Forty Under 40: James Harkins

While growing up in Little Rock, James Harkins wanted to be either a commercial Realtor or a country-and-western songwriter. But a three-week stint in Nashville trying to break into show biz tipped the scales toward real estate. nHarkins got his real estate license when he was only 19, and sold residential properties in Fayetteville to help pay his way through college. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1998 and got his first management job with Bailey Properties back in Little Rock. nHe was hired with Flake & Kelly Commercial in 1999 and worked there until February 2003 when he was given the opportunity to partner with Brandon Rogers in Fayetteville’s Orion Realty. The firm is the exclusive listing agent for the upscale Clear Creek subdivision in Johnson. nWhat he likes most about his job is that it is dynamic and ever-changing, he said. The excitement of not knowing what will happen on a daily basis keeps his life fresh. nHarkins looks forward to building a family and his real estate portfolio. His advice to other up-and-coming Realtors is to learn from more experienced professionals and to stay humble. nHe is involved in the Make a Wish Foundation, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Springdale Rotary. n