The Sam M. Walton College of Business and the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame board have selected four state business leaders as its 2024 inductees.
They are:
- John L. Conner Jr., president, Holden-Conner Realty Co. of Newport
- Gary C. George, chairman, George’s Inc. of Springdale
- Eric Jackson, senior vice president, Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort
- Dhu C. Thompson, owner, US Irrigation Distributors LLC of Stuttgart; former owner/president, Delta Plastics of Little Rock and Revolution Bag of Little Rock
The honorees will be recognized for their contributions to the agriculture, poultry, sustainability and entertainment industries in Arkansas and the region in an induction ceremony at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock on Feb. 16, 2024.
Brent Williams, interim dean of the Walton College, said the inductees “represent the best of Arkansas business, and their contributions have had a profound impact on our state and their own industries.”
“They are visionary leaders and dedicated advocates for their communities,” he said in a statement. “I am confident that their stories will inspire current Walton College students and generations of Arkansas business leaders to come.”
Jason LaFrance, Walton College alumnus and president of Dale Capital Partners, chaired the selection committee of 11 business leaders who reviewed nominations and selected the inductees.
Criteria for selection includes the significance of the impact made as a business leader, the concern demonstrated for improving the community and the display of ethics in all business dealings. Living inductees must be over the age of 60.
The Arkansas Business Hall of Fame is housed in the atrium of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development at the Walton College on the U of A campus in Fayetteville.
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