WOMEN IN BUSINESS - MARCH 2022

2022 women in business

profiles SPECIAL FEATURE PRESENTED BY

WORDS Dwain Hebda and Catherine Frederick some interviews have been edited for length and clarity

Do South® recognizes the talents and contributions of women in our community. Strong, powerful women who set the bar for excellence in their profession. Join us as we salute these incredible women propelling our region forward!

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Farm Credit of Western Arkansas For centuries, women have played critical roles in agriculture from the farm to the classroom to the boardroom. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are almost one million women farmers in the U.S. or thirty percent of all farmers in the country and in some states represent a majority of ag producers. What’s more, nearly a third of farm women nationally are principal operators, per the USDA. Given these statistics, it’s probably not surprising how profound the impact of women has been on all aspects of the agricultural economy. All one has to do is look at a company like Farm Credit of Western Arkansas to see the vital roles that women continue to play in the health and prosperity of the local farm economy.

Farm Credit of Western Arkansas’s staff mirrors the heavy representation of women in agriculture, with women holding a variety of key positions in the company. These important jobs can be found throughout the organization at all levels of management, administration, and front-line, customer-facing roles.

The company’s female workforce are not only well-trained professionals, but are wellversed in the personal and professional challenges that farmers and ranchers face in any given season of the year. That’s because about ninety-five percent of Farm Credit of Western Arkansas employees have a direct relationship to rural Arkansas, either having grown up on a farm or are currently engaged in agriculture.

Being able to relate to the organization's members on such a personal level is a big part of Farm Credit of Western Arkansas’s success. After all, as a cooperative, farmers and ranchers aren’t just customers, they’re owners.

The national Farm Credit program was established in 1916 as part of the Farm Credit Act. Operating under the national umbrella and part of a network of offices throughout western Arkansas, Farm Credit of Western Arkansas’s Fort Smith and Alma locations support a range of agricultural and non-agricultural clients locally, from youth to beginning farmers to longtime rural residents.

By providing high-quality lending and financial services to meet the needs of farmers, ranchers and rural homeowners, Farm Credit of Western Arkansas supports the rural lifestyle as well as the people and communities that rely on the farm industry. And in supporting women through training programs and internal promotion, the organization provides career-track opportunities to attract and retain the most qualified, diverse workforce possible.

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Dr. Ann Passmore Passmore Plastic Surgery There are a lot of elements to Dr. Ann Passmore’s longtime success in Fort Smith, with continuing education, hiring the right people and an uncompromising level of individual attention paid to each patient atop the list.

And to these leading ingredients for success Ann adds innovation, constantly examining new technology and techniques in an effort to provide clients with more options, better outcomes and as little downtime as possible.

“What I have done is basically listen to my patients,” she says. “People have been through this pandemic where they’re shut inside and they may be doing little things like Botox and routine home skincare, but so many are feeling terrible about themselves. They see a double chin on a Zoom call, or they see extra wrinkles and yet they don’t want to take time off.”

The latest innovation, Morpheus8, addresses many of these elements and is a good example of Ann’s servant philosophy in action. The technology is a minimally invasive device designed for skin tightening by remodeling collagen and coagulating adipose tissue. Ann introduced the Morpheus8 procedure through her practice, Passmore Plastic Surgery, in February and is the only cosmetic surgeon to offer it in the area.

“Morpheus8 delivers a radio frequency delivered in a bipolar fashion through twenty-four gold prongs. This form of micro needling punctures the skin and the radio frequency is at an energy that stimulates collagen synthesis and thickening of the tissue. It shrink-wraps the skin, in a manner of speaking, with minimal to no downtime.”

Besides being an innovative surgeon and physician, Ann is also a model entrepreneur.

The Fort Smith native began her career with Cooper Clinic, a twenty-year stint that established her in the local health care community. From there she served for three years with Mercy Clinic before opening Passmore Plastic Surgery in 2020. The practice continues to grow under her unique blend of outstanding medical expertise, astute business leadership and a knack for hiring staff as passionate for the patient as she is.

“Dedication, I think, is one of the biggest components of why we’re successful as a team,” she says. “I love my patients and I want them to have the best experience possible. I surround myself with people who care about the same things, such as serving the patient, compassion and conducting yourself as a professional. I wouldn’t be where I am without my team; they’re what makes my practice what it is.”

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Samantha Sims Salon Savvy at The HUB at Providence Of all the sparkling new shops and businesses in The HUB at Providence, one standout is Salon Savvy, a luxury salon that continues to turn heads. But the business, envisioned by owner Samantha Sims, has proven to be more than just a pretty face.

“We opened in October 2020, with all the COVID challenges,” Samantha says. “Then last year in February, we had water damage related to the heavy snowfall. It was an eventful start, to say the least.”

Despite these challenges the salon has thrived. Under Samantha’s leadership, the salon quickly developed a reputation for professional expertise and customer service normally found only in much larger cities.

“We started out with me and three other stylists,” Samantha says. “We have now grown to eight hair stylists, two estheticians and a receptionist. In the next few months, I’m looking to add three more stylists too, so that’s super exciting!"

The business has also expanded its retail side, carrying quality products to help clients look and feel their best. Samantha said it’s all part of the full-service business she’s always dreamed of. A native of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, she jumped at the chance to create Salon Savvy out of a 2,100-square-foot space at The HUB, the city’s first true live-work-play development.

The strategic decision laid the groundwork for all the salon’s success to follow.

"The first time I saw The HUB at Providence, I just fell in love with it," she says. "This is such a vibrant, fun community. We're excited to be a part of it, and it’s done wonders for my salon."

As her business has grown, so too has Samantha’s image as an entrepreneur to be emulated. At every opportunity, she imparts the same advice to others dreaming of opening their own business.

“The saying ‘You only live once,’ is so cliché, but it’s true,” she says. “If your end of days was tomorrow, would you look back with regret and think, ‘I wish I would’ve done this or that’?

You just have to step out there and go for what you want in life.”

“What I tell people all the time now is, I’m so thankful that I put the right people around me that enabled me to create Salon Savvy. It has its challenges, of course, but I never have to wonder about what might have been, because I’m having so much fun building my business every day.”

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