Eat My Catfish
2024 Arkansas Business of the Year // Category IV (151-499 Employees) Little Rock
The eight-restaurant chain Eat My Catfish faced devastation last year, but President Travis Hester, who founded the company in 2008, does not want it to be remembered for that.
Although he called 2022 a hard year for business, because of inflationary pressures and staffing problems, last year was also difficult. The March 31 tornado heavily damaged the Eat My Catfish location in Breckenridge Village, and then just a few days later, the company’s vice president, Karla Coffman, was slain. “She was kind of the cornerstone to our company,” Hester said.
Coming out of these losses, he said, it was important to the company to be able to give to others by providing meals to first responders and tornado victims.
“We just want to get back to where we’re running top-notch restaurants across the board.” Revenue was on track to exceed $10 million in 2023.
Previous Honorees
Browse by Year
Arkansas Business of the Year
2026 Arkansas Business of the Year
Nonprofit Organization
Innovation Pacesetter
Category 5 (500+ Employees)
Category 4 (151-499 Employees)
Category 3 (56-150 Employees)
Category 2 (31-55 Employees)
Category 1 (1-30 Employees)
2024 Arkansas Business of the Year
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Legacy of Leadership
Innovation Pacesetter Award
Category V (500+ Employees)
Category IV (151-499 Employees)
Category III (56-150 Employees)
Category II (31-55 Employees)
Category I (1-30 Employees)
2023 Arkansas Business of the Year
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Legacy of Leadership
Innovation Pacesetter
Category V (500+ Employees)
Category IV (151-499 Employees)
Category III (56-150 Employees)
Category II (31-55 Employees)
Category I (1-30 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
2022
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Legacy of Leadership
Category V (500+ Employees)
Category IV (151-499 Employees)
Category III (56-150 Employees)
Category II (31-55 Employees)
Category I (1-30 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
2021
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Legacy of Leadership
Category IV (151-499 Employees)
Category III (56-150 Employees)
Category II (31-55 Employees)
Category I (1-30 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation Smart Corporate Giving Award
2020
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Legacy of Leadership
Category IV (101-499 Employees)
Category III (56-100 Employees)
Category II (31-55 Employees)
Category I (1-30 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2019
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Legacy of Leadership
Category IV (101-499 Employees)
Category III (56-100 Employees)
Category II (31-55 Employees)
Category I (1-30 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2018
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category IV (101-499 Employees)
Category III (56-100 Employees)
Category II (31-55 Employees)
Category I (1-30 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2017
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2016
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2015
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2014
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2013
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2012
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2010
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2009
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2008
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2007
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2006
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2005
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category IV (Nonprofit Organizations)
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2004
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2003
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2002
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2001
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category IV (Nonprofit Organizations)
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations
2000
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
1999
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year
1998
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
Category III (76-300 Employees)
Category II (26-75 Employees)
Category I (1-25 Employees)
Business Executive of the Year