Generations of farmers, ranchers, homeowners and ag investors have relied on AgHeritage Farm Credit Services for loans and financial services.
We can help you live the life you’ve chosen.
Join us for a celebration of our life-changing impact as we showcase the achievements of our program participants, graduates and community partners. Experience a night of inspiration with delicious food, signature drinks, live and silent auctions, plus the presentation of the Spirit of Goodwill Award. Top it off with an electrifying live concert by the world’s premiere Michael Jackson tribute experience.
FEATURES SEPTEMBER 2024
‘OPEN THE DOOR, HAL’ AI may not have evolved — yet — into something like HAL, the computer-gone-rogue in 2001: A Space Odyssey, but it poses many new questions for the banking industry.
HOLDING ON
Financial advisors told AMP they have worked hard to educate their clients to hold on during a challenging time in the market.
ROOM AT THE INNS
During the late 20th century, downtown areas experienced a period of decline that has only been rectified in recent years, especially in Hot Springs.
Statewide is better, at least that is what the Estate Planning Council of Arkansas learned during its reinvention, for which it began covering all of Arkansas.
The bank George Gleason bought in 1979 — then Bank of Ozark, now Bank OZK — sits comfortably atop the list of Arkansas financial institutions, easily outpacing the place and show institutions in deposits, assets and virtually any other profitability category one could name.
It is not all about AI when it comes to tech trends in the banking industry. Area bankers and tech minds discuss the latest gadget wizardry.
These top financial advisors help put their clients in a position to make money work for them instead of chasing it their entire lives.
AMP is proud to once again recognize some of Arkansas’ female leaders in the banking industry. These women continue to break through glass ceilings.
AMP once again recognizes those business leaders in Arkansas who have hit that sweet spot, who fill that gap between young bucks and a gold watch.
The PGA is bringing its Champions Tour to Little Rock and Pleasant Valley Country Club in October. Here is what to expect.
Becky Gillette, Marnie Oldner, KD Reep,Gary Keller, Steve Lewis, Ryan Parker, Paul Sage, Matt Smithmeier, Steve Wilcox
Big muscle.bank Small bank hustle.
Only First Horizon brings together the best of big and small. Like a powerful network of banking centers, ATMs and online tools local banks can’t match. With local decision-makers big banks often overlook. When the best of big meets the best of small, you get it all.
ON THE COVER
George Gleason was photographed for the September cover outside Bank OZK’s west Little Rock headquarters by Steve Lewis. Gleason has “artfully” guided his former hometown bank into a banking juggernaut.
Photos by Steve Lewis.
See story on page 14.
FEEDBACK
AMP FUTURE ICONS 2024 : HUDSON TAYLOR JONES, ELITE MOVERS INC.
Big fan. Congrats!
Eddie Mraz
ABERNATHY RETIRES, PASSING TORCH OF LOCA LUNA AND RED DOOR
You will be missed!
Janice Hughes Smith
SAN PEDRO TO RETIRE AS THE VENTURE CENTER’S CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
Congratulations!!! You’ve done an amazing job, Mimi San Pedro!
Cathy Tuggle
AMP FUTURE ICONS 2024: SPENCER W. DAY, FIRST SERVICE BANK OF ARKANSAS Bright future ahead for this young man!
Josef France
ABERNATHY RETIRES, PASSING TORCH OF LOCA LUNA AND RED DOOR
Congratulations Mark Abernathy on making a huge mark on our city. Thank you for all that you’ve given us. Thank you for the delicious meals.
Helen Goodman
THE WAY FORWARD: ORTHOARKANSAS CARE NAVIGATOR PROGRAM PRESENTS A BETTER APPROACH TO CARE
Wonderful work to improve patient outcomes and patient experience.
Natalie Martin
THE REAL DEAL: JAMES + JAMES BRINGS ARKANSAS AUTHENTICITY TO CUSTOM FURNITURE MARKET
Love my James + James table! It is solid and beautiful and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Jenni Sudduth
TOP ONLINE ARTICLES
Aug. 5 — Sept. 4
1 LRSD Superintendent Announces Resignation
2 Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas
3 AMP Best of 2024
4 Abernathy Retires, Passing Torch of Loca Luna and Red Door
5 Arkansas’ Disparate Alcohol Laws
6 Bobby Bones Named 2024 Arkansan of the Year
7 Boasting a Suite of Upscale Amenities, Resort at Rockwater is Set to Open in Early 2025
8 Little Rock City Board Extends On-Site Sunday Alcohol Sales
9 Packers Legend Brett Favre Opens up at Little Rock Touchdown Club
10 Hot Springs Taking Next Steps in St. Joseph Hospital Tear Down
Mimi San Pedro, the chief strategy officer at the The Venture Center, announced her retirement after more than five years of shaping the organization’s strategic direction.
The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine announced the appointment of Dr. Yolangel Hernandez Suarez as the executive vice dean effective October 2024.
The Arkansas Broadcasters Association recently revealed that Bobby Bones, the nationally recognized radio morning show host, will be honored as the 2024 Arkansan of the Year.
By Mark Carter
THE GRIDIRON’S STRIPED SIREN CALL
As an NFL referee, you know you’ve made it onto the national stage when Troy Aikman shares a complimentary anecdote about you on air, then playfully comments on your Southern accent.
For Walt Coleman of Little Rock, that’s just what happened roughly a decade ago. Coleman retired from NFL officiating in 2018 after three decades in the league, and he did so as one of the most respected officials in the game.
Before he made calls on Sundays, Coleman could be found on junior high and high school fields in southwest Little Rock and towns throughout southwest Arkansas and then on the college level in the Southland, Southwest and Southeastern conferences.
In fact, the first time Walt worked a Razorback game after becoming an SWC official was also the first college game he worked with his dad — a 33-10 Hog win over Navy in Little Rock on Sept. 29, 1984.
Walt Coleman spent three decades as an NFL official, all but six years as a referee. His solid work as a ref meant that he spent much of his career in anonymity — an official’s best-case scenario — until good performance reviews led to his calling bigger and bigger names, including Super Bowls. Eventually, Coleman and that Mabelvale drawl became a mainstay of Sunday afternoons in the fall.
Now that football is back on the menu five days a week and a growing number of white hats get the opportunity to flex their guns on national TV, refs come to mind. During a recent in-
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
Tterview for an upcoming story about high school officials, Coleman admitted that being the son of Buddy Coleman, a legendary high school and college official in Arkansas, was an advantage when he first started officiating. Being Buddy’s son may have opened doors, but it was Walt’s dedication and acumen for calling games that propelled his officiating career.
Coleman also shared highlights from his career. There’s the infamous 2001 tuck-rule game in which he made the proper call of an unpopular rule, leading to a Patriots playoff win in the snow over the Raiders. Coleman said most of what he remembers about the game is how cold it was and how the hoopla surrounding the call — which turned an apparent Tom Brady fumble into an incomplete pass — grew legs because more people were watching because of the weather.
(Football in the snow? I’m in.)
Coleman remembered that late September night in Little Rock in 1984 when he got to call his first Razorback game and work with his dad on the college level for the first time. He remembered how proud he was to be working alongside his dad, how he had to force himself to turn off his Razorback fandom and just focus on each play. He also recalled how he felt the first time he stepped onto an NFL field for a regular season game and then standing at attention as the national anthem was played. That day, he likened it to the feeling football lovers get when twilight starts to set in on Fridays in the fall, stadium lights illuminating the community sacrament unfolding below. For officials who just as easily could be up in the stands with the rest of us, it’s a siren call.
That’s why, Coleman said, officials are willing to put up with emotional fans, screaming coaches, time commitments that are big and pay that is small. They do it because they love the game, and without them, it couldn’t go on.
By Heather Baker
A BIG DEPOSIT FOR SEPTEMBER
here’s much to digest — or perhaps better said, to deposit — inside, this month’s issue of Arkansas Money & Politics . Banking and financing is a focus, and inside we’ll look at the rise of local banks and new brands giving consumers seemingly more options than ever. Plus, we’ll consider the fast pace of technology and how it is changing the game in the industry and list readers’ favorite financial advisors and 50 of the state’s top women bankers.
In a male-dominated industry, female bankers have persevered and paid their dues. That hard work has propelled them to influential positions in the state’s banking and finance industry, and we’re proud to recognize them each year in AMP
We asked readers to nominate those women whose dedication and expertise has placed
them among the most influential bankers in the state. The September issue will recognize these powerful women in Arkansas banking, nominated by readers, whose work is advancing the industry in Arkansas.
This month, we’ll also visit Junior Achievement of Arkansas, one of my favorite nonprofits, to find out where kids today are receiving their financial education.
September is also when we recognize AMP ’s Achievers in Their Forties. AMP readers told us who they saw as the state’s true up-and-coming business and political professionals, the rising stars. Get to know a little about them inside. Settle in folks. I have a feeling it’s gonna be a wild ride as we head into the 2024 stretch run. As always, thank you for reading. Hit me up with any comments, questions or story ideas at HBaker@armoneyandpolitics.com.
Heather Baker
Walt Coleman
ENSURING FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN IN ARKANSAS
By Marnie Oldner
When I think about my four decades in finance, from my early days as a public accountant to my roles in banking as CEO, chief financial officer and president of Stone Bank, I’ve witnessed significant changes in our industry.
Yet one truth remains: Leadership in banking is still a maledominated field, especially in the C-suite. That reality only spurs my commitment to ensuring that more women find their place in finance and, more importantly, that all women in Arkansas have the tools and resources to achieve long-term financial security.
The last 50 years have seen notable progress in gender diversity within banking. More women than ever before are attaining leadership positions in banking, driving innovation and making key decisions that shape the future of finance. However, the presence of women in the upper echelons of banking remains sparse, and many women still face systemic barriers that hinder their professional growth and financial independence. In fact, according to the American Bankers Association, just 32 percent of bank officers vice presidents and higher are women, and just 7.5 percent of American banks are led by a woman CEO. As we look ahead, we must create more opportunities for women to enter finance and excel in banking. We must also focus on equipping all women with the financial tools and education they need to thrive.
One of the most pressing challenges we face is ensuring all Arkansas women have access to the resources that will empower them financially. Economic security is not just about having a steady income; it’s about building wealth, managing debt, planning for retirement and being prepared for life’s unexpected challenges. Unfortunately, many women — especially those in underserved communities — lack access to the financial tools and education necessary to achieve this security.
That is where the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas plays a crucial role. Through its programs, the WFA is dedicated to improving financial security for women across the state. Initiatives such as Save10 and the Women’s Economic Mobility Hub are designed to equip women with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed financial decisions, build savings and secure their economic futures.
Save10, for instance, is an initiative that encourages women to save at least 10 percent of their income for retirement. This program is particularly impactful because it addresses the long-term financial needs of women, many of whom are likely to live longer than men and, therefore, need more substantial retirement savings. As part of this work, they host a finance club, similar to a book club, that creates a peer-to-peer support system in which women learn, share experiences and motivate each other on their financial journeys.
The Women’s Economic Mobility Hub, on the other hand, focuses on creating pathways for Black women in Arkansas to start or grow their own businesses and advance their careers.
By supporting these programs, we are not only uplifting individual women but also helping to close the wealth gap and foster a
culture of financial independence and empowerment that will benefit entire communities and future generations.
At Stone Bank, I have seen firsthand the difference financial empowerment can make in individual lives and families. Whether it’s helping a young woman open her first savings account, guiding a small business owner through the complexities of securing a loan or advising a retiree on how to manage her investments, financial knowledge makes a profound impact. Beyond the walls of the bank, I am equally committed to engaging women in finance through my work with the WFA.
I am honored to serve as co-chair of this year’s Power of the Purse — the WFA’s signature annual event — alongside Shamim Okolloh, vice president and community outreach officer at Encore Bank. As female banking executives, we are proud to be part of an initiative that celebrates the achievements of women in Arkansas and amplifies the importance of economic security for all women and girls. Power of the Purse is more than just a luncheon — it’s a platform that uplifts the voices of women leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers who are shaping the future of our state.
This year’s event, which will take place Oct. 2 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, is especially significant because it brings together a diverse group of women honorees who are leading the charge in their respective fields. Presented by Arkansas Children’s, the 26th annual celebration will recognize the achievements of Lenore Trammell as Woman of the Year in Business, Dr. Nirvana Manning as Woman of the Year in Public Service and Cathy Tuggle as Woman of the Year in Philanthropy. Each of these women exemplifies change-making strength and resilience and a strong commitment to improving life for Arkansas women. By highlighting their accomplishments, I hope we can inspire the next generation of women to pursue careers in finance and other science, technology, engineering, arts and math fields and to take control of their financial futures.
It is essential that we continue to advocate for policies and programs that support women’s economic empowerment. We must work together to dismantle the barriers that prevent women from entering and advancing in finance and other high-paying industries, and we must ensure that all women — regardless of their background or circumstances — have access to the resources they need to build a strong financial future. I hope you’ll join me in this mission by attending Power of the Purse next month. You can learn more about the event and the life-changing work of the WFA at womensfoundationarkansas.org.
Marnie Oldner, formerly CEO of Stone Bank, now serves as a director at the bank and its parent companies. She built the bank from a financial institution with $65 million in assets to a highly profitable, healthy bank with assets of more than $750 million. She is co-chair of this year’s Women’s Foundation of Arkansas Power of the Purse.
Bo ok Fe s ti val SEPTEMBER
22-29, 2024
Support for the Six Bridges Book Festival is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is also supported in part by a grant from HumanitiesAR and the National Endowment for the Humanities and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Central Arkansas Library System gratefully acknowledges the support of the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau; the Brown Chair in English Literacy at the University of Arkansas and the Community Literacies Collaboratory; the Rebsamen Fund; and the many other donors and partners who make this festival possible. The Junior League of Little Rock is a partner for the Little Readers Rock events.
Book talks featuring more than 40 award-winning and bestselling writers and illustrators from around the country. Enjoy workshops plus a full day of familyfriendly events. View the full schedule at SixBridgesBookFestival.org.
Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Shake It Off!
Marcela Fuentes, Malas
Brian Fairbanks, Willie, Waylon, and the Boys
Ann Patchett, Tom Lake
Phillip B. Williams, Ours
Anne Byrn, Baking in the American South
Boyce Upholt, The Great River
Ilyon Woo, Master Slave Husband Wife
THE
Wizard OZK
Record-breaking revenue, Wall Street adulation attest success has not spoiled George Gleason’s bank yet
By Dwain Hebda |
by Steve Lewis
Photos
George Gleason does not do second place.
The bank he bought in 1979 — then Bank of Ozark, now Bank OZK — sits comfortably atop the list of Arkansas financial institutions, per iBanknet, easily outpacing the place and show institutions in deposits, assets and virtually any other profitability category one could name.
The headquarters he built, a glass-encased corporate jewel box, is unlike anything in the Little Rock commercial real estate market if not the state, boasting 248,000 square feet over five stories and a litany of Gatsbyesque accoutrements. A few of the custom finishes include marble accent walls, a grand atrium, glassencased conference rooms and, rumor has it, accent trees throughout the grounds that are cloned to ensure uniformity.
The firm’s accumulated corporate trophy mounts confirm Bank OZK’s standing among the very elite of its industry across the country and around the world. Among them are five consecutive appearances on Forbes’ “America’s Best Banks” (2019-2023) and “World’s Best Banks” (2019-2023); RankingBanking Study’s “Top 25” (2023); and Bank Director’s Performance Powerhouse Survey’s top spot (2021).
Gleason does not even play second fiddle to himself. For the past six quarters running, Bank OZK has posted record earnings, the latest coming in at $279.3 million in 2Q24 pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue — this despite the whims and vagaries of the economy, global stock markets, inflation, bickering political candidates, fickle analysts, incorrigible regulation and anything else to which mere mortal banks must bow.
In fact, the last documented time Gleason came home on his shield rather than carrying it was in his quest to assemble the country’s foremost collection of American art. He would have done it, too, had some meddling kids in Bentonville called Crystal Bridges not foiled his plans.
Yet for as complicated a formula as all that success requires, Gleason, Bank OZK chairman and CEO, adheres to a maddingly
simple strategy to keep the company operating like a hungry upstart contender amid sustained largesse of accomplishment.
“Our goal was not ever to be the biggest bank in Arkansas,” he has been fond of saying for nearly half a century, “but to be the best.”
In fact, asking Gleason to dissect the components of maintaining his edge and staying on the forefront of trends in leadership elicits a quizzical look. For the record, no, he does not play golf with industry titans to swap tips; no, he does not hold clandestine leadership summits in a hidden bunker; and no, he does not invest in so much as a book on tape. What he does do is show up — each day, every day, as if it were his first day — and surround himself with others who do, as well.
“We’ve got a lot of team members here who keep me on my toes every day. I have an executive management dinner about 10 times a year with my top leadership team, and that’s about the only sort of activity like that,” said the 2022 inductee to the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame. “I have so many smart people around me, there’s no room to rest because we’ve got to be pushing forward all the time. Those guys push me to push our company forward. I’m at my desk at lunch almost every day, working through lunch. Somebody brings me food, and I keep working there from one meeting, one conference call, one video call to the next. We’re going all the time.
“When you run a company that has the span of business that we have geographically and product-wise and that’s growing at the rate we’re growing, it’s a 60- to 80-hour-a-week job every week. There’s no time for golf. There’s no time for tennis, no time for just going to lunch and picking somebody’s brain or doing a call with a peer at another institution unless there’s a specific purpose for that call. We’re working all the time.”
The origins of the company are as stunning in their humbleness as today’s version is staggering in scope. When 25-year-old Gleason, a son of Yell County and a lawyer produced by the University of Arkansas, bought Bank of Ozark, it consisted of 28 employees, two branches and $28 million in assets. Today, Bank OZK (the moniker was introduced in 2018) is a national banking tour de force with assets in excess of $30 billion, more than 2,700 employees and more than 240 offices in eight states.
Gleason’s philosophy toward the underpinning of that success may sound homespun, but as he is quick to admit, the times in which Bank OZK executes that strategy are anything but. One might think excelling in such market environments as today would require an equally complicated countermeasure, but that is where Gleason and conventional thinking part company.
“I would tell you that this is probably the most uncertain time in my 45-year-plus history as chairman and CEO of Bank OZK,” he said. “You have unprecedented geopolitical conflict and tensions around the world. You have a fundamental tearing of the way trade is done. You have a fundamental tearing of the global order, and at the same time, we have an incredibly divided country, almost straight down the middle. The policy differences of the two parties in relation to our economy, the unprecedented deficits that we have, the unprecedented annual relative debt levels that we’re accumulating, all those things are like never before.
“That creates a very dynamic environment, and in my experience, those sorts of very dynamic environments create a lot of challenges, and they create a lot of opportunities. I think one of the strengths of Bank OZK and my management team over decades now has been the ability to capitalize on opportunities in times of economic turmoil. We certainly did this during the great financial crisis, when we acquired seven failed banks and grew significantly while putting up record earnings every year through that crisis when a lot of banks had zero earnings or negative earnings.”
Gleason’s career longevity gives him the benefit of perspective when comparing market events, and technology has handed him the tools to extrapolate the details like never before. As such, Bank OZK’s modeling prowess has allowed the company to react appropriately in even the choppiest market waters, paying due attention to the fundamental elements consistent to all situations yet still allowing for the nuances of a given market cycle.
“There is always, and perhaps today more than ever, a tendency to over-simplify and over-generalize conclusions about things. If you ask me, ‘Is it the best of times or the worst of times to be in the apartment-lending business?’ I would tell you both,” he said. “Is it the best of times or the worst of times to be in the officelending business? I would tell you both. I could give you markets, submarkets or micro-markets around the country where it’s the absolute best of times ever to be in this product and markets where it’s a really bad time to be in those markets or submarkets or micro-markets with that product.
“It is just a more complicated, nuanced environment, and we try to never generalize because generalizations are always wrong. We try to be very specific on customers, products, markets, submarkets and micro-markets. Again, the key to addressing it is the ability to have data, to be able to analyze that data and to be able to manage it with an ever-growing workforce that is increasingly talented. I’m a firm believer that talent is the most critical ingredient in any franchise and, particularly, in the environment we’re in today.”
In fact, if there is one market condition even Bank OZK cannot overwhelm with the sheer force of its will, it is competing for talent in a pool that grows steadily shallower every day. For that reason, Bank OZK expends considerable energy not just bringing people aboard but on the retention-boosting work of making sure they are in the right job today and have a well-defined path to the job they want tomorrow.
“We are hiring people every day, it seems like, or at least every week, from the most entry-level jobs in our company to some of the most sophisticated and advanced jobs,” Gleason said. “We employ a huge spectrum of people, from those who have a high school education or are fresh out of college to people who have Ph.D.s in quantitative mathematics and economics. We also realize that every one of those people is critical to our success. People may think that the quant with a Ph.D. is more important than the newly minted customer service specialist behind a teller line in a branch, but that CSS is interacting directly with our customers every day, and without our customers’ loyalty and support, we are nothing.
“That said, in this day and time, because talent is in short supply — and I think it’s going to, year after year, decade after decade, get in even shorter supply — we’ve got to hone and develop our talent in a way that lets us promote from within. I can’t quote the stats, but I saw about 30 days ago that the number of internal promotions within our company this year versus last year versus the prior year are up substantially, and I’m very proud of that. It shows we’re not just focused on acquiring talent but developing and promoting that talent so that an employee is not with us a year or two or three, but they’re with us five or 10 or 15 or 20 or 40 years, making a career here because we provided them that pathway.”
Gleason also pushed back against the popular belief that the youngest generation of employees are less motivated than their predecessors, saying in many cases, the differences boil down to perspective and approach more than drive.
“There are negative things that are sometimes said about the work ethic and skill set that younger-generation employees come to work with, but we’re finding a lot of incredibly talented, incredibly motivated young workers,” he said. “We’re finding that they’re smart enough and thoughtful enough to know that they want to get into a role that gives them an opportunity to advance if they achieve. There’s opportunity within this company for them.
“That’s one of the great things about our company; when we’re adding new offices, adding new products, growing as we are, you know, 20 to 30 percent per annum, you’re constantly needing more people, so the people who achieve and excel will find opportunities here to advance.”
Another unique element of the company’s success is the ability to pivot like a small institution even as it continues to add area and head count. Of all the things that set Bank OZK apart, that level of nimbleness in a rapidly changing market environment is arguably the most impressive and valuable.
“I would tell you we are keenly focused on maintaining that agility, even at our size and even growing as we have last year, where our loans and deposits both grew 27.5 percent,” Gleason said. “The key to maintaining that agility is to keep your analytical capabilities and your human resource capabilities at scale. We’ve continually improved and developed, literally every quarter for years, our ability to model and predict and run scores of scenarios under different sorts of interest rate and economic environments.
“It’s the same with talent; my goal is that every time we have turnover in a position, even if it’s been one of our star performers who’s retiring, I want to fill that position with someone who is better, more skilled, better educated, more experienced, more knowledgeable than the person who left. That’s the key to agility.”
Bank OZK recently demonstrated that flexibility when it got back into the residential mortgage business in April after having been out of that product sector for the past several years. Gleason credited the move to a combination of timing and developing a superior client experience.
“The residential mortgage business that we’re building now is
different in the way it operates things and interacts with customers than the older-style residential mortgage business we exited five or six years ago,” he said. “As is the case with many of our business entrances, it’s driven by the needs of our customers and our ability to attract and acquire talent to execute that plan in a first-class manner.
“Since getting out of the business, we’ve more than doubled in size, and we were having an increasing number of requests and demands from our customers for that service, so we decided we needed to rethink how we did that business and get back in in a way that would be highly beneficial for our customers. We’re rolling it out one market at a time, and we’ll roll it out across all six states where we have a physical branch presence, but that will take into next year and maybe all the way into 2026 to get that fully implemented.”
weren’t there or they didn’t make sense to pursue. We’ve had periods like last year when the competition was, in large numbers, sidelined, and we were able to achieve exceptional growth in both our balance sheet and our talent acquisition.
“I think one thing is you’ve just got to be disciplined and take what the economy and the market give you in a particular time. Sometimes you grow, and sometimes you don’t, but the bigger challenge is really maintaining the culture and the defining characteristics of your organization. Our goal as a company, and this is true for our culture, is to be better every day than we were the day before. It’s a constant treadmill here of trying to go a little faster and a little better every day.”
As for the unthinkable yet inevitable scenario in which Gleason himself, now in his 70s, would step aside, the architect of one of the most successful corporations in Arkansas history
“There are negative things that are sometimes said about the work ethic and skill set that youngergeneration employees come to work with, but we’re finding a lot of incredibly talented, incredibly motivated young workers.”
While much can be said about how profoundly the company has changed over the decades — thanks to organic growth, new product lines and acquisitions, including a remarkable sevenyear span between 2010 and 2017 when Bank OZK completed 17 such deals — the same could be said for the banking consumer. Here again, success breeds success as Bank OZK’s financial performance quarter after quarter has provided the wherewithal and resources to invest in that which its customer wants, be it best-in-class fintech or the decidedly more throwback brick-andmortar branch construction.
“Our company today is about 1,300 times the size we were when I started, having grown, more or less, at a 20 percent compounded annual rate on average,” Gleason said, letting the numbers hang in the air for a beat for emphasis. “Now we’ve had years when we didn’t grow because the opportunities
is characteristically plainspoken. Three successors have been identified to take his place when the time comes, but that time has yet to be determined.
“I’ve told the board multiple times, and I think they clearly know that I mean it, that the day I am not providing the energy and the leadership and the direction to our company that our company needs is the day I’m not the best person for this job,” he said. “The key to our company are the highly motivated, highly collaborative teams of individuals striving for excellence in everything they do every day. Those are the driving forces that allow us to build enduring relationships with our customers.
“As for me, I’ve got so many incredibly smart and incredibly talented people to work alongside of, and they keep me hopping all the time to stay ahead of them, to stay in tandem with them and to be their leader. It’s a great privilege.”
By Sarah Coleman
WHAT’S NEW IN BANKING?
TECHNOLOGY KEEPS EXPANDING HORIZONS
The landscape of banking, from smaller community banks to larger banking institutions, has continued to expand its horizons with the help of technological advancements. In Arkansas, community banks and financial technology services are all working to adopt technology trends such as artificial intelligence, which is driving younger generations to more efficient platforms and creating more deposits.
AI INTEGRATION OUTLOOK
AI seems to be the biggest topic in fintech these days, since it has been introduced in all corners of life. Uday Akkaraju, CEO and chairman at Bond.AI in Little Rock, said AI has not yet fully touched banking the way it has in other industries, meaning the adoption rate in banking is fairly immature.
“Everyone has been looking into AI to determine its effectiveness. We work with our partners and internally to understand its use more,” added James Paul, senior brand experience director at Smiley Technologies in Little Rock. “When it comes to things such as AI, we want to fully understand it before we push it to our partners.”
That sentiment is shared by several banks of varying sizes, and according to Ann Madea, executive vice president and chief information officer, Simmons Bank is taking a methodical approach to AI.
“We’re never going to be the ones jumping and moving forward faster than anyone else or leading in emerging technologies, but we’re going to take a look and study what the market is doing. We’re going to see what other banks are doing, and we’re going to be a good, solid follower,” Madea said. “What we’re doing now is really ensuring first that we have the governance, the controls and the risks identified and put in place before we continue to expand to AI.”
There is a lot of excitement about the ways in which AI could impact the banking industry, but there is much to be explored at this time. Akkaraju said that banking started adopting AI in 2020 and 2021, starting with chatbots such as Capital One’s Eno and Bank of America’s Erica.
“Adoption of AI started out pretty high, and then it started slowly showing a downward trend. While chatbots are great, there were a lot of questions that were not [being answered], questions relevant to the consumer,” Akkaraju said.
He said the biggest reason banks are starting to adopt AI is for risk-assessment purposes. Bond.AI’s Autopilot, which automates all three dimensions of any institution — deposits, loans and marketing — works to boost secure growth.
“I think eventually every business will have an autopilot, and we’ve introduced the first autopilot in banking. It’s not really for the front consumer at this point, but it’s more for automating the
basic and foundational necessities of a bank,” Akkaraju said.
He said Autopilot takes all of the bank’s data, analyzes the data, and then makes sure banks are able to balance and grow their deposits by showing them loans and helping automate their marketing efforts. He added that everything comes down to the customers’ desires.
Larger banks have been integrating and adopting AI at quicker rates than smaller banks are currently able to. Akkaraju said institutions such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. started adopting and integrating AI earlier on, allowing them to stay ahead of the curve and address consumer needs through a digital channel.
“Whoever, in the age of AI, is able to adapt fast and provide the consumer what they want the fastest and in the shortest possible time is going to have an edge,” Akkaraju said. “What we are doing is using AI for personalization, so we are helping banks, with Autopilot, personalize whatever the consumer needs. This is allowing banks to realize what the consumer needs, even before the consumer realizes it.”
Akkaraju said Bond.AI is more focused on smaller banking institutions than larger ones. That is partially due to the high interest rates in today’s economy and the Federal Reserve not lowering the rates as much as many hoped for, leaving smaller banks needing more deposits as the banks continue to spend money.
As operational costs rise, smaller banks struggle more, and data reflects community banks and credit unions having liquidity issues. With those issues, smaller banks may not have the budget to spend on technology integration. With that in mind, Akkaraju said Bond.AI has, in a way, begun to give its product away (to be paid back over a two- to three-year period) because he knows the banks will actually benefit from the technology.
“Smaller banks are the fabric of the United States, and community banks are the real backbone and pillar of the communities around the country,” Akkaraju said, adding that Arkansas is in a unique situation because the banking ecosystem is quite stable. “There is a good appetite in Arkansas with banks and credit unions. The largest bank and credit union in the state are both spending a good amount of money on digital transformation and artificial intelligence.”
That is not only the case for the largest financial institutions but also for the smallest banks in the Natural State, he said.
Empathy Engine is the AI behind the Autopilot platform and is named for its purpose of understanding the needs of the end consumer.
“When a bank signs up with us, they give us the consumer data and transaction data of each and every customer. What the Empathy Engine does is analyze that data and then spits out the needs of these customers,” Akkaraju said. “In finding out the needs of the consumers based on the data, all these banks can then take action.”
Akkaraju added that while Bond.AI has targeted financial institutions inside and outside of the state, the company is now gearing its services toward employers in Arkansas only. About 28 employers have signed up for the company’s services, in-
cluding the city of Little Rock, Arkansas Heart Hospital and more.
TECHNOLOGICAL INTEGRATION TRENDS
While AI may remain one of the biggest technological advancements across many industries, banking is also seeing other technological integration trends for both customers and the banks themselves.
In general, banks are known for being community-minded and mission-driven and have the common goal of growing deposits overall. The process of achieving that goal varies from bank to bank because all banking institutions operate differently.
A bank dedicated to exploring technological advancements, Simmons Bank launched its Next Generation Bank initiative in 2018 as a multiyear $100 million technology investment.
Alex Carriles, EVP and chief digital officer, said the institution already had online banking and mobile banking, but the Next Generation Bank initiative was to push forward to greater digital capabilities and modernization of the bank. At the end of 2019, Simmons Bank launched its new mobile and online banking solution, which became well adopted in 2020.
“If there was any silver lining whatsoever to the [COVID-19] pandemic, it was in the digital space. There was a big push to bring the customers into the digital space as they couldn’t go to a branch. We saw trends like mobile deposits more than double in a couple of years,” Carriles said.
The launch of a new digital account-opening process gave Simmons Bank customers the ability to open new accounts in a fully digital fashion.
“It was an end-to-end digital process, and it also had a great response. It’s an extremely clean process,” Carilles said, adding that customers have rated it 9.2 out of 10 for ease of use.
Simmons Bank’s mobile app offers streamlined digital processes such as opening accounts, applying for credit cards and several other services. For example, many banks offer traditional funding processes, which typically require new customers to transfer funds from a different bank at the time of opening. Carilles said Simmons Bank allows customers to skip the funding process, giving customers several days to fund their accounts while providing them with all the options.
Uday Akkaraju
James Paul
Ann Madea
The app also allows new and existing customers to open new accounts by entering a phone number, email address and Social Security number instead of filling out a lengthy form.
“An existing customer is able to open an account in under one minute,” Carilles said.
All other information can be read automatically from a driver’s license, Carilles said. Credit score and credit history viewing has also been simplified through the app’s “show me my score” button.
“Not only do we give customers that information, but we let them play with different scenarios so they can really improve their financial lives,” Carilles said.
Joe Gould, senior vice president and information technology manager, said Citizens Bank has focused on gaining efficiencies by using technology over the last few years.
“We’ve invested resources in moving from a legacy data center to more modern, resilient infrastructure. This allows us to maximize availability and depth of products for our customers,” Gould said.
Technology has helped Citizens Bank live its mission of “people first” by allowing the bank the ability to better serve its customers.
“Technology allows us to serve our customer base 24/7 when the bank is open or not, and while this is wonderful, it’s just a tool in our tool belt,” Gould said. “Our people are our greatest assets in helping us achieve our mission.”
Smiley Technologies, a software support corporation, partners with banks to provide end-to-end support for the ever-changing financial technology industry. Intentional in its partnerships, Smiley Technologies serves 40 community development financial institutions and minority depository institutions through its emergency capital investment program and has 11 core partners.
According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, the ECIP has dispersed $8.75 billion to CDFIs and MDIs. Recipients of the program are required to have proper data collection and reporting to the Treasury. Smiley Technologies assists those recipients by providing an automated reporting platform, Paul said.
Smiley Technologies’ greatest role is being a true partner to banks by helping them determine what technology is legitimate and beneficial in addressing specific needs.
“Smiley Technologies always wants to be doing what’s right for the bank,” Paul said. “We want people in the process, and we are in pursuit of conversation. Our job is to work next to the bank in relation to its mission.”
A common theme in banking technol-
ogy integration has been institutions marketing to and attracting younger customers. Paul said emphasis has been placed on the importance of financial well-being and, with banks being more keen on financial literacy, shifting the focus to teaching younger individuals how to bank.
“The younger generations are very tech savvy. We want to reach this audience with products that are easy to use and incorporate that modern look and feel,” Gould said. “Since we are competing with a growing fintech segment for accounts, it is important to make sure our products either offer the same technology as the neobanks or we can interface with them so our customers are satisfied.”
As is true in many industries, relationships lay the foundation for success in banking, and technology has made relationship-building easier in many cases.
“From what I’ve seen, banks are built on relationships and are built to grow their community. In general, when banks are strong, communities are also strong,” Paul said. “As far as technology as a whole in banking, banks need to be well connected. Providing a modern and accessible digital app is a great way for banks to connect with customers.”
According to Gould, technology is one of the key compo nents of customer experience at Citizens Bank, and it allows the bank to offer more user-friendly and customized services to customers while enhancing security and privacy.
“Our customers need to have the ability to do most of their banking from their smartphones or computers. Our web-bank ing and treasury-management platforms allow them to do just that,” Gould said.
Madea said Simmons Bank is able to continue to provide a great customer experience at its branches and through mobile devices by thinking about what digitization looks like and how it can be improved.
“It’s always about enabling a really personalized customer experience, as well as ensuring that we have better fraud protec tion and detection,” Madea said. “We have chat bots to assist our customers outside of normal business hours, and then we look at the usage of data and analytics, and that’s where the major transformation is going to be.”
Talent combined with AI and machine learning will help Simmons Bank continue to operate efficiently and provide a positive customer experience, Madea said. Through the work force strategy program, Simmons Bank focuses on its people, or ganization and technology, and several programs operate under each of those areas, as well.
At Citizens Bank, Gould said, staff members do not look at fintech as a solution to all problems; rather, they look at prob lems individually and ask if there is a fintech solution to the problem at hand.
“We also have support to be innovative in solving problems from our board of directors and management. You can’t fix all problems with technology, but pairing technology with our unique customer service mindset opens a world of possibilities,” Gould said.
Joe Gould
Alex Carriles
DELOIS KITCHENS
Hampton Market President
Hampton VP, Consumer Loan Officer
VASQUEZ
Rogers Market President
Member FDIC
Van Buren Market President
Camden VP, Consumer Loan Officer
Rogers VP, Consumer Loan Officer
MYRA DUNN
BRENDA BELCHER
DANA FERGUSON
ROBIN HUGHES
BRADLEY CHAMBLESS, ARKANSAS BANKERS ASSOCIATION
The Advocate
Bradley Chambless, the current chair of the Arkansas Bankers Association, greatly enjoyed being a trial lawyer for 10 years, including working on complicated intellectual property lawsuits. He said he never dreamed of being a banker, but after his first son was born in 2005, Chambless was gone for 2 1/2 weeks, trying a case, when what he really wanted was to be with his wife and newborn son.
“I decided that was a tough way for a family to live,” Chambless said. “I wanted to push my family to the front. The bank I work with now asked if I would come to work for them. I had some history in how banking works due to trying some cases involving local banks.”
Chambless, a native of Dumas, onboarded with Farmers & Merchants Bank, where he supported the legal side of the bank and working as a commercial lender. In a few years, he was promoted to market president before becoming chief lending officer. In 2019, he became the executive vice president before being promoted to president and CEO of Farmers & Merchants Bank and the Bank of Fayetteville in 2021.
He and his wife, Ja, now have two sons. Jackson is a sophomore in high school, and Reece is on a path to graduate from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway in a year — after only two years of college. Chambless takes a similar approach to banking and heading ABA as he did to fatherhood. He puts an emphasis on knowing his customers, helping meet their needs and looking after the most vulnerable, such as older people who can be targeted for financial fraud.
“Community banks, that is my passion,” Chambless said. “That is what we do, take care of people in our communities. We have no intention of being a larger regional bank. We are inside Arkansas, and that’s where we intend to remain. Our vision is to take care of Arkansans.”
Chambless, based in Stuttgart, frequently travels to meet with customers to learn about the issue they face. Stuttgart, the rest of the Delta and the state are heavily dependent on agriculture. As chair of the ABA, Chambless makes it a priority to sit down with farmers and other bankers to understand their needs and struggles.
“Not having a new federal farm bill is negatively impacting our state farmers, and not just one type of farming,” Chambless said. “Arguably, ag is the biggest industry in Arkansas, and this is a really tough year for farming in general. I plan to go to Congress to lobby for a new farm bill because not having one is going to be negatively impact farmers and the communities that they help support.”
The most recent farm bill, passed in 2018, is outdated in today’s environment, in which low commodity prices have come at the same time there has been inflation in the cost of fertilizer,
By Becky Gillette
seeds, equipment, fuel and labor, he said, adding that the price supports under the 2018 farm bill are stale and outdated.
“Food security is the first level of national security,” he said. “We have to do something to make sure we have a safe and secure food source. We want to help our Congressional delegation understand what is truly happening at the farm level.”
Higher interest rates have impacted the cash flow for farms, commercial businesses and consumers. Most customers are trying to adjust to the reality of what Chambless considers “more normal” interest rates. The low rates enjoyed four years ago were artificially repressed, he said. Today’s are closer to the historical average. Businesses and consumers made business decisions years ago, when interest rates were low, which are now adversely impacting them due to higher interest expenses. Chambless said rates were expected to go up but certainly not that much that fast.
What Chambless said he enjoys most about being a banker is being able to help customers and promote community spirit across all the communities served in the bank’s seven distinctive markets across Arkansas.
“We want to be a part of the fabric of each community,” he said. “We also want to help protect people from predatory lending and fraud and provide solutions to ensure their financial well-being. People who are carrying credit card debt in the rate of 25 to 30 percent often can’t afford to make principal payments. You simply can’t pay that off. It goes on in perpetuity and is really harming consumers. As community bankers, our job is to support our customers during the good times, as well as the more difficult times.”
Chambless finds it rewarding to support farmers through a bad year or help a young person figure out how to pay off a student loan that seems insurmountable. It is common for student loans to have repayment schedules that stretch on for decades and have more interest being paid that what it cost for college.
“There are solutions,” he said. “We see if can find something that helps this customer. It is relevant to all the communities where we operate.”
A state legislative priority is for legislation to curtail “trigger leads.” Often, when people apply for credit, the credit agencies sell that information to what Chambless refers to as “shadow banks” or “wildcat operations” that blast the consumer with telephone calls and emails offering credit. ABA will ask the Arkansas legislature to prevent finance companies from selling personal financial data used to harass people.
Bradley Chambless
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THE NEW BANK ROBBERS
Financial institutions adapt to ensure security in the digital age
By Sarah DeClerk
Movie fans may think of bank robbers as men on horseback wearing bandanas over their faces or even 1920s gangsters brandishing Tommy Guns, but today’s bank robbers have no need for such stunts.
“Threats to financial institutions have been around since the dawn of time, but the sophistication of those threats has increased exponentially where they’re not physically walking into a bank branch to conduct fraudulent activity or … physically rob that facility,” said Susannah Marshall, Arkansas state bank commissioner and securities commissioner. “They are robbing them and harming them through a computer screen.”
Criminals can accomplish their goals by using a skimming machine on an ATM, taking over a bank’s website or hijacking banking apps, she said. Hackers could work individually or in groups, she said, and they could be in the United States or on the other side of the world.
Often, it is not just a single bank that is at risk, she added; cybercriminals may also attack third-party providers, individual consumers or interconnected groups of financial institutions. It is a far-reaching criminal endeavor that's equally complicated to combat, Marshall said.
“I mean, how would you ever engage law enforcement and other authorities to help you track [criminals] down?" she said. "Unlike traditional robbery thefts where you, maybe, stand a chance to identify the perpetrator, so many times in this day and age, once that button’s been pushed, the money’s gone.”
Not only has the nature of criminals and the means by which they attack banks changed; the impact on financial institutions has changed, as well.
“When there was the individual, lone-wolf criminal that attempted to harm or rob an institution, the business recovery and business continuity for that bank was pretty short,” she said. “The facility would close down, they would take care of their employees that were impacted, they would ensure that the physical space was secure, and their resumption of business was pretty short in the grand scheme of things. Nowadays, when a criminal or a bad actor commits a fraud against an institution, it can disrupt their operations for a significant period of time.”
While there has been increasing awareness of cybersecurity in
recent years, Marshall said her department still sees simple safety measures being neglected. A lack of multi-factor authentication, outdated task management programs, an absence of audits and independent reviews, and improperly vetted third-party relationships can all put banks at risk, she said.
New technology can be used to counter all kinds of cyber attacks, ransomware and malware, she said, but for every new product that is developed, new threats emerge. She likened the process of responding to cyberthreats as they arise to “blocking and tackling” on a football field.
Scams that use deepfakes — artificially generated audio and video — are a “real and present danger” to the banking industry, she added.
While Arkansas banks are taking a conservative approach to adopting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, Marshall said such technologies have the potential to enhance the delivery of products and services, boost existing risk-management practices, and reach additional customers.
“There is a significant amount of innovation and emerging technologies in the marketplace, whether that’s in banking or in other businesses,” she said. “The challenge is to identify where those emerging technologies and developments can add benefits but also to ensure there’s awareness around what additional and potential risks come with that.”
Marshall said digital wallets such as Cash App and Venmo present another avenue for fraud and another layer of challenges for financial institutions.
“The breadth and depth of those mobile-application customers, it’s such a significant business line,” she said. “We work collectively with our state counterparts across the country to manage that money-transmission activity.”
Working with other state and federal regulators, the Arkansas State Bank Department develops policies to mitigate cyberthreats and examines banks’ information technology practices, as well as those of third-party IT service providers, which Marshall said are becoming more common as banks struggle to find skilled IT professionals. Cost is another major challenge for banks looking to ensure robust IT security, she added.
It is important that banks have an IT culture embedded from the C-suite to the consumer, she said, adding that several Arkansas banks have had success bringing in retired IT specialists at the board level to provide organizations with strategic guidance. Banks are also working to provide IT training to staff throughout their organizations, she said.
“The health of an institution’s information technology program is incumbent upon everybody in the organization, and it also brings into play the customer,” she said, adding that customers frequently and unintentionally bring their personal cybersecurity exposures into banking systems.
Marshall said her department and others across the country are focused on ensuring financial institutions are working to inform the public that scams are a real, daily threat with the potential to upend financial lives.
“They need to be aware and be mindful at every turn that, quite frankly, unfortunately, all of us are one click away from being im-
pacted by a fraud or a scam,” she said. “It’s imperative that we all develop a stronger personal IT and security mindset.”
At Generations Bank, educating staff and customers is key to ensuring cybersecurity, said Alana Girard, chief operations officer.
“We recognized that the human element is crucial, so we have implemented comprehensive cybersecurity training to raise awareness about common fraud methods and prevention strategies,” she said. “Since people can be the weakest link in the security chain, our focus is on empowering everyone to be vigilant and security conscious.”
From cybercriminals who hack into computer systems to fraudsters who operate through mail scams and fraud rings that exploit people from vulnerable populations by outfitting them with disguises and sending them to cash fraudulent checks, she said staying on top of the myriad schemes employed by criminals is key to banking security.
Scams that utilize deepfakes are on the rise, she said, and although her bank does not deal extensively with cryptocurrency, she said crypto provides yet another dark alley in which consumers can be digitally robbed.
“One of the biggest issues we encounter is people giving out their information to fraudsters who then use that information to purchase cryptocurrency,” she said. “Unfortunately, it’s incredibly difficult to recover the funds lost in this type of situation.”
With an emphasis on building relationships with customers, small, local banks are uniquely positioned to gain deep insights into their customers’ behavior, allowing them to quickly identify unusual activities that might spell fraud, she said.
“We want to reassure everyone that being a smaller bank does not mean being unsafe,” she added. “In fact, Generations Bank is dedicated to regularly training our employees and diligently monitoring and updating our systems to ensure the highest level of security and protection for our customers.”
Joshua Wheatley, senior vice president of technology and information security officer at Signature Bank, reiterated that one of a bank’s greatest vulnerabilities is its customers.
“We do a great job of putting security at every level, from the user to the network, through our data, so internally with the bank, I’m confident that we’re doing the right things and performing the right steps,” he said, “but when it comes to the individual customer, there are certain things that they need to do that is outside the reach of what I can provide or what
Susannah Marshall
Alana Girard
human action they need to perform to secure themselves.”
He encouraged consumers to use strong passwords and biometric access tools, utilize multi-factor authentication, monitor accounts, avoid clicking on suspicious email links, familiarize themselves with stolen device settings, and contact their financial institutions immediately if they suspect fraud.
Never give credentials out via phone, text or email, he said, and watch out for phishing, in which attackers try to steal information, smishing — phishing via text — and spoofing, in which attackers pretend to be a legitimate person or business.
Furthermore, be wary of public Wi-Fi.
“If you go into a coffee shop, and you’re on your laptop, and you’re just doing your day-today work, and then you hop in to look at your bank account, there is no telling what kind of rogue devices are connected to that, as well,” he said. “Just be mindful of that.”
The same security measures apply to digital wallets, he said, adding that banks have mechanisms in place that can protect consumers whose digital wallets have been compromised.
From educating users and staff members about internet safety to thoroughly vetting third-party providers and monitoring the activity of new customers to ensure they are legitimate, Wheatley said Signature uses various techniques to keep customers’ funds secure.
“Anything that we bring in new or some of our existing services, we completely wrap security around it,” he said. “It’s the main topic in every discussion we have.”
He said the bank has taken numerous steps to beef up cybersecurity measures in recent years by upgrading its core platform, adopting a cloud-first initiative that provides easier deployment of security infrastructure and integrating software-defined widearea network, or SD-WAN, technology.
“We kind of framed a term, ‘a branch in a box,’ which isolates each and every branch to be independent of itself,” he said. “That way, it’s not relying on a hub/spoke-type architecture, and it adds more security to each and every branch.”
The bank also uses enterprise fraud detection software that protects users across various banking activities.
“If a user has some type of anomaly that they are not accustomed to, it locks down their financial footprint within the banking system,” he said. “If they’re outside of a region or there’s
different transactions that they haven’t performed ever or over time, it’s able to detect that.”
Although his bank has not yet adopted artificial intelligence tools, he said it is “on the road map” and could be used to monitor day-to-day operations and detect fraudulent activity.
Since outsourcing can reduce the need for manpower and downtime, employing managed service providers can be key to ensuring small, local banks leverage technology to its full advantage, he added.
“Smaller banks often face unique cybersecurity challenges due to limited resources,” said Scott Anderson, chief external affairs officer at Forge Institute, a Little Rock organization that works to eliminate cyber threats. “To address these, they can benefit from employee training programs and customer education initiatives.”
The Forge Institute’s Arkansas Cyber Defense Center can provide banks with free cybersecurity assessments, employee training and incident-response assistance, he added.
He said new technology can drastically improve banking security. The Advanced Encryption Standard algorithm can keep data safe from unauthorized access, he said, blockchain technology provides a secure way to record transactions, and AI can be used to detect and respond to threats in real time.
“AI is crucial for banking security, using predictive analytics and automated threat detection,” he added. “It can spot unusual activities and potential threats quickly, helping banks take proactive measures. AI also aids in detecting fraud, verifying customer identities and managing risks.”
However, AI also creates new risks as cybercriminals use it for sophisticated attacks, he said.
“A major challenge is how fast technology changes, often outpacing traditional security measures,” he said. “Cybercriminals are getting smarter, using AI for attacks, and new tech doesn’t always mix well with old systems. Balancing the need for innovation while following regulations is also complex.”
In addition to deepfake scams, AI-powered bots can launch large-scale assaults such as distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS, attacks, in which a system is bombarded with login requests, or credential stuffing, by which hackers try to access websites using stolen usernames and passwords.
“Be aware of social-engineering attacks where criminals trick people into giving up sensitive information,” he said.
Business email compromise, or BEC, scams, ransomware and SIM swaps, which hijack victims’ cellphones, are also on the rise, he added. Consumers should also protect themselves against man-in-the-middle attacks when using digital wallets.
Bank robbers may have changed, but banks have, too, and Anderson said emerging technology will continue to play an integral part in the evolving game of cops and robbers.
“The future will see more reliance on AI and machine learning, greater use of blockchain for transaction security and widespread biometric authentication,” he said. “Enhanced collaboration among financial institutions, regulators and tech providers will be crucial in creating a resilient and secure banking environment.”
Joshua Wheatley
Scott Anderson
MIGUEL
LOPEZ, SOUTHERN BANCORP
By KD Reep
Opening up the American Dream
During an election year, much is bandied about concerning the American Dream, but Estefany Perez, mortgage community development lender at Southern Bancorp in Little Rock, helped make it reality for a 70-year-old Latino in Little Rock.
“She saw our ad about getting help with a mortgage for no money down,” said Miguel Lopez, market strategy executive for the Hispanic market at Southern Bancorp. “She had always rented and didn’t think she could ever have her own home, but Estefany talked with her and helped her through each step in the process. She realized her dream of owning her own home, and now she has generational wealth she can transfer to her children and grandchildren.”
To Lopez, that is what sets Southern Bancorp apart from other financial institutions.
“We’re more than a bank,” he said. “We work to make an impact on our communities.”
One of the ways Southern Bancorp does that is by providing the right products and services to the Hispanic community. In particular, the community development financial institution partnered with Goodwill Industries of Arkansas during the spring to host a volunteer income tax assistance clinic in which low-income citizens can get help with their state and local taxes for free.
“We helped file more than 270 returns during that clinic,” Lopez said. “One of the people who came by was skeptical. She said, ‘Now, what are you all doing?’ and I told her it was a free way to get help with taxes and maximize a refund, if possible. She scoffed and said, ‘Banks don’t do anything for free.’ I understood where that mentality came from, and Southern Bancorp is working to address it.”
Lopez has a unique perspective when it comes to relating to the Hispanic community in Arkansas. As a toddler, he immigrated to California from Mexico with his family. His aunt, who lived in Sherwood at the time, encouraged them to move to Arkansas.
He attended public school in Sherwood before pursuing his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
“I got a scholarship to American University in Washington, D.C., and I planned to get my master’s there, but when I started thinking about leaving Arkansas, I changed my mind,” he said. “I didn’t want to go away and contribute to another community when the one that had done so much for me was right here, so I stayed and got my master’s at UA Little Rock.”
Founded in 1986 by some of the nation’s leading political, business and philanthropic leaders with an initial
investment of $10 million, Southern Bancorp has grown into an organization worth $2.5 billion in assets with 56 locations serving 65,000 customers across two states.
Lopez began working in the banking and finance industry in central Arkansas, the first steps to what was to become his career mission, which he pursues to this day.
“I always wanted to work for Southern Bancorp,” he said. “Banking is a small industry, and Southern knew of me from that. We share similar missions, and helping the Hispanic/Latino community achieve financial security is what we both want. I see what I do as serving as a bridge between the two.”
When looking at the Hispanic market, Lopez said southwest Little Rock is one of the ripest for opportunity.
“The largest area of the city is southwest Little Rock,” he said. “There is so much potential there in terms of establishing and running small businesses, moving from a rental home to a home you own and creating familial wealth. As a financial institution, it’s vital to ask ourselves, ‘Are we making this community comfortable with us? Do we have the products they need?’ It’s not enough to have a bilingual employee in each branch. To be effective, you must relate to the Hispanic/Latino clients on their terms. At Southern Bancorp, we have Spanish-speaking Arkansans from the teller to the loan manager to the board of directors. That’s what makes the difference because the organization has an understanding of this community from the front door to the C-suite.”
As the fastest growing minority group in America, the Hispanic/Latino community is 1.5 times more likely to start a small business than other demographic groups, Lopez said. He used his own family as an example.
“We started a small grocery store on a credit card,” he said. “Was that the best way to do so? No, but it’s what we had, and it was all we knew. Today, Hispanic/Latino clients need access to credit to achieve their goals. How do we help them do so? First, we must understand the cultural nuances. Then we must be available where they are. While we have a branch on 12th Street in Little Rock, we hope to open another branch in southwest Little Rock soon so we can help that community with better and different ways of managing their money.”
Miguel Lopez
RESILIENCY
and
STRENGTH
ABA president offers insights into banking industry
By Dwain Hebda
It has been a choppy four years for Arkansas’ banks, between high interest rates and escalating inflation, yet the state’s institutions continue to evolve to meet customer needs and deliver on personal service. That is the message from Lorrie Trogden, president and CEO of Arkansas Bankers Association. Trogden sat down recently with Arkansas Money & Politics to share her views on the shifting landscape of banking in the Natural State and the ways Arkansas institutions are evolving to meet them.
ARKANSAS MONEY & POLITICS: Anecdotally, it feels like there are more ‘new faces’ entering Arkansas’ banking landscape of late. What is the reality, and what is attracting these new institutions?
LORRIE TROGDEN: I think we are seeing an influx of some other banks, and our banks are also growing. We have some acquirer institutions in this state where our banks are going into other states and doing mergers and acquisitions rather than being acquired. You don’t see a lot of banks in this state getting bought by out-of-state banks.
Specifically regarding the banks that come into the state, Arkansas has a great economy, and that’s something that outside companies look at. We have a great state economic development commission that’s out there promoting Arkansas, and outside interests are attracted to that. As an association, we are OK with having more banks in the state.
AMP: Other industries in Arkansas, namely the legal profession and health care, have struggled to provide adequate access in all parts of the state. Where do we stand in terms of banking deserts? How easily can the average Arkansan out in the country somewhere access banking services when they need them?
TROGDEN: Arkansas’ banking industry was built on smaller community banks all over the state. When I visit our member banks, most of those visits don’t happen in and around Little Rock; actually, most of our banks are headquartered a good hour and a half to 2½ hours away. I’m on the road, going to all the corners of the state, because our smaller community banks that originated in these small towns haven’t left them.
In some instances, these banks have a branch that is not
necessarily profitable, but they leave it open because they don’t want to create a banking desert. The people in that town and in the neighboring towns depend on that bank, so they leave the branch open, and they do business there for that very reason.
In other cases, companies might put in an interactive teller machine, or ITM, which is different than an ATM. With an ITM, customers can talk to an actual customer service representative on a video screen, and that person could be located pretty much anywhere. The point is our member banks are very cognizant about ways to do business that do not create a banking desert.
I will say one thing that’s complicating those efforts is overreaching, overburdensome regulation that has come out of the Biden administration. Regulatory agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have just really hammered down on things that don’t help banks and don’t even really help the customer.
AMP: For example?
TROGDEN: There was a section in [the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act] around smallbusiness lending, and it mandated 13 data points to be collected on applicants to ensure fair lending in the smallbusiness sector — which is great. We want our banks to be fair in lending, and we want to get that capital out into the communities. We don’t make money unless we loan money out, right? Well, the CFPB, which is required to promulgate the rule, came out and said instead of 13 data points, they want banks to collect 81 data points.
That means the tire shop down the street that’s a longtime
Lorrie Trogden
customer, in the middle of the working day, let’s say, has a piece of machinery go out. The bank has their financials on file. The bank knows the customer very well. Today, the customer can call and say, “You know, this new equipment’s $5,000. I’m a little short. I need a small loan to cover the cost.” The bank might say, “We know you. We’ve got your financials. We know you’re good for it. Write a check. We’ll put the money in your account, and you can come by later today and sign your paperwork.”
Under this new rule, that same longtime bank customer will have to stop what they’re doing, come into the bank, fill out a loan application with 81 different data points, some of which is identifying sexual orientation or gender identity that really don’t have anything to do with lending.
Plus, there’s a lot of new technology the regulations require to transfer this data over to the government, which is very, very expensive and, by the way, doesn’t exist yet. The bank has to hire more people to work in compliance, and none of that lends itself to putting more money into the credit market.
What this all means is you may have banks that can’t afford to do as much of this type of lending, which creates the banking deserts we’re talking about because it affects a small community bank’s ability to make small-business loans to where they simply cannot afford it.
AMP: In keeping with the regulatory theme, what is the view at the state level? What marks do you give the Arkansas legislature for creating a pro-business climate that is as or more attractive compared to other states?
TROGDEN: I give the Arkansas legislature very high marks. As an association, we spend a lot of our time during sessions talking with legislators about different types of issues. In my time with the association, legislators and the governor’s office and the state bank department have always been very amenable to talking about things. When legislation is being considered that might create some kind of reporting that is going to be overburdensome on the bank or is going to cost a lot of money for them to implement, we have enjoyed a great working relationship where we see if we can reword it, amend it or cut it out entirely because it’s just not necessarily going to do what it is they want it to do. In particular, [Arkansas] State Bank Department Commissioner Susannah Marshall is great. She understands banking. She’s been in banking now for, I think, 26 years, and it may be even longer. She is very pro bank. She wants our banks to be strong, and she wants them to succeed. She’s going to make sure that they are safe and sound because at the end of the day, that is her mandate and that is what she does, but she also wants to make sure that they have the ability to take care of their customers and take care of their communities.
AMP: Back in 2020, with the shutdowns and various mandates about how businesses of all kinds, banks included, had to operate, prognosticators at the time suggested the COVID-19
pandemic was showing the industry a different business model in which technology offered a more efficient way to serve customers. In fact, that has not panned out, and banks have suddenly gone back to expanding the brick and mortar. What are you hearing from your membership about what spurred that, and what advantages does it provide them?
TROGDEN: Well you know, people decided after COVID-19 that they actually liked going into their banks. Banking is part of major life decisions for customers, and a lot of them have decided they don’t like doing that over the phone or over the internet. When they’re trying to buy their first house or when they’re buying their first car or they’re setting up their first IRA or they’re setting up a health savings account, you know, they really want that person-to-person interaction.
There was actually a J.D. Power survey that came out this year that said satisfaction scores go way up when a customer is welcomed into the branch and they are thanked for their business and they’re called by their name.
AMP: Does that vary by generation, or is that something more universal?
TROGDEN: I think everybody is finding out that doing business via the internet isn’t necessarily what they want all the time, Not too long ago, I had a 20-something tell me, “Well you know, I do most of my banking online, but I feel like when it’s time to buy my first house, I want to go into the bank and talk to somebody about that.”
I said, “Absolutely. Go in,” but then I also told them, “Don’t wait until you’re ready to buy a house to go in.” Banks want to be with their customers throughout their life cycle. If the goal is to start a small business, don’t wait until the day you want to get a loan to start that relationship. Meet with a banker and talk to them about where you’re at right now, what your goals are, and discuss what you can do to get there.
AMP: In summation, what is your general assessment of the industry overall? What sort of a grade do you give banking in Arkansas?
TROGDEN: I would most certainly give us an A. Our banks are safe. They’re sound. They have good liquidity. We rank above industry averages on a lot of that stuff. The doors of Arkansas’ banks are open for business, and they’re doing quite well, so I would give them an A.
Banks today have so many products and services that can help a person budget and that can help them save and all kinds of good stuff. A relationship with an Arkansas banker is more than just, “Hey, fill out a loan application and turn that in, and we’ll see where we go from there.”
People are setting themselves up for success every day by forming relationships and letting their bank walk alongside of them.
JAY
MEADOR, FIRST HORIZON BANK
By AMP Staff
Focusing on the Fundamentals
It has been four years since First Horizon Bank crossed the Mississippi River from Memphis into Arkansas, a result of a $2.3 billion stock swap purchase of Louisiana-based IberiaBank. Jay Meador, president, central Arkansas, has been hard at work ever since to forge name recognition and expand the bank’s foothold in a marketplace that gets more crowded, seemingly by the week.
“It is a challenge to communicate who you are and what you’re about if you are a new name in the market,” he said. “There’s a lot of banks in central Arkansas, and anytime you’ve got a marketplace that is this well populated, the challenge to communicate and differentiate yourself is always going to be greater.
“I think the best way to do that is to do it through the hiring and deploying out into the market of good, qualified, skilled people. If they take care of clients, word travels fast that you’re doing a good job. That is ultimately how you differentiate yourself. It’s really about how well you take care of a client and how you present yourself to them.”
Meador preaches that message daily across the five branches that make up his market area, a theme that helped the team withstand the usual challenges of integration following the merger and which continues to underscore the bank’s products and services today. Meador heaped praise on the customer-facing employees who have persevered through the many changes of the past few years.
“Change is always challenging; there’s always hiccups to work through, without exception,” he said. “The employees bear the brunt of it because, ultimately, our job as the bank is to shield the customer from as much of that as we can and, ultimately, make the process of banking as easy as it can be.
“What we did a really good job of when we went through the integration is communicating changes in advance of the actual integration and then
“It’s really about how well you take care of a client and how you present yourself to them.”
— Jay Meador, president, First Horizon Bank, cental Arkansas
being available when we flipped that switch. I think we did a really good job and had a great plan in place.”
Meador said while his market is currently operating the correct number of branch locations with five, the company constantly looks at data to ensure Horizon Bank has the proper presence it needs to serve existing and new accounts.
“We’re very comfortable with our number of branches in this market, but what we continue to evaluate is are we in the right locations?” he said. “We like our locations now, but could we be in better ones? We’re constantly looking at that.
“At the same time, you don’t want to always just be chasing something, so what we’ve tried to do is leverage our retail branch network with a best-in-class technology offering. We believe that when you bring those two together, that makes for a really good presence in the market that delivers technology and a physical presence in the right locations.”
Looking ahead, Meador said the forecast for the Arkansas market in general and the local market in specific was healthy and offered growth opportunities for large and small banks alike. He said the institutions that manage the common challenges of regulation and labor are the ones best positioned to take full advantage of it.
“I think in the banking industry, the regulatory environment is always going to be top of the list of challenges,” he said. “There’s a large amount of uncertainty in that right now, and that’s always something to keep our eye on. You hope that it’s never restrictive for too long, but ultimately, we all figure out how to adapt to whatever that regulatory environment is and grow within it. It’s the name of the game if you want to survive.”
Jay Meador
ARKANSAS' 75 LARGEST CHARTERED BANKS
CHRIS WEWERS, CITIZENS BANK Numbers Don’t Lie
Chris Wewers first got his start in the banking industry in 1991, and after working for several institutions and in several positions, he currently serves as chief financial officer at Citizens Bank.
Wewers joined the Little Rock bank in July, bringing more than 20 years of executive experience in banking and investments to the role. Wewers is responsible for managing many areas of the bank, including accounting, finance, investments, asset liability management, regulatory reporting, financial reporting and insurance.
Citizens Bank was founded in 1953 by a group of business and civic leaders, and Wewers said business owners are key to the bank’s core mission. Being relationship-focused, the bank is committed to putting customers, colleagues, communities and shareholders first, he added.
“Our bank takes pride in that heritage of independence that honors the vision of its founders and remains dedicated to the financial progress of the people it serves,” Wewers said. “From a bigger picture, our progressive community banking model focuses on delivering exceptional customer service while employing advanced technology and products that allow our customers to have one bank to serve all their needs.”
With more than 70 years of Citizens Bank proving itself and supporting thriving communities, the bank’s difference lies in the culture of the company and the people who work there, Wewers said.
“Every bank likes to claim a commitment to the community, but the proof is in the pudding,” he said. “If associates, customers and communities aren’t advancing, then are you really a community bank?”
He said Citizens Bank has a long-standing tradition of being an integral part of the success of its customers and communities, and it will continue that in the future.
“Our employees and our shareholders benefit as we continue to hire, train and develop quality team members who embody our mantra to provide great customer service in big and small ways,” Wewers said. “This bank has a culture of service that drives our enthusiasm and willingness to innovate.”
Wewers said he and his colleagues constantly are challenged to ask “Why?” and “Why not?” as a way to better serve the bank’s communities. Through pairing the power of its people with the power of its technology, Citizens Bank plans to continue growing its offerings and tools to better serve its customers.
By Sarah Coleman
“Bankers have continued to adapt, innovate and improve, whether by choice, design or necessity.”
“Our people are the first aspect of our business that folks experience at our bank. Customers can expect to be served by their neighbors and friends, local people working hard to better the lives of our customers and communities,” Wewers said. “We have that small-bank feel with the technology and services of a big bank.”
Throughout his career, Wewers said, he has been able to witness the small and large changes of the industry firsthand. He cited federal banking data that revealed while the number of actual banks has decreased, the number of bank branches has risen since 1991. Wewers said there were more than 11,900 U.S. commercial banks with nearly 51,800 branches 1991, and as of 2023, there were about 4,000 commercial banks with nearly 70,000 branches. That represents a 66 percent decline in the number of banks and 35 percent increase in the number of branches.
“You’d think that means competition has decreased, but I can assure you that is not the case. Bankers have continued to adapt, innovate and improve, whether by choice, design or necessity,” Wewers said. “Over the years, there have been a number of new entrants into the world of finance, including insurance companies, mortgage companies, payday lenders, private equity companies, hedge funds, [financial technology] firms and others. The speed at which money can move today leads to even more competition, and I expect this to continue.”
Throughout his career, Wewers has learned several invaluable lessons from mentors such as businessman Steve DeMott and Bank OZK board member Ross Whipple.
“Steve is my coach, mentor and friend. His investment of time in my life over 33 years has created in me a holistic view of just what banking really is and how every area of the business is an integral part and must be moving in the same direction,” Wewers said. “Ross gave me tremendous opportunities and education over the years and challenged me to work across all functional areas of banks. I truly cannot express their impact on my professional and personal life.”
Wewers works to demonstrate the IEAE principle — inform, educate, assist, and then execute — every day in all things.
“Plainly put, I love this business. I’m a numbers guy, and math never lies,” Wewers said.
TOP25 LARGEST CREDIT UNIONS in ARKANSAS
Simmons Bank is proud to congratulate George Makris, Jr. on being named an Arkansas Visionary. As Simmons’ executive chairman, George’s leadership impacts not only our company and customers, but also the many communities that Simmons Bank calls home.
From left: Jennifer Carlisle, Co-Founder/COO, Mallory Van Dover, Co-Founder/CEO, Tammy Been, VP of Business Development
2024 amp’s in BANKING
The executives named to Arkansas Money & Politics’ 2024 list of Women in Banking were nominated by readers. In a male-dominated industry, their perseverance, hard work and expertise have propelled them to influential positions in Arkansas banking and finance. We are proud to recognize them in this month’s issue.
THE
KEN RUNG BRO
Women have made great strides in banking, but parity is still a ways off
By Dwain Hebda
According to the American Bankers Association magazine ABA Banking Journal, more women than ever are heading into the profession, representing more than half of the total number of employees working in the banking industry today.
That is the good news. The more troubling statistic is that the road to the C-suite is still a steep one for many women in banking with the publication reporting a mere 7.5 percent of bank CEOs are women. Arkansas is not immune to those trends, although more and more local bankers say there are positive signs that change is afoot in the workplace.
“I have to say that from my job in technology at a bank, the demographic was probably 50/50 in the room,” said Cindy Wolfe, chief operating officer at Bank OZK, who started her career in financial technology in North Carolina before joining the Arkansas bank in 1997. “I was fortunate in that I saw women in all positions of the bank and always have seen women in positions of great responsibility and authority. To me, the hard battles were fought before I arrived on the scene, and I have great admiration for them.”
technology and outreach, which provide more entry points for women from which to advance.
“As banks, we’ve added different sectors to our industry,” she said. “There was a period of time where people thought of banking as either retail banking or lending. Now there’s so many more departments; you’ve got regulatory compliance, risk management, community banking, educational support. I think we’re seeing more women in these roles because the industry as a whole has grown and added different sectors.”
“Women are often hired and promoted based on past accomplishments, while men are hired and promoted based on future potential.”
— McKinsey & Co.’s 2023 Women in the Workplace Report
Lori Ross, Arkadelphia president at Citizens Bank, shared a similar story, having not only been a woman promoted to the top job but just in her 20s to boot, a daunting task for any executive, male or female.
“I will say, when I first started in banking, there were a large volume of women that were employed by the bank but not in what I would call a leadership-type role,” said Ross, who also sits on the board of the Arkansas Bankers Association. “As time has gone on, that has changed, and I’m seeing, certainly, more and more women fill some of these leadership opportunities.”
Ross said one reason for the increase is the myriad departments that comprise today’s banks, from the traditional retail and business banking to back-office areas such as financial
Ann Madea, executive vice president and chief information officer at Simmons Bank, is a prime example, having entered the banking industry on the strength of her expertise in information technology. Over more than 30 years, she worked for both global institutions and regional banks before joining Simmons three years ago, and she said even in the early stages of her career, there were female role models to provide inspiration and guidance. She called such influences critical to her journey, as well as those of women today.
“It is very, very different from when I came up, but I still had two women leaders who I still talk to, still check in with them, and we have lunch,” she said. “They were part of an executive team when I was a developer, and they were part of a group of very strong leaders. I had wonderful male mentors, too, but to have those two women who were so powerful as my coaches and my bosses was just phenomenal. If they weren’t there, I’d probably have a different view.”
WHAT IS BROKEN?
Given the number of women in the workplace in general and banking in specific, it is puzzling that more women do not make it to the upper ranks of many organizational charts. While that may sound less like news and more like more of the same, a new impediment is emerging that appears to be hindering women’s progress
much earlier in their careers, well before hitting their heads on the glass ceiling.
According to McKinsey & Co.’s 2023 Women in the Workplace Report, the new stumbling block is being called the broken rung of the career ladder.
“It’s not the glass ceiling anymore,” Madea said. “The broken rung is taking women longer to get into a manager position or a director position, and if it’s taking them longer to get into those positions, it’s going to take them longer to get into the C-suite. That is one gap that’s hurting women getting to the top.”
The report states that for nearly a decade, women’s biggest advancement hurdle in corporate America has been the first step up to manager. In 2023, 87 women were promoted for every 100 men, and there are demographic variables based on ethnicity and race. White women are promoted most equally at 91 promotions per 100 for men, followed by Asian women at 89 promotions. Meanwhile, only 76 Hispanic women and just 56 Black women are promoted for every 100 of their male counterparts. Experts say that sets the tone for all future advancements to follow.
“Women are often hired and promoted based on past accomplishments, while men are hired and promoted based on future potential,” the report reads. “This unfair thinking — rooted in what social scientists refer to as ‘performance bias’ — can be particularly challenging. … Women early in their careers have shorter track records and similar work experiences relative to their male peers. Performance bias can especially disadvantage them at the first promotion to manager.
“Until the broken rung is fixed, gender parity in senior leadership remains out of reach,” the report stated. “While companies are increasing women’s representation at the top, doing so without addressing the broken rung offers only a temporary stopgap. Because of the gender disparity in early promotions, men end up holding 60 percent of manager-level positions in a typical company, while women occupy 40 percent.”
STRATEGIES FOR ADVANCEMENT
On the other hand, there is some evidence that potential opportunities are being overlooked by female banking employees. Ross noted that in her experience, commercial lending has traditionally seen the fewest female employees compared to other banking divisions, thereby denying women the opportunity to stand out come promotion time. Ross should know, considering commercial lending is the very department where she got her start.
“Commercial lending is probably the area that I see the fewest females, and I don’t know that I have the answer as to why that is,” she said. “I will say it was a little intimidating when I first started because most of the time, you are the only woman in the room, whether it’s with your customers or your counterparts. You have to be comfortable with that, which I grew to be, and that’s where I thrived, so I think the path is there for the right person.”
Wolfe echoed that sentiment while adding that in today’s tight labor market, smart companies take a more proactive approach to succession planning and career mapping as a means of employee retention, regardless of gender.
“We try to build career pathing for talented people at the bank,
period,” she said. “The No. 1 reason people leave is that they don’t see opportunity, especially if they’re high-potential people. We’re trying to build better and better systems to identify talent on the front end and then, very importantly, match the individual to the right role that best suits them so they can be successful and then support them in their success. I have 100 percent confidence that will benefit women and men equally.”
Another smart tactic leading companies employ is providing mentorship that allows for the differences in skills and perceptions among generations of employees, Madea said.
“Today’s young women are amazing. Like their male counterparts, many have been programming since they were in kindergarten,” she said. “What we really need to help them understand is it’s not just the technology; we need them to understand banking. We cannot possibly support our lines of business without understanding that first.”
All three executives also stressed the importance of personal accountability in building a career, noting that some indicators of high-performing individuals, male and female, never change.
“The No. 1 thing that I start with is the responsibility of a job. You can go anywhere you want to go and do anything you want to do if you exemplify a good work ethic because it sets you apart,” Ross said. “It’s so hard to find that. It’s almost harder to find someone with good work ethic than it is people with an education because there’s so many opportunities to get help paying for an education and training.
“They may come to you with a resume full of accolades, but if they don’t want to show up to work and they only want to work 25 hours a week, they’re not going to get very far. Any opportunity I have to talk to younger people, I tell them it starts with work ethic.”
Wolfe added that any employee who wishes to advance must also spend some time applying a strategy to their succession planning if they expect to go anywhere, be it what department to work in or identifying and proactively filling any gaps in education or expertise.
“Most people think of goal setting, and goal setting is important whether it’s losing 10 pounds or growing the business by X percent,” she said. “Along with that goal, however, there has to be a system. When you take a systematic approach to things and then set up the proper controls around the processes, then you really have something. That’s actually the hardest part.
“Having big dreams and goals is great. You certainly need to do that, but I think that in business and in life in general, a lot of people have a lot of great ideas. It’s much rarer to have people who can execute on it.”
Cindy Wolfe Lori Ross
Ann Madea
JANICE ACOSTA
SVP/Wealth Management
Division Manager
Relyance Bank
Janice Acostas is the senior vice president and division manager for wealth management and investments at White Hall-based Relyance Bank. She has been with the bank since 1997. She previously worked as an employee benefits administrator and trust administrator at Worthen Bank & Trust Co., Boatmen’s Trust Co., and Bank of America. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. She is a certified retirement services professional.
DEANNA JONES BARLOGIE
Business Development Officer
Relyance Bank
Deanna Jones Barlogie is a business development officer in the central Arkansas market at Relyance Bank, based in White Hall. Barlogie spent more than a decade at Crews & Associates as a registered trading assistant on the municipal trading desk. She left the financial world in 2019 to join her husband, Bart Barlogie, at his two restaurants in Little Rock, the Fold and Raduno Brick Oven Barroom. She currently serves on the boards of Potluck Food Rescue and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She also volunteers at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas & North Louisiana and is a champion of local animal rescues in central Arkansas.
KATE BARLOW
Business Development Officer
Relyance Bank
Kate Barlow is the business development officer for the central Arkansas market at Relyance Bank, based in White Hall. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. She has been with the bank since 2015. Barstow is an active member of Junior League of Little Rock and a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXII. She volunteers with the Arkansas Italian Food & Wine Festival and is a member of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church.
JAMIE BAZAROW
Supervisory Examiner
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
JADE BEER
Mortgage Loan Officer
First Financial Bank
BRENDA BELCHER
Van Buren Market President
Generations Bank
Brenda Belcher began her banking career on the front lines shortly after graduating from Van Buren High School. She currently serves as market president at Generations Bank in Van Buren. She oversees branch operations, the growth of lending and deposit relationships, and community involvement in Crawford County.
Belcher is a pillar in the Van Buren community, serving as a board member for the Crawford County Public Facilities Board and as a board member and treasurer at Joshua Academy.
SYDNEY BELEW
Ag Consumer Lending Officer
AgHeritage Farm Credit Services
Sydney Belew, ag consumer lending officer, is a member of the small community of Antioch, just outside of Beebe. She works out of the AgHeritage Searcy office. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business and management from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and currently serves as the northeast area representative for Arkansas Women in Agriculture. Additionally, Belew is a proud member of the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association.
CASSIE R. BLACKWELL
SVP, Treasury Operations
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TORI BOGNER
SVP/Director of Marketing and Communications
Signature Bank of Arkansas
Tori Bogner is a senior vice president and the director of marketing and communications at Signature Bank of Arkansas, where she has managed the advertising, public relations and community engagement efforts. Bogner is a sustainer of the Junior League of Northwest Arkansas, an alumna of Zeta Tau Alpha and past member of the National Board of Directors for the Arkansas Alumni Association.
Bogner earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arkansas, where she also had the privilege of serving as student body president, and she is a graduate of Leadership Fayetteville, Leadership Benton County and Leadership Arkansas.
MATUSCHKA LINDO BRIGGS
SVP/Regional Executive
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
AMY BROOKS
Human Resources Generalist
Chambers Bank
MACHELLE BROWN
AVP/Operations Support Manager
Chambers Bank
SHELBY BRUFFETT
Chief Operating Officer
Anstaff Bank
KRISTY BYRD
Branch Manager
Gateway Bank
HALLIE CALVIN
Senior Vice President
Centennial Bank
SARAH GILL CAMPBELL
Managing Director
Stephens
Sarah Gill Campbell joined Stephens Little Rock in 2004 and heads the firm’s restaurant practice. Campbell has more than 20 years of experience advising consumer and restaurant companies on strategic and financing options. Her investment banking experience has included numerous buy-side and sell-side merger and acquisition transactions, financial advisory, and public and private debt and equity-capital-raising assignments. Prior to joining Stephens, she worked in the global sponsor finance group at GE Capital in the Investment Banking Groups of Wit SoundView and Salomon Smith Barney and in corporate finance at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Campbell received a BA in political science and English from Vanderbilt University and an MBA in finance from the New York University’s Stern School of Business.
SANTANA CAMPBELL
Branch Manager/AVP
Stone Bank
SHEILA CANNON
Branch Manager/VP
Stone Bank
JENNIFER CARLISLE, J.D.
Co-founder/COO
Data Driven Partners
Jennifer Carlisle is the cofounder and chief operating officer of Data Driven Partners in Little Rock, a venture she launched alongside Mallory Van Dover in 2020. Headquartered in central Arkansas, Data Driven Partners is known for its innovative software solutions for financial institutions.
Carlisle has a Bachelor of Arts in economics and business with a specialization in accounting from Hendrix College in Conway. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Before transitioning to the nonprofit world, Jennifer practiced law at Hyden, Miron & Foster and McDaniel Wolff, both in Little Rock. She also gained experience at Pulaski Mortgage Company.
TAYLOR CARPENTER
Senior Customer Service Rep
Chambers Bank
MELISSA CASEY
EVP/CAO/CFO
CS Bank
KRISTI CLARK
SVP, Equity Capital Markets
Stephens
Kristi Clark has been with Stephens in Little Rock since 1991 and is a member of the firm’s equity capital markets and debt capital markets teams. Before joining Stephens, she worked as a sales associate for a national consumer products company. Clark received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1983.
KIM CULLUM
EVP/CFO
First Arkansas Bank & Trust
Kim Cullum is an icon in the financial industry. As an executive vice president and member of the bank’s executive committee, the 35-year veteran of First Arkansas Bank & Trust has been instrumental in the success and growth of the bank. Most recently, she has led the charge in the bank’s surpassing the $1 billion mark in total assets. She is a multi-year recipient of Chief Financial Officer of the Year, as well as being honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a mentor to so many not only at the bank but in the industry and selflessly gives of her time to lift up the people around her. Kim is a native of Jacksonville. She is a graduate of Jacksonville High School, as well as Hendrix College in Conway.
HEATHER COOPER
VP/Credit Analysis Manager
Citizens Bank
Heather Cooper has served as credit analysis manager at Citizens Bank since 2021. As part of her duties, Cooper analyzes all loan requests and performs term loan analysis on larger loans. A graduate of John Brown University in Siloam Springs,, she has been in the banking field since 2007. In 2022 and 2023, Cooper achieved the highest productivity of any member of the credit team at Citizens, earning three major promotions in less than three years. Cooper is an active member in her community, serving in various roles that support the Compassion House in Springdale and Court Appointed Special Advocates organizations.
ELIZABETH BROTMAN DANIEL
Managing Director
Stephens
Elizabeth Brotman Daniel joined Stephens in Little Rock in 2016 as part of the mergers and acquisitions group. She advises companies on buy sides, sell sides and shareholder activism. Prior to Stephens, Daniel worked at Wells Fargo Securities in the middle market goup where she worked on a broad range of transactions, including buy side, sell side and joint venture opportunities, as well as equity and debt transactions. Previously, Daniel was at Johns Hopkins University , where she was a senior staff member in biomedical engineering and cardiology and had responsibility for international programs. Daniel earned a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University and an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina.
TAMMIE DAVIS
Division President of Mid/South Arkansas Cadence Bank
CAROLYN DENT
Branch Manager/AVP/Loan Officer
Eagle Bank & Trust
PAIGE DUGAN
Deposit Ops Manager
Chambers Bank
MYRA DUNN
VP, Consumer Loan Officer
Generations Bank
Myra Dunn began her banking career in the early 1990s as a teller at what would later become Generations Bank. Today, she serves as vice president and consumer loan officer at the same Hampton branch. Dunn works closely with her customers, handling a variety of personal loans, from automobiles to real estate.
TRACY ELLIOTT
VP, Commercial Lending
Centennial Bank
DANA FERGUSON
VP/Consumer Loan Officer
Generations Bank
Dana Ferguson is vice president and consumer loan officer at Generations Bank in Camden. Generations Bank is a 115-year-old community bank led by five generations of the Harrell family. Ferguson’s banking career began on the front lines as a teller while she was attending college. Now she handles a variety of personal loans, from automobiles to real estate.
Ferguson graduated from Louisiana Technical University with a bachelor’s degree. She is an
active member of her local community, working closely with the Lion’s Club, where she served a term as President.
KIM FINLEY
Vice President of Lending
Signature Bank of Arkansas
Kim Finley is a vice president of lending for Signature Bank of Arkansas in Jonesboro. She was part of the founding team who brought Signature Bank to the northeast Arkansas market in 2022. With 26 years of experience in the industry, she is an asset to the Jonesboro team and organization as a whole.
Finley was born and raised in Pocahontas and attended Black River Technical College before transferring to Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, where she now resides. She is also a 2023 graduate of the Arkansas Bankers Association banking school.
BRANDYN FRIZZELL
Agricultural Consumer Lending Officer
AgHeritage Farm Credit Services
Brandyn Frizzell was born and raised in Cabot. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in recreation and sports management from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Despite her background and education, she never envisioned a career in lending. However, Frizzell thrives on challenges and competition, making lending a natural fit for her. Witnessing home construction projects come to life is one of her favorite parts of the job.
CANDACE GRAHAM
Chief Marketing Officer Bank OZK
LESLIE HARP
Director/CFO Partners Bank
CHELCIE HATTABAUGH
Employee Development Coordinator First Western Bank
STEPHANIE HEFFER
Private Banking Advisor Arvest Bank
Stephanie Heffer is a private banking advisor at Arvest Bank in Hot Springs and Hot Springs Village. Before that, she served as a business development and community advisor, bringing more than 30 years of experience from her prior role as director of programs and operations at the Hot Springs Village Property Owners Association. Heffer serves as a decision-making resource for her clients and helps develop financial solutions tailored to meet their needs.
AMY C. HILEMAN
SVP
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TRACEY HISAW
EVP/Chief Risk Officer
Relyance Bank
Tracey Hisaw is the executive vice president and chief risk officer for White Hallbased Relyance Bank. She has been with the bank since 1992. Previously, she worked for two years as a collections specialist for First National Bank of Anchorage, Alaska. She is an alumna of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University and received her Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and an Associate of Arts from Southeast Arkansas College in Pine Bluff. She is a certified community bank risk specialist through the Independent Community Bankers of America and a certified regulatory compliance manager from the American Bankers Association.
NIKKI HUGHES
SVP, Loan Administration
First Community Bank
WOMEN IN BANKING
LISA HUNTER
EVP/Chief Data Officer
Simmons Bank
Lisa Hunter is executive vice president and chief data officer at Pine Bluff-based Simmons Bank. Hunter leads the bank’s data office, a unit that governs and standardizes the bank’s data while promoting collaboration and strong data competencies. She has more than 20 years of experience at Simmons Bank, where she has led teams across numerous areas, including operations, information technology, accounting and retail. She most recently served as executive vice president of operations, where Hunter managed all aspects of bank operations, including deposit, digital and loan functions. Prior to joining Simmons, she started her career as an internal auditor at Premier Bank in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and later served as the assistant controller at Andrew Jackson Savings Bank in Tallahassee, Florida. She even had a hand in starting a de novo bank, Thomasville National Bank, where she served as compliance officer.
SARAH HUTZEL
Commercial Banker/SVP
Oklahoma and Kansas. In this role, James is responsible for executive coaching, talent reviews, succession planning, internships, apprenticeships and mentoring.
James is a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXIII, a sustainer of Junior League of Little Rock, and a member of the Links. She is also a graduate of Scott Hawkins Leadership Institute Cohort XI, a Children’s Tumor Foundation’s Dancing with our Stars alum, and a recent addition to the American Heart Association Central Arkansas board.
KASEY JARACZ
Vice President of Loan Operations
First Service Bank
Nikki Hughes, recently promoted to senior vice president, loan administration at First Community Bank, brings nearly four decades of banking experience to her role. Since joining the bank in 2001, Hughes has been a cornerstone of the Searcy branch, contributing to the bank’s growth and success with her deep knowledge and unwavering dedication. A graduate of the Barret School of Banking in Memphis, Hughes’s commitment to excellence and keen understanding of customer needs have earned her the respect of both colleagues and clients. Originally from Searcy, she remains deeply connected to the community, where she lives surrounded by family and friends. Hughes is based at the 2401 West Beebe Capps Expressway branch in Searcy.
Arvest Bank
Sarah Hutzel serves as senior vice president of commercial lending at Arvest Bank in Hot Springs, where she has been a valuable member of the team since 2009. With more than 18 years of banking experience, she manages a commercial loan portfolio and has mentored commercial banker trainees and credit analysts. She also contributes to several advisory committees. Hutzel holds both an Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia.
Kasey Jaracz is the vice president of loan operations at First Service Bank, bringing more than 25 years of banking experience and more than a decade of dedicated service to the institution. She began her career at the bank as a loan processor and quickly progressed through various leadership roles, including loan processing lead and loan operations manager. In these positions, Jaracz successfully led teams of credit analysts and loan processors, ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of loan processing and servicing.
Jaracz holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Davenport University in Michigan and is a passionate advocate for community involvement. She is particularly supportive of First Service Bank’s initiative Operation Red, White and Brave, which benefits veterans. a cause close to her heart due to her family’s history of military service.
REAGAN JONES
Regional Retail Manager for Central Arkansas
Chambers Bank
CHARLENE JULIAN
Chief Trust Officer
ROBIN HUGHES
VP/Consumer Loan Officer
Generations Bank
Robin Hughes is vice president and consumer loan officer at Generations Bank in Rogers. She is passionate about assisting her clients in buying their dream homes and specializes in construction home loans and mortgage loans. Hughes’s dedication to community service is evident through her active involvement in Mercy Health Foundation's Women with a Mission and the Salvation Army. She has also previously served as a board member at clover community school. Hughes is a graduate of South Arkansas University Tech in Camden.
A lifelong resident of Hot Springs, Hutzel is deeply committed to her community. She is the immediate past chairman and current board member of Ouachita Children, Youth, and Family Services, co-chair of the Hot Springs Women’s Leadership Alliance, and Treasurer of both Leadership Hot Springs and the Lake Hamilton School District Parent Teacher Organization Council, and she serves on the National Park College Foundation Board.
TANYA JAMES
Program Director Talent Management
Arvest Bank
Tanya James, a seasoned banker with over two decades of experience, is a people-centered professional. She currently holds the position of program director of talent management for Arvest Bank’s four-state footprint: Arkansas, Missouri,
Farmers and Merchants Bank
Charlene Julian serves as the chief trust officer at Stuttgartbased Farmers & Merchants Bank, bringing more than 26 years of experience in the legal and financial sectors to her role. A graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, Julian’s career path uniquely blends legal expertise with financial acumen. In her current position, Julian leads the bank’s trust services department, overseeing estate planning, fiduciary solutions and financial preparedness. Her legal background proves invaluable in managing complex financial and estate planning needs with meticulous care and genuine concern for clients’ financial well-being.
ALISA K. KELLY Controller Chambers Bank
DELOIS KITCHENS
Hampton Market President
Generations Bank
A Hampton native, Delois Kitchens began her banking career more than three decades ago as a loan processor and loan assistant at the Hampton branch, where she now serves as market president. Before beginning her banking career, she worked alongside fourth-generation Harrell and previous chairman of the board, Searcy Harrell Jr. at the law firm Roberts, Harrell, Lindsey & Foster. Kitchens is a graduate of South Arkansas University Technical Branch.
KAREN M. KITCHENS, MBA
Commercial Banker, Middle Market and Specialized Industries
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
SHERI KOCH
SVP, Lending
Signature Bank of Arkansas
Sheri Koch is a senior vice president of lending for Signature Bank of Arkansas, where she specializes in commercial lending. Koch was born and raised in Berryville and went on to attend the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She has worked in the banking industry for over 30 years now, serving hundreds of clients and closing thousands of loans. She proudly serves on the funding committee of the board of the Children’s Safety Center of Washington County.
MANDI KRAUSS
Director Treasury Management
Southern Bancorp
Mandi Krauss joined the Southern Bancorp team in 2018, bringing more than 20 years of experience to the mission-focused financial institution. In her current role, she leads the bank’s treasury management services. A Hot Springs native, Krauss is an active member of her local community, including serving as past treasurer of the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Garland County.
SARAH LANE
EVP/Senior Administrative Officer
Relyance Bank
Sarah Lane is an executive vice president and senior administrative officer at Relyance Bank, based in White Hall. She has been with the bank since July. She previously served as executive vice president and chief retail officer at Batesvillebased Citizens Bank. Lane also spent almost 20 years at Simmons Bank in various roles, includ-
ing senior vice president for banking strategy, vice president and assistant vice president, and three years at the former Metropolitan National Bank in Little Rock. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
KIMBERLY M. LEE
Financial Inclusion Officer
Hope Credit Union
SHELLY LOFTIN
Senior Director of Marketing Strategy and Sales Enablement
Arvest Bank
Shelly Loftin is the senior director of marketing strategy and sales enablement at Arvest Bank, where she is charged with blending creativity and strategy to streamline and elevate marketing initiatives to drive revenue. During her 20-plus year career, she has held various roles in the financial industry, including bank executive overseeing marketing and retail business lines. Loftin received her bachelor’s degree and Master of Business Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is an ABAcertified financial marketing professional.
MICHELLE LYNCH
Quality Assurance Lead Rep
Chambers Bank
ELIZABETH MACHIN
EVP, Marketing & Communications
Simmons Bank
Elizabeth Machen is the executive vice president for marketing and communications at Pine Bluff-based Simmons Bank. For that role, Machen leads brand and marketing strategy, corporate sponsorships and customer communication initiatives across Simmons Bank’s six-state footprint. Since joining Simmons Bank in 2014, Machen has increased Simmons Bank’s visibility in the region and implemented marketing strategies which have assisted in the growth of the company from $4.6 billion in total assets to more than $25 billion in total assets. A Pine Bluff native, Machen was an honors student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
ANN MADEA
EVP/CIO
Simmons Bank
Ann Madea joined Simmons Bank in 2021 and serves as executive vice president and chief information officer. For that role, she is responsible for the bank’s overall information technology strategy and operations. With more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, Madea previously served as U.S. CIO for a large, global
financial services company. Throughout her career, she has had leadership positions focusing on delivery, strategy, digital transformation, cloud, data and cyber strategies. Passionate about women and girls in technology, she was recently the executive sponsor for the summer immersion program for ‘Girls Who Code’, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase the number of women in computer science. Madea is a graduate of University of Illinois at Chicago.
SUSANNAH MARSHALL
Commissioner
Arkansas Securities and State Bank departments
LAURA MCMILLAN
AVP/Regional Retail Manager
Chambers Bank
LORI HAWKINS MELTON
SVP/Business Development Officer
First Community Bank
Lori Hawkins Melton, senior vice president and business development officer at First Community Bank’s Conway location, joined the bank in 2019, bringing more than 33 years of banking experience. Before her current role, Melton served as a marketing consultant at Dave Creek Media in Conway, but her passion for banking drew her back to the industry. Melton’s achievements include being twice named Arkansas Bank Marketer of the Year by the Arkansas Bank Marketing Association, receiving the 2014 Women in Business Diamond Achievement Award, and being named the 2018 Person of the Year for Faulkner County. In 2024, she received the Lloyd Westbrook Good Neighbor Award at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting. A graduate of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and the American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing.
JENNIFER MILROY
Consumer Mortgage Loan Officer
Relyance Bank
Jennifer Milroy is a consumer mortgage loan officer at Relyance Bank's Hot Springs Village office. Milroy has been with the bank since 2018 and served in various roles, including mortgage loan officer, Hot Springs branch manager and customer service representative. She has almost 15 years of banking experience and attended the Jeff Farris Leadership Academy in 2019 and 2020. In 2022, she was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
Milroy has 11 years of banking experience, the most recent in which she managed Relyane Bank's Village Square location. She attended the Jeff Farris Leadership Academy during 2019 and 2020 and currently serves as the president
of Scenic 7 HSV Rotary Club, a member of Kiwanis of Hot Springs Village and a key club officer for Jessieville School.
TANYA COULTER MIMS
Fayetteville Community President First National Bank of NWA
KATHERINE MITCHELL
VP/BSA/Deposit Compliance Officer
Relyance Bank
Katherine Mitchell was promoted in 2021 to vice president, BSA and deposit compliance officer at Relyance Bank. She joined Relyance Bank in 2018 during the Heartland conversion. She carries 21 years of financial services experience and has a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. Mitchell recently earned the designation of certified antimoney laundering specialist.
PAULA MORAN
Mortgage Loan Officer
Relyance Bank
Paula Moran is a mortgage loan officer for Relyance Bank’s central Arkansas market. Moran attended Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and has 12 years of banking experience. She has worked at Relyance since 2015 and served in multiple roles, including loan assistant and branch manager. She recently earned the ABA residential mortgage lender certificate. Moran is an active member of the Red Shoe Crew at Ronald McDonald House of Charities of Arkansas and a past volunteer at the Arkansas Foodbank.
PAM MURRAY
Vice President
Eagle Bank & Trust
ASHLEY NEWMAN
Mortgage Loan Originator, Morrilton
Centennial Bank
SHAMIM OKOLLOH
VP/Community Outreach Officer
Encore Bank
Shamim Okolloh is vice president and community outreach officer at Little Rock’s Encore Bank. Okolloh oversees Encore Bank’s outreach program in central Arkansas with a focus on financial inclusion for the underserved minority community that is often unbanked and underbanked. A native of Kenya, Okolloh is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta and the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. She previously worked with Arkan-
sas Foodbank and Heifer International, both in Little Rock. She is also a children’s book author, having published Ella the Banker in January.
CATHY OWEN
Chairman
Eagle Bank & Trust
RAYCHEL PENDERGIST
Assistant Deputy Bank Commissioner
Arkansas State Bank Department
ESTEFANY PEREZ
Mortgage Community
Development Lender
Southern Bancorp
Estefany Perez is a bilingual mortgage lender serving Little Rock and the surrounding area through Southern Bancorp’s unique, missionfocused approach to banking, which is designed to help everyone find a path to financial opportunity. Perez has a decade of experience in the industry and is a passionate member of the local community who actively volunteers her time to lift up neighbors in need, including at Arkansas Foodbank in Little Rock and Make-A-Wish Mid-South, as an ambassador for the Little Rock Regional Chamber, and as a volunteer financial literacy educator at Junior Achievement of Arkansas.
AMY WARD PIERCE
President Bank Strategic Solutions
ERICA PRESTON
Chief Banking Officer
Chambers Bank
DEBBIE REED
SVP/Market Manager
Eagle Bank & Trust
STEPHANIE SANDERS RIFFLE
Regional Vice President
United Federal Credit Union
BARBARA RIGGIN
VP/Banking Center Manager
First Horizon Bank
Barbara Riggin is the banking center manager at the Saline County location of First Horizon Bank. She brings 45 years of diverse, ever-changing banking knowledge and experience to her team. As the vice president for First Horizon Bank, she handles small-business loans and consumer loans and is a licensed associate for life and health insurance.
She is a past president of the Bryant Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve as an active member. She has also served on the Bryant Southern Trace Rehabilitation and Nursing Home board and is involved with our local Junior Achievement, where she sits on the board.
HILLIS SCHILD
Executive Director
Arvest Opportunity Fund
Hillis Schild is executive director of the Arvest Opportunity Fund, a subsidiary of Arvest Bank that provides lending and educational assistance to individuals, families and businesses that fall just below bank credit requirements. She began her banking career as a mortgage loan officer 30-plus years ago and later moved into community development. Schild firmly believes in the mission of the Arvest Opportunity Fund, which invests in people through finance and education. She particularly enjoys the everyday responsibility of helping customers overcome financial hurdles.
CASSI SENECA
Indirect Loan Processing Manager
Arkansas Federal Credit Union
KRISTI SHUSTER
VP/Security Officer/ Head of Retail Banking Bank of Little Rock
DANA F. SILASKI
Managing Director
Stephens
Dana Silaski joined Stephens in 1994 and is a managing director and senior member of the private company advisory team. Throughout her investment banking career, she has advised private and family-owned companies, often multi-generational, as they consider financing alternatives and paths to maximize value. Silaski played a key role in structuring and negotiating private capital transactions for Stephens’ corporate clients across a broad range of industries and with a variety of capital sources, including family offices. Her experience includes minority and control transactions, preparing for and executing merger and acquisition transactions, as well as debt, equity and equity-linked financings.
ITZEL MEADOR SIMS
SBA Director
First Security Bank
Itzel Meador Sims serves as the SBA director at First Security Bank, overseeing all facets of SBA loan operations. With a robust 24-year background in small-business lending, Sims has excelled in empowering small businesses and addressing challenges that traditional financing often overlooks.
JENNY MARIE WHITEHEAD
Thank you, Arkansas Money & Politics, for recognizing Jenny Marie Whitehead, Vice President of Human Resources at Bodcaw Bank, among 2024’s most influential Women in Banking.
As a community leader and an integral part of the dynamic team at Bodcaw Bank, it is clear to see why AMP readers nominated Jenny for this year’s list. Her contributions have allowed the 121-year-old institution to continue serving its neighbors across southwest Arkansas, and her leadership will ensure the Bodcaw team’s success for years to come.
Since 1903, Bodcaw Bank is for What’s Ahead.
Stamps 307 Thomas St., 870-533-4486
Magnolia 2125 N. Jackson St., 870-626-3400
Texarkana, Texas 3625 Richmond Road, 903-716-5505
PAULA COFFIELD STYERS
SVP, Commercial Lending
Relyance Bank
Paula Coffield Styers is senior vice president of commercial lending at Relyance Bank in Little Rock. She joined Relyance Bank in 2016 as vice president of commercial and mortgage lending. She has 30 years of banking experience and multiple certificates in management and leadership. She previously worked in various leadership roles at Capital Bank, the former Delta Trust & Bank and Regions Bank. Styers graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
DARLYNDA TALLMADGE
Senior Customer Service Representative
Chambers Bank
DEANNA TAYLOR
Branch Manager, Melbourne
FNBC Bank
BRANDY THIELE
SVP/IT Officer
Central Bank
GENA TRUMBLE
Branch Manager
Eagle Bank & Trust
MALLORY VAN DOVER
Co-founder/CEO
Data Driven Partners
Mallory Van Dover is cofounder and CEO of Data Driven Partners, a company she co-founded with Jennifer Carlisle in 2020. Based in central Arkansas, Data Driven Partners specializes in innovative software solutions for financial institutions across multiple states. The company’s flagship product, Lending Leads, is a groundbreaking platform designed to enhance relationshipbased prospecting and competitive intelligence.
Van Dover’s journey to entrepreneurship is rooted in more than 14 years of impactful work in the nonprofit sector. She served as vice president of the CARTI Foundation and held key roles such as executive director of philanthropy at Arkansas Children’s Hospital Foundation.
CARLA VAUGHN
Senior Human Resources Generalist FNBC Bank
CHRISTIN VILLARREAL
Customer Service Officer
First Western Bank
JULIE WAGNER
Branch Manager
Centennial Bank
LORI WALKER
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
Chambers Bank
MARIA WEYRENS
Vice President of Hispanic Community Outreach and Business Development
First Security Bank
Maria Weyrens is the vice president of Hispanic community outreach and business development at First Security Bank, where she leverages nearly 20 years of experience to enhance financial education and services in central Arkansas.
Weyrens excels at connecting individuals with essential resources through her extensive network and active involvement in local initiatives.
JENNY MARIE WHITEHEAD
VP, Human Resources/Marketing
Bodcaw Bank
Jenny Marie Whitehead is vice president for human resources and marketing at Bodcaw Bank, based in Magnolia. She joined the bank in 2022 She graduated from the ABA Bank Marketing School in March of this year. She is active in her local community, working with several charitable and nonprofit organizations including the Rotary Club and the Magnolia Regional Medical Center Foundation Board. She also is a former Columbia County justice of the peace and was elected to the Magnolia City Council.
PAIGE WHITLEY
Assistant Bank Examiner
Arkansas State Bank Department
JENNIFER WILLIAMS
SVP/Regional Deposit Operations
Director, Central Region
Southern Bancorp
A long-time and dedicated member of the Southern Bancorp mission, Jennifer Williams brings more than 30 years of experience to her role of deposit operations director of the community development bank’s central region. She was promoted to that position in 2022 after serving as regional deposit operations manager for its markets in Arkansas, Sevier and Mississippi counties. In the director role, Williams oversees all deposit operations in the region.
KENDAL WILLIAMS
Bank Senior Examiner
Arkansas State Bank Department
ANDREA WILLIAMS
New Accounts Representative
First Natural State Bank
JENNIFER PORTER WILSON
Senior Indirect Loan Processor
Arkansas Federal Credit Union
TRICIA WILSON
SVP, Chief of Staff
Simmons Bank
Tricia Wilson serves as senior vice president and chief of staff at Simmons Bank. She has been with the bank since 2017, when she took the role of vice president and director of the bank’s enterprise project management office. Previously, Wilson was owner and operator of Little Rock’s Photobooth Etc., and she spent 18 years in various roles at the Dillard’ s corporate office. Wilson holds multiple licenses and certifications. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and an MBA from the University of Arkansas.
CINDY WOLFE
Chief Operating Officer Bank OZK
ANGELA WOOD
Customer Care Center and Deposit Operations FNBC Bank
RACHEL WOODS
Assistant Vice President, Loan Operations Services Manager FNBC Bank
LISA D. SANSON WORKMAN
Indirect Underwriter
Arkansas Federal Credit Union
STEPHANIE YELLEN
VP, Retail Operations and Development Stone Bank
RAMY ZIMMEREBNER
VP/Commercial Lender
Relyance Bank
Ramy Zimmerebner is a vice president and commercial lender at Relyance Bank in central Arkansas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and has almost 20 years of banking experience. She attended the American Bankers Association Commercial Lending School and the Southwest Graduate School of Banking. She is a Thea Foundation board member, Junior Achievement volunteer and former board member for Family Promise of Pulaski County. Zimmerebner previously worked in multiple roles, including vice president for private banking at IberiaBank and in various roles for First Horizon Bank, Allied Bank of Mulberry and Centennial Bank.
THE
LONG VIEW
Short-term market downturns can be great opportunities
By Becky Gillette
Early August saw a major decline in the stock market that initially caused great concern — only to be eclipsed a few days later with the largest one-day gains seen since 2022. Financial advisors told Arkansas Money & Politics they have worked hard to educate their clients to hold on through tumultuous times which may even create opportunities.
“Actually, short-term downturns can be great opportunities, so paying attention is always good,” said Scott Daniel, a partner at WealthPath Investment Advisors in Little Rock. “Staying focused on the overall game plan is crucial, and being long term and able to make adjustments can be very fruitful. Staying within your game plan will hopefully deliver the results needed for the long term.”
potential weakness that could affect the market volatility.
Scott Daniel
The long view this year is that the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and Nasdaq are up and seem on track for a very good year. However, Daniel said he sees some areas of
Daniel said they did not have many clients concerned on Aug. 1, when the Dow fell 1,000 points and overall markets saw a decline of 3 percent. He attributed that to great discussions early on to educate clients about market ebbs and flows. Plus, his company reaches out to clients when opportunities arise or when adjustments need to be made.
Creating and sticking to an overall investment strategy is vital to long-term success, he added.
“Create a game plan now that can be adjusted at a moment’s notice,” Daniel said. “You’ll be glad you did.”
Despite the rocky start, as of mid-August, the S&P 500 was up 16 percent year to date and up 186 percent over the past 10 years. Dale Colclasure Jr., president of wealth management services at RetirePath in Little Rock, said one’s personal yield could be significantly greater for those who have been dollar cost average investing as an accumulator, or it could be much lower for those who have been withdrawing money on a regular basis for income.
Resources are now available online to manage one’s own investment plans, including using artificial intelligence to make choices, but many people simply do not have enough knowledge to get the best returns.
“As a [certified financial planner] practitioner and fiduciary, I honestly believe that every client’s experience should be guided by their knowledge of what they need to achieve from the markets,” Colclasure said. “My firm, RetirePath, only works with clients through a personalized, comprehensive, holistic financial plan where you know what your actual goals are and have a guide as to how you will achieve those goals.”
Short-term downturns are an unavoidable reality when it comes to investing. Colclasure said it is important to understand that volatility — positive as well as negative — helps investors achieve greater returns in their portfolios during accumulation years, but negative volatility during distribution years can be damaging to one’s long-term ability to generate necessary income to offset inflation.
“There is a real need for an honest conversation for how investment portfolios should begin to change as you enter the ‘retirement red zone,’ which is the five years before projected retirement and the five years after you actually retire,” Colclasure said. “You will stop accumulating, contributing for growth, and begin distributing, withdrawing for income. In the distribution phase, you must ensure that you have an investment structure that will provide you and your loved ones with a predictable income stream for 20, 30 or even 40 years.”
Colclasure said research shows that the average person bases almost all financial decisions on fear or greed. He said he believes partnering with a fiduciary advisor can aid in making more rational decisions.
“Having a personalized, comprehensive plan, consistently updated based on changes in the tax law, changes in the economy, changes in your life and changes in your goals, will result in greater outcomes and a greater sense of security,” Colclasure said.
There is never a bad time to evaluate one’s overall investment strategy, said Matthew Jones, president of Legacy Capital, which has offices in Little Rock and Rogers. What is most important is for each investor to have a long-term game plan that serves as a roadmap to where they are and where they are trying to go. Then the investment strategy should be designed to give them the highest probability of achieving their goals, he said.
“This type of long-term planning makes it much easier to put short-term volatility and market pullbacks in a proper perspective,” Jones said. “The simple fact of the matter is that if you have a good plan in place, the market dropping 10, 15 or even 20 percent, like it did in 2020 and 2022, is unlikely to have much of an impact on your longer-term goals as the markets have always recovered their losses and, most of the time, in a year or less.”
Jones had only two clients call about the most recent market volatility. With the perspective of working in the financial field for 30 years, Jones’ view is what was experienced recently was pretty mild.
“We spend a lot of time educating our clients that volatility is to be expected so they are not surprised when it happens,” Jones said. “We also integrate asset classes, including private equity, private debt and hedge funds, that are not highly correlated with the equity markets and typically have much lower volatility. This helps mitigate the amount of decline in their portfolios when the equity markets pull back.”
In 2022, when the bond market was down 15 percent, the S&P was down about 19 percent and the Nasdaq was off 29 percent, most clients’ private market holdings produced positive returns.
“This helped our clients’ portfolio perform substantially better than the public equity and debt markets,” Jones said.
Jones said he doubts many people have the time or the capacity to devote themselves to being educated enough to truly invest on their own. It is not that people are not smart enough, he said, but that most clients have jobs, families and hobbies. They are better off engaging with a financial advisor who is educated in those areas and practices in them every day.
“To provide comprehensive financial advice, you really need to have deep knowledge in a lot of areas, including financial planning, estate planning, tax planning, insurance planning and investment management,” Jones said. “In my opinion, most of the top financial advisors in our industry are well versed in all these areas and do far more for their clients than just tell them
Dale Colclasure Jr.
Matt Jones
what percent they should have in stocks versus bonds and what funds, stocks or managers to use. Additionally, the top advisors have also invested the extra time to get advanced degrees and/ or professional designations.”
Common certifications to look for include certified financial planner, or CFP, certified financial advisor, or CFA, Juris Doctor, or JD, and certified public accountant, or CPA.
Dawn Powell, founder of Paramount Financial in Little Rock, advised against emotional reactions to short-term market movements that might result in buying high and selling low.
“Sticking to a well thought out investment strategy can help you avoid these pitfalls,” Powell said. “Diversification and a well-constructed portfolio can help mitigate the impact of short-term market downturns. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your investments based on your long-term goals and risk tolerance is often beneficial.”
Powell said it is important to stay informed and review one’s investment strategy periodically, but reacting impulsively to short-term market changes can be counterproductive. Those who are unsure about how to handle market volatility can consult with a financial advisor, who can provide personalized guidance.
Historically, the stock market has generally trended upward over the long term despite experiencing short-term fluctuations. Powell said as of mid-2024, many markets have indeed shown significant gains driven by various factors, such as economic recovery, technological advancements or corporate earnings reports.
“The performance of stock indexes like the S&P 500, Nasdaq or Dow Jones can give a sense of overall market health,” she said. “For the most current performance metrics, it’s a good idea to check recent financial news or market reports.”
Over the long term, stock markets, particularly major indexes like the S&P 500, have generally increased in value. Powell said that growth is partly due to a combination of economic expansion, innovation and corporate earnings growth.
Powell also recommended compounding returns, in which gains are reinvested to generate additional returns. The compounding effect can significantly enhance the growth of investments over time.
She also cautioned to consider inflation. While nominal returns may look impressive, real returns, when adjusted for inflation, give a clearer picture of investment growth.
“Historically, stock markets have provided returns that outpace inflation, contributing to real wealth accumulation,” Powell said. “Investors who diversify their portfolios and manage risk effectively tend to benefit from long-term market growth. Diversification helps mitigate the impact of downturns in any single sector or asset class, and while past performance is not a guarantee of future results, understanding these long-term trends can help you maintain perspective on short-term fluctuations and stay focused on your investment goals.”
Powell advised the following steps:
• Review goals and time horizon: Ensure investments align with financial objectives and investment timeline.
• Evaluate asset allocation: Check if asset allocation is still appropriate given current market conditions and one’s risk tolerance.
• Assess performance: Analyze how investments have performed relative to expectations and benchmarks.
• Consult a financial advisor: For those who are unsure about making changes or need personalized advice, consulting with a financial advisor can provide valuable insights and recommendations.
“Regularly reviewing and adjusting your investment strategy helps ensure that it continues to meet your financial goals and adapt to changing market conditions,” Powell said. “Using a financial advisor can offer several advantages over managing financial planning on your own. Financial advisors have specialized knowledge in areas like investment strategies, taxes, retirement planning and estate preparation. They bring years of experience managing a variety of financial situations, which can help in crafting and adjusting strategies that align with your goals.”
Another advantage she sees is that advisors can provide an objective perspective that helps investors make rational decisions rather than emotional ones, especially during market volatility. Advisors can help investors stay disciplined and avoid impulsive decisions that might negatively impact their long-term financial health.
“Advisors often take a comprehensive approach to financial planning, integrating various aspects like budgeting, investment management, tax strategies and retirement planning,” Powell said. “They tailor financial plans to your specific needs, goals and risk tolerance, ensuring that your strategy is personalized. Advisors can help you build a diversified portfolio to manage risk and improve potential returns. They assess and manage risks associated with investments and other financial decisions, potentially protecting you from significant losses. Financial advisors handle the research, analysis and monitoring of investments and market trends, saving you time and effort.”
Dawn Powell
Dale E. Colclasure Jr., CFP®
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Dale E. Colclasure, Jr., CFP has spent the last three decades honing his skills as a retirement income specialist. Dale has built a financial services firm that focuses on the exact needs of those who are approaching or in retirement. Dale understands the mindset change that must occur when a retiree transitions from the accumulation phase to the income distribution phase of investing.
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The
Arkansas making strides to promote financial literacy early Sooner, the Better
By Mark Carter
When it comes to finances and planning for the future, it might be fair to describe contemporary America as a kick-the-can-down-the-road culture. That approach may be changing for the better, at least in Arkansas, thanks to the work of nonprofit groups such as Junior Achievement and the state’s establishment of a financial literacy requirement for students.
With so many Americans living check to check, nest eggs are perhaps harder to build than ever. Recently released data from Forbes Advisor revealed that more than 1 in 4 Americans — 28 percent — have savings of less than $1,000 on which to fall back on in an emergency. Broken down by generation, the Forbes survey found that 32 percent of Gen Z’ers reported savings of less than $1,000, followed by 31 percent of millennials, 27 percent of Gen X’ers and 20 percent of baby boomers.
The generational pattern is clear: Younger generations are not as committed to saving, simply cannot afford to save or were never taught to do so.
The Forbes data also found that “standard savings accounts
are the most popular vehicle across the four generations surveyed, while high-interest options like high-yield savings accounts or CDs are less common.”
The survey also broke down the most popular reasons behind saving for each generation. At 22 percent, the highest percentage of Gen Z’ers reported a focus on saving for a car; millennials at 25 percent and Gen X’ers at 28 percent were focused on starting or enhancing emergency funds; and baby boomers (30 percent) were saving primarily for retirement.
Roughly half of all survey respondents reported expecting to save the same amount of money or less in 2024 than they did a year ago, while rising costs of living (66 percent) and debt repayment (31 percent) were cited as the primary barriers to saving more.
Arkansas high school students are now required to complete a course in financial literacy before graduation.
Victor Werley, financial planner and owner of Pinnacle Advisors in Little Rock, said he believes the kick-the-can mentality is beginning to change for the better.
“Unfortunately, things like inflation, career turnover and economic slowdowns have forced many people to pay much more attention to their finances,” he said. “Also, the generation shift is causing many young people to face issues that their parents and grandparents did not have to face, which means they can’t rely on advice from family as much. This makes professional advice all the more important to get out into the public.”
Many baby boomers were not taught about finances or economics while in school, but work is being done to change that for younger generations.
Tonya Villines, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Arkansas, said significant strides have been made in 2024 toward promoting financial literacy among young people.
“Our focus is on transforming financial knowledge into actionable skills, empowering teens to take control of their financial futures,” she said.
Villines cited JA’s findings from its 2022 survey of JA program graduates, which found that 78 percent of teens cited money as a major stress factor influenced by their families’ financial situations; 80 percent of surveyed teens said they believed increased financial knowledge would positively affect their outlook on life; 82 percent of youths who went through a JA program reported feeling confident in their finances; and 68 percent of JA alumni reported achieving financial independence from their parents before age 30.
“These results underscore the importance of JA’s mission to provide hands-on financial education, preparing students for real-world financial responsibilities,” Villines said.
Arkansas instituting a financial literacy requirement in 2021 has helped, Villines added. All high school students in Arkansas are required to complete a course in financial literacy before graduation.
“The initiative is part of a broader effort to help ensure that students graduate with the essential knowledge and skills needed to manage their finances effectively,” Villines said.
“This course covers critical topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, credit management, and understanding loans and interest rates. The financial literacy content is integrated into economics or social studies courses, although some schools offer it as a stand-alone course. The curriculum is practical and applicable, helping students navigate realworld financial decisions.”
The initiative also complements JA’s work in local schools to help future generations be more prepared regarding their finances. JA and its corporate partners send volunteers into classrooms from the primary grades to high school to help teach students the benefits of becoming financially literate at an early age.
(Photos provided)
“Studies showed that many students were graduating without a basic understanding of personal finance, leaving them ill prepared for financial challenges in adulthood,” Villines said. “This requirement reflects a commitment to improving financial outcomes for Arkansas students, equipping them with the knowledge they need to make informed financial decisions throughout their lives. Among JA alumni that have previously participated in our JA financial literacy program, 90 percent are confident managing money.”
Werley said he sees kids today receiving most of their financial education from family, friends and various online sources.
“This can be potentially good because there is a wealth of information available online, but it is also a challenge because it can be hard to separate good information from bad,” he said.
Volunteers at Junior Achievement of Arkansas visit classrooms to teach students about managing their finances.
Victor Werley
Tonya VIllines
Photo by Ryan Parker
He agreed that younger generations now place more emphasis on financial literacy, and that is key.
“A lot of work has been done by some very dedicated people in the public and private sectors to increase access to financial knowledge, and it is starting to show,” he said, adding that work remains to be done educating adults.
“The needle is starting to move, and many people are seeking out knowledge, but there is still much work to be done,” he said. “Educational channels for adults who are no longer in school are harder to come by, but I am confident that we will continue to make progress.”
Since she joined JA in 2010, Villines said she has seen transformative growth in the organization’s reach. JA Arkansas had a reach of roughly 8,900 students annually when she started and now engages 29,000 Arkansas students each year, she said.
“This growth not only reflects the hard work and dedication of our staff and board of directors but also underscores the increasing recognition of the importance of financial literacy education, experiential learning and building a strong statewide talent pipeline,” she said. “The impact is not just quantitative in the increased numbers. Qualitatively, it represents a deeper integration into the community and education system, fostering a generation that is better prepared for the challenges of the modern economy.”
In addition to JA’s expanded outreach, Villines cited other factors moving the needle, including JA’s help to increase specific learning experiences for students across the state.
“The organization now offers over 1,000 learning experiences compared to fewer in previous years. This indicates a broader and more diverse range of programs tailored to different age groups and educational needs,” she said.
JA now partners with 16 Arkansas school districts, including the three largest — Springdale Public Schools, the Little Rock School District and the Pulaski County Special School District.
“This expansion ensures that JA’s programs are accessible to a larger and more diverse student population,” Villines said. “We have earned the trust and credibility of numerous district partners across the state.”
She also noted JA’s “robust volunteer network” and corporate partnerships are essential to the organization’s success.
“The volunteer network has grown to 500 individuals who collectively contribute over 75,000 contact hours annually,” she said. “This substantial volunteer involvement enhances the delivery and effectiveness of JA’s programs, providing students with real-world insights and mentorship. Many businesses and corporations partner with Junior Achievement, providing essential financial contributions. These partnerships often include sponsorships for specific programs, events or initiatives, enabling JA to offer its financial literacy, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship programs to students at no cost.”
JA also receives private and government grants, which are directed toward expanding program reach, developing new educational materials and supporting underprivileged communities, Villines added. Plus, the JA Arkansas volunteer
board includes some of the state’s business heavy hitters (including AY Media Group publisher and president Heather Baker), each of whom is dedicated to the cause.
“The combination of financial support and volunteer engagement allows Junior Achievement to effectively deliver its mission, reaching more students and making a lasting impact on communities across the country,” Villines said.
Progress is underway, but work remains to be done. Villines said JA strategies include integration of financial education into more school curriculums, developing more partnerships with local businesses and organizations, and applying more resources to help spread the word.
“Introducing financial literacy at an early age can help normalize these concepts,” she said. “Incorporating basic financial principles in elementary and middle school curriculums can set the foundation for more complex topics in high school. Encouraging businesses to sponsor JA financial literacy programs in schools or communities can increase their reach. Companies can also offer volunteer hours for employees to teach or mentor students, and sharing success stories from individuals who have benefited from financial literacy education can personalize the message and demonstrate its real-world impact.”
Villines added that mobile apps and online platforms that promote financial literacy and help make learning interactive and accessible can engage people of all ages.
“These tools can offer budgeting exercises, quizzes and real-life scenarios to practice financial decisionmaking. JA has a great mobile app, JA Connect — connect.ja.org — that is free and allows students to build a budget and money-management tools,” she said. “By combining these efforts, we can create a comprehensive approach to spreading the word about financial literacy and ensuring that everyone understands its importance in building a secure financial future.”
Werley said helping America out of its financial doldrums requires many steps, including recognizing everyone’s financial situation is unique and complex. The first step, he said, oftentimes boils down to simply being willing to talk about finances.
“There are no universal solutions,” he said. “I believe parents should share their financial experiences with their children but also understand that what worked in the past may not work in the future. The process of buying a house or paying for college looks entirely different today than it did for the baby boomer generation. However, the key is to have the conversation. The more we all talk about money, the more we will all learn.”
MARSHALL BUTLER MAKING COMMERCIAL PERSONAL
OBy Matt Smithmier
ne does not always hear about a successful business in any field that regularly refers clients to its competitors, but for Marshall Butler, director of commercial services at Pinnacle Advisors in Little Rock, it just seems like the right thing to do.
“If they’re a better fit, I’m happy to send them over there, and they reciprocate,” he said. “It’s an honor to have competition like that, and I think clients appreciate that.”
Butler’s approach to most things, he said, is rarely about a race to the finish. Instead, his role at the financial consulting firm — and also his philosophy on life — is more about collaboration, whether he is playing piano at church, meeting up with friends for another round of Dungeons & Dragons or working closely with a small-business owner. That focus on helping his friends and neighbors, he said, has served him well.
“The best thing about Arkansas? I’ve always heard [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist] Rex Nelson call it a ‘two-call state,’” he said. “You’re two calls away from anybody. You’re probably inside a restaurant where other people can hear what you’re talking about, and if they’re talking about us and what a good job we’re doing, that’s where the clients are going to come from.”
From personal financial plans, insurance plans and retirement plans to tax services, employee benefits, litigation support, third-party chief
financial officer services and more, Pinnacle tailors its services to individuals and small businesses, ensuring they have access to the highest-quality tools and analysis necessary to make informed financial decisions.
Now with 18 employees, Pinnacle was founded in 2003, and Butler joined in 2020 after stints in banking and wealth management and a short time as a stockbroker and investment advisor. He said his experience, especially his time in banking, has made him a better business partner to his clients today.
“Probably the best education you could ever ask for is lending people money,” he said, “because you look at a business differently if you’re putting money in it.”
Even before he started his career in finance, Butler said he was destined for this path as an only child growing up in Cabot. His father subscribed to the Dave Ramsey financial philosophy, and Butler was introduced early to the cash envelope system, dividing his weekly allowance among five envelopes to ensure he was not only saving for the short and long terms but also earmarking funds for tithing, donating and spending.
“I kind of grew up around somebody who was constantly talking about money and how important financial management was and making a plan and sticking to the plan,” he said. “You grow up in that household, and there aren’t a lot of career options.”
While Pinnacle covers Arkansas from offices in Little Rock and Cabot, Butler said his work often takes him somewhere new each day.
“Most of my work is done on-site with the client,” he said. “If you’re going to be an outsourced CFO, there’s only so much I can do, not being on-site.”
said, “so getting to have such a broad range of clients to work on, that keeps me going because you’re always learning something. In addition, I can be impactful and help a small-business owner figure out how on earth they’re going to navigate their financial questions.”
The questions these days often turn to succession planning, he said, especially as so many baby boomers are aging into retirement at the same time — a phenomenon known as the “silver tsunami.” He often works with business owners or children who have inherited the business who need help figuring out their next steps.
Outside of Pinnacle, Butler also serves as principal and chief compliance officer at Paladin Investment Advisors, a registered investment advisory firm that works with small businesses — and sometimes endowment funds and individuals — to manage wealth they have accumulated. From his office in Cabot, Butler can help clients create income streams after retirement and assist withs asset allocation, stocks, bonds and more.
Yet, when the work is done for the day, the father of two, including a new 10-week-old, is ready
BUTLER SAID HE KNOWS OWNERS FACE MYRIAD CHALLENGES IN THEIR DAY-TODAY OPERATIONS, SO HE WORKS WITH THEM ON EVERYTHING FROM PAYROLL AND MARKETING TO BUSINESS VALUATIONS, GROWTH STRATEGIES, TAX PLANNING AND MORE. THAT VARIETY — PLUS THE ABILITY TO EXPAND HIS EXPERIENCE IN NEW WAYS — IS INVIGORATING, WHAT HE CALLS “A STRAIGHT DOPAMINE HIT EVERY DAY.”
Butler said he knows owners face myriad challenges in their day-to-day operations, so he works with them on everything from payroll and marketing to business valuations, growth strategies, tax planning and more. That variety — plus the ability to expand his experience in new ways — is invigorating, what he calls “a straight dopamine hit every day.”
“I can get bored working on one thing at one time,” he
to head back to Cabot, which he calls a “good community with a lot of good people who care about it.”
“Whenever I’m gone from work, I like to turn it off and just enjoy the quiet,” he said. “Our farm out there … I just love my farm.”
WADE PARTRIDGE FINANCIAL SECURITY IS THE PILLAR
By KD Reep
When Wade Partridge, senior wealth advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors in Little Rock, was in school at Westside Junior High School in Benton, he learned about the stock market and how it worked. It was then that he knew being a financial planner was in his future.
“I don’t even recall what class it was, but we tracked the stock market by reviewing the newspaper every day. We got to pick stocks and follow them and see how our imaginary $1,000 investment would perform,” he said. “I was just really intrigued and interested in the idea of building wealth through investing in great American companies, so that planted the seed. It felt sort of patriotic to me to invest in American companies.”
Partridge, who is based in
Benton, said his parents were both small-business owners, and he saw firsthand the triumphs, struggles and sacrifices it takes to stay afloat.
“Watching them make business decisions based on bad times, recessions, high interest rates and other factors, I saw within my own family the strain and the heartache that financial issues can cause,” he said. “At a very young age, I began to think that when I have a wife and children, they were never going to have to worry about money. What that meant to me was not that I was going to be wealthy. It did mean there had to be a way to be careful and plan ahead where you would not have that stress and strain of finance always hanging over your life.”
In 1994, he began his career with Dean Witter Reynolds, which was acquired by Morgan Stanley. He then opened his own firm, running it for 15 years before selling to another firm during 2020.
“I took a couple of years off just to kind of refocus and reframe,” Partridge said. “I wanted to learn what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I was approached by Mariner, which is a large, nationwide firm, and they said, ‘We don’t have anybody in Arkansas, and we would like a presence there. Would you be interested in being the first person to anchor our firm here?’ It’s just a really good fit as their approach is very similar to mine — very planning focused, very holistic.
“Mariner is independently owned, fee only and believes in
“
MARINER IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED, FEE ONLY AND BELIEVES IN PLANNING. I BELIEVE IN THE FIDUCIARY STANDARD AND THINK IT SHOULD BE THE LAW OF THE LAND. MARINER EMBRACES THAT, AND SO IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL FIT FOR THE SECOND ACT OF MY CAREER.”
planning. I believe in the fiduciary standard and think it should be the law of the land. Mariner embraces that, and so it was just a wonderful fit for the second act of my career.”
With a focus on helping individuals and families plan for what is most important to them, Partridge said he believes the best time for clients to begin financial planning is when they do not have any money.
“Financial planning represents different things for different people. Some people have this idea that they need a specific amount of money before they can retire, and that’s their goal,” he said. “I really believe that when you drill down into that, wealth and money are just tools to get the saver what they want, whether that’s freedom or security or the ability to impact the community around you. There’s something more at the core of how we view money, some core principle within us that if we remove the worry and fear about money, we can almost be free to live the life we want to live, and that was the motivating factor for me as I approached the second act of my career.”
Partridge said he wanted to pursue the idea of helping families remove the burden of worry so they can be free to live their lives more purposefully and impact the world around them. Handling the planning and investing in people’s lives removes a barrier that prevents them from living their best lives, he added.
“You draw the blueprints before you build the house,” he said. “When people say they don’t have enough money to get started in financial planning, that’s exactly when you should. I joke that when I graduated from high school, I had the periodic table memorized, but I didn’t know how to balance a checkbook. We don’t invest in people learning personal finance enough in our country, and it’s a skill they will use every day of their lives. There must be some emphasis placed on financial literacy for Arkansans to be able to live the life they want.”
Partridge is highly involved in his community. He and his wife, Julie, live and work in Benton and have two grown sons. They attend First United Methodist Church in Benton and recently participated in the Ralph Bunche Community Back-toSchool Picnic and Footprints Shoe Distribution.
“That was awesome. Our church and Our Lady of Fatima [Catholic Church in Benton] gave out close to 300 pairs of backto-school shoes to students in need in this community,” he said. “One of the things that occurred to me during the two years where I took some time for myself was that I had spent so much of my life worrying about success. In the second part of my career, I want to concern myself more about significance. I want to impact people’s lives, and Mariner is giving me the platform to do so.”
| Wade Partridge, Senior Wealth Advisor
APRIL POLLARD FINANCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
By Dwain Hebda
April Pollard at Edward Jones in Little Rock is a financial planner who has built a resoundingly successful business helping her clients save and invest for the future. Her modus operandi over more than a decade in business has remained unchanged — combine solid market research and a willing ear to listen to her clients’ needs with an unwavering commitment to customer service.
Underneath these tried-and-true business elements runs a current that is less well known to all but those who know her best, a unique understanding that helps her relate on a deeper level to the people who place their trust in her.
“I love psychology,” she said. “I love to know what causes people to make the decisions that they make, which has really lent itself very well because a big piece of what I do working with clients is psychology. Why are they making the decisions they do? Why are they reacting the way they’re reacting? I love to dive deep into those thought processes of why when it comes to working with clients.”
Pollard’s intellectual approach to her work started early. A native of Wooster, she graduated from the honors college at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway with a degree in business. After dabbling in other industries, she got into financial planning at 28, cognizant of the fact there were few women in the business and fewer still who were her age. She set up shop anyway with a follow-your-grit mentality that has survived to this day.
“When I was in college, I was reading Money magazine, Financial Advisor magazine, so I knew there wasn’t a lot of representation in this field,” she said. “No one told me I couldn’t, but no one said, ‘Hey, April, this is a niche for you.’ It took me a couple of careers to really determine this is where I wanted to spend the rest of my career, on the finance side of things. It has been a pretty awesome ride so far.”
It has been said that much of success is timing, and that is particularly true of Pollard, who is uniquely positioned at social crossroads previously unseen in American history. Equally adept at relating to aging boomers as her fellow millennials, she has successfully served both populations of clients.
“For so long, women of a certain generation were not involved in finances, in making the money decisions or even earning the money and knowing where it goes or why it was in a pension and not a 401(k),” she said. “This generation of women doesn’t necessarily have financial expertise or experience, and for a long time, there was a hesitancy within our industry to work with them.
“I really am grateful to be working during this period of time because I’m getting to see that change where these women are learning what it means to be financially astute, how to work with professionals, asking really hard questions, and being able to say, ‘I don’t know, but I’d like to know.’”
Conversely, the 39-year-old Pollard is also able to relate to younger investors and new families and all the ways that technology, social media and the 24-hour news cycle plays into their communication style and financial perspectives.
“
I REALLY AM GRATEFUL TO BE WORKING DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE I’M GETTING TO SEE THAT CHANGE WHERE THESE WOMEN ARE LEARNING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FINANCIALLY ASTUTE, HOW TO WORK WITH PROFESSIONALS, ASKING REALLY HARD QUESTIONS, AND BEING ABLE TO SAY, ‘I DON’T KNOW, BUT I’D LIKE TO KNOW.’
“For the older millennial, what I consider myself, there is a trend going all the way through people in their mid-40s of wanting to ‘retire’ earlier,” she said. “However, retirement doesn’t mean I’m going to retire and not work anymore. Retirement for that generation and younger generations means I am going to retire, but I’m going to do what I want to do when I want to do it and work to make just enough money to be happy while experiencing the things that I want to experience.”
Pollard, a past Face of Financial Planning and Intriguing Woman in AY About You, has not only distinguished herself within her industry but in her work to empower other women in their respective fields. As founder of Women Influencers, a women’s networking group, she serves as a mentor and friend to other women looking to claim their share of success.
“My industry, amongst advisors, across firms, is very competitive,” she said. “I found myself looking for relationships with other female financial advisors, and being in industryspecific networking groups was not filling that cup for me. It took me stepping out to start something where if there is another female advisor who wants to connect with me, she can come to this meeting and feel completely comfortable.
“I then realized that what I was looking for is what a lot of other women are looking for, those really close-knit relationships outside of business. As a result, we’ve evolved as a group to cross-pollinate personal and business relationships, supporting each other in all of those areas.”
New Estate Planning Council HELPS THE PROS
Regular folks looking for a knowledgeable planner can benefit, as well
By Steve Wilcox
Statewide is better — at least that is what the Estate Planning Council of Arkansas has learned in its reinvention, for which it moved from a regional professional association in central Arkansas to one that covers all of the Natural State.
“When we decided to come back and renew the council, we came back with the original idea to restart it as the Central Arkansas State Council,” said Katie Pipkin, vice president and local trust manager at Arvest Bank and vice president at EPCA. “We were going to restart it as CAEC.”
Like many professional organizations across virtually every field, the state’s central Arkansas estate planning council was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to the point where it totally shut down. The new Estate Planning Council of Arkansas launched in August.
When the association was concentrated in central Arkansas, there were many estate planners, attorneys and others involved in the profession who could not take full advantage of a Little Rock-based council because of their physical location. As a result, there was a sizeable group of members at large with no home affiliation.
The National Association of Estate Planners & Councils asked the Arkansas group to reorganize and incorporate all of the various at-large members into one association and to better represent areas outside the central part of the state, such as fast-growing northwest Arkansas. The geographic area of the Arkansas group is much larger than most estate planning councils; Chicago, for example, has three councils that represent just the northeast corner of Illinois.
“EPCA represents the state of Arkansas geographically,” said Merissa Carpenter, certified trust advisor, senior vice president and senior trust officer at Arvest Bank in Bentonville and director on the council board. “Previously, the closest council to me was in Tulsa, and that’s a little far for me to drive for an estate planning council meeting. There are bigger councils that are farther away, like Kansas City, but as a member at large, I didn’t
really have the opportunity to attend networking sessions or continuing education sessions.
“I would only be able to participate in an estate planning annual conference. They did offer some video webinar-type training, but I didn’t have the opportunity to network with other estate planning professionals located in my area.”
Carpenter said one size does not fit all in the world of estate planning.
“There are so many different types of estate plans,” she said. “Some people might need a life insurance component in their estate plan, so anyone who sells life insurance could potentially be a member [of EPCA]. Anyone who is a certified public accountant or an attorney who does tax planning or someone who does business succession planning may benefit from membership.”
Beyond full-time estate planners, CPAs and attorneys, other professionals who may have an interest in EPCA include financial professionals such as brokers and investment advisors, life insurance agents and those who concentrate on trusts.
“We provide an opportunity for estate planning professionals to work together. One of the things that I have always talked about is that people do business with people that they know, like and trust,” Carpenter said. “It gives us an opportunity to get to know other estate planning professionals in the area. We’re coming from the trust administration arena, so others get to know us as trust administrators. That means members can either make referrals or learn what member strengths are so they can help their estate planning clients. That’s the networking part.”
In addition to networking across disciplines, EPCA members have access to a continuing education component.
“We’re bringing in speakers. We’re planning to have six events
Katie Pipkin
over our 2024-2025 calendar,” Pipkin said. “We’ve been able to solicit some amazing national speakers. For example, an attorney is scheduled to present, and she’s a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, which is a wonderful designation in the estate planning world. We’re able to bring in some national speakers for our local groups to hear. We’re also bringing in some local attorneys to speak and give updates on our state policy.”
The ACTEC is a national organization of lawyers who are deemed to demonstrate the highest level of professionalism in wills and trusts, estate planning and tax law.
Attorneys do a few different things for their clients when it comes to estates, including drafting and planning, ongoing administration, and outlining the duties of the trustee. For trust professionals like Pipkin and Carpenter, the objective is to help clients follow the terms of the document and to take care of the assets that the trust owns.
“Once the trust has been put into place, [a single person or a couple] will be the current trustees, but when they pass away, they need someone else to fulfill the terms of the trust document,” Carpenter said, “so who is it that they’re going to name? Are they going to name a friend or family member, or are they going to name a professional who has the experience, expertise and knowledge of income tax planning and estate tax planning? That’s the role that Arvest and other EPCA members fill as a corporate trustee.”
Currently, the newly reconstituted Estate Planning Council of Arkansas has five committees and a member who acts as the group’s liaison with the national council. The group has a governing board with special designates for president, vice president, secretary/treasurer and a number of directors. Carpenter is on the board and serves as the primary point of contact for northwest Arkansas.
“For our first meeting, since we’re trying to be a statewide organization, our speaker is going to be in Little
Rock presenting, but we’ll have a full-blown meeting in northwest Arkansas. They’re going to be watching the speaker on live stream,” Pipkin said. “Then for the next meeting, our speaker’s going to be in person in northwest Arkansas, and we’ll be streaming in Little Rock so that we can get that connectedness that we’ve missed since the pandemic. It’s taken us 18 months just to get to this point.”
Now that meetings are scheduled and speakers are secured, the next order of business is to build membership.
“We’ve had a really solid group in central Arkansas, and I know we want to build our membership in northwest Arkansas,” Pipkin said. “We’re also looking to build membership in northeast Arkansas. We’ve started soliciting attorneys, CPAs and trust professionals in that market because that’s who we know, but we want to expand that list to include financial advisors and people who work on large life insurance issues that deal with estate planning. I want to expand our opportunity to have more accredited estate planning professionals. I think that designation is a really good offering for our state. People moving into Arkansas find value in that.”
For trust and estate professionals who come to a growing state and a growing region, the opportunity to become associated with a credible professional group upon arrival is a big plus. When moving to a new place, it does not hurt to parlay a social toehold thanks to the commonalities born of sharing the same professional experience. The Estate Planning Council of Arkansas can now provide that networking safety net, along with educational opportunities and access to people who can drive the overall profession to higher standards and better support for clients. For estate planners and their clients, the relaunch of EPCA represents one of those special examples where everybody really does win.
Merissa Carpenter
Financial advisors help put their clients in a position to make money work for them instead of chasing it their entire lives. Arkansas Money & Politics asked readers to nominate their favorite financial advisors, and they delivered. The professionals listed in this special section are committed to guiding their clients through the sometimes intimidating world of investments and transforming finances from a potential source of stress into a golden opportunity.
STACEY ALSTON
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
ANDY ARNOLD
SVP, Director of Retirement Plan Services
First Security
Andy Arnold is the senior vice president and director of retirement plan services at First Security, where he has been a key leader since 2012. With more than 25 years in financial services, he specializes in overseeing retirement plans and wealth management. He has numerous industry certifications, including certified financial planner and certified private wealth advisor.
TERESA ARRIGO
Financial Advisor
GenWealth Financial Advisors
BEN BAILEY
Financial Advisor
TMB Capital Partners of Raymond James
RYAN BARTHOLOMEW
Vice President and Private Wealth Advisor
Small & Associates Financial
Ryan Bartholomew is a seasoned financial advisor with an impressive 23-year track record in the industry. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his clients’ financial journeys. Throughout his career, Bartholomew has demonstrated an exceptional ability to navigate the complexities of the financial landscape by providing tailored
strategies that align with individual goals and aspirations. His extensive tenure in the field has enabled him to develop a deep understanding of market trends, investment opportunities and risk-management techniques. His dedication to fostering strong client relationships and his commitment to staying up to date with evolving financial dynamics make him a trusted partner for individuals seeking expert guidance in wealth management and financial planning.
SCOTT BENNINGTON
Wealth Advisor
Heritage Oak Wealth Advisors
JEREMY BOOE
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
BOBBY BROWN
President
Brown Comstock Private Wealth Advisors
Bobby Brown serves as president and branch manager of Brown Comstock Private Wealth Advisors and as a financial advisor with Raymond James in Hot Springs. Brown has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has Series 7, 63, 65, 9 and 10 licenses in 14 states. He has an Arkansas life and health insurance license and is a registered principal. He is a native of Hope and is a graduate of the Bachrach Academy, Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and Stephens University at Wake Forest. He is responsible for the supervision of the practice, investment and portfolio management, and business development. Past president of Fifty for the Future, he served on the executive boards of Ouachita Area Council Boy Scouts of America and Hot Springs and Pine Bluff chambers of commerce.
LORI BROWN
Financial Advisor
Raymond James
MOLLY BUENROSTRO
Financial Advisor
Garcia Wealth Management
MARSHALL BUTLER
Director of Commercial Services
Pinnacle Advisors
PHILLIP BUTTERFIELD
SVP, Private Wealth Management
Stephens
Phillip Butterfield serves as senior vice president in the private wealth management division at Stephens in Little Rock. He works with high-net-worth clients in investment management and complex retirement planning. He advocates for the importance of building relationships on trust through judgment and integrity. He said that by being fully engaged with clients, his team carefully considers their financial goals and risk tolerances, allowing them to identify strategies designed to meet their objectives.
Prior to joining Stephens, Butterfield earned a degree in finance with a minor in accounting in 2012 at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and obtained his certified financial planner license. He earned an MBA two years later. He was also a quarterback and selected as team captain with the Arkansas State Red Wolves football program.
CARRIE CARR
Financial Advisor
ARIA Wealth Management
LARRY CHANCE
SVP, Wealth Management Advisor, Merrill Lynch
TARA COBB
Financial Advisor
Small & Associates Financial
Tara Cobb, a native of Cabot, is a financial advisor with Small & Associates Financial in Little Rock with more than a decade of industry experience. After graduating from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2008 with a degree in marketing, Cobb started her financial career at Small & Associates Financial in Little Rock in 2010, initially serving as a receptionist. Her dedication and passion for the field quickly became evident. In 2011, she successfully passed her FINRA exams, earning certification as a paraplanner.
DALE E. COLCLASURE JR., CFP, RIA
President of Wealth Management
RetirePath
Dale Colclasure Jr. has been in the insurance and financial-services industry since 1998 and is able to offer both a variety of investments and insurance products and services. He oversees the wealthmanagement division of RetirePath, which he cofounded with Mark Smalling in 2017.
In addition to having his Arkansas insurance license, he has passed the Series 7, 24, 53, 63 and 65 securities exams and is registered as an investment adviser representative. He also holds the certified financial planner professional designation. Colclasure has a Bachelor of Science in business administration finance with an emphasis in insurance and real estate from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
BECKIE COMSTOCK
Principal
Brown Comstock Private Wealth Advisors
Beckie Comstock has been serving the financial needs of families, professionals and retirees for more than 25 years. She is a registered principal and branch manager. She is responsible for the supervision of the practice, along with the construction and management of investment strategies. As your financial advisor, Comstock takes a comprehensive approach to addressing clients financial needs. She strives to develop long-term relationships with her clients with the objective of understanding their goals and providing personalized strategies for every element of the wealth management equation.
BILL CRISWELL
Partner
Garland & Greenwood Wealth Advisors
KRISTIN DANIEL
Founder and Financial Advisor
Parity Financial Group
SCOTT W. DANIEL
Managing Partner, Financial Advisor
WealthPath Investment Advisors
Scott Daniel, CEPA, is a managing partner and financial advisor at WealthPath’s Little Rock office, where he brings unique experience in advising a wide range of clients with personalized strategies. After earning a degree in business and managerial economics from Lyon College in Batesville, Daniel began his career as a financial consultant at PaineWebber & Co. He then went on to establish his own firm, which he ran for 17 years before joining WealthPath in 2015.
Daniel is Series 7, 63, and 65 registered, is an accredited investment fiduciary, and has life, health and disability insurance licenses. He has been honored as one of AdvisorHub’s “Top Advisors to Watch under 1 Billion” in 2022 and 2023. Daniel is also an active member of several other organizations, serving as executive finance committee board member at the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, board president of the JDRF Arkansas Chapter, a trustee of Lyon College, and commissioner at Little Rock Parks & Recreation.
AMBER FONSECA
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
BRANTLEY L. FOSTER CRPC, APMA
Financial Advisor
Ameriprise Financial
OSMAR A. GARCIA
Co-founder and Partner
Garcia Wealth Management
SARAH CATHERINE GUTIERREZ
CEO
Aptus Financial
JIMMY HACKELTON
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
JOHN HOEFL
LPL Financial Advisor
Aspire Wealth Builders
As a financial professional and an active member of his community, John Hoefl is dedicated to helping individuals and businesses build their financial futures. To stay on top of his field as a chartered retirement planning counselor and develop his professional skills, he regularly attends industry training and certification programs and is a featured Zoom speaker in Little Rock, Hot Springs and throughout southwest Arkansas.
Hoefl’s academic achievements include a
Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University, as well as a degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. His education, experience and professional affiliations have fostered his practical approach to offering financial services and advice to his clients.
ABIGAIL HOLLAR, CFP
Financial Advisor
Conger Wealth Management
WENDY BLAIR HUTCHESON
Financial Advisor
Empire Financial Architects
SCOTT INMAN
Financial Advisor
GenWealth Financial Advisors
MARSHALL IPSEN
Founder Ipsen Advisor Group
A certified financial planner with more than two decades of experience, Marshall Ipsen started his career at American Express Financial Advisors. In 2020, he left to begin his own firm, Ipsen Advisor Group, which offers the same array of services that Ipsen has always offered to his clients but with access to a broader spectrum of financial technology and tools.
Ipsen and his team are dedicated to every detail of their clients’ portfolios and get to know each client and their families on a deeply personal level. Integrity and trust are the pillars of the firm, a point which the team takes pride in. Ipsen specializes in sustainable investing, investment strategies that consider financial returns, and social and environmental good. Ipsen Advisor Group offerings include financial planning, wealth management, tax planning and estate planning.
MATT JONES, J.D., CFP
Co-founder Legacy Capital
Matt Jones began working in the wealth management industry in 1994 after receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and his law degree from UA Little Rock. Having completed the requirements to become a certified financial planner, Jones worked locally for both Morgan Keegan and Stephens. In 1997, he joined the late Frank McGehee to form what is now Legacy Capital. Legacy is now one of the state’s largest independent registered investment advisors and has more than $1.2 billion in assets under management.
TIM KEY
Financial Advisor
GenWealth Financial Advisors
Fiduciary
Wealth Management
AMANDA LEIJA
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
DAVID LUKAS
Financial Advisor
David Lukas Financial
BRAYDEN MALLETT
Client Advisor
Arvest Wealth Management
Brayden is a client advisor for Arvest Wealth Management. He graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway with a bachelor’s degree in finance and minor in management and with a master’s degree in business administration. Mallet provides his clients a positive experience by confidently and proactively assisting them with their financial planning, retirement, insurance, and wealth management strategies needs. Prior to joining Arvest, he worked in the banking and financial services industry since 2014. In his free time, Mallet enjoys outdoor activities such as golf, fishing and kayaking on the Buffalo River.
LESTER PHILLIP MATLOCK CFP, CRPC, APMA
Private Wealth Advisor and CEO
Natural State Wealth Advisors
KEITH MCGEORGE
Financial Advisor
Retirement Advisors of Arkansas
WILLIAM MCMILLAN, WMS
Financial Advisor
TMB Capital Partners of Raymond James
NICK MERRIWEATHER, CFP
Operations Manager and Financial Advisor
Ipsen Advisor Group
Nick Merriweather has worked with Ipsen Advisor Group since graduating from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. Merriweather’s initial role was paraplanner, and he soon recognized he wanted to be a true financial planner. Working toward that goal, he obtained his securities licenses and received his insurance license to help clients plan for the unexpected by utilizing health, disability and long-term care insurance. He went on to study for and earn his certified financial planner certification from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards in 2023. That has cemented in him a client-focused mission to help people achieve their goals.
SAM G. NAGHER III
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
LESLEY NALLEY
Financial Advisor
Empire Financial Architects
JOEL NEWBURN
Financial Advisor
GenWealth Financial Advisors
GEOFF NIEBAUM
Partner and CEO
Mendel Capital Management
ANDREW NORRIS
Financial Advisor
Red Dog Investment Group
PATTY C. NUOVO, CFP
Financial Advisor
Signature Private Wealth Management
Patricia Nuovo was the first female stockbroker at her firm in Philadelphia and has excelled in the financial world in the northeast U.S., where she grew up. She has broken down barriers in the financial industry and uses her knowledge and experience to help others achieve their financial goals by taking a holistic view of their personal finances.
With almost three decades of experience in the fast-paced financial industry, Nuovo has established herself as a powerhouse and an innovative leader, advisor and fiduciary. Her seminars and books on the concepts of money, emotions and abundance are an integral part of her message about educating and empowering the individual regarding their personal finances.
WADE PARTRIDGE
Senior Wealth Advisor
Mariner Wealth Advisors
Wade Partridge joined the financial services industry in 1994. Throughout his career, he has worked to provide personalized wealth planning solutions for high-net-worth individuals, families and business owners. Prior to joining Mariner, Partridge was the founder and president of Partridge Wealth LLC and Pear Tree Wealth Management LLC. Wade is the past president of the Benton-Bauxite Rotary Club, the Benton Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors and the Saline County Boys and Girls Club board of directors. Additionally, he served as fundraising chairperson for the UALR Foundation Fund Board.
APRIL POLLARD
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
April Pollard and her team are passionate about helping their clients achieve more than portfolio returns. Building lifelong strategic partnerships with their clients as if they are their own family, the staff works diligently to understand what is most important in all areas of their
lives. Pollard works closely with her clients’ accountants, attorneys and other professionals in strict confidence to determine specific strategies that may benefit each individual situation. This teamwork between all areas of their clients’ lives helps to ensure nothing is overlooked and all things are considered.
CHARLIE PORTER
SVP, Private Wealth Management
Stephens
Charlie Porter serves as senior vice president in the private wealth-management division at Stephens in Little Rock. He joined in 2007 to partner with his father, Rob Porter. Charlie Porter and his team focus on delivering an exceptional client experience while providing comprehensive wealth management planning services to high-net-worth families, endowments and foundations. Prior to joining Stephens, he was a branch manager at another financial institution, where he worked in the lending division.
STEPHEN RABORN
SVP, Investments
Raymond James
KYMBERLIE REED
Financial Advisor
Small & Associates Financial/Ameriprise
Kymberlie Reed is a distinguished financial advisor in Arkansas, recognized as one of the best in 2023. With a certified military financial advisor certification acquired last year, she has exhibited dedication to her craft. Her 17-year tenure at Ameriprise showcases her commitment to clients’ financial well-being. Her team’s passion for financial planning is evident by the recognition in Forbes as one of the BestIn-State Wealth Management Teams for 2023. Reed’s passion for guiding clients toward their financial aspirations drives her work.
ROCKLIN SENAVININ
President and Co-founder
Fiduciary Wealth Management
Rocklin Senavinin is president and co-founder of Fiduciary Wealth Management, a fee-only registered investment advisory firm in Little Rock. As a certified financial planner, he has advanced training in the holistic process of creating a personal financial plan that addresses a person’s comprehensive needs for both the short and long term.
Senavinin has more than 20 years of experience in the investment and financial planning industry and has dedicated his career to helping individuals live comfortably in retirement.
MARNIE SHARP
Financial Advisor
Raymond James
JOHN SHREWSBURY
Co-founder and Financial Advisor
GenWealth Financial Advisors
THOMAS SHURGAR
Partner
Oak Crest Wealth Management
CHARLES SKINNER
Financial Advisor
GenWealth Financial Advisors
JOEY SMALL
Founder, Private Wealth Advisor
Small & Associates Financial
Joey Small is a private wealth advisor at Small & Associates Financial in Little Rock. He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1993, where he received his BBA in finance. He opened his firm in 1999 and has become an industry leader in the financial world, leading with a passion for empowering clients to reach their goals. With an unwavering commitment to his clients’ success, he goes beyond numbers, crafting personalized strategies that turn aspirations into realities.
HATIM SMOUNI
SVP and Wealth Management Advisor
Merrill Lynch
CANDICE STANLEY
Financial Advisor
GenWealth Financial Advisors
SCOTT TABOR
Financial Advisor
TMB Capital Partners of Raymond James
CHRIS W. VINCENT, CIMA, CFP
SV and Wealth Management Advisor
Merrill Lynch
KENNY WASSON, AAMS, CRPC
VP and Senior Client Advisor
Arvest Wealth Management
Kenny Wasson serves a select group of clients, helping them build, manage and protect their wealth. He knows that life is full of transitions, planned and unplanned, and is committed to being there for his clients by celebrating their successes and overcoming challenges and setbacks. His practice focuses on comprehensive wealth management services, including investments, liability management, non-portfolio risk management, estate planning strategies and fiduciary services.
Wasson strives to understand his clients’ circumstances and empathize with their emotions
about money to help him build strong clientadvisor relationships.
VICTOR S. WERLEY CFP, CHFC, CDFA, CVA, MAFF, CFE, CEPA
Director of Financial Planning and Managing Partner
Pinnacle Advisors
JARED R. ZEISER, CRPC
President and CEO
Zeiser Wealth Management
Over the past 25 years, Jared Zeiser has enjoyed the relationships he has built with his clients while helping them achieve the things they value most in life. He has built an investment advisory firm that seeks to serve clients with excellence using a teambased approach. Zeiser Wealth Management’s focus on comprehensive financial planning combined with tactical investment management reflects a commitment to helping clients not only grow their wealth but also protect and harvest it. Jared credits the firm’s success over the years to his valued team members.
Zeiser earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and received his chartered retirement planning certification from the College for Financial Planning in Centennial, Colorado.
LEGACY CAPITAL
Achievers theirinFORTIES
2024
Achievers theirinFORTIES
2024
Careers often hit a sweet spot a decade or two down a certain path. Workers are settled in, comfortable, feel as though they have mastered their crafts, but they have more, maybe even much more, to contribute. Arkansas Money & Politics recognizes those business leaders in Arkansas who have hit that sweet spot, who fill the gap between young bucks and a gold watch. Our list of Achievers in Their Forties shines a light on those professionals at a midpoint in their careers who have achieved a certain amount of success yet are positioned for much more.
Achievers theirinFORTIES
JESSICA HUGHES FORD, ARKANSAS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
IAchievers theirinFORTIES
t has been a long, colorful journey for Jessica Hughes Ford, chief communications officer for Arkansas Community Foundation in Little Rock. From the humble confines of her hometown Redfield to the far corners of the world to today helping nonprofits improve their communities, her story has been informed by a trove of international culture and shaped intimately by common human experiences.
“I’ve had a great advantage in my career. I got to see at some of the most primitive human levels, where people were living in huts with dirt floors, the drive and desire to slowly but surely pull their way out of poverty,” she said. “That allowed me to understand the essence of the human spirit.”
Few in Ford’s hometown could have predicted the sheltered daughter of the Delta would travel as far and wide as she has — her younger self included — although in hindsight, the seeds for what was to come were planted in Arkansas.
“I was raised in a church where outreach was important, and I also saw my parents taking care of a lot of people in our community,” she said. “They took an elderly couple to lunch every Tuesday just to get them out. My dad drove the church van. I think I just had a heart for serving people.
“When I got to the University of Wyoming and took my intro to women’s studies course, that was quite eye-opening for a girl coming from a very conservative, sheltered hometown. That class exposed me to this whole new world.”
Following graduation, Ford managed a local domestic violence shelter, a job that daily afforded her opportunities to help those who needed it. From there, she returned to Arkansas for a palate-cleansing stint with an accounting firm before joining Little Rock-based Heifer International, where her work took her to international locations that served as a living classroom on humanity and culture.
By AMP Staff
“I don’t want to get too esoteric, but being on foreign soil and actually being in the space with farmers and with rural people in other parts of the world showed me two things: one, the disparities, but two, the common humanity that we all have,” she said. “As a mom myself, I saw other women fawning over their sons and being conscious about how their children were dressed. That reminded me we all carry the same fears, concerns and joys.”
As epiphanous as her experiences at Heifer International were, constant globe-trotting and time spent from home eventually took their toll.
“Nonprofit burnout is a real thing,” she said, “and I’ve been on the verge of it a time or two in my career.”
Joining Arkansas Community Foundation in 2020 fed her need to create change by communicating the work the organization was doing to award funding to nonprofits here at home. It is the epitome of “think globally, act locally,” to which Ford has a front-row seat.
“I was very lucky to step into this foundation where the board and leadership believes that communications is a fundamental component to organizational success,” she said. “I have a seat at the leadership table, forming decisions, and not all communication roles do.
“At the same time, I balance that larger organizational view with what I know of Redfield, Arkansas, a town of 1,200 people. I understand grassroots community development because I’m from the kind of place we are often serving. I can relate a little bit, understanding both the top and bottom perspectives of development and what needs to happen to help people.”
At 42, Ford is just hitting her professional stride. Having learned how small acts can have global impact, she is a mentor for the next generation of mission-driven individuals and a role model for women who would rule the world.
“I think one of the reasons why I was able to work my way up in Heifer and at the Community Foundation is an understanding that you don’t get what you don’t ask for,” she said. “As women, a lot of times, we don’t ask for what we want or we minimize what we need. I have never been afraid to ask for what I want. Sometimes you get a yes, and sometimes you get a no, but either way, I think the willingness to speak up and ask has really helped me move forward in my career.”
Jamie Ables, LCSW
Whole Health Director
Elevance Health, Summit Community Care
Laura Adams
Marketing Director
New Hope Prosthetics & Orthotics
Vanessa Cash Adams
Co-founder and Managing Attorney
ARlaw Partners
Sara Brown Director of Marketing
First Step
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 hands-on 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.
Josh Annett
Facilities/Exhibits Director Museum of Discovery
Jimmy Anthony
VP, Strategic Customer Solutions Delta Dental of Arkansas
Amanda Bass
Director of Community Engagement
Levi Hospital
Jessica Bienert
Vice President of Sustainable Solutions
Bernhard
Michelle Boone, DNP, APRN
Nurse Practitioner
Compassion Health & Wellness Clinic
Dennis Bost
Owner
Dennis Bost State Farm
Dennis Bost, a proud sixth-generation Arkansan, was born in Springdale and raised in Arkadelphia. With over 20 years of insurance expertise, Bost has built a remarkable career in the industry. Following in his father’s footsteps as a State Farm agent, he has not only upheld the values and traditions of the profession but has also established himself as one of the top agents in the country, ranking in the top 3 percent nationwide. Bost earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Henderson State University, a foundation that has supported his successful journey in the insurance field. However, his achievements in business are matched by his commitment to family. Married for 19 years, Dennis is a devoted husband and father to a son and daughter, whom he considers his greatest accomplishments.
At the helm of Dennis Bost State Farm, Bost leads a dedicated team focused on educating consumers about their insurance options. He firmly believes that customers should fully understand the products they are purchasing, ensuring they make informed decisions that best suit their needs. Beyond his professional endeavors, Dennis is deeply involved in his community. He actively supports the Arkansas chapter of Ducks Unlimited and Women’s Own Worth, organizations close to his heart. An avid hunter, his passion for conservation is evident by his commitment to mentoring young people in the outdoors.
Sara Brown, Ph.D., CFRE, serves as the director of marketing at First Step. In her role, she oversees the operation of the marketing and development offices for all four locations across 27 counties in southern Arkansas. She has worked in education for 18 years and has managed nonprofit organizations since 2013. She is an advocate for education and for serving others, which led to her current role with First Step. First Step serves individuals with developmental delays, disabilities and special needs from birth to end of life. Over the past 65 years, First Step has served about 10,000 families across the state and employed thousands of individuals while striving to be a beacon of hope, support and guidance for people with developmental disabilities and their families. A Hot Springs native, Brown is deeply rooted within her community, volunteering with various civic, social and nonprofit organizations, including the Rotary Club of Hot Springs National Park, Leadership Hot Springs and Ouachita Children, Youth and Family Services.
Summer Campbell
Owner
Bloom Salon
David Connell
Owner
Homer’s Kitchen Table
Ashley Cook
Real Estate Agent
Gateway Properties
Ashley Cook was Texas-born and -raised and became an Arkansan by way of marriage in 2001. Her husband’s agriculture business degree, as well as a desire to work in the poultry management industry, led the Cooks to Batesville in 2003. Almost 21 years later — with two kids, two dogs and 16 commercial poultry houses — the Cooks now feel more like locals than transplants. Cook worked in several areas of banking prior to becoming a licensed agent in 2004. Since then, she was accepted into the Broker Pilots Program through the Arkansas Real Estate Commission and completed the Next Level course. She has obtained GRI, CRS, ABR, MRP and C2EX designations.
Amanda Crowley
Account Director
CenterRock Advertising
Casey Cullipher
President and CEO
RiverWind Bank
Angie Davis
Founder
Arkansas Women’s Network
Tyler Davis
Market President
Diamond Bank
Tyler Davis is a native of Ashdown. His love for his farm and hometown led him back home after graduating from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 2006. In 2014, he became market president at Diamond Bank in Ashdown. Helping his customers achieve their financial goals is one of his passions. His other passions are his family, agriculture and Little River County. Davis has a servant’s heart and is involved on many local boards, including those of the Little River County Farm Bureau, Ashdown Community Foundation and Little River Intermodal Authority. Then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed him to the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission in 2019. In 2020, he was elected justice of the peace in Little River County. He most recently served as chairman of the board of visitors for UA Cossatot Community College.
Congratulations,
takegoodcarear.com
Rachael
Ashley Cook Achievers
on being named one of AMPs top Achievers in their Forties!
Achievers
“If you are moving to the area and looking for residential or commercial property, I would love the opportunity to earn your business. If you are considering upgrading to a larger house, different neighborhood or school district, please consider giving me a call. It takes just the right ingredients to create the perfect purchase or sale - an appealing property, an enthusiastic client and an experienced agent. I look forward to meeting you soon!”
— Ashley Cook, Executive Broker
Mihir Desai
Director of Supply Chain Management
Welspun Tubular
Ross DeVol
President and CEO
Heartland Forward
Corey Dunn
Director of Development, Arkansas
Ducks Unlimited
Maegan Dyson
Chief Development Officer
Conway Regional
ACHIEVERS IN THEIR FORTIES
Emerging Leaders in the Social Sector program and is currently in the fourth class of the Civility Leadership Institute through Renew America Together, founded by retired Gen. Wesley Clark. She is a member of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXVI and the Arkansas chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
Ben Fureigh
President
Fureigh Electric
Elizabeth Smiley Glasbrenner
Maegan Dyson is the chief development officer at Conway Regional Health System, where she is responsible for leading the Conway Regional Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm. The foundation serves central Arkansas by funding the needs of the community through advocacy, strategic relationships and financial support of Conway Regional Health System. As CDO, Maegan oversees all aspects of the organization’s fundraising efforts and manages the foundation’s relationship with the health system through her role on the executive administrative team. Dyson joined Conway Regional in 2022, coming from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, where she served as associate vice president for development, leading the major gift fundraising team for two years as it worked toward its goal of $100 million dollars during the largest campaign in the university’s history.
Taryn Echols
Assistant Superintendent
Hot Springs School District
Scott Edge
Owner
SkyGate Studios
Ryan Faust
Partner and Managing Principal BUF Studio
Paige Cooley Fisher
Nevro Medical
Ryan Flynn
President
Network Services Group
Ryan Flynn was named president of Network Services Group in late 2013. Network Services Group provides information technology support and voiceover internet protocol telephone solutions for many businesses across the state. Under Flynn’s leadership, NSG has grown from 11 employees and a single location in North Little Rock to more than 65 employees and three locations in Arkansas. Flynn has also served as president of the Cabot Rotary Club, two terms on the city council of Cabot, on the Cabot Parks & Recreation Commission, and on the Lonoke County Election Commission.
Jessica Ford
Chief Communications Officer
Arkansas Community Foundation
Jessica Ford is the chief communications officer at the Arkansas Community Foundation, where she leads branding, marketing, crisis communications and public relations. Originally from Redfield, Ford has a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies from the University of Wyoming. She has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2003. Prior to joining the Community Foundation staff, Ford served as an advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. She worked for 13 years at Heifer International in Little Rock, where, among various roles, she piloted Heifer’s first Women & Global Leadership Development Program, with a one-year assignment with Heifer Peru. Ford is also an alumni of the Thunderbird School of Global Management’s
President and CEO
Smiley Technologies
Amy Gibbons
Owner
Anderson’s Discount Pharmacy
Chris Gosnell
President and CEO
Farmers Bank & Trust
Michael John Gray
Woodruff County Judge
Neil Gray
Trade Sales Lead
Pella Windows & Doors of North Little Rock
Traci Hampton
Director, Marketing and Administrative Services
Highlands Oncology
Nathan Harris
EVP and Chief Credit Officer
Citizens Bank
Nathan Harris is executive vice president and chief credit officer at Citizens Bank, based in Batesville. He has been with the bank since 2019. He previously served as vice president of commercial lending for United Bank in northwest Arkansas and Centennial Bank in Fayetteville. He received his bachelor’s degree in finance from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and is an alumnus of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.
Doug Hayes
President
Final Touch Roofing
Doug Hayes is president of Final Touch Roofing in Hot Springs. He was born in Chicago and raised in Hot Springs, where he has spent most of his life. He and his wife, Tiffany, started Final Touch Roofing in 2001. Hayes has more than 25 years experience specializing in roofing and construction. He is known for delivering quality workmanship, providing detailed estimates and building lifelong relationships.
Ben Haynes
Owner and Co-founder
Davis & Haynes Insurance
Tyrun Haynie
Emergency Preparedness Director
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Sarah Heer
Travel Content Creator
Arkie Travels
Amber Henson
Owner and Broker
Urban Living and Development
Travis Hester
President and Founder
Eat My Catfish
Achievers theirinFORTIES
By AMP Staff
Achievers theirinFORTIES
JAMES HORTON, FIRST SECURITY BANK HOMETOWN PROUD
When James Horton accepted the chief operating officer role at First Security Bank, it represented the closing of a circle in more ways than one. Not only is Horton in his hometown of Searcy with the job, but it caps a career with the bank that started at a tender age in the humblest of roles.
“I started with First Security Bank right out of high school in 1997, and I worked in banking my entire college career,” he said. “When I started with the bank, I actually started as a courier and then went into the mail room. I started literally at the bottom.
“My marketing degree had a logistics emphasis, and I thought I was going to go into logistics, but when I graduated college, I found out real quick that I could work in logistics on a dock out in the elements, working all days of the week and holidays, or I could stay with banking, which I was really enjoying, and work inside on a normal schedule. I stuck with banking and have not looked back.”
Horton made the most of his career choice. He split his collegiate years between Arkansas State University-Beebe and Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and, after graduation, worked in First Security’s booming northwest Arkansas market. There, he mastered retail banking and began his climb up the company ladder as branch manager, followed by a string of operational roles with increasing responsibility. Every promotion pushed him to work harder and learn more, another attribute that has existed since the beginning.
“I think the thing that has allowed me to get to where I am today is my willingness to do anything asked, partly because I wanted to learn and also because I needed the money,” he said. “I came from a single-parent household where I had work, and that just carried on through to when I was in college. I wasn’t somebody who got a job just so that they could learn what responsibility was. I had to work to be able to go to college.
“For that reason, I have always been eager to learn whatever anybody would teach me, starting from when I was working in the mail room. I would hang out when I was distributing mail or whatever, standing around the teller area, curious as to what they did, asking if I could train to be a teller so I could work on Saturdays.”
Horton, 45, found himself leading the institution during a period of great change in the banking industry. Once slow to adopt customer-facing technology, banks have since become leading providers of tools for conducting business at all times of the day or night, and First Security Bank is no exception. He said the challenge is striking the right balance between high tech and high touch.
“You have to have the technology to meet the younger generation where they expect you to be,” he said. “Even the days of sitting down at a PC are gone; you’ve got to meet these consumers on their phone with the technology that a big bank offers. At the same time, as a
community bank, we still maintain relationships. We still have a call center that runs right here out of Searcy, so when you call, you talk to a person in your state. We also have a pretty vast network of retail locations across Arkansas.
“Sooner or later, everybody is going to reach that point in their life when they need something more. Maybe it’s a mortgage, or maybe you need a loan for something to get by, or maybe you’re starting to invest some money. When people get to those larger monetary events in life, they get less comfortable doing that without a face. We strive to provide that face-to-face interaction, that community feel, that relationship-based banking, to meet those needs.”
Bensberg Technologies is a full service AVLCN company. Primarily, BTech designs, installs, and services audiovisual, network, security, and control systems for all kinds of commercial clients. God has given us consistent 15-20% annual growth seven of the last eight years. As CEO, I know I’m blessed beyond what I deserve. The future is super bright for our company and I’m so proud to be along for the ride. My desire is that Bensberg be a name that is recognized globally and our team is on a mission to see that happen.
(870) 814-0714
Brandon Hines
Co-owner
Hines Homes
Erin Leigh Hohnbaum
Founder and CEO; Co-founder
E.Leigh’s Contemporary Boutiques; The Nest
Erin Holliday
Executive Director
Emergent Arts
James Horton
Chief Operating Officer
First Security Bank
As chief operating officer at First Security Bank, James Horton oversees key operational areas, including electronic banking, cash management and deposit operations. With more than 20 years of experience at the bank, he has held various leadership roles and managing system implementations, audits and vendor relationships.
Ivan Hudson
Owner
Ivan Hudson Agency
Nolen Hughes
President
Jan Pro of the Ozarks
Spencer Jansen
Deputy Director
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
Jerry Kirksey
President
Bensberg Technologies
Carlos Larry Director of Finance
NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University
Carlos Larry is director of finance at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, a position he has had since 2021. Larry is a member of the NYITCOM Executive Committee and serves as senior leadership for finance, academic technology group, facilities and support for human resources. Larry has substantial experience implementing financial information technology applications, building scalable processes, managing financial controls, improving cost management and implementing continuous improvement, all of which have significantly contributed to the success of Arkansas’s first osteopathic medical school. Previously, Larry spent seven years at Ritter Communications, where he worked in finance and billing, and he worked as a financial analyst at Windstream Communications. A native of Hayti, Missouri, Larry has a Bachelor of Science in corporate finance from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and an Master of Business Administration from Georgia Southern.
Patrick Laughlin CEO iProv
Veronica Love
Founder and CEO
Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas
Jerry Kirksey is president of Bensberg Technologies in Camden. Bensberg was founded in Camden in the early 1900s. It sold phonograph players that were shipped via train and transported to the store. Bensberg went on to sell pianos and organs, then guitars and amplifiers, and, ultimately, audio systems. Under Kirksey’s leadership, Bensberg has grown into a comprehensive communication technology company, one of the oldest of its kind in the nation, that designs and installs commercial audio, video, lighting, security, access, networking and automation systems for a diverse clientele in six states.
Robert Klein
President and Executive Broker
The Property Group
Karen Lamoreaux
Foudner and CEO
Safety Before Skill Swim School
Karen Lamoreaux, married and a mother of three, founded Arkansas’ first swim school and one of the first 1,000 swim schools in the United States. This year, Safety Before Skill Swim School is celebrating its 15th anniversary with the purchase of its west Little Rock facility. Partnering with MGC Kids in Maumelle, Lamoreaux is securing a permanent location and paving the way for the launch of a cutting-edge aquatic fitness program, retail expansion, competitive swimming and elevation of other partnered small businesses, including MGC Kids, Tone Performance in Little Rock and Prosper Studios in Little Rock. Safety Before Skill earned the Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year award from the Little Rock Regional Chamber and the Small Business Administration in 2021. Safety Before Skill has also been voted Best Choice every year since 2019 by the readers of the Kids Directory Central Arkansas. Safety Before Skill partners with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Arkansas Children’s and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. Safety Before Skill also hosts the annual Safety Before Skill Classic Golf Tournament to benefit the Noah’s Ark Memorial Scholarship.
Veronica Love is founder and CEO of Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas in Little Rock and president of Southern Carrier Services, a nonemergency medical transportation company in Little Rock. Love previously found incredible success in the automotive world, moving from sales and finance management to directing and managing a multi-million 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.
Arlton Lowry
Founder and Partner
Few
Bryan Maertens
General Manager
Congo Fireplace and Patio
Nirvana Manning, M.D.
Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Emily Milholen McCord
Counsel
Mitchell Williams Law Firm
Mary McGetrick
Director of Land Acquisition and Entitlement
Buffington Homes of Arkansas
Rachael McGrew
Business Development Director
Landmark CPAs
Rachael McGrew is business development director at Landmark CPAs in Fort Smith, which was formed after the 2018 merger of two historic Arkansas firms, Thomas & Thomas in Little Rock and Beall Barclay & Co in Fort Smith. McGrew joined Beall Barclay in 2017 and played an integral part in the rebranding of the firm following the merger. The firm recently announced another large merger that will be effective in January 2025. McGrew graduated magna cum laude from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway in 2004 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing and a minor in interdisciplinary studies from UCA’s honors college. She obtained a graphic design certification from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith in 2008. McGrew’s current role has also allowed her to become deeply involved in the local business community. She is
Achievers theirinFORTIES
A MOVER AND A SHAKER
Achievers theirinFORTIES
SEAN O’KEANE, GARRETT EXCAVATING
By AMP Staff
The phrase, “There’s gold in them thar’ hills,” is an apt description of Sean O’Keane’s tenure as partner and chief financial officer at Garrett Excavating. In the four years since he came aboard, the third-generation firm has seen explosive growth and is poised for an even brighter future.
“When I started with Garrett Excavating, we were a mid-sized firm,” he said. “We just had one location in central Arkansas, and we had about 120 employees. Since we acquired a northwest Arkansas presence, we’ve had 300 percent revenue growth in four years, and we’ve grown to over 300 employees.”
O’Keane is frequently asked how the firm has been able to achieve such growth without increasing its market footprint, the vast majority of projects coming from within the state’s borders. It is a deceptively simple strategy worked to perfection.
“We were previously focused on sitework/excavation and now we have diversified to offer total site solutions,” he said. “We are a large-scale civil construction company, and we needed to maximize that market, so we redefined our business model. Essentially, we now do everything outside the building other than landscaping.
“Once we redefined that very strong, very strategic focus, along with acquiring northwest Arkansas, we gained some vertical integration that’s allowed us to achieve that growth.”
The results speak for themselves. Prior to the strategy shift, Garrett Excavating generated about $25 million in annual
revenue. Last year, revenue from the two locations was in excess of $100 million, the result of a relentless pursuit of excellence and a bone-deep commitment to employee job satisfaction.
“People ask all the time, ‘How much of your growth was just due to that acquisition?’ It was actually very little of it,” O’Keane said. “We’ve grown dynamically according to what we call the three E’s. You’ve got to have expertise, you’ve got to have execution, and you’ve got to have engagement. We’ve focused particularly on the engagement element of it, developing talent from within, teaching employees how to lead and growing a dynamic culture.
“Our focus, from a culture perspective, is we are going to love and care about people, and we’re going to put people first in our organization. Our belief is that if we have committed employees and we have dynamic leaders, the rest will take care of itself. Obviously, you have to have expertise and you have to execute, but what companies often miss is developing their people. In our case, that’s what’s enabled us to keep up with the rapid growth over the last four years.”
A native of Hot Springs, O’Keane earned his undergraduate degree from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. During his time working for heavy equipment dealer Riggs Cat, a tenure that began in 2001, he also earned an executive Master of Business Administration from Stanford University in California through a program offered by Caterpillar.
In addition to his classroom credentials, his 18-year career with Riggs Cat also invested in him the tools to lead, plan and execute operationally. Working his way into the position of president, he got the chance to show the cumulative effect of this training combined with a natural competitiveness and drive to be the best.
“When I took over as president, Riggs Cat was underperforming,” he said. “By 2012, we were the No. 1 Caterpillar dealer in North America.”
Having worked a similar turnaround with Garrett Excavating, and with a firm grasp of the company’s identity and mission, the future looks very bright indeed.
“Our company slogan is ‘best on earth,’” he said. “Internally, when we talk about best on earth, we talk about wanting to be the best on earth workplace. We want to have the best on earth culture.
“We incorporate that mentality into everything we do. In doing that, we create dynamic leaders to carry out our very defined, strong strategy that will allow us to continue to maintain pace and continue to grow.”
Achievers theirinFORTIES
Achievers theirinFORTIES
VANESSA CASH ADAMS
Co-founder and Managing Attorney 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 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 hands-on experience.
“Throughout my career, I’ve had to learn to take nothing personally and to let trivial things go so I can focus on what’s important: figuring out the ultimate goal for my clients and determining how to achieve and attain those goals,” Adams said.
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. Splitting her time between the firm’s two offices, the bulk of Adams’ work is spent helping her clients through some of the most difficult times of their lives. Sudden unemployment, medical procedures and divorce are just a few of the myriad unexpected circumstances that can upend a family both emotionally and financially, so Adams’ role is just as much about education as it is about empathy. 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.
MAKING A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE
USABLE LIFE IS PROUD TO CONGRATULATE SARA POLLOCK, DIRECTOR, SERVICE PROJECT AND PROCESS SUPPORT, FOR BEING RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE 2024 AMP ACHIEVERS IN THEIR FORTIES.
Sara has been an integral part of USAble Life since joining in 2005. Over the years, she has demonstrated exceptional growth, transitioning from various individual contributor roles to becoming a recognized subject matter expert and leader. This is a well-deserved recognition.
Achievers
theirinFORTIES 2024
ACHIEVERS IN THEIR
a member of the Leadership Fort Smith Class of 2019 and a member of Associated Builders and Contractors Arkansas’ Western Council and serves on the board of directors for the Association of Accounting Marketing.
LaJoy Montgomery
Regional Early Childhood Specialist Manager ICF International
LaJoy Montgomery, Ed.D., is a regional early childhood specialist manager at ICF International, a contractor through the office of Head Start in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining ICF in 2022, Montgomery served as early child development program coordinator at Shorter College in North Little Rock. She also previously served as the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership program director and early learning inclusion specialist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Montgomery completed her undergraduate studies at National University in California before going on to obtain a master’s degree in education from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and a doctoral degree in education from Grand Canyon University in Arizona. She is drawn to volunteer work that aligns with her passion for creating a better world for children and families. Montgomery is a member of the Junior League of Little Rock, in addition to being involved with the National Association of University Women, Sister Friends United, and the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund.
Ashley Mosley
Co-owner
Chenal Pet Palace
Leigh Ann Simpson Newton
Management/Estimating
TCPrint Solutions
Justin Nicklas
General Manager
Gross Funeral Homes
Curtis Norris
Purchasing Manager
Hytrol
Andrew Norwood
Attorney
Denton, Zachary, Norwood
Sean O’Keane
President and Partner
Grant Garrett Excavating
Sean O’Keane is president and partner at Garrett Excavating, a third-generation heavy civil contractor that was founded in 1950 and has locations in Benton and Rogers. O’Keane has been with the company since 2020. His adaptable leadership and mentoring style have led the company to success as a top performer, and in 2023, Garrett Excavating was voted Best Excavation Company in Arkansas Money & Politics’ “Best of” contest for the third year in a row. For 20 years prior to joining Garrett Excavating, O’Keane was president of Riggs Cat, the Caterpillar dealer that has served Arkansas since 1927 and manages eight locations statewide. He earned a business administration degree from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia in 2000 and graduated from the Caterpillar Executive Master of Business Administration Program through Stanford University in California in 2013. O’Keane is currently a board member of the Share it Forward Foundation, WallBuilders, Be the One Ministries in Rogers, the House Ministries in Rogers and Legacy Ranch at Dry Creek in Gravette’s outward leadership program, and he is affiliated with foster care organizations throughout the state. Not only does O’Keane excel in the office, he is an avid outdoorsman. In his spare time, he fishes, golfs and hunts.
Lindy O’Neal, DVM
Owner
Animal Medical Center
Lindy O’Neal, DVM is a veterinarian and owner of Animal Medical Center, which has two locations in Rogers. She completed her undergraduate studies in animal science at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville before going on to obtain her doctorate at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2010. She has a special interest in advanced soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, emergency medicine, ultrasonography and veterinary business, as well as being passionate about preventative medicine and client education. O’Neal is president of the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association. She is also involved in the American Veterinary Medical Association House of Delegates. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and tending to her honeybees.
Clayton Owen
Owner
Owen Orthodontics
Derek Owens
Owner
Natural State Promotions
Melissa Perez
Paralegal and Marketing Coordinator
Gill Ragon Owen
John M. Pesek
Senior Staff Attorney
City of Rogers
Sara Pollock
Director of Service Project and Process Support
USAble Life
Sara Pollock has been an integral part of USAble Life since joining in 2005, bringing nearly two decades of experience to her current role as director of service project and process support. Throughout her tenure with USAble Life, she has demonstrated exceptional growth, transitioning from various individual contributor roles to becoming a recognized subject matter expert and influential leader. Her journey into a managerial role was marked by her ability to navigate challenges and adapt effectively. Pollock successfully built a team that is instrumental to supporting the organization in delivering innovative growth and operational excellence aimed at enhancing the customer experience. Pollock continually showcases her thoughtful and practical approach to critical enterprise initiatives that help USAble Life make good on their promise to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Pollock’s dedication to promoting a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement has bolstered internal processes and advocated for ongoing personal and professional growth.
Tobias Pugsley
VP, Marketing and Communications
Baxter Health
Dan Roda
Chief Credit Officer
Safe Harbor Financial
Trent Rogers
VP, Preconstruction
C.R. Crawford Construction
Trent Rogers, AIA, is the vice president of preconstruction for C.R. Crawford Construction in fayetteville, one of the state’s largest general contracting and construction management companies. Rogers has extensive experience, as well as a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Louisiana Tech University. His
Achievers theirinFORTIES 2024 Congratulations VERONICA LOVE on being named one of AMPs Achievers in their Forties for 2024!
Achievers theirinFORTIES
ADAM WELLS, LUMBER1 HOME CENTER FROM COURTROOM TO BOARDROOM
Adam Wells started his career about as far away from the lumber business as one could get as an attorney specializing in medical malpractice. Ever since making the switch to the president’s desk of Lumber1 Home Center in 2017, however, he has led the company to great heights, including the construction of a Little Rock location, the Arkansas chain’s biggest retail store yet.
“It was good timing for me. I was ready for a different challenge,” he said. “I had to fast-track as much as I could as far as learning, but I’ve never regretted it.”
A slightly deeper dive into the 44-yearold Wells’ background shows he was not completely thrown to the wolves with the new opportunity. Growing up, his family made their living in the construction field, and once he made the decision to join Lumber1, he had the best built-in mentor imaginable.
“My father-in-law, John Morton, started the company, and he’s been in this field for over 50 years now, starting when he was 15 years old,” Wells said. “Even while I was wrapping up my legal practice for six months, we were talking in the evenings and on weekends where he was getting me up to speed on what to expect and the nature of the business, so I had a nice long runway even before I officially started, and that has certainly continued through his mentorship. He’s done every job throughout the entire company, and he’s a wealth of knowledge.”
Wells said Morton’s tutelage notwithstanding, the best teacher was in the doing, especially when it came to the design
Achievers theirinFORTIES
By AMP Staff
and construction of the Little Rock retail location. The resulting 107,000-squarefoot showpiece, which opened this spring, is a stunner. More than twice as large as the company’s original Stuttgart and Mayflower locations combined, it offers other unique features, including a design center and a drive-thru lumber yard.
“This project was collaborative; it wasn’t just me but really the fulfillment of John’s vision,” Wells said. “Even after Mayflower opened in 2008, he had his eye on having a physical location in Little Rock. We drew a lot of business in the Mayflower store from Faulkner County, of course, but we did more business from Pulaski, Saline County and even Garland County. The move to Little Rock was a natural choice.”
While the new retail store grabbed the majority of headlines, another Lumber1 venture in Little Rock also opened to much less fanfare. That facility, a 12-acre wholesale and distribution yard in southwest Little Rock, supports the company’s operations behind the scenes.
“The distribution yard gives us the flexibility to do strategic buying and distribute to ourselves,” Wells said. “It will help us be more efficient in getting product out to our customers quickly.”
As successful as the new Little Rock location has been, company leadership is now looking at other expansion possibilities. Wells said while there is considerable opportunity both inside Arkansas and across the border, Lumber1’s strategy is to grow at a pace that preserves the company’ core competitive advantage of providing
best-in-class customer service through its 250 employees.
“We like to think of ourselves as being able to compete in both worlds in the lumber market,” he said. “Lowe’s and Home Depot are obviously big competitors, but we can go head to head with them every day on pricing, and we’re proud to do so. With the addition of the Little Rock location especially, we’re right on par, if not better than them, as far as the physical space and the selection we can offer to retail customers. For pro contractors, who typically buy from locally owned lumber companies like ourselves, we pride ourselves on offering the best prices to those people, as well.
“Where I think we go above and beyond is on the service side. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to hire employees with particular expertise, whether they’ve worked as an electrician or in plumbing or whatever, people who can provide service to customers who need guidance. Those employees are hard to find, and we are picky on who we hire because every employee is the face of Lumber1 to that customer.”
client-focused approach, attention to quality and excellent team leadership skills have been pivotal to the company’s success. Always seeking to create positive experiences and increased value for clients, he uses his design background and project management skills to benefit each and every client. Rogers ensures his team has the resources and training necessary to be successful, which creates a ripple effect of satisfaction for project owners. Rogers is a 2014 graduate of Leadership Benton County, and his community involvement includes being a former president of Open Avenues in Rogers and attending First Baptist Rogers with his family.
Paul Rowton
Vice President
Edwards Food Giant
Brandon Ruhl
Managing Partner
Taggart Architects
Brandon Ruhl, AIA, is a managing partner at Taggart Architects in North Little Rock, where he has made a significant impact since 2010. As a project architect, Ruhl expertly oversees projects from schematic design through construction and post-build phases. His extensive portfolio encompasses a variety of building types, scales and construction methods, highlighting his adaptability and expertise. Ruhl earned his professional degree in architecture from the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, and holds LEED accreditation in building design and construction. Actively involved in civic and professional organizations, Ruhl serves on the political action committee and is a former board member for the Arkansas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and previously served a five-year term on the city of Conway’s planning commission, including two years as chairman. In his spare time, he designs custom single-family homes and is also a licensed general contractor, further showcasing his commitment to both personal and professional architectural pursuits.
Chad Russell
SVP and Commercial Banker
Arvest Bank
Chad Russell is a seasoned banking professional with 16 years of industry experience, 14 of which have been with Arvest Bank and its predecessors. He holds a degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Currently, Russell serves as senior vice president and commercial banker for Arvest Bank in Conway, where he works closely with commercial clients to provide tailored financial and capital solutions.
Beyond his role at Arvest, Russell is committed to community service. He is an active board member for several organizations, including the United Way of Central Arkansas, Boys & Girls Club of Faulkner County, and Conway KLife. His dedication to both his clients and his community reflects his passion for making a positive impact in the region. Through his professional expertise and civic involvement, Russell continues to be a trusted and respected figure in Conway and central Arkansas.
Joe Sanford, M.D.
Director of Institute for Digital Health & Innovation
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Keneasha Scott
Director of Regulatory Compliance and Founder
K Scott Consults
Jena Selva
License Partner
Engel & Völkers Little Rock
Jasen Shamlin
Owner Overnight Digs and Omni Tech Solutions
Cason Short Owner
Bill Byers Hunter’s Club
Michael Sills
President Facility Management
Sharper Image
Jani Gillman Small Clinic and Finance Administrator
Pinnacle Dermatology
Les Smith
SVP and Chief of Staff
Arkansas College of Health Education
Les Smith is the senior vice president and chief of staff at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education in Fort Smith, a role he has had since March. He joined ACHE in 2019 as chief business strategy officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience from Arvest Bank, where he advanced from teller to executive vice president and loan manager. Promoted to vice president and chief operating officer at ACHE in 2021, Smith played a pivotal role in driving operational excellence and strategic growth at ACHE. His leadership and vision led to his advancement to senior vice president and chief of staff, for which he now oversees a broad range of responsibilities, projects and strategic initiatives. In addition to his role at ACHE, Smith is a dedicated member of the board of directors at Mercy Clinic-Fort Smith Communities.
Smith has a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and a graduate banking and finance degree from Louisiana State University. Outside of his professional achievements, Smith is a devoted family man. He and his wife, Monica, have been married for more than 20 years and are proud parents to two children, Cameron and Cooper.
Ryan Solomon SVP, Hospital Operations
Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Ryan Solomon, J.D., MPS, serves as senior vice president of hospital operations at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. Ryan has a broad knowledge and expertise in health care operations, law and quality and safety. He most recently served as interim senior vice president and chief administrator at Arkansas Children’s Northwest in Springdale and vice president and general counsel for Arkansas Children’s prior to that. He has spearheaded several system initiatives that have led to growth and improved patient experience and access, including developing the CANDOR (Communication and Optimal Resolution) program and the BERT (Behavioral Emergency Response Team) team, launching Harvey Pediatrics Operated By Arkansas Children’s, and serving as a chief advisor in the establishment of the Arkansas Children’s Clinically Integrated Network and the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Nursery Alliance. Ryan has a Bachelor of Arts in political science and Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, a Master’s Degree in Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock and has received the National Diversity Council’s DiversityFIRST certified diversity executive designation.
Jeremy Sparks
Executive Director of Organizational Change
Management and Associate Communications Arvest Bank
Jeremy Sparks is a visionary leader and published author with more than 20 years of experience in human resources, change management and communications. As the executive director of organizational change management and associate communications at Arvest Bank, he leads a forward-thinking team that enhances associate engagement and drives successful company-wide change initiatives. His leadership is marked by a deep commitment to fostering collaboration and sustaining long-term impact.
Spark’s leadership roles are a testament to his experience and expertise.
ACHIEVERS IN THEIR FORTIES
He is a colonel in the Air National Guard, where he commands the 153rd Mission Support Group and plays a vital role on the National Guard Bureau’s innovation team. His distinguished career also includes serving as the chief innovation officer at Central Arkansas Water in Little Rock and leading change management at Tyson Foods. Spark has a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Arkansas-Monticello, an MBA in strategic leadership from Trident University and recently completed the leadership in homeland security program at Harvard University in Massachusetts. He is a certified change management professional and Lean Six Sigma master black belt.
Passionate about family and duck hunting, Sparks hails from Fountain Hill and now resides in Fayetteville with his wife, Jamie, and their twin sons.
April Thomas
VP, Mortgage Lending
Gateway Bank
Tiffany Tucker
Estate Attorney
Farrar & Williams
Brendan Turner
General Manager
JTJ Restaurants
Brendan Turner’s career path was forged not in lecture halls, but behind the bar at Top of the Stairs in Blacksburg, Virginia. Rising from kitchen hand to management, Turner honed his skills in every aspect of the hospitality industry.Now, as general manager of North Little Rock’s Cypress Social, Turner’s passion for creating joy through food and drink shines. His journey includes stints at Brave New Restaurant, Glazer’s Distributors and a notable seven-year tenure at Taziki’s, with 7.5 years in management roles. Described by friends as funloving, outgoing, and kind, Turner is known for his warm personality and professional demeanor. A sports enthusiast, he considers the first full day of college football the year’s pinnacle. Turner’s philosophy embodies hospitality’s spirit: “We’re not just serving meals; we’re crafting moments. Every dish, every drink is an opportunity to transform someone’s day. That’s our magic – creating happiness, one unforgettable experience at a time.”
Matthew Vannatta
VP, Government Programs & Enterprise Analytics
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Matthew Vannatta is the vice president of government programs and enterprise analytics and chief operating officer at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Little Rock. In that role, he is responsible for marketing, sales and operations related to health insurance products for individuals and seniors older than 65. Vannatta joined Arkansas Blue Cross in 2010 as an analyst for individual products. He moved into a coordinator position with special projects, then became manager of continuous quality improvement. Prior to his current role, he served as lead executive of individual products. Prior to Arkansas Blue Cross, he held positions at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, both in Little Rock. Vannatta earned his undergraduate degree in history and a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. There, he is a graduate of the Walton College Leadership Circle for Healthcare. He and his wife, Carolyn, live in Little Rock and are the proud parents of three boys. In his spare time, he can be found coaching or cheering at his sons’ various sporting events.
Josh Vasquez
Market President Generations Bank
Josh Vasquez serves as market president at Generations Bank in Rogers. For that, he oversees branch operations, growth goals and community involvement for the Rogers market. Vasquez has more than two decades of experience in the northwest Arkansas banking industry. He is currently attending the
Graduate School of Banking at Colorado. Vasquez serves as an executive board member and treasurer of the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce and has been appointed to serve as the 2026 chairman of the board. He also serves on the board of directors at L.I.F.E. Prep of NWA, the advisory board of directors at Salvadoreños Unidos Para Arkansas and the corporate council at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith. He is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Springdale and a 2018 graduate of Leadership Benton County. He was recognized with the 2023 Emerging Leader of the Year award by the RogersLowell Chamber.
Darryl Webb Jr.
VP of Operations
Kimco Family Restaurants
Jennifer Webb
VP and Community Development Officer
UP Federal Credit Union
Adam Wells
President
Lumber1 Home Center
Amber White
Owner
White Stone Real Estate
Morgan Wiles
CEO
WinChoice USA
Morgan Wiles is the owner and CEO at WinChoice USA and Morfe Windows. WinChoice USA was co-founded in Mountain Pine in 2012 by Wiles and Shaun Keefe. With a shared passion for entrepreneurship and community building, the pair has successfully grown the businesses to employ over 250 people. Their success extends beyond business, as they now own 75 percent of their hometown of Mountain Pine, where they have established their corporate headquarters. Wiles’ commitment to creating a better community is evident in his focus on providing opportunities for others and fostering an exceptional work environment for his team. Under his leadership, WinChoice USA and Morfe Windows have become industry leaders, driven by a mission to improve the lives of both their customers and employees.
Justin Wittenberg
President and Manager
Ruebel Funeral Home
Danny Young
SVP and Commercial Banker
Arvest Bank
Danny Young serves as senior vice president and commercial banker for Saline County, providing financial solutions and lending expertise to clients locally and regionally. With more than 23 years of banking experience, Young specializes in helping businesses grow through tailored financial strategies. He finds the most rewarding part of his role is adding value to his clients’ businesses and seeing their success. Community involvement is equally important to him, and he actively seeks ways to give back.
Since joining Arvest in 2015, Young has become a familiar face in the central Arkansas banking community. He is married to his wife, Misty, and they share a unique connection — they were born on the same day. Together, they have three daughters, Chloe, Gracie and Dani Jo, making him a proud “girl dad.”
Outside of work, Young enjoys attending games at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, where his two eldest daughters cheer on the Reddies, and he never misses his youngest daughter’s games, where she cheers for Bryant Junior High’s Hornets. Young also serves on the boards of the Benton Area Chamber of Commerce, the EMpact One Foundation, Bryant Rotary Club and the Bryant Economic Impact Committee.
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Hot(el) Springs
New builds, restorations enliven Spa City hotel landscape
By Sarah DeClerk
During the late 20th century, downtown areas across Arkansas and the U.S. experienced a period of decline that has only been rectified in recent years, but perhaps no city’s downtown decay was as dramatic as that of Hot Springs.
After the area was added to the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas’ list of most endangered places in 2014, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Rex Nelson penned a column titled “The Shame of Hot Springs” lamenting the city’s condition. Hotels have come to symbolize the waxing and waning of the downtown. The Majestic Hotel fire in 2014 was a sobering moment for many history buffs and one that seemed to exemplify the city’s decline. Conversely, news of hotel renovations has generated increased optimism, which Nelson noted in a more recent column, “Hot Springs Rebound.”
The Arlington and Park hotels are getting a facelift, and last year, Parth Patel shared with Arkansas Money & Politics his plans to transform the Medical Arts Building into a 100-room hotel. Such projects have the potential to rekindle the prosperity the historic tourist town saw during its glory days.
THE ARLINGTON
Of all the hotels in Hot Springs, few are as famous as the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, a massive presence overlooking Central Avenue. As was the case for many, it was the history of the building that drew owner Al Rajabi to the hotel.
“I fell in love with the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa when I first saw her, and I fell more in love with her when I read some of her history,” he said. “I just knew there was an opportunity to restore her and tell her story. She is iconic and one of a kind.”
He said the building required a complete remodel inside and out.
“This is very extensive work as we have to make sure the historical elements of the property are kept,” he added.
Workers removed all the painted plaster outside, taking the exterior down to the brick, then restored the brick and added seven new layers of plaster with color blended into the last two layers, he said.
With ongoing supply chain problems plaguing the construction sector, getting
The iconic Arlington Hotel is being completely remodeled inside and out. (Photo courtesy of the Arlington Hotel)
materials to the job site is a challenge, he said, and finding the right materials for the restoration can be a challenge in itself.
Rajabi said he has not received any historic tax credits, despite applying for them, and that he is not eligible for opportunity zone benefits, having purchased the building before the area was designated as such.
“I think developers in every part of the world are risk takers, and time will tell if a project makes sense,” he said. “You can run a financial model, and it could make sense on paper, but at the end of the day, there are a lot of outside factors that can determine the success of a project.”
He said Hot Springs is in a “good spot” when it comes to hotel rooms and should work to make sure there are enough restaurants downtown to satisfy visiting foodies. Cautious about overbuilding, he suggested developers finish ongoing projects and evaluate capacity before adding additional rooms.
For now, though, the Arlington sells out during busy times, and Rajabi said the new hotel rooms being added by the current projects will attract even more tourists, providing a boost to local restaurants and retail.
“It’s a domino effect, which will affect everyone when the town continues to rise up,” he said. “Remember, Hot Springs was the place to be at one time, and I think with the right people in power and the right investors, we can bring her back.”
Rajabi remembers the days when a lot of downtown shops were vacant, and although the Arlington’s renovation has helped drive some development on the strip, he said most of the buildings along Central Avenue are still empty from the second floor up.
He said he would like to see more work from the city, county and state to attract investors to the city.
“There are so many more opportunities in Hot Springs, so many beautiful buildings that need attention,” he said. “I hope to see all the buildings come to life in the future. We need to attract more investors to the area.”
Further complicating matters are the high interest rates endemic to the current investment climate.
“It’s going to be much more difficult if the rates don’t come down soon,” he said. “With the inflation that this country has seen, it is going to make it much more expensive to restore and develop, which makes it even more important for municipalities and government to play a much larger role in assisting, in providing the right financial tools.”
THE PARK HOTEL
Situated at 211 Fountain St., the Park Hotel is a picturesque 1929 structure with Spanish revival influences now being brought up to snuff by developer Josef France, who also owns Hot Springs Lodge and Resort and recently purchased the National across from Oaklawn with an eye for providing short-term rentals for out-of-towners.
“The beautiful thing about doing this old hotel is people in Hot Springs have passed over this and passed over this and just kind of been scared to take it on,” he said. “Luckily, in my career, I’ve done a lot of this type of stuff, so it’s not as scary for me as it is for other people.”
The building will receive new mechanical, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems, he said. In addition, the windows will be replaced and bathrooms will be remodeled. Other new features include a rooftop bar, a lobby bar and a unique, second-floor pool area built into the mountain. There will also be two additional heated pools and a gated parking lot, he said.
Balancing modernization and historic preservation is key to the renovation of the Park Hotel.
(Photos courtesy of the Park Hotel)
facade. Basically, what we’re doing is going in and taking it back down all the way to the operating system.”
The hotel is set to reopen in fall 2025. Many of the historic details that make the Park Hotel so beloved will be preserved, he said, including the mosaic tile, wood trim, marble staircase and distinctive brass entry doors.
Although the hotel is in an opportunity zone, France said the historic tax credits have been more impactful, completely covering the cost of the new windows.
“The state’s done a good job of keeping the historic tax credits,” he said. “They’re very well needed for these sized projects. They’re crucial to make it work.”
“The bones of that old hotel are great,” he said. “It’s a concrete-andsteel structure with a brickand-limestone Al Rajabi Josef France
Blair Allen
He said he expects the renovations of the Park Hotel, Arlington and Medical Arts Building to add 300 or 400 hotel rooms to the “nucleus” of downtown.
“You look back 15 years, 20 years ago, the downtown was struggling,” he said. “I think Hot Springs has done a great job of revitalizing and pushing for downtown.”
The addition of casino gaming at Oaklawn was a major catalyst for development, he said. He added that he does not expect Oaklawn’s hotel to edge out his and other hotels. Not everyone wants to stay at the casino. Some prefer the downtown area, and with a lower price point coupled with unique amenities, he said he expects to garner his share of patrons.
Nor does he expect short-term rentals to be the downfall of the local hotel industry, since the rentals attract a different set of travelers.
He added that he believes the hotel industry in Hot Springs will continue to thrive.
“If we can get a few more things going in Hot Springs, maybe some music and some things for families to do, I think we continue to grow on a path somewhat like a mini-Branson,” is the goal, he said. “It’s our goal for Hot Springs to become more of a family-oriented tourist town.”
HAMPTON INN & SUITES
While some projects seek to restore aging structures to their former glory, others bring new life to foundations inhabited by ghosts. Built in 1907, the Goddard Hotel once anchored the southern end of the Hot Springs strip, Preserve Arkansas states.
A three-story, red-brick structure accented by a neoclassical pediment, the grandiose hotel, like so many in Hot Springs, fell into disrepair and sat vacant during the late 20th century. The structure was demolished in 2007, the building’s 100th anniversary year.
The vacant lot where it sat was a curiosity to passersby because of the historic penny tile that remained. However, the derelict square at 830 Central Ave. will soon be resurrected as the site of a new Hampton Inn & Suites set to open in July 2025.
Blair Allen, partner at Beechwood Pin-
“It’s our goal for Hot Springs to become more of a family-oriented tourist town.”
— Josef France, developer
nacle Hotels, which will operate the hotel and currently operates the Courtyard by Marriott in Hot Springs, said although Beechwood Pinnacle considered rehabilitating a historic building, it ultimately chose to build from the ground up to mitigate any “unknowns.”
Despite being a new build, the hotel’s style will mimic its historic neighbors, he said. In addition to Hampton standards such as a mix of rooms and suites, complimentary breakfast, a swimming pool, and a fitness center, the hotel will include a ground-level bar.
“The spot that we are developing is going to be kind of the gateway to downtown,” he said. “It’s one of the first things you come upon. There’s lots of good businesses right there in that gateway, if you will. Deluca’s [Pizza] is across the street, and as you head toward the Arlington, you’re passing lots of great restaurants and the bathhouses and everything. We are kind of at the beginning of the downtown corridor.”
Whereas Hot Springs was once a twoseason town dominated by racing season and lake season, gaming and a slate of city events now bring people to the city yearround, which has spurred a rash of restaurant and other development, he added.
The new Hampton Inn & Suites is set to open in July 2025. (Rendering courtesy of Beechwood Pinnacle Hotels)
When choosing where to develop, hoteliers look for places with a mix of people traveling for business and leisure, as well as places that make sense geographically, he said. Encouraged by the performance of the Marriott and the trajectory of the city, he said, Beechwood Pinnacle chose to take on an additional project in Hot Springs.
“Hot Springs has really changed as far as a tourism destination over the last few years, mainly due to the investment at Oaklawn,” he said. “Oaklawn’s expansion, casino and investment has really increased the number of folks interested in coming to Hot Springs, and it’s also changed the diversity of all the different people who like to come to Hot Springs.”
“The synergies of downtown were exciting to us,” Allen said. “There’s been a reinvestment in downtown as far as the other hotels and new hotels. Old ones have had money spent on them, and new ones have been built. There’s just been a whole renewed energy downtown of people dining and enjoying the downtown area in Hot Springs, so we wanted to have a presence there.”
He added that even with the renovations at the Park and Arlington, the conversion of the Medical Arts Building, and the addition of the hotel at Oaklawn, along with a new crop of short-term rentals, he does not expect the hospitality market to become oversaturated.
“It’s very rare in tourism that you have a hotel doing absolutely great and the one next door doing poorly. That’s a rare occurrence,” he said. “Normally, we all rise together. We all enjoy successes and failures together, so I do think the rising tide will lift all ships.”
STRONGTOWER WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Servicewith a Savior
By Lance Brownfield
In an age of countless decisions and financial strategies, one Arkansas firm is cutting through the noise to offer biblically based financial services to its Christian clientele.
StrongTower Wealth Management in Hot Springs offers investment and planning services with a focus on conservative Christian values. It is a natural fit. Jesus Christ spoke often about money during his ministry, touching on the topic in 11 of his more than 30 parables.
How then does such a firm differ from the competition?
“The reason I think it’s important is this is the same exact question I had to ask myself back in 2000,” said Todd Sadowski, founder, CEO and advisor at StrongTower. “I do think that there needs to be a meaningful difference.”
One major way is using biblically screened investments, but he said the difference should be more than that — it “should be evident in the entire financial planning process.”
what’s a balance between today’s budget and the future budget? When you have a biblical worldview, it should kind of shape a little bit differently how you do things as a professional.”
Serving a fairly charitable-minded client base, Sadowski said it is important to find strategies and techniques to help save on taxes, as well as provide people the means to give in a significant way to clients’ churches and preferred charities.
“It’s a worldview perspective that’s different,” Sadowski said. “It also may be just having a perspective difference in how to plan for the future as far as what does a healthy retirement look like or
Sadowski got his insurance license at age 18 and earned his securities license after graduating from college. He decided on a faith-based approach in 2000, when he started StrongTower. The firm worked with a broker-dealer until 2018, when it formed its own registered investment advisory firm.
Affiliated with Kingdom Advisors, a national association of certified public accountants, lawyers and financial professionals, the group is known for creating the Certified Kingdom Advisor designation. During almost 25 years of service, Sadowski said he is surprised there has not been more competition for biblical investing in Arkansas, a
erry Bewley, from left, Mitzie Stevens, Todd Sadowski, Kristen Grant and Ashley Brookshire. (Photos provided)
“When you put your money into a business, you’re helping them to establish something, to begin something, and there’s a lot of really amazing, good things that are helping humankind, so it’s also investing in the good.”
state which sits firmly in the Bible Belt. He said he hopes to see more businesses like his on the market someday.
Sadowski’s team is guided by two main principles when working with clients: stewardship and what Christian author Randy Alcorn called “the uniqueness principle.” The latter states that God wired each person differently and called each person to a unique path. That can be applied to investing and planning, since each person’s history, goals and habits require a unique strategy.
Sadowski said the principle makes his job “frustrating and gratifying at the same time.” He said it is fine to be inspired by others and take ideas from their actions but warned there is danger in trying to live another person’s life and make all the same choices as that person.
“What [the uniqueness principle] causes us to do as individuals is really dig deep and draw close to God and just be like, ‘OK, Lord, this is your money. I’m a steward, but also, you wired me and built me uniquely for unique purposes,’ so I really think it’s each one of our jobs, individually, to figure out, ‘OK, God, where are you leading me in my life?’” he said, “and then, ‘OK, I want to be a good steward and build my finances in a way that accomplishes the goal that you’ve got for me.’”
Stewardship is a central tenet of Christianity and for StrongTower, as well. Sadowski said many adherents to the faith recognize that the money in their bank account is not truly theirs but a gift entrusted to them by their heavenly father, who expects them to increase it and use it wisely.
“It’s easy to get hyper-focused on avoiding the bad, so to speak, but the concept of investing is you’re accomplishing good in the world,” Sadowski said. “When you put your money into a business, you’re helping them to establish something, to begin something, and there’s a lot of really amazing, good things that are helping humankind, so it’s also investing in the good.”
Sadowski said stewardship is about “making sure you just feel good about where your money is going.” Some believers may be shocked to find out that some of the most traded companies, even some featured on the S&P 500, support causes that may be against their religious beliefs. Sometimes those connections can be hidden behind several buffer layers. A company itself may not directly donate to hot-button issues like abortion rights, but company leaders often have foundations that give
toward causes their investors might find questionable.
Sadowski noted that recognizable brand names such as Amazon, Comcast, DoorDash, Goldman Sachs, Lyft, Netflix and Warner Bros. Entertainment — companies that could be found in any portfolio — pay for costs associated with employees traveling to get abortions. Many Americans support such causes or simply do not care what causes companies support. Others, though, do care, and that is where StrongTower comes in.
To ensure its clients are not investing money into causes they do not believe in, StrongTower uses existing money managers with a proven track record in both performance and biblical screening.
StrongTower currently has four advisors and two full-time staff members. The firm, which has $130 million in assets under management, looks to add another advisor in the near future to deal with rapid growth. That asset total represents growth of about $100 million since the team launched the RIA in 2018.
Sadowski said the growth has been “staggering” but also a “blessing and a curse.”
Being pushed beyond capacity, he said, he has not been able to take on new clients in some time and hopes the new hire alleviates some of the strain so the business can continue to grow.
“As you grow organically, you just have to adapt as you go,” Sadowski said. “You find the different pain points and you fill those in, so we’re growing in a way that represents where we see the need.”
Being stretched too thin to take on any new clients is “not good stewardship on our end,” he said, but Sardowski said he is excited to see where the company goes from here.
“All I know is that more advisors who are properly trained, both from a secular as well as a Biblical standpoint, is going to be the key to growth for the company for the future,” he said.
“All I know is that more advisors who are properly trained, both from a secular as well as a Biblical standpoint, is going to be the key to growth for the company for the future.”
— Todd Sadowski, founder and CEO of StrongTower
The Perfect Event Destination
with 16,000 square feet of entertaining space.
In the heart of Arkansas, something truly special was brewing. After visiting countless venues, it became clear that the area needed something different, something extraordinary. And so, Blue Agave Venue was born—a place where events are not just hosted but experienced.
Blue Agave Venue is designed with every detail in mind. From the sleek bar serving craft cocktails to the unique lounge that offers an atmosphere unlike any other, every corner of this venue exudes elegance and style. The LED lights cast a vibrant glow, and the 400-square-foot screen captivates with stunning visuals. But it’s the entrance that truly takes your breath away, setting the tone for an unforgettable event.
This venue stands as a testament to collaboration and dedication. We extend our deepest gratitude to our partners who made this vision a reality. American Structure Inc. devoted countless man-hours to meticulously constructing Blue Agave Venue, ensuring every detail was perfect. Techniza brought their visionary expertise to the table, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technology and designing a website that captures the venue’s essence.
Together, we’ve created something Arkansas has never seen before. Welcome to Blue Agave Venue, where every event becomes a memorable experience.
By Mark Carter
F‘Something extraordinary’ planned for Blue Agave
Venue Setting the Bar HIGH
or a so-called “side hustle,” North Little Rock’s new Blue Agave Venue sets a high bar.
The events center is not yet officially open — general manager and managing partner Erick Padilla said it is “98 percent done” and will open officially later this year — but the destination spot has already hosted some private events.
Blue Agave sits on 30 acres off Trammel Road in the thick patch of woods that provides a buffer between North Little Rock and Sherwood, just down from the old Jacksonville Highway and across the street from the iconic old roundtop filling station
recognizable to many longtime central Arkansas residents.
Blue Agave’s 30-acre oasis is just 15 minutes northeast of downtown Little Rock, but its relative isolation affords many advantages. One look at the sparkling structure reinforces what Padilla called the venue’s niche. This is not your father’s event center.
“We are a little different. We’re more exclusive,” he said. “We’re trying to get the high-ticket crowd.”
Padilla is invested in other related business endeavors, including Little Rock’s American Structure, the construction
Managing partner Erick Padilla said Blue Agave represents a brand of events venue that Arkansans have never seen before. (Photos courtesy of Blue Agave)
company that built Blue Agave, and Techniza, the Little Rock web hosting and software firm that developed the venue’s website. He said after visiting countless venues in central Arkansas, it became clear that the area needed “something different, something extraordinary.”
“And so Blue Agave Venue was born — a place where events are not just hosted but experienced,” Padilla said.
Blue Agave Venue was designed with every detail in mind, he added.
“From the sleek bar serving craft cocktails to the unique lounge that offers an atmosphere unlike any other, every corner of this venue exudes elegance and style,” he said. “The LED lights cast a vibrant glow, and the 400-square-foot screen captivates with stunning visuals, but it’s the entrance that truly takes your breath away, setting the tone for an unforgettable event.”
Other amenities include a gated compound with a secure perimeter fence, private road and entrance, as well as ample parking.
“We recognize the importance of individuality and endeavor to tailor our services to meet the specific needs of each client,” Padilla said. “We value personalized attention and ensure that every event will reflect the client’s vision and desires.”
Inside the Agave Lounge is an exclusive VIP area with two 86-inch televisions, privacy doors and LED lights, which can be customized to create a specific ambience. The space can accommodate up to 30 guests and is designed to offer what Padilla called “a sophisticated and intimate experience.”
Blue Agave’s 16,000-square-foot main event center is designed for weddings, corporate events and special occasions. It includes a 400-square-foot LED wall, a bar, a lounge, VIP seating, a VIP balcony, and a dressing room with shower and laundry facilities.
Padilla said Phase 2 of the overall project will include the Agave Barn, described at agavevenue.com as a charming and intimate venue for smaller gatherings equipped with a “stunning bar.” Side hustle or not, Padilla said the venue stands as
a testament to his partners’ collaboration and dedication.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to our partners who made this vision a reality,” he said. “American Structure devoted countless man hours to meticulously constructing Blue Agave Venue, ensuring every detail was perfect. Techniza brought their visionary expertise to the table, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technology and designing a website that captures the venue’s essence, as the site proclaims: “Together, we’ve created something Arkansas has never seen before.”
Blue Agave was built to stand out and has received rave reviews from the several private, soft-opening events it has hosted. Padilla said the mission of Blue Agave is to provide a versatile and well-equipped event space that offers an unforgettable experience through exceptional service and personal attention.
Padilla said Blue Agave aims to become the area’s venue of choice for weddings, corporate galas and special occasions.
“We aspire to be industry leaders, constantly innovating to deliver unique experiences and meet the changing needs of our clients,” he said.
Blue Agave will achieve that aim through the following five pillars, he added: excellence, personalization, integrity, innovation and customer experience.
“We place the customer at the center of everything we do,” Padilla said.
From its looks alone, that focus comes through loud and clear.
TEN x
Ben Brainard
Seasoned Professional
By Sarah Coleman
For anyone going out to eat in Little Rock, there is a good chance of stumbling upon one of many restaurants affiliated with established restaurateur Ben Brainard.
Brainard is the market partner for Big Bad Breakfast and Waldo’s Chicken & Beer. He is also a partner at Mt. Fuji in Little Rock, Deluca’s Pizza in Hot Springs and Flyway Brewing in Fayetteville.
Brainard can be described as an Arkansan through and through, as well as an advocate for revitalization and restoration in his hometown of Little Rock. Currently, his work is primarily focused on the restaurants affiliated with the redevelopment of Breckenridge Village.
“To have an opportunity to put something that is inviting to all of Little Rock in the dead center of the city was really exciting for me. Getting to work with Anthony Valinoti [of Deluca’s], Aaron Jackson [of Mt. Fuji], Matt Foster [of Flyway] and Jack Sundell [of the Root Cafe], all of whom have created these tremendous businesses, and helping them put this all together, how can you not be excited about that?”
Brainard said he has always felt the trajectory of a city and community can usually be seen by the state of the downtown area. In an effort to put his money where his mouth is, Brainard brought his second location of Big Bad Breakfast to Main Street in 2023.
“Downtown Little Rock has had its struggles over the last couple of decades, but I wanted to be part of that development. I honestly felt like it was an obligation to create some jobs, create a nice, fun space, and be part of the investment in an area that not only needed it but deserved it.”
His 20-plus years of restaurant experience started with his first service job as a line cook at Boulevard Bread Co. in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood. Through his lengthy work experience, Brainard was taught how to be successful in the food industry and learned invaluable lessons from several seasoned industry professionals.
“I look up to so many people in this business, and I have a tremendous respect for Tomas Bohm [of the Pantry], Amber Brewer [of Yellow Rocket Concepts], Tommy Keet [of Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe], Bart Barlogie [of The Fold] and Yvette Parker
[of Ben E. Keith Foods], to name a few,” Brainard said.
For those interested in following a similar path, Brainard encouraged them to work at a restaurant for at least two years and learn front of house and back of house before jumping into culinary school. He said that not only allows them the opportunity to make money but is also a great way to determine if the business is truly right for them.
“It’s not for everyone. It’s grinding work, and the hours are long, and to do it well, it’s expensive,” Brainard said. “The best people I know in this business are the men and women that can step into any role, be it on a fryer, mopping the floor, washing the dishes, waiting tables … and can function at a high level in all of those positions.”
Brainard has opened a dozen area restaurants so far, but he is most proud of opening Local Lime in Little Rock, his first restaurant venture.
“Still, to this day, I’m extremely proud of that project. After having opened 12 restaurants over the course of my career, they are all incredibly proud moments for me,” Brainard said.
While working in the service industry can be taxing, Brainard said his love for the food industry has only intensified.
“My favorite part of my job is that I get to meet and talk to new people every single day, which is really fun for me. I’m a gregarious guy, so that’s a big part,” Brainard said. “More than anything, I enjoy my job because I work with some of the most talented people in the world, and to work next to them is absolutely the best part of my work.”
Brainard is an avid outdoorsman, and with the majority of his multifaceted work being indoors, he jumps at the chance to fly fish and deer hunt. Additionally, Brainard is closely affiliated with No Kid Hungry, and he and his wife, Jamie, are both proud of their involvement with Easterseals.
With big plans for the future, Brainard said he is excited to continue growing the Waldo’s brand for now. Brainard also hinted at a project he is working on with Keet, which will likely open shortly after the new year.
TEN x
Jay Brogdon
Undercover Boss
By Dwain Hebda
As he himself will tell you, Jay Brogdon, president and chief financial officer of Simmons Bank, learned the industry in reverse of the typical bank executive.
“I never really chose banking. I think banking might have chosen me,” he said. “It’s just kind of how it worked out.”
The north Arkansas native and graduate of Harding University in Searcy first rose to prominence through his work for Deloitte and caught the eye of Simmons executives during a decorated stint with Stephens. There, he specialized in regulated depositories in Arkansas and other places across the southwest and southeast United States. He soon found himself working with Simmons as a client.
“I had the opportunity early on to meet the management team,” he said. “One of my very first engagements at Stephens when I was there was we led a capital raise that Simmons did in 2009.”
As the bank continued its acquisitions, Brogdon gained additional opportunities to impress until, finally, he was invited to join Simmons in 2021 as vice president and chief financial officer. It was a heady time to come aboard; Brogdon helped successfully negotiate Simmons’ acquisition of Spirit of Texas Bancshares, a Texas-based bank with $3.2 billion in assets, significantly enhancing the Arkansas institution’s size in the Texas Triangle.
In January 2023, he traded the VP moniker for president while retaining CFO duties. In his role, he leads strategy, investor relations, financial planning, and investment, trust and estate administrative services and oversees more than $8.3 billion in assets.
With such a stellar track record, Brogdon could have simply led from the C-suite but instead chose to be the kind of leader who understood some of what frontline employees encountered every day and began looking for ways to broaden his knowledge.
“I knew a lot of people at the bank because I had worked so closely with them for 13 years [while at Stephens], but I didn’t ‘grow up’ in the bank,” he said. “I have good familiarity and understanding that helps inform my decision making, but there are instances where I know I have blind spots because I’ve never worked in a retail bank.
“When I got here, I began a process of working my way from the top down rather than from the bottom up. It was important to me to get some of that firsthand experience as we continue to evaluate some of the major initiatives that are important in our
strategy, including making some improvements in our retail processes.”
Brogdon’s commitment to seeing the bank through the lens of Main Street has taken different tactics, one of the most unique of which happened last spring when he spent April Fool’s Day observing employees of a busy retail branch go about their day. He came away impressed by what he saw.
“We had customers in line in the drive-thru before the branch even opened. We had customers parking out in front,” he said. “I got to see all the activities that happen in those moments leading up to facing customers and then the gauntlet at the opening bell. It was really a unique experience.”
While he did not actually work a counter window, (“We considered that and felt like the cost-benefit wasn’t there for me to have fingers on the keyboard,” he said.) Brogdon came away with a new perspective about what worked well in serving customers and what could be improved.
“I was able to see some opportunities, how some of our different technology platforms could integrate a little bit better. I saw some things we can do centrally in the bank to really improve efficiency for both associate and customer,” he said. “It was really good for me to see how systems and subsystems interacted with one another when a customer is standing across the desk. That was what I shared with my team the next morning.”
Brogdon said he continues to seek personal face time across different banking units as a means for sharpening his firsthand understanding of the bank’s systems and processes.
“What our associates do in the branch every day is an incredibly challenging job,” he said. “They are serving, oftentimes, two and three customers at once, and the ability of our associates to bounce back and forth and multitask very effectively, going from one conversation to another seamlessly, was amazing. I was kind of spinning in circles just watching.
“I didn’t walk in there thinking it was an easy job, but I have a much different appreciation for how challenging the job is. The most encouraging thing I got out of that day was seeing the quality of our people, and the biggest takeaway was the quality of service they provide to our customers.”
TEN x
Marvin Childers
Coming Home to Roost
By Sarah DeClerk
When it comes to the opportunities he has had to lead as an Arkansas state representative and, later, as president of the Poultry Federation, a multistate organization based in Little Rock, Marvin Childers said it all came down to being in the right place at the right time. However, an examination of his career reveals how fortune combined with diligence and proper planning to lead the son of a farmer along his journey as lawyer, politician and lobbyist.
After growing up as the third generation on a row crop farm, most folks around Cooter, Missouri, thought Childers would return to the farm after college, just like his older brother. Economic circumstances prevented that, however, and Childers instead went on to earn a law degree from the University of Mississippi.
With just one small store in Cooter, the family traveled to Blytheville for everything from Walmart and the John Deere supplier to dentist and doctor visits, so Blytheville was a natural place for Childers to start his practice as a deputy prosecuting attorney before joining the Little Rock firm Friday, Eldredge & Clark, which he helped open a Blytheville office. By that time, he already had political aspirations.
“Law school alone will draw you into the political arena,” he said, “but I always enjoyed the political side.”
Walter Day was the state representative for Blytheville back then, and Childers said most everyone in Blytheville admired Day for the seniority and power he had in the state’s capital city.
When Day died, Childers ran for office, spotting an opportunity to give back to the community, but he lost the seat to Ann Bush. When she reached her term limit, he ran again and won, partly because he had the support of then-Gov. Mike Huckabee, Childers said.
During his time in office from 2001 to 2006, Childers was a great supporter of the Arkansas State Police — he still sits on the ASP Foundation Board — and he worked to make pro-business changes such as reducing taxes and red tape. He also helped promote the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission.
Early in his political career, he said, he was dealt one of his biggest disappointments when he failed to pass a governmental reorganization bill Huckabee asked him to sponsor.
“Our state agencies committee was split 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats, and we could not get any Democrats to support moving that out of committee,” he said.
However, he added, partisanism had yet to reach the level it is at now.
“When I was elected, I think there were, like, 25 Republican members of the House and 75 Democrats, and when I came to Little Rock, I wasn’t for sure who was a Democrat and who was a Republican, and to be honest, we really didn’t care,” he said. “I made friends with people on both sides of the aisle, and unfortunately, I believe the federal system is fueling the division and causing some of that to trickle down to the state level.”
As he was leaving the House, his predecessor at the Poultry Federation, Morril Harriman, was preparing to leave the organization and become then-Gov. Mike Beebe’s chief of staff, providing Childers with an opportunity to stay involved in politics while giving back to an industry dear to his heart.
“The federation was looking for someone with a legal background,” he said. “They wanted somebody who had some accounting experience, and fortunately, my undergraduate degree was in accounting, so it was being at the right place at the right time with the right credentials.”
Since joining the Poultry Federation in 2007, he has helped balance the organization’s budget and build a new $3 million office building without taking on debt. In terms of lobbying, he said he is most proud of “small, incremental changes in the law” that benefit the industry, including removing sales taxes on utilities and repair parts.
“I think the main key is relationships and relationships with not only members of the general assembly but members of all the state agencies, the governor’s office,” he said. “It’s all about having a relationship where you’re dealing with people that you trust and that they trust you.”
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Jorge González
Building Bridges
There has been a push in recent years to improve diversity and equity in the workplace. Companies and organizations across the country have made efforts to give more opportunities to underrepresented groups such as minorities and women to try to even the playing field. The efforts need to be overseen by someone, and who better than someone who has been on both sides of the equation?
Jorge González joined the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce in 2022 to help create more capacity to bring in minority businesses. He said he was thrilled to take the newly created position as director of business inclusion and believes the position will help the community, chamber and state of Arkansas.
“I always tell people that if my experience in this role was a book, the first chapter was learning everything I could about the chamber, the second chapter was meeting with the community and learning about their needs, and the third chapter was to draft a strategy to help meet those needs,” he said.
Almost three years into the role, González has spent his time building relationships and capacity, as well as doing community outreach. He also does sales and is responsible for the drafting and implementation of strategies to help the chamber better serve the needs of small, minority- and women-owned businesses.
“My position was created because it’s important to build bridges with the community,” González said. “Chambers of commerce have naturally formed around communities, unifying them in a common cause. Our chamber leadership noticed the room for improvement in serving minority-owned businesses, and I was tasked with creating the capacity to serve their needs. Diversity is important because it promotes creativity, representation of the communities we serve and increases our ability to grow the economy.”
One novel strategy for engaging with an underrepresented slice of the community has been the opening of the Arkansas Latino Hall of Fame, which was announced in April. The North Little Rock Chamber initiative seeks to “foster unity, honor cultural richness and amplify the voices of those whose stories have woven the fabric of our state,” its website states. The 2024 induction ceremony is slated for Oct. 24 at the Wyndham Riverfront in North Little Rock.
“Spearheading this initiative has been a very exciting experience because I am able to connect with individuals from across the state that are making a great difference in cities for the better,” González said.
By Lance Brownfield
Another endeavor, the first launched during González’s time at the chamber, is the minority business accelerator committee.
After six months of input from community members about their needs, a committee of 14 leaders from diverse backgrounds and industries was formed. The committee meets monthly and hosts four events per year designed around the needs of minority-owned businesses.
Another strategy, González said, was to increase the ability to serve Hispanic-owned businesses by creating a Spanish leads group. Leads groups help individuals who are responsible for bringing in business for an organization by exchanging leads with other members across industries. González got the first Spanish leads group in the state off the ground earlier this year with an initial group of 28 members.
“I’m really excited to be able to help minority business owners grow their businesses,” he said. “I’m passionate about the opportunity to contribute to the amazing work organizations are doing in North Little Rock. Being in a pioneering role can be intimidating because you don’t have a predecessor. It can also be exciting because you are able to have a creative space, initiate strategies and create the metrics. I was excited because I believed that if executed properly, we would be making a change for the better in our community.”
To bring more awareness to the importance of diversity internally, González proposed bimonthly meetings with chamber president Derrell Hartwick, during which González could update him on progress and what he was learning from the chamber’s membership. He also proposed to keep an open line of communication between the members and chamber leadership, holding more than five or six meetings weekly to listen to the thoughts of existing and potential members.
“In order for organizations to strengthen their diversity efforts, there must be awareness, knowledge and skills,” González said. “We understood that personal and organizational awareness was going to require reflection, collaboration and partnerships.”
Gonzales said he hopes to continue to build relationships during his time at the chamber and improve representation for minority- and women-owned businesses.
William Jones IV
A Cut Above the Rest
By Lance Brownfield
Not all local brands have the distinction of becoming household names. Sissy’s Log Cabin started from humble beginnings in Pine Bluff in 1970. It has since become a small jewelry empire with six locations across the state and in Memphis. Throughout all the changes over the years, the leadership of the Jones family has remained constant, and William Jones IV recently took over as president of the company.
“I grew up watching my dad, Bill Jones, and Sissy [Jones, his grandmother] grow the company from a small log cabin into a multi-store operation,” he said. “It was always my dream to be involved in the company, and I’m proud to serve as president of Sissy’s Log Cabin. When you have the privilege of watching a business grow over the years, it really makes you believe that impossible things can come true.”
After graduating from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Jones went to the Gemologist Institute of America in Carlsbad, California for a rigorous program that turned him into a certified gemologist. The program saw him working five days a week and grading thousands of gemstones and diamonds.
“It’s a big deal for a store to have someone accredited who can properly assess and assign values,” Jones said.
Offering a wide array of products, Jones said shoppers can never go wrong with a classic diamond.
in a position like his someday. The first is those who stay laser focused the longest win. The second is one can be the hardest working, smartest individual in the company and even do the work of two or three people but can never be in more than one place at a time.
“I think my successes both at Sissy’s and outside of the company have helped me, but it’s the failures and shortcomings that have made the biggest impact,” he said. “Mental toughness and not being afraid to fail are two things that take years to build up. Anyone can give directions, but few can follow the unlit path.”
“When someone purchases a diamond, it represents so much more than just the price tag,” Jones said. “Whether you’re starting a marriage, celebrating an anniversary or treating yourself, I can’t think of a better marker than a diamond.”
Growing up at the original location on U.S. 79, Jones recalled spending a lot of his time at the store. He and his family even lived in a property behind the store for a time.
“When I was younger, it was never, ‘Do you want to come to the store?’” he said. “It was, ‘Be there after school.’ As I grew, I became passionate about our family business.”
Along the way, he learned many lessons, and he has two main pieces of advice for those who hope to find themselves
He said he was inspired by his father, as well as Greg Hatcher, Justin and Dennis Oakley, Witt Stephens, “and countless others who have been able to manage and create unbelievable businesses.” He said they have maximized their limited time on earth and created things that have a huge impact on the world.
In his new role, he said he plans to focus completely on growing the people within the company. His philosophy is that when the employees succeed, the company succeeds.
“Sissy’s was built with great people and we will continue to grow with great people,” he said. “The best thing I can do in my role is to try to create an extraordinary company culture that fosters an environment for our employees to reach their goals. If we do this, Sissy’s Log Cabin will continue to succeed.”
Much like a diamond is passed down as a family heirloom, Sissy’s Log Cabin has been passed down to the next generation while continuing to shine as an industry leader. For more than 50 years, the Jones family and the team at Sissy’s have been dedicated to providing the best jewelry and highest quality service to Arkansas and the region.
“Every time you walk into a Sissy’s Log Cabin location, you can expect four things,” Jones said, “exceptional service, an expansive selection, an extraordinary experience and quality pieces.”
Matías de
Matthaeis
Chef’s Twist
By Sarah DeClerk
Matías de Matthaeis, evecutive chef at Red Oak Steakhouse at Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, has a resume that reads like an elite list of the state’s most renowned restaurants, Little Rock’s Capital Hotel and Chenal Country Club and the Alotian Club just outside of Little Rock among them. A diligent chef who is working meticulously to perfect every style of his favorite food, pizza, for de Matthaeis, the key to being a world-class culinary expert is study.
“My favorite thing about my job is my favorite thing about every job and my favorite thing ever about culinary,” he said. “I love learning — always learning — teaching and creating.”
Growing up in Argentina, his grandmother taught him to cook chimichurri, empanadas and other regional delicacies when he was a child. After his grandmother died, he read her handwritten recipe book and resurrected some of her meals as a teenager.
“I realized I could cook, and my mom said, ‘Hey, this is almost exactly like your grandmother made it,’ so I just cooked for myself,” he said.
He never envisioned cooking as a career, he said, but while he was studying political science in hopes of becoming a diplomat, he began cooking so he could earn money as a chef while completing unpaid internships and other work needed for his political science degree.
However, as he began devoting more of his time to culinary work, he realized his passion and enrolled in culinary school full time, earning
degrees at the Argentine Institute of Gastronomy in Buenos Aires, Mausi Sebess in Buenos Aires, the pastry school of the syndicate of pastry chefs in Buenos Aires.
“People think that I’ve always done pastry,” he said. “That was because when I came to America, I’d mostly done pastry, but I started as a savory chef, actually, and then I went to pastry. I love both. I can’t choose one. If I do one, it needs the other one, and my perfect job is one in which I can use both of the skills.”
In that regard, Red Oak has allowed him free rein when it comes to fulfilling his culinary inspiration.
“I get to do really cool stuff. Nobody’s limiting me over there,” he said. “I am over the dessert program, the bread programs, and the overall menu on the table side, so I’m on those. They allow me to oversee the whole thing, which is great because it makes more sense with the menu as a whole when there’s one person guiding it, and at this point in my career, I’ve put a lot of thought into the dishes that I do and why I do them.”
One of de Matthaeis’ most recent achievements is entering the finals of the Delta Diamond Chef culinary competition, which will take place 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 15 at Pine Bluff Country Club during the Delta Diamond Chef Awards Gala and Competition. The event chair is Heather Baker, president and publisher of AY Media Group.
“I am really happy and surprised,” de Matthaeis said. “There was a really good turnout this year, and the quality of chef that I competed against was amazing. Everybody stepped up the level, and honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it or not.”
Earlier in the competition, de Matthaeis served up elevated takes on salmon and a pork burrito. He said his approach to cooking for an Arkansas audience hinges on presenting the familiar in a novel way, and he is working to learn about the dishes American grandmothers cook for their children and deliver them in a way that meets the high standards at Red Oak.
“The things that are from my culture and my childhood are not yours, right, so it’s hard to get into that, and that’s the goal and the biggest challenge that I face,” he said, “but judging by the reception that I had of the dishes that I made, it looks like I’m getting closer.”
Jeff Smith
Love Encouragement &
By Paul Sage
As the grandson of the founder of his family’s funeral home business, Smith Family Funeral Homes, Jeff Smith has both a sense of responsibility and a sense of humor.
“They say the third generation is the one who screws it up. I don’t want to be that guy who was the third generation who screwed it up,” Smith quipped.
Smith’s grandfather started North Little Rock Funeral Home in 1955. The company has grown to nine locations in central Arkansas, all under the brand of Smith Family Funeral Homes. He and his wife, Leslie, bought the business from Smith’s father in 2010.
Working as a funeral director at the North Little Rock location during his college years, Smith said he learned how fulfilling it can be to provide compassionate help to a family coping with the loss of a loved one.
“People think [the funeral industry] is very macabre. I get that. They miss the fact that we’re helping people every day, and it’s very rewarding,” Smith said.
Smith noted a growing trend among Americans to skip traditional funerals.
“As people become less connected and more isolated, funerals have become inconvenient, and so when someone dies, they just have the loved one cremated, and they don’t have a funeral at all,” he said. “That’s very unhealthy psychologically. Good healing begins with a good goodbye. If you loved that person, you need an opportunity to stop and grieve and say goodbye.”
Smith believes people with compassion and a desire to help others are well suited to work in the funeral industry.
“If you have a servant’s heart, you really love to help people, then it’s a great profession,” he said. “It’s very similar to teachers or nurses or other very giving professions where every day, we’re helping people in their time of need. I’m a natural encourager. I love to encourage people. I just want to love on people.”
In addition to his role as president of Smith Family Funeral Homes, Jeff Smith is CEO of Cyrus Works in North Little Rock, which offers a portfolio of financial and consulting services to other funeral home owners. One serice is Aftercare, which is staffed by a team of guides who help families manage the closure of their deceased relatives’ personal business. Aftercare
guides provide a onehour phone call to cover a checklist of items and provide initial guidance to the family of the deceased.
“[The family member] can call our guide up as many times as they want, and we’ll continue to help them at no additional charge,” Smith said. “We are getting rave reviews, and we’re now helping other funeral homes [provide Aftercare].”
Smith cited his personal experience as a catalyst for creating Aftercare.
“My dad died suddenly of a heart attack in 2021. It was a total surprise, and if you would think anybody was going to be ready, it would be the funeral home family,” he said. “Although we had an attorney and financial planners, we learned there’s a lot of business that needs to be taken care of when someone dies, and there’s nobody out there to tell you what you need to do and how you need to do it.”
Smith credited the success of his companies to his skillful team and its adherence to the four core values of kindness, teamwork, pursuit of excellence and integrity.
“I had a great mentor that passed away a couple of years ago,” he said. “He taught me that if you outline your core values and you let people know what’s expected, they’ll step up to the challenge. If our employees are kind, if they carry themselves with integrity, if they pursue excellence, do the best job they can do, and work together as a team, we’re going to take great care of our customers, and we’re going to have very few problems.”
Smith said that once he communicated his core values and his vision of serving people with love and excellence, “everything else started taking off. We were able to grow. I was able to delegate and empower people and trust them because now they knew what I expected. They knew what the standards were.”
Smith credited his wife for his success, saying, “My wife is my best counselor. I don’t always like what she has to say, but we work well together. Nobody’s going to shoot me as straight and as honestly as my wife because we’re on the same team. I may not like what she’s saying, but she’s only saying it because she loves me.”
Doyle Webb
Bitten by the Campaign Bug
By Mark Carter
Benton attorney Doyle Webb credits his junior high school civics class with focusing his attention onto politics.
“The course kindled [in me] my mother’s love of people and campaigning. I remember going with her at age 4 to help get out the vote in the local Democratic primary, visiting with potential voters in country and minority-owned grocery stores,” he said.
Webb is the former longtime chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas, a former Republican National Committee general counsel and current chairman of the Arkansas Public Service Commission, but he is perhaps best known across the Arkansas political landscape as the man who helped engineer the Republican wave that officially transformed Arkansas politics from blue to red in 2010. The makeover was so complete that readers might be surprised to learn that Webb’s first campaign volunteer gig was for a Democrat. Of course, when Webb was growing up, the dynamics of state politics were equally lopsided, just tinged blue.
“The Arkansas I grew up in was a bastion of Democrat politics,” Webb said. “In elementary school, I recall attaching two ‘Joe Purcell for Attorney General’ signs — Joe was a Benton Democrat — to the back of my bicycle and parking it in front of my elementary school for parents to see. My aunt Sarah was Saline County campaign coordinator for [Republican] Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller in 1968 and 1970, and she enlisted me to put up signs and pass out push cards for the governor. I loved attending county political meetings, rallies and dinners with her as a teenager, so it seems only natural — and maybe genetically predisposed — that I would enjoy politics and public service.”
By the time Webb took over as RPA chairman in 2008, he had served as a member of the Saline County Quorum Court; as chief of staff to Win Rockefeller, former GOP lieutenant governor and gubernatorial candidate; and as a member of the state Senate. In fact, Webb was the first Republican to represent his district since Reconstruction when he was elected in 1994 as one of just seven Republicans in the chamber that session. (Today, the 35-member body includes just six Democrats.)
Webb said when he first arrived at the state Capitol to serve, it became clear who had the power when committee assignments were drawn. Webb said he and his fellow Republicans ended up on the public transportation committee that first session, but by 1996, “we were allowed to sit on different A and B committees to keep us from sending bills to the floor that the majority didn’t
want to go on record for or against — i.e., tarp on gravel trucks or removal of helmet laws for motorcycles.”
Webb said when he took over at RPA, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope that Republicans’ fortunes could change in Arkansas. The previous year, the Arkansas legislature voted to establish separate Democratic and Republican presidential primaries with former Arkansas first lady Hillary Clinton and then-Gov. Mike Huckabee on the ballots for Super Tuesday. The presidential primaries would now be separate from party primaries for local and state offices, and that gave the state GOP an advantage, Webb said.
“This legislation allowed the creation of a list of ticket splitters never before available to the Republican Party,” he said. “With nearly 230,000 Republican voters and only 302,000 Democrat voters, we could see the potential to win more elections if only we could contact and marshal these Republican voters.”
Contact and marshal they did. Webb said he and former RPA executive director Chase Dugger developed a plan for the 2010 election cycle that was dubbed, “Painting Arkansas Red.”
“We presented our plan to the RNC and then-Chairman Michael Steele and were awarded nearly $1.5 million to fully fund the plan,” Webb said. “The Arkansas GOP had never received RNC financial support at this level in midterm election years. We implemented the plan, accessed the 200,000-plus newly listed Republican voters, and recruited and funded candidates statewide. When the votes were counted, our plan had proven successful as Arkansas Republicans captured one new U.S. senator, four new congressmen, three new constitutional officers and a doubling of our state legislative delegation. I knew we were on the way to Arkansas becoming a majority Republican state by 2014.”
Webb served as RPA chairman from 2008 to 2020 — the average tenure of state party chairs is 18 months, he said — and that longevity led to opportunities with the RNC on the national stage, including his appointment as RNC general counsel.
Webb seems happy to have been bitten by the campaign bug all those years ago.
“If I had not pursued a legal education, I would have chosen some form of public service that involved improving the lives of others,” he said. “When I was in high school, Mom insisted that my sister and I take a career test to help us determine what our major should be in college. My test result indicated I should focus on being in the funeral business. So much for that career test.”
Tiffany Wilkerson
My Fair Lady
By Dwain Hebda
Tiffany Wilkerson has made a career habit out of recognizing opportunity and seizing the initiative. At 19, the Little Rock Central High grad took a job as a receptionist at the Arkansas State Fair administrative offices in Little Rock — what she thought was to be a short-term temp assignment — and never left.
Today, she is entering her second year as permanent general manager of the Arkansas State Fair on a roll. Not only did last year’s fair break all-time attendance records, but a bold decision on Wilkerson’s part to impose a curfew on unaccompanied minors made it one of the smoothest on record too.
“The curfew worked really well,” she said. “We have our own security here, of course, and we also work very closely with Little Rock Police and the state police. Everybody came together, and we had very, very few problems like we had in the past.
“It made me feel really good because when we announced the youth curfew last year, everybody was like, ‘Oh, people are not going to show up, and the fair’s going to lose money.’ I expected it would bring more families back out to the fair, and that’s exactly what it did. It felt good to be proven right on that one.”
Wilkerson said adjusting to the role of GM has had its learning curves, from transitioning from co-worker to boss to being the face of the fair during the event itself.
improvements even when they challenge the status quo. Among this year’s big changes are a restructuring of the Miss Arkansas State Fair and Jr. Miss Arkansas State Fair pageants and leveraging the historic Barton Coliseum for a more central role in fair entertainment. The event’s headliner concert lineup will be ticketed (to include free gate admission) versus past years, when gate admission included access to the outdoor mainstage.
As with any change of that magnitude, the moves have their share of skeptics and naysayers, but it is nothing Wilkerson has not heard before. She said she looks forward to watching the new changes play out successfully as the Arkansas State Fair takes another run at the attendance record books.
“The biggest thing was just having to appear across the entire event and all of the venues,” she said. “In the past, I was in roles like vendor coordinator or gate sales manager where you’re just dealing with those functions, but as GM, you know, I had to visit the pageants, then go to the livestock shows and go through the creative arts building. I got spread out more.
“Honestly, though, it felt effortless because this is something I enjoy. The fair just kind of has a way of getting in you.”
Heading into the 2024 Arkansas State Fair, Wilkerson continues to show her fearless streak and willingness to make
“The decision to use Barton for this year’s concerts was made so we’re more rain-protected. A couple years ago, we had some shows scheduled, and they had to be canceled because of the weather,” she said. “Now even if we do get rain and have to shut down everything else, we can still have the show, which protects the investment we make to get those acts here.”
Wilkerson has been an Arkansas State Fair fan even longer than she has been an Arkansas State Fair employee. She said she has fond memories of coming to the autumnal event with her family growing up and was led by her grandmother and surrounded by cousins. While her job duties prevent her from continuing the tradition exactly with her own kids, she said the trio finds time to spend together, especially when it comes to their love of fair food, of which Wilkerson is a self-professed connoisseur.
“First day, I gotta have a McKinney’s corn dog and a Westmoreland’s funnel cake. They’re right next to each other, and they’re classic. That’s first day,” she said. “Then I like to try the new dishes. Last year, my favorite was the barbecue chicken and waffles at H2Q. I wish I would’ve caught it sooner because I don’t think I got it until probably Friday, but it was good.”
Tim Zimmerman
Experience Best Teacher is the
By Mak Millard
Tim Zimmerman, co-owner of First Choice Drug Testing & Occupational Health Services in Little Rock, is the first to admit he was “not a fan of education,” at least in the traditional sense. While he might have eschewed college for the workforce straight out of high school, the once-green delivery driver turned seasoned businessman picked up valuable lessons from every peak and valley in his career.
Initially, Zimmerman’s path up the corporate ladder seemed set. After four years working his way up from delivery to outside sales at a rubber company, a 23-year-old Zimmerman was given the opportunity to open a branch location in Fort Smith.
“That operation was in the black in six months and thrived,” he said. “The company prospered, and after 25 years there, we achieved $48 million annually in sales and had 12 locations in six states.”
A quarter-century of proven success put Zimmerman in line to be company president, but just when the story seemed to be writing itself, he and the current president began having difficulties. The tension proved insurmountable, and Zimmerman was fired. While he did get the benefit of having his stock in the company bought out thanks to an employee stock ownership plan, Zimmerman also found himself subject to a five-year non-compete clause.
Unwilling to leave Arkansas, Zimmerman was unmoored. He tried a few different paths forward, such as insurance and consulting, but nothing seemed to stick. Tiding him over while he planned his next steps was a job with another business owner who had taken him in. That stop proved to be a teaching moment in disguise.
“His employee-management style was the opposite of mine. He was a gentle soul and would avoid employee conflict, even to the detriment of the business,” Zimmerman said. “However, his employees loved him, and he had a very successful business. Working for him softened my approach to employees when unpleasant discussions had to take place. For that, I’m thankful.”
Zimmerman’s breakthrough came in the form of a few acquaintances who had grown up in his neighborhood. They invited him to run their fledgling drug testing company. One look at the financial statements was enough to put Zimmerman off
of the project, so he declined — more than once.
“They kept asking me, and I kept declining until one day they said, ‘What if we give you part of it?’” he said. “I jumped at this opportunity.”
That was in 2010. Over the next few years, Zimmerman bought out his former neighbors and brought his son, Adam, into the company. Now the father and son are co-owners of First Choice Drug Testing, a full-service third-party administrator that provides everything from Department of Transportation drug testing to tuberculosis skin tests and physical exams for a variety of industries.
“It was very refreshing to discover that the same business principles work no matter what the product or service,” Zimmerman said. “I used the knowledge I had gained in the rubber business … applied those principles to the employment screening industry, and the business flourished.”
Shaped by various mentors and his cross-industry experiences, Zimmerman has developed what he called an “open book” management style. Employees are actively involved in reviewing financials and discussing what services are most profitable. Every team member knows what the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are. Plus, the staff’s monthly bonus is based on how well First Choice is doing, so staff members have all the more motivation to ensure their collective success.
Although “not into legacies,” Zimmerman has undoubtedly had a lasting impact on the people around him. He is an active volunteer for SCORE, a national nonprofit that provides advice and education to aspiring entrepreneurs free of charge. Whether he is lending insight to friends and family looking to start their own ventures, teaching employees to be problem solvers, or sharing industry-specific advice with different organizations, Zimmerman believes strongly that it pays to “give more than you get.”
“I always felt that I had talent in starting and growing small businesses, and when I can use that talent to help others, I feel that is my calling,” he said. “The funny thing is when you have that attitude, you wind up getting more than you give.”
HOMER’S KITCHEN TABLE
It’s not always easy building on a legacy, especially for a place where diners have enjoyed plates of homemade Southern comfort food since 1986. David Connell turned his father’s downhome concept into a west Little Rock go-to without losing any of the charm — or flavor — of the original. Homer’s Kitchen Table boasts an expanded menu and more accessible location, giving plenty of new faces the chance to find out what loyal patrons have known for years.
While the venue might have changed a time or two, Connell has left certain menu staples perfect as-is. Discerning diners agreed, naming Homer’s Kitchen Table the best spot for chicken and dumplings and fried chicken in AY’s “Readers’ Restaurant Poll.” The restaurant also offers catering and a full bar ideal for happy-hour sipping or gameday gatherings. From a delicious rotation of daily specials to burgers, steak and hand-spun shakes, Homer’s Kitchen Table will turn firsttime guests into regulars for many years to come.
501-224-6637
homerskitchentable.com
11121 North Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock
Homer’s Kitchen Table
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SUCCESSFUL on PURPOSE ARKANSAS VISIONARY
Unlikely bank exec George Makris grows Simmons by focusing on people first
By Dwain Hebda
Like most people, George Makris has two sides to his personality. As executive chairman of Simmons First National Corp., the first side is expected: a serious, numbers-driven analyst able to separate a prime market opportunity from a multi-million-dollar quagmire. Another, more personal side is expressed via a God-given set of people skills and a flair for human connection soaked in a Jefferson County drawl.
Makris is everything one wants and nothing anyone would expect as the head of one of the state’s largest and most successful banks. The results of his time at the helm are nothing short of extraordinary, from more than doubling assets from $3.5 billion to $7.6 billion during his first two years alone to rapidly expanding the bank’s footprint thanks to a string of savvy acquisitions. According to figures provided by the company, the Simmons Bank brand now extends to 234 locations in six states and boasts a cool $27.4 billion in assets.
Yet despite those garish results and after more than a decade since he came aboard as CEO, there is still a certain tone in Makris’ voice that permeates the tales of battles fought and territory won during his reign. Particularly when the subject turns to his own contribution to the success story, a muted yet palpable note emerges, hinting at the residual disbelief about how it ever happened at all.
“I think there are a couple of foundational premises that were key to our success,” he said. “One is I recognized early on I was not a banker, so all the banking decisions needed to be made by someone who knew what the heck they were doing. I had to rely on people who really understood what we needed to make those decisions, and they did a great job.”
Makris’ tendency for deflecting the credit for Simmons’ success is well honed but honestly rooted. When he was approached for the CEO job, it was one of the, let’s call it, more unconventional moves in recent Arkansas business history. No one was more cognizant of that fact than Makris himself, who, other than having sat on the board for years, had zero prior experience in the banking industry. In fact, of all the eyebrows raised at his selection to replace outgoing CEO and Arkansas Business Hall of Famer Tommy May, his arched highest.
“Our lead director was a guy named Dr. Harry Ryburn, who had been on the board for 35 years at the time,” Makris said. “Dr. Ryburn came to see me one day, and he said, ‘George, I’ve been thinking about this, and I really think you ought to take Tommy’s place.’ Well, I thought I needed to call his wife and tell her she needed to take him to the doctor, have his head looked at. I’m serious.”
Ryburn, who was known to cut against the grain of
popular thought at times, patiently yet firmly explained why the candidacy made sense, noting what the bank needed was an outside perspective at the helm. The shellshocked Makris retorted he did not know the first thing about banking.
“He said, ‘Well, we’ve sort of got that taken care of. You really don’t have to do any banking business. In fact, we’d appreciate it if you didn’t,’” Makris said. “I said, ‘OK, I can relate to that.’”
As history showed, Ryburn’s instincts were dead on, and while what he saw precisely is known to him alone, there are hints in Makris’ business life that may have played a part. The grandson of Greek immigrant entrepreneurs who launched O.K. Ice Cream and Candy Co. in downtown Pine Bluff, Makris knew the value of hard work early. His father and uncle launched MK Distributors in the 1960s after O.K. sold, harnessing the family’s indomitable spirit to go into the beer distribution business in a state dominated at that time by dry counties.
Makris’ formative years were spent in a rotat ing pattern of sports seasons and helping at the family business, both of which demanded time and commitment, as well as a taste for adjusting to the unexpected. His first job for the family firm was cleaning out gunk caught in the fence line around the perimeter of the company parking lot. Then one day as a teen, his father greeted him with a surprise assignment.
“My dad had started an institutional food business. We sold food to restaurants, hotels, hospitals — that kind of thing,” he said. “The day I turned 16, he got me up, and I went to work at the insti tutional food business. We drove onto the lot, and I saw a large truck, loaded. I said, ‘Dad, who’s going to drive that?’ He said, ‘You are.’ I said, ‘I’ve never driven one of those before.’ He said, ‘Well, it’s about time you learned.’”
While there was considerably more to lose
GEORGE MAKRIS ON DEALMAKING
“The first thing we look at after someone brings us an opportunity is whether or not it is a cultural fit. Do they do banking the way that we do banking? Are the fundamentals, the blocking and tackling, going to mesh? Over time, we’ve created
George Makris (Photo provided)
GEORGE MAKRIS ON INTRODUCING CHANGE
“I have so much respect for Tommy May, but coming from the beer business, my personality was probably a little more laid back than his. When I got here, the dress code was suit and tie. Well, we bought a bank in Tennessee that had some really rural locations. We said, ‘OK, we can keep our dress code and know on day one, most of the Tennessee people are going to be out of code, or we can relax the code.’
At that point, it became ‘Who’s going to tell Tommy?’ who’d just taken over as chairman of the Simmons First Foundation. So I went over there and said, ‘Tommy, couple things. First of all, the board voted today to make a million-dollar contribution to the foundation.’ He goes, ‘Man, that’s great. Y’all are great.’ Then I said, ‘Oh, by the way. We changed the dress code.’”
taking the wheel of Simmons Bank than that of a delivery truck, his life in business had given Makris a leadership ace in the hole that he would soon discover was enormously valuable.
“I think my huge advantage was that I had been on the other side of the table my entire life,” he said. “Our company was full of bankers who were career bankers and very good at it, but they really didn’t view things from the perspective of the customer because they had not lived it personally in the past. I was a bank customer first, a director second, and third, I was an associate of Simmons Bank. I think that helped me relate on a different level.”
Operating from that posture boiled everything Makris and his team did back down to people, be they existing customers and employees or those the bank sought to add via mergers and acquisitions. He did not have to wait long for an opportunity to prove his leadership strategy, as Simmons dove into the process of buying Little Rock’s Metropolitan National Bank shortly after Markis reported for duty. While today the buy stands as an important catalyst for what was to come, at the time, it had some considerable and vocal dissent.
“I called Tommy, and I said, ‘Hey, Tommy, we’re getting ready to do an analysis on Metropolitan Bank about buying it out of bankruptcy.’ His exact words were, ‘Are you nuts?’” he said. “Well, we showed him the pro formas and all those kinds of things, and after we went through that process, Tommy was very supportive, and it worked out great.”
The deal also laid the groundwork for the company’s M&A processes, which would become steadily more science than art during a multi-merger buying spree over the next few years. Even as its approach became more sophisticated, however, the fundamentals that sold or vetoed a deal remained unchanged and inviolate.
“When we go in, we look at the fundamentals of banking, and we ask ourselves are we going to mesh culturally?” he said. “We spend a considerable amount of time face to face with the management of that company, with their next layer of management, with their board, to understand their history, how they integrate in the community. We learn about their reputation. If we check all those boxes, then we go to the next step.
“Some did, and some didn’t. Quite honestly, we did 13 acquisitions, but we probably walked away from twice that many early in the process just because we saw some things that were going to give us a lot of execution risk or lacked a common culture.”
Simmons’ reputation for straight-shooting, aboveboard dealings also earned it valuable allies in regulators. Unlike some executives who thought of such entities as something to be tolerated, Makris’ philosophy was to leverage every resource at the bank’s disposal to help achieve the company’s objectives.
“We can complain all day long about bank regulation and how restrictive that may be, but we had a great re-
GEORGE MAKRIS ON OVERTHINKING
“Anheuser-Busch is a great marketing company, but they’ve made some huge mistakes, most recently with Bud Light, as we all know. They’ve also come out with excellent brands but named them incorrectly where the consumer didn’t understand what it was. When Michelob Ultra came out, it created a whole new category, and it was a hit. They decided they needed something in the Budweiser family with those same attributes and decided they were going to call it Budweiser Select. Wholesalers went nuts, said it ought to be Budweiser Ultra. The consumer understands what it is. It’s a lower price. You’d own the category. They said we know what our research says. Well, that research was wrong, and today, we’ve got a great low-calorie, low-carb beer in the Budweiser family that nobody knows is there.”
lationship with the St. Louis Federal Reserve and the state bank department. They were great partners,” he said. “Every time we had a deal that we thought might go to the next step, we were in front of those regulators, saying, ‘Hey, do you know anything that might prevent us from this? What do you want to see when we ask you, ultimately, for approval?’
“In fact, there were a couple that they probably steered us away from because they understood some of the regulatory risk much better than we could uncover. That stuff’s secret, of course, and they never told us what a rating was from their regulators, but they could drop subtle hints about maybe we ought to look at so and so to really understand that risk.”
GEORGE MAKRIS ON CORPORATE INTEGRATION
“We’ve bought 13 banks, which means 13 different ways of doing things. Standardization in certain areas is important but not something everybody wants to hear, so you have to be pretty clear about what the outcome is going to be. That doesn’t mean acting like McDonald’s where you cook a burger the same way New York to California. Ours isn’t quite that regimented, but it does require determining best practices. The key is recognizing that sometimes the best practice was Simmons,’ and sometimes it was the acquired bank’s. The convincing wasn’t always aimed at the acquired associates; sometimes it was convincing the Simmons people that, hey, there’s a better way to do what we’re doing.”
To say Makris never forgot where he came from is a foregone conclusion, since reminders are all around him. The family’s distributorship in Pine Bluff continues in the capable hands of two of his sons, and a third works in the bank’s legal department, not far from his father’s office. As multi-billion-dollar success stories go, Simmons is more collegial than most, reflective of the plainspoken Main Street ethic upon which it was founded and which today it wears like a lapel pin for all to see. Even the soaring Little Rock headquarters building, the dominant fixture of the city’s eastern skyline, feels like a slice of hometown pride.
At its head, Makris remains as he ever was — a son of the Delta, two-sport college athlete, and doting husband and father whose relentless drive to over deliver to employee and customer alike has helped write some of the most successful chapters in Arkansas banking history. It has not been flawless, and no personal or company life story is, but as he is quick to point out, even the missteps have been instructive, not to mention the makings of a hell of a good story.
“You learn from your mistakes,” he said, “and we made a big one when we decided that we were going to be the name on the Liberty Bowl stadium in Memphis. They’d never had a corporate name on there, but they needed a catalyst for the renovation that is starting there. I was sitting down with the mayor, and he said, ‘What do you think you’re going to call it?’ I said, ‘Well, you know, the original name of the stadium was Memorial Stadium, so we thought we’d call it Simmons Bank Memorial Stadium.’
“We put that out in the press, and man, people went nuts. ‘I can’t believe you’re removing the name Liberty,’ and all that. OK, great, how about if we call it Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium? ‘Oh yeah, that’d be fine. Change the name.’
“That’s what the community wanted it to be called. That’s great. No skin off our nose. We listened to what the people said, and we weren’t going to argue with it. Instead, we paid to have the Gold Star Memorial built on-site to keep the memorial side alive, but the point is you’ve got to be flexible and listen to your customer, always. You do that, and things will come out OK.”
GEORGE MAKRIS ON PERSPECTIVE
“In business, you’re going to make mistakes, so don’t ever worry about changing things. You can’t be so static in your thinking that it creates more bad decisions. Learn from your mistakes and move forward. Learn to be flexible. You can’t make all the decisions yourself. You’ve got to rely on people who know more than you do about certain things, and when they give you good advice, take it. Most of all, view things from the perspective of the customer; that is the best way to know how to adapt and grow your business. If we hadn’t had that mindset here at Simmons, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock will host the Simmons Bank Championship in October.
EThe of
Swing Things
EXCITEMENT BUILDING FOR SIMMONS BANK CHAMPIONSHIP
By Dwain Hebda
ver since Simmons Bank executives announced the impending arrival of the Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens, the first-ever PGA Tour Champions event in Arkansas, excitement for the tournament has been building. The threeround competition, which will be part of a weeklong celebration of golf, is slated for Oct. 21 to 27 at Little Rock’s Pleasant Valley Country Club.
Simmons Bank, which signed an agreement to host the Classic for five years, has been involved with the PGA Tour since 2019 via the Korn Ferry Tour. The Arkansas-based banking powerhouse proved a fast learner in the successful execution of such events; the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation claimed 2022 Tour of the Year honors.
The Champions event is an equally impressive plum as the second leg of the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup playoffs in which the top 54 players in the standings will compete to earn their spot among the top 36 who advance to the final event of the season.
“This was a tough get. I think we were in conversations and trying to get here for almost three years,” said Elizabeth Machen, Simmons’ executive vice president of marketing. “The PGA Tour has a set calendar and a set number of events, and while they adjust and tweak, they’re not necessarily adding a multitude of events every year. I mean if anything, they’re trying
to give their golfers a little more balance to the schedule.
“The Tour really wanted to be in Little Rock, and it’s very bullish on what we can do for a tournament. They’ve found great success in mid-size markets, and Little Rock was a sweet spot for them. It’s a combination of several things; when you go into a metro market that’s got several professional sports or other entertainment options, there’s a higher clip of competition to bring out an audience, whereas when you enter a more mid-sized market, you have a more captive audience. As an event, you have more opportunity to stand out on the calendar.”
Native Arkansas golfers in contention to play in the event include Ken Duke, at writing the 32nd ranked player in the playoffs, and Glen Day, who has an outside shot at qualifying from his 65th place ranking. In addition to the chance to make the final championship tournament, top finishers will share in a $2.3 million prize purse, $365,000 of which will go to the winner.
“I don’t think events like this one come available that often,” said Freddie Black, chief community banking officer and tournament chairman. “Our tournament is replacing a tournament called TimberTech that was on the East Coast, which, I assume, they chose not to sponsor again. We wanted a fall tournament just because
(Photos by Gary Kellner)
we have a better chance of good weather, and fortunately, the event happens to be a playoff, too, so it was win-win. It was just a great opportunity.”
Not all of the heavy hitters will be in the competitive field, some are coming from the ranks of Arkansas’ business community, starting with the tournament’s presenting sponsor, investment bank and wealth management titan Stephens. Curtis Jeffries, Stephens senior vice president and director of sports marketing and sponsorships, said the company jumped at the chance to lend its name to the event.
“Let me start by saying, Simmons Bank and Stephens have a decades-long relationship, and we have watched them grow and prosper over the years,” he said. “We saw this event as an opportunity for two great financial institutions to showcase Arkansas and our commitment to golf particularly at the professional level.
“A good business is built on strong relationships. At Stephens, we have built our business over 90 years, working with clients and building relationships with individuals in the state, across the country and on the other side of the Atlantic through our Frankfurt and London offices. We are very much of the attitude of helping clients reach their goals. Our approach is to sit on the same side of the desk and ask what would we do if we owned the business — and yes, we enjoy a fun game of golf with our friends and clients. Participating in this event as a presenting sponsor is really an extension of the Stephens brand, as it is the Simmons Bank brand.”
Black said Pleasant Valley Country Club was the preferred venue from the jump, noting the 7,100-yard par 71 sets up sublimely for the Champions Tour.
“It was the top choice from day one, first for the type of course it is, a real challenging, beautiful course,” he said. “Pleasant Valley is also very amenable to the spectator; where it sits geographically in the city is easier to get into and out of, and it sets up well for viewing, especially the finishing holes around the lake, where the setting is just beautiful.
“You also have to have a club that’s amenable to hosting an event like this, which Pleasant Valley was. They embraced the idea. It took some time to work out all the details, and the PGA had to have the final say, of course, but the membership there immediately saw this as a real opportunity to showcase their property.
Adam Wells, president of Lumber1 Home Center and 2022 president of PVCC, serves as the club’s tournament committee chairman. He echoed Black’s comments, saying the membership was enthusiastic about welcoming the event to Little Rock.
“We were flattered to be asked and also excited because we were very proud of our golf course,” Wells said. “It’s been described many times as one of the hidden gems in the entire southern United States, and we certainly feel that way. We gave the proposal all the due diligence it required, but it really was an easy decision to say yes.”
One fortuitous aspect was the fact that the club had already committed to a massive overhaul and remodel of its aging clubhouse, work that has just recently been completed. Thanks to some $25 million in improvements, the new facility has been
transformed to include a stunning new look and amenities befitting a club of its stature.
“The clubhouse opened in 1968, and there have been some very minor renovations throughout the years, but we were certainly due for a major overhaul,” Wells said. “We knew we had to upgrade the HVAC, the plumbing, mechanical systems and all that, but we also made the decision to go ahead and, at the same time, upgrade the clubhouse in a way that really will prepare us for the next 50 years.
“We’re proud of it. The entire clubhouse has been beautified and brought up to modern times with an expanded ballroom, expanded dining facilities. We took our fitness center into a separate building and increased the footprint there. We’re extremely excited that all of this is nearly completed and will be open to the membership just a few weeks before the tournament.”
In addition to the competition itself, organizers are planning various events the remainder of the week, including the Women’s Leadership Summit sponsored by Baptist Health, women’s and junior golf clinics, pro-am tournaments Wednesday and Thursday. There will even be a tailgate party happening for Hogs fans in advance of the University of Arkansas’ road game against Mississippi State on Saturday.
Machen said the positive publicity surrounding the event, spurred by the Golf Channel’s worldwide live broadcast of the actual competition, is just one of the ways Little Rock stands to gain by the event’s presence. The tournament is expected to generate about $15 million in local economic impact, area churches and other groups have the opportunity to earn money by staffing concession stands, and net proceeds from the event will remain in the community.
“The tournament is actually owned by a newly formed 501(c)(3) called Arkansas Champions Trust, a nonprofit organization with the No. 1 goal of driving revenues that can be used for charitable contributions,” she said. “When all is said and done, at the end of the tournament, based off of sales and attendance and this, that and the other, we will have funds to turn around and distribute to selected charities. Our goal is to hit at least a million dollars in charitable contributions from this tournament.”
While ticket sale figures were not yet available, other indications reveal the enthusiasm the event is generating within the community. When organizers put out the call for volunteers, nearly 900 individuals signed up within a month, and there’s now a waiting list of people wanting to participate. All in all, officials are looking for a massively successful event.
“Little Rock is a golf community, a big golf community,” Jeffries said. “There are outstanding clubs here, the Country Club of Little Rock, Pleasant Valley and Chenal and the Alotian Golf Club. There are not many markets of our size that can support four private clubs, and on top of that, you have a tremendous and growing First Tee organization in central Arkansas, so looking at Little Rock as a site, it’s second to none in the state as far as a golf community. This event is going to be a showcase for the Champions tour. It’s going to be fantastic.”
RACE to the TOP
Shake-ups in store for Arkansas’ highest court
By Mak Millard
In addition to an ever-tightening presidential contest, Arkansas voters have a slew of choices to make concerning ballot initiatives and offices on Nov. 5. Among those races lies one of particular note thanks to its historical significance and a bit of judicial musical chairs.
Following a tight March general election in which four candidates each garnered about a quarter of the vote, November’s runoff is set to decide which of Arkansas Supreme Court justices Karen Baker and Rhonda Wood will secure the title of chief justice. With it comes the distinction of being not only the second-ever female to hold the position but the first female chief justice in Arkansas history to be elected to the seat.
Circumstances have led to even more shuffling than usual this cycle. Chief Justice John Dan Kemp, whose eight-year term on the court ends on Dec. 31, did not seek reelection. Three of the four initial candidates vying for the position were sitting justices: Baker (Position 6), Wood (Position 7) and Barbara Webb (Position 4). Attorney and former state representative Jay Martin, the only candidate not on the court, was defeated alongside Webb in March.
Elsewhere on the bench, the death of Justice Robin Wynne in June created a vacancy for Position 2, to which Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Cody Hiland. His appointment makes him ineligible to run for reelection to the same seat. In March, Justice Courtney Hudson handily defeated lower-court judge Carlton Jones for Position 2, meaning her current spot, Position 3, will also be up for appointment by the governor. The only justice keen to stay put was Shawn Womack, whose Position 5 seat went unchallenged.
With positions 2 and 5 sorted, Webb’s seat not up for contest until her term ends in 2028 and the remaining vacancies to be handpicked by the governor, the only opportunity left for voters to have a say in the court’s makeup until 2026 comes with the chief justice race.
While the chief justice’s vote counts the same as the others, the position does come with additional administrative duties and authority over the state’s entire judicial system, not to mention being the public face of the court.
Justice Karen Baker
Baker was first elected to the high court in 2010, won reelection unopposed in 2014 and defeated lower court judge Gunner DeLay in 2022. Baker was previously an associate judge for the Arkansas Court of Appeals from 2001 to 2010. She also served as 20th Judicial District Circuit/Chancery judge from 1997 to 2000 and as 20th Judicial District Circuit/Chancery/Juvenile judge from 1995 to 1996. Prior to her judicial tenure, Baker was a public defender for Van Buren and Searcy counties from 1989 to 1995. She obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 1987.
In a February forum hosted by Central Arkansas Library System, the League of Women Voters of Pulaski County and Little Rock Public Radio, Baker characterized herself as the most experienced candidate for the role. She noted that she has acted as chief justice in cases in which Kemp had to recuse himself, adding, “That’s happened 31 times since I’ve been on the court as senior justice. I’ve handled all of those cases and my current workload without any problem.” Baker also identified “the mental health of our judges and lawyers” as her highest administrative priority.
Baker’s campaign did not respond to questions sent by Arkansas Money & Politics prior to publication.
Karen Baker (Photo provided)
Justice Rhonda Wood
Wood has been on the court since 2015, winning election without opposition in 2014 and 2022. Wood was elected to the state Court of Appeals in 2012. She made her judicial debut in 2006, when then-Gov. Mike Huckabee appointed her to the 20th Judicial District Circuit Court, and she won election to Division 5 of the same district in 2008. Prior to picking up the gavel, Wood served as assistant dean of the Bowen School of Law, where she completed her Juris Doctor.
In response to questions from Arkansas Money & Politics, Wood described herself as a “conservative originalist judge,” adding, “I believe we should uphold the constitution as written, and that courts should not be the ones amending it. Judges should not make law but should instead adhere to our constitutional role of interpreting it.”
Wood also pointed out her own experience in leadership roles and public service across the judicial system, saying that she is the only candidate who has articulated a plan to improve the state judiciary.
“I have worked to make the justice system better in every way possible, including running a juvenile drug court and helping reform juvenile justice,” she said. “I have real experience working with all the stakeholders in the justice system.”
Wood’s other responses to AMP included the following:
What would your priorities be as chief justice?
We need to make our entire court system more citizen- and smallbusiness oriented. This can be done by simplifying our court rules and processes so that ordinary citizens can understand them and everyone can have their cases heard in a timelier manner. I want to work with judges to pilot innovative options for alternative court appearances for working families.
I want to encourage attorneys to practice in rural Arkansas. Every community needs access to attorneys, and this is one reason we have issues with access to justice and backlogs, especially in our rural communities. I will work with both law schools and our court of appeals to further this rural law practice outreach.
What is your appeal to the voters who opted for either Justice Webb or Jay Martin in March who will now be deciding between you and your opponent in November?
I am asking for their vote, and I believe I am the candidate that will provide the kind of leadership they are looking for on our state’s highest court. I think the voters want a candidate who is a true public servant, a candidate for chief justice who will show up, demonstrate leadership, articulate priorities and ask for their vote. Justice Webb and Jay Martin ran great races, traveled the state and made their respective cases to voters. I was there with them at those events. I am asking those voters to choose the only candidate remaining who has been to their community, demonstrated knowledge of the justice system, has a plan to improve it and asked for their vote.
Given heightened public scrutiny on the federal level, how do you see the current state of Arkansas’ judicial ethics codes? Is there anywhere you would like to see changes?
State judicial codes are more strictly written and enforced than our federal counterparts. That is in large part because of selection method differences between the federal and Arkansas constitution. Our court has authority over the judicial code, and we last revisited it in 2016. It is not something that should be changed cavalierly but with contemplation. I believe it is worth revisiting most rules every decade, especially given impacts technology has had on how judges function.
What do you see as the “proper relationship” between the judicial, executive and legislative branches of government? Do you think the Arkansas Supreme Court is doing an adequate job of upholding that standard, or are there areas for improvement?
We must work together as coequal branches. This often requires all three branches to improve the justice system, so it is critical the chief justice have a good relationship with leadership in the other branches. I alone have that. Yet the [Arkansas] Supreme Court also must act when another branch violates the constitution. We alone protect our citizens’ liberties. I have seen an improvement with the court’s understanding of its proper role in my decade on the court. Particularly, we have better relationships with other branches, and the court employs more consistent and recognized rules of statutory construction.
As a result of this race and that for Position 2, the court will see two new governor-appointed justices. What kind of impact, if any, do you see this having on the court?
Hopefully the new justices and the experience they bring will benefit the court and how we administer justice. Temporary appointed justices are nothing new to our court. This occurs from time to time. I replaced a justice temporarily appointed by Gov. Mike Beebe. I had the pleasure of working with Justice Howard Brill and now Justice Cody Hiland, both appointed by different governors. They are both outstanding jurists and brought great insight and value to the court. I am certain the same will be true of whomever is appointed to vacant positions after the election.
This election will also see the state’s first elected female chief justice. What would it mean to you to make history in that way?
I did not run for chief justice to make history. I ran because I believed I had the most experience to lead the judiciary in Arkansas. I knew the opportunity it would be for our state given this rapidly changing technological environment with the right person as chief justice, and that I would shoulder the responsibility that comes with the position. I will modify something [former United States Supreme Court] Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said to fit here: I think it’s not that I would be the first to be elected chief justice as a woman but that I am a woman who would get to serve as chief justice.
Rhonda Wood (Photo provided)
of
Iconic Beat Barton Coliseum the
a58-year-old Little Rock man who attended concerts at Barton Coliseum as a teenager — and who requested anonymity — was asked to recall some of his most vivid memories of the iconic rodeo arena that doubles as a sneakily effective rock ‘n’ roll venue.
The first memory he shared was waiting in line for an Elton John show at Barton in July 1982. Reggie Dwight, aka Elton John, was a major star even by the early 1980s, and Little Rock made the itinerary for the artist’s worldwide tour in support of the album, Jump Up! The album was a bit of a clunker by John standards, but it did produce the hit “Empty Garden.” The British superstar was making his first stop in Little Rock, though, and fans from throughout central Arkansas and beyond converged on the state fairgrounds to take advantage of what was deemed a rare opportunity.
John represented one of the bigger artists to play Little Rock in the early ‘80s, and Arkansas’ capital city was one of the smaller U.S. markets he played that year. The British artist, however, pulled a slightly different, perhaps more mature, crowd than Barton’s usual roster of artists that included bands such as 38 Special and ZZ Top. For this show, there would be reserved seating. That did not stop one ragged Barton veteran, however, from putting on his own show and helping warm up the crowd waiting in line to get inside.
Three sheets to the wind — or maybe 300 — the shirtless 40-something with a ponytail was debating with arresting officers the legality of his being placed in custody — if not the legality of his extreme public intoxication — in loud, howling tones for all of south Pulaski County to hear.
By Mark Carter
“Releeeease meeeeee!” he called out, followed by various creative epithets.
The source had other stories, of course, all of which led to the same point — in Barton’s heyday, concerts were loud, raucous and sometimes even adventurous.
Once the county built an all-purpose arena on the north side of the Arkansas River in the late 1990s, central Arkansas had a state-of-the-art new concert venue that doubled Barton’s capacity of almost 9,000. Barton may no longer be the state’s primary venue for concerts and indoor sporting events, but its legacy lives on.
News that the Arkansas State Fair is bringing back concerts to Barton next month was received enthusiastically by many central Arkansas residents who grew up with the rustic old arena playing a prominent role in their lives.
Though the arena became synonymous with the concerts and rodeos it hosted, over the years, Barton hosted college and professional basketball, professional hockey, livestock shows, circuses, boxing, wrestling (professional and otherwise), monster truck shows, garden shows, boat shows, trade shows, political rallies, graduations and more.
Will Hornburg, director of sales and promotions at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds, said there had been discussion for years about returning state fair concerts to Barton. The problem was a simple logistic one.
“The challenge was trying to host both concerts and the Arkansas Livestock Show during the 10 days of the fair in the same building with very different needs,” he said. “The
Little Rock’s Barton Coliseum (Photos provided)
dirt is very costly and time consuming to move in and out of the building while doing a changeover.”
Hornburg said fair officials discovered a flooring product at last year’s International Association of Fairs and Expos trade show that made it possible to handle both jobs with an easier, more efficient changeover.
“Now the dirt stays in the building, and we are able to put modular flooring together on top of the dirt,” he said. “We will have the floor down to start the fair with seven national acts playing over the first three days. On Sunday night after the last concert, we are able to load out the stage, sound and seating overnight while also pulling up the floor from the opposite end of the stage. We will be ready to show livestock in the building by Monday evening. It was a collective decision with the livestock, entertainment and maintenance departments having to flesh out and make sure we could implement the process.”
Originally an open-air rodeo arena, Barton was given a roof in 1948. By 1950s-era standards, it was a large venue with what was then just more than 7,000 permanent seats. What made it a particularly effective concert venue had a lot to do with the people of central Arkansas and where they were located, Hornburg said.
“In my opinion, the growth of the music entertainment industry in America paralleled Barton Coliseum’s run as the premier venue in Arkansas,” he said. “Arkansans grew up being entertained in Barton Coliseum, and geographically, Little Rock sits in a great spot for concert tours, affording Arkansans a chance to see their favorite bands play here. I hear so many people wax nostalgic about Barton Coliseum and the times they spent here in their youth.”
The arena’s size, small by modern arena standards, and acoustics helped make Barton stand out.
“The size and acoustics of the building work together to give a more intimate feeling than attending a concert in a large arena,” Hornburg said. “There’s not a bad seat in the house. There have been some improvements and upgrades made through the years but not any major remodel to change the look and feel of the building.”
Part of at least one iconic live rock album was recorded at Barton. Blue Öyster Cult’s 1978 live album, Some Enchanted Evening, included the band’s classic rock staple, “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper,” which it played at Barton as part of the Agents of Fortune tour in February 1977.
An early ’80s hair band, Autograph, which opened for Van Halen in 1984 including a stop in Little Rock, was warmly received by a revved-up crowd waiting to see Dave, Eddie and the boys. Little Rock especially loved its radio-heavy signature song, “Turn Up the Radio,” and the band took notice. When Autograph finally released its debut album almost a year after that Little Rock show, it paid special tribute on the back cover to Barton and Little Rock.
Barton was long known as a rowdy concert venue where fans brought the juice, literally and otherwise. On the same night in ’84, following Autograph’s opening set, Van Halen front man David Lee Roth was hit in the face with a small plastic glow stick as he belted out the lyrics to “Jamie’s Cryin’.” The tossing of neon green glow sticks onto the Barton stage while bands were playing
had become a trend, but this time, David Lee Roth, of all people, caught one off the side of his head. He immediately stopped the show and had some words for those responsible. After he threatened to walk off the stage, the band picked back up right where it had left off like nothing had happened.
Hornburg noted Elvis Presley’s 1972 Barton concert, footage of which was included in the film, “Elvis on Tour.” Then there was the lion that escaped from a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus show at Barton in 1973, leading to a manhunt of
For decades, Barton served as the state’s primary concert venue.
the Fourche Creek bottoms south of the fairgrounds. Circus officials joined officers from the Little Rock Police Department and Arkansas State Police to try and capture the lion but also keep it from getting loose in other parts of the city.
Though multiple attempts were made to take the animal alive, a state trooper eventually shot and killed it with a .223 caliber military rifle when the lion closed to within about 15 yards of him, according to old newspaper reports.
Hornburg said one of the more unusual events he associates with Barton took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Catholic Diocese of Little Rock was holding its statewide priestordination ceremony, and because of social distancing, Barton was filling in for a church, where the ceremony otherwise would have been held.
“It was a surreal experience for me to stand in the north end of the building looking across the floor to the stage with a large tapestry of Jesus hanging from the ceiling behind the stage while every priest in Arkansas, dressed in full ceremony regalia, walked in procession through the north tunnel onto the floor in a similar fashion to graduates for a graduation,” he said. “Looking at the scene unfolding in front of me, my first thought was, ‘This is a bit different than an Ozzy Osbourne concert.’”
It is doubtful shows will ever be allowed to get as rowdy as they did at Barton in the 1970s and ‘80s, but with its return to hosting shows for the Arkansas State Fair, the old coliseum will thump to the beat once again beginning in October.
IF YOU CAN KEEP IT
By Dwain Hebda
Consider the following statements: “The only security of all is in a free press,” and “There is no doubt that a free press is the first enemy of dictatorship.”
The first is by Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The second is by the late dictator Fidel Castro, who ruled Cuba under the iron fist of communism. Be it the clarion call of patriots or the despot’s deepest fear, an impartial and unencumbered press is a powerful thing.
The press oils the gears of a free society and brings transparency to the workings of government. I once heard a lecture in college by a political cartoonist who said “Government and the press cannot be friends if both are doing their job.”
It is understandable that those in power would seek to evade the front page or evening telecast, but as 125 years of evidence shows, the media is all too complicit in such behavior. To say rabid partisanship has infected newsrooms today is certainly not headline material, but it is also not new.
On the threshold of the 1900s, newspaper titans William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer locked in a life-anddeath struggle to rule New York through yellow journalism. Screaming headlines, scandalous subject matter and lurid prose, much of it sensationalized within an inch of its life and a mile from the truth, became the norm.
The press has long held a love-hate relationship with national political figures. Some, such as Teddy Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, enjoyed a cozy repartee, while others, such as Abraham Lincoln and Richard Nixon, were excoriated, fairly or unfairly, by the press. President Jefferson himself, whose reverence for a free press is quoted atop this commentary, changed his tune while in office, saying “Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper.”
Today’s media is no less suspect, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why. Objective journalists don’t generate clicks, and they certainly don’t get their own talk shows on networks so deeply dyed as ours. If that were true, former press secretaries and other White House honks wouldn’t land seven-figure deals for TV programs and podcasts in an attempt to lend “legitimacy” to their masters’ respective bias.
As someone who has been in the press in some capacity for more than four decades, I understand the difficulties reporters and editors face. Space limitations, be it broadcast or print, force the media to make decisions over what Bob Seger once sang, “what to leave in, what to leave out.” That, in turn,
elicits accusations of censorship and partisan pandering, depending on whose ox is being gored.
That said, the admission last month by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg should send a shudder down the spine of every freedom-loving American. In an Aug. 26 letter to the House Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg said the social media giant was “pressured” by the Biden administration to censor content related to COVID-19 in 2021 and that the FBI applied similar strongarm tactics on the subject of Hunter Biden and the Ukrainian firm Burisma affecting the 2020 election.
The admission was a cause for celebration among critics who insisted big tech was at worst in bed with and at best kowtowing to the White House on a variety of topics, letting some opinions see the light of day and negating others based on political leaning. Opposing views, even presented as humor or satire, were curtailed and their authors portrayed overtly and by insinuation as kooks and conspiracy theorists.
Such gestapo behavior conducted at the behest of a political administration shakes the very moorings of our republic, leaving the American media consumer to wonder what reporting of other controversial topics might have been manipulated for our consumption.
Yet take one look at the average attention span of today’s news consumer, and you can’t blame the jackboots for trying. Compared to the airtime, column inches and clicks given to Hawk Tuah Girl, the Olympics opening ceremonies and who got voted off The Bachelorette, Meta’s admission of an assault on our most fundamental freedom ranked about as high as yesterday’s fish, and that’s a problem.
As National Newspaper Week dawns in early October, it is clear those producing the news and those consuming it each have work to do. The fact that the Meta letter was a one-day news whimper instead of still eliciting echoes of outrage over a documented attempt by the government to spoon-feed us kernels of one-sided truth is a sad snapshot of how far both sides have come.
Americans have always endeavored to create lives their aspirations demanded versus accepting a society that’s the just deserts of apathy and fear. COVID-19 showed just how willing many of us were to hand over sacred constitutional freedoms. As the assault on the free press from within and outside shows, there are those in power eager to see how much more of our hard-fought and blood-soaked liberty America is willing to concede.
