rule raised the threshold from $684 a week ($35,568

annually) to $844 a week ($43,888 annually), and it is set to raise once more, this time to $1,128 ($58,656 annually) on Jan. 1. The rule was made as the department updated it to reflect changes in the economy and standard of living for exempt employees.

“Employers should begin evaluating the salaries paid to their employees to decide whether it makes more financial sense to increase to, at least, the new threshold to avoid the need to pay overtime or, instead, reclassify the employees as nonexempt and pay the required premium for any overtime hours the employees work in a workweek,” said Brett Taylor, a member of Rose Law Firm in Little Rock.

However, it is important to note the Department of Labor is facing several federal lawsuits, which are challenging the increases.

“If the DOL overtime rule goes into effect, it will challenge the waterfront in Arkansas,” said Mike Moore, head of the labor and employment practice at Friday, Eldredge & Clark in Little Rock. “What has happened is employers have gotten better at making decisions on who is exempt and who is not.”

Kim said the department is not just looking at the salary amount that the employees receive but also at specific duties.

“The regulations are very specific on what duties are considered exempt under the FLSA regulation, so hopefully, employers that fell in that range have made those adjustments as of July,” Kim said. “As tough of a pill as it may be to swallow, I think employers need to prepare for it like it’s going into effect.

Right now is a good time for an internal audit of your employer’s exempt positions, and planning for the changes is going to help with the potential hit.”

Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission’s final rule banning most of all noncompete agreements was recently struck down by a federal district court in Texas. Taylor said if the FTC appeals the decision, the appeal will be heard by the employerfriendly 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court will hear any further appeal from there.

“At least for the foreseeable future, noncompete agreements are still an issue of state law. Employers should take this opportunity to work with legal counsel to ensure that existing and future noncompete agreements comply with the applicable law of the state where the affected worker is located,” Taylor said.

The noncompete rule outcome will likely be dependent on the outcome of the presidential election, since it has become a partisan issue of interest, Kim said. While it is not on the immediate horizon, it is still a rule that could potentially come back around.

CHANGES FOR ARKANSANS

At home, most of the labor and employment trends have circulated around common themes that are reflected at the national level. Things such as antidiscrimination protections and changes in noncompete contracts have directly correlated to the way companies have gone about conducting business in the Natural State.

“With noncompetes, we have the federal government making efforts in trying to limit or outlaw continuing efforts, meaning employers need to be aware of what’s going on. Tailor these noncompetes — that is something necessary,” Moore said.

While it is true that most changes in Arkansas are a result of rules adopted by federal agencies at the administrative level, Taylor said one change at the state level that has created a large impact is the recently enacted Arkansas Personal Information Protection Act. The act governs the collection of both customer and employee personal information, including names, initials and biometric data.

“Businesses that collect this information must maintain reasonable security procedures and practices to prevent the data from unauthorized disclosure and must notify any affected person in the event of a security breach resulting in unauthorized access to data,” Taylor said.

Beyond that change, Taylor also said that an Arkansas-based business that hires and/or maintains employees in another state should be aware of any pay transparency laws in that state, since some states will hold out-of-state employers liable for not following any laws related to the content of job postings.

COMMONLY CHALLENGED OR BROKEN EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR LAWS

The most litigated employment laws are likely Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Arkansas Civil Rights Act.

The federal and state laws prohibiting employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation based on an employee or applicant’s protected class, such as race, gender, religion and national origin, seem to be challenged often, Taylor said.

Moore added that discrimination claims tend to be the most challenged decisions, especially when it comes to employees claiming discrimination after being fired.

“Most of the time, it tends to be based upon a misunderstanding on what really happened. Sometimes that’s a result of the employer not communicating effectively,” Moore said.

This year, Kim said, she has also noticed more of what can be called traditional, discrimination cases — whether due to race, age or gender. Due to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Kim has also noted a rise in lawsuits dealing with the rights of pregnant employees. Under the PWFA, limitations are listed as physical or mental conditions related to, affected by or arising from pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission states.

“I think more employees are understanding that they’re entitled to certain rights that maybe they were not before,” Kim said. “This year, at least from our perspective, we’ve seen an uptick in more of the discrimination lawsuits versus wage and hour lawsuits.

Additionally, Taylor said he sees retaliation claims based on qualifying disability and age — more than 40 years old — as also fairly common in today’s legal world.

“That said, the minimum wage and overtime laws can be the hardest to follow,” Taylor said. “These laws are strict and not necessarily intuitive.”

Moore said the claims that have the most merit are the overtime claims, which can normally be sourced back to employers not spending the time to make the decision about who will be exempt and nonexempt and not spending the time to develop and update the

Jane Kim

Brett Taylor

Mike Moore

RELATIONSHIPS ARE OUR FOUNDATION

We partner with attorneys, CPAs and other financial advisors to help their clients achieve philanthropic goals. The Foundation provides expertise and tools to maximize tax benefits while achieving the greatest impact for local programs. The process is easy, flexible and efficient. Arkansas Community Foundation: engaging people, connecting resources and inspiring solutions to build Arkansas communities.

Arkansas Money & Politics needed a good lawyer — and our readers came through. They gave us a lot more than one. We present the 2024 “Legal Elite” as chosen by AMP readers — 50 or so go-to attorneys representing the spectrum of specialties in Arkansas.

JUSTIN ALLEN

Wright Lindsey Jennings

MARK H. ALLISON

Wright Lindsey Jennings

ROBYN ALLMENDINGER

Rose Law Firm

TIMOTHY ANDERSON

Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone

SHERRI ARMAN MCDONOUGH

Lane Muse Arman Pullen

BETSY BAKER

Rose Law Firm

MATTHEW BENSON

Taylor Law Partners

Matthew Benson is a partner at Taylor Law Partners in Fayetteville. A native of Danville, he earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 2011 and a Juris Doctor at the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2014. He began his legal career with the U.S. Department of Justice as a law clerk with the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. After completing his clerkship, he took a position with the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office as a deputy prosecuting attorney. He left the prosecutor’s office for private practice in 2016. He focuses his practice on domestic and criminal work. He is president of the

Washington County Bar Association and serves on the Arkansas Bar Association Board of Trustees. He lives in Fayetteville with his wife, Maggie, and their daughter, Mary Helen.

KATHERINE E. BLACKMON

Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon

RALPH J. BLAGG

Blagg Law Firm

KRISTY E. BOEHLER

The Law Group of NW Arkansas

KELSEY BOGGAN

Leslie Copeland Law & Mediation

WILL BOND

McMath Woods

Will Bond is an injury and wrongful death lawyer who handles all types of car and truck wreck cases, hospital and medical negligence cases, and insurance disputes. Bond has previously served as an Arkansas State Representative and state senator. He has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America from 2016 to the present as a plaintiffs personal injury attorney, including being recognized by the publication as Lawyer of the Year for plaintiffs personal injury for 2023 in the Little Rock area. Bond has been selected

for inclusion in Mid-South Super Lawyers as a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney from 2006 to the present. He currently serves on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Arkansas Board of Directors.

TIM BOONE

Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone

JAMES BORNHOFT

Bornhoft Law

James D. Bornhoft, founder of Bornhoft Law in Hot Springs, has established himself as a key player in Arkansas’s legal community. With a wealth of experience including more than 70 jury trials and over 10,000 hours in the courtroom, Bornhoft has built a reputation for delivering results when they matter most. A third-generation Arkansan, he is deeply committed to serving his local community with personalized, client-centered legal counsel. Before opening his practice, Bornhoft served as the lead human trafficking prosecutor in Colorado’s largest judicial district, managing high-stakes felony cases ranging from human trafficking to murder. His expertise working alongside federal agencies such as the FBI and Homeland Security equipped him with a unique perspective on complex legal matters, which he now brings to his private practice.

James Bruce McMath Neil Chamberlin

DYLAN BOTTEICHER

Cox, Sterling, Vandiver, & Botteicher

Dylan Botteicher is a partner with Cox, Sterling, Vandiver & Botteicher. Botteicher’s practice includes business litigation, employment litigation, probate litigation, and contract negotiation. Botteicher enjoys helping individuals and local businesses navigate the vast array of legal issues that they may face. He believes that every client deserves a litigation strategy that is specific to their needs instead of a typical one-size-fits-all approach. He has been recognized as a Mid-South Rising Star for 2024 by Super Lawyers.

MARK BREEDING

Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone

ROBERT G. BRIDEWELL

Robert G. Bridewell, Lake Village

BEAU BRITTON

Schnipper, Britton & Stobaugh

Beau Britton is a partner at Schnipper, Britton & Stobaugh. He received his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and his Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. His practice primarily focuses on the areas of estate planning, probate, real estate, business and commercial cases, and civil litigation. He is a past president of the Garland County Bar Association and is very active in the Hot Springs community.

VICKI BRONSON

Conner & Winters

BRIAN BROWN

Laser Law Firm

Brian Brown is a native of Little Rock. After graduating from Pulaski Academy in 1980, he then attended Rhodes College, then known as Southwestern at Memphis. After graduating from Rhodes, he studied law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Brown joined the Laser Law Firm as an associate in 1988 and has been a partner since 1999. He specializes in insurance coverage issues, appellate practice, and judicial ap -

proval of minor’s and decedent’s settlements. Brown is also an avid history buff with a particular interest in the Civil War. He has published a book on Civil Warrelated genealogical research.

VICTORIA BRUTON

Miller, Butler, Schneider, Pawlik & Rozzell

With nearly 20 years of legal experience, Victoria Bruton has dedicated her career to advocating for families and individuals in complex legal matters. Since joining Miller, Butler, Schneider, Pawlik & Rozzell, she has focused her practice on domestic relations and family law, including divorce, custody modifications, guardianships, adoptions and mediations.

Before her tenure at Miller Butler, she served as a public defender for the 19th Judicial District Public Defender’s Office, where she honed her skills in criminal defense. She then joined Taylor Law Partners, where she engaged in civil litigation and domestic relations matters.

As a certified domestic relations attorney ad litem, as well as a certified mediator in domestic relations and probate matters, she brings a compassionate yet assertive approach to her cases. She is an active member of the Arkansas Bar Association and the Benton and Washington County bar associations, where she stays engaged with the legal community and continuously seeks to enhance her knowledge and skills.

Bruton’s commitment to her clients and passion for family law drives her to provide effective representation while fostering resolutions that prioritize the best interests of children and families.

GREG BRYANT

Greg Bryant Law

RANDY BYNUM

Wright, Lindsey & Jennings

PAUL BYRD

Paul Byrd Law Firm

ANDY L. CALDWELL

Caldwell Law Firm

Andy L. Caldwell is the principal attorney at the Caldwell Law Firm. His primary focus and area of practice is workers compensation. Caldwell has lectured for Fortune 500 companies, insurance carriers and members of the bar on the topics of workers’ compen-

sation, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and legal ethics. He is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and the Pulaski County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association as well as the American Bar Association. Caldwell was admitted to practice in 1999 in all Arkansas state and federal courts. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville in 1999, and his bachelor’s degree in political science from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia in 1995.

BART CALHOUN

McDaniel Wolff

Bart Calhoun is one of McDaniel Wolff’s founding members and helps lead its commercial litigation practice. His practice focuses on litigation in numerous areas, including breach of contract, business torts, employment law, collections, appeals, and much more. Bart regularly provides litigation and government relations counseling to clients engaged in highly regulated industries such as those in the fields of casino gaming, medical marijuana, health care, and more. Before entering private practice, he served as an assistant attorney general in the Arkansas Attorney General’s office, primarily serving in the public protection department. During his time there, Bart provided counsel with respect to proposed legislation and regularly communicated with members from the Arkansas General Assembly, where he maintains strong relationships.

JR CARROLL

Kutak Rock

VANESSA CASH ADAMS

ARLaw Partners

Pfeifer Law Firm

HELPING PEOPLE IN THEIR WORST HOURS

It often happens that one’s first job out of college is not the forever job — or even the forever career. That proved to be the case for Paul Pfeifer of the Pfeifer Law Firm in Little Rock.

“I worked in a business role after college, and I did that for a couple of years,” Pfeifer said. “Then I decided that the law was more of what I was interested in, what I was hoping to do — help people.”

After making the decision to attend law school, he was initially interested in international law, but he clerked for a law firm that did personal injury and employment discrimination law.

“I just realized that was my calling — sounds kind of cheesy, but it’s true,” he said.

He attended Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland but came back to Little Rock after graduation.

He described his work as “basically helping people that have been injured through no fault of their own.”

“That somebody or their insurance carrier caused the injury or was negligent, whether that’s a trip-andfall in a business, auto accident, a truck accident, a dog bite. It runs the gamut,” Pfeifer said. “I also do nursing home abuse cases, as well, to hold the nursing homes accountable when they abuse and neglect patients.”

By Steve Wilcox

built, owned and operated by U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

“It’s a little different than straight workers’ compensation,” Pfeifer said. “I’m currently working on one [case] in Helena where a barge company ran into the dock where my client was working and injured him.”

A more typical case for Pfeifer was that of a family traveling through Arkansas when they experienced an incident and a dispute arose with their insurance company about coverage.

Most of the larger cases he has worked on dealt with truck accidents and helping catastrophically injured people. He has represented people who were injured while working, including those who make a living working on or along a river.

Injury for people working jobs in river transportation is covered by the Jones Act, which has a requirement that items shipped between U.S. ports be moved by ships

“We had to take it to the Arkansas Supreme Court,” Pfeifer said. “When you represent people who have been charged in a criminal case, you hear about that on the news. Most personal injury cases are less interesting to the public.”

Pfeifer has found that most people want to be involved in their case, want to know what is happening and seek to make a contribution in trying to get to the end result.

“I think it’s important for clients to be knowledgeable about what’s going on rather than speak over their heads,” Pfeifer said. “Some of my clients, maybe most of them, want to be involved and want to know what they need to do in being able to make good decisions. It’s kind of like when you go to the doctor and they say, ‘Here’s your problem. Take two aspirin.’ Well, you don’t really know why you’re taking the aspirin. What is it supposed to accomplish? I think it’s important to be an informed client, just like an informed patient.”

Pfeifer Law Firm has no advertising budget, so there is no pitch for Pfeifer’s work during local TV station’s news breaks. He lives by word of mouth. The same is true for Pfeifer when he looks for support on a case.

“I’ve worked with lawyers in various places, and they either can help me, or they can get me to somebody who can,” he said.

On the business side, Pfeifer’s philosophy is pretty basic: If you take care of the clients, they will take care of you.

“Your clients should be your focus, and you should always do well for your clients and by your clients,” Pfeifer said. “They’re the ones you’re here to help, and ultimately, if you’re trying to grow your business in Arkansas, doing a good job for clients is the way that you grow your business.”

Taking a case to the state Supreme Court, representing people who are injured through no fault of their own, and taking on employment, workers’ compensation and, maybe the most difficult, elder abuse cases, it is not pleasant stuff, but when the goal is to represent people who have been wronged, it takes the effort beyond just working in a job. Pfeifer’s clients depend on him, and every day, he knows it.

essential skills have come through handson experience. In 2020, Adams founded ARlaw alongside her partners Charlie Cunningham, Dustin Duke and Katie Freeman. Over the course of 17 years in private practice, Adams has focused primarily on consumer and business transactions, negotiations and bankruptcy. Adams is past president of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers and president of the Debtor-Creditor Bar of Central Arkansas. She is also a proud volunteer with the Little Rock School District, serving on the PTA board for Pulaski Heights Elementary.

ERIN CASSINELLI

Lassiter & Cassinelli

NEIL CHAMBERLIN

McMath Woods

Neil Chamberlin handles injury, death, and medical malpractice cases at McMath Woods in Little Rock. He graduated from Hendrix College in Conway in 1989 and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 1993. He has served on the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association Board of Governors (2002-2012) and the Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Civil Jury Instructions (2014-2020).

KANDI CHITMAN HUGHES

Midcontinent Independent System Operator

Kandi Chitman Hughes, J.D., MBA, is managing senior corporate counsel at Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, the electric grid operator for the central U.S. She has been a practicing attorney for more than 15 years, her transactional work spanning from private practice to government and higher education. She has a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University in North Carolina. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Bowen. She is the president of both Arkansas Women in Power and the Arkansas Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy. She is a member of the Arkansas Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, a commissioner

for the Central Arkansas Water Board of Commissioners and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Her proudest title is that of Mom to two children.

PENNY CHOATE AGEE

Choate Law Firm

Penny Choate Agee practices civil litigation, construction law, commercial/business litigation, complex divorce litigation, real estate law, family law, federal and state trial practice, personal injury, probate and estate administration through Searcy’s Choate Law Firm. Her firm serves White, Pulaski, Faulkner, Independence, Lonoke, Cleburne, Saline, Stone, Sharp, Woodruff and Jackson counties. Choate earned her law degree from the Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and her Bachelor of Arts in political science from UA-Little Rock. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Arkansas Bar Association, Pulaski County Bar Association, White County Bar Association and is a past president of Arkansas Business & Professional Women. Outside of the courtroom, Choate competes in national and regional reining horse competitions and enjoys golfing.

SUZANNE CLARK

Clark Law Firm

BRANDI COLLINS

Collins, Collins & Ray

Partner Brandi Collins graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and received her Juris Doctor from the William H. Bowen School of Law in Little Rock, where she was on the Law Journal. Collins’ areas of practice include various aspects of law, with a concentration in DWI, DUI, drug cases, and commercial litigation. Collins has been recognized as a Super Lawyer.

Collins formerly worked as an in-house counsel for a group of companies in the trucking and brokerage industry. She has attended several DWI intensive workshops (including one taught at Harvard Law School), allowing her to provide her unique expertise in DWI and DUI cases. Collins is licensed in Arkansas.

JOHN COLLINS

Collins, Collins & Ray

John Collins is just a big bowl of awesome sauce (just ask him). He went to college and law school but you really don’t care where or when. All you really want to know is, “How can I trust he has it handled?” Collins started his career in law enforcement, serving as a field training officer, patrolman, investigator, and instructor of an alcohol education program. Served as a deputy prosecuting attorney. Conducted drunk driving courses on a national level, speaking to law enforcement, judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys. A testament to his skills and dedication to his clients, Collins has been named a Super Lawyer multiple years, Top 1 percent of Attorneys in America, recipient of the Terry Warner Award, a Top Attorney by the Legal Network, part of AY Media Group’s “Men of Distinction,” “Legal Elite” and “Best of” and received several other notable awards. Collins is a former state delegate of the National College for DUI Defense Inc., A founding member, currently presidentelect of the DUI Defense Lawyers Association (an international defense association). Collins also works as an adjunct professor at the William H. Bowen School of Law and is the published author of the Arkansas DWI Trial Practice book. If he can’t handle it, it probably can’t be handled. Collins is licensed in Arkansas and Texas.

LESLIE COPELAND

Leslie Copeland Law & Mediation

CADE L. COX

Cox, Sterling, Vandiver, & Botteicher

Cade Cox of Little Rock law firm Cox, Sterling, Vandiver & Botteicher has been recognized by multiple publications as one of the leading estate planning lawyers in Arkansas. Additionally, Cade has spent a career assisting businesses of all sizes navigating litigation and internal corporate matters and has successfully assisted numerous parties in the sale or acquisition of a business. Real Estate, business and estate planning needs of any type fall within his area of expertise. Cade has served Pulaski Academy as a board member for nearly a decade, and lives with his family in the West Little Rock area.

HUGH E. CRISP

Crisp Law Firm

At his Little Rock practice, Hugh E. Crisp exclusively handles personal injury litigation with an emphasis on medical malpractice and catastrophic injuries in the mid-South. Crisp is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for an attorney practicing in the United States. He has been selected by his peers as a MidSouth Super Lawyers honoree for the past 10 years and is a fellow in Litigation Counsel of America.

MICHAEL CROWE

The Crowe Firm

TIM CULLEN

Cullen & Co.

SKIP DAVIDSON

Davidson Law Firm

BARRETT DEACON

Mayer Law

For 23 years, Barrett Deacon has been litigating civil cases in federal and state courts throughout Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. He is frequently asked to defend motor carriers, truck drivers, shippers and freight brokers in catastrophic injury cases. In addition to trucking companies, he also has extensive experience representing retailers, food producers,and hospitality industry providers. He has experience successfully litigating insurance disputes, premises liability matters, product liability cases and other general liability matters.

Barrett is listed in Best Lawyers in America in transportation law and insurance litigation. He has held an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell for many years. He is listed by Super Lawyers in the area of personal injury defense. He has been asked to speak at seminars on topics involving litigation and trial tactics and current developments in tort and transportation law.

Barrett graduated from the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business in 1998 and the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2001. He is licensed to practice in in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

JOE DENTON

Denton Zachary Norwood

A Jonesboro native, Joe Denton, attorney at Denton Zachary Norwood in Little Rock, received a bachelor’s degree in environmental science at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and later earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. His practice indulges his passion for standing up for the little guy in personal injury cases, be it through settlement or before a jury. Throughout his career of giving voice to and representing injured Arkansans, he has earned several accolades, including 2021 Arkansas Trial Lawyer of the Year from the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association and a 2021 “Men of Distinction” award from AY About You magazine. He balances his work life with his wife, Kelli, and his children, Hays, Wesley and Annie.

JULIE DEWOODY GREATHOUSE

PPGMR Law

JOSH DRAKE

Drake & Street

KC DUPPS TUCKER

The Law Group of Northwest Arkansas

BETH ECHOLS

Gill Ragon Owen

JOHN ELROD

Conner & Winters

PAM EPPERSON

Epperson Panasiuk Law

With more than 20 years of experience in the courtroom, Pamela Epperson goes the extra mile to fight for her clients. She provides aggressive, thorough and personalized representation to each and every one of her clients – whether they are charged with a misdemeanor or felony. Epperson’s strong work ethic and drive to aggressively represent her clients allows her to get great results. As the attorney/owner of Epperson Panasiuk Law, she practices state and federal criminal defense. In addition to practicing law, Epperson holds active memberships in the Arkansas Bar Association, Pulaski County Bar Association, Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (for which she served as president from June 2022 to June 2023), Arkansas Women Lawyers Association and the Texas Criminal Defense

Lawyers Association. Epperson is also a member of the National College for DUI Defense. In addition to being a member of this elite legal organization, she currently serves as the organization’s only Arkansas state delegate. Also, this year NCDD appointed Epperson to be the chair of the DWI Diversity Task Force.

LAURA FERNER

Crouch, Harwell, Fryar & Ferner

JENNA FOGLEMAN SAIFI

Miller, Butler, Pawlik & Rozzell

Jenna Fogleman Saifi has nearly a decade of experience delivering top-notch legal services at Miller, Butler, Schneider, Pawlik & Rozzell. Since joining the firm in 2015, she has focused on contracts and commercial transactions, corporate governance, corporate acquisitions, real estate, and estate administration. Based in the firm’s Rogers office, Fogleman Saifi proudly represents clients across Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. A native of northeast Arkansas, she earned her undergraduate degree from Purdue University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville.

WILLIAM FOSTER

Conner & Winters

STEPHEN L. GERSHNER

Davidson Law Firm

ALEX GRAY

Steel Wright Gray Lawyers

SARAH GREENWOOD

Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone

AUSTIN GRINDER

Mullenax & Associates

A licensed attorney and lobbyist, Austin Grinder leads the legal team at Mullenix & Associates in Little Rock, coordinating and overseeing the firm’s research efforts, drafting legislation and providing strategic counsel to clients to ensure their interests are represented at the State Capitol. Grinder works closely with technology giants, including SAP Software Solutions, Cisco and Tata Consultancy Services and prominent niche technology companies. He has experience and expertise in the legislative and regulatory arenas, with an emphasis in real property, health policy and insurance issues.

QGT

A ‘GO-TO’ FIRM

Little Rock’s Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and founding member Steve Quattlebaum said the firm prides itself on being a “go-to” firm for significant transactions and litigation.

“Some people have said, and I believe it is true, that we have a very deep bench of exceptional lawyers capable of assisting businesses and individuals navigating difficult transactions or defending or prosecuting challenging lawsuits,” he said. “We are often hired to assist in matters that are well underway or approaching trial, and that ability to quickly get up to speed on a case or transaction has proven valuable to our clients many times. On the litigation side of our firm, we pride ourselves on being trial lawyers who enjoy trying cases. That attitude and approach has served our clients and our firm well.”

Quattlebaum said the firm has built a reputation for being efficient at getting up to speed on complex legal, business and scientific matters.

“This is a skill that we have worked hard to develop and refine,” he said. “In litigation, we are often involved in cases that include complicated scientific and business issues. Similarly, there are detailed and specific business and technical issues in the transactions in which we are involved. One of our strengths is the ability to quickly and efficiently develop a true understanding of our clients’ immediate issues at hand so that we can explain the case to juries or judges in understandable terms or, in a transaction, ensure that the terms of the contract are clear and reflect the intent of the parties. That ability to understand and condense complex facts and issues in persuasive and creative ways is probably one of our strongest traits.”

Quattlebaum said the COVID-19 pandemic “pressed the accelerator” on the adoption of technology in the legal industry, and because the legal field is not necessarily known for rapid adoption of tech such as the video communication platforms that enjoyed a pandemic heyday, that had a profound effect on the practice of law.

“Hearings, court appearances and depositions are now

By Mark Carter

routinely done by virtual platforms like Zoom and [Microsoft] Teams,” he said. “Working remotely is another concept that is much more readily accepted than before. I think those changes are here to stay. We are also on the forefront of the advent of artificial intelligence which will dramatically change the way we all do business in the near future.”

The advancement of tech in the industry may appeal to newer generations of lawyers, but Quattlebaum said he thinks new attorneys are entering the field for the same reasons as older generations — to serve and help others.

“Being drawn to help others with some of their most troublesome and challenging issues really is a calling,” he said. “At the most fundamental level, that is what practicing law is about. The legal profession presents many different opportunities for an interesting and rewarding career. The issues we address are often some of the most important of our times. Cases and transactions with complicated facts and technical issues are intellectually stimulating and incredibly interesting. I like to think that young people today see all those aspects of law practice as intriguing reasons to choose this profession.”

The firm has experienced steady growth, including a new office in Springdale, and recently added its 40th attorney to the roster. Quattlebaum said he thinks his team’s ability to adapt and move quickly helps it compete in a competitive market.

“There are many great lawyers in Arkansas and firms that are older and larger than ours,” he said. “We are committed to providing exceptional service to our clients with a genuine dedication to their issues. If we can consistently provide platinum service with a commitment to the highest ethical standards and with a personal dedication to achieving the best results for our clients, we will have achieved our objective to have done our job well and with distinction.”

QGT lawyers are encouraged to be involved with local civic and charitable organizations about which they are passionate. Through its members, the firm works with groups such as the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, the Nature Conservancy, the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, Junior Achievement of Arkansas, Arkansas Foodbank, the Salvation Army, Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas, the Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation, the Arkansas Bar Foundation and more.

Timothy Grooms, left, and Steve Quattlebaum

JESSICA HALL

WH Law Firm

TERRY HARPER

Taylor Law Partners

Terry D. Harper is a partner at Taylor Law Partners in Fayetteville. He was born in Louisiana and earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1986 before earning a Juris Doctor at the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1988. He is a member of the Washington County, Arkansas and American bar associations, as well as the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association. His areas of practice include civil litigation; criminal defense; divorce, family law and domestic relations; personal injury; products liability; auto, truck and motorcycle accidents; and wrongful deaths.

WILL HARRIS

Heaton & Harris

CHARLES HARRISON

McMath Woods

Charles Harrison is a partner at McMath Woods in Little Rock. He joined McMath Woods in 2000 after serving as senior law clerk to United States District Judge Elsijane Roy for 14 years. Harrison graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville in 1979 after obtaining his undergraduate degree in Fayetteville in 1976. His law practice is focused primarily on representing clients who have been injured or killed in matters involving car or big-rig wrecks, premises liability, and medical negligence. Harrison grew up and attended public school in North Little Rock, where he was imbued with a healthy dose of common sense and a scintilla of skepticism.

MATT HARTNESS

Hartness Mediation

JASON HATFIELD

Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield

BRANDON HAUBERT

WH Law Firm

JUDY HENRY

Wright Lindsey Jennings

MEGAN HENRY

Lacy Law Firm

SAMMY HIGH

Wilson & Associates

Sammy High is an associate partner in the litigation department at Wilson & Associates. His primary areas of practice include defense litigation, mortgage banking litigation, family law, business/corporate law, probate and criminal law. High earned his B.S. degree from the University of Central Arkansas (1998) and his J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law (2001). He was admitted to the bar in Arkansas in 2001 and is licensed to practice before the 8th Circuit. He is also licensed to practice in Tennessee and before the 6th Circuit. Sammy is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, the Pulaski County Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association.

SAM HILBURN

Hilburn & Harper

SCOTT HILBURN

Hillburn & Harper

MARSHALL HUBBARD

Hall Estill Law Firm

JAMIE HUFFMAN JONES

Friday, Eldredge & Clark

BILL HULSEY

Hulsey Law PC

Q. BYRUM HURST

Hurst Law Group

JOSH HURST

Hurst Law Group

JUSTIN HURST

Hurst Law Group

CHRIS HUSSEIN

Taylor Law Partners

Chris Hussein is a partner at Taylor Law Partners in Fayetteville. He was born in Memphis and earned a Juris Doctor at the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville in 2017. His practice areas include domestic relations, divorce, family law, guardianships, civil litigation, criminal defense, criminal record sealing and orders of protection. He is a past president of the Washington County Bar Association, and a member of the Benton County, Arkansas and American bar associations, as well as the W.B. Putman American Inn of Court. He served

as the young lawyers section chair for the Arkansas Bar Association from 2019 to 2021 and the young lawyer representative for Arkansas and Oklahoma at the American Bar Association from 2021 to 2023. He is also a volunteer attorney at Legal Aid of Arkansas and serves on the board of directors at Family Network NWA.

STUART JACKSON

Wright Lindsey Jennings

BILL JAMES

James Law Firm

RYAN JEWELL

Taylor Law Partners

Ryan Jewell, partner at Taylor Law Partners in Fayetteville, defends Arkansans against criminal allegations and in divorce and child custody cases. His criminal practice includes misdemeanor and felony charges and tickets and citations of all kinds. He grew up in Pittsburgh, Texas, and attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 2008. He managed dental practices in the DallasFort Worth area before returning to the University of Arkansas for law school, earning his Juris Doctor in 2014. During law school, he competed in trial and client counseling competitions and was an extern for Washington County Circuit Court Judge Cristi Beaumont. After graduating, he represented injured railroad workers before he found his passion for criminal defense and domestic relations.

SARAH C. JEWELL

McMath Woods

Sarah C. Jewell is an injury and wrongful-death attorney who handles cases throughout Arkansas that involve car and truck wrecks, premises liability, medical negligence, and defective drugs and medical devices. Annually since 2018, Jewell has been selected as a Super Lawyers Mid-South Rising Star. Jewell was named the 2019 Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association Outstanding Young Lawyer and received the Judith Ryan Gray Young Lawyer Service Award (2018), Frank C. Elcan II Leadership Award (2018), and Golden Gavel Awards (2020, 2021, 2023) from the Arkansas Bar Association for exemplary service to the legal profession. Jewell serves

MISO is proud to recognize Kandi Hughes, for being selected as an AMP 2024 Top Professional and Legal Elite.

Congratulations, Kandi!

We are proud to have you as a part of our team.

on the Arkansas Bar Association Board of Trustees and the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Board of Governors, and she is past chair of the young lawyers sections for both organizations. Prior to graduating from University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville in 2015, Jewell earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English and taught college writing courses.

JONATHAN D. JONES

Jonathan D. Jones, Attorney at Law

Jonathan Jones runs a boutique law firm in Hot Springs focusing on divorce, child custody and other family law matters. He has also worked in civil litigation, personal injury litigation and property and real estate law with a focus on wills and trusts. Jones graduated from Hendrix College in 1998 with a degree in political science, and from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 2001.

YIESHA JONES

WH Law Firm

JARRED KIBBEY

Natural State Law

JUDSON C. KIDD

Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan

Jud Kidd has been practicing law at Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan for 45 years. Becoming a trial lawyer in 1975, he followed in his family’s footsteps, and concentrated his practice in family law and personal injury. Over the years, Kidd has been recognized as one of the best trial lawyers in the county. He is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and American Board of Trial Advocates and has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 2001 and Mid-South Super Lawyer since 2006. He enjoys the highest peer rating issued by Martindale-Hubble for legal and ethical excellence. Kidd is the managing partner of Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan. The firm has represented generations of Arkansas families and recovered millions of dollars for injury victims. He continues the firm’s commitment to excellence, working tirelessly on behalf of his clients in courthouses across the state.

KEN KIEKLAK

GKD LAW Kieklak Law Firm

TAYLOR KING

Taylor King Law

KERRI KOBBEMAN

Conner & Winters

KATE LACHOWSKY-KHAN

Wilson & Associates

Kate Lachowsky-Khan is a partner and supervising attorney in the bankruptcy department at Wilson & Associates. She has a background in management and creditor rights relating to real estate. While at the firm, she has practiced in both the foreclosure and bankruptcy departments.

She is a native of Paso Robles, Cal., and received her undergraduate degree from Sonoma State University in 2006 (B.A., Psychology, Cum Laude), and earned her law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 2011, where she also earned the Dean’s Certificate of Service.

She was admitted into the Arkansas Bar in 2012, the Tennessee Bar in 2018, and the Mississippi Bar in 2019, and is licensed to practice in all state and federal courts in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi. She is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, the Mississippi Bar Association, the Pulaski County Bar Association, the Debtor-Creditor Bar of Central Arkansas, and the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers.

BRANDON LACY

Lacy Law Firm

JENNIFER LANCASTER

Lancaster Law Firm

FRANK LAPORTE-JENNER

LaPorte-Jenner Law

KELLI LAPORTE-JENNER

LaPorte-Jenner Law

SAMUEL E. LEDBETTER

McMath Woods

Since 1985, environmental law has been the primary focus of Sam Ledbetter’s law practice. For nearly 40 years, Sam has represented individuals, communities, environmental organizations and companies in a variety of environmental cases. Ledbetter’s environmental practice includes air, surface water and groundwater pollution cases; protecting Arkansas’ free-flowing rivers and streams; holding upstream property owners accountable for

damages caused by irresponsible development; challenging permits to new facilities that threaten to harm the environment; and defending companies in pollution cases. Ledbetter served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 and served on the Arkansas State Board of Education from 2008 to 2015. In recognition of his environmental practice, Sam has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America since 1998 and was recognized on numerous occasions as Arkansas’ “Lawyer of the Year” for environmental law.

JASON LEE

Gill Ragon Owen

ALAN LEVAR

LeVar Law

TODD LEWIS

Conner & Winters

DORIS MAGSAYO

Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone

ANGELA MANN

Mann & Kemp

Angela Mann is cofounder of Mann & Kemp in Little Rock. As an undergraduate, Mann attended Christian Brothers University in Memphis, where she majored in marketing and received her Bachelor of Science magna cum laude in 2005. She subsequently went on to pursue her legal education at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, and in 2011, she was awarded her Juris Doctor summa cum laude. Mann’s professional affiliations include the Pulaski County Bar Association. Mann has been recognized by the Best Lawyers in America for the past four years. Mann’s practice focuses on family law, including divorce, custody and guardianship matters.

THOMAS H. MARS

Mars Law Firm

MARK MARTIN

Martin Law Firm

HEATHER MARTIN-HERRON

Wilson & Associates

Heather Martin-Herron is a partner and supervising attorney at Wilson & Associates PLLC. She is a native of Little Rock and received her education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (A.A. 2004; B.A. 2006). She

WH Law

CUSTOMER SERVICE THE KEY DELIVERABLE

As a general rule, getting laid off from a job is a rough patch in life, but for Brandon Haubert, it was the door opening to a true calling. The selfdescribed blue-collar oil field worker was really a lawyer at heart.

“I got laid off in 2008 and decided that was a good time to go be a lawyer because I thought that’s what I should do. I always had an inkling to just go do it,” Haubert said.

With the support of friends and a feeling he was misplaced in the oil fields, he enrolled at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

“I have a different experience than most lawyers,” he said. “I can rebuild an engine. I can weld. My experience is not that of your average lawyer.”

Haubert initially served as a law clerk for several firms and a state agency before going into partnership with attorney Dennis Wilson and his wife. What was Wilson-Haubert then became WH Law.

By Steve Wilcox

firm website, and people would come into the office and they would be confused because they weren’t sure they were in the right place. The office felt so much different than our outward appearance.

“People preferred how they felt in our offices. When you walk in our office, nobody has a suit on, and there’s no mahogany. There’s no leather. It looks more like a marketing firm. We were trying to find a way to turn our outward appearance to be more true.”

“I was one of those kids who was always argumentative, and several said, ‘You should be a lawyer,’” Haubert said.

There was an initial disconnect for someone contemplating the law whose parents never graduated from high school, but he was looking for a career with more options, higher income and, as he called it, “status.”

Once Haubert took over the law firm, he went about the business of trying to reconfigure what being a law client should be. He started at the front door.

“I was trying to figure out what to do because as far as law firms go, our feel is pretty relaxed,” Haubert said. “The website used to be all of us in suits, the standard law

The ultimate extension of that relaxed look and feel is the firm’s tagline: Boots, Not Suits.

The firm stays in its legal lane, meaning the family law attorneys at WH Law stick to family law, the bankruptcy attorneys solely focus on bankruptcy, and the employment law team works that segment alone.

“We’re just going to fix problems that regular people have,” Haubert said.

With more that 50 people working in the firm, WH Law is one of the bigger law offices in Arkansas, and Haubert has spearheaded the growth of his firm, which has accelerated in recent years, by focusing WH Law as more of a business than a law firm.

“We meet people where they’re at, make it easy on them, try to provide all the convenience that they would expect from any other business,” Haubert said. “Being more customer focused has helped us grow.”

Then there is the matter of why people seek out a law office that looks like a marketing company.

“We don’t look or talk like most lawyers. Let’s be honest; most people don’t like lawyers,” Haubert said, “so I feel like [clients] are less timid about talking to us, more comfortable around us.”

The other point Haubert noted in outlining WH Law’s success is simple courtesy.

“We call people back, which is apparently a big win in the legal field,” he said.

Haubert and his firm have worked hard to bring everyday human touch to the office. Nothing illustrates that path of law reinvention than Haubert’s own legal awakening.

“I was talking to a friend about clients and all of my frustrations. He brought it to the point that we don’t talk to clients; we talk to people,” Haubert said. “I was like, ‘Explain this to me.’ He said someone calls you and needs to do a probate. Their dad died. What’s the first thing you say? ‘What is his date of death? What county did he live in? Did he have a will?’ And if your buddy came up to you and his dad died, what’s the first thing you say? ‘Man, I’m sorry.’ And that hit me.”

received her law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law (J.D. 2011, Honors). Heather was admitted to the Arkansas Bar in 2011, the Tennessee Bar in 2013, and the Mississippi Bar in 2019. She is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and the Mississippi Bar Association. Heather was appointed to the Board of Directors for Central Arkansas Rescue Effort (C.A.R.E.) for Animals in 2019, elected as Secretary in 2020. She was elected as President of C.A.R.E.’s Board of Directors in 2021 and continues to serve as their president.

ROXANE MARTINO

The Martino Law Firm

DUSTIN MCDANIEL

Cozen O’Connor

Dustin McDaniel is cochair of the state attorneys general group at Cozen O’Connor and heads the firm’s Little Rock office. He serves clients facing attorney general investigations and litigation in Arkansas and across the U.S., advising on a wide range of consumer protection and administrative law issues, including laws relating to antitrust, tobacco, Medicaid fraud and data privacy. McDaniel was the Arkansas Attorney General from 2007 to 2015 and served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2005 to 2007. He is recognized by Best Lawyers in America for his government relations practice and is active in a number of professional, public service, and charitable organizations. Before joining Cozen O’Connor, he was a founding partner at McDaniel Wolff in Little Rock.

COURTNEY MCGAHHEY

Wilson & Associates

Courtney McGahhey is a partner of Wilson & Associates, PLLC, focusing on creditors rights. She received her education from the University of Arkansas and the William H. Bowen School of Law (J.D. 2008, High Honors). She was admitted to the Bar of the state of Arkansas in 2008, the Bar of the State of Texas in 2009, the Bar of the State of Tennessee in 2016, and the Bar of the State of Mississippi in 2024. She is

a member of Arkansas Bar Association, and a recipient of the American Legal & Financial Network’s Junior Professionals & Executives Picture the Future Award. Courtney is actively involved in both the ALFN and USFN, where she has served as a panelist at multiple industry seminars and continuing education courses. Courtney has also published numerous articles focusing on non-judicial foreclosures and title issues. She joined Wilson & Associates in July 2011.

J. RANDALL MCGINNIS

Jones, Jackson, Moll, McGinnis & Stocks

JAMES MCMATH

McMath Woods

James Bruce McMath is a trial attorney, legal community leader, lecturer and advocate of the civil justice system. He specializes in personal injury matters, especially those relating to product defects, dangerous pharmaceuticals, toxic substances, medical negligence, pollution and pesticide-related damages and injuries, and motor vehicle accident cases relating to passenger restraint system failures and highway construction accidents. He serves on the American Board of Trial Advocates and is a lecturer at numerous organizations and colleges, including the Hastings College of Advocacy and Hastings Law School. Currently, McMath serves as counsel of the firm.

KERA MIKLES

Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone

DAVID MITCHELL JR.

Rose Law Firm

EMILY MIZELL

Conner & Winters

MARK MOLL

Jones, Jackson, Moll, McGinnis & Stocks

MICHAEL S. MOORE

Friday Eldredge & Clark

BIRC MORLEDGE

Morledge Law Firm

KEITH MORRISON

Wilson & Associates

Keith Morrison is a partner located in the Fayetteville litigation office of Wilson & Associates. He is a native of Fayetteville. He received his education from Hendrix College (B.A. 1981) and

Vanderbilt University, (J.D. 1984). He was admitted to the Arkansas Bar in 1984 and to the Tennessee Bar in 2006. He is a member of the Washington County Bar Association, the Pulaski County Bar Association, and the Arkansas Bar Association. He is a fellow in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. His civic activities include Hendrix College Alumni Board of Governors; Bethany Christian Services of Northwest Arkansas (board of directors); and St. Joseph’s School (advisory board). He has served as a clinical instructor at the University of Arkansas Law School since 2017.

JOSH MOSTYN

Mostyn Prettyman Law Office

MIKE MUNNERLYN

Mike Munnerlyn

BRUCE E. MUNSON

Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone

NICOLE MURRAY

Wilson & Associates

Nicole Murray is an attorney in the foreclosure department of Wilson & Associates, and is highly knowledgeable in the areas of foreclosure and real estate title issues. She earned her B.A. in educational studies at Warner University (2010, Magna Cum Laude), and earned her J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law (2017, Suma Cum Laude). She was admitted to the Arkansas Bar in 2017, the Mississippi Bar in 2024, and is a member of the American Bar Association and the Arkansas Bar Association.

MARY NASH

Nash Law Firm

ANDREW NORWOOD

Denton Zachary Norwood

An Arkansas native who can trace his Arkansas roots back to 1870, Andrew Norwood, attorney at Denton Zachary Norwood in Little Rock, has been instrumental in gaining multimilliondollar recoveries for his clients. A formidable legal practitioner in the areas of personal injury and civil litigation, Norwood relishes the opportunity to fight against large insurance companies for injured clients’ rights and help them recover from some of life’s most difficult situations. Norwood has an undergraduate biology degree

PATRICK SPIVEY

DOUG NORWOOD

• AY’s Best Of Lawyers - 2024

• “Lawyer of the Year” for 2022 in Criminal Defense: General Practice in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

• SuperLawyer

• Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated

• Former Deputy Prosecutor

• Defended over 30,000 cases

• Defended over 10,000 DWIs

from the University of Louisiana Monroe and a doctorate in interdisciplinary biomedical sciences from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, and he earned his law degree with honors from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Away from work, Norwood is a dedicated family man and is married to his college sweetheart, Ashley, with whom he has two sons, Henry and Oliver.

DOUG NORWOOD

Norwood & Norwood

For more than 30 years, former prosecuting attorney Doug Norwood has devoted his legal career to defending the people of northwest Arkansas against criminal charges. He started his firm as a solo attorney handling all kinds of legal matters. Norton quickly decided that DWI and criminal defense were the only kinds of cases he wanted to handle. During his time in practice, he has hand-picked a team of highly skilled litigation attorneys whom he leads. Norwood and his team have defended more than 35,000 criminal cases, including thousands of felonies and more than 11,000 DWI cases. Norwood originally hails from north Florida, where he attended Florida State University and received a Bachelor of Science in criminology. He moved to Fayetteville in the early 1980s to attend the University of Arkansas, where he received his law degree. He worked as a prosecutor upon graduation from law school and, in 1988, he opened his own DWI and criminal defense practice. His wife, Cathy, joined him as a law partner in 1995. The firm, Norwood & Norwood, has offices in Rogers, Fayetteville, Springdale and Bentonville.

SACH OLIVER

Oliver Law Firm

CHRIS OSWALT

Robertson, Oswalt, Nony

SARAH PAGE TACKER

PPGMR Law

BROOKLYN PARKER

Jason Owens Law Firm

Brooklyn Parker is an attorney with the Jason Owens Law Firm in Conway. Her practice areas include business law and litigation, business formation, real estate, and estate plan -

ning. She received her law degree from the Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Central Arkansas. She is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, Arkansas Women’s Network, Women’s Leadership Network of Conway, Faulkner County Bar Association (for which she serves as president), United Way of Central Arkansas (vice president), Kiwanis of Conway (vice president), Woodrow Cummins PTO (secretary), and she is a board member of Conway Symphony Orchestra.

DAVID W. PARKER

Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan

David Parker currently holds the distinction of being the only known Arkansas attorney to have been tased, tear gassed, and pepper sprayed by the police, and he’s not scared to go back for more to protect his clients. If it is street credibility you are after, look no farther. A former prosecutor, Parker, joined Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan in 2017. After graduating from UALR William H. Bowen School of Law in 2008, he worked as a deputy prosecuting attorney, where he prosecuted more than 30,000 criminal cases in White County district and circuit courts. There, he also served as special judge in White County District Court – Civil Division.

PAUL PARNELL

Rose Law Firm

KRISTIN PAWLIK

Miller, Butler, Schneider, Pawlik & Rozzell

Kristin Pawlik, partner at Miller, Butler, Schneider, Pawlik and Rozzell since 2008, is certified to represent the best interests of children as a domestic relations attorney ad litem. She also regularly accepts felony criminal conflict appointments from the Public Defender Commission. Starting at the firm in 2003, she previously worked in the 19th Judicial District as chief deputy public defender. Pawlik was appointed by both Governor Mike Beebe and Governor Asa Hutchinson to serve as chair of the Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape and Domestic Violence and has served on

various other boards and associations. She’s the recipient of the President’s Golden Gavel Award from the Arkansas Bar Association and was recognized as the Arkansas Pro Bono Attorney of the Year in 2009 by the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission. She was recently sworn in as president of the ABA.

G. ALAN PERKINS

PPGMR Law

J. DALTON PERSON

Jones, Jackson, Moll, McGinnis & Stocks

JOHN PESEK

City of Rogers

PAUL PFIEFER

Pfeifer Law Firm

DONALD C. PULLEN

Lane, Muse, Arman & Pullen

HANS E. PULLEN

Lane Muse Arman Pullen

STEVE W. QUATTLEBAUM

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull

Steve Quattlebaum is a founding and managing member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull practicing primarily in the areas of complex business, toxic tort and products-liability litigation. He has served as lead trial counsel in more than 100 trials, including several multi-district bellwether trials involving toxic tort, products liability, breach of contract, intellectual property, environmental litigation, securities fraud, franchise disputes, trade secrets, personal injury and commercial matters. Some of his corporate clients include chemical, pharmaceutical and automobile manufacturers, investment banking institutions, energy and utility companies, major retailers, and medical-device companies. Quattlebaum served as national president of the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2023, is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers, and was inducted into the Lawdragon 500 Hall of Fame in 2021 after being named to the Lawdragon 500 List for more than eight years.

BRIAN RATCLIFF

PPGMR Law

JAMES RANKIN

PPGMR Law

SYDNEY RASCH

Turner & Rasch

Atlanta

Denver

Boca Raton

Harrisburg

Minneapolis

San Diego

Boston

Boulder

Houston

New York

San Francisco

Philadelphia

Santa Monica

Seattle

West Conshohocken

West Palm Beach

Wilmington

Across the US and Right Here in Little Rock, Cozen O’Connor Honors Our Legal Elite.

Congratulations to Dustin McDaniel for being honored in the 2024 AMP Legal Elite for his continued leadership in Arkansas and nationally. In addition, Best Lawyers® recently designated Dustin as a 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” and recognized him for his government relations practice.

Former Attorney General of Arkansas, Dustin heads our Little Rock office and co-chairs our State Attorneys General Group, the only Chambers Band One-ranked AG practice in the nation.

The Cozen O’Connor State AG Group serves clients facing attorney general (AG) investigations and litigation in Arkansas and across the US. We assist our clients with all aspects of their dealings with AGs, among the most powerful state officials regulating businesses today.

Dustin McDaniel

Co-Chair, State Attorneys General (501) 404-4000 dmcdaniel@cozen.com

BRIAN W. RAY

Collins, Collins & Ray

For more than 20 years, Brian W. Ray has advocated for clients in many areas of serious personal injury litigation and criminal defense. He knows the system and knows how to fight for rights in service to others. Ray served as a U.S. Marine, police officer, and deputy prosecutor. He knows that each case is an important event for each client and stands ready to take a case to trial if necessary to obtain the best possible outcome. Ray graduated Summa Cum Laude from Henderson State University before earning his Juris Doctor from the William H.Bowen School of Law, where he qualified for membership to the Who’s Who Among American Law Students. He has earned the respect of both his clients and peers by being continuously named to the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell for demonstrating the highest possible ethical standards and legal ability. And, he has earned a rating of “10.0-Superb” from the online legal directory, Avvo, where peers and clients have posted their rankings in terms of knowledge, trustworthiness, responsiveness, and keeping clients informed.

BRIAN REDDICK

Reddick Law

JOSEPH D. REECE RMP

According to Joseph D. Reece, the most rewarding part of his work in law is helping clients solve problems and achieve their goals through complex estate planning strategies. Reece is a native of northwest Arkansas and has over 22 years of experience practicing law. He is a founding member of RMP Law. He earned an accounting degree from University of the Ozarks before obtaining his law degree from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and a Master of Laws degree in estate planning and taxation from the University of Miami. His areas of focus include representing businesses and families in NWA in estate planning, tax planning and business matters. He has been recognized for his outstanding legal expertise by the Best Lawyers in America publication and Mid-South Super Lawyers magazine. He is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and Washington County Bar Association.

ELIZABETH RICHARDSON

Elizabeth Richardson Law

BONNIE ROBERTSON

Robertson, Oswalt, Nony

GARY B. ROGERS

Hilburn & Harper

BRIAN ROSENTHAL

Rose Law Firm

LUCAS ROWAN

Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan

Lucas Rowan has a diverse litigation practice that includes an extensive family law practice, personal injury cases, and other civil matters. His experience trying family law cases provides the bedrock of his successful mediation practice. Prior to joining Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan, he clerked for the Sixth Division of the Pulaski County Circuit Court. Rowan has been recognized multiple times as one of the state’s top mediators and has been recognized by Super Lawyers every year since 2018.

CARRIE RUSSOM QURAISHI

Quraishi Law Firm

CATHERINE A. RYAN

Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan

Catherine Ryan has been a civil litigator for more than 20 years, helping injured people and their families obtain relief. She focuses her practice on personal injury, wrongful death claims and appeals. Ryan is admitted to practice in the State of Arkansas and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas and District of Massachusetts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She was recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star from 2010 to 2013, and as a Super Lawyers every year since 2022. She is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

JOHN SCOTT

Conner & Winters

GREG SCHARLAU

Conner & Winters

ALEXANDER SHELL

Conner & Winters

MOLLY SHEPHARD

PPGMR Law

PETER SHULTS

Shults Law Firm

WILLIAM R. SIMPSON

James Law Firm

CHARLCEE SMALL

Charlcee Small Law

JIM SMITH

Smith Hurst

Jim Smith is a founding partner of Smith Hurst, a regional business and private wealth law firm located in Rogers, Arkansas. For over 30 years, he has focused his practice on advising companies, executives and entrepreneurs regarding a full range of business advisory and transactional law matters, with a particular emphasis on corporate structure, governance and finance (including private placements of securities, capital raises and securities law matters), strategic initiatives, mergers and acquisitions, business taxation, compliance with regulatory obligations, executive compensation and compensatory plans, and business contractual matters.

Smith obtained his Masters of Law (Taxation) from New York University School of Law and his law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law. He is also a licensed certified public accountant (registered inactive).

BRIANNA SPINKS NONY Robertson,Oswalt, Nony

PATRICK SPIVEY

Fuqua Campbell

Patrick Spivey at Fuqua Campbell has practiced law in Little Rock since 2002. His primary areas of practice include civil and commercial litigation, real estate transactions, business and commercial transactions, banking, construction law, insurance defense and creditor’s rights. He represents companies in all aspects of their operations, including employment law, contracts and transactions, and has the privilege of defending municipalities and counties throughout Arkansas. He is dedicated to advocating for his clients, with a commitment to helping them navigate complex legal challenges and successfully resolve the matters at hand. He has represented clients in both state and federal courts, including the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Super Lawyers named him a “Rising Star,” and he has been recognized by several local publications.

Mitchell Williams

70 YEARS OF SERVICE

Since its founding 70 years ago, Little Rock’s Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard has been committed to service, a pillar of the law firm’s approach as instilled by co-founder Maurice Mitchell.

“Maurice believed it was the firm’s responsibility to share our experience, skills, expertise and resources to support organizations that provide charitable, social, educational or cultural enrichment to the community,” said Heather Haywood, the firm’s director of marketing and public relations. “We believe in the power of experience — all experiences. Our firm was founded by attorneys who stood against discrimination on the basis of religion, and our history includes our partners actively joining the public protest in September 1958 against closing the schools during the Central High crisis, among other efforts.”

Haywood said the firm has been grounded in service, integrity and innovation since its 1954 launch, and that has helped propel growth. With offices in Little Rock, Rogers, Jonesboro and Austin, Texas, the firm now has 84 attorneys.

“We value developing deep relationships, with our clients, attorneys and teams working together to leverage resources, delivering comprehensive legal services to our valued clients and giving back to our communities,” Haywood said. “We leverage the power of our experience for our valued clients. Our goal on every matter is to drive value to our clients with extensive experience, knowledge and exceptional service.”

In 1980, Mitchell’s firm merged with Williams, Selig & Sayre in Little Rock and expanded the firm’s tax, corporate and securities practices with the addition of renowned tax attorney Dick Williams and former Arkansas Securities Commissioner John Selig. In 1983, former Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Bill Woodyard joined the firm and established Arkansas’ only national insurance regulatory practice, which is powered by a team made up of former senior regulators and insurance company in-house counsel. Today, Mitchell Williams handles transactions and regulatory issues for insurance industry

By AMP Staff

IN FOUNDING LEADERSHIP

clients in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In 1992, another merger, this one with the law practice of former Bentonville mayor and attorney Ernie Lawrence, established the firm’s presence in northwest Arkansas, and in 2008, Mitchell Williams expanded its national insurance regulatory practice through a merger with the Long Burner firm in Austin, Texas.

True to its commitment to service, the firm established the Take Time to Give program in 2004 in recognition of its 50th anniversary.

“Annually, we contribute volunteer hours, pro bono legal services and financial support to selected primary charities working in communities we serve,” Haywood said. “We are committed to serving as a responsible corporate citizen in the communities where we live and work. Our dedication to community service spans our network of offices, directly benefiting our local communities as demonstrated through our Take Time to Give initiative.”

Pro bono work is prioritized at Mitchell Williams. By helping those in need, Haywood said the firm strengthens relationships with the communities it serves while fulfilling its ethical obligation to help the impoverished, defenseless and oppressed.

“Through pro bono work, we are engaged with constitutional rights, racial and socioeconomic injustice, expungements and youth affairs,” she said. “We also support our Take Time to Give charities, and many of our attorneys contribute pro bono services in their community involvement roles. In 2023, our team contributed 721 hours to pro bono matters.”

One of the outcomes of the firm’s community involvement, Haywood added, has been the formation of the firm’s corporate art collection, primarily works on paper by Arkansas artists.

“It was built by purchasing sophisticated, contemporary works of art while supporting local nonprofit organizations at fundraising events,” she said. “Today, the Mitchell Williams corporate art collection features over 90 works of contemporary art, including drawings, paintings, etchings and lithographs.”

RICHARD A. WILLIAMS H. MAURICE MITCHELL JOHN S. SELIG ALLAN GATES WILLIAM (BILL) WOODYARD, III

AARON SQUYRES

Wilson & Associates

Aaron Squyres is a partner and shareholder at Little Rock-based Wilson & Associates and is the managing attorney of the litigation, bankruptcy and eviction departments. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law. He is a master of the bench of the Judge Henry Woods American Inn of Court and a member of the Arkansas and Tennessee Bar Associations. He is very active in the Arkansas Bar Association and is a member of the board of trustees. He has chaired the association’s legislation and governance committees, served on several task forces, served as the 2016 annual meeting chair, and served as parliamentarian from 2017 to 2022. His primary area of practice is mortgage banking litigation.

KEVIN J. STATEN

Laser Law Firm

Kevin J. Staten graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with a degree in finance and banking. He was president of Blue Key and chosen Who’s Who Among American College Students. He attended the University of Arkansas School of Law, where he graduated in 1985. He passed the bar and started practicing law at the Laser Law Firm in 1985 at age 24. Staten has been a trial lawyer for numerous insurance companies and their insureds his entire career. He has tried over 400 jury trials in more than 40 counties in Arkansas. He has possessed the highest possible legal rating of AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell for at least 15 years. Also, he has been selected by his peers as a Mid-South Super Lawyer in the area of insurance defense on 14 occasions. Staten is currently the managing partner at Laser Law Firm in Little Rock.

DAVID STERLING

Cox, Sterling, Vandiver, & Botteicher

David Sterling is an experienced litigator for the Little Rock firm of Cox, Sterling, Vandiver & Botteicher, with more than 27 years of experience in a variety of legal settings, including in small, large, and government firm environ-

ments. He is a founding partner at CSVB, and his practice focuses on business and commercial litigation, employment law, probate litigation, health law litigation, government relations, and a wide range of other areas. He currently chairs the solo/ small firm committee of the American Bar Association’s section of litigation. He recently served as chief counsel at the Arkansas Department of Human Services, supervising over 80 attorneys and over 160 employees providing legal representation to DHS and its 9 program divisions. He also served as general counsel at the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, overseeing its legal department. He has been named a Mid-South Super Lawyer and received an “AV” peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell for his preeminent legal ability and high ethical standards.

JOHN STOBAUGH

Schnipper, Britton & Stobaugh

John Stobaugh graduated from McGehee High School before earning a degree from Texas A&M University. In 2013, he earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and was admitted to practice that same year. He then joined Bell & Boyd as an associate attorney in 2013 and deputy city attorney of Magnolia. He is the past president of the Columbia County Bar Association and served on various community boards during his time in Magnolia. Stobaugh also served as an adjunct professor at Southern Arkansas University. He joined Schnipper, Britton & Stobaugh as an associate attorney in 2017 and was named partner in 2019. He focuses primarily on family law, criminal defense, personal injury and civil litigation. Stobaugh is the current president of the Garland County Bar Association, a member of the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club and a founding member of the Sunshine Therapeutic Riding Center.

TAYLOR A. STOCKEMER

Friday, Eldredge & Clark

KATHRYN A. STOCKS

Jones, Jackson, Moll, McGinnis & Stocks

PAULA STOREYGARD

Hilburn & Harper

GINGER STUART

Stuart Law Firm

TASHA TAYLOR

Taylor & Taylor Law Firm

W.H. TAYLOR

Taylor Law Partners

W.H. Taylor is a partner at Taylor Law Partners in Fayetteville. A native of Fordyce, he earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville before earning a Juris Doctor at the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1981. He is a member of the Washington County, Benton County and Arkansas bar associations, as well as the American College of Trial Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association. His practice areas include criminal defense, civil litigation, and business and commercial litigation. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.

BRIAN G. THOMAS

Conner & Winters

EMILY TOWE

Reddick Law

AMY TRACY

Tracy Law

Amy Tracy is a dedicated defense litigator well-versed in the areas of transportation law, hospitality/spa/wellness and insurance defense. She also provides small business general counsel services. She believes in putting the clients first and has more than 14 years of experience. Tracy recently announced the launch of Little Rock’s Tracy Law, a premier legal practice which emphasizes trucking defense and compliance, civil defense and litigation and small business general counsel services. She is licensed in both Arkansas and Virginia. Tracy has garnered a wealth of experience through roles in private practice and in-house counsel in multiple jurisdictions. She and her team are here to help her clients navigate the legal landscape with confidence and provide exceptional legal representation.

TIFFANY TUCKER

Farrar & Williams

CHRIS TURNAGE

Berry & Turnage

PRESLEY TURNER

Turner & Rasch

partner

as the clients who retain our services. That’s the spirit that Mayer LLP was built on – and the attitude Barrett embodies to earn this recognition by the readers of AMP.

BRIAN A. VANDIVER

Cox, Sterling, Vandiver, & Botteicher

Brian A. Vandiver is a partner in the Little Rock law firm of Cox, Sterling, Vandiver, & Botteicher. He is widely known as one of the preeminent employment law attorneys in Arkansas, primarily representing employers and executives across the state with advice and in litigation. Vandiver primarily represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law and routinely advises management in labor and employment compliance and litigation in areas such as employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation, wage and hour, Arkansas common law, hiring/retention, defamation, invasion of privacy, employment contracts and separation agreements, unfair competition, Arkansas unemployment benefit claims and much more.

STEVAN VOWELL

Taylor Law Partners

Stevan E. Vowell is a partner at Taylor Law Partners in Fayetteville. A Green Forest native, he earned a Juris Doctor at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1975. He had a practice in Berryville for many years before joining Taylor Law Partners. His practice areas include truck and auto accidents, civil litigation, criminal law, divorce and family law, personal injury, probate, products liability, and wrongful death. He is a member of the Washington County, Arkansas and American bar associations, as well as the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association for Justice, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.

SHELLIE WALLACE

Wilson & Associates

Shellie Wallace is a partner/shareholder and managing attorney of the foreclosure legal and foreclosure title departments at Wilson & Associates. She received her education from Arkansas Tech University (B.A., 1989, Highest Honors) and the University of Arkansas at

Little Rock School of Law (J.D., 1992). She was admitted to the Bar of the State of Arkansas in 1992 and Tennessee in 2006. She is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and former member of the USFN. She has significant experience in consumer protection litigation, legislation and administrative procedures. Her practice areas focus in real estate and creditors rights.

VINCE WARD

McDaniel Wolff

Vince Ward is McDaniel Wolff’s managing member and co-leads its tax and corporate law practice. His practice focuses on a wide range of taxation and business law matters involving a diverse group of industries, regularly providing counsel to multi-state retailers, manufacturers, logistics companies, commercial real estate developers, regulated lenders, and many others. He frequently assists clients with mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate transactions, business start-ups, and charitable organizations. A native of Fayetteville, Ward moved to Little Rock after obtaining his Master of Laws in Taxation from Southern Methodist University.

ANDREW J. WEIR

Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone

STEWART WHALEY WH Law Firm

MARY WHITE SCHNEIDER

Miller, Butler, Schneider, Pawlik & Rozzell

Mary White Schneider has been a partner at Miller, Butler, Schneider, Pawlik & Rozzell since November 2001. She began her legal career in Tulsa in 1987 working for the insurance defense firm of Joseph Paulk & Associates. She moved to Arkansas and joined the Slinkard Law Firm in 1989, staying until 1996 when she became a partner at Cochran, Schneider & Croxton. In 2000, she began practicing as a mediator in family, probate and juvenile law which she has focused on since, becoming certified in 2003 when the initial class of mediators was first certified in the state. She is also a certified ad litem. The areas of law she has focused on most include domestic relations, probate, family law litigation mediation and ad litem. Schneider has given many speeches on family law and mediation.

JACOB WICKLIFFE

Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan

Jacob Wickliffe is a firstgeneration lawyer and native of North Little Rock. Wickliffe’s practice centers around family law matters and high conflict divorces. He graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 2020 and clerked for the Thirteenth Division of Pulaski County Circuit Court until he joined Dodds, Kidd, Ryan & Rowan in 2022. Wickliffe has integrated the skills he learned during his clerkship experience into his family law practice, and he values providing ease of mind and zealous representation to his clients at every stage of litigation. Despite having been in private practice for only two years, Wickliffe has been recognized each year as a leader in his field by peer nomination.

AMY WILBOURN

Conner & Winters

ADAM WILLIAMS

Farrar & Williams

JILLIAN WILSON

Wilson & Associates

Jillian Wilson is a comanaging partner and supervising attorney at Wilson & Associates P.L.L.C. She received her education from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. (B.A. 2011), the University of Arkansas School of Law (J.D. 2013, cum laude), and the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business (M.B.A. 2023). She was admitted to the Arkansas Bar in 2014, the Maryland Bar in 2015, the Mississippi Bar in 2016, and the Tennessee Bar in 2021. She is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, Pulaski County Bar Association, Maryland State Bar Association, Mississippi Bar Association and the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers. She is a member of the Young Lawyers’ Section for the Arkansas Bar, the communication committee for the Arkansas Bar and the Young Lawyers’ Division of the Mississippi Bar.

ROBBIE WILSON

Attorney’s Title Group, Wilson & Associates

Robbie Wilson is managing partner in title and closing at Attorney’s Title Group and Wilson & Associates in Little Rock. He received a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in New Orleans in 2009 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2013. He was admitted into the Arkansas Bar in 2013, the Mississippi Bar in 2018 and the Tennessee Bar in 2021, and he is licensed to practice before the 8th Circuit Court of the United States. Robbie is a member of the Pulaski County Bar Association, the Arkansas Bar Association and the Judge Henry Woods Inns of Court, and he is a board member at the Pulaski County Bar Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of Central Arkansas and the Hat Club. He was a member of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXIV. In addition to title and closing, his professional experience includes mortgage banking and real estate litigation.

RUFUS WOLFF

McDaniel Wolff

Rufus Wolff is a founding member of McDaniel Wolff and co-leads its tax and corporate law practice. His practice focuses on a wide range of taxation and business law matters, regularly counseling private individuals, emerging technology companies, real estate developers, oil and gas companies, securities firms, and many other types of entrepreneurs whose needs require a creative yet practical approach to their complex legal matters. Rufus frequently represents clients in the areas of business and corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, securities law, tax controversy, estate planning and probate administration. He is a certified public accountant (inactive), and has served as an adjunct professor of law at the William H. Bowen School of Law in Little Rock, teaching corporate income taxation from 1989 to 1996.

G. ALLEN WOOTEN Conner & Winters

JUSTIN ZACHARY

Denton Zachary Norwood

Justin Zachary, attorney at Denton Zachary Norwood in Little Rock, has built his career by going up against some of the largest corporations in the world. His whole life, he has been fighting for the underdog. That is what drove him to practice law and serves as the inspiration for his success. In 2017, he helped start Denton Zachary Norwood. Since then, DZN has become one of the emerging plaintiff law firms in Arkansas. Zachary has been recognized by Super Lawyers magazine, an award given to only 2.5 percent of lawyers. He has also been named one of the Top 40 under 40 trial lawyers, and in 2020, he was awarded the Arkansas Trial Lawyer Association’s Trial Lawyer of the Year Award. Zachary is married to his wife, Heather, also a lawyer. Together they have three young aspiring lawyers, Grace, Shepard and Cecila.

Nonprofits’ needs extend throughout the year Service SEASON IN ANY

By Dwain Hebda

The onset of the holiday season turns many people’s thoughts to family, faith and the many blessings that have come their way in life. In recognition, many Arkansans are generous in their support of local nonprofits through time, talent, treasure or some combination of the three.

Local organizations wholeheartedly welcome the traditional flood of support during the closing months of the year, efforts unofficially kicked off over the extended Thanksgiving holiday and Giving Tuesday. The groups said they also wish the public to know, however, that the causes they work to address in the community are not limited to any one slice of the calendar.

As a former well-known advertising tagline suc-

cinctly put it, “Need knows no season,” and as Brian Marsh, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas noted, the level of that need in Arkansas is rising on all fronts. According to the group’s 2023 annual report, which covers fiscal year July 2022 to June 2023, Goodwill directly served nearly 6,500 individuals through various training programs that earned individuals more than 2,500 credentials and certifications and found nearly 500 people permanent employment.

That is in addition to operating the retail stores for which the nonprofit is well known, which not only provide affordable goods to the public and deliver an environmental benefit by recycling clothing and household items through resale but fund 90 percent of the group’s programming.

“We are Goodwill for all of Arkansas,” he said. “There are over 150 Goodwills in North America, and in the U.S., we’re one of 11 that cover all of a state, so we’re unique. Donations in Arkansas stay in Arkansas to help Arkansans.

“The mission statement of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas is ‘changing lives through education, training and employment.’ Goodwill is transforming Arkansas one person at a time. From there, its ripple effect is palpable as participants strengthen their families and, eventually, the communities in which they live.”

The group has steadily evolved into an important educational entity in Arkansas, both in basic adult education and vocational training targeting underserved and underprivileged populations. Goodwill’s Excel Center provides adults ages 19 and older with the opportunity and support to earn a high school diploma at no cost while developing career paths that offer greater employment and growth opportunities.

“We operate two campuses, one in Little Rock and one in Springdale, and we are, right now, working to secure funding to allow us to expand and add additional schools in the state,” Marsh said. “The need is real. There are over 300,000 adults in

Brian Marsh, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas (Photos provided)

There are over 150 Goodwills in North America, and in the U.S., we’re one of 11 that cover all of a state, so we’re unique. Donations in Arkansas stay in Arkansas to help Arkansans.

— Brian Marsh president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas

the state of Arkansas without a high school diploma. Our high schools are unique in that we meet the students where they are, we test them to find out their learning attainment level, and then we build an individualized education plan for them.”

Goodwill supplements the curriculum with services that help address barriers students may face while attending classes, such as childcare. The impact of completing the program is substantial for graduates, more than a third of whom are the first generation in their families to attain a high school diploma. According to the organization, average income jumps $3 per hour post-graduation, and even more telling, the experience inspires many students to seek additional education. More than four out of 10 Excel Center alums go on to pursue college or post-secondary training.

Equally impactful is the Academy at Goodwill, the organization’s licensed career-training program. The academy’s affordable curriculum provides opportunities for nontraditional students to earn one of more than 25 industry-recognized credentials that lead directly to employment in jobs in business, skilled trades, health care and information technology fields that guarantee a living wage.

Marsh said the programs are a vital pathway for individuals gaining the skills and credentials to provide for their families.

“We do everything from digital literacy up to Python programming logistics,” he said. “We do lift truck certifications and warehouse operations, welding and construction. We do [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] 10 and OSHA 30 medical, and we offer pharmacy tech for certified pharmacy technicians and certified medical assistants in those programs.”

The programs welcome a cross section of the population, none more important than those served through Goodwill’s reentry program, which helps the formerly incarcerated continue their lives in a positive direction.

Goodwill Industries of Arkansas provides resources for education and career advancement. (Photos provided)

“Our TEO program, which is transitional employment opportunities, has been shown to greatly reduce recidivism rates,” Marsh said. “The recidivism in the state is currently around 50 percent, while among graduates of our TEO program, which is a 16-week paid program, recidivism runs under 6 percent, so our reentry program has been very successful.”

Need of a different kind is being met by Little Rock based nonprofit CARE for Animals, a program that rescues animals from kill shelters and works to get the pets adopted. CARE relies on a network of local foster families who take the dogs and cats into their home until a forever family can be found.

Alexandra Mounger, CARE executive director, said despite reports of a run on shelters and millions of pets being adopted nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pendulum has swung in the other direction since, creating an even more critical situation for stray and surrendered animals.

“If anything, it’s gotten worse than before the pandemic, and this is not just us. This is not just Little Rock. This is from other shelters and other rescues across the nation,” she said. “Something that everybody is seeing is northern shelters that normally take rescues from the South are full and not able to take animals. That’s due to a lot of different factors, some of which are pandemic-related, where everybody got dogs during COVID-19 and now they don’t want them anymore. It’s also about spay and neuter services that were suspended during the pandemic, which, of course, has resulted in more animals being produced.

“On top of that, you had a lot of animals that went from puppyhood up to 2 years old, which are crucial

Even more than money, what we always need is fosters. I don’t think people realize that just one foster family that can take an animal for a week can literally save an organization like ours hundreds of dollars.

— Alexandra Mounger executive director of CARE for Animals

times for socialization, in isolation. That causes a lot of behavioral issues coming out, a lot of anxieties, reactiveness, and that’s already something that’s difficult to rehabilitate and to find a doctor or foster for.”

Mounger said as the economy has tightened, it has put additional pressure on pet owners, forcing many in lower-income brackets to surrender their pets. Not only does CARE help rescue and place those animals, but it maintains a pet food pantry to help people hold onto their pets.

“We believe that, especially now, it’s more important than ever to keep animals in loving homes,” she said. “The pet food pantry is meant to help people temporarily. People donate food, sometimes treats and sometimes other things, but it’s mainly dog and cat food. Individuals who find themselves in need can come as often as once every two weeks and get a set amount of food. The pantry is completely donation based, and supplies are not always guaranteed, so we always ask people to call ahead of time and make sure we have some.”

CARE for Animals rescues pets and provides services to low-income pet owners.

This may sound controversial, but not only do these people love their animals, some of them, I would argue, provide better care for them than people who have homes. They rely on their animals for protection, for warmth during the colder months, and they struggle more than anybody.”

Cash and pet food donations are always welcome, but help of another sort is just as vital to CARE’s mission, Mounger said.

Alexandra Mounger, executive director of CARE for Animals

Working directly with the pet owners who utilize the pantry has shown Mounger the lengths to which some people are willing to go to maintain their furry friends.

“We see this in the many people out there who would rather buy their dog’s food than pay for their own medication,” she said. “We see this in the several homeless people we serve.

“Even more than money, what we always need is fosters,” she said. “I don’t think people realize that just one foster family that can take an animal for a week can literally save an organization like ours hundreds of dollars because we’re not a shelter, not that any shelter has room to put animals right now either.

“We are even less equipped to do so; we don’t have a permit to be a boarding facility or anything like that, and we’re not set up to be one — not to mention shelters and rescues all know that dogs don’t do well in that kind of environment, so it’s not something we want to encourage. Fostering, on the other hand, has always been what’s kept us going.”

Individuals can donate to CARE’s cause at any time, but Giving Tuesday — the Tuesday after Thanksgiving — is a particularly good time to do it.

“We have a wonderful donor this year who is going to be matching all donations that day up to $12,000,” Mounger said. “That’s a great way to give and see your dollar go just a little bit further. Every little bit helps, and this match will help multiply any sized donation. We’re so grateful for people like our donor, who’s also one of our volunteers, one of the many people we have who do every little thing you could ask for, from answering the phone to helping clean the office. People like that are so rare, and we’re so grateful whenever one of them comes along.”

To learn more about the organizations, volunteer or make a donation, visit goodwillar.org or careforanimals.org.

Headquarters: Little Rock

Year founded: 1879

Area served: Statewide

Chancellor, UAMS; CEO, UAMS Health: Cam Patterson, M.D.

Vice Chancellor, Division of Institutional Advancement: John Erck

MISSION STATEMENT:

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Foundation secures gifts and philanthropic grants to support the work of UAMS and advance its mission to improve the health of all Arkansans.

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES:

UAMS Foundation University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES:

As Arkansas’ only academic health system, the impact of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is hard to overstate. UAMS providers oversee more than 1 million patient appointments each year between the main campus in Little Rock, nine regional campuses, the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and Arkansas Children’s. The university also graduates more than 1,000 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals each year, the majority of whom stay in Arkansas to practice.

State funding is a small percentage of the health system’s budget, making the UAMS Foundation a key partner in supporting the work of every UAMS college, institute, regional program and initiative. The foundation’s goal is to match donor passions with bold ideas to improve the health of every Arkansan, providing dramatic and lasting results. Through strong relationships with grateful patients, alumni, corporations, foundations and community partners, the foundation accelerates the university’s ability to discover cures, educate the next generation of health professionals and save lives.

Donations: Every gift, no matter the size, is important. With philanthropic support, the foundation is building a future for healthy communities in all corners of the state.

Through their contributions to the UAMS Foundation, donors can make a tangible difference for their neighbors across the state.

• Cutting-edge research on cancer, aging, memory loss, maternal and infant mortality, diabetes, stroke and heart health

• Nine regional campuses and clinical education and outreach initiatives benefitting communities across Arkansas

• Mental health treatment for children and adults who have experienced trauma

• Scholarships for students in the five colleges and graduate school

• Health equity and academic access efforts throughout the health system

As UAMS approaches its 150th anniversary in 2029, the university has boldly resolved to lead Arkansas to be the healthiest state in the region. In addition to the tireless efforts of health care professionals across its network of campuses and cores of expertise, the fulfillment of that mission relies in large part on the continued support of the UAMS Foundation.

Events: The Be a Part of the Cure Walk takes place May 3, 2025, and supports research at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. To find out more, visit cancer.uams.edu/cure.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

A Calling

Nonprofit board members driven to serve

Nonprofit organizations must make use of assets wherever they can find them. For many, their biggest ones are found in the organizations’ own back pockets.

Volunteer board members donate their time and talents to help ensure nonprofits fulfill their missions. Joanna and Don Cope, married and retired in northwest Arkansas, serve on the advisory board for the American Cancer Society of Arkansas.

“They are what keeps me going and working all these long hours,” said Catherine Tapp, whose title is associate director for the chapter but whose duties seem all encompassing and include the popular Suits and Sneakers fundraising event in Fayetteville. The 2024 installment took place Oct. 11.

Tapp said the Copes do not mind “getting down and dirty” when it comes to volunteering and even donate financially to the cause.

“If anybody could clone them, they should,” she said.

For the Copes, such service is simply a means of “paying it forward.” Joanna Cope, a former human resources executive at Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock, said her experience in health care and seeing family members cope with cancer moti-

By Mark Carter

vated her to begin volunteering with ACS five years ago. For Don, who retired in 2011 as chief accounting officer at J.B. Hunt Transport, volunteering on the ACS board was a natural next step. As a longtime pilot, he was already involved with Angel Flight, a national network of volunteer pilots that partners with ACS and provides flights at no cost to people who need specialized medical treatment not available to them locally. Based out of Springdale’s municipal airport, Cope transports patients in his six-passenger Piper single-engine, turbocharged PA-46 across Angel

Suites and Sneakers benefits the American Cancer Society of Arkansas. (Photos provided)

Flight’s south-central region that includes Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Angel Flight often assists cancer patients and works with ACS to identify those in need.

Angel Flight has roughly 1,200 pilots in the fivestate south central footprint. As chief wing leader for Arkansas, Cope manages regional activities and coordinates pickups. He still flies roughly one mission a month, as well. All services are provided at no cost, and Jo accompanies Don on most missions to help provide comfort or whatever passengers need.

“One of the major challenges patients face after diagnosis is transportation,” Don said. “Our job is to make passengers comfortable.”

Tapp said ACS tries to recruit board members who are community-minded and have a passion for the cause of curing cancer.

“Our mission statement boils down to ending cancer as we know it for everyone,” she said. “Our board members and volunteers help us in tremendous ways.”

Tapp hit the jackpot with the Copes.

“Our passion is to help make significant change,” she said.

***

Many in central Arkansas know Lester Matlock as the CEO of Natural State Private Wealth Group in Little Rock. He also is president of the chancellor’s board of advisors at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and has served on one UAMS board or another for almost 20 years.

Matlock said for him, such service is a “no-brainer.”

“I have volunteered and served organizations most

Joanna and Don Cope volunteer with Angel Flight, which provides air transportation to people who need specialized medical treatment unavailable in their areas.

of my adult life, so when a friend [at UAMS] asked if I would support the pharmacy department by serving on the advisory board, I accepted the invitation,” he said.

Matlock has also served on the board of the UAMS College of Nursing, helped fundraise and mentored students. On the chancellor’s board, Matlock said, he serves as an ambassador to raise public awareness of everything UAMS does for the state.

“We also serve as a sounding board for the chancellor and his cabinet,” he said. “We help make in-roads for UAMS when and where it’s possible. Whether they were undergraduate students seeking a career in medicine, existing medical professionals seeking to advance their knowledge, professionals seeking to transition to our state from another employer or donors looking to support a cause that aligns with their values, I have trumpeted UAMS wholeheartedly.”

One must be nominated to serve on a board at UAMS, and Matlock said he takes pride in knowing his peers value his knowledge and experience.

“I’m fortunate to be at a stage in my life where I can truly divide my time between my three most important pas-

Catherine Tapp

Don Cope

Lester Matlock

“

As a believer, I believe we are called to care for the vulnerable and demonstrate love and support to our neighbors experiencing difficult times.

— Jamie Barker

Our House board member

sions — earning, learning and giving,” he said. “I’ve learned a tremendous amount about how health care impacts so many areas of our lives, and I’ve been able to give of my time, money and talents to UAMS through serving on the chancellor’s board of advisors, as well as the other boards I’ve served on over the years. I am grateful to UAMS for providing me the opportunity to pursue some of my passions.”

***

Serving on the board of directors for Little Rock’s Our House, a nonprofit that provides a pathway out of homelessness for families and individuals in central Arkansas, was always a matter of faith for Jamie Barker.

The Smackover native and director of legislative affairs for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said he believes Christians are called to help those in need. For Barker, Our House represents an ideal outlet for that calling.

“As a believer, I believe we are called to care for the vulnerable and demonstrate love and support to our neighbors experiencing difficult times,” he said. “Being able to serve on the board at Our House has given me an opportunity to help others in the community where I live, work and raise my kids. I also was very motivated by the proven track record of success that Our House has in disrupting the cycle of poverty and their commitment to data and success as they approach their work. Our House is working to build a model that is lasting and permanent that makes the larger homeless issue feel less of an abstract problem that seems too large to take on.”

Barker and his wife, Allie, serve as the chairs for the organization’s annual big fundraising event, Home for the Holidays, scheduled this year for Dec.

5. The Barkers chaired the event last year, as well.

As a board member, Barker, who was nominated to serve on the board, works with his colleagues to bring awareness of the resources available at Our House and help support the budgetary needs and overall growth of the organization, he said.

“We help guide the overarching vision and strategic plan for Our House,” he said. “One thing I like about the way Our House’s board is set up is that it isn’t there to micromanage the day to day. The team at Our House manages that and the board gets to function with the bigger picture of the direction and growth of the organization.”

Our House is undergoing a $12 million expansion campaign to build additional housing for an additional 44 individuals and expand the services it provides for families. Barker said the most satisfying aspect of service on the board is an obvious one.

“For me, it’s seeing someone come to Our House under very difficult circumstances but then finding an organization, a group of people and a program that provides a workable path to improving the lives of themselves and their families,” he said. “For someone who is homeless or near-homeless, simply having a roof over their head and a place to sleep is a big help, but that alone isn’t going to solve whatever barriers may be in their way long term.”

Our House services include helping clients gain the skills needed for long-term employment, understand how to save money and pay bills, and access childcare and other things necessary for ongoing stability.

“Seeing that success — and getting to be a part of it — for so many people in central Arkansas battling homelessness is a very rewarding benefit of being involved with Our House,” he said.

Headquarters: Little Rock

Year founded: 1927

Area served: Statewide

President and CEO: Brian Marsh

Board Officers:

Miguel Lopez, Southern Bancorp (chair); Elizabeth Small, UA Little Rock College of Business (vice chair); Troy Wells, Baptist Health (past chair); Carrie Harper Smith, Sterling Seacrest Partners (secretary); Jay Meador, First Horizon Bank (treasurer); Douglas Jackson, Merrill Lynch (foundation chair); Denise Luft (mission chair)

MISSION STATEMENT:

Changing lives through education, training and employment.

Goodwill Industries of Arkansas

ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF ARKANSAS:

What if a thrift store was more than a thrift store? What if it was a place where lives were changed, where retail operations and donations were a vehicle for improving the very fabric of communities all across Arkansas? At Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, those ideas are a reality.

Thanks to Goodwill, a single mother can earn her high school diploma while her child receives quality care just steps away. Former inmates can secure meaningful employment and break the cycle of recidivism. Rural Arkansans can gain cutting-edge skills and bring newfound expertise back to their hometowns. Those stories and more unfold every day thanks to Goodwill Industries of Arkansas.

Goodwill’s Excel Center is a tuition-free high school for adults 19 and older with dreams of earning a high school diploma. Meanwhile, the Academy is bridging the skills gap for nontraditional students in need of industry credentials and

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES:

Events: The second annual Gala for Good takes place Saturday, Oct. 26 in the Wally Allen Ballroom at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. The special event is designed to celebrate the incredible spirit of Goodwill by showcasing the amazing achievements of program participants, graduates and community partners. Learn more at thegalaforgood.org.

certifications. What is more, the organization’s reentry and careerservices are giving Arkansans second chances, helping people embark on fulfilling career paths and fueling economic growth in every corner of the state.

Supporting Goodwill means furthering the organization’s mission to provide individuals with the opportunity to lead independent, successful and productive lives. Visit goodwillar.org to learn more.

By the numbers:

In 2023, Goodwill had a total economic impact of $69.5 million, including:

• 6,345 people served

• 2,524 certifications and credentials awarded

• 493 people found work statewide

• 1,201 Arkansans employed by Goodwill Industries of Arkansas

• 38,278,596 pounds of product kept out of landfills

Donations: Ninety percent of Goodwill’s funding comes from the sale of donated goods, but monetary donations are still crucial for investing in brighter futures. Gifts can be made at givetogood.org.

THE Business of HELPING

Fiscal and operating savvy crucial to running a successful nonprofit

By SARAH DECLERK

While it is easy to idealize nonprofits as austere organizations that do not dirty their hands with boardroom wheelings and dealings, Jessica Ford, chief communications officer at the Arkansas Community Foundation in Little Rock, said the idea that nonprofits are separate from the world of business is one she would like to dispel.

“A nonprofit is a business,” she said. “I’d love to see a narrative change, really, in this topic because you can’t bifurcate nonprofit and forprofit when it comes to running a business.”

Nonprofits are a major component of the Arkansas economy, she said, adding that the state’s nonprofit sector generates more than $17 billion annually and employs almost 10 percent of the state’s workforce.

While nonprofit and for-profit businesses may have different kinds of revenue, she added, the same business principles apply to both when it comes to developing a business plan, handling cash flow, working efficiently, marketing effectively and managing staff.

She said she believes nonprofits that reinvest in themselves are the most long lasting, and she encouraged nonprofits to have a reserve of funds saved for a rainy day.

“You never know when a tornado or flood or shooting or pandemic is going to happen and you have to dig deep in your pockets to find resources,” she said.

While some donors may view low overhead as the mark of an effective nonprofit, that is not the case, she said, adding that operating expenses allow an organization to accomplish its mission.

Marketing is one expense nonprofits often neglect, she added.

“Many nonprofits are hesitant to invest in marketing or to invest in fund development in that way because it feels like overhead, but it’s really one of those best practices in being able to have better program delivery because you can actually fund it,” she said. “You can’t have one without the other.”

Educating staff helps ensure nonprofits keep up with the latest trends, said Sherri Jones, president of the Arkansas chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

“Fundraising is ever evolving,” she said. “Just as technology is evolving across the nation in business, it is also evolving in the fundraising portion of the business, so there’s a lot of new technology in regard to digital fundraising.”

Most every nonprofit takes donations online, she said, and artificial intelligence can now be used to gauge a donor’s previous donation habits and modify the suggested donation amounts presented to each donor or encourage donors to make monthly commitments.

“If the nonprofit is not knowledgeable about technology and what’s coming up, they can actually be left behind when it comes to increasing their fundraising efforts and their donations coming in,” she said. “It’s going to impact, especially, smaller nonprofits.”

The AFP provides scholarships to nonprofits that may not have the funds to pay membership dues so the organizations can attend monthly education sessions hosted by the AFP, she added.

One of the most important ways nonprofits can ensure their financial well-being is to ensure they attract a diverse array of funding sources, including online donations, major gifts, grants and events, she said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of diversified funding.

“A lot of nonprofits relied heavily on their events,” she said. “Well, when COVID hit, events couldn’t happen, and a lot of our nonprofits struggled during that time frame because they didn’t have a diversified portfolio.”

Jessica Ford

Sherri Jones

She added that she would like to see more workforce development specific to the nonprofit field, noting that while public service degrees have become more popular thanks to the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, nonprofit professionals often come from differing backgrounds.

“Nationwide, we’re going to have to do a better job of training fundraisers, recruiting individuals to go into this field to truly make a difference in our community because nonprofits are a huge need and a blessing to our communities, and if we don’t have them, our communities will struggle,” she said.

Jessica Clawson, executive director of United Way of Central Arkansas, said bringing in staff members and board members with business experience, including those from the private sector, can help fill in such knowledge gaps.

“What I see, a lot of times, is new nonprofits are started from a place of passion, which is fantastic,” she said. “You have to have that, but they may or may not always have the business sense to go along with it, and so creating a board or an advisory board of people who do things really well in those areas, I would think, would be very important.”

A good understanding of the books is particularly important at United Way, she added.

“One of the things that is really important to me is understanding cash flow and how money goes in and how it comes out,” she said. “We operate as a funder and a provider of direct services, and so we really have to pay attention to our accounting and financial policy and procedure to make sure that we have a reserve and we can accommodate the outgo of money that we need to provide grants and things like that.”

Investing excess revenue in a way that generates additional income is key to those efforts, she said. She added that the organization has worked to diversify its income stream in recent years.

“When you think of United Way, probably, 20, 30, 40, 50plus years ago, most of the funding came from what we call ‘workplace campaigns,’” she said. “That’s where we would go into large employers and basically tell them what we do as an organization, the organizations that we fund, the direct services that we provide, and they do a payroll deduction. As the years have gone on, industry’s changed and, for the most part, worldwide, that has gone down, and so we had to make a shift in revenue diversification.”

She credited the organization’s board and staff with managing the finances, adding that hiring the right people is important to a nonprofit’s success. In addition, United Way of Central Arkansas hires an outside firm to conduct its annual audit and handle its taxes. The organization completes an independent audit each year, the results of which are presented to board members and made public, and presents an annual report to donors in April.

“Anytime you are the steward of somebody else’s money, I think it is vital to make sure that they understand where their money’s going and what it’s doing and the impact that it’s making,” she said. “I don’t take

a single dollar for granted, whether it’s a $50 gift or a $200,000 gift. I believe that we owe our donors and our stakeholders that level of transparency to be able to say, ‘Hey, this is exactly what your money did.’”

Connecting with the right people, both to help spearhead the organization and as supporters, is essential, she added.

“I think the key is being clear in your communication of your mission and finding your advocates and finding the right organizations and businesses and individuals that align with your mission and to support it from an advocacy standpoint and a financial standpoint,” she said.

CASE STUDY 1:

ARGENTA CONTEMPORARY THEATRE

Argenta Contemporary Theatre in North Little Rock is setting itself up for long-term success with a rebranding and a new academy space, said Alyson Courtney, director of development.

To provide more opportunities for performing arts education after the COVID-19 pandemic, the theater hired a director of education and partnered with the Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock to provide theater training to children. When waitlists for the programs began to climb, it became clear it was time to expand, she added.

“That showed us that we need to grow,” she said. “The other big indicator was ticket sales. We continue to sell out of every show. We have to add shows. Oftentimes, we sell out before the production run begins. Our season passes tripled this year, so all of that shows significant reason for growth and expansion.”

Last month, the theater opened the Benson/McAdams Argenta Contemporary Theatre Academy.

A small group of people committed to paying the academy’s rent and insurance for the next five years, Courtney said, adding that long-term commitments are part of her strategy for securing donations.

“Then you know you can count on it because it’s

Alyson Courtney

Jessica Clawson

The Argenta Contemporary Theatre in North Little Rock. (Photos provided)

really hard to do a budget when you don’t know exactly what money’s going to come in or what donor might show up or what donor might disappear,” she said.

Furthermore, rather than touting the shows themselves, she emphasizes the theater’s impact on the community when securing donors, she said.

“They don’t ever have to see a show, but I need you to recognize the value that the theater brings to the economy and the vibrancy of a community, and if you recognize that, then you want to pour in because you know that it’s really helping everyone,” she said.

Changing the theater’s name from Argenta Community Theater to Argenta Contemporary Theatre was essential to attracting more funding, she added.

“With community theater comes a sometimes negative connotation,” she said. “Sometimes people, in their heads, believe community theater is a group of friends getting together, doing some theater wherever they can find a space. We have an amazing facility. We’re putting on high-quality productions at a semiprofessional level.”

Ticket sales help pay for productions, but they only cover a fraction of the cost of running the theater, she said. Since donations are a crucial part of the theater’s funding, the staff keeps donors in mind when making decisions, she added.

“Every quote we get, we know it’s not our money,” she said. “We’re spending somebody else’s money, and we need to make sure our donor fidelity stays at the forefront and our fiduciary responsibility is incredible and stays that way always.”

CASE STUDY 2: ARKANSAS MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

Another notable transformation in central Arkansas’ nonprofit arts landscape was that of the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock, previously the Ar-

kansas Arts Center, which began an extensive renovation in 2019 and recently finished the first year after its reopening with a balanced budget.

“Nonprofit business priorities are like any other industry. Maintaining a balanced budget and ending the fiscal year in the black is always top of mind,” said Victoria Ramirez, executive director. “Creating and keeping a supportive internal culture where every staff member is able to work to their highest potential is also a priority.”

Having an array of revenue streams is key to ensuring adequate funding, she said, adding that funding for the museum is provided by an endowment allocated annually by the city of Little Rock; contributions from individuals, corporations and grants; and proceeds from facility rental, catering, the museum’s gift shop, Park Grill, and ticketed programs and events.

“Having a strategic plan that guides our philanthropic work not only helps keep the current fiscal year’s budget balanced, but we can begin to establish a path for future growth,” she said. “It is important that nonprofits consider their mission, assets and how they uniquely support the community when creating a strategy and plan for fundraising.”

Nonprofits must be realistic with their budgets and watch out for the tendency to pursue unexpected opportunities that may stretch the organization beyond its means, she said. At the same time, she added, growth is essential, and higher operating costs, maintaining competitive salaries and the desire to continue increasing the organization’s impact necessitate budget increases.

“Understanding one’s revenue streams and identifying opportunities to increase revenue is critical,” she said.

Being transparent with the budget helps curtail operating expenses, she said, adding that stakeholders and staff should at least have a high-level understanding of the fiscal year’s budget, including fixed costs.

“Transparency helps set expectations, highlights limitations and, hopefully, helps to identify areas where operations could work more efficiently,” she said. “For AMFA, a monthly review of all department expenses to date and projected through the end of the fiscal year provides an opportunity to recalibrate spending or, in some cases, increase spending for continued growth.”

Although its work touches on tourism and education, AMFA is ultimately a part of the service industry, she said, so it is important to create and maintain an environment where every guest feels welcome, comfortable and eager to return.

“While staying true to one’s mission and purpose is essential, change is inevitable,” she added. “Communities change, business practices change, and the needs and interests of stakeholders and constituents change. For AMFA, many aspects of our work are built upon ideas and initiatives that have been part of the museum for decades, but we have reimagined those ideas to better serve today’s audiences.”

Inside the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock.

Victoria Ramirez

Headquarters: Little Rock

Year founded: 1982

President: Deke Whitbeck

Director of development & corporate sponsorships:

Jibbie Tyler

Arkansas Ga me and Fish Foundation

For more than a century, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has stood the post to protect and preserve the outdoors. For more than 40 years, the nonprofit Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation has been right alongside the AGFC, raising money and awareness to improve habitats, educate youth and fulfill the legacy of the Arkansas outdoors for all ages.

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission nature centers have attracted more than 300,000 visitors in 2024, and the AGFF is a strong supporter of commission education initiatives — especially those aimed to get young people unplugged and engaged in Arkansas’ outdoors. Since 2018, AGFF partner organization, the Arkansas Outdoor Society, has worked to connect young adults who are passionate about hunting and fishing with their peers through mentored events.

Headquarters: North Little Rock

Year founded: 1979

Areas Served: Central Arkansas

MISSION AND VISION:

To connect older people and their families with resources to meet the opportunities and challenges of aging.

The foundation’s board of directors is made up of 50 leaders from across the state. The funding they acquire provides vital support for conservation programs, wildlife habitat, and land for game and fish management programs through gifts, donations, bequests and grants.

CareLink

ABOUT CARELINK:

For 45 years, CareLink has been the resource for aging in central Arkansas. CareLink offers a wide range of services designed to help homebound seniors remain independent for as long as possible; help active older people remain fit, healthy, and involved; and help family caregivers navigate available resources.

CareLink serves daily meals to 1,200 seniors, providing vital nutrients and important socialization to the aging population. Over the past fiscal year, the

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES:

Get It for Game Wardens:

This program raises funds to purchase additional equipment for Arkansas Game Wardens. The program has raised more than $425,000 thanks to the generosity of donors and purchased many items, including e-bikes, drones, kayaks and emergency medical packs.

Corporate Partnership Program:

This program engages businesses in supporting AGFC habitat conservation, education and outdoor recreation through mutually beneficial sponsorships aligned with their marketing goals. Partners gain brand exposure through AGFC’s promotional materials, events and media.

Connect:

Events raise more than $1 million annually for the AGFC through banquets, auctions, golf tournaments, trap shooting and youth fishing competitions. The events also offer opportunities to connect with supporters and highlight initiatives such as the Leaving a Legacy Program. Learn more at agff.org.

nonprofit has provided 279,000 hours of inhome care and more than 57,000 one-way trips and helped more than 11,000 older adults and their family members determine the best course of action for their unique situations.

With more than 12,000 people turning 65 in the U.S. each day, it is vital that the state’s support systems have the capacity to meet increasing demand. Often, a few hours a week makes all the difference in a senior’s ability to remain at home. From light housekeeping to medication reminders, trips to the pharmacy and senior centers to Medicaid applications and so much more, CareLink is committed to helping seniors live healthy, happy and at home.

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES:

Donations: A $30 donation to Meals on Wheels provides someone with lunch for a week. Donate to a program of your choice at carelink.org/ give-now.

Volunteers:Whether one delivers meals to seniors individually, with a loved one, as part of a community group or even alongside coworkers during lunch, Meals on Wheels is a fulfilling way to create meaningful change. Sign up at carelink. org/volunteer.

CEO: Luke Mattingly

DRIVING FORCE

Nonprofits constantly refining, introducing ways for donors to give

Anonprofit’s long-term success often depends on the generosity of donors and the effectiveness of fundraising campaigns. According to the Arkansas Impact Philanthropy’s Market Study of Nonprofit Organizations, it is the greatest — and most important — need. While there are several ways for organizations to raise funds, which go toward supporting mission-centric programs and services and regular expenses, online giving is a driving force in simplifying the donor experience and is proven to be helpful for many Arkansasbased nonprofits.

Veterans Future Foundation

Veterans Future Foundation was founded in 2021 as a way to empower and support transitioning military veterans — a premier destination for those embarking on a post-service journey.

Executive Director Jacob Arnold looks at his work not only as a privilege but also as a responsibility, since he has a personal connection to the nonprofit, having friends and family who have served.

While VFF offers a lot in terms of programming, Arnold said, to put it simply, VFF helps veterans reconnect with their purpose and community by helping them upskill toward a career in the health and wellness industry.

At this time, VFF has almost exclusive-

By Sarah Coleman

ly been funded by corporate partnerships and a few individual or family donors.

“We are incredibly grateful for our corporate partners helping us build this organization, and we are really excited to roll out more opportunities to get individuals and families involved in late 2024 and early 2025,” Arnold said.

This year, VFF has been making larger strides in online giving opportunities with an overall strategy of making it as

easy as possible for interested parties to learn about what VFF does and making future donors aware of how their contributions will make a serious impact. Arnold attributes VFF’s continued success to focusing on its mission, which he recommends other organizations do, as well, allowing that to lead all storytelling and fundraising projects.

“I believe that people care, and they want to make an impact. It’s our job to

Veterans Future Foundation helps veterans learn skills that will serve them in the health and wellness industry.

throw the alley oop and make it an easy slam dunk for them to get involved,” Arnold said.

Long term, VFF has a goal to reduce the veteran suicide rate to zero. According to the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, suicide was the 13th-leading cause of death for veterans overall and the second-leading cause of death among veterans younger than 45.

Arnold said by helping address underlying issues such as the loss of identity or purpose when transitioning out of service, the rate will decrease.

“A new initiative for 2025 involves helping veterans become entrepreneurs, which has long been a goal and is finally coming to fruition,” Arnold said.

Arnold encouraged those who know someone in active duty or a veteran who is trying to find a new path to get in touch with him. VFF aims to help veterans through any and all stages of transition.

“Please consider us a charity of choice when it comes to charitable giving. Then, come see us in northwest Arkansas to see your support in action,” he said. “We’d love to show you around the 500-acre campus. … Come see the instructors in the classroom, break bread with the veteran students in the kitchen, or join one of our veteran groups on a mountain bike ride.”

To donate to VFF, visit veteransfuture. org, click the “Donate Now” button, and follow the prompts.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas & North Louisiana

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas & North Louisiana has a mission of providing essential services such as housing that remove barriers, strengthen families and promote healing when children need health care.

According to the organization’s 2023 impact report, there were about 1,900 families served, 92,500 meals provided, 9,100 hours of volunteer service logged and $2 million saved by families. All of those things were accomplished because of the generosity of others, and that type of support for families would not be possible without the donations and time given.

“Through donations, all families stay free at the Ronald McDonald House [in Little Rock] or the Ronald McDonald Family Room [at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock] while their child is receiving lifesaving medical care at a local hospital,” Development Director Emily Piechocki said. “Families are given everything they need, including a private room, meals, a place to do laundry, play spaces, comforts of home and a community of support so they can stay together and focus on their child’s care.”

Donations also fund the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, a mobile dental unit that provides free dental care to underserved children in central Arkansas.

Piechocki’s job is to oversee fundraising for annual operations and local capital campaigns, and through her work, she said, she has the privilege of connecting individuals, corporations and foundations with the mission of RMHC Arkansas & North Louisiana and sharing opportunities for them to make a difference for families of critically ill children.

“There are many ways that people can volunteer or give to help families, including individual donations, corporate support, grants, in-kind donations of supplies, attending or sponsoring special events, or you can round up your total at your local McDonald’s, and those funds are given to our local programs,” Piechocki said. “Customer support accounts for close to 10 percent of the an-

McDonald House Charities of Arkansas & North Louisiana provides a home away from home for families of children requiring hospitalization.

nual budget, and the other 90 percent is raised from the community to help families right here in Arkansas.”

In Arkansas, the following events take place throughout the year: the Chocolate Fantasy Ball, Blue Jeans & Bubbles, the Shamrock Shuffle 5K, a golf scramble and A Night in Vegas.

Piechocki said there are many ways to give online, including credit and debit card donations, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, bank draft, stock transfer and cryptocurrency.

“Because people are busy, we need to be able to accept donations in as many forms as possible. Last year, approximately 15 percent of our donations were from online sources; that is equivalent to providing more than 3,750 nights for families,” Piechocki said. “Online giving is an easy way for donors to set up recurring monthly gifts. When there’s a charity you love, and I hope that’s Ronald McDonald House, you can set up $10, $20, or $50plus a month. You would be amazed at the huge difference it makes.”

For newer nonprofits or those wishing to increase their fundraising initiatives Piechocki said she recommends organizations go through their online donation process as if they were a first-time donor.

“When you visit your organization’s website, is your donation button easy to find? Is the donation form clear and concise? Is it clear what a donation would support? After a donation is made, do

Ronald

you receive an immediate thank-you email? When you go through the steps of your online donation process from the lens of your donor, it will help you evaluate their experience and help lead you to changes that you should consider,” Piechocki said.

The nonprofit’s primary goal is to serve and support as many families as possible. Piechocki said the big picture is working toward building a new program that will add six overnight rooms and serve more families who need a place to call home when their child is hospitalized.

“Day-to-day donations of all sizes make a huge difference for families to provide them with a free place to stay, meals and so much more. We have a full wish list of supplies needed, such as individually wrapped snacks, laundry supplies, toiletry items and paper products,” Piechocki said.

There are several ways to support RMHC, including following it on social media, taking a tour of the house or reaching out to Piechocki directly at emily@rmhcar–nla.org. Whether a person is interested in providing a one-time gift, a monthly donation or wish-list supplies or in volunteering, there is a way for anyone to make an immediate difference at RMHC Arkansas & North Louisiana. Piechocki said 100 percent of every dollar donated stays with the organization to directly help families.

This November, RMHC Arkansas & North Louisiana will offer a matching opportunity in which every gift given through Dec. 31 will be doubled.

To donate to RMHC Arkansas & North Louisiana, visit rmhcarkansas. org, click “Make a Donation,” and follow the prompts.

Camp Aldersgate

Located in Little Rock, Camp Aldersgate exists to break barriers, build bridges and create life-changing experiences for individuals with medical needs. This camp provides a safe and barrier-free environment for campers to experience nature, adventure and independence in ways that many are unable to do outside of camp.

“When you think of summer camp, you think of all the things you can do, from archery to zip-lining to fishing to canoeing, and at Camp Aldersgate, no matter the ability level, they’re able to do these things,” said Bobbi McDaniel, director of development, “whereas at a typical summer camp, unfortunately, they don’t have that option a lot of times.”

McDaniel handles essentially everything that has to do nonprofit fundraising. As the head of this department, she oversees a senior development officer and a development officer who focuses mostly on grant writing.

McDaniel said Camp Aldersgate relies on grants, donations and all other forms of fundraising, from events to online giving.

“Our emphasis in fundraising falls into several different categories,” she said. “We do have a number of grants and foundations that make up a portion of our fundraising budget, and then from there, we host two special events each year, which allow us to raise awareness and raise money.”

The two events include Aldersgate After Dark, which is an evening gala-style event hosted every April, and a fish fry, which is a more family-friendly afternoon event that takes place each October and includes activities for children.

“All of other general fundraising in-

cludes things such as letter campaigns, online giving and major donors,” McDaniel said.

Online giving has been incredibly helpful for Camp Aldersgate, and McDaniel suggested other nonprofits looking to further support their mission focus on how they present their mission.

“The key to online giving is really in the way you present your mission and show how donors’ dollars will make an impact. From there, expanding the ways to give and making it easier to give is fundamental,” McDaniel said. “Online giving is such a great way for our donors to make a donation in the moment that they either are moved to donate or when they have a free moment to donate.”

McDaniel said it is also important to make sure that the platforms are set up correctly, whether via a text-to-give method, QR codes, or individual links from either Facebook fundraising or constantcontact emails.

“Another great thing about online giving is that you can get the most up-to-date data on your donors because they are actually going in and putting in their information. It also makes it easier for those who know they want to have a monthly donation,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said one of the greatest ways to grow any nonprofit is by being intentional with those who support an organization through both giving and

Camp Aldersgate provides a summer camp accessible to youth with disabilities.

volunteering. Even for online donors, McDaniel said it is always a good idea to connect with them.

Outside of online giving, Camp Aldersgate can be supported in a number of ways, including through volunteer initiatives and attending events.

“We have youth volunteers in the summer that participate in our counselor-in-training program, and we also have volunteers who come out throughout the year to help make the campus look more beautiful or function better,” McDaniel said. “I think with any nonprofit and with us in particular, it’s also super important to come out and see us. We offer tours of our campus to help people better understand what we do and help to spread our message.”

To donate to Camp Aldersgate, visit campaldersgate.net, click “Donate,” and follow the prompts.

Personal Pep Rally

Headquartered in Stuttgart, Personal Pep Rally has a national outreach that provides an empathetic support system for those who are facing life battles due to cancer. Founded in 2017 by the late Marc Stringer, his wife, Lauren Moore, and his mother-in-law, Misti Coker, the nonprofit was inspired by Stringer’s battle with cancer.

During Stringer’s treatment, the trio came up with the idea for Joy Mail — care packages that uplift and encourage cancer patients and their families.

“Our main focus is to reach cancer patients and to help them realize that they are not walking alone,” Coker said. “What Lauren and Stringer felt in being so young is that they were walking this journey by themselves. That’s why our biggest mission was to just show up for the cancer patient, not just one time but monthly, over and over, as a constant reminder that we’ve been there.”

Coker said over the past seven years, they have had to be creative in fundraising as the nonprofit has steadily grown. The largest annual fundraiser, Endure the Dirt, takes place in March and has been wildly successful. However, online

giving has proven to be an excellent way for donors to continue to support Personal Pep Rally throughout the year.

Coker said easiest works best for donors, and by not only offering online donations but also Cash App and Venmo donations, those who are interested can donate on the spot.

Personal Pep Rally has also had several scholarship pushes, including an annual one that takes place every September in honor of Stringer’s birthday. This year, the scholarship push was $42, since Stringer would have turned 42.

“We’ve tried to do different pushes at a larger amount, and we’ve learned that it has to be something that’s attainable for people,” Coker said.

With a mailing list of about 1,500 people who have given previously, Coker said she has found most donors have a personal connection to the cause, organization or story.

Sharing the story with various groups has been the best way to increase the reach of Personal Pep Rally’s mission, Coker added. As a wider reach deepens the net of potential donors, Coker recommended other nonprofits share their stories as much as possible. She also encouraged others to get involved in organizations and events that their nonprofit’s mission entails and to not place limitations on fundraising goals.

“When you’ve truly walked through

the mud and had to find the grit, your passion penetrates people, so be you. Be vulnerable. Get your story out there because you’ll find that people have good hearts, and people are generally caring individuals,” Coker said.

Asking for donations can be intimidating, especially for younger nonprofits, but Coker said it only takes one person or a handful of people to get the ball rolling.

Personal Pep Rally serves about 700 patients in 37 states and three countries. However, the number of individuals the nonprofit serves frequently changes because there are always people being added and removed from the mailing list as their journeys begin and end.

Joy Mail costs anywhere between $7 to $12 for each patient per month, and postage ranges between $3,500 and $6,000 per month. Donations also go toward supporting scholarships, Christmas assistance and Making a Memory trips. Personal Pep Rally donors who have donated $100 or more are referred to as Game Changers because for that amount, they are adopting a cancer patient from the Joy Mail list for a year.

To donate to Personal Pep Rally, visit personalpeprally.org, click “Become a Game Changer” or “Donate Now,” and follow the prompts. Donors also have the option to donate via Venmo @personal-pep-rally or Cash App at $PersonalPepRally.

Personal Pep Rally’s Endure the Dirt is the largest fundraiser for the organization, which seeks to uplift cancer patients.

Headquarters: Little Rock Year founded: 2004

Senior vice president; executive director: Jennifer Cobb

Areas served: Little Rock and Jacksonville North Pulaski school districts

Board Chair: Jay Barth

Vice Chair: Madhav Shroff

MISSION STATEMENT:

City Year Little Rock

ABOUT CITY YEAR LITTLE ROCK:

City Year Little Rock was founded in 2004 by a coalition of passionate community and civic leaders. The group’s “double bottom line” equips K-8 students with the academic and durable skills needed to thrive in school

and in life while providing young adults with professional development and training as AmeriCorps members. Through this work, City Year is building the next generation of leaders in Arkansas and setting up members for future workforce success.

City Year’s unique, holistic approach offers a proven return on investment

and delivers stronger outcomes for students, the community and the economy. Schools that partner with City Year are up to two times more likely to improve their English assessments and three times more likely to improve proficiency rates in math.

Over the past two decades, the nonprofit has served 19 schools and celebrated the graduation of 900 AmeriCorps members. Those young adults have dedicated nearly 1 million hours and counting to service, leading to improved attendance, behavior and course grades for countless students.

Serving students in historically under-resourced schools to help keep them on track to graduation and developing AmeriCorps members into capable, skilled leaders who can work across lines of difference.

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES:

Answer the Call: City Year encourages young adults 17 to 25 to apply to serve as an AmeriCorps member. Student success coaches not only make a difference in the lives of children; they also gain on-the-ground experience and training, including 300-plus hours of career guidance, skill building and leadership development.

Get Involved:

City Year welcomes friends and partners to support its mission year-round, whether by attending a City Year Auxiliary event or setting up a recurring monthly donation at cityyear.org.

Events:

There are regular opportunities to join City Year in giving back, including projects at partner schools every January for Martin Luther King Jr.’s national day of service. In April, instead of the Red Jacket Luncheon, City Year will host a blowout community block party in honor of its 20th anniversary.

Headquarters: Little Rock

Year founded: 1888

CEO: Chad Aduddell

Area served: Statewide

Board of Directors:

• Chad Aduddell (Chief Executive Officer, CHI St. Vincent)

• Allison Anthony

• Susan Blair (Chair)

• Meghan Collins

• Ray Dillon

• Rick Fleetwood

• Eliza Gaines (Vice-Chair)

• Jack Grobmyer

• Denise Hanson

• Frank Kumpuris

• George Makris III

• Michael Millard (Market Director Mission, CHI St. Vincent)

• Barrett Norton

• Wendy Saer (Treasurer)

• Robert Seay

• John Wade

• Kirby Williams

CHI St. Vincent Foundation

MISSION STATEMENT:

To make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.

ABOUT CHI ST. VINCENT FOUNDATION:

CHI St. Vincent is a part of CommonSpirit Health, a Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people and one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the country. In keeping with its mission, CHI St. Vincent Foundation is committed to creating healthier communities, delivering exceptional patient care and ensuring every person has access to quality health care.

The health network serves more than 1 million individuals every year with primary care and specialty provider visits, as well as providing nearly $1 million annually in free or discounted health services to people who cannot afford them. The group’s network includes primary care, specialty clinics, urgent care, hospitals, home health, rehabilitation and surgery centers.

Everything CHI St. Vincent does is to further its vision of a healthier future for all, inspired by faith, driven by innovation and powered by humanity. The group is at the forefront of training the next generation of health care leaders, partnering with nursing programs at local universities and colleges, and the health network is also working diligently to expand health care access in rural communities.

CHI St. Vincent has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report for its high performance across a number of treatment areas, including heart attack, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, heart valve surgery, heart failure, diabetes, hip replacement surgery, colon cancer surgery and kidney failure.

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES:

Membership: In addition to one-time giving, joining Community 1888 with an annual gift is an impactful way to support educational opportunities for our front-line nurses and our pathway program with local universities. For more information on CHI St. Vincent Foundation, visit supportstvincent.org.

Events: The 21st Annual CHI St. Vincent Golf Classic will take place this October with proceeds benefiting the mission of CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs. On Saturday, November 2nd, there will be an art show and sale featuring photographic images by Scott H. Brown, MD. This will be held at CHI St. Vincent Infirmary, Main Lobby from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. All are invited.

LIFEBLOOD

Grants an essential piece of nonprofit puzzle

By Mak Millard

Across sectors, industries, governance structures and ultimate aims, the need for money is an unavoidable constant.

The difference between a passion project and a good cause is often measured in dollars, and prospective fundees have their work cut out for them when it comes to the sourcing, securing and scrupulous spending of capital.

Kindhearted donors, corporate sponsors and philanthropists’ pockets are important, but a group cannot depend on such sources alone.

From funding scientific research to expanding fine arts programming, grants have a critical role to play in the success of nonprofits and other organizations.

A helpful way to understand grants is by first understanding what they are not. They are not donations, which usually come with fewer restrictions and, on the individual

donor basis, in smaller amounts. Nor are they contracts, where the funding agency dictates exactly how a project is to be completed and stays more heavily involved throughout. In some sense, grants occupy the space in between. The money is earmarked for a particular purpose or project, but the onus is on the organization receiving the money to fulfill its mission and comply with any extra requirements.

“A grant is basically a financial assistance program,” said Tammie Cash, director of the office of research and sponsored programs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “An agency is paying us to do some kind of work that we want to discover … you have a big idea, and you get to decide how you go about going through that process.”

At UA Little Rock, the ORSP helps connect faculty to federal agencies and other external funding sources based on

Tammie Cash

their discipline, expertise and the kind of project they want to pursue. The office then provides support through every step of the application process and the project itself, from cover letter and budget development to reviewing the final award and financial reporting.

“We call it extramural funding, basically external funding with strings,” Cash said. “Not everything we do is research. Some of it is public service. Some of it is instruction. There are many different types of extramural funding that we try to secure.”

For nonprofits such as Junior Achievement of Arkansas and Ballet Arkansas, grants can play a crucial part in supporting both specific initiatives and operational needs. At Ballet Arkansas, grants support operations, programming and community outreach, including school programs for K-12 students.

“Grants make up a portion of the organization’s funding, with corporate sponsorship and foundational funding being the largest source of contributed income,” said Michael Fothergill, executive and artistic director of Ballet Arkansas. “We do reapply for funding from many of the same sources each year, but we also continually add new grants to our portfolio.”

Junior Achievement’s work, focused on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and preparing youth for their future in the workforce and in life, also relies on the strategic use of grants. In addition to day-to-day activities and special projects, those funds enable JA to expand its educational programs to reach more students, said Tonya Villines, president and CEO.

“Grant funding for Junior Achievement of Arkansas helps accomplish a variety of important projects and goals, including the JA Inspire Virtual Career Fair,” she said. “This event is particularly significant, as it provides a platform where 10,000 students from both rural and urban areas across the state can interact directly with various companies. Through this career fair, students gain exposure to different industries and learn about a wide range of career opportunities available to them.”

Capacity-building grants are also increasingly popular, said Rebecca Estep, a not-for-profit chief financial officer at the external CFO services firm Creating Answers. Such grants have long-term sustainability in mind rather than a specific, short-term project, and funders look to strengthen the overall capacity of an organization through investments in leadership development, improved technology or enhanced program evaluation techniques. Estep also pointed to the growing trend of collaborative grantmaking.

“More funders are recognizing the value of partnerships between organizations, encouraging nonprofits to collaborate to maximize their impact,” she said. “This shift reflects the idea that solving complex societal issues often requires collective efforts rather than isolated initiatives.”

Grants offer certain advantages compared to other sources of funding thanks, in part, to their targeted nature. Project-

based funding can give organizations the opportunity to pilot programs or innovate in ways that would be too risky coming out of the regular budget, Villines said. Plus, grants from reputable or well-known sources can lend credibility and visibility to a nonprofit, increasing its chances of securing more funds in the future.

For organizations able to handle the various strings attached to grants — financial reporting, regulations at the private, state and federal levels, and more — there is still a mountain to climb: successfully applying for funds in the first place. Something everyone stressed was the absolute necessity of matching one’s interests and goals to that of the agency holding the purse strings.

“The most challenging aspect of the grant application process is finding funding sources that perfectly align with our organization’s vision,” Fothergill said. “Often, we must adapt our goals to fit the requirements of available funding,”

After narrowing down the right type and source of funding, the specific application requirements will vary slightly depending on the awarding agency, the subject or cause and the actual project. At a bare minimum, Cash said, applicants will need to provide a scope of work, a budget justification and a demonstration that they have the necessary capacity to pull off a given project. Outside of the specifics of a given project, much of a successful application comes down to simple attention to detail.

“The other thing that can make or break a successful proposal is to reach out to that agency to let them know what you want to do,” Cash said. “Many times, our faculty will reach out to [a] program director and tell them what they’re trying to accomplish, and the program di-

Michael Fothergill

(Photo by

Melissa Dooley)

Tonya Villines

Some smaller or newer nonprofits can still successfully secure grants, particularly if they are focused on a niche cause, can demonstrate strong leadership or have unique program models.

— Rebecca Estep Creating Answers

rector will identify funding opportunities for them. They’ll give them pointers on what might not be successful in those programs [and] basically tell them whether or not they’re on the right track for submitting a successful proposal. I think reaching out to the funding agency is really important.”

After an organization has landed a grant, all that is left is to get started, keeping in mind the reporting or other compliance milestones that will need to be hit along the way. A grant’s strict guidelines often make meticulous tracking a must. In the university’s case, checking and double-checking these boxes is where Cash and the ORSP come in — much to the relief of faculty hoping to dive into their projects.

While funding is technically available for a wide range of different projects, programs and needs, there is still a finite amount of money to be parceled out. Plus, as Cash pointed out, that pool of funding is often broken up, or sub-awarded, across many institutions and organizations. Funding only gets tighter as time goes on, making it that much more important — and difficult — to craft a proposal that stands apart.

“I think few people realize the extensive paperwork and reporting demands that organizations must meet to receive funding,” Fothergill added. “While there are wonderful grant sources available to arts organizations, this sort of funding often comes with stringent restrictions. Federal funding for arts organizations can be unpredictable, and some larger grant programs are nearing their end. While there is sufficient funding to support all arts organizations, the allocation of these funds and their application to specific causes remain uncertain.”

The field of education and youth programs has become acutely more competitive, Villines said. Increasing demand for those types of programs, heightened awareness of their impact and more organizations vying for similar pots of funding have all contributed to this trend.

“The level of competition varies depending on the cause, the region and current trends, but overall, nonprofits need to be increasingly strategic and data-driven to stand out in today’s grant funding environment,” Estep said. “While there is a substantial amount of money available, particularly for well-established causes such as health care, education and social services, the demand often exceeds the supply. As a result, funders have become more selective, looking for organizations that can clearly demonstrate impact, innovation and long-term sustainability.”

With that in mind, smaller or newer nonprofits might feel

out of their depth. Indeed, Estep said, grants tend to be more beneficial to organizations with a strong foundation, including established programs, a track record of outcomes, and the sheer infrastructure to manage the reporting, compliance and financial oversight that comes with grant funding.

“That said, some smaller or newer nonprofits can still successfully secure grants, particularly if they are focused on a niche cause, can demonstrate strong leadership or have unique program models,” she said. “In these cases, starting with smaller, local or community-based grants may be a more realistic approach than pursuing large foundation or government grants right away.”

Despite the hoops, hurdles and potential for hang-ups, grants are an irreplaceable cornerstone of the nonprofit ecosystem. The work of nonprofits is as much about innovation as it is compassion, Estep said. The most successful organizations are not just focused on effecting change but are also highly strategic and forward-thinking. Properly secured and strategically utilized, that money has the potential to make tangible, lasting impacts in everything from academia to the arts, from education to employee development and from social causes to capital improvements.

“Federal grants have enabled my organization to expand its impact on students by 50 percent over the past five years,” Villines said. “This significant growth in reach and effectiveness translates into more young individuals gaining valuable knowledge and skills, which can profoundly affect their futures. … In my personal experience, the positives of expanded student impact significantly outweigh the administrative burdens.”

“The most rewarding part is witnessing the positive impact of funding on the communities we serve,” Fothergill said. “Creating meaningful arts experiences for the public is incredibly fulfilling and makes all the effort worthwhile.”

Rebecca Estep

2024 & Diversity, EQUITY INCLUSION

It’s our differences that make us unique, and that uniqueness makes us stronger.

For the month of October, Arkansas Money & Politics is recognizing those companies that have embraced diversity, equity and Inclusion into their workplace. DEI takes many forms, from skin color to sexual orientation, but also includes the disabled, veterans and more.

Join us as we highlight some of the companies across Arkansas that have taken up the mantle of diversity in their workplaces and who strive to make their workplaces more inclusive ones.

IN THE

SPOTLIGHT

DEI professionals work to manage image of diversity

By Mak Millard

Since 2020, diversity, equity and inclusion have been under a brighter spotlight than ever before. Initially, that came in the form of increased resources and corporate interest in DEI initiatives. Recent backlash, however, has driven some companies to roll back, at least publicly, their commitments. Even higher education has seen the acronym misconstrued at best and, at worst, used as a cudgel in legal and political battles. These trends have not gone unnoticed by DEI and human resources professionals.

“I recently did a presentation to CAHRA, the Central Arkansas Human Resource Association, and the topic was the future of DEI. One of the things we made perfectly clear was that DEI is definitely under attack. The acronym itself is definitely under attack,” said LaTricia Hill-Chandler, chief DEI officer at Southern Bancorp. “What does the future look like? Who knows? I’ve been in the business for a very long time, almost 30 years in diversity work, and I’ve never seen it like this.”

In Hill-Chandler’s experience, the word “diversity” has usually brought tension regardless of industry or company. Before companies had chief DEI officers, there were diversity managers and similar roles, and people’s initial reactions to the term tended to be uneasy at first.

“Southern really wanted to do some intentional efforts around how do we make sure that we’re not excluding anybody?” HillChandler said. “We are wealth-builders for all, but we’re also not excluding anyone or anything based on their differences internally.”

The idea is for the bank to mirror the communities it serves by focusing on representation, fairness and belonging for employees. That, in turn, facilitates deeper relationships between Southern and its customers. Loan officers who are themselves first-time homeowners, for example, have a unique point of connection with and a deeper understanding of customers coming to Southern for help buying their first homes.

“We all can’t look and act the same and be successful. When we get positions here, we have exploratory meetings with our hiring managers. We find out, ‘What’s the landscape of your staff? What does it look like? Who do you have on your team?’ Differences of thought are so critical in the big picture.”

— Holley Little senior talent acquisition partner Southern Bancorp

“People automatically went, ‘She’s about to talk about me. She’s pointing her finger at me about something,’” she said. “Once they realize it and it’s defined and the education comes, people go, ‘Oh, I am diverse. She was talking about me, but not in a way that I originally thought about it.’”

As a community development financial institution serving underbanked communities throughout Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta, Southern Bancorp has been concerned with promoting diversity, equity and inclusion from its founding. Two years ago, Hill-Chandler became the company’s first chief DEI officer as Southern looked to take a more strategic approach to that work, both internally and externally.

Another part of the business case for DEI comes down to the fact that employees of diverse backgrounds and experiences bring a wider variety of skills and ideas to the table. DEI and HR work hand in hand on this front; Hill-Chandler said hiring the best talent includes not just diverse representation across race, ethnicity, gender and age but diversity of thought and innovation. In the long run, embracing differences is beneficial to the bottom line.

“We all can’t look and act the same and be successful,” said Holley Little, senior talent acquisition partner at Southern Bancorp. “When we get positions here, we have exploratory meetings with our hiring managers. We find out, ‘What’s the landscape of your staff? What does it look like? Who do you have on your team?’ Differences of thought are so critical in the big picture.”

Little is also director of the Arkansas Society for Human Resource Management State Council. The group connects members through local chapters and at-large membership, sharing information from the national level and getting ahead of legislation on behalf of more than 2,500 professionals around the state.

“One of our core leadership areas in Arkansas SHRM is diversity, so monthly, we’re sending out updates, information, tools and resources to our members,” Little said. “If you’re a small-business owner, and we have lots of those who are part of our organization, you’re just surviving. You’re keeping the doors open, you’re taking care of your employees, and you’re not really aware of what’s coming. That’s where we’re helpful.”

Some of the recent consternation seems to stem from an oversimplification of the acronym to simply mean racebased diversity. While that is certainly a piece of the idea, using the term “DEI hire” as a synonym for “minority” — especially when presented as a knock on that person’s qualifications — represents an egregious misunderstanding of the term. As Hill-Chandler pointed out, a “DEI hire” could be related to race, but it could just as easily be about ethnicity, gender, age, disability or veteran status.

Navigating such misconceptions is top of mind for Little and Arkansas SHRM. Much of the work on that front comes down to the ability to have productive conversations, whether that be with legislators, business owners or front-line employees.

“Right now, SHRM is pushing civility in the workplace. Civility, when you think about it, is just, ‘Listen to me. Let me tell you my story,’” Little said. “What I know may be wrong, but if I don’t share that with you and give you the opportunity to tell me your side, my mind can’t be changed. … I think that until we all agree to understand and communicate, we won’t get where we need to be.”

DEI remains a key focus in arenas such as hospitality, as well. Kalene Griffith, president and CEO of Visit Bentonville, has witnessed the blistering pace of growth in northwest Arkansas over the course of nearly 20 years at the tourism office. An influx of new faces has brought with it a heightened interest in fostering diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Ten years ago, when the Bentonville Film Festival came here and [with] our growth in our communities throughout the region, we saw the value in making sure people would feel welcome in our community,” Griffith said. “Inclusion was a key part of that. We saw that as an organization, we could be leading the effort in that through advertising and event recruitment as we introduce people to our community.”

Just as in corporate settings, the success of hospitality-related DEI initiatives depends on the level of buy-in they can achieve. In Bentonville’s case, there has been collaborative movement from businesses and organizations around the city. Griffith pointed to Walmart’s focus on fostering what the company has dubbed “belonging,” in which, the company’s website states, associates feel “seen, supported and connected.” Another example is Bentonville Together, a multicultural community festival now in its third year.

“If we’re not strategic about this, driving the experiences and showing people that we care, I think that that’s a failure on our part,” Griffith said. “We have to take it as an initiative for our organization and for our community.”

While Visit Bentonville supports efforts from several organizations, it also has plenty of initiatives of its own. From welcome gifts

for new residents to a resident newsletter and a soon-to-launch mentorship program, the office is getting better all the time at helping newcomers and locals alike get plugged in with the groups, activities and organizations they need to feel at home. Other efforts are making community staples such as cycling, mountain biking and downtown events accessible to more people of different ability levels. That is just the tip of the iceberg, and Griffith is excited about the city’s future in that regard.

“Everybody was laughing at me when I brought this up, but I said, if we go back to what [TV host] Mr. Rogers’ philosophy [was], it was about, ‘Won’t you be my neighbor?’ How do we make people feel that you care? It’s about kindness, empathy and understanding,” Griffith said. “Those are the things that we talked about when I started doing this resident engagement. … We still have things to learn and grow from as a community, but we’re always open and willing to learn.”

It is important not to get caught up in the headlines and negative narratives, Hill-Chandler said, since they are a distraction from the real work. Whether DEI remains as such or gets subsumed under new language to avoid the ongoing criticism, there is a tangible benefit to the practices themselves that would be hard for any company to ignore. In the case of tourism, intentional and successful DEI practices can be a boon for offices looking to attract more visitors and make residents — longtime and prospective — feel welcomed and engaged.

“When I think about things that we’re doing and how we’re impacting our community, we’re creating a new audience that we can bring in. We’re enhancing the local economy because of that visitor experience,” Griffith said. “It opens up doors for new business growth.”

There is also a generational factor at play. All manner of studies, surveys and anecdotes have shown that the incoming workforce has different expectations of its employers, and that includes an interest in social issues and DEI initiatives. To remain competitive in attracting this upcoming talent, organizations will have to embrace these diverse perspectives. As demographics continue to change, Hill-Chandler said, DEI is not just the right thing to do; it is a business imperative.

“I think that there is an attack on the word, on the letters, on the acronym of DEI, but I really don’t believe there is an attack on the work,” Hill-Chandler said. “For us at Southern, the work of DEI does not stop. Regardless of what the letters say, regardless of who was misinformed or miseducated, the work continues.”

LaTricia Hill-Chandler Holley Little Kalene Griffith

Amber Jackson

By Becky Gillette

“The Magic That Happens When We Embrace Diversity”

Three years after the establishment of the city of Little Rock’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the results are evident.

The city has seen increased cross-departmental collaboration, improved access to public information, more shared decision making, and a boost in trust and morale in some departments, said Chief Equity Officer Amber Jackson.

“We will measure progress within the city this fall with our second inclusion and belonging survey, which we conduct every three years,” Jackson said. “We also maintain ongoing communication with residents and community-based organizations to gather feedback and make program and policy adjustments to meet their needs effectively.”

The DEI team, which consists of five members, engages with more than 2,500 city employees and a community of more than 205,000 residents. Jackson oversees initiatives at the Office of Executive Administration and works with 16 departments to promote equitable practices, policies and outcomes.

“Equity requires deliberate actions to remove systemic, group and individual barriers to opportunity,” Jackson said. “Some of the initiatives I’m currently working on include language access, a professional development policy and internal standard operating procedures.”

Mayor Frank Scott Jr. has worked to ensure equity is more than a buzzword to his administration. Jackson said that his dedication to the DEI office reflects that, but it goes beyond just creating an office. When the DEI office was established in 2021, Scott intentionally positioned it within the executive administration.

“Including us as part of his team means equity has a seat at every table in the city,” Jackson said. “He also ensures we have the resources we need and trusts us to do our work. By keeping the needs of diverse residents and employees at the forefront, we provide our colleagues — who design processes and make impactful decisions daily — with the insight and tools to increase access and opportunities for marginalized communities.”

Jackson is passionate about that work.

“I’m here for the people — those I serve and those I serve alongside,” she said. “I also enjoy the unique challenges of city government and the opportunity to use and develop various skill sets. Every day is different, and the privilege to positively impact our community motivates me.”

Jackson takes pride in Little Rock’s cultural and ethnic diversity. Recently, while filling her car at a gas station, she overheard someone shouting. She looked up to see a family helping a young girl

out of a small car, her quinceañera gown spilling onto the pavement. Nearby, a Black man leaned across his car and yelled, “What’s going on?”

“I couldn’t hear the family’s reply, but they probably explained that they were celebrating her 15th birthday,” Jackson recalled. “The man called out, ‘Oh! You’re so pretty!’ Moments like these happen every day in our city. You don’t experience that kind of diversity in a homogenous population. Little Rock is a place I’m proud to call home, partly because of opportunities like this to learn about both our differences and our similarities.”

Jackson earned a Master of Public Service from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Before joining the city of Little Rock, she worked as a program officer at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute in Morrilton and a program manager at Hendrix College in Conway.

Jackson credits Dionne Jackson, assistant professor at Hendrix College, with being a strong mentor.

“Since hiring me for a new role in her office at Hendrix in 2017, Dr. Jackson has consistently opened doors for me, and for that, I’m forever grateful,” she said. “We share an understanding of the magic that happens when we embrace diversity in all its forms, create space for people to express their whole selves and relentlessly pursue justice. I’ve learned so much from her, and we continue to support each other as we move into new organizations and roles. I wouldn’t be where I am without her, and I’ll always be one of her loudest cheerleaders.”

Jackson lives in Little Rock with her husband of 20 years, James. The couple has one daughter, August. In her free time, Jackson enjoys spending time with their four dogs and being outdoors, whether in her yard or elsewhere around the Natural State.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE — THE POWER OF DIVERSITY

At USAble Life, we believe in making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Having a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace empowers us to serve our customers better. That’s why we not only value the power of diversity — we encourage it, we seek it.

Driving DEI

For Arkansas companies, efforts are a ‘business imperative’

By Lance Brownfield

Diversity, equity and inclusion has become a bit of a buzzword. For many Americans, the term has taken on a negative connotation, but several Arkansas companies are pushing forward, and officials said their businesses have benefited greatly from the extra care toward making sure everyone has a seat at the table.

“DEI initiatives can have potential downsides, such as tokenism, division or merit-based concerns,” said Dante Leo, human resources business partner manager at USAble Life in Little Rock. “If the DEI efforts seem superficial and don’t lead to genuine inclusion, they can alienate employees.”

Some organizations have shifted to the term IED to add distance from the political baggage associated with the term “DEI” and to put more focus on inclusion. Regardless, Leo said it is still worth pursuing and a priority for his company. Some of USAble’s DEI efforts include the introduction of employee resource groups, which educate employees through guest speakers, community engagement, supporting charitable diversity causes, and constantly looking to improve partnership and collaboration within the organization. The company has created four ERGs and hopes to add a fifth, he said.

“Overall, we feel that our employees have welcomed the DEI efforts,” Leo said. “It was out of our engagement survey that their voice was heard, which ultimately led to the establishment of our ERGs.”

Other companies have taken similar measures. Arvest Bank launched eight associate impact groups that focus on specific niches of the community and provide associates with opportunities to learn, volunteer and contribute business ideas.

“At Arvest, our DEI strategy is based on three pillars: associates, community and business,” said Cinthya Allen, the bank’s diversity, equity and inclusion officer. “All of our DEI programs and efforts connect to one or more of these pillars. Our DEI efforts also reflect the Arvest core values we lead with — communicate openly, strive for excellence and drive change. If

you consider these values, you can see how DEI, this peoplefocused mission, actually equips our associates to activate our core values.”

Like many other companies, the efforts at Arvest are led by a DEI officer. Allen accepted the position in 2022 and said the role is “important for driving a strategic approach to how we activate, engage and empower our associates, as well as to how we drive change in the communities we serve.”

The process of becoming a DEI officer depends on lived experiences, technical knowledge, business acumen and leadership skills, Allen said, but Arvest “believes all of our associates can be DEI leaders and continuously invite them to attend DEI programs, expand their exposure to better empathize and understand others, and recognize where gaps exist to drive change and equity.”

Allen’s career includes 18 years at a Fortune Global 50 company, where she led DEI programming on a local, national and international level. She said one of her greatest accomplishments includes growing the AT&T Hispanic Employee Group, HACEMOS, from 900 members to more than 11,000 members and increasing its presence from 12 chapters to 42 chapters across the country and in Puerto Rico. She has also initiated policy changes to increase workplace inclusion while working in government and served on various commissions and committees.

Allen is certified by the National Diversity Council and Cornell University in New York in diversity and equity HR policy, as well as being a certified Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator.

The ERGs at USAble, meanwhile, conduct training, host diversity and inclusion literacy events, and celebrate diversity and awareness months and days.

Leo said cultivating a culture of equity is not only the right thing to do, but it also empowers workers, customers, partners and the broader community to be open, innovative, curious and collaborative. He called DEI a “focal point of our organization.” Overall, companies that make the effort agree it is good for business.

“We not only value diversity; we encourage it, we seek it,” Leo said. “That’s why we are dedicated to changing how we see each other and how the world sees us. Together, we champion a diverse workforce and foster an inclusive culture. Everyone should be seen, heard, valued and empowered to succeed.”

Allen called DEI a methodology “founded on creative value, opportunity and maximizing outputs by considering all aspects of the individual involved.”

“This ensures we account for diverse perspectives, lead with accountability to ensure access gaps are mitigated and consistently create spaces of belonging, which drive inclusive environments,” she said. “When DEI is applied in a corporate space, return on investment increases because the most valuable corporate asset, its people, are engaged.”

How much DEI affects the various people groups depends on who is asked. Some argue it covers all groups like a blanket, while others say it can be more impactful for certain demographics.

“Because DEI’s ultimate goal is belonging, it transcends one’s diverse attributes such as race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, mental and physical conditions, and generational differences,” said Tamika Edwards, director of human resources and employee engagement at Southwest Power Pool in Little Rock. Her role encompasses leadership of the company’s DEI strategy. She has more than two decades of experience in social justice, public policy, government and community outreach.

Edwards said there is no downside to DEI and that the work is “firmly embedded in our corporate HR practices” and “vitally important for increased employee engagement and ultimately successful business outcomes.”

“As our culture becomes more aware of the intentionality necessary to create and foster belonging, DEI will continue to grow beyond its perceived limited scope and become inextricably woven into the fabric of our everyday lives and businesses,” she said. “Everyone wants and deserves to feel a sense of belonging where they work, play and live.”

Her counterparts said DEI initiatives can affect different generations in various ways, and younger generations such as millennials and Gen Z tend to prioritize it much more in the workplace. The younger crowd is more likely to actively seek out employers with strong DEI commitments and is generally more receptive to discussions about eq-

uity and social justice, Leo said. On the other hand, DEI ranks lower on the list of workplace priorities for older generations. Leo said the older generations are often less familiar with DEI concepts and view them as unnecessary.

“Successful DEI initiatives involve bridging these generational gaps through dialogue and training,” Leo said.

Today, much of this work begins before an aspiring employee enters the workforce. Students today are taught more than ever to consider first and foremost inclusivity and equity.

“Just as DEI efforts are important in the workplace, they’re equally important in the classroom,” Leo said. “It improves cultural awareness and critical thinking.”

Allen said different age groups may have different views on DEI, and those perspectives can all be very different.

“Ultimately, the power of inclusion exists when individuals begin to understand those that are different from them,” she said. “This goes both and all directions. In a world that is continuously becoming more diverse and where communication is increasing at the speed of time, we cannot afford to miss the connections that happen with our associates, customers, and communities.”

Every generation is unique due to social, environmental and global events that influence members’ lives, as well as the evolution of technology, she added, and those differences make DEI “an important element to all generations.”

What is next for DEI? The experts in the selected companies said they will continue to strive for more understanding. They plan to champion causes, look at new opportunities to make meaningful changes and listen to the voices of their employees.

Allen said there can be no downside when it is understood that the outcomes help leverage strengths, and everyone has some diversity of thought and experience to bring to the table.

“It is important to understand that any type of business or industry’s success is measured by the ability to connect with its associates and customers,” she said. “Consider that diversity, equity, and inclusion is not a political position or a tactic that helps only one group or another. A solid diversity, equity, and inclusion business plan drives growth for everyone. DEI is as critical as a marketing plan, research design, financial analysis or any other part of the business. DEI is a business imperative.”

“DEI initiatives can have potential downsides, such as tokenism, division or meritbased concerns. If the DEI efforts seem superficial and don’t lead to genuine inclusion, they can alienate employees.”

— Dante Leo, USAble Life

Dante Leo

Cinthya Allen

Tamika Edwards

AARP Arkansas

AARP Arkansas is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. That means empowering all Arkansans regardless of race and ethnicity and acknowledging the challenges that each aging Arkansan faces. Arkansas AARP also works closely with diverse community projects by awarding grants.

Abilities Unlimited

techniques in a hospital specially designed for their treatment and recovery. Diversity, equity and inclusion are integral to Arkansas Heart Hospital’s mission to provide care in a welcoming environment and create an inclusive work environment where differences are valued, allowing individuals to achieve and contribute to their fullest potential. That commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is woven into the fabric of Arkansas Heart Hospital.

Arkansas Myriad

Abilities Unlimited is a center-based program that serves people with developmental disabilities. The nonprofit organization was established in 1961 in Hot Springs to train and seek employment opportunities for those it serves. Abilities Unlimited is acutely aware that inequality can hinder one’s quality of life. That is why Abilities Unlimited is committed to ensuring that all Arkansans, regardless of race, ethnicity, belief or ability, is able to make the most of life and live out their dreams.

Acxiom

Arkansas Myriad opened for business in 2003, performing specialty process and utility piping work specifically for the industrial market.

Based in Fayetteville, the family-owned business gained a positive reputation locally, which has grown the company nationally. Arkansas Myriad grew from the bottom up thanks to a diverse community. Arkansas Myriad is dedicated to diversity and inclusion in its community and at the office for the betterment of the company and all of Arkansans.

Arkansas State Parks

Founded in Conway in 1969, Acxiom is one of the world’s best marketing agencies and has a knack for data-driven, personalized and intelligent solutions to deliver better experiences for people everywhere. Acxiom takes diversity, equity and inclusion seriously and has more than 40 external and internal DEI events every year, along with quarterly surveys sent to employees to measure their progress.

Apptegy

Arkansas State Parks enhance quality of life through exceptional outdoor experiences, connections to Arkansas heritage and sound resource management. The goal of Arkansas State Parks is for Arkansans to experience excellent hospitality and to form a personal connection to the parks. Arkansas State Parks is committed to diversity by honoring tradition while seeking innovation and inclusion, aiming for experiences to be treasured by all Arkansans and relevant for generations to come.

Arvest Bank

Apptegy is a revolutionary company that helps design digital programs for schools. Apptegy has boomed in success since its inception and continues to work for the good of all schools. Apptegy is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion by serving a diverse community of teachers and by ensuring that all Arkansas students have the digital tools and experience needed to make a difference.

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Founded in 1948, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is the largest health insurer in Arkansas. Arkansas Blue Cross and its family of affiliated companies have more than 3,200 employees. For more than 70 years, Arkansas Blue Cross has been trusted by Arkansans for affordable, reliable insurance plans. With more than 1,000 employees, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield works to create and maintain an environment where all employees feel welcome and valued and can thrive through monthly employee-led councils.

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Headquartered in Bentonville, Arvest Bank has grown since the 1960s into one of the largest banking branches in Arkansas and its neighboring states. Arvest’s mission is to help people find financial solutions for life, and that means all people. Arvest is committed to fostering an environment of diverse thoughts and ideas where everyone feels included, respected and heard.

Beyond Sports Lab

The Beyond Sports Lab is the first minority-owned indoor baseball facility in Arkansas. The folks at Beyond Sports Lab have committed themselves to reviving minority baseball to give kids a fun, safe extracurricular activity. Beyond Sports Lab has been pivotal in giving minority baseball in Arkansas a shot in the arm by providing more game opportunities, team growth and tournaments.

CARTI

Arkansas Heart Hospital has provided more than a decade of leadership in heart treatment technologies and is recognized as a leading provider of quality heart care. The hospital is a nationally recognized and award-winning hospital dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. AHH patients have access to advanced technology and surgical

CARTI’s workforce is united by the mission of making trusted cancer care accessible to every patient it serves through compassion, innovation and purpose. Its nearly 1,000-person team recognizes that embracing diversity is critical to achieving its goal. The not-for-profit provider executes strategic, sustainable efforts, including launching an inclusion council to identify potential areas of improvement. Leveraging internal feedback as a guide, CARTI implements initiatives that foster engagement, celebrate team contributions, and, ultimately, boost productivity and performance. With each, CARTI builds a culture that intentionally values the uniqueness of its employees and those they serve.

Fostering a culture of belonging.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is unwavering. We are dedicated to providing an environment where our associates are supported to express their unique thoughts and experiences. Through our core values and integration of DEI companywide, we demonstrate this commitment by welcoming diverse ideas, voices, and authentic, inclusive processes and behaviors. This commitment is a statement and a promise to our associates, customers and the communities we serve.

Member FDIC | EEO/AA/Vet/Disabled

8 Associate Impact Groups (AIG) are made up of Arvest associates who directly support underrepresented communities.

49%

People of color interns participating in the summer 2024 internship program.

27%

People of color associates in the 2024 leadership program.

“At Arvest Bank, our mission is to help people find financial solutions for life; that means all people... This begins with our commitment to diversity and inclusion within our workforce, workplace and communities we serve.”

– Kevin Sabin, Arvest Chairman & CEO

To learn more, visit arvest.com/responsibility or scan the QR code.

We believe in the power of diversity.

Our commitment to inclusivity isn’t just a choice, it’s our strength. We’re proud to embrace a workforce as diverse as the communities we serve. Our unique diﬀerences are all part of a radiant mosaic that sparks innovation, drives creativity, and fosters a culture of belonging. It is the fuel that ignites our mission - working together to responsibly and economically keep the lights on today and in the future.

Central Arkansas Library System

FIS Global

The Central Arkansas Library System provides resources and services to help residents reach their full potential and to inspire discovery, learning and cultural expression. CALS is recognized as a leading community institution that improves literacy, the exchange of ideas, workforce development and social engagement. Among the Central Arkansas Library System’s core values is a commitment to respecting different perspectives and providing access to information and services to all. To that end, the CALS Board of Trustees has signed the Urban Libraries Council’s Statement on Race and Social Equity. The statement serves as a baseline upon which libraries can build policies and actions that make their communities more inclusive and just. CALS believes that libraries are trusted, venerable and enduring institutions, central to their communities and essential participants in the movement for racial and social equity.

City Year Little Rock

Inclusion and belonging are foundational values for City Year and the heart of its continued work to advance educational equity in central Arkansas schools. With the support of its AmeriCorps members, the nonprofit is equipping local students with academic, emotional and social skills for long-term success. Both in and out of the classroom, the organization provides equitable opportunities and a safe, welcoming space for team engagement, continued learning, and personal and professional development. Whether for its fulltime staff or AmeriCorps members, City Year is focused on building and sustaining a diverse workforce.

Conway Area Chamber of Commerce

Garrett Excavating

Since 1968, FIS Global has been pushing the limits and strengths of financial technology from Wall Street to Silicon Valley. The folks at FIS make sure everyone is able to access banking and payment information while developing cutting-edge and innovative technology. There are more than 65,000 people at FIS, each representing a unique combination of age, gender, ability, race, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, beliefs, thinking styles, education, and work and life experiences. FIS Global is committed to empowering all individuals with the ability to plug into technology, manage their finances and better their quality of life.

Garrett Excavating is a site-development company now in its third generation of ownership and one of the largest, most experienced and more technologically advanced site-development companies in the United States. Garrett Excavating provides turn-key solutions ranging from design engineering and clearing, grubbing and earthwork to paving, site lighting and striping. Hard work and a fundamental belief in doing the right thing for clients and co-workers have allowed Garrett Excavating to continue serving as a valuable construction team member for more than 65 years.

James A. Rogers Excavating

Fast, efficient and honest, James A. Rogers Excavating has become a reputable and well-known service provider since its creation in 1962. Its teams are up for every job, managing projects with the skill and experience clients have come to expect. James A. Rogers Excavating is dedicated to diversity and inclusion and has worked closely with the community and diverse initiatives. The folks at James A. Rogers Excavating break ground, move mountains and make new paths onsite and in the office.

The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce leads its community toward sustainable economic growth, advocates a pro-business climate for members, builds upon Conway’s educational foundations, and establishes and executes the community’s vision, all with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. The chamber works to ensure its membership, board, staff, committees and programming represent the diversity within the Conway business community.

Conway Regional Health System

Conway Regional Health System believes every employee’s unique perspective and experiences are necessary to create and maintain an inclusive workplace that values individual differences. Conway Regional’s commitment is to an inclusive health care setting where all employees are treated fairly, acknowledged for their uniqueness, promoted by merit and pushed to their utmost potential. Conway Regional actively supports that ethos through initiatives such as inclusive paid parental leave for childbirth, adoption, fostering and bonding periods to support families of all kinds, tuition assistance for staff and their dependents, and volunteer time off, which frequently benefits organizations that serve marginalized groups.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Camden Operations

Lockheed Martin believes that all employees should have a safe and inclusive work environment — one in which everyone is treated fairly and with the highest standards of professionalism, ethical conduct and full compliance with the law. The company believes it is the collective voice of its workforce that allows it to continue innovating a vision for a better tomorrow. LM values its employees’ unique backgrounds, their desire for career growth and their urge to solve some of the world’s most complex problems.

Nelson Intelligence Solutions

Nelson Intelligence Solutions was formed as a service-disabled veteranowned business in 2016 and has offices located in Stafford, Virgina, and Little Rock. As a defense, information and intelligence firm with an emphasis on federal government opportunities in support of the Department of Defense, intelligence community and state and local government. Nelson Intelligence Solutions knows firsthand the inequality that can be caused by exclusivity. It is for that reason that Nelson Intelligence Solutions strives to serve the community to the fullest and to create a better America for tomorrow.

Ericka Gutierrez Talley

BREAKING BARRIERS for Entrepreneurs

Ericka Gutierrez Talley speaks entrepreneurship in two languages. As director of operations at Conductor, a Conwaybased entrepreneurial support organization, Gutierrez Talley has a personal mission to promote diversity within underrepresented communities.

“Within the Hispanic community, I think we have to work on building trust, building those relationships,” she said.

She offers guidance in Spanish, which helps bridge the language barrier and ensures that entrepreneurs have a clearer understanding of what they need to do to grow their businesses.

Gutierrez Talley takes pride in providing information and resources to Spanish-speaking business owners, saying, “Anytime I’m able to make it easier for somebody to understand and to have an easier time accessing resources, I feel like I’m making an impact, and there’s definitely been an opportunity to do that here in Conway.”

When asked what energizes her work at the Conductor, Ericka’s enthusiasm was palpable.

“I get to play a role in helping grow small businesses and boost innovation across central Arkansas,” she said. “I get to play a role in the community I live in. I feel so honored.”

She expressed her supreme good fortune to be a key player on the Conductor team.

“Conductor has one of the best cultures that I’ve experienced in my career,” she said. “I work with a team that is always willing to set an example. Our leadership is some of the best I’ve witnessed. I get to learn from my team, who is always willing to go that extra mile to take action. We take really good care of each other. I think all those things are important to create a good work culture, a place where we can thrive and do what we’re set out to do.”

Gutierrez Talley said she sees Arkansas as an ideal launchpad for entrepreneurs thanks to its growing support systems and resources.

“Last year, the [Ewing Marion] Kauffman Foundation listed Arkansas as one of the states having the highest opportunity share for new entrepreneurs,” she said. “That indicates [Arkansas had] the percentage of new entrepreneurs who created businesses out of choice instead of necessity.

“I think more aspiring entrepreneurs are stepping up and willing to take that plunge and start their own ventures. I feel like a lot of this momentum is supported by increasing resources and the support mechanisms that we have from organizations like Con-

ductor. There’s awesome collaboration, spirit and effort here in Arkansas.”

By Paul Sage

For anyone considering starting a business, especially those from minority communities, Gutierrez Talley’s advice is simple: “I would say to get connected, to not be afraid to reach out, whether that’s Conductor or other entrepreneur support organizations. Get plugged in, whether it’s a one-on-one meeting or grabbing some coffee or attending an event. I think taking that first step can open the door and help so much.”

She credited her inspiration and cheerful outlook to her family and colleagues.

“My parents have exemplified extraordinary resilience and work ethic for as long as I can remember. They’ve always taught me to be courageous, to be determined in pursuing my dreams,” she said. “They’ve instilled in me the desire to learn in the spirit of curiosity and the importance of seeking mentorship, all while encouraging me to help as many people as possible along the way.

“My husband is great support for me. He’s also in the ecosystem, able to bounce back ideas and understand the nature of the work. My immediate family, as well as my extended family, have been very supportive, and of course, my work environment. The leadership is unmatched. The opportunity for growth and learning is unmatched, as well. I’m a very lucky person.”

She added that she looks at diversity as a strategy to improve organizations and the people within them.

“I believe that propelling and advancing diversity and inclusion will take people like me, but it’s definitely a collaborative effort,” she said. “I’m always willing to participate. I’m always willing to share my own experiences, but I think more than anything, I’m always willing to listen and to learn more. I don’t know everything, and I’m not the expert in diversity and inclusion. I’m just one person, and I think at the end of the day, it’s so important that it’s a collaborative effort of listening, learning and just being willing to participate.”

RPM Group

The RPM Group is a full-service Arkansas-based real estate firm that provides expertise in commercial and investment real estate, property management, residential rentals, and residential sales. Founded in 1955 by Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Inductee Billy F. Rector and partners Byron Morse and Fe Phillips, Rector Phillips Morse celebrated its 60th year in business by updating the name of the firm to recognize substantial growth and a much larger operating footprint. RPM Group has its roots in community and knows firsthand that diverse perspectives strengthen one’s foundation. That is why RPM Group is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the community and in the cubicle.

vision and core values. Research shows organizations that commit to developing and supporting DEI are more successful, better able to provide higher levels of service, more capable of satisfying the needs of a diverse group of stakeholders and better at enabling their employees to be effective ambassadors of their brands.

Thaden School

Sierra Group & Associates Construction

Sierra Group & Associates Construction is an award-winning roofing contractor specializing in commercial, multi-family and residential roof replacement and storm restoration. The folks at Sierra Group & Associates have built the company into a leader in its field. A Latino-owned company, staff members know that while they focus on the roof, the foundation of every good house is diversity and inclusivity. It is the conviction of owner Marcos U. Sierra that integrity spans from the owner to the newly hired employee. This is what has made Sierra Group & Associates Construction one of the fastest-growing companies in northeast Arkansas.

Signature Bank of Arkansas

Thaden School is named in honor of Iris Louise McPhetridge Thaden, who died in 1979. Born and raised in Bentonville, she was a proud Arkansan and one of the greatest aviators of her time. Her childhood home, the McPhetridge House, which originally stood on West Central Avenue in downtown Bentonville, was saved from demolition in 2017 and now serves as the Thaden School Office of Admissions. Since its founding in 2017, Thaden School has advanced its mission to foster the civil exchange of ideas in the center of the country. By inviting and engaging many perspectives, Thaden School enlarges its students’ capacity for understanding and prepares them for responsible citizenship and leadership in a pluralistic and multicultural republic.

The Design Group

Signature Bank of Arkansas was established in 2005 by a team of well-respected and experienced local bankers who had the dream of building a bank where decisions were made locally and in the best interests of not only the bank, but customers and team members, as well. In recent years, Signature Bank of Arkansas has spearheaded initiatives to diversify staff, boards and partnerships in order to better grow its knowledge and equipment for the region.

Southern Bancorp

More than 30 years ago, some of rural America’s most underserved and distressed communities gained an economic development partner when visionaries such as then-Gov. Bill Clinton, Rob Walton, Mack McLarty, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and others formed the Southern Development Bank Corporation, today known as Southern Bancorp. Southern Bancorp is devoted to ensuring that all Arkansans are able to have economic opportunity. One of Southern Bancorp’s founding pillars was to have a focus on building wealth in communities of color, and the organization has maintained and grown that commitment ever since.

Southwest Power Pool

The Design Group is more than a mere creative boutique. It is a full-service, multicultural communications firm with expertise in segmented and experiential marketing. The Design Group is home to the designers and architects behind communication platforms that bridge the gap between brands and the nation’s ever growing ethnic-consumer segments. Led by Myron Jackson, the Design Group is committed to marketing communications that are authentic and culturally relevant, as well as intellectually and emotionally engaging. The Design Group has raised the bar with its lifestyle and life-stage consumer segmentation approach. Every day, the firm validates the idea that being African American is more than skin color; it is about a mindset, one that evolves as one penetrates deeper and deeper within the subsets that exist within the African American consumer segment. The Design Group was founded in 2007 with the sole purpose of filling a marketplace void: telling the stories of people of color in an authentic way. At the heart of the Design Group, there is a team of talented individuals dedicated to giving a voice to Arkansans of color.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Southwest Power Pool continuously strives to cultivate a diverse employee population where everyone feels a sense of belonging and is appreciated for being their true selves. Doing so is directly tied to SPP’s mission,

Home of the Trojans, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock works to ensure opportunities for all students while nurturing the wider community. At UA Little Rock, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives help recruit and retain faculty, staff and students by providing leadership, resources and support to enrich time spent at the university. The chancellor’s fellow for diversity, equity and inclusion works to coordinate and support all DEI initiatives on campus, including training, recruitment and retention, program development, curricula development, and policy. Ultimately, UA Little Rock hopes to promote a welcoming, inclusive campus for all.

The Venture Center

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

The Venture Center in Little Rock focuses on education, collaboration and acceleration within the start-up ecosystem. To fuel innovation, the center partners with entrepreneurs, corporations, universities, government agencies, nonprofits, venture funds, service providers, program alumni and other organizations in the community. Folks at The Venture Center know that the cornerstone of any successful venture is education. That is why it has committed to a deeper understanding and education of diversity, equity and inclusion for the betterment of all Arkansans.

Think Rubix

Think Rubix is a culture-first public affairs firm that practices social innovation and drives change. Think Rubix brings together expertise in equity innovation, public engagement and storytelling to help clients do their best work. Think Rubix’s work goes hand in hand with racial equity and diversity by growing Black businesses, creating jobs and giving back to communities in need. Think Rubix emphasizes that diversity is not enough; companies have to aim for deep connections and relationships.

Tyson Foods

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock is the only health-sciences university in the state. UAMS is the state’s largest public employer and has more than 10,000 employees in 73 of Arkansas’ 75 counties. As part of its commitment to diversity, UAMS has created a plethora of diversity committees and student groups that span races, ethnicities, genders and beliefs. UAMS also holds diverse and immerse cultural opportunities, such as International Fest.

USAble Life

USAble Life believes in making a meaningful difference in the lives of their customers and employees. Staff members know they are only as strong as their teammates — a wonderfully diverse group. USAble celebrates that diversity and the value it brings to the organization. The company wants all employees to have a seat at the table to create an inclusive workplace for all. USAble is making extensive strides in its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by establishing an inclusion council — co-chaired by Jim Casey, CEO — that is cross-functional, cross-location, cross- generational and multicultural.

Tyson Foods is a modern, multinational, protein-focused food company that produces about 20 percent of the beef, pork and chicken in the United States, in addition to a portfolio of foods under the Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells and State Fair brands. Tyson Foods celebrates the diversity of team members, whether that is diversity in race, ethnicity, religion or none of the above. Tyson’s unique chaplaincy programs span a diversity of faiths and provide a listening ear for Tyson employees.

United Cerebral Palsy of Arkansas

Walmart

Walmart aims to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the company and society. The company is focused on creating a more diverse, inclusive team at every level and fostering a culture where all associates are engaged to achieve their potential and deliver on the customer mission. Walnart also strives to use its business and philanthropic resources to assess drivers of systemic disparities in society, seeking to contribute to a collective movement to advance equity for all.

United Cerebral Palsy of Arkansas is a nonprofit organization based in Little Rock and was incorporated in 1957 for parents of children with cerebral palsy and other physical disabilities who could not find assistance. UCP of Arkansas was founded with the acute awareness of the inequality that differences can cause when not enough people establish pathways for equity. Since its inception, UCP Arkansas has been committed to diversity and ensuring that all Arkansans live fulfilling lives.

United Systems of Arkansas

Winrock International

Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that implements a portfolio of more than 100 agriculture, environment and social development projects in more than 40 countries. Winrock combines technical expertise with entrepreneurial innovation to improve lives around the globe. Winrock International’s commitment to diversity consists of a plan to recruit, hire, retain and develop a workforce with diverse perspectives and initiatives.

United Systems of Arkansas in North Little Rock delivers more than 30 years of experience to meet clients’ printing and mailing goals. At United Systems of Arkansas, a team supplies Certified Mail solutions for customers seeking rapid mail processing, document imaging and custom inserting. With expertise in Certified Mail processing and a patented system for protecting private data, United Systems of Arkansas is the 100 percent solution for Certified Mail services. The folks at United Systems know that “united” means everyone. That is why at United Systems, there is a team of folks dedicated to a diverse and inclusive environment.

DuShun Scarbrough

Ready to Serve

DuShun Scarbrough has been steeped in diversity and nonviolence his entire life. A native of Little Rock, Scarbrough serves as the executive director and spokesperson of the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, a division of the Arkansas Department of Education. The commission was created by Act 1216 in 1993 to promote the legacy and philosophy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., and its mission is to promote understanding and acceptance of nonviolence and human equality as a way of building community among all Arkansans.

Scarbrough took over leadership of the commission in 2008, and in 2018, the commission established its headquarters in Little Rock’s historic Ninth Street District, the commercial and social center for the city’s African American community during the early 20th century. One of the first tasks Scarbrough undertook was to address juvenile crime in the state, developing a junior commission board composed of the state’s high school and college students with a bent toward leadership and community service.

That commission was replaced with youth commissioners — high school students who represent their respective districts by public speaking, volunteering and mentoring in the commission’s programs, including Dream Keepers and Leadership, Education and Acceptance of Diversity.

Scarbrough earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Master of Business Administration at Webster University in Orlando, Florida, as well as a Master of Counselor Education at Florida A&M University. He also has a Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School. He is a graduate of the class of 2011 Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Driving Government Performance and class of 2014 Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Leaders of the 21st Century and a member of the Delta Regional Authority Leadership class of 2013. He was a 2012 and 2014 nominee and 2015 finalist for Arkansas State Employee of the Year; was a 2017 Silent Hero finalist for the National Award for Government Employees; and garnered a 2018 Drum Major for Leadership Award from the U.S. Department of Education.

Today, Scarbrough faces the issue of gun violence in communities and schools with the same fervor he did when first helming the commission. His commitment to King’s nonviolent principles remains steadfast.

“In light of the tragic shootings in Fordyce and the recent Apalachee school shooting, addressing violence, particularly when it affects children, is urgent and necessary,” Scarbrough said. “My heart goes out to the families of this senseless tragedy. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. consistently called for nonviolence, and his teachings offer a profound approach to curbing violence in our communities, especially among youth.”

Scarbrough took over the leadership helm at the King Commission because he believed in the organization’s mission and vision of promoting racial harmony, multicultural diversity and social justice for the improvement and equality of all Arkansans.

“We must solidify our youth’s intellectualism and elevate our effectiveness as parents, educators and role models,” he said. “Being selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants to serve in this role has been a huge honor, and since becoming executive director, I’ve worked with our team to change the culture of the organization, and we’ve been able to shape the agency’s identity.

“In line with a clear vision, the King Commission provides outreach to underserved and under-programmed areas of the state by providing education, economic development, civic engagement and community service. We host the largest day of service in the nation honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as programs in English and Spanish in all four congressional districts. We also sponsor the King license plate, making Arkansas one of five states in the nation to have a license plate dedicated to Dr. King, and we partner with U.S. Bank for an advancing homeownership initiative, which focuses on increasing access to sustainable homeownership for minorities.”

Scarbrough and the King Commission have three distinct events planned for the end of 2024 and into 2025, including a preThanksgiving Day food giveaway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the King Commission at 906 Broadway St. in Little Rock on Nov. 21. The Christmas Food and Toy Giveaway, scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. during the Historic Ninth Street District Christmas event on Dec. 20, will happen at 906 Broadway St.. Kicking off the new year, the King Commission will host a King Holiday Commemorative Food Giveaway at its headquarters from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 20.

“I, like Dr. King, want to serve all people,” Scarbrough said. “As we continue to observe the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, we are reminded that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., along with so many others, was instrumental in working with Presidents [John F.] Kennedy and [Lyndon B.] Johnson to write this important piece of legislation. The Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission is not an African African organization. The commission’s outreach serves everyone.”

Empowering Arkansas Students and Communities for Success

Steve Colley: Advocate, Business Leader, and Nonprofit Champion

Steve Colley is the owner and founder of Waypoint College Consulting, a leading service in Central Arkansas that helps students and families navigate the highly competitive admissions process for top colleges and universities. Through personalized guidance, Steve has helped countless students achieve their dream of attending all types of institutions, preparing them not just for college, but for lifelong success.

But Steve’s impact does not stop there. As the Director of the Mijo Program, Steve also champions educational access for a select group of high-achieving, first-generation Hispanic students. His nonprofit work helps open doors to top colleges for underserved communities, guiding these students toward a brighter future.

Steve is deeply involved in advancing education access and equity across Arkansas. He serves as the Arkansas Government Relations Chair for the Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling (SACAC), advocating for policies that support students’ pathways to higher education. He is also a Board Member of Mamas Unidas Little Rock, where he works to uplift Hispanic families and students, and a dedicated volunteer for One Million Teachers of Color, a movement aimed at expanding opportunities and representation in education across the state.

A proud Marine Corps veteran and Harvard-educated public servant, Steve brings a unique combination of leadership, public policy expertise, and community-driven passion to everything he does. Whether he’s guiding students to success, building partnerships with local leaders, or advocating for systemic change, Steve is committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has the opportunity to succeed.

For more information on Steve’s work and how he is helping transform education in Arkansas, visit www.waypointcollege.com or follow him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/stevecolley1

You don’t have to be a CEO, baby, to be in our show. The executives are great, but Arkansas Money & Politics readers recognize that it takes everyone — small-business owners, marketers, nurses, real estate agents and more — to make Arkansas work. We asked readers to help us recognize some of the professionals in Arkansas who stand out in their fields.

JANICE ACOSTA

Relyance Bank

DENNIS ADKINS

Adkins & Associates

RICHARD AKEL

Akel’s Carpet One Floor & Home

JASON ALLEN

Arkansas Electric Cooperative

CHRIS ARNOLD

Hope, O’Dwyer, Wilson & Arnold

ALEX BALDWIN

State Farm

PAUL BARKLEY

McGraw Realtors/Big Adventure

Custom Pools + Outdoor Living

With more than 25 years of experience as a business owner, luxury designer and licensed contractor, Paul Barkley understands how to help his client navigate the journey and deliver luxury results every time. As a Realtor at McGraw Realtors in Benton, Barkley is committed to the core values that have provided the foundation for the success in business, relationships and the real estate industry at McGraw for more than 85 years: commitment, loyalty and tenacity. Barkley said the team cares about people and helping them find the best solutions while making real estate easy; it is as simple as that. As the presi-

dent of Big Adventure Custom Pools + Outdoor Living, Barkley and his team design and build some amazing luxury pools and outdoor living spaces in central Arkansas. Barkley celebrates 24 years of marriage with his wife, Amber, this year and is the father of three daughters.

CHRIS BATES

Pinnacle IT

In 1992, Pinnacle IT CEO Chris Bates was working as information technology manager for Little Rock law firm Williams & Anderson when he started moonlighting a small, home-based technology solutions service, The Computer Hut. Through hard work, expertise and impeccable customer service, Bates grew that side hustle into Pinnacle IT. Headquartered in Little Rock and with offices in Lowell, Jonesboro, Fort Smith, Hot Springs and Texarkana, the company partners with clients in meeting their technology needs including, but not limited to, managed information technology services, cybersecurity, server support, data backup and recovery and Microsoft 365 services. Originally set on a pharmacy degree, Bates discovered a love for technology in college, graduating from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway with a degree in computer information systems. When he is not providing cutting edge

solutions for clients, Bates enjoys spending time with his two sons and grandchildren.

TINA BELL

Malvern-Hot Spring County Library

SIDNEY BENNETT

Beyond Wellness

Sidney Bennett, a registered nurse and seasoned aesthetic injector at Beyond Wellness in west Little Rock, embodies a growth-oriented mindset that has propelled her career forward. Her journey into aesthetics began during her time at a dermatologist’s office, where she discovered a passion for enhancing natural beauty.

As a dedicated aesthetic nurse injector with more than six years of extensive experience in Little Rock, Bennett is passionate about helping her patients achieve their personal beauty goals. Throughout her career, she has developed expertise in advanced cosmetic procedures, including dermal fillers, neurotoxins and regenerative therapies, while prioritizing safety and natural-looking results. Her approach is centered on building lasting relationships with her patients and providing personalized treatment plans that enhance and rejuvenate their unique features. Bennett is excited about the future, particularly as she helps Beyond Wellness expand with a new location coming soon to Little Rock’s Hillcrest neighborhood.

Exists to Support HOMETOWN HEROES

Amidst soaring national debt, record inflation and a concerning economy, Arkansas is the outlier enjoying low unemployment along with economic growth and expansion. People are leaving other states to live in Arkansas, and we can hardly blame them. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ commitment to economic growth, creating a first-class education system and selling Arkansas to others is paying off.

“I’ve always believed public service matters. I know politicians get a bad wrap, and on occasion, there are bad apples, but by and large, most elected officials simply love the place they call home and want to make a difference for others,” said Stephanie Malone, CEO of the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association. Malone is a former Republican legislator from Fort Smith who worked in economic development for her hometown prior. She says it was serving others, helping those in need and seeing true problems solved by collaborative efforts that attracted her to working with an association made up of Arkansas attorneys.

The association’s members are attorneys who live and work in communities across Arkansas’ 75 counties. Attorneys are the front line in their communities. When Arkansans face injustice, they often end up at a local attorney’s office. Most Arkansans hope they never need an attorney, but when they or someone they love faces a crisis, it is the members of ATLA they turn to. While they are not elected officials or economic developers, attorneys are, indeed, public servants. Every day, lawyers are fighting bullies by standing up for victims of child abuse, elder abuse and countless other difficult situations. When Arkansans face the greatest challenges of their lives, they want a fighter by their side.

“One of the things that has been most interesting to me about our members is that, as I hear their stories, many became trial attorneys because they wanted to help people,” Malone continued. “They have an innate

desire to help the little guy. When someone faces a fearful situation alone, they need an advocate.”

Studies nationwide show that attorneys are highly engaged in their communities, give generously to local causes, and volunteer in their churches, local little leagues and other good causes. Trial attorneys are civically engaged. Civic engagement outside of the courtroom among its members captures the spirit of community and service the association desires to keep on the forefront of its mission.

Members find themselves fighting for first responders, women trapped in sex trafficking and Arkansans who have their religious freedoms trampled in corporate America. They take on bad-actor nursing homes that have wronged members of the Greatest Generation. Members of ATLA battle drunk drivers, stand up for children who have been sexually abused, and fight for the sick and injured when their insurance companies automatically deny every claim. These are real life examples of cases ATLA members have fought and won for Arkansas families. Some think heroes wear capes, but those at ATLA know they put on a tie or high heels and head to court to fight for hardworking families.

ATLA exists to support attorneys and the Arkansans they serve. Through continuing education and mentorship programs, the association provides members with indispensable training, assistance, networking and support for their efforts in the trenches. Through conferences and smaller meetings across the state, ATLA works to serve its members through enhanced offerings in legal education. Each year, law changes and court decisions impact Arkansans in significant ways. ATLA works tirelessly to ensure its members are up on these changes, understand their implications and are able to serve their clients with excellence.

One of ATLA’s most critical roles is in advocacy and government relations. Through its staff, lobbyists and active committee structure, the organization closely tracks legislation and assists members of the Arkansas general assembly in legislative drafting. ATLA lobbies to ensure legislation protects each Arkansans’ right to a trial by jury, secures the sacred value of human life and protects hard-working Arkansans. It is critical that legislation never tips the scales in favor of the powerful over the interests of the people. Committed to the law, ATLA’s greatest allegiance is to Arkansas’ constitution and the people it is designed to protect and empower.

The association is always looking forward. To that end, it has worked hard to cultivate a helpful mentoring program for young attorneys. Recognizing the breadth of new talent and the new generation of leaders serving Arkansas in every sector also means each organization must invest in our collective tomorrow by supporting those new leaders.

Attorneys understand that their work is never completely done. Challenges will continue to arise, and it will be critical that wellprepared and thoughtful leaders can meet those challenges. As they serve in their communities, ATLA will work hard every day to support their efforts.

Stephanie Malone

PROBLEM SOLVERS — COMMUNITY SERVANTS

A legal organization serving Arkansas attorneys through education, networking, and advocacy, ATLA supports itsmembers as they fight for everyday Arkansans.

“Our members are pillars in their communities, supporting projects, serving in their schools, churches, and local organizations, and helping Arkansans when they face life’s greatest challenges.”

– Stephanie Malone, CEO

TREY BERRY

Henderson State University

NIKI BOLTON

American Truck & Rail Audits

Niki Bolton presently leads American Truck & Rail Audits as the chief strategic operations officer. With AMTR since 2008, Bolton is a seasoned professional who has risen through the ranks as a senior truck freight cost auditor where she has been an integral part of providing expert audits and overcharge recoveries for clients. Her many duties have included managing client relationships, conducting contract negotiations, and providing tariff, rules, and contract interpretation. With in-depth knowledge, Bolton has also served as an expert witness, as well as providing trucking industry advocacy. Bolton is an active member in organizations to include Women in Trucking, National Industrial Transportation League and Transportation Intermediaries Association. Her honors include WIT’s 2020 Top Women to Watch in Transportation, WIT’s 2019 Influential Woman in Trucking Award finalist and Modern Woodmen of America Hometown Hero Award for volunteer work in the foster care and adoption community. She has a B.A. in mathematics from University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

SCOTT BOND

Lexicon

Scott Bond is a licensed CPA with 13 years of diverse experience in public accounting and in the steel industry. As corporate controller at Lexicon, he manages financial operations, including accounts payable, receivable, payroll, and month-end closing, ensuring accurate financial reporting and strategic decision-making. With a strong background in financial statement audits, Bond excels in building trusted relationships with clients and colleagues. His leadership skills, commitment to training and development, and management capabilities have enabled him to successfully implement new accounting software to streamline processes and improve efficiency. He actively coordinates financial forecasts, manages cash transactions, and oversees employee benefit programs. A

graduate of the University of Kansas with a master’s degree in accounting, Bond is dedicated to enhancing financial operations and driving company growth. A dyed-inthe-wool Chiefs fan, Bond has embraced all things Arkansas since moving here a little over a year ago.

MICHELLE BOONE, DNP, APRN

Compassion Health & Wellness Clinic

SCOTT BROADBENT

pb2 architecture + engineering

JEREMY BROWN

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

MARK CAMP

1836 Club

Mark Camp is president and managing partner of the 1836 Club located in Little Rock. Camp formerly served as the executive director of Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission, a state agency and part of Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Camp spent more than 30 years in municipal finance with 28 of those years as the general market municipal bond trader at Crews & Associates, one of the top investment banking firms in the South. He has always had a passion for aviation and is a licensed pilot. He and his wife reside in Little Rock and have four sons and two grandchildren. Camp serves on the boards of Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission, Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation, Arkansas Recycling Coalition and serves on the State Leaders Council of Keep America Beautiful and the Clinton National Airport Commission.

TIM CAMPBELL

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

BRET CARROLL

Conway Corp.

A native of Mabelvale, Conway Corp. CEO Bret Carroll is a 1989 undergraduate of the University of Central Arkansas, after which he worked for Entergy and Acxiom. Carroll is a certified public accountant and earned an MBA from UCA in 1996. Two years later, he joined Conway Corp. as chief financial officer. In 2017, he became just the sixth CEO to lead the utility, which offers electric, water, wastewater, video, internet, voice and secu-

rity services. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Carroll is a well-recognized figure among nonprofits and charitable organizations; a sampling of his board service includes the American Public Power Association, Arkansas 811, United Way, Rotary International, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, Salvation Army, Gideons International, Boys and Girls Club, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Carroll and his wife Sandra are members of Second Baptist Church in Conway, where Carroll serves as a deacon.

VANESSA CASH ADAMS

ARLaw Partners

Vanessa Cash Adams is co-founder and managing attorney at ARlaw Partners, a firm with offices in Little Rock and Fayetteville. Adams graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 2007 and was admitted to the Arkansas Bar that same year. Her undergraduate degree in journalism at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville gave her a strong foundation in communication, while other essential skills have come through handson experience. In 2020, Adams founded ARlaw alongside her partners Charlie Cunningham, Dustin Duke and Katie Freeman. Over the course of 17 years in private practice, Adams has focused primarily on consumer and business transactions, negotiations and bankruptcy. Adams is past president of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers and president of the Debtor-Creditor Bar of Central Arkansas. She is also a proud volunteer with the Little Rock School District, serving on the PTA board for Pulaski Heights Elementary.

JAMES CHAVEZ

Encompass Financial Partners

JENNIFER COBB

City Year Little Rock

Jennifer Cobb is an authentic, energetic, datadriven leader with more than 20 years of diverse experience in health care and nonprofit communications, fundraising and marketing. A storyteller at heart, Cobb serves as senior vice president and executive director of City Year Little Rock. She leads a team of 11 staff

By Sarah DeClerk

Growth Mindset Sidney Bennett

Aesthetic injector and registered nurse Sidney Bennett is passionate about growing her career, and she said a growth-oriented company culture is what attracted her to Beyond Wellness. She began practicing at the west Little Rock location in June and plans to help the company expand its services when it opens a Hillcrest location this winter.

“I’ve got so many ideas, and I like to be around like-minded people that also like to grow together and be able to be creative and be able to have a sense of community and helping the community,” she told AY About You in August. “When other people have like-minded goals, it’s really easy to grow together.”

CEO Ashley Huneycutt co-founded Beyond Wellness in Lonsdale to provide functional medicine and cutting-edge breakthrough therapies to the Hot Springs area in 2022 and soon opened a second location in Little Rock.

When other people have like-minded goals, it’s really easy to grow together.

Bennett has worked in aesthetics for six years. She said she has always enjoyed the beauty industry, and she “fell in love” with aesthetic injectables while working at a dermatology clinic. Ready to learn more about the craft, she earned her nursing degree and joined Revive Lifestyle Medicine in Little Rock to gain hands-on experience working with injectables.

She then started her own wellness clinic, Radiant Wellness in Little Rock, which she co-owned before joining Beyond Wellness.

There, she provides a range of treatments, from facial fillers and Dysport, a temporary treatment to smooth frown lines between the eyebrows, to biostimulators such as Sculptra and platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, which boosts skin tone and complexion. She also provides hair restoration and laser procedures.

“I love the natural look,” she said. “Natural but noticeable — you know, when someone can look at you and say, ‘Wow, you look amazing. Did you do something different?’ but they can’t figure out what it is.”

Beyond Wellness provides a wide range of services, including hormone replacement therapy, weight management, regenerative medicine and joint therapy, and IV therapy. The wellness center also offers self-services such as red light beds, infrared salt saunas, vitamin D beds and lymphatic compression treatments.

Although she has been in practice less than a decade, Bennett’s work has garnered ample recognition. She was voted a finalist for best nurse injector in AY’s “Best of 2024” readers’ poll, and she was recently honored as one of the magazine’s Best Health Care Professionals in the nonsurgical cosmetic category.

The key to her success, she said, is to continue learning and form close relationships with other professionals in the field. She stays at the top of her game by attending webinars, conferences and training sessions, and she keeps in close contact with medical sales representatives to stay up to date on the latest products.

“It really is an investment, and you have to be prepared to invest in yourself not only financially but time-wise,” she said. “There’s a lot of time that goes into continuing education for all this because we want to provide patients with the safest, best care.”

She said she enjoys networking and collaborating with other providers, including injectors, aestheticians and nurse practitioners, and she said she hopes to eventually provide training to other nurse injectors.

She also looks forward to helping Beyond Wellness open the Hillcrest location, which will provide more convenient services to those who work in the downtown Little Rock area.

“I have a ton of friends in that area. I’m friends with a lot of businesses in that area, and I have a lot of clients in that area,” she said. “Honestly, there’s just not anything like that around that neighborhood, so I’m really excited to bring the services that we offer to Hillcrest.”

Aesthetic services are more than meets the eye, she said, and she enjoys seeing the beauty within radiate outward when she takes care of her patients.

“When I can help people look beautiful, they feel beautiful, which, in turn, helps their confidence,” she said. “You can see it in them. When you look good, you feel good.”

members supporting up to 45 AmeriCorps members who’ve committed to a year of service in Jacksonville North Pulaski and Little Rock school districts. Prior to joining City Year, Cobb served in leadership roles in fundraising and communications at UAMS Institutional Advancement, Arkansas Children’s Foundation, Arkansas Business Publishing Group, and at various nonprofits in Montgomery. Cobb graduated with a degree in English from Rhodes College.

KAMI COLEMAN

Arkansas Bankers Association

Kami Coleman joined the Arkansas Bankers Association, the state’s largest and oldest banking industry organization, in 2004. In her role as vice president of professional development, she is dedicated to contributing to the professional development growth and the needs of Arkansas bankers and their careers. Her focus includes overseeing all professional development offerings and committees including the state bank convention and the emerging leaders section council. She is passionate about the banking industry and helping to develop Arkansas’s community bankers with continuing education and opportunities within the field.

STEVE COLLEY

Waypoint College Consulting

Steve Colley is the owner and founder of Waypoint College Consulting, a leading service in central Arkansas that helps students and families navigate the highly competitive admissions process for top colleges and universities. Through personalized guidance, Colley has helped countless students achieve their dream of attending all types of institutions, preparing them not just for college, but for lifelong success. Colley also is director of the Mijo Program, which champions educational access for a select group of high-achieving, first-generation Hispanic students.

Colley, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran educated at Harvard, is deeply involved in advancing education access and equity across Arkansas. He serves as the Arkansas Government Relations chair for the Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling, advocating for policies that support

students’ pathways to higher education. He is also a board member of Mamas Unidas Little Rock and a dedicated volunteer for One Million Teachers of Color.

ADRIENNE COLLINS

AC Productions

KATIE COX

Conway Regional

Katie Cox, BSN, RN, is the Director of Emergency Services at Conway Regional Medical Center. Of her 16 years of nursing experience, 12 have been spent at Conway Regional. For the last three years, she has overseen the stroke and trauma program. Cox helps run an emergency department that is a Level 3 trauma center and primary stroke center that sees over 34,000 patients annually. Cox has been named a 40 Under 40 Nurse Leader and a Great 100 Nurse.

MARIAH CREWS

Arkansas Institute of Transportation Engineers

SHAWN DANIELS

Daniels Law Firm

BO DIAMOND

Caisson Capital Partners

ROBERT EASON

Arkansas Land Co.

Robert Eason is owner and principal broker at Arkansas Land Co. in North Little Rock. Licensed in Arkansas and Mississippi, he started as an agent in 2009, soon after graduating from the University of Arkansas Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences in Fayetteville. Since his start, Eason has maintained a full-time career in real estate. He is active in both real estate sales and farm management. He has listed and sold everything from cabins near Maddox Bay to large row crop farms and premier hunting properties across the state. His management encompasses both farm and recreational properties. He is also president of Eason LaRoche Holdings, which has purchased, developed and sold several recreational developments. Eason LaRoche Holdings owns Prairie Cypress Farm and Lodge, a 1,000acre recreational farm with both row-crop fields and flooded timber.

NATHAN ELLER

Haag Brown Commercial Real Estate and Development

WILLIAM FLETCHER

Kinco Constructors

CESAR GARCIA

American National Insurance

JOHNNY GIBBS

Diamond Bank

MAYA GRAY

Day Dream Design Firm

Maya Gray is the founder and CEO of Day Dream Design Firm, based in central Arkansas. She has worked with P&G and been featured on Black Enterprise. Her clients work with Fortune 500 companies, have been internationally published, and featured on CBS, THV11, and ESPN. She’s created strategies that have saved her clients thousands and gotten them more exposure to their ideal clients. Previously, she worked with a variety of brands in multiple industries and now focuses on the needs of thought leaders and public speakers to make her impact and influence rippling by implementing sustainable and repeatable marketing systems that save ten hours a week, attract qualified leads, and optimize marketing budgets. The vision of Day Dream Design Firm is to advocate for leaders to prosper beyond superficial limitations nationally.

DON GRISHAM

Natural State Wholesale

Don Grisham has 27 years of experience as a businessman and a deal maker. Since founding Natural State Wholesale in 1997, Grisham has transformed his company from a small business-to-business operation into one of Arkansas’ best-kept retail secrets, boasting $20 million in annual revenue. Based in Cabot, Natural State Wholesale specializes in flooring from tile to hardwood to vinyl and offers an array of other building materials and household products. With Grisham leading the company, Natural State Wholesale embraced its dual role as a commercial and retail operation.

Grisham’s business journey originally began at Boondock Building Materials in Gainesville, Texas, where he developed his skills in making deals on closeout and damaged goods. In 1991, Grisham relocated to Arkansas, where he took an opportunity to partner with Builders One Carpet One.

Specializes in fundraising and board development for nonprofits of all sizes and missions. Our skilled, communitycentric team supports clients in Northwest Arkansas and around the U.S. with a holistic approach to their needs.

Laura Nick Chief Communications Officer

SCOTT HAMBUCHEN

First Orion Corp.

TRACI HAMPTON

Highlands Oncology Group

LAINE HARBER

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

WOODY HARRELSON Hatcher Agency

Woody Harrelson has been with the Hatcher Agency since 1992, starting as a part-time employee while attending the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Over the years, he has held nearly every position within the company, beginning as a courier and eventually rising to the role of president in 2015.

Beyond his professional achievements, Woody is deeply committed to his community. He has served on numerous boards and chaired several, including the Better Business Bureau, UA Little Rock’s Foundation Fund Board, Young Life’s Southside Committee, and the National Kidney Foundation of Arkansas.

Among his proudest accomplishments is his ability to build a thriving career while maintaining a strong and close relationship with his wife and four children.

TAMMY HARVEY-STAUBER

ATA International

Chief Master Tammy Harvey-Stauber of Little Rock is a ninth-degree black belt, the highest level of rank achievement within the American Taekwondo Association. She is the highest-ranking female and serves as chief ambassador for the organization. She has trained in the art of taekwondo for more than five decades, demonstrating leadership and active involvement within the organization, an exhibition of ethical conduct and contribution to the growth of Songahm Taekwondo. She is pursuing the Grand Master title in 2024. A native Arkansan, Stauber has been an icon for all martial artists around the world, men and women alike, for the past five decades and has been regarded as a top instructor and athlete. By 1977, at just 16 years old, Harvey-Stauber became the youngest person to become a certified instructor in ATA. During that time, she taught at ATA Headquarters’

school, eventually opening her own, Benton Karate Academy. She continued to dominate in the martial arts world by becoming Regional Instructor of the Year in 1989 and opening ATA-Karate for Kids pilot locations in both Little Rock and North Little Rock.

RYAN HERGET

Good Day Farm

MATT HESSE

University of Health and Performance

JENNIFER HOLLAND

UA Fort Smith

NOLEN HUGHES

Jan-Pro of Arkansas

DOUGLAS HUTCHINGS

Delta Solar

ROCHELLE JOHNSON

Grand Village at Clear Creek

CINDY JONES

Garrett Excavating

With more than 40 years of experience in the construction industry, Cindy Jones is a seasoned professional who has made significant contributions to the Northwest Arkansas landscape. Her impressive career began with designing for local civil engineering and architectural firms, where she honed her skills and developed a keen eye for detail.

In 1995, Jones founded her own residential design and build firm, CJ’s Designs, where she successfully designed over 700 homes throughout NWA, earning a reputation for quality and innovation. For the past 8 and a half years, she has served as a senior estimator at Garrett Excavating, where her extensive knowledge and expertise in construction have been invaluable to the team. Outside of work, she enjoys life on her small farm near Beaver Lake, where she finds joy in camping, fishing, kayaking, and tending to her garden. Her next big adventure is an exhilarating 188-mile float on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, showcasing her passion for the great outdoors.

JACOB JONES

Jones & Son Diamond & Bridal Fine Jewelry

Jacob Jones attended the Gemological Institute of America in 1997 and earned the coveted GIA graduate gemologist designation at just 19 years old. Since then, he has been involved in the dayto-day operations and interactions at Jones and Son Diamond & Bridal Fine Jewelry. Jones, a Catholic High graduate, feels passionately about giving back to the community. Jones & Son has been a presenting sponsor of Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s Miracle Ball since 2010. Through the years, Jones & Son has also been a presenting sponsor for the 20th Century Club’s Hope Ball and the jeweler selected year after year to participate in the Angels of Hope program. For the last 10 years, Jones & Son has been a presenting sponsor to the Miss Arkansas Pageant, and Jones personally designed the Miss Arkansas 2022-2023 official coronation ring.

KEVIN KEEN

Arkansas Land Co.

Kevin Keen, executive broker and wildlife biologist at Arkansas Land Co. in North Little Rock, is best known by his family and friends as one who loves the outdoors and can never spend too much time outside, hunting and fishing. He has farmed row crops, raised livestock and worked as an educator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. His agricultural experience, in addition to a Bachelor of Science in wildlife ecology and management and a master’s degree in biology, gives him insight into what it takes to operate a farm and manage habitat to help land reach its full wildlife potential. He is a hardworking, eager individual who strives to put others’ needs first.

NICHOLAS KELLY

Riceland Foods

ERICA KENNEMER

Horse Play

TAYLOR KING

Taylor King Law

RICK LEASURE

ARMI Manufacturing

We want to be your financial partner and advocate – together, we will PLAN, PERFORM, AND PROSPER.

Hannah Stanley, MBA Founder & Principal Senior Client Advisor

We will monitor your plan, analyze progress, implement changes, and offer relationship driven advice so that we help you stay on track for success, while you enjoy your life and celebrate important milestones.

We’re proud of the recognition Bret Carroll has received as one of 2024’s Top 100 Professionals by Arkansas Money & Politics

Bret’s exceptional leadership isn’t only limited to his role as CEO of Conway Corp. He also serves on numerous industry boards and in many non-profit organizations. This recognition is a testament to Bret’s unwavering dedication to his customers and community. From all of us at Conway Corp, congratulations!

Bret Carroll CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

By Paul Sage

Leading With Good Faith Don Grisham

Don Grisham loves to make deals.

“It’s fun. I love it,” he said. “Making deals, selling deals. It just has a certain competitiveness to it.”

Since founding Natural State Wholesale in 1997, Grisham has transformed his company from a small business-to-business operation into one of Arkansas’s best-kept retail secrets, boasting $20 million in annual revenue. Based in Cabot, Natural State Wholesale specializes in flooring, from tile to hardwood to vinyl, and offers an array of other building materials and household products.

The company’s inventory ebbs and flows with the deals Grisham makes. There is always a combination of the expected and the surprising.

“We handle a lot of things from kitchen and bath — faucets, kitchen sinks, bathtubs — [and] some crazy things every now and then — basketball goals and skateboards and lawn mowers,”he said. “You never know.”

Grisham’s business journey began after college with an intriguing experience at Boondock Building Materials in Gainesville, Texas, where he developed a fascination with making deals on closeout and damaged goods. An opportunity to partner with Builders One Carpet One led him to Arkansas in 1991, and six years later, he was inspired to venture out on his own and establish Natural State Wholesale.

“We’ve built a family with Natural State Wholesale,” Grisham said, adding that many of his employees have been with the company since its early years, and some of them started when they were in high school. “I think you could interview any employee, and they would say it’s like family.”

He said jokingly that he is better at teaching through his actions than his words.

“As a business owner, I’m terrible at training people,” he said. “I’m a high-energy, on-the-go owner. I lead by example.”

Grisham said he believes in hiring employees who complement his strengths and weaknesses and compared his organization to a well-tuned car.

“You need spark plugs, pistons, manifolds, carburetors, and all that has to come together to run

smoothly to be an efficient engine,” he said.

Grisham remains engaged with shaping his cohesive team.

“I’m still involved in the hiring. We look for work ethic and integrity,” he said. “We’ve had very little turnover over the years.”

Natural State Wholesale’s success can also be attributed to Grisham’s strength at building strong business relationships, even with his competitors.

“We have done something that not many people in our industry do; we have developed a friendship and trust each other. We go into deals together, and we don’t step on each other’s toes. We partner on a lot of deals.”

Grisham’s collaboration with his competition creates win-win scenarios that enable Natural State Wholesale to offer lower prices to its customers.

In May, Natural State Wholesale made a significant move by entering the retail market. With its new retail location, the Warehouse, Natural State Wholesale is embracing its dual role as both a commercial and retail operation.

Customers who visit the Warehouse in Cabot will walk into a shopping experience unlike their usual trek through Lowe’s or the Home Depot, he added.

“We have a completely different business model,” he said, adding that while Natural State Wholesale cannot provide endless product variety, shoppers will encounter bargains and helpful associates. “We’re known for our great prices. If a customer goes to Lowe’s and wants everything from framing lumber and all that, that’s not us. We’re going to save you a lot of money, and you’re going to get some friendly service. That’s how we built our business.”

Grisham credits his success and motivation to his family and many mentors in his business and faith communities.

“My family, first and foremost — I have three daughters and a son, and they motivate me,” Grisham said. “My father is my biggest hero. He is not with us now. [My father was] an Air Force and Navy veteran and worked with Verizon for many years. He’s my hero — always will be.”

Grisham has a passion for music, and he draws inspiration from local artists such as Tyler Kinch and country music star Justin Moore.

“Justin is a huge ambassador of Arkansas,” Grisham said. “I love that guy. He’s a great family man. He’s just a good person.”

Looking back on the past 27 years, Grisham counts his blessings and credits his team.

“We went from maybe a half million dollars a year to, today, right at $20 million in sales,” he said. “I have been very blessed with a lot of success in building Natural State Wholesale with some really good employees.”

Woody Harrelson The

Congratulations to Woody Harrelson

Arkansas Money & Politics’ “Top

The Hatcher Agency, founded by businessman, author and philanthropist Greg Hatcher in Little Rock in 1990, has a long-standing reputation for quality and customer satisfaction. As the “Home of Outrageous Service,” the company is uncompromising in its com mitment to its clientele. That culture of success is what has led the Hatcher Agency to the title of Arkansas’ top producing employee benefits agency for 34 years and counting, as well as the largest organically grown agency of its kind in the nation.

While Hatcher laid the foundation and continues to lead by example, his team is only as good as its constituent parts. One member who has been a part of the agency since nearly the beginning is president Woody Harrelson. He joined as a part-time employee in 1992 while completing his studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

“I grew up down the street from Greg Hatcher. He had the basketball goal in the neighborhood and always let us play at his house,” Harrelson recalled. “He hired me on a Sunday night around 11:30 p.m. He was out for a workout, and I was getting out of my car. I was at the office at 7 a.m. the next morning.”

Thirty-two years later, Harrelson has held nearly every position within the company, beginning as a courier and working his way up to the role of president in 2015. From day one, he was taught that the most successful people consistently do the things that no one else wants to handle. Needless to say, that ethos has served him well.

“Our dedication to providing Outrageous Service is both challenging and rewarding,” he said. “Once you become known for something, it becomes even more important to deliver it daily.”

Harrelson is a consummate professional and an involved community member, setting a high bar both when it comes to meeting the demands of his industry and giving back to the causes that are important to him. He serves on the UA Little Rock Foundation Fund Board and was selected as chair in 2022. Harrelson has served on numerous other boards, as well, including the Better Business Bureau, Young Life’s southside committee and the National Kidney Foundation of Arkansas.

Not unlike the agency’s founder himself, Harrelson is building a legacy based on strong character and steadfast dedication to those around him. His proudest accomplishment has been striking a balance that is elusive for many: building a thriving career while maintaining a close relationship to his family. Never one to do anything half-heartedly, Harrelson hopes to set a positive example of his own for peers, colleagues and loved ones.

“I hope I am seen as someone that will listen and communicate with com passion, even if I do not agree,” he said. “It is more important to hear than it is to be heard.”

Congratulations Curtis!

Curtis Longfellow took a long and winding route to his role as assistant vice president of Springdale-based United Built Homes. The West Fork native graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Connecticut before forging a career as a stage and film actor. When COVID-19 hit, he moved back home with the intention of starting law school. Fate intervened, and he joined United Built Homes. He quickly rose from an entry-level position to general manager and then to regional sales manager, eventually taking on his current role overseeing the company’s territory in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and east Texas. He is engaged to marry Lizzie McCurdy in December.

Greg has been a financial advisor since 1999, working for a couple of national firms before founding Conway Wealth Management, Inc. in 2010. He grew up in Conway and graduated from the University of Central Arkansas.

Greg enjoys being an advisor and helping his clients pursue success in life. He and his team provide comprehensive financial planning for clients so that they can give the best advice possible for their clients. Areas of focus for Greg’s practice include retirement planning, estate planning, business succession planning and investment planning. Greg has been married to his wife Sherri for 27 years and they have two children, Jack and Kate.

TOP PROFESSIONALS

CURTIS LONGFELLOW

United Built Homes

VERONICA LOVE

Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas

Veronica Love is the founder and CEO of Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas and the president of Southern Carrier Services, a non-emergency medical transportation company. Love previously found incredible success in the automotive world, moving from sales and finance management to directing and managing a multimillion dollar business. After several years in the industry, Love became the first African American woman in Arkansas to serve as general manager for a franchise dealership while at Crain Mazda. Taking all that she learned in that career, along with her servant leadership style and entrepreneurial spirit, Love has now cultivated her own business into a milliondollar empire. Love’s caring heart motivates her, not only in supporting those in need, but in creating generational wealth for her loved ones. She leads her teams with integrity, demanding their best and empowering them to serve their communities with dignity, equality and respect.

JEFF LYNCH

Eagle Bank & Trust

AMANDA MACK

Baldwin & Shell Construction Co.

Amanda Mack is director of human resources at Baldwin & Shell Construction Co., which is headquartered in Little Rock. Since joining the company in 2018, she has overseen HR strategy, employee relations, compliance, and benefits while championing a positive company culture. A graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, Amanda is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the National Association of Women in Construction. Her accomplishments include being featured at Money.com for COVID-19 protocols in 2020 and being recognized in Ragan’s Top Women in HR in 2021. She has also played a key role in earning “best places to work” accolades. Outside of work, she attends First Baptist Church in Benton and enjoys spending time with her husband Glenn, and their two children, Elle

and Levi. Her favorite hobbies are travel and vegetable gardening. She is motivated by people and strives every day to make employees feel valued.

DOMINIC MAGGIO, M.D.

Legacy Spine & Neurological Specialists

STEPHANIE MALONE

Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association

Stephanie Malone grew up in Rogers, where she graduated from high school in 1996. She earned a B.S. in journalism from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 2000. After college, she moved to Fort Smith, where she started a career in communications with the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 2009, Malone was named marketing director for the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority.

During her tenure at Chaffee, Malone was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives and served three terms. As a member of the House, she served as chairman of the Committee on Children Aging and Youth, chaired the House Select Committee on Rules and served as an assistant Speaker Pro Tempore. In 2015, Malone moved to central Arkansas, where started a new career in political advocacy, including stints with AETN, Community Health Centers of Arkansas and Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. In 2020, Malone was named CEO of the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association.

CARLA MARTIN

Go Forward Pine Bluff

JAMIE MCAFEE

Pine Bluff Country Club

ROBI MCDONALD

Gateway Bank

Robi McDonald is the President / Chief Executive Officer of Gateway Bank with branches in Cleveland and Saline Counties. In his role, McDonald is blessed to work with a great team of bankers and oversees all operations of the institution. He joined the bank in 2020 as a Senior Vice President / Chief Lending Officer and was promoted to his current role in March of 2022. McDonald is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University with a bachelor’s degree in business management, as

well as a graduate of the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodists University. He has served on several civic and non-profit boards over his career and has a strong passion for the development of financial literacy and promoting leadership within youth. McDonald is a native of Rowlett, TX but is a “converted” Arkansan and currently lives in Benton.

STACI MEDLOCK RE/MAX

Staci Medlock is consistently one of the topperforming real estate agents in the central Arkansas area, carrying almost 20 years of experience under her belt. A native of the area, she caters to a wide range of clients in cities across the region, including Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, Maumelle, Jacksonville, Cabot, Searcy and Beebe. While Medlock’s abilities as a Realtor are across the board, she has extensive experience in new construction, custom home building and working with first-time homebuyers. Medlock has also served as justice of the peace for Pulaski County’s 15th district since 2013.

JACKSON MENDENHALL

Nunnelee & Wright Commercial Properties

Jackson Mendenhall was born and raised in Fort Smith. He is a proud alumnus of Subiaco Academy, where he attended high school, and The University of Arkansas where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing management. Mendenhall began his career in commercial real estate as a summer intern for Nunnelee & Wright, which led to him pursuing his real estate license in 2018. Since joining the brokerage full time in 2020, he now holds active licenses in both Arkansas and Oklahoma and is the head of the multifamily property management branch of NWCP. Mendenhall is a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce.

LARRY MIDDLETON

Middleton Heat & Air

LOGAN MOSS

Acme Brick Tile & Stone

LAURA NICK

Garver

J. DARYL PEEPLES

Kelley Commercial Partners

Working to highlight the best of Garver

In her 13 years at Garver, Laura Nick has launched a competitive recruitment program, developed an employeedriven charitable giving program, and built an in-house communications team more than 30 members strong. That doesn’t just take dedication; it takes persistence and passion.

Congratulations on being named one of AMP’s 2024 Top 100 Professionals, Laura! Your impact has been felt throughout the AEC industry, Arkansas, and across the country. GarverUSA.com

Nick Chief Communications Officer

tions professionals who manage outlets ranging from public relations to video production to targeted digital campaigns. In 2023, Nick was named to Garver’s C-suite as the firm’s first chief communications officer. Her team has amassed renowned industry awards, including a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence and SMPS National Marketing Communications Awards.

BARBARA PAGE

USAble Life

MELANIE PALMER

M. Palmer Consulting

Melanie Palmer is the owner of M. Palmer Consulting, a northwest Arkansas firm that helps nonprofit organizations of all sizes and missions raise more money and do more good. Along with her team, Palmer provides values-based, community-centric assistance in the areas of grants, fundraising strategy as well as board and staff development to nonprofits in Arkansas and across the country. Palmer is loyal to a vision of a more inclusive, more effective nonprofit ecosystem in Arkansas. She loves supporting other nonprofit leaders, working with young professionals, and bringing everybody to the table. She is a past president of the Arkansas chapter of the Grant Professionals Association, a past president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Northwest Arkansas Chapter, and current board member of the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She is one of only two professionals in Arkansas dual certified as a grant professional certified and certified fundraising executive.

J. Daryl Peeples is president, partner and principal broker for Kelley Commercial Partners in Little Rock. As principal broker, he ensures that all business conducted by the firm and its real estate activities adhere to the rules and regulations set by the Arkansas Real Estate Commission and provides strategic direction and leadership to advance the company’s mission and increase revenue, profitability and growth as an organization. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia and his MBA from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. His civic affiliations include board service for the YMCA, Main Street Argenta, March of Dimes and Immanuel Baptist Church.

GREG PILLOW

Conway Wealth Management

Greg Pillow has been a financial advisor since 1999, working for a couple of national firms before founding Conway Wealth Management in 2010. He grew up in Conway and graduated from the University of Central Arkansas. Pillow enjoys being an advisor and helping his clients pursue success in life. He and his team provide comprehensive financial planning for clients so that they can give the best advice possible for their clients. Areas of focus for Pillow’s practice include retirement planning, estate planning, business succession planning and investment planning. Pillow has been married to his wife, Sherri, for 27 years and they have two children, Jack and Kate.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.

JOHN PONTHIE

Green House Cottages

LINDSEY PONWITH

Revive Lifestyle Medicine

Lindsey Ponwith is a family nurse practitioner certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and an upcoming Fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Since graduating from UAMS, she has worked in family

and pediatric health care settings for more than 15 years. She is the primary practitioner and owner of Revive in Little Rock, specializing in functional health care, aesthetics, women’s health and thyroid and hormone therapy. She combines her functional health wisdom and conventional practice training to create true health in each patient she treats.

DR. ANDI REEVES GREEN

Rehab Specialists of Arkansas

KAREN RICHARDSON

Mainline Health Systems

Karen Richardson, APRN, graduated from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She believes in providing comprehensive health care to individuals across their lifetime, assisting patients with knowledge to enhance self care and supporting patients during difficult times with compassionate understanding and resources to improve the quality of health.

In her spare time, Richardson enjoys water sports, family travels, yard work, snow skiing, volunteering in her community and country western dancing. She joined the Mainline team in December 2019.

ANDREA RITCHIE

AM Group

EDWARD RUFF

Petit Jean Meats

ANNA RUSSELL

Buttered Biscuit

BO RYALL

Arkansas Hospital Assocation

MEGAN SELMAN

Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce

Dr. Megan Selman is the CEO of the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Russellville Regional Alliance for Economic Development, a role she began in 2022. As the first female CEO of the alliance, Selman has spearheaded transformative projects, including the recruitment of a Fortune 500 company to Russellville and the expansion of two major manufacturers in cold storage and aerospace and defense. These efforts have brought over $230 million in investment to her community and created hundreds of new jobs in her hometown. A dedicated community leader, Selman co-hosts the local webcast All Things Russellville and serves on several boards, including the West Central Planning

Laura

I'm

I'm honored to be recognized as a 2024 AY Best Realtor and excited to join the McGraw REALTORS® team. With over 25 years of experience as a business owner, licensed contractor, and luxury designer, I approach each client with integrity, dedication, and care. My transition to McGraw REALTORS® is an opportunity to continue serving you with the same commitment to delivering the luxury results you deserve.

If you're ready to ﬁnd your dream home, I’d be grateful to guide you on that journey

By Steve Wilcox

Veronica Love learned firsthand what it means to be a caregiver. She was not looking for a career or searching for her purpose in life; the work had to get done and she was there to get it done. It was about family, and it was about caring. For her, creating Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas was as natural as getting up in the morning.

“My father had multiple sclerosis, and we took care of him, my sister and I as a child, and we watched him deteriorate with health issues right before our eyes, and then after he passed away, my aunt, who assisted us in taking care of him, had congestive heart failure and was a diabetic,” Love said. “Our family has a long history of being caretakers. I took care of my grandmother, I took care of my father, my aunt, and I took care of my grandmother’s siblings. We had to learn that being a caretaker was a part of being a united family.”

After traveling the long road of illness in her family, Love decided to do something that stirred a passion in her, something that is oftentimes not considered a skill, and that was caregiving.

The goal is to allow clients to remain in their own homes as long as possible.

“I understand how elderly people need assistance,” she said. “You have to have patience with them. It was something that I’ve done all my life, and so it just came naturally to me.”

Love established her company six years ago with an offering that includes home health care services, companion services, respite care and dementia care.

“We come in the home and help you with your daily toilet needs, things to help you remain in the home and be able to get around in your home as safely as possible,” Love said. “We help you with cleaning, we help you with preparing meals, and we provide medication assistance.”

The goal is to allow clients to remain in their own homes as long as possible, she said.

Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas has cli-

A Life of Caring Veronica Love

ents who live in assisted living facilities, and in those cases, the team’s goal is to prevent clients from falling and help them get to medical appointments on time. In addition, company staff ensure clients do not miss meals. The assignments can extend from twice a week to every day. The typical client is a senior, but there are several young adults with disabilities on the client roster.

Although the company is based in Little Rock, there is now a satellite office in West Memphis, and the Home Health Care Agency team provides care to clients in that area. The company can offer services throughout Arkansas and has clients in fast-growing areas such as northwest Arkansas.

Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas works with various government agencies, including the Arkansas Department of Human Services, the state’s workforce center, which helps people looking for employment, and the Arkansas Medicaid agency. Under one program, the company assists seniors who may have had a stroke or other medical condition and had been in a nursing home but regained their capability to live on their own in the community again. The company also works with nonprofit organizations and churches, often delivering transportation services.

The organization has more than 100 clients across Arkansas receiving services provided by 75 caregivers, and with that growth comes the requirement to always be in hiring mode.

“We look for a clean background. We look for dependability. We look for people who have integrity, and we check references,” Love said. “We help them get credentialing, and we try to assist in areas needed to help make their overall employment life better.”

In a high-touch service such as caregiving, training is key. Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas offers paid training to new hires

“They can still benefit from learning. It’s three weeks to a month before they go into a home,” Love said, adding that even then, new hires work with a mentor before going on their own.

Being a caregiver is not easy, which Love knows better than most, but it is an essential service for an aging population that worked hard to build the towns and cities where they live. Offering the best care possible seems like a small contribution to people who have given so much, she said, and having a trusted companion and someone to look out for a senior or disabled person’s daily needs is more than a day-to-day job; it’s actually caring.

Congratulations to Jacob Jones for being recognized as one of Arkansas Money & Politics’ Top 100 Professionals in 2024. Based in Little Rock, Jones & Son has provided the best value in jewelry to its customers since 1986, and with his personalized approach and involved leadership, Jones is making sure the store will uphold its starstudded reputation for years to come.

The Jones & Son formula is simple: style and luxury grounded in the 21st century with a business model that harkens back to the days when businesses cared about their customers and tailored their businesses to the

needs of the market. Jones & Son has always been excited about providing the most up-todate shopping experiences and has remained flexible to the changes its customers wish to see.

Jones also considers it a duty and a privilege to give back to the community. Jones & Son is the official jeweler and a presenting sponsor of Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s Miracle Ball, A la Carte and Star ACHievers Program. The jeweler is also involved with organizations such as the 20th Century Club, the Miss Arkansas Pageant, Centers for Youth and Families, and many others.

Arkansas’ premier diamond, bridal and fine jeweler.

855-901-7464 jonesandson.com 11121 N. Rodney Parham Road Suites 23B and 24B, Little Rock

Dr. Megan Selman for being named one of Arkansas’s Top 100 Professionals, recognized for her leadership, dedication to economic development, and impactful service to the Russellville regional community.

Dr. Megan Selman Chief Executive Officer & President

479-968-2530

479-857-8632

mselman@russellvillechamber.com

708 W Main St Russellville, AR

and Development Board, Arkansas Tech Alumni Board, Co-Create Innovation Hub, and chairs RSD’s Cyclone Education Foundation. She was recently elected to the Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives Board of Directors.

STEPHANIE SHINE

Arkansas Talent Group

Stephanie Shine, partner and co-founder of Arkansas Talent Group in Little Rock, launched the company in February 2024 with partner Christopher Chunn. The firm specializes in direct-hire and executive-level placements in Arkansas. and her team brings more than 50 years of local recruitment expertise. Shine has served on boards for Rotary International, the Accounting & Finance Women’s Alliance, where she is current board president, and the Institute of Management Accountants. In 2023, Shine and Chunn launched the Arkansas Talent Podcast, which features talented leaders in the state in accounting, finance and human resources and covering topics such as hiring trends, job market updates and talent retention. Shine has a management degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a Master of Business Administration from Missouri State University.

SIMONE SINGH

Junior League of NWA

JIM SMITH

Smith Hurst

Jim Smith is a founding partner of Smith Hurst, a regional business and private wealth law firm located in Rogers, Arkansas. For over 30 years, Jim has focused his practice on advising companies, executives and entrepreneurs regarding a full range of business advisory and transactional law matters, with a particular emphasis on corporate structure, governance and finance (including private placements of securities, capital raises and securities law matters), strategic initiatives, mergers and acquisitions, business taxation, compliance with regulatory obligations, executive compensation and compensatory plans, and business contractual matters.

Smith obtained his Masters of Law (Taxation) from New York University School of Law and his law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law. He is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant (registered inactive).

HANNAH STANLEY

New Wave Wealth Advisors

Hannah Stanley founded New Wave Wealth Advisors in 2019, where she focuses on investment management, tax strategies, and retirement planning for high-networth clients. Born and raised in Arkansas, she strives to build deep and long-term relationships with her clients in order to provide trusted advice around asset and risk management, trust and estate planning, options/stock benefits, and wealth and income strategies for both personal and business clients. As a fiduciary, her goal is to make the planning process easy by being relatable, experienced, and invested in her clients’ success. Hannah graduated cum laude from the University of Arkansas with degrees in Biochemistry and Spanish and then obtained her Master of Business Administration from the University of Colorado in Denver. While in Colorado, she served in various banking, finance and management roles at FirstBank.

BRENT STEVENSON

Brent Stevenson Associates

LEE STROTHER Colliers

CORRINE

SUDAR Sudar Group

Corrine Sudar is the principal broker and co-owner, alongside her husband, Doug Sudar, of Sudar Group, the fastest-growing real estate boutique brokerage in Arkansas. Known for her aggressive sales style, Sudar leads a team of over 50 agents specializing in real estate across northwest Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, Missouri, and the Arkansas River Valley. Her commitment to delivering outstanding results has established Sudar Group as a key player in the Arkansas real estate market. Each agent at Sudar Group is highly knowledgeable about their market and works to create a customized process tailored to their clients’ specific real estate goals. Sudar’s leadership and expertise have earned her the prestigious title of a triple diamond award-winning agent, solidifying her reputation as a powerhouse in the real estate industry.

ROGER SUNDERMEIER

First Arkansas Bank & Trust

MONICA TREAT

Treat Insurance

Monica Treat is owner of Treat Insurance Agency in North Little Rock. She launched the agency 17 years ago and specializes in Medicare plans. Treat and her team of 9 women help guide their clients through the complexities of Medicare. Treat explains “the primary thing we sell isn’t insurance, it’s peace of mind”. The Treat agency thrives through word-of-mouth advertising with roughly 95 percent of its business coming through referrals.

A Sherwood native, Treat is running for the Ward 4 seat on the Sherwood City Council. A Sylvan Hills graduate, she is a strong advocate for her hometown and local schools. She supports Sherwood schools forming their own school district and is passionate about bringing more economic development to the area through new restaurants and entertainment options.

MERCY VAUGHN

Conway Regional

Mercy Vaughn, BSN, RN, is the Director of ICU and ICU Step Down at Conway Regional Medical Center. She brings 15 years of nursing experience, with eight of those being in management at Conway Regional. Mercy played an integral role in helping launch the ICU Step Down unit (1 East) in 2023. Over the years, she has also helped lead CVICU, GI Lab, and OIU.

ERICA WACASTER

Lake Hamilton Health & Rehab

COREY WHISENHUNT

Wild Fire Farms

Rooted in family and faith, Corey Whisenhunt spends each day working to make people’s lives better. A secondgeneration pork producer, Whisenhunt added hemp to his repertoire two years ago via Wild Fire Farms in Nashville, Arkansas. He uses only organic materials and farming methods to raise the plant, which has a growing list of uses from fiber to animal feed to alternative medical products for humans. A natural leader, Whisenhunt is a board member for Arkansas Pork Producers and a member of Farm Bureau of Arkansas. One of Arkansas’ most

By Jeremy Harper

Taking Care of People Amanda Mack

Working on a Baldwin & Shell construction site rarely stops for anything, not even a sweltering Arkansas summer, when temperatures routinely reach triple digits. In those conditions, there is the usual set of professionals like foremen, welders, engineers and carpenters. On the hottest days, one might see somebody not expected: Amanda Mack, Baldwin & Shell Construction Co.’s director of human resources.

“I visit our top job sites in the summer to deliver cooling towels and ice water,” said Mack, who has served as HR director at the Little Rock-based company since 2018. “Construction can be hot and dangerous work. We believe in taking care of our people.”

Mack gained her affinity for supporting bluecollar communities growing up in East End, a rural Saline County town with a determined work ethic. Her parents were both longtime factory workers.

Treating people well and approaching them with respect is so important.

Although she received her degree in political science from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, it was the draw of helping rolled-sleeve workers that appealed to her over managing political campaigns.

“I got my first HR job in Dallas,” she said, “but what brought me back home to Arkansas was an opportunity to work with Graphic Packaging, which employs a lot of blue-collar workers. Giving back to them was something that really appealed to me.”

Amanda is a self-described “culture junkie,” which she said is a term that reflects her passion for discovering ways to give more back to workers. She finds purpose in serving employees, whether it means providing one of the most comprehensive insurance coverages in the construction industry or

maintaining face-to-face contact with everyone on the organizational chart.

“We try to see everyone two or three times a year,” she said, noting the inherent challenge.

Founded in 1946, the company has grown to nearly 400 employees. It specializes in commercial buildings such as hospitals, schools, religious facilities, retail stores and more. Mack attributes much of the company’s success to how it treats its people.

“Part of our mission statement centers on mutual respect,” she said. “Honestly, all we do is ensure our people receive the support they deserve. If you give back to your employees, they give it right back to our customers.”

That has proven to be a good policy. Baldwin & Shell is among the largest commercial construction companies in Arkansas. The competitive nature that helped fuel that growth fuels Mack, as well. Whether it is a hand of cards or retaining a valued employee, she wants to win more than anything else. She said she is guided by Kaizen, the concept adopted as the core principle for Toyota. Kaizen is Japanese for “continuous self-improvement and a respect for people.”

“Treating people well and approaching them with respect is so important,” she said. Noting the importance of exit interviews, she added, “You have to know why good people are leaving so you can make that improvement or avoid that mistake moving forward.”

In addition to being a “people person” who loves to travel, Mack said she is also a “plant person” and spends much of her downtime in her garden.

“I am a very proud vegetableand herb-gardening enthusiast,” she said. “When I’m not planning my next travel adventure, I’m coaxing my plants to greatness.”

passionate hemp advocates, the husband and father of two gives all credit to God for allowing him to provide for his family and the health and well-being of his neighbors, community and beloved state.

DEKE WHITBECK

Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation

As a loving family man, Little Rock native Deke Whitbeck enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Sarah, and their two daughters, Cate and Charley, developing in his children the same appreciation for the state’s woods, waters and plains he developed growing up in the Natural State.

As president of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, a job Whitbeck has held since 2016, the goal is much the same: to provide native Arkansans and guests access to quality outdoor experiences through education, conservation and preservation.

Leading AGFF, the fundraising arm of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Whitbeck has brought the organization to new heights, raising millions of dollars in support of AGFC initiatives and AGFF pro-

grams including maintaining nature centers, funding youth shooting programs and investing in wildlife conservation. In so doing, Whitbeck has mustered support and inspired grassroots activism from every corner of the state to preserve myriad outdoor ecosystems for future generations of outdoor enthusiasts.

CINDY WILLIAMS

Time Striping

JILLIAN WILSON

Attorney’s Title Group, Wilson & Associates

ALEX WORLEY

Happy Egg

DR. ZACHARY YOUNG

Arkansas Plastic Surgery

As a native Arkansan and double board-certified surgeon, Dr. Zachary Young is humbled to be recognized as a 2024 Top Professional. His certifications include both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He has a passion for helping patients achieve amazing results through both

aesthetic (cosmetic) and reconstructive plastic surgery. Dr. Young offers a wide range of aesthetic surgeries for the breasts, body and face. Some procedures he offers include breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy tuck, arm lift, thigh lift, liposuction and eye lid surgery. Young is also passionate about breast reconstruction and helping women recover what cancer has taken from them. The team at Arkansas Plastic Surgery pride themselves on patient centered care. While surgery is his focus, the office also provides non-surgical options, including laser treatments, microneedling, chemical peels, neurotoxin and filler. No matter the need, Young and his team are honored to bring exceptional care and cutting-edge techniques to central Arkansas.

RANDY ZOOK

Arkansas State Chamber

TAMMY HARVEY-STAUBER Congratulations

Chief Ambassador ATA International Director H U Lee Memorial Foundation

As a teenager, many people get an idea of what they want to be when they grow up. Far fewer open their first business in high school. At just 16 years old, Tammy Harvey-Stauber became the ATA’s youngest certified Taekwondo instructor, and at 17, she opened her first Taekwondo school in Benton. Now a ninth-degree black belt, “Master Tammy” became ATA International’s first female grand master in July 2024. “To help someone who has come in with no self-confidence or coordination or maybe who has not yet found their niche in life and watch them succeed is one of the greatest gifts I have received.”

— Tammy Harvey-Stauber

1800 Riverfront Drive, Little Rock, AR 501-568-2821 | atamartialarts.com huleefoundation.org

ARKANSAS

VISIONARY

SOLUTIONS, NOT EXCUSES

Bobby Martin’s career harnessed the digital revolution, transforming retail

By Dwain Hebda

Bobby Martin (Photo provided)

Bobby Martin has lived many lives during his career, several of them a seeming contradiction in terms. He completed but half a semester of junior college yet built Walmart’s global expansion from scratch. He is as old school as they come yet successfully led, on an interim basis, millennial cultural touchpoint the Gap. He readily acknowledges his talent for being unbending in his pursuit of success yet crumbles at the mention of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

BOBBY MARTIN ON SELF-IMPROVEMENT

“Circumstances don’t define you; how you respond to them does. I was not a victim of anything, I don’t like victim mentalities. I’ve always tried to find a way, believing something can be done and then doing it. I’m sure I had my naysayers in my career, but I never sat there and said somebody screwed me over for something. If something didn’t go my way, I owned it, and there were things I had to own, had to really accept. When you reject the victim mentality, setbacks turn into big learning lessons because it forces you to go back and examine and go, ‘OK, what was missing, and what can I fix for next time?’”

Taken in total, his is the kind of quintessential American success story many thought had faded from view. Taken in parts, it is dizzying in its audacity and sheer accomplishment while leaving the man behind it shrouded in a degree of mystery, even to Martin himself.

“I always thought of myself as a big-picture guy, but I go deeper than that,” he said. “My heart is the real driver, you know, my passion for giving to others and achieving things. At the same time, I can tell you I never had an ambition to become a CEO, for example. I never necessarily envisioned myself that way. I have always tried to act with humility, to do the best job I could, knowing how undeservingly blessed I was in life.

“The things that have always been kind of a North Star for me, I would say, is doing good in a way that impacts others, as hokey as that sounds. My dad was the guy that would always bet on the three-legged horse in the race, so there’s some genetics there for me pulling for the underdog. I have always known how extraordinary things come from ordinary people, people willing to put in effort and ingenuity consistently every day. I hope when people look at my career, they see I tried to live by that, as well.

Martin’s origins make his affection for the common man trying to get ahead easy to understand. He was born into meager circumstances in 1948 Missouri. His mother babysat Martin and his sister in the cotton fields until he was old enough pick alongside her, filling a 50-pound potato sack. He was 5.

That early introduction to his life’s credo set the tone for the rest of his life. Moving to Little Rock with his family at age 12, Martin held a string of jobs, from paper routes and mowing lawns to sacking groceries and working in the produce department at local supermarkets, throughout junior high and high school.

“I came from a place where, if you had an opportunity to perform and if you performed well, you got recognized. It was the way you advanced,” he said. “I’ve always taken pride during my career that if I could outwork you, I would outwork you. Work ethic is critical to success, and you can’t learn work ethic in a book.”

Despite holding a deep love for learning, formal postsecondary education was not in the cards for Martin for financial reasons. Instead, he leveraged his God-given talents and work ethic, finding a job in the fast food business in Houston. By age 20, he was married

to his high school sweetheart, and his father-in-law noted computer-training and placement schools that were popping up, promising to teach the ways of the future.

“These schools were just starting up teaching computer programming,” he said. “I moved back to Little Rock in 1969 to do that, and part of the schooling placed you in a job. I interviewed with Dillard’s and was hired that day, which launched my technology career and career in retail.”

His first job was expectedly entry level — third shift computer operator at a princely $1.27 per hour — but he was delighted to get it, and he still has his old pay stubs to prove it. It was not long before his doggedness got him noticed.

“When I came to work, there was an inspiration I felt in working hard, doing more,” he said. “There’s a competitiveness there but also a joy in giving more than you take. I always enjoyed that challenge of over-delivering and winning. I was never intimidated by a situation or uncomfortable around powerful people.”

At that stage of retail history, the concept of computers at work was a largely foreign concept. Inventory tracking and sales reporting were still an analog process accomplished mostly with pen, paper and cash register tape. Martin’s timing was impeccable, since Dillard’s was just starting to turn the corner and pioneer how such operations could be accomplished faster and more accurately with strategic deployment of new technology.

“Just to be there at

BOBBY MARTIN ON HAPPINESS

“A life principle of giving more than you take should be at the center of all you do. If you can’t find joy in the success of others, you will never be a good team player, and you will stifle your own success and the company you serve. Have a willingness to fail and never shy away from high expectations as they are the key to everything. Finally, have a passion for what you are doing, or find something else. Life is too short to not be the best you.”

ARKANSAS VISIONARIES

BOBBY MARTIN ON OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

“Change and disappointment in business are a given; growth is optional. No one ever became a success without taking the risk that it won’t work out. When a disappointment comes along, learn from it. Sometimes you aren’t ready, or it may never be the case that you’re the right choice for something. Whatever it is, take and carry those lessons and awareness into your next endeavor. Build on your strengths and past successes. For me, my faith and trust has always been a factor. When God closes a door, I look for the new one he opens and go there to be the best me I can be.”

a time when these things were happening was an amazing opportunity,” he said. “You have to remember this was the punch-card era. Bill Gates wasn’t in anybody’s vernacular, and no one had heard of a personal computer. A lot of companies didn’t have the vision for what this could do, but Dillard’s leadership did.

“Bill Dillard Jr., in fact, had just graduated Harvard University having completed a thesis on retail automation. He was one of my earliest mentors, and being able to be right there alongside him and see unconventional wisdom at work and experience everything that was happening all added up to a remarkable business education.”

For the next decade-plus, Martin played a key role in deployment and refinement of back office and point-of-sale systems that helped spur the company’s growth, something that did not go unnoticed by another Arkansas retailer with big plans for the future, Walmart. The Bentonville giant-to-be first recruited him in February 1984, an advance that Martin turned down due to being very happy working where he was.

Walmart executives were not easily dissuaded, and Martin finally relented after the company’s third try, pitched that summer. He reported to work in August 1984 to find there was not one computer terminal on any senior executive’s desk. Given the company’s resources — at the time, Walmart was on the threshold of a remarkable run in which it would double in size every two years — Martin realized he was wading into a want-to battle more than a can-do scenario.

“The worst thing that went on during all these eras is corporation after corporation spent hundreds of millions of dollars on technology and never ever saw the benefit and the reason why they didn’t was because they never changed how they did things,” he said. “They’d make the investment but never took it down where change had to occur, meaning people doing the task had to really embrace it. It wasn’t a computer literacy issue; it was a cultural issue.”

As hard as it is to picture, Walmart had yet to introduce barcodes into its stores, and inventory tracking was done largely at the departmental level and with managers working calculations manually right down to shrinkage and profit margin. The company’s late founder, Sam Walton, liked it that way, believing the company was better off with front-line management that could calculate the business to that level of detail.

At the same time, Walton was savvy enough to recognize computerization was crucial to achieving the company’s goals.

“When it came to the role of technology, it wasn’t that Sam didn’t understand it or didn’t like it; he had to see how the investment the company was making went to the bottom line or improved the customer experience or helped the employees do their job better,” Martin said. “He taught me many important lessons, and that was probably one of the first ones. You don’t just roll out something for the sake of it; it had to fulfill a need or serve a purpose to give you your money’s worth — simple but a lot of wisdom there.”

The pace of technology and the company’s growth demanded alignment, and Martin, as the company’s chief information officer, helped keep those books in balance. As Walmart grew at an exponential rate, technology was its backbone, linking stores, supercenters and warehouses, resulting in just-in-time merchandise ordering and laying the foundation for everything that was to follow, including the most advanced supply chain feeding online and mobile ordering and fulfillment.

Throughout this chapter in his professional life, Martin became famous for insisting his team build technology that was immediately applicable to the business at hand and, when customer facing, improved the shopping experience, as well.

“We did the very first teradata database at a time when it was hard enough for people to get their minds around gigabyte, much less understand what a terabyte was,” he said. “We did that with a people-driven philosophy inside it. A requirement I had for all my IT professionals, I wrote it on the wall, ‘You are 95 percent retailer, 5 percent technologist.’ As such, I required everyone in IT to work in the stores two weeks a year, doing what our people do.

“I always believed that in driving technology ahead, we had to make sure we never held the company back, that we got the pay-

BOBBY MARTIN ON LEADERSHIP

“You can’t lead anything from a desk. Get out where it all happens. It is always about the people. Leaders help people fit where they are meant to be and where they have the best chance of becoming what they can be. You have to be effective at helping people land in the right job in the right place, even if it means you lose them. Stretch your people, but don’t strain them. When times are good, bear down; when times are tough, lighten up. It’s one of the most difficult but effective philosophies to master. Remember, growth is everyone’s goal, including your own, so invest in them and keep a healthy culture of accountability and personal success for all.”

back, we got the advantages to continue to help our efficiencies. Then the real magic and the one thing that I take a lot of pride in having my fingerprint on is deploying all of that in a way that was all about putting the customer first.”

As a primary architect of this revolution, Martin’s place in the history of retailing was assured, which is why his next opportunity within the company is so startling. Martin was tapped to build the company’s global operations from scratch, thus becoming the first CIO to become CEO of a public company. In an era when CIO was widely panned to stand for “career is over,” promoting someone like Martin from the information technology world spoke volumes.

“At the time, Wall Street had just about decided that we were done with growth,” Martin said. “We’d already saturated the U.S. with discount stores, and we had not entered food yet, so there were a lot of questions about where the growth was going to come from. There were a lot of people wondering what it would take to go from $100 billion to $200 billion.”

Martin spent the last chapter of his Walmart career as CEO of Walmart International, traveling around the globe overseeing the Arkansas retailer opening stores in South America and throughout Europe and Asia. The position put him in the same room as many foreign heads of state and many more heads of major corporations as he developed a blueprint for discount retailing in nations barely familiar with the concept. It was a mammoth undertaking that would lay the foundation for making Walmart the global phenomenon it is today.

results, along with shepherding in its new and current CEO.

One of the most gratifying roles he got to play was as a commissioner with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, which culminated in his role as that body’s chairman in 2023. Upon stepping down, newspaper reports lauded his tenure, noting in particular how he tackled issues head-on that had long gone unaddressed concerning the state’s wild spaces.

“The outdoors have always been a passion of mine,” he said. “I believe there are many lessons to be learned out in the wild, be it about responsibility or conservation or just immersing yourself in the glory of creation. Like myself, every commissioner I served with felt a personal obligation to help address some issues and solve some problems. I worked alongside some remarkable people who did some amazing work for our state.

BOBBY MARTIN ON WINNING TEAMS

“None of the breakthrough achievements or industry-shaping advancements within my career would have occurred without the people whose passion and desires delivered in extraordinary ways. Don’t shoot the mavericks. They keep you thinking. People on the front line see things you don’t, and time and time again, they know the important problems best. As my old boss, Sam Walton, used to say, ‘New brooms sweep clean, but old brooms know the dirty corners,’ so keep a safe harbor for truth. Nothing kills performance faster than stifling candor up and down the channels of work.”

Despite all this, during a changeover in company leadership at the highest level, directors chose Lee Scott over Martin to succeed David Glass as CEO, a decision that ultimately led to Martin’s retirement from the company in 1999. It is a moment of his career that smarted, something he discusses today openly but without bitterness.

“The company, the board, made the right decision,” he said. “Do I consider it a disappointment? Yeah, I do, probably because as I continued to grow and mature and do other things I certainly recognized I could have been a great CEO. I will say this, though: I couldn’t have done as well as Lee Scott ultimately did, particularly for that period of time.”

Martin still had some professional hills left to climb. He served on a number of public company boards, adding experience in the transportation, hospitality, technology and manufacturing industries. Among these was 22 years of board service to the Gap, including 14 months as interim CEO during which he drove a complete transformation of the company’s operating and financial

“One thing that was particularly important to me and to the other commissioners was getting more young people out into the outdoors. We wanted to make sure the rivers, lakes and forests of this magnificent state were preserved for the next generation and the generation after that. Together, I think we made some good headway there.”

Today, despite a well-worn quip that his formal letter of retirement and obituary will be the same document, his life has found a new gear. He lavishes time on his family, travels with his wife and finally has the time to put his long list of career accomplishments into proper perspective.

“In the end, I just go back and try to be humble enough to realize I got to do things far more than I ever really deserved,” he said. “I can look back and point to lots of success, having direct interchange with presidents and premiers and levels of national leaders and receiving all kinds of accolades. I feel humbled to have played a small part in how Walmart’s impact changed the quality of life in far-reaching places and how the game-changing technology my team developed brought retailers and manufactures back to focusing on the consumer.

“There’s some mistakes I’ve made. There were times people thought Bobby Martin would never tolerate anybody that wasn’t as committed to the task or mission as he was. It’s true I could be tough to work for — honestly, I can’t tell you that I would’ve worked for me at times — but I hope those who did know I consider them some of the absolute best people I’ve ever known. It was an honor to work alongside them to accomplish what we did. I also still get letters 34 years later from people who probably used to write my name on the bathroom wall, telling me how much I shaped them in the most meaningful time of their career. For me, that’s better than any paycheck.”

Aaron Burkes

A Touch of Magic

By Steve Wilcox

Aaron Burkes is chief executive officer at the Northwest Arkansas National Airport in Bentonville, but he is also trying his hand at wizardry because it takes just a touch of magic combined with flexible leadership to bring the operating tenets of the private sector to a public entity.

“I guess I believe that government doesn’t always do things the best, so I’m in favor of small government, and what I’ve learned is that there are really good people who work in government, but the system is set up to where you don’t have the incentives for efficiency that you have in the private sector,” said Burkes, a former state legislator. “In the private sector, if you don’t innovate and you don’t serve your customers well, then you’re going to go out of business. That’s not the case in government, so you do have government that is slow to innovate, and typically, innovation is not rewarded. There are a lot of inefficiencies in government. One of the things that I’ve enjoyed is trying to bring sort of the private-sector approach to government.”

Burkes has had experience in both spaces. He is a member of the transportation industry council at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, serves on the board of Arvest Bank of Benton County and was previously an appointed member of former Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s gubernatorial cabinet as president of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. He even had time to serve as a state representative in the Arkansas General Assembly. He was working to get some commercial finance elements into government even before taking the leadership role at the airport in 2018.

“When I was at Arkansas Development Finance Authority, we ran it like a business. ADFA is a unique entity in that it actually makes money, and it’s got a lot of business-type activities with student loans and housing programs. The first-time home buyer bond programs and things like that, those actually generate revenue and make money,” Burkes said. “It’s a net revenue producer. Then at the airport, we are completely standalone. We get federal grants for capital projects, but as far as operating costs, all of that is covered out of revenue that we generate at the airport. That’s true of all airports — airports are designed to be self-sustaining in their business model. Even though they’re governmental, airports behave in more of a business-like manner, since they generate their own revenue, try to grow their business and work to serve their customers well.”

Although he is a native of northwest Arkansas, having graduated from Southside High School in Fort Smith and attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville as an undergraduate, he moved out of the area several times. In addition to his government positions,

Burkes worked in real estate and development, as well as education administration in Wisconsin. He knows the NWA territory and has keen awareness of the region’s explosive growth, and that knowledge is attractive to entities such as the Federal Reserve.

“The Federal Reserve sets interest rate policy and does a lot of other things with banking in the district that they represent. [Northwest Arkansas] is in the St. Louis District for the Federal Reserve,” said Burkes. “The Federal Reserve tries to get as much information from important sectors within their district as they can. They have four industry councils: health care, agriculture, transportation and real estate. Each council has about 10 members, who are appointed. Much of the data that they get is basically a lagging indicator, so it’s looking in the rear-view mirror. They try to talk to businesses and industries and get a sense of what’s coming, the perceptions of those industries in terms of what the next month or few months look like.”

Burkes’ day-to-day job is focused on the airport, which is expanding, and NXA is a little different from most airports in Arkansas based on its charter. The majority of airports in the state are municipal airports, which are usually owned by a city. For example, Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock is owned by the city and run by the city. All of the commissioners on the airport board are appointed by the mayor. At the Northwest Arkansas National Airport, the goals and objectives were different from the start. Burkes mentioned that the original vision when the airport was founded was to avoid the restrictions of a municipal boundary. Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs and Springdale, along with Benton and Washington counties, created an airport authority as a separate public entity with the goal of developing a regional airport, which is now a national airport.

With extensive experience in both government and privatesector business, Burkes is a unique professional. His job is to manage a high-profile public asset in one of the fastest-growing regions of the country. He is not so much a reformer as a teacher trying to convince his slice of government to become a learning organization versus a system, and that means class is in session every day.

Renata Jenkins Byler

Compassionate Service and Leadership

By Paul Sage

Although her blood runs Arkansas Razorback red today, Renata Jenkins Byler was born in Europe while her father served in the Navy. That life experience gave Renata a chance to see other parts of the world and learn to keep things shipshape.

“I was born in Germany and lived in Italy until I moved back to the United States when I was 4 years old,” she said. “We would get in the little VW, travel through the Alps and stay in a little hostel. One night, [my parents] heard me up in the middle of the night. They turned on the light, and I was putting everybody’s shoes two by two because I didn’t like the chaos.”

After her father’s years of military service overseas, Jenkins Byler’s family came home to Arkansas and the family business, Roller Funeral Homes.

Jenkins Byler’s grandfather Denver Roller founded the first Roller Funeral Home alongside his wife, Christine, in Mountain Home in 1938 . Roller now has 25 locations across the state, as well as Citizens Fidelity Insurance, which provides funeral preplanning services. Jenkins Byler is vice president of marketing and facilities and third-generation owner of Roller Funeral Homes.

“When I was growing up in Little Rock and sitting around the dinner table, listening to my dad tell stories about how the funeral home went that day or what funerals were like, I would just sit there in awe,” she said. “I knew as a young child that this was what I was going to do.”

Jenkins Byler said her grandmother Christine taught her to gain the respect of her team through hard work and recounted Christine’s advice the night before Renata went to work for Roller: “When you walk into that room, you command [respect]. You walk in there with your head high. You do what you’re supposed to do. If it means cleaning the toilets, you clean the toilets. If a picture’s crooked, you walk in there, and you straighten the picture like I would, and that’s how you take care of business at Roller Funeral Homes.”

Jenkins Byler’s approach to caring for clients is summed up in what her organization calls the “Roller Experience,” which she explained as her team’s mission to “foster healing and offer solace, fulfilling even the unexpressed needs of our families.”

Her drive to serve is evident in the company’s unique offering, Life Celebrations. Roller is the only funeral home in Arkansas that offers the service, which personalizes memorials by creating meaningful items that capture the personality of the deceased.

“We pick out something that’s very special to [the deceased],” she said, adding that whether the item is a blanket featuring the loved one’s dogs or a one-of-a-kind football game ticket, those unique touches leave lasting impressions.

Jenkins Byler recognizes the challenges facing the funeral industry, especially with the trend of large, corporate competitors buying small, family-owned funeral homes.

“Wall Street people are coming in and buying up the small mother-and-father companies because [the small funeral homes] just can’t do it anymore. Then the big companies come in and raise the prices.” Jenkins Byler said, adding that Roller runs things differently. “A Roller Funeral Home fosters a work environment where Christian values are lived, quality of life is enhanced, and coworkers are valued.”

Recently, Jenkins Byler made a commitment to practice random acts of kindness daily. She also believes in accepting the kindness of others because there is joy in receiving, as well as giving.

Jenkins Byler said she is motivated by the adventures of a new day and the opportunity to serve others.

“I love life and my family, my animals and my coworkers, and the idea that I can be of service to someone today and touch someone’s life in a thoughtful way and expect nothing in return,” she said.

In addition to her work in the funeral business, Jenkins Byler’s life is filled with love for her family and animals. She balances caring for her parents and managing her home: a farm with goats, geese, a horse and a mule.

“I don’t let a lot of grass grow underneath my feet,” she said.

Neil Denman

Patience Pays Off

By Matt Smithmier

Like most aspects of his life, Neil Denman is all about playing the long game. That includes his hobbies. Despite his wife’s skepticism — and in just a few years — he has turned his joking threat of beekeeping into a successful hive of about 40,000 bees that should yield about 45 pounds of honey this year, but the payoff did not come without effort and a little patience.

“It just takes a little bit for the hives to get established,” he said.

He used that same future-focused perspective to build and sustain Denman, Hamilton & Associates CPA, a full-service accounting, consulting, bookkeeping, payroll and business advisory services firm. Denman is founder of the Little Rock-based company, which he said is committed to creating deeper connections with clients.

“I think a lot of it is building a relationship with the correct person and doing good work for that person,” he said. “If that person has connections, they’re very apt to refer you. I think that’s where a lot of it has grown from.”

A summa cum laude graduate of Louisiana Tech University, Denman started his accounting career in 2002. That career has included five years at Deloitte, a short stint at a small firm, and more than a decade at his own. He founded Denman, Hamilton & Associates in 2014, bringing on Deron Hamilton as his partner, and has been steadily growing the firm to now seven employees and clients not only in the Little Rock region but around the country.

The firm represents clients in a number of industries, including manufacturing, construction, retail, professional services and, lately, many in the mental health space, as well as physicians, social workers and other clinicians.

His more than two decades of experience, he said, has allowed him to appreciate the positive impact a firm like his can have when staff members are able to do it their way.

“We’re way past the point where we want to be the commoditized, bring-in-your-taxes-and-we’ll-do-it-as-cheap-as-we-can firm,” he said. “We’re finding the more you can build the relationships and be proactive with the client base, the easier it gets on you and the more enjoyable it is — and the more you can help solve a lot of problems.”

The firm’s primary work is focused on helping its business clients with taxes, advisory and accounting services, but Denman said the fastest-growing segment is in the advisory role, including budgets, cash flow planning, acquisitions and succession planning. He especially enjoys staying proactive with all his clients, scheduling meetings throughout the year to stay

ahead of any concerns and answer questions as they come up — from businessmix issues to tax questions and everything in between.

“We can do a lot more if we’re working with 11 months of runway versus a day,” he said. “That makes a huge difference.”

The Little Rock native said his connections and personal relationships brought him back to the region and that it was “the logical path” for him, but he truly enjoys living and working in the area.

“I like the mix of what’s here,” he said. “We’ve got enough of the larger amenities, but you’re not just overwhelmed with people and traffic.”

The married father of two adult children still has plenty of time to also invest in the long game for his community. For the past few years, he has been actively involved as a board member with Urban Patchwork, a local organization working to increase access to fresh food in urban neighborhoods. It is a cause he believes can have a ripple effect on his community.

“It solves several problems,” he said. “If you get people into gardening or chickens or beekeeping or composting, you’re solving waste problems. You’re solving access to food problems. You’re solving a multitude of problems with that.”

He is also an active leader at Fuse, a collaboration of service partners in Little Rock working to help the chronically homeless and teach job readiness. Both Denman and Hamilton serve on the board but are also part of the team doing the work: teaching classes, conducting mock interviews, helping individuals build a resume and making important connections.

“I’ve got a network of people,” he said, “so why can’t I share that network with everybody, not just the people I’m doing business with every day?”

Denman said the work of the group is crucial to the health of the community, and he is grateful to be able to share some of what he has to help others.

“The homeless population gets a bad rap,” he said. “There are a lot of people who just need someone to talk to or just need someone to reach out and say, ‘You can do this.’ It’s about being able to provide a little bit of knowledge or access to what you’ve seen.”

Back at work, Denman is still focused on the future and actively working to build a firm that sees the big picture.

“We want to work with people who really recognize the value we’re providing to them,” he said. “We’re here to provide value to you and build relationships with you. That’s where we are now.”

ON ACTION-PACKED LIVES

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Grant Garrett

Man On

By Sarah DeClerk

Going from managing the offense to managing the office was no sweat for Grant Garrett, chief operating officer at Garrett Excavating, who played center for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville and spent a stint in the NFL before rekindling his family’s business.

“Football’s a good teacher of life, you know, how to deal with adversity,” he said. “I credit football for expediting and magnifying those experiences early on in my life, and it gives me the confidence to overcome adversity and obstacles as a business owner.”

His grandfather, Irvin Garrett, founded Garrett Excavating in Hot Springs in 1950. His father-in-law lent him the money to borrow a bulldozer, and Irvin got to work digging ponds for his neighbors. He later expanded into clearing farmland in southeast Arkansas and building roads for timber companies.

Grant’s father, Gilbert Garrett, joined the company in the 1970s and started bidding for commercial and industrial projects after a mentor taught him how to complete blueprint takeoffs for civil and industrial projects. He sold the business in 1997.

Back then, Grant Garrett was nearing the end of his college football career. He joined head coach Danny Ford’s first recruiting class in 1994 and finished in 1998, after head coach Houston Nutt’s first season. Along the way, Garrett met his wife, Betsy.

He played for the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs for a couple years but soon decided there were cons to going pro.

“I figured out what NFL meant, and it means ‘not for long,’” he said. “I realized that wasn’t going to play out for me, so I decided I had a love and a passion for our business, working in the outdoors, working around machinery, diesel fuel, grease, dirt, mud — all that stuff.”

There was one stop before Garrett traded his helmet for a hard hat, however. At the U of A, Garrett befriended the late Bob Carver. Known as the “King of Mena,” Carver offered Garrett a job at his car dealership with the intention of letting Garrett take ownership of the business if he enjoyed it. Garrett lasted two weeks.

“It’s harder than it looks,” he said. “I’d rather buy [cars] than sell them.”

In 1999, Garrett resurrected Garrett Excavating with four employees: himself, his wife and two staff members who had worked there previously. Their first job was a $40,000 hotel building pad and parking lot. Their third job was a $4 million contract for a Walmart Supercenter.

“We had really rapid growth,” he said.

He took on his father as partner until 2015, when Garrett took control of the company. He then moved the company to Benton. At that time, Garrett Excavating had about 65 employees and about $10 million in annual revenue, he said. Today, the company has more than 300 employees and about $100 million in annual revenue.

It also has a new headquarters in Bentonville, having acquired Decco in Rogers in 2020. At that time, Decco was less than half the size of Garrett Excavating. A year later, the new office was about the same size as the Benton operation, and a year after that, the northwest Arkansas location had outpaced the central Arkansas outfit.

“We very quickly learned that this was going to be a great market for us and decided that it was better for our business if we moved up to northwest Arkansas,” Garrett said.

The company has secured its share of large projects in recent years, Bass Pro Shops in Little Rock, Ben E. Keith’s distribution center in North Little Rock and Tractor Supply Co.’s distribution center in Maumelle among them, but Garrett said he was not able to grow the business effectively until he realized external circumstances are not responsible for the company’s success or failures.

“My business really took off when I looked at myself in the mirror,” he said. “I took ownership of all the issues that we had and started focusing on building our culture, started focusing on treating our people well, started learning how to lead people more effectively and at a higher level, and just got rid of all the excuses and took ownership of those things.”

He credited his team and partners for the company’s success, adding that he is proud to build on his family’s legacy. He has two children, Emma, 16, and Michael, 9, who could continue the family business, but it is by no means a requirement.

“I hope my children are able to hear their calling and have the courage to follow it wherever that leads them,” Garrett said.

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Judy Henry

It Takes an Athlete

By Mark Carter

Little Rock attorney Judy Henry of the venerable Wright Lindsey Jennings law firm has been known within the Arkansas legal community for decades, but many Arkansans became aware of her name after Sam Pittman was hired as head football coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Henry, who then represented Pittman, was the person responsible for placing an out-of-left-field bug in Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek’s ear about a former UA assistant coach who dreamed of being head coach of the Hogs.

Henry’s sports law practice was robust before Pittman; she represents numerous professional and Division 1 college coaches and athletes, launching her sports law practice as a NFL Players Association Contract Advisor.

A respected litigator, Henry’s practice also covers class-action and other commercial litigation and general business matters as well as sports and entertainment law. She has served as lead counsel on numerous matters of national significance, including representing the CEO of The Miss America during the transition away from swimsuit competition, and a 2023-4 case preventing a disaffiliation group of congregants of the United Methodist Church from taking millions of dollars in assets from those congregants who remained faithful United Methodists. Plus, she has been an active volunteer for numerous local charitable and nonprofit causes, including serving for two years as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Baptist Health during the Covid pandemic.

Aside from her ability to multitask, what helps Henry in her sports law practice is her sports background and experience as an elite athlete herself. She grew up in Texarkana competing all-around (floor, beam, bars and vault) as a high school All-America for four state gymnastics championship teams, became a scholarship, team captain gymnast at UCA, a youth gymnastics coach in Fayetteville and coached what was then a club-level gymnastics program at the University of Arkansas, where she earned her master’s and law degrees. While on the Hill, she met and ultimately married Cliff Henry, a fellow attorney who lettered as a defensive back for the Razorbacks from 1979 to 1981 under Lou Holtz. Son Joseph also played for the Hogs — he was a tight end from 2005 to 2009 — and was a graduate assistant for Coach Petrino, coaching the tight ends. Today, he is the offensive coordinator, O-line and assistant head coach for Florida A&M. Younger brother David has biology and German degrees from Davidson College, a master’s degree in public health in infectious diseases from Tulane and an M.D. and a Ph.D. from UAMS. He is in his second year of residency at UAMS working in research at Bap-

tist Health and is working toward his master’s in health administration.

Athletics has always been a part of Henry’s life, so it made sense that sports law became one of her areas of practice when she launched her career.

“I made the decision that I was going to do what I had dreamed of doing for many years,” she said. “One day, I was going to do something in a field to represent athletes and coaches. I knew this was something I wanted to do, something I had to do. I like being a counselor to the athletes and coaches I serve. If I can help educate someone to help foster their life skills, that’s really gratifying for me.”

Henry told AMP in 2020 that her path to becoming an agent began in the home of Don Breaux, the respected former assistant coach for the Hogs and Washington Redskins of the NFL. Breaux was the offensive coordinator for the Redskins during a run of success that included three Super Bowl titles from 1982 to 1991. He also coached running backs at Arkansas in two stints, from 1968-71 under Frank Broyles and from 1977-80 under Holtz. In 1971, Breaux coached in Fayetteville with his friend Joe Gibbs, the legendary coach who went on to lead the ’Skins through the franchise’s historic run.

While Breaux was helping lead the ‘Skins to success, Henry was in Washington, D.C., interning for the late Sen. David Pryor, and one of her best friends happened to be Breaux’s daughter. Henry often spent weekends at the Breaux’s northern Virginia home, where Gibbs and Breaux often talked shop. Henry said she relishes memories of X’s and O’s being diagrammed on napkins and then left randomly throughout the Breaux house.

“This is when I really got interested in doing NFL work,” she said. “They gave me an insight I otherwise wouldn’t have had. That was my first taste of the NFL.”

Through Cliff, she had been exposed to the inner workings of a major college football program in Fayetteville, and her exposure to the “shop talk” of two legendary pro coaches cultivated what had been growing from a seed.

As Henry advanced in her career, she “didn’t think that athletes were represented as well as they should be… I decided, at some point, I was going to do this.”

Butch Jones

The Sheriff’s Son Comes to Jonesboro

By Jeremy Harper

He was born Lyle Allen Jones Jr., but few (if any) attending the post-game press conference likely knew that. To everybody in the room, he was “Butch” Jones, head coach of the Arkansas State football team and, for the moment, victor over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. After a win, Jones is apt to have his players speak to the press first while he stands off camera, arms crossed, a grin set in pride on his face, like a father watching his children perform in the school play.

“It’s almost like a proud dad moment where you’re excited for them,”Jones said, “because you know all the work that went into that win, in making those big plays.”

Jones was born a Michigan Man in Saugatuck, a lakeside town that Jones’ father served as sheriff for decades. Jones played college ball at Ferris State University about 40 miles away. During his college days, while still playing football for the Bulldogs, he took an internship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — a 1,300-mile commute.

his mentor Perkins coached when the program entered Division I football in 1992.

“One day I got a call when Ray Perkins became the head coach of the Bucs,” Jones said. “I had one day to get there, and I arrived. I started doing the laundry and the equipment room for training camp. After two weeks of that, I was elevated to on-field duty. I did that for three years while going to school. I’d fly out after our games at Ferris on my own dime.”

Upon graduation, Jones took assistant positions at Rutgers University in New Jersey and Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, then headed back to his alma mater at Ferris State before beginning a long relationship coaching tight ends with the Central Michigan Chippewas in 1998. Jones’ success as an assistant eventually led to the head coaching job in 2007. His Chippewas’ teams finished in first place in the MAC two out of three seasons.

Next Jones accepted the head coach job at Cincinnati, where, in three seasons, he delivered two conference championships for the Bearcats. He compiled a 34-27 record and won three bowl games at Tennessee before accepting a consulting stint at Alabama. In 2021, Jones was named the new head coach of Arkansas State — where

While he will always be measured by his performance on the field, Jones said he believes his role extends well beyond X’s and O’s, saying, “It’s making my players the best that they can possibly be. It’s creating value for them on a daily basis, giving them structure, discipline, guidance.”

“You know, having a son on the football team, I can kind of relate to the other players, as well,” added Jones, whose son Adam is a wide receiver for the Red Wolves. “You become a father figure. It’s like raising your kids.”

Part of “raising his kids” is taking an active role in the Jonesboro community.

“We can impact so many people on a positive note, especially the youth of northeast Arkansas,” Jones said. “We have Recess with the Red Wolves. We have a reading program where we go around to all the local schools and elementary schools and middle schools and grade schools and read to them. You know, I think it’s giving them encouragement — also, giving them someone to emulate somebody to look up to.”

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Heather Larkin

Finding Out What Touches People

By Becky Gillette

It can be sobering to see national rankings like a recent one that listed Arkansas as the state whose residents have the highest food insecurity rates in the nation. The flip side of that is Arkansans from all income levels are extremely generous when it comes to charitable giving. Many prefer to maximize their contributions by partnering with Little Rock-based Arkansas Community Foundation, which has helped attract and dispense $493 million worth of donations since its founding in 1976.

President and CEO Heather Larkin said she does not have to do much to encourage people to be generous.

“You just have to find out what touches them,” she said. “It might be food security, helping youth at risk, animal welfare, the arts or improving high school graduation rates in a county. If you meet people where they are and learn what they want to see change in the state, it is a slam dunk because people are generous.”

What is outstanding about the Community Foundation is that it is truly statewide. The foundation helps attract, dispense and handle paperwork for grants in all 75 counties in the state.

“We are a foundation built by and for the community,” Larkin said. “People from all over the state give to the foundation to help multiple organizations rather than one local entity. Then we deploy those resources to build a better Arkansas. We have 29 offices across the state with an employee who works with a local board of directors charged with understanding the community including its challenges and opportunities. We take being statewide and working locally very seriously. People who love and live in these communities are best suited to know what will work in their area.”

Hunger, referred to as food insecurity, is a huge issue in Arkansas. Larkin said it touches every community and county in the state.

“That is one of our primary initiatives where we try to make positive change,” Larkin said. “We break food security into five different areas: accessible, nutritious, affordable, safe and culturally appropriate. We have different grant-making initiatives to address food security across the state.”

Food insecurity is not unique to Arkansas, and, just as in other states, there is no easy solution and no silver bullet. Larkin said sometimes it is difficult to get people to understand that. Everyone seems to want a simple answer, and it is just not simple.

Larkin came to the Community Foundation in 1998 and has been president and CEO since 2008. Through those years, what

she has found most rewarding is working with people from all economic backgrounds who are doing extraordinary things. Some donors may have saved for years to give $1,000 — a major gift for them. Another donor might write a check for $1 million. She also appreciates the talents of her co-workers. Full-time staff include 17 people in central Arkansas and two in northwest Arkansas. There are also 29 part-time executive directors at each local office. The colleagues are experts in respective areas who combine their knowledge with a true love of helping people.

Larkin credits being a student athlete in high school and at Hendrix College in Conway with helping her develop the skills that have helped her guide the Community Foundation.

“I am a strong proponent of student athletes,” said Larkin, who participated in cross-country, track and basketball. “I learned many valuable lessons playing sports that have helped me in leadership. I had the good fortune of going to Hendrix, where I was able to play several sports. I played everything I could. While I am a member of the athletic hall of fame at Hendrix, I was not a great athlete, just a tenacious athlete. Competitive sports teach you about teamwork, the importance of preparation and practice, and how to lose — which can be more important than winning. It is important to learn how to lose and regroup.”

Do people lose small battles at work? Of course, and Larkin’s strategy is to “lace up the tennis shoes and go back for another day, strategize, improve and try again.”

Larkin splits her time living in Little Rock and in Pope County outside Russellville, where she and her husband, Rick Barton, have a small ranch with horses, cows, barn cats and dogs. She said she loves to ride horses.

Larkin was appointed by then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the Arkansas Women’s Commission and was named Woman of the Year in philanthropy by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas. She was also named as a scholar in residence at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service Center on Community Philanthropy in Little Rock for exemplary contributions in the field of community philanthropy. Larkin attended the Hull Leadership Program.

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Matt Mosler

Feeding Souls, Changing Hearts

By Dwain Hebda

Matt Mosler has been preaching in front of congregations since the 1980s, long before he assumed the title of pastor of New Life Church’s Pine Bluff campus in 2017.

The true depth of his calling, however, did not hit him until recently, and when it did, it felt like nothing short of an epiphany.

“I’m up on the stage, and I’m preaching this message, and it was sort of like this out-of-body experience,” he said. “I just looked out at everybody in the audience, and I noticed they were all looking at me, and they were all taking notes. I went, ‘Holy cow, I’m the pastor.’ It wasn’t one of those moments where you bang your chest and are like, ‘I’m the man.’ It was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is a huge responsibility.’

“Before that, I would go speak, and I very seldom spoke from prepared notes. I would have some bullet points jotted down, but then I would just kind of riff and entertain people. Now I feel such a responsibility to get it right because I’m this conduit through whom the Holy Spirit is going to be speaking to people.”

Mosler never hid from the pull of his faith, but he did follow in the Bible’s long line of the Almighty’s more unlikely agents. His professional life started in television as the ebullient weatherman at Little Rock ABC affiliate KATV and, later, NBC affiliate KARK. During that time, the native Californian would speak at churches on the side, a part-time ministry that, at its peak, encompassed 150 engagements a year.

The call of the pulpit eventually became too strong to ignore. He jumped onto the staff at New Life Church with enthusiasm and verve to spare, only to be floored when asked to lead the Pine Bluff church and address the crushing needs he found within the community. Many years later, he judges the success of his ministry not in numbers but in grace.

“We’ve probably got about 500 people or more that call us their church home, but honestly, I don’t look at how many people are there,” he said. “I look at how many people are serving, how many people are helping, how many people are changing the way that they’ve done things in a dependency culture.

“One of the casualties of living in a dependency culture is the ‘serve mentality’ disappears. You no longer think about helping

other people because you have to protect what’s yours, and you stop giving. It’s not just about money — you stop being nice. You stop helping. You stop serving. Today, the number of people in our community that are beginning to change their perspective and understand that if I give it away, God gives it back in return is growing.”

Mosler has been as innovative in his ministry as he has been committed. He launched Home Again, which purchased and renovated dilapidated residential properties that were rented to qualifying families below market rate and gave families the opportunity to purchase the house at a discount in as little as three years. That program morphed into an even bigger mission, which is the development of an entire neighborhood that will offer houses to firefighters and teachers, as well as those in need.

He also just announced a new program that will support entrepreneurism, serving both individuals and the community.

“We want people to start thinking, ‘OK, what five businesses do we need in Pine Bluff?’” he said. “We’re not going to fund them, but we’re going to walk them through this process of starting a business, putting together a business plan, how to get financing. By next fall, we hope to launch some of these businesses.

“The thing I’m most excited about in our mission is to try to change the way people think, to change their mindset from a dependency mindset to an abundance mindset. If I can just come up with the idea and then get out of the way and let God bring his people in there and work through them, hopefully, we can begin to start moving things forward, changing the way people look at their city. I love Pine Bluff. I think it’s an amazing city with an incredible history and an even more incredible future. I’d love to get more and more people thinking that way.”

Dan Waymack

A Good CREW

By Lance Brownfield

Today’s audiences see more content than ever on more devices and in more formats, including TV commercials, social media ads, short videos and more, but audiences typically do not stop to think about who is responsible for the content or how it is made. Waymack and Crew has been at the forefront of the market since before content was even called content, and it has done so from its own backyard.

Started in 1986, Dan Waymack’s company initially focused on local commercials for television, working with agencies around Little Rock. In 1999, the crew got a call to work on a U.S. Army account out of Chicago. Since then, the company has divided its time between the two cities.

“We didn’t need a whole lot more to make that jump because of all the creative work we’d been doing here,” he said.

He said there are a lot of creative companies in Arkansas, and working with them over the years has allowed Waymack and Crew to stay in business and to garner attention from across the country.

He said the firm is busier than ever but maintains the same great quality their customers have come to expect. Although Waymack and his crew are all over the map, he said he enjoys coming back to Arkansas, working in downtown Little Rock and seeing his large family in the Natural State.

Growing throughout the digital revolution, Waymack and Crew has built a name for itself as a production company, making the shift in recent years to focus mostly on content creation. The team still implements tools and methods of the past while pioneering new techniques and using the latest technology to make a product customers rave about.

“Production has changed, but it hasn’t,” Waymack said. “We still use cameras. We still edit. What we shoot, and what we edit on has changed drastically.”

One massive change that has caused upheaval in the digital content space is the availability of cameras and editing software. Every teen with a phone can put together a video and launch a social media campaign. The last editing system Waymack and Crew purchased, an Avid-based system, was $300,000. Now editing software can be found for free.

There are still major differences between the point-and-click smartphone method of marketing and the professional work done by Waymack’s team. The crew is able to scale the content to the needs of the client.

The company owns most of the equipment it needs, simplifying the process, but the decision was made out of necessity because there were not a lot of equipment rental companies around when Waymack and Crew was founded all those years ago. Arkansas still has limited resources in that area.

Some of the great gear includes cameras by Canon, ARRI and RED, a camera dolly with motorized jib arm, an underwater camera housing, several drones and gimbals, and a MotoCrane ULTRA camera car system mounted to a Porsche Cayenne nicknamed “the U-boat.” In the studio, the firm offers a 50-by-50-foot white cyclorama studio with floor, a 20-by-20-foot green screen and a 20-foot lighting grid with programmable board. For post-production, thedowntown location has several editing suites, a voiceover recording booth, and access to Adobe Creative Cloud and Pro Tools.

Every day, Waymack gets to use those tools to tell the story of Arkansas, which he calls a “haven of big businesses.”

“We love working on Arkansas and promoting Arkansas,” he said. “That’s one of our favorite things to do because we’re bringing people here and we’re letting them know what’s going on here, and it’s a privilege to be able to work on parks and tourism and economic development and the lottery account and everything else. We get a chance to work on some of the things that bring people here and help bring money to the state.”

“We have the ability to work outside of Arkansas and it keeps us going,” he added, “but we keep coming back here.”

Waymack “wakes up in a new world everyday” and said his favorite project is always the one he is currently working on. The team recently wrapped on a Firestone commercial in Nashville, where the crew got to shoot a 90 miles per hour driving shot on a closed road.

Adena White

Telling the Story

By Sarah Coleman

Adena White, accredited public relations professional and social impact storyteller, is a born-and-raised Arkansan who has a lot of love for her state and her life’s work in the communications sphere.

“My favorite part of living and working in Arkansas is our strong sense of community and the state’s natural beauty,” White said.

With 15 years of experience leading communications efforts for nonprofit organizations, White is the founder and chief storyteller at Blackbelt Media, an organization committed to storytelling as a means for social change, founded in 2017. White’s work at Blackbelt Media has been nationally recognized. The podcast, Blackbelt Voices, was recognized by Oprah Daily Insider as one of the 15 best educational podcasts.

White also keeps busy with consulting work, including serving as communications director at Excel by Eight in Little Rock, a network of individuals and organizations focused on improving health and education outcomes for children prenatal to age 8.

“I love being part of a dynamic team working to ensure that Arkansas is a state where all children have a strong start to reach their full potential,” White said.

She also supports the Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative, which recently partnered with the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock to bring “Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed and Exhibited” to central Arkansas.

organizations that are dedicated to improving their communities share the story behind their impactful work.

So far, White has learned several important lessons in her career, such as how powerful storytelling can really be.

“Authentic storytelling has the power to connect people, build communities and drive meaningful change,” White said. “My biggest accomplishment has been creating and growing the Blackbelt Voices podcast alongside Katrina and Prentice Dupins and Kara Wilkins. It underscores the importance of using our voices and creating a space for others to use theirs.”

“The exhibit powerfully showcases the rich tradition of giving within Black communities and changes the narrative around what it means to be a philanthropist,” White said. “Helping both of these organizations share their stories aligns with my passion for building strong communities and making a lasting impact where we live.”

White began her career as the public relations coordinator for the University of Arkansas System’s Winthrop Rockefeller Institute in Morrilton. She has since worked in several positions in the industry, including as director of communications and editor of publications at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. In layman’s terms, White’s career is based around helping people and

The first episode of Blackbelt Voices was released in September 2019, and less than a year later, the show was highlighted by Oprah Daily, Vanity Fair and Apple Podcasts.

Personally and professionally, White said she has looked up to too many people to name and has found inspiration in leaders and thinkers who are genuine, thoughtful and committed to making a difference. For others looking to embark on a similar path, White has the following advice:

“Stay curious and open to learning new things, as the communications profession is always evolving. Seek out new experiences, and be willing to adapt,” White said. “Also, if there’s something you’ve been thinking about doing, just start. There will never be a perfect moment.”

White is a longtime member of the Public Relations Society of America, and is a past president of the Arkansas chapter of PRSA. Currently, she serves on the boards of the Creative Institute of Central Arkansas and the Conway Public Schools Foundation. Additionally, White is a member of Conway’s bicycle and pedestrian advisory board.

Outside of her consulting work and her volunteerism, White cherishes time with her husband, Matthew, their son, Elijah, and their dog, Ollie.

“We love hanging out with family, exploring parks and trails, dining out, and going on weekend getaways,” White said. “I also enjoy my own company, where you’ll find me listening to a podcast, doing a strength training workout, reading or taking a nap.”

— Michael Pakko

Pinnacle Spine and Orthopedic in Little Rock Arkansas is proud to serve The Wonder State in all its orthopedic needs. From our state-of-the-art-facilities, and using the latest technology and techniques, we’re fully dedicated to the rehabilitation and treatment of our valued clients. We’re thrilled to offer cutting edge services like cartilage preservation and joint replacement, in addition to a wide array of treatments including orthopedic surgery, whiplash treatment, custom rehabilitation plans, and more. Your health and wellness are our utmost priority! We believe everyone should live with freedom, ease, and vigor. Our world-class team of orthopedic surgeons will create a custom plan for pain relief, improved mobility, and optimal recovery. Muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and joints all working together in harmony – that’s our vision for you! We’re here to help you embrace a freer future and leave your pain in the past. We do offer Interventional pain procedures in office to aide in rehabilitation. With a huge goal in helping the community we aim to capture those who are injured and feel they have no where to turn to, where we provide an uncommon level of service for the

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ON THE BALLOT 2024 ARKANSAS VOTERS HEADED TO THE POLLS

By Lance Brownfield

Another four years have come and gone, and that means the American public again gets to decide who will run the country, as well as who will fill a number of local, state and federal offices.

Two issues will definitely appear on every Arkansan’s ballots, while a third may appear if proponents were able to secure enough signatures in time. Perhaps the most controversial of the two ballot initiatives that are certain to appear is Issue 2, which deals with the casino in Pope County and will set a precedent for future casino projects. The issue looks to “repeal the authorization for a casino license in Pope County and require countywide voter approval for any new casino licenses.”

If passed, Issue 2 would repeal the Pope County casino license and require local voter approval in a countywide special election for certain new casino licenses for any county in the state of Arkansas. Those who vote against Issue 2 are not in favor of changing the state constitution. If the bill does not pass, the Pope County casino gaming license will remain, and in the case that any future casino licenses are approved by a statewide vote, a special election and the approval of voters in the county where the casino would be located would not be required.

If approved, Issue 1 would “allow proceeds from the state lottery to fund scholarships and grants for vocational-technical schools and technical institutes.”

Passing Issue 1 would provide proceeds from the sale of lottery tickets towards scholarships and grants to Arkansas citizens enrolled in public and private vocational-technical schools and technical institutes. Issue 1 is the only constitutional amendment appearing on the 2024 ballot that was referred by the Arkansas State Legislature, which is allowed to refer up to three per general election.

While both issues currently on the docket deal with gambling, a potential measure — Issue 3 — would expand the state’s medical marijuana program.

The Medical Marijuana Expansion Initiative would allow medical marijuana patients to grow the plant themselves while also expanding the list of qualifying medical conditions for the treatment and making other changes to further relax existing laws. The bill would allow patient assessments through telemedicine, allow for the acceptance of out-of-state medical marijuana cards and allow adults to possess up to 1 ounce if federal law changes to remove marijuana from the schedule of controlled substances. The bill also changes certain terminology, such as changing “physician” to “health care practitioner.”

For the potential measure to be added, advocates must gather at least 10 percent of the total number of votes cast for the last office of governor in the last gubernatorial election, which comes to 90,704 valid signatures. Decriminalizing recreational use last appeared in the 2022 midterm ballot after medical use was legalized in the state in 2016. The amendment was criticized by advocate groups for giving too much power to a small number of industry leaders. If the issue ever reappears on the ballot, though, measures stand a good chance of getting passed, since 32 measures have been approved out of 48 since 2000.

Those who vote for Issue 3 are in favor of expanding the state’s existing medical marijuana program in the ways mentioned above and are in favor of changing the Arkansas Constitution to prohibit legislators from changing or repealing any constitutional amendment without another vote by the people. Those who vote against the measure do not want to expand the state’s medical marijuana program and are against changing

the state constitution to prohibit lawmakers from being allowed to change any constitutional amendment without another vote of the people. As it stands, votes cast for or against Issue 3 may not be counted.

Some measures have already been kept off this year’s ballot, including a veto referendum for the LEARNS Act, an act to exempt feminine hygiene products and diapers for children and adults from state sales and use taxes, and issues on absentee voting, abortion, government transparency and registering historic vehicles.

On the federal ballot, the four Arkansas districts of the U.S. House will be decided. Running for District 1 is Republican incumbent Rick Crawford, Democrat Rodney Govens and Libertarian Steven Gene Parsons. For District 2, Republican incumbent French Hill takes on Democrat Marcus Jones. District 3’s race is between Republican incumbent Steve Womack, Democrat Caitlin Draper Mattelin and Libertarian Bobby Wilson. For District 4, Republican Bruce Westerman seeks reelection against Democrat Risie Howard and John White, who is running as an independent.

As for state candidates, there will be a runoff for the position of Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice between nonpartisan candidates Karen R. Baker and Rhonda Wood, as well as a runoff for Arkansas Court of Appeals District 6, which comprises Pulaski, Saline and Perry counties, Position 1, between Molly McNulty and Casey Tucker, both nonpartisan.

None of the six Democrat-run state Senate districts are in danger of being flipped in this election. Fifty-six of the 100 House of Representative districts are contested, and most feature Republican incumbents. Maps for Senate and House districts can be found at arkansasredistricting.org.

With Arkansas Treasurer Mark Lowery having retired in late September, there will be a special election for treasurer that has three candidates in the running — Democrat John Pagan, Libertarian Michael Pakko and Republican John Thurston.

Local races include a recall of Wynne Mayor Jennifer Hobbs, school board seats and at-large positions 9 and 10 at the Little Rock Board of Directors.

U.S. PRESIDENT

Republican nominee former President Donald Trump is expected to carry Arkansas. Trump looks to take back the office from Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, who launched her bid after President Joe Biden stepped away from the campaign trail.

A turbulent election season, Trump survived two assassination attempts this year, one on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, when he was shot in the ear, and a second

Sept. 15 at one of his golf courses in Florida. Meanwhile, protesters sought to disrupt the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and critics called foul, claiming if Harris was to advance to the ballot, it should have been as a result of an open convention process, not merely being granted the spot. The two candidates met in a debate Sept. 10, which most media outlets agreed was won by Harris, but the vice president has been roundly criticized for her lack of access to media interviews and press conferences to articulate her positions.

Trump has been dealing with a heap of legal trouble since he left office in 2020, including a criminal case in which he became the first former U.S. president in history to be convicted of felony charges. He has called the legal tribulations political persecution, and his party has claimed that the left is weaponizing the judicial system.

During the latest debate, he stuck to his claim that the 2020 election was stolen. He also reiterated that he has no involvement in Project 2025, a conservative political initiative, and that he will not enact a federal ban on abortions. Most of all, he has hammered at the state of the economy and the crisis at the U.S. southern border concerning unchecked illegal crossings.

The debate called to attention Harris’s shifting stances on fracking, the death penalty and marijuana.

An estimated 67 million people tuned into the Sept. 10 debate, and according to flash polls, 63 percent of debate watchers said Harris outperformed Trump, although the outcome did not change most voters’ opinions.

Some of the key issues in this election cycle are health care, immigration, foreign policy and the economy.

This time around, Trump picked JD Vance, a senator from Ohio, as running mate. Vance is known for his autobiographical book, Hillbilly Elegy , which was subsequently turned into a film.

In the days since the presidential debate, Vance has doubled down on claims about Haitian migrants in Ohio. He has also, unlike Trump, given his opinion on Project 2025 over the past few months, saying it has both “good ideas” and “some things he disagreed with.” He reiterated that it has nothing to do with the Trump campaign because it is authored by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank founded in 1973.

Joining the Harris ticket for vice president is Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

The two vice presidential candidates squared off in a debate Oct. 1, and many analysts said the debate was calmer and more polite than the most recent presidential debate. Media outlets are split on who won the debate, and some say there was no clear winner at all.

Election day is Nov. 5, and early voting in Arkansas is from Oct. 21 to Nov. 2.

For polling locations and more information about what will appear on the ballot by area, visit the Arkansas Secretary of State website at sos.arkansas.gov.

THEY HAVE HONORS

Stars of golfing world to descend on Little Rock

By Dwain Hebda

After months of planning and hard work, the inaugural Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens is set to tee off at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock. The tournament will serve as the second round of the PGA Tour Champions annual Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs.

The event will feature an international field of 54 of the tour’s top players, all vying for $2.3 million in prize money and a chance to earn their spot among the top 36 in the final event of the season, claiming the Schwab Cup.

Some of the biggest stars of the golfing world have announced their intention to play, players who have hoisted the trophy over multiple PGA majors and other prestigious events at both the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions level, who are listed below. Schwab Cup standings accurate at time of writing.

ERNIE ELS

South Africa

Schwab Cup standing: No. 1

Els, 54, is a World Golf Hall of Fame member who has won six times on the PGA Tour Champions, three of those victories coming this year. One of those wins, the Kaulig Companies Championship in Akron, Ohio, is a major on the circuit. He won that in July.

The South African’s PGA Tour career included 19 wins from 1994 through 2012 and seven Presidents Cup appearances. Els was a three-time major championship winner during that span, including at the 1994 U.S. Open, the 2002 Open Championship and the 2012 Open Championship, his last win on the PGA Tour.

STEVEN ALKER

New Zealand

Schwab Cup standing: No. 3

Alker, 63, has eight wins since he started playing on the PGA Tour Champions in 2020.The New Zealander had 51 top-10 finishes in 69 starts during that period. The 2022 Charles Schwab Cup champion won four times in 2022, including at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.This year, he owns one title and has been among the top 10 12 times.

K.J. CHOI

South Korea

Schwab Cup standing: No. 6

Choi, 54, won the Senior Open Championship in June for his first major title on the PGA Tour Champions and his second career win. The South Korea native won eight times on the PGA Tour between 2002 and 2011. His last win on the PGA Tour was the Players Championship in 2011. He was on three International Teams for the Presidents Cup.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON

Ireland

Schwab Cup standing: No. 9

Harrington, 53, owns eight career titles on the PGA Tour Champions, two of those this season. One of those victories was the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, which he won for the third consecutive year. Harrington also has made seven starts on the PGA Tour this year, his best finish a T22 at the Open Championship.

The Irishman won six times on the PGA Tour, including three major championships — the Open Championship in 2007 and the PGA Championship and the Open Championship in 2008. Harrington was a member of Europe’s Ryder Cup team six times and served as Europe’s captain in 2020.

JERRY KELLY

United States

Schwab Cup standing: No. 10

Kelly, 57, has accumulated 11 titles on the PGA Tour Champions, including the Kaulig Companies Championship as his one major title. He has six top-10 finishes so far this year. The Madison, Wisconsin, native and resident won three times on the PGA Tour from 1991 through 2016 and played on one Presidents Cup team for the U.S.

STEWART CINK

United States

Schwab Cup standing: No. 12

Cink, 51, won earlier this year on the PGA Tour Champions at the Ally Challenge for his first win on this tour. He won eight times on the PGA Tour, including the Open Championship in 2009. This year, Cink served as the United States’ assistant captain for the Presidents Cup, his sixth Presidents Cup team.

MIKE WEIR

Canada

Schwab Cup standing: No. 20

Weir, 54, has one PGA Tour Champions victory, the 2020 Insperity Invitational. He also won eight times on the PGA Tour, including the 2003 Masters Tournament during a year he won three times on tour. He served as the International Teams Captain for the Presidents Cup, having been on five previous Presidents Cup teams.

Tournament play will take place Friday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Oct. 27, and other events are planned through the week in celebration of the event. For more information about the Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens, to purchase tickets and to stay up to date on tournament news, visit the tournament website, simmonsbankchampionship.com.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

For full scheduling details and updates during the week, visit the tournament website simmonsbankchampionship.com.

Monday, Oct. 21

• Women's Leadership Summit and Clinic Pleasant Valley Country Club

• Kids Clinic PVCC (at driving range)

Tuesday, Oct. 22

• Practice Round PVCC

• Pro-Am Pairings Party PVCC

Wednesday, Oct. 23

• Pro-Am PVCC

• PGA TOUR Welcome Reception Governor's Mansion

Thursday, Oct. 24

• Pro-Am PVCC

Friday, Oct. 25

• Folds of Honor Friday PVCC (at first tee)

• Championship First Round PVCC

Saturday, Oct. 26

• Razorback Foundation Gameday Tailgate PVCC

• Championship Second Round PVCC

Sunday, Oct. 27

• Championship Final Round PVCC

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S

By Sarah Coleman

For the first time ever, the top Division 1 men’s collegiate tennis players from across the nation will travel to Little Rock. The inaugural Rockstar Passes Collegiate Tennis Challenge will be held at the Little Rock Athletic Club’s indoor courts Nov. 7 to 9.

As the first major collegiate invitational of its kind in the South, all proceeds from the tennis challenge will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas & North Louisiana, as well as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9 mark tournament play days, for which the platform will be double-elimination, best two out of three sets.

On Thursday, Tito’s Courts & Cocktails will kick off the event with a silent auction, player introductions, sponsor recognitions, the revelation of tournament brackets food and drinks.

According to former Arkansas Razorback tennis player and current voice of the Arkansas Razorback men’s tennis program, Jack Lankford,

ERVE!

Collegiate Tennis Challenge brings D1 men’s tennis to LR

guests on Thursday evening could be in for a special surprise. However, official details have not been announced at this time.

“There may be some special guest speakers in attendance on Thursday for the VIP reception to help kick off the tournament, in the tennis world,” Lankford said.

VIP admission to Thursday’s event is $100 and includes the weekend of tennis, as well. General admission is $20 and will allow guests unlimited tennis Friday and Saturday.

Tickets can be purchased online at collegiatetennischallenge.com.

In an effort to support and encourage a love of tennis in the community, children 18 and younger will have free admission to the tournament, and the first 100 kids will receive a large tennis ball sponsored by DMGilliam Capital Management to receive autographs of players on.

“We have a growing tennis community that needs something like this. We wanted to bring an event to the Arkansas tennis community like no other,” said Brad Rickett, founder and executive director of Collegiate Tennis Challenge. “These are some of the top collegiate players, and what better way to showcase, right here in Little Rock, than at one of finest facilities while giving back to our community.”

Lankford said this tournament is going to be great for the area and could not be done without the Little Rock Athletic Club. While inaugural events can be challenging in nature, LRAC Communications Director Kelly Wortsmith Snook said that everyone can rest assured that the staff and members are fully backing this tournament.

“We want to say how excited we are to be part of this event. It aligns perfectly with our love of tennis and our commitment to fostering healthy families,” Snook said.“We are going to do our best to make it a fantastic experience for players and fans alike, and we cannot wait to raise a whole bunch of money for St. Jude and the Ronald McDonald House.”

The tournament will feature 16 D1 men’s college tennis players, who are guaranteed to play a minimum of two matches. Over the course of the two tournament days, there will be a main and consolation draw, in which players will compete for the title.

The Troy University Trojans and Wichita State University Shockers will also be represented at this tournament, and the remaining players have yet to be announced.

“This is going to be a great weekend of ten-

nis here in Little Rock, especially at the Little Rock Athletic Club. I can’t thank Kelly, Frank [Lawrence, CEO] and everybody at the athletic club more,” Rickett said. “There will be plenty of food, drinks and tournament merchandise available, and I look forward to seeing everybody the first weekend of November.”

Proceeds from merchandise sales will also support the charities. Those looking to get involved with the tournament are encouraged to email the tournament organizers at director@ collegiatetennischallenge.com.

“I want to acknowledge our presenting sponsors, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, RockStar Passes and the Little Rock Athletic Club. Also, I’d like to acknowledge our ACE sponsors, Horton & Horton, Advanced Pathology Solutions, and First Community Bank,” Rickett said. “Our hotel sponsor is the Wingate by Wyndham on Shackleford Road. We also have a serving volley sponsor, Dr. Nair and Dr. Nair, and then our official ball sponsor, DMGillum Capital Management. We appreciate the individual sponsors and all of the sponsors that are listed on our website.”

AY Media Group is the media sponsor for the Collegiate Tennis Challenge.

THE COLLEGES AND PLAYERS PARTICIPATING IN THIS TOURNAMENT

• University of Arkansas Razorbacks (Ranked No. 31) Four players will represent the Razorbacks, including French native Arthur Bellegy, who transferred from the Lobos of New Mexico, and Lukas Palovic, a redshirt freshman from Slovakia.

• University of Memphis Tigers (Ranked No. 27) The Tigers will be represented by Sam Reeve, a redshirt sophomore and member of the Great Britain National Team, and Michael Kouame, a freshman and Top 10 player from Paris.

• Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles Ricardo Filho and Eli Brewer, who are both named to the 2024 All-Academic Team, will represent the Golden Eagles.

• Oklahoma State University Cowboys (Ranked No. 29) Two players will represent the Cowboys. They are Isaac Becroft, who is currently ranked as No. 41 in the country, and sophomore Derek Pham.

• Mississippi State University Bulldogs The Bulldogs, which happen to be coached by Arkansas native and UA graduate Matt Roberts, will send Italian native freshman Niccolo Baroni, who holds a world ranking of 1069 for singles and 1394 for doubles. Georgia Tech Fall Invitational doubles title winner Marshall Landry will also be representing the ‘Dogs.

AI IN COMMUNITY BANKING Finding the Right Fit

By Tyler Morgan

Community banks are at the edge of a technological revolution driven by increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence.

Across the banking sector, leaders are weighing AI’s immense potential against the risks it may pose to privacy and security. Like many chief information and security officers in the banking industry, I’ve seen an exponential increase in services promising the utopia that AI will bring, but it is not a panacea, and we must guard against trapping ourselves in a fool’s paradise.

MODERN AI

AI might seem like a recent phenomenon, but its roots date to the mid-20th century. In fact, the term “artificial intelligence” was coined at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire in 1956. The late 20th and early 21st century saw advances in so-called narrow AI, which focuses on a specific subset of problems, versus the broader AI that has consumed the tech space in the past few years.

It is this more general and cognitively advanced AI that has sparked a mix of excitement, fear, obsession and paranoia. ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Claude and other generative AI services prompt such emotion due to their ability to inspire — and terrify — based on their humanlike reasoning, conversation and creative abilities. Moreover, concerns about AI are compounded by the ever-increasing number of data breaches and data-mishandling incidents at firms across many industries.

Banks themselves are not AI newcomers. They used narrow AI for things such as fraud detection, consumer loan decisioning and tailored chatbots many years before the release of ChatGPT.

What has changed — almost overnight — is the introduction of generative AI models into banking platforms. Whether through third-party models like ChatGPT or proprietary models, financial technology companies and banks are exploring myriad ways to leverage the exciting technology.

FINDING A GOOD FIT THAT MITIGATES RISK

When selecting an AI service, banks should select proprietary or paid models that provide data privacy and security controls. Whether a generative AI service is free or paid can directly affect the privacy and security commitments of the vendor offering the service.

For example, while Gemini is free, it is subject to Google Workspace enterprise data privacy and security controls if purchased as part of a Google Workspace enterprise license. That means that data fed to the model is not aggregated for other purposes (such as model training) and is kept proprietary to the

organization that licensed it. Likewise, upgraded plans with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude offer more control over the use of private data within those models.

When selecting a vendor that uses generative AI, banks should also confirm that the vendor has taken the same precautions to ensure that proprietary information is not leaked or absorbed by a model that lacks adequate security controls and later exposed in a breach.

Banks must also balance compliance concerns. If generative AI is used in a credit decisioning model, banks run the risk of implementing a model that may contain an underlying bias and thereby negatively affect consumers. Such bias can be difficult to detect in a generative model because the model itself is more complex than traditional rules-driven algorithms. As a result, a bank may face steeper challenges in terms of demonstrating that its decisioning model is valid and doesn’t exhibit inherent bias.

When it comes to phasing in generative AI, banks should seek low-risk use cases that avoid areas of heavy regulatory concern. That will allow banks to learn as they go and introduce generative AI into more complex use cases methodically. Banks should also ensure that a bank employee is assigned to continuously test and monitor the AI’s behavior for quality assurance purposes.

There are several initial AI-use cases that would allow banks to cut their teeth on the technology without taking too much risk:

• Using AI to review vendor contracts for specific terms.

• Using an AI chatbot to respond to employee searches for content in policies or about bank product offerings.

• Using AI chatbots for limited customer service, such as pointing customers to self-service resources on the bank website, locating bank phone numbers, responding to questions about the bank’s open and close times, or supplying the bank’s routing number.

• Using AI in the back office to assist with solving problems of automation, such as assisting a bank’s IT staff with scripting automations for certain processes.

While the AI frontier is fraught with security and privacy challenges, banks and their customers have much to gain if they can implement AI responsibly. Community banks, working carefully and deliberately, can help lead the way.

Tyler Morgan is the chief information officer of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Stuttgart.

Tyler Morgan

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Arkansas Money & Politics October 2024

BETTER CALL COLLINS

WHITING PLANTATION

Crisp Law Firm

FEATURES OCTOBER 2024

BETTER CALL COLLINS

ON THE COVER

FEEDBACK

TOP ONLINE ARTICLES

YES! WE HAVE NO BANANAS

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

A STUFFED PUMPKIN

ON THE RADAR

Cybersecurity red flags

INNOVATION IS AN ARKANSAS SUPERPOWER

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ONE for the ROAD

THE PLAYBOOK

SLEEP WON’T SOBER

KNOW THE SCORE

GLOBAL PAYMENTS

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MANAGING FOREIGN EXCHANGE RISK

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THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

EMILY TOWE, REDDICK LAW

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DRUNK?

THE FIXER

OKatherine Blackmon Carroll

Austin King MADE WHOLE

COURTROOM DRAMA

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FIRMS ADAPT TO LABOR LAWS

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CHANGES FOR ARKANSANS

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Across the US and Right Here in Little Rock, Cozen O’Connor Honors Our Legal Elite.

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IN FOUNDING LEADERSHIP

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A Calling

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Fiscal and operating savvy crucial to running a successful nonprofit

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ARGENTA CONTEMPORARY THEATRE

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