Grant Tennille

He was known for his blunt rhetoric and advocacy for farmers and older residents. read more >

While a single wind project won’t seal the fate of America’s energy markets, resistance to Southwestern Electric Power Co.’s Wind Catcher project comes in conjunction with support for coal and nuclear power at the highest levels of American government. read more >

The University of Arkansas and the city where it's based, Fayetteville, have both rallied behind a $4.5 billion Oklahoma wind energy project that has been under fire from what its supporters call a deceptive TV advertising campaign. read more >

It’s no wonder Ben Noble jumped at a chance to work for Riceland Foods. Rice and land have shaped his life since infancy. read more >

The future pulp mill site, five miles south of Arkadelphia, represents Shandong Sun Paper’s first North American project. Construction of the complex is expected to begin a year from now and produce 250 new jobs to staff it when fully operational in 2020. read more >

A former executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission joined Aarch Communications of Little Rock, a new partnership offering strategic communications services. read more >

A tour of the hidden underground tunnels of Hot Springs was the most-read story on ArkansasBusiness.com in 2014. read more >

Wachter Inc. of Lenexa, Kansas, is expanding its facility in Lowell, investing $2 million and adding 20 new jobs. read more >

After eight years with a Democrat at the helm of the executive branch, Republican Asa Hutchinson’s agency director appointments are also an opportunity to shape the next four years of business in the state. read more >

Gov. Mike Beebe and Grant Tennille, executive director of the AEDC, hinted that meetings in Europe would yield announcements in the not-so-distant future regarding new jobs and capital investment in Arkansas. read more >

The state’s top economic development official said he has no undue concerns about a $2 million taxpayer investment in Redman & Associates, despite the CEO’s bankruptcy a decade ago and subsequent litigation, including a lawsuit related to the product the company is manufacturing in Rogers. read more >

John Correnti, chairman and CEO of Big River Steel LLC, has more than 40 years of experience in the steel industry. Big River Steel, a $1.3 billion project, is being built in Mississippi County near Osceola. It’s expected to employ more than 525 workers with average yearly compensation of $75,000. read more >

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe told union representatives he would not support cash incentives for ArcBest Corp.'s new Fort Smith headquarters after subsidiary ABF Freight said it is considering moving its North Little Rock distribution center to Memphis. read more >

ArcBest Corp. of Fort Smith said Friday that it will buy 40 acres of land at Chaffee Crossing in Fort Smith to build a new corporate headquarters. The $30 million project will allow the firm to support 975 new jobs in Fort Smith through 2021. read more >

Two weeks ago Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza declared Arkansas' ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, sparking a statewide debate about the future of marriage and its legal, political, religious and social implications. read more >

State Sen. Jane English has no use for the private option, the Medicaid expansion providing health insurance to the poor. But the Republican lawmaker from North Little Rock saw an opportunity and took it, and what began as an old-fashioned political horse trade — you get my vote, I get something for my constituents — appears likely to evolve into a governor-backed legislative package that next year will seek to transform workforce training in Arkansas. read more >

Grant Tennille, head of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, told your Whispers staff last week that the state is “continuing to have conversations with companies from throughout the world who want to be close to independent sources of steel.” read more >

A year after the highly publicized announcement that a $1.1 billion steel mill was coming to Mississippi County, economic development officials say the project is moving forward despite a rival’s objections. read more >

One of Little Rock’s most important international companies sits directly under the flight paths of travelers departing and returning from overseas. read more >

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission and Gov. Mike Beebe announce a new initiative to better position large-acreage sites to new business. read more >