Arkansas Business articles from March 2005

Arkansas Business archives from March 2005

Tour groups point to Little Rock: Clinton Presidential Library credited with new wave of conventions.(Tourism)
March 7, 2005... ALTHOUGH IT'S ONLY been open for a little more than three months, the Clinton Presidential Library has been giving the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau and the city's tourism industry an economic boost for years. Just when it...

Lawsuits, tax woes rain on Wild River Country.(Tourism)
March 7, 2005... HUGH HALL IS PRAYING for a sweltering Arkansas slimmer. Hall, the owner of Wild River Country in North Little Rock, blames part of the water park's well publicized financial trouble on last year's unseasonably cool August, which lowered the...

Heading for takeoff.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... It appears that the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce and Dassault Falcon Jet are ready to take flight on hinted expansions to the aircraft company's Little Rock operations. The chamber is hosting a news conference at its...

Lender beware.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... A Little Rock businessman is drawing scrutiny for using property as collateral to borrow money. What's the big deal? In at least three instances, he didn't own the property used to secure the loans. He sold two of the mortgaged...

Yates gets rowdy.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Remember back in January we told you that Barbara Yates had taken "early retirement" from BKD LLP? Last week, she clarified that a bit. In a lawsuit she filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court, Yates said BKD had "unilaterally"...

Pizza and boy bands.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... John Ridgway has sold his interest in five Little Rock and one North Little Rock Sonic Drive-Ins and is owning an upscale pizzeria in west Little Rock with Kevin Johnson, who also has Sonic ties. The new restaurant will be the first...

More Moser trouble.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Convicted tax attorney Bobby Keith Moser has a little more legal trouble to deal with. He is currently hanging out in the West Carroll Detention Center in Epps, La., awaiting sentencing in early May for money laundering, interstate...

Corrections.(Whispers)(Correction Notice)
March 7, 2005... Elizabeth Farris has been promoted to president of Regions Bank in Hot Springs. Her new title was reported incorrectly in the Feb. 21 issue of Arkansas Business. Jim von Gremp has been appointed to the board of trustees of the University...

Needed department?(Editorial)
March 7, 2005... EVERY OTHER YEAR, WHEN the General Assembly meets, legislation is proposed to create an Arkansas Department of Agriculture. This year we have SB448, which would create an Agriculture Department that would have a wide variety of farmers...

Wastewater concerns.(Letter)(Letter to the Editor)
March 7, 2005... The citizens of west Little Rock have every right to be concerned that a new wastewater treatment facility is being planned for the Little Maumelle River Basin. The track record of municipalities constructing facilities that are visually...

Class-action case for business.(Commentary)
March 7, 2005... LAST WEEK, THE UNITED States Congress came to the rescue of businesses facing the threat of attorneys bringing class-action lawsuits to extort legal fees on a pretense of defending consumers. Congressional studies show that class-action...

Making events last.(On Marketing)(Column)
March 7, 2005... YOU PROVIDED SO MUCH response to my most recent column ("Effective Events") that I'm guessing the topic hit a nerve. Many of you shared particular experiences--good and bad--around your participation in events. In particular, I heard many...

Crye-Leike project.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... A 30,200-SF office building is in the works for west Little Rock after a $1.3 million land deal. The Harold E. Crye Revocable Living Trust bought the 2.5-acre site at 11601 Kanis Road from Patrick Malmstrom and his Malmstrom Family Ltd....

Buffet buy.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(KAC Limited LLC)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... A Maumelle eatery changed hands in a $950,000 transaction. KAC Limlted LLC, led by Keith Hardin and Mike Arnold, purchased B.J.'s Family Buffet Restaurant at 20608 Hwy. 365. The seller is Morgan Commercial Group, led by Robert O. Justice,...

Pleasant assembly.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... A 1.1-acre piece of a retail assembly process in west Little Rock sold for $600,000. Pleasant Ridge Development Co. LLLP, led by Lou Schickel, acquired the 1,309-SF home at 11505 Summit Road from Norm and Jean Condray. The property was...

Legal transaction.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The Dickerson Law Firm has a new home in downtown Little Rock after a $425,000 deal. Jack and Julianna Dickerson bought the former credit union headquarters at 801 Louisiana St. from Telcoe Federal Credit Union, led by Sarah Mosley. ...

Railroad sale.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(SAB Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... A North Little Rock commercial property drew a $211,000 sales price. SAB Corp., led by Syvalene Altes, purchased the Fibre Source Inc. project at 810 W. Eighth St. from Union Pacific Railroad Co. of Omaha, Neb. The deal is backed with a...

Waterview acreage.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Waterview Estates LLC)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Eight lots covering more than 52 acres in west Little Rock's Waterview Estates neighborhood tipped the scales at a reported $3 million. Joseph and Brenda Blankenship acquired the lots on Ridge Pointe Lane west of Highway 300 and north of...

Residential purchase.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... A 4,881-SF home in west Little Rock in rang up a $589,000 deal. John and Michelle White bought the property on Highway 300 from the Chester A. Westergard and Linda R. Westergard Joint Revocable Trust. The deal is funded with a 30-year...

Condo deal.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Fourteenth floor condo space in downtown Little Rock is under new ownership after a $514,000 deal. Pauline Johnson-Brown purchased the 2,205-SF unit in the First Security Center at 521 President Clinton Ave. from Clinton & Sherman Building...

Im financing.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Im's Enterprises LLC)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... A North Little Rock restaurant redevelopment is funded with a $6 million agreement. Im's Enterprises LLC, led by Steve Ira, received the 5-year loan from Regions Bank of Birmingham, Ala. The 3.78-acre development at 4120 E. McCain...

Medical loan.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(KDMB University Properties LLC)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The owners of a medical office building in Little Rock picked up a $2 million financial package. KDMB University Properties LLC, led by Dean Kumpuris, Glenn Davis, James Metrailer and John Baber, obtained the 3-month loan from Regions...

Steakhouse funding.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Day One Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The owner of a west Little Rock restaurant secured a $1.2 million mortgage. Day One Ltd., led by Dennis Day, Michelle Harkens and Scott Day, landed the 5-year loan from First Security Bank of Searcy. The 2.8-acre Butcher Shop...

Marple mortgage.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Marple Auto Sales Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... A 25-acre commercial property in North Pulaski County is backed with a $999,088 note. Marple Auto Sales Inc., led by Roy Marple, got the 2-year loan from First Security Bank. The land on the west side of U.S. Hwy. 67-167 about a...

Bird & Bear note.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Bird & Bear Enterprises Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The owners of a Little Rock medical equipment firm obtained a $750,000 mortgage. Bird & Bear Enterprises Inc., led by Jay and Marc Heflin, secured the 3-year loan from Twin City Bank of North Little Rock. The 1.94-acre Bird & Bear...

Ford receives $2.2 million bonus in busy 2004.(Communications)(Scott Ford)
March 7, 2005... Scott Ford, president and CEO of Alltel Corp., received a $2.2 million bonus in 2004, the year the telecommunications company sealed a $170 million deal for divested properties from Cingular Wireless and laid the groundwork for a $6 billion...

Alltel: deal will close despite DOJ questions.(Inside Business)
March 7, 2005... Alltel Corp. believes its acquisition of Bellevue, Wash., company Western Wireless will be completed, even as the U.S. Department of Justice has requested additional information about the deal. Alltel said the Justice Department's request...

Arkansas best execs earn bigger bonuses.(Trucking & Transportation)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Arkansas Best Corp., whose stock has dramatically outperformed its peer group, paid out cushier bonuses for the 2004 fiscal year, the company's proxy statement disclosed. The proxy, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last...

Wood manufacturers seek sales tax exemption.(Forestry)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... State Rep. Ken Cowling, D-Foreman, has filed the Competitive Manufacturing Act of 2005, which would eliminate over three years the sales .tax that pulp, paper and wood products companies pay on energy used in manufacturing their products. ...

Wal-Mart same-store sales rise 4.1 percent.(Public Company Reports)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said February same-store sales rose 4.1 percent for both Wal-Mart stores and Sam's Clubs while overall sales were up 10.9 percent for the month. Wal-Mart posted sales of $22.4 billion for the month, compared to $20.2...

Dillard's sales up 5 percent.(Public Company Reports)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Dillard's Inc. sales for the four weeks ended Feb. 26 were $653.5 million, which is up 5 percent when compared with sales of $621 million for the same period a year ago. Sales increased 5 percent on both a total and comparable store basis. ...

Payday lender act introduced in legislature.(Banking & Finance)
March 7, 2005... State Sen. Tracy Steele, D-North Little Rock, introduced a bill last week that would gut the check-casher industry in Arkansas by prohibiting "payday loans" of less than $3,000 and closing loopholes that have been used to circumvent the...

Women's business council seminar set this week.(Nonprofit)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Debbie Hurst, president of the Women's Business Council--Southwest, will host a luncheon event from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on March 10 at the First Tee of Arkansas. Last year; the WBCS, headquartered in Arlington, Texas, began to form...

MarketFoods $13m in hole, according to filings.(NW Journal: a look at news from Northwest Arkansas)
March 7, 2005... The list of creditors that MarketFoods LLC of Rogers filed in bankruptcy court in Fayetteville indicates assets of $10.5 million and debts of $23.5 million. Unsecured claims totaled $18.1 million. Secured claims amounted to $5.4 million. ...

Rogers angles to lure tourists.(NW Journal: a look at news from Northwest Arkansas)
March 7, 2005... Rogers capitalizes on the 28,000 acres of nearby Beaver Lake to attract tourists and generate income. Bethany Mallett Stephens, director of the Rogers Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the Wal-Mart FLW Tour will lure about 1,000 anglers...

Jonesboro utility looks to Osceola.(NE Journal: a look at news from Northeast Arkansas)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Jonesboro City Water and Light said it is considering investing in a new coal-fired electric generating plant at Osceola. CWL Manager Ron Bowen said it was too early to say how much CWL would invest in the plant. But he said CWL had...

ASU stops subsidy for English program.(NE Journal: a look at news from Northeast Arkansas)(Arkansas State University)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The Center for English as a Second Language at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro will close in June because ASU announced it will stop subsidizing it. In the past two years, ASU has given the program approximately $120,000, said Rick...

Sharp Foundation needs $10 million for hospital.(NE Journal: a look at news from Northeast Arkansas)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The Sharp Medical Foundation now says it will need about $10 million to open the Eastern Ozark Regional Health System in Cherokee Village. At first, the foundation said it would need $8 million to cover the $4 million purchase price and...

Philip E. Dixon, 72, a partner in the Dover Dixon Home law firm in Little Rock and a former president of the Pulaski County and Arkansas bar associations, died Feb. 25 after being ill for several weeks.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
March 7, 2005... Philip E. Dixon, 72, a partner in the Dover Dixon Home law firm in Little Rock and a former president of the Pulaski County and Arkansas bar associations, died Feb. 25 after being ill for several weeks. A Little Rock native, Dixon had practiced...

Heifer International Foundation, chartered in 1990 by Heifer International to build an endowment to support its ongoing work.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Heifer International Foundation, chartered in 1990 by Heifer International to build an endowment to support its ongoing work, said it grew more than 20 percent last year and surpassed $50 million in managed assets at the end of 2004. The figure...

Helena-West Helena.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Voters in Helena and neighboring West Helena have approved the merger of the two Delta cities. Voters also approved naming the new city Helena-West Helena. The merger becomes effective Jan. 1. West Helena has 8,689 residents and Helena has...

The Rubber Manufacturers Association and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality will host the Fourth Southeastern Regional Scrap Tire Management Conference on ways of putting old tires to new uses.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The Rubber Manufacturers Association and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality will host the Fourth Southeastern Regional Scrap Tire Management Conference on ways of putting old tires to new uses. The conference will be at the...

Hot Springs' Mountain Valley Spring Co. was awarded the 2005 bottled water bid for the eastern and central regions of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Hot Springs' Mountain Valley Spring Co. was awarded the 2005 bottled water bid for the eastern and central regions of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service. The winning bid, worth $3 million, will generate shipments of 450,000 cases of Mountain...

Gov. Mike Huckabee, who will become chairman of the National Governors Association this summer, says it's "way too premature" to talk about running for president in 2008.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Gov. Mike Huckabee, who will become chairman of the National Governors Association this summer, says it's "way too premature" to talk about running for president in 2008. But neither did he rule out seeking the Republican nomination after...

Arkansas State University.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Arkansas State University's 2005 Spring Job Fair will be held March 9 at the Convocation Center from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The job fair is open to students from all colleges and is free. For more details, contact Career Services at (870)...

PC Assistance Inc. of Little Rock has signed a sales agent agreement with Hughes Network Systems of Germantown, Md. Hughes, a leading provider of satellite broadband service.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... PC Assistance Inc. of Little Rock has signed a sales agent agreement with Hughes Network Systems of Germantown, Md. Hughes, a leading provider of satellite broadband service, has joined forces with Cisco Systems Inc. to launch a joint...

John Ebner takes over as treasurer of Alltel Corp. on April 8.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... John Ebner takes over as treasurer of Alltel Corp. on April 8. He joined Alltel in 1996 and currently is VP of finance for the company's wireless operations. He succeeds Scott Settelmyer, treasurer since 2001, who has decided to move back to...

Arkansas Employment Security Department.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The state's unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 percent in January, according to numbers released by the Arkansas Employment Security Department. The state's unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in December and 5.7 percent in January 2004. The AESD...

America's Car Mart Inc. of Bentonville has elected William Sams to its board of directors.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... America's Car Mart Inc. of Bentonville has elected William Sams to its board of directors. Sams began his career in 1966 in the mutual fund industry. From 1981-2000, he was president and CIO of FPA Paramount Fund Inc., as well as executive vice...

Methodist Family Health of Maumelle is one of 81 recipients of Nickelodeon grants designed to help foster healthy and active lifestyles within local communities.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Methodist Family Health of Maumelle is one of 81 recipients of Nickelodeon grants designed to help foster healthy and active lifestyles within local communities. The television network is distributing $600,000 to schools and other organizations...

Arkansas Flag and Banner: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category I (1-25 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Since 1975, Kerry McCoy has grown Arkansas Flag and Banner at near-bankrupting speed. Her last two business expansions--$200,000 to buy and renovate the redbrick, historic building at 800 W. Ninth St. in 1992 and $500,000 for equipment and...

Bell-Corley Construction: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category I (1-25 employees))(Bell-Corley Construction Co.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Bell-Corley Construction Co. of Little Rock started as a niche construction firm and expanded its services to include full-blown general contracting. Founded in April 2001 by brothers-in-law Matt Bell and Boyd Corley, the company initially...

Communications Development: Maumelle.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category I (1-25 employees))(Communications Development Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... In early 1990, 27-year-old Trish Groves had nothing but an $8,000 loan, some big ideas and a space just large enough for a computer in a tiny spare room of her home. Fifteen years later, Communications Development Inc. is a nationally...

Shred-it: North Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category I (1-25 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Shred-it's clients must be comfortable with the way the North Little Rock company goes about destroying and recycling documents: Shred-it boasts a 98 percent customer retention rate. In the month of January alone, Shred-it destroyed and...

The Wilcox Group: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category I (1-25 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... In the architectural business, Steve Kinzler said, bigger firms get the bigger projects--most of the time. The Wilcox Group was formed in 1989 with the intention of being a small architectural firm that could take on large-scale projects....

Fuller & Son Hardware: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category II (1-25 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... It is possible in the age of Wal-Mart and Home Depot for a mom-and-pop retailer to flourish, and Fuller & Son Hardware is proof. In 1921, Walter "Pop" Fuller founded the business with just one location that served as a feed and farm supply...

Home I.V. Specialists: Jonesboro.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category II (1-25 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... After working for years in the home infusion therapy industry, Julia Robinson realized northeast Arkansas wasn't being properly served. So she opened Home I.V. Specialists Inc. in Jonesboro in March 1991 to deliver the treatments. "I...

May Construction: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category II (1-25 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... CEO Lewis May has been taking May Construction Co. in new directions since buying out his brother and partner in 1998. It has shown consistent growth. May has been instilling a new culture within the company that has allowed it to succeed...

MediSav Homecare Pharmacies: Charleston.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category II (1-25 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Joe Larkin compares the retail business to a basketball game. "In the retail business, you constantly have to adjust your game or you fall behind," said Larkin, one of the owners of MediSav Homecare Pharmacies in Charleston. Larkin...

Twin City Printing: North Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category II (1-25 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Flexible 60-year-olds are not easy to come by, whether it's a person or a business. That makes North Little Rock's Twin City Printing an exception. Founded by Walter Simpson in 1945, Twin City Printing spent the next 50 years mainly...

American Taekwondo Association: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category III (76-300 employees))(American Taekwondo Association)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... There are still many Arkansans who don't realize that the world's most successful martial arts program is based in Little Rock. With more than 350,000 students trained by more than 3,000 certified instructors around the world, the American...

Baldwin & Shell Construction: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category III (76-300 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Baldwin & Shell Construction Co. of Little Rock has built a 58-year legacy of projects that dot the Arkansas landscape. In fact, the general contracting firm's list of construction jobs is an Arkansas-on y affair. "It's part of our...

Pulaski Bank & Trust: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category III (76-300 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Pulaski Bank & Trust of Little Rock is a year away from its golden anniversary. During its history, the lender has established itself as a leading performer among its peers. From 1997-2001, Pulaski Bank was ranked 17th in the nation for...

Central States Manufacturing: Lowell.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category III (76-300 employees))(Central States Manufacturing Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Central States Manufacturing Inc. has seen phenomenal growth since it was founded in 1988 by Carl and Rick Carpenter, and they foresee continued success ahead. Central States manufactures and delivers high-quality metal building components...

Southern Bancorp: Arkadelphia.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category III (76-300 employees))(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Phillip Baldwin is sympathetic to the people whose "eyes glaze over" when he tries to explain the mission of Southern Bancorp of Arkadelphia. "I was driving my car one day, thinking, 'What is it I do? What really is this job?'" the CEO...

Arkansas Hospice: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category IV nonprofit organizations)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... When an Arkansan is dying, Arkansas Hospice Inc. is there to offer help. The Little Rock nonprofit provides the dying and their families with physical, emotional and spiritual care, said Michael Aureli, president and CFO of Arkansas...

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category IV nonprofit organizations)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra has been providing music to Arkansas' ears for nearly 40 years. With a budget of $3.5 million, the ASO offers a wide range of musical performances and educational services to develop the cultural life of all...

Camp Aldersgate: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category IV nonprofit organizations)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Thanks to Little Rock's Camp Aldersgate, children with medical conditions or developmental delays have had a fun and friendly escape for nearly 60 years. The camp was formed in 1947 as a place where people of all races and backgrounds...

Junior Achievement of Arkansas: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category IV nonprofit organizations)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Arkansas doesn't require that school children be taught economics, so the weight falls on Junior Achievement of Arkansas, a nonprofit organization that aims to prepare students for their financial lives. Created nationally in 1919, Junior...

Potluck: North Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: category IV nonprofit organizations)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Potluck Inc. is a "food rescue" organization. Unlike food banks, which store and distribute nonperishable foods, Potluck receives prepared but unserved meals and other fresh and frozen foods from restaurants, hotels, caterers, grocery stores...

Charley Baxter, NLR Senior Citizens Outreach Services: North Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Nonprofit Executive of the Year)(North Little Rock Senior Citizens Outreach Services)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... After taking over the North Little Rock Senior Citizens Outreach Services less than three years ago, Charley Baxter has seen the organization grow far more than he hoped for. Baxter said he thought 1,500 members would be a good goal for the...

Elaine Eubank, CareLink: North Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Nonprofit Executive of the Year)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... It's CareLink's mission to keep people 50 and older active and independent, but there's nothing autonomous about the way the nonprofit's president and CEO, Elaine Eubank, runs the organization. She's been with the 26-year-old CareLink for...

Carol Herzog, Potluck: North Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Nonprofit Executive of the Year)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... In the summer of 1995, Carol Herzog was a recent divorcee trying to establish a new life. Then she found the love of her life: Potluck Inc. "It's really one of those things: Potluck and I met each other, and I was the right girl for Potluck...

Robert Hupp, Arkansas Repertory Theatre: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Nonprofit Executive of the Year)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Robert Hupp has successfully carved a career out of combining ,the things that matter most to him and applying them in his role as producing artistic director of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre. "My career affords me the opportunity to...

William Vickery, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Nonprofit Executive of the Year)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Music is in Bill Vickery's blood. The 56-year-old executive director of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Society Inc. of Little Rock said he is just as excited playing music as he is organizing the musicians. "I am passionate about music,"...

Chris Hubble, Hubble-Mitchell & Associates: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Business Executive of the Year)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Although only 28 years old, Chris Hubble has excelled because of his "whatever it takes" attitude. After working for a couple of other office furniture businesses and developing good relationships in the process, he went into business four...

Phillip Baldwin, Southern Bancorp: Arkadelphia.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Business Executive of the Year)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Phil Baldwin sees himself as Jimmy Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life"--using lending institutions to improve the lives of ordinary residents of Arkadelphia, West Helena and Ruleville, Miss. But unlike the Bailey Building & Loan, Southern...

Margaret McEntire, Candy Bouquet International: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Business Executive of the Year)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Margaret McEntire calls herself "living proof that a housewife can do anything if she puts her mind to it." The company that the mother of six founded 16 years ago, Candy Bouquet International Inc., now has more than 700 franchisees in 44...

Bob Burns Farmers Bank & Trust: Magnolia.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Business Executive of the Year)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Bob Burns' meandering career path led him to the military, education and finally banking in 1979. Burns was talked in to joining the executive team at Farmers Bank & Trust of Magnolia, an institution partially owned by his wife's family....

Robert Shults, Financial Centre: Little Rock.(2004 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards: Business Executive of the Year)(Brief Article)(Biography)
March 7, 2005... Robert Shults has established a reputation as a keen-minded numbers guy with a talent for structuring deals that leave both parties happy. The 68-year-old chairman and CEO of Little Rock's Financial Centre Corp. was attracted to the world...

Aristotle: Little Rock.(Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation Awards)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... A list of all of Aristotle Inc.'s philanthropic contributions would far exceed the space allotted to recognize the Little Rock Internet technology company for winning an Arkansas Community Foundation award for corporate philanthropy. Since...

Arkat Nutrition: Dumas.(Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation Awards)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Rick Wohlschlaegar, president and CEO of Arkat Nutrition Inc. of Dumas, said his company tries to help all clubs and organizations that have a need. Most of those are small-ticket items, but the company has two major programs each year. ...

Delta Dental Plan of Arkansas: Sherwood.(Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation Awards)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Delta Dental Plan of Arkansas Inc. is dedicated to both providing the state with group dental insurance and improving oral health education, prevention and treatment among those who need it most. It's the latter commitment that won the...

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield: Little Rock.(Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation Awards)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2005... Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield wants to improve the health of Arkansans. Using $30 million, the Little Rock health insurance company founded the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas. Since its inception, in December 2001 the...