The Year in Executive Q&A: 2017

Dear Readers,

I often say that the No. 1 thing that interests Arkansas Business readers is OPM — other people’s money. Our news staff understands that the fundamental service we perform is compiling information to help business executives understand and navigate an ever-changing business environment.

One way we do that is by compiling data — lots of data. Last week, subscribers received the Book of Lists, which appeals to the part of the human brain that likes to see data organized and ranked. This week we present a different kind of information that appeals to the universal fascination with other people.

Exec Q&A has been a weekly feature in Arkansas Business since 2011. We approach executives from businesses large and small, nonprofit and even government agencies, and ask them to answer questions about their organizations as well issues in their industry. Sometimes we ask personal questions — a favorite is about educational mistakes.

This is not hard-hitting journalism. It’s just a way to learn more about the people, businesses and industries that make up our business community — things that help the Arkansas Business staff improve our product and things our readers can use to learn about the industries they sell to and buy from — and maybe a life lesson along the way.

The only thing I’m selling is newspapers, and I owe a big thank-you to the 51 men and women who answered questions for this project in 2017. It is a compliment to Arkansas Business that they have agreed to help make our publication more valuable to readers.

Executive Q&A will continue throughout 2018. If you know of someone who would make a worthy subject, I’m all ears. Email me at GMoritz@ABPG.com.

Best wishes,
Gwen Moritz, Editor

JANUARY-APRIL

	Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee Osteopathic School Will Fill Physician Shortages in Delta	Jan. 9
	Dale Cole The Next 20 Years of First Community Bank of Batesville	Jan. 16
	Dawn Prasifka Teaching Your Girl Scout How To Be a Smart Cookie	Jan. 23
	Susan Altrui Zoo Exhibits a Habitat for Inspiration	Jan. 30
	Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl Marketing Firms Should Heed Call of Data	Feb. 6
	Brad Smith Seeking Value Every Day at Kimbel	Feb. 13
	Matthew McClure Opportunity in Having a Full Plate	Feb. 20
	Travis Bartlett At Home with Sustainable Design	Feb. 27
	Audrey House Arkansas Shouldn’t Keep Its Wine Sales Bottled Up	Mar. 6
	Bryan Hancock Reaping Rewards from Aircraft Scrap Heap	Mar. 13
	Tad Bohannon Keeping Central Arkansas Water Ratepayers Tapped In	Mar. 20
	George Covington Jr. Ready To Raise the Roof in Conway	Mar. 27
	Daryl Bassett Why Land of Opportunity Needs More Workers To Land a Job	Apr. 3
	Mike Richardson Healthy Interest in Rising Rates	Apr. 10
	Patricia Blick Historic Preservation Can Bring Forth Economic Benefits	Apr. 17
	Wayne Smith Balance the Key to Keeping Oaklawn On Track	Apr. 24

MAY-AUGUST

	Dan Sanker Keep Supply Chains Unbroken	May 1
	Brandon Huffman Managing Financial Windfall from Drywall	May 8
	Paul Beran Patience, Innovation Best for Workforce’s Relationship with Education	May 15
	A.J. Gary Having Game Plan Can Rescue Business from Disaster	May 22
	Edward Haddock Big Reasons to Think Small	May 29
	Jerry Morgan Commodities in the Community	June 5
	Craig S. Lair Eye on Growth at Rose Law Firm	June 12
	Pat Harris The Rise of Real Estate in Northwest Arkansas	June 19
	Jeff Standridge Why Companies Should Encourage Startups	June 26
	Dan Rahn The Top 7 Health Care Reforms He’d Like to See	July 3
	Pat McCabe Moving Hot Springs Full Steam Ahead	July 10
	Bob McCaslin Bonds Spent on Bentonville Resources Show Crystal Clear Effects	July 17
	Chris Hegi Golden Rule for Serving El Dorado	July 24
	Mervin Jebaraj Which Fast-Growing Industry Could Be the Most Unpredictable	July 31
	Kelly Damphousse A Clean Slate at A-State	Aug. 7
	Emma Willis Saving Early for Higher Education	Aug. 14
	Steven Collier Ready to Adapt with Whatever Washington Puts in Place	Aug. 21
	Tab Townsell How Building Bridges Not Always On Track	Aug. 28

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER

	Anna Beth Gorman Interest in Equity Pays Off	Sep. 4
	Kerry McCoy Wave of Publicity	Sep. 4
	David Hopkins Setting Sites on Solar	Sep. 11
	Marshall Saviers What’s Missing from Northwest Arkansas’ Growth Experience	Sep. 18
	Burt Hicks Reflects Upon Impact	Sep. 25
	Trisha Montague New Hospital, ER All Part of Children’s Northwest Package	Oct. 2
	Gary Head Putting a Postive Stamp on Community Commerce	Oct. 9
	Vanessa McKuin How the Public Can Band Together on Radio	Oct. 16
	John P. Bethel Keeping Arkansas’ Utilities in Line	Oct. 23
	Kristi Dannelley Evolving Technology at Magna IV	Oct. 30
	Richard Dunsworth Lifts Enrollment with Tuition Locked Down	Nov. 6
	Sandy Sanders Fort Smith’s Strength Not in Short Supply	Nov. 13
	Allen Kerr Seeks Freedom from Fed on Health Care	Nov. 20
	Ross Whipple Branching Out, Logging Time Away from Boardroom	Nov. 27
	Roger Norman Where Most Accounting Issues Take Place	Dec. 4
	Colin Gorman What Construction Expense State Lawmakers Should Fix First	Dec. 11
	Sherece West-Scantlebury Who Gets Grants from Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation	Dec. 18