You don’t have to be a CEO, baby, to be in our show. The executives are great, but Arkansas Money & Politics readers recognize that it takes everyone — small business owners, marketers, nurses, real estate agents and more to make Arkansas work. We asked readers to help us recognize some of the professionals in Arkansas who stand out in their fields.
David Adams
President, HP Engineering Inc.
Jim Adams
President, GAR-BRO Manufacturing Co.
Jajuan Archer
Founder/President, Women’s Own Worth (WOW)
Kent Arnold
Vice President, Signature Bank of
Arkansas
Executive Broker, Portfolio Sotheby’s International Realty
Kent Arnold is based out of Northwest Arkansas and works at Signature Bank of Arkansas as vice president. He also has over 18 years of experience as a licensed real estate broker with a CCIM Designation (Certified Commercial Investment Member). Using the knowledge he learned over his career along with his CCIM training, he launched Kent Consulting LLC, which focuses on helping individuals who need real estate advice, both commercial and residential. Arnold’s specialty is not in one type of real estate, but making relationships with clients that go far beyond one transaction. He has closed over 500 real estate transactions, including multi-family projects, shopping centers, restaurants and hotels, along with leasing over 500,000-SF of retail space.
Jordon Babcock
CEO, Springwoods Behavioral Health
Jordon Babcock is the chief executive officer of Springwoods Behavioral Health in Fayetteville. He has a broad business and clinical background, including creating an IT consulting company, holding a real estate license, working as direct care staff and executive leadership in the behavioral healthcare setting. Babcock joined Springwoods in October 2018 and served in various executive positions at Universal Health Services before that. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in human development from Rockford University in Illinois, and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Northern Illinois University.
Rochelle Bartholomew
President/CEO, Calark Inc.
Chris Bates
CEO, The Computer Hut LLC
David Bazzel
Entrepreneur/Radio Host, 103.7 The Buzz
One of the most influential names in Arkansas, former Razorback linebacker David Bazzel wears many hats. He created the Broyles Award and the Touchdown Club, which brings to Little Rock big names from all over the country, year after year. Bazzel is also responsible for the “Battle for the Boot,” and the Tusk Fund. He can usually be found on TV during Razorback football season as a pre-game host and commentator or behind the mic at his full-time job at Central Arkansas’ 103.7 KABZ-FM.
Chris Beaty
CEO, Telecomp
Bobby Bentley
General Manager, Gregg Orr Toyota
Bobby Bentley has served as the general manager for Greg Orr Toyota in Hot Springs for over ten years. According to Bentley, the dealership’s current goal is to raise the standards in the business’s area and to maintain the highest possible level of service to its customers. “Those who choose us as a dealer will see the difference in a business who cares and stops at nothing to meet and endorse the highest level of customer service one can.”
Brandi Bettis
Account Executive, ABI Insurance
Brandi Bettis is an account executive at ABI Insurance (ABI) in Hot Springs. She is a licensed insurance agent with 15 years experience in the insurance industry. Arkansas ABI is one of the largest and oldest locally-owned independent insurance agencies in the state, serving Hot Springs and surrounding areas for more than 100 years.
Charles Blake
Vice Principal, Think Rubix
Amanda Bledsoe, DC
CEO, Bledsoe Chiropractic
When Amanda Bledsoe was 14, she was diagnosed with major scoliosis of the spine. At the time, it was recommended that she visit a chiropractor, but Bledsoe didn’t end up seeing one until she was 18. After experiencing firsthand how powerful chiropractic care was, coupled with the fact that she always wanted to work in health care, chiropractic became the perfect career path for her. “I missed out on critical years of chiropractic care between 14 and 18 years old; I want to help others who were afraid like I was, to experience just how amazing chiropractic care can be.” Bledsoe attended the Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City. One of her ultimate goals for patients is to make chiropractic care not just effective for all, but affordable. When she isn’t helping patients of all ages lead happier, healthier lives, she enjoys spending time with her two children, Audrey and Hunter. She enjoys all that Conway has to offer and is an active part of her community, including being a part of a local business networking group and a member of United Way. She also finds ways to support many local organizations like Bethlehem House and Deliver Hope. Bledsoe’s family recently moved their home to Little Rock to be closer to their Pleasant Valley church family, and they are proud of the clinic’s recent expansion into Maumelle.
Paul Bradley
Director of Analytics, Butler/Till
Paul Bradley is the director of Analytics for Butler/Till advertising services. Prior to joining Butler/Till, Bradley served as the director of marketing and communications for Conway Regional Health System. He was named the 2020 Young Business Leader of the Year by the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. Before Conway Regional, Bradley was the Conway market leader for Edafio Technology Partners, a leading Arkansas IT management provider and technology consulting firm.
Daniel Bryant
Owner, H.A.M./Hill Station/Big Whiskey’s/Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken/Whole Hog NLR/The Fountain
Brittany Butler
Agent, McGhee Insurance Agency – Conway
Keith Caldarera
General Manager, McLarty Automotive Group
Daniel Cate
Pharmacist/Owner, Market Place Pharmacy
Jason Chacko, CFP®, CRPS®
Financial Advisor, The Chacko Group|Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
William Childs
Director of Lending Operations, Simmons Bank
William Childs’ road to director of lending operations, and banking in general, is unique. He started his career as a process engineer in manufacturing, where he learned lean six sigma and how to work with line leaders and supervisors to improve processes. In 2017, he joined Simmons Bank as a performance improvement specialist to help IT improve processes as new technology was implemented. Childs soon moved from IT into loan operations and after a year of working on projects to streamline loan funding and data collection, was tapped to be director of loan administration in 2018. In 2019, Childs was promoted to director of lending operations which encompasses Simmons’ commercial loan origination and loan servicing departments.
Becky Cranford
Owner, The Bug Man Inc.
Chuck Crawford
Master Electrician, It’s Electric LLC
Adora Curry
Director of Advancement, Thaden School
Dennis “DJ” Curtis Jr., CLU®, CRPC™
The Curtis Team – Stifel
DJ Curtis is senior vice president/investments and branch manager with Stifel, and co-founder of The Curtis Team. He began his investment career in 2006 and joined Stifel in 2011. In his role, Curtis provides comprehensive, consultative investment planning, risk management strategies and wealth management services to affluent families and institutions. He assists private business owners with in-depth pre-transaction planning and key decisions regarding multi-generational wealth, and takes an active role in facilitating family meetings and discussions around family governance, and the education and preparation of the next generation as future stewards of their family’s wealth. Curtis was named to Forbes’ 2022 Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list and to Forbes’ 2022 Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors list. He is also a member of the prestigious Stifel Chairman’s Council. He earned a B.S.B.A. from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Curtis resides in Little Rock, has a passion to serve the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and volunteers his time to the Boys and Girls Club of America.
Neelakanta Dadi, MD
Hematologist/Oncologist, Conway Regional
Dr. Neelakanta Dadi is a highly experienced hematologist-oncologist with the Conway Regional Multispecialty Clinic. Dadi received his Internal Medicine residency training at the University of Utah and completed his Hematology/Oncology fellowship at the Fiest Weiller Cancer Center at Louisiana State University.
Evans Dietz
Owner, D&D Sun Control
Evans Dietz is the owner of D&D Sun Control in North Little Rock. He graduated from Catholic High School in 1984 with a tennis scholarship to Centenary College of Louisiana, where he received his bachelor’s degree in business finance. Dietz has no doubt about what sets his business apart from other contractors: “My people. Period.” He says that every employee at D&D Sun Control has a get-the-job-done mentality, and that includes taking pride in the process as much as in the final product. “We will not be outworked,” Dietz said. “We will solve any problem and we will have fun doing it.”
Jim Engelhorn
Store Manager/Board of Directors, Sissy’s Log Cabin
Jim Engelhorn was born and raised in Bloomington, Illinois, 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, Engelhorn moved to Little Rock in 2017. He was general manager of another local jeweler before going to work for Sissy’s Log Cabin and has been helping the company enjoy record growth the last several 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.
Benjamin English
Co-Owner & Co-Founder, OZK Insurance
Hot Springs native Benjamin English now lives in Bentonville and is a proud alumnus of the University of Arkansas, where he received two degrees in business administration and finance. He and another partner founded OZK insurance in 2018, and the two have been able to build a highly successful team in just a few short years. In 2021, OZK was ranked 16th in the country out of 45,000 insurance agencies for growth by Progressive insurance. English is passionate when it comes to being a small business owner and enjoys philanthropic efforts with OZK Outreach, a passion project geared toward the needs of the local community.
Biffy Fletcher
Vice President – Food, Blue Ocean Innovative Solutions
Beverly Foster, DC
Owner, Chiropractic Health & Rehabilitation
John Freyaldenhoven
Owner/Operator, Freyaldenhoven Heating and Cooling
Don Gooch
Regional Director of Community Bank Presidents, Arvest Bank
Don Gooch of Hot Springs serves as the regional director of community bank presidents for Arvest Bank. Now in his 20th year with Arvest, Gooch was formerly southwest Arkansas community bank president. In his current position, he serves as a resource and leader for community bank presidents in Arvest’s four community banks located in Conway, northeast Arkansas, Saline county and southwest Arkansas.
Dusty Graham, AIA
Partner, Core Architects
Benjamin Gregory, AIA
Project Architect, WER Architects/Planners
Aaron Grimes
Co-owner/Manager, Capitol Glass Company
Pharmacist, CHI St. Vincent Infirmary
Market/Social Media Director, Shiloh Marina on Greers Ferry Lake
Aaron Grimes spent his high school summers working at the family business, Capitol Glass Company. But while attending college at the University of Central Arkansas, he focused his time on wakeboarding and other watersports. He competed in wakeboard competitions throughout most of the 2000s and was sponsored by Hyperlite Wakeboards. Once he graduated from UCA, Grimes helped his father get involved in the boating industry to open S&G Extreme Marine, and he opened his own skate shop with locations in Little Rock and Kansas City. The recession of 2008 resulted in the closing of both skate shops and Grimes returned to the family business. In the years that followed, Grimes attended pharmacy school at UAMS, worked full time at CHI St. Vincent as a pharmacist and now balances his time between Capitol Glass Company, the hospital and helping his father when he can.
Laura J. Hanlon
Certified Public Accountant, Laura J. Hanlon CPA PLLC
Erik Hardin, LAc
Acupuncturist, Ozark Integrative Medicine
Billy Hartnedy
Vice President/National Sales/Auctioneer, Blackmon Auctions Inc.
Billy Hartnedy started with Blackmon Auctions back in 1991. He is typically the one marketing the auctions and can be found at almost every auction as well. His specialties are the construction/oilfield and transportation industries. Hartnedy believes that “this business is about people.”
RJ Hawk
Candidate for Arkansas State Representative
Realtor, Clark & Co. Realty
Radio Host/103.7 The Buzz
Bryant City Councilman RJ Hawk is running for election to the Arkansas House of Representatives to represent District 81. Originally from Athens, Texas, R.J. Hawk has called Arkansas home for the last 18 years. He is one of the Top 30 Realtors in the South Central Arkansas Realtors Association and has helped families all over Central Arkansas with the buying and selling of their homes. For the past 14 years, Hawk could be heard on 103.7 KABZ-FM The Buzz weekday mornings from 6-10 a.m. with David Bazzel, Roger Scott and, most recently, Justin Moore.
Tyler Henderson
Regional Sales Director, American Concrete Concepts Inc.
Tyler Henderson began his career with ACCI in 2018. Prior to the polished concrete and coating industry, Henderson owned and operated his own farming operation in England, Arkansas. His projects have varied from big name retail, industrial manufacturing and food plants to multimillion dollar fulfillment centers all over the country. Henderson’s experience includes polished concrete and coating installation, project management, estimating and contract negotiation.
Bryan Howe
Co-founder/Manager, Altimize
Dawn Hughes, MD
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Physician
Through medicine, Dr. Dawn Hughes is able to combine her passions for science and service. No two mothers and babies are the same, especially when it comes to high-risk pregnancies, so Hughes creates individual care plans for her patients. She guides parents and parents-to-be through some of the scariest times of their lives, and she cherishes those relationships. Hughes describes her circle of friends as “wild and eclectic,” and her spare time is spent reading, traveling, cooking and spending time with her two children.
LaDonna Humphrey
Executive Director, Oasis of Northwest Arkansas
LaDonna Humphrey is the executive director of Oasis of Northwest Arkansas, an 18-month transitional living program for women in recovery and their children. Oasis is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that provides food, clothing, shelter, educational and employment opportunities, while walking alongside women who are ready to reconstruct their lives. Humphrey is also an author and advocate for missing persons. Notable works include “The Girl I Never Knew: The Melissa Witt Story.”
Misty Hunt
Chief of Staff, Office of the First Lady
With over 20 years of experience in government service and fundraising, Misty Hunt currently serves as the Chief of Staff to First Lady of Arkansas, Susan Hutchinson. In her role, Misty is tasked with implementing the First Lady’s agenda for her initiative and special projects, responsible for communications and policy research and managing her schedule. Hunt began her career in public service in 1997 where she worked for U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson in Washington, D.C. She then worked for the USTelecom: The Broadband Association in the Government Affairs Department, assisting with policy and fundraising for the USTA PAC. In 2006, Hunt returned to her hometown of Fort Smith and continued her career in government service and nonprofit fundraising. In 2015, she joined Governor Asa Hutchinson’s Administration. Most recently, she is proudest to be working with the First Lady to launch a national social media campaign “Shine Hope” raising public awareness for all child abuse victims and survivors across the United States.
Janet Jones
Founder, The Janet Jones Company
Stephanie Jones
Associate Merchant – Beauty, Walmart
Bram Keahey
Principal Architect, Taggart Architects
Robert Klein
Co-founder/Realtor, The Property Group
Andrew King
Certified Payroll Professional, Complete Payroll Services
Greg Kirtman
VP of Operations, Datamax Arkansas
Scott Knox
VP of Marketing, Travel Nurse Across America
Paul Kroger, Jr.
Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual
Stephen LaFrance, Jr.
Vice Chairman, Good Day Farm
An Arkansas native, born and raised in Pine Bluff, Stephen LaFrance learned from a young age the power of persistence and hard work from his father. His father, born in New Orleans and grew up in humble beginnings in Monroe, Louisiana, was able through perseverance to start the successful USA Drug Pharmacy chain. LaFrance says being raised by and working alongside his father taught him so much, and he’s able to honor him through the business practices at Good Day Farm, a medical cannabis dispensary. When he’s not working, LaFrance enjoys golfing, traveling or trying out new and unique restaurants. He says he is blessed to share these passions with friends, his amazing wife and his talented daughter.
Tameka Lee
Director of Communications, Central Arkansas Library System (CALS)
Brittany Marsh, PharmD
Pharmacist, Cornerstone Pharmacy
Jamie McAfee
Club Manager, Pine Bluff Country Club
Daniel McElderry
President/CEO, Mac Mechanical Co.
Alex McIntosh
Principal, MAC Valuation Group
Staci Medlock
Realtor, RE/MAX Elite
Staci Medlock is consistently one of the top-performing real estate agents in the Central Arkansas area, carrying more than 15 years of experience under her belt. A native of the area, she caters to a wide range of clients across the region, including Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, Maumelle, Jacksonville, Cabot, Searcy and Beebe. While Medlock’s abilities as a Realtor are across-the-board, she has extensive experience in new construction, custom home building and working with first-time homebuyers.
Cindy Minor
Owner, Small World Big Fun
Cindy Minor is the owner of Small World Big Fun, a travel agency creating customized vacations for families, and an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, specializing in customized Disney vacations. Minor established Small World Big Fun with a singular purpose – creating fabulous family experiences. That means a personal travel itinerary that fits your family. She’s described as a modern-day Mouseketeer, serving as a Disney ambassador for families that want to take the stress out of planning a Disney vacation. She planned trips for family and friends for years prior to becoming an independent contractor for another travel agency. After more than a decade of vacation planning experience, she took a leap of faith and started Small World Big Fun in Little Rock. Her best travel advice is to have a plan, but leave room for the magic that happens in unexpected times and places.
Justin Moore
Country Music Artist
Radio Host, 103.7 The Buzz
Country music singer/songwriter Justin Moore joined Little Rock radio station 103.7 KABZ-FM The Buzz morning show following the retirement of long-time radio personality, Tommy Smith, in 2021. The country music singer is originally from Poyen, a small town located southwest of Little Rock, in Grant County. Moore is an international, multi-platinum recording artist who recently opened for George Strait at the Simmons Bank Arena.
Ryan Myers
Chief Operating Officer, Myers Supply Inc.
Lauren Norris
Director of Marketing, Conway Regional Health System
Lauren Norris currently serves as the director of marketing for Conway Regional Health System, where she has worked since 2019. She originally joined Conway Regional as a creative specialist and worked as a contract graphic designer for Insight out of Tempe, Arizona, before that. Norris graduated from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and a minor in business, and earned her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Doug Odom
President/CEO, Professional Computer Services Inc. (PCSI)
Feather Parrish
Operations Coordinator, Elder Independence Home Care
Hoyt Plunkett
President, Jackpot Interactive LLC
Mimi San Pedro
Chief Strategy Officer, The Venture Center
Meredith Poland
Executive Officer, HBA of Greater Little Rock
April Pollard, CFP®, CPRCTM
Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
Chris Puckett
Owner, Puckett Auto Group LLC
Chris Puckett, owner of Puckett Auto Group, was born and raised in North Little Rock. After graduating high school, Puckett decided to serve his country and join the Air Force. Seventeen years and 14 tours overseas later, he retired to spend more time with his family. After being a finance manager at a few dealerships, Puckett knew it was meant for him to open his own dealership. Puckett Auto Group in Greenbrier is truly a family-operated business. They believe customer service and a quality product is key to having a successful business.
Zac Qualls
Property Manager, Haag Brown Commercial Real Estate
Carrie Russom Quraishi, JD, CAPP
Principal, Quraishi Law Firm & Wealth Management
James Quick
President, SimpliFi Managed Services
Matthew T. Reynolds, PA-C
Physician Assistant, Arkansas Dermatology
Heather Baber-Roe
Co-owner, Baja Grill and Valhalla Kitchen + Bar
Heather Baber-Roe grew up in Caddo Gap, where her grandparents and parents both owned restaurants. At 21, she moved to Little Rock and worked for various Jerry Barakat establishments over the next 11 years, including helping launch Arthur’s Prime Steakhouse. After that long stretch, Baber-Roe transitioned into retail, owning a boutique clothing shop and enjoying life outside the food industry. Then she met Craig Roe, owner of Baja Grill, a popular restaurant specializing in California-style tacos and burritos. The restaurant originated in Benton as a food truck and moved into a brick-and-mortar with a prime location in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood in 2014. Baber-Roe came on board with the restaurant in 2016. Baja Grill now has a second location, returning to its Benton roots with new downtown digs, in a restored building with the restaurateurs’ other popular eatery, Valhalla Restaurant & Axe Throwing.
Rob Roedel
Director of Communications, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation
Reese Rowland, FAIA
Principal Architect, Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects
Brett Russell
Dealer, Russell Chevrolet
Brett Russell runs the show at Russell Chevrolet in Sherwood – one of the 200 largest Chevy dealers in the United States. He took over from his father, Bob Russell, who carried on the family business from his dad, John Russell, who had launched the dealership in 1963. After John’s retirement, Bob took over the Chevrolet dealership, and his brother, Rick, assumed control of the Honda dealership. The third generation of Russells runs the family dealerships today.
Dan Sawyer
Senior Director of Accounts & New Business, GWL Advertising Inc.
Dan Sawyer is the senior director of Accounts & Business Development for GWL Advertising. With more than 25 years in the advertising and marketing world, Sawyer brought his wealth of experience and strategic thinking to GWL in mid-2020, and has helped to add industry diversity to the firm’s client base and attract companies with national footprints. Sawyer, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, played professional hockey and worked for the New Jersey Devils NHL franchise before coming to Arkansas to flourish in the world of entertainment and festival marketing, and eventually making his mark in the advertising industry. He is also the president of ProFusion Marketing, a consulting firm that specializes in corporate sponsorships.
DuShun L. Scarbrough, Sr.
Executive Director, Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission
DuShun Scarbrough has a positive attitude and is a team player. He likes empowering communities with different ideas. He grew up in a gang-ridden area of Little Rock, but says he was able to overcome by not becoming a statistic but becoming a productive product of his environment. The Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission serves all people, Scarbrough emphasizes, because Dr. King was for all and invited all to be a part of his work regardless of race, creed, color or religion. He earned a Master of Counselor Education degree from Florida A&M University; a Master of Business Administration from Webster University in Orlando; a Juris Doctorate Law from Western Michigan University School of Law and his undergraduate bachelor’s degree in psychology from Philander Smith College in Little Rock.
Roger Scott
Radio Host, 103.7 The Buzz
Hot Springs native Roger Scott is best known as one of the morning radio hosts on 103.7 KABZ-FM The Buzz out of Little Rock. Scott graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1982. In addition to being a local media personality, Scott regularly lends his talents to support good causes such as Carelink’s annual Cupcakes for Goodness Sake event, benefiting the Central Arkansas Area Agency on Aging and the Arkansas Urology Foundation.
Bryan Shaw
CEO/Principal, Cushman & Wakefield|Sage Partners
Gene Sloan, MD, FACS
Plastic Surgeon, Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Dr. Gene Sloan is a board-certified plastic surgeon, currently specializing in cosmetic surgery in Little Rock. After studying at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Sloan attended the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He also studied or worked at various schools and locations across the globe – from the University of Missouri at Columbia, to Nottingham, England and Miami, Florida. Sloan began private practice in Little Rock in 1993, with a small shared office on the St. Vincent Infirmary campus and two part-time employees. Over the years his practice grew, and in 1998, he opened his present Aesthetic Plastic Surgery office in the Pavilion Centre on Cantrell Road in Little Rock, with the goal of creating a state-of-the-art facility devoted exclusively to providing the finest in cosmetic surgery services.
Jeff Smith
President, Smith Family Cares/Smith Family Funeral Homes
Jeremy Sparks
Director, Arvest Bank
Colonel, Air National Guard
Wendy Sparks
Director of Marketing and Finance at Reynolds Performance Hall, University of Central Arkansas
Wendy Sparks has worked in the marketing, public relations and performing arts industry for over 25 years. A native of east Texas, Sparks relocated to Arkansas 13 years ago and was the director for The Center for the Arts in Russellville before moving to Reynolds Performance Hall in 2018. In her current role, she is responsible for marketing all Reynolds Performance Hall season shows, as well as managing all financial requirements for events and the facility. Reynolds Performance Hall is part of the Public Appearances Department – a division of the UCA College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Since starting in the arts industry in 1993, Sparks’ goal has been to share her enthusiasm and appreciation for the arts in her community – especially with children. Through her efforts to bring top-name entertainment and educational opportunities to the community and school children from around the state, she has been able to spread the joy and benefits of the arts to thousands of theatergoers throughout her career.
Patrick Swope
President/CEO, Legacy National Bank
Maurice Taylor
Principal Instructor/Owner/Broker, Vivid Real Estate
Dalaney Thomas
Senior Account Executive, CJRW
Bruce Trimble
Director of Business Development, The BridgeWay
Ford Trotter
President, Trotter Auto Group
Ford Trotter is the President of Trotter Auto Group in Pine Bluff. His father and grandfather were also successful businessmen, and although they had very different management styles, he says he learned a lot from them both. Before joining the family business, Trotter was in the pre-law program at Westminster College and wanted to be a lawyer. In his sophomore year, he read an article about how many law students were graduating with their law degree and not finding a job because there were too many lawyers. So Trotter changed his major to business and decided to go into the family business.
Matt Troup, FACHE
President/CEO, Conway Regional Health System
Matt Troup has more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in the health care industry, serving in various administrative roles in hospitals in Texas, Oklahoma and Florida. Troup moved to Arkansas in 2014 as vice president of ancillary and support services at CHI St. Vincent, and was named President and CEO of Conway Regional Health System within one year. He says that Jesus Christ is his inspiration and that the integration of his work and faith is fundamental. His wife, Melissa, is also a key source of inspiration and support.
Sarah True
President/CEO, Cabot Chamber of Commerce
Kirk Vansandt
Chief Lending Officer/Market President DeWitt, Farmers & Merchants Bank
Kirk Vansandt is a longtime employee of Farmers & Merchants Bank. He currently serves as the chief agriculture lending officer for the organization, as well as the Market President in the DeWitt area. Prior to being named CLO in 2019, Vansandt worked as the senior vice president, eastern market president and loan officer. A native of Dewitt, Vansandt graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Vansandt and his wife, Holly, reside in St. Charles. He is active in the local community as a member of the DeWitt Rotary Club and a board member for Acres of Help Inc.
Phil Watson
Director of Engineering Design, Bernhard
Keith Weeks
Vice President, Gary Houston Electric Co.
Gregory Whorton, MD
CHI St. Vincent – Hot Springs
Jeff Wisener, DDS
Dentist, Wisener Cooper and Fergus
Mandy Wolff
Chief Administrative Officer, Arkansas Myriad
Doris Jones Wright
City Director, Ward 6
City of Little Rock
Doris Jones Wright is the City Director for Ward 6 in Little Rock. A native of Lake Village, Wright received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and sociology from the University of Arkansas at Monticello in 1981. She has also received a Certified Public Manager designation from UA Little Rock. Wright was first elected to the Little Rock Board of Directors in November 2006. She was reelected in November 2010, 2014 and 2018. Wright served as the first female African American vice-mayor of the City of Little Rock from 2012-2014. She is a past president of the John Barrow Neighborhood Association. A longtime advocate for the John Barrow area, she has been involved in the Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School Parent Teacher Student Association.
