by Mark Carter Theodore Roosevelt is considered one of our great presidents. As in, all-time greats. His face adorns Mount Rushmore, after all. And Mount Rushmore is the Olympus of American...
AMP News
UA-Pulaski Technical College Foundation Receives $315K Grant
Crystal Bridges Museum Hires Chief Education Officer
Governor’s Address: For Better, Safer Roads in Arkansas
Five Arkansas Leaders Selected for DRA’s Leadership Institute
Daily Digest: November 18, 2019
AGFC Names New Deputy Director
House Report: Upgrading to a REAL ID Driver’s License
The Innovator’s Field Guide: In the Market for Some Snake Oil?
Baptist Health Reportedly Hires New Chief Development Officer
Magazine
Editor’s Letter: Lessons In Stewardship
Civility Now
by Dustin Jayroe “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” – Thomas Jefferson On Oct. 9, 1997...
Grid Router Paves Way For Smart Power
by Ryan Nix When it comes to the electrical grid, industrial images of tall, wooden poles trailing wires from gray, metal substations to homes and transformer boxes, of circuit breakers hidden in...
Habitat Program Fuels Migrating Ducks, Benefits Farmers and Hunters
by Mark Carter The symbiotic nature of farming and hunting has long been praised as part of man’s natural connection to the land, and a new habitat program ensures migrating waterfowl have food on...
Blytheville: Return to Prosperous Past?
by Ryan Nix, Photos by Jamison Mosley Far in the northeast corner of Arkansas, five miles west of the Mississippi River, the city of Blytheville remembers a prosperous past while hoping for a bright...
No Looking Back: Dustin McDaniel
by Dustin Jayroe Former Political Star Dustin McDaniel Excelling in Private Practice The largest casualty, of course, was the state Democratic Party, which itself dominated local and state politics...
A Dispensed Dilemma
by Ryan Nix To survive in a constantly evolving economy, businesses must be mindful of trends and flexible enough to accommodate them. Of all the issues affecting local industries, two loom above the...
Manufacturers Leading Job Growth in Arkansas
by Mark Carter Arkansas manufacturing seems to be finding its footing following a rough patch to open the 21st century. Manufacturing jobs in the Natural State are up 8 percent since 2014 and...
Arkansas Employment: November 2019 Labor Force Report
State jobless rate up slightly; government jobs show growth by Tyler Hale
Every Day Is ‘MFG DAY’ in Arkansas
by Clint O’Neal In early October, communities across Arkansas and the country held Manufacturing Day (MFG DAY) events to give manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show what...
From the Publisher: Introducing AY Media Group
We are nearing the end of 2019, and that means Arkansas Money & Politics is geared up and ready for 2020. In preparation for the year ahead, our company will now be completely under the...
Keeping It Natural: Conservation Partners Work To Boost Arkansas’ Wild...
by Arkansas Money & Politics Staff Elk, bear, deer, alligators, buffalo and hundreds of other species of wildlife and fish were abundant in the early years of Arkansas’ statehood. The...
The Benefits of a Reverse Mortgage During Retirement
This content is sponsored by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation Looking into retirement options, one significant game-changer may be overlooked, even by experienced financial planners and...
Faces of Arkansas: Robbi Davis, The Robbi Davis Agency, Inc.
Robbi Davis opened her own insurance agency for a simple reason — to better serve her clients. Already a veteran in the central Arkansas insurance industry, Robbi launched The Robbi Davis Agency...
Faces of Arkansas: Delta Pest Control
Delta Pest Control is Arkansas’ largest family-owned pest removal agency. But it stands out in another way as well. Doris Lawrence is majority owner. “We’re the largest woman-owned pest control...
Faces of Arkansas: Rik Sowell, Sowell Architects
In high school, Rik Sowell loved the combination of creativity and precision he discovered in drafting class. As a kid, building treehouses and clubhouses with his brother sparked the vocational...
Faces of Arkansas: Kelly Phillips, Bell & Company, PA
For Kelly Phillips, there was never a doubt in her mind where her career path would take her. Accounting, after all, runs in her blood. Her dad was a longtime accountant in the Pickens community...
Faces of Arkansas: Gary Houston Electric
Modern life would be impossible without reliable electric power. The conduit for that lifeblood of our existence? Quality electricians, and since 1978 the Gary Houston Electric Company has provided...
New Chapter: Sarah Huckabee Sanders is Back in Arkansas
by Mark Carter It seems longer, but Sarah Huckabee Sanders had been away for just two and a half years when she returned home to Arkansas in August after a tour as President Donald Trump’s press...
Government and Football: Rules Matter
Kelly Sublett, Arkansas Money & Politics As the offspring of educators — a football coach and a government/economics teacher, specifically — the analogy I am about to propose may not seem so...
Agriculture
Arkansas Rice Farmers Holding Board Election in December
This December, an election will be held to select the new members for the Arkansas Rice Farmers (ARF) board of directors. The new board members will be elected during the USA Rice Outlook Conference...
Arkansas Businesses and Farmers Navigate the U.S.-China Trade War
Today, the Arkansas Association of Asian Businesses (AAAB) held a workshop on how Arkansas businesses are navigating the U.S.-China trade war. The workshop’s diverse speakers provided deep dives on...
Agriculture Dept. Collects More than 166,000 Pounds of Unwanted Pesticides
More than 166,000 pounds of unwanted or discarded pesticides have been collected during 2019 through an Arkansas Department of Agriculture pesticide collection program. Launched in 2005, the...
Dean Banks Named President of Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods has named a new president for the Springdale-based company. Dean Banks was appointed by the Tyson board of directors to assume the role of president, effective Dec. 20, 2019. Banks is...
Forty-Six Farms Inducted into Arkansas Century Farm Program
More than 40 Arkansas farms were recognized this week as Arkansas Century Farms. During a ceremony on Monday, 46 farms were inducted into the Arkansas Century Farm program. Gov. Asa Hutchinson and...
Construction / Real Estate
Using Tax Increment Financing for Urban Renewal in Arkansas
by Cromwell Architects Engineers Urban renewal in Central Arkansas has long been at the hands of private investors. However, a funding option that should be considered is tax increment financing...
Builder in Chief: Meredith Lary Poland Takes Over as HBA-GLR Boss
Working in the construction industry wasn’t the original plan for Meredith Lary Poland. It was not even the second or third plan. Despite that, the central Arkansas native has made to become a...
Colliers Hires Two Team Members, Expand Service Offerings
Colliers International | Arkansas has added two new members to its team, along with two services that will be part of its roster of offerings. The real estate and property management’s first...
Hot Springs Mayor Restores Historic Bathhouse into Luxurious Local Hotel
Bathhouse Row and the natural geothermally heated water is perhaps what makes Hot Springs such an acclaimed city, and Mayor Patrick McCabe and his wife, Ellen McCabe, have recently reinvented one of...
Circle K Development Planned for NorthShore Business Park
A new convenience store development is being planned in NorthShore Business Park off of I-430. A buyer has recently purchased a 1.89-acre site at the business park’s entrance that is expected to...
Education
UA-Pulaski Technical College Foundation Receives $315K Grant
The UA-Pulaski Technical College Foundation has received a $315,000 grant from the Windgate Foundation to fund equipment purchase for the college’s theater space and for general scholarship...
Crystal Bridges Museum Hires Chief Education Officer
by Tyler Hale Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has named a new chief education officer to its leadership team. Marissa Reyes has been selected to serve in the museum’s new leadership...
Five Arkansas Leaders Selected for DRA’s Leadership Institute
Five individuals have been selected to represent Arkansas in the Delta Regional Authority’s (DRA) Delta Leadership Institute (DLI). These five individuals will participate in a 10-month long DLI...
ForwARd Arkansas Executive Director Susan Harriman Stepping Down
The executive director of ForwARd Arkansas, a public-private partnership aimed at increasing student achievement in Arkansas, is stepping down. Susan Harriman is resigning as the organization’s...
UAMS to Offer Master’s Degree in Healthcare Data Analytics
One Arkansas university will now offer a new degree track in health care data analytics. The Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)...
Yurachek: “I Know I’ve Got to Get This Search Right”
by Mark Carter Hunter Yurachek said he reached a “definitive decision” to fire Chad Morris as head football coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks following the Hogs’ disappointing blowout loss to...
Finance / Banking
Home BancShares’ Randy Sims Retires, Two Executives Step Up
Following the retirement of Randy Sims, Centennial Bank and its parent company Home BancShares have named two executives to chairmanship roles at the companies. Jack Engelkes will be taking on the...
First Horizon and IBERIABANK Agree to ‘Merger of Equals’
by Tyler Hale First Horizon National Corporation and IBERIABANK Corporation are combining in a transaction that is expected to create one of the largest financial services institutions in the...
Arvest Bank Setting Up Oklahoma Headquarters in New Space
Arvest Bank is making a big move in Oklahoma. The Bentonville-headquartered bank is leasing 40,000 square feet of space in a 16-floor tower in Oklahoma City. Arvest Bank will occupy the first floor...
2019 Arkansas Tax Conference to Highlight Trends in Industry
The second biennial Arkansas Tax Conference is being held this November in Little Rock. Scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 19, the conference attracts administrators, tax experts and other leaders to...
Simmons Banks Names Two Major Promotions, Two New Hires
Simmons Bank has announced two significant promotions while also hiring on two new employees to senior positions. The positions range from chief banking officer to the company’s new Arkansas...
Health Care
Express Rx Moves Headquarters to Little Rock, Creating 24 New Jobs
by Tyler Hale A pharmaceutical retailer has selected Little Rock as its new headquarters. During a press conference held today (Nov. 18) at the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, company executives...
Baptist Health Reportedly Hires New Chief Development Officer
by Tyler Hale Baptist Health is reportedly naming a new chief development officer for the Baptist Health Foundation. An anonymous source tells Arkansas Money & Politics that the health system is...
UAMS to Offer Master’s Degree in Healthcare Data Analytics
One Arkansas university will now offer a new degree track in health care data analytics. The Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)...
New Opioid Initiative Provides Free Resources for Arkansas Employers
by Tyler Hale During the 2019 Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/AIA annual meeting, officials unveiled a new initiative targeting the opioid crisis that is designed to help Arkansas employers. The...
Manufacturing
Superior Group of Companies Investing $10 Million in Eudora Facility
Superior Group of Companies will be investing $10 million to expand its distribution center in Eudora. The expansion is expected to add 125 new jobs over the course of the next five years. The...
Radke Credits Military-Honed Skills for Business Success
by Dwain Hebda Wade Radke is an unqualified Arkansas success story, launching Galley Support Innovations in Sherwood alongside his wife Gina. The Radkes have grown the mom-and-pop venture to a $5...
Blytheville: Return to Prosperous Past?
by Ryan Nix, Photos by Jamison Mosley Far in the northeast corner of Arkansas, five miles west of the Mississippi River, the city of Blytheville remembers a prosperous past while hoping for a bright...
Manufacturers Leading Job Growth in Arkansas
by Mark Carter Arkansas manufacturing seems to be finding its footing following a rough patch to open the 21st century. Manufacturing jobs in the Natural State are up 8 percent since 2014 and...
Every Day Is ‘MFG DAY’ in Arkansas
by Clint O’Neal In early October, communities across Arkansas and the country held Manufacturing Day (MFG DAY) events to give manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show what...
Sports and Outdoors
Op-Ed: Yurachek Will Make The Right Hire for Arkansas
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in op-eds are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Arkansas Money & Politics or About You Media Group. by Nate Olson As I settled...
Yurachek: “I Know I’ve Got to Get This Search Right”
by Mark Carter Hunter Yurachek said he reached a “definitive decision” to fire Chad Morris as head football coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks following the Hogs’ disappointing blowout loss to...
Razorbacks Football Coach Chad Morris Fired
The University of Arkansas has fired football head coach Chad Morris following the team’s loss to Western Kentucky on Saturday. Arkansas Athletics Director Hunter Yurachek said in a statement...
Op-Ed: Coming Together to Protect Arkansas’ Environment and Natural Beauty
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in op-eds are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Arkansas Money & Politics or About You Media Group. It’s no secret that...
AGFC Recruiting Hunters to Help Spot CWD
by Mark Carter On the cusp of modern-gun deer season, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission officials are recruiting hunters to help keep chronic wasting disease from becoming prevalent in the...
Four Reasons to Be Excited About Eric Musselman
by Nate Olson The Eric Musselman era at Arkansas is one-game old, but there are plenty of reasons for optimism. Musselman has checked all of the boxes since he was hired in the spring. He’s done...
Arkansas Game and Fish Holding Town Hall Meeting in Stuttgart
On November 20, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will be holding an open town hall meeting in Stuttgart. The meeting will be from 6-8 p.m. at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart. During the...
Little Rock Zoo Closing on Tuesdays, Wednesdays During Winter Months
The City of Little Rock has rolled out new hours for the Little Rock Zoo. This winter, they will be cutting back on the days and hours that the zoo will be operating. The Little Rock Zoo is closing...
Startups
The Innovator’s Field Guide: In the Market for Some Snake Oil?
by Jeff Standridge “I know half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, but I can never find out which half.” -John Wanamaker Exactly thirty-seven seconds after an entrepreneur opens a...
The Venture Center Heads to Vietnam for Global Entrepreneurship Week
Arkansas is going international next week. During Global Entrepreneurship Week, the Venture Center’s chief strategy officer, Mimi San Pedro, will be participating in a mentorship tour in Southeast...
Win Cash for Your Idea at the Venture Center’s Pitch ‘N Pint Competition
Got a great business idea? The Venture Center is giving Arkansas entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their ideas and take home cash prizes. On December 10, the Venture Center will hold its 2019 Pitch...
Emily Young is Building Her Business Empire in Russellville
by Jeremy Peppas Emily Young is still in her twenties but has already built three businesses in her adopted hometown of Russellville. Young started her first business in 2014 and fresh out of...
U of A Startup Village Provides Space, Resources for Entrepreneurs
by Tyler Hale Startups and entrepreneurs will have another resource in Northwest Arkansas, starting this month. In early November, the University of Arkansas will be opening the U of A Startup...
AMP Sponsored
Online Privacy: How Secure Are You?
With so much concern about malicious attacks, online privacy has become one of today’s hot topics. It applies to every size of business, from the home office to the enterprise, and the extent of...
Top 10 Ways to Stay Focused at Work
This content is presented in sponsorship with Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield Distraction happens. Especially if you are a part of the four percent of U.S. adults who have attention deficit...
Eldridge Brooks Partners: Experienced Attorneys, Innovative Partners
Conner Eldridge and Steve Brooks got together in January of 2018 to catch up and realized they were in similar places in their careers. They also realized that they shared a vision to build a legal...
The Risks and Rewards of Blockchain Technology
This content is sponsored by Business World. Blockchain has been touted as the most disruptive technology to hit businesses since open-source software—or, some say, since the internet itself. As a...
Rx Catering is a One-Stop Spot for Food Services
Preparing an event is a stressful endeavor, filled with variables that can and likely will go wrong. To minimize the possibility of mistakes being made, it’s vital to partner with individuals and...
Artificial Intelligence for Businesses: The Roadblocks
This content is sponsored by Business World. Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) techniques are improving business processes from the factory floor to the customer’s door. Used to its fullest...
How Emails Put You at Risk of Cyber Attacks
This content is sponsored by Business World. By now, most people are well aware of the dangers of malicious emails. However, we’re still falling for the scams—and cybercriminals are still...
Everything AI Can Do for Your Network
This content is sponsored by Business World. Artificial intelligence (AI), it would seem, is today’s business panacea. Its capabilities give you the power to transform your business into a...
Building School Safe Rooms to Withstand Severe Weather
Why are schools spending money on buildings they hope never to use? Throughout the Midwest and Southeast, this is exactly what’s happening as schools prepare to protect students during severe...
Stay Breach-Free: The Importance of Keeping Your Copiers Secure
This content is sponsored by Business World. With all the talk about cybersecurity these days, it’s likely that your copiers and printers are some of the last technology you’re concerned about. ...