Randy Zook

It is hard to talk about workforce development in Arkansas without talking about Andrew Parker. As the State Chamber of Commerce’s government affairs leader and executive director of the Associated Industries of Arkansas Foundation, Parker directs Be Pro Be Proud, …

Business leaders from one end of the spectrum to the other are praising 2025 as a banner year for Arkansas business, and many are also looking ahead to an equally prosperous 2026. “I’d give [Arkansas] business and industry probably an …

Weijun Shen loves engineering, but he believes in people. Shen sat in his unadorned office on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on a crisp fall morning. There is a composition notebook sitting on his desk, …

Feature image: Piles of scrap metal wait to be turned into steel at the Hybar mill in Osceola. (Photo by Sarah DeClerk) Arkansas benefits from a wide range of industries, from agriculture to defense manufacturing. Two industries in particular are …

Feature image above: Left to right, Randy Zook, Stacey Walker and Nelson Peacock. Whether pushing policies to attract investment, pouring resources into trade skills and workforce training, or promoting the state’s unique geographic benefits, Arkansas has been hard at work …

Benton County recently landed on the top of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics list for the largest average weekly percent wage growth—15.5 percent—among 369 counties in the U.S. The BLS said the largest contribution to the gains in Benton …

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has unveiled Arkansas LAUNCH, a free, skills-based platform designed to connect jobseekers with opportunities while helping employers find qualified workers efficiently. “Arkansas LAUNCH will connect employers and jobseekers, helping grow our workforce and empower Arkansans to …

Economic development, whether it comes in the form of a local ribbon cutting or the expansion of a major manufacturing plant, represents Job 1 for those tasked with growing, supporting and expanding Arkansas businesses. Assisting local communities in supporting innovation …

By Kenneth Heard & Dwain Hebda For years, anything earned less than a four-year college degree was viewed somewhat with disdain. Vocational and trade schools, internships, and other educational alternatives were not believed to be as impressive as the traditional …

Given the right environment, all children should do well and achieve in school, Arkansas educator Diane Zook said. Zook has seen education at work on all levels. She was born in Batesville and moved to Melbourne in Izard County at …