Forty Under 40: Marla Webb

Marla Webb, 26, grew up in Prairie Grove and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2001.

In 1998, she started working for Dixie Development Inc. while still in college and has been with the development company ever since.

Webb started as a property manager for Dixie and stayed in that position for about a year. After the company downsized, Webb took over additional duties as office manager and handled all of the accounting. She also kept working toward her degree in Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis.

At times it was just Ben Isreal and I with this company, trying to make it work, Webb said. He influenced me quite a bit.

Webb was appointed chief financial officer in January 2002 and stayed in that position more than a year until she became chief operating officer in 2003.

I moved over to the operations side to work closer with Ben on acquisitions, Webb said. Her position involves the development of new properties and the acquisition of properties or raw land. Webb said there are about 50 employees at Dixie Development.

The company has an annual gross revenue of $3 million that Webb projects will jump to $6 million this year.