Arkansas Business Concludes 2018 Executive Leadership Academy, Sets 2019 Dates

Leaders from a mix of business, nonprofit and policy sectors concluded the Arkansas Business Executive Leadership Academy on Oct. 26.

The five-session Arkansas Business Executive Leadership Academy launched in August as a means of leadership development through a mix of personal strengths assessment, one-on-one coaching, custom curriculum and a lineup of featured CEO speakers. Insight Leadership Group of northwest Arkansas built the course material and facilitated each of the five sessions.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. Chairman of the Board Kirk Thompson, former Tyson Foods Inc. CEO Donnie Smith, Sage Partners Principal Mark Saviers, Cameron Smith & Associates CEO Cameron Smith and Southwest Power Pool CEO Nick Brown were featured speakers for the academy’s inaugural year. They spoke on topics ranging from servant leadership, best practices for hiring, creating and maintaining company culture, managing through crisis and building a management team you can trust.

Dates for the five-session program have been set for 2019. Classes will be held Aug. 23, Sept. 6, Sept. 20, Oct. 4 and Oct. 18 at the Arkansas State University System Office in Little Rock

For additional information on the Arkansas Business Executive Leadership Academy, visit ABLeadershipAcademy.com/inquire.

Questions can be sent to CBahn@ABPG.com.

2018 Executive Leadership Academy Graduates

Bryan Barnhouse
Chief Operating Officer
Arkansas Research Alliance

Barrett Breeding
Controller
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Inc.

Alan Bubbus
Owner
David’s Burgers

Ted Clouser
President
PC Assistance Inc.

Syard Evans
CEO
Arkansas Support Network

Amy Fecher
Executive Vice President of Operations
Arkansas Economic Development Commission

T. Kale Gober
Vice President University Advancement & President of UCA Foundation
University of Central Arkansas

Brad Henry
Vice President
Arkansas Development Finance Authority

Matt Irving
Director of Operations
Today’s Power Inc. (TPI)

Nicholas Kelley
Executive Vice President
Flake & Kelley Commercial

Nathan Kinard
Managing Director
Northwestern Mutual

Samantha Lewis
Director of Finance
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp.

Angela Lowther
Executive Director
Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace

Darren McCrillis
Vice President of Finance
Delta Plastics of the South LLC

Clint Mickle
CEO
Sleep Management Services

Bailey Newcomb-Faulkner
Executive Director
Ozark Mission Project

Alisa Petet
Administrator
GastroArkansas

Matt Price
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Finnegans Inc/DBA Finnegan Health Services

Ahmed Samad
CEO
Arkansas Surgery & Endoscopy Center

Jennifer Samuel
P&C Agent
The Hatcher Agency

Maria Smedley
Vice President – Human Resources & Strategy
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp.

Taylor Speegle
Director of Corporate Relations
Walton Arts Center

Roger Sundermeier
Senior Vice President
First Arkansas Bank & Trust

Kris Upton
President & CEO
RPM Group

B.J. Walker
Head of Litigation Practice Group
Rose Law Firm

2018 Executive Leadership Academy Facilitators
Michael Brown, Stephen Caldwell, Chris Case of Insight Leadership Group
Chris Bahn, Arkansas Business Publishing Group.