The Frank Fletcher Cos.

Frank Fletcher Cos. of North Little Rock is an Arkansas conglomerate led by Frank Fletcher, a businessman who got his start in the late 1960s as a manufacturer's rep for a burgeoning northwest Arkansas retailer called Wal-Mart. The company owns restaurants, auto dealerships, Fletcher & Bensky Fine Furs and various real estate holdings.

Under the guidance of founder Sam Walton, Fletcher went from representing manufacturers to becoming one himself. His Silverwood Products Inc. and Cheyenne Industries became two of the largest suppliers of lamps, mirrors and frames to major retailers, including Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target and Lowe's.

Fletcher sold out the manufacturing businesses in 2010, citing the extensive travel it took to run them and a desire to expand his auto dealerships, which that year accounted for the bulk of the company’s revenue: $625 million. Fletcher owns Honda, Nissan and Toyota dealerships in Arkansas and Missouri and is on the lookout for new acquisitions.

The Fletcher Cos. also has a hotel and restaurant operation in North Little Rock: the 220-room Wyndham Riverfront Little Rock Hotel, which contains the Riverfront Steakhouse and Benihana. In 2011, he purchased Ferneau, an upscale Hillcrest restaurant from chef Donnie Ferneau.