Ken Thompson

Whirlpool Corp.


Ken Thompson

Ken Thompson has been leading Whirlpool's Fort Smith manufacturing effort for four years and has been with the company for 32. Despite announcing several rounds of layoffs in 2009 and 2010, Whirlpool remains one of the state's largest manufacturers with an estimated 1,900 employees. Whirlpool's Arkansas operation mainly manufactures refrigerators, trash compactors and component ice-makers.

Whirlpool's Arkansas operation closed in 2012.