Great entertainment. Greater opportunity. This is the destination with something for everyone.
Learn more at
LegendsArkansas.com
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is ready to help you go catfish fishing in central Arkansas!
The Family and Community Fisheries Program enhances and creates destinations in urban areas like the Little Rock Metro area. The program aims at creating excellent fishing for families a stone’s throw from where they live. Thousands of pounds of 13 to 15 inch channel catfish are stocked periodically at all Community Fishing Destinations from March through October.
CABOT:
Cabot Community Pond
CONWAY:
JACKSONVILLE:
Paradise Park Pond
Conway Station Park
FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU!
MAUMELLE: Lake Valencia
HOT SPRINGS:
Entergy Park Family Park
SHERWOOD:
Cherrywood Lake Sherwood Community Pond
BENTON:
Sunset Lake
SCOTT:
Willow Beach Park Pond
LITTLE ROCK: Boyle Park Pond Conner Park Pond Hindman Park MacArthur Park Pond Pinnacle Mountain State Park Pond Western Hills
To learn more about where you can go trout fishing in central Arkansas go to
AGFC.com.
58 | MORRILTON MOMENTUM The gateway to Petit Jean is riding the wave of River Valley growth.
64 | FULL CIRCLE Kelley Bass chronicles the return of album rock to Arkansas radio. M A R C H 2 02 0
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22 | ROADRIDERS Mountain biking has taken off in Arkansas, but road cyclists pedal on.
74 | A VIEW FROM THE BLUE SIDE Former Clinton aide Skip Rutherford offers his take on Arkansas’ red takeover. AR M O NE YA ND P O L I T ICS .COM
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CHI St. Vincent Infirmary named Nisha Trenthem as the new director for its Little Rock emergency department.
AMP Publisher Heather Baker has been selected to serve as the honorary chair for Junior Achievement of Arkansas’ annual Legacy Business Luncheon.
Eye in the Sky: Crafton Tull is a leader in drone surveying.
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Introducing a complete health system centered on creating a better state of health for every Arkansan.
You’ll find us in every corner of the state. We care for you through our hospital and clinics as well as deliver specialty care through our digital health connections — allowing patients to be seen by a UAMS health care provider without leaving home. For 140 years, you’ve known UAMS as the state’s health care leader… where the brightest minds deliver advanced treatments. What started with one campus in Little Rock in 1879 has evolved into a multi-campus clinical delivery system that includes regional campuses strategically placed across the state with plans to add more. More than a hospital. More than a health sciences university. And more than cuttingedge research. We are an integrated health system — one that serves all of the state, ensuring better access and, ultimately, a better state of health for each and every Arkansan.
UAMShealth.com
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ENTREPRENEURS
LR GLOBAL FINTECH WRAPS UP SECOND COHORT BY TYLER HALE
FINSCEND, TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
T
Complex dispute resolution is getting a little simpler thanks to one Israeli fintech. Finscend is aiming to remove the word “complex” from complex dispute resolution with its artificial intelligence-driven dispute management tool – which is able to reduce the dispute processing time from an average of three hours to minutes. With two different modules, Fiscend provides a customer-facing, AIdriven, credit carddispute onboarding tool, as well as a full-enterprise dispute management package. The impetus for the company was founder Aaron Lazor’s realization that credit cardholders were making card-not-present transactions for services that weren’t being fulfilled by merchants. Finscend stepped in to assist clients who raised credit card disputes, providing the necessary information for banks to verify claims and accept them.
he ICBA ThinkTech Accelerator 2.0 for fintech startups wraps up this month at the Venture Center in Little Rock. Billed as the world’s only community bank-focused fintech accelerator, the Venture Center program draws startups from across the nation and even the globe. The 10 selected startups pulled up stakes and moved to Little Rock in January to participate in the 12-week program, receiving $75,000 in seed investment and access to Independent Community Bankers Association networks as well as local bankers and mentors. Here’s a look at this year’s cohort.
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customers. That’s where Fintel Connect, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company, comes in. This Canadian company provides proprietary software that allows banks to see where their marketing dollars are working best. In addition, Fintel Connect provides access to a network of financially focused influencers working on a results basis. Fintel Connect works to support digital growth for community banks and increase education and awareness through affiliate marketing. Founder Nicky Senyard says participating in the ICBA Accelerator will help the company scale more sales efficiently. “The ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator is a really unique opportunity for access to resources that will help to shape Fintel Connect and ultimately help us to scale more efficiently. The experience amounts to five years of business development crammed into 12 weeks,” Senyard says. FINZLY INC., CHARLOTTE, N.C. Banks have constantly evolving needs and require adaptability in the digital space. Finzly, a Charlotte-based fintech, enables banks to use its existing platforms while enhancing their customers’ user experiences. “Banks are challenged to move faster, and Finzly helps them do that with a platform that makes things easier, faster and less expensive. Finzly gives freedom to banks by modernizing technology and providing a platform where banks choose the products and services they want to use and implement them easily and quickly,” founder Booshan
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BIKING lot easier than you’d think. Today, there are more bikes on campus than ever and when the weather is nice, the racks are at full capacity.” The percentage of NWA residents who ride is higher than the national average, according to the 2017 WFF report — 27 percent of locals ride at least six days a week, 11 points higher than the national average. And proximity to biking infrastructure was listed as a major concern when considering where to live, work or locate a business. Walmart’s new home campus will be designed to make commuting by bike a seamless experience. Incentives are planned to encourage it. For Hatfield, there really are no down sides to this approach. The future of commuting is alternative transportation anyway, she notes, and commuting by bike is healthier, reduces traffic and parking concerns and supports the general well-being of the entire community. And each “neighborhood” on the new campus will include bike storage, showers and changing rooms, as well as campus bicycles for employees to ride between buildings and to their vehicles. “Embracing bikes has brought us closer to the community, and hopefully it can be one of the many aspects of our new campus that will help attract and retain the next generation of talent,” Hatfield says.
To meet this demand, the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism began publishing a special Arkansas Cycling guide in 2008. Jacobs says it now requires updating every two years as “the cycling product in the state continues to grow,” and that professional riders who visit Arkansas for events like Outerbike oftentimes end up relocating to the state. “Besides the tourism impact, the quality of life created by worldclass trail systems is driving more people to consider choosing Arkansas as a place to live.” — In 2018 alone, the Walton Family Foundation awarded more than $595 million in grants to community initiatives across the country; by then, it had already invested $74 million into the regional biking infrastructure. That same year, in partnership with PeopleForBikes, the foundation commissioned a report that unveiled further components to biking’s impact on NWA. Research found that biking provides $85 million annually in health benefits; area residents spend more than $20 million each year on biking, and perhaps most telling, that NWA homes located within a quarter mile of the Greenway sell for $15,000 more than those located two miles from the trail. Biking delivers a substantial return on the foundation’s investment, says Jeremy Pate, WFF senior program officer for the home region. Economic and health benefits aside, a thriving biking community increases access to greenspace, revitalizes downtowns and delivers a much-needed transportation alternative, he says. “We looked at the quality of life initiatives we could focus on and how we could sustain, improve and elevate the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas,” he says. “We’ve taken advantage of the natural assets we’ve been given.” Those assets extend to the Arkansas Delta, where biking’s potential is just being tapped. In January, the foundation announced a $20 million matching grant with State Parks for completion of an 84.5 mile biking and pedestrian trail from Lexa to Arkansas City, 44 miles of which are constructed. The Delta Heritage Trail is expected to generate $700 million in tourism and create 600 new jobs when complete. Walmart’s corporate office, meanwhile, is designing its new home campus to be even more bike-friendly and integrated into the community. “Our goal is for 10 percent of our Bentonville-based home office associates to ride bicycles to work by 2023,” Anne Hatfield, director of global communications for Walmart, tells Arkansas Money & Politics. “About 7,500 of our associates live within five miles of the new campus and 4,000 live within three miles. We see the potential positive impact our associates can make in the area, and we think bicycles can be a viable mobility option.” Spurred by recent “bike friendly” certification from the Bike League, Walmart is prioritizing its bike culture by making more resources available to employees and launching corporate goals, Hatfield says. “Before we started ramping up our efforts about a year ago, you would rarely hear someone talking about riding to work. Now we have entire teams who ride together once a week, organized company-wide group commutes and training classes. “The centralized message of support has helped shift attitudes about riding to work, and we’ve been able to show people that it’s a
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—
“If you build it, [they] will come...” — “Himself,” the mysterious voice speaking to Ray Kinsella, as portrayed by Kevin Costner, in the 1989 film Field of Dreams. Arkansas built trails, and they came. Are still coming, like the line of headlights stretching to the horizon outside that Iowa cornfield in Kevin Costner’s best flick. Only with bike reflectors instead of headlights and in place of a straight line through fields of maize, a meandering line through hills of green. Tourists and new residents alike have answered the call. Andrea Albright, Walmart senior vice president/general merchandise manager of snacks, beverages, candy and impulse, calls the trail system in NWA a game changer for the community. “My family and I have really enjoyed exploring the trails as often as we can,” she says. “I’m looking forward to the incorporation of the trail system into the new home office campus as a more sustainable method of transportation.” From the first five miles of track laid in 2007 to the roughly 400 miles of trails and paths in the region today, NWA is ahead of the national curve and bringing the entire state along for the ride. For Griffith, riding the Greenway with her family represents everything good about the state’s emphasis on biking — connectivity. She calls it the best experience in Northwest Arkansas. “My kids could be riding on the trail, and I could stay on the Greenway, and we could connect at multiple places,” she says. “It’s a very family-friendly environment. And if you’re not an advanced rider, people will stop and help when you need it. Everybody wants to see everyone succeed.” For Bentonville’s Cobb, biking represents a pretty simple formula whether you’re a biking tourist or a native. “Cycling makes you feel like a kid again. It’s fun,” he says. “What do I get out of it? Smiles.”
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F i n d a Trail t h at f e e ls l i k e Home. Visit onlyinark.com FOR THE BEST of OUR HOME STATE.
Presented by Member FDIC
MOUNT NEBO STATE PARK
MONUMENTAL ADVENTURE
MONUMENTTRAILS.COM
#monumenttrails
Want to have more fun on your next mountain bike ride?
TURBO LEVO IN STOCK
ADD A LITTLE TURBO TO YOUR LIFE
Trails Edge are Cooper Communities, Inc.'s brand new premier cabins! Available for nightly rentals to both POA and non-POA members, these cabins are located on the Bella Vista Back 40 bike trail. Trails Edge cabins are perfect for bike enthusiasts, outdoorsmen, wedding party accommodations, weekend get-aways, and more! Visit us at trailsedgecabins.com. For booking information and rates, contact us at 479-366-7233 & trailsedge@cooperland.com or book online at www.vrbo.com or www.airbnb.com @trailsedgecabins • 16 Trails Edge Ln. • Bella Vista, AR • 72714 • 479-366-7233
LOCALLY OWNED. LOCALLY OPERATED. SINCE 1992. Largest Selection of Bikes in Central Arkansas Full Service Repair Department Friendly & Knowledgeable Staff
NORTH
3010 E. Kiehl Ave. Sherwood | 501.834.5787
WEST
315 N. Bowman Little Rock | 501.221.BIKE (2453)
ARKANSASCYCLING.COM
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Southland Casino Racing
3.3 million
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort
3.1 million
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
700,000
Saracen Casino annex
410,000
(since October opening)
Clinton Presidential Library and Museum
300,000
Scott Family Amazeum
165,000
Garvan Woodland Gardens
180,000
Museum of Discovery
162,000
Mid America Science Museum
110,000
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YOUR GENEROSITY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
eum scovery Donate today! Girls in STEM
The Museum of Discovery’s Girls in STEM program seeks to encourage girls, ages 12-15, to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and careers. This free program, which began in 2013, provides participants the opportunity to explore STEM careers as they engage in handson activities led by a variety of female STEM professionals. The program has expanded beyond Little Rock to serve girls in Blytheville, Jonesboro and Stuttgart.
100% are more aware of STEM careers available to women
97%
seek out additional STEM opportunities, clubs and internships
museum ofdiscovery
87% are more likely to pursue a STEM career
museumofdiscovery.org 501.396.7050
70% have elected to take more STEM courses
500 President Clinton Ave. Little Rock, AR
in school
CYCLING There’s magic in the music of the chain working ‘round the sprocket, the wind whooshing past your ears, as your pumping pedals keep the beat. America has fallen in love with cycling, and cyclists have fallen in love with the Arkansas Delta. Who wouldn’t be passionate about a region that offers miles of stunning scenic beauty in a gently rolling landscape that is easily pedaled, yet challenging enough to do your body a world of good? Whatever kind of ride gets your heart pumping, we’ve got it. Come ride with us!
Trails • • • • •
Craighead Forest Park Delta Heritage Trail Delta Shotgun Trail Ride The Ridge Sunken Land Cultural Roadway-Cycling Route • The Delta Cross • Village Creek State Park
Learn more at www.deltabyways.com/cycling AR M O NE YA ND P O L I T ICS .COM
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Vote Montgomery Heathman AY’S T
W VOTE FO NO O
5 TO WIN! P R US
Favorite Dentist & Cosmetic Dentist in AY Magazine’s Best of 2020 at www.aymag.com/best2020
At Montgomery Heathman and Associates, our team is 100% focused on your oral health. We offer our patients the very best that dentistry has to offer through advanced technologies and procedures.
501-223-3838
HEATHMAN FAMILY DENTISTRY 12501 Cantrell Rd., Little Rock heathmanfamilydentistry.com HeathmanFamilyDental M A R C H 2020
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TECHNICAL COLLEGES
Construction methods students at NWACC assemble a scaled down flooring system.
A COLLEGE DEGREE HAS COME TO REPRESENT MANY THINGS IN AMERICA. In past generations, it was considered a golden ticket to a better life, a prerequisite to virtually any career you could name. More recently, the cost-benefit of a degree has been debated at length by critics, largely due to escalating costs, staggering levels of student loan debt and several high-profile entrepreneurs (like Mark Zuckerberg) who succeeded wildly without the value of a college degree. Statistics still support the underpinning premise of a college degree creating substantially more earning potential. A recent study by Pew Research Center put the median yearly income gap between high school and college graduates at around $17,500, and Georgetown University estimates college grads earned $1 million more than those with no degree over a person’s lifetime.
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START HERE. GO FURTHER.
uaptc.edu
Call us! 501-835-8200
Join the Be Pro Be Proud Movement at UTA! Ultimate Technical Academy offers unique training solutions for today’s HVAC, plumbing and electrical industries. UTA’s fast track method of training gives the most value because of what can be learned in just a matter of weeks. ultimatetechnician.com | 6108 Getty Drive | North Little Rock, AR M A R C H 2 02 0
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AMP
There’s a place for you at NWACC Whether you want to jump–start your career by obtaining certificates, pursue your associate degree, or take your
first two years at NWACC and transfer to the 4-year college of your choice, we have something for you.
6
CONVENIENCE
Classes available online
and in Benton & Washington Counties
6
AFFORDABLE
Tuition rates starting at $75 per hour No application fee
Payment plans available
6
QUALITY EDUCATION
Small class sizes and a wide variety of
programs—over 75 degrees & certificates
www.nwacc.edu/nwaccbound
479.986.4000
enrollmentsupport@nwacc.edu NWACC1 @nwacc
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EXPERIENCE THAT’S VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF
O
ur cyber range is the first in the region built for students, and the first in the country that will be used to teach both college and K-12 students. We use it to introduce real cyberattacks – not simulations – so students learn viruses, system attacks, identity theft and more.
uca.edu
MARINE TECHNOLOGY
A UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE AT LESS THAN HALF
THE COST
np.edu
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285 cities visited
98,200
18,068
visitors to the mobile unit
people have joined the movement
Building Tomorrow’s Workforce
543 tour stops
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M A R C H 2020
OUR WORKFORCE IS BREAKING NEW GROUND Long before a business breaks ground on a new project in Arkansas, they research the quality of our workforce. And what they’re discovering is a hardworking, innovative workforce that gives companies the confidence to expand in our state. Read their testimonials and case studies at ArkansasEDC.com/confidence.
Visit Haascnc.com/HTEC for more information and to find a Haas Technical Education Center near you.
ALL MUSS
NO FUSS Catch all the Hog games on The Buzz app and at 1037thebuzz.com. Available for iOS and Android devices.
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Most Admired
ARKANSAS COMPANIES
2020
Vote at armoneyandpolitics.com Business success is measured in many ways. AMP is conducting a survey of Most Admired Companies 2020 based on financial soundness, bold innovation, brand awareness, quality of product, outstanding people and social responsibility.
Vote for the following: • Advertising Firm
• Health Insurance
• Automobile Dealership
• Property & Casualty Insurance Agency
• Bank
• IT Consulting Firm
• Startup
• Law Firm
• Construction Firm
• Money Manager/ Investments
• Professional Service
• Mortgage Lender • Hospitals & Medical Center • Nonprofit Organization • Real Estate Commercial • Nursing Home Company • Private Company • Real Estate • Public Company Residential Company • Solar Company • Accounting Firm
• Trucking Company
• Architectural Firm
• Trust Departments
• Chambers of Commerce
• Utility, Electric
• Convention and Visitors Bureau • Credit Union
• Utility, Gas • Woman-Owned Company
• Cosmetic Surgeon
• Environmental Consulting Firm
• Engineering Firm
• Manufacturer
• College, 2-Year • College & University, Four-Year
SAU TECH WORKFORCE TRAINING Delivering Customized Technical Training for over 50 Years-We are SAU Tech Workforce Training! SAU Tech Workforce Training Board Christopher Clark, Lockheed Martin; Christopher Olive, Aerojet Rocketdyne; Erik Perrin, General Dynamics; Christopher Morton, Georgia Pacific; Charles King, Armtec; and Dr. Jason Morrison, SAU Tech Chancellor
Strong partnerships are the key to successful workforce training programs. Call us today about providing customized training for your business or industry.
870-574-4769 WWW.SAUTECH.EDU
GET THE POWER TO
MEET SUSTAINABILITY GOALS SOLAR POWER + BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE + ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS + MORE Whether you are looking to save green environmentally or economically, you can get the power to do both with Today’s Power: Your energy partner. With more utility-scale projects commissioned than any other Arkansas-based company, we are confident we bring the expertise to design, low-cost and clean energy systems while creating economic development and committed partnerships.
Vote at armoneyandpolitics.com Voting ends March 31. Results will be featured in the May issue of Arkansas Money & Politics where the most admired company in each category will be featured.
@TODAYSPOWER
CONTACT US
7300 INDUSTRY DR. NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72117 (888) 322-4275 customerservice@todayspower.com
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Arkansas Northeastern College, Blytheville
1,562
Arkansas State University-Beebe
3,317
Arkansas State University Mid-South, West Memphis
1,325
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home
1,325
Arkansas State University-Newport
2,275
Arkansas State University Three Rivers, Malvern (formerly College of the Ouachitas)
1,151
Black River Technical College, Pocahontas
1,476
Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas, DeQueen
1,512
East Arkansas Community College, Forest City
1,350
National Park College, Hot Springs
2,573
North Arkansas College, Harrison
1,676
Northwest Arkansas Community College, Bentonville
8,383
Ozarka College, Melbourne
1,174
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, Helena
1,545
South Arkansas Community College, El Dorado
1,412
Southeast Arkansas College, Pine Bluff
1,329
Southern Arkansas University Tech, Camden
1,102
University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
1,479
University of Arkansas Community College at Hope
1,477
University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton
1,837
University of Arkansas Community College at Rich Mountain, Mena
865
University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College, North Little Rock
5,531
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WE'RE POWERED UP TO SERVE EVERY CORNER OF YOUR CO-OP TERRITORY. David maintains power to members and their homes, farms and businesses all around his west Arkansas territory. One of 17 strong distribution partners, he’s a big part, and just one example, of delivering a powerful future to you.
David Buck SUBSTATION COORDINATOR ARKANSAS VALLEY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
1 Cooperative Way • Little Rock, AR 72209 • (501) 570-2200 • www.ecark.org
Teaching skills for the jobs of tomorrow. Certified Line Worker Program Entergy Arkansas is proud to partner with fellow electric utilities, contractors and state workforce groups to launch the certified line worker training program at University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College. Our linemen are critical to keeping Arkansas lives and businesses running smoothly every day. And we look forward to training the next generation. You will learn the diverse skills in demand today and required for tomorrow. Together, we power life. Call 501.907.6670 for more information or to register for the certified line worker training program. entergyarkansas.com
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
A message from Entergy Arkansas, LLC Š2019 Entergy Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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STRENGTHENING THE STATE’S WORKFORCE SINCE 1963 graduates AY 2019
1042
TOP
community college in Arkansas, according to Stacker
ARNEC UACCM is among 8 community colleges that comprise
and has a 2019 RN passage rate of 97.4% on the State Board of Nursing exam
WWW.UACCM.EDU
HEALTH Emergency Medical Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing
PRO Business Computer Information Systems Technology Drafting Early Childhood Development Surveying
TECH Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology
Industrial Mechanics and Maintenance Technology
Automotive Service Technology
Welding
12 of only
Surveying Programs -InArkansas
Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology
Accredited by: � National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) � National Center for Construction, Education and Research (NCCER) � ASE Education Foundation � National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) supported by: � the American Welding Society (AWS)
More than
TRANSFER Art
Dental Hygiene
General Education
Science
Business
English
Health-Related
Computer Information Science
Family and Consumer Science
History
STEM (Pre-Engineering)
Dental Hygiene
Forestry General Education
Nutrition
Mathematics
Teaching
Psychology
Transfer partnerships, 2+2 agreements, and scholarship opportunities with state universities
advisory board members for technical programs
165
8 SkillsUSA State Champions in 2019
high school concurrent students fall 2019
53,843 square-foot Workforce Training Center opened in 2018 at a cost of $15 million.
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LARGEST EMPLOYERS Organization
Employees
2020 Q1 Sales Volume
Location
UACCM
460
Colleges/Universities
n/a
Morrilton
Green Bay Packaging
395
Paperboard Mills
Undisclosed
Morrilton
Walmart Supercenter
275
Department Stores
$47,273,556
Morrilton
Evergreen Packaging
152
Reupholstry & Furniture Repair
$7,742,497
Menifee
Koontz Technical Services, Ltd.
150
Electrical Contractors
$18,084,024
Morrilton
Wayne Smith Trucking Inc.
135
General Freight Trucking
$19,521,972
Morrilton
Arch Ford Educational Services Cooperative
110
Elementary & Secondary Schools
n/a
Plumerville
Crow Group, Inc.
85
Commercial and Institutional Construction
$47,364,139
Morrilton
Southern Administrative Services
84
Office Administration Services
$6,721,798
Morrilton
Continuing Care & $4,049,002 Retirement Communities
Morrilton
River Chase Rehabilitation 83 & Care Center
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LITTLE ROCK
KLRG
94.5 FM & 880 AM
BENTON
KAFN
99.3 FM & 690 AM
HOT SPRINGS
KWPS
99.7 FM
PINE BLUFF
KJJI
98.9 FM & 1190 AM
ARKADELPHIA
KDEL
100.9 FM & KVRC 1240 AM
MALVERN
KZYP
104.1 FM & 1310 AM
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After all, Arkansas Federal has been anchored just off the entrance to Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville since 1956. Though it now has locations across the state, the credit union was an icon of Jacksonville business. But the purchase of the 97,000 square-foot building for $12 million actually capped a three-year search for a new HQ necessitated by growing pains. Now with more than 300 employees, not to mention 113,000 members and $1.3 billion in assets, Arkansas Federal is raising its profile. In 2019 alone, the credit union opened a new branch in midtown Little Rock and renovated existing offices in downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock. In 2020, Arkansas Federal will open new locations in Maumelle, Sherwood and Benton in addition to a new branch (the credit union’s 19th) at its forthcoming west Little Rock base. Once Family Life leaves in August to join its corporate parents in Florida, the credit union will begin retrofitting the building to add the branch location and accommodate for future growth of up to 600 workers. Plus, the new space will house Arkansas Federal’s entire operational staff under one roof. Rodney Showmar, AFCU president and CEO, anticipates “better collaborative relationships” between departments and business units from the move. But he stresses Arkansas Federal isn’t leaving Jacksonville. Its current main office will remain open and the credit union will maintain its strong community involvement through local organizations such as the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and the Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council. “The decision to move our headquarters was not taken lightly,” he says. “We did an exhaustive cost analysis to determine that it was better for our organization to buy a suitable location rather than building a new headquarters. This new location meets our needs nicely and will continue to provide us with the room and space that we need to grow.” The move will enable the credit union to further meet its mission to “make a difference” for the communities it serves, he says. “By adding a location to our growing west Little Rock membership allows for us to make it easier and
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RODNEY SHOWMAR “The decision to move our headquarters was not taken lightly.”
more convenient for our members to do business with us, and it will allow for us to further invest in the Little Rock community.” Rising just down the road from Arkansas Federal’s future home base, and also within the Ranch development, is another financial HQ. Bank OZK’s new $98 million corporate headquarters, five stories tall and encompassing 248,000-square feet, is approaching completion. Not far from the bank’s current headquarters on Chenal Parkway, the new facility anchors a 44-acre development site and will accommodate up to 900 employees. First Security Bank, based in Searcy, also has a presence at the Ranch. Could Highway 10 be blossoming into a “bankers’ row” similar to what Interstate 630 has done for medical facilities? The Wilbur Mills Freeway, after all, has been referred to as “hospital row” with several hospitals and medical facilities lining its route through the heart of Little Rock. Padgett Mangan of Newmark Moses Tucker commercial real-estate developers acknowledges the potential of the Highway 10 corridor but thinks banking will remain centered on downtown for now. “The possibility of banks, or any category of business, taking advantage of the population growth and upscale demographic in an area of our city that’s growing like west Little Rock certainly isn’t a shock,” he says. “But downtown banking isn’t going away anytime soon.”
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Once Family Life leaves in August to join its corporate parents in Florida, the credit union will begin retrofitting the building to add the branch location and accommodate for future growth of up to 600 workers.
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ARKADELPHIA Patterson FCU Two Rivers FCU (formerly Henderson State University FCU)
1957 1970
$21M $11.9M
4,000 2,000
BENTON Alcoa Community FCU Arkansas Health Center FCU Hurricane Creek FCU
1957 1953 1957
$43.7M $8.3M $31.5M
6,000 1,000 4,000
BLYTHEVILLE Northeast Arkansas FCU
1959
$128.6M
26,000
CAMDEN Ouachita Valley Health System FCU River Valley Community FCU
1958 1953
$308M $43.4M
200 7,000
CROSSETT Timberline FCU
1957
$73.3M
10,000
EL DORADO Lion FCU
1992
$15.1M
2,000
FAYETTEVILLE Northwest Arkansas FCU UARK FCU
1935 1965
$10.7M $60.6M
2,000 9,000
FORT SMITH Arkansas Best FCU Fort Smith Dixie Cup FCU Fort Smith Teachers FCU Rheem Arkansas FCU River Town FCU
1960 1953 1957 1957 1957
$129.6M $11.7M $13.3M $4.6M $13.8
15,000 1,000 2,000 1,000 3,000
HOT SPRINGS Combined FCU Garland County Educators FCU
1967 1968
$6.9M $4M
2,000 800
JACKSONVILLE Arkansas Federal CU
1956
$1.3B
111,000
LITTLE ROCK Arkansas Education Association FCU Arkansas Farm Bureau FCU Arkansas Teachers FCU Baptist Health FCU Cooperative Extension Service FCU Democrat P&L FCU Dillards FCU Electric Cooperatives FCU Engineers FCU Little Rock Fire Department FCU Southern Gas FCU (formerly Arkla Gas CU) Telcoe FCU Truservice Community FCU United Arkansas FCU VA Hospital FCU
1978 1992 1992 1959 1992 1939 1973 1979 1992 1950 1941 1985 1989 1982 1992
$6.9M $8.9M $1.5M $30.4M $4.6M $1.7M $25.2M $14.5M $2.3M $13.6M $4.8M $378.6M $38.8M $26.7M $10.5M
2,000 600 500 7,000 900 400 5,000 2,000 400 800 600 25,000 5,000 3,000 2,000
MALVERN Diamond Lakes FCU
1960
$64.7M
11,000
MENA Usem Mena FCU
1967
$2.1M
500
MORRILTON Arkansas Kraft Employees FCU
1966
$4.5M
600
NORTH LITTLE ROCK Fort Roots FCU North Little Rock Educators FCU UP Arkansas FCU UP Employees FCU
1992 1956 1992 1992
$5.2M $942k $26.2M $3.5M
1,000 400 4,000 900
PINE BLUFF Arkansas AM&N College FCU Fairfield FCU PBA FCU Pine Bluff Cotton Belt FCU Pine Bluff Postal FCU Pine FCU
1952 1958 1956 1936 1992 1958
$2.2M $88.6M $10M $58.4M $606k $46M
1,000 11,000 1,000 6,000 84 5,000
RUSSELLVILLE Priority FCU
1967
$8.6M
2,000
SEARCY Natural State FCU White County FCU
1992 1958
$5M $13.3M
1,000 2,000
SUBIACO Subiaco FCU
1948
$28.3M
3,000
TEXARKANA Mil-Way FCU
1956
$121.3M
3,000
WARREN Arkansas Superior FCU
1957
$75.6B
10,000
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arkansasbluecross.com MPI 8419 5/19
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Martin Moix, MD Dr. Martin Moix is a board-certified gastroenterologist with over 27 years of experience. The Conway Regional Gastroenterology Center is the area's premiere specialty clinic treating conditions related to digestive health. Conway Regional is committed to bringing you the most advanced technology, comprehensive experience, and world-class care. We’re not just growing—we’re growing together.
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