Forty Under 40: Neil Shipley

Neil Shipley, 32, says he has had a “varied” career.

Shipley grew up in Fayetteville. In 1989, he earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies from Tulane University in New Orleans and immediately moved to Los Angeles to work as a sales representative for Nestle Beverage Co.

After a year, Nestle transferred Shipley to Memphis. He worked for the company there for another two years before deciding in 1992 help with the Clinton-Gore campaign.

In Little Rock, Shipley worked with Clinton pollsters Stan Greenberg and Celinda Lake. After the election, Shipley worked for Greenberg for a bit longer before taking six months off from work.

Shipley resumed his career in sales and marketing with BSG Foods, a start-up business in Springdale that manufactured pizza products. Three years later, BSG was dissolved and Shipley went to work for Tim Walker at Walker Creative in Fayetteville. BSG had been a client of Walker’s.

As business director, Shipley says he does a little of everything at Walker Creative – everything except for graphic design, that is. Walker Creative’s office is in a building on Dickson Street that once housed Shipley Bakery, a business operated by Neil Shipley’s family.

Shipley is on the board of Habitat for Humanity and is chairman of the public relations committee. He was also involved with Springfest this year.