Frank D. Hickingbotham, chairman of the board and CEO of Hickingbotham Investments Inc., has been announced as the recipient of Arkansas Business’ 2026 Legacy of Leadership award.
Each year, Arkansas Business honors its Legacy of Leadership award recipient, a title reserved for leaders who have made a unique impact on the state, as part of its Arkansas Business of the Year awards program.
Hickingbotham is the founder and former chairman and CEO of TCBY Enterprises Inc., a worldwide manufacturer, franchiser and distributor of frozen yogurt. TCBY Enterprises Inc. was a New York Stock Exchange-traded company with more than 3,000 locations and operations in 70 countries at the time the company was sold in June 2000.
Hickingbotham is a native of McGehee, Arkansas, and resides in Little Rock.
Arkansas Business is thrilled to recognize Hickingbotham along with more than 25 top businesses and nonprofit organizations from around the state at the annual Arkansas Business of the Year awards.
Finalists in each category were selected by an outside panel of judges and will be celebrated at an awards ceremony presented by The Hatcher Agency and UnitedHealthCare on March 5, 2026, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock.
The finalists in each category are:
Category I (1-30 Employees)
- Electric Ghost
- LIVSN
- PodcastVideos.com
- The Law Group of Northwest Arkansas PLLC
Category II (31-55 Employees)
- CFO Network
- Cooperative Technology Solutions LLC
- Ideal Construction Co.
- ImageWorks Commercial Interiors
- Wellness & Courage Counseling Services
Category III (56-150 Employees)
- 4media group
- Cushman & Wakefield | Sage Partners
- Nursing & Rehabilitation Center at Good Shepherd
- Swept Away Janitorial LLC
Category IV (151-499 Employees)
- Baldwin & Shell Construction Co.
- Douglas Companies
- JM Bozeman Enterprises
- McClelland Consulting Engineers
- Middleton Heat & Air
Category V (500+ Employees)
- Crain Family Companies
- First Community Bank
- GPS Dental
- HFA
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
- Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
- Arkansas Research Alliance
- Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs
- SoMa 501 Little Rock Inc.
- University of Central Arkansas Foundation Inc.
- Women’s Foundation of Arkansas
The winners of each category will be revealed at the awards ceremony and published in a special supplement of Arkansas Business to be distributed on Feb. 23, 2026.
For more information on the Arkansas Business of the Year Awards program, visit www.arkansasbusiness.com/event/ABOY or contact Event Operations Lead Lindsey Castrellon at lcastrellon@abpg.com or (501) 455-9336.
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