Arkansas Money & Politics February 2022

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FEBRUARY CONTENTS

8 | Plugged In 10 | Viewpoint 12 | Discovery Economics 128 | The Last Word

18 | Fifty Over 50

Leaders in their 40s and 20s shouldn’t get to have all the fun. AMP introduces Fifty Over 50, for those experienced leaders still going strong.

56 | Home boy

It took leaving home for ANC president James Shemwell to realize his purpose was waiting at home for him all along.

58 | Black-owned businesses

86 | ELECTRIC CARS Across the country, momentum is gaining for electric cars, and more of them can be seen on Arkansas roadways.

It’s Black History Month, and AMP is proud to focus attention on some of Arkansas’ businesses that might otherwise fly under the radar.

72 | Titans of tech

We once again recognize a group of innovators, founders, CEOs and more who are helping advance tech-related industry in Arkansas.

FEBRUARY 2022/armoneyandpolitics.com

INSIDE: Black-owned businesses | Tech leaders | Electric cars $5 USD

ON THE COV E R 98 | DIAMOND HOGS Following an unexpected finish to the 2021 season, Dave Van Horn’s Razorbacks open the season on Feb. 18, again with lofty expectations.

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As a successful Central Arkansas restaurateur and entrepreneur, Jim Keet is proving that business leaders don’t have to slow down once they hit a certain age. He was photographed for the cover by Jamison Mosley at his new Cypress Social restaurant.

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FEBRUARY CONTENTS

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Heather Baker | hbaker@armoneyandpolitics.com SENIOR EDITOR Mark Carter | mcarter@armoneyandpolitics.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Dustin Jayroe | djayroe@armoneyandpolitics.com ONLINE EDITOR Lindsey Castrellon | lindsey@armoneyandpolitics.com COPY EDITOR Lisa Fischer | lfischer@armoneyandpolitics.com STAFF WRITERS Emily Beirne | ebeirne@armoneyandpolitics.com Sarah Coleman | scoleman@armoneyandpolitics.com Katie Zakrzewski | katie@armoneyandpolitics.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Mike Bedgood | mbedgood@armoneyandpolitics.com

104 | DIGS VISITS DELUCA’S Anthony Valinoti found his calling in Naples. In this month’s Digs of the Deal, we visit the spot in Hot Springs where he applies it.

ART DIRECTOR Jamison Mosley | jmosley@armoneyandpolitics.com DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Kellie McAnulty | kmcanulty@armoneyandpolitics.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lora Puls | lpuls@armoneyandpolitics.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Greg Churan | gchuran@armoneyandpolitics.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Tonya Higginbotham | thigginbotham@armoneyandpolitics.com Mary Funderburg | mary@armoneyandpolitics.com Tonya Mead | tmead@armoneyandpolitics.com Shasta Ballard | sballard@armoneyandpolitics.com Amanda Moore | amoore@armoneyandpolitics.com ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Jessica Everson | jeverson@armoneyandpolitics.com ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Virginia Ellison | ads@armoneyandpolitics.com CIRCULATION Ginger Roell | groell@armoneyandpolitics.com

48 | HAWK EYE VISION Denise Thomas applies a “hawk eye” vision for businesses in her role as CEO of the World Trade Center Arkansas.

ADMINISTRATION Casandra Moore | admin@armoneyandpolitics.com

CEO | Vicki Vowell TO ADVERTISE

call 501-244-9700 email hbaker@armoneyandpolitics.com TO SUBSCRIBE | 501-244-9700 ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Joyce Elliott, Gretchen Hall, Stacy Hurst, Heather Larkin, Elizabeth Pulley, Gina Radke, Steve Straessle, Kathy Webb

CONTRIBUTORS

Angela Forsyth, Becky Gillette, Evin Demirel, Kenneth Heard, Dwain Hebda, Zack Hill, Carl Kozlowski, Braden Sarver, Lee Watson, Beau Wilcox, Stan Zylowski

112 | Help wanted, still

Businesses have adjusted through the pandemic but still struggle with a downsized available workforce.

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AMP magazine is published monthly, Volume IV, Issue 10 AMP magazine (ISSN 2162-7754) is published monthly by AY Media Group, 910 W. Second St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, AR, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to AMP, 910 W. Second St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Subscription Inquiries: Subscription rate is $28 for one year (12 issues).

Single issues are available upon request for $5. For subscriptions, inquiries or address changes, call 501-2449700. The contents of AMP are copyrighted, and material contained herein may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Articles in AMP should not be considered specific advice, as individual circumstances vary. Products and services advertised in the magazine are not necessarily endorsed by AMP. Please recycle this magazine.

FE B RUA RY 2022

PLUGGED IN JANUARY 2022/armoneyandpolitics.com

Darrin Williams, CEO of Southern Bancorp, was photographed

by Jamison Mosley for the January cover. Williams was featured as part of the 2022 Influencers of the Year list. Through the nonprofit institution, Williams is helping provide opportunity to residents of rural communities throughout the Delta.

INSIDE: Steakhouses | Shayla and Scott Copas | Outback basking $5 USD

State Rep. Monte Hodges (D-Blytheville) announced his campaign for the First Congressional District with stops in Blytheville, West Memphis and Jonesboro.

FEEDBACK HANNA TO LEAD MAGIC SPRINGS FOLLOWING BATEMAN RETIREMENT “Way to go, Jessyka Pate Hanna! Love seeing that all the many years of hard work & dedication have come to fruition!”

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FORECASTING HOPE: FORMER WEATHERMAN ANSWERS CALL WITH NEW LIFE CHURCH, HOME AGAIN PINE BLUFF “Worked with him a bit on a tornado cleanup. A fine human.”

Carol Ann Coleman LITTLE ROCK CVB PRESIDENT GRETCHEN HALL STEPS DOWN TO ASSUME NATIONAL ROLE “Congratulations, Gretchen Hall! You will leave an enduring legacy on Arkansas tourism!”

Allyson Twiggs Dyer BUILDING A PLANE WHILE YOU’RE FLYING IT: THE SMALL BUSINESS JOURNEY “…and it’s so much easier the second time around if you can just manage to survive the first! Great analogy.”

Chase Ertzberger STEPHENS INSURANCE ANNOUNCES NIL AGREEMENT WITH BUMPER POOL “Central Arkansas stepping up to the plate! Glad some of the big money in the state cares about taking care of our players through NIL. WPS!!!”

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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra revealed Wednesday morning plans for a new 20,000-SF music center for development in Little Rock’s East Village.

TOP ONLINE ARTICLES 1. Wienerschnitzel Signs Major Development Deal in Arkansas 2. JB Hunt Family Forms NIL Group, Signs Hogs Star JD Notae 3. Stephens Insurance Announces NIL Agreement with Bumper Pool 4. Hanna to Lead Magic Springs Following Bateman Retirement 5. Hydco Announces Executive Leadership Transitions

Generations Bank has promoted Randy Torres to market president for Siloam Springs. In his new role, Torres will oversee operations, lending and deposit relationships growth, and community involvement for the Siloam Springs market.

6. Business and Community Leaders Join UA Little Rock Alumni Board 7. Kopps to Conduct Free Pitching Camp at Hot Springs’ Majestic Park 8. UAM Crossett Nursing Class Achieves 100% Pass Rate on NCLEX Exam 9. Little Rock CVB President Grethen Hall Steps Down to Assume National Role 10. State Senator Ingram Will Not Seek Re-election when Term Ends

CORRECTION Ninety-eight percent of students in the first two graduating classes at New York Institute of Technology’s College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University received residency placements with 80 percent placed in family and internal medicine programs. The percentages were reported incorrectly in the January issue.

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Westrock Orthodontics, a clinic affiliated with Rock Dental Brands, has secured a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) partnership with Razorback basketball player Au’Diese Toney, its first.

@AMPPOB ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

By Mark Carter

EDITOR’S LETTER

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FAIRY TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE

ver the past two decades, Razorback fandom has registered prominently on one part of the sports misery index — the heartbreak category.

Hog fans’ collective heart has been ripped from our collective chest numerous times. Whether through the hands of corrupt/incompetent officials (football at Florida, 2009; basketball against North Carolina in the tournament, 2017), the fickle winds of fate (the pop foul in Omaha, 2018), the politics of Birmingham itself (Auburn, 2020) or even our own self-inflicted wounds (White-Long-Morris), our heartbreak has taken wildly creative forms, it seems.

But watching Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs force overtime and then pull a rabbit out of their NFL playoff hat on Jan. 23, I realized something: We’ve got nothing on Bills fans. It requires some serious fortitude to be a fan of the Buffalo Bills.

I can’t imagine attempting to get over that loss in KC. The injustice baked into the NFL’s — for lack of a better word, dumb — overtime format is surpassed only by the inevitable branding that will further attach itself to the team: The Bills

lost another one on the big stage.

Of course, the Bills won four straight AFC championships in the early 1990s and two straight AFL titles in the mid-60s, let’s not forget. But for “wide right” in Super Bowl XXV following the 1990 season, the Kelly/Levy Bills of the first half of the ’90s might be remembered more like the Brady/Belichick Patriots of the 2000s.

The utter dismay evident on the faces of Bills players and fans in the aftermath of the Chiefs game reminded me of a weird, independent film made in the late ’90s called Buffalo ’66. The life of its hapless protagonist was impacted in a significant way by a fool hearty bet on Buffalo to beat

the Giants in Super Bowl XXV. From “wide right” in January 1991 to “13 seconds” in January 2022… Did Frank Reich’s laces-right hold cause Scott Norwood’s 47-yard attempt to drift a hair right? And following Josh Allen to Gabriel Davis for what appeared to be the winning score, did the decision to kick the ball out of the end zone give Mahomes and crew too much time? Apparently, it did.

One had a feeling the winner of the OT coin toss was gonna win the game. If the NFL’s rules committee doesn’t change the OT format in the wake of that one, it never will.

Even though Allen didn’t get a chance to counter in OT, the game capped what arguably must be considered the greatest weekend of playoff football ever. Each game decided in dramatic, walk-off fashion, capped by the Chiefs’ epic, fairy tale win over the Bills.

Except that, for the Bills Mafia, anyway, it was less fairy tale and more Tales from the Darkside. *** As always, thanks for reading. Let me know how we’re doing, good or bad. Reach me anytime at MCarter@ ARMoneyandPolitics.com.

By Heather Baker

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

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INTRODUCING FIFTY OVER 50 The leaders named to this inaugural list were nominated by readers. Of course, they represent a tiny fraction of those who deserve recognition, and one day, we’ll get around to everyone.

But we hope you enjoy our little twist on recognizing business leaders.

Also inside, we shine a light once again on some of the state’s notable tech leaders as well as recognize Black-owned businesses across the state. In addition to listing 100, our staff takes a closer look at several of them, ranging from yoga studios to construction companies. *** Thank you for reading. Hit me up with story ideas at HBaker@ARMoneyandPolitics. com.

ne of my favorite things about AMP is how we shine a positive light on businesses across the state and the leaders behind them.

This month, we’re introducing a new spotlight, and it’s shining on those business and political leaders who are achieving at a high level in their prime.

Our February issue introduces our inaugural Fifty Over 50.

So much attention is paid to younger generations in business publications, and rightfully so. But it seemed to me that special recognition was due to those women and men who’ve made an impact on their communities throughout their long careers and continue to do so.

Heather Baker

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VIEWPOINT

BUILDING FOR CULTURE: FEW’S BET ON THE POST-PANDEMIC OFFICE

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By Zack Hill

s we approach a full two years of pandemic life, there’s no doubt that the commercial office and the professional services workplaces have been forever changed. Being forced into remote working has opened the eyes of both employers and employees to the unique opportunities and challenges that will need to be weighed as organizations decide what makes the most sense for their future offices.

It’s no surprise that the flexibility of working from home will typically win against a lengthy commute or a cubicle farm, but anyone who has been strictly working from home knows that it’s nice to have options for changing one’s environment. The question for employers becomes, “What works best for their teams, and what will their employees expect moving forward?”

As organizations review options, it seems most employers are falling into one of four categories.

The Essential Office — where the task or duties of the employee require them to be on-site. A bank, for example, has tasks that must be done on the network for security purposes.

The Forced Return — typically the old-school mentality that people in the office means work is getting done. This format will likely run into a lot of resistance in the post-pandemic workplace.

The Full Remote — a great option for a fully distributed team but comes with its own challenges.

The Hybrid — a flexible format that allows for office usage when needed or on specific assigned days.

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While each direction presents its own benefits primarily for the company, each also comes with its own challenges. The future of the office will need to be more dynamic and flexible to address these challenges and accommodate the needs of our future workforce.

For the past six years, our company, Few, has operated in a fully remote structure across 12 states and three countries. As a digital product design and development agency, we figured it made sense to forgo the office and create flexibility in hiring, both locally and nationwide. This format offered many benefits, especially as the pandemic set in.

Few was able to easily navigate the shifting work landscape. We had a small space in the Little Rock Tech Park that allowed for some basic office storage and collaboration opportunities. While the tech park is probably one of the most impactful options for the local startup community in Little Rock, as a company grows, it has to evaluate its positioning against other groups and their presence in the market.

This format served us well for a while, offering some solid benefits like low overhead and hiring flexibility, but with continued growth and hiring, we noticed some challenges with being fully remote that needed to be addressed.

These challenges included perception issues around size and capabilities of Few, due to lack of visibility or maturity. Few has more than 30 fulltime employees, something you wouldn’t know based on the limited visibility. Without an intentional space for client interaction, where are the opportunities to put our company culture on display? Everyone knows that a decision to work with a vendor goes beyond just the price tag — a client

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wants to know who one is working with and feel good about that.

There were also employee challenges that came to light. While we’ve pretty much perfected hiring for a remote cultural fit, when we did have the opportunity to bring team members to Little Rock, we were missing the mark when immersing the team members in our culture. Even our local employees, roughly half of our team, still wanted to get out of the house at times. But the change of scenery often meant a crowded coffee shop with loud music or bad internet.

We’ve learned that employees want flexibility, but they also want connection with the place and people with whom they work. Teams of the future don’t want to be required to be in the office; they want to be in the office when it works for them, and they can take advantage of the unique benefits a controlled environment can offer.

For the remote team members, you optimize for collaboration both in person and virtually. Technology can help bridge the gap while creating a unique experience when a team member is visiting headquarters. This includes being intentional about bringing your remote team members to HQ to engage with others and your local environment.

The office becomes more of a social club or collaboration space for the team members and business acquaintances and less of a place to just plug in a laptop and put your headphones on. You can see examples of this in highly popular work environments like SoHo House and other concepts that cater more to the experience of the individuals who work there instead of just offering a desk.

Few is betting on its vision for the office of the future. We recently announced that we will be moving out of the tech park and into a stand-alone space at 1308 South Main in the historic SOMA district of downtown Little Rock. Few will use the retail office space downstairs to serve as its new HQ, with a focus on filling the options gaps for employees both local and remote.

To support those efforts, Few will utilize the second floor as apartments for use by remote employees when visiting HQ. The goal is to have an immersive experience of our culture, technical capabilities and the community we love. We don’t want to set ourselves apart from the community; we

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want to bring the community in. We can offer all the amenities of a large tech campus, right in this unique neighborhood.

Few will always be a remote-first company, but we will also be able to offer a uniquely flexible experience to all employees. There’s still a lot of work to be done to get us to that vision, as the new space will require a significant remodel. We are slated to have it brought to life this summer. We will continue to be transparent in this journey and our evaluation of the impact this unique hybrid format has for our company.

This may not be the future of your office, and I know every company can’t simply switch to remote or hybrid work. The changes in commercial real estate are going to create unique opportunities to think outside the box of what the post-pandemic office looks like. Unique spaces and formats may be able to accommodate more flexibility and options for your employees and reduce overhead by reducing overall footprint, while supporting and serving remote employees just as much as local team members.

Think about what the future of your workforce looks like, what do they value, what do they actually need to do, then optimize around that.

It’s about building culture, not an office.

Zack Hill is Partner and CEO of Few, a digital product design and development agency based in Little Rock.

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DISCOVERY ECONOMICS Dr. Weida Tong of NCTR

SYSTEMATIC DISCOVERIES DR. WEIDA TONG ON REPURPOSING DRUGS AND THE ARKANSAS BIOINFORMATICS CONSORTIUM

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By AMP Staff

he mission of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), located in Jefferson County, is to address the FDA’s needs with high-quality research and serve as a global resource for collaboration, training and innovative scientific solutions.

As the director of the Division of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, ARA Academy Member Dr. Weida Tong and his team develop tools using information technology to advance the FDA’s mission to protect and promote public health.

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AMP: What are the resources available at NCTR that have enabled you to further your research?

Dr. Tong: In terms of computational resources, NCTR has established stateof-the-art, high-performance computing and information technology infrastructure that reflects the FDA’s commitment to quality data management in a modernized technological environment. The FDA’s and NCTR’s strongest assets continue to be the dedicated teams of public health professionals, scientists, statisticians, analysts and staff who are driven to support scientific innovation to protect and promote public health.

AMP: You’ve dedicated a portion of your work to finding new uses for drugs long tested and used to treat other conditions. Why is this work so important?

Dr. Tong: Because drugs that have already been approved by the FDA have considerable scientific evidence about their risks, studying the repurposing of already approved drugs may require less time and expense than developing a new drug. In the past, however, the practice has largely relied on accidentally discovering new clinical uses for existing drugs. This “happy-accident” approach missed opportunities to identify drugs already approved for other uses that may be particularly good candidates for further study to determine whether they have potential novel uses, including the ability to address rare and difficult-to-treat diseases.

The potential benefit of repurposing FDA-approved drugs has become more apparent during the current pandemic, where emerging public health issues require solutions that draw on all sources of available information to help quickly make available interventions that appropriately balance risks and benefits. Because the drug-development process is increasingly expensive and lengthy, the scientific community began developing methodologies to transform this practice of happenstance into a more systematic discovery process. Computational approaches are in the forefront of this transformation — where my group, the FDA’s Division of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, has contributed.

AMP: You are a founder of the Arkansas Bioinformatics Consortium (AR-BIC). How is bioinformatics transforming the field of drug development?

Dr. Tong: Bioinformatics and data science have always been a part of drug discovery and development. Today, their role is more important than ever as technological advances change how drugs are developed, how drugs affect a person’s body and the need to carefully evaluate long-term data on safety and effectiveness to inform patient care.

Thus, influencing how drugs are developed for generations to come. The role of bioinformatics will continue to grow in relation to the increase of technologies used in the drug-develARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

Tong with ARA founder Jerry Adams.

(Photos provided)

opment process.

AMP: The 2022 Arkansas Bioinformatics Consortium (ARBIC) conference will be held in March and explore bioinformatics applications in precision medicine, agriculture, data sciences and artificial intelligence (AI). How is Arkansas positioned to take lead in this growing area of science?

Dr. Tong: AR-BIC is a consortium that consists of five major Arkansas universities and NCTR. Its mission is to facilitate collaboration across Arkansas campuses, provide training and education in bioinformatics and create opportunities for entrepreneurs. The consortium’s work with educational, scientific and business communities ensures that Arkansas is well positioned to be a hub of growth in these critical, emerging fields.

AMP: How can we best increase knowledge and understanding through research and make sure research benefits the broader community?

Dr. Tong: We must continue to inform the public and stakeholders about our research findings and help them to understand why it is important to them. For more insights, we welcome anyone interested in bioinformatics research and how it impacts our communities to attend the 2022 AR-BIC conference.

AMP: What do you want the Arkansas business community and public officials to know about your research and how it’s making a difference?

Dr. Tong: Attend the 2022 AR-BIC conference, and I will tell everyone all about it. You can also visit FDA.gov/NCTRbioinformatics to learn more about my division’s research at NCTR. Discovery Economics is a monthly feature highlighting the work of the ARA Academy of Scholars and Fellows, a community of strategic research leaders who strive to maximize the value of discovery and progress in the state. Learn more at ARAlliance.org. The 2022 AR-BIC conference will be held online March 10 and 11. Visit ARAlliance.org/ar-bic for more information.

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CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATIONS

Mark Evans You are one of

AMP’s FIFTY OVER 50!

The Church at Rock Creek 11500 W 36th St, Little Rock, AR 72211 501-225-8684

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On behalf of the staff, associates, and Board of Directors, we congratulate our Chairman and CEO on being named a 2022 Arkansas Money & Politics 50 over 50 recipient.

Thank you for your leadership and commitment to the growth of our company.

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ife begins at 50, the saying goes, to which the incomparable Phyllis Diller once replied, “Maybe it’s true that life begins at 50. But everything else starts to wear out, fall out or spread out.” (The women and men included on the following pages, at least, will find that funny … not to mention, they actually know who Phyllis Diller is.)

Fifty is the new 40, or something like that, but in this Ponce de Leon age of youth worship, we at AMP thought it would be nice to recognize those business leaders in Arkansas who aren’t under 40 or in their 20s. Once one hits the milestone age of 50, life doesn’t stop, after all. For many, it speeds up. Nominated by readers, the leaders recognized in AMP’s inaugural Fifty Over 50 list haven’t slowed down — they have realized more success, achieved new goals and even launched entirely new chapters. And we salute them.

The vigor of youth is a beautiful and necessary thing. But so is the wisdom and discernment of age. Besides, like the saying goes, 50 is nothing more than the new 40, right?

Jim Keet has 155 restaurants to his credit, with more to come.

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FIFTY OVER 50

Half a century later, Jim Keet still going strong

By Dwain Hebda | Photos by Jamison Mosley

In the pecking order of Main Street businesses, there is nothing more foundational to local ecosystems than the restaurant industry. There also are few industries as risky or volatile, as the past two years of pandemic America has demonstrated.

And yet, somehow, Jim Keet makes it look easy.

Keet, an operator of some 50 years with 155 restaurants to his credit, is one of the most successful restaurateurs in Arkansas. Along the way, he’s launched family-run companies, JTJ Restaurants, Keet O’Gary Construction and Keet Management Company, which directly or indirectly employ thousands. During the most tenuous days of the pandemic when many eateries closed, Keet was opening new ones and continues to do so, even as 2020’s wake continues to rock the restaurant industry’s boat.

It’s a simple formula that drives his success, though one not easily executed: Invest in what matters, surround yourself with talent exceeding your own, and never, ever give up.

“I started when I was 15 at a Kentucky Fried Chicken and worked my way through SMU at Steak and Ale and then

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Holiday Inn,” Keet said. “I learned early on that there is no substitute for hard work. You can have a great concept and have all the pieces of the puzzle in place, but if you’re not willing to personally commit yourself to excellence every day with every guest, ultimately you will fail.

“We also believe in always reinvesting in our business. That is true for investing in our staff, which was particularly important during COVID. When many people were laying people off forever or for extended periods of time, we did our very best to keep our restaurants open against all odds. We actually raised the salaries of many people. We had welcome-back bonuses for people who were laid off temporarily. That’s paid big dividends today, because our turnover rate is dramatically lower than most.”

Keet is joined in the business by his two sons, Tommy and Jake, who assist in overseeing existing properties including Petit & Keet, Taziki’s and Cypress Social, as well as new concepts such as Waldo’s Chicken and Beer, coming to North Little Rock in 2022. His daughters-in-law, Stephanie and Suzanna, also play key roles in the family business.

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FIFTY OVER 50

Keet has been in the industry so long, it’s given him a front-row vantage point to the changing landscape of America’s dining out habits and the establishments that have evolved to meet those needs. When he and business partner Gerald Hamra opened a Wendy’s in North Little Rock in 1975, it was the state’s first, and would at one time be recognized as the top franchise in the nation.

In total, he and Hamra would own and operate a total of 27 Wendy’s and Sisters restaurants in Arkansas and Texas. It was here that he learned the devil was in the details when it came to food service, a foundational lesson he still applies today.

“I have to confess that it is very difficult for me to relax in one of our restaurants because I’m always looking for that small detail, that ‘je ne sais quoi’ that often guests can’t point to but is what brings them back,” he said.

“It’s a culmination of all the small things that when combined is what makes for return guests.”

In between terms in elected office — including winning seats in both the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1988 and the Arkansas Senate in 1992 — Keet never slowed down in his business activities, including becoming chairman of Florida-based chain Maxie’s of America, for which he

“I have the privilege of working with two amazing sons and partners in other businesses that I learn from every day, and I hope they learn from me every day,” he said. “I still pride myself in working hard all the time and enjoy being around my boys and my daughters-inlaw. It’s a joy to come to work

and be surrounded by smart people who happen to be related to you.

“We’re committed to being best in class, and there is no substitute for being in the restaurants, for anticipating problems rather than reacting to them and being very proactive in terms of how you’re viewed by the guests through social media and advertising aggressively.”

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Keet’s Cypress Social delivers a more upscale vibe to the former Cock of the Walk location.

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negotiated a merger with Rally’s Inc. He followed that up with becoming chairman of hotel licensing company GuestHouse International and after that, served as president and CEO of Barnhill’s Buffet Inc. A little more than a decade ago, he and his sons became heavily invested in what are their most locally visible restaurants, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café. In 2017, he joined with anoth-

casual, we should do a restaurant called Petit and Keet.’ And in a very heavy French accent he says, ‘Why, Jim, that’s a very good idea.’ We polished off another bottle of wine.”

A chuckle. “So that was the start of it. We bought the old 1620/Savoy Restaurant building, completely gutted it and imagined what it could be, not what it had been in the past, but what it could be. That vision

which Keet won’t talk about in detail yet, will follow that.

It’s a lot of moving parts to keep track of in a business where people are often much faster to complain than to praise, especially with the rise of social media. But that’s just the kind of challenge that moves Keet forward each day, with the support of people he loves most.

“I’m very thankful for the suc-

er legendary figure in the Central Arkansas food scene, Louis Petit, to open the stylishly upscale restaurant, Petit & Keet.

“I’d met Louis at my place down in Destin for a glass of wine one night at 6:30 p.m.,” Keet said with a grin. “He brought a bottle of Corton-Charlemagne, which is this beautiful white burgundy. We ended up having four and a half bottles of wine. At midnight, I said, ‘Louis, with your reputation in fine dining and my family’s reputation in fast

proved to be very successful.”

With past as prologue, Keet’s next adventure would be to transform the longstanding Cock of the Walk restaurant in Maumelle into the showpiece Cypress Social, to great acclaim in mid-2020. Without missing a beat, he moved into more concepts. Tennessee-based Waldo’s Chicken and Beer is on pace to open later this year and after that, brickand-mortar incarnations of the beloved food-truck barbecuer, Count Porkula. And yet another concept,

cess we’ve enjoyed,” he said. “We just keep working hard at it every single day. I look back over 155 restaurants and what I’ve learned in each one of those is, I’m just very blessed. Besides being able to work with my sons and family, I’ve had a supportive wife who has stuck by me in good times and bad, allowing me to pursue these dreams. She, believe it or not, is very risk-averse, and I’m in a very risky industry. But she’s been very supportive, and I’m grateful for that.

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We're proud to recognize these women and men­... experienced, seasoned Arkansas leaders whose collective journey is just beginning.

T

he members of AMP's inaugural Fifty Over 50 list were nominated by readers.

They represent a broad spectrum of Arkansas business, industry and politics. They are former state legislators, business owners, CEOs and more who represent industries ranging from farming and construction to restaurants and retail.

Some of them started on an upward trajectory early in their careers and haven't slowed down.

Others began new chapters later in their journeys and achieved success — and made profound impacts on their communities — in new ways.

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FIFTY OVER 50

Susan Brashears

the data, report writing and managing the staff in the toxicity lab. Bray eventually transitioned into consulting where she has worked for the last 30 years.

In her current role, she works with industries all over Arkansas and surrounding states to assist in compliance with environmental permits and reporting requirements. Bray manages numerous projects, assists other employees in ensuring that projects are completed, and is involved in bringing in new business, submitting cost proposals and mentoring new employees.

Co-Owner Brashears Furniture

In 1991, Susan Brashears and her husband, Doug, became the thirdgeneration owners of Brashears Furniture. The company has been locally owned and operated in the Ozarks for more than 80 years.

Based in Berryville, the company has locations in Springdale and Branson.

Brashears Furniture was previously selected as the National Retailer of the Year by the National Home Furniture Association and by NBC’s Extreme Home Makeover to participate in the Joplin Makeover edition after the devastating tornado.

Brashears feels it is important to support the communities in which she lives and works. Kids and animals in need are near and dear to her heart. Each year, the Brashears donate more than 100 mattresses to local children in need through their Beds for Kids program. Brashears Furniture also supports local Humane Societies and many other local nonprofits.

Aaron Burkes

CEO Northwest Arkansas National Airport Aaron Burkes joined the Northwest Arkansas National Airport in November 2018. Currently, he serves as a member of the Transportation Industry Council for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and serves on the board for Arvest Bank of Benton County.

He previously served as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet as president of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority.

Prior to joining state government, Burkes worked as a vice president of administration/ CFO and other senior leadership roles with Madison College and as the executive director of a regional planning commission and council of governments in Iowa.

Burkes is a former state representative in the Arkansas General Assembly and has more than 17 years of banking and real estate development experience in Northwest Arkansas. He has a B.S. from the University of Arkansas, an M.A. in economics from Clemson University and a J.D. from Baylor University. He is a licensed attorney and licensed contractor.

Pennye L. Bray

Environmental Director for the Water Division ECCI Pennye L. Bray is environmental director for the Water Division at ECCI, an environmental engineering and consulting firm in Little Rock. A graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Bray has worked in the environmental field for 35 years, beginning as a chemist and later serving as manager of the first aquatic toxicity testing laboratory certified in the state of Arkansas. In this role, Bray was responsible for overseeing several colonies of test organisms to meet the required EPA criteria and standards, ensuring all bioassays were scheduled and properly conducted, QA/QC for all data produced, statistical analysis of

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FE B RUA RY 2022

CONGRATULATIONS Aaron Burkes Chief Executive Officer Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA)

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FE B RUA RY 2022

FIFTY OVER 50

Stephen Caldwell

Louis A. Cella

Founder WordBuilders Communications

President Oaklawn Jockey Club Louis A. Cella, a 1990 graduate of the University of Arkansas Law School, was named President of the Oaklawn Jockey Club Dec. 20, 2017, succeeding his late father, Charles J. Cella. Earlier in 2017, Cella became the third generation of his family to serve on the board of the Thoroughbred Racing Association (TRA). His grandfather, John G. Cella, served as president of the organization from 1959 to 1960, and his father served as president in 1975 and 1976. Cella also is a director of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau (T.R.P.B.) and was elected to The Jockey Club, which establishes the recommended standards for the thoroughbred horse-racing industry. In 2018, he joined the board of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Equibase Management Committee and Director of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.

Cella has overseen the $100 million expansion of Oaklawn that represents one of the largest hospitality investments in the history of Arkansas. Completed last year, the project added a luxury hotel, multipurpose event center, expanded casino, spa, additional dining options and on-site parking and more.

Stephen Caldwell is the founder and Chief Word Architect for WordBuilders Communications, as well as a part-time writer dude (editorial consultant) for the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

He has collaborated on more than 30 books, mostly as a ghostwriter, and is a regular contributor to the Walton Insights blog site. Some of his more recent book projects include Uncompromising by Comcast West President Steven White, The Dean’s List

by Walton College Dean Matt Waller, Transfluence by former Prologis CEO Walt Rakowich, Love Is Just Damn Good Business

by Steve Farber, Purple On The Inside by Waller and JBHT Chairman Kirk Thompson, 41 Deposits by Steve Graves and Flipped by Sage Partners co-founder Mark Saviers.

After a career as a sportswriter, columnist and editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Caldwell helped launch an awardwinning magazine, The Life@Work Journal. He has more than 35 years of experience with a broad background that includes projects with ministries, start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, pastors and CEOs.

Katherine Blackmon Carroll

Nate Coulter

Attorney/Owner Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon

Executive Director Central Arkansas Library System Nate Coulter has served as the executive director of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) since 2016. CALS consists of 15 branches throughout Pulaski and Perry counties in Central Arkansas, as well as the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Ron Robinson Theater and the Galleries & Bookstore at Library Square in Little Rock. Under Coulter’s leadership, CALS has expanded outreach and programming by hiring community liaisons to better engage Black and Latino communities and launching the Count UP math tutoring program and Rock It! Lab entrepreneurial hub.

A Harvard Law School alumnus, Coulter has served as legal counsel to Gov. Bill Clinton and maintained a trial practice in Arkansas for more than 25 years. He currently serves on the Downtown Little Rock Partnership Board and was one of the original members of the Our House Board and the Arkansas Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. In 2016, Coulter received the Arkansas Bar Association’s Equal Justice Distinguished Service Award.

Katherine Blackmon Carroll is the owner and managing attorney of the Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon, a trauma-informed family law firm with an emphasis on helping clients navigate difficult times with empathy and expertise. Carroll earned her bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and her juris doctorate from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. After Carroll passed the bar exam and received her license to practice, she began renting a one-room office in the Centre Place building in downtown Little Rock in 1997.

The firm’s goals are to walk clients through difficult domestic situations and to provide representation tailored for each individual client. Blackmon’s firm serves the unique needs of each client and works toward fair resolutions while vigorously protecting its clients’ rights and needs. Under her leadership, Carroll’s team continues to fight aggressively for clients and just as frequently talks clients through the emotions that go hand-inhand with experiencing a divorce or custody matter.

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Jim English, M.D.

Rush Deacon

Owner English Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Center

Former CEO/Consultant Arkansas Capital Corp.

As a natural extension of his university degrees, Rush Deacon began his career in what he describes as the less-exciting world of hourly billings – first with an international accounting firm in Houston and London, and then in local law practice. Later, he found his more passionate calling in executive leadership roles, first as president of Arkansas Development Finance Authority in Gov. Mike Huckabee’s administration.

In 2001, he joined Safe Foods Corporation in its early startup days as CSO and eventually, CEO, helping guide SFC from the always challenging development stage to becoming a profitable global leader in food safety technologies. In 2016, he resigned from his executive role at SFC (remaining on the board) to assume full-time CEO responsibilities at Arkansas Capital Corporation, the nonprofit, special-purpose finance organization. He recently led oversight by the SFC board in a successful sale of that company to a group controlled by The Blackstone Group of New York. On Jan. 1, he passed the CEO reins at ACC to Sam Walls III, but remains at ACC in a project finance role.

Jim English, MD, FACS, FICS, an Arkansas native, is an internationally renowned surgeon with a career spanning 40 years. He is triple board-certified and has authored medical articles, textbook chapters and trained 25 surgeons through his fellowship program in Little Rock. He is best known as “The Face Doctor,” specializing in facial transformations that enhance the outer appearance to match the loveliness inside, focusing on attention to detail and realistic expectations. English also offers spa services for the maintenance of healthy, beautiful, glowing skin for a younger-looking countenance. His private medical practice and accredited surgical facility are located on the Baptist Health campus in Little Rock.

Mark Evans

Pastor, Church at Rock Creek Owner, Mr. Wicks For 30 years, Mark Evans has been helping people from all walks of life make the most of their life in their relationships, personal lives and careers. As a teenager, he worked as the clubhouse manager for the Arkansas Travelers, where he learned the meaning of hard work, long hours and how to get along with people from all types of different backgrounds. During college, he worked as a personal and research assistant for the Arkansas Secretary of State, frequently traveling to official engagements throughout the state.

After a career in student ministry wrapped up in Florida, Evans returned to his home state in 1995 to start a new church concept in Little Rock. From an opening day attendance of 24 people, The Church at Rock Creek has grown to more than 5,000 members in the last two decades. In addition, Evans is the owner of Mr. Wicks men’s clothing store in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood.

Jim Engelhorn Store Manager/ Board of Directors Sissy’s Log Cabin

Jim Engelhorn was born and raised in Bloomington, Ill., where he started in the jewelry business at age 15. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois. After a lengthy career in management and consulting, he moved to Little Rock in 2017. He was general manager of another local jeweler before going to work for Sissy’s Log Cabin and is helping the company enjoy record growth the last four years.

Engelhorn has 37 years of experience in the jewelry business in sales and sales management. He is a Diamonds Graduate and multiple certificate holder from The Gemological Institute of America.

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C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S ,

J AY R A M S E Y ON BEING SELECTED TO AMP’S FIFTY OVER 50

rxcatering.net | 501.523.0697

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EXCELLENCE IS ALWAYS IN STYLE

Congratulations to

Jim Engelhorn on being named to the Arkansas Money & Politics 50 over 50 list.

JIM ENGELHORN LITTLE ROCK STORE MANAGER SISSY’S LOG CABIN

Congratulations,

Pennye Bray,

on being named to AMP’s inaugural Fifty over 50! ECCI is very proud of you and all of your accomplishments!

501-975-8100 ecci.com ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

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FIFTY OVER 50

Chris Fowler

Bobby Gosser

President (retired) Fowler Foods

President & CEO Baldwin & Shell

As a second-generation KFC franchisee, Chris Fowler began his career as a cook in the family’s restaurant business, eventually becoming President in 1985. Until the recent sale of the business, Fowler operated 91 restaurants in eight states. He was a strong voice for his fellow KFC franchisees having earned numerous awards and serving in multiple leadership positions.

Fowler credits his family, friends and employees for his success and accomplishments.

To give back, he supports charitable organizations such as the NEA Baptist Charitable Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and Arkansas Children’s Foundation with his wife, Kim, through donations and fundraising events. He also devotes time serving on the American Cancer Society and UAMS boards. He looks forward to working on new business ventures and spending time with his family, especially his granddaughters, Caroline and Clara.

Bobby Gosser began his career at Little Rock’s Baldwin & Shell Construction Co. in 1987. Over his successful career, he has served as an estimator, project coordinator, project manager, division manager, vice president, division president, president-elect and since January, president and CEO. His numerous certifications, honors and awards include Estimator and Recruiter of the Year from the Arkansas chapter of the American Society of Professional Estimators (ASPE) and Chairman of the Year from the Arkansas chapter of Associated General Contractors (AGC).

Gosser is a member of the American Society of Professional Estimators; he is also involved with the Associated General Contractors of America Arkansas Chapter, Ford NGL Committee and is a past member of the MBE Construction Mentoring Program. In addition, Gosser has been active his entire life in community affairs in his hometown of North Little Rock. He has recently served as board chair of the North Little Rock Chamber, is a member of the North Little Rock Rotary Club, has been board chair of the Heflin Family YMCA, the Burns Park Athletic Association, and served as a board member of the North Little Rock School District.

Sally Gilbert

Community Bank President Farmers & Merchants Bank

Kalene Griffith

Sally Gilbert is the Mountain Home community bank president for Farmers & Merchants Bank, based in Stuttgart. She has been with Farmers & Merchants since October. She previously served seven years as the community bank president for Arvest Bank’s Mountain Home operations and for almost 10 years as senior vice president for business development at Centennial Bank before that. In her current role, she leads Mountain Home operations, which include five locations in the Mountain Home area, for Farmers & Merchants.

Gilbert received her bachelor’s degree in communication management from Missouri State University, and she is a graduate of the Walton Institute. She serves on the board of Baxter Regional Medical Center and is a member of Mountain Home Rotary Club.

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President Visit Bentonville

Throughout her career, Kalene Griffith has worked collaboratively and enthusiastically with her Bentonville community, the Northwest Arkansas region and the state to promote and share the tourism story. Griffith has led Visit Bentonville since 2005, bringing with her key learnings from her previous career in early childhood education and time working for the Walt Disney World Resorts in Orlando.

These experiences helped ignite her passion for tourism and helping people.

Griffith currently serves as chair of the Arkansas State Parks and Tourism Commission and is a board member of the Arkansas Hospitality Association Travel Council, Arkansas Association of Convention Visitors Bureau, Bentonville Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Bentonville Inc., Bentonville Public Arts Advisory Board, Bentonville History Museum, Amazeum Children’s Museum and Dress For Success. She has won several distinguished business awards from statewide publications and was named one of AY Magazine’s Intriguing Women in 2019.

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Gary Head

Rick Hales

President and CEO White River Bancshares/ Signature Bank of Arkansas

Mayor of Arkansas City Community Outreach Coordinator, Aristotle

Gary Head began his banking career in 1983 with McIlroy Bank and Trust in Fayetteville and was recruited in 1984 by First State Bank where he served as vice president, commercial lending.

Head graduated from the SMU School of Banking in 1987 and that same year, rejoined McIlroy — which became Arvest Bank — as VP for commercial loans. During his tenure with Arvest, Head served as loans division manager and EVP/sales manager.

In 1999, he was named president and CEO of Fayetteville operations. Head maintained that position until May 2004 when he resigned to launch Signature Bank of Arkansas.

Signature officially opened its doors on May 9, 2005, and under Head’s leadership has grown to sit on the cusp of becoming a $1 billion bank. Head is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and the SMU and LSU (master’s) schools of banking. He serves on the boards of many Arkansas organizations including the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce (vice chair), the Northwest Arkansas Council, Ozark Guidance Center Foundation, Pagnozzi Charities, Goshen Fire Department, Arkansas Independent Community Bankers Board and the Washington Regional Medical Center Foundation.

Rick Hales is the mayor of Arkansas City, the county seat of Desha County; the Director of Community Partnerships for Aristotle Unified Communications of Little Rock; a licensed Realtor and developer; and one of the leading proponents of tourism development around the Delta Heritage Trail.

At Aristotle, he brought broadband internet service to Arkansas City, a historic “last mile community” located at the levee of the Mississippi River. He is renovating three properties in town listed on the National Register of Historic Places and owns and runs the historic Furr House bed and breakfast.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello alum served in the U.S. Army as an operations systems research analyst for the Army Chief of Staff at the Pentagon. Back home, he applied his talents in owning and operating a low voltage electronics business for nearly three decades, serving southeast Arkansas residences, businesses and schools. In Arkansas City, he has plans to develop a catfish/rib joint with live blues music, an internet café and coffee shop within the town’s historic district.

Rush F. Harding III

Director, Investments and Strategic Opportunities Bank OZK

Matt Jones, JD, CFP President Legacy Capital

Rush F. Harding III graduated from Clarendon High School in 1972 and received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point from Sen. John McClellan.

He graduated from the University of Central Arkansas and joined T. J. Raney & Sons. In 1979, with Adron Crews and five other partners, he founded the investment banking firm known as Crews & Associates. He served Crews as EVP from 1979 to 1996, was named president in 1996 and CEO in 2000. In September of 2021, Harding accepted a position at Bank OZK as Director of Investments and Strategic Opportunities.

Harding was a long-standing member of the boards at UCA and Pulaski Academy and also has served on the boards of the Arkansas Arts Center, Philander Smith College and the Methodist Foundation of Arkansas. In 2018, Harding was granted an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Philander Smith College for his contributions of time and resources to the college and the Central Arkansas community.

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Matt Jones, JD, CFP, serves as president at Legacy Capital and is a wealth adviser to clientele throughout the United States.

His areas of expertise include asset management, estate tax and multigenerational wealth transfer planning and life insurance planning. Jones received a BSBA in financial management from the Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas, where he was a member of the Razorback tennis team.

While enrolled in law school, he clerked at three of Arkansas’ largest law firms before deciding his passion was in finance and investments. He also spent part of his early career with investment banking firms such as Morgan Keegan Inc. of Memphis and is also a multiple qualifier for MDRT’s exclusive Top of the Table recognizing the life insurance industry’s top advisers.

Jones is active in the community, serving on several nonprofit boards and ministries. He currently serves as chair of the Baptist Health Foundation Board.

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FIFTY OVER 50

Heather Larkin

Dr. Asad Khan

President and CEO Arkansas Community Foundation

Child Psychiatrist MidSouth Health Systems Dr. Asad Khan is a board-certified general and child/adolescent psychiatrist for MidSouth Health Systems in Jonesboro, where he has worked for 18 years. His postgraduate training was at University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas.

He provides mental health services to children in local schools and also works as a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist for Consolidated Youth Services of Jonesboro. He also teaches family practice residents at UAMS as an adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry.

Khan chairs the executive committee of the Democratic Party of Craighead County and serves on the boards of Craighead County Community Foundation and the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust, the fundraising arm of the largest cancer hospital system in Pakistan, which provides free cancer treatment to those who can’t afford care. He was born and raised in Pakistan in a family of practicing psychiatrists. His father was a pioneer of psychiatry in Pakistan and his parents served the refugees from Afghanistan after the invasion by the USSR.

Heather Larkin, a native of Charleston, joined Arkansas Community Foundation in 1998 and became its president and CEO in January 2008. She is committed to and enjoys engaging people and connecting resources to build stronger communities in Arkansas. She was also named as a scholar in residence at the Clinton School of Public Service Center for exemplary contributions in the field of community philanthropy.

Larkin is a Hull Fellow and attended the Hull Leadership Program, a program to nurture and inspire the region’s philanthropic leaders. She attended Hendrix College in Conway and while at Hendrix, she competed in several sports including cross country, track and basketball. Larkin serves or has served on the boards of Just Communities of Arkansas, Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation, Rotary Club 99 and Acansa Arts Festival. She was inducted into the Hendrix Athletic Hall of Honor in 2007.

She is also a member of various organizations and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock class 19 and of Leadership Arkansas Class 1.

Donnie King

Dr. Lubna Maruf

President and CEO Tyson Foods

Chief Medical Officer and Market Vice President Arkansas Health Network

As president and CEO of Tyson Foods, Donnie King leads more than 139,000 team members at more than 150 facilities around the world. The Tyson portfolio of brands includes Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Sara Lee®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells® and State Fair®. King started his career at Tyson Foods in 1982 in the poultry segment and has since held leadership positions in businesses across the company.

Most recently, in the roles of COO and international business group resident, he helped grow Tyson’s global footprint including in high-growth markets in Asia. He also served as president of North American operations, where he was responsible for poultry, fresh meats, international and prepared foods operations. King has served on the board of directors of the National Chicken Council and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

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Dr. Lubna Maruf has been positively impacting the lives of patients as a primary care provider for 25 years. But she’s just getting started. In her 50s, Maruf has become a leader in rethinking and improving health care delivery in Arkansas. She serves as the chief medical officer and market vice president of Arkansas Health Network (AHN), where she is working to improve the health care experience for patients, providers and employers.

As AHN’s CMO, she leads the charge in managing more than 125,000 patients across the state by partnering with a growing group of nearly 3,000 providers and 18 hospitals. Maruf provides leadership as a board member of the Arkansas Behavioral Health Integration Network and is a citizen diplomat with Arkansas Global Ties. Her goal is to build a better health care system for Arkansas, one that others will want to emulate across the country. Last year, AHN’s emphasis on quality (score of 98.2 percent) and value-based care resulted in $12.9 million in Medicare savings as well as other record-breaking performances in commercial populations.

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George McGill

David Moody

Mayor Fort Smith

Founder, Jacksson David Executive Director, Ark Angel Alliance

George McGill was elected mayor of Fort Smith in August 2018. As the first African American ever to be elected Fort Smith mayor, McGill is a trailblazer who has used his dedication to public service to advance the common good at the federal, state and local levels. Prior to his election as mayor, McGill represented Fort Smith, his hometown, in the Arkansas House of Representatives for three terms. As a state representative for District 78, he earned the respect of his legislative peers on both sides of the political aisle.

In addition, he was elected to key leadership positions even though he was in the legislative minority. McGill earned his Bachelor of Science in education and an MBA from the University of Arkansas.

David Moody is the founder of Jacksson David LLC, a business consulting firm; the former deputy director of the U.S. Small Business Administration in Arkansas; and a “NASA guy.” He served for 13 years in the aerospace industry as a program analyst, manager and consultant for the Shuttle, Space Lab and Space Station programs at NASA. He has owned and operated several businesses in the fields of risk management, retail and business consulting; run a $52 million program for the Arkansas Energy Office; and invested in dozens of Arkansas startup companies. His consulting firm provides a variety of services for small- and mediumsized businesses. He was recently named executive director for the Ark Angel Alliance and is leading the Minority Business Empowerment Fund program with Southern Bancorp and the Croom Firm. His newest endeavor is developing the Faith-Based Executive Officers (FBXO) peer group.

Moody has served on a variety of boards including nonprofits dedicated to education, technology training, veterans and supporting startup companies. In addition to consulting, he speaks and writes on leadership, organizational culture and entrepreneurship, and has a social media following as StartupDad.

Kristin Merlo

President and CEO Delta Dental of Arkansas Kristin Merlo took over as president and CEO of Delta Dental of Arkansas in September, succeeding the retiring Ed Choate. Delta Dental is the largest dental and vision insurance provider in the state, helping with more than 800,000 members in Arkansas and more than 2.4 million members nationally.

Merlo has served in senior leadership roles in the Delta Dental system over the past 21 years, most recently as senior vice president and chief operating officer for Delta Dental of Virginia (2018-2021) and with Delta Dental of Washington (20002018). Before joining Delta Dental, Merlo served in various sales, marketing and brand management roles with Eli Lilly and Company. Merlo is a University of Virginia graduate, holding a bachelor’s degree in history and an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business.

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Keith Mooney

Urologist Arkansas Urology Dr. Keith Mooney has been with Arkansas Urology since 1987.

He received his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences after earning a bachelor’s degree from Hendrix College in Conway. He was a urology and surgery resident at UAMS. Mooney is certified by the American Board of Urology. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Urological Association, American Association of Clinical Urologists, Arkansas Medical Society, Arkansas Urologic Society and Pulaski County Medical Society.

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, s n o i t a l u t a r g n o C Michael Morton

Central Arkansas Nursing Centers, Inc.

We are so proud of you.

You are an amazing boss!

FIFTY OVER 50

Neal Moore

Michael Morton

Media and Public Relations Specialist SixtyOne Celsius Marketing and Advertising

President Central Arkansas Nursing Centers

Michael Morton incorporated Central Arkansas Nursing Centers in 1990 and has grown it into one of the state’s largest administrative services companies. It services 37 skilled care facilities, an assisted living facility and numerous other related businesses including a group purchasing organization, pharmacies, a mobile imaging lab and more, all owned by Morton. Central Arkansas Nursing Centers, based in Fort Smith, administers an annual payroll of roughly $150 million for more than 5,000 employees.

An Oklahoma native, Morton graduated from college at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah in 1972 and went to work as an accountant in an Oklahoma nursing home. By 1976, he and a partner had purchased a nursing home in Booneville and later built one in Perry County. Two years later, they purchased two more nursing homes in Hope, all before Morton’s 30th birthday and all of which he still owns and operates.

Neal Moore is a 40-year veteran of the advertising, marketing and public relations business and began his career as a production team member at the Arkansas Educational Television Network (Arkansas PBS) and was a founding partner of The Communications Group in Little Rock.

His new affiliation has him working on SixtyOne Celsius clients such as Stone Bank and the Mid-America Science Museum. He is an award-winning voiceover announcer and has added his voice to television and radio spots all over the country. He attended the University of Central Arkansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. He is a member of the board of trustees of Academics Plus Charter Schools.

Robert S. Moore Jr. Chairman Arkansas Highway Commission

Dr. Victoria Ramirez

Executive Director Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

Arkansas Highway Commission Chairman Robert S. Moore Jr. graduated from McGehee High School, Ouachita Baptist University and the University of Arkansas School of Law. After college, he was an infantry officer in the U.S. Army and a Vietnam War veteran. Moore served 20 years under three governors as director of the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control. Beginning in 2007, he was elected to three terms in the Arkansas Legislature, and as Speaker during his final term, passed the original legislation for ARDOT’s Connecting Arkansas Program, one of the largest highway construction programs in Arkansas’ history. Having also passed legislation promoting tourism in the Arkansas Delta, Moore’s passion has continued to be the revitalization of his hometown, Arkansas City, and the surrounding Delta region.

He has worked on major projects in southeast Arkansas including the Delta Heritage Trail, Choctaw Island WMA, the John H. Johnson Museum and the historic Desha County Courthouse restoration. He has received numerous awards for his efforts promoting tourism-based economic development and was inducted into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame in 2019. Moore is also a longtime, low-keyed, singer-songwriter who recently began publishing some of his work under his alias, JR Grace Music. Moore and his wife, Beverly, live on their farm just outside of Arkansas City.

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Dr. Victoria Ramirez began her tenure with the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) in 2019 and is currently leading the institution’s next chapter of transformation and the opening of its expanded campus in Little Rock’s MacArthur Park. Ramirez has more than 25 years of experience, having served as director of the El Paso Museum of Art and the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. Previously, she worked in art museum education at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, where she found joy in teaching children and adults art history and appreciation. Ramirez is leading the reshaping of AMFA to expand exhibitions and programming to reach new audiences while honoring the legacy of more than 85 years of celebrating the visual and performing arts.

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Jay Ramsey

Joe Ruddell

Founder and President Rx Catering

President Generations Bank

A native of Stillwater, Okla., and a graduate of Oklahoma State University, Jay Ramsey founded New York Bagel and Deli in Little Rock in 1994. As the demand for catering increased, Ramsey transitioned from a dine-in bagel shop and deli to a full-service catering establishment, Rx Catering, in 2004. Rx Catering famously caters to “anyone with an appetite” but specializes in business lunches, special events and weddings.

Ramsey’s 28 years in food service has provided many opportunities for community service and involvement. Most recently, he served on the board of YoungLife supporting adolescents in growing their Christian faith. In addition, Ramsey provides free meals to local youth through the Lessons for Life organization, the Little Rock Marathon, the Ms. Arkansas Pageant and various homeless outreach programs. He attributes much of Rx Catering’s success to his long-term co-workers, some for 20-plus years.

Joe Ruddell is the president of Generations Bank, headquartered in Rogers. In his role, Ruddell is responsible for the bank’s loan and overall asset growth through oversight of the bank’s branch network, spanning from south Arkansas to southwest Missouri. Under Ruddell’s leadership as president, Generations has grown by approximately $180 million in total assets. Ruddell joined Generations in 2014 and has served in several roles including market president and NWA regional president before being promoted to bank president in January 2020.

Ruddell has more than 30 years of banking experience, which began at the Arkansas State Bank Department. His path was carved by serving in many different facets of the banking industry and through his servant-leadership style.

Ruddell holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Hendrix College and a graduate banking degree from Southwestern Graduate School of Banking, Southern Methodist University.

Trish Roberson

Owner Roberson’s Fine Jewelry

Mike Sells

When Steve Roberson felt the pull to retire in 2008, Trish Roberson was just ready to get started.

She had purchased at market for the store but up until that time, raising their four children had been her main focus. In 2008, with all of her kids out of the house, Roberson (then 50) was ready to take Roberson’s Fine Jewelry and turn it into the destination luxury jewelry store that it is today. Through an unparalleled eye for fashion and love for adventure, she has pushed the boundaries and expectations of what a jewelry purchasing experience should be.

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CEO The Sells Agency The Sells Agency is a full-service marketing firm with a laserlike focus on achieving business success for clients. At the helm is CEO Mike Sells, with brand experience for more than 40 companies throughout the state and region. Not satisfied that agencies in the state at the time were too focused on specific marketing tactics — advertising, PR, design, digital, etc. — Sells created a true marketing firm focused on the business goals of its clients while offering a wide range of specific services. This has resulted in many long-term client relationships with many of Arkansas’ leading companies. When Sells isn’t steering the ship that is The Sells Agency, he enjoys spending time with his wife and visiting their children and grandchildren.

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Named one of Arkansas Money & Politics FIFTY OVER 50!

Bobby Gosser President & CEO

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baldwinshell.com | 501.374.8677

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Congratulations, Sally

ON YOUR FIFTY OVER 50 RECOGNITION!

MOUNTAIN HOME, ARKANSAS www.baxterregional.org | www.workwhereyouvacation.com

SALLY GILBERT

Baxter Regional Board of Directors

We proudly support our mayor and friend,

The honorable george mcgill

7000 Chad colley blvd., fort smith, Arkansas 72916 | 479 308 2243 achehealth.edu

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FIFTY OVER 50

Dr. James Shemwell

Plastic Surgery in 1996. He is one of only two plastic surgeons in Arkansas to become a member of the Association of Plastic Surgeons.

President Arkansas Northeastern College

Joey Small

Dr. James Shemwell is a product of the very institution he now leads. Having left Blytheville High School after the 11th grade to attend what is now Arkansas Northeastern College, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Arkansas State University. He later earned a master’s degree in finance from Texas Tech University and a doctorate degree in organizational leadership from the University of Phoenix. Prior to ANC, he spent a decade working in banking and business consulting.

Shemwell started out at ANC in 1994 as director of the college’s Osceola Center. He moved up the ranks to Dean for Technical Programs & Training in 1999, then to Vice President for Finance in 2010, where he served until his appointment as president in January 2013. Through his leadership, ANC has been recognized nationally for its successful model of workforce development, helping pave the way to Mississippi County becoming America’s new steel production capital. He also has spearheaded an outreach to underserved students. In 2021, the ANC minority graduation rate exceeded the national average for minority graduates by 10 percent.

President Small & Associates Financial Services/Ameriprise One of Central Arkansas’ prominent financial advisors, Joey Small is a private wealth advisor and president of Little Rock’s Small & Associates Financial, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services LLC. The firm provides financial advice “anchored in a solid understanding of client needs and expectations and built upon one-on-one relationships to help clients achieve their goals, today and tomorrow.”

Small has 22 years of experience with Ameriprise Financial, during which time he has been named to Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors 2014-2022, Barron’s Top 1,000 Financial Advisors 2009-2013, to the Ameriprise Chairman’s Advisory Council 2007-2022, and Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors 2018, 2020-2021.

Brent Stevenson

President and CEO Brent Stevenson Associates

Kris Shewmake, M.D., FACS Owner Shewmake Plastic Surgery

Brent Stevenson is president and CEO of his own company, Brent Stevenson Associates, a public-affairs association management firm in downtown Little Rock. He represents clients in the public policy arena. He works with the Arkansas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Arkansas Forest & Paper Council.

A graduate of the Institute of Organization Management, Stevenson has 37 years of experience in governmental affairs. He has previously served as regional manager, government affairs for Georgia-Pacific Corporation and director of government affairs in the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office. Stevenson currently serves as secretary/treasurer of the board for the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches. He is a past board member of the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Executives, the Arkansas Society of Association Executives, the Arkansas Society of Professional Lobbyists and the Metro Economic Development Alliance and is a past president of the Arkansas Jaycees.

Dr. Kris Shewmake has been transforming the lives of his patients in his Little Rock private practice since 1996. His extensive experience with cranial and facial surgeries, including on infants with birth deformities, has allowed him to hone his skills for facial reconstructive surgeries and offer his clients the chance to look as young as they feel.

After receiving his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he was president of his class and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, Shewmake spent eight years in surgical training. His training included a general surgery residency at UAMS and a plastic and reconstructive surgery residency at the University of TexasSouthwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

From there, he spent an additional year at UCLA working with children and adults affected by facial birth deformities.

Upon completion of his fellowship in 1992, Shewmake returned to his native state and served as chief of plastic surgery at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital before opening Shewmake F E B RUA RY 2 02 2

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Steve Straessle

Kris Upton

Principal Catholic High School

Chairman and CEO RPM Group

Steve Straessle is a 1988 graduate of Catholic High School and has been a teacher there since 1992. In 2005, he took the helm as principal and continues to teach two classes in addition to his administrative and fundraising duties. His numerous accolades include being named DAR Social Studies Teacher of the Year in 1995, ASPA Administrator of the Year in 2016, and he was a member of the inaugural class of AMP Influencers of the Year in 2020.

Straessle is a member of the Arkansas Activities Association board of directors and serves on the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation Commission. In 2018, he began writing a bi-weekly human interest column for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette highlighting the mountains and valleys of life. His work has appeared in other publications as well.

As chairman and CEO of the RPM Group, Kris Upton has led the growth of one of the state’s largest full-service commercial and residential real estate companies to more than 350 employees and associates with record annual sales volume approaching $1 billion. Upton is a certified public accountant (CPA) and a certified commercial investment member (CCM). Upton obtained a BSBA in accounting from the University of Arkansas in 1993 and studied investor relations at the University of Michigan. He has volunteered for Junior Achievement and youth sports and is a past member of the Executive Leadership Academy and the band, One Way. Upton says RPM’s culture and core values are anchored in building trustworthy, long-term relationships and serving clients with a level of real estate expertise that has differentiated the firm for more than 65 years.

Denise Thomas

Doug Wasson

CEO World Trade Center Arkansas

President and CEO Kinco Constructors

A respected business strategist both in Arkansas and across the globe, Denise Thomas has more than 25 years of experience in international trade. She has built a career connecting people and products through bilateral partnerships that focus on ethical sourcing and sustainability.

A 14-year veteran of the World Trade Center Arkansas, Thomas most recently served as the center’s director of Africa, European and Middle East trade. But her career in economic development began in Florida, where she joined the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce in 1998. There, she created a small business center with the U.S. Small Business Administration to house several chambers and centers under one roof. The location became a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs. A California native, Denise has made her home in Northwest Arkansas since 2003, when she joined Walmart as a recruiter. She worked with the world’s largest retailer to build strategic teams in diverse markets, both domestically and internationally.

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Doug is president and CEO of Kinco Constructors, a multidisciplined general contracting and construction management firm with offices in Little Rock and Springdale. Wasson provides corporate oversight and leadership of the company’s mission, vision and daily operations. Kinco, established in 1973, has grown to be one of the state’s leading construction companies with more than 100 employees.

Wasson is a graduate of Southern Arkansas University Tech with a degree in building construction. He joined Kinco Constructors while still in college and throughout his career has served in numerous positions from project superintendent to vice president, becoming president/CEO in 2000 from the company’s original founder. He is actively involved in numerous associations such as the board of Arkansas Hospice; Arkansas State Police Foundation; Construction Management Advisory Council at UALR; and he previously served on the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Foundation Board. He was appointed in 2020 by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to serve on the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board.

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Judith Wooten

Alonzo D. Williams Sr., M.D.

Medical Director Arkansas Diagnostic Center Dr. Alonzo Williams is a native of West Helena and earned degrees from Arkansas State University and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he is now a clinical instructor. Williams has served as the medical director for Arkansas Diagnostic Center for more than 25 years. Throughout that time, he has been diligent in pursuing the latest gastroenterology research and techniques in order to ensure excellent care for every patient.

Williams serves as a gastroenterology consultant for hospitals throughout Little Rock and is an active member of a number of prominent professional organizations including the Arkansas State Medical Board.

Keith Wingfield President River Rock Builders

Keith Wingfield and his wife, Patty, started River Rock Builders in 1999 to bring dream homes to life through state-of-the-art virtual technology and superior energy efficiency. Wingfield has spent his entire adult life working in the construction industry, with much of that time making custom homes as the owner of River Rock Builders. As the son of a full-time design engineer for Alcoa and a part-time builder in the ’60s and ’70s, he credits his father for much of his career path. His father, with the help of his brother, began building full time until the recession of 1980-81 when interest rates rose to 20 percent.

Wingfield is respected in the industry, having served as the area chairman for Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi for the National Association of Home Builders, a position that he says provides him with a deep perspective on issues facing the construction trades.

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President & CEO Arkansas Hospice

Judith S. Wooten, MHA, FACHE, joined the Arkansas Hospice team as vice president and chief operating officer in 2002. She was named president and CEO in 2011. Her health care career began as a patient representative in a large, tertiary-care teaching hospital in 1980, where she “fell in love with health care.”

Wooten earned a Master of Health Administration degree from Washington University School of Medicine in 1985. Since then, she has been a hospital administrator, a managed-care executive and a management and health care consultant. She is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and a Certified Hospice Administrator, is the current president of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Arkansas and serves on the board of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. In recognition of her health care leadership and service, Wooten was named the 2020 recipient of the ACHE Regent’s Award for Senior Level Healthcare Executive.

Dr. Lee Wyant, DDS Dentist Smile Arkansas

Dr. Lee Wyant has practiced cosmetic and comprehensive restorative dentistry in Little Rock since 1982. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Louisiana State University School of Dentistry and went on to complete post graduate programs at LSU and Baylor College of Dentistry.

Following his academic training, Wyant achieved accreditation by the American Board of Cosmetic Dentistry. He has been awarded a prestigious Accredited Fellowship in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and is one of only 50 dentists worldwide to achieve the highest level of competency in cosmetic dentistry.

Since establishing Smile Arkansas in 2002, Wyant has transformed the lives of thousands of people by improving smiles.

His areas of expertise include cosmetic procedures such as no-prep veneers, porcelain crowns, bonding, whitening, gum lifts, full mouth rehabilitation, dental implant restoration and Invisalign.

In addition to serving on the board for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s Charitable Foundation, Wyant has published extensively in academic journals including the Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry, Dentistry Today, Contemporary Esthetics & Restorative Practice and the ACCD Monogram.

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Randy Zook

Hunter Yurachek

President and CEO Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas

Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics University of Arkansas Since Hunter Yurachek’s arrival in Fayetteville as athletics director for the UA men’s and women’s programs, Razorback sports has been on an upward trajectory. Last year, Razorback athletes turned in one of the most successful years in school history including a program-best eighth-place finish (and highest finish among schools that sponsor 19 or fewer sports) in the 2020-21 Learfield IMG Directors’ Cup that tracks the nation’s most successful intercollegiate athletics programs.

Meanwhile, Razorback student-athletes combined for a 3.25 GPA and 104 student-athletes graduated from the UA. A multimillion-dollar renovation of the Randal Tyson Track Center was completed, while brand new facilities including the $27 million J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Baseball Development Center and the $15 million Frank O’Mara Track and Field High Performance Center were constructed. Yurachek also hired Sam Pittman to lead the football program and Eric Musselman to coach basketball, two hires proving to be among the best in school history. Plus, Razorback athletics had a positivity rate of less than 1 percent during the peak of the pandemic and was not the cause of an event cancellation in any sport due to COVID-19.

Randy Zook is president and Chief Executive Officer of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Arkansas. A few of his accomplishments during his tenure include strengthening the brand of the State Chamber, increasing membership, leading two successful ballot issue campaigns and refocusing attention on the workforce development system in the state.

For 34 years, he worked for Atlantic Envelope Company of Atlanta, a $200 million manufacturer of custom-printed envelopes and business products. He served as president and CEO of the company from 1989 to 2004. He is currently serving on the boards of the Arkansas Public School Resource Center, Economics Arkansas and McGehee Farm & Real Estate Co. In 2021, Randy was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to serve on the Economic Recovery Task Force, designed to make recommendations to the governor for Arkansas’ economic recovery from the effects of COVID-19.

CONGRATULATIONS, CHRIS FOWLER On Being Named To AMP’s Fifty Over 50 FOWLER FOODS INCORPORATED

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CONGRATULATIONS,

CHRIS FOWLER ON BEING NAMED TO AMP’s FIFTY OVER 50

1516 South Caraway Road • Jonesboro, AR • 870-206-7260 F E B RUA RY 2 02 2

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Librarians help in ways that some people may not realize and provide essential public services, such as Covid test kits, after-school meals and nutrition education through Be Mighty, free Rock Region METRO bus passes through Rides to Reads, and assistance applying for SNAP benefits. It is so easy to dismiss the library as a , place to just get a book, which in and of itself is a deeply enriching resource, but the breadth of services we are able to provide at the library is nothing short of amazing. ,

Nate Coulter

Executive Director | Central Arkansas Library System

100 Rock Street, Little Rock | 501.918.3000 | CALS.org ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

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FIFTY OVER 50

Denise Thomas surveys the big picture in her role as CEO of the World Trade Center Arkansas.

(Photo by Bob Coleman) F E B RUA RY 2 02 2

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THE BIG PICTURE

Denise Thomas taking on international trade at Arkansas WTC

By Angela Forsyth

If

you’ve driven through Rogers in Northwest Arkansas, you might have noticed a building with the words “World Trade Center” at the top and wondered, “Why is there a World Trade Center in Rogers, Arkansas?” And, “Does Rogers need a World Trade Center?”

CEO Denise Thomas answers the latter with an emphatic, “Yes!” The WTC in Rogers is one of more than 300 centers (spanning more than 100 countries), all members of a reciprocal agreement and under the umbrella of the World Trade Center Association in New York. Founded in 2007, this location is part of the University of Arkansas Office of Economic Development and serves as the trade promotion arm for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. It works with state and government leaders to increase the state’s exports to other countries, giving Arkansas a greater opportunity for global presence.

Arkansas exports have remained strong over the last few years and, in 2019, accounted for $6.2 billion in trade.

At the helm of the World Trade Center Arkansas is Thomas — promoter of all things Arkansas, champion for small business owners, advocate for a better world through trade, and the first Black woman to become CEO of a U.S. World Trade Center. Thomas was promoted to CEO in July 2021 after nearly 15 years at the center. As the leader, Thomas provides what she described as “hawk eye” vision for the WTC while keeping her foot on the gas of the whole operation.

“We work with other World Trade Centers, the U.S. Department of Commerce, our department of agriculture, American chambers, entities all over the world — consulates, embassies — to say, ‘Hey, Arkansas has a valuable product to trade,’” Thomas noted. “Our job is to make sure people know about us, find partners for Arkansas companies, especially small businesses, and help facilitate the movement of our goods so it makes us more competitive. It also gives us a diplomatic advantage over other states that don’t have World Trade Centers.”

A self-confessed type A, Thomas aims to stay on top of it all. She oversees the overall export strategy, keeping one eye on what’s currently happening while looking ahead to strategize how to move forward.

“We’re always looking at the big picture. I call it hawk vision. You have to fly really high and look really low at the smallest little detail scurrying across your field that could potentially cause a challenge, opportunity or threat.”

This involves continuously analyzing what’s being exported the most and to which countries, figuring out what’s being missed and where the opportunities are. At the same time, Thomas and her team think through possible supply chain issues to head them off at the pass. They ask questions like: “What are some of the policies coming down the pike that could potentially impact business? What could become a trade barrier? How do we avoid getting paralyzed by a possible natural disaster? How do we mitigate the risk of a ship getting stuck at a port?”

Similar to exports, imports play a vital role in economic development as well, Thomas said.

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By helping local companies import raw materials, the WTC helps smaller businesses identify technology that can help improve their manufacturing practices.

“That helps create more jobs here in Arkansas,” she said. “Believe it or not, imports can do that because it may increase their sales and may improve their cost of production.”

The WTC helps local companies identify potential partners that can provide what’s missing for the manufacturing of their products. Once those products are completed, the WTC helps them get exported.

Thomas wasn’t always an import/export expert. Surprisingly, she went to a fashion school in California and earned her bachelor’s degree in fashion design. She managed her design work as a small business, earning contracts and creating for friends and family. But, although she was good at it, fashion wasn’t an industry where she felt she could flourish.

“I’m a person who moves based on how it feels,” she explained.

“If it doesn’t feel right, I don’t do it.”

In time, Thomas married and moved to Florida. She applied her small business knowledge and storytelling skills to attain a job at the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce as a small business center director. There, she worked for several years before landing a job as a Walmart recruiter and eventually relocated to Arkansas.

“In between those roles, there was a lot that happened,” Thomas said. “But for the most part, my career path was one that was based upon what was right for me at that moment, moving into it and falling into situations and scenarios that made me uncomfortable. I don’t mind jumping off the cliff with my eyes closed into the rocky water, not sure of what’s going to happen. I’m OK with that because that’s where you get that flying sensation.”

For Thomas, that flying feeling is equal to the feeling of success, like she’s being propelled forward toward the next great thing.

“It doesn’t scare me to say ‘Hey, I don’t know how to do it, but I’m going to figure it out.’”

Her advice for those who are coming out of college or working their way up in business is to follow the path that compels you to move forward.

“That feeling or compulsion will lead you to the next victory and the next victory and the next victory. Falling into a hole in life doesn’t mean it’s the end. It just means it’s a new beginning and an opportunity for you to emerge bigger, better, stronger, faster and more determined.”

Perhaps her challenging background is what makes her so versatile and unafraid. According to Thomas, she has “dealt with roadblocks” her whole life — beginning with dyslexia. Nowadays, there are proven interventions to help kids with reading disabilities, but “dealing with it in school in the ’60s and ’70s was a big thing.”

Thomas also wore braces on her legs most of her childhood.

“Not the kind Forrest Gump wore,” she joked. “Those bent

at the knee. Mine were straight so I walked like a stick woman, forever wobbling.”

Being confined to leg braces meant she often couldn’t join in to play with other children, and since she was an only child, she ended up spending a lot of time by herself. She recalls sitting on the sidelines watching others interact, watching their body language and learning how to predict their actions.

“There’s something that comes from that sense of isolation that either makes you crazy or makes you better. In my case, I feel it made me better.”

That ability to read people has served Thomas well in her current position. Much of her day-to-day work involves building close relationships with clients, understanding their values and knowing their goals.

Yet, as if things weren’t hard enough for Thomas as a child, her mom moved them to Montgomery, Ala., where her mother’s family was.

“I went to a private, all-white elementary school with braces and a learning disability in the newly nonsegregated South.

That was difficult too, because I was the only brown child there until two years later when my cousin came.” Some parents pulled their children out of the school. One little girl told her frankly, “My mommy and daddy told me I can’t play with you because you’re Black.”

Regardless of these challenges, Thomas chooses to see the beauty in it. She had one friend at the school, and the teachers and principal were supportive. “I look at all of that, and I’m grateful for every single wound, every single scar, every single hurtful word, and I offer a level of gratitude and appreciation for it because it makes me better and it makes me who I am.”

These past experiences have shaped her leadership style. Thomas explained that she has a strong personality and she’s ambitious, but at the same time her approach to leadership is a careful balance of strength and kindness.

“I’m definitely driving the car. However, I am a female of color, and I have a soul, and kindness and humanity are what are most important to me. Showing that is important. It’s not a sign of weakness. It takes courage to appreciate the good, the bad and the ugly of who you are. When you show kindness, gratitude, generosity, appreciation and humanity to other people, it’s so much easier for them to be who they are because you’ve given them a safe place to do that.”

In business, Thomas is able to wield her social skills as a powerful negotiating tool.

“Accepting people, not passing judgment, allows you to come to a mutual understanding a lot quicker,” she said. “You find a common ground faster, even if it’s agreeing to disagree and part ways and not do business together. Or you can agree to agree and find a way to make it a win-win situation for everybody, so all parties walk away from that negotiation in a positive way getting a little of what they wanted and giving a little in return.”

It doesn’t scare me to say, ‘Hey, I don’t know how to do it, but I’m going to figure it out.’

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MICHAEL MORTON Thank you for 50 years of dedication and commitment to long-term care!

Congratulations on being named to AMP’s Fifty Over 50 list for 2022!

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FIFTY OVER 50

‘WORK HERE, LIVE HERE’

Hits Home for ANC’s Shemwell

By Kenneth Heard

ames Shemwell did what many Mississippi County residents did in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He left his home in Blytheville to seek better opportunities.

After earning a two-year degree at what was then Mississippi County Community College, he went to Arkansas State University to earn a degree in business. He then earned a master’s degree in finance at Texas Tech University in 1987 and eventually moved to Corinth, Miss., where he was a vice president of a bank.

But, moved by a desire to return home, Shemwell returned to Blytheville in 1994 and began working at his old school, what is now Arkansas Northeastern College.

In 2013, Shemwell, 56, was named the college president, creating a mantra that he has lived by and employed as the leader of the institution: You don’t have to leave Mississippi County to be successful.

“I didn’t want it to say on my tombstone that I made my [bank] stockholders rich,” Shemwell said. “I want it to say I made a difference.”

It was hard to make a difference in the area 30 years ago. Eaker Air Force Base, situated between Blytheville and Gosnell, closed in 1992 and more than 7,000 soldiers

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left the county. Another 9,000 people left in the ensuing 10 years as opportunities dried up.

Since then, though, several steel mills opened along the Mississippi River, creating new jobs. Recently, U.S. Steel Corp. announced it had chosen Osceola as the site for a new $3 billion steel mill that will create 900 new jobs.

Shemwell said he wanted to return to the area to help in 1994 when he left his job as the vice president of finance and the chief financial officer for SouthBank in Corinth, Miss.

“There was a larger hand at work than me when I came back,” Shemwell said. “This was a calling for me; a ministry.”

Two weeks after he returned to the county, his father passed away. Although impacted by the loss, Shemwell saw his return as a good sign as he helped his mother with the loss.

He started as the first director of training at ANC and the coordinator of the college’s Osceola Center. He became the dean for technical programs and training in 1999 and the vice president for finance in 2010 before being chosen president in 2013.

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Since then, the school has received national recognition for its training of students to be ready for area jobs. Shemwell has helped create programs that custom-fit students with employers who need well-trained workers. About 2,000 are enrolled in the school.

“We have programs with maximum flexibility to serve [business] clients’ needs,” Shemwell said. “We created an engine at the college for economic development.”

The school’s main focus is training students in technical jobs, such as engineering and welding and in the health care profession. A student with an associate’s degree from ANC now earns an average salary of $57,000, compared to a $46,000 yearly salary for a student fresh out of the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree, he said.

Shemwell has also focused on increasing minority students at ANC. “We interview students and try to figure out how to bridge the minority gap,” he said.

The school provides transportation with its “opportunity bus” that travels to lower income neighborhoods in the county. Shemwell has also employed “success navigators” who help tailor programs based upon minority students’ interests and talents.

During his tenure as president, Shemwell has tripled the minority graduation rate.

The college also now uses Career Connect, a subsidized state employment program that pays an employee’s first month wages and a portion of their earnings for up to six month after. It’s an incentive for businesses to hire ANC students and to keep them in the area, Shemwell said.

“Good workers have a culture of self-determination,” he said.

“The path for success is for the student to be in charge of his or her own life. Victimhood is the path to failure.”

The college’s health care program struggled when the pandemic hit the state two years ago. Students in the discipline worked as interns at hospitals and other medical facilities during their training, but the virus limited those opportunities. Shemwell reached out, though, and found spots in Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Mississippi for them.

The college also held vaccination clinics at its Blytheville clinic, and students helped there.

Shemwell sees the college’s role as a way to break the catch-22 dilemma of trying to find a job. In the past, students couldn’t locate good employment without experience, but couldn’t get that needed experience because they couldn’t find decent work.

“We’re trying to help students without that work history and give them the skills to be successful,” he said.

When ANC President Robin Myers left to become the chancellor of ASU-Mountain Home in January 2013, the ANC Board of Trustees selected Shemwell as its president over five other candidates. It wasn’t a unanimous decision at first, said Clif Chitwood, a board member who served as its president in 2013.

ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

Some were leery of hiring someone from the area – in direct opposition to what Shemwell was touting during his tenure there.

“We did a national search,” Chitwood, who remains a board member, said. “It was ingrained in some. There’s that old saying, ‘No man can be a prophet within 50 miles of his town.’ Some wanted someone from outside.”

Chitwood, who has known Shemwell for nearly 40 years, said he’s glad the board chose him to head ANC. “He’s always had a strong emphasis on workforce training,” he said. “So many colleges promise, but they don’t know how to do it.

James does.

James Shemwell “We will teach our students what they need to know. That’s important because they are hired for what they are supposed to know.”

Shemwell downplays his own role in the college’s success, saying his faculty and staff are what has made ANC work.

“My main role is the person who tells our story,” he said. “We have a tremendous faculty and staff dedicated to our mission.

During breaks at work, Shemwell likes to play golf. Because of a neck injury, he’s usually limited to playing nine holes at a time; he shoots an average score of 41 and holds a 10 handicap on the course.

He’s married to Bridget Shemwell, who is the dean of advisement and placement at the college. The couple has two sons.

Shemwell also likes yard work, but he considers himself a ‘Darwinian gardener.’ “The strongest [plants] survive,” he said.

He also reads. His favorite book is Surfing the Edge of Chaos,

by Richard Pascale, a book about the parallels between business and nature.

“Dr. Shemwell is my go-to person to talk to about workforce development,” said Andrea Henderson, the executive director of the Arkansas Association of Community Colleges. “His laser-like focus and talent on how to better serve businesses is of tremendous benefit to his community. He’s smart, innovative and articulate and a real asset to the community colleges in Arkansas.”

Shemwell is proud of Mississippi County’s will to survive after suffering several economic setbacks over the decades.

“We’re going to keep fighting,” he said. “We want to employ the idea of ‘work here, live here.’”

The idea turned out well for Shemwell.

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s , n o i at l u at r g n Co LOUIS CELLA

Legacies are forged through years of hard work and uncommon focus. With Louis Cella at the helm, Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort has become the South’s premier destination for Thoroughbred racing, gaming and leisure.

Thank you, Louis, for magnifying Oaklawn’s legacy and leading our organization forward!

The iconic K. Hall & Sons Produce, Little Rock

SPOTLIGHT ON BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES

W

ith Black History Month upon us, there’s no better time to shine a light on Black-owned businesses in Arkansas.

In the following section, Arkansas Money & Politics shares several spotlight features on Black-owned businesses across the state, including The Grind Coffee Bistro, Mumford and Associates, 1911 Construction, Little Rock Laundry, Government Supply Services and Eden Salt Studio.

Plus,

we list 100 Black-owned businesses in Arkansas. Help us recognize and support these homegrown businesses that are doing their part to grow the Arkansas economy.

SPOTLIGHT ON

GOVERNMENT SUPPLY SERVICES: HELPING OVERCOME CHALLENGES

G

reg Modica, the youngest of 10 boys and one girl, was raised by sharecropper parents, Mae and Willie Modica.

Growing up in a Christian home, his parents were his role models. Willie Modica was a World War II veteran and Mae a stay-at-home mom who was the foundation of the home, Modica said. His mother’s dedication allowed his father to become a small business owner and eventually retire from Monsanto.

Their example set Modica, a licensed pilot, on a path to military service and business ownership.

Once he became the primary caregiver for his mom, a cancer patient, Modica realized that there needed to be some service out there to better help people work from home. In 2009, Modica founded El Dorado’s Government Supply Services (GSS), which is a facilities supplier.

Modica, an Army officer and service-disabled veteran, founded GSS (which he likes to say also stands for God, Service, Self ) in 2009 with the vision of providing independent employment opportunities for people with disabilities and individuals desiring to work from home because of certain challenges faced by commuting to a traditional office environment.

He started an office supply company that would provide the best products available, the best services and support possible, all at competitive prices. GSS began with just one full-time employee and one part-time independent consultant.

“We have been serving the federal, state and private sector to meet their small diverse business goals since 2009. We provide a huge selection of more than 1 million products from our trusted distributor alliance partners,” Modica said.

As a Black veteran, Modica shared that he has had many hurdles to go through.

GOVERNMENT SUPPLY SERVICES

315 East Oak Street, Suite 202 El Dorado 855-477-5528

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SPOTLIGHT ON

“The opportunities of having that access have been more challenging. Sometimes the deck can be stacked against you. I still think this is the greatest country in the world. I know I don’t want to go anywhere else, but just being a person of color, a minority, I think everybody would agree that a lot of certain challenges come along with that.”

But Modica reaffirms that God has blessed him, and he hopes to in turn bless his community. “[This business was] put together to give back and serve and create jobs and opportunity.

When God blesses you with something useful, you give back. So the biggest thing for me is the ability to know the community and help people gain some confidence by now teaching them how to go into business.”

Modica also wanted to provide hands-on mentorship opportunities to young entrepreneurs by working with their college administrators and community outreach organizations.

Additionally, Modica uses his position to bring small businesses and corporations together as a team to gain experience and help small businesses grow.

“What we do in my mentorship is teach small businesses how to link up with large corporations because corporations are looking to work with them. But it’s the educational process,” he said. “Corporations operate differently. Small businesses operate differently. So those are some of the tools that I’ve used over the last 13 years to build my brand and to build awareness and give back.”

Modica is a graduate of Grambling State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice. He also received a Bachelor of Science in aviation, graduating magna cum laude, from Utah Valley University.

In addition, he is a graduate of Leadership Arkansas, Basic Economic Developers Course, Arkansas SBA Inaugural Emerging Leaders Course, Veteran Institute of Procurement and was appointed to the AEDC Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise.

He currently serves as past chair on the board of the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on the boards of FORGE, a community loan fund to assist small businesses, and EAGLE Foundation in El Dorado, which supports, protects and empowers young people for highest achievement and quality of life through mentoring, advocacy and whole child education.

— Katie Zakrzewski

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SPOTLIGHT ON

EDEN SALT STUDIO: YOGA, HALOTHERAPY IN ONE

T

ori Jones suffered from lifelong allergies and sinus difficulties. But when she visited a salt cave in Tennessee, she not only found relief from her medical issues but a new life direction as the founder of Eden Salt Studio.

Opened in 2019, the west Little Rock facility is the only place in the state offfering yoga classes that incorporate halotherapy — the use of dry salt-enhanced air that detoxes the body and improves a wide range of physical conditions in addition to promoting mental well-being.

The 2,000-square-foot space is divided into a yoga studio that offers three classes a week, an infrared sauna and a massage room. Each is enhanced by a wall made of pink Himalayan salt bricks and equipped with halo generators, which grind up pharmaceutical salts and release them into the air.

“After I experienced really great health benefits, my husband and I started doing some research on halo therapy as a practice and thought it was a really cool concept and unique business idea that could be beneficial in Little Rock,” Jones said. “I’d been teaching yoga for about eight years and thought it would be a good synergy to combine yoga and salt therapy to create a wellness space or a boutique studio where you could come and try all of these great treatments to feel better and more healthy on a day-to-day basis.”

Dealing with COVID concerns has made Eden schedule most of its services by appointment only to keep control of group size. Jones noted that she’s also had to contend with the assumptions people often make about a wellness studio being headed by a Black business owner.

“In this particular market, wellness isn’t an industry where you see a lot of Blackowned businesses,” she said. “I think there are some stereotypes and assumptions made about the types of businesses that Black people own, and a yoga studio or an alternative health center isn’t one of them.

“Just being in a space where you are an extreme minority and dealing with the different assumptions that people may make about your background or abilities makes you face being up against glass ceilings that some people may not even think exists. It’s very present, and it’s very obvious when you’re trying to compete against people who just may not think you’re in the right place. That comes from people of all different races not expecting me to be here and to have this kind of business.”

EDEN SALT STUDIO 15400 Chenal Parkway, Suite 160 Little Rock 501-563-3683

— Carl Kozlowski

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SPOTLIGHT ON

1911 CONSTRUCTION: A FAMILY AFFAIR

H

osea Jackson is proudly celebrating his firm’s 20th anniversary this year, having overseen projects including work for the Little Rock Air Force Base, the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), Amazon and Saracen Casino Resort. Looking back on his journey, he recalled the special meaning of his firm’s name.

“1911 is very significant to me. My great aunt, who was one of my favorite elders, was born in 1911, so we use that year to remember her by,” explained Jackson. “I’m also a member of the fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi, which was founded in 1911. We came up with the name 1911 Construction because it represents the old normal. We have bidding and contracts, but we do business the old-fashioned way, by handshake.”

Jackson employs an eight-man crew for 1911’s wide range of projects, which include dirt and concrete work as well as creating storm drains for clients like Amazon and Saracen. He estimates that 95 percent of the firm’s assignments are for ARDOT. 1911 participated in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program for small disadvantaged businesses for nine years, helping pave the way for its current success by enabling the firm to get a foot in the door on government projects. The program offers a wide range of assistance to firms majority owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, particularly minorities and women.

“The biggest challenge that I find as a minority contractor is being able to get the proper funding to do the jobs,” noted Jackson. “8(a) helped us get a line of funding that really took us places.”

True to his roots, Jackson said that 1911 continues to draw strong support from his father, who taught him how to make it in construction.

“Before he became disabled, my father was on the site just about every day with me,” Jackson said. “He’s not mobile now that he’s 85 years old, but he calls every morning to see what we’re doing. I have eight brothers and one sister, and when they have time, two or three of my brothers will come down to a site to help finish a project.”

Ultimately, Jackson finds the key to his success can be found in putting in “long hours and hard work.” Seeing his projects through to successful completion provides the greatest satisfaction.

“The most rewarding part is that I love what I’m doing,” he said. “This is what I’ve been doing all my life, and I get joy out of starting a project and seeing it come to fruition from point A to B to C. I look back and see what we’ve done, and it’s also 1911 CONSTRUCTION great to get paid to do something that you really like to do.”

901 Commerce Road Pine Bluff — Carl Kozlowski 870-536-1911

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LITTLE ROCK LAUNDRY:

PACE PICKING BACK UP

L

ittle Rock Laundry LLC, a family-owned and generational commercial laundry service, has a unique story of entrepreneurship. Owner Verena K. Peoples’ mother was given the shop in 2002 by a local doctor. After running the business for more than a decade, Peoples was handed the reins.

“She gave it to me so I could continue the legacy if I wanted to, so I did. I took the business on in 2015, and I’ve been running it ever since,” Peoples said. “Since 2015, we’ve substantially grown the business. COVID-19 slowed us down, but we are picking up the pace once again.”

Little Rock Laundry provides services for the health care and hospitality industries, the military and serves other commercial needs. A few notable clients include the Little Rock Air Force Base, Conway Medical and the Arkansas State Veterans Home at Fayetteville.

“The journey has been long, but I have a lot of mentors who have helped me along the way,” Peoples said.

Throughout the years, Peoples learned there are many behind-the-scenes factors that make a business successful. Seminars, connections and work with the Arkansas office of the U.S. Small Business Administration helped Peoples on her journey as an entrepreneur, she said.

Peoples recently was accepted into the Minority Business Empowerment Fund (MBEF) program, a business assistance program for minority entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, Peoples continues to develop and grow her business for one reason: her customers.

“We care about our customers. We’re not just a wash-and-fold laundry shop. We actually care about the material, how we handle the material and how we wash. My team and I value what we do,” Peoples said. “We are a family-owned and operated, minority woman-owned business, and we care about our customers.”

— Emily Beirne

LITTLE ROCK LAUNDRY 1325 East Ninth Little Rock 501-563-8383 littlerocklaundry F E B RUA RY 2 02 2

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SPOTLIGHT ON

MUMFORD AND ASSOCIATES: PROMOTING HEALTH EDUCATION

L

ittle Rock’s Mumford and Associates stands out as a business for a number of reasons, the first being the unique services it offers.

Mumford and Associates is a public health education and consulting firm that provides health education and promotion to individuals, groups, organizations and communities in and around Central Arkansas.

The second reason the firm stands out is its status as a minority- and female-led business. But, the drive behind and future success of the health consulting firm is not to be underestimated, thanks to its dedicated leader.

Quinyatta “Q” Mumford is a certified health education specialist and the founder of Mumford and Associates. She has more than 15 years of public health experience and is section chief of the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care for the Arkansas Department of Health. She was named a National Rural Health Association (NRHA) partner in 2022.

However, it is her lived experiences that drive the development of the firm.

The company started with the recent body positivity movement (or “curvy consciousness movement,” as Mumford likes to call it), because she wanted to encourage women to embrace their curves and their health.

For those averse to social media and thus not aware of the body positivity movement, it is a worldwide social movement focusing on equality and acceptance for all body types and sizes. And it has exploded in popularity in recent years. One of the goals of the movement is to challenge how society, particularly all forms of media, presents and views the physical human body.

Mumford inspires her clients with her personal testimony of losing more than half of her body weight.

In 2020, Mumford took in her nephew who was battling mental illness. This led to the business’ most recent “Youth Mental Health First Aid” initiative, which in 2021 led Mumford and Associates to set out to train 100 “mental health first aiders.” As the need for more of them continues to grow with the pandemic and increasing violent crimes in Little Rock, the goal for 2022 is to triple the 2021 goal by reaching more youth-serving organizations.

In addition to youth mental-health first aid, Mumford and Associates also offers adult mental-health first aid along with disease-specific health education and promotion services. However, being a minority-owned business comes with its own unique challenges, as well.

“As a minority-owned business, I have found it very difficult to secure capital to expand,” said Mumford. “Consequently, the business is 100 percent self-funded, MUMFORD AND ASSOCIATES which makes for scaling challenges.”

501-229-9220 That’s where Mumford’s patented brand of positivity works to her advanMumfordandAssociates tage. She continually finds new ways to make her goals, and those of her clients, a reality.

— Lindsey Castrellon ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

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THE GRIND COFFEE BISTRO:

A DREAM AND A MISSION

I

n April of 2018, Heaven Mckinney set out to open The Grind Coffee Bistro with $600, a dream and a mission.

Almost four years later, Mckinney has created not just a convenient location to sit down with a coffee, but also a space that inspires her and her family while linking cultures in the community.

“I have built so many friendships and family from The Grind Coffee Bistro that I will take with me for the rest of my life,” Mckinney said, noting that the people she serves are one of her favorite aspects of being the owner. “It also gives me a platform to do God’s work to be able to go out there and give back to the community and to be the yes to the no’s that so many of us hear.”

The Grind Coffee Bistro is not only a coffee shop, but also a hub for local activity. Mckinney has accomplished this by hosting a small business day one Saturday a month, where local small home-based businesses are able to sell their products to the community. In addition to this, The Grind Coffee Bistro makes sure to reserve a couple of days throughout the week to host a series of jazz events. While offering full catering services, The Grind also is open to be rented for networking events, parties and private events.

Coffee is served continuously throughout business hours, but as a community business, Mckinney created a menu that reaches everyone’s dietary preferences and needs. The menu consists of clean and fresh foods that are all made from scratch with the ability to make targeted ingredient changes easier without compromising taste. Plus, The Grind is vegan and vegetarian friendly.

“In the future, what I hope for my business is continuous growth. With growth, we can inspire so many communities and change so many lives. That’s what this is all about — bridging cultural gaps and inspiring communities one cup at a time,” Mckinney said. She stressed that hard work truly pays off and as long as there’s a dream, people can accomplish the impossible.

After all, according to The Grind’s website, “We are not a coffee shop, we are a bistro that sells great coffee from small businesses around the world, but most importantly, coffee roasteries from Arkansas.”

—Sarah Coleman

THE GRIND COFFEE BISTRO 11525 Cantrell Road, Suite 407 Pleasant Ridge Town Center, Little Rock 501-476-7511 F E B RUA RY 2 02 2

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While celebrating Black History Month, we want to thank

ALONZO WILLIAMS SR, MD for more than four decades of serving the people of Arkansas in the field of gastroenterology (GI).

In

1989, Dr. Williams built and opened the first outpatient surgery center specializing in gastroenterology for the state of Arkansas.

In 1984, he was the first and only African American to gain acceptance and to complete the GI fellowship at University of Arkansas for Medical Science (UAMS). While serving as Interim Chief of Gastroenterology in 2007, Dr. Williams encouraged the university train other African Americans in the field of GI. In 2009, Brian L. McGee, MD became the second African American physician to be accepted into and to complete the GI fellowship at UAMS, which was

Article by Sherra Armstrong

27 years after Dr. Williams entered the program.

Dr. McGee is now in practice with Dr. Alonzo Williams and Dr. Stephen A. Ziller III at Arkansas Diagnostic Center & Kanis Endoscopy.

Throughout his career, Dr. Williams has focused on improving the lives of Arkansans through awareness campaigns, education, outreach programs, accessibility to rural communities and volunteering initiatives.

We want to applaud Dr. Alonzo Williams and Dr. Brian L. McGee for their dedicated collaboration and pioneering efforts in fighting colorectal cancer. Their work is key to building a healthy community.

ARKANSAS DIAGNOSTIC CENTER adcgca.com • 501.227.7688

Photography by BK Simmons

SPONSORED

CONSOLIDATED

CONSTRUCTION INC. (CCI) A Q&A with CCI's Gwen Coleman Gilbert

WHO FOUNDED THE BUSINESS AND WHEN WAS IT FOUNDED? After spending about a decade as a national restaurant franchisee in Little Rock, Gwen Coleman Gilbert and AJ Gilbert created CCI in 2008.

HAVE COVID AND ITS LINGERING EFFECTS IMPACTED THE BUSINESS? Our business, like most others, has been impacted by the COVID pandemic, but in quite unexpected ways. We have experienced increased demand for both residential and commercial construction services. However, supply chain issues and increased costs have created challenges with some of our essential products and materials. We’ve had to use more creative and innovative methods to overcome these challenges to keep our projects on schedule and within budget.

THOUGH CCI IS A FULL-SERVICE COMPANY, ARE THERE ANY AREAS IN WHICH IT SPECIALIZES? In the beginning, CCI was primarily a custom home builder.

Over the years, we have expanded as a full-service general contractor and construction manager. We specialize in residential, institutional and commercial projects, including market-rate multifamily and affordable housing developments. We are a turn-key provider of pre-construction services, design & planning, budgeting, construction and project management.

in the Central Arkansas area. Some of our clients include the University of Central Arkansas, UA-Pulaski Technical College, Welspun Tubular, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, Department of Veteran Affairs, Argenta CDC, Robinson Center and the City of Little Rock.

WHAT ARE SOME OF CCI’S BIGGEST CURRENT PROJECTS? We are very proud of one of our recent projects in Little Rock, a boutique-style, modern multifamily property, Ascent at Aldersgate. We have some wonderful historic projects planned for the downtown Little Rock area. Stay tuned.

OF ALL THE SERVICES YOU OFFER, WHICH ARE THE MOST CHALLENGING? I would say that our greatest challenge is not directly from the services we provide, but more of a team challenge. CCI’s requirements, guidelines, standards, (whatever you want to call them) are non-negotiable. Our team knows that to be a part of it, these requirements are paramount. Our team knows that ultimately, we work for our clients, and our goal is to provide the service they expect and deserve.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST PROJECTS ON WHICH CCI HAS WORKED? It’s been rewarding to have worked on some exciting projects F E B RUA RY 2 02 2

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Seriously Authentic MEXICAN FOOD & DRINKS 415 E 3rd Street • Little Rock, AR 72201 • (501) 837-9094 • rockcitytaco.com

MASTER MEDICAL CODING

Mumford and Associates, LLC is a minority female owned consulting firm specializing in health education and promotion.

We are highly experienced public health professionals, certified health education specialists, and public health preparedness experts, ready to help you navigate life’s obstacles.

PROVEN SUCCESS:

People who obtain training through a coding course typically pass the national exam on the first attempt.

Services Offered: • In-Office Health Education and Promotion • Community Health Education and Promotion • Mental Health First Aid (Adult, Youth, and Teen) Training • Chronic Disease Education and Case Management

WPCCollege offers training and tutoring for the national AAPC CPC Exam.

Students will receive classroom instructor training for ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS coding and guidelines.

Courses will include a review on Medical Anatomy and Terminology.

AAPC Licensed Curriculum 10515 W Markham St. Suite I5, Little Rock, AR 72205 501.823.0543 wpccourses.com ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

501-229-9220

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BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES

SHINING A LIGHT

ON BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES AMP is proud to shine a light on some of the Black-owned businesses across the state. The following list of 100 is random; it’s not a ranking. It was compiled by AMP staff and friends of the magazine. We encourage readers to check out these Arkansas businesses doing their part to fuel the state’s economy.

1911 CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

AML TRANSPORTATION

ARKANSAS DIAGNOSTIC CENTER

Little Rock

Little Rock

highway and heavy construction

special needs transportation

1ST CHOICE PROTECTION SYSTEMS

ABOVE AND BEYOND JANITORIAL

Pine Bluff

alarm system sales and installation, audio equipment installation Fayetteville

1ST CHOICE UTILITY CONSTRUCTION

electric power distribution, power and communication line construction Little Rock

21ST CENTURY JANITORIAL

commercial janitorial services Little Rock

870 TRUCKING CO.

general freight trucking Blytheville

A & J ELECTRIC

ATV

janitorial services

specialized freight trucking

ADVANTACLEAN OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS

accounting and tax services

Benton

water, mold, asbestos removal, air quality contracting services Little Rock

ARKANSAS BEHAVIORAL CENTER

mental health services, speech, OT, PT and consulting services Little Rock

ARKANSAS CUSTOM TRAVEL

travel agency Little Rock

electrical service and repair

Crossett

BAX & ASSOCIATES

Hot Springs Village

BLACK PAPER PARTY

holiday gifting solutions Bentonville

BROOMFIELD’S BAKERY & SPECIALTY FOOD SHOP

bakery and specialty food shop Malvern

BUILT BY BRENDA

site preparation contractors Conway

Mayflower

F E B RUA RY 2 02 2

medical clinic

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C JACKSON HAULING

DOYNE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Sherwood

North Little Rock

general freight trucking C KLEAR VISION

optometry clinic Little Rock

CHF CONTRACTORS

general contractor Little Rock

CHICKEN WANGS

restaurant

retail flooring and countertops

E.R.B. CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

GOVERNMENT SUPPLY SERVICES

commercial and institiutional building construction Jonesboro

EBONY BLEVINS, Photographer

photography Little Rock

EDEN SALT STUDIO

LR/Maumelle

yoga and salt therapy

COATING INSULATION & ASBESTOS SPECIALIST

ELITE TRUCKING

Little Rock

insulation contractors, asbestos removal contractors

transportation of construction materials

COLLINS ENTERPRISES INC.

computer systems design services

Camden

dba The Computer Station technology services (computer and telecommunications) Pine Bluff

CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION INC.

dba CCI residential, industrial, commercial, institutional construction, drywall/insulation, painting Little Rock

D L T LOGGING

logging

Monticello DARTS PACKAGING

manufacture, package and distribute homemade sauces and spices

Bryant

EMANACUS BUSINESS GROUP

White Hall

ETHEL’S EDUCATIONAL EXPRESS

child day care services Jacksonville

EYEDENTIFIED CONSULTING SERVICES

publishing, project management, writing and training services

El Dorado

THE GRIND COFFEE BISTRO

coffee shop and bistro Little Rock

HAIR COUTURE

beauty supply Fayetteville

HARRIS TRUCKING & CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

trucking and construction services Plumerville

HENDERSON MANAGEMENT

leasors of residential building and dwellings, funeral home and funeral services El Dorado

INFINITY THERAPY

speech and language pathology Benton

GARDNER’S JANITORIAL SERVICES

Little Rock

janitorial services

insurance agency

Pine Bluff

IVAN HUDSON AGENCY

GBT FREIGHT SYSTEMS

Little Rock

couriers and express delivery services Little Rock

DAWSON EMPLOYMENT SERVICE

Little Rock

commercial construction

GLOW’D UP CANDLE CO.

hand-poured soy candles Little Rock

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office supply dealer

INSURANCE PROS OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS

GENESIS CONSTRUCTION CO.

Blytheville

North Little Rock

Springdale

Pine Bluff

temporary staffing service

GOLD MEDAL FLOORING

general building contractor

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insurance agency

JACKSON’S CONSTRUCTION

new, residential and commercial construction Jonesboro

JAMES A. DARTON CO.

dba JADCO refrigeration and freight transport Lonoke

FE B RUA RY 2022

BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES LIST

JAQUES COURTNEY PRESENTS

jazz musician Little Rock

K & N AUDIO

audio install, window tint and car repairs Pine Bluff

K. HALL AND SONS ENTERPRISES

industrial wholesale and retail produce sales, meats and paper products Little Rock

KDJ BUILDERS

specialty trade contractors Conway

KENNETH CARSWELL LLC

LOVE’S BACKFLOW TESTING AND REPAIR SERVICES

NATURE’S BEST PEST CONTROL

Blytheville

NORRIS FURNITURE

MAE’S GRILL

Little Rock

plumbling, lawn irrigation, backflow prevention/testing, lab testing

restaurant

Blytheville MAGNIFICENT EDIFICE CONSTRUCTION

dba Edifice Design commercial building construction Little Rock

MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS INC.

management consulting services Little Rock

dba Peaceful Pines Farm family services

geographic information systems

KESSER INTERNATIONAL

MATHIS RENTALS

Pine Bluff

general and heavy construction North Little Rock

KINGS PAINTING

MARQUETTE GIS INC.

Little Rock

lessors of residential buildings and dwellings Blytheville

pest control services Little Rock

furniture

OX & COMPANY

hauling and concrete Doddridge

PLATINUM DRYWALL INC.

drywall and insulation contractors Little Rock

PRECIPICE IP PLLC

intellectual property law firm specializing in patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets Bentonville RFC69 LLC

fitness and recreational sports center Camden

RIDGELINE CONSTRUCTION

highway, street and bridge construction

painting and wall covering, drywall and insulation

MCH PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINIC

Little Rock

RO RO CLEANING SERVICE

LASKER BROTHERS

MD DOYNE CONSTRUCTION CO.

Jacksonville

Conway

concrete contractors Conway

LEE’S ELITE ELECTRIC

power/communications line, electrical contractors and other wiring installation Alexander

LITTLE ROCK LAUNDRY

personal and commercial laundry service Little Rock

LITTLE SCHOLARS

preschool

NLR/Maumelle

F E B RUA RY 2 02 2

outpatient physical therapy

commercial and institutional building construction Little Rock

MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.

third party administration of insurance and pension funds Pine Bluff

MUMFORD AND ASSOCIATES

health education and promotion services Little Rock

NATURAL STATE REALTY OF ARKANSAS

real estate

North Little Rock

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n 2022, Arkansas continues to punch above its weight class in many areas of industry including technology. From startup ecosystems centered around Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas to the native innovation that led to the founding of such industry giants as Acxiom and Systematics (now a part of FIS), the state’s commitment to technology is stronger than ever.

And, as Lee Watson of Forge Institute points out on the following page, Arkansas is becoming a leader in the all-important field of cybersecurity. Many Arkansans are working to make a difference in tech-related fields, and in the pages that follow, AMP is proud to recognize a few of them — 30 “titans of tech” whose work is helping advance the state forward whether simply through contributions to their local economies or game-changing innovation.

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Why Arkansas Is Set to Be a National Rally-Point for CYBER DEFENSE

By Lee Watson

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n the summer of 1962, an ambitious businessman named Sam Walton opened his first retail store in Rogers, Arkansas. Of course, this act of entrepreneurship set into motion a number of positive things for the Natural State, the most famous of which was that Arkansas would become home to the world’s largest employer, Walmart.

But the transformation extended beyond retail. Soon, Arkansas would become a growing hub for logistics, fintech and data management. The nation’s “digital disruption” actually came early to Arkansas, with homegrown companies like Acxiom serving as the epicenter for a data revolution that continues to evolve today.

Quietly, the Natural State has become the Big Data State, with data driven companies like FIS finding a home in Arkansas. It’s little wonder that the U.S. Air Force decided to station its 223rd Cyberspace Operations Squadron at the Little Rock Air Force Base, or that Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed into law legislation to require that high school students take a computer science course before graduating.

Data is the present of Arkansas, and its security is our future.

The state’s investment in providing basic computer skills to the next generation of our its workforce is a wise course to take, because the demand for cybersecurity professionals is strong. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the industry will experience job growth of at least 31 percent between 2019 and 2029, leading to an estimated shortfall of nearly 3.4 million jobs.

Arkansans have a head start on obtaining these careers, thanks in part to the governor’s sagacity and to an infrastructure set forth by Sam Walton’s experiment in big box store retail. But Arkansas isn’t simply resting on these laurels. The state has taken fresh steps to solidify Arkansas as a rallying point for the nation’s cybersecurity.

In December of 2021, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Forge Institute announced a collaboration to establish the Consortium for Cyber Innovation (CCI) with the purpose of developing and aligning cyber education and growing applied research capabilities in the state of Arkansas. This initiative builds upon an existing relationship with the University of Arkansas, whose cyber-capabilities are growing in tandem with the region’s emergence as a hub for tech and innovation. The CCI is critical to unifying our resources and capabilities to making Arkansas a stronger cyber defender.

Furthermore, a partnership between Forge Institute, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) and the Arkansas Department of Work Services (ADWS) is working to provide training programs targeted to our state’s underserved communities. A person freshly trained in IT and information security (infosec) skills can earn entry-level positions at $40,000 to $50,000 a year and build a career.

That's a life-altering economic shift that can lift entire families out of poverty and contribute to the health of the state’s economy.

Arkansas is ready to accept the role of national cyber defenders.

Our universities are leading research in bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data. We have public policy and private infrastructure already in place. We boast a strong military and ex-military population — disciplined men and women with a passion for serving their country.

The mission is accepted.

Lee Watson is the founder and CEO of Little Rock’s Forge Institute, an established leader in workforce cyber training and infosec intelligence.

Learn more about Forge Institute at www.Forge.Institute.

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FE B RUA RY 2022

2022 TECH LEADERS

Jerry Adams

Uday Akkaraju

Tony Aquila

Serial Tech Pioneer

CEO BOND.AI

Chairman & CEO Canoo

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any of us know Jerry Adams from his extensive history of public service that includes education, entrepreneurship, innovation, health care and philanthropy. His vision has served organizations like Accelerate Arkansas, Funds for Arkansas’ Future, the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub and VIC Technology Venture. His influence is as limitless as his energy.

I met Jerry through the Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA), from which he has recently retired as founding president and CEO. He established ARA in 2007 as a public-private partnership, 501c(3) economic-development organization dedicated to elevating the belief that “research matters.” Through Jerry’s leadership, ARA has come to recognize 32 members of the ARA Academy of Scholars and Fellows, fielded more than 30 scientific projects through the ARA Impact Grant program, helped conceive of the ARA Core Facilities Exchange and was instrumental in Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s Blue Ribbon Commission for Computing and Data Analytics, which gave rise to the $24 million state-NSF DART program and oversaw a decades-long partnership with NCTR. Jerry’s stamp on the state’s technology and research community leaves an impact that endures so long as we treasure innovation and discovery as much as he.

– Bryan Barnhouse, President & CEO, Arkansas Research Alliance F E B RUA RY 2 02 2

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day Akkaraju is the CEO of BOND.AI, an award-winning, human-centered artificial intelligence platform for banks. Akkaraju has a background in interaction design and cognitive science and focuses on making machine intelligence empathetic. He created the world’s first Empathy EngineTM for finance and was recognized as an “International Innovator” by the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Prior to BOND.AI, he founded and successfully ran an artificial-intelligence research lab that helped earlystage companies design the product and take it to market. He regularly speaks at international AI and fintech conferences such as the Mobile World Congress, Paris Fintech Forum, Money 2020, IBM Tech Talks, Signal, Finovate, Voice and more.

Akkaraju also advises AI startups and entrepreneurs to help create fair and equitable machine-learning systems.

Akkaraju moved the firm’s headquarters from New York to Little Rock in 2017 after participating in The Venture Center’s VC FinTech Accelerator. BOND.AI also has offices in Pune, India, and Geneva, Switzerland.

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ony Aquila is an American businessman, investor, serial entrepreneur and inventor associated with 100-plus patents in the automotive, aeronautics and cybersecurity sectors. He is the executive chairman and CEO of Canoo, an electric vehicle manufacturer that recently announced plans to move its headquarters to Bentonville and build R&D and other facilities in Northwest Arkansas.

Growing up on the fringes of Silicon Valley with a mathematical and entrepreneurial mind, Aquila founded in his garage, grew and sold several technology startups during the dot-com years, ultimately founding Solera in 2005. Solera is an automotive technology company that he founded with GTCR as his capital partner. Under his leadership, the company went public through a $1 billion initial public offering in 2007 and private again in 2016 at a valuation of $6.5 billion.

In 2019, based on his proven track record of more than 70 transactions with $15 billion in aggregate value and an industry leading return profile, Aquila founded AFV Partners LLC, a long-term sustainable capital vehicle that invests globally in assets that contribute to a net positive impact on the environment. Canoo is currently one of AFV’s significant investments.

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Chris Bates

Chris Beaty

Rajesh Chokhani

CEO The Computer Hut, LLC

CEO TeleComp

President BOND.AI

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ed by CEO Chris Bates, the Computer Hut has solved tech issues for Arkansans since its founding in 1992.

Throughout its growth, the company has proven that its core value is service excellence. Bates and his team handle cyber and data security challenges with a special emphasis on the needs of health care organizations in maintaining HIPAA compliance.

Headquartered in Little Rock, The Computer Hut has more than 40 IT professionals with five offices across the state. In 2002, the company got its first big break when Metropolitan National Bank outsourced its IT to the small tech company. Metropolitan National Bank was The Computer Hut’s largest client until the bank was acquired by Simmons.

The firm has been working at full steam ever since, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of technology services and working from home. Bates is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas with a BBA in computer information systems.

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hris Beaty is the CEO of Rogersbased TeleComp, a full service IT company that supports leading organizations in government, health care, education and business throughout the United States. As CEO, Beaty oversees the strategic direction of the company and its employees. In the past three years, Beaty steered TeleComp into a period of growth that included the expansion to several locations throughout the southeastern United States including Little Rock, Tulsa and Houston. Throughout this high-growth period, Beaty continues to drive and advance TeleComp’s vision of providing high-quality solutions to the communities it serves.

Beaty has nearly 15 years of experience in telecom operations, business operations and management. Prior to TeleComp, he worked at IPC Communications for 12 years as a partner and director of operations where he led the 2016 merger of IPC with TeleComp.

A native of Fort Smith, Beaty holds a bachelor’s degree in real estate finance from the University of Arkansas.

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ajesh Chokhani is the former COO of Welspun Tubular, which operates a factory at the Port of Little Rock, and current president at BOND. AI and its spinoff, FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early). Chokhani moved to Little Rock in 2007 to run Welspun’s first facility outside of India. Under his leadership, Welspun’s local presence grew to cover more than 800 acres and 1,000 employees.

Late in his career, Chokhani learned of the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) concept. Partnering with BOND. AI, he made it his mission to deliver financial and retirement education to as many people as he could through the Empathy Engine product, which empowers consumers to take control of their financial lives while rewarding them for taking the proper steps towards retirement.

Since moving to Arkansas, Chokhani’s board service and philanthropic endeavors have included Arvest Bank, the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, UA-Pulaski Technical College, Harmony Health Clinic, Hindu Temple of Central Arkansas and IndiaFest.

FE B RUA RY 2022

2022 TECH LEADERS

Kevin Clark

Vance Clement

Kundan Das

CEO Now Diagnostics

CEO Lineus Medical

Founder and CEO Labscoop

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evin Clark, CEO of NOW Diagnostics in Springdale, is a proven leader with extensive experience scaling diagnostics companies from inception to lucrative exit on a global scale. He has successfully ushered 126 products through the FDA approval process. His career includes the development of a diagnostics company, serving as COO and CEO. He sourced investors and sold that company to one of the largest life sciences companies in the world. As CEO of ERBA Diagnostics, Clark brought the company to profitability following losses in nine consecutive quarters.

Prior to that, he served six years as COO of IVAX Diagnostics, the parent company of ImmunoVision Inc., which he founded in 1987 and sold to IVAX Corporation in 1995. During his 18 years at ImmunoVision/IVAX Diagnostics, he was directly responsible for the successful development and clinical trials of 18 diagnostic test kits. He was EVP and founding member of the Arkansas Biotechnology Association and has served on the board for the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation and Arkansas BioVentures.

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lement has more than 29 years of experience in medical devices including surgical robotics. He left corporate America to join the startup world in 2008 and started with Fayetteville’s Lineus Medical in 2015 as COO. He became CEO in 2018. His passion is to create and build companies that invent revolutionary products that provide a better quality of life.

Lineus is the maker of SafeBreak Vascular, a breakaway connector that separates when a damaging force is placed on a peripheral IV line. By removing the damaging force, the IV line can be saved preventing the loss of medication, the use of unnecessary medical supplies and the need for another needlestick for the patient. Clement serves as a mentor to other startups as well as to biomedical and industrial engineering students at the University of Arkansas. He earned a BS in industrial engineering from the UA and an MBA from Christian Brothers University in Memphis.

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undan Das is the founder and CEO of Labscoop, a team-centric e-commerce engine for laboratories based in Little Rock. Labscoop enables lab members, managers and administrators to streamline team communications and institutional procurement workflows. The B2B marketplace application hosts nearly 10 million products from niche to industry-leading suppliers and is utilized by a wide range of labs at organizations including the NIH, Stanford, MIT, University of Michigan and SpaceX. Prior to Labscoop, Das founded a company in the field of redox biochemistry.

His company developed assay technologies to detect mitochondrial and antioxidant enzyme activity and has been cited in numerous publications. Das also founded a nonprofit that led a grantfunded project to retrofit school buses to emit lower emissions and utilize alternative fuels. Das was named Wildlife Federation’s Youth Conservationist of the Year.

More recently, Das co-founded Advance Vascular, a MedTech startup company pioneering the first-ever “smart” topical oxygen device.

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Josh Davenport

Derek A. Dyson

Chad Engelgau

Co-founder and CEO Seal Solar

CEO/President Today’s Power Inc.

President and CEO Acxiom

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n 2012, Josh Davenport joined forces with Heather Nelson to found Seal Solar. Since then, he has helped fuel its growth into one of Arkansas’ leading solar design and installation businesses.

Today, Seal Solar employs 46 certified local professionals and offers turnkey solutions to homeowners, businesses, government entities and farmers across the state.

A top voice in Arkansas’s renewable energy industry, Davenport is a member of Arkansas Advanced Energy Association Distributed General Task Force and former president of the Arkansas Chapter of Energy Engineers. He is chairman of the Argenta Downtown Council and board member of the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and UA Little Rock Alumni Association.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Ouachita Baptist University; a bachelor’s in construction management and master’s in business administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; and is a certified Building Performance Institute (BPI) Building Analyst and BPI Healthy Home Evaluator.

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erek A. Dyson is the CEO/President of Today’s Power Inc. (TPI).

A former shareholder for more than 20 years with the law firm of Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke, he has worked closely in developing and implementing energy solutions for cooperatives, municipalities, tribal communities and independent developers. Dyson has worked on the financing, development, construction, operation and decommissioning of numerous energy projects across the United States and internationally. He has been a contracting officer with both the Department of Navy and the White House Situation Support Staff, as well as a law clerk with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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had Engelgau serves as Acxiom’s president and CEO, providing strategic leadership to the organization, which focuses on helping brands better use data, identity and technology solutions to understand people, and create growth for their businesses. Engelgau is a founding member of Acxiom’s IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Awareness) Council and the executive sponsor for two of Acxiom’s business resource groups, Acxiom Women LEAD and Acxiom Black Employee Network. He also serves on the board of directors for the Ad Council and is a member of the Ad Council Audit Committee.

Previously, he served as global chief data strategist at Kinesso, the marketing intelligence unit of The Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. (IPG), Acxiom’s parent company. He joined Kinesso after spending 13 years at Acxiom, where he held a variety of key leadership roles including CMO and head of strategy. Over his tenure, he was responsible for leading data and identity product management and strategy as well as product marketing. Before joining Acxiom, Engelgau spent nine years at Dell Inc.

FE B RUA RY 2022

2022 TECH LEADERS

Justin French

Jake Gulick

Bill Halter

Founder and CTO AngelEye Health

President Greyfinch

Founder and CEO Scenic Hill Solar

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ustin French is a founder and CTO at AngelEye Health, a leading provider of family engagement solutions for the NICU and PICU environments.

French and others from UAMS Health founded AngelEye Health in 2013 to provide on-demand streaming video to families with children in the NICU/ PICU. In his role as chief technology officer, French is a member of the leadership committee, contributing his expertise in product development and innovation as well as business growth initiatives that have led to the company’s robust expansion in recent years.

He is also responsible for AngelEye’s technical and product fulfillment teams.

AngelEye’s cameras are now installed on 70 percent of NICU beds in Arkansas, the highest percentage of NICU beds with cameras in the nation, and are installed in 130 hospitals across the country.

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ake Gulick started his career in orthodontic technology in 2007 with Televox, which provided web design, appointment reminders and patient portals for dental and orthodontic clinics. In 2011, he moved to Cloud9Ortho, a new orthodontic-practice management software company that then had only two customers. Cloud9Ortho was the first cloud software in the orthodontic industry that let practices run their clinics without servers, from anywhere with an internet connection.

Gulick left Cloud9 in 2015 to help start Little Rock’s Greyfinch, where he saw an opportunity to finally assemble “all of the missing pieces” into a comprehensive orthodontic practice management software that would benefit both the practice and the patient. After multiple years in development and beta testing, Greyfinch started accepting new customers in January 2020. Greyfinch’s growth over the past two years continues to outpace expectations, as orthodontists are excited about a solution that is made for the clinic and their patients. Greyfinch is successful, Gulick says, due to its leveraging of the latest technology and platforms to be able to provide new features at a speed no other software in their market has been able to provide.

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ill Halter is the founder and CEO of Scenic Hill Solar, one of Arkansas’ leading solar developers. With extensive leadership experience in both the public and private sectors, Halter has served as Arkansas’ 14th lieutenant governor, advised former President Bill Clinton while serving on the White House staff, provided economic analysis to Congress, served as deputy commissioner for the Social Security Administration, consulted for Fortune 500 companies with McKinsey and Co., served as a trustee of Stanford University and served on the boards of six public companies in the information technology, life sciences and real estate industries.

As Arkansas lieutenant governor, Halter led the campaign to establish a staterun lottery in Arkansas with all proceeds dedicated to college scholarships. Since its launch, the lottery has generated more than $1 billion of additional scholarship assistance and produced more than 650,000 higher education scholarships.

Halter is a Rhodes Scholar, receiving a Master of Philosophy degree in economics from Oxford University. He studied economics and political science as a National Merit Scholar and Harry S. Truman Scholar at Stanford.

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Zack Hill

Lou McAlister

Wayne Miller

Partner & CEO Few

Founder Broadband Development Group

Executive Director The Venture Center

s Partner and CEO, Zack Hill leads Few, the region’s premier digital design and development company. Hill’s marketing education and real world digital-product experience has him uniquely positioned to build a company like Few. The firm’s portfolio consists of consumer-facing digital experiences including highly custom marketing websites, webapplications, mobile applications, AR/ VR and more. Few has seen significant growth over the past year, doubling in size to nearly 35 employees throughout the pandemic, and there’s no sign of slowing down. By putting his focus on growing the right way, establishing scalable leadership throughout the organization and continuing to be one step ahead of technology trends, Hill has positioned Few as the go-to partner for scaling organizations with design and technology.

Hill’s vision for Little Rock and Arkansas entails the unique quality of life offerings, attracting and keeping highly skilled technical professionals. Few is making its own investments in these efforts through a new office space concept in SOMA that is being built with a local and remote hybrid workforce in mind.

ou McAlister is a career network and telecommunications executive and entrepreneur. His career includes operational, technical, strategic planning and business development experience in large companies such as AT&T as well as in his own startups. He is the co-founder of Navigator Telecommunications, which was an Arkansas-based super-regional competitive local exchange company (CLEC) that operated in 31 states. He also co-founded 7x7 Networking, a San Francisco-based provider of broadband internet access in multi-tenant buildings. He holds a B.A. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and an M.S. in telecommunications management from Polytechnic University in New York City.

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ayne Miller is the executive director of The Venture Center, a globally recognized nonprofit entrepreneur support organization based in the Little Rock Tech Park. It produces award-winning, revenue-generating financial technology accelerator programs for the world’s biggest financial services organizations. Miller brings more than four decades of experience in a variety of industries and leadership roles as well as his own entrepreneurial achievement and Fortune 100 experience.

Before joining The Venture Center in 2017, he spearheaded the growth and development of several businesses including a private-equity-backed medical device manufacturer, two startup tech companies in the health care and cybersecurity fields and was COO of a $45 million transportation and logistics company. He served as CEO of start-up internet advertising company Admine. com, as director of business development for Proxicom (PXCM), an internet consulting and development company, and as the national director of business development for the “big five” professional services firm, Deloitte. Under Miller’s leadership, The Venture Center has been recognized by globally renowned fintech industry leader, Finovate, as 2020’s Best Fintech Accelerator.

FE B RUA RY 2022

2022 TECH LEADERS

Michael Paladino

Allan Peretz

Matt Rolfes

Co-Founder and CEO RevUnit, Bentonville

President Bold Strategies Inc.

President and CEO MedEvolve

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s co-founder of RevUnit, Paladino says he “built a team of really smart people who like to nerd out on technology and data.” Launched by Paladino and Joe Saumweber, RevUnit has grown into a thriving company that works to create real change in some of the world’s largest companies through data and process. It works to create enterprise change faster by partnering with leaders to help them turn data into insights, reinvent critical processes and upskill their teams.

RevUnit has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies four times, the Entrepreneur 360 list of America’s most innovative businesses and Entrepreneur’s top company cultures.

Paladino is the former CTO for Arkansas startups Overwatch and Btiques, and he served in various tech leadership roles at Rockfish Interactive. The Little Rock native also served as chair of the Northwest Arkansas Tech Council.

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hen Procter & Gamble (P&G) needed a leader to build its new global direct-to-consumer team, it chose Allan Peretz and his unique mix of global business strategy, brand management and information technology credentials.

Peretz led the consolidation of more than 25 different DTC e-commerce efforts across the United States, China, Germany and other major markets including iconic brands like SK-II, Braun, Oral B and more. Under his leadership, this multimillion-dollar business collectively grew over 60 percent within two years.

Since leaving P&G, Peretz has been a leading e-commerce consultant for consumer packaged goods (CPGs) of all sizes from pre-revenue startups to billion-dollar brands like Samsung.

He co-founded Bold Strategies Inc. in Rogers with a vision to create the first truly “end-to-end” strategic, e-commerce partner for growth-oriented CPGs. He’s led Bold Strategies to become one of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. (ranked No. 259 on the “Inc. 5000”) and the fastest growing in Arkansas (ranked first on the Arkansas Inc. 5000).

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att Rolfes leverages his 18 years of experience in technology and finance to drive and support MedEvolve’s growth and operational success.

Rolfes brings to MedEvolve expertise in accounting and finance as well as corporate development and operations experience in both public and private companies. He joined Little Rock’s MedEvolve as CFO in August 2013 after serving as the controller for Streamline Health, a publicly traded, SaaS-focused enterprise content-management, business-analytics and computer-assisted coding software provider.

While at Streamline, Rolfes led the company’s accounting and reporting function through a time of significant growth including the planning, integration and reporting on two strategic acquisitions. Prior to Streamline, Rolfes spent five years with Grant Thornton LLP in audit and assurance services while working with several private and publicly traded companies in the technology, service, banking and consumer industrialproducts sectors. He holds a BS in business administration from the University of Dayton.

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Davar Sasongko

Daniel Sharp

Sanjeev Singh

Co-founder and CEO SIEV Technologies

Founder and CEO Apothewell

Founder and CEO Zenwork Inc.

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o-owner and CEO of SIEV Technologies, Davar Sasongko leads business development and commercialization efforts for the Fayetteville membrane tech startup. SIEV was founded in 2020 to commercialize its catalytic membrane technology with the goal of creating bio-based platform chemicals and byproducts from agricultural residues and low value biomass waste or feedstocks. It was born of research conducted at the University of Arkansas over a period of 10 years. Sasongko and his team are now preparing their technology to market.

Before co-founding SIEV with the UA’s Dr. Ranil Wickramasinghe, he spent more than two years in the energy industry as a consultant working primarily with medium-sized oil and gas producers. Sasongko obtained a degree in chemical engineering from the UA, and his desire to work on environmental engineering initiatives led him to Wickramasinghe’s research group at the Membrane Science, Engineering and Technology (MAST) Center.

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aniel Sharp founded Little Rock’s Apothewell to solve a problem he and his wife shared with other caretakers — managing a medication regimen and keeping their adult son, Philip, who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a child, adherent to his medication schedule.

Philip’s injury left him with a severe seizure disorder and unable to manage the medication regimen that controlled his seizures. Sharp said the solutions available before Apothewell left a giant gap in care. He founded Apothewell to create a better solution.

Apothewell combines a smartphone with a smart pill case to provide a complete solution to manage medication. After working for more than a year to get to market, Sharp and his team are ready to launch on iOS. If a closed beta planned for February goes as planned, Sharp will open the app to a larger audience in March. Later in 2022, he plans to launch on Android devices, and in 2023, begin selling the firm’s “Smart Pillcase” add-on devices.

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anjeev K. Singh is the founder and CEO of Fayetteville’s Zenwork Inc., a digital tax-compliance and regulatory reporting company. Prior to founding his company, Singh received his bachelor’s degree and MBA at India’s Nagpur University and attended Harvard Business School for the Senior Executive Leadership Program and Business Management.

Zenwork Inc. operates under the brands Tax1099 and Compliancely and digitally processes millions of informational returns. Under the direction of Singh, Zenwork helps power more than 100,000 businesses nationwide. The Zenwork team has more than 10 years of experience in the industry, and Singh’s career in the industry spans decades of acquired knowledge.

FE B RUA RY 2022

2022 TECH LEADERS

Josh Stanley

Charu Thomas

Hannah Vogler

CEO and Managing Partner Cartwheel

Founder Ox

Executive Director Arkansas STEM Coalition

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osh Stanley is an experienced leader, serial entrepreneur and digital product expert. He is a co-founder and CEO at Cartwheel Startup Studio, a company that conceptualizes, validates, and forms B2B, SaaS companies based out of Northwest Arkansas.

Prior to Cartwheel, Stanley co-founded Teamvvork, a digital product studio and consultancy out of Las Vegas that was acquired by RevUnit in 2017. He held progressive roles at RevUnit from vice president of product to COO to president. He was a linchpin in years of double-digit growth and led the organization through a private equity transaction in 2019. Stanley also co-founded ZenSales, an SaaS business with rapid growth that was acquired by Ship.com in 2020. Prior to these entrepreneurial ventures, he held both product and project leadership positions at 1-800 Contacts, Backcountry. com and Zappos.

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haru Thomas is the founder of Fayetteville’s Ox, one of the state’s true tech up-and-comers. Ox builds fulfillment automation technology. Clients include top Fortune 500 retailers. Before founding Ox in 2017, Thomas was an internationally awarded researcher in the wearable computing field in Georgia Tech’s renowned industrial engineering program. In 2019, Thomas relocated to Northwest Arkansas for the Fuel Accelerator program and never left. Premier institutions have recognized her work like Microsoft, the USPTO, and ACM, and Thomas has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Business Insider, and TechCrunch. She’s been named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list and was included in AMP’s 2020 Future 50 list, recognizing the future drivers of Arkansas’ economic, political and even cultural engines.

Thomas created Ox to empower, enable, and excite retailers, fulfillment centers, and 3PLs to transform and optimize manual processes throughout their supply chain quickly.

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annah Vogler became the executive director of the Arkansas STEM Coalition in January. She spent more than 20 years in the nonprofit world, helping numerous nonprofits become organizations that are stronger and better at meeting their missions, and has been recognized locally and nationally for her work.

Before becoming professionally involved in the nonprofit world, Vogler spent five years in the private equity department of a New York investment bank, helping raise capital for biotech companies and running a trading desk for restricted securities. She was a White House Intern, an intern for the political consulting firm of Carville & Begala, and she worked for the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial (now Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights). She has been a political consultant and campaign manager on political campaigns ranging from local city council races to U.S. Congress. Most recently, she has served as executive director of the Pulaski County Imagination Library and the Argenta Community Development Corporation. She also cofounded The Colon Club, a national nonprofit organization that educates younger people about colorectal cancer.

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Lee Watson

Dave Wengel

Alison Wish

Founder/CEO Forge Institute

Founder and CEO iDatafy, Little Rock

Director Arkansas Coding Academy

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ee Watson is a prolific collaborator with an uncanny knack for bringing together talented people in pursuit of discovery and innovation. Driven by a passion for cyber science, quantum computing and fintech, he has worked to support state legislation in Arkansas to accelerate STEM education, drive innovation and create high-paying jobs for Arkansans.

After graduating from college, Lee built Clarovista, a regional mobile application development, marketing and data-analytics consulting company. Later, Watson was the founding CEO and board member of The Venture Center, an entrepreneur-led organization that established successful innovation programming for startups and companies in Central Arkansas. A key program, the VC FinTech Accelerator, has become the most recognized global FinTech startup innovation program and is supported by FIS (Fortune 500), the state of Arkansas and numerous other enterprise leaders.

Today, Watson serves as founder and CEO of Forge Institute, an established cyber workforce training and infosec intelligence organization in Little Rock dedicated to securing the nation’s sensitive digital assets.

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ave Wengel is the founder and CEO of iDatafy, an informationservices company based in Little Rock. iDatafy helps clients solve tough problems through the use of custom data consortiums. Most recently, Wengel and his team launched SmartResume — the world’s first certified job talent marketplace. SmartResume makes it easy for education partners to issue certified resumes that attest to the accomplishments of their current and past students.

Once an individual receives their SmartResume, they can further customize it by adding occupational preferences and work experience before using it to apply for jobs. For employers, they have a new way to search, connect and hire job talent through the SmartResume platform.

Wengel is a third-generation entrepreneur and a leader with more than 20 years of experience in data analytics and computing. In 2021, Wengel was inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Computing for his contributions to the field.

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lison Wish has been a leader in the Arkansas technology industry for 20 years. From her early days as a software engineer at Acxiom to now serving as the director of the Arkansas Coding Academy (ArCA) at the University of Central Arkansas, Wish has brought innovation, skill and mentorship to the industry. Wish has served as director ArCA since December 2020. This program produces career-ready, entry-level technical talent to fuel Arkansas companies. Under her leadership, ArCA increased enrollment, added corporate partnerships and established an advisory board.

Future plans include launching a new career development program and an apprenticeship this spring. Passionate about bringing more women into the tech field, she leads a “Women in Tech Peer Mentoring Circle” through a collaboration with UCA’s Women’s Leadership Network. Before coming to ArCA, Wish held leadership positions at Acxiom where she led groups of technical professionals. She is a graduate of Arkansas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in computer and information science.

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES

RIDING TO THE RESCUE

By Becky Gillette // Photos by Jamison Mosley

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IN ARKANSAS, ADVOCATES CITE ENVIRONMENTAL, COST-SAVING BENEFITS hen Dr. Jim Dudley of Eureka Springs bought a hybrid Ford C Max car in 2017, there was so little interest in that kind of vehicle that he was able to buy it for $18,000 (including a $4,000 federal tax credit) when the list price was $36,000. He has 24 solar panels that power his home and his car, which gets about 25 miles to the charge before he has to switch to gasoline. He rarely has to buy gasoline because most of his driving is short trips.

Dudley primarily bought the C Max because of concerns about climate change and protecting the environment. He has been excited to see the dramatic improvements in electric vehicles (EVs) just over the past four years.

“An electric Kia or Hyundai has a 300-mile range,” Dudley said. “It is going to be more and more easy to get electric cars, and they will be affordable.”

While environmental considerations are still important, these days electric vehicles can also save a lot of money.

it’s going to be more and more easy to get electric cars, and they will be affordable.

A level two Tesla Wall Connector charging a Tesla Model Y.

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“EVs save drivers approximately $12,000 for every 100,000 miles driven, depending on gas prices,” said Lauren Waldrip, executive director, Arkansas Alternative Energy Association. “EVs provide consumers with a cost-saving alternative to traditional vehicles. Industry leading brands are also lasting far longer on average than traditional internal combustion engine cars.”

There is some criticism that it isn’t much better for the carbon emissions if you charge the vehicle with electricity from a coal plant. But an increasing number of Arkansans charge their electric vehicles through home solar chargers.

“The popularity of EVs increases almost hand-in-hand with the popularity of renewable energy,” Waldrip said. “Although utilities that provide energy are still monopolies, because of net metering laws, a market is now developing

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TRANSPORTATION ENTREPRENEURSHIP/NONPROFITS

Performance brake caliper on a Tesla Model 3 Peformance.

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that allows Arkansans to produce their own energy through solar panels. This energy could be utilized to power these EVs, ultimately saving Arkansans even more. The increase in electricity prices pales in comparison to the increase in gasoline prices.”

Leo Denault, chairman and CEO of Entergy Corp., said in a press release that the company is taking an integrated approach toward a carbon-free future that includes working with industry peers and customers to electrify other sectors of the economy like trans-

from the manufacturer.

Kelli Dowell, Entergy Corp. director of environmental policy, said the company recognizes that electric vehicles are an increasingly attractive private transportation option that offer key benefits to owners, such as reduced maintenance, lower fuel consumption, less noise and lower emissions. Dowell said with a variety of sizes, styles, price points and powertrains, there’s now an electric vehicle for everyone.

Collin Riggin, partner\founder of Evolve Auto in

The clean interior look of a Tesla Model 3 with white seats.

portation and the maritime industry. Entergy delivers electricity to roughly three million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

The company recently invested in more than 40 strategically located charging stations to be used by its growing EV fleet, which allows for nearly 90 vehicles to charge simultaneously. Starting in 2023, the company plans for all its passenger vehicles, forklifts and pallet jacks to be all-electric where readily available

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North Little Rock, said his dealership concentrates on selling pre-owned Teslas because, although pricey, they are far superior to other electric vehicles.

“We are open to other brands once they evolve,” Riggin said. “The difference between an EV and a hybrid is, with a hybrid, you are still maintaining everything you need for a gas engine. With electric, there is very little maintenance for things like belts, hoses and oil changes. You don’t even have to worry about

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TRANSPORTATION ENTREPRENEURSHIP/NONPROFITS brake pads on a Tesla because the vehicles use regenerative braking and one-pedal driving to stop the car.

You charge the batteries with the kinetic energy used to brake. This means that EVs actually get better mileage in city traffic or stop-and-go traffic than on the highway.”

His currently pre-owned Teslas range from $45,000 to the upper $60’s. He said Teslas have “flipped the script” for EVs. “These vehicles have far more power and torque than most vehicles you see on the road,” Riggin said. “They are fun to drive.

The acceleration is out of this world.

There are $75,000 gas cars that will lose in a head-tohead race with most Teslas.”

While manufacturing EVs initially produces more carbon dioxide emissions than internal combustion engines, it only takes one year of the car being on the road to tip the scales. The zeroemission driving more than makes up for the manufacturing process.

“The older the vehicles get, the more beneficial Collin Riggin of Evolve Auto they are to the environment,” Riggin said. “Another environmental benefit is that electric vehicle batteries are recyclable, which a lot of people don’t seem to know.”

While some EVs are not made for long road trips, Waldrip said most longer-range models will drive two to three hours at highway speeds before needing a fast charge, much the same as the amount of time people

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typically wait to stop on road trips to gas up and use facilities. “Fortunately, as technology continues to develop and improve, the range of electric vehicles is steadily increasing,” she said.

The decrease in air pollution can have significant health benefits considering that motor vehicles emissions are the leading cause of air pollution in the United States. Waldrip said even if a portion of fuel comes from a coal plant, it is much cleaner than the emissions from a combustion engine.

Arkansas currently is planning to use $54 million from the infrastructure package passed by Congress to build electric charging stations across the state. There are plans to install fast chargers every 50 miles or so along major highways.

“Additional access to charging stations will springboard the already growing adoption of electric vehicles,” Waldrip said.

The advanced energy industry is providing highpaying jobs that are crucial to communities across the state, especially against the backdrop of a pandemic, she added. A major example is the electric-vehicle company Canoo, which plans to move its headquarters to Bentonville and establish an R&D center as well as an advanced industrialization and low-volume production facility for small package delivery vehicles in Northwest Arkansas.

The company estimates this and other investments will create at least 545 high-paying jobs.

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“We are proud to partner with the state of Arkansas to develop American-made, clean energy vehicles,” said Tony Aquila, chairman and CEO of Canoo, in a press release. “Our investment in these new facilities will accelerate the development of high-demand delivery vehicles for customers around the world. We thank Gov. [Asa] Hutchinson and his team for their leadership and vision for the state’s role in the mobility revolution.”

“They are fun to drive. The acceleration is out of this world. There are $75,000 gas cars that will lose in a head-to-head race with most Teslas.”

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Connecting smart people to smart cars, right here in Central Arkansas

Shop for your Tesla at evolveauto.com or call to schedule an appointment for your test drive.

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SPORTS COMMENTARY

ARKANSAS NEEDS TO STRIKE WHILE IRON’S HOT Recruiting, NIL positioning Hogs to ascend

By Evin Demirel

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t’s early going, but so far the Arkansas football program is enjoying the kind of offseason you tell your grandchildren about.

The Razorbacks team proper is showing up in the top 20 of the first batches of too-early preseason polls, but it’s what the coaches are doing in two other realms that are turning even more heads. On the recruiting front, the Hogs are succeeding like never before in the modern era. Here’s where Arkansas comes in with the 247Sports composite rankings for the class of 2023 after the commitment of Oklahoma’s No. 1 player, Luke Hasz: 1.

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And here’s what’s shakin’ over at the Rivals recruiting rankings for the same class: 1.

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ARKANSAS RECRUITING REACHING RARE HEIGHTS Whatever your source, it’s clear this is a special time for a program that in the modern era historically rarely cracks the top 20.

“Arkansas is really killing it in 2023 recruiting,” said 247Sports analyst Josh Pate on his “Late Kick podcast. “They’re ranked in the top five right now. Of course, you’ve got the cynic out there who would say, ‘Well, they won’t be top five when it’s time to actually put pen to paper next year.’”

Georgia Notre Dame Arkansas Penn State USC Texas A&M Ohio State

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Notre Dame Georgia Arkansas Penn State USC Texas Tech Texas A&M

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Recently, J.B. Hunt heirs Mandy and Bryan Hunt announced the launch of a new NIL program that will help Razorbacks develop their personal brands and hook them up with local nonprofit organizations.

Razorback football is trending up, and athletes are taking note.

(Courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

What is truly turning Arkansas into a destination program in 2022 is the recruiting prowess combined with transfer portal success. The former helps strengthen the Razorbacks down the line, but the latter is the equivalent of a short-term boost.

Both are instrumental to competing at the highlight levels in modern college football.

ARKANSAS FOOTBALL TRANSFER PORTAL Officially, Arkansas won its last five out of six games in the 2022 season. But if you count the transfer portal season in the last few weeks as a “bonus” competition, then Arkansas has won more than that.

With incoming transfers like Drew Sanders (former No. 1 player in state of Texas), Dwight McGlothern, Landon Jackson, Jadon Haselwood (Oklahoma’s leading receiver in 2021) and Latavious Brini (started 11 games for Georgia) coming aboard, the Hogs have five transfers rated as 4 stars or above by 247Sports. That ties with Ole Miss for the most in the nation.

For most of the last few weeks, Arkansas was ranked in the top five of 247Sports’ national ranking portals. The Hogs are No. 6 as of Jan. 28:

But Pate then makes the point that starting the process so high means the chances of falling low are slim to nonexistent.

As evidence, he points to Razorbacks’ punching bag Penn State, which was previously ranked at No. 1.

“You don’t formally go from ranked number one to outside the top 30. The point is, unless all the kids decommit, I can pretty much guarantee Arkansas is going to have a nice, solid 2023 recruiting class.”

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With both football and basketball on the upswing, the UA hopes to see more star athletes like JD Notae sign NIL deals.

(Courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

The fact that Arkansas and USC, which enjoys a lot more nationwide recognition and the benefit of a splashy new coach hire, are the only two teams in the top six of both the recruiting and transfer portal rankings says a lot about how far Sam Pittman, Barry Odom and Kendal Briles have renovated the Hogs’ national image from the days of Chad Morris-ian drear.

But what separates programs like USC and LSU from programs like Arkansas, in the past, has been the formers’ ability to leverage prestige to high recruiting (and now portal) rankings year in and year out — even after down years like what LSU is coming out of and what USC experienced at the end of Lane Kiffin’s tenure.

How can Arkansas keep this kind of success going when it doesn’t have the benefit of a prestigious, nationwide brand on par with the blue bloods?

A big key here will be hanging onto Sam Pittman for years and replacing Briles and Odom with great coordinators once they move to head coaching positions. Pittman needs time to get Arkansas to a point where it can not only reload with elite recruits, but also reload with great coaches (as USC did with Lincoln Riley and LSU with Brian Kelly).

Getting those elite recruits, both from high school and the transfer portal, is a first step, though. And that’s where recent big news should play a role.

velop their personal brands and hook them up with local nonprofit organizations.

The goal of this Athlete Advocate Consortium (AAC) is “assisting in the development of student athletes to achieve their maximum potential in all aspects of their college experience with a focus on their personal interactions in their community and civic responsibilities,” as the press release said.

The J.B. Hunt affiliation marks the first time that leaders linked with one of the major Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Northwest Arkansas have done something for the Razorbacks involving the NIL in a public way. This structure will make it easier for other big-money donors to contribute finances down the line, which should open up hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars for NIL deals for Razorbacks in the coming years.

While basketball’s JD Notae is the first Hog to sign with the AAC, no doubt visions of sugar plums and six-digit checks are dancing in the minds of Arkansas fans over what significance

PROJECTING J.B. HUNT NIL’S IMPACT ON ARKANSAS FOOTBALL Recently, J.B. Hunt heirs Mandy and Bryan Hunt announced the launch of a new NIL program that will help Razorbacks de-

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this could have for the football program.

For sure, Razorbacks making money off deals with nonprofits they care about while contributing to good causes is a win-win.

“NIL policy has given college athletes the option to enter the business world, but with great power comes great responsibility,” Bryan Hunt said. “AAC connects these college athletes with a local nonprofit, not only to give back to a cause they care about but to also bring awareness to all of the good these organizations are doing to help our communities.”

As good as this all is, it’s not the permanent game changer some Razorback fans want it to be. A few other big-time programs have already started similar NIL nonprofit programs. Just look at Texas football and the athletic department’s “Horns for Heart” program that has a website with an admirable mission statement followed up a borderline disturbing photo of hands covered with blood-like red paint.

Pretty soon, almost every big-time program in the nation will follow suit, says 247sports writer Brandon Marcello.

“Everybody else is going to join the party, and they’re going to start throwing around comparable money,” Marcello said on John Nabors’ “Locked on Razorbacks” podcast.

“If you’re Arkansas and you can convince some of these bigger companies to jump in early, but also put in maybe a little bit more money than these other individuals are willing to spend within NIL, that could be advantageous for you.”

As Marcello sees it, within a couple of years there will be around 30 schools including Arkansas that have comparable programs to the AAC. So, whatever the athlete’s cause of choice — hunger, autism, literacy, cancer, etc. — he or she can partner with a nonprofit and rep that cause as part of an NIL program at almost any major school considered.

In the short term, this news should only help Arkansas retain its lofty status in the transport portal and recruiting rankings.

“If you want to potentially get in the top five or top 10, get one of your greatest recruiting classes you’ve ever had, you better jump in quickly and do it now and get it done for the transport portal and for this 2023 signing class next February,” Marcello added.

“Because, after that, I think things are going to even out and the big dogs will be the big dogs.”

That means there is a lot more riding on Arkansas football’s

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Notae signed with Mandy and Bryan Hunt’s Athlete Advocate Consortium.

(Photo provided)

2022 season than simply keeping momentum going under Sam Pittman. For now, there’s a window of opportunity for Arkansas to become the kind of permanent “big dog” that regularly shows up at the top of Bookmakers.com national championship odds.

But once it closes, it won’t be easily opened again, given this developing NIL dynamic likely will help the rich get richer.

As well as the Razorbacks do in basketball, baseball, softball, soccer and gymnastics, none of that success will translate into generating the kind of cachet and attendant NIL money to compete with the likes of USC, LSU and Georgia if the Razorback football team loses steam.

It’s important to keep this in mind when the new contract for Sam Pittman is announced. Yes, he may get an extra million or two per year over what some fans think he deserves based on past performance. But, despite Hunter Yurachek’s stated insistence on pay for performance, the reality of this new emerging market means compensation should also reflect what could be lost in the future.

A few millions will be a drop in the bucket compared to what’s on the line with the football team’s success and the multiplier effect that success can have in so many areas.

This column first appeared on BestofArkansasSports.com.

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After Jarring End to ’21 Season,

DIAMOND HOGS

Look to Once Again Compete for Titles

By Beau Wilcox

Baum Stadium — and the new Hunt Family Baseball Development Center in right field — sat covered in snow in early February but will welcome fans on Feb. 18 for the season opening series with Illinois State.

(Photos courtesy of Arkansas Athletics)

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here was so much to love about the 2021 Arkansas Razorback baseball team that it’s still hard to negatively obsess over the season’s finish.

Kevin Kopps captivated everyone’s attention and admiration with a scintillating individual effort. That carried the Hogs through a dreamlike regular season, a shocking coast to the program’s first-ever SEC overall and tournament titles.

Then, a game shy of Omaha, Arkansas’ once-potent bats stalled. North Carolina State, unfazed by an opening-game pasting in the Super Regional, silenced the Hogs on consecutive days in June. And there was the inescapable tragic element: Dave Van Horn’s reliance on Kopps went too far at the wrong time. A ninth-inning solo homer blunted a Hog comeback, sent the Golden Spikes and consensus National Player of the Year off the mound dejected, and stunned a fan base that’s become hellbent on seeing a championship placard on Baum-Walker’s adorned walls.

Not “OmaHogs,” sadly, but “Nomaha,” if I may be permitted some pathetic poetic license.

When the sting of the defeat wore off, though, Van Horn’s 19th Hog team was clearly his best.

Going into his 20th year, even without Kopps, Van Horn’s latest bid to finally claim a College World Series crown will have a great nucleus. But there has already been one preseason setback of significance, and if these Razorbacks hope to eclipse them all, pitching development will be at the forefront.

PITCHING STAFF Kopps was a sixth-year senior whose phenomenal campaign (12-1, 0.90 ERA, 11 saves and a whopping 131 strikeouts) was the culmination of mental and physical toiling. He worked on mechanics after having his elbow rebuilt in 2018, and his repertoire of slider, cutter and changeup simply baffled even the best Arkansas will miss Kevin Kopps, whose hitters in the country.

2021 season lifted As the season wore on, him to folk hero though, Arkansas’ lack of qualstatus in the state. ity depth behind Kopps started to show. Patrick Wicklander was excellent in his own right, but also opted for professional dollars after a strong bounceback campaign.

Peyton Pallette of Benton stood out among newcomers, and he appeared primed to take on the ace role in ’22.

That all changed last month when the unflappable righty tore his ulnar collateral ligament and underwent the same Tommy John surgery from which Kopps bounced back so prolifically.

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The Hogs hope Peyton Pallette, the likely Friday starter before undergoing Tommy John surgery last month, can bounce back in a Kopps-like fashion.

Brady Slavens (17) and Cayden Wallace bring back a lot of firepower to the lineup.

Preseason all-American Robert “Big Play Bob” Moore led the team with 16 home runs in 2021.

Deprived of that prospective front-end starter, Arkansas now places its weight on a more untested corps. Jaxon Wiggins flashed promise in his freshman campaign, his numbers (3-1, 5.09 ERA, 28 K in 23 IP) skewed by a couple of rough outings. The tall right-hander likely takes the ball on Fridays now, and considering his longest outing in ’21 was 3 and two-thirds innings, expectations should be modest.

Behind Wiggins, starting experience is thin but not easily discarded. Connor Noland returns for his senior year, and had 19 starts as a freshman. Zebulon Vermillion had six starts a year ago, and Kole Ramage has logged 10 more than four years of productive work.

Freshman Hagen Smith is expected to replace Wicklander as the rotation’s southpaw, the highly-touted Texas product boasting high-grade velocity and movement.

The bullpen won’t be short on raw arm talent. Returnees Elijah Trest, Heston Tole, Gabe Starks and Zack Morris all saw varying degrees of action a year ago, and freshmen like Brady Tygart, Nick Moten and Austin Ledbetter will get long looks as both spot starters and situational relief.

LINEUP Last season’s Razorback team was indisputably a powerful one, and that aggressive approach will not change. While Christian Franklin, Matt Goodheart and postseason heroes Charlie Welch and Cullen Smith all departed, there’s a potent quartet back in the mix.

Second baseman Robert Moore smoked a team-high 16 homers and is a preseason All-American in some publications. The right side of the infield definitely took a hit when first baseman Brady Slavens sustained an ankle injury late in the year; his power (14 homers and 63 RBI) will be an asset in the heart of the order too.

Shortstop Jalen Battles flourished down the stretch and brings five-tool talent to the middle infield with

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ARKANSAS 2022 BASEBALL SCHEDULE Feb. 18-20 - Illinois State Feb. 25 – Indiana (Round Rock Classic) Feb. 26 – Stanford (Round Rock Classic) Feb. 27 – Louisiana-Lafayette (Round Rock Classic) March 4-6 - SE Louisiana March 10-13 - UIC March 15-16 - Grambling March 18-20 - Kentucky* March 25-27 - at Missouri* March 29-30 - Little Rock April 1-3 - Mississippi State* April 5 - UCA April 8-10 - at Florida* April 12-13 - UAPB April 14-16 - LSU*

Dave Van Horn and pitching coach Matt Hobbs have a bevy of young talent to work with in 2022.

April 19-20 - Arkansas State April 22-24 - at Texas A&M*

Moore; sophomore Cayden Wallace, meanwhile, registered 14 homers and 44 RBI in an impressive freshman season where he largely played right field. The Greenbrier product may get extended looks at third base and center field as well early in the year.

It will be hard to keep freshmen Peyton Stovall and Drake Varnado out of the lineup. They rated as the jewels of Van Horn’s latest class of collegiately inclined heavyweights, opting to play in Fayetteville in lieu of the considerable promise of professional contracts.

Casey Opitz’s savvy at bats and experience behind the plate will be sorely missed. There’s a capable slew of successors behind the dish, though, with returnee Dylan Leach, Kent State transfer Michael Turner and massive freshman Max Soliz Jr. all in line to get opportunities.

In the outfield, with Wallace being a potential positional flex, highly regarded Oklahoma transfer Jace Bohrofen and newcomer Gabe D’Arcy are both big bodied, versatile players. Zack Gregory and Braydon Webb both made substantive contributions a year ago, and will figure into the mix due to their defensive prowess.

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April 26 - vs. UCA (at Dickey-Stephens) April 29-May 1 - Ole Miss* May 3 - Missouri State May 6-8 - at Auburn* May 13-15 - Vanderbilt* May 19-21 - at Alabama* May 24-29 - SEC Tournament (Hoover, Ala.) Home games in BOLD *SEC series

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DIGS OF THE DEAL

DELUCA’S PIZZERIA IN HOT SPRINGS

BORN OF HEARTACHE, VALINOTI’S ARKANSAS DETOUR FUSES TIME, PLACE AND FAMILY

By Katie Zakrzewski // Photos by David Yerby

Cuisine is the thread that weaves history, geography, ancestry and even emotion together. When we take part in the communion of food, we find ourselves inexplicably in tune with an audience of loved ones, ancestors and places we’ve only ever read about, from the beginning of time through the present.

One of the greatest examples of the impact of time, place and family on culinary arts can be found in Hot Springs at Deluca’s Pizzeria, an establishment that embodies the history of pizza and the migration of Italian culture and food.

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Anthony Valinoti of Deluca’s

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DIGS OF THE DEAL

“I WAS GOING TO GO TO NAPLES AND LEARN PIZZA.” — ANTHONY VALINOTI

The pizza at Deluca’s (above) brings a taste of New York and naples to Hot Springs; (opposite page, from top) the burgers at Deluca’s have become, at the very least, regionally renowned; Valinoti prepares some pasta in the Deluca’s kitchen; and Benny Briggs applies the finishing touches to another pie.

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sk Anthony Valinoti yourself, and he will tell you in his Brooklyn accent: Deluca’s was born out of heartache. More than a decade ago, the former Wall Street trader lost both of his parents within two days of each other.

“That was their happy ending, but not mine. I was really disenchanted with the world.”

While visiting a friend in Las Vegas, Valinoti’s eyes fell upon a wine tasting magazine on his friend’s table.

“There was a simple picture of a pizza and a glass of wine, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I knew nothing about restaurants, but I came home, and I wanted to experiment.”

Valinoti realized that if he wanted to perfect the art of pizza and the culture of pizza making, he would have to go where it all began: Naples.

“A year later, I went to Europe and decided to spend a couple of months there. I was going to go to Naples and learn pizza. I had been living in a hotel, eating hotel food, when my translator suggested that I go meet with an older woman named Anna.”

Anna, Valinoti said, would be pivotal not only in his personal life but in his culinary career as well. Valinoti explained that the old woman insisted in broken English, “me no cook.” Valinoti replied that he didn’t care if she was a good cook; he’d eaten nothing but hotel food for longer than he could bother to count: “Just make me something simple.

Here’s $100, go down to the store and get some ingredients.

How about meatballs?”

Valinoti said the meal Anna prepared for him was one of the best he’d ever had.

“Turns out the old goat had taught cooking at the University of Naples,” Valinoti reveals, erupting into laughter.

But Anna was more than just a good cook.

“She was the replacement of my mother at the time. We adored each other at the end of it. I have 65 pages of her recipes in Italian. Additionally, she gave me a great piece of advice, but it took me years to figure out what she meant.”

Anna had told Valinoti, “You always have to remember when you cook that you’re just expressing your emotions through your food.”

Valinoti struggled with her words.

“I was technical about my food but as Deluca’s opened in 2013, I thought it was a hot mess, and it wouldn’t last. But customers were kind enough to come back. I made mistakes but if I made a mistake, I ARM O N E YA ND P O L I T I C S .COM

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DIGS OF THE DEAL didn’t make it twice. Anna’s words came back to me. I’m not going to be technical anymore. If it fails, it fails, but I want to do it the right way. The dough became my canvas.”

Valinoti harkened back to his teacher’s words, putting extra care and love into his food. After being open for three and a half years, as Valinoti embraced Anna’s words, Deluca’s dramatically changed overnight. Valinoti said he had the great fortune of having a loyal and hard working staff, many of whom have worked with him for years, some from the beginning.

But for Valinoti, experience is one of the greatest teachers.

And a host of forgiving supporters from the early days of Deluca’s helped turn those lessons into rules to live by.

“Not going to school, but just by doing it, you learn. It’s not always pretty.

As we got busier and busier, we had to learn how to feed more people. My landlord was good to me in how he timed my bills until things started to turn around.”

Notable customers began to wander into Deluca’s when the pizzeria was still fleshing out its identity. These customers, including well-known race-track announcers, horse jockeys and bank presidents, would prove to be loyal to Deluca’s and return with friends. Valinoti is still close friends with this group today.

The general public took note. After all, if prominent people were showing up to this little pizzeria, there must have been something enticing them back. Deluca’s began to grow.

Valinoti began to experiment with new recipes and flavors.

“I started to wonder, what all can I do with these ovens? We could make meatballs, maybe. I started to get a little crazier with what I was doing and put a cast-iron skillet in the oven with a hamburger in it. I don’t want my meat well done. I found a butcher I knew in New York, and I buy meat from him every week. I put that meat in the skillet in the oven, and it’s probably the best hamburger anyone has ever had. People from Texas and Oklahoma come in and eat because they’ve heard of this burger.

“I recently wanted to try making some pasta, just to see what happens. This light went off in me. I had to learn and my team did too, and now we make incredible pasta every week. It’s really been a blessing in disguise that I had this crazy idea, and that becomes the evolution and the completing the circle of Deluca’s.

You don’t just come here for a pizza. We appeal to a lot more people now.”

As the appeal grew, more lawyers, business professionals, celebrities and politicians found their way inside. But Valinoti isn’t naming names — he has a promise to keep.

“I like the idea of a restaurant as a safe haven. I’ve had people

in here whose net worth was larger than the country of Mexico.

I couldn’t believe they were here. But when you come to a restaurant, that’s your place to come in and eat and relax. You’re safe here. Politicians and lawmakers and business people come here, and we want to maintain a high level of privacy for them so they feel safe enough to come back here, to come freely, to take care of business. I feel like I’m the guardian of that.”

Valinoti believes that a lot of the appeal of Deluca’s comes from the fact that every customer is treated the same — well.

“You have to treat everyone the same, special. It doesn’t matter who they are. Everyone’s money is green, especially during these days. I come out and ask everyone what they like, and I like

“...THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ENTICING THEM BACK.”

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criticism. Criticism helped build this. Don’t blow smoke up my ass. Did you like it or not? How can I make this better?”

Valinoti’s guardian role has also been put to the test during the pandemic.

“I stayed home to protect my staff because I traveled a lot, and it was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. When you realize the world’s closed — that’s a heavy thought. We were very lucky that our customers and staff took all of this seriously. A lot of small businesses won’t make it, because as each wave comes through, restaurants have fewer and fewer customers. It’s sad to see restaurant after restaurant close their doors. The pandemic is hard. A restaurant without people isn’t a restaurant.”

A pause fills his story, as Valinoti takes a moment to ponder the odds: what started as a tribute to his parents, a tribute that Valinoti seriously doubted would survive at one point, has spread its roots in Hot Springs and into the timeline of Arkansas history. As restaurants and small businesses close with each pandemic wave, Valinoti is filled with quiet gratitude — a gratitude that stems from empathy and selflessness.

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Valinoti has branched out beyond pizza — (at left) his Uovo in Raviolo San Domenico; cannoli; and (bottom) Anthony Bordain’s blue cheese iceberg wedge with bacon.

alinoti is too grateful for the present to worry too much about the future.

“I’m just shocked that every day when I put the key in the door, it opens. I’ve been doing this four days a week for eight years. This was supposed to be in California, and my friend from Las Vegas sent me here,” he said. “I lived in all of the big urban cities. To come somewhere this rural, to make gourmet pizza, blows some people’s minds. I’ve been here nine years, and Arkansas is my home, and I’m not going anywhere. I’m so thankful for all of the people here.

This was all just a series of accidents, and I still pinch myself. I’ve evolved the restaurant into an actual restaurant. It was just a cathartic thing that I was trying to do.”

But what started as a simple project to honor his parents is poised for more potential growth.

“I’d love for Deluca’s to always be here. There’s interest in Dallas and Kentucky and Little Rock and Bentonville to spread, but I don’t know how I feel about that,” Valinoti confessed. “I’m a control freak, and there’s only one of me. I don’t know how to operate other restaurants. But maybe that’s on the horizon for me. I love living in Hot Springs and in Arkansas, and I have amazing friends here. I’m so lucky, and I’m so grateful to have wound up here on a whim.

“My [Wall Street] coworkers and I lived by the code that you were only as good as your last trade. Well, I’ve modified that now. You’re only as good as your last pizza. You’re cooking to keep the doors open. And when I look at just how far I’ve come, I hope that my mom and dad are proud of me.”

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SMALL BUSINESS

TURN THE PAGE

Experts say COVID not atop small business’s list of concerns in 2022

By Dwain Hebda

Employers are counting on job fairs like this recent one from the Little Rock Chamber to help attract people back to the workforce.

(Photos provided)

It’s something of a trick question to say that small business’ primary challenges are not COVID-related in the new year.

After all, nearly everything concerning small business has in some way been affected by COVID, from staffing to inflation to consumer shopping preferences.

But as for those issues directly attrib-

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utable to the pandemic — such as mask mandates, remote work and potential business interruption due to another shutdown — most experts say such concerns rank fairly low in 2022.

“It is interesting to me that the pandemic and COVID itself, for quite some time, have no longer been the primary conver-

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sation center. It’s really around those other issues that COVID has impacted that’s impacted [business owners’] ability to continue to operate successfully,” said Jay Chesshir, president and CEO of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“What we’ve heard throughout especially the last six months is, business owners are

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effectively finding ways to adapt.

“Because there have been several waves — whether it’s the new variant, whether it’s a new surge, whether it’s trying to grapple with this when it first began — I think what small business has done is become extremely successful in adapting to the situation at that moment in time. I think the unique adaptability of small businesses has truly Caleb Talley shown, especially the last six to seven months.”

In publication after publication, business Many are re-entering the workforce as entrepreneurs, thanks to watchers concur with business plan competitions Chesshir’s assessment that (above) and workshops from Main Street is not fearorganizations like Startup Junkie. ing as many direct health threats and regulatory uncertainties from COVID itself this year, as in the previous two. Instead, Main Street businesses are dealing with other issues — some of which, admittedly, brought on or complicated by the pandemic — such as the economy or supply chain.

“Far and above, I think, the single greatest issue is the inability to find employees,” said Jeff Standridge, managing director of The Conductor, an entrepreneurial support organization in Conway. “We see a headline that unemployment dropped to 3.9 percent or whatever the number is, and hey, that’s fantastic. But what they don’t do a good job of reporting is the fact that thousands are no longer in the workforce, which erroneously drives the unemployment rate down.” each increased their resignation rates by The U.S. Department of Labor reportmore than 38 percent last year. ed last year 4.3 million Americans quit This means while the overall number their jobs in August alone. By October, of older workers quitting is fewer than analytics firm Visier predicted as many their younger counterparts, the level of as one in four Americans would have quit experience lost by those who did leave their jobs during 2021. And while kneeis way up. Employee resignations in 2021 jerk analysis assumes the trend to be led among those with five to 10 years of tenure by impudent Millennials, accurate on a jumped 57 percent and those with 10 to 15 purely per-head basis, Visier noted emyears’ experience was up 55 percent, year ployees aged 30 to 35, 40 to 45 and 45 to 50 over year.

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Standridge said several factors are contributing to this dearth of people and experience in the workforce, relatively few of them having anything to do with fears of the virus.

“What I’ve heard pretty much ad nauseam as an ongoing concern for small business owners is, ‘How do we find employees?’” Standridge said. “You’ve got this kind of collision, if you will, of the Great Resignation where people are choosing to just do things differently than they had been. They’re choosing to prioritize quality of life and quality of place over and above their salary and

where they work. So, they’re making different career decisions, number one.

“Number two, you’ve got stimulus money still circulating around in the system that is, quite frankly, compensating people for staying home versus going to work. That creates an issue.”

A third exit route draining workers from traditional 9-to-5s has been entrepreneurship, something Standridge called, “the new American Dream,” sup-

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planting home ownership. Caleb Talley, executive director with Startup Junkie Foundation in Fayetteville, Jay Chesshir agreed, saying the pandemic has done nothing to cool enthusiasm for becoming one’s own boss.

“We have seen, over the last two years, no downward tick in activity as far as people coming in looking for consulting, looking for access to resources and things of that nature,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I would say we probably had more people early on in the pandemic who came through.

“Startup Junkie was like a small-business startup ER for a period of time, running around doing triage and trying to figure out what we could do in the moment to help as many people as possible. Things have calmed Jeff Standridge and down a great deal from The Conductor are that, of course, but there’s working to entice really been no downward people back to work. tick in activity.”

Talley said one pronounced difference beto go work for bigger businesses, tween COVID and other national crises it’s because those companies have as far as impacting entrepreneurs has the ability to pay more and provide been a detectable shift in mindset over security. But what we’ve seen with risk tolerance.

COVID is, regardless of whether “I think it’s interesting to see there’s acyou work for a startup or a large tually a significant uptick in new business enterprise, there’s no such thing as applications in 2020 and 2021, specifically security. in Arkansas. You look at the chart of new “Because of that, people are rebusiness applications, it’s almost like a alizing they can take their destiny hockey stick,” he said. “There’s some specinto their own hands and pursue ulation that when people typically leave

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their own thing. I think that’s one reason why people are looking to start their own business and get into entrepreneurship, now more than ever.”

As more entrepreneurial ventures launch, it places additional pressure on those businesses to meet the expectations of the buying public, be it curbside service, internet ordering or delivery.

Chesshir said business support groups such as chambers of commerce, incubators and other resources have a key role to play to help these businesses compete, particularly in underserved areas where such economic activity is sorely needed.

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The ‘great migration’ to Northwest Arkansas is bringing more potential entrepreneurs like the ones who filled a recent Startup Junkie session.

“These last two years has proven again something we already knew, and that is we have to be able to focus on those people who are trying to create those new types of businesses, especially lifestyle businesses, and provide resources and support,” he said. “In many cases, those folks don’t even know where to start. They don’t even know who to ask. The better we can create programming, whether it’s through the Venture Center, whether it’s through small business administration activities, whether it’s through mentorship opportunities, whatever those may be, we have to do a better job of communicating that [resources] are available and accessible.”

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Talley said the same can be said for municipalities, even where things appear to be thriving on the surface. That challenge is rammed home in Northwest Arkansas, where an estimated 30 to 40 people a day continue to move in, many of them working remotely for outof-state companies and all putting additional strain on infrastructure and services, including small business needs.

“The problems of the great migration to Northwest Arkansas, I guess you could say, are good problems to have, but definitely something that anybody in any level of leadership here has to pay attention to,” he said. “The housing market is difficult because of that

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[growth]. You have to have an infrastructure that can handle the population influx. Fayetteville passed a bond in 2019, but throw the inflation factor in there and those infrastructure projects will cost more in 2022 than expected in 2019.

“I’m on the side of the fence where I don’t like it when people say, ‘Fayetteville’s the next Austin, Texas.’ I want Fayetteville to be something new and great.

As we grow rapidly, city and county leadership across the region have to be super-mindful about where we’re going with that growth, preparing for it well ahead of time and laying down the right foundation so we’re not the next Austin, but rather the next Fayetteville.”

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HISTORY IN THE MAKING? AN UPDATED 2022 ARKANSAS ELECTION PREVIEW

By Katie Zakrzewski

It’s only been three months since AMP’s last election preview, but already much has changed in terms of candidate jockeying.

Plus, history will likely be made in November. The 2022 election is perhaps the most diverse in state history with women, people of color and first-generation immigrants vying for nearly every political position available. Arkansas seems poised to elect its first female governor.

Here is an updated breakdown of what to expect as the May primaries approach.

Governor

For the first time in history, Arkansas is poised to have a female, Black or Asian governor, and even the possibility of several of these groundbreaking demographics depending on the candidate.

In November of 2021, it looked as though the governor’s race would be a showdown among current Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, current Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin and former Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. However, the face of the gubernatorial race changed when, faced with the daunting task of challenging Sanders’ campaign juggernaut, Griffin decided to run for Rutledge’s position, and Rutledge decided to throw her hat in the ring for Griffin’s instead.

Anthony Bland, Chris Jones, James Russell and Supha Xayprasith-Mays are running against Sanders as Democrats, while Ricky Dale Harrington Jr., who challenged Sen. Tom Cotton in 2020, is running on the Libertarian ticket.

Sanders has since raised more than $12.8 million dollars from 87,000 donors, strengthening her grip on the position.

U.S. Senate

Incumbent GOP Sen. John Boozman’s current greatest threat lies in the May primary with former Razorback football player and U.S. Army Ranger Jake Bequette. Bequette has criticized Boozman and other GOP members for “not leading from the front.”

Other Republican candidates include Heath Loftis and former gubernatorial candidate Jan Morgan, while Democratic candidates include Jack Foster, Natalie James and Dan Whitfield.

U.S. House

The state’s entrenched Republican congressional incumbents are expected to win reelection in 2022.

Rick Crawford and French Hill face a primary opponent and a general election opponent in the First and Second districts, respectively; Rick Womack will see general election opponents only in the Third District; and Bruce Westerman is unopposed in the Fourth.

Brant Smith is challenging Crawford in the GOP primary for

the opportunity to face state Rep. Monte Hodges in November, Hill will square off against GOP challenger Conrad Reynolds in the primary with Democrats Quintessa Hathaway and Nicolas Cartwright running for the right to face the winner in the general, and Democrats Lauren Mallett-Hays and Neil Kumar will square off for the right to face Womack.

Attorney General

Democratic candidates for the attorney general’s position in Arkansas include Jason Davis and Jesse Gibson, while Republican candidates include Griffin and Washington County Judge Leon Jones Jr.

Lieutenant Governor

The current field for lieutenant governor is a crowded one.

Republican candidates are Chris Bequette, Arkansas Surgeon General Greg Bledsoe, Arkansas State Sen. Jason Rapert, Doyle Webb, Joseph Wood and current Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. The winner of the GOP primary will face off against Democrat Kelly Krout in November.

Treasurer

Arkansas State Rep. Mark Lowery recently dropped out of the race for secretary of state, opting to run against fellow Republican Mathew Pitsch, a state senator, for the state treasurer’s position instead. Pitsch has been endorsed by current Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Secretary of State

With Lowery’s recent departure from the race, incumbent Secretary of State John Thurston will have to fend off the challenge from fellow Republican Eddie Joe Williams as well as Democratic candidates Anna Beth Gorman and Joshua Price.

Still a red state

The majority of Arkansas’ political positions have a greater number of well-known Republicans vying against one another instead of Democratic opponents.

As a result, Republicans are predicted to sweep the board again this election cycle. In the two most high-profile races, Boozman is expected to be re-elected, and Sanders is expected to win the gubernatorial race to replace the term-limited Hutchinson.

POLITICS

GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, SUPHA XAYPRASITH-MAYS, JOHN THURSTON

By AMP Staff

AMP continues its monthly look at the candidates heading into Arkansas’ May primaries. Arkansans will elect a new governor while all the state’s constitutional and congressional offices, and one of its U.S. Senate seats, will appear on the ballot in ’22.

This month, we feature the two female gubernatorial candidates, Republican Sarah Sanders and Democrat Supha Xayprasith-Mays, and Secretary of State John Thurston.

GOVERNOR SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS (R) For many in the state, Sarah Sanders became the frontrunner for the 2022 gubernatorial race when she moved back home to Arkansas in 2019 after serving as White House press secretary under former President Donald Trump. She is the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee and grew up working on his campaigns. Her campaign for governor has raised more than $12.8 million.

AMP: Tell us about your background and your move back to Arkansas.

Sanders: I am a proud Arkansan. I was raised in Pine Bluff and Texarkana and graduated from Little Rock Central High School and Ouachita Baptist University.

From 2017 to 2019, I served as White House press secretary

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for President Donald Trump, advising him on everything from press and communications strategy to personnel and policy. I worked closely with the president and accompanied him on every foreign trip, including dozens of meetings with world leaders. I was only the third woman, and the first mother, to serve as White House press secretary.

My husband, Bryan, and I live in Little Rock with our three kids, Scarlett, Huck and George, and our golden retriever, Traveler. As a family we love exploring Arkansas’ beautiful outdoors, living close to our family and friends and cheering on the Hogs!

AMP: Why are you running? What are some of your goals?

Sanders: I am running for governor because I love our state and care about our people, and I want to unleash our full potential. I want every kid growing up in Arkansas to love this state the way I do and have every opportunity to succeed. As governor, I will begin to responsibly phase out the state income tax; focus on creating thousands of new, high-paying jobs; champion good schools while empowering our parents; and protect our God-

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given rights from an out-of-control federal government. I truly believe this agenda will create more opportunity for all Arkansans and make our state one of the best places in the nation to live, work and raise a family.

AMP: How does your extensive political experience give you an advantage over your opponents?

Sanders: I have grown up and spent my career in public service, and I know what it takes to win and to lead. From the campaign trail in Arkansas, to the White House situation room, to sitting at the table with Kim Jong Un and back, I have been tested at the highest level of all American government with intense scrutiny and have come out stronger on the other side. Through it all, I have developed a deep love and respect for public service.

Having been born and raised here, and now as a parent raising my own kids here, I have heard from thousands of Arkansans from all industries, backgrounds and walks of life. The resulting conversations and experiences have helped me learn what many of our people want and need: less government, more opportunity and a leader who will fight for them.

AMP: What does a normal day look like for you?

Sanders: Most of my days start just like they do for many other moms — me and my husband wrangling our kids out of bed and out the door to school. Beyond the mornings, though, I am not sure a “normal” day truly exists for me, because each day brings new people, events and challenges.

Whether it is campaign rallies, meetings with business and industry leaders across Arkansas or conversations with supporters in a gas station or restaurant, I am constantly focusing on what it takes to make Arkansas even better and stronger.

And amid all of that, there are lots of messes, parent-teacher conferences, kids’ sports and bedtime stories. Our family’s schedule is usually pretty hectic, but we love that no two days are alike, and between the campaign and kids, there is never a dull moment!

SUPHA XAYPRASITH-MAYS (D)

Supha Xayprasith-Mays began her career at Walmart’s corporate headquarters in Bentonville. Her responsibilities included the transition of all hourly and management personnel at all stores in the region. She provided leadership support from corporate direction as it pertained to new hires, job compliances, human resources, payroll supports and people matters in all stores, among other responsibilities.

Now a resident of Little Rock, Xayprasith-Mays has been active in community activities including service on the Student Affairs board at the University of Arkansas, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commis-

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sion board, the Arkansas Mississippi Supplier Development Council and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra board. She also was elected president of the League United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Northwest Arkansas chapter.

AMP: Tell us about how you made it to Arkansas.

Xayprasith-Mays: My dad was kidnapped and killed in the communist country, Laos. My dad was in the military, and he went to Thailand to buy a building to expand my mother’s restaurant industry. He never came back. My mom moved my family to Fort Smith. She had a master’s degree, accounting experience and spoke seven languages. She ended up getting a job on the assembly line at Tyson Foods, because she was willing to do whatever she had to in order to rebuild for her children.

Growing up was hard. We were poor, and we were outcasts at school because we looked different. When I was a teenager, I became a single mother and went on welfare. I couldn’t afford to go back to school. But I worked several jobs, and I worked very hard. I was fortunate enough to get a high-ranking job at Walmart, because they were impressed with my work ethic, even if I didn’t have the educational requirements. They helped me so much and got me started in business.

AMP: Why are you running? What are some of your goals?

Xayprasith-Mays: I would have never in a million years thought I would run for governor, but my passion is to serve others and to give back what the state has given me. I survived through community, and some kids don’t have that. Someone gave me a chance and believed in me. There are more people in this state like my mother than there are rich people. I can’t stand on the sidelines and complain if I don’t do anything. This state is a great state, and we have great people here. I want to run for office because I want to serve and be proud of the state I call home. If I don’t run, I don’t want to complain about it — I want to do something about it.

I’ve run companies and helped pull them up. Our state needs leadership that is concerned about children and about people in the state. I’m not concerned about who I’m running against.

I don’t care what business you’re in — you have to put people first. My mother and Walmart gave me the training and skill sets as well as the life experience to compete with anyone. How

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many of the candidates have done what I’ve done and have gone through what I’ve gone through? I’ve had holes in my shoes that my mother could not afford to fix.

AMP: What are the key issues on which you’re running?

Xayprasith-Mays: This is the year of the woman. We’re going to have a woman governor. My major platform is education, and we’re still among the bottom five states in the nation every year. Our teachers should only have one job, and they should be proud to be a teacher. Teachers should have preloaded cards to use for school supplies to incentivize teachers. Our kids should be equipped to compete no matter where they go and make people want to move here because of our school system. I want to make sure lunch is provided for kids whether they’re rich or poor.

Additionally, instead of defunding police, I believe in refunding them. I support Hunter’s Law for body cameras for the safety of police and the community. There should be good pay, proper training and police accountability. I believe in alternative energy.

We should be the foundation for green energy. For solar, we’re buying from China. Why aren’t we manufacturing solar panels in cities that need economic stability? I am not a socialist — I am a democratic capitalist, a serial entrepreneur. I’ve opened several companies, and I love retail. I’m a former corporate associate of the most successful company in the world. I want to be the “business governor,” who partners with businesses and provides jobs and feeds Arkansas families.

I want to promote Arkansas around the nation and the world for doing business in the 21st century. I am not a politician, and I don’t spend my time asking for donations. I don’t have that time. My time is spent going around the state and meeting with ordinary people like my mom and like myself and not the rich, because that’s not the majority of people in Arkansas. The governor’s mansion is the people’s mansion. I want to create a state that thrives and is safe, where people want to move to raise a family. We need to create a state that our people deserve.

SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN THURSTON, INCUMBENT (R)

Incumbent Republican John Thurston is running for re-election as Arkansas’ Secretary of State. He was elected to the office in 2018 after serving eight years as Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands.

Thurston is the past chairman of the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council and past president of the Western States Land Commissioners Association. He graduated from Sheridan High School in 1991 and attended Henderson State University in Arkadelphia before graduating from Agape College in Little Rock with a diploma in biblical studies. Thurston was a licensed minister and Certified Religious Assistant in the Arkansas state prison system.

AMP: Why are you running for re-election?

Thurston: Serving as Secretary of State has been one of the most challenging and rewarding opportunities of my life.

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I am running for my second term to continue to protect our Capitol, family values and the freedoms guaranteed to us by our Constitution. Now more than ever, it is important that Arkansans continue to have a leader to ensure that elections are conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

In addition, I will continue to ensure the establishment of all businesses in Arkansas be as easy and seamless as possible.

Overseeing the preservation and protection of our historic Capitol building is an honor, and I am humbled when I walk into our state’s historic landmark.

AMP: What experience and qualities do you bring to the field?

Thurston: I have served two terms as Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands and currently serve as Arkansas Secretary of State. My experience in working with and serving the people of Arkansas in both of these roles has proven my ability and steadfastness in working for our state’s citizens.

The 2020 election brought many challenges due to the pandemic. We were able to secure $1 million in personnel protection equipment that we distributed to all 75 counties to ensure that voting in person was as safe as possible for voters and those Arkansans who served as election workers.

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Despite these challenges, the 2020 general election saw the highest voter turnout in state history. Cybersecurity has been one of the top priorities of my administration. My administration created and staffed the Secretary of State’s first full-time cyber security specialist.

I am proud of the partnership my administration has developed with the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to ensure the cybersecurity aspect of our elections.

The 2020 elections were also the first in state history where the Department of Homeland Security and FBI were on hand to monitor cyberattacks from the outside. My administration finalized the purchase of new election equipment for all 75 counties.

The 2020 general election was the first election in Arkansas history where all 75 counties used the same integrated voting system. In an effort to serve our growing northwest portion of the state, our Business and Commercial Services division opened a new office in Fayetteville. The northwest economic region of Arkansas is responsible for 40 percent of the business transactions handled by my office.

During the pandemic, we assisted over 20,000 companies acquiring Paycheck Protection Program loans by waiving fees on corporate records and waiving late fees on franchise taxes to help companies that were struggling during these difficult times.

Preserving and protecting the Capitol is both an honor to me and a duty to the people of Arkansas. We have increased the number of Capitol Police officers, as well as enhanced their training, standards and equipment. I am proud of our Capitol Police force and the many improvements my administration has made in that area.

AMP: What’s the biggest issue right now pertaining to the Secretary of State’s office?

Thurston: Election integrity. The security and integrity of our elections are of utmost importance to my office. I want to make it easier for Arkansans to vote, but harder to cheat.

WHAT WE DO

There were inconsistencies and issues across the country in the 2020 election. However, as a result of the hard work of my staff and administration, we did not have these issues in Arkansas.

In fact, the Heritage Foundation recently ranked Arkansas fourth in the nation in terms of election of integrity. The Biden administration is currently pushing elections legislation that will forever change our elections. This attempt to federalize our elections and strip away states’ rights would make cheating easier than ever.

I recently sent a letter opposing this legislation to Sens. Schumer and McConnell. The passage of this legislation would undo the great things Arkansas has done to ensure secure elections.

AMP: Where is your favorite travel location in Arkansas?

Thurston: As an avid outdoorsman and hunter, I really enjoy the area around Clark County, and I enjoy spending family time on DeGray Lake both fishing and boating.

AMP: What is your favorite Arkansas restaurant?

Thurston: Papa’s Pizzaria in Fort Smith. We have a lot of great restaurants in Arkansas, but I never miss an opportunity to eat at Papa’s. I highly recommend the combination pizza!

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HEALTH CARE

NO REST FOR THE WEARY

OMICRON VARIANT KEEPS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS ON TOES

A

By Kenneth Heard

lthough COVID-19 infections appear on the decline, hospitals in the state remain filled with patients as health care workers enter their second year battling the virus.

And while hospital personnel have learned by experience the logistics of treating a widespread pandemic, omicron, the latest variant, poses new problems because of its high contagion rate.

The omicron variant — the third strand of the virus that followed the original variant in March 2020 and then the delta variant — is less severe than the others, medical personnel say. However, people are five times as likely to become infected with it. As a

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result, hospital beds remain at near capacity.

“We’ve seen an overall increase in the total number of people with COVID-19 who have been admitted to the hospital during the surge of the omicron variant because it is much more transmissible than the delta variant,” said Jennifer Dillaha, the Arkansas Department of Health Medical Director.

“We encounter it on a daily basis,” added Mitchell Nail, media relations manager for St. Bernards Healthcare in Jonesboro. “But we can still protect ourselves.”

The New York Times, which lists daily COVID infection rates for each county in the country, considers ARM ON E YA N D P OL ITIC S.COM

Craighead County to be a “hotspot” for infections.

At one point in January, the county saw the highest infection rate in the state.

On Jan. 12, Craighead County reported 665 new cases of Omicron. The rate is beginning to decline; on Jan. 31, new cases reported totalled 385.

“There’s a multitude of factors in terms of why Craighead County has seen such an increase,” said Shane Speights, the dean of the New York Institute of Technology’s College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University. “Jonesboro is a high-populated area, there are lower vaccination rates here than elsewhere, and there’s little mask wearing in northeast Arkansas.”

With more hospital beds filled with virus patients, it’s difficult to sustain the level of care for other patients, said Sam Lynd, the CEO of NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro.

“This presents caustic challenges to the health care system,” Lynd said.

“It may not be as severe as delta,” said NEA pulmonologist Keith Criner. “But it makes up for it in volume. We still have folks dying with this. It is serious.”

Because of the elevated rate of contagion with omicron, hospitals have had to change the structure of caring for non-

Jennifer Dillaha

Shane Speights

infected, everyday patients by creating separate areas for treatment, including maternity wards.

“It’s supposed to be a happy time,” Nail said. “But now we have mothers in isolation areas. You can’t just have staff members see a COVID patient and then see a non-COVID patient.”

Dillaha said health workers adapted to the variants, learning about making modifications to medical facilities and hiring additional staff to work additional shifts.

The state health department also contracted with outside vendors, she said, to interview those who tested positive, in-

form close contacts of exposure and provide instructions for quarantining.

“There’s no cookie-cutter approach,” Lynd said. “We offer a number of support programs for our workers, we give them extra pay, and in some cases, have them work from home.”

Lynd said he feels his hospital responded quickly when the first virus became widespread in Craighead County.

“We were better prepared than most hospitals in the region or even the country,” he said. ‘We deployed a system to care for COVID and non-COVID patients, and we had the resources to keep staff from getting sick.”

Unlike other medical facilities, NEA Baptist did not layoff any health care workers, he said.

Speights said he expected the omicron variant to peak by the end of January and early February.

“I feel that we’re on the good side,” he said. “Omicron spiked, and it will drop quickly. There are a couple of new variants, but they don’t seem to be as infectious as omicron. Will it be like a cold or stronger?”

Speights added that he expects some form of the virus to be around for a long while.

“We’re slowly getting more tools and an arsenal to fight this,” said Stephen Woodruff, a physician of internal medicine with NEA Baptist. “It’s not easy, but we’ve learned a huge amount in the last 24 months.”

Stephen Woodruff, Sam Lynd and Keith Criner

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FE B RUA RY 2022

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ARE YOU THE FACE OF YOUR INDUSTRY?

CES FA OF BUSINESS

In April, Arkansas Money & Politics will highlight business leaders in Arkansas who keep our state exciting, dynamic and unique. AMP’s Faces are those behind the prominent and notable businesses and industries across Arkansas. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this special section recognizing the Faces of Arkansas.

FACES

OF BUSINE

FACE OF HOSPITALS

CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH MATT TROUP, PRESIDENT

AND CEO

Regional has For the past 100 years, Conway ionate health care to the provided high-quality, compass communities continue to communities it serves. As these with them to provide growing is l grow, Conway Regiona more specialists and innovative services, new clinics, expanded access to care. to implement a In 2019, Conway Regional began that is expanding plan multi-phase capital investment ut the health system — and enhancing services througho building, a new critical care including a new medical office uare-foot health and fitness unit, renovation of its 8,000-sq hospital’s clinic in Greenbrier. center and expansion of the added a second Additionally, the health system ization laboratory, two state-of-the-art cardiac catheter improve detection of to 3-D mammography devices s highly talented numerou recruited and breast cancer in the areas of neurospine physicians to the medical team s disease, neurology, surgery, rheumatology, infectiou ent, gastroenterology, hematology-oncology, pain managem

SS

SYSTEM

and general surgery. pulmonology, vascular surgery ns providing services With more than 225 physicia tion partners with the at Conway Regional, the organizaClinical Management able medical staff in an Account partnership creates Model (ACM). This one-of-a-kind to promote meaningful a model of shared governance with hospital engagement of physician leaders in an effort to improve administrative leadership — all care. Frontline patient experience and enhancedecision making through in employees are also involved Congress. the Patient Care Governing and CEO of Conway Matt Troup is the President years of executive leadership Regional with more than 20 industry, serving in various experience in the healthcare in Texas, Oklahoma administrative roles in hospitals Arkansas in 2014 as Vice and Florida. Troup moved to Services at CHI St. Support and Ancillary of President SUSA President and CEO of Conway N ALTR Vincent and was named UI,one ZOyear.

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FACES OF ARKANSAS Email hbaker@aymag.com to nominate yourself or someone else today.

FE B RUA RY 2022

MEETING MIDDLE

M

THE LAST WORD

Mark Twain is credited with saying, “In matters of opinion, all our adversaries are insane.” He probably said it, but maybe he didn’t. I’m not going to argue about it. I’m not posting the quote on social media or sharing it at a family gathering. But you could bet your bippy if I did, the attribution war would begin, and missing the entire damned point would accelerate to ironic madness. We have lost our civility at the edges, and our slip is showing as a society.

If you see it, too, don’t despair. Look to the last refuge of thought, consideration and reason. The middle part. The smack dab center of the bell curve. There you will find an electorate…a citizenry…an unincorporated tribe of humanity holding the gate and disallowing the tide of zealots to overwhelm our camp.

They may belong to a given political party, but their greater allegiance is to discretion and thoughtful contemplation of issues. Moreover, they have resisted the temptation to join any cult of personality.

They act and vote based on a fluid set of realities and without a dogmatic tie to someone else’s coupling of issues. They read the bills, consider the sources and can stomach both sides of the story without hemorrhaging. They are, one might say, functioning adults.

Imagine conceding that the breach of the U.S. Capitol was a disgusting and vile event and expecting the rule of law to be applied when businesses are looted. Consider the audacity of a person to believe sexual orientation is biological and the merits of a person are not dictated by this factor, and we should be fiscally responsible to preserve our union. Sit in complete amazement while these folks hold leaders accountable for what they can control and do not assign to them blame for matters in motion for decades before their term. Those capable of these remarkable mental gymnastics are my heroes. So too should they be yours. As importantly, they determine our future.

If you think you are capable of membership, try this simple test. In your own mind, say something complimentary and derogatory about each of the following: President Obama, President Trump, Senator Cotton and Speaker Pelosi. Did you survive? Are you still able to read this text? If so, maybe you are middle material. The fact is, they are all human beings with flaws and incredible merit. If you doubt that, stay on the edge and enjoy yourself. It is your right.

COVID-19 has exposed our middle vs. edge divide

in the

so starkly, disappointingly and annoyingly; it is aggravating to write this section. On one hand, it is obvious we are making the rules up as we go along. On the other hand, how the hell could we not be? The data clearly shows a lower chance of severe illness among the vaccinated. The data also shows vaccinated individuals can and do spread the virus. If we all stay home, our economy will crash, and unemployment will lead to mass starvation, and financial weakness could be ruinous. What do we do? Well, that depends.

The edges dig in. Per the edges, you are either a vaxxed lemming or a selfish monster.

Meanwhile, the middle recognizes this is our first pandemic in a hundred years. It understands people do have rights and so do businesses. It concedes the governmental steps in response to these issues have spanned two administrations. Those away from the edges consider the laws of economics and the Golden Rule. Then, with this miasma of all these factors swirling, they make decisions for themselves. The point is not what decisions they make or positions they take; it is the process of thought. Avoiding the shortcut of being dictated a position is their greatest triumph. It is not easy.

Part of me wants to invite you to the middle. To encourage you to throw off the yoke of adherence to the religion of right or left. But, like being dragged to Wednesday night Bible study, such a provocation to act is unlikely to stick. That’s the paradox. Instead, my goal here is to simply highlight the power of existing in the middle. To maybe pause your impulse to respond harshly to a kind soul whose opinion conflicts with yours.

My faith in humanity remains strong.

From edge to edge, we are generally a good people. The middle may just be a little better at showing it.

Stan Zylowski is the co-founder and CEO of Bentonville’s Movista, a mobile enterprise platform for retail.

By Stan Zylowski

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A Growing Health System for a Growing Community

Left to Right: Don Steely, MD, Rimsha Hasan, MD, and Yalcin Hacioglu, MD of Conway Regional Cardiovascular Clinic

Expanded Access

More Specialists

Innovative Services

All Your Heart Needs, All in One Place At Conway Regional, we strive daily to exceed the standards in heart care. Led by a highly-skilled group of interventional cardiologists and emergency department physicians, we have one of the state's best door-to-balloon times for providing emergency heart care. To schedule an appointment with the Conway Regional Cardiovascular Clinic, call 501-358-6905 or visit ConwayRegional.org to learn more.

We’re not just growing—we’re growing together.

New Medical Offices