See more of this week’s Movers & Shakers, and submit your own announcement at ArkansasBusiness.com/Movers-Shakers.
Banking & Finance
Alex Johnston has been appointed senior vice president, head of open banking at Evolve Bank & Trust of West Memphis. For more than 15 years, Johnston has led teams in banking operations and payment solutions within several financial institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Arizona State University in Tempe and a Master’s in Business Administration from John Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Caitlin Ezell has joined Stone Bank in Little Rock as assistant branch manager of the bank’s Chenal location. She is a graduate of the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Tech in North Little Rock and was formerly a client relationship consultant with U.S. Bank of Minneapolis.
Jeff McDonald was promoted to vice president, dealer direct sales and original equipment manufacturer relations manager at First Community Bank of Batesville. He began his banking career in the special assets division in 2014 and later served as a collections officer before transferring to the dealer direct department.
Nicole Hobbs, a certified public accountant, has been hired as senior tax strategist at Naviter Wealth of Little Rock. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in accountancy with an emphasis in tax from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and most recently spent eight years with HCJ CPAs & Advisors PLLC of Little Rock.
Consulting
Cheryl Yarbrough has joined New Nexus Group of Rogers as vice president of partnerships. She previously was vice president of business development and head of marketing at Nuqleous of Bentonville and has held senior leadership roles at Shiloh Technologies of Rogers, Newell Brands of Atlanta, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Coca-Cola Enterprises and Walmart.
Walt Davis, Angela Mask, Scott Neathery and Tonya Weaver have joined EBS, a Little Rock retirement planning and education consulting firm. Davis will serve as a retirement consultant and spent 12 years as a superintendent of the Hector School District and the Perryville School District. Mask will serve as a retirement consultant and worked at Bryant Elementary School for 18 years as assistant principal and principal. Neathery will serve as a retirement consultant, bringing nearly 30 years of coaching experience. Weaver will be an account manager and most recently was director of finance with the Lonoke School District.
Education
Ann Robinson, a distinguished professor of education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has received the Outstanding Rural Scholar in Gifted Education Award from the University of Denver. The award recognizes Robinson’s commitment to rural gifted and talented education.
Heather Stogner has been named director of workforce and community development at Arkansas State University-Beebe. A 22-year employee, Stogner has served in several positions over the years, most recently as assistant director of the university’s regional career center. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business management with an emphasis in human resources management from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and holds two associate degrees from ASU-Beebe.
Jessica Greaves has been named executive director of the Southern Arkansas University Foundation of Magnolia. Since 2019, Greaves has served SAU in various leadership capacities, including as assistant director of communications and marketing and university videographer. She earned a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in social entrepreneurship from the university in 2023 and holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and kinesiology from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia.
Health Care
Laura Droke, an advanced practice registered nurse, has joined Washington Regional’s trauma surgery team in Fayetteville. She first joined Washington Regional in 2016 and most recently provided care at the hospital system’s Fayetteville cardiovascular clinic.
Elizabeth Hankins, an advanced practice registered nurse, is now providing care at the hospital’s electrophysiology clinic in Fayetteville. Hankins has been with Washington Regional since 2017 and previously worked as a registered nurse.
Legal
Helen Hope and Abigail Riddle have joined the Rose Law Firm of Little Rock as associates. Hope will work in the litigation section in the Little Rock office, focusing on general civil litigation. She graduated cum laude from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville School of Law. Riddle will work in the business section in the northwest Arkansas office, focusing on real estate, business and transactional matters. She graduated summa cum laude from UA’s School of Law, and received the highest score in the state on the Arkansas bar exam in July 2025.
John Morgan has joined Mitchell Williams Selig Gates & Woodyard PLLC of Little Rock as a partner. He brings extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions and private equity developed through his work at Kirkland & Ellis of Chicago and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom of New York City.
Manufacturing
Viji Kuruvilla, vice president of quality at Lexicon Inc. of Little Rock, has been honored as a Life Member of the American Welding Society of Miami during a ceremony at the 2025 Fabtech Conference in Chicago. Kuruvilla joined Lexicon in 2015.
Media
Debbie Miller, secretary of the Arkansas Press Women of Little Rock, has been elected president of the National Federation of Press Women of Purcellville, Virginia. Miller works as an instructor of journalism, media and English at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville.
Recreation
Lucia DiGiacomo has been hired as director of pickleball at Hot Springs Health & Fitness. A Hot Springs native, she spent the past four years working in pickleball at the national level, including serving as general manager of Vulcan Pickleball of Hot Springs and working with the Professional Pickleball Association of Dallas.
Utilities
Andrew Mitchell has been promoted to telecom construction technician 3 at Conway Corp. He began his career at the utility in September 2022. Brad Curtis has been promoted to operations system coordinator in the Engineering Department at Conway Corp. Curtis, who joined the utility in July 2024, will oversee and coordinate the daily operations of its electrical systems.
Cary Beth Lipscomb, a professional engineer, has been promoted to director of operations at the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority. She oversees three water reclamation facilities and multiple wet weather attenuation facilities and has more than 12 years of wastewater project management experience.
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