2015-01 Faulkner County Business Journal

JANUARY 2015

Preferred Medical:

Customer Focused, Service Oriented

Conway-based medical supply company provides award-winning service to southern U.S. Page 4D

2D — Sunday, January 18, 2015

Faulkner County Business Journal

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Conway Corporation marketing coordinator earns IOM recognition Beth McCullough, marketing coordinator at Conway Corporation, received the IOM recognition from Institute for Organization Management, a four-year professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

As a graduate of Institute, McCullough has completed 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management.

“I’m proud to work for a company that provides quality, reliable services for our customers and recognizes the value of personal and professional development for its employees,” McCullough said. “Institute provides one of the most comprehensive workforce development curricula available in an ev-

Beth McCullough, IOM

er-changing business climate and motivates me to dream big for our company and our community.”

Through a combination of required courses and electives in areas such as leadership, advocacy, marketing, finance and membership, Institute participants are able to enhance their own organizational management skills and add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively.

“The lessons and information I’ve received during my four years will help me as Conway Corporation works to increase its Reliable

Public Power Provider designation as well as continue our culture of providing innovative and forwardthinking cable, Internet and telephone service to our friends and neighbors,” she said.

Crystal Kemp, Conway Corporation’s manager of marketing and public relations, said McCullough is a valuable and dedicated part of the company’s marketing team.

“Beth’s dedication to completing her IOM requirements demonstrate the same kind of dedication and enthusiasm she brings to serving our customers and our company,” Kemp said.

For more information about Institute for Organization Management, visit Institute.USChamber. com.

Chamber’s 2015 Annual Meeting set for March Nominations open for awards; tickets, sponsorships available

W

ith close to 1,000 business and community leaders in attendance each year, Annual Meeting is the largest business event in Conway.

The 2015 event, organized by the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for March 19 at the University of Central Arkansas’ HPER Center.

Tickets and sponsorships are available now.

An awards ceremony recognizing individuals and businesses that have made a difference in Conway over the past year is one of the highlights of Annual Meeting. The Conway Area Chamber is accepting nominations for the following categories: The Distinguished Service Award is the Chamber’s highest form of recog-

nition. Established in 1957, this award is presented annually to an individual or group who has rendered special service for the benefit of the community.

Candidates have demonstrated an active leadership role for the betterment of the community through their involvement in business, civic and social service organizations.

Established in 1973, the Good Neighbor Award is presented annually to an individual who has given of his or her time and talents. Candidates are known for going beyond the call of duty to help others. The nominee shall exemplify outstanding public service to the Conway area.

The Business of the Year Award recognizes businesses for their continued growth, innovation and community involvement. It is the premier honor to

the best overall business in Conway and is presented in five categories based on industry and number of employees.

The Business Executive of the Year Award recognizes the owner, executive or president of a business who has displayed outstanding performance in either an individual or collaborative endeavor. The nominee is a driving force behind the company and works to maintain an enriched business climate and an enhanced quality of life in Conway.

The Young Business Leader Award recognizes a community business leader, age 40 or younger, who has helped create a more vibrant business and social environment for all of Conway’s residents.

With the exception of the Distinguished Service and Good Neighbor

awards, nominees must be members of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce or work for a Chamber-member business.

Visit ConwayChamber.org to access to online nominations site. Those submitting nominations are encouraged to address specific examples of each nominee’s leadership, community service, personal and professional impact, work/ life balance, perseverance, ethics, and success.

A panel of Chamber executives outside the state of Arkansas will select the award recipients. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, Jan. 30.

Individual tickets are $75, and tables and sponsorships begin at $600. Reserve a space by contacting Mary Margaret Satterfield at Mary@ConwayArkansas.org or 501-932-5412.

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Chairman’s Circle recognizes 2014 Top Chamber investors Each year, the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce acknowledges its top investors through a “Chairman’s Circle” designation. Members of the Chairman’s Circle underwrite the economic development, education and government affairs initiatives of the Chamber, Conway Development Corporation and Conway Downtown Partnership.

“The level of community building and economic development work we do is not sustainable on a membership dues model,” said president and CEO Brad Lacy.

“In order to lay the groundwork for business recruitment, new initiatives and site development, greater investments are necessary. Each year, more and more companies invest at a higher level to help us underwrite major projects and initiatives. We couldn’t operate without them.”

In 2014, 46 Chamber-member businesses achieved the designation, compared to 43 members in 2013 and 35 members in 2012. Total investment increased by more than $57,000 since 2013.

The following businesses achieved Chairman’s Circle status in 2014: • Diamond: Conway Advertising & Promotion Commission and City of Conway; and Conway Corporation.

• Platinum: Crain Buick GMC and Crain Kia; and Southwestern Energy Company.

• Gold: Acxiom Corporation; Centennial Bank; Conway Regional Health System; Crafton Tull; First Security Bank and Crews & Associates; First Service Bank; Regions Bank; University of Central Arkansas Foundation; and Virco Manufacturing Corporation.

• Silver: Arvest Bank; Central Baptist College; Conway Management Inc.; Hendrix College; Hewlett-Packard; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; Log Cabin Democrat; Nabholz Construction Corporation; Park Hill Home; Simmons

First National Bank; Smith Ford; and Snap-on Equipment.

• Bronze: 501 LIFE; ARcare; Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield; Arkansas DemocratGazette – River Valley & Ozark Edition; Bank of the Ozarks; Baptist Health; BHP Billiton; Caldwell Toyota; Covington Roofing, Covington Properties and Covington Construction; Delta Dental of Arkansas; Garver; International Paper; JSI Metal Recycling; Magie-Mabrey Eye Clinic; McDonald’s; Preferred Medical; Rogers Group; Salter Properties, Salter Construction and Metro Square; Textbook Brokers; Tipton & Hurst; and US Compounding.

Chamber Resource Guide Online The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 community profile and resource guide is now available at ConwayChamber.org. Conway+ is the theme of the 2015 quality-of-life and local reference publication. It will be available in print in the coming weeks.

Sunday, January 18, 2015 — 3D

Faulkner County Business Journal

The Chamber sends the guide by direct mail to prospective residents and companies that contact the Chamber about relocating to Conway, households of a qualifying income relocating within Conway’s traditional trade area, and high-income households in Conway and surrounding communities.

Editorial

First, do no harm Ironically, the Arkansas legislature would do well to remember those famous words from Hippocrates as they consider what to do with the private option and health care during the current legislative session.

The private option is legislation originally passed in 2013 that extended private (but subsidized) insurance coverage to 210,000 previously uninsured Arkansans.

It was the state of Arkansas’s means of complying with the federal Affordable Care Act (or Obamacare) requirement to expand Medicaid.

The amount of direct federal aid to Arkansas is over one billion dollars annually. That comes at no cost to the state, until 2020, when it is scheduled to kick in a 10 percent match.

The private option is unique to Arkansas.

That’s because some legislative leaders had the ambition and initiative to actively negotiate with the federal government rather than just swallow the over-the-counter version of Obamacare.

They successfully negotiated “waivers” that allowed Arkansans to purchase private insurance rather than take Medicaid. They created a plan of modest co-payments and health savings accounts. Simply put, they innovated.

Here is what we know after living with the private option for the last two years: states that lacked the initiative to negotiate and accept federal aid have suffered greatly. Rural hospitals are closing and insurance premiums are rising.

Meanwhile Arkansas has lead the nation in the reduction of uninsured. And insurance premiums on the marketplace will decline by at least 2 percent in 2015. People are free to criticize the private option in theory. But in practice, it is an unqualified success.

If those numbers don’t persuade you, maybe this one will. 4,500 Faulkner County jobs will be negatively impacted if Arkansas doesn’t renew the private option. Conway Regional’s 1,300 employees will be directly impacted. The 450 jobs associated with the coming Baptist Hospital will be directly impacted. The state budget cuts that will be necessary if we don’t renew the private option will absolutely hurt UCA (1,500 jobs), Conway Human Development Center (1,200 jobs), and AETN (90 jobs).

The hard work of innovating, executing and reforming has, for the most part, been done over the last two years. Now we just need our legislators to remember that first rule of medicine…”do no harm.”

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Faulkner County Business Journal

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Cover Story

Preferred Medical: Customer focused, service oriented Conway-based medical supply company provides local service to southern U.S. Preferred Medical is a medical supply company that focuses on the Long-Term Care market, which includes nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health agencies, hospice providers, and Medicaid and Medicare durable medical equipment providers.

Using its own fleet of trucks and drivers, the Conwaybased Preferred Medical’s Conway location employs 40 operates in 7 states. company delivers medical supplies, specialty beds, and Medi- of service, the company was care Part B services to custom- purchased in 2002 by Todd ers located within a 200-mile Ross. In the last 12 years, evradius of its distribution center on After establishing the company Nabco Street. as a full-service provider, a geoIt also offers next-day graphic expansion was the next shipping to Texas, Oklatarget. This required a larger homa, Missouri, Tennesfacility, which brought the see, Louisiana and Missiscompany to Conway. sippi as well Long-Term Care market to as two-day the company’s core business of shipping to Skilled Nursing Facilities. almost any state in the south- erything has changed.

“We decided not to try to be ern part of the country.

After taking the reins in all things to all people in the In 1982, Phillip Nelson 2002, Ross brought a strate- medical supply space,” he said. founded Preferred Medical in gic vision of growth and energy “This decision made us focus North Little Rock. to Midstate Medical. He built on Long-Term Care, and make Midstate Medical, as it upon the small company’s solid it our core competency.” was known at the time, was a foundation and began its expoAfter establishing the comsmall, family owned company nential growth from this point pany as a full-service providthat focused on providing med- forward, both in revenue and er, a geographic expansion was ical supplies to nursing homes service area. the next target. This required in a small part of the state of His first order of business a larger facility, which brought Arkansas. was to expand the service to the company to Conway.

After earning an excellent the entire state of Arkansas The first destination was reputation in its first 20 years and to add all elements of the Memphis, and the state of Ten-

In a little over a decade, Preferred Medical CEO Todd Ross has grown a local medical supply business into one of the country’s recognized leaders in long term care products.

nessee, in 2005.

When the expansion of the company’s footprint began, the name was changed to Preferred Medical, to reflect the company’s more global position from its earlier roots.

After establishing its identity in Tennessee, Preferred Medical expanded into Missouri and Oklahoma in 2007.

As the company took its customer-centric message to other regions, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi welcomed them into their market.

Seeing the opportunity to

add some vertical integration, Ross began a sourcing business called Integrity Sourcing & Logistics.

This new venture provided an opportunity to source nonemotional commodity products from China and sell them to Preferred Medical and other peer companies in the marketplace across the United States.

“ISL gives us the chance to control our own destiny with some of the commodity products our customers consume, while at the same time, provides another revenue stream in our existing business and marketplace,” Ross said.

With strategic relationships with the quality manufacturers they represent, Preferred Medical now performs fulfillment services for several national companies and ships products directly to patients at home.

“As the consumer continues to find new ways to receive health care, we are poised to fulfill the needs for providers and retail companies,” he said.

“Our goal is to get the products straight to the consumer.”

Preferred Medical has been the recipient of many awards through its growth in the market.

The company was named a finalist for Arkansas Business’s Business of the year in 2003, one of Forbes Fastest Growing Companies in 2006, and most recently, Member of the Year from National Distributing and Contracting in 2013.

Fast forward to today, and you will find Preferred Medical focused on its core business and continuing to find opportunities to say “yes” to its customers, when others say “no.”

6D — Sunday, January 18, 2015

Faulkner County Business Journal

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Toad Suck 2015 scholarship applications available now For more than 30 years, Toad Suck Daze has provided fun for the entire family during the first weekend in May. Proceeds from food, attractions, and T-shirt and merchandise sales support the festival’s primary goal – raising money to promote education initiatives in Faulkner County.

Since the Toad Suck Daze Community Service Scholarship Program began, it has awarded more than $1.5 million in the form of direct scholarships, endowments and a pre-K initiative.

Approximately 290 Faulkner County students have received financial assis-

tance through direct scholarships and endowments at Central Baptist College, Hendrix College, the University of Central Arkansas and the Arkansas Community Foundation of Faulkner County.

This year the committee will award up to $25,000 in direct scholarships: • Scholarships in the amount of $3,000 each will be awarded to students who plan to attend Central Baptist College, Hendrix College, or the University of Central Arkansas.

• Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each will be awarded to students who plan

The 2014 Toad Suck Daze scholarship recipients are recognized on the Main Stage during the festival.

to attend the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton.

Graduates of a Faulkner County high school or homeschool who plan to attend UCA, Hendrix College, CBC or UAC-

CM in the fall of 2015 are eligible to apply. Applications are available online at ToadSuck. org or at the four participating colleges, all Faulkner County high schools and the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce.

The deadline to apply is Friday, March 13.

The purpose of the Toad Suck Daze Community Service Scholarship is to encourage community service among Faulkner County youth and to provide an opportunity for educational and community growth.

For this reason, all scholarships require a minimum of 20 hours of active community service with a nonprofit organization in Faulkner County. Applicants also must complete 12 volunteer hours during the Toad Suck Daze festival, set May 1-3 in downtown Conway.

For more information, contact Mary Margaret Satterfield at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce at 501-932-5412 or Mary@ConwayArkansas.org.

Toad Suck Daze expands retail area, applications available Retailers and concessionaires have will be accepted through April 17 with until March 1 to apply to participate in a $15 late fee. the 34th annual Toad Suck Daze festival. Applications are available online at ToadSuck.org.

Setup costs for concessionaires are $18 per linear foot for members of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce Beginning with the 2015 festival and $25 per linear foot for non-memMay 1-3, the retail area will include bers. Selection of concession vendors is two sections: Toad Market and the new based on a number of factors, including Oak Street Galleria. The Oak Street menu variety and selections, point-ofGalleria will feature retailers that sell sale presentation, size of the trailer or merchandise complementing the se- tent, potential sales performance, and lection shoppers can find in downtown overall compatibility with the festival.

Conway. High-end boutiques and fine A photo of the trailer or tent, a menu, arts and crafts vendors will make up and space and electrical requirements this new area. A collection of downtown must accompany the application.

Conway merchants and the Toad Suck For additional information about the Daze vendor jury will choose the Galle- application process for retail and conria’s participating vendors. cessions, visit ToadSuck.org or contact Booth space for Toad Market and Mary Margaret Satterfield, the ConOak Street Galleria is 10 feet by 10 feet way Area Chamber’s director of Toad and costs $275. Electricity is $50 per Suck Daze and events, at mary@conbooth. A CD or DVD containing a min- wayarkansas.org or 501-932-5412. imum of three pictures of merchandise to be sold must accompany each appli- Applications to be a retail or concession vendor for cation. The deadline to submit applica- this year’s Toad Suck Daze are available at Toadtions is March 1, but late applications Suck.org.

Concessions

Retail Area

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Faulkner County Business Journal

Conway to serve as Leadercast host site for fourth consecutive year Business leaders in the Conway area can access the knowledge and experience of world-renowned leaders by attending Leadercast® at Central Baptist College on May 8, 2015. This is the fourth consecutive year the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has hosted a broadcast in Conway.

The Leadercast event, a brand that builds “Leaders Worth Following,” is broadcast live from Atlanta to hundreds of sites around the world, including Conway. The 2015 simulcast will feature the following speakers: • Andy Stanley, leadership author and communicator; • Peyton Manning, Super Bowl-winning quarterback and five-time NFL MVP; • Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Laureate and founder of The Malala Fund; • Ed Catmull, president of Pixar & Disney Animation Studios; • Seth Godin, innovative thinker and best-selling author; • Rudy Giuliani, 107th mayor of New York City from 1993-2001; • Aja Brown, mayor of the city of Compton, California; • Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP AG; • Commander Rorke Denver, Navy SEAL Commander and author; and • Bill and Giuliana Rancic, award-winning personalities and co-hosts of Leadercast.

Leadercast exists to change positively the way the world thinks about leadership. This year’s theme – The Brave Ones – will explore what it means to lead in a way that creates bold cultures, builds faithful employees, and produces high achievement.

For more information about Leadercast, visit Leadercast.com. For local ticketing information, call 501-932-5411 or visit ConwayChamber.org.

Sunday, January 18, 2015 — 7D

top residential home sales, January

Price.......... Address............... Bed/Bath........ Subdivision.............SQFT....... $/SQ FT.......Built

$305,000 .........4910 Park Place Drive ......4/3/0....................... Westin Park............................ 2927............ $104.20..............2001 $287,500..........3080 Windcrest Drive.........5/3/1....................... Windcrest............................... 3588............ $80.13................1997 $265,000..........920 Reynolds Ave...............2/2/1....................... The Village at Hendrix............. 1560............ $169.87..............2012 $244,000..........4516 Clearwell...................3/2/1....................... None...................................... 3000............ $81.33................1960 $220,000..........1810 Poteete.....................3/2/0....................... St. Johns................................ 2083............ $105.62..............2010