Christmas Wishes Abound

It’s that wonderful time of year when I can extend traditional Christmas wishes for Arkansans:

• John Tyson, chairman and CEO of Tyson Foods — Some respect. This is a guy who has turned his life around, taken on a position no one thought he would ever attain, created a multi-meat kingdom with the acquisition of IBP and contributed to the ongoing development of Northwest Arkansas. Of course, the only certain way of gaining respect in the business community will be to drive up the stock price and earnings of the company.

• Jo Luck and Heifer Project International — Continued national attention from the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Rosie O’Donnell and a successful fund-raising effort so their dream for a Global Village in downtown Little Rock can come to fruition quickly. This is a remarkable organization and project that deserves it.

• Randall Bradford, chief information officer for state of Arkansas — Patience with state government colleagues and Arkansas media. Your services and big-picture view for technology in Arkansas are desperately needed. After you help us through the AASIS debacle, develop priorities and a game plan for the future. And oh, by the way, there’s really not much money to work with.

• U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson — The courage to stand down and let Huckabee build and lead the Arkansas Republican Party. Hint: You’re going to need Huckabee’s help for reelection.

• Gov. Mike Huckabee — A better year. Being governor will be a tougher job the next couple of years with little growth in state revenue and seemingly certain changes in school funding that will be mandated. Governor, these aren’t joking times. Enjoy your easy reelection year but start preparing for tough, forward-looking decisions that aren’t necessarily going to be popular.

• John White, chancellor of the University of Arkansas — Success in helping the state aspire to have a better lead research institution but realism that the Fayetteville campus is never going to receive the level of state funding you believe it deserves over other colleges.

• Attorney General Mark Pryor — Understanding that you can’t try to resolve all the state’s or world’s problems through the Arkansas attorney general’s office in an effort to help you win your U.S. Senate race. Easy does it.

• Warren Stephens, CEO of Stephens Inc. — Confidence that animal rights extremists have failed, despite appalling efforts, to destroy your reputation. Keep standing up for what you believe because far too few prominent businessmen are willing to do so these days.

• Economic developers for Jonesboro and the state of Arkansas — Proper recognition for the incredible feat of landing the Nestlé USA plant. The magnitude of this coup has been grossly underestimated. We all wish a plant like that could be built in six months instead of two years to provide an immediate jobs boost.

• Joe Ford, chairman and CEO of Alltel Corp. — Support for your continuing efforts to bring central Arkansas together. The water issue was a great start. As city resources in the region become more limited, your leadership will be crucial to moving us forward in other areas. How about Joe Ford for mayor?

• Bill Dillard and Dillard’s Inc. — Just one year without a new discrimination lawsuit and with a more hopeful outlook for the retail sales market.

• Charles Hathaway, chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock — Simple gratitude. Here’s a guy who guided the school out of financial straits in the ’90s, changed the attitude about what an urban university is supposed to be and took the lead in developing a new model for information technology education.

• New college graduates — Understanding that jobs remain plentiful in Arkansas if you are pursuing a field where demand exists and can get past the fact that fat starting salaries for people with no experience are history.

• High school graduates — Understanding that the reduction in state scholarship money can’t be used as an excuse not to pursue higher education. You just have to work harder and make it an investment priority. A lot of us paid for our own college education with limited financial assistance from government. In fact, you’ll value the education more if it’s your own investment.

• Interstate highway travelers statewide — New bicycles. I think we could travel faster that way for the next couple of years.