IT’S EASIER TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE WHEN YOU HELP SHAPE IT. Arkansas works hard to stay ahead of trends and shape the future. It’s what makes our state one of the best places to do business, anywhere. And it’s why Stephens chooses to do business — across the country and around the globe — from Arkansas. At Stephens, we enthusiastically support Arkansas businesses, communities, hospitals, schools and other non-profit institutions. Working side-by-side with our colleagues, we’re committed to making our state an even better place for everyone.
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APRIL 2020/armoneyandpolitics.com
Healthcare leaders assess the impact on Arkansas By Becky Gillette, Tyler Hale, Dwain Hebda and Mark Carter
DR. JOE THOMPSON OF ACHI
MYSTERY OF MISSING HEART ATTACKS/22
GOVERNOR’S CUP HITS MILESTONE/45
CANCER CARE IN AGE OF CORONAVIRUS/60 $5.00 U.S.
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New look, same great content. Visit us online at armoneyandpolitics.com BUSINESS
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STATE’S SIGNATURE CROP WITHSTANDS TRADE WARS, FLOODS, PANDEMIC
BY TYLER HALE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMISON MOSLEY
Jay Coker, Arkansas rice farmer and chairman of Producers Rice Mill M AY 2 02 0
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A Grand Prairie native, Coker took an unorthodox path in life. Instead of going into the family pharmacy business on his father’s side, he struck out on his own, embracing the farming tradition of his maternal side of the family. In the process, he became a leader in the agricultural industry as both a farmer and as a chairman of the Producers Rice Mill board of directors. His dual role has given him a unique perspective on on the evolution of Arkansas’ rice industry. Coker’s farm might be “in the middle of nowhere,” but the rice he produces is a global product — a fact that has a daily impact on how he runs his business. Coker farms approximately 7,500 acres in south Arkansas. Rice makes up more than half of his acreage; the rest is soybeans and corn. “Rice is a global grain. Some people say it’s the most important grain in the world. It’s grown in so many countries, so many different climates,” he said. “It’s the premier base food source for a large part of the world’s population. So, we compete in a global market, and a lot of these countries have a lot of trade-distorting policies that make it difficult to fairly trade and compete with other countries.” Arkansas has a major role to play in the national and global rice industry. After all, Arkan-
sas produces more rice than any other state in the United States. In 2020, Arkansas farmers are projected to plant 1,190,000 acres of long-grain rice and 205,000 acres of medium-grain rice, which accounts for 57 percent and 19 percent of the U.S. total of rice production, respectively, according figures from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture (ADA). Rice is a major economic driver in the state, generating approximately $1.3 billion for Arkansas’ economy, making it the second-highest agricultural commodity in the state behind poultry as well as creating 20,000 jobs. Arkansas Farm Bureau estimates that agriculture, the state’s largest industry, generates an average of $16 billion per year for the economy. In recent years, Arkansas farmers have faced a series of challenges that has negatively impacted their abilities to produce the crops that form the backbone of the state’s economy. An onslaught of factors has roiled agricultural trade in recent years, from the U.S.-China trade war to severe weather in Arkansas. Weather has continued to plague rice farmers in the state. Arkansas Farm Bureau President Rich Hillman said that a wet spring has delayed rice farmers from planting, with some row-crop farmers behind even the 2019 planting numbers.
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Farmer owned since 1943. Stuttgart, AR 72160, USA www.producersrice.com
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3 RIVERS LOGISTICS
Truckload and LTL brokerage services for both refrigerated and dry loads along with flatbed, hotshot, bulk and intermodal brokerage services.
AAA Cooper Transportation
Less-than-truckload, truck load, dedicated contract carriage, brokerage and fleet maintenance.
ArcBest
Intermodal and international shipping, less-than-truckoad, trade show shipping, time critical, flatbed and temperaturecontrolled services.
Fort Smith
Bowerman Trucking
PAM Transportation Inc. offers dry van truckload, expedited truckload, intermodal and logistics.
Searcy
Brent Higgins Trucking
Refrigerated and frozen products.
Brew Crew Transportation
Steel transport crew offering flatbed services.
Farmington
CalArk
Dry van trucking services in addition to temperature-controlled warehouse and distribution.
Little Rock
Carman Inc.
Freight shipping and trucking.
Fort Smith
CCS Transportation
Truckload dry van and refrigerated van services.
Celo Transport
Expedited hot shot, point-to-point delivery, less-than-truckload, long distance, critical delivery and secure delivery.
Springdale
Central Hauling
Dry-box full-truckload carrier.
Mabelvale
Convoy Logistics
Full truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal, drayage, cross-dock and warehousing.
Crossett
Dedicated Logistics
Non-hazardous freight carrier and trucking brokerage.
Crossett
Diamond State Trucking
Flatbed, van and conestoga trailer services.
Malvern
Distribution Solutions
Full truckload, less-than-truckload, dry van, temperaturecontrolled, long haul and regional shuttle.
Harrison
DMT Services
Dry-van plate trailers for ground transportation.
EOS Inc.
Transportation services.
FedEx Freight
Less-than-truckoad services for shipments weighing between 150 lbs and 20,000 lbs.
Little Rock
Glory Transportation
Temperature-controlled carrier with trucking brokerage.
Fayetteville
JB Hunt
Intermodal, dedicated, final mile, refrigerated, full truckload, less-than-truckload, flatbed, expedited and single source services.
JD & Billy Hines Trucking
Customized services to move wood chips to paper mills in addition to flatbed trailers.
Prescott
JM Bozeman Enterprises
Dry-van truckload carrier and logistics.
Malvern
Keen Transport
Heavy-haul logistics and transportation for the construction, mining and agriculture equipment markets.
Laubach Freight
Full truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal deliveries, hot shot, flatbed, conestoga flatbed and interplant shuttle.
Paragould
Lew Thompson & Son Trucking
Regional and dedicated truckload services.
Huntsville
Gillett
Little Rock, Fort Smith, Jonesboro
Mulberry
Conway
Siloam Springs and Van Buren North Little Rock
Lowell
North Little Rock
Loggins Logistics
Regional and dedicated truckload services.
Huntsville
MAGS Trucking
Dry van.
Marrlin Transport
Long haul carrier for dry goods.
Van Buren
Maverick Transportation Inc.
Flatbed, dedicated, glass and brokerage services.
Little Rock
MC Express
Irregular route carrier with trailer leasing and dedicated service.
Jonesboro
McSheer Trucking
Truckload transportation, dedicated routes and full-service brokerage.
Rose Bud
Morris Transportation
Long haul, regional, short haul and local services.
Hamburg
Oakley Trucking Inc.
Dry bulk transportation.
Old Dominion Freight Line
Less-than-truckload freight leader with air-expedited transportation, brokerage services, warehousing, supply chain consulting and container drayage.
North Little Rock, Fort Smith, Jonesboro
P.A.M. Transport Inc.
Dry-van truckload, expedited truckload, intermodal and logistics for manufacturing, retail, and automotive industries.
Tontitown
RCX Solutions
Truckload, less-than-truckoad, flatbed, intermodal, temperature-control, expedited shipping and international shipping.
Little Rock
Rich Logistics
Scheduled truckload, expedited freight and door-to-door services.
Little Rock
Southern Refrigerated Transport Inc.
Temperature-controlled, dry-van and hazmat services
Texarkana
Southland Transport Service
Hopper bottom freight, dry-van freight and temperaturecontrol freight.
Specialized Services Transportation Inc. (SST)
Temperature-sensitive freight, dry goods and pharmaceuticals.
Stallion Transportation Group
Long-haul, regional and dedicated trucking services.
Beebe
Star Transportation
Delivers petroleum products to more than 15 states.
Jonesboro
Transco Lines
Truckload, less-than-truckload, drayage and specialized services.
Tri-City Transport
Dry and refrigerated transportation services.
Rogers
Tri-National
Warehouse, truckload and dedicated services.
Bryant
Twin City Transportation
Twin City Transportation, Inc. is a third-party logistics and trucking brokerage company that offers air ride dry van trailers and flatbed services.
USA Truck
Dedicated, dry-van, expedited, flatbed, intermodal, lessthan-truckload, over-dimensional and temperature-controlled operations.
Wayne Smith Trucking
Ground transportation services.
Morrilton
Woodfield Inc.
Dry-van truckload services.
Camden
XPO Logistics
Less-than-truckload transportation, truck brokerage, last mile logistics, intermodal, drayage, contract logistics, ground and air expedite, global forwarding and managed transportation.
Cabot
North Little Rock, Catoosa, Okla., and Reserve, La.
Stuttgart North Little Rock and Stuttgart
Russellville and North Little Rock
Little Rock and Prescott
Van Buren
Little Rock, Fort Smith, Jonesboro
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MISO continues to serve you during these uncertain times Like many organizations in Arkansas, MISO is considered essential. Our employees at the MISO South Operations Center in Little Rock are committed to delivering safe and reliable bulk electric transmission. We thank our essential workers and all essential workers for helping us stay as safe as possible during this unprecedented time. Daryl Brown Executive Director, MISO South
Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that delivers safe, cost-effective electric power across 15 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Manitoba. misoenergy.org
FORWA R DI NG A SSE TS I N
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Our experienced Estate Planning attorneys can help you achieve your financial objectives through strategic estate planning and help you feel confident about the future.
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Future Forward How COVID-19 Pulls the Plans for Tomorrow to Today
At Metova, we help companies solve problems and deliver exceptional experiences to their customers through technology.
Our job is to look into the future, to predict trends and technologies that help our clients plan for what’s to come and build the right solutions for their customers. As business owners and operators, we need to immediately make critical decisions in response as our customers are struggling with what to do next. We all hope this is a limited experience, but acknowledge this will fundamentally change consumer behavior beyond the immediate emergency. We’re unlikely to be going back to the world as it was even a few weeks ago: • What does this mean for you? • What does this mean for your customers? • What does this do to your customer expectations? • What inefficiencies or opportunities do you see now and in the future? These are all questions we should not only be asking but actively and creatively answering.
Let Us Help - www.Metova.com/strategy
Get the latest on Arkansas health care, business, politics and startups sent straight to you. Sign up for our e-newsletter. Visit arkansasmoneyandpolitics.com and click the SUBSCRIBE tab.
Introducing a complete health system centered on creating a better state of health for every Arkansan.
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Celebrate Your Company’s Milestone
DESIGN AWARDS | 2019 A SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS MONEY & POLITICS • NOVEMBER 2019
Arkansas
Mental Health Guide
AY Media Group, locally owned publishers of Arkansas Money & Politics, AY About You, Mental Health Guide, and more, are proud to offer book publishing for your company. We produce the finest quality books through our creative content division for many of the Arkansas area’s leading businesses. For additional information or to discuss the creation of your book or other custom content for your brand, please contact: Heather Baker 501-244-9700 | hbaker@aymediagroup.com
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WATCH A B LE A R KA N SAS GA ME A N D F I S H COMMI SS I ON
Arkansas has a diverse cross-section of wildlife from elk to alligators and many places across the state where one can see these species in the wild. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission staff works to provide quality habitat for hundreds of species. Get outdoors and explore the wildlife found in The Natural State. Thank you for helping to conserve wildlife and wild places.
1. BIRDS OF PREY Kings River Overlook Nature Trail The trail is an excellent place to view bald eagles, red-shouldered hawks, turkey vultures and other birds that soar using the updraft from the bluff. Find trail map on Alltrails.com.
7. TROUT Jim Hinkle Spring River Hatchery The Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery is on a 7-acre island in the middle of the Spring River near Mammoth Spring in Fulton County. The hatchery is one of the largest state-owned trout-producing facilities in the southeastern United States and is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s only coldwater facility.
2. QUAIL Pea Ridge National Military Park Bobwhites prefer a combination of open woods, thickets and native grasses and weeds that create an understory of ankle- to waist-high vegetation that is plentiful at Pea Ridge.
8. SMALLMOUTH BASS Crooked Creek Crooked Creek is a Blue Ribbon Smallmouth Bass Stream and is well known for its feisty smallmouth bass. Stop by Fred Berry Conservation Education Center for the local fishing report before you get on the water. Located near Yellville.
3. WATERFOWL Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge From fall through spring, Holla Bend can host hundreds of geese and ducks, along with not-to-be-expected species such as trumpeter and tundra swan. Located near Pottsville.
9. SECRETIVE MARSH BIRDS Freddie Black Choctaw Island Wildlife Management Area Choctaw Island includes some of the most ecologically significant and productive habitat in the state. In the spring, you can view species of secretive marsh birds (i.e. Virginia rail, least bittern, American bittern, sora) that are difficult to spot anywhere else in the state.
4. ELK Buffalo National River More Arkansans visit the Buffalo River area each year to observe and photograph these magnificent animals, especially in late September and early October when elk are breeding. Visit the Elk Education Center in Ponca for sighting tips.
10. REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS Bottomland Hardwood Trail This unique boardwalk trail gives visitors an opportunity to walk through some of Arkansas's famous bottomland hardwood. The boardwalk cuts through beautiful wetland scenery that is great for birding and observing aquatic wildlife like frogs, skinks and snakes.
5. ALLIGATORS Millwood Lake Alligator populations are greatest in shallow, open marshes, swamps and river backwaters with plenty of aquatic plants. A moonlight boat ride through the lake can offer a wealth of gator encounters.
11. BUTTERFLIES AND POLLINATORS Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Conservation Education Center Among the showy flowers are many varieties of milkweed, the host plant for the monarch butterfly, responsible for helping pollinate crops throughout the United States. The auto tour at Grandview Prairie is a great way to learn about pollinators, wildflowers and local animals.
6. BLACK BEARS Mount Magazine State Park Bears are an important part of the history on Mount Magazine. Visit Mount Magazine State Park to learn more about bears and for your chance at a sighting.
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Although it is business as usual at Today's Power, as #COVID-19 continues to spread globally, our team is taking precautions to ensure the safety of the Today's Power community - including our employees & their families, customers & prospective customers, partners & visitors.
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CONTACT US
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WE RESPOND RAPIDLY WITH OUR ADVANCED GRID MAPPING SYSTEMS. Jim carefully monitors the network that powers homes, farms and businesses all across Northwest Arkansas. One of 17 strong distribution partners, we’re always building and securing a more advanced, powerful future for us all.
Jim Yancy SENIOR SYSTEMS OPERATOR OZARKS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
1 Cooperative Way • Little Rock, AR 72209 • (501) 570-2200 • www.ecark.org
A Growing Health System for a Growing Community
Left to Right: Mark Clark, Ph. D, Tim Freyaldenhoven, MD, Ph. D, Keith Schluterman, MD, Regan Gallaher, MD, and Bhavana Sharma, MD
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Innovative Services
Faulkner County’s Only Neuroscience Center The Conway Regional Neuroscience Center is the only of its kind in Faulkner County and has a proven record of excellence. Neurologists provide comprehensive services to diagnose and treat illnesses of the neurological system, including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s disease. Visit conwayregional.org for more information. We’re not just growing—we’re growing together.
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New Medical Offices